Merry Christmas Eve.....

As in our German tradition we will eat a very special meal of German white sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes.  I caved in one year and was talked into "doing something different" - and let's just say that  I will never do that again!  Tradition should not be messed with!

We will have some lovely desserts and then the best part.... opening our Christmas presents! We always open our presents on Christmas Eve.

Then off to midnight mass with Christmas songs to fill the air!

Wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!

The Perfect Gift - Don't Get Stressed Out....

Giving the perfect Christmas gift is a challenge.  Some people give gifts just because they feel they have to.  Others spend hours hunting down the perfect gift.

Trying to find "the perfect gift"  can be challenging and very stressful!

But as you shop - are you even thinking about the amount of room that your gift takes up in that person's home?  Or the clutter that is will cause?

A lot of people buy gifts they think the recipient will like - but - they might not think about the effects - such as noise or damage - the gift might cause - especially if the gift is for a child.

A drum set sounds like a great gift for a child - when it's not yours and you don't have to listen to the constant noise. Paints and other messy items might be fun - but you don't have to clean up the mess.

Try to be sensitive to the parents when you are buying a child's gift. It might help to preserve your friendship.

Then there are the gifts that you might like - but if you never see a gift that you bought displayed - maybe you don't know that person as well as you think.

One idea might be to give gifts that don't last......  gifts that are consumed or turned in for things the person might actually like, need or use.

Christmas ideas that don't clutter:

   *   Gas cards
   *   Gift certificates to restaurants
   *   Gift certificates for babysitting services
   *   Gift certificates to a spa
   *   Fruit baskets or gourmet fruit (or chocolate or candy)
   *   Gift certificates for lawn care
   *   Gift certificates for house cleaning
   *   Gift certificates for books
   *   Gift certificates for a "special time" with you
   *   Gift certificates for a weekly home cooked meal

There are a lot of ideas out there - and I am sure that you can think of more. Don't let yourself get stressed out by trying to find the "perfect gift". That's not what the holidays are about.

The gift of time is the most precious of all!

Spend time with your loved ones in this special Holiday Season!

Happy Holidays!




Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Christmas is Coming.... Are You Ready ???

It's about two weeks until Christmas. Are you ready? Or are you starting to stress out?

The holidays should be joyful and fun. But the reality is - that's not  the reality! There is too much pressure from retailers to buy, buy, buy......   The television bombards you with ads. The newspapers and stores send out ads and coupons and make you think that shopping is your idea. People will love you more if you buy them things!

The holidays aren't about family or friends or anything important anymore. It's about commercialism.

So be daring and "just say NO". Take a step back and remember what the holidays are supposed to be about. Appreciating your family and your life.

Allow yourself to enjoy the holidays by taking a step back and making a list and checking it twice. Write down all of the things that you think you need to get done before the holiday. Write down all of the things that you think you need to buy.

Grab your calendar and start planning on when you are going to do all of the things that you think you need to do. Write it down on your calendar (in pencil!). Be specific. Give yourself time limits on each item.

For example: 

Going to the store for husbands gift - Wed - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Kids Holiday concert - Thur - 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Work party - Fri - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Taking kids shopping for holiday presents - Thur - 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

You get the idea - write it all down - so that you can see it in front of you. Then decide if there is overlap with some functions that you can't realistically get to. Or you can decide which functions you want to skip (yes, give yourself permission to skip things!).  Don't stress yourself out about going to every single event. That takes all of the fun out of the holidays.

Next - make a list of all of the things that you have to do and buy.

Things to do:

Buying wrapping paper, gift tags and tape
Wrap presents - when kids and husband are not at home
Send presents to out of town family
Deciding on a holiday menu
Make a list of all of the ingredients needed for the holiday dinner
Make sure that you have all of the serving dishes that you need for the holiday dinner
Plan your holiday schedule of events for that big day

These are just some of the things that you want plan for. The more you plan - the better the chances that things will go smoothly (or as smoothly as they can). Even a professional organizer can't predict that her oven will stop working two days before the holiday! Stuff happens - but if most of the important things have been planned out - the little things won't get noticed as much.

And the most important thing - take time for yourself! Write that into your calendar of events. Take time to go to the coffee shop and sit and relax with a cup of coffee and watch all of the people hustling about. Enjoy the holiday music that is everywhere.

Knowing that your next few weeks have been planned out and that everything can get accomplished will help keep you de-stressed.

And a calming bath with some bath salts can't hurt!

Happy Holidays!


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Happy St. Nicholas Day !!!

Growing up German, St. Nicholas Day was a very big deal for us.  And still is.  A boot is put outside the door on the night of the 5th of December.  St. Nicholas fills the boot with candy, chocolate and small gifts.  As kids we liked to use my Dad's shoes because they were obviously bigger, which meant more candy!  In the morning, on December 6th, we would race to see what St. Nicholas brought us.

To me St. Nicholas Day is super special! It reminds me of my heritage. It is also the start of the Christmas season.

I want to wish all of you a very HAPPY ST. NICHOLAS DAY !!!!

It's Time to Start Writing Out Your Christmas Cards!

Thanksgiving is over and the stores are primed for Christmas.  Sales and Santa's are everywhere.

It's hard to enjoy one holiday at a time when they all seem to run together. But this is the time to remember your family and friends and reach out to people, your friends and family, that you have neglected over the past year. It's not entirely your fault. We are inundated with so many obligations that we can barely keep up with everything and friends sometimes go by the wayside.

So instead of sending out Christmas cards where you barely sign your name to the card - write a short note that really means something.  Not a "form letter" that you send to every person in your address book. Write something special and meaningful to each person individually. A few sentences mean a lot.

Start now. A few cards every day so that you are not overwhelmed. Make it personal.


With email and texting, cards and real letters seem to have gone by the wayside. But getting a piece of real mail means something. Something special!

So start now - one card at a time. And before you know it, you will be done.

Happy Holidays!

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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Getting Your Family to Help with Clutter and Organization

One of the most asked questions that I receive as a Professional Organizer is "how do I get my family to help me keep our home clutter free and organized"?

Well - the answer is not easy. And every family will have a different way of doing things.

A few suggestions:


Start when the kids are young. Have them put away their toys and clothes. It's never to early to start them on the road to an organized life. They can start as early as 3 (yes, they can put away their toys - one toy at a time).

Near the end of the evening - stop whatever you are doing - and spend 10 minutes picking up after yourselves. Hang up the coats, put away the shoes, take the dishes & cups out of the living room and put them back into the kitchen. If everyone picks up after themselves - it does not fall on "the mom" and the house will look much better. 

Try setting an alarm for 30 minutes and have everyone clean one area. If everyone pitches in - the house can look spotless!

Make a chore list for each member of the family. Have a special treat for whoever finishes all of their chores.

If you have kids - and have a chore list - rotate the chores with the kids. That way they get to do different chores each week. Some they will like and some they won't. By doing this one person isn't always stuck doing the "yucky" chores.

Have a chore bowl.  Let everyone pick a chore out of the bowl and give them a deadline as to when it must be done.

Don't save all of the chores for the weekend. Spread them out over the week so it won't feel like you are wasting your weekend on cleaning.

Do something fun after a big cleaning episode!  Reward yourself. Something as simple as going out for a hike and enjoying nature. Or have an ice cream!

By breaking up the "must do because that's life" chores with some fun and rewards - it will help your family act as a family unit.

Everyone lives in the house - everyone works together.

That's what a family is all about !



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

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Traveling for the Holidays - Be Prepared

A lot of people will be traveling for the Holiday. Take the stress out of your trip by being organized ahead of time.

Make a list of things to take so that you don't have to think about it as you pack.

Make sure that you put all of the clothes and personal items that you will need on the list.

Don't forget coats, gloves, scarves. Also, a blanket in the car is always handy - especially in the winter.

Remember to put any medication that you need on the list.

Don't forget your glasses or your phone charger. Two things that you really don't want to be without.

It might sound silly to put all of these things down on paper, but if you are leaving right after work you will be pressed for time and can easily forget things.

Make sure that your car is ready and gassed up at least a few days before you leave.

Don't forget to check your wiper fluid and make sure that you have a snow brush in your car and that your tires are fully inflated.

Depending on the length of your trip you might want to have snacks with you (especially if you are traveling with children). And also toys and books to keep the children occupied.

Why constantly re-create these lists? Do it once and you will always have it handy. You can tweak it after every trip and make your future travels go much smoother.

Happy Traveling...... and a Happy Holiday !


Organizational Consulting Services

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


http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com