









	" We adore chaos because we love to produce order. " -- M. C. Escher

Reviews

Danelle Drake for Reader Views

Being a mom of four daughters, including a set of twins, I sure could have used “Chaos 2 Calm” many years ago. Our twins arrived from our third pregnancy so we had already experienced how “easy” one baby at a time was when our “2” arrived. Not that any of this time in your life is “easy,” but the arrival of 2 or more at a time is one wild roller-coaster. Many times people would ask, “How do you do it?” and my response would always be, “You can’t send them back.” Raising wellmannered, well-composed children is not easy but is so very rewarding. You will be challenged daily and will need to rise to the occasion; you will never be perfect but should be armed to do your absolute best.

Filled with instructions, charts, product picks and parent how-to, you will learn as Tonia Tomlin says, “Organization plays a much deeper role in family life that what you make initially think.” Beginning with “A New Way of Life” and progressing to “The Terrible Twos Times Two” you will be led thru your pregnancy, preparing your home for little ones, baby etiquette, and even ecofriendly baby advice. “Chaos 2 Calm” is a wonderful book for mothers to be. You really need all of the information contained between the pages of this book, it will be useful, and should be read long before the baby (or 2) arrival.

Midwest Book Review

Think of all the effort, time and attention it takes to care for just one baby. Then consider what the demands are when you are the mother of twins or triplets or more! Those are the mothers for whom Tonia Tomlin (herself the mother of twin girls) has written "Chaos 2 Calm: The Moms-of-Multiples Guide to an Organized Family". Enhanced with an accompanying CD, "Chaos 2 Calm" offers a wealth of immediately applicable, practical, effective, and 'user friendly' tips, tricks and techniques on a variety of pertinent issues including where to put the nursery; how to organize closets, bathrooms, the kitchen, and other areas of the home. Tomlin offers seasoned and experienced advice on crating baby-safe spaces, coping with the challenges of childcare, settling in, implementing a routine, traveling with babies, where to find eco-friendly baby food, fashion, toys, baby shower etiquette, and so much more specifically addressing the needs and concerns of moms with multiples. Of special note are the forms, both those in the back of the book and those on the accompanying CD which can be easily printed out as needed. If you or a friend are faced with parenting twins, triplets, or more (multiple birth rates are at an all-time high and continuing to increase in the general populace), then obtain your own copy of "Chaos 2 Calm" -- you are going to need it!

Gulf Coast Moms / News-Press, "Books for parents, soon-to-be ones"

This mother of twins is also a professional organizer who has been tapped for HGTV's "Mission: Organization." In this book, she helps moms of multiples keep the family organized. We thought if she could do that for moms of multiples, just think what this book could do for the rest of us! Sorted Out Publishing, $17.95

ForeWord Magazine, September/October 2008

Parenting singletons is not for the faint of heart. However, parenting multiples is much like being a superhero. And the superhero parent of multiples draws his or her strength from meticulous preparation and organization. Of course, not many are born with such powers, so Tomlin sets out, often in minute detail, some of the steps to take.

Divided into eleven chapters, the book covers a significant range, touching on establishing a realistic budget and solidifying family values to proper etiquette for baby showers to bringing the babies home. Supported by organizational spreadsheets, which are also included in the accompanying CD, the brief chapters are arranged by topics such as making bed rest productive or finding a nanny, rather than correlating with developmental markers. A few specialty chapters highlight guest expert authors on topics such as baby proofing the home or raising an eco-baby.

The strength of this offering is the wealth of insider tips and Weblinks which accompany each topic. For example, Tomlin offers a long list of companies parents of multiples can write to for freebies. These range from the practical, such as free formula samples, to the quirky, such as writing to the White House for a personalized greeting for the new babies.

Among the many tips offered for keeping the babies organized is developing a placement system for them. If you have twins, place Baby A on the right side and Baby B in the left side in all situations. Tomlin also suggests assigning a color to each baby and maintaining these practices until each child is easily differentiated from the other.

Tomlin is herself a mother of twins. She is also the owner of a professional organizing company, Sorted Out, and has been featured on HGTVs Mission: Organization.

Although this book is geared to parents of multiples, the majority of the information regarding organization would be beneficial for any parent. At times, there seems to be a bias towards a suburban middle class readership with comments such as, Designate a particular bathroom that will be used exclusively for the children. On balance, however, the information, tips and advice provided are sensible and approachable, and will be useful to any parent bringing a new baby or babies home. (September) Naomi Millánm, ForeWord Magazine

Susan Heim's Twin Talk

"When my husband and I were blessed with our twin daughters, I became aware of the challenges moms-of-multiples are faced with each day. Through my relationships with various moms, I witnessed first-hand how a lack of organization can wreak havoc on moms-of multiples in every aspect of their lives, from their daily routines to even their relationships with their partners." These words, written by Tonia Tomlin, a professional organizer, explain why she set out to manage her own family life better and, in the process, wrote the book, Chaos 2 Calm: The Moms-of-Multiples' Guide to an Organized Family, to help other families of multiples benefit from her experience.

Chaos 2 Calm is chock-full of practical advice, handy worksheets and product recommendations for families with twins and multiples. There's even a CD with the forms, agreements and sample schedules in the book so you can print them out and use them over and over again. You'll learn things like how to set up an efficient nursery, plan a shower, find good daycare, make your house safe for your babies, travel with twins, and even adapt a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Unique bonuses include a sample letter you can send to companies to receive complimentary products offered to families with multiples, a caregiver agreement form, and a schedule for signing up volunteer helpers!

Besides being a mom-of-multiples, Tonia Tomlin is one of the country's preeminent organization experts. She is the founder and president of Sorted OutTM organizing service, which offers a wide range of consulting and organizing services geared toward helping clients conquer disorganization. Tonia has also been featured in numerous local, regional, and national media print and broadcast media outlets, including HGTV's "Mission Organization" program. In other words, she knows how to bring calm out of the chaos of raising multiples! - Susan M. Heim