Have you looked into items and spaces that will make life easier once you move in? Such as shelves in the laundry room, where you'll put the kitchen garbage pail, etc. I wanted to dwell on this point a little more, too. That you should focus on setting up the INFRASTRUCTURE you will need. I love infrastructure--we often ignore it, esp. stuff like shelving, etc. Be sure you have hooks for brooms, enough shelves int he closets (in any closet w/ shelves, seriously consider adding ONE MORE shelf) Then, you can decide what you want to put there. "Gumball Rally" is what I thought it was.And that's a great philosophy for lots of situations. Gloria, we're contemplating a move down the block, and my DH was saying "no need to pay movers except for the piano and the couch; we can just carry it down." Over my dead body! We've got 2 kids, and 4 people's worth of stuff. Last time we moved, I nearly killed one of his friends (who was helping us but wouldn't listen to me) out of frustration. I told DH then, we are never moving ourselves again. It is just TOO HARD. And, that same friend moved, w/ DH helping, and he packed some, moved some, etc. It's VERY inefficient. MUCH more efficient to pack everything, truck it over in ONE trip (get as big a truck as you need), and then unpack. I suppose 4 doors away doesn't require a truck, but it'll use a handcart, and major packing. I've really learned mylesson from watching those friends. Pack everything before you move ANYthing.

Claire: Good thread! I wish I had a basement to become a hot spot! We can't store much in the attic either due to extreme heat in the summer, so I really have to work on clutter containment. Once it came to me like clouds parting and a light shining in my brain. Finish what needs to be done each day. Really, like a heavenly voice! What an insight. Well, now you all know what a nut I am. But it's true. I can't pare down my life enough to pace things a day at a time. I can't even think about breaking things down into manageable sub-tasks. I really need to FLY, I guess and just focus on getting things done. Claire, isn't it great to have the remodel over? I really don't post much on the Kitchen Forum anymore, I'm so burned out. All the things that were so important a year ago, the details of my new kitchen... all of it has nearly beat the stuffing out of me. It will take months before I will feel normal again. Anyway, I have a five year old to put to bed, so goodnight!

Letting them suffer the consequences is a good strategy if the root problem is laziness, and a "kick in the pants" approach would be effective. For some kids, it's just 'getting kicked' and makes them feel worse, less-motivated even, without changing anything. If the root problem is poor organization skills, then learning or developing them is going to be the answer. You'll probably need to work with your DD to find a system that works and feels natural for her, keeping in mind that what works or seems 'organized' to you may make absolutely no sense to her. Different organization strategies work for different people. I bet you could find a bunch of different possibilities by Googling, then discuss with your DD to see what she thinks will work for her. What about, in addition to folders for each class, adding a single 'TODAY' folder that's sturdy, visible, and easy to slip in and out of a backpack. It would be especially handy if her backpack has a side slot that could hold the folder. All of Today's new papers and assignments go into the Today folder, then get removed at home and either completed, or refiled in the proper class's folder. (Nothing is allowed to 'live' in the Today folder.) A system that works well for me is a large bulletin board, with little 'header cards' for each client (for your DD, each Class). Then assignments and notes get push-pinned onto the bulletin board under each header. That way, it's all visible in front of me. Anything critical or time-sensitive gets highlighted, and the space for each class/client can expand or contract simply by moving a few push-pins. To manage my time, I need to have my tasks visible in front of me. Filing them neatly away would result in "Out of sight, Out of mind." Good luck with this! My son started school yesterday, so we're going through the same thing...

OMG, so you call those things SPACE BAGS? I can imagine putting four fluffy pillows and a comforter in a squeezed bag under the bed, or in a platform bed drawer, and have it LEAK!!!! Good grief, I can picture what you'd have to do to remove the contents after they expand. And did you use the vacuum cleaner hose to suck out the air, Loretta? I think of something and it turns out you've just done it the week before....you install a tiny ceiling fan, and it is the same one I bought too.....are we on the same wave length or WHAT!! Pretty soon, you'll be able to finish my sentences no problem, and I'll be asking you for advice on persuading my DH to do things the way I wish WHEN I wish. I am decidedly "strong willed" as it has been noted, and not always tactful or gently persuasive. My approach is to push someone until they push back, hence I know that somebody is there. Otherwise it is like pushing through a cloud looking for a presence--until you touch something firm, you don't know if anyone is home!