Schedule time on your calendar to organize. Treat it like an appointment that you can’t reschedule without a large rescheduling fee. Then pick just one target area to work on, and tackle one flat surface in that area. For example, if you’re working in the kitchen, start with items on the counter. If you’re working in your closet, start with items on the floor. If you’re working in your home-office, start with items on the desk.
https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/15-Years-LOGO.jpg00Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®https://helpfulorganizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/15-Years-LOGO.jpgJanine Cavanaugh, CPO®2015-02-01 01:00:082016-04-18 05:05:01Time to Organize
Side Notes:*** January 2015 marks my 7th year in business. Thank you for being a part of it, and helping me reach this anniversary. I’m grateful to you.
*** Did you know that January is Get Organized Month? In honor of GO Month, the New England Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers, of which I am a member, is offering a full day expo on Saturday, January 24th. For more details call me or visit the NAPO-NE website.
*** I’m excited to say I’ve taped a video for my website, and the launch date is at the end of the month of January. I hope you’ll take a look and let me know what you think.
*** My organizing classes will begin in March. I’ll be teaching 4 different classes in Franklin, MA. Check my website for upcoming dates and times.
Hi Janine,
Happy New Year! I hope your 2015 is off to a wonderful start. A new year inspires me to try something new. What about you? Is this the year for you to initiate one or two new healthy organizing habits? Maybe a few suggestions would motivate you to pick a new organizing habit to incorporate into your life this year?
Organizing Habits
Below are a few suggestions of healthy organizing habits:
1. Go paperless with monthly bills and statements to cut down on the amount of mail that sits unopened on the counter. Resist the urge to print out the payment receipt. Instead, set up a file and store them on your computer.
2. Share household responsibilities with everyone who lives under one roof. Teamwork is the best approach to daily and weekly chores like laundry.
3. Set up a clothing donation bin by the clothes dryer, and fill it with items you wish to get rid of as soon as they come out of the dryer. Schedule a trip to drop off the items, or schedule a pick up date for the donations every 3 months or so.
4. Allow only one open bottle of dish detergent, cleaning supplies, shampoo, lotion, soap, etc. at any given time. This helps prevents clutter in the bathroom and kitchen.
5. Immediately get rid of outdated, damaged, unused, or unwanted items. It’s tempting to shove them into a closet, the basement, or garage, but it is too easy to forget about them that way. Prevent clutter build up by getting rid of them right away.
Will you initiate a new healthy organizing habit in 2015? If so, please share.
Helpful Organizer Blog
What is a blog? The Helpful Organizer Blog I write is short entries of information on organizing topics that I find noteworthy and potentially helpful to my clients and the general public. Here are a few of my most recent blogs that you may want to read:
If you’re like me, you like decorating for the holidays. It gets me in the holiday spirit, and I enjoy adding sparkle and cheer to my home. However, taking those decorations down, packing them up, and storing them until next year is an entirely different story. That part of the process always seems like such an unwelcoming chore. So, I’ve done my best to simplify the process and make it as painless as possible.
The first suggestion is to have a designated location in your basement, attic, garage, or other storage area, for the holiday decorations to live undisturbed until next year. This prevents them from just being shoved anywhere, everywhere, or wherever they’ll fit. My designated location is on plastic storage shelves in my basement.
The second suggestion is to use clear bins and large easy to read labels. This allows you to easily spot what is stored inside and where it belongs. I print large color coded labels, and tape them to the inside of the clear bin. This allows me to easily read the label because of the large size, and to easily recognize the holiday because of the label color. It also prevents the label from falling off, fading, curling, or becoming illegible. I place two labels in the bin on opposite sides, so that no matter how the bin is placed on the shelf, I can view the label.
The third suggestion is to store holiday decorations in layers with bubble wrap in between each layer. This is much faster than wrapping each individual decoration. It works best if you put decorations that are similar in width in the same layer. Also, place plush and soft decorations in between wooden and breakable decorations, and only store fragile or collectible decorations in their original boxes.
The fourth suggestion is to store holiday decorations based on where they are placed inside or outside the house. For example I have bins of Christmas decorations for each room in my house. This way I can easily decorate one room at a time, and pack up one room at a time. It helps me streamline the processes.
The fifth suggestion is to keep all decoration accessories in the perspective holiday bins. I keep the extension cord, the light timer, extra light bulbs, tree ornament hooks, and the tree skirt in the same bin as the tree ornaments. This way I’m not searching for these items when it’s time to decorate each year.
I understand that putting away holiday decorations can be a drag, but I hope these suggestions will help prevent procrastination.
Keep boxes at least until you’ve opened the items, used them, and established that they work to your satisfaction. Then get rid of the box. If you’re not ready to do so, break the box down and store it flat for 6 months, then after 6 months get rid of the box.
Do you like giving and receiving gifts? It can be fun, meaningful, and heartwarming. Unfortunately, it can also make our home feel like it’s bursting at the seams with toys, clothes, and electronics. After the gift giving season is over do you dread having to make room for all that stuff? Do you detest having to shift things around, box things up, move things to the basement, or get rid of things, just to fit comfortably in your home once again? Would it be nice if you could avoid all that? I have 25 organizer friendly gift ideas that concentrate on giving and receiving consumables and experiences, not stuff. Therefore, you won’t have to struggle with all that stuff, you can just make plans with family and friends and enjoy.
25 Organizer Friendly, Clutter Free Gift Ideas
A cultural experience to a play, performance, or theater
An adventure or fun family outing
Activities, clubs, classes, or lessons
A day pass, membership or special program at a zoo or aquarium
A useful automobile related gift like car washing or detailing
A helpful housework booster
Tickets to a sporting event
Movie passes or movie night
Salon treatment or spa day
Gifts of time or a financial contribution
Food in one form or another
Donation to charity in recipient’s name
Fitness Membership or classes
Books or music for electronic devices
Tickets to a concert or musical performance
Involvement in nature clubs, groups or organizations
Shopping for charity
Membership or passes to a museum
Gifts of your time and memories
Small acts of kindness
Volunteering at a local food bank, homeless shelter, hospital, etc.
A small dose of nature like cut flowers, floral arrangements, or live wreath
Assistance for necessities to homeless, seniors, or anyone in need
Count your blessings and share them with friends and family
Gift certificate for my services
If you have other clutter free gift ideas please share them with me.
Proud member of NAPO
Happy Holidays from the Helpful Organizer, Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®
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