Organizing Your Life - Setting Yourself Up For Success

Being organized is about more than just having "things" neatly in place.  If your "life" isn't organized everything else will fall apart.

Do you have a "plan" for how you want your life to play out?  Do you have your priorities in place?

Life today is fast and crazy. There are so many activities and commitments that we are expected to participate in. We are pulled in so many directions that everything can't be perfect and important deadlines might be missed.

By having a plan - by organizing your day and your life - you are more likely able to meet some of those challenges and do so in a more relaxed and calm manner.

Disorganization causes stress. Stress causes flared emotions and saying or doing things you might not ordinarily say or do.

By taking a step back and organizing your routine, your life and your priorities - you can decrease your stress levels and accomplish your goals.

Start by sitting down and writing out a detailed account of  exactly what you do every day. Break it down into what you do each day of the week. Then break it down into 15 or 30 minute increments.  Decide if anything can be deleted from your schedule. Or you might want to move it to another day.

By having everything written down you can get a better picture of why you are so tired all of the time or why you are late for meetings and appointments. 

Once you have your schedule written down and you are satisfied that it is more manageable break it down even further. What is required for each task or appointment or meeting?  Do you have everything ready that you need for that appointment?

For example - if you have a doctors appointment - do you have a list of all of your medications?  Do you have a list of all of your symptoms.

If you have a business meeting - do you have all of the information that you need for that meeting? Do you have all of the reports or numbers that you need?

If you are taking a trip - do you have everything ready for the trip?  Do you have a checklist of what to pack or take?  Have you made arrangements to have your mail and newspaper suspended? Is someone going to water your plants?

As you can see - being organized plays a vital role in everything that we do. Being prepared can make your life run smoother.

So - go ahead....  GET ORGANIZED !   You will be glad you did.




Organizational Consulting Services

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Getting Your Kids Ready for School ... and Life - in an Organized Manner

School is about to start. Have you thought about your school year routine yet?  Don't wait until the morning of the first day of school to come up with a plan. Start thinking about your first day now and get ready.

The question now is "Do you have a calm and stress free routine ?".  If not, why not? The answer is probably because things are not as organized as they could be.

Come up with a routine and get your kids involved. Let them know ahead of time what time they will have to get up in order to have plenty of time to get dressed, make their bed, eat a healthy breakfast and get all of their school things in their pack backs and on their way.

By starting your kids on a routine and giving them responsibility for getting ready on time you have started them off on the right track to success in life.

Kids are never too young to start learning how to be organized. Kids as young as three can be taught how to put their toys away.

School age children should have a daily routine. Everything from getting up in the morning, getting dressed themselves, making their beds and getting their backpacks all ready for school. This includes making sure they have their lunches!

By making kids responsible for themselves they can start learning organizational skills. It also helps takes the pressure off of the parents.

Even though as a parent you might want to do everything for your child....you would be doing them a disservice if you did. Don't you want your child to marry someone that can take care of themselves? Someone that helps around the house?

By teaching your kids some basic skills when they are young you are setting them up for success!

Kids love to learn new things. They love to think that they are in charge. Let them be in charge of themselves!

As a parent your job is to give the kids tools they can use in everyday life. Being organized is a crucial tool.

Parents, especially single parents, need all of the help they can get. Teach your child to be self sufficient and you too will reap the rewards.

And don't use the excuse "I am not an organized person myself".  I have a lot of clients that aren't organized themselves....but they know the right people to teach their kids various skills.

If you can give your child piano or gymnastics lessons.... you can give them "organizing lessons".  It's something they will use forever. Not that being able to do a cartwheel isn't important!

By starting young and having expectations from your children you are helping them be a better person. Their teachers, bosses and future spouses will  "Thank You" !

Start Today..... Raise an Organized Child


Organizational Consulting Services

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Weekends are for FUN - not Cleaning !

Cleaning....a topic that many people feel strongly about.  Some people have very specific things they do on specific days. Never mess with my husbands Tuesday laundry day! Growing up - Saturdays was the day we scrubbed the floors. Certain things were done on certain days.

But when the weekend comes - after working hard all week - I don't want to be stuck inside cleaning! I don't want to waste my entire weekend scrubbing and dusting and cleaning my house! I want to go out and hike or sit on my deck and relax.

Don't get the wrong idea - I need my house to be clean and organized. I just don't want to commit an entire weekend to it.

The way to get around that is to break down your cleaning schedule into smaller pieces. Do a little every day.

Do the laundry one day.

Mop the floors another day.

Dust the next day.

Clean the bathrooms another day.

However you clean - whatever your schedule is - just break it down into smaller chunks of time - and do it over the course of the week - instead of all in one day.

By the time the weekend rolls around - you will be done and you will have a free weekend to enjoy!

It doesn't have to be complicated. Whatever works for you.

By doing at least one chore a night - you will be giving yourself some much deserved free time on the weekend!

Go ahead....break the weekend cleaning cycle!

You deserve it!







Organizational Consulting Services

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Get Organized First - Buy Products Later

When some people decide that they are finally ready to "Get Organized" - they sometimes get caught up in the moment and run out and buy a lot of Organizing products.

It makes them feel like they have accomplished something even before they start actually doing any of the work.

The problem with that is that they really don't know what they need - yet. They have not gone through the "elimination"  - sorting and purging out process.

Organizing usually entails having a space (or room) look worse before it gets better. There are piles everywhere. Decisions to be made. Sometimes - the decisions are hard.

Then you have to decide - "did the space actually function as needed". Because sometimes - you actually realize that the problem was not that you had "too much stuff" - but that the space was not configured correctly or you were not using the space to it's full potential.

Once a space has been cleared out - step back and ponder the space for a few minutes. Be honest with yourself. Did you really like the space the way it was?  Did it function properly for you?  Were you happy with how it was laid out?  What changes would you make - if you could?

After you have answered all of those questions - it's time to see how much "stuff" you have to actually put back into the space - since you probably purged a lot of things out of the space. You might not need any new organizing products. Or you might decide that certain things (new containers, new shelves....) might make the space function better.

Be sure to take measurements of the space before you head off for the store. Once you are there - keep an open mind. You might not find exactly what you were looking for - but you might find something even better!

Remember - function first. Think outside of the box.

A lot of organizing products can be expensive - but organizing doesn't have to be. Look for inexpensive containers or baskets that aren't labeled specifically as "organizing products".

Have fun with your space. It it doesn't work on your first try - change it!

Organizing is a process. It's ever changing!

Now - go out and GET ORGANIZED !!!
 

Organizational Consulting Services

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End Of The School Year - Get Organized

The school year is almost over. As always - it seemed to come too quickly. The summer is looming before us and parents everywhere will be trying to come up with ideas on how to keep their kids busy over the long summer.

But before you start on your summer plans why don't you get through the piles of paperwork, books and other things that your kids will bring home from school.

Re-read  "Schools Out For The Summer" to get some ideas on how to get through the piles that will be dumped on your living room floor by your kids.

Start the summer off right by clearing our your kids school clutter - instead of just hiding it in the closet and dealing with it in August. You will be glad you did! 

Let your kids help in the organizing process. They are never too young to learn how to be organized!


http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2014/05/schools-out-for-summer-almost.html

And now - let the summer begin!


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Professional Organzer - vs - Cleaning Company

There seems to be a big misconception as to the difference between a Professional Organizer and a Cleaning Company.

It's really quite simple - yet there is still a lack of understanding as to what an Organizer really does.

A cleaning company - cleans. Plain and simple. They mop the floors, wash the baseboards, vacuum, dust, take out the trash, straighten the pillows on the couch....and a few other things - depending on the company.

A professional organizer - does not clean. They don't mop the floors. They don't wash the dishes. They don't dust.

They organize.  They take a cluttered space and de-clutter it. They re-arrange spaces to make better and more efficient use of the space.

They containerize. They visualize. They make the space work as intended - or requested (every client uses a space differently).

They prioritize. They make your life function more smoothly.

They put things into their proper place - where you can find them easily.

They create a flow and a function that you - the client - can easily manage.


They de-stress you home, office or life.

They create order out of chaos.

A professional organizer - depending on her specialty - has extended training to work with a variety of clients.

A professional organizer is a personal coach for your home and your life. 

Organized - vs - cleaning.

Quite a difference.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Spring Time - Clean Out That Garage

Spring is here and it's time to clean out your GARAGE !

It's that time again - where you empty your garage and clean your winter gear and move it to the back of the garage ( or another storage area ).

Be sure to empty your snow blower of any fuel or liquids. You might want to take it to a shop where they can perform any needed maintenance before you store it for the summer.

Clean off any of your "snow toys" and make sure they are in working order before you store them away.

Sweep out your garage and re-organize your space. I'm sure that over the winter things have become cluttered.

Take your lawn mower to be inspected and be sure that it's in working order.

Move all of your garden tools to the front where you can access them easily. Make sure that all of your tools and equipment are in working order

Clean out your garden bag (it's planting time!) and be sure that none of your garden tools have rusted over the winter.

Make sure that your bikes have their tires filled with air.

If you have kids - check to be sure that they have not outgrown their summer toys. If so - it's time to let them go.

Enjoy the transition from winter to spring!

Think of all of the fun things that spring brings with it.

Have a great, clutter free day! 

 
Organizational Consulting Services

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