Cozi Blog

Most Moms Say: Keep It Simple!

For Mother’s Day, most moms would prefer to receive a handmade card than a fancy gift. Even more impressively, most moms would prefer to relax at home with the family than head to the spa. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with spa time, but most moms say they’d rather celebrate Mother’s Day by being a mom than spending time away from the family.

That’s according to 5,000 moms from across the country who responded to our Cozi survey about what gifts moms would like to receive, and how they’d like to spend their time, on Mother’s Day.

With more than 35% of all responding moms saying they’d like to receive a simple, handmade gift or card for Mother’s Day, moms are making it clear that they prefer creativity and thoughtfulness from their children to any lavish gift or piece of jewelry they could receive. In fact, nearly three times as many moms would rather receive a gift from the heart than any of the other options in the survey.

As for how moms would like to spend their day, 31% told us their top choice would be to spend a lazy day at home with their family, followed by another 20% of respondents who said they’d be happy doing anything, as long as they were with their children. Another 20% said they’d enjoy having brunch with their family. That’s more than 70% of moms saying their top choice for Mother’s Day is hanging out with their kids, either at home, at brunch, or doing something fun outside the house.

We already knew this, but this adds more evidence that moms are truly amazing! With the amount of work moms do for and with their kids 24/7/365, it’s absolutely incredible that 70% of our responding moms want to spend their day of honor with their kids!

This doesn’t surprise Cozi founder and CEO Robbie Cape, though. He says, “Moms are often times undervalued and underappreciated, and yet it’s the simple things like homemade cards and a quiet day with the family that keep them going.”

Interestingly and impressively, most dads were also in touch with what moms would want to do for Mother’s Day. When we asked Dads how they thought moms would want to spend the day, more than 60% predicted that their partners would want to spend Mother’s Day with their families.

Of course, all moms are unique, and your mom might choose something different than the moms in our survey. The most important thing is to find out what means the most to the mom in your life and fill her day with the people and activities that will make her happy.

 Happy Mother’s Day from Cozi!

2009 Mother's Day Wish List Survey Results

Cozi asked 5,000 moms what their ideal Mother's Day would include. Dads were also asked how they thought their partners would want to spend Mother’s Day. Check out the nationwide survey results: 

   

 

 

Mother's Day Gifts - Winning Ideas

Cozi's 2009 Mother's Day Wish List Survey Results
Cozi surveyed 5,000 moms and almost one-third said they want to spend Mother's Day the no-fuss way - with a lazy day at home with the family. That's easy! Find out the other top vote-getters, whether she loves those hand-made crafts from the kids, and what the dads have to say.

Mother's Day Gift Certificates
Mother’s Day is on the horizon, and 2009 seems like the perfect year to honor Mom with gifts of the heart, not of the credit card. Satellite Sister Lian Dolan explains how to create unique gift certificates that only a mother could appreciate. Note: Some adult supervision required, Dad.

Mother's Day Countdown
Still not sure what to do for the Mom in your life? That’s easy; leave it up to her! Cozi blogger Marian Hyland has creative ways to find out exactly what the mom in your life wants on her special day.

Mother's Day Countdown

 

With Mother's Day just around the corner, it's time to put a plan into place. Not sure what to do for the Mom in your life? That's easy; leave it up to her!

She might want to spend the day hiking with the family, or she might want to spend the day at the spa. She might want to sleep in, or she might want breakfast in bed. She might want to relax with the family at a backyard barbeque, or have dinner out at a favorite neighborhood spot.

The plans for the day don't need to be elaborate or expensive. They just need to be all about her. They need to be what she wants them to be, and the best way to find out what she wants is to ask her!

One friend suggested putting together a Mother's Day Questionnaire. The questionnaire would have all the time blocks of the day open and free for Mom to fill in. The questionnaire could even include menu choices for breakfast in bed and options for the other meals of the day. If she wants to eat in, she can choose the menu. If she wants to eat out, she can choose the locale.

Giving her the questionnaire before Mother's Day, and letting her plan the events of the day, will show how much you're thinking about her and how much you want her to enjoy the day that celebrates all that she does for you and your family.

If you aren't feeling creative enough to create your own questionnaire, let Cozi help with the planning. First, schedule an all-day appointment in your family calendar for your whole family. Whatever the plans will be, your whole family needs to be on-call for Mom.

Second, set up a list in the Shopping List section of Cozi. Title it “Mother's Day Plans.”

Next, bring Mom a cup of tea, and ask her to fill in the list with her ideas for the perfect Mother's Day. Tell her to add all the things she's been wanting to do, but hasn't had time to do. Tell her to think of herself, not the family. After all, that's what she does 24/7, and this day is meant for her!

Third, add another list for Mother's Day gift ideas. This is where Mom will help you get creative, and help you brainstorm for gifts that won't break the bank. Title the list “Mother's Day Wish List,” or “Top 10 Things My Family Could Do for Me on Mother's Day.”

Set Mom up with a second cup of tea, and tell her this is her chance to ask for all the little things she'd love her family to do for her or with her.

Watch out; the wishes on this list might not be expensive, but they might be more challenging to grant than buying a new pair of earrings or a new blouse. Wishes on this list might include a bicker-free family day or help with keeping the bedrooms tidy. Or, Mom's wish might be for the gift of more family time, which is precious and scarce.

Easy or challenging, fulfilling the wishes on this list will mean a lot more to Mom than gifts that come from a store, so ask her what she wants, and do your best to help her wishes come true. Make her day fun and enjoyable from start to finish to thank her for the great job she does being a mom for your family.

Next stop, Father's Day!

Mother’s Day Gift Certificates

 

Mother’s Day is on the horizon, and 2009 seems like the perfect year to honor Mom with gifts of the heart, not of the credit card. So I’ve come up with a few unique gift certificate ideas that only a mother could appreciate. Feel free to forward this article to your family. Note: Some adult supervision required, Dad.

One Don’t-Get-Up Dinner. You bought the food. You cooked the food. Now, you can actually eat the food while it’s hot! That’s right, Mom. This certificate is good for an entire meal eaten while seated. No hopping up to get seconds, more milk or the towel to clean up milk when little brother spills it. You sit; we’ll get it. We’ll handle the table clearing and clean up, too!

One Week of Thank-Yous. No matter what you give us (a snack, a bath, homework help), we promise to say ”thank you“ without prompting. This certificate even includes those occasions when you give us stuff we don’t want, like a reminder to brush our teeth or clean our rooms. We’ll respond, ”Thanks, Mom, for that great advice.“ As an added bonus, we’ll throw in a few ”pleases.“

One Prime Time of Controlling the Remote Control. Relax, put your feet up, and grab that remote! It’s yours for the evening. No talking sponges, no wrestling, no shows about attacking animals. Watch whatever you want, Mom. We promise not to whine, complain or punch each other while we sit on the couch. Popcorn included.

One Family Game Night Without Accusations. This certificate entitles you to an evening of board games without the usual cries of “Cheater!” or “That’s so not fair!” Doesn’t that sound like a little slice of heaven? Not to us, but we know you’ll love it, so we’ll do it for you, Mom.

A Weekend of Hazard-free Floors. Tired of tripping over backpacks, abandoned shoes, scattered toys and random socks? Not this weekend, Mom. We’ll keep the house hazard-free for 48 hours! Travel anywhere you’d like in your own home without stopping to bend over and pick up something! Imagine the luxury! Walk to the bathroom at night without incident. The floor is yours!

A Fidgetless Hour. We won’t wiggle, giggle, poke each other or make inappropriate noises to attract attention from strangers. We won’t move and you won’t have to give us The Look. Suitable for use at Grandma’s house, church or waiting in line anywhere.

About the author: Lian Dolan is a writer, mother, Satellite Sister and creator of The Chaos Chronicles, a podcast, blog and Website about modern motherhood.

provides tips and smart strategies to help you feel good, look good, and get more out of life.

What do mom's really want for Mother's Day? Find out now - read Cozi's 2009 Mother's Day Wish List Survey Results - and get some great Mother's Day gift ideas.

Decision Making Made Easy

An inability to make decisions can be an enormous burden. It's one of the biggest reasons my clients have trouble staying organized, and I often use decision-making tactics to help them reduce their clutter. I simplify the process by reducing the number of options for them, and I ask a range of strategic questions that will result in a reduced number of options or final answer. I also help them weigh the pros and cons. I have yet to apply Suzy Welch's technique. Have you heard about it?

Suzy Welch has come out with a new book, 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea. I have yet to read this book, but it's on my list. Suzy Welch has applied her new 10-10-10 technique to assist in the decision-making process. The technique is simple: When a decision becomes difficult to address, ask yourself three questions:

1. How will I feel about this decision in 10 minutes?
2. How will I feel about this decision in 10 months?
3. How will I feel about this decision in 10 years?

Suzy talked about her book on the Today show recently. She explained that in the book, she illustrates how her technique works with examples from her own life and from real-life scenarios of others. I was quite intrigued. I plan to apply this tactic with my clients and in my own life to see how it goes.

My only critical thought is, how new can this tactic be? It seems we have all used some similar means to obtain a decision, right? How do you make decision-making easier?

--Sara Bereika, CPO, Neat Organizing

A Little Enthusiasm Goes a Long Way

Just yesterday I was working with a client whose daughter joined us in our session. She was 5 years old and very curious. To keep my client focused on her task, I took her daughter aside and asked her to help me with filing. She was an amazing little helper, not to mention very intrigued with my handy little label maker.

She was able to sort through piles and find her school work, her sister's school work, and drawings they had done. Some she kept, some she tossed. She loved knowing that she had her own personal files for school work. When we got to documents regarding the family car, family pet, or birth certificates, she knew exactly where those belonged once I showed her the files I created. I also explained what memorabilia was, and she instantly had things to add to that category. In the past, her mother had her draw pictures on the file folders depicting their contents (such a great idea!), so when a new folder was added, we discussed the drawings she would do.

It was such a great experience for both of us. My enthusiasm brushed off on her, and she was focused and eager to help and she was learning to organize! We got so much done, and when I left she swore she would continue to help with the filing.

If you find it difficult to organize because you have children and time is tight, use a little bit of creativity and enthusiasm. I promise that organizing can be enjoyable for everyone. You just need the right attitude.

So what will you organize with your kids this weekend?

--Sara Bereika, Neat Organizing

Get Organized! Step One

Is “get organized” a perennial member of your resolution list? If so, you’re not alone. “Get organized” is one of the top ten resolutions that people make every year. What makes getting organized a challenge is that it is more about behavior than it is tools. Oh tools are important – the right tool can make a job easier and more fun. But tools by themselves will not make you organized.

And contrary to our “gotta have it now!” society, no one becomes organized instantaneously. It takes time to change behavior. So let’s first focus on the steps that encourage change. Using a framework for behavior change allows you to approach any goal with more confidence, more focus and a better chance for success.

1. Visualize the change. Create a collage of pictures that represent the look and feel of the goal you are pursuing. The collage helps bring focus to a goal and makes it more tangible. It can provide a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish when hung in a place that you frequent.

2. Write down your goals and visit that list often. Writing provides a way of formalizing goals and improves the odds of the goals being actualized. It doesn’t matter where you write your goals as long as they are in a place that you refer to frequently.

3. Break the goal down into smaller goals with milestones. Small goals make it easier to incorporate change, and as such will increase your likelihood of success. Reasonable milestones for achieving small and large goals can “light a fire” under us to motivate us toward success.

4. Track the changes. That which we measure tends to be reinforced. Check marking a calendar, putting stars on a chart, and keeping a journal are simple and effective ways to track your behavior. Choose what works for you.

5. Reward progress. In the beginning frequent, small rewards will help reinforce the changes you wish to make. A small reward might be ten minutes of reading a new book or an extra cup of coffee. Significant rewards at established milestones will help set a certain amount of excitement and help motivate you. A significant reward might be a new pair of shoes or a whole afternoon pursuing a hobby.

6. Ponder, not punish, the setbacks. When things don’t go as you had hoped, analyze what led to the setback. Use the analysis to help you in the future. In your analysis make sure you acknowledge what went right as well as awry. The balance helps combat all or non e thinking.

Rather than think of these steps in a linear fashion – you’re finished when you have accomplished step six - look at them as a circle. Once you have accomplished step six, take your changes to a deeper level and go to step one again. Use these steps to encourage any change so that you can live the life you want to live.

Clear Spaces owner Denise Lee merges seven years of social service experience and seventeen years experience in Information Technology to bring you effective and personal organizing solutions for the home, the small business and the student. The Clear Spaces approach is holistic -- empowering you to live the life you want to live.

Book 'Em

I'd say 80% of my clients are overwhelmed with books. Their books are often stacked along the walls on the floor and covered with other clutter. I, for one, can completely understand the love for books. I value a good book and tend to save them as if they were trophies.

However, when the books start taking over your life and home, there's a problem. In most cases, my clients find it much easier to decide to get rid of their books if they know the books will end up in good hands. We donate the books to local libraries, non-profits, or women's shelters.

Here's another great option: BookMooch.com. It's an online book exchange, and it's FREE! You only have to pay to ship the book. Your book will go to someone who will love it, it won't end up in a landfill, and it's a great way to recycle and reduce consumption. I do have one rule for my clients who use the exchange: They have to donate at least five books for every new book they receive. Give it a try.

--Sara Bereika CPO, Neat Organizing

Did I Forget About That?

One of the most requested Cozi features is now here! Introducing... (drum roll, please) Cozi appointment reminders!

Life is busy, and we all know how easy it is to forget that task or appointment, big or small. With appointment reminders, Cozi can help ensure that you won’t leave your son waiting at the soccer field or your daughter waiting at the dentist’s office. 

Adding a reminder to any appointment in your family calendar is simple. Just click the appointment, select the “Remind” check box next to the appointment time, and you’re done!

Your reminder will be sent by text or email message. If your mobile phone number is in Cozi, you’ll automatically get your reminder sent to your phone. For a family member without a mobile number in Cozi, the reminder will be sent by email. You can also choose how far in advance you want to receive the reminder, anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 week ahead.

It’s easy to set reminders for someone else in your family, or for multiple people. Want to send a reminder to someone who's not listed as an attendee for the appointment? Not a problem! Just add them to the appointment, and they'll receive the reminder you've arranged. So now they won’t have an excuse for missing that important family dinner (or at least not a good one).

Cozi appointment reminders are only available in Cozi 2.0, so make sure that you’re using the web version of Cozi. You can get more info about reminders and lots of other new Cozi features here: http://www.cozi.com/Promo-New-in-Cozi.htm.

So go ahead, give appointment reminders a try. Just sign in to your Cozi account and create a new calendar appointment or edit a current one to add a reminder. It’s that easy!