Make Your List, Check it Twice: Make December Nice! – Part 5

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner, M. Colleen Klimczack, Certified Professional Organizer, Peace of Mind Professional Organizing

Meeting Common Holiday Challenges

Decorating:

• I worked with the client recently who reported dreading the decorating process she enjoyed it, mostly, but the idea of her 20 bands of Christmas staff scattered all over her basin and living room seems too daunting.
• I advised her to open one bin at a time, take out only the items she wanted and place it in her home, and then put the bin away.  One bin at a time.  Control the flow of chaos.
• Decisions: I came home if, and realized I could do that, too.  I thought I would try a theme this year, so…
• Supplies: I have been shopping in my own Christmas bins, selecting only the items I want, the ones that fit my “theme”, and putting the rest away.
• Action: the house looks nice, I am enjoying my minimalist attitude and my kids will be ecstatic when we put up Christmas tree this week. It’s all good!
• After the holidays, I will reassess what I did not get out this year  and decide if I want to get rid of it.

Entertaining:

• Decision:  I have a party coming up next week.  I have the time to shop and prepare items right now, but I have not decided on the menu.  So today, I will determine my menu (apps and a light meal, by the way).
• Supplies: Once I know my menu, I can look at what I have on hand, and then determine my shopping list.  And I can answer “Yes!” to people who have offered to bring things, and add those things to my menu, too.
• Then I can get cracking on my party planning.  And I love party planning!

Colleen provides her clients with some Peace Of Mind about their homes, schedules, paper, families and lives. Her areas of expertise are the home and home office, small businesses, paper and time management, attics, basements and garages, closets and kitchens, and kids and families. She offers a wide range of organizational services, from presentations to products, small business mentoring to maintenance plans. She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), The Chicago Chapter of NAPO, The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce, and Faithful Organizers, a group for Christian Organizers.

Make Your List, Check it Twice: Make December Nice! – Part 4

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner, M. Colleen Klimczack, Certified Professional Organizer, Peace of Mind Professional Organizing

Meeting Common Holiday Challenges

Christmas cards:

• Decisions: my sticking point is that I can’t get the holiday photo cards out until I have them printed, and can’t get them printed until I either  1) take a new picture or 2) use a picture from our summer vacation.  So for me, to solve this issue is not action, but a decision, and then an action.  I need to review my vacation photo and/or pick up my camera.
• In a matter what type of card you send, we all need to know how many cards we need, so make a list of recipients to get started.
• Supplies:  If you don’t do a photo card and therefore do not have to wait, make your list of recipients and go out and buy your cards.  Just do it!  I can make sure I have stamps, addresses and mailing labels, etc., now, while I wait for my cards to get printed.
• Act: Once everything is assembled, set your timer or perhaps a number, i.e. 20 cards a day, and work on them until they are done.  Pat yourself on the back, take a deep breath, a yep –move on to the next area.

Read more of Colleen’s “get through the holidays” tips by visiting this blog tomorrow!

Colleen provides her clients with some Peace Of Mind about their homes, schedules, paper, families and lives. Her areas of expertise are the home and home office, small businesses, paper and time management, attics, basements and garages, closets and kitchens, and kids and families. She offers a wide range of organizational services, from presentations to products, small business mentoring to maintenance plans. She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), The Chicago Chapter of NAPO, The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce, and Faithful Organizers, a group for Christian Organizers.

Make Your List, Check it Twice: Make December Nice! – Part 3

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner, M. Colleen Klimczack, Certified Professional Organizer, Peace of Mind Professional Organizing

Meeting Common Holiday Challenges

Baking: set your timer, and just do it!

• Choose your recipes.  Stop looking for new ones, focus on the ones you already have.
• Collect and purchase ingredients.
• Get baking.  Just do it!  Luckily, we can bake and do other things, too, between batches.  I will do a type of cookies every night this week since I am in the kitchen anyway.  And at the end of this week, I’ll be done. (Remember, too, cookies can be bought!)

Cleaning the house:  Set the timer, and just do it!

• Priority for this is determined by when you are having folks visit your home!
• Realize that there are things that can be done right now today to help things go more smoothly later.
• Your plan of attack is to work through the most important rooms (public spaces, kitchen, guest room) during your timer sessions until you are caught up.
• Buy your cleaning supplies, minor repair items like light bulbs and such.
• Get rid of clutter already destined to leave your home (donations, recycling, etc.)
• Set up your guest space right down to a final 10 minute dust/sweep/clean sheets and towels session.
• You’ve made your decisions, and assembled your supplies, now set the timer and get busy!

Read more of Colleen’s “get through the holidays” tips by visiting this blog tomorrow!

Colleen provides her clients with some Peace Of Mind about their homes, schedules, paper, families and lives. Her areas of expertise are the home and home office, small businesses, paper and time management, attics, basements and garages, closets and kitchens, and kids and families. She offers a wide range of organizational services, from presentations to products, small business mentoring to maintenance plans. She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), The Chicago Chapter of NAPO, The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce, and Faithful Organizers, a group for Christian Organizers.

Make Your List, Check it Twice: Make December Nice! – Part 2

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner, M. Colleen Klimczack, Certified Professional Organizer, Peace of Mind Professional Organizing

Meeting Common Holiday Challenges

Gift purchases: Set your timer, just do it!

· Have you started? Are you lost in the middle?

· Decide what you’re buying for folks, by the items, wrap them and send them. Stop dawdling, just do it!

· Make your shopping list as specific as possible. Decision-making is the hardest, most time consuming part of organizing.

· Once you make a decision, write it down. For example, if you know you’re getting your son a White Sox jersey, don’t write down on your To Do list “Gift-Daniel.” Write down “Daniel – Sox Jersey, size M”. This enables others to help you, and it reminds you what you are looking for when you get to the store, etc.

· Carve out the time to make your purchases. The Internet is a wonderful thing this time of year. I love seeing the UPS guy walking up my walk! If you need to physically go out and shop, determine when your stores are open and carve out the time to do your shopping.

Wrapping gifts: Requires gifts are purchased, so this comes after “Shopping.” Set your timer, then…

· Set up your wrapping area (folding card table, guest room bed, who knows?!)

· Assemble your tools: wrap or gift bags, tissue paper, tape, ribbon, scissors, tags, and a pen.

· Go buy tools, if you need to.

· Wrap. Just do it! And do it again tomorrow and the next day, until you’re done.

· I tend to wrap my gifts long before Christmas. It gives me a chance to make sure I have all the gifts I need, add batteries or accessories, and leaves me time to pick up something else if I need to.

Read more of Colleen’s “get through the holidays” tips by visiting this blog tomorrow!

Colleen provides her clients with some Peace Of Mind about their homes, schedules, paper, families and lives. Her areas of expertise are the home and home office, small businesses, paper and time management, attics, basements and garages, closets and kitchens, and kids and families. She offers a wide range of organizational services, from presentations to products, small business mentoring to maintenance plans. She is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), The Chicago Chapter of NAPO, The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce, and Faithful Organizers, a group for Christian Organizers.

Carving Your Christmas…Elephant?! Part 6

BITE 8 – MEMORABLE TRADITIONS (backbone of the elephant) Tradition saves TIME – TEMPER – TENSION.

Traditions bind our families together. They are comforting. It takes time to build lasting relationships, especially in these times when we are so busy / specialized / and transient.

Traditions can help us know WHO WE ARE and BUILD SELF ESTEEM. They can give a feeling of continuity / security / and joy in Christmases to come.

Traditions passed down from generation to generation will give us ROOTS. They may be very involved or very simple. But, they need to be REEVALUATED from time to time. The most important thing about Christmas traditions is that you have some to USE / ENJOY / CHANGE / DISCARD (if need be.)

Before you know it – it’s all over!

BITE 9 – TIME TO DIGEST…

It’s Dec. 26 – whew! It’s all over….now what? EVALUATE… and begin plans for next year. I encourage you to take inventory SOON after Christmas while the activities are still fresh in your mind. WRITE NOTES ON NEXT DECEMBER’S CALENDAR!

• What worked?
• What didn’t?
• What needs changing?
• What was wonderful?
• What wasn’t?
• Was God glorified?

Evaluating helps us to refocus.

In the beginning, Christmas was essentially a day of spiritual observance, without any of the fanfare and color we now have.

There were no bells / no carols / no lighted trees / no big banquets.

Some claim the added commercialism, frolic, and fun detract from the original intent. (The birth of the Savoir!)

I believe we can enjoy these traditions, taking in the glitter / gifts / parties / food, and still enjoy the peace / goodwill / joy / happiness / and spirituality…..IF…

• IF we can maintain a pleasant attitude…
• IF we can organize so the holiday doesn’t steal time or $ needed for other necessities…
• IF we can gain control of how many extra obligations we take into our lives.

It is a special challenge to keep the gift giving and receiving in its proper perspective and to keep all those materialistic thoughts and desires tucked away where they belong, so that the true meaning can be remembered as the first and foremost purpose of this season.

You CAN do it, but it takes a lot of planning… preparation… perseverance… prayer!

Some information gleaned from “76 Ways to Get Organized for Christmas: and make it special too” by Bonnie McCullough

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner Judy Warmington. Judy is owner of Woman Time Management in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She is also partners her business with Treva Berends of The Organizing Specialists, a Professional Organizing business that trains new organizers and then manages them in a referral network. They have trained over 300 new organizers from 25 different states. Judy is a member of NAPO and Faithful Organizers. Learn more about Judy and her services at either http://www.womantimemanagement.com or http://www.theorganizingspecialists.com.

Carving Your Christmas… Elephant?! Part 5

BITE 6 – KIDS & PETS …under foot?

PETS – put them in the family photo (short lives) and keep the house

safe for them. This is NOT a good time to add a pet to your home!

KIDS – let them take part in your Christmas preparations. But…be careful to maintain their regular routine so they don’t become exhausted by the time Santa arrives! During the waiting time:

· ADVENT CALENDARS

· NATIVITY SCENES (1 Char. Per night @ dinner/give set)

· CHRISTMAS SCRAP BOOK / PHOTO ALBUM

· SPECIAL PROJECTS (popcorn on tree / tags /cookies)

PARENTS – Give parenting books!

BITE 7 – SPREADING GOODWILL TOWARD MEN (heart) Christmas is a good time to nurture the value of SERVICE to others. It helps turn hearts away from COMMERCIALISM – From WHAT WILL I GET? – To – WHAT CAN I GIVE?

Plan at least 1 FAMILY SERVICE ACTIVITY to reinforce thinking of others:

• VISIT RETIREMENT HOMES / NURSING HOMES
• ASK SOMEONE “ALONE” TO SHARE DINNER W/ YOU
• MAIL TO STUDENT OR SERVICEMAN AWAY

Whether you are living alone / are grandparent’s w/empty nest /Have a home filled with children … seek others with whom to share activities, friendships, and service. Remember that goodwill is a COMMODITY that EXPANDS to reward both the giver and the receiver.

Let’s expand this to….

Come back tomorrow to see the next tip on carving your Christmas Elephant…

Some information gleaned from “76 Ways to Get Organized for Christmas: and make it special too” by Bonnie McCullough

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner Judy Warmington. Judy is owner of Woman Time Management in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She is also partners her business with Treva Berends of The Organizing Specialists, a Professional Organizing business that trains new organizers and then manages them in a referral network. They have trained over 300 new organizers from 25 different states. Judy is a member of NAPO and Faithful Organizers. Learn more about Judy and her services at either http://www.womantimemanagement.com or http://www.theorganizingspecialists.com.

Carving Your Christmas…Elephant?! Part 4

BITE 4: BAKING & FOOD PREPARATION…(midriff of elephant)

In your mind review last year’s baking: DID YOU DO TOO MUCH / LITTLE? If you had peanut butter literally sticking around until March, then this year don’t make as much! On the other hand, did you run out of goodies last year? DID YOU GAIN 10 LBS. BECAUSE OF TOO MANY GOODIES?! Ask your family what food items they really enjoy most at Christmas.

Evaluate and make this year’s list from there. FIND A FOOD ‘GIFT’ THAT YOU GIVE EVERY YEAR (i.e. pumpkin bread, peanut brittle, chocolates, turtles, etc.) MAKE MEALS AHEAD – FREEZE FOR BUSY TIMES (Recommended books: Easy Does It Cookbook and Cooking Among Friends.)

Have-to-syndrome – you DON’T HAVE TO! (Buffet / Rent Community Room / take turns hosting / people bring a dish) K-I-S-S METHOD……This works for decorating too…..

BITE 5: DECORATING THE HOUSE & TREE…(trunk full?)

• Time to dejunk the Christmas “stuff” (hand-made by kids)
• Time for a new look?

Main thing to remember: Home and Christmas décor should reflect the personality of your family and create the atmosphere you wish to nurture. (Casual vs. Fancy-fussy-frilly?) NOT A CONTEST W/YOUR NEIGHBORS!

Come back tomorrow to see the next tip on carving your Christmas Elephant…

Some information gleaned from “76 Ways to Get Organized for Christmas: and make it special too” by Bonnie McCullough

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner Judy Warmington. Judy is owner of Woman Time Management in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She is also partners her business with Treva Berends of The Organizing Specialists, a Professional Organizing business that trains new organizers and then manages them in a referral network. They have trained over 300 new organizers from 25 different states. Judy is a member of NAPO and Faithful Organizers. Learn more about Judy and her services at either http://www.womantimemanagement.com or http://www.theorganizingspecialists.com.

Free Shipping Starts Today!

It’s Black Friday, and the official holiday shopping season is underway. Organized A to Z is now offering free shipping on all orders over $50!  Be sure to browse through our wide selection of organizing products to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Enjoy shopping at www.organizedatoz.com!

Carving Your Christmas…Elephant?! Part 3

BITE 2: CUTTING THE HOUSEWORK IN HALF (Cleaning) this means that you keep up with the basic household routine. Keep up with clutter – PEOPLE DON’T USUALLY NOTICE DUST AND SMUDGES BUT THEY NOTICE CLUTTER.

Start with the large items first and where VISITORS ENTER keeping in mind these mottos:

Motto: An Uncluttered house looks cleaner than clean house.

Motto: Keep up is easier than catch up.

Motto: Don’t put it down – put it away.

Avoid taking on too much at this time of year – in fact, MOST ACTIVITIES COULD BE ELIMINATED IF NECESSARY! Recognize you can’t do everything, but you can do more if you get organized.

Speaking of more……

BITE 3: GIFTS & GIVING…. Again, make a LIST and keep in daily planner. To kick the spending habit and control gift giving: DRAW NAMES / AGREE UPON TOKEN GIFTS (i.e. mission or garage sales) / GIVE TO CHARITY (i.e. Preemie Project, Cure International, etc.) / GO TOGETHER ON GIFTS / DETERMINE LIMITS / WATCH OUT FOR TIME TRAPS (i.e. homemade gifts) / CONSUMABLES (i.e. theatre tickets, movie passes, restaurants, fruit, candy, piano, golf, tennis lessons / OS GIFT CERTIFICATE!

Keep in mind your BUDGET and remind yourself that PEACE / JOY / HAPPINESS don’t necessarily come from having MORE.

This is a heavy subject….let’s move to a lighter one. Lighter? Or, is this what makes us heavy? The spare tire effect!

Come back tomorrow to see the next tip on carving your Christmas Elephant…

Some information gleaned from “76 Ways to Get Organized for Christmas: and make it special too” by Bonnie McCullough

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner Judy Warmington. Judy is owner of Woman Time Management in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She is also partners her business with Treva Berends of The Organizing Specialists, a Professional Organizing business that trains new organizers and then manages them in a referral network. They have trained over 300 new organizers from 25 different states. Judy is a member of NAPO and Faithful Organizers. Learn more about Judy and her services at either http://www.womantimemanagement.com or http://www.theorganizingspecialists.com.

Carving Your Christmas…Elephant?! Part 2

BITE 1: GETTING ORGANIZED….(Use your HEAD!) Grab a pen or pencil and write down all your NEEDS / WANTS to be ready for Dec. 25. Write in a special section in your planner or holiday notebook. This planning should begin in OCT….BAKING / DECORATING / GIFT GIVING / and the MYRIAD of little things to be taken care of. WRITE IT DOWN – Confucius say, “Short pencil better than long memory!”

Christmas is a “mass” to Christ so we must remember:

The small details make all the difference between CHRIST-MASS and CHRIST-MESS!

Once you have this list organized it won’t vary much from year to year, nor will the deadlines. You’ll learn a lot about REALISTIC DEADLINES the first year you do this. You might include things like: SHOP FOR GIFTS TO BE MAILED / SHOP FOR GIFTS FOR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS / SHOP FOR GIFTS FOR FAMILY / MAKE OR BUY CRAFT ITEMS / COMPOSE & DUPLICATE FAMILY NEWSLETTER / TAKE FAMILY PHOTO / BUY CHRISTMAS CARDS? / MAIL CARDS / WRAP GIFTS (gift bags are great!) / GET THE TREE / DECORATE THE TREE/ PUT UP OUTDOOR LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS … BAKING…AND SO ON….

As things progress be sure to REASSESS often. The main thing to check is ATTITUDE. Make sure it stays positive in spite of normal tension and interruptions. If you’re feeling too pressured, EVALUATE your plans and look for possible things to: CANCEL / COMBINE / OR CAST OFF (Delegate or don’t do.) Ask yourself often: WHAT IS THE WORST THING THAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DON’T DO THIS? Not much? = CANCEL!

Remember, Christmas is about PEOPLE … and you have to decide WHO the most important ones in your life are. They’re the ones you want to spend time on and with. The most important person is JESUS CHRIST! Ask: Where is He in all your activities? Don’t cut Christ out of Christmas. Speaking of cutting…..

Come back tomorrow to see the next tip on carving your Christmas Elephant…

Some information gleaned from “76 Ways to Get Organized for Christmas: and make it special too” by Bonnie McCullough

Contributed by Organized A to Z partner Judy Warmington. Judy is owner of Woman Time Management in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She also partners her business with Treva Berends of The Organizing Specialists, a Professional Organizing business that trains new organizers and then manages them in a referral network. They have trained over 300 new organizers from 25 different states. Judy is a member of NAPO and Faithful Organizers. Learn more about Judy and her services at either http://www.womantimemanagement.com or http://www.theorganizingspecialists.com.