If your family is like mine, your kids are accumulating and using more and more portable gadgets, making it harder to keep everything in order. With the gadgets come more batteries, causing household clutter-not to mention the extra dollars spent in keeping everything powered.
Research by the NPD Battery- Operated Device Inventory shows that in an average household of four, there is an average of 24.1 devices jointly operated and an average of 77.8 batteries purchased per year. My family, a slightly above-average group of 12, has grown accustomed to some helpful tips to keep our kids' gad-gets and high-tech life organized and charged. Here are a few ideas to keep your house going through the gadget craze:
• Label everything. Grab a Sharpie and mark everything, from their MP3 players to their lunchboxes. It is the best way for your child and classmates to know whose gadgets are whose, and also can help prevent them from walking away with the wrong item.
• Keeping the gadgets charged is also a daily challenge. Rechargeable batteries cut down on battery volume and clutter and save money. Energizer has a new Easy Charger that was designed with "battery manager Mom" in mind.
• Designate areas for your children to put their backpacks, jackets, gaming units, supplies, calculators and other belongings. Using cubbies in an area right near the door for each child helps contain everything for your sake and theirs.
• Develop a routine that works for your family. We have something we call the "daily purge." At the end of each day, my kids sort through their belongings, store their various items and throw away any garbage that has accumulated throughout the day.
Trying to keep the house clutter-free can be a full-time job, but incorporating these tips into your lifestyle can be increasingly effective. It may even be a little bit easier to keep going this year.
For more tips from Kathryn Sansone, visit www.energizer.com. |
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