Yes, There Are Good Lists

 I make a lot of lists and yes, my spouse just shakes his head. Making lists helps me to save time and brain power. Why keep re-inventing the wheel?

There are times when making lists makes sense. Like when you are going camping and don't want to forget anything. By having a "camping checklist" I can quickly pull everything together for an impromptu camping excursion. By using my list I don't have to wonder if I forgot anything. I have columns for camping gear, clothes, food and miscellaneous items.

If you have a family you can put each person's name on top of a column and they can check off all of the things that they need to bring. No more "Mom, I forgot my swimsuit".

The lists are on the computer and can easily be changed or updated as needed and printed off right before each trip. It takes the stress out of your "enjoyable" weekend.

Admit it, packing a family up for any trip is not easy and if you forget anything the whining will ruin your "enjoyment". So stop re-inventing the wheel and make a list for activities that you do a lot. Your life will be easier and so what if your spouse thinks you are "too organized".

Whatever makes our life easier will make our families life easier - whether they admit it or not.

Happy Organizing !




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Getting Ready For School

 Summer vacation is not over yet and you want us to think about getting ready for school?

Yes, I do! Why wait until the week before school starts or for some people the day before school starts, to get organzied and ready for school?  Eliminate the stress by planning ahead!

The schools will probably have a supply list out already. School sales start early so take advantage of them. Avoid the crowds of last minute shoppers. Avoid the stress!

If you are just starting to send your kids to school forthe first time you should also think about the end of school - all of the pictures and projects that the kids will be bringing home over the next year. Think about how you want to organize everything and buy the appropriate tools now while you are buying everything else for school. This will save you a lot of time and money later.

There are many different options for organizing your kids papers and projects. A Pendaflex with space for each grade. A 3 ring binder, a file box.... Whatever works for you. By thinking about it ahead of time your year will be a lot smoother.

Clothes:  Your kids will probably have grown over the summer. Go through their closets (yes, again - and tell them to stop growing already!). Make a list of what clothes they have and what clothes you will need to buy. Keep an eye out for the sales, but please don't get carried away!  Buy only what's on your list.

Let the kids help. Tell them to keep an eye out for the sales ans teach them to shop responsibly. It's never too early to start teaching them how to be organized!

Have a great school year !



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Impromptu Picnics

Summer is here and one of the things we love to do is have "impromptu"  picnics. Whenever the mood strikes, a picnic makes you feel like you are on vacation - even if it's only for an hour.

It's easy to do if you have a "picnic basket" all ready to go at all times.

I usually keep a basket filled with paper plates, cups, plastic utensils, napkins, small trash bags and a few other things all ready to go and near my front door. I always have  a few water bottles half filled with water in the freezer and fill them up with water whenever we go on a picnic or hike. By having the water bottles half filled and in the freezer you never have to worry about having ice cubes. I usually have some fresh fruit available and some crackers or snacks  in the cupboard. You can quickly make a couple of sandwiches or pick some up on your way to the park or beach.

Keeping it simple is the key. Picnics are about getting out and enjoying nature and the people you are with.

Picnics should not be a one time only summer event. Have them often and feel your stress dissolve.

By being prepared and being organized you too can enjoy a spur of the moment picnic anytime!

Have a great summer !



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The Paper Shuffle

 Organizing spaces is easy and fun (well, for some of us).  Paper - not so much. Getting your paperwork and files organized is time consuming and draining (both physically and emotionally). You have to make decisions about every single piece of paper. There can be hundreds of pieces of paper in an inch. Hundreds of decisions that have to be made about what to do with each piece of paper.

Is the piece of paper important?

Do we have to keep it or can we pitch it?

What do we do with it?  File it?  Where?

And so the paper shuffle begins. From one stack to the next. You can't make a decision so you move the paper from one pile to the  "I'll get to it later" pile.

But you never do. And the pile just continues to grow.

So what's the answer?  Well, it all depends on your "style" and the ability to adapt to a new "plan".  A Professional Organizer always takes the clients "style" into consideration when coming up with a solution. There is no "one size fits all" in organizing.

But no matter what the solution is - there is not getting around the fact that you have to "deal with the paper". Go through the process once, come up with a solution and hope that you will "stick with the program".

Coming up with an easy, yes, you will (not "CAN") do it plan is the first step.  By having a system in place the time spent filing your papers into the appropriate and meaningful files will be drastically reduced.

When a bill or some other important piece of paper comes into your home or office, you will immediately be able to put it into its appropriate place instead of just piling it on top of an already ignored "pile of things" to deal with.

By handling each piece of paper only once you will save a lot of time and your desk will be a pleasure to work at instead of somewhere you would rather not be.

Organizing paper takes a lot of  thought and organizational skills. Not everyone has it. So don't be concerned that you are the most disorganized person out there.

You aren't!



Happy Organizing!




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When You Are Ready

So you have decided that you are ready to "Get Organized".  GREAT !

Now what ?

A lot of clients will just start throwing things out at a frantic pace. Everything must go!

It seems to an outsider that they have gone from one extreme to another. Disorganized on Monday to a purging maniac on Tuesday. They go at a frantic pace until finally they crash from exhaustion.

Organization is great. I am all for it, obviously. But you have to have a plan. Any plan. And you have to pace yourself so that you don't get burned out. Otherwise your enthusiasm will go out the window along with your energy.

Slow down! You have waited this long. Step back and come up with a plan. What do you really want your "end result" to be?  Break your "plan" up into manageable sections (hours per day) so that you will want to continue the next day.

Do some things that will produce a "noticeable" result so that you feel like you have made some progress. This will fuel your motivation to continue.

It took you years to get "disorganized". It takes more than a few hours to get your home to look like the cover of a magazine (which is what clients expect).

Be realistic and you won't be disappointed.



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What Bothers You ?

A lot of people are intimidated by what other people think. They think their house should look a certain way because other people have told them that "you should clean this" or "you should get rid of that". They get overwhelmed by everyone telling them what "should" bother them and how they "should" clean up their home. So they do "nothing". It's a lot easier than not doing what they "should" do.

I'm sure we all have "well meaning" family and friends who try to "help" you by giving you  unsolicited advice on how to take care of your home. But what they don't realize is that they are actually doing more harm than good.

People don't want to be told what to do. They want to make their own decisions. They want to have control over their home and their life. They don't want to be told what they "should do" or "should feel" about their home.

So it's a mess.  O.K.  We acknowledge that it's a mess. Why does it concern anyone else?  All it does is make people "not" want to clean because they don't want to be told what to do.  It's basic psychology.

Everyone has their own tolerance of  "enough".  And when it's dirty enough or disorganized beyond what they can tolerate any longer, they will "clean" and "organize" the space. 

People have to "be ready" and "want" to change. You can't "force the issue".

So when something "bothers" you enough that you want to change.... you will.

But only when you are ready.



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TO DO LISTS

Some people love to make "TO DO" lists. But some of those list makers just make lists and never actually "DO" anything on the lists.

Making lists makes those people feel like they have accomplished things - but they really haven't.

Writing things down is a pretty powerful tool. It makes things "real". But you have to actually "DO" what's on the list to be able to say that "you accomplished something".

This might sound silly and very "basic" to a lot of people - but I have run across many people that never get past "the list".

So step back and ask yourself - "are you ever really going to (accomplish this task)"?  If you really know you have no intention of completing the task - or really don't have the time - Don't put it on the  "TO DO"  LIST. 

Maybe you could make a  "I'll have someone else do it"  list!

Being honest with yourself (and your spouse) will save you a lot of time and aggravation. And it will make your list a lot shorter.

Remember - after you write it down - the next step is  "DOING IT"!



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Organizing Your Life

People seem to think of organizing as something that you do to "things",  but you can also "organize your life".  Just like having an organized room, having an organized life definitely reduces your stress.

You don't have to go overboard and have every detail of your personal life organized and outlined in your "Franklin Planner", but by knowing what you are going to do and what you have to accomplish you will be more productive and less stressed.  If you want to have a great weekend or a great vacation they need to be planned out.  If you want to have a great "date" it needs to be planned out.

By taking charge of your life and treating it as something that is just as important as your job and by giving it the same thought and careful planning, you will function better and there will be fewer "surprises".

Planning and organizing your life instead of leaving it to chance also means that you are in better control of our finances, which in turn helps to alleviate stress.

So take some time for yourself and think about how in control you are of your life. Write down all of the things that you feel you are "not in control of". Number them in order of importance. Then write down some ideas on how you might want to change those things.

It can be as simple as coming up with a calendar that everyone in your family uses so that you know what everyone is doing. Or scheduling extra travel time for your appointments so that you aren't always running late and getting stressed. Or taking some things off of your schedule so that you aren't over scheduled and have more time for your family.

You can also think about re-organizing some of your routines to make your day run smoother. Things such as "getting your next days clothes ready the night before". This gives you more time in the morning and reduces your stress in having to make decisions while everyone is trying to get out of the door.

Or how about making a list of all of the errands that you have to do during the week and planning your trips so that you aren't backtracking from one side of town to the other.

There are a lot of ways that you can "organize your life" and make your life run smoother. Just take it one step at a time and you will soon be on your way to a "more organized you".

Happy Organizing !


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End of School Organizing

School is about to end for most schools. Kids will be cleaning out their lockers and bringing home - well, lots of stuff! Maybe even stuff that you didn't know that you were missing - like Tupperware!

They will also be bringing home lots of papers and other things that they have cleared out of their lockers, maybe even some clothes. If they are like most kids they will probably just dump it all in the hallway where they came in. And drive you nuts in the process.

So before you get too far into the summer take some time to organize the mess. And if you can, make the kids help. It is their mess after all!

First, throw out all of the garbage.

Second, take back your Tupperware, dishes, silverware...

Third, grab those clothes and throw them in the laundry. After they are clean, decide if they still fit or might still fit by the start of the next school year. Otherwise, into the "donate pile" they go.

Fourth, go through their papers and decide which ones you want to keep (things such as Art work or other papers you really want to keep). You might want to dispose of the other papers when the kids are not around. If you have a folder/box or notebook for each child you can put anything you want to save into their file (by grade).

Fifth, any extra school supplies that can be used for the next year can be put away in a bag and you will have a head start on shopping for the next school year. Be sure to keep a list of what you already have so that you don't buy duplicate when you get the rest of their school supplies.

Sixth, check the condition of their backpack and lunch box and toss it or put it away for next year (after a thorough cleaning of course!).

The mess is now gone and you can get on with our summer!

Have a great summer!



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Seniors - Getting Ready To Downsize - Start De-Cluttering Now

As your children grow up and move out of your home and as people age they start  thinking about downsizing. They don't need a big house, they don't want do to all of the housework and yard work anymore.

Why not start thinking about it years before you are ready?  That way there is no rush, no pressure.

If you give yourself plenty of time you can make the decisions about your belongings at your own pace instead of having to decide what to get rid of as the moving truck is pulling up.

The first and most important part of any move and downsizing is the decluttering.  Start going through each of your rooms and decide what you can get rid of.

And of course, that means, donate or give away (for the most part). If you haven't used it or don't want to take it with you, put it in the "donate" box.

One thing that you will also want to start thinking about is the size of your new home. If you have a four bedroom home now and want to downsize to a one or two bedroom home you will have a lot of things to get rid of.

Don't think that you have to get rid of the entire extra room. You can pick or choose pieces from each room that will go into your new home. Only take the things that you really love or that are functional.

Start thinking about giving away things to your loved ones now, when they can enjoy them. Why wait until after you are gone so that you won't be able to share in their happiness?  It might sound morbid, but it makes sense.  You know that you love to see the look on their faces when you give them presents for their birthdays or holidays.

By taking control of your own decluttering now, when you are not in a rush, you will be much calmer and more rational. Trust me, moving is not a fun process. Take the stress out of it by planning ahead and decluttering on your terms.

For many children that live away from their elderly parents it sometimes helps to have someone, such as a Professional Organizer help with this transition. It helps the seniors in getting the job done on their terms. A Professional Organizer with experience in working with seniors can also help in planning out the move and help in the design of the new home to be sure that everything fits and that everything has a place. Not everyone has the luxury of taking time off of work to spend a few weeks helping their parents with this process. And when they do have the time off it's better spent on visiting instead of decluttering and packing.

Start early. Take your time. Declutter without the stress of a move, before the move.

Think about it....and start decluttering......

Organizational Consulting Services

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Moving - How to Protect Your Possessions

Moving  - How to Protect Your Possessions

It’s that time of year where a lot of families move. The kids are almost out of school. You can slowly start packing up your house and dream about your new home.

But before you get too happy you need to protect yourself and your possessions. Even the most organized people have lost valuable possessions in a move. Once you let your possessions out of your sight and into the hands of “professional movers" you have lost control.

When you are searching for a moving company you need to do your due diligence, read the fine print and demand references.  The companies are always nice before your move, but once they pick up your furniture it’s a different story.

There are a number of things that you can do.

1)       Make a list of everything that you are packing and where it is packed. Yes, this is time   consuming but this will help to protect you should the unthinkable happen (lost boxes).

2)      Take pictures of everything. Close up pictures to show the condition of the items.

3)      Gather all of your receipts for any big ticket items or anything of value. If your possessions are lost or damaged the moving company will demand receipts before they pay for the damage. Oh, you bought that couch five years ago and don’t have the receipt? Too bad!

4)      If you are packing yourself here’s a newsflash – the moving company won’t believe you  when you tell them that you packed (whatever – of value) in a box that was lost. Since they did not pack it, they will not reimburse you.

       5)     When the movers hand you the papework to sign when    they are loading the truck….look over the paperwork very, very carefully. Question every single tick mark on the paper. Don’t let them intimidate you into signing the paperwork unless you know what every single mark means. Believe me, you will regret it later if you do.

 

People think that packing themselves saves money, but if anything is lost you will have a terrible time trying to get compensated by the moving company.

Mayflower is a great example of a moving company that will not reimburse you for anything that you packed yourself because they will say that you have to prove that it was actually in the box.

The major problem with moving is that it is very stressful, even if you are totally organized.

By starting early and leaving yourself plenty of time to get your home de-cluttered and packed you will save yourself a lot of stress. Don't try to cram all of your packing into a few days.

Before you pack it....ask yourself: 

                "Have you used it, worn it or even remembered that you had (insert name of item) it in the last year?"

If the answer is "no".... re-think packing the item. Why take clutter with you to your new home?

Even if you aren't planning on moving for another year....start thinking about the processs as early as possible. You will save yourself a lot of headaches!

Happy Moving!

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Organizing Your Kids Summer Activities

Summertime, kids out of school, vacations are all fast approaching. You might think it’s far away, but your kids, believe me, they are thinking about summer vacations already.

If you are able to go away on vacation get your kids involved in planning it. Let them come up with some ideas on things to do. If they are old enough, put them in charge of planning the activities. This teaches them how much work is involved and also empowers them to make their vacation their own.

Let them come up with a list of things to pack. Make sure to look it over and make sure that it’s reasonable and that they did not miss anything. It also teaches them to work within restrictions – such as airline weight restrictions or car room restrictions. No, they can’t take every single toy on vacation.

If you are not going away on vacation you can still plan plenty of activities to keep your children occupied.

Let them help come up with a list of things that they want to see or do in your city. Museums, the zoo, the beach are all fun activities. They can also plan “day trips” to places a bit further away. From planning on what to pack for lunches and what they will see and do.

By letting them help plan these activities it gives them ownership of their own “fun” and makes them understand how much everyone counts on them for planning a great vacation or activity.

By involving your kids in the planning stages they will be more likely to enjoy their summer. And if they don’t come up with any ideas – oh well, I guess they will be bored! And it will be their own fault.

Empower your kids at a young age to help plan their summer and you will not only have happier children who think the plans were all “their idea” but you won’t have to come up with ideas all on your own that the kids will whine about.

Summer is not about keeping your kids busy….but it’s about teaching them valuable lessons that they can take with them as they grow up.

It’s never too early to teach your kids organizational skills. And they can have fun as they are learning.

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What People See.....

Everyone has a different idea of  "clean and organized". They are not the same.

For some people, clean means that they can find what they are looking for. It doesn't matter how long it takes. Five minutes, an hour, a few days. It doesn't matter. If they can find it, the room is clean and organized.

For some of us, that doesn't exactly cut it. For me, I need to have everything in a designated place. But I don't judge.

O.K. .... I do when I'm walking around the block. I admit it. When I'm walking and people have their garages open and you can't even see the back of the garage because "stuff" is piled from floor to ceiling.... I want to secretly clean out their garage. I can't help it. It's not about them. It's about me. I have a need to see things put away in their place.

But most of all, I wonder. I wonder if they care that other people can see their disorganized space. I'm sure they don't. It only seems to bother me.

For most of the people that I work with they don't let other people see their disorganized house. It's hidden behind closed doors. But when the garage door is open, everyone can see their disorganized space.

But it also makes me think about a client that I had who had one of the neatest garages that I have ever seen and who thought his garage was messy. I told him, "it's a garage, it's not supposed to be perfectly clean".

People have different levels of  "what bothers them".  But it also has to do with "what other people see".

So if you are going to open your garage and you know it's not as organized as your neighbors would appreciate, you have two choices. Clean out your garage (and who knows if you'll find a car in there) or keep your garage doors closed.



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Clean Does Not Mean Organized

I have heard a lot of people confuse the words "clean" and "organized" lately so I thought it was time to set the record straight....again....

A lot of people have this misconception that being organized and being clean is the same thing. It's not. You can have a clean house that is a cluttered mess. Or you can have an organized house that is filthy and dusty. One does not necessarily have to do with the other.

Organization is a state of mind. It's subjective. What's organized by some people's standards isn't necessarily organized by others.

But dirt...is dirt. It's sort of black and white. Mostly black. I'm sure that you have all seen the old fashioned white glove test. You can't argue with black dirt on a white glove.

Just because a space is organized doesn't mean it's clean. When you are sitting at a desk and you are wheezing because of all the dust bunnies on and under the desk...chances are it is not clean.

But when you get a manager that says "well, no one else has complained" ....obviously it must be clean and you are just too picky. Right? WRONG !

I'm sure that you have all seen the "Hoarders" shows. Those people live in their homes and they don't complain. So does that make it o.k. ?  No, is the correct answer.

Just because everyone around you doesn't complain doesn't mean your office space is clean. It just means that they don't mind living and working in a dirty environment. That doesn't mean that you have to. And your manager should be ashamed of himself for subjecting you to a dirty working environment and for making you feel like you are the one that has the problem for speaking up.

It sort of reminds me of the story "The Emperor's Clothes". Everyone just went along with the program and no one wanted to rock the boat. Until a new person came to the palace and said "no, don't see the clothes....he isn't wearing any".

Taking a stand and saying that you want a clean and organized work environment is not easy. Especially when you are made to feel like there is something wrong with you for speaking up. But your health should come first. And people will eventually thank you for speaking up and creating a safer and cleaner work environment.

Remember....being Organized involves being Clean. They are not exclusive.

My Motto:  Less Clutter  =  Less Stress.... in Your Home, Your Office and Your Life (sm)

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IT's TIME TO CLEAN - INSIDE AND OUT

The warm weather is here and people are starting to spend more time outside. But is your garage and house ready for the change of seasons? Can you easily get to your rake and gardening tools?

While the weather is warm take a few minutes to drag everything out of your garage and give it a good cleaning. Sweep out the leaves and dust. Re-arrange your tools and equipments so that the things that you need for the warm weather are more accessible. Move your snowblower and shovels to the back and bring your rakes and other summer toys out front.

The same goes for the inside of your house. Open all of the windows. Air out the house. Clean the windowsills. Rearrange your winter clothes and put them in the back of the closet and bring out your spring/summer coats and clothes. Be sure to get rid of things that are too small or that you haven't worn.

Put your "winter" toys away (ski's and such...). Find the beach towels and blankets for those great impromptu picnics. I always carry a blanket in my trunk just in case I decide to take an hour to relax and enjoy the great weather outdoors.

Start thinking about all of the "small projects" that you might want to do outside and make a list. Remember, break down all projects into small, manageable pieces.

Putting your projects on your calendar and scheduling them gives you a better chance of actually getting them done than by just "thinking" about doing them.



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Excuses for Not Staying Organized

I hear a lot of excuses from people, especially parents telling me that they can't "stay organized" for very long or that their kids won't stay organized for more than a couple of days.

It's an excuse. Very simple. It's sort of like saying " I don't really see the benefit of school so why bother doing homework". Would you let your child get away with that? "No" is the answer.

NO EXCUSES ! Yes, all new "habits" take time. And that's exactly what "organizing" is. A new "learned habit".

Kids love organizing! It's a game to them. "See what piles to put things into". "Learning how to sort". It's a "learning experience" for them.

Even adults need to "re-learn" things. And unfortunately a lot of adults were never "taught" how to be "organized". It's a stange, uncomfortable, "new thing" that they have to do.

It will feel "strange" and will feel "forced" for a long time. It takes 90 days to learn a new habit.

So if after a few days you or your child decide that you are tired of "continuing" the process and "stop organizing" .... then you will have gained nothing except frustration.

Sort of like "dieting". Everyone is hung-ho the first few days and then it's back to eating junk food and sabotaging your health.

For a lot of people it's not easy. Not everything in life is easy.

But eating healthy food instead of junk food keeps you healthy and gives you more energy.

Staying organized keeps you on time, decreases your stress and saves you money.

And if your kids are organized you aren't constantly yelling at them to hurry up and find things and being late for appointments.

Everyone wins.

So.... stop making excuses. Stick with the program. Keep plugging away.... one small pile at a time.



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