Tis' The Season To Be Organized

I have plenty of clients and friends who get frazzled and claim that they don’t know where the time went! And all this sudden it’s December!

Really? You don’t know where the time went? Correct me if I’m wrong, but the last time I check the Hebrew Calendar, Hanukkah is about the same time every year… and you don’t need to be a professional organizer to know Christmas is for sure the same day every year.

  

“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail”

Having very little free time during the holidays makes what would usually be a quick trip to the mall to replace a pageant dress, or a 5 minute run into the grocery store to buy brown sugar unbearable.  Not only that, but running “surprise” errands is a very bad use of your precious time.  It’s what causes people (like me) to sigh loudly and roll my eyes at the line of people in front of me at the cash register, driving erratically (me again), sloppy wrapping, and stopping for a $4 bottle of wine on the way to a party because it’s all 7-11 has! All of this CAN be avoided!         

PURSES, TOTES, AND DIAPER BAGS

If you are like most people I know, you have about three purses going at the same time, a few totes, and possibly a briefcase or computer bag.  Parent’s most likely have it worse when it comes to diaper bags.  Take the time to get all of them cleaned out and organized. 

Get a good wallet and have all of your credit and rewards cards in one spot. Make room by clearing out any miscellaneous make-up, loose business cards, mail, and other paper items.  You will need one central “utility” purse that will carry the shopping and day to day essentials. 

For future shopping receipts and any coupons you may clip, I recommend a clear plastic baggie.  It’s cheap and takes the guess work out of what you are reaching for in your purse.  Have one for receipts, and one for coupons.

Stock up your diaper bags and make sure you have all of the essentials so it’s one less thing you need to think of when flying out the door. 

Empty your totes and put things away where they belong so they are easy to find when you need them instead of rummaging around looking for the bag you “thought” had your ipod and phone chargers.

KIDS CLOSETS

There are a few great things about getting rid of kids clothing.  Oh, yes, freeing up space for those lovely Christmas sweaters Aunt Bethany made during craft time at Shady Pines is a great reason to clean your closets.  But more importantly, for the sake of the holiday rush, knowing what does and what doesn't fit your kids (and what you need to replace) helps a lot when it comes to getting the entire family for holiday events. 

“Thinking” that little Susie’s red knit dress would look adorable with her black patent leather Mary Janes is very different from knowing when you are in a hurry to get to a Christmas pageant and Susie’s dress looks more like an Ohio State cheer leading skirt it’s so short.  Okay, so what’s plan B?

This time of year, you were lucky to have a plan at all.

The other great thing about cleaning out closets is giving your gently used clothing away to different charities.  During the holiday season and cold winter months there is a huge need for warm clothing donations.  COATS… especially.

WRAPPING SUPPLIES   

Organize your wrapping space and clear clutter.   Take a look at your stash of holiday wrapping supplies from last year.  Take inventory of what you have and what you will need… then go get it! 

I was in CVS this weekend and there is already two aisles dedicated to holiday paraphernalia.  Before the days get away from you, and your arms so full you don’t think you can possibly carry one more thing in the house, let alone half a dozen rolls of wrapping paper… just get it now.    

TOYS

Before your children receive a single gift this holiday season, weeding out their current toys and making room for new ones is something that absolutely needs to happen.

It’s inevitable your kids will be getting new toys.  Going through the monster toy box and the different scooters, trucks, and Bat-cycles (do they make those anymore?) not only frees up space, but also gives you an idea of what your children need and what they have outgrown.  Gift ideas will be fresh in your mind!

THE KITCHEN

Is your brown sugar rock hard?

I’d check it before you have a kitchen full of little bakers excited to get started on making the best cookies in the whole wide world!

What about all the old food in the back of the pantry taking up space? Whether expired canned goods or a fad food (remember that one time when you bought gluten free mac & cheese? Ew), chances are you can make some room for new ingredients for your upcoming holiday dinners. 

In the fridge, get rid of expired condiments and other lurking nightmares of dinners past.  If in a cooler climate, move wine, juices, and beer out on the porch to keep cold.  But don’t let them explode.  That will get you fired in my family.

When you have friends or family over, we all know the gathering place tends to be the kitchen.   Keep your kitchen surfaces as clear as possible for preparing food, putting out delicious appetizers, and decadent holiday cookies!

GIFTS ON THE GO

People are going to stop by, or you are going to be invited to an event last minute.  Don’t go empty handed.  Stock up with some bottles of wine that are still good, but under $10.  Don’t forget the wine gift bags.

Other inexpensive ideas are to box up some homemade cookies, bring a tree ornament, or a hot chocolate mix.  If there are kids involved, bringing a Ginger Bread House kit or some holiday themed books make great gifts.  If you have a World Market or a Pier 1 store nearby, chances are they have some inexpensive, yet beautiful (and tasty) gift ideas.

It really is about the presentation.  Have some extra gift bags and festive bows around.

HOLIDAY CARDS

Start this NOW.  If you don’t already have an electronic address book, make one.  Whether it is in your Google or Outlook contacts, or a simple Excel spreadsheet, having an annual list that you can easily add or subtract people from is ideal.  Printing labels by the time you have all of the address together will be a breeze.

Photo greetings are always an adorable way to reach out to people.  You don’t need a photographer to capture a cute shot of your family, or even your dog (me).  With the highly sophisticated cameras built into our phones out there these days, Instagram makes everyone a photographer (or so we think so). 

You can download your photos right to Walgreens website and design your card right there.  Another great idea is to design and print right there at home.  I received a post card on cardstock that said “Greetings From The North Pole” on the front with a picture of two little ones, and when you flipped it over it just had a nice holiday message, a place for an address label and a stamp! No envelope needed! I LOVED it!

GO WIRE (AND PAPERLESS)

Get to know your phone and use it.  It goes everywhere with you and having all of your shopping lists and calendars in one place is a great way to start.

There are shopping list applications out there to keep you organized instead of pulling out the ragged piece of paper with all of your gift giving notes.  If your phone doesn't have “apps” – use the notes feature to hold all of your lists.  Label them by grocery, house décor, and then individual notes for all the people you need to buy for.

If you refuse to use your phone in this capacity, have a small notebook that will fit in your purse with a pen holder.  A pen will be essential to cross things off and add things as you are out and about.

Use the calendar on your phone to record all of your appointments, parties, work and school functions.  Don’t just enter WHAT it is, add all the information you have about the event.  The address, attire, and anything else you need to remember.  Set up reminders as needed.  It beats the heck out of carrying all of this information loosely in your purse or worse… cluttering your counter tops and refrigerator doors. 

Again, if you don’t trust your phone, print out a blank calendar that can be found in about 100 places online and either paperclip invites to that one central calendar, or write notes on the back.  Have it with you at all times for reference.

WARDROBE

Have a “go to” holiday outfit for you and everyone else in your family.  Keep it clean, ironed, and ready to go.  If you have several events with people you don’t want to see you in the same thing twice (I totally get it!), keep it basic, as comfortable as possible, vary accessories and of course…  switch out the wonderful shoes you never get to wear except for these kinds of events!

WORK

I’m going to keep this as simple as possible.  It is so easy with everything going on to try and get some personal things taken care of at work… especially as random things pop into your head.  For most of us, the end of the year is the busiest time in the office.  To insure work get done during the day, and you aren't rushing through things at the end of the day to get out of there on-time, keep focused on work and only work during those allotted hours.  When things pop into your head, make a note, and take care of it later.  Being stuck at work when you have somewhere else to be is the last thing you want to happen.  Stay focused. 

HELP

Ask for help if you need it.  This time of year my position as an organizer tends to turn much more into a Personal Assistant position.  Which, I actually enjoy immensely.  If you are in a larger city with access to a personal assistant agency, use them.  If not, reach out to a friend or family member.  It’s a pretty easy dialogue.  Chances are everyone is in need of an extra hand.  

When it comes to babysitting (oh, yes, I do that too!), ask your babysitter if they wouldn't mind making a few extra bucks and wrapping presents after the kids go to bed.  If you have a cleaning person coming once a week, maybe make it twice a week to get yo over the hump one week, or even for a few extra hours so you have someone who can knock out a few of the lingering tasks on your to-do list. 

If you are in Chicago, contact me for rates and availability (contact info below).  My services span from organizing all of the above including party planning, babysitting, and personal assistant duties.  Chances are, If I can’t do it, I know someone reliable who I have worked with in the past who can.

I hope everyone has delightful holiday season.  I hope this holiday guide helps you to not sweat the small stuff and actually enjoy time together with family, friends, and co-workers!   

She's So Organized

Meghan DeLong

Chicago, IL

419.303.5932

ssorganized@gmail.com

The Perfect Family Organizer

My lovely cousin, Sonia, recently sent me a note, asking if I could suggest the best organizer / planner for her to take with her everywhere to keep all of her families "stuff" in one place.  

I’m going to suggest the "do it yourself" 3 ring binder.  

No, it won't fit in your purse, but the positives outweigh the negatives.  Nobody really wants to carry around a notebook, but once I get done giving you my idea of the perfect organizer, you will see why having everything in a binder, rather than one of those compact day planners just makes better sense. 

1. You will need a three Ring Binder, divider tabs, clear page protectors – Pick out a notebook that you like.  They come in all kinds of styles and looks these days.  Everywhere from Office Depot to Michael’s has a selection to choose from.  If you are crafty, personalize it with photos of your family and pets on the cover.  While the cover may be cute and reflect your family’s personality, it’s all business on the inside! 

2. Use the dividers smartly and according to your needs.  Take for example: Calendar, To Do, Banking / Finance, Contacts, Home, Kids, Pets, Notes, Shopping.

3. In each of these sections, you can either make your own forms, or you can download some pretty useful forms online.  Make sure on every page there is room for notes.

4. Put all of the pages in individual sheet protectors.  The sheet protectors will not only hold the pages, but any information that goes along with it.  Examples:

     a. KIDS may have camp coming up.  So you have a page in there with the email confirmation you received that has all of the basic info.  But then while the kids are at camp, no doubt they start bringing home sheets of paper, permission slips, and other reminders.  You can stick all of those in one place, in the page protector, behind the initial email.

     b. SHOPPING may have a few pages in there.  One for an ongoing grocery list that you can just slip out of the sleeve and add to as you think of things.  Another sleeve may have receipies you have ripped out of a magazine or off the back of something.  Maybe another sleeve (or pouch) has coupons.  

     c. SCHEDULE should have a basic calendar.  It’s up to you if you want a month at a time, or a day at a time.  But the nice thing about having the page in a sleeve is you can put supporting information in with the calendar.  Say you have to get bloodwork on Monday July 28th, in the same sleeve as the calendar you have the appointment on, you can put the lab orders.  Birthday party? Put “Meghan’s Birthday Party” on your calendar, but stick the invite with all of the other information in the sleeve to refer to.

     d. HOME would probably be my favorite tab.  I can see myself with a running tab of To Do’s, but filling the sleeve with ideas for paint colors and home furnishings from magazines. 

These are just some ideas for the notebook.  There are plenty of other great ideas to “furnish” the book.  If you have a hole punch, the possibilities for pockets and other fun organizational tools are endless!  

DAY ONE! Utensil Drawer

It's day one of the Summer Cutter Slim Down!

It's also Friday, and I have a feeling most of you aren't exactly looking for a big project to do today.

Let's start out simple and slow on our first day with the utensil drawer(s) in your kitchen.

• Take everything out so you can see it. 

• Take all the items you only need a few times a year and put it in a box – label it Seasonal Kitchen. Unless they will be used within two weeks, things like the turkey baster, holiday cookie cutters, BBQ tongs and skewers can all go into that box.     

• Admit it.  When you are in a hurry to look for a spatula or a mixing spoon, you fumble with the turkey baster and cookie cutter every time.  Another route to go beyond totally removing the seasonal utensils is to do buy something to section off the drawer like this handy little purchase from Bed Bath Beyond.  You can partition off a section for seasonal, use sometimes, and frequent use.   

• Things that you no longer use can be put in a box labeled "giveaway", which by the end of this 30 day challenge you will have a lot of. 

• Get rid of melted spatulas and gross can openers.  They are inexpensive items that can be easily replaced.

That's the end of your first work out! I told you this was going to be easy!

Question or comments, you can find me on Facebook or email me at: ssorganized@gmail.com.

Putting Your Clutter On A Diet

Guaranteed to make your living space fit better by summer!

Happy spring, friends! (I say that with a little sarcasm for my friends here in Chicago, who are still wearing our heavy winter coats… wondering if we are going to get windburn on opening day at Wrigley.)

Summer really is coming.  Several people have promised me this. 

As anxious as I am to get back into skirts and flip flops, I also know no matter how many coats of sunless tanning lotion I apply, it’s not going to make my clothes fit any better.

The short list of diets I have been on consist of:

• The (in a wedding and my ex-boyfriend will be there) Cabbage Soup Diet
• The (haven’t seen these people since I was in high school) Master Cleanse
• The (refuse to wear something that looks like a prairie skirt over my bathing suit while on vacation) Cantaloupe Only Diet

All joking aside, none of the diets mentioned above were healthy, and rarely resulted in lasting weight loss. 

If you are smart enough to read this blog post, you are smart enough to know the reason for weight gain is consuming more calories in a day then you have burned. 

It’s also not rocket science to know the reason you have clutter is because you have brought more “things” into your living space than you have gotten rid of.

Let’s work together to eliminate some of those “things” and work on some target areas that need help before summer gets here!

Starting April 1^st, lasting for 30 days, I’m going to post here on my blog (and Facebook), an area I want you to concentrate on for that day.

Just like a weight loss diet, some days are going to be harder than others for certain people.  Some of you may want to give up on “SHOE” day… but on “Hair Product Day” – well, let’s just hope you are a wash and go kind of gal / guy.

In the meantime, I encourage you as my readers and clients to submit your problem areas so we can work on them as a team.  Before and after pictures posted to my Facebook page would be amazing! Success stories? I can’t wait to read them!

Let’s get excited to get your clutter on a diet!

(Hopefully you aren’t rolling your eyes at me like I always do at the Weight Watchers lady.)

I’m way cooler than she is.

Organization Motivation

I’m one to talk about motivation.  When was the last time I did a blog post? The only thing I am motivated to do in the dead of winter is to see how quickly I can get out of my snow boots and seven layers of clothing, and into sweat pants and a sweater that probably hasn’t been washed in a month. 

Now is the time to get organizing projects out of the way.  Why not? We’re home anyway.  The last thing we want to be doing when it’s beautiful outside is working on indoor projects.    

Whether it’s cleaning a closet, rearranging a room, or getting going on that filing project you have been avoiding, hopefully here are a few (mostly legal) forms of motivation.

1.)    Make a list of your goals.  What are you hoping to get done before summer? Re-number them by order of importance.  

2.)    Ask a friend to come over and help.  There is a few ways to go about this so they actually show up and don’t laugh at you when you ask.  NEVER use the word clean.  Always use the word wine.  And be honest in telling them you need some motivation and creative ideas.  A second opinion in organizing is always a good idea.  

3.)    Pick up some magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Dwell, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Real Simple.  I guarantee you are not only going to get some great ideas, but you are going to look around at your own living space and decide you need a change before summer gets here! 

4.)    Buy something.  It can be anything from a new shelving unit you’ve had your eyes on at the Container Store, or a new pack of funky colored file folders.  Pick up about three canvas storage bins, put them in the room you watch TV every night, and tell me they don’t eventually motivate you to organize some of the clutter you see laying around.  Unlike having an elliptical in the room, I swear this trick works.  

5.)    When it’s a little warmer out, plan a garage sale.  No, you never sell everything.  And figuring out where to put the things that don’t sell until you can make it to the donation bins is kind of a pain.  Something I have suggested (and have actually done) in the past is to call ahead to your local donation center and see if they do pick-ups.  If they do, have it set up for them to come right at the end of your sale.  The “I don’t feel like cleaning up after” problem is solved.  AND… you won’t be tempted to bring any of that "stuff" back inside the house! 

6.)    Tour a model home / open house.  No, it’s not illegal, but it’s certainly not the purpose of such an event.  (My Realtor friends are cringing)  Model homes / condos / apartments are lovely.  They are so clean and… uncluttered.  Of course, that’s because they aren’t lived in.  But the general idea of open living space and clean surfaces is what you should be going after. 

7.)    Music.  Not the TV, because you will sit down and watch it.  Music motivates a lot of us to do many things.  Why not organize.  A huge fan of soul, funk, blues, and jazz, I can honestly say I have a playlist designated for cleaning and organizing.  Find something that’s soothing, and doesn’t make you feel any more out of control than you already may be when it comes to the task at hand.  If you are playing music from your computer, I suggest Pandora.  It will ask you to create a new station.  Enter an artist or genre you like, and Pandora will take it from there.  Check out “Brazilian soul” for something upbeat, soothing, and a little jazzy.  One of my favorites.

8.)    Reward yourself.  When you have one of your projects done, whatever room it may be in, go ahead and buy yourself something nice to put in the area.  It’s a reward as well as motivation to keep the area looking fresh!

Happy organizing, my friends.  I hope you find your motivation! I’d love to hear feedback on my She’s So Organized Facebook page! Suggestions for my next blog entry would be great too! Your organizing issues are MY motivation!               

Don't Freak Out -- But It's Time To Pack Up Your Summer Clothes

When I moved back to the mid-west after living in Florida for nearly ten years, it was in the month of July. Although the small vintage apartment closet seemed fine at the time, once fall hit, and I started gathering warmer clothing and things got pretty tight. Once November and December came around, my closet was busting at the seams and I started to think I needed a two bedroom apartment to contain my growing wardrobe.

Thankfully, I have the gift of organization and look forward to the task of separating, folding, and packing clothing by season. For those of you who are frazzled at even the thought of separating winter from summer clothes, here are some guidelines to stop you from throwing everything in a lawn and leaf bag and throwing it in the back of your closet.

MAKE FOUR PILES

Pile 1. Keep - This is the pile that you will be hanging / folding back up. It's your winter clothes, but maybe some clothes that you will still wear in the winter to the gym or under a sweater. (I was taught the importance of layers very quickly my first winter back in Chicago).

Pile 2. Give Away - Yes, give away, meaning, if you didn't wear it last summer, chances are you won't next summer. We know 'those' clothes. Typically they are the ones you claim you will fit into next summer. Again, sorry... chances are you won't. Do you really want to take the time to fold it, store it, and schlep the box labeled, "Maybe Next Year"? Come on, this isn't a SpecialK cereal commercial. This is reality. Shed the clutter, and then by all means, shed the pounds.

Pile 3. Throw Away - This is along the same lines as the give away pile, only these are the clothes that have stains, rips, or haven't been in style since your senior prom. Nobody wants these clothes.

Pile 4. Pack - This is the pile of summer clothes and shoes that you know you will not need all winter. This is not the place where I go into fashion rules. That's a whole other blog.

USEFUL TIPS

* Wash and make sure everything is VERY dry when you pack them. For extra freshness, put a few fabric softener sheet in-between clothes so they stay smelling good and are ready to go next spring.

* Use clear plastic bins so you can see what is in them. These bins are great for storing under you bed. If your bed is generally low to the ground and they won't fit, invest in some of these bed risers to get a little lift.

* Take what you put in what storage bin a step further. Pack by location of where you will be putting your clothes away next season.
For example, your boxes should be labeled:

- Closet - Shirts

- Closet - Skirts / Pants

- Dresser - T-Shirts

- Dresser – Shorts

* Summer shoes are typically destroyed by the end of the season. By destroyed I mean they have fallen apart or... let's face it... smell. I'm talking about ballet flats, flip flops, and those suede soled sandals. Get rid of them and hit up the Old Navy $5 flip flop sale next summer. Otherwise, you are going to open that bin next spring and wonder what you were thinking.

* Summer purses are a wonderful thing. We change them out often, don't we? Take my advice and clean all of them out before you pack them. Get out the gum wrappers, loose change, receipts, lip gloss, and for you moms, the stray goldfish and 'puffys' floating around.

* When it comes to children’s clothing, chances are they aren’t going to fit into it next summer. Keep to you four piles above. But label the box you are going to save by size. For example: Blake – Summer – Size 12mo to 24mo.

* As long as you are packing up, why not throw some household seasonal items in a bin too. Clear some space out of cabinets and drawers to make way for holiday items (like your eggnog moose glasses). Some things that come to mind are: table cloths, bed spreads, and seasonal throw rugs.

As sad as we all are to see summer go, it’s time to get excited about the holiday’s, taking cover under our down comforters, and putting on our favorite sweater on a chilly night. The level of frustration that goes along with the task of packing up summer and breaking into winter is pretty high. Take your time, do a thorough job, and please, call or email me before you give up and start throwing things in a lawn and leaf bag!