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Organizing … Specialized!

Public Group active 1 week, 5 days ago ago

Organizing…Specialized is group where we help each other with the home organizing challenges we face raising children with special needs. While our moderator is a Professional Organizer, she is not able to personally address each question raised, especially as the group grows. We can all share our tips, offer suggestions and help one another. Leslie will address as many questions as she can, but please remember she is our volunteer moderator.

What basic tasks do you simplify for your child? (7 posts)

  • Profile picture of lesliegail lesliegail said 1 year ago:

    Organizing for special needs can require simplifying basic tasks. I watched a video this morning demonstrating how the task of shaving was broken down and taught to a teen with autism. What kind of basic tasks do you further simplify for your child? Is there something you need help with?

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  • Profile picture of Julia Roberts Julia Roberts said 1 year ago:

    We have just 4 chores a day for the kids. They rotate after a week and they are the same. After the summer we’re going to add one more. I feel like we are always ONE STEP parents. Tell the kids what to do in one step, which always takes a lot more time and a lot more patience.

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  • Profile picture of Marythemom Marythemom said 1 year ago:

    EVERYTHING!

    Even though our daughter is 17, she is easily overwhelmed. Daily chores are broken down into each component and put on a chore chart she can check them off. She has more chores than the younger kids because she has no homework and needs to be working on her vocational skills. I write shortened versions of what needs to be done to make it fit on the Excel spread sheet, but they’ve been doing it awhile so know what it means. Chores are spread out over several days so she’s not doing all of these on one day. Even so, it’s too much and I need to find a way to make it visually seem like fewer chores.

    Example of one chore breakdown:
    BATHROOM
    Neaten/Pickup/Dust
    Toilet/TP {make sure there are at least 3 spare rolls of toilet paper}
    Trash/Recycle {we recycle used toilet paper rolls}
    Counters/ Sinks
    Both Floors {linoleum and carpet – it’s a big bathroom}
    Tub/ Surround
    Shower-bleach! {she sprays the shower with a cleaner that has bleach in it when she’s done taking her shower).
    Mirrors

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  • Profile picture of lesliegail lesliegail said 1 year ago:

    Thanks Julia and Mary for sharing your experience! Mary, have you found an efficient way to recycle in the bathroom itself? I have yet to figure out a solution that is small enough to fit under the sink and has two compartments – one for trash, one for recycle, that doesn’t cost over $20.

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  • Profile picture of Marythemom Marythemom said 1 year ago:

    We have a trash can, and an oatmeal container or something similar right next to the toilet for toilet paper rolls. Empty shampoo bottles are disposed of as they empty (or are supposed to be – I find them left on the side of the tub or hidden in a cabinet).

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  • Profile picture of lesliegail lesliegail said 1 year ago:

    Mary,
    That sounds like what I do! My goal is to find a sturdier version of something like this: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/organizing-and-storage/storage-baskets-bins/divided-grey-tote/s555901

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  • Profile picture of Marythemom Marythemom said 12 months ago:

    Ours is a large bathroom so we don’t need to maximize the space. The main problem I have is that the oatmeal can we use for recycling toilet paper rolls, frequently gets drenched by an overflowing toilet and we have to throw it away. Of course at the time I’m more concerned about the other damage done by all the disgusting water. I still wish I knew what the builder was thinking when they carpeted the master bathroom. One of these days I have to find a way to afford to replace it all with linoleum. It’s sooo disgusting. Sorry, TMI!

    Mary

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