To boost our successes in home decluttering and organizing, I created this easy, simple and small 10 day series.
Follow along as we declutter and organize 10 small spaces over 2 weeks to make life simpler.
To boost our successes in home decluttering and organizing, I created this easy, simple and small 10 day series.
Follow along as we declutter and organize 10 small spaces over 2 weeks to make life simpler.
All posts are small starts that make a big difference for you and your home.
There is a lot going on right now as we continue social distancing. It is a long list to think about with the virus, our work, our families, our community and our country. As we move through each week, we are all in this together both literally and figuratively. Despite knowing what we can’t control, there are times we can establish for tranquility. Tranquility times offer us ways to feel positive, reset our energy, renew our energy and be prepared for what is next.
Parents continue to be working double shifts with both their own work and their kids corona-schooling. Setting up an organized work space and organizing your home are important. Equally important is setting up a space for calm.
Each of us needs a time and place to reset and rejuvenate. That’s harder with everyone at home. The joy of outside exercise can be your personal space tranquility area. Set out for a walk, run or bike ride to regroup. Rainy day or too little time to get outside? Use YouTube for yoga, especially Yoga with Adriene.
I see a lot of sillies suggesting our extrovert friends need to be connected. For extroverts, there is energy in being with someone. A reset includes connecting by facetime, join.me, or phone. Take the opportunity daily to get in touch and to reach out.
Many spiritual groups are setting up time to worship virtually. Tap into this tranquil time through online worship. You can attend your ongoing worship or choose new spots to worship. Many churches and temples are offering daily times to connect too.
Your tranquility times can be as needed or scheduled each day. Be sure you are generous in the amount of time you give yourself as self care. We all need a break to reset and regenerate energy.
Intentionally engaging in positive thoughts and self care help us combat the anxiety we are all feeling right now. Being your best self in this crazy, mixed up, upside down world is our best strategy for coping. Here is what sets me up for success right now.
Gratitude fills my days. I am always practicing gratitude and affirming the good around and in us. I am grateful for the privilege of being able to work from home during this time and share tips for work at home. I see love, laughter and connection with you, family and friends on social media.
Do you face too many choices of what to do and when to do it? Do you get paralyzed without a plan? Are you distracted rather than productive? There is a way to move to a more structured day to gain control of your time and be proactive about your tasks and projects. Time blocking is documented strategy to be productive and effective. It gives you the opportunity to prioritize.
What is time blocking? Time blocking is a time management strategy where you divide your days and weeks into units of time. Each time block has an assigned tasks or project. It is useful at both work and home to assign rather than choose an activity at a specific time. There are many uses for time blocking. It prioritizes completing specific work rather than chopping up your day with distractions. You can set aside time blocks at home to get your errands done. You can also use time blocks to establish transition time between meetings, activities and errands. Time blocking establishes the “when” of your “what To Do” list. You will be adding an assigned time to accomplish the tasks you have listed. By minimizing distractions, you are setting up productivity success. As Cal Newport writes, “my goal is to make sure progress is being made on the right things at the right pace for the relevant deadlines.” You can have this success too!
Here is how to get started with the time block concept. During weekly planning time, choose your top 3 Most Important Tasks for the week. These are tasks that are required to be done, and may not be urgent and are important. Project forward to see if any responsibilities are elevated to this level. At home this might be personal taxes, upcoming travel, bill paying or administrative time. At work this might be upcoming reports, meetings, or any assigned project.
Set time blocks for the duration that works well for you. As you know about your best work, choose a block of 1 hour or 2 hours, or a specific day of the week. People with ADHD tend to like longer time blocks for 2-3 hours. For me, I like one hour blocks because my energy moves quickly in this time. I use several blocks over a week to complete my tasks. I am a morning person so my best work is in the morning.
Assign a task or project to your chosen block periods.
Work and home successes leads this strategic use of time.
At home and at work there are necessary routines that need attention every week. Here are my favorite time blocks that are common at home and work.
Check to see what is not being accomplished in a week and schedule a time block for this. By time blocking these priorities, you will have a greater sense of control and foundation.
Scheduling time blocks is the answer to your distracted, unproductive day. It helps you accomplish your goals and keep on target. Filling in when to accomplish a task means you are not at the mercy of decision making and paralysis. It’s the best solution for assigning your time and attention to your priorities.
We are in our pantries more than ever right now! Meals are shared times that bring us comfort and hope during stressful times. Emergency preparation has us supplying our pantry so that we are prepared to eat at home while we work at home. The combination of both access and extensive supply can be a challenge for us. Here are 7 tips for getting organized and making meals happen in your home.
The first step of all organizing is decluttering and categorizing. Start this step with lots of counter space available. Even the most organized cook has items that are past expiration dates. Check dates and let go of items that you feel are past the prime. This first step may feel chaotic and overwhelmed, however push through to clear the pantry and wipe the shelves clean.
Think of your grocery store and how items are grouped together. Use this to group items together for your pantry. You can also create useful zones which apply to your family, such as the breakfast zone, beverage zone, and snack zone. You can group as you empty your pantry too.
Most of us have added a substantial amount of additional products to last through the time we are at home. Locate auxiliary storage in an adjacent closet, in a nearby laundry room, or near the door in your garage. Before you return items to your pantry, think about where you would store which items.
The best organizing advice has to do with placing items by function. Place what you use most frequently at eye level. For your kids, place snacks at their eye levels. Heavy items go on the bottom of your pantry and be sure to keep entry clear for access. Use the top shelf for overflow items.
Here are some favorite bins for organizing your pantry.
My favorite labels are simple with black lettering and white background. A Brother P Touch labeler is what I use. There are tons of fun options on Pinterest. I label both the bins and the shelves. Its easy for everyone to put away groceries and help!
In your new auxiliary space, organize just like your pantry. Be sure to use a list posted in the auxiliary space to be sure you keep on top of inventory. Use vertical space wisely to maximize the access and space as well. For the freezer, you a magnetic dry erase board to list what is located there. Group items by shelf or use a plastic bin in the deep freeze. Categories in your freezer include veggies,
Have fun with getting your pantry and extra stock organized. Organizing is a team sport! Your family can join in sorting and categorizing. One family member will love to help you with labels. Organizing is a skill like all others your kids are learning at home schooling. Take this to the next step with sharing meal preparation and kitchen clean up too. If you are on your own, pull up your organizing playlist for fun.
More pantry organizing here!
Like all of us, I am feeling anxious and unsure of what is ahead. There is an enormous amount of sadness and grief, for loss of life, jobs and connections. At the same time there is a deep underlying sense of gratitude. During this global crisis, I wanted to say how grateful I am and how gratitude shapes my daily life. Here is my list of what I am grateful for, despite our “new normal.”
I am here to encourage you. Find the positive in your time during COVID-19. I look forward to hearing what is “sparking joy” for you right now. I think many of us are thinking of the powerful positives that have come our way.
With COVID-19 we are quickly navigating a new normal, that of working from home during a global crisis. It is not the same as working at home over the long haul or working from home during a traditional time. There are 4 essential tips to ensure your success as you continue to work, home school and more in the same space daily. Follow these tips to keep your sanity and work success.
The pandemic requires a lot of emotional and physical well being. Start prioritizing self care. That means creating an environment that supports you and your family.
By now you have been spending time at home adjusting to your new space. You know what is not working for you and your homeschooling.
Over-communication during this transition keeps everyone connected, up to date, and sure of next steps.
Now let’s add back in the rest of the story – those kiddos are home too.
There is a lot of “life learning”going on at this time. Be aware of nuances in you and your family’s transition to work from home. It’s a great opportunity to give your family kudos.
Emergency preparedness goes beyond organizing your stuff. It starts with a will, durable power of attorney and legal documents and moves to online passwords and your digital life. We all have important documents that we need access to during our lifetime and that our loved ones might need access to in the future. With the time we have, it’s a great time to organize these papers and more.
In an emergency, the last thing that should be an obstacle is locating paperwork. We need easy access to health insurance details, medical information, and advance directives. Estate plans, financial and insurance information, property and business interests should be documented and organized. Your digital life and passwords are also key to ensuring that information can easily be accessed.
Clients have often asked me how to do this and what is easiest to accomplish what seems like an overwhelming accumulation of data. There is a comprehensive system called My Life Packet (www.mylifepacket.com.) It is an organizational tool that walks you through what you need to collect, record, and share. (Note I have no financial gain from sharing this tool.)
In My Life Packet, you can pace yourself to consolidate the documents you need. By taking inventory of what documents you have and where they are located can save everyone time, money, and stress. It is about peace of mind to have all these documents ready.
Like all projects, take a big picture on organizing your important papers.
Documents like these are a gift to yourself and your family. Take this project on, like all big projects, as a way to share important conversations. According to Real Simple, there are 4 important family meetings all families need. These include the “Senior Summit” to discuss life documents, care and more. Having a Senior Summit is for all ages, not just seniors. It’s not a one and done conversation in that as decisions can change and be updated. Set a date as a deadline to start your first conversation.
Here is a basic list of what you will be needing to get started.
Family together has taken on a whole new meaning. Families are together 24/7 with home schooling and work at home. How does that impact family communication? Is a family meeting necessary if we are all together all the time? What’s important to share at a family meeting? Using your Family Meeting to connect and communicate remains an important resource during this time.
Family meetings are a part of great communication. Meeting once a week gets everyone on the same page with calendars, family activities and ongoing family planning. It’s also a great way to discuss important topics like your family values. In this time, there are many responsibilities being communicated that are new and different. Home schooling with learning menus and Zoom calls are new additions to family life. Your family calendar can look busy even with most activities canceled.
Like all meetings, there are some small tricks and tips that help.
Now let’s share what we know with each other to keep up to date all the time.
Dry erase boards are the most popular way to share Family Meetings agendas. You can pair two calendar dry erase boards and a blank dry erase as a complete command center for your family.
Family Dry Erase Calendar Wayfair
Family Dry Erase Calendar The Container Store
Family Dry Erase Board Blank Wayfair
Smead justik dry erase
If your calendar is digital, you can share the calendar on your devices for everyone to view.
Google calendar printed for Family View. Post in a common space.
Each of us has our favorite reminder app on your devices. Set these to maximize the actions you determined at your meeting. You can include multiple family members with some reminder apps too.
Your family meeting is the time to support and nurture your family. Bring out the best in each of your family members by addressing concerns, sharing important information. and being available together. At the most anxious of times, setting aside a specific time to address routines and new information makes a difference for everyone in your family.
Search COVID-19 for all my Professional-Organizer.com posts on my blog.
We specialize in working with ADD/ADHD clients. Whether in your home or your office, we motivate, empower and affirm our clients in their quest for organizing and productivity! 