S.P.A.C.E. and Previous-Night Prep Work

2. Give teens S.P.A.C.E. "Most teens want to be organized," says Julie Morgenstern, coauthor with daughter Jessie Morgenstern-Colon, of Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens. "They want to accomplish a lot. They just don't know how to do it all." The S.P.A.C.E. Formula makes it easier:

Sort items into categories. Group similar items. Purge to reduce the quantity. Keep only what you really use and love, and get rid of the rest. Assign a home for items. Decide on a shelf, drawer, bin, or section of the closet for each category. Containerize. Separate items with containers or dividers. Equalize and maintain the system. Don't think of it so much as putting things away as much as setting up for the next use, so it's there when you need it. Visit www.organizedteens.com for more information.

3. Do a little previous-night prep work. Rather than waiting until an hour before school or daycare, prepare lunches, backpacks, and diaper bags the night before, says Debbie Williams, author of Home Management 101.

With everyone else vying for her attention in the morning, it often takes Debbie twice as long to pack lunches during breakfast, so she packs them the night before and gets the job done in half the time. Also, when you arrive home from work, ready your briefcase or purse for the next day, grabbing documents, tollbooth change, or your planner.

Put keys and your briefcase in the same spot each time you are finished with them. Have your kids hang up their backpacks on a hook or put them in a designated spot by the door, so they're ready to grab in the next morning. If you have to iron uniforms or other clothes, make it a no-brainer and do it all on Sunday, when you're less likely to be distracted, says Williams, whose Web site is www.organizedtimes.com. Line outfits up in the closet for Monday through Friday to save time, too.

Finally, make it a point to schedule a 10-minute family meeting every Monday night. By then, you'll have a better idea from your kids' teachers of what's going on for the week, whether it's projects or a field trip. "Whatever information you can get puts you ahead of the curve and avoids confusion," says Williams. Over a week you'll get back two hours or more that you could devote to something fun by yourself or with the kids.