Kid Zone: Bookcase

This shelving unit provides ample space to store the kids’ keepsakes, books, toys, etc.; however, there are a few problems with the way it was originally set up. 

• Items are piled on top of one another, which leads to things tumbling down on you when trying to retrieve an item.
• Although the keepsakes have been placed on the higher shelves, there are too many items crammed together to really appreciate them.
• The layout is chaotic, making it difficult to actually see what goodies there are to play with. 

Since these are open shelves, items needed to be placed in an orderly fashion, as well as be pleasing to eye.  Items in the arranged bookcase are organized in such a manner that:

• Books are easily identifiable and reachable. 
• Board games have been consolidated and kept to a lower shelf for easy access. 
• Baskets have been incorporated to make it easy for storing odds and ends, as well as, making it easy for little ones to put items away. 
• Keepsakes have been streamlined to really focus on items the kids loved.

Tidy Tip: for additional safety, anchor the bookcase to the wall to prevent it from tipping over.

Happy organizing!

Sorting & Folding: Organizing the Linen Closet

There are times when specific organizing items are required; however, I am a big believer in not always needing to spend money to get organized.  After all, do you really want to spend money getting your linen closet in order?

Sometimes just folding your items and sorting like items with like items can make a huge impact.

I present the before:

I did not spend a penny to organize this linen closet.  Rather, I pulled everything out, sorted each item in piles: towels, sheets, blankets and table cloths and then folded them in a way to fit nicely on the shelves.

And voilà:

At just a glance, the family can now easily find their linens and all it took was a little time to sort, fold and re-stock.

Taking the time to properly fold and put away your linens will ensure that it stays very tidy.

Happy organizing!

Keeping a Positive Outlook

Over the years I have used several different email programs - Hotmail, Gmail, and  Lotus Notes  to  name a few - and my all-time preferred email software - whether at work or at home - is by far Microsoft Outlook^TM. 

At first glance, they may all seem to offer similar features: email, contacts, calendar and possibly tasks and notes, but none really presented the information in a clean, integrated and easy to use format quite like Microsoft.  Outlook was the first time that I used a program that actually got me excited about managing emails, calendars and contacts.  It was a one stop shop for my key daily references.  Over time this has also expanded to include RSS feeds (more on that another time).

I even recall battling with a previous employer to get Outlook instead of Outlook Express (Express just doesn't cut it in this case).  I continue to grow and learn with this program, so as to fully leverage the plethora of functions it has to offer to help me streamline and organize my busy life.

Over the coming weeks, I will explore each of the main functions offered in Outlook.  Stay tuned J

Happy organizing!

P.S. Be sure to leave a comment if there are any specific features that you would like me to review.

Procrastination & Stress

A friend once told me that it is the little things that cause the most stress.  I gather the concept is that you are aware of and are dealing with the big issues while the smaller items tend to nag away, leaving you in a perpetual state of stress.

In busier times, it is inevitable that less critical to-do items do not get tended to.  Now I admit – some stem from pure laziness and procrastination.  There was a button from my duvet cover that had been stuck to the edge of my desk for, embarrassingly, over a year.  While things had been hectic, there were numerous times that I thought to myself “I really should sew that button on” and yet, I either thought of it while I was in the midst of doing something else or I just didn’t feel like it in that moment and thought “I’ll get to it…” – but I never did. 

Clearly whether I get the button sewn on or not is really not detrimental; however, when you add up all the little to-dos that keep getting put off they start to weigh you down.

It is nice to know I won’t be thinking about sewing buttons anymore J

So get to it!  We can all use a little less stress in our lives.

Happy organizing!  

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Happy organizing!

Avoiding a Last Minute Holiday Dash

What?!  A post about the winter holidays already!  The kids are still eating their Halloween candy!

I know, I know - what can I say - it is never too early to start a to-do list ;)

So here is my go-to to-do list to prepare for my favorite holiday season.

• Early November - start your holiday gift shopping.  I actually start in August, but I realize this may be a little ahead of the game for most.  My rationale in starting so early is to ensure I am not rushed through the process.  I spend a lot of time thinking about the gifts I purchase, wanting to ensure that the recipient will truly enjoy their gift.  The point here is to avoid hasty last minute purchases that will wreak havoc on your budget and may not really be what you had hoped to give.

• Early November – stock up on holiday essentials, including, but not limited to: wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, holiday cards and tags, and scotch tape.  There is nothing worse than running out of essentials when you are mid-way through wrapping your gifts.

• Early November - since I live in the great Canadian North, the temperature can be quite chilly at this time of year and putting up outdoor decorations in sub-zero weather in knee deep snow is really not the most pleasant experience.  So lights get strung while I can still feel my fingers.  I have not turned them on as of yet, but at least they are already hung and ready to shine brightly when I'm ready to flick the switch. 

• Mid November - start planning your holiday calendar.  There are so many events, parties and commitments that are crammed into a 4 week period and I am always amazed at how quickly we get booked up. To ensure you get to spend time with the people you want as well as tend to your preparations without feeling like you are running a marathon, make a list of the people you want to see and the events you don't want to miss.  Once you have your list, now you are ready to mark off your calendar and send any invites or RSVPs.  Be sure to include time for special activities such as cookie exchanges, holiday art projects, etc.

• Mid November - this is a great time to prepare meal plans for any parties you intend on hosting.  Once you have finalized your calendar, you will have a better idea of the number of meals you will be tending to.  Having your meal plans outlined early will also allow you to take advantage of any sales at the grocery store. 

• End of November - in order to fully enjoy the holiday spirit, I like to put up my indoor decorations at the end of November.  By the time December rolls around I am in full holiday spirit with a large chunk of the preparations tended to, leaving me to focus on spending time with the people I care about.

• Early December - prepare holiday cards.  Now if you shop at Costco, you may have noticed they have been carrying stock since August or September.  Yup, that is indeed when I purchased my stash.  I like to schedule an evening where I play my favorite holiday tunes and sit down to write special holiday messages for the people I care about.  A glass of wine or spiked eggnog never hurts either!

As you can see from the above, a lot of my preparation is actually done in November.  This leaves me the month of December to enjoy all of the activities and time spent with family and friends.    By having an action plan, I'm sure not to overlook anything and it helps reduce my stress during a very busy season.

Happy holiday organizing!

To Pile or Not to Pile?

In general there are those that like to display their items and those that like to have things hidden away.  I most certainly fall into the stash your items camp, preferring a Zen uncluttered space; however, I grew up living with a knick-knack lover whose decoration philosophy was most definitely “more is better”. 

This tendency can also typically be applied to one’s organizational preferences; to pile or not to pile.  Although pilers may come across as being disorganized, they often have a method to their madness and know what is contained in all their piles; however, if left to continuously accumulate this approach can quickly become overwhelming and even pilers with the best memory may get lost.  On the other end of the spectrum, you have those that need to have a place for everything to ensure their spaces remain organized and chaos free.

One approach is not better than the other; it is simply a matter of preference.  Once you have identified what camp you fall into, you are ready to start out on your organizational journey focusing on techniques that align with your natural organization style.  Don’t fight your nature, adapt to it! 

Happy organizing!

Divide & Conquer

A project I recently started had me drawing parallels to the Hoarders show on A&E. 

When faced with the following, the thought of getting started can be daunting.  Where do I start?  How am I ever going to get through all this?  This is going to take forever! 

The first step here is to take a step back!  Instead of looking at the project as a whole, break it down into more manageable pieces.  If I had solely looked at the big picture, I would have felt completely overwhelmed and unsure of where to start.  This is where I always rely on my Divide & Conquer strategy.

If you can enlist some assistance in your Divide & Conquer game plan then great, but even if you are tackling the project solo, the motto still applies.  Break it down and cross if off as it is done.  There is something very satisfying in seeing a long to-do list being checked off one item at a time.  Before you know it your list will be entirely checked-off!! 

When feeling discouraged, keep in mind that things take time.  There is no point in rushing through the job and shoving items in another location to feel like you are getting one area done.  You are just delaying the inevitable.  Nike’s “Just do it” slogan does not only apply to sports, if you “Just do it” then you get it over with and can move onto something more enjoyable.  Have you ever noticed how if you procrastinate on something, when you finally get around to doing it you feel so much better?  More often than not, the task was not as difficult or painful as one initially thought. 

Finally, it is important to enjoy and appreciate the efforts and results of each step that make up the entire project.  As you conquer each of your divided chunks, review your progress and see how each task that you complete is bringing you closer to completing your entire project.  Congratulate yourself and keep that momentum going!

Happy organizing! 

Clear Away & Put Away

It never ceases to amaze me how tidying up and putting things away makes such a big difference. 

Case in point, I present the before:

When there is so much stuff it can be tough to know where to start.  My approach is always to keep it simple.  Start by clearing everything off the counters and group like items together.  

Once you have cleaned everything off, now you need to determine whether each item needs to be:

1.       Kept

2.       Fixed
3.       Donated
4.       Tossed

Finding a home for each object will help keep things organized.  Therefore, you need to designate a place for any item that you intend to keep.  Clutter occurs when items are left to pile up and are not put back in their rightful location. 

The after

 Most of the stuff that was on the counter has been either thrown out, recycled or has found a home to wait until their next use.  Items used on a daily basis are kept readily available and accessible in a central grouping on the counter.  Remarkable how much counter space there actually is! 

The key to success here is maintenance!  When you have finished using an item - put it back in the spot you have designated.

 Happy organizing!