Get Organized, Become a Supermom

These tips can help you regain simplicitity, serenity and - most of all - sanity. What's not super about that?

Having it all, doing it all -- is it all it's cracked up to be? Not if the price is your sanity. But just because we don't advocate trying to reach the impossible standard of perfection doesn't mean we think it's impossible to make a few small lifestyle changes. Changes that can make your life much more simple and sane. Yes, Virginia, there IS a Supermom.

If you're interested in getting organized, finding serenity and simplifying certain areas of your life, you're in the right place. It may not happen in one fell swoop, but this list should help you be on your way to Supermom-hood as early as today -- just try not to trip over your cape.

CLEAR LIFE'S CLUTTER

• Closet chaos. Let's start with the most often-cited disaster area: the closet. A simple solution? Pick up a closet organizer. Choose one with at least seven shelves (one pocket or shelf for each day of the week). Not only will this keep you organized, it will also prove to be a major time-saver. On Sunday, Mom or Dad and child pick out the outfits for the week. You've just saved yourself from seven potential early morning shout-fests with half-naked kids running down the hall.
• Coax the kids into doing chores. Print out a blank calendar (found on most email programs) for each of your kids. Post it on the fridge, and each day the child completes his chores, place a sticker on that day. After five stickers, create a reward like a trip to the park or favorite playground. You can even reward your child for completing tasks that aren't exactly "chores," like waking up in the morning by an alarm (uh, without hitting snooze six times) or getting dressed and packed for school without Mom's help. But don't be too easy on your free workforce or else the rewards will be devalued and you could wind up right back where you started.
• Organize bills. Organize your bills by month, instead of by payee. This way you can pay all your bills at the same time and file each paper or receipt in one file. Instead of waiting for your bills to be due, you can pay them on a designated day each month, staying ahead of due dates and saving time. If you need to reference your electricity, mortgage or gas bill for October, just look in the October file. This can save you from being overwhelmed in the event of financial instability.
• Prepare for the unexpected. Pack an "emergency" kit in a basket or organizer in the back of your car or SUV. Stock your kit with drink boxes, bottled waters and bagged snacks. Also throw in a new book or toy, spare clothes, baseball caps, sunscreen, bug repellant and a water-resistant picnic blanket which can be used for anything from changing a diaper to keeping the rain off at a baseball game. Now when there's a mile-long carpool line or an unexpected wait, you've prevented most tears and tantrums.

The kitchen is not thine enemy

• Get a crock pot. Crock pots are the busy cook's best friend. Toss in a bunch of ingredients in the morning, go about your daily business without giving the meal a second thought and serve this delicious dish when it's time to eat. Couldn't be easier. Pick up a crock pot recipe book at any library or book store and you've got enough easy and exciting meals for your family for the next year!
• Plan ahead. Save yourself multiple weekly trips to the supermarket by writing your shopping list and dinner menu for the whole week. Yes, it make take you a little while to decide on which culinary masterpieces you'll serve each day, but think about not just how much time you'll have, but how much stress you'll save when the kids rile you up with their incessant, "What's for dinner?" questions. What's for dinner? Here, have a menu, courtesy of Chez Supermom.
• Increase the servings. Double up your recipes on Saturday and Sunday night so you'll have leftovers to last throughout the week. It's an easier dinner than the crock pot and can taste just as good as the first time you chowed down. If anyone complains about leftovers, throw a dish towel at them.
• Let the kids pick their snacks. Not so fast. Those kids will go on a sugar binge if you truly leave the snack choices up to them, so you will have to regulate it. Each week, fill one small basket in the refrigerator and one in the pantry with mom-approved snacks. Put single servings of grapes, berries, cheese (or cheese sticks), crackers, pretzels and drinkable yogurts in snack-size baggies and let the kids pick their own snacks when they're hungry. By spending 15 minutes getting all the food together, you won't have to slow down during the week to make snacks. Plus, the kids will enjoy their newfound "control" (wink, wink).
• Hide the veggies. No, you don't have to hide them so that the kids never come across them. You just have to sneak them into other foods so that your children have no idea how healthy their meal is. Sneak? Yes. Necessary? You bet. If your kids grimace at the sight of spinach, carrots and other nutrient-rich veggies, puree those veggies in a blender and then mix them in with spaghetti sauce.
• Make smoothies for breakfast. Find yourself running late some mornings? Don't stress about breakfast. Smoothies are the perfect breakfast on the go! Throw fruit, milk and yogurt in the blender and everyone can take a cup (spill-proof with a straw, of course) out the door. If you're feeling really inventive, you can do what some of us do in the office when we get bored and drop things like M&Ms and Chex Mix in, but if you don't like crunchy shakes, better stick to stuff you know.

SHOP EASIER

• Go online. Think about all the time and money (and gas, engine wear, schleping) you spend on shopping errands. Have you ever thought about the fact that you can buy absolutely anything you need on the Internet? Not only is Internet shopping faster than shopping around town, but some companies offer free shipping on larger orders. Not to mention you'll save cash on those impulse buys that tempt you when you're physically at the store...
• Buy bulk. Bulk shopping can also save your family time and money. If something you regularly buy is on sale, buy as many as you have room to store (as long as it won't spoil, if we're talking about food). If you come across something a friend or family member would love, go ahead and buy it - just stash it in the closet and save it for their birthday. Buy 15 or 20 birthday cards (and stamps) at once and keep them in a desk drawer to save yourself emergency trips to the card store or post office.

Save your sanity!

• Motivate yourself to work out. If you enjoy working out, the trick is finding the time. Easier said than done, right? Even if you're dedicated enough to set the alarm an hour early, resisting the urge to hit that snooze button can still be tricky! Give yourself one less excuse to hit snooze by swapping your PJs for workout gear. Sleep in bike shorts and a t-shirt and all you need to do is get up, grab shoes and socks and get going! No one minds the smell... honest.
• "Read" with your ears, not eyes. Most moms will readily admit they don't remember the last time they started and finished a book. If you can't find the time to flip through pages, you can still flex your brain muscle (and keep up with the latest bestsellers - thank you, Oprah) by listening to audio books in your car while driving and on your iPod while preparing dinner.
• Take a breather. You may know that feeling all too well - kids screaming, dog barking, doorbell ringing and you're literally about to pull your hair out. Take time out. Walk into a quiet room, shut the door behind you and breathe. You can even try hiding away a favorite chocolate bar, CD or other comfort item for special times like these. Put some lavendar candles in your little safe haven, light them as soon as you walk in and let the calming aroma soothe your senses.
• Don't try to do it all. You are a Supermom, regardless of whether you follow any of these things, because you are doing your BEST. You simply can't do it all. Tell yourself this often and give it a chance to sink in. Don't be afraid to let little things slide when bigger priorities like dance recitals or soccer games come up. If the house is a mess, try not to stress about it through the week. Designate a few hours on the weekend to catch up.