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Monday, July 12, 2010

BACK TO SCHOOL ORGANIZING

Well – it’s only mid-July. To early to think about school? NOT !

Get a head start and start making your lists now.

Clothes – what do the kids need? Start with the basics. Go through their drawers and check their supply of socks (have fun finding the matching pairs) and underwear. Are they in good shape and do they fit? Do they have enough and the right kind? For everyday and for sports.

Make a list of what they have, how many they have and sizes.

Shoes – school shoes, tennis shoes, boots (you don’t think you are going to find boots in the winter do you?). Take into consideration that they might grow before winter when buying boots and they will also have on thick socks.

Winter coats, scarves, gloves/mittens, hats. You should always keep a supply of extra gloves on hand for when they get wet (since they take forever to dry). And gloves are like socks. They disappear.

If your kids are in a growth spurt be sure to buy the coat with extra room so that by winter time it’s not too small. Also, be sure to remember that in the winter they will be wearing sweaters under their coats. Leave enough room if you are buying the coat when it’s still warm out and they aren’t wearing a sweater when they try it on.

Check the newspapers for sales, then immediately go to get the best selection and avoid the crowds of parents that waited until the last minute.

School supplies. Most schools have lists. Get them as soon as they come out. Check them against the list of supplies that you have on hand (from “Schools Out” article). Go to the stores and get all of the supplies.

You can break it down and buy school supplies one day and clothes on another day. Or if you have more than one child you can break it down by child and make a “one-on-one bonding moment” complete with lunch or dessert.

Yes, it can be a “fun” bonding moment…. IF you plan ahead instead of waiting until the last minute.

That’s the beauty of organizing….it reduces / eliminates the stress and allows you to enjoy even the most mundane task.

Kids grow up fast. Make these “stressful” times more enjoyable by being organized.



Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Sunday, July 4, 2010

What is Clutter ?

Is it the same as being “messy” ? Or being “disorganized” ? Or “hoarding” ?

Clutter …. is.... “stuff”.

Everyone has “stuff”. But some people like to keep it….longer than others.

Being “messy” is the “inability to clean up” …. stuff. Whether it’s clothes on the floor, dishes in the sink, old newspapers strewn everywhere….

Clutter is a “collection of stuff”. Some of it visible and some of it hidden away in closets where no one knows your secret.

Clutter is not the same as “hoarding”. Clutter is a part of hoarding.

Clutterers are able to throw things out. They don’t allow clutter to get to such an extreme point that it is debilitating to their lives.

Clutter is not about “stuff”. It’s not about space. It’s psychological.

But avoiding cleaning actually takes more effort than doing it. So now there is “clutter” and there is the “guilt” of having a “mess”.

By breaking down your “cleaning” into one area at a time or one “project” at a time you will have a more controlled and clutter free space in no time at all.

By clearing out the “clutter” you can also clear out your mind.

Remember …… LESS CLUTTER = LESS STRESS SM



Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Monday, June 28, 2010

CLEANING YOUR HOME - A LITTLE AT A TIME

On your days off…why do you want to spend all day cleaning your house? Wouldn’t you rather be doing something else?

I know…you have to clean your house. But, where is it written that you have to do it all in one day?

By breaking your cleaning chores into small projects you can still get your entire house cleaned and you will have time to do other things on your days off.

Spread your cleaning out over a week and you can spend only 15 minutes at a time on a specific chore:


* Monday: Dust the house
* Tuesday: Vacuum the house
* Wednesday: Straighten up the main living area
* Thursday: Clean the toilets
* Friday: Wipe down all of the counters (kitchen & bathroom)
* Saturday: Mop the floors

You get the idea…. Pick whatever works for you.

That way you can start and finish each project in one sitting and feel like you’ve accomplished something. Start a small project. Finish a project. Feel proud of yourself. Go on to the next project.

And spend some of your “off days” doing something more fun than cleaning.


Less Clutter = Less Stress (SM)


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Monday, June 21, 2010

Backsliding

Once a client makes the decision to start the “organizing process” they have taken the first step towards a more organized life. Most clients don’t really understand that being “organized” is a way of life. For some of us it seems to come naturally. For others it is a learned experience. And for some, it is an unattainable goal.

I tell my clients, over and over again, “being organized is a process….. and once I leave your home after de-cluttering and organizing your space…. it is a process that must be continued and a process that takes time to become your own”.

Some clients get it…..some don’t….

“Backsliding is a client’s regression to a previous disorganized state” (from the NSGCD).

For some organizers and me included it is almost like a failure on our part. We helped the client organize their home….we showed them how…. we explained what we were doing and why…. and still…the next time we visit the client the place is back to the way it was before we got there…or worse.

Some of the things that I have run across were clients that bought everything….except what I told them to buy, postponed appointments, cancelled appointments, the rooms being back in worse shape than when I left, organizing things in a way other than what I told them to….

Organizers don’t always have to “have their own way” ….but they are there for a reason and there is a “method” to what they are doing.

Buying all of the great organizing gadgets that you see at the store….doesn’t make you organized. Only “you” can make yourself organized. So why spend the money?

I try to re-purpose things that the client already has in the home first…..then we might bring in other organizing products. Rushing out to buy products is not the answer.

With backsliding…which is a “normal” client behavior…they might feel bad about how they let the room get back to the “pre-organizer” state…. and then never call you again. It happens to a lot of organizers. But there is no need for the client to be embarrassed. We’ve seen it all….really we have…and as bad as you think your home might be….we’re probably seen worse.

So….don’t beat yourself up over it and jump back into the process.

Backsliding costs you money. By cancelling your appointments and putting them off….you will probably be in a worse state than when you originally called the professional organizer. They will have to spend time getting back to where they left off…and then continuing the organizing process. So instead of spending three hours at your house it will take four or five hours.

Life can get in the way of your “organizing” sessions. Some people tend to think of their organizer as a “luxury” instead of an “investment in themselves”. By having an organized home and life they can save time and money. And they will also feel less stressed and embarrassed by their surroundings.

Less Clutter = Less Stress (SM)

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Monday, June 14, 2010

GETTING READY FOR YOUR VACATION

Vacations….. they are supposed to be relaxing and rejuvenating. So I’m told ! I think that the only people that get to relax and enjoy vacations are the kids !

So how do you make your vacation more enjoyable? Get organized of course !

We used to go to the same place year after year. Trying to get yourself packed after packing for the kids and trying to make sure that you didn’t forget anything was not an easy task. Especially if you had to fly to your destination and had only so much room in your suitcase. So as the mom I made a corporate decision. Things would happen in my timeframe.

None of this last minute stuff. No more kids yelling that they can’t find their swimsuit the night before we are supposed to leave.

I made a spreadsheet of everything that we needed to take. I made a column for each member of the family. I gave everyone a copy. And I expected them to have all of their things laid out at least four days before our departure. That way if they were missing anything we would have time to run to the store and get it.

Of course the family made fun of me….and my spreadsheets. But as they got older….they actually asked for it ! And things ran a lot smoother. No more forgetting anything.

When you go on vacation you not only have to remember to pack all of the things that you need…you also have to remember to take care of your house / apartment / cats or dogs / plants / garden / bills and a whole slew of things.

A few things that you might want to do:

• Put your mail on HOLD
• Make arrangements to get your lawn cut / your garden or flowers watered
• Make arrangements to get any inside plants watered
• Make arrangements for any animals ( to get fed or taken care of)
• Make arrangements to have your bills paid ahead of time
• Make arrangements to have someone pick up some basic food essentials for your return home so that you have something to eat until you have a chance to go to the store

By planning ahead you too can have a relaxing and enjoyable vacation and a relaxing return home.


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Monday, June 7, 2010

What Can I Do In Twenty Minutes

People always seem to complain that they don’t have enough time to do all of the things that they need or want to do in their day. I’ve always said, “the person that invents more hours in the day is going to be rich”.

But the reality is…. there are only twenty-four hours in a day. So what are you doing with those twenty-four hours? Besides wasting them?

Admit it… if you actually wrote down all of the things you did during the day….you would be shocked. Because you would see….in black and white…that you wasted a lot of time.

O.K. …maybe you are a really busy person. Maybe you don’t have enough time to do the big project that should get done in your home or office. But you probably have twenty minutes a day that you are wasting….talking to your friends, hanging around the water cooler, staring into space…

So what can you do in twenty minutes or less ? Lots of things:

* Read a book to your child
* Read a magazine article
* Throw in a load of laundry
* Load the dishwasher
* Pay your bills
* File your bills in the appropriate files
* Check your email
* Water your plants
* Write out the birthday cards for the month
* Make your doctors appointment
* Dust your living room
* Organize a drawer
* Make your shopping list
* Make your lunch for tomorrow
* Organize your medicine cabinet
* Organize the top of your desk
* Unload the dishwasher
* Fold a load of laundry

It might not seem like a lot. It might seem like normal, everyday boring things to do.. But if you don’t do them they will pile up. And then you will have clutter…and dead plants !

So stop wasting your time and pick one or two things to do every day and your house will be a lot more organized and you will be a lot less stressed.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Monday, May 31, 2010

ORGANIZING YOUR BASEMENT

A lot of people use their basement as a “catch all” room. Anything that doesn’t have a place anywhere else gets dumped in the basement.

Cleaning supplies, sports equipment, storage boxes, memorabilia, photo albums, holiday decorations and lots of other things…..

When storing things in the basement you need to consider the moisture that a lot of basements have. Also be sure to keep everything off of the floor (at least a few inches). You never know when you might have some flooding after a heavy storm. The one year that I decided to “hide” my Christmas presents in the basement we had a really bad rainstorm and the basement got a few inches of water. Of course I had all of the presents on the floor, lined up in a perfect line, wrapped perfectly, in perfect bags, all ready to go. I lost just about everything and learned a very valuable lesson (no, not the one about being too organized).

I learned that basements flood ! (and no, I’m not telling you where I hide my Christmas presents now…).

If you put any type of shelving units in your basement be sure that the bottom shelf is at least three (3) inches above the floor to be safe.

Keep in mind that mold, mildew, water and little critters might play a role in how you organize your basement and what types of storage bins you use.

It’s best to keep things in plastic boxes with tight fitting lids. Be sure to label the boxes so that you know what’s in them…but do not put the label on top of the lid, put it on the sides.

If you stack the boxes make sure that the heaviest boxes are on the bottom.

You need to decide how the basement is going to be used. Storage, workshop, office, playroom….. If the basement is going to be used for more than one purpose break the area into “zones” and section off each zone. For example, if the basement is going to be used for both storage and a playroom use some type of divider to keep the kids out of the storage area.

A dehumidifier might be a good idea to help remove the moisture in your basement and to help get rid of the musty smell.

Be sure to keep things away from the heater.

Remember, organizing any room that is cluttered is going to take time. Give yourself a break by setting a time limit (one or two hours) so that you don’t exhaust yourself and get frustrated and give up.

I’m sure that it didn’t get disorganized and cluttered overnight and it’s going to take some time to get organized.

Once the room is organized the maintenance to keep it that way will be minimal.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/