Small Project - Organizing a Bathroom Countertop

Are you ready to tackle a small project? The bathroom countertop can be a constant mess challenge. It gets used every day - most likely twice a day! Removing everything from the counter and storing it in a cabinet would be great but the reality is that it becomes a pain (in the back) to bend over and pull things out of a lower cabinet AND then to bend over and put them back twice a day! Most people will not maintain that system and the countertop returns back to being a mess unorganized! That is why I am a fan of "reality" organizing.

Here is an example of a real life countertop that is unorganized. Can you relate at all!? Stuff has accumulated...and now it is crammed in the corner...somewhat of an eye sore to start your day!

In addition to looking bad it tends to be unclean, too, because wiping down the countertop means lifting each item separately...a time consuming activity.

"What is the best way to organize this?" you ask. Here are a few guidelines:

1. Sort your countertop items into two piles:
• what you use everyday or at least every other day
• what you use less frequently
2. Ask yourself if you have more countertop space, back of the door space or wall space. This helps you decide if you should use the wall to store regularly used items (in a cabinet that you hang or mount), the door (in an over-the-door organizer with individual pockets), on the countertop (in a container), or a little of all three!
3. Choose products that are ATTRACTIVE to you AND durable and the right size to hold your items.

Pretty simple, eh? Here is the after picture of this countertop:
 

Is that not the cutest basket? It was purchased at Pier 1 for $10.00. The webbing is a plastic-y material so that if it does get wet it won't ruin the container. Try using a temporary container first - an old tupperware or planter to check size and see if you even like it before going and purchasing something. Then you can take the temporary container with you to find just the right size!


From now on the countertops can remain organized, kept clean easily and if you want to clear it off for company it takes just one hand to move the basket inside a cabinet!!!

How do you keep your bathroom countertop organized?

Delayed Decisions in the Basement

Check out our Facebook page - AND become a fan, please (by pressing the "LIKE" button)!! Eighteen photos have been uploaded in perfect "before and after" order of our precious client's basement. Sit back and enjoy them and imagine transforming your space into usable, efficient, BEAUTIFUL living space!

Remember, anytime you delay making a decision about what to do with something you are creating clutter! Try making three decisions today about what to do with your things. Tell me about it by posting a comment below.

Organizing Your Recipes - Part II

In Organizing Your Recipes - Part I I shared 5 steps to organizing your recipes using my organizing acronym SPASM. Following those steps you should have all of your recipes into sheet protectors by category with a tab in front of each main category.

Now we will label each tab. I use the white tabs that come with the insertable plastic dividers. I print out the category name on my label maker and stick the label onto one of the tabs. I wrap the excess label around the back of the tab if there is any so that I don't spend time cutting down the length. But, you could write your category on the tab or print out labels on card stock and cut them out. Here is a picture of my tabs.


Notice that I have BARS separate from cakes and cookies. In my recipe box I would always wonder which category my lemon bar recipe or my Loui's Ooey Gooeys recipe would be under. I LOVE it that I can have my own tab for BARS!!!!! That is the great thing about customizing your binder. It fits YOU!

Next, I wanted them to look great. I went on my computer to create a cover and a spine for the binder. I found an attractive photo and font and made the cover. I printed it on photo paper which I think makes a huge difference in the appearance.

Then I used a text box, adjusted the size to match the spine's width and length and typed out the categories in each binder. I wanted to easily see which binder I needed to pull off my shelf to find the recipe I would be looking for.


Now your binders are ready for your shelf. I keep mine in a cabinet but am considering where I could put them out because they make me so happy! :)

The great thing about a binder for your recipes is that you can use various size sheet protectors to add recipes. Here is a recipe printed off the computer in an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet protector. You may have a lot of recipes like that. GREAT! Just insert those behind the right tab.

What if you print a new recipe off or rip an article out of a magazine that you want to try? I would suggest you put it in the tab folder before inserting it into a page protector. That way when you plan out your next week's menu you will see that you have a new recipe to try and will schedule it into your menu!

This weekend I was craving my favorite Bran Muffins so I pulled out my binder and under BREAD I found it! It was so fast and enjoyable just looking for the recipe! My daughter helped my make them. I didn't even take the recipe card out. I just left the binder out on the stove. All the recipe cards are protected behind plastic.

PLEASE share with me how you organize your recipes. And, of course, send pictures of your new binders if this post has motivated you to organize your recipes!!

As promised in Part I here is my favorite bran muffin recipe...

Simply Squared Away's Bran Muffins

In mixing bowl stir bran and milk. Let stand 1-2 minutes.

2 1/2 cups Bran Flake cereal

1 1/4 cup milk

Add egg and oil to bran mixture stirring.

1 egg

1/4 cup oil
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/2 t salt

1 T baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

(I add 1/4 cup ground flax seeds)

Mix dry ingredients with wet JUST until combined. Put into muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. Eat fresh and hot with butter.

Organizing Your Recipes - Part I

I knew it was time to organize MY recipes because...

• My recipe box looked like this! Ugh! It was crammed full with recipe cards, torn slips of paper and recipes printed on full sheets of paper folded up! The tabs were worn and bent. AND, the lid kept falling off!!

• Every time I needed to find a recipe I had to grab the whole category (e.g. main dishes) and look at each title one by one to find the recipe I wanted. OR, I had to sift through loose recipes and papers.
  
• I had so many recipes in each category that as I scanned the titles I would think, "I should throw that out. I have never even made that! That looks too hard. That doesn't even sound good."

I finally had the time to work on this project. I had some of the supplies I needed and then actually remembered (wow!) when I was out running errands to look for the 3X5 page protectors. Here are the supplies I used:

• A Binder - I used a 1 1/2 inch and a 1 inch binder. I later switched this blue one to a white one so the two binders matched. In part two I will show you the after picture of my awesome recipe binders! :)
• 3X5 page protectors - I like the 3X5 size because my cards are that size (duh!) and because there are 4 per page (the 4X6 only have 2 per page). I found mine at Office Depot. I bought 10 packages just so I wouldn't run out.

• Dividers - I LOVE this kind. They have 8 dividers and each one has pockets - I will talk about how to use the pockets later.

So, let's get STARTED!!!

The 1st step in organizing is to...SORT! Since recipes in a box are already sorted I sorted my loose papers/recipes into the existing categories in the box. Then I took one category (i.e. main dishes) at a time and sorted them down further: Chicken, Beef, Ham, Italian, Mexican, etc. Please note that I continued with step 2 and 3 for each main food category before starting the next.

The 2nd step in my organizing acronym - SPASM - is to PURGE! Get realistic. If you haven't tried a recipe in a year don't keep it. If you decide to keep it then get it on your calendar and buy the ingredients. When you have whittled it down to those you want to keep you are ready for step three!

The 3rd step is the A - ASSIGN A HOME! Each main category's 'home' will be after it's tab divider. Place the first tab into your binder. Use a sticky note to label this tab temporarily until you are certain that this is the order you are happy with. Before placing your recipes into the protectors decide how you want to order the recipes/mini categories. I put them into the sheet protectors by mini categories. For example, I choose to put my chicken recipes in first with my favorite chicken recipes in the front. Then I put my beef recipes in with my favorite beef recipes in the beginning. And so on... There were a couple of blank pockets after each mini category so I would have room to add recipes later.

CONTINUE this process until all of your recipes are in the binder(s) with each main category behind a new tab.

The 4th step is to SET LIMITS. Try and think of natural limits that help control your stuff. Here, it could be the actual binder - once the binder is full you must purge. Or, another limit could be the number of page protectors per section - for example, 5 pages per category, etc.

The 5th step is to MAINTAIN. Here again try and think of natural occurrences where maintenance could occur. For example, with a closet you could maintain each time you wash clothes, each season when you switch seasonal clothing, each time you bring a new item in, etc. With your recipe binder(s) you can maintain each week when you menu plan or whenever you pull your binder off the shelf.

In Organizing Your Recipes - Part II I will talk about labeling the tabs, creating the cover and spine, and what to do with new recipes coming in! I will even post a picture of the first time using my new binder AND a favorite recipe!

Hangers: Can they change the way you FEEL??

Okay, I have to admit that I have not organized, or even purged, my own closet in the last two years! Well, maybe an item removed here or there but nothing big. I have walked into it several times ready to do some purging but stood there unsure where to start and decided I didn't have enough time, felt overwhelmed and turned around and walked out. Can you relate to that? I had these images in my mind of a complete closet restructure/makeover but when reality hits the closet is the last thing to get done.

The other day I was out returning something at Kohl's when I saw these hangers - the ones in all the pictures, sleek black velvet to keep clothes hung up, thin to create more room in your closet. I was inspired to once again organize my closet and since the hangers were on sale (and I had a coupon) I purchased them!

If you have stood at the door of your messy closet and felt overwhelmed and stuck here is the one, magical tip that helped me get started and keep going AND it can help you, too:

Organize and purge by color.

This makes it EASY to do a little at a time. It is EASY to get started. It is NOT overwhelming. Here is my step by step...

1. I grabbed all my white clothes - shirts, sweater, jackets, etc (I did pants/skirts separate). I placed the white pile on my bed and went through one piece at a time. Do I wear this? Is it in good shape? Does it fit good? Will I wear it next season? Answering those questions directed the piece to the donate pile OR I switched hangers and put it in my "keep" pile.

2. When I finished the white pile I grabbed the white "keep" pile off my bed, hung it at the front of my closet, arranged it in the order I wanted - I like short sleeve, sweater, jackets...

3. Then, grab the next color. It is easy to pick another color because color stands out. Choose a color you have less of. That way it is not overwhelming to go through a pile of five items verses 75.

4. Decide if it goes in the donate pile or "keep" pile, switch hangers and move to the next piece. Once that color is finished take the keep pile with nice, new hangers and place it next to the white clothes in the closet. Arrange in the order you like. Choose another color and repeat.

5. You may find an item that needs mending. Make a hard decision here. Are you going to take it to the seamstress right away or will it sit in a pile for a year cluttering your space. If you won't likely deal with it then donate it and move on.

6. I finished the process with black because I had a lot more black items.

7. Then move to pants and skirts. I fold some pants and shorts so once I finished with my hanging items I started on my shelves. The hangers were so beautiful to look at AND my clothes were color coordinated...I gained momentum and inspiration to keep going.

The great thing is that if time is running out and you need to move on to another activity you can easily come back to this project and just start in on another color!

Here is a section of my closet before (yes, a little embarrassing):

And, here is the same section after:

The hangers DO change the way I feel...EVERY time I walk into my closet!!

Organizing a Toy Room

I LOVE before and after pictures!!! Don't you? They inspire! They help you remember what life was like "before"! They remind you of the potential! They motivate you to move to the next space! They even help you remember to maintain!

I have the honor of sharing some before and after pictures of my client's basement (by the way, have I shared that we have been organizing a lot of basements lately?). In the next few weeks I will post the rest of the pictures but today we will see just the zone designated as the play area/therapy room.

This wonderful family has been blessed with four children - two of which have autism. The last five years have been a whirlwind of emotion, therapy, paperwork, learning, hard work, challenging times and joy filled moments for them. In the midst of all that some things were set aside - one being the home. Now, as the family comes to a point where they can focus on their home they have called me to help. I LOVE HELPING!

The basement was an area where things were taken and left until...later! When you stand and look at an area in your own home begin by asking yourself what will take place in this area. This basement needed to have 4 areas, or zones:

1. Toy/therapy
2. Workout/exercise
3. Relaxing - TV/books
4. Game room

Once we talked this out we could begin the organizing process:

• Sort
• Purge
• Assign a home
• Set limits (with containers, shelves, etc)
• Maintain

Remember my acronym SPASM? If not read about it here.

Here it is...what was once the office and holding area is now a bright and cheery playroom used for play and for therapy!

BEFORE:


AFTER:

Amazing, eh?

"The Cabinet"

Do you have one of these cabinets...It is the catch all place for all office supplies, phone books, papers of all kinds, markers, kids crafts, cords, electronics, etc. Usually it is around the area you handle the mail. For most it is in the kitchen near a desk...

I wanted to show one of my client's NEW, organized cabinet. Too bad I forgot to take a before picture so that you could see how full of papers and stuff it was - unrecognizable. But we all have something like it...somewhere. And even the most organized people out there have to consistently maintain this special cabinet.

This cabinet is great because it has adjustable shelves. If you look closely you will see that we put the black notebooks in a clear-ish magazine holder turned on its side so they wouldn't fall over. Most of the paper that was smashed in the cabinet was thrown out or moved to permanent files but the white binder with clear sheet protectors keeps important documents.

My client found the Clear AkroBins on the left at The Container Store. We labeled them for the various things she wanted to keep near her kitchen/desk area: markers, pencils, nail supplies, office supplies, money, postage, etc. The top shelf has four areas reserved for stationary, pet supplies, cameras/cords, and checks.

To start a project like this on your own use my organizing acronym "SPASM" to help...

1. Pull out the things in your cabinet one by one and Sort them into piles. Use a sticky note to write each category name near the pile so you don't forget. You may have categories like crafts, paper, phone books, addresses, office supplies, etc.
2. Purge each pile. Throw away, donate or recycle all that you can.
3. Now Assign a home to each category. Do you want to keep it in this cabinet? This step is a little like a puzzle - figuring out how and where each item will fit into the cabinet. Try it different ways until you come up with a solution you like.
4. Next, Set limits by using containers. Decide what kind of containers you need. Try items you have around the house - old Tupperware, cups for pencils, shoe boxes - just to see how it fits. Then you can search the stores or online to find just the right containers. Set limits with statements, too. Say, "I will only use this area for stationary (or pens, phone books, post-its). When it is full I will purge and donate some to make room for the new."
5. Lastly, Maintain! This is key to continued organization. When you notice it is getting messy follow this acronym again. Maybe you will have to make some changes, add a new category or move a category to a different location.

Have fun! Send me before and after pictures of your project! Enjoy the results but don't waste too much time staring at your beautiful cabinet!!

Meal Planning

Meal planning - getting a healthy, balanced meal to our tables - is an area where many people lack organization and become frustrated and disappointed.

I always find myself drawn to this topic. I usually plan a menu and go to the grocery store to buy the ingredients I need but I am always looking for new ideas and recipes. I have friends on both sides of the spectrum - those that don't have any list or meals planned out and those that have it down to a science with coupons, fliers and deal-hunting focus. My mother-in-law always tells me that she menu planned around the sale ads - whatever meat that was on sale was the center of her menu.

Categorizing each day of the week is a handy tool that helps with menu planning. Of course, you need to arrange the categories to fit your schedule. Try these category ideas:

Monday - New recipe
Tuesday - Crock pot
Wednesday - Easy/Fast
Thursday - Kid's Favorite
Friday - Meatless
Saturday - Asian
Sunday - Eat out

Or you could also try categories like these:

Monday - Mexican
Tuesday - Italian
Wednesday - Crock pot
Thursday - Asian
Friday - American
Saturday - Frozen
Sunday - Eat out

Or what about salad, pizza, soup, sandwich...Remember to stay flexible! Have an outline of meals for the week but when it comes down to it don't cry if you forgot to put food in the crock pot on Wednesday morning. When you get home, eat the frozen meal from Friday and do the crock pot meal later in the week. Also, if you ate Mexican on Sunday when you went out to dinner you might want to switch your Mexican Monday with your Asian Thursday meal.

I get on these kicks when I am reading a new [recipe] book and have to try a ton of new recipes. My favorite book, click here for my post reviewing this book , The Eat Clean Diet has a RECHARGED version out now. In it is my new favorite recipe: Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice that is unbelievably delicious. This was the first time I cooked with fish sauce and oyster sauce...not a nice smell when you add it to the mix but somehow it turns into fabulous flavor! Also, the Thai Steak on Soba Noodles was wonderful. I think that is why I have a category for Asian in both lists!

Try this:
Take an hour this weekend and plan out a month of meals using the category ideas above. Write your grocery lists for each week. Keep the menus and lists in a binder for easy access. Let me know how this helps you stay organized with your meal planning this next month!

Are there other ideas that work for you when it comes to meal planning? Please share!

GO Month Project: Organizing the PKD Foundations' New Office Space

January is NAPO's National Get Organized (GO) Month. It is a time for professional organizers around the world to give back to their community and educate the public about what we do and how it can be of help.

The professional organizers in Kansas City are giving back to our community by helping the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation. The PKD Foundation is the only organization, worldwide, dedicated to fighting polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The mission of the PKD Foundation is to: "Promote programs of research, advocacy, education, support and awareness in order to discover treatments and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease and improve the lives of all it affects."

We will be organizing their mail and storage rooms when they move into their new office space. Since their move doesn't take place until the end of February our GO Month project will not be finished until then. We didn't want to miss this opportunity to give the PKD staff a fresh, organized and productive start in their new offices.

Yesterday, three other organizers and I toured the PKD's national headquarters' current office space and then traveled to their new office space. We compared and planned how they could fit their current inventory into the new space to create optimal productivity, be visually appealing AND be easy to maintain.

Ray Smith, the National Director of Finance and Administration, commented, "The timing could not have been more perfect...Before construction begins on the new space we now have a plan to best organize our storage and mail room supplies AND a list of things to do to get ready for the move! Thank you!"

Be looking for the before and after photos in early March when the project is complete!

Office Revamp

Traveling a lot, not having systems in place that work, waiting until clutter builds up and being overwhelmed with where to start can turn your home office into a place you would rather not go! That is how my client felt and that is why she asked for help. Following the basic organizing steps we transformed her home office into a place where she can get projects completed and even enjoy spending time there! Have fun looking at these before and after photos!

Organizing Girl's Hair Pretties

One of my friends calls hair accessories "hair pretties" so that is how I titled the post!

A recent client has three daughters. They have LOTS of hair pretties. They had tried to find a way to organize the cabinet where they kept these things but nothing ever worked and the cabinet would always end up a mess with all the hair pretties piled in!


Here is what we did with just two three drawer organizers that you can find at Target for $9.99 each and some Velcro and ribbon! Her daughters LOVE it and they LOVE to keep it CLEAN!

We sorted through all the hair things which was probably the most time consuming. Then we labeled the drawers for each type: ponies, head bands, ponies with decorations, clipies, etc. We attached ribbon to a piece of Velcro at the top and bottom and then attached it to the inside of the cabinet door. The Velcro has adhesive on both sides so we didn't even need glue. Then we clipped all the bows to the ribbon.

Simple. Cute. Organized.

What does being "organized" mean?

Barbara Hemphill, CPO® (Certified Professional Organizer), “America’s Favorite Organizer”and owner of The Paper Tiger Productivity Institute, defines organization by asking the following 4 questions:

1. Does it work?
2. Do you like it?
3. Does it work for other people?
4. Can you recover quickly from inevitable disorganization? (Life happens, we are busy, things get messy...but can you recover quickly?)

Isn't that great!? Ask yourselves those questions in regard to your home...or your office...or your business.

Here is a picture of Barabara (who has been organizing for 30 years!!) and I at the 2009 National Association of Professional Organizer's conference in Orlando, Florida.

Inspiration and information!

The Guest Room/Office Transformation

I love what I do...helping people accomplish a task...transform a space... organize...provide peace of mind...transfer skills... whatever you call it, I LOVE it!

My clients are very capable, smart and talented people! They could do what I help them to do but many have said that this scheduled time, the extra set of hands, a focused perspective and experienced ideas are what gets the projects done!

A recent client who has three children and a full life had gotten overwhelmed and wanted help with her spare bedroom/office. She wanted her guests to have a clean, welcoming place to stay and for herself to have a place to do her work that was inviting. Some of the things that were being stored in the room were her children's memorabilia, family photos, paperwork, family history memorabilia and some things that she knew she could get rid of but just hadn't had the time to get through - a couple old file cabinets, pictures she wanted to sell on eBay, etc.

Here are the stunning before and after photos:

We went through the organizing steps: sort, purge/go through each pile, decide on where to store things, contain them, and finally enjoy the finished product!!

Obviously everything in the room didn't just disappear. The things that she kept - children's memorabilia that is now organized by year - and family history and photos are stored in clear, labeled plastic bins. There was a closet that was being used to store blankets and pillows that now houses these bins under a couple of the blankets!


The rest of the items had a home already elsewhere in the house or were donated, returned to someone else or placed in the trash.

Ahhhh, let the guests come visiting! And, let the goals get accomplished in an office like that!

A Stuffed T-shirt Drawer?

This file drawer reminds me of my husband's old T-shirt drawer. His drawer was so stuffed full that I never wanted to put fresh, clean, well-folded shirts into it because I'd have to smash them in and crush down the piles just to get the drawer closed!!

Just like a stuffed full t-shirt drawer these files were stuffed full and rarely used. Nothing could fit in them and they were visually unattractive...which makes filing unappealing!

THE PROBLEM:

That's why I was called...to solve the problem: setting up a paper system...a flow for paper when it comes in the office and to create the file drawers. Where do you put things? Which files should go in which drawers? What do you do with reading material? Where should my briefcase go? Do I need to keep this?

THE PROCESS:

To solve the problem requires understanding it. My client and I talked through the papers, categories, job requirements, frustrations, factors involved in the position (competitors, partners, reference/historical papers to keep, reports, etc). We looked at the space available. I made a plan for each area using some general rules: keep action files closest to the desk, store historical data farthest from your work area, have a "home" for each item.

Then came the organizing process. We sorted all the paper in the office and cleaned out and sorted through all the drawers. I used post-its and made notes on the papers as we pulled them out so we knew what they were. This helped file faster at the end. A LOT of papers went in the trash.

Then, I wrote all the files in their categories and subcategories on the dry erase board. This way we could move things around and the client had a visual picture of what his files would look like - a road map.

Next, we made the files tabs. Smead Viewables (from Office Depot) are what I used for the main category tabs. These are tall, can be read from the front, side and back and are colorful and easy to make. For the subcategories I designed a template that had colors to match the Viewables. I read them off the board as my client typed them in the computer. After diligent fine motor skills the files were finished.

THE RESULT:

Here is one of his four file drawers.

You may notice that there are limited manila folders. I know for some things, especially those things that you pull in and out a lot, you might need a couple. Visually, I love the clean look with out them.

A fresh perspective, the right tools, a plan and hands-on help took these files from the "stuffed t-shirt drawer" look to a "glass front kitchen cabinet" look (you know the ones on Martha Stewart with all white matching dishes spaced evenly - crisp and clean)!! I think I would want to leave the drawer open just to see how awesome it looks. Filing in them would be a highlight of the day, don't you think? Read my client's testimony on my website's home page.

I am always so inspired by my clients that I went home and redid one of my own file drawers!

Be inspired yourself!!

GO Month Project

NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) sponsors Get Organized (GO) Month every January. Now in its fifth year, GO Month is dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of getting organized and of hiring a NAPO professional organizer.

This month, here in Kansas City, a group of local professional organizers worked on a GO Month project together. We organized the kitchens and laundry room of The Kansas City Hospice House. The Kansas City Hospice House provides medical and nursing care for patients facing advanced illnesses, as well as emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families, all in the comfort of a beautiful, homelike environment.

The facility and people are warm and welcoming. Calm and peaceful feelings put their arms around you as you enter. It doesn't look unorganized. I was wondering what we were going to do. So this is what we did...

Whenever you have multiple people using an area it tends to get unorganized. People are not sure where to put things away, things get left behind, food expires but doesn't get thrown away, etc.

Myself and Ty, a fellow PO (Professional Organizer), took one of the kitchens. We started by cleaning out everything - sorting as we took things out. Below is a picture of all the extra dishes, Tupperware, trays and vases that we removed from the cabinets. None of these were getting used. They were stuck in the cabinets because they had most likely been left behind. Knowing that this would continue, we chose a shelf for Tupperware and dishes, labeled it and made a plan for the volunteer to clean out this shelf once a month. They will either donate these items or have a mini "garage sale" and use the money for things needed in the house.

Then, as we looked at what happens in the kitchen we placed things that were needed in close range. For example, coffee is served all day. Coffee condiments all are in one drawer right under the coffee pots with the refills for them in the cabinets below. We labeled the drawers in the front and on the top rim so that you could see them from both angles. Now, the volunteer assigned to this kitchen will know exactly where things go and where supplies needed to restock are located.

We continued in this manner until everything was labeled and had a home. Then we drew up a diagram of the kitchen and its contents. One of the lead organizers, Linda, had done a lot of the prep work and would be finishing the completed diagrams for each kitchen. We would place a "map" in each room so that visitors, volunteers and the staff all know where things belong.

Not a lot of hard core work but it needed to be done and it was a joy to work with wonderful people accomplishing a task. Hopefully with the maps of each room and the idea that a volunteer would be assigned to the specific upkeep of an area things will be maintained!

Delayed Decisions

Take a minute and walk through your home or office. Look around. Open closets, cabinets, drawers...

Do you see junk? Stuff? Piles? Clutter?

Now think about this: Clutter is really just delayed decision making.

Couldn't decide what to do with this...where to file that...if you needed to keep or donate this. Couldn't decide on a home for that...really didn't have room for this...didn't have files made for that pile of paper...don't have time to decide on these papers...couldn't remember if that fit... And then, can't decide where to start organizing...should I ask for help... The list is endless but a lot of it comes down to decision making. We delay making a decision and clutter forms.

To help make decisions as you organize ask the following questions:

1. Do I need this? (If not have a bag or box ready and labeled to collect trash and donations.)
2. What purpose will it serve? (Everything needs a purpose!)
3. Do I love this? Is it beautiful?
4. Does this reflect the life I envision and desire? (Your old collection of thimbles or your 80's southwestern art may not be who you are now - or who you want to be!)
5. What will happen if I get rid of it? Is it information I can find elsewhere if I were to need it again?
6. Do I use it? Do I wear it (and look good) in it?

If you still can't make a decision try this:

Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Exhale. Hold the item and be still for a moment. Envision the life you want. Are you feeling heavy and burdened by the item you are holding? Or, are you feeling excited and hopeful of the future as you hold this item. This method will confirm the answer you probably knew but didn't want to face.

Try doing this with 5 items per day. Keep a labeled donate box open and in an accessible spot - right inside your garage door, in your laundry room, etc. Start doing this regularly and you will get better at making decisions and clutter will start to disappear!!

Organizing is like Exercise

When I thought about the fact that I would have to exercise for the REST of my life the thought was kind of depressing. I knew then that I would need to continually find something that motivated me (which often changes) and that I would have to enjoy it - or at least different aspects of it - in order to keep it up.

Organizing is like exercise... We have to find what motivates us and we need to find enjoyment in the process.

If we expect to organize, be done, and "relax," we are believing a lie and will most likely become overwhelmed, disappointed and give up. Realize that it is a lifelong process - once you reach your initial organization goals it requires maintenance to keep it up...forever!! On the bright side, once you find processes and systems that work for you - and you practice them - it does get easier.

The same goes for weight loss or exercise. You work hard, seek assistance to reach your initial goals (by joining a gym, hiring a trainer, becoming accountable with a friend) and then you maintain...for the rest of your life. At times you need to revamp, rededicate, work a little harder to get "back on the wagon" (does that sound familiar??). So, knowing it is a life long commitment requires that to keep it up you better make it enjoyable!!

Actually, a lot of things fit into this category: eating habits, our health, relationships, laundry...think on that awhile!

Chinese Philosopher Lao-tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." If we see that journey just for the end location we miss out on the scenery and the adventure of the travel/process along the way.

Organizing can be a fun, enjoyable process. It is important to make it fun. I have included a couple of ideas to try while organizing your life, your home, your routines, etc...

First, write out your projects - break the big ones (like organizing the whole house) into smaller ones (list each room or area). Being able to check off completed projects will motivate you.

Second, include things that make you happy while you organize:

• drink you favorite drink
• light your favorite scented candle
• play your favorite CD
• laugh and take breaks
• work with someone you like (a family member, friend, Professional Organizer)

Third, celebrate your accomplishments:

• Have friends & family each pick a goal to surprise you with a reward. For example, if your goals are to clean out the guest room, finish your back taxes, create a 2 week menu, clean out the garage, get rid of 20 bags of "stuff" from your home - then have each person pick a goal. When you reach that goal they can surprise you with your reward. It may be a lunch out, a Red Box movie night with girlfriends, a CD you've been wanting, time together, etc... Have fun with this.
• If you don't have family or friends with a vested interest then do this yourself. For example, put $100 away with each goal accomplished to go towards a trip you have dreamed of, buy one place setting of new dishes so that when you are done you can have a dinner celebration with friends, share your 2 week menu and recipes with all your friends, get a pedicure (and you can't have one before you reach your goal! :)), have a potluck with your 5 favorite friends, find a new park to take your dog for a walk in, etc. Remember you don't have to spend money - be creative and think of some fun rewards.
• Make sure you write these down. Hang the list inside the cabinet door in your kitchen. I love to hang things inside the cabinet doors because I see them often but my kitchen remains uncluttered.

Lastly, make up games to challenge you while organizing.

• Time yourself and see how fast you can fill up one bag to get rid of.
• Pretend and plan that you are making your garage into a "Home Depot."
• Have you and your kids blast the music and dance around while you put the laundry away! It will become a tradition that they love!

Try some of these things and let me know if they motivated you and/or helped you enjoy the process a little.

Feel the fear and take the leap anyway! Some of you may have anxiety to ask for help. Be honest and open. Tell someone how you're feeling. Ask them to help you or help you figure what your first step is or to pray for you and keep you accountable. This year is all about being honest and making changes to improve your life and the lives of those around you!!

Parking in the Garage

The cold weather is coming!! One thing I am thankful for and love is going straight from my warm house to my car without stepping outside and without scraping the frost off the windshield!! But, for those of you whose garages serve as storage areas for excess stuff instead of a place to park your car, you may not have this luxury.

This was the case for a recent client. BUT, she decided to change that! She decided to have a party instead. She invited two of her wonderful, servant friends to help her and I clear out her garage. The weekend prior she and her husband did some preliminary work. They got rid of 15 bags of trash and had a general idea of what to keep and what to get rid of.

As you can see she hadn't parked in her garage for some time!!

The party started at 1:00!! Her and I started clearing things out of the garage and hauling things to the curb for a scheduled big trash pick up the next day. The first friend showed up at 1:30 and joined in. By 2:15 we had the garage cleared out, swept clean and ready to do the real organizing.

Remember, the first step is to plan. We talked through our zones and planned out the best locations for each. The second friend showed up just in time for the second step - sorting!! We sorted, went through each pile, contained, labeled, wrote a list of extra supplies she needed to purchase and hand-drew a picture for the tool zone and storage wall which will be finished at a later time.

Now, catch this...by 3:30 we were done!! Here is the picture I took at 3:30!

And here is the curb!

Aahhhhh, the freedom and "weight" that is gone when you simplify the stuff you own.

Some people may be groaning or getting hives just thinking about their own garages (or other problem areas) but DO NOT FEAR! Those of us, like me, who love to organize get a contagious, exhilarating feeling knowing what possibilities and amazing results can be achieved!! We can even have FUN! And we can help you have fun! Have a party with your friends! Give it a try!

Transformations

All of us encounter setbacks in our lives at one time or another. Something changes... a death, a new baby, a move... Maybe you haven't identified exactly what it is in your life but maybe you can relate to this client. She has allowed me to share this for those of you who are struggling with getting organized and moving on with the life you want to live.

"Tammy" had a baby AND moved with her husband across the country to an area where she had little extended family support. Then she had another baby and moved again... Her home was not the first priority and being a perfectionist and struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder she just couldn't keep up. Then she had her third child. She finally, after working through the anxiety of letting someone come into her home, let me help.

In this post I will feature the "dining room." This room was being used for miscellaneous storage and had never gotten unpacked and therefore was not being used. She desired for this to be her children's playroom. She envisioned crafts, games, a cozy television area, a table to create things, etc. After talking with her about her dreams for this area we created three zones: crafts, electronics, and games. Simple, huh??

Now we have a plan. Remember that is the first step. Next, we started sorting. No decisions yet, just sorting. Of course, I am always forgetting to take before pictures so here is a mid-way-through-the-sorting picture:

After sorting, we went pile by pile. We donated some things, moved some things to other areas of the home - some for permanent storage and some to go through at a later date, we recycled, and sent some things to the trash bin.

Now that the room is finished there is nothing in the room that doesn't fit into one of the three zones. The electronic zone has a cozy couch, a television, and a television stand that also stores the children's music. The game zone has two shelving units that hold all of their games. There is a table that can be folded down or kept up for games, crafts, homework, etc.

And the best part...this awesome craft armoire!! They had this beautiful armoire in their garage not being used. Her husband added a shelf and we measured out the space to purchase clear storage for all of the craft mediums. The kids were so excited about their new room that they spent several days "crafting." They can clean up, too, because everything has a home!

What areas are unused in your home? Or filled with clutter or unpacked boxes? What are the possibilities? Don't be ashamed. Focus on the small steps that lead to the end result!! Dream big and then lets get it accomplished so you and the people around you can live a full, abundant life!!