Day 10......Have You Kept Your New Year's Resolution(s)?
Most of us make and break our New Year's Resolutions every year!
Really.....what's the point?
Do I have to wait until New Year's to decided I will:
go to the gym
stop drinking
lose weight
spend less money
Do any of these sound familiar?
I have stopped making them....why set myself up for failure over and over again.
We are who we are! If there is something we may want to change about ourselves, our habits our lives, it can be done on our own schedule and at our own pace!
Remember: YOU ARE PERFECT THE WAY YOU ARE!
Happy New Year! Enjoy every second of it on your own terms!
How do you choose?
Today I wanted to talk to you about hangers.......how boring right?
Not really! There are so many to choose from.....how do you decide?
I also decided to take this opportunity to try video my hand at video UGH!
ENJOY!
The 3 A's for a Great Closet Makeover
Normally we follow steps 1-2-3 or A-B-C but in my experience you need to follow the 3 A's for a great closet makeover!
ACCESSIBLE CLOTHING: This may seem obvious but if your don't really stop to think about what clothing you are storing where, you may end up having to close the closet door to get your favorite shirt while the gown you wear on occasion is always at hand's reach! Make sure the clothing you wear the most often are the ones that are the easiest to get to everyday!
ADDITION OF SPACE: Organizing anything is great but when it comes to organizing a closet, gaining more space should be at the top of the To Do List! There is not much point to simply moving stuff around when the possibility of adding extra hanging rods is just a hardware store away. Think about creating double rods, adding shelving and getting more stuff in that same old space!
ADJUSTABLE PARTS: If you are going to invest your hard earned money into a closet makeover....Make it count! Whether you hire a closet design expert or you do it yourself, make sure you get an adjustable system. Your shelves and rods should be able to move with your changing needs. Styles change, taste changes lifestyles change and your closet should be able to change with you!
An organized closet helps start your day off right! Less frustration, less time wasted, less searching for items and more time for YOU in the morning!
Christmas Shopping.....Is It Ever Too Early To Start?
I am not here to preach about the right way to organize your Christmas shopping!
We all have our own habits and we manage to get things done in our own time.
Some of us thrive on doing things last minute and others need to have things done months ahead or else we start to itch!
And then there are some of us who want to get it done on time, hate to do things last minute, but just get paralyzed at the thought of all of that shopping!
The thought of the malls, the crowds and the money spent makes Christmas a dreaded time for some people.
The question I have is......... why wait?
Think about the joy of Christmas giving all year and buy things as you see them. If you see a sweater in July that you know your mother will love, BUY IT!
There is no rule that says you have to make a Christmas list at the end of the year and follow it! Have some fun. Be spontaneous.
As for the list of gifts that children want....and must have... AMAZON can be your best friend!
It is never too early to start your Christmas shopping!
Want vs Need
What do you think is more powerful: WANT or NEED?
I have been thinking about this ever since I started writing my Closet Sales Class...WHY? because I was taught one thing a long time ago and now I am hearing that it is wrong.
Years ago when I was being trained as a Closet Designer, I was always told to sell not just to a need but to "the need behind the need". For example: Someone may need more space in the closet.....but the reason behind it may not be the extra space itself but the fact that she and her partner dress at the same time in the morning and bump into each other, get on each other's nerves then fight.
I always thought that was a pretty powerful selling tool.......BUT.......not everyone will be forthcoming with their "issues". So that just leaves you selling to need.
I started thinking about my buying habits. I would say that nine times out of ten, I will buy something I NEED before something I WANT. In my mind that seems like the logic decision? Don't get me wrong....I buy things I want all the time. I simply prioritize.
So what happens when it comes to big ticket items?
I have been selling closets for years and have been selling to "Needs" pretty successfully and now all of a sudden everything I read about marketing says that people buy what they Want....not what they Need!
Have budget considerations flown out the window? Do I stay quiet while a client packs their closet full of useless accessories they don't need?
I am confused! What do you think?
5 Reasons NOT to be Afraid to Hire a Professional Organizer
Many people say to me "I really need your help but I am afraid to have you come over".....and all I can think is really? Am I scary? LOL.
Fear is a very strong emotion and one that can really hold us back from making changes or difficult and uncomfortable decisions. I know what I deal with and I would imagine my clients will deal with the same things:
- Fear of change
- Fear of letting go of something
- Fear of loss
- Fear of not having enough or not being able to get more
- Fear of dealing with buried emotions
And YES, de-cluttering and organizing your life can raise some of these deep issues. As professional organizers we are here to help you through that...it's what we dedicate our lives to. Here are the 5 reasons why you should NOT be afraid to work with us:
1- We don't judge: We got into this profession to HELP people not to judge or ridicule them. We take pride in being able to motivate people into creating new patterns that will make their lives easier and more efficient.
2- We have seen everything: People are often under the false impression that they are alone in their situation. If that were the case, Professional Organizers would not stay in business. There is really not much that will shock us!
3- We are not perfect: I can't speak for all organizer but to be truthful sometimes.....my own life's organization will turn into chaos. It happens to all of us. We just have been taught the skills to get things back on track quickly.
4- Your appointments are confidential: You don't have to worry about people finding out what you are doing or what you are working on. What happens during your appointments stays at your appointment!
5- Our bark is worse than our bite: We may give you a lot to do and think about and expect positive results. We are merely the facilitators...you don't have to worry about disappointing us.....it's all about YOU!
If you have any questions about working with a Professional Organizer, please feel free to contact me!
What is Real Value?
I just got back from the grocery store and my head is spinning!
Two for one! Fifty percent off! This week on special for:
As I was walking past the meat fridge I stopped and started scratching my head.....what's the best deal here? How will I get the most value? If I buy the larger size package, will I use it or waste it...am I actually saving money? I think I stared at the steak for 15 minutes!!
Of course we deal with this at the grocery store every day.
But what about other parts of our lives. What is most VALUEable:
- "Me" Time?
- Your Money?
- Time with your Family?
- Less Stress?
- Knowing you got the best deal?
I wasted 15 minutes debating my decision about meat! How much time do we waste comparison shopping for large ticket items......... This is really just a rant.....but the way I do business is this is your price and it is the lowest I can do. All places have their own bottom line!!
WHY NOT JUST START THERE.......and let us all know we got the best value!
Your thoughts?
The Top 4 Reasons To Organize Your Clothing By Cateory
We have all heard the arguments about the best way to organize the clothing in your closet. So which way is the best way? By color? By season? In capsules? As a closet designer....my vote is by category. Here are my top 4 reasons why:
- When you have your clothing separated by category you will get more use out of each item. For example, if you hang a suit together, you will grab it and wear it as a set all the time, forgetting that the top and bottom can be worn with other items to create a completely new outfit!
- When you are not searching for a top squished and hiding between two bottoms, you will be able to see ALL of the mix and match possibilities in your wardrobe more easily.In this way you know exactly where to look when you want to find a particular piece....take a shirt to the pant section (or vice versa) and decide what you feel like wearing.
- You don't have to worry about what works for which season! Who cares! I know when I am cold in the summer....I want my sweaters close by. I wear tanks in the winter as a layering piece. When organized by category you know exactly where items are at all times.
- It will save you money! You will always know exactly how much of each category you have. No more buying a piece that you already have buried in your closet somewhere while thinking "I am sure I have one of these already!"
Now keep in mind that this is just my opinion. There is value and merit to other ways of organizing. It doesn't matter what other people do or say is right....you have to choose the method that works best for you!
I simply wanted to share my thoughts and what has worked best for most of my closet clients.
I would love to hear any and all other ideas that you may have! Please comments and share!
WOW! That was tough!
So how do you define success? Is it when you get what you want....or you deliver on other people's expectations? That's a tough one...and you may be wondering why I am asking such a thing. Fair enough!
I just finished a live and interactive Facebook event called Closet Design Basics to teach the basics of custom closet design and help entrepreneurs create a new business or people working from home create a small business. Was it a success....well that would depend who you ask.
Why I created the class was two fold:
- To teach people a skill
- To generate interest in my on line course
Well......I did both! The MANY participants were engaged, learning and interested in everything I have to offer! I am thrilled!
So why are others getting me down saying it was unsuccessful if I didn't make X amount of dollars...who are they to say!
I am frankly tired of all the ads I am seeing promoting your door to a MILLION DOLLAR business......excuse my language but I am calling BS on all of that!
I know what it took me to get my course done and I know what struggles people are having after taking my course.....because I CARE and I FOLLOW THROUGH with people. It's not about the money!! Any new skill takes time to learn and expand on to become confident enough to become a success.
It's scary! Starting anything new is scary! Taking the leap of faith is terrifying, but if you don.t.....you will never know! What is that saying?
All I wanted to say I that we all put ourselves out there. New is good, and it only matters if YOU think you were a success!
I am proud and pleased with the comments and feedback I received about the event and I know that the rest will follow!