Have you scheduled your Power Period today?
Check out my blog post for the National Association of Professional Organizers Get Organized Month!
http://napogetorganized.com/2013/01/04/have-you-scheduled-your-power-period-today/
Our closets are our best friends and our worst enemies. We all would agree we never have enough storage in our homes. What exactly is in that tiny area? So many different items – shoes, clothes, keepsakes, small gifts, and even more. Use these tips to organize your closet ad personally design your best use for this space!
Hangers, hangers everywhere
The first step to a more visually appealing closet is to use multipurpose hangers for your wardrobe. Available inexpensively, choose slim line hangers . You will find these hangers add uniformity and a visual sense of order. And remember, when you remove an item from the hanger, take the hanger off the shelf, and store it nearby for the garment to return!
Evaluate then donate
A major source of closet problems is clutter. By honestly evaluating the need and use of the items in your closet, you will find space galore! Place a sturdy handle bag in your closet to place clothes or items that are too old, too small or large, or just “not you” to donate to a worthy cause. Each time you take a blouse off a hanger and it does not work, place it in the bag! If you have professional wardrobe items, you can donate these to Dress for Success!
Use your space most effectively
Do you see white wall above, below or around the items in your closet? If so, there are many options to maximize the space in your closet. Double rods double your space! Use a shoe organizer to convert the back of your closet door to hidden extra space. It can be used for scarves, jewelry or other items.
Time to containerize
Looking for a certain pair of shoes? Are your scarves wadded up in a drawer, hard to find? Clear containers with labels are the way to go! Different shapes and sizes can be used to maximize your space.
Daily routine
This is the Organized You – your evening routine to help you keep organized! Everyone needs a daily organization time, time to put away items and to get items prepared for the next day. When you put off organizing daily, it becomes a major chore. Unfortunately, your mother was right about this!
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There is nothing more important for organizing our time than a great calendar/planner. You can use this tool to incorporate planning as well. The strategy of not only recording dates can be the key to making your life more organized and less stressful.
Using a calendar/planner eliminates the mental clutter of remembering dates and times and helps you focus on completion of a project. The more you use your calendar/planner, the more indispensible it will be!
Image courtesy of The Container Store www.containerstore.com
Each year I ask my clients to think about the one word that is the word for the year. It is the word that defines the year for them. It is a word to use when times are tough and things are rough. It is the word to celebrate their goals for the new year.
In the last 2 years I have initiated this, I have had different words. In 2011 it was blessings. In 2012 it was thrive. For 2013 is FABULOUS!
This year I am looking forward to all the fabulous connections, blessings and more that life will bring. What is fabulous? Over the top, amazing and magical. I am looking forward to this word driving what I do with my business and my life.
What is your one for the year? The word that will describe your goals and more for 2013?
Is making changes in your home or office are at the top of your list for the new year you are on target. Getting organized is one of the top three new year’s resolutions every year. Like any change, taking small steps get you to where you want to go.
Be sure to set positive, specific, measurable, date driven steps to accomplish your goals. Write it down, exactly how you will go about the change and the deadline you have. A measureable goal helps you see what you have accomplished and making yourself accountable to a date makes your success assured.
Here are some ideas to help your organizing and productivity this year.
If your goal is to declutter your home and get organized
If your goal is to work smarter and be more productive
If your goal is to be more organized about money, save money and improve finances
If your goal is to improve your health
Whatever your goal, whatever your steps, remember to establish these firmly in a spot during the day. I like to do my baby steps first thing, early in the day, or otherwise the day gets away from me. If you miss a day, just get right back to it the next day. We can’t do every goal and be successful. Aim for one big area this year and see what you accomplish. Tackle your goals in small bites and see the difference for yourself!
Giving meaningfully is part of the holiday season. Follow your inner guide to give meaningfully.
A Guide to Giving Gift From Erin Carlyle
Homemade gifts from texascottage.blogspot.com
Gifts of Random Kindness from littlelucylu.com
For more ideas for simple gift giving, visit my pinterest page www.pinterest.com/EllenDelap Happy Holidays board!
Wishing you a season of meaningful sharing and gifting!
I love sharing my thoughts on Organize to Revitalize too!
Holiday Organizing: Enlist the Elves is posted there at http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2012/12/03/holiday-organizing-enlist-the-elves/.
Who are your elves?
Getting your decorating done for the holidays can be overwhelming! Over the years you have accumulated so many darling decorations, there is so much to sort through, there are so many places in your home to decorate, and there is only so much time. These 5 tips can help you get started and get finished with getting your decorating done.
1. Walk through your home and visualize the decorations in place. What special decorations always sit in one area? What areas are focal points in your home for your family and your holiday guests? What decorations are important to your kids? Start with a visual reminder of what is most important to you. Write down notes or draw pictures to help you as you work.
2. Review your calendar and see what time you have and when you want to be complete. If you have 2 weeks until a major event at your home, this accountability will help you. If not, set a date for completion for yourself.
3. Enlist the elves! Ask your family for help of even the smallest kind. Can your kids or husband set up the tree? Can they take down boxes and take our ornaments carefully? Can you pay your cleaning lady to come an extra day to assist? Put on the holiday music and get moving.
4. Choose a strategy to get the job done. It can be decorate room by room, decorate your door frames and table tops, or whatever strategy appeals to you. It will prevent you from roaming from space to space and help you get areas complete.
5. Know the emotion of “enough”. This season of abundance often means you never feel that you are done decorating. Perfectionism may creep in and decorating goes on, and on, and on. Knwoing what “enough” feels like makes a difference in moving forward to the next step of your holiday preparations.
What are your tips for decorating this holiday season?
Holiday time is almost here! November begins our holiday celebrations with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and New Year’s Eve. Our holidays bring amazing joy and lots to do at our homes. Doing just a little decluttering makes it easier to decorate your home and helps you feel prepared. Spend on hour on one of these four areas to help you get prepared for your most memorable holiday.
•Declutter last year’s holiday cards. It is a powerful way to prepare for this year’s cards by collecting addresses and eliminating extra paper clutter. You will be prepared knowing the number of cards to order too! Just a little less paper means a lot less stress.
• Declutter the toys in your home. There is no better way to prepare than by sharing your blessings with other’s less fortunate! Your kids can be a part of the process in choosing what is donated. They can choose 3 toys to donate and bless others. If you have unopened toys or crafts from previous years, it is a great experience for you and your children to bring these to local philanthropies for gift giving.
• Declutter your decor as you decorate. While you are decorating for the holidays, create an awareness of what has lost meaning or value to you in your home. Whether it is a knick-knack or books, you can declutter while you decorate to create space for the holiday decorations and create a space for new decor after the holidays. Thrift stores and consignment shops appreciate these items for upcoming holiday shoppers.
•Declutter your holiday decorations. Keepsake decorations can be stored and marked to honor wonderful memories and preserve these items to share with your family. Decorations that are in good condition are an excellent donation to local philanthropies and a special way to share the joy of the holiday.
Decluttering before decorating makes our holiday less stressful and more joyful. Put on holiday music and get started on one of these small projects. If you struggle with getting started or following through with your decluttering, give me a call to assist.
Save your sanity and get organized in 2013!
Webinar classes include how to organize your time, your paper, your kids, your students, your technology, hoarding and more!
Classes begin January 3 and run all through Get Organized Month 2013. Take a step to make 2013 your most organized year yet!
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! 
