Fall Classes 2010

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Fall means back to school! The sunny days of summer are over and fall is a great time to tackle those home projects.    Join me in learning more about organizing strategies at these upcoming events! 

Fall Refresh on September 14

Fall Refresh is an engaging afternoon program about organizing and interior design.  Certified Professional Organizer Ellen Delap will present Out with the Old .  Interior Decorator Leslie Sarmiento will present Company’s coming!  Refresh your home by decluttering and adding the latest in decorating trends.    Bring at friend and join us at this free presentation at Kingwood Public Library at 1 pm. 

 Organizing for Academic Success on September 20

Struggling to help your child with school success?  Join me in sharing techniques and tools to help your student get into the groove of school again.  Class is offered by phone at 7 pm central time.  Fee of $29. http://theprofessionalorganizer.com/organizingclasses/back-to-schoolwork/organizing-for-academic-success/ 

Organizing for Academic Success  for the AD/HD Student on September 21 

Join me for strategies to help your student with AD/HD achieve the success she/he deserves.  Class is free at Kingwood Public Library at 1 pm.

 Clutter Support Group beginning September 21

Have you had a life long struggle with being organized?  Need support from a community of people who are equally overwhelmed?  Join me in learning from others in the Clutter Support Group. This membership based group is the starting point for your journey in transforming your life, helping you define, establish and maintain an uncluttered lifestyle.  Group meets for 6 weeks, starting September 21.  Fee of $120.  Contact Ellen for details. 

Organizing for the Busy Mom and Dad  starting October 5

Take a fresh perspective to improve your and your family’s quality of life!   The Family Manager™system transfers management skills and strategies  from the business arena to running your home and personal life.  Family Manager skills help you reduce daily stress, create a smoothly running home, and have time for self care and recreation. Four weekly one hour teleclasses on  October 5, 12, 19, and 26.  Fee of $49.  Contact Ellen for details. 

Technology and You! Calendars, Addresses and More!

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It used to be we relied on paper and pencil.  Now there are many outstanding ways to stay on top of dates and details.  The best tool for this?  Here are some options!

Never forget a date again with google and the google calendar.   Input your info from your phone or from your computer.   Its with you all the time so you can consult your calendar and then make a plan.  Add dates right away while at the doctor or at school.  And you can keep track of all your family on this calendar.   Share your schedule with Dad, mom and kids.  Everyone can enter information so right away you know when your kids’ soccer games are, their test dates and more.  Enter birthdays, anniversaries and other special events and mark them as recurring events.  You will be alerted for these.  And this is all free!

Never lose track of someone’s address or phone number again.  Using Outlook makes keeping it all together so easy.  Upload information right away from email and add phone and address too!   I also suggest adding your own signature line to your email.  This is a way to share your contact information right away. (Here are some instructions for adding this.   http://email.about.com/od/outlooktips/qt/Create_Email_Signature_Outlook.htm)  If your phone synchronizes with Outlook you are totally set!

I love having lists ready to go! So why reinvent them?  A great service ListPlanIt.com has lists for every possible need.  With over 500 lists to choose from,  you will have them at your fingertips.  Check it out and see what you think at www.listplanit.com . 

Have technology that works for you?  Share that tool here!

Conscious Donation and Goodwill Industries

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Many thanks to industy leader Lorie Marrerro as a cheerleader, educator and spokesperson for Goodwill.  Not only does Lorie challenge us to join her in a new movement of Conscious Donation, Lorie also shares with us information on what to donate.  My clients often ask me how to determine what to “bless others with”.  I encourage reuse of most items, except in the case of damaged or broken items. But even the smallest of items can be used by others.  

Lorie wants to “create a culture of Conscious Donation, and have people consider where they are making their donations of belongings as carefully as they would consider where they are making a financial donation.”  Going beyond an aweness, we want to be mindful of how our donations can make a huge difference locally.   For Goodwill, your donations create jobs.   Goodwill’s Job Connection Centers serve individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and are ready, willing and able to be productive citizens in meaningful, self-fulfilling jobs.

 In this post by Lorie, she shares what Goodwill takes.  These also apply to other donation resources. 

http://www.clutterdietblog.com/2010/07/donating-dos-and-donts.html

Another part of the Goodwill donation site is the donation calculator.  See what your donations do for people!

http://donate.goodwill.org/

So won’t you join us in conscious donation?  I am committed to it!

Last minute school organizing

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It’s the last weekend before school, your back packs are packed, complete with pencils and paper.  Your kids’ new school outfits are laid out and ready for the first day.  You have lunch bags set on the counter, ready to fill.    So what is left to prepare or organize for the new school year?   Being organized means you have that last minute fun before the new school year.    Have a last minute fling with a day trip to Galveston,  family fun night of games, or just an inexpensive jaunt to a local park.   

Are you not ready and not so organized?  Put in a couple of hours of organizing and jump into the fun!  Your kids will remember this last minute fun more than you will stress over being unorganized. And next year it will be a reminder of why get organized – so you can  have more fun! 

On your outing, talk about what is going to make this school year the best yet!  What will each of you do to be great team members for your family? What will be your goal and what does it take to get there? What routines will help everyone achieve their goals for the new year?   The best part of family fun is the communication that happens, the sharing laughter and the time spent together. 

Not even getting ready for school?  Have your last minute fling next weekend!  Kids and families will be in their new routines and it will be less crowded than Labor Day Weekend.

 We all want to stretch summer to the end!

Heading off to college

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college organizing

 

More than just getting your clothes together and buying your books, heading off to college is best done with great organization.  It takes some time, but it is well spent!

Start with a great list.  Think about the very small space you will be living in and sharing.   What is most essential for your comfort and success?  Everyone is different, but most agree that laptop, clothes, bedding, small refrigerator and a few other items are at the top of the list.  Keep this list handy so that you are not easily distracted to add more and more.   You will thrive in a decluttered environment and your space will be small.

Now that you know what you need, eliminate what you will not use.   We are blessed with an abundance of clothes, so let’s share these blessing with others.   Start with a serious sorting of what really needs to go!  You will clear space for the rest of the process this way.

Next gather your goodies together that are going with you.  View them all together so you can really see what you are taking.  Time to start gathering what you wil take in 66 quart tubs to travel safely to the new destination.  Be sure to carefully pack things that will leak or break.  Be sure to keep important papers like college registration documents and medical information in a special spot to keep close by.

Before you start unpacking, think through the space.   Think through all the activities you are doing in your room.   Note where the outlets and computer connections for technology are.  Where will you get ready in the morning?   Think through the game plan of where you will put on makeup, dry hair, do homework and entertain new friends.   Mark spots with post its where things will go.

NOW you are ready to shop!  Here are a few great products to help in small spaces.

It really depends on your space what you will need, but having command hooks to hang various items, using the back of your door for storage of all types, a desk top sorter for papers, drawer systems for your closet, in the room or under your bed, a way to contain your makeup and toiletries and a great laundry basket make a difference in keeping your college life in order.  These items are from the Container Store, but there are tons of selection at all your local retailers.    Think about your personal strengths of how you stay organized and choose products you love to help you!  Be sure to measure a space before you purchase items to be sure it will fit.

Having a great year at college is more than just learning academics, it is learning life skills too.  Organization is one of those life skills and make a difference now and later.

Organizing for the Mom Entrepreneur

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I  love learning what works for moms!  In using twitter, I met the most organized entrepreneur mom ever, Melissa Lierman, @timeoutmom.  She shared with me the most important technology tools she uses to keep her busy home organized. 

  • My blackberry allows me to go to more kids activities because I can take the office with me.
  • Online bill paying takes the stress out of finances. 
  • Have  a dimmer switch in your bathroom for  bath time relaxation.
  • Have a DVR so you  are not tied to regular television viewing.   We just record our shows and watch when we want.   We have 2 DVRs, one for the family and one for me!
  • We have a slew of timers.  We play beat the clock, set the timer for 15 minutes and do crazy fast RTO = Restore the Order to the house.
  • The computer makes great spreadsheets for chore charts, after school routines, and organize weekly & monthly projects.
  • My  favorite non-tech item is her end-all be-all giant family calendar – master calendar to organize everyone’s work and activities.

Thanks Melissa for these great ideas! 

About Melissa

 Melissa Lierman will be married to her wonderful husband John 14 years in November and is a busy mom of 3 great kids – smart and sharp 11 year old MacKenzie Peter, artistic and creative almost 9 year old Maria Stella, and powerhouse action-packed 2.5 year old Jonathan Roger. She believes that the keys to success for a busy household are: lots of love, lots of patience, and lots of organization, and great communication.

 Melissa runs 3 businesses as a work at home mom. She travels once a a month speaking all across the United States and Canada teaching and training how to use Social Media and Twitter for Business. She fills in her time between travel with her product business (all mom-made), her training and consulting business, and her work with authors.  She teaches how to do it smarter, better, faster, stronger and goes by the nickname The Bionic Wonder Woman ! 

 Website: http://www.timeoutmom.com (complete re-do in process this summer, re-launch in september)

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TimeOutMom

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeOutMom

 

Website: http://www.ILoveAuthors.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ILoveAuthors

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/ILoveAuthors

An Organized Move

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Getting organized for a move makes all the difference.  It is so overwhelming to move that breaking it into baby steps  keeps you sane!

As soon as you know you are moving, start decluttering! There are so many items you will not want that getting them out and away right away saves you time and money in packing and moving. Pack only what you love and use. Leave behind the items that you know you will not use or need at the new home.   

Establish  a notebook for all the details.  Use a binder with slash pockets for receipts and other small slips or papers. Use it to track phone calls, hold samples of flooring and wallpaper, paint swatches and drapery goods, hold receipts, schedule appointments to turn on your lights, water, cable and other essentials.  Keep it with you at all times!

 Label everything.   Purchase a large (500) box of computer labels available for your computer printer.  Make labels for your boxes:

  • Kitchen
  • Living room
  • Family room
  • Master bedroom
  • Girl bedroom
  • Boy bedroom
  • Bathroom
  • Storage

Give each packer a sheet of labels. Place a label on all 4 corners of every box as it is packed.

Pack the essentials first.  Pack a  box containing the essentials of life: coffeemaker and children’s night time loveys, bed sheets and blankets and pillows, an alarm clock, toilet paper, shampoos and toiletries and more. Your Essentials Box should contain all those items you’ll need for the first day and night in your new home. With small children, think about including dishes, cereal and all the little stuff you need daily. 

Enlist all the help you can get.  Get friends or family to watch your children as you pack and unpack too!  Say “yes” to any and all offers of food, extra hands, and other assistance. 

Get plenty of wrapping paper and heavy-duty tape.   Use unprinted newsprint. For items you prefer to keep clean, you can purchase this packing paper from your mover. Kraft paper, tissue paper and shock-resistant corrugated paper make excellent wrapping materials and may be purchased at most major department stores, craft stores or your mover. 

 Pack on a room-by-room basis.  Start with the least used room.  Keep the contents of each room in separate boxes.

Before you begin unpacking randomly, sit down with your family. Discuss a plan, including where things will go, who is responsible for what, etc. It will help things run smoothly.  Keep a tool kit handy to reassemble the items. Arrange your furniture, and then unpack accessories and personal items.

Give yourself extra time.  Getting items into boxes and moving takes more time than you think. And of course something can go wrong too, so just add a few extra hours to each piece of the moving  job.

Company’s coming! Get Organized!

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company's coming get organized

 

 

Organizing takes a new level when company is coming!  Flylady often talks about CHAOS – can’t have anyone over syndrome. But with a few tricks, organizing can make a difference for you and your guests. Company’s coming and it’s time to get organized!

 

Set a real date for real company and you will be propelled into action. 

Brain chemistry kicks in and you are focused, energized, and making decisions.  Clients who are determined to invite people over really make change happen!  It can be an anniversary party or a  surprise bday party; whenever it is something very special it makes a difference.

 

Break your responsibilities into baby steps.

Set a time table that works for you.  Set the date and work backwards, allowing more time than you think to get things done.  Create the guest list and make invitations 4 weeks in advance.  Invite guests 2 weeks in advance.  Make a list of what you are serving and your groceries to purchase a week in advance.  Start your food preparation 3 days in advance.   Clean the house 2 days ahead of the party. Set the table the day before and purchase flowers that day.  The day of the party turn on lights and music, set the food out, and enjoy yourself!

 

Cultivate team members to help you.

Look at the strengths of your team members, including your kids, to see who can do what. I recently worked with a family where one daughter was great at cleaning, one was great at decorating and one was great at clean up.  They each enjoyed their part of the party planning.   Sometimes a little healthy competition works too.  A husband and wife were working together on painting and putting up storage in a room. As they worked, each judged how far along they were, and both finished about the same time.   Partnering creates success!

When it comes to food, choose what you do best and delegate other responsibilities. With oodles of catering, choose the snacks to make and the snacks to purchase.  Or have a signature dish you make all the time as your “go to” recipe.   Ina Garten  and Sandra Lee, both from Food Network, talk about simple dinner fare.    Take a tip from these accomplished ladies.

 

Make people the focus, not perfection.

Often clients scurry about worrying about whether the windows are clean enough, the food divinely delish, or the music special.    It is all about your time with your guests more than anything else.    Take the time to really be in the moment of the party.     Just before the party begins, take a moment to survey your success.  It is that time in which you know how much you have accomplished.

 

Simplify your holiday with these ideas!

 

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After Vacation: Getting Back to Your Life

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after vacation getting back to life

 

 

Getting back in the groove after vacation can be torture!  We are talking about undoing a pile of mail, a pile of laundry and a seriously un-fun getting back to work routine. It is especially hard if you are not organized.  Here are some tips to get back to to the swing of things quickly.

 

Set aside time to get back to your routines.

As much fun as vacationing to the very last minute can be, return a smidge early from your holiday. Fly home in the morning so you can take the rest of the day to be picking up mail, starting your laundry and unpacking your suitcase. You will also be ready to get in bed on time to get back into your morning routines.  Getting in at the last minute means you are up late, not as well rested and generally rushed to get back to work and life.

 

Get mail and email under control first.

For mail, toss/recycle as much as possible. On a “regular” week you might want to scan newspapers and ads.  When you are returning from  your vacation, simply recycle those items. You will not be ready to act on coupons or flyers, so recycle these asap.  Put the bills in the regular spot, but decide that you are taking a break from anything extra in the paper department this week.  Some of us check email on our blackberry while away and some don’t.   Hit delete to get back to basics.    Just decide what is really important those first days after your holiday.  Otherwise, a quick response will do.  Being “brutal” makes the difference for both mail and email.

 

 

Laundry is a serious obstacle after a holiday.

Treat yourself to the “fluff and fold” at the local laundromat. It is the way to get back to the baseline on laundry as soon as possible.  Unload the laundry first and get it started, then get back to your suitcase in the next day to unload the rest.  If it is really tough to unload, take one day for toiletries, one day for hanging clean clothes and one day for shoes.  Procrastinating on emptying your luggage does not make your return easier.

And most important – get back to your routines right away.

We  all love the feeling of being flexible, free and under no obligations.  Getting back to your home, work and life require routines.  Bite the bullet and get back to your’s so you are really ready to buckle down.  Get in bed at a good hour,  get your bag together for work, and eat a good breakfast to get on your way.  You will be glad you did!

What works best for you to get back to reality?

 

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Organizing Teens

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This weekend I had the opportunity to visit my niece Hallie for a very special occasion, her high school graduation.  One look in her room and closet, and I knew she had the organizing gene! No clothes on the floor and order inside her closet.   I asked her about her successful organizing techniques and what she would share with other teen girls, especially about her folding and laundry tips. 

First off why stay organized?

Clutter is annoying and it wastes time. I don’t like the way mess looks.

How does laundry get done in your home?

My step dad gets it in the washing machine and dryer and then I fold and hang my own clothes.  It is either in my parent’s room or I go get it and bring it into my own room.  Once it is on my bed, I separate it by shorts, tee shirts, and things to hang or things to put in drawers.  I hang each type of clothing all at the same time.  Its quick and I do it fast!

 What about your friends?

If my friends are unorganized, I help them organizing their rooms.  They get very overwhelmed.  But big thing is that they leave it all to do at one time.  I like to organize as I go along and as a process.   I do it in small steps so it is easier to do.  Just  a little at a time and then you get it done. Then you can do others things with your time.  One of the problems is too many clothes too.   I understand wanting to have enough clothes but only buy something if you are going to use it.   There is not so much to do at one time if you have fewer clothes. 

 What about organizing and other parts of your life?

I am organized about school stuff too and that is the key to success and good grades.  You have everything you need and you can turn it in on time.  If you are organized in class, you know what materials to study and you’re on top of your homework. 

What about stress and organizing?

Being organized is a lot less stressful and much easier on everyone. 

Do you consider yourself a perfectionist?

Not so much, just more organized than other people.  And everything does not need to be perfect but material stuff helps to be organized.

Are you born organized or did you develop this?

Of course my mom and you influenced me a lot.  

Anything else you would like to share?

Watch Hoarders and you won’t want to be them. Hoarders is enough to make you want to be organized. 

Thanks Hallie! You rock!