How I keep my sanity while packing!

It occurred to me one day while preparing my hospital bag that I was procrastinating on the task of packing up.  I had made a list and was planning to pack a couple weeks before my due date, but somehow I felt myself pushing off the duty farther and farther.  I did not want to gather items at the last minute, but I certainly was not accomplishing the necessary milestones to avoid that pickle.  I just couldn't get motivated. 

So I asked myself, why was this so hard?  What part of this task was bothering me so much?  Eventually I hit on the sense that I dreaded gathering up all the toiletry items.  My clothes were not such a big deal, but the thought of measuring what we needed now, or leaving that until later really bothered me.  I HATE packing toiletries for any trip.

Then I remembered something I used to tell my clients: have a toiletry bag stocked for travel and refill it when you return.  Packing is so much easier when you can simply throw a pre-organized bag of personal products into your suitcase!  So I decided to take a taste of my own medicine and proceeded to curate a group of items that would solely be for travel.  Since that time I have packed in half the usual time for two trips and no longer put off the task with dread!

Here is what we have in our toiletry bag.  When we return from the trip I take ten minutes to be sure everything is refilled and then the bag is ready for the next vacation:

The contents of my toiletry bag...his and her supplies.  Some items I refill myself, others I purchase new when I run out.

While not the highest quality, this bag has plenty of interior and exterior pockets to keep items separate.

When packed this bag takes up little space and is always ready for a last minute trip!

No closet, no problem!

A couple days ago I stopped into my friend M's new apartment.  Like most small apartments the master bedroom closet can be tight for two people's clothes even if only one season's style is out at a time.  She pointed me to the corner of her room where she had hung several articles of fancy clothing on nothing more than a tension rod and a few thumb tacks.  What a great idea!  M had taken a tight corner of the room and turned into a functional yet decorative storage area for clothes that wouldn't quite make it into the closet.  I asked for her to send me a picture so I could share it with you.  

M's clothing closet replacement

I simply love this idea.  She placed two thumb tacks into the wall on either side of the corner and then nestled the ends of the tension rod between the two.  If you wanted a more sturdy solution you could mount the rod on flat head nails, or mount a permanent rod using rod holders.  

What a great, low cost solution!

How to Enjoy Memories

As we go through life we acquire things that are precious to us for various reasons.  Unfortunately due to space constraints we often store our keepsakes away in a safe place but don’t ever look at them or enjoy them.  If we are going to make room in our hearts for items to keep for memories sake then we need to make room in our spaces.  A great way to do that is to display our prized items a part of our décor.

A friend of mine is very gifted with crafts but also loves keeping mementos from trips, concerts and other experiences.  Recently she created coasters out of ticket stubs to her favorite movies and stage shows.  Another friend of mine was given a beautiful framed shadow box with her wedding bouquet pressed and dried, framed by wedding invitations.  Yet another person I know had her wedding dress made into a baby blanket for her first born.  I personally use one of my wedding centerpieces as a candle holder on my dining room table.

There are many DIY websites out there and countless resources for ideas, not to mention services to complete tasks you don’t have time for.  If you are going to keep something research ways to make it a part of your everyday life instead of stowing it away to gather dust and not be enjoyed.  This creates clutter and defeats the purpose of holding onto a precious item.  You cannot enjoy memories if they are stored in a box!

Quick tips to an organized trunk

An organized trunk makes many tasks and unexpected events easier to handle.  It is wonderful to have a clear space to put groceries and know exactly where your jumper cables are.  If your trunk is a mish-mosh of items and needs a little TLC use the simple steps below.

1) Place a tarp on the ground and empty the contents of the trunk on the tarp.  Immediately remove and throw away trash, anything that is broken, ripped or dried up.  If you have not used an item in the last year get rid of it (this does not apply to seasonal emergency items like a blanket or small snow shovel).

2) Sort the remaining contents into categories based upon use.  You can try categories like emergency, car maintenance, seasonal tools etc.  Think about how and when you would use something, then place all items with a similar function or use together.

3) Once you have everything sorted give the piles one more look to make sure you did not miss anything that can be discarded or donated.  

4) Next you need to decide how you want to store these items.  If you want a low cost solution utilizing open cardboard boxes are best.  However, it is always a good idea to invest in quality containers that will last and are easy to move.  Anything in your trunk will take a beating so make sure the storage is sturdy.  Here are a few ideas:

Folding trunk organizer

Cases with handles

Sweater boxes

Smart store totes

Frosted totes

A quick guide for proper closet heights

Many people struggle with a closet that does not have the appropriate space between hanging bars.  Even worse, some individuals have invested a lot of money in a new closet system only to see their shirts overlapping their pants below.  Don’t make the same mistake!  I found this great little guide to help remind us of the distances needed to have ample space between clothes.  It may seem like a lot but do not forget that you need to account for the length of the clothing as well as the hanger it sits on!

Don't bring it home

When we are away from home and the clutter it is easy to buy something and think it will fit right in at the house.  But our homes are so often filled with these types of items, the impulse purchases we make because we couldn’t resist acquiring them.  A huge part of clutter management involves being brutally stringent about what comes through the door.   

When you are out and about and something catches your eye ask yourself these questions before you walk away with a new trinket…

“Do I truly need this?  Can I live without it?  Is this thing necessary for me to live my life?”

“Do I have a place for this item to reside?”

You must be honest from the beginning.  If you answered “no” to any of the questions above the item should not find a home with you!  If you absolutely need to bring something back and space is limited decide before you leave the store what item at home can go to make room for the new purchase.  

Keeping appliances dust free

Do you remember those plastic zippered bags that comforters and sheets often come in from the manufacturer?  I have never liked them much, mostly because in many clients’ houses I run across extensive collections of these bags!  People are always keeping them hoping they will come in handy during some organizing project.  The occasion almost never arrives and we end up recycling the bags.  However, a couple weeks ago I can honestly say that a client and I discovered a great use for these bags. 

She had a small fan we wanted to store in the basement but we did not want it to accumulate dust.  So we popped it into one of the old comforter bags.  The bag zipped up easily, the fan is in a transparent “container” and the fan will not be covered in dust when she is ready to use it again.  These bags can also be used to store small appliances or other items in a dusty area so they are clean and ready to use.  Try this super easy and inexpensive idea at home!

Making sense of memorabilia

It's usually on the very top shelf of your closet or buried in the basement.  It's usually in a cardboard box, sometimes beaten up and ripped by multiple moves, or sometimes clean and crisp because it has never been opened.  When I come across this little treasure with a client I usually hear, “Oh I know what this is...Wow it has been a long time!”  Have you guessed?  It is a collection of childhood, school and special memories known to most of us as personal memorabilia.

We often keep these items because they are associated with a special or significant time in history and our lives.  We have the best of intentions and clients are often reluctant to let any of these items go.  But they are perfectly content to pack the everything back up to be stashed away, often times where the box will remain untouched for many more years.  This has always perplexed me.  How can something be so important to us but not fit into our lives now?  If we are not going to enjoy it in some manner why are we keeping it?

If you have things that you simply cannot bear to part with consider making it a part of your everyday surroundings.  This solves two issues: boxes of items you never use will not be creating clutter and you can now enjoy the things you consider so dear!  Here are a few ideas I have suggested to people for the various memorabilia I have run into:

Newspapers from important events – Get them matted and framed for display.

Collections or heirloom decorations – Display only a few at a time in your house or office and rotate the items frequently so you can enjoy them without cluttering the house.

Old kids clothes/blankets – Have the clothes made into a quilt or blanket that can be enjoyed now or given as a gift.

Old toys – Be realistic.  Are you ever going to use it or will your kids use it?  Probably not.  Keep only a the most precious in a safe place, and take pictures of the rest before giving them away. 

Trading cards – If you choose not to sell or give away the collection put the cards in an archival album so they can be viewed and enjoyed.

The bottom line is if you are not going to make room for these types of items in your life it makes little sense to keep it all hidden away.  Why keep something in a box if you cannot enjoy it?

Do I really use this?

Do you ever go through a box of items or through a closet and find something you have not used in a while but you swear you will still use it?  Even better, do you tell yourself that this object has an important function?  I have several experiences like that a day when working with a client.  Often times this new found treasure displays some tell tale sign of not being used or handled for a long period of time.  At that moment I often challenge my clients to think about whether or not they really use this item or if they simply think they use it. 

First off, if this item is so important and so functional, why has it remained buried only to be found right at this moment?  If it was so useful why were you not using it?  This can be a hint that the item does not need a home with you anymore.  If you need more convincing look at the state it is in.  This will tell you right away whether or not your perceived need of the object is justified. 

I was working with a client the other day when we came across many empty tall kitty litter bins.  They were her husband's so we could not just throw them away without asking.  I did still inquire as to why they were there and if they were truly needed.  She said he used them for sports storage and that they were important and should be kept.  I began moving them over to his pile of stuff to sort through when I pulled over a bin with an awful odor.  Two mice had died in it, and one had already decomposed into just bones!  These bins had been sitting there so long that two mice had been able to die in them.  There was the tell tale sign that these bins had not been used for a long time. 

So I challenge you, do you really use this?

Preparing for school papers

School is officially here, and with it comes the often daunting task of keeping up with school papers.  Homework assignments that need reviewing, the permission slips for another field trip, the sports schedules and the list can go on an on.  The paperwork often gets lost, stuffed down in the bottom of a messy backpack or submitted after its deadline.  Staying on top of school papers doesn't need to be hard and frustrating!

First, choose a spot in your home, most likely your kitchen or entry, that is easily accessible to you and the kids.  If the school papers are not located in an area convenient and central it will be difficult to use your new system without a lot of effort.  Second, choose a paper storage method best suited to you and the age of your children.  There are many options and creative solutions available so it is essential that you think through the way in which it will be used and if everyone involved will be able to implement the system effectively. 

Paper trays stacked on top of one another are a popular solution.  A desktop file with manila folders works for some families, and still others who like their counter tops free of paper will use wall mounted magazine files.  Once you have picked your storage solution assign each child, you and your spouse a slot and label them.  Now you are ready to go!  When a child comes home with documents for review they go in your slot.  When you have completed the task the paper goes back in the child's slot or filed depending on the action needed.  The kid's slots can be used for any documents they are responsible for, or used as a temporary landing zone for art and other school papers that will need to be filed or added to the family calendar. 

Third, maintain your system.  Paper building up in the slots should be routinely purged and tossed or purged and filed.  The school paper management system will quickly become unwieldy if it is not inspected for excess on a regular basis.  Now enjoy the new home your papers have and your clean fridge and counter tops!

What to do when hobbies create clutter

Too many hobbies can lead to a lot of stress producing clutter.  Do you have a wide range of interests?  Chances are that if you do, you often change focus from one to another often and quickly.  While it is good to have variety in our lives, the rapid change and varied hobbies often lead to clutter in our physical environment.  As you take up different projects and acquire materials for them, the old usually get left behind, unfinished and without a home. 

The key to effectively managing your interests and the stuff they produce is to go for quality over quantity.  It is better to have a few hobbies you can manage and keep under control than many that dominate your space.  Additionally, set deadlines for interests that include project outcomes, like a scrapbook, a piece of knitting etc.  The deadline should be realistic.  Some things take months to complete.  If you keep postponing the deadline then you know the project is not important enough to make time for.  Prioritize what is most important to you so you don't end up with many interests and not enough time.   

De-clutter your desktop

There is only one thing you must know for maintaining a clutter free desktop: Keep only items you use regularly on the surface of your desk.  The desktop is prime real estate and should only be home to things essential to your everyday work, such as laptop, writing tools, phone and maybe a few active files.

If you must keep active paperwork on the desk, put it in file folders for each project and place the folders in some sort of desktop file holder.  Some file holders come with drawers and cubbies for pens, paper and frequently used office supplies.  Others can be open file stands or enclosed file boxes,  ensuring there is a product out there to suit your specific needs. 

Simplicity is best, so try to keep the essentials down to a minimum.  Adding shelves above a desk is a great way to store resources you access regularly, and drawers can be used for items you don't need at your fingertips.  Once again the rule is to only allow items that are essential to your everyday work a place of honor on your desktop.  

Organize power adapters once and for all

My clients have some of the coolest organizational ideas!!  Especially my tech clients, the guys who deal with computers,wires and cables everyday.  I always enjoy learning about solutions other people create to make their lives easier.  This one is a simple but smart gem!

Every house seems to have an abundance of homeless and unclaimed power adapters.  It's easy to hold onto all of them because you are not sure what device belongs to which power adapter.  The last thing you want is to throw a way a power source to a machine you still use!  To avoid this problem it helps to label the adapters in some way.  But why invest in labels that peel off, don't work or cost money? 

My client took a fine tip permanent marker and simply wrote on the body of every adapter.  Brilliant!  He listed the device it powered and the voltage.  I was shocked to see that the red or black permanent marker would show up on black adapters as well.

Once you write on the adapters either store them with the device they belong to or put them all into a small container with the rest of your household utility items, labeing the bin “power adapters”.  Problem solved!

Maintain your organizing system to prevent relapse

It is a common assumption that once you put an organizing system in place it will always work and function exactly the way it did in the beginning indefinitely.  Even more widespread is the thought that one is a failure if the system does not continue to serve the purpose for which it was intended.  Both of the previous outlooks lead to a lot of frustration and and a sense of inability to rise to the task.

The reality is life varies constantly.  When your schedule, routine or responsibilities change it is important to recognize that the organizing system supporting you must mold to the new development.  Do not beat yourself up if your methods need to modify to fit the new dynamic you are facing.

The best approach is to take stock of what works in your current system.  Then identify the changes you must make in your system to make it fit your current needs. For example, if you now take the kids out through the garage instead of the front door it is ok to move the coat and boot storage so it is convenient to your new point of exit and entry.  What once worked may not be the best solution anymore. 

When your system no longer feels as though it functions properly, take an honest assessment and see if there is a change that needs to be made.

Get rid of miscellaneous clutter

What can you do with items or papers in transition? For instance, a pair of pants needs to be dry cleaned so it can't go in the closet. Where does it go? A vase needs to be fixed so it can't go in the cupboard. Where does it go? There is a tool that needs to return to the shed but you don't want to walk out there at the moment. Where does it go?

Things is transition can be the hardest to organize because they do not belong where they normally are stored. They need to be separate so the tasks associated with them do not get forgotten. However, most of the time we keep them out on the counter, or on our desk, or somewhere else where they take up space and create clutter. Here are some suggestions to keep transitional items organized but on the radar:

-Have a hook and a basket by the door or on the way to the door. Any hanging items or bags you need to take out of the house can go on the hook. All other items like library books, letters etc can be in the basket until you are ready to run the errand.

-Put a basket at the top of basement stairs or on the way outside to your garage or shed. When you have a tool or item that needs to be returned you can set it in the basket until you are ready to make a trip outside or into the garage. The same method can be applied at the bottom and top of stairs to different levels of the house. By placing items in “holding areas” you can wait to transport groups of items.

-Designate an area to keep items that need to be mended. You can even attach a note and broken pieces to the item so you remember what you have to fix.

Think of other situations where you can implement similar strategies. You will begin to cut down on transitory clutter!

How to handle paper

Paper can be the most pervasive thing we encounter on a daily basis. You deal with it at work and then get attacked by paper when you come home. It is easy to become overwhelmed and not do anything. But as we all know this leads to piles and further sensations of having no control. Eventually everything just sits there and then important information starts to get misplaced.

To avoid this scenario, sort papers over a shredder and recycling bin. Right out of the gate you can get rid of any junk or obsolete information in the recycling, or shred documents with important information. By doing it at that moment you prevent build up of big piles that are harder to go through later on.

Have a home for everything. All paper should get trashed, go in a folder or basket for temporary holding or go on a memo board for easy access. If you have an upcoming event and get a postcard for it, record the event in your calendar and then place the postcard with directions in an “events” folder or tack it to a memo board. If you get a document at work pertaining to a specific project put it right with the related papers, either in a binder clip or folder and set it aside until you are ready to work on it.

As soon as you receive relevant paper distribute it to its proper home and watch the piles slowly go away!

Why we save things

Sometimes when you sort through your belongings and papers you come across things that have an obvious solution: a broken lampshade that is past its useful life and should be tossed, the first communion dress that is kept as a memento and the pair of jeans that no longer fit but can be used by someone else. These decisions feel like no brainers, questions with easy and direct answers.

What happens when you encounter an item you need to think twice about? People hold onto things for many reasons. The item may be valuable, it might have emotional meaning, it could be useful in some way or you feel compelled to keep it because it might come in handy down the road. Occasionally you may find a gift that has remained in hiding because it never really found its place in your home.

To avoid being overwhelmed in clutter by putting off decisions, do not overlook these more difficult situations and work to determine if something is important enough to keep. When you are faced with this scenario, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I love it?

Do I really need it? Can something else do the same job?

Do I have to keep this in the unlikely event I use it, or can I simply purchase it later if I am in need of it?

Is it worth making room for and do I want to spend the time to create a permanent home for it so I can find it again?

Can someone else make better use of this?

Is it part of the solution or part of the problem?

How to let go

Sometimes when you are sorting through your belongings and papers you come across things that have an obvious solution: a broken lampshade that is past its useful life and should be tossed, the first communion dress that is kept as a memento and the pair of jeans that no longer fit but can be used by someone else. These decisions feel like no brainers, questions with easy and direct answers.

What happens when you encounter an item you need to think twice about? People hold onto things for many reasons. The item may be valuable, it might have emotional meaning, it could be useful in some way or you feel compelled to keep it because it might come in handy down the road. Occasionally you may find a gift that has remained in hiding because it never really found its place in your home.

To avoid being overwhelmed in clutter by putting off decisions, do not overlook these more difficult situations and work to determine if something is important enough to keep. When you are faced with this scenario, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I love it?

Do I really need it? Can something else do the same job?

Do I have to keep this in the unlikely event I use it, or can I simply purchase it later if I am in need of it?

Is it worth making room for and do I want to spend the time to create a permanent home for it so I can find it again?

Can someone else make better use of this?

Is it part of the solution or part of the problem?

11 ways to not prioritize

I have been reading ADD Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau. While the strategies and and examples in the book deal with the difficulties of ADD, I find much of the book can be helpful for anyone. Judith and Kathleen wrote a short section on the challenges of prioritizing and I wanted to share them. You can find this section on page 70 and 71 of their book: It is only when we take stock that we can prioritize, asking ourselves, "Is this really necessary?" "If I'm going to take this on, what am I going to give up?" "Am I really living life according to my deepest values, or just reacting to whatever pops up?" Prioritizing is difficult for everyone, especially in the fast-paced life that so many adults live today, bombarded with choices and burdened with high-pressure jobs in addition to the responsibilities of home and family. When ADD is added to the mix, prioritizing often goes out the window in favor of rapid reaction - reacting to demands as they hit you, without deciding whether they are your top priority. Rarely in a jam-packed day, does an adult with ADD take time to realistically assess what can be accomplished and then prioritize, asking, "If I can only accomplish three tasks on my list, which three should I choose?" Often, top-priority items may be the least likely to be chosen, while many less important things are placed first. Instead of prioritizing "first things first," many people make choices according to other rules: Whatever is on top- Paper shuffling Whatever is the easiest- Easy does it Knock-knock- Responding to whomever asks me first False Progress- The more I can check off my list the more productive I feel Proximity- Might as well do it while I'm passing by You decide- I don't want the responsibility Conflict avoidance- If you yell loudly about something, it'll go to the top of my list Whatever I'm in the mood for- I'll do it if I feel like it Save the worst for last- Anything but that! Go with the flow- Doing whatever the others do Habit- Just doing the usual All of these ways of "prioritizing" are not really prioritizing at all. In fact, they are ways to avoid prioritizing, letting habit, circumstance or the priorities of others determine how you spend your time. Adults with ADD who "prioritize" according to these rules often find they've never met many of their life's goals.

Organizing for Spring

After a long, winter hibernation we can look forward to the beginning of spring this weekend! However, along with the warm air and sunny days comes the task of helping our homes recover from the colder months now behind us. There is a sense of starting fresh even though 2010 began almost three months ago (yikes!). Here are some of the areas you could focus on as you start your spring-time organizing and cleaning:

-If you personally do your home’s spring cleaning it can be quite an overwhelming chore. Creating a simple list of what you need to do in each room is always the best way to proceed. You can methodically clean each room in an order that makes sense to you and you are less likely to forget anything. Create the list in Excel and you can use it over and over as well as edit the spreadsheet.

Go into each room and list the areas that need to be addressed. Some good ideas would be: launder draperies, scrub trim, dust sconces, dust radiators, wash floors and walls etc.

-With new school sports starting in the spring and a whole new slate of potential commitments, it is important to assess your current schedule. You do not want to be a slave to over-commitment. List all your present activities and projects and consider what is already happening before you allow another activity on your schedule. If your calendar is packed commit to dropping a current activity before adding a new one. Always go back to what is most important and vital to you to help facilitate a good decision.

-Create more space in your closet by rotating out the heavy, dark winter clothes. Not only will your closet look more perky but you will have more space overall. You won’t have to wade through a ton of clothing to find the one article you need. Designate a spot in the basement or attic for plastic bins and storage wardrobes for seasonal clothing. Don’t forget to organize your new clothes into the closet, keeping shoes, belts, hats, shirts, pants and other garments in their proper areas.