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What’s In Your Memory Box?

Creating an Organized Home For Your Prized Possessions

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

When conducting an organizing presentation or teleclass, I often mention the idea of creating a Memory Box for each family member. Many participants share that the Memory Box tip is their favorite, and one they cannot wait to act on.

A Memory Box is a container in which each family member can store his or her most treasured possessions. The size should be big enough to fit the prized possessions, but small enough to grab and carry out of the house, in case of an emergency. The actual container can be a no-nonsense functional type, like a plastic bin, or it can be a lovely decorated stylish box, bin, or basket. My personal Memory Box is an old trunk that has handles on the side to carry it in the event of an emergency evacuation.

The location for storing the Memory Box is also a personal decision. Often, because of the confidential or personal nature of the items in the box, it makes the most sense to store each person’s Memory Box in his or her room, at the top or bottom of a closet, under the bed, etc. But some choose to store all of the Memory Boxes for the family in a basement or attic, so that they do not take up precious space in the living areas of the home, and can be grabbed easily in one fell swoop if need be.

I would not recommend storing vital documents such as your will, birth certificate, etc. in the Memory Box. Those items should either be stored in a safe deposit box at the bank, or at home in a fire resistant box (remember, there is no such thing as a fireproof box for the home!). Some people store their vital documents in a regular file folder in their filing cabinet, and keep copies (or the originals) in a separate location. In the event that an emergency causes a very quick evacuation, the people and pets go out first, followed by the vital documents, and then the Memory Boxes.

What goes in a Memory Box? Well, that is up to you, of course. But here are some ideas.

Start a Memory Box for your children’s prized artwork, sentimental childhood possessions, schoolwork, etc. They can decide, with you, what goes in it. You can have a master Memory Box, and one for the current school year. At the end of the school year, your child, with your help, can revisit the year, purging any items that are not vital enough to go in the master Memory Box.
If you have a few sentimental favorite articles of clothing that you just can’t part with, but don’t wear, store them in your Memory Box.
Want to revisit your love life? Store old love letters, poems, your corsage or boutineer from your high school prom, a playbill from the first date with your spouse, etc.
If you plan to store documents or photographs in your Memory Box, consider getting an archival quality document or photo box to insert the paper and photos in, and then store the document or photo box inside the larger Memory Box. This will ensure paper and photos do not get destroyed over time.
If an item is much too large to fit into the Memory Box, and you can bear to part with it, take a photo of the item, and store the photo with a description of the item in the box. This works well for items that you are merely keeping out of obligation. For example, that hideous painting your aunt made for you that you will never hang up! Take a photo, write a note saying, “Aunt Gertrude meant well” and donate the painting to someone who will appreciate its unrecognized beauty.

People are often surprised to hear that I have a Memory Box. You, a professional organizer? Yes! Organizing is about decluttering your life of the stuff that does not serve your goals, and letting the cream rise to the top. It is about giving your favorite possessions a place of value in your home and life. My personal Memory Box includes select sentimental items, including my handwritten journals, my baton (yes, I was a baton twirler – don’t laugh!), my middle school graduation dress (loved it!), love letters from my husband from before we were married, letters and cards from friends and family members that are precious to me, and poems that I wrote growing up.

One workshop participant shared that her new Memory Box will contain her kid’s baby books, drawings from elementary school, some treasured photos, and other memories from her kids’ childhood. She says that her kids love looking through the stuff, and it would be great to have it all in one place. Before she attended my workshop, the items were scattered around the house, and now they will be stored conveniently together, in a place of distinction.

So, what’s in your Memory Box?

Copyright 2009. Lisa Montanaro, “The Solutions Expert,” is Principal of LM Organizing Solutions, LLC, a professional services firm created in 2002 that offers professional organizing, business and life coaching, and motivational speaking to individuals and organizations. Lisa publishes the monthly “DECIDE™ to be Organized” e-zine for the general public, and “Next Level Business Success” e-zine for professional organizers and entrepreneurs. Subscribe today at www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com. Lisa also publishes the DECIDE™ to be Organized blog at www.DecideToBeOrganized.com. Through LMOS, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. To explore how LMOS can improve your home or work environment, or help take your business to the next level, contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com.

Add comment September 8, 2009

9 Ways to Unmuddle Sleep

The start of a new school year might bring new anxieties as schedules and responsibilities change. A good night sleep might be elusive right now if you let those thoughts clutter your mind! Thanks to today’s blog contributor, Organized A to Z partner Samantha Naeyaert of Muddle Management, we’re giving you some great tips to follow to push those thoughts away and experience a restful and relaxing, good night’s sleep. Thanks Samantha!

Which came first, the good sleep or the organized thinking?

Organized thinking starts with good sleep. Good sleep is essential for me to plan and organize my client’s homes and offices.

If my client is feeling anxious and I show up tired and cranky, the project wouldn’t go well (and I might not get asked back!). It is my job to have a plan and to execute that plan for my client. And without good sleep I couldn’t be successful.

Everyone’s head works better with a good night’s sleep. The Internet says, so it must be true, that Albert Einstein needed at least 10 hours of sleep per night!

No matter how many hours you need, I hope these 9 ideas will help you organize your bedroom for a better night’s sleep:
1.   Remove items that don’t support sleep
2.   Un-muddle the mess
3.   Dust
4.   Position your bed advantageously
5.   Change the sheets
6.   Do a comfort and ergonomics check
7.   Start a nighttime routine
8.   Watch what you eat
9.   Keep a pen and paper by your bedside

1. Remove items that don’t support sleep. Try not to include computers, work desks, exercise equipment, televisions, they don’t do anything to help you relax or get to sleep.

2. Un-Muddle the Mess. Without a clutter-free foundation, these tips won’t be as effective. Start with the floor and the surfaces in your room. Later, go deeper into closets and drawers. Clear out the things you no longer use and donate them. Put things in their proper home. If they don’t have a home, make one for them. Throw out or repair anything that is broken. Finish things that are undone or get rid of them. Clutter is usually a delayed decision. Make the decisions necessary to de-clutter the bedroom! Clearing clutter is the foundation to releasing stuck energy and getting a good night’s sleep. If you need help in this area – give Muddle Management a call!

3. Dust. Keep your bedroom as well dusted as you can. Excess dust in your room makes it harder for you to breathe. It can cause allergy symptoms and seriously disturb your sleep. Keep dusting wipes in a utility room near your bedroom so that you can easily dust frequently, especially if you have pets. Do in-depth dusting 2-4 times a year and your lungs with thank you!

4. Position your bed advantageously. In the practice of Feng Shui, placement of objects is essential to encouraging positive energy flow. You should be able to see the door from your bed, but not have your bed directly in front of the door. A power position in the room allows you to feel more secure and sleep better overall.

5. Change the sheets. Make sure you change your sheets at least once a week, but for some people who are very sensitive to energy and dust, every 3 to 5 days works better.

6. Do a comfort and ergonomics check. Are your pillows right for you? Is your bed soft enough to not cut off your circulation during the night? Are the colors in your room soothing? Does your alarm clock wake you up gently or do you hate the sound of it? Make any necessary corrections to help you physically sleep better every night.

7. Start a nighttime routine. Don’t work just before bed! I know that I have a hard time with this one but it does make a big difference in my sleep. Don’t do bills or watch the news or any other things that can cause you stress just before bed. Start by preparing for the next day. Make tomorrow’s To Do list, pick out clothes, gather things you need to take with you, brush your teeth, hair, etc. Then relax, read, listen to music or sit outside and get closer to nature.

8. Watch what you eat. Are you snacking on chocolate, soda, or other foods that may have hidden caffeine in them after dinner? What you eat, and when you eat it can seriously affect your sleep. If you snack before bed, choose whole, unprocessed foods as much possible like nuts, fruit, raw veggies, and homemade low salt popcorn are better choices than candies or ice cream.

9. Keep a pen and paper by your bedside. If you can’t sleep, often it’s because your mind is racing. Whatever is rolling around in your brain and won’t stop, you need to get your thoughts on paper so you can get them off your mind! This helps clear your mental clutter so you can rest!

Some input provided by Ariane Benefit.

1 comment August 7, 2009

Getting Back in the School Routine

How many of you are ready to send your kids back to school? While we all enjoy the carefree days of summer, we also admit that the first day of school comes with some relief! We are happy to know that our kids have more opportunities to socialize with friends, get involved in activities and athletics, and generally stay busy and engaged. But that relief can be quickly replaced by overwhelm when we realize just how many activities and events we’re going to have schedule.

Organized A to Z focuses on getting you ready for back-to-school, whether you’re a parent, student, or teacher. During the month of August, we’re featuring products that will help you organize your stuff, schedule, and the added paper that will find its way into your home or classroom.

When it comes to keeping track of everybody’s busy schedule, you need ButtonedUp’s Family.Agenda. This durable, agenda-sized, perfectly bound notebook has 150 pages, with 12 undated months so you can start to use it anytime of the year!

Each month has three sections to keep the entire family organized: Family schedule (for recurring appointments), Month-at-a-glance, and Week-at-a-glance. The Family.agenda™ also includes weekly organizational and sanity saving tips from Buttoned Up® as an added bonus.

Use it track school events, club meetings, doctor and dentist appointments, school meetings, church activities, and much more. Avoid double scheduling and over-scheduling.

Add comment August 6, 2009

Absolutely Organized!

Moms – celebrate the back-to-school season with a little gift for yourself!

I’m happy to announce that Organized A to Z is carrying Absolutely Organized by Debbie Lillard!

With school starting soon, you may soon find yourself running non-stop (if you’re not already) shuttling kids to after school activities, pushing to get them out the door in time for school, struggling to get them to wind down at night and in bed at the proper time, and squeezing in all the other daily errands and work in between.

You may feel like never you accomplish anything. You might feel stressed out just walking in the door or waking up in the morning. Ever dream about doing things that you never get around to doing? Wish you had extra hours in your day? Well, here’s something even better!

Absolutely Organized is “a book full of tips and hope” for overworked, time-crunched, clutter-crushed moms. It’s brimming with practical, proven and, in many cases, very simple solutions for keeping order in every corner of your life, from your refrigerator to your file drawers, from keeping a newborn on a set schedule to getting kids to willingly pitch in on household chores.

Debbie Lillard, professional organizer and mother of three, shares her easy-to-use “Absolutes of Organizing” tips to help you gain and maintain order in the three key areas of your family’s life:

YOUR TIME: Learn the tricks for streamlining cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and other everyday duties. Get more done and have more time left over to spend on your kids, your spouse, projects around the house, and even yourself!

YOUR BELONGINGS: Use Debbie’s simple but effective C.P.R. method (Categorize, Purge and Rearrange) to organize paperwork, photos, collections, toys, clothes, children’s artwork and more.

YOUR HOME: Take it room by room–home office, kitchen, bathroom, family room and even (gulp!) the kids’ rooms. Rid your house of clutter, make the most of your space, and make home feel more comfortable, functional and relaxing.

Follow Absolutely Organized from start to finish for a complete, full-life makeover. Or dip in here and there for help on one problem area at a time, such as that ever-growing mountain of paperwork, your collection of children’s memorabilia, or that disaster area called a closet. Tried-and-true advice for every mom, Absolutely Organized will help you simplify your life so you can enjoy more and stress less.

Get the school year started off right with more organization, less stress, and a more comfortable and relaxing living space!

Add comment August 5, 2009

Today’s Birthday Special – Deluxe Triple Laundry Sorter

It’s the last day our of birthday specials! We will close out the celebration with our Deluxe Triple Laundry Sorter. This wonderful laundry helper saves your time because you can sort clothes automatically and easily toss a load in the washer. No more piles of dirty clothes on the floor!

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! Thanks for all of your support!

Add comment July 31, 2009

Today’s Birthday Special – Vision Holiday Ornament Organizer

It’s Christmas in July! To celebrate our July birthday, today we are featuring Whitney Design’s Vision Holiday Ornament Organizer in red and green and blue snowflake. Organize all of your Christmas tree ornaments and other small decorations with these festive storage chests. The best part is the window that let’s you see what’s inside without having to dig!