Fuss Free Thanksgiving

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fuss free thanksgiving

 

 

Thanksgiving can be less stress and less mess.  It’s all in how you organize your preparation and meal.  Here are a few tips on making your day fun, festive and a fuss free Thanksgiving.

 

Beverage station

Make it easy for your and your company to help themselves.  Set up a beverage station with ice, your choice of adult and kid beverages, and glasses.  If it’s a cool day you may decide on a hot cider with a ladle and mugs too.  Place your station in an area that will bring traffic away from the kitchen and into a gathering spot.

 

Nibbles

Take a tip from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, and have a few nibbles out before the main meal. It will keep kids and adults from being underfoot in the kitchen.  A plate of fruit and cheese and a bowl or two of nuts is a great starter for the holiday meal.  If anyone wanders into the kitchen, put them to work!

 

Disposable plates

There’s already a lot to wash and dry, why not go with biodegradable dishware for the day?  Available from LeafNFiber, these lovely plates will add to the natural decor of the day and make clean up easy.

 

It’s all about timing

Make a list of what’s for dinner. After this, create a time line for what goes into the oven at what time.  If your list is the same each year, consider creating this in Evernote or a notebook to keep and save.

 

Add entertainment

Everyone’s stress level goes down with a soundtrack.   Have a guest create a playlist as a back drop for the day.

 

Leftovers

Plan ahead to keep and share leftovers.  Purchase inexpensive plastic ware to give away as leftovers leave.  Everyone loves this gift!

 

Go team!

Take a trick from  football and other team sports that are on television on Thanksgiving.  Get your team in gear.  That means everyone has a part to play or a job for dinner, clean up and other activities.  There are many small jobs that can be done throughout the day, including ones specifically for your kiddos.  Help everyone pitch in by giving everyone something small to do to be a part of the festivities.

 

 

What ways do you make it a fuss free Thanksgiving at your home?

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year.

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

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Your Most Organized Year Yet

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Accountability is being willing and obligated to a task.  It’ not always easy to feel or be accountable to others. It takes a trusting relationship and a perspective of learning from missteps.

 

There are many ways to accomplish a goal using accountability.

  • Working together as a team can help you get a task accomplished.  When you are accountable for your step of the project, you know you will follow through.  You have team ownership.
  • Just speaking out loud about a project, describing it and discussing it, can help you process your thoughts on a project.  You are more prepared to complete it because you have clarified your work.
  • It may be just to speak about a project out loud and it’s enough for you.

 

Check out all 31 Tips for Your Most Organized Year Ever.

Wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons!

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with gratitude during the holidays

 

Wishing you a holiday season filled with hope, love, joy, kindness, comfort, gratitude, laughter and friendship! 

I am grateful for our connection!

It’s Not About Having it All

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Jean Chatsky It's Not about having it all

Quick Start Back to School: Back To School Clothes

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back to school organizing clothes

 

Your kids just got out of school and it is already time for Back To School.  It’s hard to get started, so I have created this series Quick Start Back to School to get everyone going!   The next post is about Back To School Clothes.

 

Your kids keep outgrowing their clothes. They’ve been wearing gym shorts and flip flops all summer.  Now it’s time for school to start and its time for Back to School clothes.

 

Weed out clothes

  • Your kids drawers may not be closing because there are too many clothes.  Your kids drawers may be a mishmash of all types of clothes together.  Start by weeding out what is too short, too tight or not appropriate for school.  Work with each child for 15 minutes, and then finish up in an hour.
  • Weed out shoes too.
  • Donate or consign clothes that day.

 

Categorize Back to School clothes

  • Not everything will be clothes for school.  Set up areas for dressy and after school clothes.
  • Determine what’s easiest for your child to maintain: hanging or folding clothes.
  • Set up easy access for your child to get clothes out the night before and get ready the next day.
  • Make a list and set a budget for clothing purchase to fill in.

 

Back to school clothes routines

  • Have your kids lay out clothes the night before and get all their stuff ready for the next day.  Start practicing this a week before school begins.
  • Baskets and a triple slotted sorter are great for laundry routines.  Each child should have a basket to carry clothes to and from the laundry room.  The sorter is great in the laundry area.
  • Host a family meeting to talk about laundry standards.  When will clothes be washed and put away? Who will help with this?  Having procedures in place helps everyone work as a team.

 

Back to school clothes can be found inexpensively at consignment shops, during tax free weekend or online at Thredup.   Being organized about your shopping list saves you money!

 

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Organizing Life’s Celebrations

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organizing life's celebrations

May is the month of celebrations, including graduations from kindergarten to college and beyond, weddings, and baby showers.  Your family may be preparing for a family reunion celebration.  Celebrations are the way we come together as a family, support each other and recognize achievement.  Often we have different responsibilities to help organize the celebration.  We can all have a different role in organizing life’s celebrations.

If you are hosting the celebration

  • Set a date early and send out a notice by email to those included.  There are fabulous online resources such as paperless post and evite to include everyone.
  • Make a list of tasks for celebration, including budget, location, food, decorations, take-aways and invitations.  Check out 3 resources for each idea, makes notes in Evernote or a notebook, and make a decision so you are ready to go.
  • Invite others in your family to be a part of the preparations.  Share the responsibility and share the fun.  Check in with them on their part through email, phone or text to be sure things are going smoothly.
  • Remember to keep it simple sweetie! The bigger the plans, the bigger the stress and the bigger the budget. Simple plans create memorable occasions.

If you are attending the celebration

  • Check the date and block out the time as soon as the invitation arrives.
  • RSVP as soon as possible. In our days RSVPs are rare so help the host with this small step.
  • Make travel plans and arrange accommodations if needed.
  • Ask the host how you can help.  You can tie ribbons, put up decorations or even bring coffee!
  • Ask about whether and what gift is appropriate.  Often a small token or lovely card is what is most important.

Our family has been blessed to celebrate with nieces, nephews and other family over the past several years. Our family has attended our kids weddings at a distance. It is truly a blessing to gather and celebrate. With a plan everything comes together!

What ways has your family celebrated together?  What will you be celebrating this summer?

 

 

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Come back next week when I share ideas on organizing your family photos after your celebration!

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Service to NAPO Award 2013

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napo 2013 award with president croped

 

This year I was honored at the National Conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers with the Service to NAPO Award.  This special award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to NAPO or the organizing industry not described under other award categories.

My service to NAPO began as soon as I joined our organization. I have been privileged to serve on the Education, Leadership Task Force, Social Media, Marketing and Conference Committees, in addition to being the Conference Committee Chair in 2008.  Locally, I have been the Vice President and President of NAPO Houston.  Being on these committees has given me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and promote our industry.  I always choose to serve in a way that uses my strengths and in a way that builds a team.  After 12 years of service, I have more to give too!

I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues and make a difference in our industry.   It is an honor to be recognized with this award.

Reflections of a Chief Junker

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I am thrilled to have my friend Tiffany Eckhardt share some reflections as owner of Flown the Coop.  What you think of her perspective on her stuff?

Everything in my home has a price tag.  Seriously, there is a tag on just about everything.  

 I once asked my Flown The Coop Facebook friends if keeping inventory tags on treasures at home was normal.  I was feeling a bit awkward when visitors came to my home until friends in the industry confirmed that I was not alone.

 As chief junker at Flown The Coop, I have the privilege of buying and selling unique pieces of furniture, reclaimed industrial pieces for home use and kitschy vintage items.   

I love acquiring and enjoying my treasures for a time, then setting them free to be enjoyed by another family.  For example, I recently decided to let go of a huge letter E that served as a unique focal point in our living room.  The letter came from a discarded Office Depot sign and sat behind our couch on a table as a conversation piece.  Honestly, as much as I loved it, I took just as much pleasure in knowing the gentleman who bought the E was thrilled with his new treasure.  

I try not to get attached to my treasures, except priceless family heirlooms or treasures that I bought traveling with my husband.  I’ve learned that I can eventually find replacements for pieces that I let go.  For that reason, I rarely take my Flown The Coop inventory tags off pieces I use in my home.  Eventually the piece will return to inventory and be replaced by another equally unique treasure.  

 I imagine keeping the tags on furniture or pieces of art would be embarrassing for most people.  I don’t encourage it.  What I am proposing is to keep an open mind about items that create clutter.  Letting go of items in your home that no longer serve a purpose can be freeing and can make room for a new decor.  I guarantee someone will consider your junk as treasure.  

 Enjoy your treasures, but when it’s time feel free to let them go!  

Tiffany Eckhardt and her family recently moved from Ohio to their new home in the Houston Heights.  She is chief junker at Flown The Coop, a business that reclaims and repurpose furniture, industrial pieces and kitschy vintage items.  You can find Flown The Coop at Chippendale Eastlake Antiques and at Urban Market Houston, Warrenton Antique Week and the Dallas Market.  Follow her flight pattern on her Facebook page.  Learn more about Tiffany at http://www.chippendaleon19th.com/  and http://2flownthecoop.com/