Midwestern Woman - Home: Plan ahead

No Clean-up Baby Shower

nospam@example.com (Deanna Robinson) — Sun, 07 May 2006 14:38:01 -0500

Love throwing parties, but hate the clean-up. Try this tip. Host a baby shower at the mother to be's favorite restaurant.

I just had a baby shower for Wendy at my work.

I just invited all the girls to meet at Casa D'Angelo Restuarant after work. I called ahead so they would have our table set up. I ordered their great salad, it came in big bowls and everyone ordered their own drinks. We ate and chatted. I ordered a ice cream cake from Dairy Queen and we had that for dessert. They cleared the table and Wendy opened her baby presents.

What a great time we had and I had no clean up. Everyone loved it.

The Schedule

nospam@example.com (Joanna McMillian) — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:42:47 -0600

How do you organize soccer practice with piano lessons, and chores? Well the best tip that I’ve heard is using dry erase boards. Sunday night make a plan. What does the week look like and organize it on a dry erase board. It doesn’t hurt to also put who should take out the trash on Monday night for the Tuesday morning pickup. Even if it’s you, I know that I could use the reminder. Don’t forget that if the board isn’t close to the exit no one will use it.

Party Planning

nospam@example.com (Mickey Jones) — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:41:32 -0600

Have a friend that’s the best host? Well we do and here’s how she does it. She makes a prep list and on it she includes things to buy, how to decorate, when to clean, and who will help with the clean up. She always puts the meat in a crock pot head and designates to others what to bring. She puts signs up next to the drinks to tell where everything is for self-service. She even asks one guest to come early to help in the kitchen while she picks up the house. Then at the end she asks everyone to bring items to the kitchen and doesn’t feel bad to have used plastic forks, cups and plates. A great host has everything under control and is not working in the kitchen throughout the party, but is in the party with the guests.

School Project Planning

nospam@example.com (Allison Robinson) — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:38:08 -0600

Beg and plead to find out when the “big” projects are due and start a count down, so you’re not running to Meijer for more glue at midnight with the project due the next day. Mom, you need to be the one to make the larger plan of when to get started. Let me tell you, it will avoid a lot of last minute stress for the whole family.

Planning Family Time

nospam@example.com (Allison Robinson) — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:33:43 -0600

How to get the family to spend time with each other? One tip is to plan an Out to Eat night. It needs to be the same night each week, and schedule everything else around it. The rotate who picks the place.

Meal Planning

nospam@example.com (Allison Robinson) — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:23:45 -0600

One great tip from the grandmother of the group is to freeze leftovers. Then when you get home late, you just pick out a few things and heat them up. Presto, instant dinner for entire the family.

Check out the latest items from Tupperware.