Holiday Organizing in the “New Normal”

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Holiday organizing

 

This year will be a different year for many families in Houston and other parts of the United States.  With the holidays approaching, some areas will be rebuilding and restoring homes, offices, and businesses.  It’s going to be a “New Normal” for a while and the holidays are no exception.

 

Create holiday traditions and experiences

There have been significant losses. Your family may be in a new rental space or have fewer cherished decorations.  This year could be about new holiday traditions and experiences.  Think about the ways you can celebrate that bring you closer together as a family.  Families have started new ornament collections, decided to go on a vacation togehter instead of giving gifts and acknowledged the spirituality of the season instead of the commercialism. Spend time with your family deciding what is most important to each family member.

 

Supporting our local businesses

Small businesses are gearing up for the holiday season. Many businesses will be open at this time. It’s vital to support our local businesses now.  Big or small purchases all make a contribution.  Our local businesses are counting on us this year, and every year.

Be creative about how you can use your resources this year.  Extra large expenses for repairs wil be a part of your budget. What ways can you choose to share your blessings?  Is this the year to simplify your gift giving and gift budget?  Perhaps you have been thinking about this for many years and now it the time.

 

Keep routines to keep you organized

Your “new normal” will benenfit from  your traditional organizing and productivity routines.  Use your calendar and lists to keep you from feeling overwhelmed. During the holidays, we have more on our calendar and action lists.  Most especially this year, get a good night’s rest every night and stick to your exercise routine. Seek support if you are having a difficult time. There are community resources available at our local churches and associations.

 

I will be thinking of each of you as you celebrate the holidays this year. We have much to be grateful for.

 

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Change what you imagine, change your reality

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Change what you imagine, change your reality

 

 

“Our entire experience on this planet is determined by how we chooses to perceive our reality” – Jen Sincero, author of You are a Badass

 

Change what you imagine, change your reality.

 

Have you written a “story” about your productivity? Does your story sound like this?

I never….

I should….

I can’t….

Are you feeling paralyzed, unproductive, and stuck? The stories we tell ourselves are what we hear from past experiences or other’s neagativity.  Are you ready for a new story?

 

Writing your new story

I am a believer in new perspectives and alternative endings.

 

The adage, glass half full, comes to mind.  It’s how we perceive our reality that helps us rewrite our story.  The glass half full starts with gratitude.  Be grateful for the tiniest of things.  Rewrite your story first by thinking about gratitude.

 

Essential to your new story is support.  Support that helps you find your new perspective with clarity.  Surround yourself with people who think like  you do.  These are the people who understand that new stories come from learning, bigger picture thinking, and whole hearted bravery.

 

There’s learning here.  Where did you get stuck?  Dig deep then. What’s behind being stuck? It comes from many different perspectives, including perfectionism, fear and negativity. Lock into the perspective that held you back. Identifying obstacles clears your path.

 

Use your strengths. Think about how you process information and record what you have completed? By assessing, you are building in a knowledge base for yourself.

 

Here’s your new story

Here are new perspectives giving you hope. Be tenacious and move forward inch by inch. Surround yourself with support of a team who believe in you and your work.  It isn’t easy, and learning comes along the way.  You will accomplish your work.  You wrote your new story.

 

I’m here to partner, support and help you write your new story!  Let me know when you are ready to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

Sharpen Your Saw Productivity

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sharpen the saw aka be more productive

 

Have you heard the Abraham Lincoln’s tale of the woodcutter and his axe?  It’s the story of how important keeping your skills, tools, and technology current. It’s a good reminder for us all that to do our best work and be productive, we need to keep ourselves sharp.  What’s best to keep sharp?

Organize your desk top and minimize clutter

The slide into a cluttered space happens every day as we work.  Paper piles up on our desk.  An uncluttered space helps you stay on track and manage your time effectively. When you are organized, you can find what you need quickly and save time.  You are undistracted and more focused on your work.  Solutions to create a more organized space include having only specific items out on your desk that you use daily, minimizing desk top clutter. You can set up a file drawer that contains “drop slots” for big picture weekly priority actions such as finances, clients, and vendors at work or bills, family and receipts for home. It’s most important to use a planner that capture your goals, projects, and tasks written in yearly, quarterly, weekly and daily. Set up a little time daily, just 15 minutes, to keep your desk clear and ready to use.

 

Learn new technology

Technology changes all the time. There are new tools to use and our time tested tools upgrade. It takes time to learn new technology and it can be a struggle for some of us. There’s value in researching new technology that can improve your efficiency and effectiveness. Look for tech gurus who help you learn what  you need and how to use it. It’s best to learn the tool before you need it in order to save time at a crucial project point.

 

Jump start your routines

Routines are smooth running processes that help us be productive.  When put in place, all the nitty gritty gets completed.  Each week, host your own one hour productivity meeting. It’s you, your calendar, your lists, and a beverage.  During your one hour productivity meeting, you review your lists, review your goals, assign tasks, break down projects into manageable tasks, and calendar all your activities.  In one well timed hour you are in control of your plans.  What about distractions and other interruptions? Leave time in your plan for these with some flexibility. Overscheduling can lead to discouraging results.  Each day, write down your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs). First off, know what is most important with ongoing effort, not just an approaching deadline. Stretch out your efforts over several days to achieve results you are proud to own.  As you practice with MITs and your productivity meeting, your weeks will run more smoothly.

 

Faithfully check, add to and review your planner

Everyone needs a planner.  You wrote it all down in your planner or on your digital calendar, and then what happened? It’s not magic to think you will remember it all.  Set your planner so you can see it daily and add audio reminders if needed. Your productivity road map is only as good as your use of it.  Take a minute when you think of a task or project to record it right away.

 

BONUS: Sharpening your saw depends on your self care

How we approach our efforts depends in part on how we take care of ourselves. The best first step to sharpening your saw is a night’s rest, nutrition and exercise. Your brain requires sleep, protein and exercise.  Insuring that you are getting sleep, eating properly and taking a walk are the best ways to be sure you are using all your tools, tips and tricks.  The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that healthy adults get a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night, with an overall range of between seven to eight hours. Protein is a main factor for your brain. Exercise increases productivity too.   If you can start with just one of these, start with getting 7 hours of sleep a night.  Your brain and body will be refreshed and ready to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAPO Cares! NAPO

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National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals

 

NAPO, the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, supports a cause each year. This year our efforts are focused on hurricane relief.  Our members have compiled a consolidated list of hurricane resources for your donations.  Many of us in the greater Houston area have already been giving our time and energy to individuals and groups locally. The greatest need is financial donations to help rebuilt homes and businesses.  #NAPOCares for our communities! 

 

TEXAS:

Bayou City Fellowship
www.bayoucityfellowship.com

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston
http://www.bgcgh.org

Carter BloodCare (covers hospitals in North, Central and East Texas)
http://www.carterbloodcare.org

Diocese of Galveston-Houston
http://www.svdphouston.org/services/disaster-relief

Feeding Texas
www.feedingtexas.org

Food Bank of Corpus Christi

Home

Houston Community Tool Bank

Give

Houston Food Bank
www.houstonfoodbank.com

Houston Humane Society
http://www.houstonhumane.org/

Houston NW Church
https://pushpay.com/p/hnwhouston?src=hpp (select Harvey Flood Relief)

Houston SPCA
http://www.houstonspca.org/

Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund (Greater Houston Community Foundation)

Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund

Real Life Ministries
https://app.clovergive.com/f/f2?formid=71aec719-e0f7-476b-9c33-e902121ea159

San Antonio Human Society
https://sahumane.org/

Society of St. Vincent de Paul
http://www.svdphouston.org/services/disaster-relief

South Texas Blood & Tissue Center
https://southtexasblood.org/harvey

Texas Diaper Bank

Texas Diaper Bank

The Dallas Mayors Relief Fund
https://www.dallasfoundation.org/donate.aspx?tp=1000&fn=mayor%27s%20disaster%20relief%20fund (select

United Way of Greater Houston Hurricane Fund
https://www.unitedwayhouston.org/flood/flood-donation

Windwood Presbyterian Church
https://windwood.wufoo.com/forms/windwoods-hurricane-relief-fund/

SOUTH FLORIDA

Florida Keys Emergency Relief Fund

Florida Keys Emergency Relief Fund

Global Giving
https://www.globalgiving.org

Good Samaritan Foundation – local senior living community
https://www.good-sam.com/foundation/donate

Hurricane Irma Relief Fund – by GlobalGiving – Vetted

The Hurricane Irma Relief Fund for Immokalee and Southwest Florida Farmworker Communities
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/immokalee

Senior Connection Center – Your Aging & Disability Resource Center
https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/WestCentralFloridaAreaAgen/OnlineGiving.html

The Miami Foundation (has a list of organizations that are accepting donations)

Home

 

PUERTO RICO

United for Puerto Rico

Home

HOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED:

Before giving money to an organization, do your research. Charity Navigator, which identifies worthycharities, has a list of organizations responding after the storm.
The Internal Revenue Service has search tools that reveal whether an organization is eligible to receive tax deductible charitable contributions. If you suspect an organization or individual is engaging in fraud, you can report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud. For advice on avoiding fraudsters, read Charity Navigator’s post on how to protect yourself, and check out these tips from the Federal Trade Commission. Be very cautious when donating funds. There are impostors seeking contributions to false disaster relief charities in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. Learn how to spot and report scams here! The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends checking with the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for a list of trusted disaster-relief organizations in Texas.

This is why following through on the Organizing Continuum helps you live the life you imagined!

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organizing

 

Getting organized is a continuum, a work in progress,  a journey not a destination, and a learning experience. In my work with clients, I see that there is a definite starting place for my clients that begins with organizing skills and new perspectives. Clients learn basic skills to help them get organized and be productive.  I coach them to see new perspectives about themselves, their stuff and their time.  I am thrilled to acknowledge their gains as they progress through the organizing continuum.  If you are new to organizing, here’s how the continuum progresses. The time for the continuum depends on you.

 

Everything needs a place

It’s the basis of all organizing. It’s the age old adage, a place for everything and everything in it’s place.  All the items in your home or office need a specific spot.  That’s where they are located, put back and retrieved when used.  The first step in getting organized is having a place for everything. Yes, EVERYTHING. You can start by assigning a function to each room, what you need to do that action, the items needed, and then the storage of the items.  Overall, each item will have a home and a place as a result.

 

Everything needs a time to attend to it

Not only does everything need a place, everything needs a time for it to be worked on, worked with or returned to it’s spot.  You make breakfast, retrieve dishes and cookware, wash it and return it to where it was placed.  If you are doing your taxes, you need to gather documents, work on them, then store these whether paper or digital.  When you work, you go to your digital documents, work, and save it to a digital spot.  All things, papers, or digital documents need time to work the work and store appropriately.

 

There’s a place for your stuff, however it’s not worth the time to attend to it.

This is when your discerning decluttering really kicks into gear.  It’s not that you don’t have space for an item, how important is it to spend time getting it to where the place is? How many do you have already or do you need? Our time is the most valuable commodity we have and we can let go of items just so it’s not as time consuming to put them away.

It’s not valuable enough to find the space for it.

Here’s where you begin to assess a “just in case” perspective. Is the possibility of use a good enough reason to keep an item? The Minimalists have this perspective.  If it costs less than $20, and you can get it in 20 minutes, do you need it in your home or office?  Finding the value of keeping an item helps you move forward in this continuum.  It’s about prioritizing your time and space.

 

There are many easier ways to find the stuff you need.

You have wrangled your stuff to get it stored and put away. Now you realize that there are many easier ways to find what you need, whether it is stuff, information or paper. You are entering the continuum where you start releasing more and bringing in less to your home and office.

 

Living with less is rewarding.

Life is feels less overwhelming, more about experiences, and you are living the life you imagined.

 

Organized and stay organized.

Your life is about living, not about stuff. You stay organized because you know what is important to have and what to release.  Congratulations on accomplishing the real goal of being organized!

 

Sharing this continuum helps you start on your organizing and productivity journey!

Here’s more posts to help you too!

And join my newsletter to start on your organizing continuum.

3 Ways to Get (Breakfast, Lunch and) Dinner on the Table

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There’s nothing more exciting than getting home and smelling yummy dinner! Cooking has become a hobby and an outlet during quarantine. Whether you are parents and kids, living with roommates or living alone, getting dinner on the table makes a difference every day. It’s about self care and care for others.   Taking care of ourselves and our family, we nourish our bodies and our community with meals together. How can we make getting dinner on the table easy? It’s about taking an organized approach with planning, shopping, preparing and clean up.

 

Beginner’s guide to meal planning

Meal time requires a plan.  Having a plan makes sure you have what you need, when you need it and with healthy options.  The plan starts with knowing how many meals you need to plan.  It also requires a balance of veggies, fruits, proteins and carbs.   The more colorful your plate, the healthier.  Having a plan means that you will have the ingredients on hand to prepare.

  • Start with just one of the food groups.  Start with proteins and work around this.  Pair the same protein with many different veggies or fruits.  When you start with only one food group it’s less overwhelming to create your dinner plan.
  • Repetition is a good thing.  If everyone loves breakfast burritos, make that your staple breakfast plan.
  • A family dinner list is a family friendly way to plan dinner. Your family shares 12 ideas that they will all eat for any meal including dinner. It can be super simple, like grilled cheese or baked potatoes or taco bar. The idea is to have your family gather, share and then eat. Keep this list and the necessary ingredients handy when you shop.
  • The Family Dinner Project gets you started with the online dinner program, Food, Fun and Conversation: 4 Weeks to Better Family Dinners.   This guide helps you make family dinners a household staple in just four weeks. This free guide includes healthy recipes, dinner activities and loads of conversation starters.
  • Pantry staples and a freezer inventory make meal planning easier. What’s already here to use?
  • Create a plan that goes with a theme for each night of the week. Just like Taco Tuesday, you can make a plan for each night so there are no decisions to make.
  • Short cut meal planning using a pre-set menus and prepped ingredients like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron or other meal kits. 

 

Ready, set, shop

Now it’s time to get the goods.  Create a list and shop by store. Make it digital so everyone who is out of the house can shop. Cozi, AnyList, and OurGroceries all have easy to use online lists that are accessible by you and your shopping buddy. Use online coupons from the stores you typically shop. A shopping trick that helps is to shop that same day every week. You can shop twice a week and always have milk. Automate non-perishable delivery with Amazon Subscription and your toilet paper arrives regularly.

 Remember to:

  • Always bring a list.
  • Organize your list by aisle. The perimeter of the store is where essentials are purchased.
  • Stick to your list.
  • Order the same day of the week for curb side pick up

 

Quick and easy preparation

Can you make dinner in 15 minutes or less? Is Sunday your day to make multiple meals?  What’s your quick and easy hack to get dinner on the table?  Take help to get meals on the table by partnering with your kids, partner or home helper.  Use short cuts from the grocery store with prepped or frozen veggies.  Prep what you can one day a week and store in the plastic ware ready to use.  Just like other routines, getting dinner on the table requires thinking ahead.  Get your protein ready by defrosting the night before in the refrigerator.

  • Make a no- cook dinner that requires only assembly. Try cold foods, like sandwiches or salads for dinner.
  • Prep all the veggies on Sunday.
  • Early prep with a slow cooker for all day cooking.
  • Instapot cooking speeds up your dinner.
  • Prep and cook on a weekend.  Consolidating all the work of dinner makes for a quick evening dinner.
  • Have your partner cook the protein on one day. All you need is sides!

 

What’s your biggest take away from getting dinner on the table? Family dinner together! It’s the opportunity to review the day, learn what’s happening for each of you, and a time to connect. It’s time to cook dinner together and learn a new skill. It’s really not about the food. It’s about the time together!

 

 

 

More dinner ideas here! 

After the Flood Decluttering and Organizing

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After the Flood decluttering and organizing

 

In the past few weeks we have seen decluttering and organizing in sad circumstances.  Families and businesses have suffered great losses due to flooding.  Families and businesses have reached out across the country to supply those in need with items they are letting go of.  The catastrophic circumstances have lead to an all time new attetion to decluttering and organizing.  In reflection, the response to life altering circumstances is letting go and decluttering.

 

Holding onto things

There have been lots of reasons in the past that we have been holding onto things.  There’s emotional attachment, unrealized value, and that “just in case” thinking.  When we see that our things have been ruined, we feel regret.  Several of my clients mentioned that although it was necessary to let go of items in their homes after the floods, it still was hard despite these being ruined. Despite, the blessings of help during the flood, it was still difficult to bag up clothes and home goods.  There’s an art to letting go.

 

Emergencies don’t give us time to process holding onto things and why. In a quick decision, regrets occur.  Let’s remember that grief is a part of holding onto things and that grief can resurface later despite the most awful of circumstances.  It takes time for perspectives to shift in holding onto things.

 

Letting go of things

“When natural disasters of this magnitude strike, they bring out the best impulses in many of us. We feel empathy for the victims and an urge to reach out and help them in any way we can, ” according to Psychology Today.  We want to help by giving.  Most encouraging has been the financial donations for those in need.  There are many local and national agencies to give donations for these emergencies.

 

It’s also a reminder to ourselves that disaster can happen to anyone and anywhere.  When we see that our friends, neighbors and families have suffered through the loss, we know that we could be experiencing the same.  It’s a prompting to us to use this new awareness in a positive light and let go of our own things too.

 

Difficult times take time to process. Whether you experienced flooding as either a helper or a victim, take time to tell your story, share your experience and reflect on the new perspectives after the flood.

Lessons Learned From Hurricane Harvey

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Lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey

It’s been a rough week in Kingwood (suburb of Houston), Texas. We have seen rain for days followed by epic flooding.  While it’s been a scary, sad, chaotic, unprecedented week, there are always lessons to learn when life takes you on a spin to Plan B (or C.) Here are the lessons I learned this week from my life in Kingwood after Hurricane Harvey

 

#HoustonStrong #KingwoodStrong

  1. Stand up and be counted! You can do this! You got this! Hastag or not, Houston shows it’s underlying strength in times of adversity. The hashtag has surfaced everywhere showing us to be tough but big hearted and strong enough to face what it takes to rebuild our city. Being strong takes courage however we know we can rebuild our city. Our stengths comes from knowing how to work hard, be kind, and take on what comes our way.

 

Team Up

Many hands make for light work. That’s especially the case when disaster strikes. Having a team not only eases up on the work itself, it also helps with the stress. Research shows that surrounding yourself with positive people, energy and conversations makes hard situations easier.  When you are together, process the situation, make it fun and also get work done.  It’s overwhelming and endless when you are undoing the damage of flooding.  Be the person that turns things upside down and make team work happen. Think about how to be a part of the solution! In our community local churchs banded together to aid families in need.  Food was available all over the community.  Boaters from the “Cajan Armada” rescued our people over and over.  Find a fit for your strenghs and share the work and fun.

 

Find the good

It’s not always easy to find the good. It can be distracting when traffic snarls while getting to your home to clean up.  It’s an emotional roller coaster when you are working on your home and emptying all your first flood onto your lawn.  Find a way to find the good.  Here’s the little things I noticed in the last 2 days that helped me find the good in our community.

  • A “corner store” on the corner of 2 streets, giving away from cleaning supplies, food and supplies.
  • ” A boat came and got us,” driven by the Cajun Armada, people from Louisiana who knew the devastation a hurrican causes. Thousands were rescued by these men and women.
  • Families helping families rip up flooring.  Kids, moms and dads working together to help other families that they had not met.
  • Chain saws, manned by anyone and everyone, ripping through trees making passage ways available
  • Free food, supplies, and support at every corner in our community.

 

There’s never a good time for disaster. Our country has been through a lot this year.  Texans are showing what it’s like to be strong, stay positive, and make a difference by helping others in our community.

 

What lesson have you learned from Hurricane Harvey?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Walk Every Morning

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why walk every morning

 

As an organizer coach, I write about routines, self care and productivity. As one who “walks the walk,”  each morning I literally walk.  I get up at the same time (another routine like walking) to make time to start each day with a walk.  My morning is a productive and organized start to my day.

 

Morning is a glorious time of day.

The birds are singing and the sky is blue. I am grateful for the smell of wet grass.  Being a morning person, this is when I do my best thinking about life, work, family and health.  Taking a morning walk is the best start to my day.  All the sights, sounds and smells remind me of all I am grateful for each day.  My morning walk brings a smile to my face and starts the day off with jubilantly.

 

Setting my priorities

My health is a priority. I want to live a strong, healthy life. I have walked my neighborhood for nearly 30 years.  With the emphasis on walking 10,000 steps a day, I typically get in 5,000 steps in the morning.  It’s an easy way to boost my energy and strength. Not surprising, walking is a brain boost too. Research shows, “One year of walking increased functional connectivity between aspects of the frontal, posterior, and temporal cortices,” thereby reducing brain dysfunction in aging.  Walking enhances brain health.

 

Finding support

I walk alone or with a friend.  I appreciate my time alone to reflect, find new perspectives and gather my thoughts. I reflect on many different goals, like connections with other, my work and When I walk with a friend, I assess, set new goals, and laugh at life. Sometimes I call a friend or catch up with a mastermind partner where we together help each other. You can reach your goal with support, whether the support is a team effort, a teacher, or a friend.

 

What is your morning like? Is it a chaotic rush to get out of the house? A crabby, frustrated start to the day? Here’s how to make your start to the day what you want it to be.

  • Decide what makes your day “work.”  That means, what gets you started and what gets  you ready for a positive and productive day.  Spiritual reading, practicing meditation, and doing yoga are all ideas that I frequently hear from friends and clients as how they WISH they started their days.  Make a commitment to yourself to start your day in the best possible way.
  • Set your bedtime and adhere to it.  Too often the best morning is derailed  by a late bedtime.  Get in bed at a time that gives you ample rest to be ready to start your day refreshed.
  • Commit to keeping a morning schedule that works for you.
  • Set your goal and work out the steps and the process to make your goal happen.
  • A productive and organized start to my day leads to a productive and organized day.

 

I look forward to my morning walk and feel like something is missing if my day starts without a walk. I know you will find that one thing that makes for your best start of your day too! You will find that a productive and organized start to your day makes a difference.

One ADHD Family, Five Planners

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1 adhd family 5 planners

Back to school means back to planners.  Planners are what keep families and individuals sane during the school year. It’s where we keep dates, deadlines, meetings and ideas. With ADHD, having a great planner is a must.  When I work with families, one of my first ways to make a difference is to recommend a planner.  In one family I work with, all the members know the value and are excited about using their planners.  Here’s the story of one ADHD family, five planners.

 

Mom’s traditional planner

Mom uses a traditional, month at a glance calendar.  She is working 2 part time out of the home jobs and her “family manager” mom job.  Mom loves to quilt and is a member of a quilt guild too.  Her calendar keeps her on track with where she should be on what day.  Mom like the month at a glance view to keep from being overwhelmed.

 

Big sister’s creative calendar

Big sister is starting an advanced degree. Her schedule includes a part time job and part time school.  Big sister’s calendar is customized for her routines, like cleaning her apartment, and self care, like hydration.  Big sister has a combination, daily, weekly and monthly calendar system bound together in a spiral.  She loves that all her priorities are in one place.

 

Little sister’s  Agendio planner

Little sister is starting her final college years, works a busy part time job and attends college full time.  She found a daily planner overwhelming and uses a template in Agendio to create a weekly/monthly planner.  She keeps her syllabus in her planner, as we as uses time blocking to keep up with her schedule.

 

Little brother Academic Planner

Little brother is beginning college.  While not a big fan of planners, Little sister has highy recommended this as a crticial element for colleg success.  Little brother uses order out of chaos academic planner because it’s big blocks to enter information.

 

Dad and his digital planner

Dad keeps all his information digitally.  He views it at wor on Outlook and checks his phone at home.

 

The big take away from this family is:  Use a planner that works for you and be productive!