Set Aside Dedicated Areas for Various Aspects of Your Time

One way to help yourself manage your time better is to keep things separate. If you have a specific area to accomplish a goal, you’ll be able to get your mind dedicated faster to that one task. It might seem like a pipe dream, but if you really want to be creative, find a space that makes you feel creative and go to it each time you need that extra creative spark. In that way, you become more in charge of how your time is spent.

* A Reading Cubby – You may have had one in elementary school, a little place that you could go for quiet reading time. You can do this at home easily by just setting up a chair in the corner of a living room, bedroom or office that is set up with good light for reading and if necessary the proper electronic components if you want to read by laptop or Kindle.

* A Mail Checking Station – This works especially for snail mail and is best if it’s close to the trashcan. Get the mail in, and immediately go through it, tossing the trash, and then taking the mail to the computer in order to schedule, process and pay bills.

* Games Only – Some people cannot afford this but it is something that will truly help you manage your time better. Separate your work computer from your fun computer. At the very least create different sign-ons to your computer: one for work, one for games. This way you won’t be tempted to check work when you’re having fun, or play games when you’re supposed to be working.

* TV Time – It’s very difficuylt to get work done, or even read a book with the TV blaring. Having technology in the bedroom is also not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Consider having the TV in only one room in the house and only using the TV during limited hours.

* Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – Eating is a very important part of your day and should be treated as such. If you eat all over your home and office there is no true break or time to digest your food. Take the time to set the table, and eat at the table or breakfast bar in order to differentiate the time spent on eating, versus working, versus play.

* Resting and Sleeping – There is nothing wrong with taking a nap on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but you want to be very careful about sleeping and resting during the work day. Plus, you want to avoid working when you’re supposed to be resting and sleeping. Make your bedroom a peaceful oasis away from the rest and go there when you need a break.

* Being Social – So often, the internet becomes a substitute for true social gatherings and due to this easy access to a social life, it can be all too simple to flow from work to being social accidentally. Like with gaming, set up specific times to be social - whether it’s out of the house, outside of business hours, or on the computer.

* Exercise – If you don’t have time and space set aside for exercise, it’s unlikely you will ever do it. Set aside the time, and the space, even if you have to go to a new space. If you get to the new space, you’ll automatically reach your exercise goals because your surroundings will inspire you.

Setting up different areas to get various activities done will help you differentiate your time better, be more organized, and get more done than you thought possible. Creating dedicated areas for specific activities is an excellent time management tip that will work for most people.

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

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Thanksgiving is Around the Corner - Get Organized to Reduce Your Stress

Thanksgiving is Around the Corner - Get Organized to Reduce Your Stress

It's that time of year again!  The holidays are fast approaching. Everyone is already in a frenzy.  The stores are bombarding us with advertisements and sales. People have Christmas lights up already and it's not even Thanksgiving!

Take a deep breath. And let's get through one holiday at a time.

Re-read this Thanksgiving article that will give you a STEP by STEP way to have a STRESS FREE Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving  -  Organized and Stress Free  - Yes, It is Possible

Yes, “Organized“, “Stress Free” and “Thanksgiving” can be used in the same sentence.

It all starts with the word “organized”. Don’t let it scare you. Embrace it. By being organized and planning ahead you can actually enjoy a holiday.

Start by deciding on what you want your holiday to be like. Do you really want to serve a sit down dinner for twenty (20) people? Or would a buffet be acceptable for you? Would it be acceptable for your “family”?

The pressure of trying to please everyone, especially parents and doing things “exactly” like when you were little and everything was perfect is how the “stress” starts.

It’s your house and your dinner party. You can start new traditions. I didn’t say that it would be easy or that you wouldn’t get some flack, but all “traditions” started somewhere. Make your own. You deserve some happiness.

If you really want a fancy sit down dinner party but twenty (20) people is too much for you to handle then cut the guest list down.

If you really want all twenty (20) people there then maybe you should consider a buffet. It’s much easier and your family will eventually come to terms with the fact that maybe you aren’t serving a formal sit down dinner, but the food is just as good.

You can make Thanksgiving as simple or as complicated as you want….it all depends on how organized you are willing to be.

A good way to keep the stress levels down is to divide and conquer.  Enlist your family for help. Don’t take “no” for an answer. This is your holiday too and you have a right to enjoy it. And we all know that old saying  “if Mom isn’t happy, no one is happy”.

Start at least two (2) or three (3) weeks before Thanksgiving.

Decide on the type of gathering (formal or informal), the size of the guest list and the menu.

Don’t attempt to make something new for dinner or try out a new dessert that day. It could turn out to be a disaster and that would cause you more stress. If you really want to try a new dish….test it out prior to Thanksgiving.

Menu: Do you really want to serve cranberry relish and sweet potato’s even if you don’t like them and only serve them because “they are always served at Thanksgiving”?

Make up your own menu (yes, it is radical). Serve something different. Serve something you like!
If you are having a small Thanksgiving dinner don’t feel obligated to serve Turkey. I know, blasphemy! I once made stuffed Cornish Hen. It was wonderful and just as delicious as turkey. You can also stuff a small chicken or even a duck! Or be really different and have Ham! The possibilities are endless.

Start new traditions! It’s not easy to buck the system but once you make up your mind that you deserve to be happy and stress free on a Holiday you will wonder why you waited so long.

Remember, the whole point of a Holiday is family and friends and spending “quality” time together.

Everything does not have to be perfect. Be thankful for what you have and not for what you don’t.

A great piece of advice: don’t attempt to clean your oven Thanksgiving morning before you put in the turkey. I did that once, years ago in my new house, when I was young and anxious to please. I then found out that after the oven is cleaned it needs to cool down and the oven will stay locked for another hour or so after it’s done. And you can’t open it! It certainly put a dent into my dinner timetable!

By starting early and making lists and getting as much done ahead of time you will avoid a lot of stress.

Once you have your menu planned work backwards and make up a timetable to what needs to be done.
For example: if you want your dinner to be served at 6 p.m., what time do you have to put the turkey into the oven? What time do the potato’s and vegetables need to be started?  Just make a list and put it on your refrigerator door so that you don’t have to second guess yourself and aren’t panicking at the last minute.

When your family or guests start to arrive your mind and attention will be elsewhere….so a list can help you stay on track. Don’t leave anything to chance.

A few days before Thanksgiving:
* Shop for all of the essentials, including as much of the food as can be purchased ahead of time
* Make sure that you have enough spices and things that you will need for the food (and rarely buy)
* Do any of the baking or make any desserts that can be made ahead of time
* Thaw the turkey (the size will determine how many days it takes to thaw in the refrigerator)
* Buy the wine or any beverages

The day before Thanksgiving:
* Buy any last minute items at the grocery store
* Chop anything that can be chopped ahead of time (vegetables, bread for stuff…but do not stuff the turkey ahead of time) and put them in plastic bags so that you will be all ready to go the next day
* Make sure you have enough ice
* Prepare any of the food items that can be made ahead of time
* Make your family aware of exactly what you need them to help you with on Thanksgiving.
* Having assigned tasks for your kids and spouse ahead of time takes away some of the stress of what’s expected of them the next day.

The night before Thanksgiving:
* Set the table and get out all of your platters and serving dishes.
* Make sure that you have enough dishes and silverware. If you don’t, now is the time to call one of your guests and ask to borrow something. Don’t wait until the last minute to find out that you broke the gravy boat last Thanksgiving and never replaced it.

When I entertain I love to use all of my special platters and dishes. I love to fuss over my family and I love to set a very special table. I don’t consider it extra work or a hardship or stressful. It’s my way of telling my family and friends just how special they are.

But again…..the Holiday and family and friends are what’s important….not the china or the food. So if you aren’t the type of person to pull off a sit down dinner with all the decorations - don’t beat yourself up. There are only so many Martha Stewart's around. And she has a staff to help her!

Thanksgiving Day:
* Wake up early so that you can have some “you” time to have coffee and relax before
the day starts (it will get stressful enough later, so the morning might be the only time you have)
* Read over your lists and timetable
* Gather all of your food and cooking utensils, pots and pans ....
* Measure out everything that you can ahead of time and set it aside
* Follow your time table and start making the food according to the schedule
* Once the food comes out of the oven let it rest a while (you can cover it with foil)
* Start cutting the meat and plating the food
* Have family members start their assigned tasks (setting out and serving food, pouring the drinks…)

ENJOY your meal…… sit and talk…..

After the meal:
Have a plan in place to clear the table. Since I always make a ton of extra food so that my guests can take home leftovers I start with portioning the leftovers into plastic containers and putting each family’s containers into a plastic bag and setting it near the door so that they don’t forget them.

Once I have the leftovers divided up and mine put away in the refrigerator and freezer I then start to collect the rest of the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. I don’t start the dishwasher until after they leave so that we won’t be bothered with the noise.

Again, this is where your family members can jump in and help clear and stack dishes. It makes quick work of things when you have other people help.

I need to have as many things cleared up and put away as possible before I start serving dessert. This also gives everyone time to rest and relax before they start eating again.

Some people like to leave the dishes and the mess until the next day. And sometimes I wish I could too, but it’s worse the next day when you get up and walk into a mess. I’d rather get it done and over with.

Make quick work of it (or as much as will fit into the dishwasher) and then sit and relax and spend time with your family.

Remember, a Holiday is supposed to be enjoyable. If it’s not, figure out why it isn’t and change it. Skip the big complicated meal, the fancy desserts and the good china and make it as simple as you are able to handle.

Start your own tradition….and make it about family!

Happy Holiday !

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Five Things You Can Do Today to Achieve Your Goals

Being Organized starts with having Goals. But how can we achieve the goals we set?

There is a lot more to achieving any goal than just having the goal. But it is a first step. You may wonder how some people seem so great at achieving their goals while other people aren’t so good at it. Part of the reason why some people fail is that they do not have a specific goal, one that is clear and focused. In addition, they do not have a schedule of action to actually work toward achieving the goal. In order to meet any goal, start doing these five things today.

1. Craft Clear, Specific and Doable Goals

For any goal to be achievable it must first be clear and very specific. But, it also must be possible. You do want to challenge yourself a bit, and set the goal high, but you want to ensure that any goal you set is possible. Therefore, you will need to do a little research in order to set a goal. For instance, let’s say your ultimate goal is to lose 50 pounds.

Obviously, anyone who needs to lose 50 pounds and sets their mind to it can do so, but they can’t and shouldn’t do it in one month. So an unreasonable goal is “I want to lose 50 pounds in a month.” Instead, a more reasonable and doable goal is to state “I want to lose 50 pounds in 30 weeks.” This is in line with health recommendations not to lose more than 2 pounds per week, and gives you a little cushion for plateaus and other issues.

2. Each Goal Needs Set Actionable Tasks

Additionally, any goal that you really want to meet needs to have the “why” and the “how” included with the “what” of the goal. In the example above you want to lose 50 pounds in 30 weeks, which will be a little less than 2 pounds per week. You’ll need to look at your diet, compute the number of calories you should consume and the amount of exercise you need to see those results.

Thankfully, today there are online calculators to help you determine this easily, but let’s say that you determine that if you consumed 1800 calories a day, and walked for 20 minutes each day, you would achieve your goal that you set within the time limit. So, now you need to include planning your meals and fitting in the exercise necessary to reach your goal. But because of the research you did, you know exactly what is needed to be successful with the goal you set. You can see a clear path to success just by going further and adding these actionable tasks:

* Eat 1800 calories a day
* Walk fast for 20 Minutes per day

Seeing that in black and white you can see that it’s very doable and achievable. But, there are a few more steps necessary to achieve your goals.

3. Schedule Everything

Do not leave anything to chance. Instead, schedule in the work necessary to reach your goals into a real calendar. Writing a list isn’t good enough - you need to schedule in everything so that you don’t miss a single day due to losing track of your schedule. You’ll need time to eat healthier, which requires more chopping and cooking, and you’ll need time to fit in the exercise, which is going to really take more than 20 minutes due to prep time and recovery time. You need to be realistic about how long each thing will take and schedule them into your day properly.

4. Take Action

No goal will ever be achieved if regular action isn’t taken each day. Each morning, look at your calendar and follow through on the plans that you’ve made and the criteria you’ve set for yourself to get things done. All you have to do is the minimum necessary each day to reach your goal. When you get through each day having done the minimum, you’re a success - each and every single day. There is nothing else that can be the result of daily action other than success when you think of it this way.

5. Repeat

Finally, you’ll need to repeat these steps every single day. When you make very specific and clear goals with very specific steps to achieving the goal, based on reality, you will soon discover the secret to success that seems to escape so many people. The real secret is in the doing. It's like going on a long hike - if you take one step at a time, moving in the direction of the map that you’ve planned out for yourself, you will get to the end and you will be a success.

Reaching your goals is just a matter of setting reasonable and realistic goals, and then setting up a schedule of actionable tasks and steps that bring about the end result you want. You can start today to achieve your goals.


****  check out our Life & Business Coaching website for how a Coach can help you achieve your goals.

              North By Northwest -  "Pointing You in the Right Direction for Your Life"

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

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Room by Room - Getting Your Home Organized

One of the best ways to get started organizing your home is to begin with each room.

Each room has specific organizational needs. That's why it helps to break things down. Here are some room-by-room tips to help you get your home organized.

Bathroom(s)

One of the keys to successful bathroom sharing is organizing the space so that everyone's stuff is protected and itemized. Here are some ideas.

For family members sharing a bathroom, assign a clear bin for everyone's basic toiletries, such as make-up, hair brushes, razors, and hair clips. (Some family members might need two bins.) These bins can be stored under the sink or stacked neatly on shelves near the vanity. Family member's names should be on each bin.

In the shower, everyone can have his or her own hanging basket to store special soaps and personal shampoos. Wash cloths and towels can be color-coordinated per family member, or each family member can have his or her own special hook/rack to hang wash cloths and towels.

Bath toys for the kids can be stored in a plastic bin - just make sure it's uncovered so the toys can dry. A plastic dish pan works well.

Kitchen

The kitchen can be one of the more daunting of the rooms to organize, but it's one of the most essential rooms to get organized. It really can save time if your kitchen is laid out in a way that makes sense, and if you know what you have on hand.

If you're not using an appliance more than once a year, give it away or recycle it. Consider the usefulness of various kitchen appliances before you take up precious space storing them - do you really need a citrus juicer, meat grinder, or iced tea maker? If you do, by all means keep them (more on organizing appliances in a moment). But if you don't, get rid of them.

Appliances can be placed in cabinets or on countertops; some homeowners like appliance "garages." These are basically sections of countertop with sliding/closing doors behind which the appliances sit, hidden, when not in use. It's a variation on the old television cabinet.

Things you use often like salt and pepper should be nearby and have their own spaces. Few things are more frustrating than trying to cook, wanting to find the salt, and not being able to!

Bedroom(s)

For kids, getting stuff up off the floor can be challenging - especially since you want to make sure small people can reach these items to get them down again.

Over-the-door hangers are great for all kinds of items; they don't have to be for shoes. Fill them with your child's favorite small toys.

Stack clear plastic bins on shelves and organize them according to the type of toys in them.

A large, flat, plastic bin can hold all kinds of toys and be slipped under the bed for storage.

Adults' bedrooms can also benefit from organization. For under-bed storage, use the same method as for your kids; just make sure you don't have a pile of clutter under there.

Dresser tops can be organized with baskets, trays, and decorative boxes.

Living Room / Family Room

Get DVDs, videos, and books organized in labeled boxes or on shelves (organized by type).

Magazines and catalogues can go into magazine racks; clean these out weekly or monthly so they don't accumulate. Check with local businesses such as doctor's offices to see if they are interested in taking your back issues for their waiting rooms.

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

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Get More Done by Doing Less - Organize Your Family's Time

When you think of organizing your family, you probably first think of everyone's stuff. It's true that cleaning up and organizing a messy house are part of family organization; but did you ever stop to think of how organizing your family's time is just as important? In fact, you may find that you can get more done by doing less if you organize your family's time. Your family may also find they have more time for the things everyone enjoys.

Here are some tips on managing time, and how to be more efficient without having to increase your daily workload.

Time for Math and Math for Time

One of the problems with time management is that many of us are stuck in the "addition phase." We add things to our schedules and shuffle things about, but do we ever take away or subtract anything? Here's a tip for keeping your family's schedule sane: don't add anything to your schedule without taking something else away. This can apply to the whole family - your kids can't add an activity, for instance, without cancelling another one; the same applies to you.

To take this concept a bit further, try subtracting first. Sit down with the family and discuss dreams, goals, joys, hobbies, etc. Then look at your schedules. Is your son's goal to be a martial artist? Then maybe you should take music lessons off the list and add in a private martial arts class. Is one of your goals to write a book? Then see if other family members can wash dishes a couple of nights a week to give you time to write.

A Time for Everything...

...and everything in its time! Time is not unlike space in this respect. Here's where you can do more by doing less once again. Does it feel like you do dishes all the time? Do laundry, wiping up, answering the phone, etc. seem to be never-ending?

While it's true that some chores are daily, they don't need to be done a dozen times a day. For instance, rather than grabbing and washing every dish immediately so your sink stays empty all day, wash dishes only once a day, say in the evening or first thing in the morning. The same goes for laundry - work out a regular schedule so that your laundry gets done but you aren't running ragged doing it.

The same goes for phone calls and email. Let your voicemail or answering machine pick up until your allotted time for making phone calls. Screening calls can save a lot of time. Have a set time for email checking, too.

For the other members of your family, homework time, TV time, and other activities can all be worked into the day in a scheduled manner. It helps things go a lot more smoothly and helps you get more accomplished without running frantically trying to keep up.

Electronic Day Timers

Did you know your computer can help you out here? There are tools and software that can help you automate much of your calendar and schedule, keeping contact names and numbers handy and reminding you of appointments. There is software that can do a lot more than that - and some of it may be free online. Take a look...but only during your allotted computer time!

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

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A Clutter Free Closet - Tips for Changing Season

As the seasons change and you have to pull out your sweaters, heavier pants and coats, now is the perfect time to release some clothes you no longer want or need. Follow these tips for a clutter-free closet.

Before you dig out the winter clothes, think about what you want to keep from last season’s clothing. Be sure you have enough time to complete the task of cleaning and clearing out your closet before you get started. There is nothing more frustrating than starting a big project like this, having your clothes all over your bed and then having to stop for some reason. Not only do you have to put your clothes back into your closet quickly so you can sleep that night, but you also lose the momentum and desire to work on the task at all.

Get a couple of empty boxes. Mark each of the boxes with one of these “S” words – Swap, Sell, Store and Scrap.

* Swap – Items in the Swap box are those you will give or swap with a friend who wears your size. You can also donate them to the Salvation Army or Goodwill or another organization. These are clothes you do not wear any longer but are usable.

* Sell – Items in this box are those you will sell at a consignment store or online. These clothes are still in good repair but no longer fit.

* Store – Items in this box are those you will store for next year’s use or something that has sentimental value to it.

* Scrap – Items in this box are stained or torn and therefore no longer usable.

All of your clothes (cleaned and pressed) and accessories for this season should go into one of these boxes. Of course, depending upon the number of clothes you have, you may need more than one “store” box. Be sure to set the “store” boxes aside out of the way. Leave the remaining boxes open so you can place other items in them as you take out the clothes for this season.

Now that you have cleaned out your closet, it is time to start putting this season’s clothes and accessories into the closet. Pick out the things you know you will use most often and place them in a prominent place in your closet. Consider whether you want to keep the rest of the clothes that are not your favorites. Get rid of clothes you no longer like or you know will not fit any longer. Take the remaining boxes out to the car so they are not cluttering your room.

You may want to use this trick to help you learn which clothes you can purge once the season starts. As you place items into your closet, turn the hangers around backwards. At the end of the month, look through your closet and see how many hangers face the wrong way. Take those items out and re-evaluate whether you want to keep them or if they can find a new home with someone else.

Choose how you organize your closet. Some like to place clothes in the closet by colors, others by length and still others by whether you wear them together. You will know the best way to organize them based on your own personal needs. When you are done, you can step back with satisfaction and breathe a sigh of relief that you now have a clutter-free closet.

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

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Time Management Basics for Working Women

Whether you work from home or work outside the home, all women work. Keeping your sanity while working and raising a family can be quite challenging, but there are some things you can do to help get things organized and less stressful. Here are some time management basics for working women.

Being a Morning Person

You may not be a natural "morning person," but mornings are really crucial for working women. In fact, one of the secrets to becoming a morning person is to be an evening person first! In other words, do as much as you can the night before so that the morning isn't so rushed and crazy. Here are some tips:

* Pack backpacks and diaper bags the night before and put them by the door.

* Prepare lunches (whether for you to take to the office or the kids to take to school) the night before and freeze or refrigerate.

* Lay out clothes the night before so you don't have to figure out what you and everyone else is going to wear.

* Get up before your kids do so you can have time to get your act together before they're up.

* Prepare any breakfast make-ahead items such as cut-up fruit or hard-boiled eggs.

Come to an Understanding

It's important that your spouse and/or kids understand that everyone has to pitch in. If both spouses work, for instance, it's unfair for one spouse to unwind in front of the TV after work and the other spouse to start working in the kitchen. So have a family meeting if necessary to discuss this issue; it needs to be understood that if you're contributing to the income, they need to contribute to the housework and other such tasks.

Prioritize

It's crucial for working women to prioritize their time. You can't, for instance, be driving your child 20 minutes both ways to attend an activity they're only moderately interested in. You also don't have time to attend every single sporting event or performance your kids are in, and it's okay - forgive yourself and do what you can.

Simple Meals

During this time in your life, it's a good idea to keep meals simple. A few main ingredients and quick preparation can be the rule; apply it to all kinds of meals. And in general, kids are just as happy with a cheese quesadilla as they are with an elaborate beef curry dish. In fact, they'll probably like the quick quesadilla better!

Keep things on hand for simple meals, too, such as jarred spaghetti sauce, frozen bread, frozen vegetables, tortillas, and pasta. Frozen chicken breasts and fish fillets can be prepared quickly, even without pre-thawing. Buy ground meat and make it into patties; freeze, and pull them out as needed.

Hopefully, implementing some of these tips will enable you to spend more quality time with your family.

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

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