Plan for a Stress-Free Holiday Season
By · CommentsIt’s hard to believe the holiday season has already started! Thanksgiving was a blur and it’s already December 2! I’ve got to get my house decorated this weekend! It’s not too late to do yourself a favor and make a plan for the rest of the holiday season so you have time to enjoy it!
Top 5 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season
- Create a Holiday Planner: use a spiral notebook, a binder with divided categories, or an electronic task system such as Outlook to capture all pertinent information related to holiday preparation such as menus, gift lists, budget, etc…
- Plan ahead
- List all upcoming events including parties and family activities on your family calendar.
- For each individual event create a list of items requiring action on your part. Add “To Be Completed By” dates to your list.
- Transfer each action item on the list to your calendar.
- Focus on what is important to you and your family
- Have a family meeting and discuss the events of the season. Find out from other family members which events they enjoy and which they may not
- Say “No” to invitations and activities that don’t contribute to what’s important to you and your family
- Discuss ways to give to those who may be less fortunate – volunteer at a food pantry or donate gifts to “Brown Santa” or other organization.
- Take time for yourself
- Continue your exercise program
- Eat healthy meals and avoid over-indulging in the many sweets and treats available
- Schedule an activity you enjoy
- Set up a gift wrapping station
- Gather all of the supplies you will need and create a gift-wrapping station. Include: wrapping paper, tape, scissors, ribbon, bows, gift bags, tissue paper, gift tags, and pens.
- Divide gifts into groups by family or address and wrap like groups at the same time. For example, if you are shipping packages out of town, wrap all items for a particular address at the same time.
- Turn on some holiday music to put you in the mood. Enlist the help of other family members (of course, don’t wrap gifts for them at this time) and have a lively conversation while getting things done.
- Determine ‘last” shipping dates for different parts of the country or world and mark those dates on your calendar. Wrap and ship items requiring the longest shipping times first. See the UPS website: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/index.jsx
and the United Postal Service website: http://www.usps.com/ for shipping deadlines and information, shipping calculators, and how-tos for boxing up packages. - Order gifts on-line and have them wrapped and shipped directly to the recipient.
If you would like to order a pre-made Holiday Planner, see my “Simplify the Holidays” Binder and Worksheets for additional information.
If you have any great tips or suggestions for making the holiday season stress-free, I would love to hear them!
Happy Holidays!
Kelly
Now Offering Office Assistant/Virtual Assistant Services
By · CommentsSpecializing in business services for
Entrepeneurs, Small Businesses, Independent Professionals, and Consultants
We take care of business so you can work on your business
A office/virtual assistant provides basic office support to keep things running smoothly and efficiently to allow you to concentrate on business building activities. If you only need part-time support, cannot afford to hire a full-time office assistant or are not interested in incurring additional costs related to having an employee, a virtual assistant may be the answer.
Services include but not limited to:
-
Social Media
-
profile creation and setup
-
updates
-
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Tumblr and others
-
-
Website
-
content changes and updates
-
blog posts
-
WordPress and Website Tonight
-
-
Marketing
-
e-mail campaigns
-
monthly e-zines
-
direct mail campaigns
-
-
Word Processing
-
Spreadsheets
-
Powerpoint
-
Client follow-up
-
E-mail Administration
-
Event Planning
-
Invoicing
-
Packing and Shipping
-
Research
-
Scanning
-
Data Entry
-
Office Organizing
-
User Manuals
-
Special Projects
See my website for additional information: http://www.cedarparkva.com
Thanks!
Kelly
Where to donate: Household batteries?
By · CommentsThrowing used household batteries (AA, AAA, D, C , watch, hearing aid, laptop, cell phone, digital cameras, etc) into the trash is a huge environmental problem! Huge quantities of used batteries in our landfills can contaminate our groundwater. So, where can you donate used batteries easily? Most Lowes and Home Depot stores accept batteries, click to find a drop-off center near you.
I collect used batteries in a plastic bag and when I know I’ll be stopping at one of the the drop-off centers, I just take the bag with me. It really can’t be any easier than that!
Kelly
It’s Time to Tweak Your Systems for the School Year
By · CommentsSchool has been in session for about six weeks. It’s time to evaluate your routines or set them up if you haven’t done so already. As a professional organizer, I work with a lot of busy families who need help setting up routines for handling the abundance of paper from school, the mail, and for getting homework done. I hope to offer a few suggestions about routines to set-up and implement to help you have smooth sailing through this school year.
Some general systems to have in place include:
- Calendar
- Incoming papers
- Homework
A large wall calendar with room enough to write each family member’s activities is a must. Display the calendar in a location easily accessed by all family members. If you track your calendar electronically, have a centrally located computer with easy access for all family members. Assign a color to each family member and color-code activities.
Papers consisting of incoming mail, school papers, both school work and items that require a response, and activity-related items (schedules, release forms, etc) are always an issue. Set up an action file system for handling the incoming paperwork such as a desktop hanging file organizer with files for each child or school. Teach your children to get into the habit of putting important papers or papers requiring a signature in a folder marked with “Mom” or “Dad”. After you have signed the paper, either place the paper in a folder to return to school or have your child put directly into their backpack. Also set up an archival system for the treasured school work that you want to save.
Fitting homework into our busy schedules is often difficult. Designate an area for your children to complete their work. For younger students, the kitchen table is probably where most of the homework is completed, so make sure all of the necessary supplies are available, so there is no excuse not to get started. I recommend using lidded plastic shoe-box size containers to hold markers, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, etc. Label the containers for ease in cleaning up. For older students who may complete their homework at a desk in their bedroom, ensure they have the necessary supplies available as well. A well-lit, clutter-free area away from distractions will help them stay focused on their work.
Establish a set time for homework to be completed. It may not be the same time every afternoon or evening based on after school activities. Look at the week ahead on Sunday evening and map out with your child the time they should complete their homework for each day based on that day’s activities and mark it on the calendar.
Most importantly, help your child get into the habit of packing their backpack before they go to bed. That way during the morning rush, important papers and items needed for school will not be forgotten at home.
Remember that developing new habits requires consistency and time. Begin setting up and implementing new systems as soon as possible!
Garage Sales – Are You FOR or AGAINST Them?
By · CommentsWe’ve had 2 garage sales in the last twenty years and after each one, I swore I would never have another. Well, never say never, I’ve just spent the last 3 days gathering items for our community-wide garage sale tomorrow. We’ve decided to do some re-arranging of rooms and furniture and started to accumulate a bunch of stuff we don’t want anymore. So, we decided to bite the bullet and participate. I hope we sell something!
I thought this author had some great tips and experience with yard sales. Check out her tips at http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.htm
I would love to hear your tips for a successful garage sale or even your funny stories – I know you have them!
Kelly
Organize Your Child’s Closet
By · CommentsNow that you’ve had a chance to organize your closet, what do you do about your child’s closet? This post will focus on preschool – elementary age children.
5 steps for organizing a closet:
(You will notice that the process is the same)
- Remove all items from the closet – including toys. As you remove the items, sort them into categories; summer, winter, shirts, pants, shoes, toys, etc.
- Next, category by category look at each item. Decide if the item will be kept, donated, or trashed. If you need your child try something on to see if it fits, do it!
When my kids were younger, I would “schedule” a time that I would have them try on clothes. No, it’s not usually fun! Try to limit the number of items and the time period. There is no need to have them try on duplicate items in different colors – if one fits, all should fit (for example, a pair of shorts of the same brand and size should fit in all colors). I don’t think it’s a bad idea to offer a “reward” for their cooperation!
If you keep “hand-me-downs” for younger siblings, I recommend folding the clothing and storing it in plastic bins. Label the outside of the bin with the clothing size and place in a closet on a high shelf.
3. Once you have sorted through all of the items (including shoes and any other non-clothing items) evaluate the space. Is the space working for you and your child? If your child is old enough to dress themselves, can they reach items on hangers or on shelves? Is it easy for them to put away clothing? Is there a place for them to put dirty clothing? Are you or your child having trouble keeping the closet organized because there aren’t enough shelves, hanging rods, or shoe organizers?
4. After you have evaluated the space, map out the area determining the placement of the items.
Consider adding a “double hang closet rod” so the child is able to reach hanging items. If toys are stored in the closet, is it possible to add shelves at a lower level? Utilize plastic bins (open or closed) for housing small toys. Sort the toys by type – stuffed animals, action figures, balls, blocks, etc. Use word or picture labels to designate what type of toys belongs in the bin.
5. Put the items back into the assigned areas! Teach your child to keep up the new system by hanging clothing up at the end of the day, putting dirty clothing into a hamper, and putting clean clothes and toys where they belong. Spend 15 minutes before bedtime cleaning up the room for the next day.
If the project seems too overwhelming, ask a friend to help or hire a professional organizer. It’s always more fun when you have a helper!
Happy Organizing!
Kelly
It’s Time for a Closet Makover!
By · Comments
- Closet – Before
Finally, we might see fall here in Central Texas! It’s time to clean out and re-organize your closet. Re-organizing a closet can be a daunting task! Schedule at least 3-4 hours to give yourself plenty of time to take out every item of clothing and evaluate. It may take longer depending on the size of your closet and how much time has passed since your last organizing efforts.
5 steps for organizing a closet:
1. Remove all items from the closet. As you remove the items, sort them into categories; summer, winter, shirts, pants, shoes, casual, evening wear, etc…
2. Next, category by category look at each item. Decide if the item will be kept, donated, or trashed. If you need to try something on to see if it fits, do it! I recommend donating items you haven’t worn in over a year (unless it is a special occasion item and even then you need to evaluate if you will wear it in the future) and items that no longer fit comfortably (either too big or too small). Be wary of keeping items that might “fit” if you lose 10, 20 or 30 pounds. Do you really want to use precious closet space for items you “might” wear?
3. Once you have sorted through all of the items (including shoes, purses, belts, and any other non-clothing items that may be stored in your closet) evaluate the space. Is the space working for you? Are you having trouble keeping the closet organized because there aren’t enough shelves, hanging rods, or shoe organizers?
My closet was just not working for my husband and me. The shelf space wasn’t visible below hanging items and there weren’t enough shoe organizers. I recently worked with a client with some of the same issues. If a closet organizing system is in your budget, check out ClosetTailors.com or Maxwellsclosets.com and get a free estimate. If an entire system is too pricey, I like the ClosetMaid solutions from Lowe’s.
Consider re-arranging the traditional set-up of your closet. By moving all of the hanging items to one side of my narrow closet and adding a wall of shelf/cubby organizers, I created the illusion of a much wider space.
4. After you have evaluated the space, map out the area determining the placement of the items.
5. Put the items back into the assigned areas! Keep up your new system by hanging clothing up at the end of the day, putting dirty clothing into a hamper, and putting clean clothes where they belong.
Closet - After
If the project seems too overwhelming, ask a friend to help or hire a professional organizer. It’s always more fun when you have a helper!
Happy Organizing!
Kelly
How Much Is That Storage Unit Costing You?
By · CommentsHave you ever considered how much money you are spending a year to store items in a storage unit? Although a few people may use a storage unit for temporary storage, the great majority use them in order to store their clutter. I have heard that clutter is “postponed decisions”. If you are putting off making decisions about items you don’t use or even want, what is the cost to you?
Let’s look at it monetarily. Let’s say you pay $30/month for a storage unit:
- $360 per year
- $720 for two years
- $1440 for three years
Wouldn’t you love to have an extra $1440 for retirement, your child’s college education or a vacation? Also, consider the cost of any additional insurance you may have for items in the storage unit. Add insurance costs to your annual storage unit fee.
Consider whether the benefits outweigh the costs. Realistically ask yourself what benefits you are deriving from the storage unit. Answer these questions:
- Have I needed an item in the last 6 months or longer?
- Do I even know what’s stored in the unit?
- Am I keeping items for other people?
- Are items stored properly to maintain their value?
- If I removed clutter from areas of my home and garage, would I have room for the items I actually need or want from the storage unit?
The answers to the above questions may help guide you as you consider whether the cost of renting a storage unit is beneficial to you.
Happy Organizing!
Kelly
Ways to Save on Public Storage
By · CommentsI received the link to this article, “10 Ways to Save on Public Storage” and I just had to read it. In most cases, the last recommendation I would make to a client would be to rent a storage unit. In fact, I wrote an article “How Much Is That Storage Unit Costing You” outlining how much money one could save by removing items from a storage unit.
I believe there are circumstances warranting the use of a storage unit and I think the author of the article makes sound points and recommendations, and it turns out, we share the same opinion. Read both articles and let me know if you agree!
Happy Organizing!
Kelly
