Ask the Organizer Workshop

Would you like to know the secrets Professional Organizers use to keep everything in order? Stressed out and don’t know where to begin organizing your home, office or schedule? Then this class is for you! Begin he session by learning the basics of organizing and then get an opportunity to ask your specific questions related to your organizational challenges. Ages 18 and up.

Pre-registration and pre-payment are required for all classes and programs. To download a registration form, click here.

Course: 3012
Date: Thursday, October 1
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Fee: $19
Registration Ends September 24
Location: Mechanicsville Library
7179 Stonewall Parkway
Mechanicsville, VA 23111

Contact: Kathy Jenkins, Come To Order
Contact Email: kathy@cometoorderva.com
Contact Phone: 804-550-9428

Organized A to Z Featured in Better Homes & Gardens 2009 Storage Edition

Make sure you claim your own copy of Better Homes & Gardens special Fall/Winter 2009 Storage Edition, which hits newsstands today! Organized A to Z.com featured as a seller of our Photo Frame Hooks.

We are very excited to see one of our products recommended by a national magazine that is a standard resource for those looking to fix up and redecorate their homes! It’s an honor to be included in the special edition of the magazine.

Better Homes & Gardens chose Organized A to Z’s Photo Frame Hooks as one of a favorite product for organizing a living or dining room.

See the magazine page with our hooks featured!

These stylish, simple hooks are perfect for coats, backpacks, pet leashes, hats, and much more.  They are a smart choice for any room because they are fully functional as a hook but add a touch of flair.

Grab your copy of the magazine today, and don’t forget to check out our Photo Frame Hooks, too!

Training Offered for Professional Organizers

Judy Warmington, Organized A to Z partner, offers excellent training new Professional Organizers! See http://ping.fm/z6A7V

Today’s Birthday Special – The Mess Kit

Today’s featured “birthday” special is The Mess Kit!

Organized A to Z is celebrating our birthday in July, but we’re giving you the presents! Each day, we are offering our favorite products at 25% off. The discount is good today only, so get it now!

Six Steps to Happy, Healthy Living

Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Diana Fletcher, a stress-reducing expert, for contributing this week’s series – Six Steps to Happy, Healthy Living.

We have been in a “hurry-up” mode for so long that it is difficult for many people to figure out how to slow down. One great way to begin is to look at how you spend your days.  Honestly look at how you spend each minute of everyday.  Often we have developed habits that no longer have any purpose.   Look at your activities and ask yourself, does this activity benefit me anymore?  Does this benefit anyone else?  If you are honest with yourself, you will discover many of these things are unnecessary or could be done by someone else. Eliminating just a few of these unnecessary activities can create extra space in your day.  The purpose of this is not to immediately fill those moments with more work. The purpose is to create space to take care of your health. Once you have eliminated some time wasters, you can use these ideas to empower you on your journey toward healthier, happier living:

1) One of the keys to good health is getting enough sleep. It is possible to make this a priority.  Turn off the television set.  Leave the work.  It can wait. Not getting enough sleep can affect our decision making, our moods, our creative thinking, and even make us weigh more. Studies have shown that lack of sleep decreases regulation of hormones that  control our appetites. Think of times you have felt unusually hungry and craved carbohydrates. Many times this is after a night of too little sleep. Set a reasonable time to go to sleep and stick to it. Your reward will be fresher thinking, fresher skin and more energy.

2) Take the time to drink plenty of water.  This is so simple but so important. Keep hydrated to flush out toxins, have healthier looking skin and boost your metabolic rate.  Often we mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking enough water can help you control the amount you eat.

3) Take a multivitamin.  Along with the water and the right amount of sleep, you will be amazed at the change in your energy levels.

4) Every hour, no matter what you are doing, take a few moments to stand up, stretch and move around.  We were not meant to sit at desks and computers or anywhere else for long periods of time.  Stretch, move, breathe.

5) Everyday show gratitude. Saying thank you is a de-stressor that makes you feel good.  Negative thoughts cause stress.  It is hard to have negative thoughts and thoughts of gratitude in our mind simultaneously.

6) Make time for friends.  Healthy relationships help us stay healthy.  This does not mean you have to accept every invitation that comes this time of year.  Give yourself time to think about your response to the invitation.  Is this something you truly want to do?  Will you be sorry you gave up sleep or time with your family or spouse?  Sometimes, holiday gatherings are not where we truly want to be.  We overindulge in food and drink, then regret the time, calories and lack of sleep the next day.

How you spend the minutes of each day add up to how you spend your life. The way you live your life and the choices you make determine how healthy and strong you will be.  Are you making choices that strengthen you or weaken you? If you are making the choices that are making you happy and healthy, that is fantastic and I say, keep up the good work!  If not, you have the power to choose a different way.  A happy, healthy way.

How do you truly want to live your life?

Happy Healthy Living

Thanks to Organized A to Z partner Diana Fletcher, a stress-reducing expert, for contributing this week’s series – Six Steps to Happy, Healthy Living.

You want it all.  You want to look great, feel great, be great–and why not?  That would be wonderful!  But when you don’t feel good or accomplish everything you set out to do, it’s discouraging and stress-inducing.

I believe we have reached a saturation point.  We live in a busy world where things move very quickly.  In our multi-tasking madness, we have exhausted ourselves. The time has come to slow down.  We have to stop the constant moving, doing, and striving to be everything to everyone. We need to stop giving attention to everything and everyone that demands it.

Stop and Breathe. That’s right.  Right now, stop and breathe. Put your right hand on your abdomen and take a deep breath.  Breathe deep enough to see your hand rise.  This is how you want to breathe. But most of the time, we don’t breathe this way.  Some of us never breathe this way. When you are under stress, your breathing gets shallower.  Not enough oxygen gets to your brain and organs and you get tired or sick.  Is this how you want to live your life?

I believe it is time to create space in our lives for what is truly important. We have so much to do, and we want to do so much, that it is inevitable that all of it won’t get done.  So let’s stop driving ourselves crazy, and focus on what is truly important.

The most important step in your journey toward living a happy life lies in taking care of your health.  It doesn’t matter how much money you have because without good health, you cannot enjoy yourself or take care of the people and things that are most important to you.

We are meant to live happy, healthy lives. Take a few seconds to visualize that.  You are meant to move easily and breathe easily. You are meant to nourish yourself with healthy foods and healthy activities. You are meant to feel good and rested and healthy everyday. And no matter where you are on the continuum, you can get started today on living a happy, healthier life. Empower yourself.  Take control.  Make the decision that you are important and from now on, you are going to take care of yourself and your health before anything else. Your life and those lives you touch everyday will benefit from your good health.

Peace Stealers – Paper Management

Special thanks to Organized A to Z partner Kelli Wilson, a professional organizer and owner of A Simple Plan Consulting for contributing this week’s “peace stealers” series and offering practical solutions to help you find a new sense of peace and calm!

Peace Stealer #2

Someone “helped” by bringing in the mail, some is on the table, some on the microwave. The pile is looming, the VISA is late AGAIN and the To File stack is now migrating to Canada. Wait, “Where’s the insurance form,” the passport, the school needs what certificate to register for kindergarten?

Tips for paper/mail management

• Establish one place for mail. Either the “helper” puts in there, and ONLY there, or leaves it in the mailbox.
• Establish bill pay dates 5th & 20th, 1st & 15th and schedule time with yourself to do this. (Trust me, it’s less daunting when there’s a plan)
• Go through the mail over the trash. Toss ads etc, open EVERYTHING. Toss all extra inserts, envelopes. Keep “only” what you need to pay or take action on.
• Use a small basket for envelopes, deposit envelopes, stamps and bills to keep it all together. Review the basket 1st & 15th
• Simplify files so things can easily get where they belong – keep them out of Canada.

Peace Stealers – Getting Out the Door

Special thanks to Organized A to Z partner Kelli Wilson, a professional organizer and owner of A Simple Plan Consulting for contributing this week’s “peace stealers” series and offering practical solutions to help you find a new sense of peace and calm!

Peace Stealer #1 – Getting out the door

 

The alarm goes off and the dread creeps up from your stomach to shoulders to head as you become more conscious. You fell into bed late and have a full day ahead. The rush begins, skip the flossing, your hair dry’s a natural and maybe the wrinkles in your clothes aren’t that bad. Dole out the lunch money, your wallet now empty, feed the cat instead of yourself and run like a maniac gathering books, homework and Oh NO! “What do you mean it’s due today?” Sound familiar?

Tips for getting out the door – STOP! The toughest part is creating new habits and breaking the crazy cycle of rushing. You can do it. Take time out now or take it when you are sick from stress or exhaustion. Choose now.  Don’t minimize the effects of stress on body & spirit.  15 minutes in the evening restores serenity in the morning.

-        When the homework is done, put the backpacks by the door.

-        When packing up backpacks, check for signatures needed and any other work due.

-        Take 5 to pack lunches the night before, do this at dinner clean up so there’s one clean up activity in the kitchen.

-        Consider healthy breakfast bars for grab n go. Keeps you out of the drive thru and the ATM.

-        Keep trail mix or healthy non perishable snacks in the car to avoid drive thru.

 

Get Organized, Get Revitalized

Get Organized, Get Revitalized

Organized A to Z is happy to announce one of our newest products is the book, “Get Organized, Get Revitalized,” by professional organizer Stacey Anderson of Organized Innovations. In this book, Stacey offers simple, easy to follow tips that don’t add guilt to your current clutter situation. She is committed to helping you put solutions in place to help you reach your goals.

Organized A to Z knows it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to organizing and decluttering, but we also know how rewarding and satisfying it can be to accomplish your organizing goals. This 88 page book is a full of great tips to help you jump start your organizing process. It is fun and easy to read and full of helpful pictures. This will continue to be a book that you enjoy while using it as a quick and easy reference guide.

Use this book to help you declutter your life and find the peace and comfort in your home that you deserve.

April is Stress Relief Month at Organized A to Z

During the month of April, Organized A to Z is focused on stress relief. If you live in a cluttered, disorganized home, you probably feel tired, overloaded, and unproductive. You lose valuable time looking for things you need, you lose money because you pay bills late and accrue finance charges or late fees, and you can’t escape the stress piled on by the outside world because you have no where to go to be at peace.

Just sitting in a cluttered room, or at a desk full of paper piles and files, can remind you of everything that you have to do, increasing your stress level and sapping your energy and motivation. It may seem overwhelming, but we encourage you to take it one step at a time. One of the best organizing tools that can help you accomplish this, and figure out where to start, is Organize Out-of-the-Box, and product designed by Marlo Nikkila. This is a refreshing, new approach to getting organized. If you want a simpler, more organized life, but become overwhelmed when you try to figure out the next step to take, you will appreciate this organizing tool. It is a set of 52 beautifully-designed cards offers a year’s worth of guidance with real life solutions to help organize your life, clutter, home, office, kids, and more.
 
Organize Out of the Box provides inspiration and tools to get started when you are feeling overwhelmed. These beautifully-designed cards offer a year’s worth of weekly organizing tips for guidance with real life solutions to help organize your life, clutter, home, office, kids, and more.

• Find ways to bring balance into your life by practicing self management instead of time management.
• Create more space in your life where you live, work, and play.
• Stop the madness by only surrounding yourself with things that bring you joy.
• Find creative solutions to help your kids, friends, co-workers, spouse, and roommate get more organized.
• Think differently about the special occasions in your life so you can once again enjoy what makes the experience special.

Simply pull a card from the box and draw inspiration, ideas, and motivation from it. If you only have ten minutes, there is a card for you. If you have an hour, that’s okay too because the questions that Marlo poses on the cards can keep you uncovering another layer of disorganization each time you try a new one. It’s like having a professional organizer at your fingertips! This makes a great gift for yourself or other important people in your life. Getting organized allows you to live, work and play exactly as you want.

Organized A to Znot only has products that can help you regain control and peace of mind, but also has a huge network of professional organizers that will listen to your concerns and develop a plan of action to declutter your home, and your life. We encourage you to contact one of our professional organizing partners if you have questions or need help getting started. One of the greatest rewards of our job is to know that we have restored balance, sanity, and peace into a home!