Holiday Technology Tools

/4 Comments/in , , /by
 holiday tech tools

 

 

The holiday buzz starts early! In October and November is the time to get started on our holiday preparations.  Not only do we need the time, it is tons of fun to stretch out the holiday spirit.  Why not add some new tools to your holiday preparations?  Get ahead this year with your holiday planning using holiday technology.  Thanks to Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, I am surrounded (virtually) by amazing women entrepreneurs and bloggers.  I asked them to share what works best!

 

I use evite to organize all the gatherings for the end of the year holidays.  From guests, who will come or not, what to bring, attire and super cute templates, I just love this online tool year-round. I also love Shutterfly’s shared websites to organize the kids’ classroom parties. Once you create the event you can add a sign-up list of what to bring, and afterwards we all share our favorite pictures.  Having fun just got a lot easier with these tools!

 Helena Alkhas

www.facebook.com/HelenaAPersonalOrganizer

@HelenaAlkhas

www.pinterest.com/helenaalkhas

www.youtube.com/user/HelenaAlkhas

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+HelenaAlkhasHA1/posts

 

Think about unplugging for a couple days during the holidays.  Use your technology to plan better, such as google calendar.   Automate as much as you can with holiday cards and automatic payments.    

Laura Rolands

@coachforADHD

www.myattentioncoach.com

www.facebook.com/myattentioncoach

Managing the way I read the news and any other topics I’m interested has changed dramatically thanks to my favorite tool – Flipboard.  It makes every story into a beautiful magazine-like page that can be ‘flipped’ through. Personally,  I love flipping through: news, art, culture, travel, style and lifestyle topics to name a few.  

Geralin Thomas

@metrozing

www.metropolitanorganizing.com

https://www.facebook.com/GeralinThomas

http://www.pinterest.com/Geralin/

 

 

I use a binder designated Holidays and fill it with lists for cards, crafts, gifts, meals and recipes.  These are all printed from ListPlanIt, of course! 

Jen Tankersley

@ListPlanIt

www.listplanit.com

www.facebook.com/ListPlanIt

 

 

My favorite Holiday Tech Tool is SendOutCards. http://www.sendoutcards.com/11788.  I used to spend hours writing personal messages, stuffing, addressing and stamping envelopes for my Christmas cards. Every year, to try to save time, the list would get shorter and shorter. Then I found SendOutCards. I now send over 300 greetings, each with a personal message, in a fraction of the time. It allows me to send my love and well wishes in a big way.  

Stephanie LH Calahan – Business Vision Catalyst

@StephCalahan

http://www.stephaniecalahan.com

 

 

During the holidays, I do much of my shopping online to avoid mall rage. (Closely related to road rage, but without vehicles.) I never shop for anything without first checking www.retailmenot.com to see if there are coupon codes for that site. I’ve saved on everything from ordering pizza to photos. Then I log into www.ebates.com where I get paid cash back to shop! The amount varies per store, per day but when I combine those two, I’ve saved sometimes up to 25% in discounts and getting cash back. Don’t shop online without these tools!

Kirsten Oliphant

@kikimojo (twitter, instagram, Pinterest)

www.kirstenoliphant.com

Managing holiday music has never been easier with Pandora radio. It is an option for the smart phone or computer.  At www.pandora.com, you choose free music to play, choosing by artist or genre.  It creates “stations” with various artists. The most amazing aspect is the “mix” Pandora radio creates with your station.  The variety of artists is unlimited too! 

Certified Professional Organizer Ellen Delap

@TexasOrganizer

www.professional-organizer.com

www.facebook.com/EllenDelapProfessionalOrganizer

www.pinterest/EllenDelap 

 

Join me for more holiday tips on pinterest  Happy Holidays.

Don’t miss out on upcoming organizing tips and techniques! Click here to subscribe to my monthly newsletter.

 

Back to School: Student Organizing

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

Student Organizing

 

There are really no classes that teach organizing to your student.  Teachers will assign ways to organize a notebook or keep up with papers in a way they think will work for your student. But organizing styles vary.  Here are some ways to help your middle and high school student get organized for school.

  • Take a trip to a local retailer to talk about the planners that are available. Most students need a week at a glance planner. It can be a medium or large size, preferably spiral bound to fully open, and with an array of spaces to write in assignments.  Have your student talk through how they will use the planner, how it will fit in their backpack, and how quickly they can get it out to write in their assignments.  Writing down each assignment is a critical factor in getting homework done.   If your student is dismisses the idea of a planner, you can start with an open pad of paper or even index cards.  Students need to write stuff down.
  • Start talking about times to start and end homework.  Our students are busy and have a lot on their plate. Talk about how long does it take to do homework.   Most students do best with a short break before starting homework and knowing to finish by a certain time.  Having time on the weekend is important for projects and getting a little ahead each week. 
  • Set up a space for homework that promotes productivity.  The dining room is a great spot to work because there are few distractions.  Stock a caddy with the tools needed, like pens, stapler, scissors, index cards and tape.
  • Establish a homework folder.  This is the one place all homework goes to when assigned and ends up in when completed.  Having a single spot to put any and all homework and notes makes it easy to find and turn in assignments.
  • Kids are overwhelmed by paper too.  Set up one notebook that holds all the subjects.  It’s easier to keep up with one notebook than seven. In the notebook use tabbed slash pockets for each subject. Papers slip in and out easily without needing a hole punch.  Purchase a small file box and label tabbed hanging files with each subject.  Once a marking period, sit with your student while cleaning out from the notebook to the file.

What strategies does your student use to organize?

Back to School: Organizing Your Kids Clothes

/1 Comment/in , , /by

 

back to school organizing your kids' clothes

It’s just a few weeks before school starts and your kids are still in shorts and tee shirts.  The drawers in their rooms are overflowing with sizes ranging from too small to too big. And you have just returned from purchasing school clothes for this year.  It’s clothes chaos!  Follow these simple steps to get your kids clothes ready for back to school.

  • Set a side a two hour time block to work in each child’s space.  Sort through all the clothes and keep only what fits in the drawers or closet.  Keep the other sizes in bins marked by size, gender, and season.  These can be stored in the attic and stacked.  Mark the bins well, on the top, side and front, so you know what is what.  Most of the time just you do the sorting, not the kids, just to expedite the process.  Use a bin no larger than 66 quart just so you can easily move it once it is filled with clothes.  Some people prefer to use space bags to store clothes under the kids’ beds too.  Remember to keep only what is in prime condition.  Yucky or torn clothes should be donated as rags.  
  • Decide what access you want your kids to have to clothes. It’s easiest for them to dress themselves when they can easily reach what is acceptable school attire. Hang the party dresses, extra jackets or too short shorts in a less accessible spot.   If you have just a long hang section in their closet, create a second hanging shelf with a double hang closet rod. Another great tool is the 6 shelf hanging system.  It’s easy to see and access for everyone.  If you use a dresser, be sure the drawers easily glide in and out for your kids to get in there easily.
  • Place the clothes in the best spots and then label the shelf or drawer.  It is so much easier for everyone with labeling! Dad, Mom, kids, and helpers all know where the laundry goes when it is ready to put away.
  • Make laundry easy with a divided sorter. Slots can be darks, lights, towels or kids, adults, dry clean.  Place the sorter where everyone can drop their clothes in easily.
  • As the seasons change, take an hour to remove and store the clothes you are keeping for the next child.   Grab a bin and keep your clothes storage system up to date.
  • Have your kids lay their clothes out the night before. It eliminates one more thing to do in the morning.  They can keep their jammies under their pillow and quickly get ready each day.

organizing your kids' clothes

What ways do you make organizing your kids’ clothes easier?

 

 

 

 

Back to School: Organize your School Supplies

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Back to School

 

Back to school sales are everywhere at this time of year.  Most families have a large supply of items often spread out around the house.  Organizing your supplies saves you money and time.

  • Get started by corralling all your supplies.  Supplies may be hiding in various spots, including your kids’ rooms, the office or the kitchen. Gather these together to assess what you have.  You may have a glut of lined paper and not even know.  
  • Decide on a common location to house your supplies.  The location should be easy access for your kids so they can check and see when they need something.  Great spots to keep supplies are an office area, a secondary or storage off the kitchen.  With a central location, you can also check throughout the year on what to purchase.
  • Your storage location dictates your organizing strategy and tools.  Some ideas depending on your space include a 3 drawer sterilite bin, stacked shoebox bins, cute stacking boxes or a back of the door shoe organizer.  Stock your kids’ back packs too including tools in one part of their backpacks or a zipper case.
  • Be sure to label each category so that everyone knows where to get and return the supplies.

 

 

Organizing school supplies

Routines make Back To School So Easy!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

back to school routines

 

Back to school so soon! Get in the Back to School Groove with these simple routines. This article is featured on Organize to Revitalize.

http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2013/08/05/get-in-the-back-to-school-groove/

Hugs and Happy Organizing Kitchen Command Center

/0 Comments/in , , /by

kitchen organizing

 

Kitchen work spaces and counters get cluttered with papers, toys, supplies and projects.  Help yourself to some inner and outer calm by clearing the clutter in this space.  Setting up your kitchen command center makes it easy to find what you need when you need it.

  • First distribute all the items to their proper homes. Have your kids be runners, set the kitchen timer, and play beat the clock. If you are the runner, separate everything into piles for each room first.  
  • Create a slot for different categories of items you intend to keep at your work space.  These categories include directories, cookbooks, school supplies,  bills paying and any other task you want to do in this space.  Remember the more tasks to do, the more that needs to be stored. Assign another spot as the family landing strip.  Keeping this area sacred for the tasks to be done there keeps it clear.
  • Give yourself a weekly, one hour time to work in this area on papers.  This keeps clutter from accumulating.
  • Be sure to include a nearby recycling or trash area.

Hugs and happy organizing!

Back to School Checklists

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

 

back to school check lists

I love checklists! Back to school can be stressful and often we forget some of the most important, simple items.  Here are a few sample back to school checklists to cover your back to school needs.

Real simple back to school checklist

Real Simple Back to School Checklist

Real Simple Back to School Checklist

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/back-school-essentials-checklist-00000000000242/index.html

mom agenda back to school check list

Mom Agenda Back to School Checklist

MomAgenda Back to School Checklist

http://www.momagenda.com/printable/back-to-school.pdf

Container Store College products

Container Store Back to College Checklist

Container Store College Checklist

http://www.containerstore.com/pdf/college/checklist-2009.pdf

professional-organizer.com back to school checklist

Professional-Organizer.com Back to School Checklist

Professional-Organizer.com Back to School Checklist

https://professional-organizer.com/WordPress/tag/school-checklist/

 

Family Meetings: Communication and Cohesiveness

/2 Comments/in /by
family meeting and organizing

Make the Most of Your Family Meeting

 

Join me on Organize to Revitalize about 5 Ways to Make the Most of your Family Meeting.

You will be glad you did!

http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2013/07/01/5-ways-to-make-the-most-of-your-family-meeting/

Hugs and Happy Organizing! Teen Organizing

/2 Comments/in , , /by

Hugs and Happy Organizing posts are about client successes. Here you will find a happy organizing story about teen organizing.

organize your teen's room

 

Teens crave organization, but often are too busy to work through the challenges of creating systems and routines that work.

  • Offer an incentive and find what is important for your teen. Set a time to work together on the project that works for both you and them.
  • Together purge and eliminate items that are no longer useful or needed.  Allow your teen the opportunity to let go of items, even if you are not comfortable with that. 
  • Group items together that are used together, such as media, books, and supplies.  Think of this as stations within the room.
  • With less items in the space, it is much easier to maintain.  Help your teen establish times to get items back into order.  Our kids are very busy but it is always important to get organized.

What ways have your helped your teen get organized?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hugs and Happy Organizing: Organizing your Storage

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Hugs and Happy Organizing posts are about client successes. Here you will find a happy organizing story about storage.

 

storage and organizing

 

If you are fortunate enough to have additional storage, you are truly blessed! Even storage can be in total disarray when we have too much.

  • Group items together that are alike. In storage that may be clothes, games, office supplies or furniture. Once gathered, decide what to keep and what to donate, sell or trash.  Storage is usually filled with items that you have not made a decision about… so make a decision! 
  • Take items away immediately.  You won’t regret this.
  • Place the items on shelving depending on the access you need to the item.  Frequently used items need to be near the door and easy to access. If you want your kids to access items, be sure these are low enough.
  • Label where the item goes so everyone knows where to put it back.

Hugs and happy organizing!