Three Steps for an Organized Pantry

Last night a former classmate popped up on Facebook’s “People You May Know.” Wow—I couldn’t believe how much time had passed since I had seen him. He got old!

Do you ever feel that way about things you discover in your pantry? Something you purchased for a holiday recipe, or unnecessarily stocked up on. Stuff gets pushed to the back as new things are added. Deep shelves and corners are famous for aging groceries. "Suddenly" they're old!

If your pantry is in need of some TLC, here are three Timely Tips to restore order and make it user-friendly.

Timely Tips for an organized pantry

Photo by Organized By Choice

1. PURGE & SORT

• Clear off the kitchen table or a large countertop.

• Shelf by shelf remove your pantry’s contents. As you do, check expiration dates and toss outdated items.

• Donate usable, but not enjoyed by your family, non-perishable items to the Community Food Bank.

• Group like items into categories: baking, spices, pasta/rice/dry beans, condiments, oils and dressings, beverages, breakfast foods, snacks, sweets, paper supplies, crackers/chips, canned foods (further sort into fruits, vegetables, sauces, soups, beans), pet food, cookbooks, appliances, etc.

• Vacuum and wipe out the empty shelves.

Photo by Organized By Choice

2. Create Homes

• Containerize loose items when possible using bins or baskets for snack items, pastas, rice, coffee pods, tea, etc.

• Use turn tables for oils, vinegars, and sauces. These are great for hard-to-reach corners, too.

• Pour flour, sugar, nuts, coffee, etc. into clear airtight storage containers. This will create order on the shelves, keep things fresh, and enable you to see quantities, so you know when to restock.

• Use can rack organizers or three-tier cabinet organizers for canned goods. Position cans with labels facing forward.

• Place items on shelves in the categories you created--like with like.

• Put the categories you use most often on the shelving that’s easiest to reach.

• Designate a section of approved snack items at a level kids can access.

• Add free-standing wire shelves or under shelf baskets to maximize vertical space where needed.

• Add space with an over the door pantry organizer rack.

• Store heavy items under or on the bottom shelf.

• Label containers and the front of shelves so it’s clear where everything belongs.

• Check Pinterest or Google “pantry organizing images” to see these products and more.

Photo by Organized By Choice

3. Maintain

• Unpack groceries and supplies right away and place them in their designated homes. Storing things in grocery bags makes them invisible and increases duplicate purchasing.

• Use the “first in, first out” rule and place new items in back of the older ones.

• Avoid “buy two get three free” sales or Costco quantities, if you don’t have the space for it.

• Store a fold-up step stool in the pantry to insure easy access to top shelves.

• Organizing isn't a "one and done" activity. Schedule a day at least twice a year to repeat this process.

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Comical Words

1. Open Fridge. Nothing to eat.
2. Open pantry. Nothing to eat.
3. Lower standards and repeat.
-Author Unknown

More Time Doesn't Equal More Productivity

“I thought once I retired, I would get everything done.”
“I figured after the kids moved out, I’d be much more productive.”
Have you ever had more discretionary time and found it more challenging to get stuff done? I have. Pre- COVID, business was booming. Understandably many people are still cautious about inviting someone to work inside their homes, so this means I have more time in mine. It's easier for me to put off household chores, when there's more time available to do them.
Erin Elizabeth Wells says, “Productivity is doing the right things at the right time in the most effective and efficient way possible.”
That might sound unattainable or outright boring, so let’s break it down in three Timely Tips.

Timely Tips for productivity

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

“DO THE RIGHT THINGS”
There are some essential “right things” like paying bills and doing laundry. We may not experience joy in the process of these, but the result is peace of mind and ease of living. Make a short list of the undesirable essential tasks you tend to put off.
There are also the “right things” you choose to do—your personal priorities. Identify your top three. These could include anything from working on a relationship or hobby, volunteering, or getting a degree.
During the pandemic, three of mine have been continuing education classes, writing a children’s book on organizing, and sorting through my keepsakes. Yes, I have keepsakes.
Working on your priority list has a double benefit. They’re things you really care about and, since you’ve determined them to be a priority, you can let go of the guilt from not doing things that didn't make the cut.

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs from Pexels

“THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY”
You may prefer to complete the unpleasant or difficult tasks first and then reward yourself with the enjoyable ones. Others may alternate between the two, so that boredom or becoming drained of energy doesn’t stop progress. Figure out what keeps you moving forward and do that.
Some listen to music or podcasts to enhance productivity. One of Scott and my “right things” is a 7-minute workout in the evenings before watching TV. (We’re starting small.) We find listening to comedy on the Dry Bar Comedy app makes it more enjoyable. For jobs like writing, I need quiet. Ensure that your environment supports the effectiveness of your task.
To promote efficiency, simplify your tasks. Keep supplies convenient and work smarter, not harder. Store some cleaning supplies in each bathroom. Prepare a week’s worth of veggies at once so you don’t have to wash and cut them every day. If your project is paper sorting, have a bag for recycle, a shredder or shred box, and folders on hand.
Reduce distractions by clearing off your workspace so you can focus on one project at a time. Have a notepad handy or use Notes or Reminders on your smart phone to record other tasks that come to mind while working. That way you won’t stop to do things you’re afraid you’ll forget.

As always, start small. Choose one essential task and one item from your priority list. Schedule the “right time” on your calendar this week and consider how to make that time effective and efficient.

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Wise Words

You can't turn back the clock, but you can wind it up again. --Bonnie Prudden

In other words, beating yourself up for not being productive yesterday, last month, or last year, doesn't help. Choosing to start with one thing tomorrow, does!

Truths to Combat Lies

It didn't say, "Spam Risk." Caller ID said it was PG&E. When I answered, the gentleman greeted me and said that our power would be turned off in about 45 minutes. My first thought was that they were working in our area, then he added, “unless your balance is paid.”

It took longer than it should have for me to identify him as a liar and a thief. First, I was put at ease by the familiar. My phone told me it was PG&E. We’ve had notifications about shutdowns. When he added the part about the past due bill, I went into panic mode which removes the ability to think reasonably. Thirdly, I was ignorant about when it was last paid since my husband pays the bills.

Those three elements--familiarity, panic, and ignorance gave me cause for briefly succumbing to the liar and would-be thief on the other end of the line. If you’re struggling with organization and productivity, you may be listening to a liar and a thief.

The liar says:

• “You never finish stuff, so why start?” Sound familiar?

• “You’re overloaded with things to do. Your life will implode if you attempt one more.” In a panic?

• “You can’t do it because you don’t know how.” Feel ignorant?

Believing these lies steals your peace of mind. When disorganization disrupts a relationship, the thief has won again. Time wasted looking for things steals time from higher priorities. Your wallet is a target too. Late fees due to mail clutter, payments for extra storage, and buying replacements for things you can’t find.

Lies about organization and productivity are often more subtle than my would-be thief who held my electricity hostage for a $900 payment. Don’t beat yourself up if you have succumbed. My remedy was to hang up on the liar and call the place I knew would give me straight truth—the real PG&E.

Here are three Timely Truths to combat the lies that threaten your organization and productivity.

Timely Truths to combat disorganization

Photo by Sorapong Chaipanya from Pexels

1. You have finished stuff. Maybe it was high school, or a Master’s degree, or a personal project or goal. Maybe you’ve been sober for two years or twenty. Each day is an accomplishment. List three things you’ve done in life that were challenging. Now record one organizing project you’d like to accomplish. Start small. A drawer, your purse, or maybe your pet supplies. Combat the lie with the truth that you can finish.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

2. Adding is sometimes subtracting. Look for a way to be productive that will open up time and space in your life rather than put you over the edge. Do you look forward to the weekend until you notice the huge pile of clean laundry or dirty dishes that accumulated during the week? Adding a ten-minute task of putting away each clean load or filling the dishwasher nightly can subtract an overwhelming pile at week’s end.

Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels

3. You know enough. Fortunately for all of us, getting organized isn’t rocket science. Four steps is all you need. For a free instruction sheet click here: FOUR SURE-FIRE WAYS TO GET & STAY ORGANIZED. If you get stuck on any of those, feel free to give me a call. I’ll answer as long as caller ID doesn’t say PG&E!

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wise words

Organization isn't about perfection; it's about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life. --Christina Scalise

Merry and Bright

Hiding a small remote, my husband waved his hand and commanded the fake candle to turn on. Our granddaughters were amazed—especially when it worked for them too! Candlelight, tree lights, and house lights are all part of the wonder of Christmas.

With the effects of the pandemic weighing upon us, I thought I’d keep the topic this month on the “light” side. Light plays an important role in creating and maintaining organization, efficiency, and productivity. Here are Timely Tips to make your days a little more “merry and bright.”

Timely Tips - to enlighten your organizing

Photo by Sorapong Chaipanya from Pexels

Light up your closets. An efficient closet means you can easily find what you need, and good lighting is essential. We recently replaced an old single bulb light with a bright LED fixture in our master closet. “Now I can see all my shirts,” my husband announced. We didn’t realize the strain it was to see clearly until we could. For closets with no permanent fixture, consider stick-on lights that tap on and off.

Bin the front stuff. While organizing her kitchen, my client feared reaching into the dark corner of a cabinet. When a cabinet is packed full of loose items, neither light nor you can access what’s in back. This is also true for closets where the opening isn’t as wide as the shelf. Use an open-topped bin to store the loose items in front so it can be easily pulled out when you need to see and reach what’s behind.

Illuminate your chores. Sometimes chore avoidance has more to do with conditions than the task itself. If your file cabinet is stuck in a dark corner, it’s going to be a tougher chore. Create adequate lighting where you and your family do paperwork and filing. The same can be said for the laundry room and garage. Well-lit areas are more conducive to productivity.

Photo by Christian Domingues from Pexels

Let the sunshine in. Draw back those drapes. Open wide the blinds. The “Sunshine Vitamin” D has physical and mental health benefits that you can access even through the window. When we feel better, we are more motivated to maintain organization and be productive. If the blinds are closed due to clutter, relocate your clutter to a closet or spare room so you have a clear space to drink in the sun, undistracted. Then, when motivation hits, you can pull out a little clutter at a time to sort through in your sunlit area.

Access the light of life. Beyond all the benefits of physical light, is the benefit of knowing the one we celebrate this holy season—Jesus. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

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wise words

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. --John the Baptist

How to have a Happy Thanksgiving

A section of the registers were closed due to COVID-19. The woman in line behind me began to complain, "They should have more registers open. It's hot in here..." If 2020 has given us anything, it's plenty to complain about. Complaining in negative circumstances is normal, but how does it serve us?

Dennis Prager, author of Happiness is a Serious Problem offers some insight. "We tend to think that it is being unhappy that leads people to complain," says Prager, "but it is truer to say that it is complaining that leads to people becoming unhappy. Become grateful and you will become a much happier person."

Our brains create pathways for things we do repeatedly. For many the pathway for complaining is etched in the brain, making that the default. Frequent complaining releases more of the stress hormone cortisol which can impair the immune system, affect sleep, raise blood pressure, create anxiety, etc.

Our brains, however, have the remarkable ability to change. Creating new pathways requires intentionality. Here are some Timely Tips to transform the consequences of complaining to the benefits of gratitude.

Timely Tips - for cultivating gratitude

Transform complaints into thankfulness: Search for things to be grateful for tucked inside the very things you're tempted to complain about. We can be grateful that the store lines aren't as long as they appear, due to the fact we're spread six feet apart. Maybe turkey isn't your favorite, nor the people you spend Thanksgiving with. You can be grateful it's just once a year.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Schedule gratitude: Set aside time each day to ponder things you’re grateful for. Link it to something you do regularly. While showering or brushing your teeth focus on what you’re grateful for. The first thing I do each day is sit down with my Gratitude Prayer Journal and record something I’m thankful for.

Photo by Judit Peter

Verbalize gratitude: Last week Costco welcomed back the sampling stations. Yay! As I picked up the pre-packaged samples, I thanked them not only for the sample, but for returning to work. Many people perform acts of service all around us. Choose to be aware and verbalize your gratitude for their services, especially to those at home.

Photo by Rodnae Productions

Put your gratitude into writing: Let others know in a card, letter, email, or even text how much you value them. Tell them specifically how they've impacted your life. It’s a win/win. It will make you both happy.

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Like many in our nation today, those celebrating the first Thanksgiving had much to complain about. They suffered a great deal that year and yet, they focused on their blessings and gave thanks. Without Prager's book, what motivated them to be grateful? The words of Kind David.

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord." Psalm 92:1

Indeed, it is.

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wise words

Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude. —A. A. Milne

Creating an Organized and Skeleton-free Closet

A few years ago, my girls took me to a Paint Night for my birthday. The instructor walked us through the steps of painting a winter scene. Each person in the class received the same supplies and instruction, tainted as it was by the instructor's desire to be elsewhere. It was his birthday too. When completed each painting had its own unique style. 
 
Likewise, most homes come standard with a hall closet, but there’s not one “correct” way to supply and organize it. If you have kids at home, it will look different from a retiree’s closet. The size, its contents (skeletons?), and personal preferences all play into what it’s like when completed. These Timely Tips will guide you to achieve your own unique and user-friendly space.

Timely Tips - for an organized hall closet

#1 Create a vision: Your hall closet is there to serve you. Its job is to store the things you need and have them easily accessible. Decide which items you want to store there based on your preference, use, and available space. Many use their hall closets for linens, and that’s totally fine. I choose to store sheets and towels in the rooms and bathrooms where they’re used. My hall closet stores table linens (placemats/napkins), candles, vases, party and paper goods, light bulbs, household and sewing supplies, games, and grandkid supplies. As you create your vision you may choose to relocate items out of and into your closet. Maybe you need a spot for craft items, gift wrap, photos or back-up supplies like Costco paper towels and toilet paper.
 
#2 Purge and sort: The unfortunate truth is that you can pack way more into a disorganized closet. If your vision includes having easy access, then paring down is essential. Scavenging the back of the closet may bring to light some long-lost artifacts. Clients often say, “I’ll use it now that I know where it is,” but it probably would have been searched for earlier if it was that essential. Keep what fits with your vision, interests, and current lifestyle. As you purge, you’re creating space and making your closet more user-friendly.
 
#3 Keep like things together: Consider the categories you chose for your closet. A Home Décor category might have vases, frames, candles, seasonal decorations, etc. Household Supplies might have basic in-house tools, picture hanging supplies, felt pads for chairs, adhesives, sliders, etc. Sort the contents of what you’re keeping into categories. 

#4 Create homes: Sometimes a home for something is simply a designated place on a shelf, but whenever possible, use labeled containers. Some prefer clear plastic bins that stack. Don't place a lid on containers you frequently access. Open-topped canvas cubes, woven baskets, or plastic baskets give a clean look. Label each bin so that you and others can locate and put things away more easily. If placing linens directly on shelves, use shelf dividers and label the front of the shelves to keep things orderly. 
 
#5 Keep close what you use most: What items or categories do you handle most often? Place those on the shelves that are easiest to reach. Fan out from there based on use. Save the very top, bottom, and corners for items rarely used.
 
#6 Maintain boundaries: If left unchecked, your linens and things will multiply like rabbits behind closed closet doors. Over time, unsolicited items will appear randomly on your closet shelves. To combat clutter be mindful of returning things to their rightful place and not overstuffing. You’ll know when it gets hard to find what you need and frustrating to access, that it’s time to revisit step two—purge and sort. Don’t forget to remove the skeletons, unless of course, you’re decorating for Halloween!

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wise words

If you want to improve your life immediately, clean out a closet. Often, it's what we hold onto that holds us back. --Cheryl Richardson

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HAPPY FALL!

Just Do It-- Doesn't Always Work

When my twin granddaughters began buckling themselves into their car seats, I had flashbacks of my kids at that age. One twin found a cracker left-over from another car ride and decided that before buckling would be a fun time for a snack. The other got half-way into her seat and began a conversation about where we were going. No buckling going on there. Being grandma I have a little more patience, but sometimes I’d rather say, “Just do it!” 
 
“Just do it” doesn’t compute to a two-year-old. Actually, it doesn’t work so well for us either. Many people struggle with not getting things done in a timely manner, or at all. Unfortunately, society isn’t so forgiving when you’re a grown-up. 
 
We wouldn’t say a two-year-old procrastinates, because we tend to associate procrastination with a conscious decision to put something off. However, procrastination isn’t a conscious decision for many adults, either. We may experience stress, guilt, and shame, but not identify or link it to procrastination. Here are some Challenges & Choices to bring it to our consciousness and alter our course. The result? Peace and productivity.  

timely tips to combat procrastination

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs from Pexels

Challenge #1 - Menial Productivity
We fill our days with tasks that come easy and avoid those we don’t like to do.  Since we’re being productive, we don’t consider that we’re procrastinating until the shoe drops and the consequences hit. Maybe it was putting off the home maintenance calls. Now it’s raining and the roof is leaking. 
 
Choice #1 – Meaningful Productivity
Make a list of tasks you’ve been avoiding. Schedule one per day to lessen the overwhelm. Make it the first thing you do in the morning to reduce the dread. Then, you can relax and enjoy the tasks you like to do.

Photo by Torsten Dettlaff from Pexels

Challenge #2 – Distractibility
With our phones ringing and texts dinging it’s not surprising we get side-tracked from the tasks that need our attention. One look at our email or Facebook, and we can lose focus for hours. We’re not deliberately avoiding, but subconsciously succumbing to a world of distractions. 
 
Choice #2 – Disconnect
Intentionally create a place conducive to focus. Turn off notifications and let those in your office or household know you’re unavailable for a designated time. Set a timer and choose to stay on task until the timer rings. Break for 15-30 minutes. Check email, Facebook, etc. and then reset a timer for focus. Breaks are important but must have boundaries.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Challenge #3 – Fear
Without some self-analysis most of us wouldn’t say we procrastinate out of fear. Past failures can trigger fear. Connected to that is the fear of what people might think or say. Sometimes it’s fear of the outcome of completion. Putting off taking a medical test, or even something positive like completing a Masters can arouse fear because of changes to come. 
 
Choice #3 – Foresight
Compare the benefits and consequences of completion and incompletion. Realize that in the end procrastination limits your choices. 

Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

Challenge #4 – Perfectionism
Many are stopped in their tracks due to perfectionism. It’s often hard to identify because things are so chaotic that it seems contrary. If the task can’t be performed perfectly, it’s not done at all. Or, the task never ends because the level of perfection is never attained.
 
Choice #4 – Plug it 
Parkinson’s Law says that “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” If you don’t have an external deadline, create one. Decide ahead of time that done is better than perfect. Break down the project into pieces, schedule time to work on it, and choose to stop when the deadline hits. 

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Comical Words

I was having trouble focusing on my work so I googled how to stop procrastinating. After three hours of “research” I realized what was happening. — Greta Sukyte

Piles to Smiles

Do you want a safe and effective way to lose 20 pounds in a day? Purge your files. Do you want to make things easier on your kids when you die? Purge your files. Do you want to be able to find important documents faster and easier? Purge your files.
 
There are a lot of benefits to organizing your paper. The only downside is the process. I remember a client saying, “I have to wait until my fear of doing it is overcome by my fear of not doing it.” Filing isn’t second nature to most people.
 
In addition to it not being fun, paper piles and overstuffed files are due to deferred decisions. The cause is a lack of knowledge or confidence about the following:

• What to keep

• How to store it

• When to let it go

 Here are some Timely Tips to convert your over-stuffed files and piles, into smiles. 

Timely Tips for paper piles and files

1. Get informed. Know which documents to keep and how long they need to be saved. You can access a record retention guide here: www.suzeorman.com/resources/record-keeping. Always allow your CPA/Attorney to have the final say on what you need to keep.

2. Gather the following supplies:

• Boxes or bags labeled “To Be Sorted,” “Shred,” and “Recycle.” 

• A sturdy file cabinet that opens easily and completely. I recommend Hon. 

• Hanging files, regular folders, and a label maker or marker.

• A clear space to work. (#3 will help with that.)

3. Collect your papers. Gather the paper piles from everywhere and place them into the To Be Sorted box(es). Don’t include the current bills to pay and other items you need to take action on. (See instructions for those here.) Set your To Be Sorted box(es) aside in a closet or someplace out of the way until step five.

4. Purge your file drawers. Grab a handful of files from your file drawer and go to your workspace where you have your Shred and Recycle boxes/bags. Systematically go through each file and purge the items you no longer need, based on your retention guide (see #1). Replace your completed stack and grab another so that it remains manageable as you go along. If you need to break before finishing, place a Post-it note sticking up where you stopped. You may do this over a period of time but give yourself a deadline, so it gets done. 

5. Sort & File your paper piles. Bring your To Be Sorted box(es) to your workspace. Grab a handful of papers and begin sorting. Make a stack of those that need filing, and place the rest in Shred or Recycle, based on your retention guide (see #1). Continue the process until you’ve emptied your box(es). 

6. Finish Filing. File your remaining papers in the file drawer. Create folders if needed.

7. Shred & Recycle. Place your recycle in your recycle bin and if your shredding is more than you care to do at home, take it to an office supply store, UPS store, or shred company.

CATEGORIES: If you’re creating a file system from scratch, or your system is lacking structure, consider setting up your files in categories. Here’s a sampling of potential categories: 

• Autos

• Career/Education

• Family

• Financial

• Household

• Insurance

• Medical

• Organizations

• Pets

• Resources

• Tax Documents

• Vital Documents

• Warranties/Manual

Create tabs for each category and for each folder within that category. Place the category tabs on the right, and the individual tabs on the left and alphabetize. You may also use different colored folders or different drawers to separate categories.

wise words

The ideal paper flow should be a continual process of gather - keep - discard. --Judith Kolberg

Scrambling is for Eggs, Not for Paying Bills

Is your bill paying like clockwork or is it more of a random event that happens when panic strikes or a “Final Notice” arrives in the mail? Bill paying is stressful enough without scrambling through piles to find the bills or trying to remember if something was paid or not. The sinking feeling when your insurance was canceled, or a hefty late fee has been added to your bill can be avoided. Here are some Timely Tips to bring peace of mind to your bill paying experience. 

Timely Tips for bill paying peace of mind

1. Gather all your bills together and create a home for them.
For many, who don’t have a designated spot for bills, this is revolutionary step. It’s easy to walk in and toss the mail randomly about. Make sure the home for your bills is easily accessible and visible. It could be near the front door, on your kitchen counter, or in your home office. Use a decorative basket or a table-top or wall-mount file holder. Warning: Don’t mix other mail (coupons, ads, etc.) with the bills to pay. It will take all the will power you can muster to walk the bills to this spot every day, but it will be worth it.

2. Track your bill paying. 
Don’t leave it to memory to know if you paid a bill or not. Create a spreadsheet, use a paper, pencil, and ruler, or click here for a Bill Payment Record. When you pay the bill, record the date and amount paid in the month column. On another sheet list the bills you have on auto pay with the dates those payments are deducted from your account. Store the Bill Payment Record sheets with the bills and you'll be able to see at a glance what's been paid.

3. Create a bill paying schedule. 
Based on income, due dates, and preferences, decide when you’re going to pay bills. Maybe you prefer paying them as they arrive. If not, schedule a couple times per month to sit down and pay bills. Put it on your calendar like a dentist appointment. Set reminders on your phone so you don't miss your scheduled time.You may want to have a Bill Payment Record sheet for those you pay on the first and for those you pay on the 15th of the month. Label them as such.

4. Online assistance 
For bill payment tracking, reminders, and budgeting help consider using one of these top-rated online sites: Mint.com, PersonalCapital.com, YouNeedaBudget.com, or Tillerhq.com. 

5. Resources for kids. 
Give your kids a head start to financial responsibility with one of these teaching tools: Bankaroo.com, DaveRamsey.com, FamZoo.com, or products from Money Savvy Generation. 

6. Prepare for emergency. 
If your kids are adults make sure they, or someone else you trust, has access to your financial records (bill payments, bank accounts, online passwords, etc.) in the event that someone needs to fill in for you. Click here to download a form: Personal Account Information.

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Comical Words

Why must I prove that I am me when I pay bills over the phone? Did someone else call to pay my bills, and if they did, why didn't you let them? --Anonymous 

Three Essential Skills for Life

One of my favorite Mother’s Day cards shows a two-year-old on a potty chair. It says, “Hey Mom! Thanks for teaching me so many wonderful things over the years.” Inside: “Especially that potty training thing. (I can’t tell you how many times that has come in handy!")”

Teaching our kids all those "wonderful things" doesn't come without a price, but we persevere so they become independent, responsible human beings with essential life skills. Here are a few incentives to keep you motivated (since not all benefits are as obvious as the potty training thing).

1. Productivity – As kids learn new skills they contribute more as productive members of the family.

2. Less Stress – Much like a well-run business, a family operates more smoothly when systems are in place and everyone knows what’s expected of them. 

3. Less Supervision Required – With proper training and routines, children execute their tasks more independently. (Less nagging and yelling)

4. Increased Esteem and Unity – Children with responsibilities experience a sense of accomplishment and see themselves as essential to the family unit through their contribution.  

With kids’ outside activities cut down a notch by the pandemic, there’s no better time than now to focus on one of these Timely Tips with your family. 

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Timely Tips - for essential life skills

Time Management – Kids aren’t the only ones who struggle with managing their time. These tips and tools will benefit the entire family.

• Measure how long things take – getting ready in the morning, getting ready for bed, doing homework, household chores, etc. Use this information with your kids to set wake-up times, a time for bedtime prep, and other responsibilities. Use a Time Timer (timetimer.com) as they do their chores and routines to show how much time remains and help them stay on track. 

• Block specific times on a weekly chart for household chores, homework, and daily routines. This helps kids easily see what they need to do and when. Direct kids to the chart (posted in a prominent place) rather than yelling or nagging to keep them on task. Be sure to schedule in free time too.

• Use a digital or wall-type family calendar. Help your kids record and track their activities on the calendar. Set a weekly time to review and update it together. 

Organizing and Maintenance – If your child doesn’t have a natural bent toward organization, the command or request to “clean your room” will mean “push everything out of sight.” These skills require show and tell. Work with your child through these steps. 

• Sort and purge toys, clothes, books, etc. Let go of those things that your child has outgrown or are broken, etc. Do this seasonally or as needed.

• Create homes for the remaining things using labeled drawers, shelves, and containers so it’s clear where everything belongs. 

• Incorporate a Ten-minute Tidy into your child’s evening routine so that the mess stays manageable. Help your child practice placing things from that day (dirty clothes, toys, etc.) where they belong. 

School-age children can manage the Ten-minute Tidy independently once they’ve learned the process. 

Don’t worry, we didn’t make our two-year-old do ALL the yard work.

Family Responsibilities – Kids need to feel like an essential part of the household—because they are. Every person in the family should have assigned, age appropriate chores. Even if you can afford help, make sure your kids learn the basics of cleaning, laundry, meal prep, yard care, etc. 

• When training, give your child realistic and clear expectations. Show your child exactly what the end product should look like whether it’s setting the table, mowing the lawn, or cleaning the toilet.

• Provide the appropriate tools and make them accessible. 

• Show them how to do it and stick around to coach the process until they grasp it. 

• Teach them that the job isn’t complete until the tools, clean laundry, etc. are put away. 

• Rotate chores, but not too frequently. Some consistency is valuable too. 

• Choose a few “over and above” jobs that kids can do for pay but explain that some things we do just because we’re part of a family. 

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Wise Words

You are what you repeatedly do. --Aristotle 

Aristotle's quote speaks to the essential ingredient of consistency. When our kids are repeatedly acting in responsible ways, they will become responsible human beings. Just remember, as Joanna Weaver says, consistency isn't perfection, it's simply not giving up. 

Memory Lane - Under Construction

What do an empty Rainbow Bread bag, red dirt from Oklahoma, and a 45 RPM of Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are” have in common? They’re all things I discovered in my memorabilia bins. Being sentimental may seem contrary to being an organizer, but I find it gives me empathy with my clients as they sort through their own assemblage of keepsakes.
 
Sorting memorabilia meets more resistance than most organizing projects. Julie Holland, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, acknowledges that it’s normal to hold on to meaningful possessions. "Sentimental clutter is the adult equivalent of a teddy bear," says Holland. By the way, you can add teddy bear to the bread bag, red dirt, and record list. 
 
During the pandemic, I’ve embarked on my back-burner project of organizing my keepsake bins. Maybe it’s time for yours to move to the front burner too. Here are some Timely Tips from my journey down Memory Lane.

Timely Tips - for Memory Lane reconstruction

Why take the time to organize memorabilia?

• There are precious memories I’d like to revisit. When faced with decades of anniversary, Mother’s Day, and birthday cards, it's not an enjoyable stroll down memory lane.

• I don’t want to burden my kids. If I get bored doing it, which I have at times, I can only imagine what it would be like for my kids after I’m gone. 

• It opens up space. I’m reducing my number of bins—yay!

• It connects me with others. During the process I took pictures of fun things from the past and texted them to friends and family. Like the Mother’s Day card from my son when he was young which read, “You’re as pretty as a cow.” To his defense I had a cow collection back then. A blast from the past can be a good distraction during this challenging time. 

What should I keep?

• What sparks joy? Marie Kondo talks a lot about keeping things that “spark joy.” I found this to be a good measure with keepsakes. I let go of things that aroused memories of struggles or were simply benign. 

• Keep a sampling. The drawback to Kondo’s criteria is that every Mother’s Day card where my kids wrote about how great I was, sparked joy. When that happens, I gather the cards together and chose a sampling from each.  I’ve also kept kept a sampling of things from my grandparents. A couple rocks my grandfather tumbled, one page from his journal, and one apron from each grandma (see pics below). The sampling idea is an excellent solution for collections too.  

• Remember it’s ongoing. Each time I go through things I let go of a little more. With the kids’ college days long gone, three folders went out this round. Don’t hold back from letting go if you’re ready to, but also don’t feel like you have to pare down to nothing on the first go-round. 

How to keep it?

• Use it. Whenever possible I put my keepsakes to use so they’re not tucked in the back of a closet somewhere. My granddaughters play dress-up with my mom’s old costume jewelry and make mud soup with my grandma’s red and white pots and pans. My daughter and I wear my grandmas' aprons every Thanksgiving when we bake pies. I keep a photo of them wearing their aprons in the apron pockets.

• “Spontaneous Reminiscing” One of my clients puts sentimental cards into the books on her bookshelf so she can be “surprised” by them at a later date. 

• Display it. A shadowbox displays my grandfather’s tumbled rocks, diary page, grandma’s birthstone pin, and quilt square. My son's old Tonka truck decorates the yard outside my kitchen window. My teddy bear sits atop the guest bed.

• Store it. I use a small antique suitcase that belonged to my aunt to store some keepsakes. Others are stored in decorative flip-top storage boxes. All are labeled so that it’s clear which era or type of keepsakes are stored inside.

• Book it. Phase two of my keepsake organizing includes photographing items and creating digital photo books. This is a beautiful and space-saving way to remember the past. 

• “My Most Treasured Things” My goal is to single out my most treasured keepsakes (that aren’t used/displayed) and put them in a special bin labeled as such. Then, at the time of my passing, my kids will know they are free to discard everything else without feeling obligated to look through it all. 

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Wise Words

Make choices about your possessions that feel right to you, and remember that some objects are valuable not because of how much they’re worth but because they connect generations and preserve a familial bond. --Nicole Anzia

Virtual Organizing

What is Virtual Organizing?

Virtual Organizing is a great way to ensure the success of your organizing project. I come alongside with an objective, non-judgmental view. My goal is to listen, assist, and advise to help you achieve your goal. We do this via live video (Zoom or FaceTime).

What types of organizing services are provided?

• Consulting: Expert advice on how to organize specific areas in your home or office.

• Purging: Help processing what to keep, toss, donate and sell.

• Organizing: Expert advice on containerizing and creating organizing systems.

• Maintaining: Developing schedules and routines to maintain the organized areas.

What are the benefits of Virtual Organizing?

• Provides critical support and accountability in the organizing process.

• More affordable than hands-on organizing per session (1-hour virtual session vs. 3-hour hands-on session).

• One-hour sessions are easier to manage in your schedule.

 What will I need to get started?

• A computer, tablet or smartphone with internet access

• Complete questionnaire, contract, and payment ($60/one-hour session). 

• Garbage bags/boxes for sorting

• If your physical ability is limited, you’ll want a person on-site to assist you with the lifting or moving of large things, as needed. This could be a friend or family member.

• The motivation, commitment and energy to see the project through, with the help and encouragement of your Expert Organizer of course! 

Time and space are limited based on when the California pandemic restrictions are lifted. For more information or to schedule your appointment call 559-871-3314.

Now & Then with COVID-19

My gratitude journal reflects some activities unlike my pre-cornonavirus days. With the inability to work in clients' homes and the lack of conventional "free time" options, there's opportunity for discovery. 

If you’re still going to work or working from home, you may not have more free time than you did prior to COVID-19. You still have your job, laundry, meals, and if you have kids at home, something you never intended—homeschooling. 
 
We’re all in this together and yet our experiences vary.  Some suddenly have a great deal of togetherness and others complete isolation. Both are challenging but provide the potential for discovery. 

While waiting for the restrictions to lift, consider this: what is happening now that will impact me then? Consider today's Timely Tips and discover some ways that you can #findthegift in these challenging times. 

Timely Tips - from now for then

Financially 

• Mindful shopping— Yes, it’s easier when stores are closed or restricted, but down the road we’ll benefit if we realize we don’t need daily trips to the grocery store or Target. 

• Saving money— If anything, we’ve discovered we’re not in control and we need to have an emergency fund for things in life we can’t predict. When external restrictions lift, continue restraining your spending to establish or replenish your emergency fund.

• Generosity— People everywhere are giving their time, talents, toilet paper, and funds to help those hit hardest by the pandemic. The repercussions of this crisis will continue and so will the need for generosity. (Note the opportunity below.)

Relationally

• Connecting with technology— Maybe you’re using FaceTime or Zoom for the first time to connect with local family and friends you can’t be with. I'm loving reading to my granddaughters on Zoom while they color. Once you can physically reunite with your local folks, consider using this new-found mode of communication to connect with others you rarely see or live far away. 

• Family Time— Okay, so you’ll probably want some space from those you've been cooped up with after this, but during your confinement you're likely discovering some activities you enjoy doing together. Celebrate your liberation with a once/month Family Night. Resurrect those games, puzzles, and activities.

• Neighborhood—Birthday parades, front porch dance-alongs, and Teddy Bear hunts. Everyday someone comes up with a new way to connect in the neighborhood. Instead of leaving them in the dust when the restrictions lift, think about ways you can continue to invest in your community and bring neighbors together. 

Environmentally 

• Organizing Inside— Many who said, “If I’d just stay home, I could get organized,” are! Before life returns to the crazy busy schedule, create a plan to maintain your newly organized space. I’m not talking model home status. Life is messy, but a daily Ten-minute Tidy can help keep clutter at bay.

• Outside Time— Cabin fever gets us outdoors more. People are planting gardens, taking walks, and cycling. A garden is a great way to keep yourself going outside once things return to normal. Make a plan now to continue walking or cycling once you're back at work. Find a partner to walk with or hold you accountable.

GIVE AND RECEIVE!

Please join me in providing food for those in need during this pandemic. The Central California Food Bank feeds over 280,000 people each month. The need is growing and together we can help fill that need. 

For a donation of any amount, receive 20% off your first VIRTUAL ORGANIZING session with Organized By Choice. Virtual Organizing sessions will run until the California COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Click here to donate: CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FOOD BANK

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wise words

Everyone goes through adversity in life, but what matters is how you learn from it. —Lou Holtz

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I acknowledge that for many the “now and then” of this pandemic is painfully life altering. Sickness, death, job loss, and financial hardships are prevalent. My heart and prayers go out for those who are hurting.

Sincerely,

Brenda McElroy CPO®

ORGANIZED BY CHOICE PRODUCTIVITY COACHING

WHY?

There are times in life when we feel stuck or inadequate to accomplish what we desire or need to do. Sometimes that happens when life is super busy. Other times it’s when you have more time on your hands than you’ve had before. It often happens during transitions that create changes in our schedules, responsibilities, relationships, and emotions. The question that looms large is “where do I start?”

WHAT?

• Coaching is a partnership between the coach and client to maximize the client’s potential and help them reach their goals.

• Coaching is about connecting the client’s overall vision and life purpose with practical strategy and meaningful action.

WHAT IS IS NOT?

• Coaching is not simply creating a list of to dos and making sure the client gets it done.

• Coaching is not therapy, nor does it replace therapy.

HOW?

During the coaching phone sessions we partner to:

• Clarify life purpose and goals. (Life Management Assessment filled out prior to first meeting.)

• Identify the value of creating work processes, routines, and systems that compliment the goals.

• Create action plans, accountability, and support to achieve goals.

The real work is done in between sessions. This is an action-oriented program. Attention to the goals and actions the client chooses in the sessions and the effort to implement those goals and actions play a vital role in this endeavor.

WHEN?

The phone coaching sessions are scheduled at an agreed upon time based on the availability of coach and client and will last for 50 minutes.

To learn more or to schedule your Productivity Coaching sessions call Brenda McElroy (559) 871-3314.

"What Ifs" That Bring Hope

Many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic create a sense of no control. Our minds quickly go to the "what ifs."

• What if I get sick?

• What if I get laid off?

• What if I run out of toilet paper?

Opportunities and choices we had a month ago are suspended. It’s easy to allow the restrictions to create a sense of despair. 
 
I don’t want to minimize the hardship endured by those who have lost loved ones, are dealing with severe health issues, have lost businesses and jobs, or are experiencing the disappointment of postponed graduations, weddings, etc. The extensive effects of this virus are far-reaching and unknown. 
 
However, if our focus remains on the negative “what ifs,” our condition worsens. We need more than a positive attitude about things, we need a paradigm shift.

Today’s Timely Tips are designed to provide hope for positive change and equip you to take charge of things that are within your control.

Timely Tips - “what ifs” that create hope for positive change

1. What if you got healthier?
Eating chips and ice cream while binge-watching Netflix may be the natural response to the crisis, but what if you chose to respond differently? Think moderation…

• Don’t cancel cable, but chose to do a 20-minute yoga, cardio, or dance video before you sit down to an evening with your favorite shows. Stand up and stretch between episodes.

• Don’t forbid snacking, but chose to place your snacks in a smallish bowl rather than bringing the whole bag of chips to the couch.

• Don’t deny yourself a nap, but set a timer so it doesn’t mess with your night-time sleep.

• While working at your desk, obey your Apple watch when it says, “Time to Stand!” Or, set phone reminders to stand up every couple hours. While you’re up, drink a glass of water. 

• Go outside for a little while each day. Studies show 15 minutes of sunshine provides your body with necessary Vitamin D that can help fight off disease and flu. 

2. What if your family grew closer?
The novelty of sheltering in place wears off quickly, and then what? Life before COVID-19 was too busy for many things that can draw couples and families closer together, but things are different now.

• Have a Family Meeting. Gather everyone’s input as to what will make the time together at home manageable and even fun. Together come up with guidelines to help maintain order, protect individual private time, create unity, and ensure some fun.

• Do things you're normally too busy for. Eat meals together, play cards and board games, ride bikes, or take walks.

• Take Virtual Field Trips: Mrs. Fahrney's List; Discovery Education; Travel Zoo National Parks 

• Research and plan your next vacation together.

• Try some of these - Boredom Busters: 110 Fun At-Home Activities for Families & Kids

• Learn together: Coding for Kids; PBS Learning Media; Family Education Teacher Vision 

3. What if your relationships with others grew too?
Due to Social Distancing, in-person visits are curbed, but thanks to the internet, you can still reach out and connect.  

• Use FaceTime or online apps like Zoom for virtual meetups. Churches, schools and clubs are creating opportunities for virtual connections so you won’t become isolated while confined to home.

• Search online for support or special interest groups that will broaden your base of relationships while connecting with those who share similar interests or concerns.

• Don’t forget the old-fashioned phone call, especially to connect with the seniors in your life.

4. What if you were more productive with your time?
More time at home doesn’t automatically mean getting more done. But it can! Since we don’t have the external structure and accountability of the workplace, it takes some planning. 

• Make a list of 5-10 things you need/want to accomplish. 

• Next to each item, record the value of getting it done.

• Based on their value choose the top three.

• Move the top three to a new list and record the next steps for each project.

• Decide the days/times you’ll work on them and put it on your calendar.

• Give yourself a deadline and create a reward for when you reach it.  

• If any of your projects have to do with organizing, be sure to tap into my Organized By Choice Blog Page. You may “Search” key words for various rooms and topics. 

5. What if you felt more peace and less anxiety?
If you’re feeding your mind with continual news on the pandemic and politics, you’re going to be stressed. 

• Set limits for when and how long you read, view or listen to the newsfeed. 

• Choose activities that help you de-stress—listening to music, getting outside, praying, watching an old classic movie, exercising, reading, or eating dark chocolate (one my favorites).

• Get some things marked off your to do list.

• Be grateful. Begin or end each day pondering or journaling about things you have to be thankful for. If specific people are on your list, let them know! 

• Be proactive helping others through this stressful time. Donate blood, volunteer at the food bank, join a team sewing protective masks, or check in on at-risk neighbors who may need a grocery run. 

CHOOSE ONE 
Before moving on, review the tips and choose one. Start with the thing that's least intimidating to you, or the thing you feel most passionate about. Let me know how it goes!

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On a personal note...

I truly believe these tips and tools are helpful in coping during these challenging times, but for me, my deepest and constant peace comes from my relationship with Jesus. The song below expresses my heart and the truths that I hold fast in life. Please give a listen…

wise words

“What if we stopped saying 'what if' and started saying 'let's.'” 
―Jeff Goins

We All Do It

Sometimes when I’m shopping I have random thoughts like, “Everyone in this store made a choice about what to wear today.” For some, it was a painstaking decision due to an abundance of options or, it was based on the events of the day. For others, the choice was determined by what was clean or on top of the pile. I admit sometimes thinking, “Hmm, that was an interesting choice.”

It strikes me how, as different as we all are, we have many commonalities when it comes to daily living and the challenges thereof. 
 
Today’s Timely Tips focus on four things we all do, and ways to streamline them. Similar to the diversity of humankind, there are many methods of organizing, so please don’t consider any of these the one right way.

If your method is working for you, don’t fix what’s not broken. If your peace and productivity could be enhanced by a little organization, consider implementing one or more of these Timely Tips. 

Timely Tips - for streamlining daily living

1. Getting Dressed - If you’re scrambling to get out the door and choosing what to wear is slowing you down, try categorizing your clothes.

• Remove sizes and styles you're not currently wearing.

• Place off-season clothes to the far side of the closet or containerize them on a shelf, or under the bed.

• Divide the in-season clothes into work, play, and special occasion sections.

• Color code each section.

• If you’re retired, clear out the career clothes and donate them to someone who currently needs them. 

You'll notice a big difference when you're no longer sifting through combined seasons, sizes, and work/play clothes. Extra space is the reward for removing what's not needed.

Processing Mail— Before your paper pile gets shoved into a drawer (again), create homes and routines for the mail and other papers. Since you can’t see anything but the top of a paper pile, think vertical is visible, and horizontal is hidden.

• Place a wall-mount or table-top file holder in the hub of your home.

• Create folders for Action Items, Bills to Pay, Events, etc.

• Daily sort the incoming mail and papers into your folders and immediately put the recyclables into a nearby receptacle.

This will keep your flat surfaces clear and allow you to easily find your papers when you need them. No more late fees due to lost bills!

Laundry— Whether you’re a “do a load a day” person, or one that likes to do a week’s worth on one day, the challenge is to get the clean laundry to its home. If its default home is a pile on the bed, or the couch, or worse yet gets moved to the floor, it’s a constant visual of more work yet to be done. This can be more draining that actually taking care of it.

• As the laundry comes out of the dryer place it on a large flat surface, like the bed.

• Sort it into categories—shirts, pants, undies, towels, etc.

• Create sub-categories as needed for various family members.

• Bring hangers to your laundry station and hang/fold the various categories.

• You can also distribute the categories to individual family members for the final step.

Complete the process with each load as it comes out of the dryer. It’s much less overwhelming than dealing with a mountain of clean laundry.

In ‘n Out— We all have stuff that comes and goes with us. Finding your keys, purse, or wallet, can be a stressful chore when you’re trying to head out the door.

• Attach some decorative hooks to the wall near the door for keys, purses, and backpacks. Or, use a practical system as pictured. 

• Designate a nearby drawer or tray for wallets and pocket contents.

• Place a decorative basket by the door for the reusable grocery bags, library books, dry cleaning, and other items that need to go out with you. 

Routines--  Essential to your success with any of these tips is using the systems routinely. None of us do it perfectly, but as Joanna Weaver says, “Consistency doesn’t mean perfection; it simply means not giving up.” 

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Wise Words

"Organizing is what you do before you do before you do it, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up."
― A.A. Milne

Swedish What??

During December there was much feasting and joy as we celebrated Christmas with family and friends. Those gatherings, however, were quickly followed by trips to Oklahoma and Placerville for the memorial services of a dear Aunt and Uncle. We celebrated their lives and rejoiced knowing they live on in their heavenly home, but the finality of life on earth is sobering and, as Solomon says, creates more contemplation than the days of feasting. 
 
One of the realities for those left behind is the fact that we can’t take it with us. Many in the Boomer generation have inherited a houseful and are contemplating the overwhelming task that their children will face someday. 
 
The Swedes have taken this to heart. Last year Margareta Magnusson, a Swedish author and artist, came out with a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter. They call it döstädning. Döis “death” and städningis “cleaning.”

Magnusson explains, “It is a word used when you or someone else does a good, thorough cleaning and gets rid of things to make life easier and less crowded.”
 
While I don’t recommend buying her book for your 97-year-old mother, expecting her to independently complete the process, I do support the system and recommend doing it with your own belongings sooner than later. Here are your TIMELY TIPS.

Timely Tips - from Margareta and me to free yourself and your family from a lifetime of clutter

1. Begin with your closet or other areas that are typically (but not always) less sentimental. 

2. Ask yourself: Will anyone be happier if I save this? Consider the tastes and lifestyles of those who will inherit your belongings. Our photo books (not albums) are a definite keep for those who follow us, but other things... not so much. 

3. Is it currently being stored in the garage or storage unit where no one sees it? This is actually my question. It doesn't mean that treasures are never stored, but if you don't care about seeing them, most likely, the next generation won't either. 

4. Don't rush through. Spend time on memory lane appreciating the various items you've used throughout your life. Say good-bye to the things you no longer need or use. 

5. Record the stories. Make videos on your phone, or type out the stories behind the heirlooms you want to pass along. This enhances their value to the next generation.

6. Present valued items that you're ready to part with to your friends and family as gifts. This is especially meaningful if you know they admire something. When my parents were downsizing, they hosted a "Pick & Choose Party" and invited us to take the things we treasured most.

7. Create a Throwaway Box. These are private things that have meaning to you, but wouldn't have meaning to someone else. Label your box with instructions to be destroyed once you're gone. 

8. Prepare end of life documents. If you, through illness or death, are suddenly unable to speak for yourself, your wishes and legal documents will be in place. For more on this see my blog: One Last Gift.

9. Talk about it with others. Not only is it an intriguing topic for conversation, it will build accountability for your project. 

10. Not a one-and-done activity. I don't know anyone who has died from organizing. So, assuming you survive, you'll continue to accumulate things. Consider these principles as an on-going lifestyle.

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Wise Words

“Do not ever imagine that anyone will wish—or be able—to schedule time off to take care of what you didn’t bother to take care of yourself. No matter how much they love you, don’t leave this burden to them.” 
― Margareta Magnusson

Restore the Joy of Giving

What would you do with $730 billion? That’s what Americans are forecast to spend on the holiday season this year. The gift-giving category tends to rank high on the expense and stress scale, so today we’ll look at ways to restore the joy of giving. With less than four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, there’s no time like the present to plan your presents. 

Timely Tips - to restore the joy of giving

Schedule 
The following ideas might be appealing, but unless you schedule time for them, you’ll likely succumb to the holiday craze and by-pass these stress reducers. Schedule time on your calendar to budget, plan, shop (online/in-store), wrap, ship, etc. 

Over-all Budget
Don’t feel pressured to spend your share of the $730 billion. I don’t know anyone who has ever regretted living within their means.

• Calculate what you can afford to spend on gifts this year without going into debt. This may not reduce your December stress, but come January you’ll be much more joyful!

• For extra accountability, cash out the amount you’ve designated and stop shopping when it’s gone. 

List

• Create a list of the people you’re giving gifts to, such as: family, friends, staff, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, hostess and party gifts, teachers, service providers, a couple generic gifts for unexpected or overlooked recipients. (Don't feel obligated to include ALL of these!)

• Store your list on your phone or carry a paper copy in your purse or car, so you have it with you and can refer to and update it as needed.

• As gift ideas pop into your head, record them on your list. 

• Click here for list template from Real Simple

Person-specific Budget

• Based on your Over-all Budget set a maximum amount for each recipient and record it next to each name.  

• As you purchase gifts record the amount spent. 

Store/Wrap/Ship

• Designate a specific place to store gifts until they’re wrapped, so you don’t lose or forget to give one.

• Create a wrap station (even if it’s temporary) for your wrap, gift bags, ribbon, scissors, tape, gift tags, pen, and shipping boxes.

• Schedule a couple wrap sessions, since it often takes longer than expected, or wrap gifts as they’re purchased. It’s much easier to do that when the supplies are handy.

• Prioritize the gifts you need to ship and make December 15th your "ship by" date.

Shop Smart

• Try Wednesdays and weekday mornings for shopping with less crowds.

• Map your route before you go, based on your list.

• Ask for gift receipts to put with your gifts and save your paper receipts in an envelope.

• Create an email folder to store electronic receipts.

• Shop Fair Trade - Tagua in Fresno and Clovis features a wide variety of home décor and personal accessories, each with a story of industrious artisans whose craft enables them to feed their families, find shelter in safe housing, and send their children to school.

Ways to Save

• Consider drawing names instead of giving to everyone in the family or at the office.

• Go together on gifts for parents, bosses, etc.

• Use the Honey Browser Extension to find and apply promo codes to your online purchases. 

• Join Amazon Prime

• Watch for free shipping and price-matching offers from major stores’ websites.

Give Respectfully

The people I work with don’t want more stuff. Unless it’s maybe a label maker. The Baby Boomers are trying to get rid of stuff and young families are drowning in toys.

• Be aware of and respect your recipients’ desires. 

• Invite the people on your list to share their Amazon “wish lists” with you or use Pinterest.com or Clipix.com to save and share gift ideas online with friends and family.

• Consider these non-cluttering gifts: a donation to a charity in honor of the recipient, a gift certificate (massage, yard care, etc.), concert or event tickets, zoo passes, or restaurant and movie gift cards. 

• Consider a de-cluttering gift-- Organized By Choice Gift Certificate.

• Let your presence be your present. My sister and I give each other “Lunch and Labor” gifts. The recipient gets to choose a project to work on together (sort photos, organize attic, clean light fixtures, etc.).

• One gift that is always a winner is a photo book. It doesn’t take up much space, it preserves treasured memories, and it brings a smile to the recipient’s face.

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Wise Words
For it is in giving that we receive. --Saint Francis of Assisi

It's worth a try!

Given my bent toward organizing, which requires change, I’m a little more comfortable with change than some of my family members. Awhile back I suggested the idea of changing where we store our dinnerware and glasses. When meal prep and table setting, or dishwasher emptying happen at the same time, we were in each other’s way. Despite my rational explanation, I was met with resistance. It’s funny how instead of changing, we tend to stay with what’s comfortable. Even if it’s not.

A couple Sundays ago, I overruled the opposition and announced I was going to do an experiment. I would change where we store our dinnerware and we’d test it out for the month of October. The response was minimal, thanks to football being on TV.

I headed into the kitchen to make the swap. The cabinet closest to the dinner table stored vitamins, meds, and some snack foods. That became my target since we wouldn’t need access to these during meal prep. The medicine and dinnerware cabinets weren’t exactly the same size, so I soon realized this was going to effect more than just two cabinets. In fact, I got a little carried away and ended up working on eight cabinets and a drawer.

As I purged and organized, I rehearsed these Timely Tip Questions that I often ask my clients. Most fit with any area of organizing and dramatically increase efficiency and accessibility.

Timely Tips for positive change

1. Do you need as many as you have? Unlike prior years, I tend to use disposable plates, and cups I can write names on when serving large groups. I chose not to get rid of my extra dishes and glasses, but I put them up high in another cabinet and kept only what we need for everyday use in the accessible cabinet.

2. Is the shelving positioned for maximum use? Adjusting the shelves made all the difference for fitting the dinnerware and glasses into the new cabinet. I lowered the top two shelves creating a narrow one in the middle for bowls and making the glasses easy to reach.

3. Are you keeping like things together? Sometimes “keeping like things together” can mean different things. I had been keeping my mugs with dinnerware and glasses. Now I have them near the coffee supplies and Keurig, also “like things” and more convenient.

4. Can it be containerized more efficiently? I replaced the two-level turn table with a small bin for my husband’s meds and a larger one for allergy/cold medicine, pain killers, etc. I used a handled bin so it could be easily retrieved from the inside corner of the cabinet.

5. Is it expired? I’m always surprised how many medications have expired when I go through them.

6. Does this fit your current needs and lifestyle? I’m not making bread anymore so the bread slicer—gone. Farm animals haven’t been my kitchen theme for years, so cow salt and pepper shakers—gone.

7. Is it earning it’s keep? Sorry, salad spinner, I’m back to drying lettuce by hand.

8. Is it worth the space it’s taking? I liked my Christmas pedestal cake stand, but it took too much valuable space for the amount of pleasure and use it provided.

9. Can it be repurposed? The container of grandkids’ cups had more than needed. Since many first belonged to my own kids (I’m a little sentimental), I decided to repurpose them to the patio for the grandkids to use when they make mud pies. That way I can still see them sometimes.

10. Have you ever used it? Silicone lids seemed like a good idea at the time, but nope, never used them—out they went.

11. Did you buy a replacement, but keep the original? When my travel cups leaked, I purchased new ones. The old went to a high shelf as back-ups, but were never used. Good-bye!

Everything that was usable, was donated to one of my favorite non-profit Thrift Stores-- Thrift on Blackstone. Win for me and win for them!

Is there an area in your home that causes you frustration? If nothing changes, nothing changes. Use the above questions to guide your organizing process. Yes, it will get messier before it gets better, but “everything is hard before it is easy.”

Wise Words

“Everything is hard before it is easy.” –Goethe

Postscript— Habits are hard to break. Once we quit opening the wrong cabinets before finding what we need, I’m confident that we’ll feel pleased with the benefits. Which is a good thing because come November, it’s not going back the way it was. But don’t tell them!

I used to be organized!

I loved tucking in my kids when they were young. When they were older, I remember thinking, “When and how did it stop?” It’s not like you decide and say, “OK, this is the last week I’ll be tucking you in.” It just sort of happens.

Becoming disorganized can be like that too. It’s not an intentional choice. “OK, this is the week I’m going to stop putting things away.” Or, “As of today I’m going to start buying more than I need and save everything.” Yet, it happens. Many of my clients begin our first encounter with, “I used to be organized!”

I remember a conversation with a woman who had cleaned out her deceased grandmother’s home. There were signs of hoarding as she sorted through layers and layers of stuff. Recalling the process, she said, “When I got to the bottom layer of clutter, I noticed it was from the year my grandmother was forced to retire.” That is not insignificant. Transitions, good and bad, are often catalysts to disorganization.

Some people stop being organized when physical challenges arise—surgery, cancer, disease. For others, it’s triggered by mental or emotional health issues—brain injury, memory loss, anxiety, grief, or depression. However, it’s not only negative circumstances that introduce disorganization. Having kids, starting a new job, or moving to a new house can create chaos as well.

So, we know what stops organization. How do you restart? Begin the process by looking back to a time when you were more organized. Chances are you had some of these Timely Tips in place.

Timely Tips - from a time when you were more organized

1. There was less stuff. Due to shopping therapy or additional people in the home, there might be way more stuff. Less is still more when it comes to a peaceful and productive environment. Scale back to what you need, use, and love. Donate the rest!

2. You had a home for everything. That’s a lot easier task when you have less stuff (see tip #1). Make sure you’re putting things you use most often in accessible places, especially if your challenged physically. Store like things together and label shelves, bins, etc.

3. You put things away. If you don't have homes for things, you can't put them away (see tip #2). When you’re stressed and hurried it’s easy to let things slide. The problem is, that two-minute task of putting the dishes in the dishwasher or hanging up your clothes becomes an overwhelming project when left undone for several days or weeks. So, if it takes less than two minutes, do it now!

4. You had routines. At work there’s a system for processing paperwork. At home it’s often a different story. Even in retirement, more time doesn’t always translate into better organization, but routines do. Create routines to support the daily tasks that are necessary for maintaining organization.

Depending on the severity of the circumstances that stopped you from being organized, you need to give yourself grace in the process of getting reorganized. You may need help, even to do things you were at one time completely capable of. Left unchecked, clutter and chaos will grow along with your stress and anxiety. Becoming disorganized doesn’t happen by choice, but getting organized is always a choice. You CAN get ORGANIZED BY CHOICE and regain peace and productivity! If I can be of service, give me a call at 559-871-3314.

wise words

A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided. —Anthony Robbins