Clutter Conversions

Why do people dread the Holidays?

I find that many people dread the holiday season for many reasons but the most common one is due to having too much stuff to get done and the cost.

I am writing this now because now is the time that you should start preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Here are four quick tips but many, many more will be offered in my "Get Organized for the Holidays" class.

1) Create a Christmas shopping list in January. The list should contain the name of people you know you will want to buy things for at Christmas and an idea of what you may want to give them.  Start purchasing items in January and shop throughout the year.

2) Learn to say "NO".  You can not possible attend everything everyone invites you to and you can not do everything all by yourself.

3) Make time for your self!

4) Prepare this year for next year.

 

To register for this class log onto www.clutterconversions.com under classes and seminars.

New Years Resolutions

New Years Resolutions

Your very first New Years Resolution should be “I want to simplify my life so I can enjoy what is truly important to me.”  In order to simplify your life, you need to take a good, long, hard look at the things you have been doing in the past and decide if they represent your most important goals and values.  If they do not, then you need to stop doing them.  You have been wasting valuable time and energy!  Decide what you most important goals and values are (only 5-7), list them on a piece of paper and underneath each one, list the actions you need to take to achieve or reinforce your goals and values.  This list is what should fill your calendar.  These five to seven goals should be your New Years Resolutions!!

The first thing to do is create a plan!  Be specific when you describe your resolutions and make them measurable.  A New Years Resolution is just a starting point.  It should be a year-round project comprised of many small steps.  Break down large goals into smaller ones with time frames established.  Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change, and make this part of your resolution plan.  Remain flexible, things change constantly and you must be able to adapt to be successful. The second thing is to be realistic!!  Setting a New Years Resolution that is unrealistic will set you up for failure immediately.  Remember that "effective" time management will give you the time needed to achieve your goal.  You will feel proud and successful, as well as, be a healthier and happier person!  An important component to having a successful resolution is to make yourself accountable!  Tell anyone and everyone what your resolution is because most people do not want to look like failures.

Finally and most importantly, make New Years Resolutions that are truly important to you and NOT what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you.

This is the weekend before Thanksgiving....What should I be doing??

You should already have your plans mapped out in your planner for the week. Cook your ham 24 hours early.
Roll dressing balls which can be refrigerated prior to cooking.
Prep potatoes and refrigerate them in a pan of salt water
Make desserts in advance. Many can be frozen up to a week. 
Check for items you can cook the evening before, refrigerate, and then warm up in the oven about an hour before you are ready to serve.
You may be able to set the table the night before or early in the morning.

Holiday Organizing Tips

Gifts

Prepare a list: who you are buying for, what are you getting them and how much money do you plan to spend on them.  This will help you purchase items that are usable and wanted for someone and keep you within your budget.  Gift buying should be completed 2 weeks before the Christmas and wrapped one week before.

Decorations

Avoid stashing everyday household items in closets and cabinets, by storing them in the containers that your holiday decorations were stored in.  Think safety when decorating!  Do not set items in areas that people can trip over or knock off and break.

Entertaining

If you entertain during this time, make sure your walkway and entrance is well lighted.  Turn the heat down two hours before guests arrive.

Meal Preparation

Prepare your menu for Thanksgiving and Christmas now.  Make a list of items you need to prepare both meals and compare to what you already have.  Double batch anything you can and freeze if you are going to serve it for both meals.  Ask yourself what you can do before such as setting the table or cooking items the weekend before your meal.

Following these few tips can help you enjoy your family and friends more during the holiday season while decreasing stress and saving money.

Vacation Travel tips

Being organized will help you have an enjoyable vacation but you have to plan for it! The first thing you should do once you have made the decision to take the vacation you so truly deserve is to make a "packing list".   Make a list of the things you need to pack, making sure you're only taking along what you will absolutely need in order to reduce the number of bags you'll need to take.  This is also the time to make your grocery list if you plan on camping or needing any snacks. Look to see if you have the right amount of coolers. The list is made for each person in your family going on the trip and it includes everything that person needs to take. For example; what types of clothing, medicines, entertainment items, any special foods and all personal items.  You store this on your computer so that you can print it out every time you need it.  Items will need to be deleted or added for each trip but at least you will always have the basics.  You can print the list and check off the items as you pack. Secondly, you need to pack smart! If you are using the airlines to travel the FAA guidelines now limit carry-on baggage to one bag plus one personal item (i.e. purse, briefcase, laptop or backpack.) Some airlines have recently leveraged fees for checking bags or for checking more than one bag.

The Pack-It-System sold by The Container Store® compresses clothing in luggage to make the most of the space. This allows security personnel to quickly look through clothing and other packed items and speeds up the security check process.The Pack-It-System® is made up of see-through mesh side panels so that you can quickly see what is inside. Since your clothing is neatly folded and secured, it is quick and easy to put the items back into your luggage after passing through security.

If you are traveling by car make sure you have small toys and games easily accessible for children to use during the ride. Use clear bags so the children can see through them to pick out what they want instead of having to pull everything out.

Third, Pack for Safety If you are traveling by air the TSA may pick your bag for screening and may need to break into it due to stricter security checks.  There are three options for locking your bags; travel locks, locking luggage straps or cable ties.  The advantage to using the cable ties are that they are inexpensive, disposable, easily cut by TSA agents but still deter criminals for messing with them. If you are traveling with children pack a kit with first aid supplies.  Store it either in an outer pocket of a suitcase or in your carry on or day bag or in the glove compartment of your car. Consider carrying a small supply of the following items: bandages, pain reliever, stomach medicine, first aid ointment, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, stain removal pen and a sewing kit.

Holiday Seasonal Storage Basics: Top 5 Rules

School is just beginning but you should already have a general list of people that you will be purchasing Christmas gifts for because most are going to be for the same people, year after year.   Carry the list with you in your wallet and as you are shopping during the year and you find something specific for someone on the list, purchase it, write what the item is beside their name, take it home and put it in a tub you have marked as "gifts".  You will find that by doing this, you will not be hit as hard financially during the holidays and have more time to enjoy family and friends.  So, if you have not started thinking about shopping for the holidays, do it now. Below is an article that was submitted to me that I feel will be very useful and wanted to pass it along and I also encourage you to check out their website. Seasonal Storage Basics: Top 5 Rules Submitted by Ellen Bell

Ellen works for The Christmas Tree Storage Shop, a retail website offering seasonal storage solutions such as artificial tree storage bags. Visit us at www.christmastreestoragebag.net to check out other Christmas storage solutions.

Description:

Seasonal storage is a dilemma for many families. What do you do with all your holiday decorations for the other 11 months of the year? Learn how to get your seasonal storage organized right now so that holiday decorating goes faster and more smoothly next year.

Seasonal storage is something that many of us struggle with from year to year. We spend a lot of money on holiday decorations, and we want to make sure that those items are protected from damage while in storage. Yet at the same time, we all get so busy, and sometimes it’s just easier to throw everything in one box or plastic bag, stick it in a closet, and forget about it until next year! Inevitably, this always leads to more time and frustration when “next year” arrives and it’s time to decorate again. Save yourself some time in the long run by investing a little time and energy now by learning the top 5 rules of seasonal storage basics

Rule 1: Fix it first

Have you ever opened your artificial Christmas tree box or your Christmas tree stand and found that something was broken or a piece was missing when you took it down last year? As soon as you see this, you’ll probably remember your good intentions last year of fixing the problem or replacing the missing piece before storing the tree or stand away, but somehow it just didn’t happen. This leads us to Rule number 1: Fix it first! Never store a holiday decoration away until it is in good repair.

Rule 2: Preparation

This one kind of goes hand in hand with Rule 1. Before storing any holiday decorations away, you should first make sure they are prepared and ready to go for next season. For example, if you have old worn out strings of lights, throw those out. A set of candles that’s burned almost completely out? Toss them, too. If you use any battery powered lights on coffee tables or end tables, take the batteries out and dispose of them properly before storing the light sets away. You’ll want new batteries in them next year. All this might take you a little extra time at the end of the holiday season, but it will save you a lot of time at the beginning of the holiday season next year!

Rule 3: Like items together

When you’re getting ready to organize your seasonal storage, always remember to keep like items together. That is, all your holiday lights should be stored together in one box, all the nativity set figurines in another, and so on. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to dig through all your seasonal storage boxes to find the two matching candlesticks that should have been stored together in the first place.

Rule 4: Store it wisely

Now that you’re ready to store your items away, you need to decide what type of storage container you want to use. Do you want to store in corrugated boxes, plastic bins, or cloth bags? This question is answered in part by your storage budget. If you have more money to spend, you might want to invest in plastic bins or commercially available heavy-duty storage bags. Also keep in mind that some items should be stored in their original packaging. For example, if your 12 piece porcelain nativity set came in a Styrofoam box that is specially molded to hold each piece, then don’t throw that away! Breakable items will always do better if stored in their original protective packaging. If the original packaging includes a cardboard box, it might be a good idea to then place the cardboard box inside a heavy-duty storage bag or plastic bin to keep moisture out.

Rule 5: Label, label, label

Once you get all your holiday decorations into their respective storage containers, the last and most important step is to label. It is absolutely critical that each storage container be labeled clearly! This will save you an enormous amount of time next year. For example, wouldn’t it be nice to know which box contains your Christmas tree stand so you can get it out first and have it ready when your family brings home the live Christmas tree? Make it easy on yourself by creating large labels for each storage container.

The holidays are already stressful enough! Don’t make it harder on yourself with a disorganized mess of holiday decorations. With a little time and forethought in how you put away your seasonal storage, you’ll make the holiday decorating process easier on yourself for years to come.

9 Easy Ways for Having a Stress-Free Holiday!

This is the time of year that everyone should be enjoying time with family and loved ones and that includes YOU!

Yes! You can have dinner parties and enjoy your guests!  You can make time to go to the mall and enjoy your shopping without rushing!  You can enjoy decorating your home without the stress or spending alot of money! How? Follow these tips and enjoy the holidays!!

1) Say "NO". Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Each day has 24 hours.  Enjoy the Christmas season with time for yourself

2) Create a game plan.   If you are hosting a Christmas party or you're the one fixing the main Christmas Day feast, PLAN!! 

Write down a master plan.

• Create a menu.
• Set a date and time.
• Let your guests know the time line for acceptances, regrets, or special requests.

You are less likely to keep making changes if you have to keep re-writing each new change.  Being flexible about times, food choices, and special requests is wonderful.  Letting your guests and family know the date you will be completing your menu lets everyone enjoy the holiday festivities.  Once your menu is done...stay the course.  Cooks have driven themselves crazy trying to make last minute changes.

3) Make a list.  Make a list of who you are buying presents for and what you want to get them.  Stick to that list when you go shopping, it will save you time and money.  Look at your menu for your party/dinner, then make a list of the items you will need to buy at the grocery store.  Compare that list to the items in your cabinets before you go shopping.  It will save you time, money and space.

4) Prepare ahead of time. Take a look at the area you will be holding your party/dinner and ask yourself two simple questions.

1. Is there any decorating I can do the day before? 
2. Is there anything I can cook or prepare the day/night before? 

For example: If you are cooking Christmas Dinner and everyone will be at your house at 1 p.m. Here are possible advance preparations you can make:

• Cook your ham 24 hours early.
• Roll dressing balls which can be refrigerated prior to cooking.
• Prep potatoes and refrigerate them in a pan of salt water
• Make desserts in advance.  Many can be frozen up to a week. 
• Check for items you can cook the evening before, refrigerate, and then warm up in the oven about an hour before you are ready to serve.
• You may be able to set the table the night before or early in the morning.

5) Everything in Moderation:  Gifts, food, time and money.  Too often I hear people complain about spending too much money during the holidays or eating too much. Please remember that whatever you put on the credit card you will have to pay back, most likely with interest.  When buying a gift for someone, ask yourself, does the person really need this, is it something they will really use and can "I" afford it?  When buying gifts for your children, ask yourself, "Is there room in their space for that item?"  If the answer is no, are they going to be willing to give up something to make room?  "Does my child need another set of skates or another C.D. or another 5 shirts and 4 pairs of jeans?"  Only you can answer these questions but be prepared to make storage room for everything you are buying them.

6) Wrap up your presents wisely.  Do not buy too much - only buy 2 kinds of wrapping paper so that you can mix and match ribbon and bows with them. As much as some of us do not like to admit it, it is only paper and is going to be torn into shreds and thrown away anyway.  There will be less to have to store away for next year and you will not spend as much money buying different color ribbons and bows to match.

7) Keep things in order. At this time of the year it is easy to let things slide.  You can still be de-cluttering about 15 minutes every evening.  The children can continue putting their things where they belong.  Everyone can continue keeping their schedules.

8) Ask for help.  This is the Season of Giving...let others give to you as well.  Are you baking?  Ask for a helping hand rather than struggling to multi-task drying clothes, cooking, cleaning, and a thousand other chores.

9) Remember kindness starts with YOU! Be kind to yourself.  Schedule time during the Holiday Season for you! Write it down on the calendar then you will most likely make it happen.  Make the time to do whatever it is that you enjoy.  Go shopping for yourself.  Have coffee with a friend.  Enjoy a bubble bath.  Read a good book.  Treat yourself to a pedicure.

Fun, Parties, and Organizing Do Go Together!

Are you organized?  Imagine looking around you and feeling like a million dollars!  Every piece is in its right place. Last minute guests?  No problem.  Getting ready for work?  It's a snap! Yes, it can happen to you. Just imagine how good you feel when you walk into someone's home or office and it is extremely neat and nothing seems out of place.... You can be organized and have a great time doing it! Make a party out of it!

Invite 2 or 3 friends over (I don't recommend more than that).  Have each one bring over a dessert and use them as rewards.  When you have completed one task or area, take a break and savor a dessert. Play music that everyone enjoys.  I wouldn't plan on having an organizing party with an area that is going to take more than 3-4 hours because you don't want to wear your friends out or gain too much weight.

You can take a cluttered, unorganized room like this:

Turn your room into an organized masterpiece plus have fun while doing it.

Get Organized for the Holidays

Column by Kathryn McMillan

This is the time of year that everyone should be enjoying time with family and loved ones, and that includes you!

Yes! You can have dinner parties and enjoy your guests! You can make time to go to the mall and enjoy your shopping without rushing! You can enjoy decorating your home without the stress or spending too much money!

How? Follow these tips and enjoy the holidays!

   

1. Say “NO.” Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. There are only 24 hrs in a day!

   

2. Create a Plan. What do you want to do during the holiday season? What do you want to accomplish? What is your goal? Is it preparing a Thanksgiving meal a Christmas meal or both? Is it decorating the inside or outside of your home or both? Do you want to send Christmas cards to friends/family or business partners/employees? How many holiday parties do you want to attend?

Put your plan in writing.

3. Strategize. How are you going to complete your plan? What needs to happen in order for your plan to be successful?

Example: Do you need to shop for last minute gifts, decorations, supplies or food?

Make a list and of whom you are buying presents for, what you want to get them and a budget. (In January, you should prepare a list for next Christmas of people you know you will be buying gifts for and what you think you would like to buy them; keep it in your wallet or pocket book, purchase throughout the year and mark it off as you get it. It will save you time and money during the holidays). Gift buying should be completed two weeks before the day and wrapped one week before.

Prepare your menu. Look at your menu and recipes for your party/dinner. Make a list of the items you will need to buy at the grocery store. Compare that list to the items in your cabinets before you go shopping. It will save you time, money and space.

When entertaining in your own home, you should designate two separate areas food/beverage, designate area for kids, turn down heat a couple hours before and have plastic containers ready to give leftovers. Use paper plates, cups, cutlery stacked inside a plastic cup.

4. Commit! Pull out your calendar/planner. When are you going to do what? Write it in your calendar in ink.

Schedule: time of party/meal, grocery shopping, writing/mailing out cards/invitations (three weeks before date), food preparations, decorate, wrap presents.

Prepare ahead of time:

Ask yourself: Is there any decorating I can do the day before? Is there anything I can cook or prepare the day/night before? 

For example: If you are cooking Christmas Dinner and everyone will be at your house at 1 p.m.

Here are possible advance preparations you can make:

- Cook your ham 24 hours early.

- Roll dressing balls which can be refrigerated prior to cooking.

- Prep potatoes and refrigerate them in a pan of salt water.

- Make desserts in advance.  Many can be frozen up to a week.

- Check for items you can cook the evening before, refrigerate, and then warm up in the oven about an hour before you are ready to serve.

- You may be able to set the table the night before or early in the morning.

Only buy two kinds of wrapping paper so that you can mix and match ribbon and bows with them. As much as some of us do not like to admit it, it is only paper and it is going to be torn into shreds and thrown away anyway. There will be less to have to store away for next year and you will not spend as much money buying different color ribbons and bows to match.

5. Remember, moderation is the key with gifts, food, time and money. People complain about spending too much money during the holidays or eating too much. Please remember that whatever you put on the credit card you will have to pay back, most likely with interest. When buying a gift for someone, ask yourself, is this something they need or will really use, and can I afford it? When buying gifts for your children, ask yourself, “Is there room in their space for that item?” If the answer is no, are they going to be willing to give up something to make room? Only you can answer these questions but be prepared to make storage room for everything you are buying them.

6) Keep things in order. At this time of the year it is easy to let things slide.  You can still be de-cluttering about 15 minutes every evening.  The children can continue putting their things where they belong.  Everyone can continue keeping their schedules.

7. Enjoy. Schedule time during the Holiday Season for yourself! Write it down on the calendar; then you will most likely make it happen. Make the time to do whatever it is that you enjoy. Go shopping for yourself, spend time with family or friends or enjoy a hot bubble bath.

   

8) Assess. This is the time to sit back and reevaluate the season and make adjustments for next year. Write your thoughts down on paper and keep it with your holiday card list. Remember that once you have taken the time to prepare menus and time frames, you will not have to “re-invent the wheel” next year, just make some minor adjustments.