Small Projects - Fourth Quarter

WOW! Here we are in the final quarter of the year. Have you completed all your small projects so far?

Here’s the final batch. Keep up the good work!

EMAILS

- Go through your contact list and update email addresses
- Go into Junk Folder to make sure nothing ended up there that shouldn’t have
- Report any Junk Mail that seems like “Phishing” (ie: anything asking for you to click to update your information)
- Go into other emails and unsubscribe from anything you can

LINEN CLOSET

- Remove everything and clean the shelves
- Check for any torn or stained items – If you don’t need them turn them into rags or discard
- Play with how you fold the items so you can use the maximum amount of space
- Use stackable bins to contain smaller items and make efficient use of higher space between shelves

TOYS & GAMES

- Go through all games to see if they are still age appropriate
- Discard any toys/games that have broken or missing pieces
- Donate any toys/games that sit unused
- Decide how to organize the toys/games so they can be properly and cleanly put away after use (bins, baskets, shelves)

MUD ROOM/ENTRANCE WAY

- Keep only items that fit and are being worn – donate what is just taking up space
- If possible, only keep one season at hands reach at a time
- Find ways to contain smaller items and shoes/boots (ie: bins, baskets, racks, hooks)
- Make sure each family member has the same amount of allocated space  

 Well, the list is complete. If you found some others along the way…please share.

Let’s start it all again next year!

Do You Know How to Pack?

Here’s a serious question: Who out there knows how to pack? There must be a formula, right?

I always think I do. I think I’ve packed the perfect amount of clothing, everything is needed, everything will be worn and BOOM – I can’t close my suitcase and I must start eliminating.

As an organizer, this is embarrassing to admit. But nobody’s perfect.

I put a little more thought into it when I packed for my recent weeklong vacation in a hot climate and here’s what I started with:

7 pairs of underwear
4 pairs of socks
2 SS Tees
3 Tank Tops
2 Shorts
2 LS Tees
2 Leggings
2 Sun dresses
1 Sweat pant and Sweat shirt
1 Pair PJ’s
1 “Nicer” Outfit”
1 “Nicer” LS Top
1 “Nicer” Shoes
1 Flip Flops
1 Walking Shoe
2 Bathing suits with a cover up

Well, it seems reasonable to me…

I start with I pair of undies per day (because who wants to do laundry) and the the maybes start – maybe I’ll work out so I should pack some extra.

Then the other questions:

Will it really be hot at night? I’m always cold so I need more layers. Better safe than sorry right?
Will it be so hot that I’ll have to change during the day?
Will I have to dress more than once? I should bring extra outfits just in case…

What do you think happened?

Of course, I added much more stuff and took a bigger suitcase. And, you guessed correctly I never wore more than half of it!

I just can’t help myself!

Tell me how you do it. If you’ve discovered the formula, please share!

Small Projects - Third Quarter

Can you believe how fast this year is flying by?

As promised, I’m back with more small project ideas! Let me know how you’re doing.

BATHROOM VANITY

- Empty and clean all the drawers
- Go through items and dispose of anything unused or expired
- Collect loose items and put “like with like” (ie: hair accessories, make up)
- Get some form of drawer organizer to keep small items contained

BOOKSHELVES

- Take all books off the shelves and clean them
- Decide which books you want to keep and which you might donate
- Decide how you would like to organize your books (ie: color, height, subject, author)
- Replace the books on the shelves in an orderly way

FILING CABINETS

- Take out each file one at a time and look through it
- Discard anything that is no longer valid (ie: old insurance policies, expired contracts)
- Update the file names so they are current and accurate
- Properly dispose of what you’re not keeping – SHRED whatever has personal information on it

DESK DRAWERS

- Empty and wipe down all the drawers
- Discard anything that no longer works (old pens) or is unused
- Collect “like with like” so they can go back in the same drawer
- Get some form of drawer organizer to keep small items contained

Remember, take your time. These are small projects, but important ones!

Small Projects - Second Quarter

As promised, here are some ideas for small projects for the next 3 months. I find that taking your time to do specific projects and not just jumping into a whole bunch at once, is much more productive. 

These are in no particular order but are of equal importance.

JUNK DRAWER

- If you have more than one junk drawer, consolidate everything into ONE
- Empty the drawer and throw out what really is garbage (ie: broken elastics, empty pens)
- Decide if anything can be stored elsewhere (ie: loose office supplies back into the office)
- Get some type of drawer dividers to keep items sorted and organized

BEDSIDE TABLE

- Empty and decide if any loose items can be re-homed (ie: hair ties, nail polish, dental floss)
- Put as much as possible in your drawers so you have a clean and clear surface
- Get some type of drawer organizer to gather all the small items
- Leave yourself a reminder note to put things back instead of dumping it in your drawer because it’s there and it’s easier.

TUPPERWARE

- Remove all pieces and match with a cover.
- Get rid of all the incomplete, damaged pieces bad quality pieces
- Assess if you are using all the pieces you own – if not, time to donate
- Nest the smaller pieces in the larger to maximize space in your drawer

MEDICINE CABINET

- Go through and properly discard any expired items
- Put all “dangerous” items at the top out of reach of children
- Organize prescription medications by person
- Organize over the counter medications by category (ie: Cold & Flu, Allergy)

Simple enough right? And, plenty of time to get it all done.

Please share if you do!  

Small Projects - First Quarter

When you want to stay organized, there are SO MANY little projects that need to get done around the house.

Do you feel like you never have the time? That the chores are just endless?

I thought it may help to break things down a little. Plan on doing a few chores within each quarter of the year. I have created some lists and will post one each quarter if you choose to follow along. These are in no particular order and are not seasonal…they are just off the top of my head.

CLEAN OUT UNDER THE SINK

- Remove everything and wipe down the cabinet
- Go through and throw away empty products
- Find caddies/storage for sponges or other loose items
- Get rid of products you don’t use

CLEAN OUT THE FRIDGE

- Remove everything and clean shelves and bins
- Go through and get rid of expired items
- Consolidate items if you have multiples
- Make a list of what needs replenishing

CLEAN AND ORGANIZE THE PANTRY

- Remove everything and clean the shelves
- Go through and get rid of expired items
- Consolidate items if you have multiples
- Find caddies/storage for loose packets and other small items
- Make a list of what needs replenishing
- Donate any non perishables if they won’t be eaten

UPDATE YOUR RECIPES

- Eliminate any recipes that are too complicated or time consuming 
- Keep recipes you know your family will love
- Find a box, bin or binder to keep your chosen recipes all in one place

SORT THROUGH RECEIPTS

- Divide receipts into business or household
- Use the receipts to check through your credit card charges (avoid any fraud on your card)
- Keep business receipts in a safe place so you can find them at tax time.
- Shred receipts when you no longer need them

That list doesn’t seen too bad if you have 3 months to do it…RIGHT? 

I’d love to hear how you do!

Stop "SHOULDING" Me

Is it only me or when you wake up on New Year’s Day do you think about all the things you SHOULD and SHOULDN’T be doing? I’m really kind of sick of it. I’m getting too old to worry about the “shoulds” and, as of now, I’m choosing to live and love my life the way I want to.

Pizza for breakfast? I say hell yes.

A little too much wine maybe?  Yup, I enjoy it.

Nap instead of exercise?  Don’t mind if I do!

And that’s just on the personal side.

What about work?

If these last 2 years taught us anything it’s:

We made do with the circumstances we were given while working from home, and many of us thrived.

I’ve read (and have been told in marketing classes) that blog post SHOULD be at least 500 words and you SHOULD be writing and posting at least once a week. And don’t forget that you SHOULD fill it with hashtags and key words and blah blah my mind goes numb after that… I’m not saying that these tips aren’t correct. They are if you’re writing to build your business.

I write these blog posts because I LIKE to, and I WANT to. I write because I have something to say, to share, to teach or maybe even just to get off my chest.  Not because I SHOULD.

I just wanted to say this out loud and share it with you in case I’m not as regularly in your Inbox.

I hope that you all can do the things you want to and just tell everyone “STOP SHOULDING ME”!

YES, It's Time to Prep Christmas!

We all get stressed around the holidays (whether we have big celebrations or not). This time of year just has a way of raising ones blood pressure!

Wee, I just happened upon this great article and instead of attempting to re-invent the wheel, I just thought I’d share these great guidelines in the link below. Sorry, I’m a little bit late based on these guidelines…but better late than never!

CHRISTMAS PREPARATION CHECKLIST

I really hope that this helps you prepare and ease some stress over your holidays. My best wishes to you and I’d love to hear how preparing in advance works for you.

Fake It Till You Make It

You know that old saying “You can’t always get what you want”? We all have an image of what our dream closet should look like. What’s yours?

Fancy wood with traditional moldings? Modern, sleek and floating? Simple classic and functional?

No matter what it may be… sometimes we just can’t have it at this moment.  Never say never.

You know what you can do?

Fake it until you make it! (Another great expression) 

When you can’t build the custom closet of your dreams, you can work with accessories and organization to “fake it”. You may not get the aesthetic you dream about, but the organization can certainly be on its way!

Here are some ideas for you to get started:

• ADD A DOUBLE ROD to give you some extra hanging space.

• HANG BY HEIGHT to make the hanging sections look uniform and neat.

• HANG LIKE WITH LIKE to keep your categories of clothes together makes them accessible and easy to find 

• MATCHING HANGERS is an easy change to make the closet look less cluttered and more consistent.

• SHOE RACKS will keep pairs of shoes together and off the floor   

• RACKS for ties and belts will keep them hanging and in good shape

• STACKABLE STORAGE DRAWER will help contain things that can’t be folded easily like bathing suits or scarves

If you have any favorite accessories, PLEASE SHARE!

What's the "Best" Way to Organize?

How do you motivate yourself to get things done?

At times we all get lazy, overwhelmed or even panicked at times and pushing ourselves to tackle tasks can become a task in itself! It’s even more difficult when you don’t enjoy the task at hand.

Well, this certainly won’t help if your taxes are still not done but if you’re trying to get yourself organized, here are some tricks to try.

Firstly, and most importantly, don’t try to do it all in one shot! That thought even freaks the professionals out!

Here are some fun ways to break down the daunting task of organizing almost anything:

Let’s start with the more common ones:

1-      By Room, the most practical method. Choose one room at a time to concentrate on, then de-clutter and organize until you’re satisfied with the results.

2-      By Category can be very productive. Pick a category every time you decide to de-clutter. One week it could be clothes, the next toys, the next books and so on. Make sure you really find everything that fits into that category and evaluate whether to keep or donate.

Now we start creating the “games” and having some fun:

3-      Numerically there are two ways you can commit to playing this. Using the first method, on the date you decide to organize you commit to donating/discarding the number of items for that date. For example is you organize on the 10th, you eliminate 10 items. With the second you use the number represented by the month, so in April you would choose 4 items and in November you would choose 11.

4-      Alphabetically speaks for itself. Make sure you make a list of everything before you start so you don’t forget a category.  S is for sewing accessories, shirts, stuffed animals etc. You can pick on “S” a day or plan a day full of “S’s”.

5-      By Color may be the hardest one to do. Choosing a color is easy but then you have to hunt all over the house for things of that color…it may keep your kids busy for a while!

There is no right, wrong, best or worst.

Whatever it takes to accomplish your goal is the best way.

Can you think of any other ways to organize? 

Here’s an article outlining some other things to avoid when taking on an organizing project! Enjoy!

Can the things you hold on to hold you back?

Do you hold onto objects just to try to hold on to the feelings and memories you associate with those things? And are these objects creating clutter in your life?

Things are just objects. WE attach emotion and meaning to them.

If you toss out the object…do you believe the memories will go with it?

If this thing made you so happy during a certain period of time…are you still using it or is it shoved into a closet somewhere?

Let’s take a look at some common objects people hold on to and find some clutter free solutions for them:

• Photo albums: This one is easy breezy if you have the time.  Scan (or even take a photo) of the page of old photographs and create a file for them in your computer.  If that just seems like too much work, at least, empty the albums and put the important photos in a box. While you sort the photos, be discerning and keep only the photos that hold some meaning for you. If you can’t see someone’s face or you don’t remember who they are…say goodbye! 

• Old sweatshirts/jeans from boyfriends: First question is - are you still with this boyfriend? Second question is - do you wear the items?  If you do, OK, it’s a pass…go ahead and keep them as long as it’s the item you are coveting and no longer the person. If the items have you stuck in the past. Give Them Back.

• Stuffed animals: If you’re an adult holding on to a stuffed animal, there’s something in your past that is associated with it. See if you can find that source and move forward. Take a photo, maybe include a note with a memory or two and then say a sweet goodbye.

• Skinny jeans: OH YEAH! We all have these (or something equivalent). This is a tough one because getting rid of these feels like you’re giving up the fight. But, let’s face it, after a certain time in our lives, we may never fit into our “skinny” anything. Embrace who you are and find a new favorite thing to wear.

• Love letters: These are tough. Many people will say that if the letters are not from the person you’re with currently, then letters be gone! Well, sometimes that is easier said than done. But, if you insist on revisiting the past, you don’t need a physical copy taking up space. You can do the same thing as with your photos and scan them into your computer. 

• Wedding dresses: As a closet designer I see so many wedding dresses taking up way too much space in a Master Closet. It makes sense that you may want to keep it for your daughter, but does it have to be taking up prominent real estate? Either box it yourself or have it done professionally and put it out of the way until the future wedding.

May seem harsh, but the more we hold on to physically does affect what we hold on to mentally. It may be objects, memories or emotions.

I’m curious, what are some of the things you can’t let go of?