Disasters - Emergency Preparedness - Be Ready

 It's been a rough few months our here in Montana. Fires are everywhere and new ones seem to be cropping up constantly. It's a scary time.

Throughout the rest of the United States there are floods.

 We should all be aware of the fact that disaster can strike anywhere. The question is "are you ready"?

Everyone should be prepared for an emergency. Whether it’s the loss of power and electricity (which could last for days) or a hurricane, earthquake or other natural disaster…. Or a terrorist attack…

Being prepared is not an “option” anymore. Even if just the electricity went out…and you happen to have an “all electric” home, would you be able to survive? Do you have enough food to last you for a few days? What happens if all the stores are closed?

These are just some things to think about, especially if you live in a remote area and don't have quick access to a store.

There are numerous websites and articles that tell you to be prepared to survive for at least three (3) days if an emergency occurs. The “72 Hour Kit” as some people call it.

Besides the basic kit, you also need to have an emergency plan in place. Below is a basic list that will give you some ideas to get you started (there are numerous variations of this kit).

Basic Kit:

Water – one (1) gallon per person , per day for at least three (3) days
Food – 3 days supply of non-perishable food. Some ideas are: soup mix, granola bars, trail mix, crackers,
peanut butter, beef jerky, fruit cups….
Plastic / paper – plates, cups, napkins…
Radio – battery powered
Flashlight – with extra batteries
First aid kit – basic kit
Whistle
Can opener
Garbage bags & plastic bags (various sizes)
Sleeping Bag
Blankets
Clothes – for three (3) days
Shoes
Coats & rain gear & cold weather gear
Personal hygiene products such as: shampoo, lotion, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, feminine
products, sunscreen…..
Wet wipes
Toilet Paper
Sewing Kit
Paper & pencils
Matches / lighter (in water proof container)
Cash
Basic tools (wrench, pliers, scissors….)
Maps
Water purification tablets (or Chlorine Bleach)
Hand Sanitizer
String / rope / cord
Cooking appliances (portable stove with fuel….)


Some things (like medications…) cannot pack ahead of time, so have a checklist prepared for those items.

Checklist for supplies that need to be packed last minute:

Prescription medication
Infant formula
Pet food
Family documents (passport, birth certificates, identification cards, bank info, insurance info….)
Watch
Games for kids

Don't forget a list of phone numbers of family members and other important phone numbers that you will probably need.


Start thinking about how you and your family would handle an emergency, and start planning for it today, before that emergency strikes.

Be prepared for any emergency. You never know when it will happen to you.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Productivity - How to Make It Happen

What is productivity?  According to the dictionary - it means "being efficient".
 
Are you being "efficient" in your life?  Are you being "efficient" in your "time management"?

By being organized - and purposeful - in your day - you can get more done with less stress.

So - how can you make it happen?

Start by planning your day - the night before. Even if you don't work "outside" the home.

Having some type of a calendar (either paper or electronic) - can make a huge difference.  Writing things down is a lot easier than trying to remember everything!

Write down all of your appointments on your calendar.  When going to your appointments - remember to leave yourself enough time to get there. Plan for traffic or other unexpected delays.

The night before your appointment - get everything ready that you might need (if it's a doctors appointment you might to take an updated list of medications or vitamins and write down any new problems or symptoms).

If you have a meeting scheduled - get everything ready for your meeting. Don't wait until the last minute.

Plan your day to make the best use of your time. Plan your driving so that you are not driving from one end of the city to the other numerous times.

If you can combine errands - so much the better.

Pack your lunch the night before. Get your clothes ready the night before. These two things alone will save you a lot of time and stress in the morning. If you start your day out stressed - it will continue through the day.  By starting with a stress free morning you will be more productive.

During working hours try to limit your interruptions. If people stop in your office - ask them to come back at a more convenient time - or schedule a meeting at a later time - so that you can finish your project.

Limit the amount of time you spend checking your email. Check your email a few times a day - instead of every time you receive a message. This will save you a lot of wasted time.

Being productive takes practice.

Start with small steps and soon you will be on your way to saving time and reducing your stress.



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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

I Don't Have Enough Space!

"Help - I don't have enough space!!!!".   

Have you ever uttered those words?  I think that most people have - at one time or another. But - the problem is not space - but the accumulation of stuff - and clutter!

Having more space is not an invitation to just spread your clutter out more.

Space and clutter really have nothing to do with each other. You can have a small space that is clutter free and you can have a small space that is organized and holds everything that you need.

The key is......... you guessed it - good organization and good utilization of the space!

First, you have to decide what you want the space to be. What use will it have?

Then, you have to have the right ingredients, such as the right piece of furniture, bookshelf, containers, bins ....

Next, you need to add in the other ingredients such as all of your bath products (in one bin), all of your cleaning products (in one bin), all of your craft products (in one bin)....... 

Get the idea?   Sort like with like...  By keeping all like products together you can easily find them, plus they are all contained in one central spot - instead of being spread out all over the house.

This will save you time when you need them and you will not have to search the entire house!

Once you start containing like items together you will notice that all of a sudden you actually have more space!

Another tip is to fold everything the same way - so that things are consistent - and they will stack better and give you more room.

By using only one type of container - that is easily stackable - you will save space.

There are a lot of things that you can do to create more space. So - before you buy more stuff or another house to store your stuff - try rearranging your belongs to fit into the space you already have.

In an organized manner of course!


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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Getting Your Calendar Ready for 2018

It might only be August - but I like to get a head start on organizing my calendar for the new year. I'm picky about the type of calendar/daytimer that I use. Therefore, I start looking early - so that I can get one that works for me. 

I like one that has a month at a glance so that I can see all of the appointments I have during the month. This helps me spread out my appointments and obligations so that I have plenty of time for family and friends and don't feel stressed because I try to cram too many things into one week.

I start my new calendar by putting everyone's birthday and anniversaries on my calendar. I use a different colored pen for birthdays so that I can easily distinguish them from my appointments.

Then I highlight all of the important holidays. 

Next - you can add in any vacations that are already planned for the new year, any days that your business/school is closed, any appointments that are already made.

I also add notes to my calendar - about 4 months ahead of time - to make any doctors/dentists  appointments that I might need.

You could also add notes or reminders about ....anything. Write it down so that you don't worry about forgetting important events.

Get a head start on planning for next year. By doing it now instead of in December - you will avoid the stress of the holidays and might actually start the new year off organized!



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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

A great APP to help you get ORGANIZED!

Get yourself, your family and your schedule ORGANIZED! 


Here's a great app that will help!


Sign up for Cozi and get $15 to spend on school supplies!

Join the 20 million people who have simplified family life with Cozi. Try Cozi - it's free!





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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

School is About to Start - Get Organized!

Who wants to think about school starting in a few weeks?  No one - but if you go to the stores the school lists and school supplies are already lining the aisles. 

So - take advantage of the sales and get your school supplies out of the way now! You might also want to stock up on extra pencils and paper that will be needed during the school year. Avoid the crowds of last minute shoppers. Avoid the stress!

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

If you are just starting to send your kids to school for the 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!). You might want to take the clothes they have outgrown to your favorite donation center (be sure to get a receipt for your taxes). 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.

Snacks for kids - you might also want to think about healthy snack options for the kids lunches and buy those while you are out shopping.

Get the shopping out of the way and enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

Now is also the time to think about new routines for the school season.

Adjusting the kids bedtimes so that they get all of the recommended amount of sleep and are awake during school! Start adjusting their bedtimes now so they are used to going to bed earlier and getting up earlier.

Think about homework stations for the kids. Where will they drop all of the papers and things that they bring home from school? Where will they be doing their homework?

Do you have a system in place for keeping their important papers - such as papers that need to be signed and returned to school?

During the summer, mealtimes were probably more lax. Now is also the time to start thinking about scheduling during the school year and making time for healthy family meals.

Lots to think about! Start by shifting your mindset to school days and school hours. It'll be here before you know it!



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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Organizational Consulting Services Earns Certificate of Study in Basic Mental Health Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client

The Certificate of Study in Basic Mental Health Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client presents some strategies, resources and collaboration techniques for professional organizers working with these clients.

Karin E. Fried of Organizational Consulting Services has earned a Certificate of Study in Basic Mental Health Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client from the Institute of Challenging Disorganization (ICD). The purpose of ICD’s study series is to provide both basic and specialized topic education on issues, concepts, and challenges presented by client work with the chronically disorganized.

The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) promotes continued learning in this highly specialized field. ICD’s mission is to provide education, research and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. ICD explores, develops and communicates information, organizing techniques and solutions to professional organizers, related professionals and the public.

This certificate focus on mental health conditions and challenges affecting people with chronic disorganization. To earn this certificate, Fried was required to attend numerous courses that explore topics such as organization and Autism, BiPolar Disorder, and PTSD; mental illness – organizing space to create balance, hoarding and compassion, and numerous other courses.

Prior to completing this coursework, Fried has also earned her Level II Chronic Disorganization (CD) Specialist Certificate, a Certificate in Basic Hoarding Issues with the CD Client, a Certificate of Study in Understanding the Needs of the Elderly CD Client, a Certificate of Study in Basic ADD Issues with the CD Client, a Certificate of Study in CD Client Administration, a Certificate of Study in Life Transitions, a Certificate of Study in Interpersonal Intelligence and a Certificate of Study in Certificate of Study in Time Management and Productivity.

The Specialist Certificate provides in-depth information on chronic disorganization and how to help CD clients manage more effectively in relation to getting and staying organized. 

“My ongoing education allows me to work with clients who are chronically disorganized in a very specific manner” said Fried. Increasing my knowledge will enable me to provide the highest quality individualized services to my clients”.

Organizational Consulting Services provides both business and residential organizing services. As a Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, Fried works with a variety of clientele, from people who need just basic organizing help, people with chronic disorganization and hoarding issues, people with all types of issues such as TBI’s, Asperger’s, ADD; clients that need help with paper and time management, clients that need help with estate or life management and anything in between. Fried also provides virtual organizing to clients all over the world. 

For more information, please visit www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Clutter – Disorganization – and working with a Professional Organizer

Are you tired of being fed up with your clutter and disorganization?  

Do you want to be able to invite people over without having to do an emergency decluttering (also known as throwing everything into a box and hiding it somewhere else)?

Sit back and let a professional organizer show you a better way.

A Professional Organizer can:

·         Assess your situation

·         Analyze what didn’t work

·         Implement new, sustainable organizing solutions

Being organized reduces your stress, saves you time and money.

Assessing your situation can include just things as walking through your home or business and seeing what the spaces look like. Or it can involve looking at your filing system or computerized systems to see how you function.

Analyzing what didn’t work means going over the systems that you currently using and any systems that you have used in the past and figuring out why they are not working for you.  There are numerous ways to do things and there is no “right or wrong way”. There is “the way that works for you”.  

Implementing new, sustainable organizing solutions for you. Each person learns differently. Some people are very visual and need things to be out and displayed or they can’t find things. Some people can only handle things that have very few steps – or they won’t do them. Professional Organizers can create new systems that help you become more organized and more productive. Many systems are too complex and tend to overwhelm a client. Everyone learns differently and requires different solutions to be successful. If a system is too complex – even though it’s a great system – most people won’t follow it for long.  Organizing systems and processes need to work for you. And sometimes it’s a process of trying a system for a while and then tweaking it over time to make it function better.

Most people use professionals – whether it’s a doctor, mechanic, electrician or lawn service – because they don’t have the expertise – or they don’t have the time or energy to do the job themselves.  Or they have tried, sometimes with the help of family or friends to get themselves organized – but it just didn’t work.

A Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant can help you in many ways. If they belong to NAPO (National Organization of Professional Organizers) they are bound by a code of ethics and understand that letting a professional organizer into your home or business is somewhat invasive and a very personal experience.  They are trained to be empathetic and understanding and never judgmental.  A number of organizers also belong to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) and work with clients that have chronic disorganization and/or hoarding disorder and also have a variety of other issues such as ADHD, Asperger's, Bipolar, OCD and more. They are also trained to work with seniors and the aging population, people in life transitions, time management and productivity; students and more.

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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com