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Color Coding?  

post #1 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:17am
Thread Starter 
Do any of you mamas with several kids use color coding to keep everybody's stuff straight? What all do you color code? How do you do it? Especially like to know how you use this travelling.

I'm also interested in other ways to use color-coding. Like different colored bags at the grocery store (blue for cold, green for produce, etc.) and ideas for color coding the days of the week or using color coding to do a menu plan and/or a cleaning schedule.

Okay, I admit. I love the idea of using color codes. But I'm wondering if it would really be that helpful. I look forward to getting your all's wonderful ideas.

Kate
post #2 of 18
2/1/05 at 12:21pm
I have tried to color code.....mostly on my calendar, each child's activities are in their color. For an example E's fav color is blue....if iy says basketball 6-7:30@school gym....I know who it is. I only use pencil on my calendar also, kind of a nut about that!
At Christmas they all got white sporrt socks, so the blue dot ones are E's, the green dot are D's.
Just a few ideas, but someone is hungry.....
post #3 of 18
2/1/05 at 7:55pm
We color code, mainly bathroom stuff.
They each have a basket (we're going in rainbow order, so Michael is red, Katie Grace is yellow, Nicholas is green) that has their toothbrush, their toothpaste, their soap, and their brush (they each have their own). They also each have a hooded towel I made in "their color". They each have a coat hook and a step with their name written in their color. This will probably expand as they get older!
Annette
post #4 of 18
2/1/05 at 7:58pm
Socks. I get the hanes socks that have the writing on hte toes in different colors. I tossed all the old ones & started fresh. MAkes seperating laundry way easier.
post #5 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diaper_Addict_Jen
Socks. I get the hanes socks that have the writing on hte toes in different colors. I tossed all the old ones & started fresh. MAkes seperating laundry way easier.
I have actually wondered at times if it would be worth ten bucks or so to just give the socks to the mission and start over again when they move on to the next size. Figuring out what socks go to who, and what size to bring out of storage is a major PITA.

Annette
post #6 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:12pm
It is worth it! The kids can seperate their own now! That really saves time!
post #7 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:18pm
Well, if you see me listing socks FFS on the TP, you'll know I took the plunge!
Annette
post #8 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:21pm
LOL! I stay away from TP, too much trouble!
post #9 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:26pm
I have been trying to use a color coded system. I get a little overboard with it though!!!

The sock thing is a major one for me as well. Part of my prob is that dd has all sorts of fancy socks. Each one coordinates with a different outfit.

The boys are a little easier.
post #10 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:39pm
I never use the fancy socks. A big PITA, lol.
post #11 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:40pm
Most are gifts....and she LOVES them!!!

I won't buy them for her because they drive me crazy!
post #12 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:48pm
DD is the only one with pretty colored socks. I have all plain black socks, exactly the same. DH has white socks, and DS has white socks, all exactly the same, only Dh's are bigger then Ds's. LOL! I don't even fold them, just make nice stacks and throw away the holey ones...
post #13 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:51pm
Call me a snot, but I have the best socks- Maggie's Organics : )
Katie Grace has girly socks.
Nicholas has a lot of Under the Nile socks.
Michael's are just boy socks.

Actually, rethinking this, I can't get rid of the organic socks- too expensive...
Hmm
Annette
post #14 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:57pm
What other sorts of things do you guys color coordinate?

I am trying to do laundry baskets, bath buckets (similar to Annettemarie's), weekly folders for activities or special events, and calendar.
post #15 of 18
2/1/05 at 8:59pm
Oh, that;s what else- they each have a dish tub with their name in their color, and they use these to carry their clean clothes up to their rooms.
Annette
post #16 of 18
2/2/05 at 12:26am
Thread Starter 
Oh wow! What great ideas! Question. How do you choose colors for everybody? No kids yet. But I'd hate to start them on a color and then they hate it, but what if two kids have the same favorite color? YKWIM? My fave color is red so all my luggage and a bunch of other stuff is already red. And then I'm thinking black or navy for dad. Then blue, green for boys and purple for girls. I'd do pink for girls, too. But I can't find pink duffles/suitcase/backpack in pink anywhere. Orange and yellow I figure can go either way. But, I'm also thinking what do you do if you have five boys? Or five girls? A friend of mine has eight boys! How do you color code that many.

I'd also like your thoughts on colored days of the week. Denim bottoms for everybody and colored tees. Red on Monday, Green on Tuesday, Orange on Wednesday, etc. I love the idea of everybody in the family matching, especially when we go out...that way if we get separated, heaven forbid, I know what color to look for and so do they. Am I nuts? Do you think it would work?

Keep the great ideas coming. You guys ROCK!
TIA,
Kate

ETA: BTW, do any of you color-code your diaper bags/purses? (i.e. the pink bag is mom's stuff, the green bag is money, the blue bag is diapering supplies, the red bag is cloth pads, etc) How does that work? Does it really help?
post #17 of 18
2/2/05 at 10:07am
We just go in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). They didn't have a choice. They have lots of choices in other areas, but this is sort of a utilitarian thing.

In the Waldorf tradition, there are colors for each day of the week (based supposedly on planetary influences or something like that). I'll try to find the web site. I wouldn't have everyone where a the same color each day of the week though. I think it would get on my nerves.

We do have bright red shirts with "Morning Song Homeschool" on them that we wear out for field trips.

I don't know about color coding purses and bags- I think you can go overboard, and since I have OCD tendencies, I try to reign myself in!

Annette
post #18 of 18
2/3/05 at 10:27am
My calender is color coded, the kids picked their colors,well the older 3 did.

I have dark and light laundry baskets, no room for anything else.

Socks are easy, 1 teen girl, 12 teen boy, 2 toddlers whose sock sare interchangable. DH doesn't get his socks in the laundry too often. ROFL.

Hash marks on the tags might come in handy with the little boys soon. I sort their laundry myself, they have too much trouble. Might have to think about this more.

When I redo the bathroom, everyone will have colored towels.
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