Company is Coming - Let's Clean & Organize

A lot of people out there only think about cleaning or organizing their home when they have visitors. In fact, some people will use their "lack of cleanliness" as an excuse not to have people over to their house.

This is just another example of how disorganization and lack of time management can affect your life.

Everyone's idea of clean is different. But using the excuse of  "not having a clean house" to avoid having people over to visit brings up a lot of other questions. Such as - "what are you really trying to avoid"?

Having an impromptu gathering should not be a stressful moment. Not everyone was taught how to clean and organize - so put that out of your mind for a moment. To get ready for company when you only have a few minutes there are a number of shortcuts that you can use.

First, get a basket and go through your main living area and put everything that does not belong in that room into the basket. Any toys or books or dishes....put them into the basket and get them out of there. 

Grab a duster and quickly dust the surfaces. The less clutter that you have on your coffee table the easier it is to dust and clean.

Fluff some pillows.  Light a candle for some nice atmosphere.

Enjoy your visitors and relax.  They are not going to know that you just had a whirlwind de-cluttering session. 

Is this the "normal" way to clean your home on a weekly or daily basis?  No - but being social is sometimes more important than being perfect.

Having friends over can help relax and de-stress you.

But remembering the rule about "if it does not belong in the room - take it with you when you leave" is a great and easy rule to remember. Using a basket to go from room to room and getting everything picked up in one fell swoop is another easy way to get yourself organized.

Cleaning doesn't have to be an all day drudgery. Having a plan that works for you - on your schedule - even a few minutes a day - can make all the difference in the world.

Now....go and GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED !!!

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

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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I Want To Get Organized - Really I Do !

 I hear people say  "I want to get organized - really I do" - a lot. They say "I keep telling my husband (mother, sister,  friend...) that I am going to "organize my kitchen (bedroom, office, garage....)".

 I head it all the time.  Then I hear nothing.  Because after saying that they have all of these good intentions - the novelty of "getting organized" seems to wear off - like it's "too exhausting" to think about it any longer.

Getting organized takes planning. It takes effort.  It takes work.  It takes more than an hour - unlike the shows on T.V..  It takes getting everything out of the closet or room and making decisions.  It takes "thinking" about what hasn't worked and how you actually want things to work.  It's more complicated than most people think - yet, as an Organizer we get down to the simplest detail and build things up.  We look at the big picture and then turn if off and start small - one small area at a time in manageable pieces.

It you really wanted to "get organized"  you would. If you don't actually start the process - then maybe you weren't really ready.

You can't force someone to organize their space or their life - they have to be ready.  Only then will it actually work and be successful.

Happy Organizing !


Organizational Consulting Services

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Making Time Work For You

I'm sure that you've heard the old say  "You Can't Manage Time - You Can Only Manage Yourself".  It's true - but people still think that they can manage their time without any responsibility for how they manage themselves.

Sounds complicated doesn't it. But it's really very simple. If you want to be more efficient with your time, if you want to better manage your time, if you want to really accomplish everything that you put on your calendar for the day - you have to manage yourself instead of managing the time.

What that means is that you have to be responsible for your actions or in this case - your non-actions. There are so many distractions out there today that people get very easily sidetracked numerous times throughout the day and they don't really stick to their schedule or their priorities.

For a lot of the things that we have to do there is a definite time period that it takes to accomplish the task. We can't change that. But we can change the fact that we drag that time out because we get sidetracked - whether it's by checking our email numerous times during the day instead of working on a report that is due that afternoon or by seeing something that needs to be "fixed" so we stop to "fix" it as we go from one room to another in the house - even though we are working on a project in the basement.

Sticking to a schedule and getting your work or chores done, even though you don't really want to, even though other things are calling out to you, will make you accomplish your tasks in a timely manner. Then it's done and over with. And you will feel better for having accomplished the task - even though it might feel like a hardship at the time. Plow through it - get it done - and sit back and be proud of having accomplished something.

Everything in life doesn't have to be fun. We have a lot of  "normal - daily living" things that we need to do every day or every week. Putting them off just makes our job harder.

Plan your day - plan your time - stick to your schedule - don't get sidetracked - shut the door on distractions and make time work for you.

Don't let time get away from you by outside distractions. It only drags out your day and you still will have to get things done.

It might help you if you put everything on a calendar so that you can see how much time you have left in your week. Then you can rearrange your schedule to accomplish the highest priorities first and you can track where you went off schedule and where you might want to change your priorities to better fit your life.

Time should not be managing you.....you need to control how you manage your time.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Closets - Make Them Work For You

Being organized is a lot easier when you have a properly functioning space. That means that the space is suited for what you want to put into it. Whether it's a clothes closet, kitchen cabinets or any other space - the actual space and how it's laid out makes a huge difference.

My having the space work for you and how you live, not your neighbor, you will be much happier and better able to function. For example - let's say that you are a female executive and wear mostly suits and dressier clothes. Your closet should fit your clothes. That might mean multiple hanging bars for skirts, jackets and blouses.

Your neighbor might work in a very casual atmosphere and wear only pants and sweaters.  They might need more shelving for their folded sweaters and they never wear suits so they don't need a lot of hanging room.

Unfortunately most closest only have a single hanging bar. Pretty useless when it comes to an efficient closet.

By just putting in a second hanging bar you have doubled your closet space. By adding another shelf on top you have created a more manageable shelf space where your sweaters aren't falling over (they should never be stacked 8 high - it makes it hard to get them in and out).

These are just some basic examples of how you can make some minor changes in your closets and get a lot more room and make better use of your space.

There are some great closet companies out there that can really make your closets more efficient. There are also a number of  "do it yourself" closet systems that might work for you.

By just reorganizing your closet to fit your needs and not the previous home owners you will save yourself a lot of stress and time in the morning when you are looking for that perfect outfit to wear to work. Being able to find it easily in your closet will make a world of difference in starting your day.

Happy Organizing ! 

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Organizing for Seniors

Organizing is not as straight forward as people might think.  "Just get rid of stuff. Just move things around" some people would say.   Yes, that might be part of the organizing process but it does not take into account the special needs of each client.

Organizing for various age groups and people with varying degrees of capabilities requires special considerations.

As people age they might not have the strength to do the job themselves. They might get tired more easily. They might not be able to bend or lift things like people that are a lot younger. This also applies to people with varying health issues ...but for this session we want to talk about the special considerations that you might want to make when you are organizing with people that are a bit older.

If you are helping your parents or relatives that are over 60 you might want to take a step back and realize that they have different levels of energy, different ideas of what they want to let go of, different ideas on a lot of things.

As a non-professional organizer you might not think about all of the issues that they are facing but rather think about your own desire to just help them. This is a normal mistake that a lot (if not most) people make.

The first step that might help you is to just take a step back yourself and ask yourself  "how would you feel if someone came into your home and just started throwing all of your prized possessions and memories out?".  I am sure that the answer would be "not good".  So put yourself into their place, take a step back and think about them and what they want and need as you help them. Don't make this about you.

Some issues that you might have to deal with when organizing for seniors are:

Memory issues - they can't remember where they put things. Because of this they might have gotten into the habit of leaving everything out in the open (therefore causing a cluttered house) so that they can see it.

They constantly buy more and more (food or clothes.....or whatever) because they forgot they already have it.

Physical issues - they don't have the strength or stamina to clean up after themselves so they don't. Again, this is one possible cause of their cluttered home.

Mental issues - they no longer care about their home because they have lost a loved one and are depressed. Their friends are all dying and they have no social interaction.

All of the above are just some of the reasons that seniors might have more issues with clutter.

But clutter itself can also cause physical problems in that it creates a dangerous situation in their home with them tripping over the clutter and causing physical harm to themselves.

When working with seniors be sure to limit the amount of time for each organizing session. Make sure that they get plenty of breaks and snacks to keep their energy up.

So as you see.... organizing isn't just a straight forward project. It is a complex process that is different in every situation.




Organizational Consulting Services

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Being Organized - vs - Being Efficient

A lot of people think that being organized is the same as being efficient. It's not.

Being organized  - though it has many facets - is more about having things in place. Your belongs, your schedule, your life. It's about having things arranged in a certain order. It's about being able to find things in a short amount of time. It's about knowing where to find things. It's about things looking presentable, neat, orderly.

Being efficient means that thing are done in the best way possible.

Being effective means that we are doing what's best.

Time Management uses both efficiency and effectiveness. Time management is about activities while organization is about things.

You can't really manage time. You can only manage how you use it.

You can't be productive if you waste time. You can't be productive if you aren't organized. Just because you do more in a day doesn't mean that what you have accomplished is worth anything. If the quality of the work you produced is not up to par - then have you really accomplished more?  If you produced less but the quality of the work or product was better - wouldn't you really be further ahead?

It's complicated and for the best results organization, efficiency, effectiveness and time management must all work together.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Organizing Your Taxes

January is over and by now we should have most of the documents that we need to get our taxes done.

Yes, it's everyone's favorite time. Not !  Too much paperwork. Too much pressure.

So how can we make it easier?   Well, by having had an organized plan throughout the year for starters.

Most people never think about taxes and tax time until right before the tax deadline.  And that's when they get stressed out.

By thinking about your taxes throughout the year and having a place for anything that might be tax related, your actual "tax preparation time" .... the time it takes you to get all of your documents, supporting documents and anything else that you take to your accountant...ready....  you will have a much easier and less stressed time.

That said, start by just having a file for anything tax related. Put anything that comes in over the year into that file. Anything related to your home, your business (in a separate file), your savings....should all go into a file for your taxes.  That way you are not searching for it at year end.

Make a checklist of all of your saving & financial accounts and all of the documents that you need for your taxes. By doing this, when you are getting ready to take your paperwork to your accountant, you won't forget anything and won't constantly have to "think" about what you might be missing. This will save you time and stress each year.

For most people doing their taxes is not fun.  By having a system in place throughout the year you will spend less time at the beginning of the year hunting for those needed documents.

Happy Tax Preparation !

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Start Your Year By Getting Organized

January is GET ORGANIZED month...  so start a new mantra....  "I WILL GET ORGANIZED".

You don't need to go overboard and make a lot of lists or promises that you won't keep. You don't need to go out and buy a lot of organizing products. You don't need to throw everything out of your house.

All you have to do is try!  That's all!  Just try! Take it slow. One small space at a time. One small change at a time.

One rarely worn article of clothing or one rarely played with or outgrown toy or one never read magazine.  Put it in a pile to donate. Watch the room suddenly become less cluttered and more organized. One small pile at a time.

Write down all of the things that bother you in your home or office. Then pick the thing that bothers you the most and make a real effort to try and change it. If you don't know how or can't do it by yourself....there is help available.

The key is to just start somewhere. One step at a time.

If you make the project too big you might get overwhelmed and stop before you even get started. Or you might start and then get overwhelmed when you realize that it won't get done in an hour like on T.V.

Getting organized takes time. It also looks worse once you start and get into the project. You usually have to take everything out of a room (or closet or desk....) and that makes things look a lot more cluttered than when you started. But remember..... getting organized is a process.

It will get better if you keep at it. Don't give up! GET ORGANIZED!  One step at a time.

Remember....   Less Clutter  =   Less Stress....

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Clutter - Chronic Disorganization - Hoarding

Everyone has a different definition of clutter. To some people clutter is anything that is out of place.  If a coffee cup is left on the kitchen counter - it's clutter.  To other people, clutter means you can't walk through a room.  Everyone views clutter differently.

 

Just as the saying goes "one mans trash is another mans treasure. Or some people would define that person as a hoarder.  

Who's right ?

According to the dictionary, clutter is a “confused or disorganized state or collection”. 

A confused state? Yes, you can have clutter of the mind. But most people think of clutter as just “stuff”. A collection of random objects scattered all over the place. That’s a nice and simple definition. It could just be that you hadn’t bothered to pick up after yourself and have stuff everywhere. 

Then we get to a more serious and a more cluttered situation and we could end up with chronic disorganization.

Chronic Disorganization also has a definition:

• Chronic disorganization is having a past history of disorganization in which self-help efforts to change have failed
• an undermining of current quality of life due to disorganization
• the expectation of future disorganization.

This means that you have been disorganized for many years. And it has started to affect your quality of life. You can’t find things. You are constantly late because you can’t find things. You are embarrassed by your mess.

It’s a little more than just basic clutter.

A person can be organized in one area of his life but not in another. They can be organized at work but be disorganized at home. They can be organized by how they manage their time but not with how they manage their stuff.

Then we go up another level and get to “hoarding”.

What exactly is “hoarding”? According to “Frost & Hartl’s (’96) definition of clinical hoarding:

1) the acquisition of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value

2) living spaces sufficiently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces were designated

3) significant distress of impairment in functioning caused by the hoarding

Some people have an obsessive need to acquire things. They tend to develop an emotional attachment to things that many of us would consider trash.

Family and friends of hoarders don’t always understand that “hoarding” is an “illness” and that the hoarder needs professional help. They sometimes feel that by just going in and cleaning out the house (sometimes even when the hoarder doesn’t know that they are going to do it) that everything will be “o.k.”.  Once the mess is gone, problem solved. But that can actually make it worse.

Hoarding is a complex issue. An issue that not even the mental health community can agree on. An issue that there might not be a cure for.

It’s a problem that many people won’t admit they have and one that might cost them their family or even their life.

A problem that is more common than you think.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Organizing on a Budget

I love organizing gadgets. Nothing makes me happier than looking at the variety of organizing gadgets on the market. But, unfortunately some of them are expensive.

Being organized and organizing has nothing to do with gadgets. It's about "order" and "functionality". Plain and simple.

There is not only one way to organize a room.  Each person has to organize their space to reflect not only how they will use the space but also how their mind organizes things.

Everyone is different. There is no "one size fits all"  in organizing.

I never tell my clients to go out and buy a bunch of organizing gadgets and then organize their space to reflect how I would do things. In fact, when I first talk to a client I very specifically tell them to "buy nothing" until I know what they want to do with the space and we figure out how to best accomplish their wishes. And then I try to utilize the things that they already have, re-purpose their existing belongings before we even consider any other options. 

You can be organized without spending any or very little money.  Just look around your home or look at some of the inexpensive containers at the Dollar Store that might work for your project.

Use Ice Cube trays to contain your jewelry or craft supplies. Or re-use glass jars to contain a variety of things. Contain the kids puzzle pieces in Zip Lock bags.

Organizing doesn't have to be expensive. Learn to "think outside the box".

Now get started.... you know you want to !

Happy Organizing....and remember .....  Less Clutter  =  Less Stress....

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Organizing for the New Year

It's New Years Eve....and tomorrow is the start of the New Year!  It's the day that everyone makes New Years Resolutions.....  What is yours going to be?

Why don't you start the new year off right by promising to try and GET ORGANIZED.  The key word is try.  Make a real effort... to at least think about it.

Don't make big promises that you can't or won't keep. Don't say that you are going to organize your entire house....when you probably won't.  Make a commitment to think about changing your life by becoming more organized.

One step at a time.......   You can't rush organization.  You can't change your habits in one hour or one day. It takes time.

Making a commitment is scary to a lot of people.  But once you do....and once you start the actually organizing process..... you will wonder why you waited so long.

And it is a "process".  Having an organizing coach....a Professional Organizer.... just like your workout coach.... will help keep you focused and going in the right direction.

So..... make a plan. Any plan. How about "organizing your office".  Or "organizing your kitchen".

Break it down into manageable pieces. One drawer at a time. One hour at a time.

Once you have accomplished one task and can physically see the difference....you will be inspired to continue.

So make that New Years Resolution....to GET ORGANIZED !

Wishing you a very Happy and ORGANIZED New Year !

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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

It's Christmas Eve - Time to Reflect on Family

It's Christmas Eve....and most of us are done with our shopping and ready for Santa. But for those of you that aren't ....don't stress....just try to be a bit more organized next year.

The holidays are not about presents. They are about family. The best present that you can give anyone is "yourself".

Time is a precious thing. It goes too quickly and there is never enough of it.

Picking up the phone and calling your loved ones....a real phone call...not a text....means more than you will ever know. Hearing a loved ones voice. Hearing the caring and knowing that you are loved....is a precious thing.

Reach out to your friends and family during the holidays. Let them know that you have not forgotten them. In this busy time where we are all working, struggling to make ends meet...the gift of yourself is more precious than anything that you can wrap up.

Wishing all of you a very HAPPY HOLIDAY and a more ORGANIZED NEW YEAR !

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

De-Clutter For the Holidays

It's getting close to the end of the year....that means TAX DONATIONS are coming to an end for the year !

In the midst of the Holiday buying craziness you should take a step back and clear out your closets.

There are many reason for this - and de-cluttering your closets and life is not the only one. With Christmas just around the corner I am sure (if you were good) that you will probably get some new clothes and the kids will get new toys.

Do you have room for them?  What about the things you no longer use or need? What about the things that your kids have outgrown?  Including toys.

Now is the time to clean our your closets and cupboards.  Have the kids clean out their toy box (let it be their decision on what toys to donate to other kids).

Not only are you de-cluttering your house - you are also taking advantage of the tax deduction that comes with donating things that you no longer need.

But hurry..... the year is coming to a close and so is your opportunity for last minute deductions.

By de-cluttering and donating you are not only helping others.... you are also helping yourself and hopefully teaching your kids a valuable lesson in giving.


Happy Holidays!

Organizational Consulting Services

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The Holidays Are Getting Closer....

It's getting close to Christmas and a lot of people still haven't even put up a tree or sent out cards.

The holidays are not a time to be stressed so don't beat yourself up over not getting everything done. It you are running out of time you have to decide what you can live without so that you don't drive yourself crazy.

Being organized is about "time management". If you haven't finished everything on your list give yourself the gift of "not finishing". Let it go. Most people that I know haven't even sent out their cards yet, so you are not alone.

BUT.... this should give you some incentive to start earlier next year!  If you have your 2013 calendar, open it up and put a note in the calendar for some of the things that you need to accomplish for the holidays. For example:

* Write out cards

* Start Xmas shopping

* Decorate the house

By using your calendar and making "appointments" with yourself you will be more likely to get things done on time.

Time Management at home is just as important as in the workplace.

Schedule some time each day to get the some of your projects done, but allow some extra "breathing" time so that you don't get to the holiday and just wish it would go away.

Anything that you can't realistically get done at this point.... LET IT GO!  For some people being a perfectionist causes too much stress and actually wastes time. Learn from your "disorganization" and last minute "craziness" and know that you can do better next year.

And remember, if your family wants a great holiday they should be willing to help you. Don't try to do it all yourself. Assign tasks to everyone and work together to make this holiday season a good one.

For more great organizing ideas during the Holidays >>>>

Re-read:  Holiday Gift Ideas.... or Dont's

http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-gift-ideas-or-donts.html

Re-read:  Planning Ahead for the Holidays

http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2011/10/planning-ahead-for-holidays.html


Re-read: Organizing Your Closets for Christmas

http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2011/12/organizing-your-closets-for-christmas.html

Happy Holidays!

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com