Taking Care of You

In the 3rd chapter of Peter Walsh's book Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You he looks at clearing the clutter from family relationships and finding time to be together. The part that struck me was what he had to say about taking care of yourself so that you can be the best partner and parent you can be.

If we keep in mind that we are modeling adulthood for our children it really puts things in perspective. Are we showing our kids how to balance the role of parent with our individual needs?

Yes, there is self sacrifice involved in parenting but too much without taking time for ourselves can hurt the entire family. We need to find time for our marriage, friends and our own physcial and mental health.

Peter says, "Make no mistake! Being with your children is no excuse for letting the world they live in and the parents they love fall apart before their very eyes." Our children are our priority but they can not be the sole focus!

My Mom always stressed to me the importance of taking care of myself and not neglecting my needs entirely due to the kids. I also read a book when I was pregnant for the first time called On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep (On Becoming. . .)">. In this book the author stresses that the most important relationship in your child's life is the one between his parents. Taking time out to be alone and time to spend with your spouse without the kids is an important component of being a good parent.

When helping someone declutter I always like to begin with the master bedroom. It's the center of your relationship with your spouse and where you should be able to go to recharge yourself. First clear out anything that keeps you from relaxing. Preserve the sanctity of this room by not housing anything that doesn't belong. Be the gate keeper. While the kids and their toys may find their way into your room be sure to start young teaching them that your room is not a playground or a second sleeping place for them. By doing this you will create for yourself and your spouse a space that you can go to refresh yourselves and spend quality time together. This alone will help you to be a better you and a better parent.

By balancing your parenting and personal needs you will be taking an important step toward ending the clutter that gets in the way of the vision you have for your family.

Clearing your work clutter

Chapter two of Peter Walsh's new book Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You deals with clearing the clutter at work. He really goes in to detail about how to determine if the career you have is right for you. And he discusses how to go about making the best of your current job or changing jobs if you feel you need to move on. I suggest you read this chapter if you are unhappy in your job or your wondering if you would better off someplace else.

Whether you plan to stay or find a new job being organized at work is crucial. Peter says, "Your desk is a reflection of your head" If your desk is a jumble of papers and files and half finished projects then what must be going on in your head? With a cluttered desk it's almost impossible to be efficient and prioritize. I believe we should all adopt the motto "you are your desk". I know it's true for me that days when my desk is a mess I get less done and I dread going in to my office. On the other hand if my desk is neat and orderly I seem to fly through my "To Do" list.

Many of you have heard me say that a good day starts with a well made bed. Well, I also think a clean desk starts a productive day at work. It also relays to others that you respect your space and that you have a commitment to organization and routine.

OK, so let's get that desk in order! Remember that papers belong in files where you can find them when you need them and files belong in the file cabinets. Only "active" files and papers should be on your desk top.

Use a vertical desktop file organizer for active files so that they can be easily reached. File them by due date.

Minimize your personal items. Peter says, "This is not a high school locker". You are a professional, maker sure you desk reflects that image.

Adopt systems that work for you. Just because someone else does it a certain way doesn't mean that's the best way for you. Think about how your mind works. If you are visual person then you need to set up systems that you can easily see or create reminders that will tell you when something is due and where the paperwork is stored.

Some other things to remember to help your desk stay organized are:
take notes, keep a calendar, put away all documents when a project is complete, return calls, be accountable.

Also, take a few minutes at the end of each day to file papers and prepare your "to do" list for the next day so that you can hit the ground running. Keeping your desk orderly will help you to be an ultra reliable person that can be trusted to do what they say they'll do when they said they'd do it!

If your desk is overwhelming and you don't where to start then give me a call and we can schedule a time to work on it together! You contact me from my website at http://www.simplyorganizedval.com/

Happy Organizing!
Valerie

Relationship Clutter

Relationship Clutter

Chapter one of Peter Walsh’s Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You focuses on clearing our relationships of clutter to make them the best they can be.

The baggage that we bring with us from our childhood and past relationships takes the form of mental clutter that can damage our current relationships. On top of this pile the accumulation of grievances and past transgression of this current relationship as well as the clutter of every day stress and demands adds up to a lot of mental clutter! Clearing this mental clutter and focusing on the present relationship and its value is what he discusses in this chapter. I highly recommend you read this chapter for your self. I feel certain that as I did you will find great insight on how to be the partner you want to be and how to keep your own clutter from damaging your relationship.

The part of this chapter that spoke most to me was about how we can become so consumed with our list of “To Dos” that we neglect our relationships. Why would we work so hard at being good at our jobs and parenting our children and not put in the necessary work to develop and maintain our relationships? When in fact it is our relationship with our spouse that sets the tone for all the other relationships in our lives.

Again I am drawn back to my focus of being present and doing less to be more. With all of the demands of daily life cluttering up our minds it is easy to loose focus on our partners. For example have you ever found yourself so focused on your daily routine that when your partner speaks to you, you tune out what they are saying, thinking about what you’ve still got to do and how you are going to complete everything in the time you have left in the day? Or are you so focused on making your own point that you are too busy formulating what you will say next to really hear what they are saying? Being distracted by TV, computers, cell phones and other things also keeps us from being present and communicating with our families.

Time needs to be spent focusing solely on our loved ones without distractions. Not only the ones we can see but also the mental chatter that we can’t. Try using those communication skills you’ve read about, Eye contact, body language etc as well and clearing your mind of clutter when talking with your spouse. Don’t think about what you will say next but about what they are saying only. This is tough, I know I have been trying it and it takes work! But the reward is great, truly listening is a selfless act that leaves us feeling connected to the other person and invested in their feelings. Try it and let me know how it works for you!

The next chapter deals with work and setting priorities. I can’t wait! Hope you are reading along and if not it’s not too late to join me.

Valerie

As promised I have started reading Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You by Peter Walsh. If you haven’t gotten a copy I suggest you do as I have found so much to write about in the introduction alone. Mr. Walsh encourages us to look at how not only the clutter in our homes but also the clutter in our minds affects our daily lives. This book is really in line with what I have been trying to accomplish in my own life - stopping all the useless mental chatter, and de-cluttering my mind to be open to new relationships, ideas and opportunities.

“Stuff” seems to be the biggest hurdle in getting organized inside and out. We acquire certain things because we believe that if we have them we will be “happier”, “thinner”, “more attractive” or “more likeable”. Generally all we really get from those things is something to trip over, dust or worry about.

I suggest that we think long and hard before we get any more “stuff” that we think we need. First of all decide if it is in line with your values and what you want out of your life. Mr. Walsh talks of creating a vision for your life and then making sure that what we own, how we interact with others and what we value is in line with that vision.

My favorite quote from the introduction is this “The only path is the one you design. The only obstacles are the ones you buy, create or imagine.” Something to think about!

Valerie

Mom! Where’s my bathing suit?

That’s the question I always get the minute we step foot inside our vacation accommodations. For an organized person traveling with children can be more than stressful. From remembering to pack for everyone to keeping your hotel room neat and organized there seems to be quite a few challenges. With Spring break soon ahead many are planning family vacations. Whether you are driving or flying, packing is always an issue especially if you have children. Having everything you will need on a trip and maximizing your packing space are opposing forces!

I love to travel. I don’t love living out of a suitcase. It seems no matter how hard you try it always ends up a mess by the end of the trip. I am guilty of packing too much. So trying to cram all the things I think I will need into a suitcase that never seems big enough, has always been a challenge.

My favorite packing tool by far is the zip lock bag. I use them in every size from snack bags to 2.5 gallon size. Using plastic bags helps me to be able to pack more in less space and keeps the suitcases organized.

For my own things I use mostly 2.5 gallon bags. In each bag I put an entire outfit, if it is bulky, for smaller items I will group them together in bags. For example I put my workout clothes, sports bras, shorts and tanks in one bag. I use another for underclothes and socks. The smaller bags are for accessories. After dropping in the jewelry, belt, scarf etc. that I will need for an outfit, I seal the bag and put it inside the larger bag with the outfit. Take the guess work out of getting dressed by always writing the contents of the bag on the outside with a sharpie. These bags are also great for shoes. You can see what pair is inside and keep the dirt off of everything else in the bag.

For kids this system works especially well. For small children you may only need one gallon bags for each outfit. Put everything from socks to hats to hair bows needed for each outfit in one bag. Then simply pull out that bag and you will have everything you need to dress your baby for that day. Dirty clothes can be put right back into the bag at the end of the day. Older kids can dress themselves using this system. Write the day of the week on the outside of the bag and then have the child take out that bag and get dressed.

After you fill each bag press all the air out before sealing. Then stand the bags up on the end and put them one behind the other in the order you will be using them. Laying them on top of each other only causes them to slide around. When you arrive home simply take the bags with dirty clothes and empty them into the laundry. Store the bags inside the suitcase for your next trip.

Try this out next time you travel and let me know how it works! Hopefully you will have more time to enjoy your vacation because your suitcase will be so organized!
Happy Organized Travels!
Valerie
*If you like this tip you may also like these eBags Value Set: Packing Cubes + Slim Packing Cubes'/a>:

I'm guest blogging this week at my friend Shannon's site. Check it out at http://snipurl.com/e6i52

Keeping the Focus

Well, it's only been a week and I have to say that I am already struggling with my new journey to "do less and be more". With a family vacation 2 weeks away and several deadlines to meet before we leave I've found myself very focused on my "to do" list.

I suppose it seems contrary for an organizer to be encouraging you to take the focus off of your list of things to do. However my goal is not to ignore my "to do" list but to tweak it so that more things, or should I say people, make the list that really matter.

I did do a few things right this week and the reward was great. While having coffee with a close Friend I turned off my phone so that I could completely focus on our time together. No beeps interfered with our conversation. We had a great talk and I left feeling good about our time together.

I also stopped myself several times when my mind wandered as someone told me something. I brought myself back to the moment and remembered that the most important thing for me to do at that time was to focus on this person and what they were saying. I ended up feeling relaxed after those conversations instead of my usual stressed and rushed feelings that I have while thinking "I hope they hurry up and finish because I have X, Y and Z to do!

For many, perfectionism is a stumbling block. I believe that letting go of this perfectionism is key to balancing what we do and how we spend our time. Wanting everything to look perfect and be perfect all the time is mentally and physically exhausting. The next time you find yourself "overdoing" it for the sake of perfection stop and think how your time might be better spent with your family or a close friend. Chances are that the energy you get from an exchange with someone you love will benefit you much more than the satisfaction you feel from making some"thing" perfect.

It's clear to me that I will need some guidance to make this work in my own life and so I am going to start by reading Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You by Peter Walsh. Walsh is a best selling author and Organizing Guru. You may have seen him on Oprah or Clean Sweep. His books usually make a lot of sense to me and this one looks like it is right in line with my new goal.

Join along and read it with me if you like. I will be blogging about the book and what I am using from it to help me along this process.

Keep an eye out for my next blog where I will talk about getting ready for my trip. I will be sharing some of my packing and planning tips with you. In the mean time, I hope you will join me as I continue to try to "do less and be more".

Valerie

On Sunday the Pastor at my church quoted Charles Swindoll, Wisdom for the Way: Wise Words for Busy People a well known author who has said, “Busyness destroys relationships. It substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities.

Everyone says that the older you get the quicker times seems to go by. Why, because as we age we have more responsibilities and being busy makes the time go by more quickly. While children who have fewer responsibilities and hopefully fewer commitments have time to just be.

It seems to me that being busy has turned into a competition. When friends get together they talk about how busy they are and all of the activities they are involved in and commitments they have. It spills over into the lives of children as well as we schedule their every moment signing them up for lessons and sports and play dates. Do you ever talk to a friend who replies when you ask what they’ve been up to, “Oh not much, just hanging out and enjoying my family.” More likely your friend rattles off all of the committees they are on the projects they are involved in and all the events they attend.

What’s the cost of all this chaos? Aren’t relationships what matters most in life? Are we sacrificing our relationships with family and friends because of our notion that we must be busy “doing” all the time?

We use this busyness as an excuse, an excuse to get out of spending time with others or for not nurturing relationships. I know I am guilty of using the excuse with friends and family that “things have been crazy”. “That’s why I haven’t called or come to see you.”

Is life meant to be leisurely enjoyed or hurried through? Are things on our “To do” list more important than the people in our lives? Will it matter in the end how many “things” we got done or how many other souls we made contact with?

I am going to try and make some changes in my life. I am going to start looking at my list of “things to do” as secondary to the people in my life. I am going to spend more time just “being” instead of “doing”. I am going to stop using the excuse of being busy for not nurturing my relationships.

I hope you will join me on this journey to slow down and focus on the people not the process and to do less and be more.

Valerie

Simply Organized Workshop

There were 15 people last night at the Simply Organized Workshop. We had a great time sharing organizing ideas. I really enjoyed spending th evening with you and I hope to hear from you. Remember as you continue on your organizational journey to let go of perfectionism and create systems that work for you and your family. If you have any questions or comments please let me know!

Happy Organizing!
Valerie

Planning Ahead

Sometimes I feel like I have my hand in so many different things that surely I will miss something. If you are involved in a lot then you may feel the same way. One way that I manage to keep it all together is by planning out my week.

Each Sunday night I sit down with my calendar for the week and look at what everyone has going on. The first thing I plug in to open spots is "me" time. Things like going to a spinning or yoga class, having coffee with a friend or reading. Yes, I schedule time to read!

After that, I coordinate carpools, errands and night time activities with my husband. If he is going to be traveling then I make sure that I get help from friends for anything that I can't manage.

Meal planning is a big part of my weekly schedule. First I look for evenings when everyone will be home together and I plan a sit down meal for those nights. If everyone will be coming and going then I will plan a crock pot meal that each person can dip in to when they have time. This part of the process is very easy since I use my "What's for Dinner" binder to help out. In it I have a revolving list of meals that my family enjoys along with recipes and ideas for side items. I also have a pre-printed shopping list for each week that makes shopping quick and easy.

If you would like to put together a binder for yourself then come to my "What's for Dinner" workshop on Thursday, March 5th. Details are listed to the right. You will find planning for your week runs much more smoothly when you have this wonderful resource!

Another area that is a constant struggle for me is juggling my family responsibilities with my work. Because I work at home it is sometimes difficult to work when I know there is a load of laundry that needs to be done or a bathroom that needs to be cleaned. Planning ahead helps me here as well. Using my calendar I designate times of the day to work on certain projects. For example first thing in the morning before anyone is up is my best time to write without interruption. Then while the kids are getting ready for school I will make my bed, and start a load of laundry. I schedule the rest of my day by alternating between work and household responsibilities. Often I find it easier to get some writing or research done if I know I have a set time. So I will set my phone alarm for two hours and then I'll get up and spend an hour running an errand or working on something around the house. After that hour I will head back to the office and so on.

If you are looking for more ideas about how to manage your day then please join me on Tuesday night March 3rd for my "Simply Organized" workshop. I will share with you many tips on how to manage all that life throws your way and show you some of my favorite organizing products. Details for this workshop are also listed to the right.

After I have plugged in all the information I need to get me through the week then I refer back to my calendar each morning. If I forget to look at it one day I may miss something important. It's happened before! Even when I think I'll never forget, if I am very busy things can slip my mind. Take my advice and don't trust your memory. Write it down and then the only thing you have to remember is to look at your calendar!

Planning ahead for the week to come will certainly make your life much more "Simply Organized"!

Happy Organizing!
Valerie

Music can evoke many emotions. There are songs that can make us feel happy, motivated, nostalgic or sad. Studies have shown that listening to up beat music can raise the heart rate and make subjects walk faster and that slower music can lower the heart rate and induce a state of relaxation.

I love all kinds of music and I enjoy listening to music to help motivate, or calm me. I would like to share a playlist with you that I really enjoy. This is an easy listening playlist that helps me remember how I want to live and love everyday. It includes some of my all time favorite songs. This is the playlist I might listen to in the morning with my coffee or at night to relax me before bed.

I hope you enjoy this playlist and I also hope that you will share with me your favorite playlist. I am always looking for more motivating and inspirational music as well as music that’s just fun to listen to. Just send me the title and artist of each song and I will publish them here to share with my readers. Let me know what you think of this list!

To listen to these songs click on the word "playlist" below.

Enjoy!
Valerie
Playlist



Secret O' Life - James Taylor
Better Together - Jack Johnson
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Now and Then - Kenny Loggins
Inaudible Melodies - Jack Johnson
Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
What You Thought You Need - Jack Johnson
You Were Meant for Me - Sting
Losing Keys - Jack Johnson
A Love That Will Never Grow - Old Emmylou Harris
Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson

ORGANIZING PHOTOGRAPHS

So often I am asked how to organize photos. Many of my clients have boxes and boxes filled with old photos. Often they are not just awaiting organization but also scrapbooking. I am not a scrap booker but I admire those who do. The albums are always so much fun to look through. Whether you are a scrapper or not, if you have lots of photos that need organizing here are few things to keep in mind.

1. Don’t develop or print off any new photos until you have your old ones organized. You certainly don’t need any more pictures to add to the chaos. Keep them on your memory card or computer until you are ready to work with them.

2. If you have a lot of old photos you may feel overwhelmed by the task. Take baby steps. Get the kids or a friend to help. Start by sorting the photos by year. Keep lots of shoe boxes or small tubs close by and label them with the year. I have found clear plastic shoe boxes to be just the right size for sorting photos or you can buy boxes that are specially designed for Photo storage.

3. Then once they are sorted by year you can sort them by month or event. Depending on how many pictures you have this may take a while. Break it up in to small segments of time. Maybe you can plan to work on them for one hour each evening.

4. After the photos are sorted then you need to decide how you are going to store them. If your hope is to put them all in photo albums then you need to purchase those. I suggest you get all the same albums to keep your collection looking neat and esthetically pleasing on your book shelves. You may just be planning to keep your photos in boxes and if so you are almost done. Others may plan to scrapbook the photos. In that case you must gather your supplies and set up a place to work where you can leave your supplies out.

5. Regardless of how you are planning to store your photos the next step is start with the most recent photos you have printed. It will be easier to recall what took place and when. As the photos get older you may need help from another family member to recall the dates, events and people in the photos.

6. As you go through each month or event in each box take out any pictures that are blurry or dark or duplicates. Only keep the best of the best! Put the pictures from each event or month in a separate photo safe envelope and label the envelope with the date and event. If you plan to scrapbook include an envelope with journal entries and mementos from the event.

7. Continue on with this process until you have sorted through all of your photos. Depending on how many you have you may decide to keep most of them in the boxes and just album or scrap book the highlights from each year.
8. Most importantly, keep these processes going with any new photos that you develop or print. Organizing one month’s worth of photos will seem like a breeze!

9. With all the new photos websites you may decide to organize your new photos on line and then order photo books from each event. My favorite site for this isPicaboo This site has an endless supply of backgrounds and they even have scrapbooking pages divided into themes. Making the photo books is a breeze and then you can choose to share with others on line or post them to your website. If you decide to order the Photo Album that’s simple as well and they start as low as $9.99. When you factor in the price of photo albums and printing
your pictures, and the time it takes you to put them in albums the prices are very reasonable. Especially if you are planning to scrapbook given the price of supplies. Check out an album that I put together for you using a variety of backgrounds to give you an idea of what the site has to offer. Click on this link to see my album. http://preview.picaboo.com/Webview/CoverPage.aspx?user=000000000002E4AE2F&album=000000000002E9D34A

10. If you have just too many pictures and you can’t bring yourself to get started then check out this website and give their product a try.
Organize your photos!

Good luck and Happy Organizing!
Valerie

They really are the best!

I ran into a friend and client today at Walmart. She was in the storage container isle. My FAV of course! She said she was buying storage drawers like I had suggested in my blog. I said that they don't usually carry the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet in the store. She said "well what about these" pointing to another set of drawers. I showed her the reasons I didn't like that unit and looked around to see if by chance they had a Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet in stock. Well they didn't have the four drawer unit but they did have 1 two drawer unit. I took it off the shelf and showed her how easily the drawers slide out, how the handles make it easy to carry and how the deep drawers would hold so much more. She was convinced and bought the only one they had!

Often we make the mistake of buying tubs, bins, drawers and other organizing gadgets with hopes that they will help eliminate clutter. So many of my clients end up with various sizes and shapes of bins and gadgets that just don't quite fit the bill. Always "Assess the Mess" first and see how much and what size and shape your things are. This way when buying organizers you can be sure you are getting the right product. And always try and buy a product that others have told you works for them like the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet.

Happy Organizing!

Cluttered Home = Cluttered Mind Part 2

Now that you have decided that your clutter is not that bad and that you can handle it, let's get started! First thing to do is what I call "Assess the Mess" or take a look around your home or office and make a list of the areas that are giving you trouble. Now put these areas in order with one being the area that is most bothersome to you or that has the most negative effect on your life. For example if your bills and paper work are piled up that would be of greater concern than say organizing the kids play room. Or perhaps it takes you way too much time to get dressed in the morning for work because your closet it a mess. That would take priority over the storage area.

Now that you know which area to start on you can continue to "Assess the mess" by making a list of the goals you have for this area. Perhaps in your home office you would like to have your bills organized as well as papers that the kids bring home. While taking note of the different activities that take place begin to think about dividing the area up into segments that will house these activities. You don't want the kids school work getting mixed up with the bills.

Now it's time to start clearing out the area so you can make a fresh start. This part of the process is referred to as the "Purge". You will need to have some containers, boxes, bags or tubs in the room before you begin this process. Generally you will need 3 of these. One for trash, one for donations or yard sale/consign and one for items to be relocated to other areas of the home or office. Begin the purge in one area and work your way around the room. Depending on how cluttered the area is you may want to set a timer for around 20 minutes to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed. You can then take a break and come back again later for another 20 minutes. Breaking it down into short increments makes it easier to stay focused.

Ask yourself these questions when purging. Do I need it? Do I love it? Does it reflect who I am today? Does it enhance my life? If the answer is no to any of these questions then get rid of it! Once you start letting go of stuff you will see how freeing it feels and you will want to do it all the time! So, go ahead and "Assess your Mess" and then determine the purpose for the area and start your purge. Check back in a few days and we will talk about what to do next.

Don't forget to check out my web page at www.simplyorganizedval.com. Also, there is still time to register for my up coming workshops!

Happy Organizing!
Valerie

Here's some really cute and fun labels that I love! These labels make it easy to keep track of all your kids "stuff"! They will have a great time sticking these labels on all there favorite things!
Kids Diecut Labels

You asked for it and here it is!

This is my all time favorite organizing product! The Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet is great for closets, storage areas and garages. I have 11 of these of in my home! Here's why I like the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet. The drawers are deep and so they can hold a lot and they have handles on the sides to make them easy to carry. They slide easily in and out of the tower and can be brought to wherever you need them. The towers are durable and they are movable. So, instead of building permanent shelving you can put the unit wherever you need it and take it with you if you move. I have one of the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet in my son's closet. He keeps his socks, t-shirts, and pants in the drawers and still has room in the bottom drawer for his entire Lego collection. I have one in the coat closet to hold lunch boxes, water bottles, bike helmets and ball gloves. I also use the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet system in my storage area. One tower is devoted to Halloween decorations. When I want to put the decorations up I just bring one of the drawers upstairs, unload and then put the drawer away. After Halloween it's easy to bring the empty drawer up, fill it up and put back in the tower. My Christmas decorations are also stored this way. In another tower we have toys, Barbie's, linkin logs, polly pockets etc. When the kids want to play they can slide the drawer out and take it wherever they want and then just toss the toys back in and replace the drawer when done. In one tower I have a drawer designated to each family member. We use the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet to store keepsakes and memorabilia. I can't say enough about these cabinets and I have recommended them to many of my clients with great success.

The only place I have found that carries these cabinets is Walmart. They are usually not available in the stores and so you must order them on line. When you choose the "site to store" option there is no shipping charge. You will receive an email when they are available to pick up at the Walmart nearest you. Go to the service desk in the back of the store and show your ID and you are given your items. This way you avoid the sometimes long check out lines. It's a very easy and quick process that I have used over and over again. I hope you find the Sterilite 4-Drawer Storage Cabinet to be as useful as I have! If you like them send me an email and I will post your comment here at my site.

Happy Organizing!

Cluttered Home = Cluttered Mind

Clutter in around your home or office can have a negative psychological impact. Having piles of paper and clothes lying around can be stressful. Each time you pass a pile that you need to get to it may stir up negative emotional feelings. You may feel bad about yourself because you are not attending to the matter. You may realize that there is something buried in that pile that is going to be an issue when it’s uncovered. For example an unpaid bill or unfiled tax forms. You may feel overwhelmed by the clutter and unable to make the first move toward organization.

Maybe your clutter is not that drastic. Maybe you just have a messy garage or a storage area that needs organizing. These may also cause negative emotions. Each time you begin a project and have to waste time looking for the necessary tools this causes stressful feelings. It may also cause arguments with your loved ones. If your storage area is out of control you may be using up some of your living space for storage. It could be that your unorganized storage area is a potential fire hazard or that if your basement floods your things could be damaged.

Thinking about all of this weighs us down and inhibits us from being productive. You may not constantly be thinking about it but the underlying stress is there. Taking that first step may just be too overwhelming.

Here are some things to consider if you have clutter that needs your attention.

1. It’s probably not as bad as you think.
2. It probably won’t take as much time as you think.
3. The first step is the hardest.
4. The relief you will feel afterwards will be worth the effort.
5. It’s ok to ask for help.

If you are avoiding some clutter in your home or office then take the next couple of days to repeat the 5 statements above as often as possible. Write them down in your own handwriting and post them somewhere you will be constantly reminded. Then, check back with me here in 4 or 5 days and find the next steps to conquering your clutter. Together we can get your clutter under control and free up your mind for more important matters.

I can't tell you how many times I've walked into a clients house and heard them say "I don't know if I have enough organizing containers to hold all my stuff". After we get started we usually find out that they have more than enough. In fact most of the time we have left over containers, lots of them! Why? Because it's not about getting more containers it's about getting rid of "stuff".

It can be very hard to resist buying a new storage system. We are inundated with flyer's and TV ads that make it look so easy. Especially in January the month of new beginnings. "Just buy this matching organizing system and all of your clothes will magically fold and stack themselves in color coordinating order" Ha!

Often we let our stuff define who we are. Instead of owning our stuff our stuff owns us. Does what you own enhance your life or does it get in the way of the life you really want to live. If you are spending so much time caring for and organizing and cleaning the things you own that you aren't able to enjoy what you really want to in your life then it's time get rid of some things.

When letting go of things keep this in mind. Does this item enrich your life? If so, keep it if it doesn't or if your aren't sure then git rid of it. Having less to take care of can free your life and mind up to greater possibilities!

AAH, Snow Days! For the kids this is an amazing day somewhat like winning the lottery! For parents, well it can mean a lot of things but nothing like winning the lottery! If you have a job that takes you outside the home then finding daycare for children is first on your list. Planning ahead is the key here. Have at least two options for kids on snow days in case one doesn't pan out. If you are a stay at home parent or work from home then your day will go something like this. Put on snow gear, take off wet snow gear, repeat several times throughout the day. Mingled in there will be lunch, hot chocolate and wiping runny noses.

There are a few things you can do to be more prepared for snow days. You certainly don't want to be caught off guard without the proper snow gear. I recommend checking at the beginning of the season to be sure snow pants, boots and coats from last year still fit. Consignment shops are great places to pick up snow suits that are sometimes just like new as kids usually grow out of them before they wear them out. Hanging bulking snow pants can take up prime real estate in closets. I have a large tub in the floor of the coat closet for snow pants boots and coats. Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of the closet door to hold gloves, hats and scarves.

If you don't have a mud room create some space next to the door where you can hang wet coats and pants to dry. A Boot tray keeps the mess contained and a mitten tree is great for drying wet hand wear.

Another great idea is have a "snow day" box of things to do to keep boredom at bay. Fill it with coloring books, puzzles a new DVD or anything else that your kids are into at the time. Bring out the box when cabin fever hits and then put it all away again so it will be like new on the next snow day.

Most of all try to enjoy the day! Sled riding can be great exercise and good stress relief. Got to go... kettle is whistling ready for the first round of hot chocolate!

Hi Everyone!

Well this is my first attempt at blogging and I am very excited about sharing my organizing ideas with you! This month has been a busy one getting into gear for the new year. Seems everyone wants to start the year off right by getting organized. Visit my website at http://www.simplyorganizedval.com/ to see how I can help you make 2009 your most organized year yet! I've posted some before and after shots and a schedule of my upcoming workshops. Please be sure to share your organizing ideas with me and I will post my favorites right here at my blog.

Happy Organizing!
Valerie