Preparing for Christmas

Simplify your Christmas meal prep: Store your seasonal china and crystal in a cabinet separate from everyday dishes. You will always know where to find the entire set and also minimize the risk of your special sets getting damaged by day to day preparations. Do you have seasonal bakeware and servers? Store them all together but away from your regular cooking ware, too. Be creative, like a shelf in the basement. Why take up room in your cabinet with the turkey roaster you use once a year? Good product: China storage sets and cases available at ContainterStore.com. "Trim" decorating time: Create a "decorations zone" where you can conveniently store seasonal trappings. Sort by season (i.e. autumn, winter) or by holiday (July 4th, Thanksgiving). Each category can be kept in clear, labeled tubs with color-coded covers. Group trimmings that have similar functions or that are used in a particular part of your home, and utilize varying sized tubs. Good product: Light winders and ornament boxes at ContainerStore.com. Wrapping: Keep your wrapping supplies corralled in easy to transport paper towers. Some have compartments on top for scissors and tape. Bows and ribbons can be packed into small plastic storage boxes with handles. See through is best, or you can create an all in one caddy with a plastic tote to keep accessories together and roll out friendly.  Good product: Gift wrap organizer at ContainerStore.com. Card and gift giving: Assign a small space gift nook duty. A consistent home for gifts you purchase throughout the year will eliminate extra time spent trying to find a gift when it is time to give it. This will work great for people outside your home, but you'll need to be creative to stump the amateur sleuths in your home! Keep mailing lists and gift lifts in Word or Excel. They can be alphabetized easily, updated and transferred to mailing labels. Be sure to back it up regularly, and you can dedicate separate sheets to family and friends.

Manage email so it does not manage you

Business and home email communication have a tendency to be overwhelming and disorganized. So many of my clients are frustrated by the volume of email they receive and the difficulty they have finding important messages in a packed inbox. There are a few simple guidelines I use to help others and myself keep emailing clean, organized and simple. 1) Do not sign up for every offer and newsletter available. This is like putting your name on a list for paper junk mail. Only subscribe to a publication if you have time to read it, want to read it and want it taking up space in your inbox. 2) Create folders for subjects or people. This gets the emails you have to keep out of the main inbox and into different sections. You can find the emails quickly and they are available only when you need them. To take things a step further, you can create rules in almost any email program that allow you to automatically route messages to specified folders as they come in. 3) Do not save everything. Just like regular paper, ask yourself, “Do I need it? Want it? Will I truly look at it again? Can I get this information elsewhere or on the internet?” 4) Finally, have specific times (or a single time) of the day when you respond to email. Being aware of what is coming in is ok, but to answer every message as it arrives is time consuming and inefficient. It also can contribute to a general feeling of being overwhelmed and as if you are at the mercy of the newest need.

Make your house guest friendly

With Christmas around the corner now is a great time to scrutinize your home with the eyes of a guest. Here are a few rooms that may not come to the forefront of your mind but can play a large role in the hospitality of your home:

1) The entry- Make sure it is clear and easy for people to move through. You do not want your guests to feel as though clutter is leaning in over them as they enter your house. Create a home for all your jackets and shoes and set up an area where you can quickly hang visitors’ jackets.

2) The bathroom- People who visit you during a large gathering can spend a lot of time in this room. Besides hiding your toiletry items so they are not in plain view, consider setting out a basket with replacement toilet paper, soap and the air freshener. This way your guests do not have to awkwardly hunt around your bathroom.

3) The guest room- If your family stay the night or for a few days, be sure the guest room dresser and closet have ample space to comfortably accommodate a visitor’s clothes. It is also pleasant for a guest to come into a room with bed linens and towels laid out for them so they do not need to ask you where to find them.

Purchasing a good file cabinet

So you need a place to put all those papers. A filing cabinet is the obvious solution. But you want to get one that will last and fit your needs adequately. Take these points into consideration when you shop for a filing cabinet, whether it is for home or business use.

1) Do you want legal or regular width drawers? If you prefer legal size papers, buy a cabinet specifically meant for legal size files. Trying to transform a typical filing cabinet into a legal size one wastes a lot of valuable space.

2) Be sure the drawers run on tracks. If the drawers are free and simply slide out they will be difficult to move once they are fully loaded. Invest in a cabinet with drawers that run on sturdy tracks.

3) Be sure the drawers have high sides so you can use hanging files. If that is not possible, purchase an inexpensive rack to insert in the drawer. A filing cabinet becomes a black hole if manila folders are simply lined up in the bottom of the drawer.

4) Consider the material. The rule of thumb is sturdy. I thin metal file cabinet will buckle over time and a file cabinet made of low quality particle board will not last as long. Invest in a cabinet made of high quality materials to get the most life out of it.

Top 8 items for a home command center

Top eight items a home command center needs: Family wall calendar- Every family member should have their activities listed on this calendar. Consider using it to plan meals as well. Message board- Have a dry erase board for phone messages and reminders. Magnet board- Sometimes you can find a magnet/dry erase combo. This is great for holding small papers in transition. Key rack- A simple key rack will keep every driver’s car or house key at the ready. Cell phone storage- There are several products out there that provide a home for cell phones and their charging cables. In/Out bin- You should have a spot for all incoming mail and outgoing mail. Go through the mail everyday to keep it from building up. Bill holder- Use a wall pocket or a basket to keep bills that are waiting to be paid so they do not get lost in the mail shuffle. Make sure you mark the due date on the envelope. Personal spots- Use wall pockets or small corkboards for each family member to put reminders, permission slips and school schedules. A great example of these components is the “Daily System” found at PotteryBarn.com.

Are yard sales worth the effort?

Yard sales are a common way for people to turn unwanted items into a source of one-time income. Whether you have a sale to offset the original cost of a few things you no longer use or you simply want to see your “trash” become another’s “treasure”, yard sales are one of the most popular ways to purge a home.

I often get asked by clients if they should start a yard sale box as we organize together. I usually advise against it. Yard sales require a lot of time and energy to prepare for and their success can be unpredictable. The number one question I ask is if the effort and reward are worth the time invested. Here are two things to think about as you decide whether or not to have a sale:

1) Have a date in mind. Do not save items for an unknown time in the future. It is only worthwhile to save if you have a date picked and know the sale is going to happen. Otherwise you are simply creating another catch-all that takes up space and must be moved again later. 

2) Only save quality items. There are exceptions, but for the most part, if you offer junk and broken items at a yard sale, you are likely to still have them when the sale is over. The best way to get rid of things that are old or broken besides throwing them away is to put them on your lawn with a free sign. 

The bottom line is to determine whether or not the energy and time you spend are worth the reward you will receive.

Control freaks and their stuff

One of the largest obstacles to effectively organizing a room or a stack of information is the decision to let go of something. Whether you decide to throw it away, donate it or send it to the recycling center, the temptation always remains to hold onto that appliance that is gathering dust or the unopened gift from two Christmases ago.

I have thought about this dilemma for a while. The one major objection I get while working with clients is, “I might need this someday”. It took me a little while to understand the reasons behind someone being so uncertain about parting with an item they had neither used nor needed for an extended period of time. I have come to realize that the underlying issue is control.

We naturally are compelled to control our lives. Many individuals feel being prepared for every circumstance that comes their way will put them in full control of their lives and surroundings. However, there is simply no way to predict and plan for every situation that could come up in your life.

Therefore, holding onto “things” is not an effective way to control one’s life. Let them go, and you will be far more fulfilled with a clutter free space rather then a slave to potential circumstances.

Be OK with a shift in focus

Ever feel as if your day is spinning out of your control? In spite of well intentioned plans, your prioritized check list and methodical execution, situations arise that demand immediate attention and cannot be put on low priority. Today was one of those days. We know the rule of priorities: save for later what can wait. Focus on the important tasks that take you to your goals. But today the importance of the curve balls could not be ignored. And it was frustrating. As the day dragged on I cast a mournful eye over my list of tasks for the day and despaired over the fact that every issue under the sun seemed to be keeping me from accomplishing what I had set out to do. I could feel myself growing irritated, becoming more and more agitated every time something came up. Then I remembered no one dies if my checklist goes unmarked. Yes it was inconvenient but I needed to adjust my FOCUS. I took a deep breath. I gave myself permission to accept the fact that unplanned issues had to be attended to. I then looked at my list and identified the few tasks that absolutely could not wait until tomorrow and proceeded to work on them. Satisfaction began to re-emerge. When you are occasionally faced with a last minute, unavoidable amendment to your plans, take a deep breath. Focus on the issue at hand and resolve it as quickly as possible but don’t beat yourself up for having to address it. Then take a step back and reorder your priorities for the day and work to complete that pared down list. Suddenly the day doesn’t seem so lost!

Homework simplified

Homework is as important to your child’s academic success as the class room time. To insure your child has a productive and efficient homework session here are some tips you can put into place: 1. Make sure your child has a folder for all homework papers. He/she can easily grab homework from the teacher and simply slip it into the folder and then in the backpack. That way there is no question about where the papers are when the time comes to work on them! 2. Older kids should always record homework due dates in a planner. However, it can be difficult to keep track of dates in a planner when the page turns. Consider having your child paste a one month print out of the current month in their folder to keep track of due dates for the entire month. 3. Consider where your child prefers to do homework. If he/she prefers to be at the kitchen or dining room table, use a plastic box with a handle to store all their homework supplies. This makes clean up a breeze and homework portable. Be sure that the child returns the box to its proper home after every use. 4. If your child has a desk where homework can be done, be sure it is set up to accommodate their needs. Help them choose appropriate homes for all their supplies and purchase any desk organizers they might need if drawers are at a premium. Check out your local stores for great back to school sales!

Questions for staying organized

The organizing process always includes purging your space of things you don’t need. However, many people do not realize that purging is ongoing. It is very important to continue qualifying items entering your home or office after the initial clean out has occurred.

However, letting something go can be confusing, hard and at times even painful. These are the questions you want to ask yourself whenever you are faced with the decision of letting something stay or go:

1. Do I need it?

2. Have I used it?

3. Do I want to take the time to choose a home for it so I know I will find it again?

4. Is it worth storing?

5. Does it have a function and can I use it?

6. Do I love it?

7. Would it benefit someone else more?

How to clean a buried desk

Tired of looking at a desk covered with papers? Afraid you may have lost important documents in a pile? Purchase manila folders and an ascending wire file rack from your local office supply store. Sort the papers on your desk by project and place them in a labeled manila folder. This will keep your current work visible and easily accessible on your desk.

An alternative is the Pendaflex PileSmart® Desktop Organizer Tray. This tray and divider system allows you to lay papers on the tray and place a divider over them, piling everything up in an organized fashion! The dry erase tabs on the dividers let you to reuse the dividers over again. Check it out at Pendaflex.com

Are you overwhelmed by papers?

Papers and documents seem to be in endless abundance these days. Whether in an office or home, the volume of paper we encounter on a daily basis can be overwhelming. For the information and paper that needs to be retained, we tend to rely on folders and filing cabinets. What about going electronic?

There are a variety of scanners out there designed to scan documents and business cards into a database on your computer. Files can be set up just as if you were sliding the paper into a manila folder. Many programs allow you to search by keyword or title, not just file name.

An option for those who do not wish to invest the time or energy of scanning documents can choose to use a professional company to scan the paperwork. Most company’s will then host the documents on their website, searchable by both files and keywords, just like a home computer.

Even though electronic document storage is a fantastic option for both personal and business papers, keep in mind there are a few documents out there that must be retained in hard-copy, despite being stored electronically. Check with your attorney or CPA for a run down of documents that must be retained in hard-copy.

5 steps to organize any room

Alright…you are working through your summer checklist and it’s time to organize that room that has been taunting you since the winter. Here are some foolproof tips to make the design and re-organization successful: 1. Determine purpose-  Decide how you want the room to be used and what activities you will be doing in the space. This provides a framework for what items will actually stay in the room. 2. Create a Plan- Sketch the room on graph paper. Then have fun and cut out furniture to scale (similar to what you already have in the room) from magazines! You can move the pieces around until you find the perfect flow and layout. No more moving heavy furniture several times! 3. Proper Homes-  Think of where you will habitually execute a task. Once you determine the best place to do something, gather all the materials you need to do that chore and put them into the location you previously chose. Group similar activities together into “zones” 4. Be Honest- Always ask yourself, “Do I need this?”, “Is it worth making room for?”, “Does it take me closer to the goal I have for using this space?” 5. Revisit Always assess the design and organization of your space. A change in your method of doing things always means a tweak for your space.

Vacation made easy

My family and I recently returned from a seven day cruise in the Western Caribbean. It probably goes without saying that cruise ships make being organized while far from home as simple as breathing. I was in my glory and every family member benefited from the ease in which we were able to relax! I was most impressed with the stateroom I had on the ship. I spent the first half hour on board getting acquainted with my fabulously laid out cabin. It was refreshing to be in a space designed so well to accommodate every need I might have. The bathroom lacked counter space but made up for it with a variety of shelves and cabinets tucked away from view. I could unload everything and not have to look at it! The dresser, vanity and closet had ample space for 4 girl’s clothes, including several small cabinets and drawers to hide away all our non-clothing items, all organized by use and in their assigned storage spaces! I couldn’t lose anything because all my "stuff" had a home. This assured that I came back from vacation with everything I left with, too. I was in love with this cabin, which made my vacation so enjoyable given the fact that I was sharing the space with three other women. The layout of the ship was a thing of beauty, too. I want to meet the “convenience gurus” who thought out the floor plan of each deck and cabin. They could not have made it any easier to get to where I wanted to go, anywhere in the ship. When you consider that over 5000 people have to share a 160,000 ton vessel for seven days the level or organization needed is staggering. I loved it!

Happy July 4th!

I want to wish you all a Happy July 4th! I hope you enjoy this day with family and friends but also remember the reason why we celebrate this pivotal moment in history. While traveling over the last couple weeks I witnessed a bit of the beauty but also the poverty and oppression in other parts of the world. It was a sobering experience to reflect on what I take for granted back home.

Let’s take the time to remember and acknowledge today the incredible sacrifice of many determined men and women over 230 years ago who stood up against tyranny and governmental injustice to pave the way for the birth of our nation and set the foundation for the freedoms we have today.

Never take them for granted. The rights we have now were fought for and are still being protected today against those who would slowly take them away. Have a wonderful day and I hope you celebrate this great country of ours with those close to you!

Stress free vacations

There are so many areas of my life that are positively affected by being organized. One of which is preparation for a trip or vacation. I look forward to our family vacation every year. It is a chance for us to decompress and slow down. And I have learned that nothing delays that wonderful relaxation process like rushing into our excursions stressed and wondering if I have forgotten something. The chaotic feelings and approach to planning for a trip can especially cost you in the long run if your travels take you internationally. We will be leaving the US for the first time in a short week. Passports, tickets and other vital documents are so essential to making these trips memorable and easy, that forgetting them leads to last minute disasters and often panic. When packing I always use a list. It grows and receives additions depending on what the trip requires. However, I consistently include the articles of clothing, hygiene essentials and other items I cannot afford to forget. This makes packing go so quick and I have peace of mind knowing I have not left anything behind. If you really feel ambitious, consider including a short list of contents in the top of each suitcase. These are especially great for kid’s bags to ensure clothing is worn for the right occasion, not to mention that all clothes come back. No more confusion and outfits being used on the wrong day! Whether you create a printed list or a simple handwritten one try it out to experience another benefit of organization!

Cell phone storage

I am always on the lookout for cool organizing products that actually serve a purpose. As we all know, there is nothing worse than a gadget that doesn’t live up to its expectations and makes life more difficult. How about those unruly cell phones, PDAs and mp3 players? What happens when you charge them? Electrical cords end up all over the counter and the device just lays there. To solve this problem check out the driinn® Mobile Phone Holder available online. It hangs from the battery charger in your wall, corrals the charging cord and gives you an accessible platform to simply lift the device off of. On top of that it comes in great colors. So if your family share plan required you all to have the same phone at least the different colors will tell your daughter’s and son’s phone apart! This product can be bought online at the driin® website.

15 minute organizing

Ok so many organizing gurus out there say you can get organized in as little as 15 minutes a day. Sounds like another one of those miracle exercise programs, doesn’t it? “All it takes is five minutes a day to the perfect butt!” Yea, sure.

But what do they really mean? I have told several people that they can work on a space for as little as 15 minutes at a time and feel like they have made progress. Let’s face it though…if you really want to wrap up a project, you need to put more time into it.

For big endeavors you will have to spend MANY 15 minute intervals doing what you could accomplish in just a few short hours. It takes time to get in a rhythm, and constantly starting and stopping the cycle doesn’t yield major results.

Focusing on a small task for 15 minutes is much different. Think of it as, “I will clear this coffee table in fifteen minutes”, or “I will got through three files in fifteen minutes”.

If you truly want to accomplish a larger scale project, designate a time and commit several hours to it. You will then see noticeable results and feel satisfied with the work you have accomplished.

I'm AWAKE!

I often get caught up in the past. Isn’t it easy to bring yesterday’s baggage with us into today? Sometimes I might even check baggage from months ago…It could be as simple as criticizing myself for making a turn that sent me on a ten minute detour to dwelling on an honest mistake I have made. What I don’t often look at is the mental and physical drain it takes on me to focus on the negative. If I dwell on what I can’t change in the past long enough I have little energy or motivation to conquer today. I try to catch myself in those situations and take emotions to a positive plain. And what do you know…I am more productive that day. I only am guaranteed this moment anyway. I notice with many of my organizing clients they bring “organizational failures” into a new project. They talk about a fool-proof tip that failed, how their family doesn’t keep things organized after they fix a room or about their own perceived ineptitude at being organized. While the root problem and unsuccessful attempts are instrumental in helping a client overcome current problems, dwelling on things that can’t be changed from the past de-motivates them. If bursts their balloon of energy and desire to succeed. Part of my job as the organizer is to encourage them and guide them through the journey. On the flip side success takes individual motivation, too. I was listening to a presentation at a business networking meeting last week and the presenter was talking about how her little daughter gets up every morning. Very first thing she will get out of bed and in her pajamas run to the top of the stairs. This little girl will then take a wide stance, throw her hands up in the air and shout, “I’m AWAKE!” What a great, clean start to the day. What would happen if we left our criticisms of our past mistakes at the door when we took up a new project and approached it with a fresh start?

Modeling organization

I want to share a quick story with you.

I was organizing with a client a while back. We were working on her upstairs craft room, trying to take it from a space without a defined purpose to a child-friendly room her kids could use to easily work on all their projects and models. Throughout our time together that day her young son worked along side us as I asked, "So John*, what is this toy? What is this paper? Do you use it? Need it?"

His mother began to make it a point to ask herself and him those questions as the day moved along and I gradually removed myself from the purging process that afternoon and into the planning of the final room layout.

After a while I realized that John had gone missing. His mother and I were working alone now. I took a break to see if I could locate him to ask him a question about a plane model he had not taken out of the box or used yet. I heard some activity in his bedroom and headed that way.

I got to the door and peaked inside. There on the floor were two piles, with John in the middle. He was carefully and thoughtfully sorting his belongings and school papers into what he would and would not keep. Wow.

I left his room and absorbed a very important lesson. Organzing skills can easily be taught to anyone around you. And your personal example is the best way to do it.

*Name changed for privacy