Last minute holiday organizing

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Thanksgiving is here! And so are your guests! Just take a few minutes to do a little last minute organizing.

  • Keep it simple sweetie.  Set a plan in motion and stick with it, whether it is one type of dressing or how you fix the turkey. Last minute changes are what make us crazy. So make a simple plan and stay on course.
  • Room by room 30 minute decluttering can make a difference. It is a little like sweeping the dust under the carpet, but sometimes all that is needed is a quick once over on clutter. Be sure to have your family redistribute items that are in the wrong rooms.  Gather your paper together, place it in your home office and set a date to do paper triage next week.
  • Freshen up your home with seasonal touches purchased at your grocery store.  Fresh flowers, miniature pumpkins and scented candles add warmth to your home.
  • Delegate to friends and family. Everyone wants to share and contribute. Be sure to share responsibilities with those at your holiday gathering.  If no one offers, a polite invitation to help includes everyone.   Get help with dinner from your local grocery, Sams, Costco or other source.  Order your turkey and have everyone bring a side dish.  There are many ways to delegate. 
  • Remember your holiday is about people and connections, not perfection.  Enjoying your gathering is the most important part!  Take a few minutes to write down 5 things you are grateful for this holiday. It will remain with you longer. 

Upcoming! KHOU and Audrey’s Success Story

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Next week KHOU will be sharing Audrey’s success story!  Look for a date and time soon! Here is Tiffany Craig, KHOU reporter, Audrey and I together in Audrey’s new home.   I know you will want to learn more about Audrey’s courage in making big changes in her life.

Get Ahead for the Holidays

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The holiday season is just around the corner! That means there’s a lot to be done in a short time.  The holidays are about giving and sharing, as well as helping those in our community.  

  • Plan your holiday season with a big paper month at a glance calendar or the google calendar online.  Knowing your upcoming commitments and plans keeps you from double booking.  Review it weekly to keep on track with purchasing gifts and making goodies. Set deadlines on your calendar to get it all complete.
  • It all starts with lists. Go into your gift closet and make a list of what you have purchased all year. Make a list of who you are giving gifts to this year.  Make a list for Thanksgiving dinner, what will you serve and who will be attending.  Lists make our life run like clockwork.  Use a cute holiday spiral notebook or your smart phone notes section.
  • Get your holiday cards in the mail efficiently with Send Out Cards.  Gift cards are also available on this site too! www.sendoutcards.com/EllenDelap
  • Use the smart phone app Red Laser to comparison shop. http://redlaser.com/
  • Shop online at www.amazon.com to get discounted items and often free shipping.
  • Gather your family together to decorate your home.  Set a time, put on holiday music, and have a blast together. 
  • Go online to stores where you shop and get additional coupons for your purchases. Join their Facebook Business Pages to learn about sales and discounts. 
  • For families, give the gift of time together with memberships to the YMCA, Houston Children’s Museum, Houston Zoo or Houston Museum of Natural Science. Family gifts of an ice cream maker or a movie set are great way to connect. Think small this year!
  • Make a holiday playlist to get you in the mood and keep your attitude jolly. Many of our favorite artists, from Sinatra to Michael Buble, have their own holiday albums to listen to.  Or make your own with Pandora. 
  • Use www.usps.com to mail your boxes. Create your shipping label at home and skip the lines at the post office.  Set early deadlines for you to get items off. 
  • Plan one family activity for your family to connect with our community.  Talk to your family about what means the most to them and how they can contribute.  Bring your items to the philanthropy with your kids to share the real meaning of the season.  There are lots of needs around us this year. 

ADHD and Paper

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ADHD and Paper

 

It’s a love/hate relationship with paper!  What do we keep? How long do we keep it? Or are you just overwhelmed by it and can’t even get started!   What’s a person to do?

Working with paper if you are ADD/ADHD, hone in on your strengths and personalize your systems and routines.  Start by facing the fear, overwhelm and hatred (yes, a powerful emotion) about paper.   It is an evil monster, an anchor, and the enemy. But  now that we have vented, we are ready.   Paper may never be easy, but something we can work through.

Be brutal about what to keep and what to toss.  Often we are keeping way to much!  Using these resources, as well as asking your accountant,  you will keep less and work with less paper.

http://www.oprah.com/home/The-ABCs-of-Important-Papers

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/5-steps-to-simpler-record-keeping-10000000688976/index.html

Keep paper from even coming in your home. Drop paper at the gas station when you are filling up. Shred paper by having a baby shredder in the kitchen.  Say no to receipts for gas.

It is very important to create “slots” to drop your paper.

  • Everyone needs a command center with easy access.   Here is where papers that need action start.  If you need to have a basket just to hold paper until “processed,” it can sit where you normally drop the paper.  In the command center are the actions you need to do.  Label the slots with what you call these items. Action, Pay, File are all required here.  But in addition you might have Pending, one for each of your kids and your partner, Receipts, and Contacts.
  • Next step is to create your files, which are the papers you will reference in the next year.  First decide what to keep and how long.  Don’t get overwhelmed, thinking about how much you have back logged on paper here.  Just work in 15 minute segments with a timer.  Everyone can do this for 15 minutes!  Start with general categories, like Auto/Home, Finance and Personal.  Keeping categories general makes it simple to file and simpler filing means more filing!
  • Add an archive section for required papers. This includes your taxes, legal documents, and other long term papers. You may need to add a section for investments that are getting to be a very large volume.
  • Keep your important documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, wills and related papers in a safe or safe deposit box.  You will always know where these are.

Sounds like a big project? Get help each step of the way with a professional organizer, trusted friend or reliable assistant in turning your paper  into a workable system. It is worth the work to create what works for you!

 

Image courtesy of the Container Store.

Practical Solutions for ADD Families

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Thanks to my amazing colleague, D. Allison Lee and her Organize to Revitalize blog.  Here are some practical ways to make a difference for your ADD family.

http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2011/10/13/add-families-and-organizing/

Pitch or Pitch? Reflecting on a Personal Keepsake

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In memory of my high school choir director,  Andy Housholder.

 

Not many families still have vinyl records.  Not many have turn tables to play these on.  But I am blessed to have both, and especially to be able to listen to this special album recorded in 1975.

This is what I call a precious keepsake.  It brings back memories of community, commitment, affirmation, exhilaration, determination and connection.  

Music does this for all of us. Music moves us. It takes us to places and memories, both in the present and the past.  We are transported back to other times in our lives.  But for me this is truly something I hold dear, my high school choir, the people who were in choir with me, and the affirmation from our director.  Mr. Housholder brought out the best in all of us, through hard work, time spent together, and personal dedication.  It is a lifelong lesson that I learned.  I learned that my commitment can mean more than my skill set.   Ask for excellence and experience an amazing result.  Work together as a team and experience a result that is far beyond one person’s effort.  The spirit of the music brings back all these memories, as well as affirms me in all that I do now.  

So is it is pitch (toss) or pitch (keeping in tune)? For me, it will be tuning up my life, for a long, long time.

Be the first to organize with Rubbermaid’s New Bento Boxes

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Searching for a new way to organize, with not only function but also beauty and style?  As a member of NAPO I am fortunate to preview Rubbermaid’s New Bento Boxes!  This new concept for stylish organizing makes a difference in lots of spaces.

  • Bento’s Flex Dividers allow users to customize the inside of the box, creating organization solutions that are perfect for a variety of needs. Flex Dividers pop open when needed, and simply pop back when not. Each Flex Divider can be opened or closed separately of the others to create a permanent home for belongings.
  • Bento Toppers™ can be used in two distinctive ways. One way is that it can be a tray to display and contain items. By using Bento Toppers this way, you can create boundaries for items that can often take over a counter space such as magazines or mail. Use the Bento Topper on its own, or resting as a tray on top of a Bento Box to contain items like remotes while cov-ering the contents in the box below. The second way to use Bento Toppers is as a lid for the Bento Box by simply flipping over the Topper. This way you can hide things (such as personal bathroom items) that you do not want everyone to see but are needed for easy access. 
  • Bento Boxes and Toppers come in variety of fabric designs and colors to compliment any home décor. The boxes were designed to hold common household items such as DVD & Video Games, File Folders, Mail, Toys, Hair Care Accessories, Audio & Video Accessories, Magazines, Board Games, Crafting Supplies and Office Supplies. Bento Boxes are stackable to make the most out of your space. Covered with polyester, the boxes are durable, yet easy to clean with a damp cloth.

Bento boxes are available at Rubbermaid.com, Fred Meyer and Macys.com. They range from $8.99 to $27.99 in price. This makes them an affordable stylish product!

Thanks to Rubbermaid, I received a set of Bento boxes in red.  These are already storing art supplies and toys in my home!

Want to win a Bento Box? Leave your comment on how you will use this fabulous new product in your home! Contest ends on October 20!

I did a random drawing, entering all the names and the winner of this fabulous set of boxes is Kitty!  Thanks to everyone for sharing their ideas!

 



Clutter: A Hoarder’s Success Story

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I love sharing success stories!  It takes courage, tenacity and a team to make a big change from a home filled to the brim to a home ready to sell.  I am fortunate to share Audrey’s story!

Audrey and I started working together in 2007.  We met in her home to get started organizing.  It was a meeting that stayed on my mind, a professional and proper woman who had a home filled to the brim.  Audrey was recently diagnosed with ADD, had become a member of our local ADD chapter and knew of her challenges all too well.  She was just at a beginning stage of recognizing what was ahead of her.   Audrey was still in denial about the challenges she faced. 

About two years went by, and Audrey contact me again to help her. At this time, she had recently purchased a new home and wanted to sell her hoarded home.  It was troubling to her, but in a compelling way.  It was difficult to part with items in her old home, even though the new home was fully furnished.   She shared that at her new home, she had wished to build a shed that was hold all her belongings.   It would have walls and walls of shelving, just to keep her stuff.  However, with the economy and her husband’s poor health, their new home would not include this shed.  It was beginning to dawn on her that her belongings would not fit in her new home.  She was beginning to part with her stuff, but it was still very difficult.

A year later, in 2010, Audrey was in touch again. This time Audrey knew it was time to make a serious change.  She must sell the old home and dispose of the contents. Together we applied to a number of television shows to get her help.  She was willing to tell her story in exchange for the assistance provided. We were declined by all the shows.  It was in being declined that Audrey realized she must build her own team. She invited church members over to help her declutter and move items.  She hired a mover who also took off items and donated or sold them. Audrey paid college students to help her.  She was making great progress.

This week Audrey invited me to see her success! I am thrilled for this transformation for her.  What did she share that made this success happen?

  • Her husband and daughter Lisa supported her in this  work of decluttering. They would go with her to the home and be there as a sounding board.
  • She had the support of her therapist in working through grief issues that had been reasons behind holding on to some of the items.
  • Her realtor said to her, “What could be of such great value in this home that you are paying monthly for the utilities and more?”  Audrey realized that the $200 she pays monthly for electricity is an unnecessary expense.
  • Me! Audrey would check in for accountability regularly, just to share with me her progress.
  • Audrey realized that this home and its stuff was a barrier in her relationships and had held her back long enough. 
  • What did Audrey uncover that was most valuable to her?  Jewelry and a bible belonging to her brother.  What was the hardest thing to let go of? Her grandson’s papers from elementary school and anything belonging to her mother.  What did she do with the items? Mainly donate, but also throw away a lot of it.

I am attaching a gallery of shots from Audrey’s home.  Each before picture is taken from the hallway.  In the first picture, you can’t get in the room, it is just a view of plastic bags.   Each room has enormous items to tackle.

 Audrey is courageously sharing this success and her story.  Thank you Audrey for partnering with me to make a difference!

Organized On The Go: Organizing Your Car

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car organizing

 

Our cars need organizing too!  It’s scary when we need to give someone a ride and they might see the inside of our car.  In the fall we start back on our regular routines of school and work.  In the summer you are traveling and spending time with your kids in the car. Your car is your office on the go and your home away from home! Whether you are a professional going to work or a busy mom or dad carpooling, having an organized vehicle can make the difference in your travels.  Organizing your car takes a few extra minutes that are well spent!

Think about what items you will need as you travel. We all need tissues, first aid kit, car insurance, and a flashlight just in case. What is needed for other travelers? Busy families may need books or toys. Travel for work may require business products and files. Take a few minutes to plan and write a list of needs for you and your family.

If you car is your mobile office, organize for stocking, storing and traveling with business tools.

  • Carry some basic desk items such as business cards, calculator, stapler, scissors and tape in a zipper case or small tackle box.
  • Store files in a hanging file case with a cover.

For kids on the go, being organized makes every trip more fun.

  • Place an organizer in the back seat or over the seat with a place for a water bottles, electronic games and books.
  • For movies and technology, add a CD holder on the visor.
  • Place a basket with small fun “just in the car” games and puzzles to keep them entertained.

Every day items require storage too.

  • The leak proof trunk organizer keeps all sorts of items from milk to soccer balls from rolling around your trunk.
  • For tools, purchase a durable canvas bag to contain all the tools including jumper cables.
  • A pop up trash can made of durable mesh can fit by the driver’s seat.

What about paper?

  • The glove compartment or center console is a great spot for this!
  • Use a check organizer and group the papers by category, such as maps and directions, insurance, warranty/instructions and emergency phone numbers.
  • Be sure to label each pocket for easy retrieval.

Finally, keeping your car organized requires maintenance routines.

  • Each time you stop for gas, empty the trash.
  • Restock the items for your business on a weekly basis.
  • Assign the responsibility of vacuuming your car regularly to one of your children or have your car cleaned monthly at the big car wash.
  • Be vigilant about your registration sticker and use a reminder on your paper or tech calendar. You can also use this to remember when to change your oil or rotate tires.

Learn more about organizing and productivity at www.professional-organizer.com, Facebook Professional-Organizer.com, twitter @TexasOrganizer or Pinterest Ellen Delap

Kingwood/Humble/Atascocita ADDA-SR Group ~ ADD and Productivity

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Please join me at the October meeting of the Kingwood/Humble/Atascocita ADDA-SR Group for this presentation

 ADD and Productivity

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

October 20 at 7pm

Room 211

At this session  you will learn

  • tools for time management including paper and digital calendars
  • ways to manage your paper flow
  • techniques for tasks and lists
  • contact management methods

For more information contact Susan McHugh at MrsQ123@aol.com