Getting Organized in 2016

2016 is finally here! People are making New Year's Resolutions.....but are they being realistic?  Don't make promises (even to yourself) that you can't keep.  You might try - for a short while - but then it becomes too much of a hassle and you stop.

Wanting to change, to make things better is a good thing. But - be honest with yourself, know your limitations and set realistic goals. Don't bite off more than you can handle.

Being more organized is a good thing!  There is no downside to it!  But after looking at the "big picture" - break it down into smaller pieces and realistically set goals based on what you know you can accomplish - in a given timeframe.

I've already made all of my new spreadsheets for 2016 and starting logging information as it comes in.

I've made new files for my bills and a file for 2015 taxes where I can put documents as they are mailed to me. I am going through my filing cabinet and pulling out last years information and boxing up what I need to keep (for tax purposes) and pitching the rest (remember to shred!).

This is not the most fun project - but a necessary evil.  Just do it - and get it over with.

Once you start taking down all of your holiday decorations you might also want to do some extra cleaning and some more purging.  If anything is broken or old - don't just put it back in the box - get rid of it!

If you haven't put away your new holiday gifts - think about getting rid of the old things (clothes, toys, gadgets....) that you haven't used in a while.

Start 2016 off with a clean slate.

Happy Organizing!




Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

End of the Year - DeClutter for 2016

2015 is coming to a fast close.  The New Year will soon be here. Before the year ends take a realistic look at all of the new things that you acquired over the holidays. I'm sure that you probably have duplicates of things that you already have. Newer, of course - but duplicates.

Before year end - go through some of your gifts and decide if it's not time to "release" your old things. 

If you received some new clothes - go through your closet and decide what you can get rid of.  Anything that is too small, doesn't fit properly, you never actually wore....  

Be realistic - unless you have tons of extra closet space that you have never filled up - something has to give!

Get rid of your old sweaters or shirts that you rarely ever wear.

Get rid of books and movies that you have finished.

Get rid of anything that you have not used in the last six months.

Someone out there can probably use it - so - donate it!

By making more room in your closet  you are actually taking better care of your clothes. They are not so cramped. They will hang better and you will actually be able to see them - thus - you might actually wear them.

Start 2016 off by being ORGANIZED!

One small step at a time....



Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Merry Christmas....to you and yours....

I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. May your day be filled with joy and happiness.

From our family to yours.....

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Getting Out of Your Door in the Morning

There are a lot of people that are just not morning people. They can't seem to get out of the house on time. They run around looking for their keys and purse / briefcase / backpack.....  They forget their lunch.

It's a problem that many people have - every morning. Yet - there is a simple solution!

GET ORGANIZED - the night before!

I know - it sounds logical and you've tried it - for one day.

Being organized is about staying organized - which is about getting organized.

Remember what I've said in the past - "a new habit takes about 90 days to learn and become your own".

Make time every night to get yourself organized for the next day.

Pick out what you are going to wear and set out your clothes for the next day.

Put your keys and wallet (or purse / briefcase / backpack) next to the door.

Have your lunch packed and ready to go. Leave yourself a note on your purse (or by your keys....) to remind yourself to take your lunch out of the refrigerator.

Set up your coffee maker so that it's all ready to go in the morning and you just have to hit the button.

Set your alarm - and set it for an extra 10 or 15 minutes early - so that you can have a more relaxing morning. By giving yourself some extra time and having everything ready to go - you will cut down on your stress level.

Go ahead....  try it for a while - and see if you aren't in a better mood and on time for work!

Have a great and organized week!



Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Start the Holiday Season - by Decluttering Now

This year has gone unbelievably fast! The holidays will soon be here - and that means more "stuff" everywhere, the stress of deciding what to buy everyone and also deciding where to fit everything.

So - take a step back - breathe - and start making room now.  That means decluttering your closet and house of things that you really don't want anymore. Things that you have grown tired of.  Things that no longer fit into your decor ....or mood.

Let's be honest - you know that you will get more "stuff" for the holidays.  So start making room now.

Go through your closet and pull out anything that does not fit anymore (be honest with yourself). Pull out anything that is out of style or worn out.

Do the same with the kids and each person in your house.

Then start on the kids toys. I'm sure that since last Christmas they have outgrown a few toys!  Pack them up and donate them to someone that can really enjoy them. Be sure to make your kids a part of the process.  It's never to early to teach them about donating and sharing their things with people that can really use them. A great lesson to learn early in life!

Now step back and take a look at your living room. Are there any decorations, nick-nacks - that you no longer enjoy?  Then pack them up.  Your home should be "your" home - not someone else's. If you don't like something - pack it up. 

Start decluttering now - before the mad rush of the holiday season really kicks in. By doing so you will save yourself a lot of stress and you will have accomplished something.

As the holiday season gets closer - please remember that everyone has their own tastes.  Don't buy gifts because you like them - but rather because you know the other person will really enjoy (or need) it.

By starting now - and doing a little bit at a time - you can avoid (or lessen) the stress that accompanies the holiday season.




Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

An Organized and Stress Free Thanksgiving

Yes, “Organized“, “Stress Free” and “Thanksgiving” can be used in the same sentence.

It all starts with the word “organized”. Don’t let it scare you. Embrace it. By being organized and planning ahead you can actually enjoy a holiday.

Start by deciding on what you want your holiday to be like. Do you really want to serve a sit down dinner for twenty (20) people? Or would a buffet be acceptable for you? Would it be acceptable for your “family”?

The pressure of trying to please everyone, especially parents and doing things “exactly” like when you were little and everything was perfect is how the “stress” starts.

It’s your house and your dinner party. You can start new traditions. I didn’t say that it would be easy or that you wouldn’t get some flack, but all “traditions” started somewhere. Make your own. You deserve some happiness.

If you really want a fancy sit down dinner party but twenty (20) people is too much for you to handle then cut the guest list down.

If you really want all twenty (20) people there then maybe you should consider a buffet. It’s much easier and your family will eventually come to terms with the fact that maybe you aren’t serving a formal sit down dinner, but the food is just as good.

You can make Thanksgiving as simple or as complicated as you want….it all depends on how organized you are willing to be.

A good way to keep the stress levels down is to divide and conquer.  Enlist your family for help. Don’t take “no” for an answer. This is your holiday too and you have a right to enjoy it.

And we all know that old saying “if Mom isn’t happy, no one is happy”.

Start at least two (2) or three (3) weeks before Thanksgiving.

Decide on the type of gathering (formal or informal), the size of the guest list and the menu.
Don’t attempt to make something new for dinner or try out a new dessert that day. It could turn out to be a disaster and that would cause you more stress. If you really want to try a new dish….test it out prior to Thanksgiving.

Menu: Do you really want to serve cranberry relish and sweet potato’s even if you don’t like them and only serve them because “they are always served at Thanksgiving”?

Make up your own menu (yes, it is radical). Serve something different. Serve something you like!

If you are having a small Thanksgiving dinner don’t feel obligated to serve Turkey.  I know, blasphemy!  Last year I made stuffed Cornish Hen. It was wonderful and just as delicious as turkey. You can also stuff a small chicken or even a duck! Or be really different and have Ham! The possibilities are endless.

Start new traditions!  It’s not easy to buck the system but once you make up your mind that you deserve to be happy and stress free on a Holiday you will wonder why you waited so long.

Remember, the whole point of a Holiday is family and friends and spending “quality” time together.   Everything does not have to be perfect. Be thankful for what you have and not for what you don’t.

A great piece of advice: Don’t attempt to clean your oven Thanksgiving morning before you put in the turkey. I did that once, years ago. I then found out that after the oven is cleaned it needs to cool down and the oven will stay locked for another hour or so after it’s done. And you can’t open it! It certainly put a dent into my dinner timetable!

By starting early and making lists and getting as much done ahead of time as possible you will avoid a lot of stress.

Once you have your menu planned work backwards and make up a timetable to what needs to be done. For example: if you want your dinner to be served at 6 p.m., what time do you have to put the turkey into the oven?  What time do the potato’s and vegetables need to be started?  Just make a list and put it on your refrigerator door so that you don’t have to second guess yourself and aren’t panicking at the last minute.

When your family or guests start to arrive your mind and attention will be elsewhere….so a list can help you stay on track. Don’t leave anything to chance.

A few days before Thanksgiving:
* Shop for all of the essentials, including as much of the food as can be purchased ahead of time
* Make sure that you have enough spices and things that you will need for the food (and rarely buy)
* Do any of the baking or make any desserts that can be made ahead of time
* Thaw the turkey (the size will determine how many days it takes to thaw in the refrigerator)
* Buy the wine or any beverages

The day before Thanksgiving:
* Buy any last minute items at the grocery store
* Chop anything that can be chopped ahead of time (vegetables, bread for stuff…but do not stuff the turkey ahead of time) and put them in plastic bags so that you will be all ready to go the next day
* Make sure you have enough ice
* Prepare any of the food items that can be made ahead of time
* Make your family aware of exactly what you need them to help you with on Thanksgiving.
* Having assigned tasks for your kids and spouse ahead of time takes away some of the stress of what’s expected of them the next day.

The night before Thanksgiving:
* Set the table and get out all of your platters and serving dishes.
* Make sure that you have enough dishes and silverware. If you don’t, now is the time to call one of your guests and ask to borrow something. Don’t wait until the last minute to find out that you broke the gravy boat last Thanksgiving and never replaced it.

When I entertain I love to use all of my special platters and dishes. I love to fuss over my family and I love to set a very special table. I don’t consider it extra work or a hardship or stressful. It’s my way of telling my family and friends just how special they are.

But again…..the Holiday and family and friends are what’s important….not the china or the food. So if you aren’t the type of person to pull off a sit down dinner with all the decorations don’t beat yourself up. There are only so many Martha Stewarts around. And she has a staff to help her!


Thanksgiving Day:
* Wake up early so that you can have some “you” time to have coffee and relax before
the day starts (it will get stressful enough later, so the morning might be the
only time you have)
* Read over your lists and timetable
* Gather all of your food and cooking utensils, pots and pans ....
* Measure out everything that you can ahead of time and set it aside
* Follow your time table and start making the food according to the schedule
* Once the food comes out of the oven let it rest a while (you can cover it with
foil)
* Start cutting the meat and plating the food
* Have family members start their assigned tasks (setting out and serving food,
pouring the drinks…)

ENJOY your meal…… sit and talk…..

After the meal:

Have a plan in place to clear the table. Since I always make a ton of extra food so that my guests can take home leftovers I start with portioning the leftovers into plastic containers and putting each family’s containers into a plastic bag and setting it near the door so that they don’t forget them.

Once I have the leftovers divided up and mine put away in the refrigerator and freezer I then start to collect the rest of the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. I don’t start the dishwasher until after they leave so that we won’t be bothered with the noise.

Again, this is where your family members can jump in and help clear and stack dishes. It makes quick work of things when you have other people help.

I need to have as many things cleared up and put away as possible before I start serving dessert. This also gives everyone time to rest and relax before they start eating again.

Some people like to leave the dishes and the mess until the next day. And sometimes I wish I could too, but its worse the next day when you get up and walk into a mess. I’d rather get it done and over with.

Make quick work of it (or as much as will fit into the dishwasher) and then sit and relax and spend time with your family.

Remember, a Holiday is supposed to be enjoyable. If it’s not, figure out why it isn’t and change it. Skip the big complicated meal, the fancy desserts and the good china and make it as simple as you are able to handle.

Start your own tradition….and make it about family!

Happy Holiday !


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Professional Organizer - Now A Medicaid Provider

I am very pleased to announce that I have become a Medicaid Provider in Missoula!

This is very exciting news!

What does this mean - well - it means that my services as a Professional Organizer have the approval of a number of social service agencies.

It means that people who previously might not have been able to use my services - people that are on Medicaid - now have access my services as a Professional Organizer.

A Professional Organizer can help in many areas of your life. We don't just organize closets!

A Professional Organizer can help people make their home more livable, more accessible and safer.

An unorganized home, especially one that is cluttered or one that might be considered a hoarding situation - can be a dangerous place - especially for the elderly or physically challenged.

A Professional Organizer can help people manage their time and their lives.

It is great to know that the services of a Professional Organizer is not only considered a luxury - but a necessity.

Being organized makes your life run smoother.  It helps you save time and money.  And in the case of a lot of people - it helps keep you safe and allows you to let people into your life and into your home.




Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/