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A Shout Out to Moms  May 9, 2012

If  you are a busy Mom trying to keep all the balls in the air, try some of these organizing tips:  (and, if you are looking for gift ideas for Mom, why not give her a day of organizing with all of the family helping out?!)

-Designate one central area of your home to deal with paperwork and managing the family…your family command center.

-Have a drop zone by the entry and exit point of your home.  Keep all of the items that need to go in and out on a regular basis in this space: keys, purses, backpacks, cell phones, returns, briefcases…

-Use ready made checklists to keep from writing your to do lists over and over again.   Maintain checklists for things like grocery shopping and bring the lists with you when you shop.

-Share your systems – Be sure others in your household know where things go and how your systems work.  For example, teach kids to empty and hang backpacks and tack or place notices for you to check.  Ask them to place important papers to be returned back in their backpacks.

-Smooth out morning bumps by doing as much as possible to get ready for the day the night before.   Make lunches and snacks, place items to take with you in your drop zone, and lay out clothes.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Spring Has Sprung!  March 28, 2012

The weather seems to be confused, but the calendar tells us that it is indeed spring.   So, to welcome the season, here are a few ideas for organizing projects to tackle:

1. Clear all of your bulletin and memo boards.   Recycle old memos, fliers, and invitations.  Be sure to enter important dates in your calendar.

2. Check expiration dates on sunscreen and bug spray to ready for their usage.

3. Tackle your junk drawer.   Empty the contents and sort items by category.  Toss or recycle unneeded items and consider purchasing a drawer sorter or divider before your replace the contents.

4. Clean out your wallet, purse, or briefcase.  You may be surprised at what you will find.

5. Create a weekly or monthly meal plan.  Be sure to use your meal plan to make your grocery shopping lists, so you will have the right ingredients on hand.

Whatever projects you tackle, remember to re-use and re-purpose bins, baskets, containers, and holders for your organizing needs.

Happy Spring!

Nobody’s Perfect  February 17, 2012

I always tell my clients that no one is perfect.  A close friend of mine who is very organized recently shared her ‘achilles heel’ with me.   This is someone whose life, home, and office are full of systems and processes that keep her organized.  But she has always been challenged when packing for a trip.   She uses a packing list to get prepared, but she always brings too much – too many shoes, clothes, cosmetics – you name it.  Normally her family laughs as they know the routine – she always has the heaviest, bulging suitcase.   But on a recent trip, when boarding a plane, the gate agent stopped her to size her carry on suitcase and it didn’t make the cut.  Too much was stuffed in the front pockets and it had to be checked.  Not a big deal, but an inconvenience nevertheless.   And, it did make her stop and think, as her challenge really is a form of deferred decision making – much like accumulating clutter and not deciding what stays and what goes. So, she has vowed to work on her challenge and ask herself some key questions as she packs -Do I love it?  Do I need it?  Does it have to come with me?  Is there something else I am taking that can fill the same need?  I reminded her that organizing is a process, not a one time event, so it may take some time…or a new suitcase!

Get Organized Month  January 3, 2012

Happy New Year and welcome to January – officially deemed Get Organized Month by the National Association of Professional Organizers. (NAPO)  Someone must be listening because at The Container Store, I was probably tenth in the checkout line, with at least as many others waiting behind me.   Everyone’s shopping carts and baskets were loaded with containers – boxes, bins, and baskets and many other organizing products.   Certainly it is a good thing that people want to take the time to get organized. But it helps to remember that getting organized is NOT about buying fancy containers, bins and baskets – it is about making decisions about your possessions – what stays and what goes – and creating systems that work for you and the way you live and work.   The process is a bit different for each individual, but the result can be the same – peace of mind and more time to do the things you love.    So, use Get Organized Month as your motivation and start making those long put off decisions about your ‘stuff’- you’ll be glad you did.

Here Come the Holidays!  October 31, 2011

We all promise ourselves that we will start our holiday shopping in August, we will host a great party or two, and send out the best family holiday card ever…but in reality, that’s a lot of pressure to put on ourselves.  More realistically, we can take a few steps to being better organized for the holiday season.   Here are a few tips:

Create a holiday planner – a basic binder or notebook with sections such as gift lists, menus, decorating ideas, and coupons.

Create a monthly holiday calendar – assign tasks related to the holidays to a few days each week to check things off your list.

Clean up your holiday card address list – whether it’s U.S. mail addresses or email addresses, take some time to make needed adjustments, so the list is ready to use before the holidays.

Organize your fridge and pantry.  Group like items together, discard any expired items and leave some empty space.

Purge playrooms and closets in anticipation of new gifts.   November 15th is National Recylcing Day.

Most of all, remember to spend memorable time with family and friends.

Life Without Mail  September 16, 2011

Recently, due to a forwarding glitch, a client of mine did not receive mail for almost a month.  “Ah” you say, “what a relief” – no incoming paper to deal with every day, no bills, catalogs, annoying ads, marketing materials or promotions.  But, she didn’t feel relieved, she felt stressed out instead.   This client has worked hard at getting organized and knows the importance of having a regular system and staying on top of it.   But, she is also realistic and knows that things change and you have to adapt.   So, we made a plan for tracking the important pieces and readied a system for the deluge of mail she knew she would receive once the Post Office got it right.  (and, she tried to put it out of her mind…until she saw the mailman’s truck everyday!)

So, the lesson learned is this…Be patient.   Organizing systems and solutions need to be applied over time and tweaked when things change.   Life is full of glitches - it’s how we deal with them that matters.

One Size Does NOT Fit All  August 5, 2011

Visiting day at overnight camp is a fun family time, a chance to ‘peer’ in the window of your child’s camp experience.  As I visited my two kids in their cabins, I came to a realization.  I realized that the organizing solutions I apply in my business are the same ones I need to apply to my family.   I had helped set my kids up with the exact same organizers and layout for their clothes and belongings, but my older child had been to camp before and this worked for him.   What I needed to remember was that my younger child is a completely different person who needed a completely different set up.   So, on visiting day, we tweaked a few things and got him back on track.   Back at home, I made some notes for next summer to remind myself of these details.   These notes and my child’s input will allow us to set up a better system that works specifically for him.   Same space – different people – different needs – different systems and solutions….organizing is definitely not a one size fits all approach.

Organizing…When You Least Expect It!  June 24, 2011

An interesting thing happened at my son’s 5th grade class day/graduation ceremony.  Each of the 100 or so children got up to say a few words.   They spoke of favorite memories; their appreciation for their teachers & families; and their advice to the younger kids who follow them.  Surprisingly, time and time again, they mentioned the importance of organization.  “Keep your binders organized,” “Organize your papers so you know where your things are,” “Do a little bit of work each day so your projects are easier,”  “Hand in your homework on time,” “Keep your desk organized,” “Get your backpack ready the night before.”     I was fascinated.  My husband thought it sounded like a future generation of professional organizers.  I thought it seemed more like some very self-aware youngsters who have learned early the benefits of good organizational habits.   Let’s hope they follow their own advice!  (and by the way, all of your parents are very proud of you!)

Happy Father’s Day!  May 27, 2011

Since we paid tribute to all the Mom’s out there for Mother’s Day, we can’t leave out the Dad’s…For Father’s Day, why not offer Dad some type of organizing gift he will love -

-A family organizing day (Let Dad choose the space…and remember to try to focus on one room or area.)

-A few  hours of free time for Dad to organize his electronic mail, home office space, or lawn items.

-A gift certificate for a professional organizer.

-Home made coupons for you to help him organize sports equipment or storage areas.

-A gift certificate for a car wash, wax & vacuum.

Happy Mother’s Day!  April 25, 2011

Last year a friend confessed to me that for Mother’s Day she asked her husband and children for a half day spent organizing their basement.   She said it was the best Mother’s Day gift ever – they all worked together, they made decisions on what to keep and what to donate, and, best of all, they cleared the space for family activities yet to come.   So, as Mother’s Day approaches, think about some non-clutter or organizing gifts you can give to make Mom very happy…

~A family organizing day (if possible, pick one room or area to focus on)

~Home made coupons for organizing or tidying an area of the home

~A gift certificate for a professional organizer

~A gift certificate for a house cleaner, laundry, or dry cleaning service

~A few hours of free time for Mom to organize her electronic mail

~A family yard clean up day

 April 7, 2011

Spring Into Organizing!

7 Tips to Get a Jump Start on Spring Organizing…

1. If your child is enrolled in spring sports or activities like baseball, soccer, lacrosse, dance or gymnastics, carve out a spot for his/her sports/activity gear.  Take inventory of the items, make sure everything fits & make a shopping list of things to buy or borrow.  Then, place the gear in a centralized location for quick access, such as by the back door, mudroom, basement, or garage.   Your gear might also include water bottles & quick snacks. 

2.  When you get out your spring clothing, put the hangers in facing the back of the closet on the rod.   When you wear a piece of clothing, turn the hanger to face the front of your closet. At the end of the season you’ll  be able to see the items you never wore and can consider parting with  them.

3.Before putting away your winter outerwear and accessories (coats, hats, mittens, gloves, boots, etc.) really assess what you are about to store.   Did you wear it?  Did it fit?  Is it still in good condition?    If you didn’t use something, consider donating it.

4. Spring is a great time to clean out the pantry and refrigerator.   Take everything off of shelves, toss any expired or spoiled items, clean out the space and replenish in an orderly manner that makes sense to you and the way you use your space.

5. For easier spring cleaning, fill a bucket with all of your basic cleaning supplies.  You will have everything in one place and can carry the bucket with you throughout the house.

6. Schedule a spring clean up day in your yard.   Have everyone in the family pitch in, raking stray leaves, picking up sticks, and getting the yard ready for plantings.

7. The linen closet is an easily overlooked location.  Take a few minutes to inventory towels and sheets, wash any items that need refreshing and refold or roll things back into place.   If you have an excess of items, animal shelters are great places to donate unwanted towels and sheets.

Less is More  March 3, 2011

I really do believe that less is  more.   The less ‘stuff’ we have, the less we have to maintain and hopefully, the less we have to do each day.   In the book The Power of Less, author Leo Babauta mentions the form of Japanese poetry known as haiku, that contains many interesting lessons to teach us about how ‘less’ is a powerful concept.   The haiku is usually a nature-related poem of just 17 syllables, written in 3 lines (5 syllables/then 7/then 5.)   A poet writing a haiku must work with those limitations, expressing an entire idea or image in only that number of syllables.   It can be a challenging task.   Babauta writes “So the haiku poet has a couple of choices:  You can quickly whip out 17 syllables and have a completed haiku in a short amount of time; or,  you can choose only the essential words and images needed to convey your idea.   The second choice is what creates some of the most powerful poetry in such a limited form – choosing only the essential.   So the lessons we can learn from the haiku are like the principles of simple productivity…”

1.  By setting limits & boundaries, we must strive to choose only what is essential.  So, in everything you do, learn to set limits.   Limit your commitments to the things you have to do and the things you want to do.   Learn to say NO.

2. By choosing only the essential, we create stronger impact with fewer resources.   Always choose the essential elements to maximize your time & energy.    Experiment to discover more efficient ways to complete tasks;  if possible, delegate.    Use technology as a tool; find calendar systems that work for both you and your family.   Use the springtime, a time of renewal, to clear the clutter from your home, your office and your life.   Again, learn to say NO when you have reached your limit.      Simple lessons…sometimes challenging to follow.    If only our days had more than 24 hours!

The Pitfalls of Not Defining Your Space  February 1, 2011

Recently, I read an article about a woman who doesn’t have a dedicated office space, yet works from her home.   She claims that her old computer is all she needs for work.  She claims that she plans to set up an office, but hasn’t gotten around to it.   She claims that cost is an issue.  So, her dining room table is covered with paper and supplies and over stuffed boxes of file folders.   She has a family and the family can’t eat at the table.    Yes, her home is small, but honestly, she can’t afford NOT to set up a home office.   Why?  Because no matter how small your space or how limited your time, you need to invest in setting up a space and systems that will help organize your space, saving you time,  money, and stress in the long run.   You will have a place for the things you regularly need and use, increasing your productivity.   And, in this woman’s case, she can reclaim her dining room table for what it is meant for – a place for sharing meals and conversation with her family – what  could be more worthwhile?

Here are some things to consider when setting up your home office space:

1. Walk Through Your Home with a Fresh Set of Eyes – is there a space you can work in that you have overlooked?

2. Visualize your space – think about how you really want your space to look and function.

3. Define your space. Once you have chosen the space you want to work in, define it as ‘my home office,’ so everyone in your home treats it that way, including you.

4. Create zones.   Break the space down into zones, for example, a work zone, a supply zone and a reference zone.  Place the items that belong in each area in the appropriate zone.

Welcome!  January 7, 2011

Welcome to the Creative Simplicity BLOG – a space to share thoughts and ideas about the field of organizing…

A recent knee injury has given me a whole new perspective on organizing.  I’m one of those professional organizers who was born with the organizing gene.  My Mom taught me many of the basic tenets of organizing and they are now processes and systems that not only I use, but ones I share with my clients, helping them to discover their own ‘style’ of organization.

So, when I was recently sidelined, the systems and processes I use in my own home and with my  own family really got put to the test.   And you know what?  They worked!    My husband could easily follow the montly dinner menu I create each month.    The clothes are easy to put away in closets and drawers because each drawer or shelf is defined with its specific contents.   Laundry is easy to sort with clearly labeled baskets and bins.   And, when I asked my kids to get something from somewhere, it was easy to describe to them where it was and they knew exactly where to go to retrieve it.    It validated years of creating and tweaking systems.  But, it also reminded me that tweaking is always necessary and we never really know when our systems will be put to the test.

As our lives change, whether through age or circumstance, sometimes we need to reconsider the way we do things.   Organizing strategies that work for families with babies, need to be adjusted when those children grow to school age; strategies that work in large spaces, sometimes need to shift for downsizing; and solutions that work in one household don’t always make sense for another, but one thing remains consistent – being organized always pays off…in time saved, in stress reduced, and many, many other ways…here’s to being organized!