Why should I get orgainized? There are as many answers to this question as there are people. If you follow my blog, you know I talk a lot about your why?
The best tips for keeping your closet organized are simple and quick. But first, you need to do the work to get you to the place that maintenance is a breeze.
Are you always 10 minutes late to everything? Do your people intentionally tell you something starts a half hour before it actually does so you will be on time? Have you had to reschedule an appointment because you showed up late? Many people struggle with being on time and just can’t figure out how to fix it. Here are a few tips to consider incorporating into your life that might help.
A Drop Zone Basket is any container that will serve the purpose of holding paper. It will contain all incoming paper of every nature, from all sources - mail, school, neighborhood communication, church, etc. It can be anything from a box or plastic bin to a high end decorative basket if you so choose.
Do you still see that stack of papers on your kitchen counter that you had committed to deal with regularly? Do you quickly close the garage before the neighbors see that it’s your dumping ground for everything you don’t know what to do with? Have you tried and tried to “get organized,” but feel discouraged because you just can’t get there?
Do you find you have stacks of paperwork that need your attention in one or more places in your home? Most people have a certain area that these papers live. The big question is, “Do you have a system to deal with the paper?”
Here we are in what may be the middle of a Pandemic. Most of us have not navigated anything even remotely like this in our lifetimes. I’ve been guilty of spending too much time on my devices, searching for the next funny toilet paper meme and sharing it with everyone I think will laugh with me.
Do you wake up frazzled and already behind before you even get out of bed? Or if you don’t have anything scheduled, do you just let the day happen to you and go to bed wondering where the day went and what you did all day? It’s definitely a good thing to have down time, but most days there are certain things that need to be accomplished before you can even consider having quality play time. And on the days that are so packed with activity, those same things still need attention. This is where routines can be so helpful.
Happy New Year! January is always a good time to talk about planning. Usually, the topic is goals and resolutions. You may have already thought of some things you’d like to change or add to your life, and I’m rooting for you. Keeping track of everything, new and old, is imperative. Gone are the days where we jot everything down on a wall or desk calendar. Most people use a planner or at least a portable calendar of some sort to manage the busy lives we live. If you don’t, I encourage you in this new decade, to begin to do so. It will make your life smoother.
Traditions are one thing that bind families together. And holiday traditions seem to be extra special to most people. Most of us have fond memories of certain events that happen during the holiday season or certain foods that are prepared. They are special because they connect us to our past and to important people. Traditions are passed from one generation to the next and modified to meet the desires of the next generation. If you have lots of traditions, please share with us. If you would like to be more intentional about rekindling old or starting new traditions in your family, here are some thoughts.
There is a lot of talk these days about clutter, too much stuff and consumerism. At Christmas or Hanukkah, we love the thought of giving and receiving gifts. So how do we reconcile this love of the gift exchange with being responsible and truly a blessing to the people for whom we are buying gifts? I challenge you this year to be creative and consider gifts that won’t add to the “clutter, too much stuff and consumerism” problem. Believe me, your people will appreciate a heart felt gift that is thoughtful and unique.
It may seem a little counter intuitive, but now may be the perfect time to declutter your Christmas decorations. True confessions. Year after year, I have the best intentions to declutter when I take my decorations down. Year after year, I’m so over it by the time I take them down, that I put everything back in the tubs and don’t even open those that remain in the attic. As I close the last tub, I always promise myself next year.
Just the thought of moving seems overwhelming to all of us. However, with a little forethought and planning, it can be less stressful (not stress free ;)). We help clients in a variety of ways before, during and after the moving process. Interestingly enough, we have found local moves can be quite challenging if there has not been good preparation. I believe most people think, “…oh, no big deal. I’m just moving down the road.” The pitfalls of that way of thinking can be disastrous during moving week.
Summer goes so very fast. Whether you have children or not, the back to school season always seems to trigger thoughts of new, fresh, organized things. We all reminisce about new Crayola Crayons, cute pencil boxes (or cigar boxes in my day!), and fresh bottles of Elmer’s Glue. The smells, the feel, the nostalgic fall air elicit thoughts of all our school supplies being crisp and new in our desks.
I thought it would be fun to share with you some of the things we tell our clients ALL…THE…TIME…Some are useful tips, some are good rules to live by, and others are just fun(ny). Enjoy.
What comes to mind when you think of spring cleaning? For me, it brings images of throwing open the windows, taking down and washing the curtains and hanging comforters on the clothesline outside to air out or dry. Oh, and cleaning windows inside and out. I’m not sure why that’s what I think of.
Welcome to my blog, What’s Your Story? I am so looking forward to sharing some organizing tips and skills I’ve learned along the way, but more importantly, I want to connect with you and encourage you wherever you are in your organization journey and your life journey.
One inevitable conversation I have with clients centers around what to do with the items they no longer want or need. Honestly speaking, I always prefer donations to an organization that is close and convenient.