Letting Go and Starting Fresh

Clutter is about more than stuff. It's about your life - past and present. For most people clutter - or memories as they call it - is about their past. Having things that remind us of our childhood, or what we accomplished (old trophies) - gives us a sense of who we are. Or who we were.

But sometimes - we hold on to things from the past that have bad memories attached to it.

The question is - why?

Why do you want to be reminded of a bad or traumatic period of your life?  So that you don't make the same mistake again? Or maybe to remind yourself that you were able to change and become a better person?

Whatever the reason - holding on to painful memories just keeps you in the past.

By letting go - of your clutter - of the past - you can start to make new and better memories.

Physical clutter takes up a lot of room in your home. Emotional clutter takes up a lot of room in your mind and heart.

Going through each room of your home - getting rid of the clutter - lets you open up the room to a new and fresh outlook on life. By clearing the clutter of things that no longer interest you (old crafts) - you make room for new interests.

Give yourself permission to clear the clutter out of your life - and let in more productive possibilities!

Start fresh - one room - one day at time!



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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Time Management - List Management - Priority Management

Are there too many things on your "TO DO" list?  Do you have things listed in priority order? Is anything actually getting done?

Life can be a challenge. Most people have too many things that they want to do or get done - yet they can't seem to get ahead of their list. If they have a list, that is.

It's easy to get overwhelmed and stressed out by the number of things that we expect of ourselves. A lot of this is of our own making. We try to squeeze too many things into our day and then get upset with ourselves when we don't accomplish everything.

The problem is not that we aren't accomplishing everything - it's that we don't have a system in place - that works for us. Everyone is different - there is no "one size fits all".

Managing your time includes managing your expectations. Start by making a list of all the things that you want or need (or think you need) to get done. This is your master list.

You then need to decide on what is a priority and number them accordingly. This takes some decision making. Then step back and be realistic about your priorities. Maybe you might want to renumber your list. What seems like a priority now might not be a priority after you have looked at your entire list and thought about it for a while.

Next, you will want to break down your list into tasks.  These tasks should be things that can be accomplished in a short period of time. They are not "projects" - but short tasks - such as deciding on the color for the office that you are going to repaint (project).

It would look something like this:

Project:   Paint office

Tasks:

• Decide on a day to paint and schedule it on your calendar
• Decide on a color
• Go to the store to pick up paint
• Pick up brushes at the store
• Pick up paint sticks at the store
• Pick up a drop cloth at the store
• Paint the room
• Clean up the room of all material (drop cloth, paint cans...)

This is just one example of breaking down your projects into manageable tasks.

By putting everything down on your list - you won't have to remember everything and you won't stress yourself out by forgetting something. Plan ahead and plan everything out.

Scheduling your time, making lists, breaking down your priorities into actionable events is critical in reducing your stress.

It is also important not to over schedule yourself. By putting everything on your calendar (either paper or electronic) - it helps you to see everything that you are actually doing. It's a reality check.

Once it's on paper - and you have a "visual" - it's easier to step make and make some decisions on your "priorities". Be realistic about the time and more importantly - the energy - that you really have for all of your commitments.

It's easy to get lost in your commitments and to forget the most important thing - your family and yourself. Schedule time for your family and yourself on your calendar. If you don't - no one will.

Better time management results in helping to reduce your stress!

Have a great and productive - but not over scheduled week!


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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Simplifying Your Life

I don't do complicated! And I do things on my own schedule! I like things to be easy and stress free. 

That means that organization is a crucial part of my life. It's all the little things that make your life easier - or not.

After grocery shopping (not my choir) - I put everything into it's proper place and then I might divide the meat into correctly portioned sizes for later in the week. I might peel and cut up a bag of carrots for lunches during the week - and I put them into individual small bags so that I can easily just grab a bag and go. By doing things ahead of time you will save time later in the week.

I usually make lunches for the next day the night before or even the afternoon before if I happen to be doing something else in the kitchen or have a free moment. I don't wait for mornings because things get too hectic. I do things on my own schedule.

When having a dinner party or barbecue I plan things in advance and keep things simple so that I can enjoy our guests instead of fussing in the kitchen. I try to make food in advance whenever possible and gather all of my platters ahead of time.

Choirs are divided in the family and everyone helps. This is not only fair but also makes less work for everyone. Of course, I don't load the dishwasher (since I supposedly don't do it correctly) - but I do fold the bath towels (because only I fold them the way I like them!). By dividing choirs by each persons' ability there will be less complaining - an added bonus!

When I need to buy a birthday card for someone I will usually buy all of the cards I need for the month at once. One shopping trip instead of 2 or 4 (or however many birthdays fall in that month). I will also write them all out at once and stamp them and then set them aside to mail a few days before the persons' birthday.

In November, I usually buy my calendar for the next year and then spend an hour writing down all of the birthdays and important dates on my calendar for the following year. Done and over with!

I plan my days ahead of time to make the best use of my time and avoid multiple trips to the store.

I use checklists for vacations and camping trips to be sure that I never forget anything. Why reinvent the wheel? When you are out in the wilderness being prepared is crucial!

On trips - keeping your wardrobe as simple as possible (mix and match!) - makes packing much easier. Don't take things that you will probably never use.

Doing only what is really important to you - and not wasting your valuable time on things that you no longer care about - will help simplify your life and reduce your stress (and probably save you money!).

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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How Being Disorganized Affects Your Family

Organization isn’t only about closets! Yes, it’s about space management – but it’s also about time management, paper management and life management.

If everyone in the family is not on the same page when it comes to how organized their home should be – there could be arguments and resentment from one of the partners or the children. If one person likes the home to be organized and neat and the other person doesn’t seem to care – it can lead to a lot of tension and stress. 

Even children can be affected when they are too embarrassed to bring their friends over because the house is a mess. 

Being on the same page when it comes to how a home is run and what level of disorganization is acceptable – is something that is crucial. Don’t wait until you boil over from anger before you sit down with the other person and discuss why things are bothering you. At least try to come up with a compromise or a plan that everyone can live with. Even if that plan is that one person does the work of getting your home into the organized space that makes you feel comfortable – and the other person agrees to go along with the plan. Set up some systems and explain the new plan to your family. Discuss your reasons for the new system – such as “it will make our lives easier….” or “by following a new routine we will all be able to get to work or school on time”.

Disorganization also comes into play when your bills are not being paid or are late. This can also lead to a lot of stress and a lot of arguments. By setting up a routine on where to keep your bills and paperwork, when to pay your bills, and who is going to take the lead in handling the paperwork – you can avoid a lot of stress.

When you are overwhelmed because of work or family and other commitments the problem could be time management. Taking a look at how you manage all of your time and commitments, including appointments and kids’ activities – and being realistic about how much time you actually have and what you are spending it on – is a great exercise. For the next week - write down everything that you do all day long (break it into 30 minute pieces). Then sit down and look at how much time you are actually wasting – and also decide what you could give up to make your life easier and less stressed. If you cannot give something up you could look at sharing carpooling the kids to their activities with another parent – that would give you extra time to get other things done. There are a lot of ways to manage your time more efficiently.

Being organized decreases your stress on many levels. Take a look at what is bothering you and try to figure out how a more organized approach might help decrease your stress.

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Being ORGANIZED looks like.... feels like.....

What does being ORGANIZED look like and feel like?

It looks like:

• a cleared off  kitchen counter
• a cleared off dining room table
• an entry way where you aren't tripping over shoes or bags
• a closet where you can find the shirt you want to wear
• a drawer where you can find the scissors
• a pantry where you can find the jar of pasta sauce you know is in there
• a bedroom where you can find your bed

It feels like:

• you belong there
• you are comfortable there
• you want to be there
• you take pride in your home
• you aren't embarrassed to have your friends over
• you are calm
• you are stress free

Being organized is about more than just an uncluttered home or office. It's also about having an uncluttered life. It's about clearing the stress.

Being organized helps you with your physical, paper, digital, time, brain, relationship, emotional, mental and spiritual clutter.

Being organized brings about a sense of calm.

What do you want your organized home or life to feel like?


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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Work/Life Balance - Is There Really Such a Thing?

Everyone talks about "Work/Life Balance" - but the question is - "is there really such a thing?".

In today's world everyone is so busy it's hard to find enough time for your family and all of their activities, much less yourself.

Then we throw in the reality of today's world - where everyone is connected all of the time and we never get any "down time".  Facebook, Twitter, email, messaging ....and the rest of the internet keeps interrupting us 24/7.

Be honest - our cell phones are never out of our hand. We constantly check it. It keeps interrupting our life. And we allow it!  We would be lost without it!

Or would we?

What did people ever do before cell phones and the internet?

They talked to each other in person. They shared their life with people they actually knew - not strangers they meet online. Strangers, or acquaintances they call "friends".

Social media is everywhere. We are inundated with it. It might have it's place - but so does out family and our friends.

Throw in our jobs - which in many cases - due to cell phones - keeps us "working" 24/7. We are never far out of the reach of our jobs and our bosses. We constantly answer work related questions even after we come home. There is never any "down" time. Our "family time" is constantly being interrupted by outside forces.

It might be the "reality" of today - but it affects us in many ways. And most people really aren't aware of it.

Paying attention to people when they are speaking to you. Being "present" when they are speaking to you - doesn't happen very often anymore - because someone is messaging us and we are reading the messages - or we are reading our emails on our cell phone.

It might be the "norm" - but it shows a lack of respect for the other person.

It might be "important" that you answer your emails from work 24/7 - or so you think. It might just "make you feel important". Are you getting paid extra for working 24/7? Is it really going to make or break your job/career?

It has been shown that people need a break. They need down time from their jobs. They need to take "real" vacations - without the disruption of their jobs. They need to refresh, regroup, recharge!

It's hard!  But if we don't allow ourselves to get recharged - if we don't allow ourselves to be "present" for our family and friends - we won't really be our best. We will miss a lot of the special moments in our family's life - because we aren't focusing on the moment because our minds are elsewhere.

Take a step back - be realistic on how your work, your family and your life interact with each other.

Make time for yourself. Make time for your family and friends. Make time for your job. 

Organize your life - organize your priorities. Yes - family and friends can and should be scheduled activities - just like you schedule your meetings at work. They are just as important.

Your health depends on having balance in your life.

Figure out what's working and what's not. You don't have to be in every single activity and on every single board. You might want to - but you don't have to.

Work/Life Balance is not always balanced. But you can adjust it - and you should - every so often.





Take our Work/Life Balance Assessment to see how well you are doing.


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

Organizational Consulting Services

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How Organized Are You? Take A Quiz And Find Out....

Being ORGANIZED is a way of life. It's not a "one time, fix it up and be done with it" process. It's an ongoing event.  Some people might be organized in one part of their life and not in another. They might be organized at work and unorganized at home. It's perfectly normal and very common.

Just because you have an organized desk doesn't mean that you are an organized person.

Do you process your mail in a timely manner? Do you pay your bills on time? Do you drive all over town from one end to another? Do you realize that if you planned and consolidated your trips your could be saving time and money?

Being organized affects every part of your life. From when you wake up in the morning and have your clothes laid out for the day and your lunch made ahead of time....until you are ready to go to bed at night and have your tomorrow all planned out.

Do you have routines in place for sorting through your closet and getting rid of things that you never wear? Does your family know what you expect of them? Do they know where to put things? Do they even know that you have a plan?

When it comes to families - everyone should be on the same page - at least they should know there is a page. By coming together as a family and having a common goal you will be able to eliminate some of the stress that daily life brings.

Start by teaching your kids that you have expectations. You will be helping them grow into a better and more organized adult!

Take our  Personal Organizational Assessment   and see how organized you really are.



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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Grab A Basket - Clear Your Clutter

It's summer and you should be outside enjoying the beautiful weather - instead of deep cleaning your house. Don't misunderstand me - you really do want a clean house - but sometimes some things are more important - such as spending time with your family.

So - grab your laundry basket (or whatever large basket or container you have handy) - and walk into your living room - and pick up things that don't belong there. Put them into your basket.

The clothes that are laying round. The magazines or books that are on the floor. The newspaper. Games, toys....  dishes, cups.... 

Put everything into the basket.  Only things that belong in the living room should be there.

Fluff the pillows and straighten the rug.

Now take your basket and walk into the kitchen and take the dishes & cups out of your basket and put them into the kitchen.

Take the books & magazines and put them back on the bookshelf or magazine rack.

Take your clothes and put them back in your closet or into the laundry hamper.

When the basket is empty - you've accomplished your task!  You've cleared a room of the clutter that did not belong there.

You can use this process on each room that is cluttered with things that don't belong.

It's a quick way to have an uncluttered room.

Another way is to always take anything that you brought into the room - out of the room when you leave the room.

Unlearning bad habits is hard. Remember - "everything should have a place of it's own to live".

Now that you've decluttered a room - go out and enjoy the great weather!



Organizational Consulting Services

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Organizing Your Life - Setting Yourself Up For Success

Being organized is about more than just having "things" neatly in place.  If your "life" isn't organized everything else will fall apart.

Do you have a "plan" for how you want your life to play out?  Do you have your priorities in place?

Life today is fast and crazy. There are so many activities and commitments that we are expected to participate in. We are pulled in so many directions that everything can't be perfect and important deadlines might be missed.

By having a plan - by organizing your day and your life - you are more likely able to meet some of those challenges and do so in a more relaxed and calm manner.

Disorganization causes stress. Stress causes flared emotions and saying or doing things you might not ordinarily say or do.

By taking a step back and organizing your routine, your life and your priorities - you can decrease your stress levels and accomplish your goals.

Start by sitting down and writing out a detailed account of  exactly what you do every day. Break it down into what you do each day of the week. Then break it down into 15 or 30 minute increments.  Decide if anything can be deleted from your schedule. Or you might want to move it to another day.

By having everything written down you can get a better picture of why you are so tired all of the time or why you are late for meetings and appointments. 

Once you have your schedule written down and you are satisfied that it is more manageable break it down even further. What is required for each task or appointment or meeting?  Do you have everything ready that you need for that appointment?

For example - if you have a doctors appointment - do you have a list of all of your medications?  Do you have a list of all of your symptoms.

If you have a business meeting - do you have all of the information that you need for that meeting? Do you have all of the reports or numbers that you need?

If you are taking a trip - do you have everything ready for the trip?  Do you have a checklist of what to pack or take?  Have you made arrangements to have your mail and newspaper suspended? Is someone going to water your plants?

As you can see - being organized plays a vital role in everything that we do. Being prepared can make your life run smoother.

So - go ahead....  GET ORGANIZED !   You will be glad you did.




Organizational Consulting Services

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Organize Your Calendar

It's almost summer time - when lots of things happen.  Activities - fairs, concerts, open air markets and so many activities that beckon us.

So how can we be sure not to miss anything?

It's easy - Organize Your Calendar!

Seriously - if you can organize all of the other aspects of your life - why not your social life?

There are a lot of things that you can do that does not cost any or very little money. There are a lot of outdoor activities, parades, outdoor concerts and other things that you can enjoy - if you know about them.

Every city or town probably has a city website where it lists all of the activities in the surrounding area.

Sit down with your calendar and put everything that interests you on your calendar.  That way you won't forget it and you will have something to look forward to all summer long.

Schedule everything - including things like "hikes" or "go to the beach".  Force yourself to get out and enjoy your town.

People always say  "there's nothing to do".  Yes, there is....if you look for it and schedule it.

Just like work projects - you have to organize and schedule your social life.

So....pick up your calendar and start planning your summer and learn to enjoy the simple things around you.

Organizational Consulting Services

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Time - Life - Balance: Is It Possible ?

 Working, a career, family, kids, volunteer work, hobbies.....  put them all into a pot and you have stew - a mixture of everything and not one thing stands out on its own.  That's life !

But - is one thing more important than another?  If so, which one?  Your job or your family?  The never ending dilemma. How do you balance it all?  Or do you?   Without a job you can't support your family - we all understand that. But after that - things get blurred.

Is balance really important? Does having a "balanced life" really have an impact?  If so, how?

All of these are really important questions - and they are all very complicated questions.

Yes, some jobs might "seem" more important than others- such as doctors, surgeons, lawyers....but does that mean that your family life, your kids, your own personal happiness and fulfillment have to suffer?

At different points of your life and your career you might make some sacrifices based on your future goals.  But - when you are older and more established or when you are retired - you might second guess the decisions that you made when you were younger.

The bottom line is - you can never turn back time.  So the decisions that you make, though they might seem "right" at the moment - are decisions that you might regret later in life.

Family and your health, both physical and emotional are something that most people take for granted - or at least take too lightly.

By "planning" time for your family and yourself - actually scheduling "family" and "you" time - you will be more likely to have a "balanced" life - and you will be more likely not to regret putting your job first and your family last.

Life goes by too quickly - don't let it pass you by.  Give your family the priority it deserves and organize your life to include your family.



Organizational Consulting Services

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