Well, it’s official . . . . the Virtually Organized blog has moved to www.VirtuallyOrganized.com/blog!
To celebrate the transition, I’m giving away a fabulous prize to help with your new year’s organizing goals:
Come on over, check out my new "home," and find out how you can win a $50 shopping spree to the Container Store.
Simply yours,
How many times have you been down to the wire with the holidays and found yourself scrambling to find last minute presents? It happens. Some people are just difficult to shop for. Others don't seem to want for anything specific. And still others are, quite frankly, not very high on your priority list (they may have even been forgotten until now!)
These are usually the presents you'd rather not admit that you actually bought for someone (Chia Pets and processed cheese wheels come to mind). They are also the presents your recipients would rather you didn't buy! (Did you know that the amount of money spent on candy during the 4th quarter of the year is greater than the annual budgets of the American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association and Habitat for Humanity combined?!?!)
So what do you do? Forgo the gift completely and appear Scrooge-like? Give in to the useless clutter gifts and waist-expanding goodies?
Here's a great alternative that will not only spread the generosity of the holiday season, but it will Redefine Christmas: Replace meaningless gifts by giving donations to your recipients' favorite charities (You can even request others do the same for you. It's definitely a better idea than standing in the "Returns" line on December 26.) And Redefine-Christmas.org makes it easy to do.
When you visit their site you have the option of donating to a specific charity in someone's name, or letting your recipient pick the charity they would like their gift to benefit. You can even send a personalized e-card to those who give to you and request a charitable donation instead.
According to Redefine-Christmas.org, "It's not about reinventing the holiday. It's about changing the way we look at gift giving and receiving. It's taking money we usually spend on obligatory gifts with little meaning, and creating gifts of charity that give in multiple ways, to the receiver, the giver, and people who truly need."
If you try it out, be sure to leave me a comment below with your thoughts. Although I'm personally already finished with this year's holiday shopping, I will definitely bookmark this site for next year. I may even put it to use for other gift-giving needs throughout the year. Who says you can only redefine the spirit of generosity during the month of December?
Simply yours,
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Marlo Boux of Clean Green Winnipeg. Marlo has a fabulous podcast show where she discusses various eco-friendly topics and ideas for improving your family's quality of life.
In this episode of cleanGREENwinnipeg, Marlo sits down with Naturopathic Doctor Scott Olson to discuss sugar addiction and some of the signs of this addiction. After the break take a breather from the holiday chaos and learn five ways to get organized for the season, courtesy of me! My tips focus on simplifying your holidays and taming the typical chaos. Leave me a comment with which tip you liked the best!
Simply yours,
"I’ve been told that one of the first steps in the organizing process is to get rid of anything you no longer want . . . or anything your organizer can convince you that no longer wants you!"
Recently,I worked with a wonderful older couple to help them downsize from their three-bedroom house to a much "cozier" 2-bedroom apartment. Part of my job was to help these empty nesters let go of things they had been accumulating for over 5 decades. Even though they were motivated, some things, regardless of their usefulness, were very difficult to give up.
Despite the above joke (which I snatched from my talented organizing colleague, John Trosko), Professional Organizers are not dictators when it comes to clearing clutter. I definitely respect my clients' strong attachments to what may at first glance appear to be clutter. (Mr. Empty Nester was adamant about holding on to a rickety, old wooden stool. Upon further prodding I found out this stool was handmade for him by his beloved grandfather. Needless to say, the stool moved on with them to their new home, and was even given a place of honor.)
So what would you NEVER give up? I decided to take an informal Twitter/Facebook poll to survey my readers and friends:
“If you were downsizing and/or decluttering your home, what is one item you would NEVER give up?”
John Trosko, of OrganizingLA; President, Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (and the source of my lead-in joke today): "For me, it’s the things I’ve spent a great deal of time searching for. I have a vintage 1930’s sailboat china collection. I’ve spent an enormous amount of time scouring tag sales, flea markets and eBay looking for them. I’d have a really hard time giving this collection up. Some of it is in bad shape, but those pieces are on the top shelf anyway. But I do use them. One canister stores napkin holders, one stores loose change, one bathroom items and another bowl I use for the occasional table top décor. One newer piece I found broke when a friend opened my car door and it fell on the pavement. I was crushed for 5 minutes, then realized it was just a thing and my attachment to this “thing” should not supersede my friendship. So I dropped the conversation and held back any feelings."
@Helpful_Hallie: "My piano, unless I was upgrading!
D. Allison Lee, another fellow professional organizer and Twitter/Facebook pal (@dallisonlee): "I could never give up my dog. =) "
@lfamous: "My scrapbooks and photos. Also, an old quilt that's seen better days. It was my dad's grandmother's. When the kids or I are sick, we snuggle in it."
Allison Spitzer Carter the right-brain organizer (@allisoncarter): "Would never give up my nose strips. I can't sleep without them. Not what you were thinking of huh?"
@kjkmom2boys: "I'm honestly not sure. Decluttering is not my strong point, but I'm trying! The wedding quilt my grandmother made for us would be on my short list. But ONE thing? Too much pressure for me!"
Wendy David, of Totally Organised in New Zealand: "My Passport."
@KerrieAnnFrey: "Can I keep the piles as I declutter? (My response? "Depends on how organized those piles are!")"
@DalydeGagne: "I could never give up my books or my big work table that is my desk and main activity hub. Also Misty & Newby, my 2 cats."
And what would yours truly NEVER give up? Hmm, when the tables are turned it definitely gives me a greater appreciation of the struggles my clients face with purging and decluttering! I would have to say, my scrapbooks. Besides all the time and attention I've given them over the years, my scrapbooks document the life and times of my family, especially my two girlies, Blue-Eyed Jane and Moody Judy. Just looking through them brings back so many happy memories of my growing family. Wherever I roam over the years and no matter how much I purge, those scrapbooks will always have a permanent home with me.
So now it's your turn? What's the one thing you would stand firm on and NEVER give up . . . kids and hubbies excluded :)
Simply yours,
Some days there just isn't enough time to think about getting, or even just staying, organized.
Take this weekend, for example. Between holiday parties, tickets to the symphony's Christmas show, a truckload of laundry, gymnastics lessons, a trip to the coffee house to see "Cousin Steve" perform, catching up on housework because the cleaning gals were sick, taking Moody Judy Christmas shopping, and at least a few hours of sleep, I had no time to think about organization. Throw in a few usually-cooperative-but-suddenly-distracted kids, and Monday morning never looked so relaxing!
And isn't that just the way it goes sometimes. A mom's job is never slow. Even when they're sleeping, you're busy catching up with something, whether it's for them or for you.
But take comfort in knowing you are not alone. And rest assured, that we all get behind; we all put things off because something more urgent pops up that demands our attention. Even for me, some days organization is just not on my radar.
This weekend was particularly frustrating. Despite the incentive to be on their best Santa-is-watching behavior, my little angels suddenly forgot everything their Dad and I ever taught them to do in terms of their household chores and responsibilities. I found myself repeating, "Please pick up after yourself, I'm your Mom, not your Maid," "I don't care that she snook into your room, you can't shove your sister," "Go back in there and this time actually brush your teeth and your hair," and of course the classic, "If your friends jumped of a cliff, would you think you should do that, too?!?!"
Then my good friend Amy sent me this video. Yes, there is definitely comfort in knowing that other Moms go through these trying times, too.
Thanks for the reminder and the laugh, Amy! I feel a little bit better! Now, if I can just figure out how to get this to play on a constant loop on Moody Judy's and Blue-Eyed Jane's iPods, I may just be golden. And I may just be able to find time to organize my next weekend's hectic schedule!
Simply yours,
In an effort to simplify my to-do list during this very busy holiday season, I have invited Jennifer Tankersley of ListPlanIt.com and 100 Days of Christmas to Virtually Organized to share her list of ideas for simplifying your holiday to-do lists. Welcome, Jennifer!
Ideally, I believe we should float through December on a bubble of holiday spirit. We would laugh all day long. We would sit around our tree listening to carols every evening. We would invite all of our loved ones to share with us in a big holiday dinner, in which all of the food was already prepared and the kitchen magically cleaned itself. We could eat and eat the delicious food that manifests throughout the holidays and not gain a pound. And numerous and thoughtful gifts for our family appeared under the tree out of nowhere. Unfortunately, the holiday season, though beautifully meaningful, can be a lot more work than the childlike dream. If you arm yourself with the right tools, however, December does not have to be a stressful month to simply be endured. Here are some components you should have for a holiday to-do list.
1) No one should attempt the holidays without a December calendar, preferably October through December. These are all months with major holidays and lots of activities so spreading out your planning and preparation is vital. Penciling in goals is so important. Keeping your calendars in a place that you are sure to check often is also key. It does not help to set deadlines for yourself if you aren’t reminded.
2) Let there be parties and plays and performances and pageants. The holidays are filled with opportunities for events that should be enjoyed. However, many of them carry their own obligations: costumes, food, gifts, etc. When noting each event on your calendar, be sure to include a timeline for finishing the costume or baking the cookies or buying the gag gift.
3) Even though food is an essential part of our everyday (every few hours) existence, it takes on even greater significance during the holidays. Let’s face it, holidays and special occasions tend to revolve around the kitchen and the dining room table. Whether you are a cookie baker, the host for the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, or a guest to a holiday get-together or potluck, there will be a lot of cooking going on in your kitchen this November and December. Start looking now at the recipes that have worked in the past and for recipes that might work for something different. Make copies and store them in your holiday planning book.
4) Parents work hard to promote and teach togetherness and tradition, giving and kindness, but we all know that if there is not the right children-to-present ratio under the tree on Christmas morning, or if Santa does not bring the right highly-sought-after gift, then we fear disappointed faces. Gift-buying for our families is an event that requires thriftiness, intuitiveness, and skill. It is not for the faint-hearted. Starting a Gift List early in the year will help you keep track of the “wants” mentioned throughout the year. A Gift List will help you keep track of gifts and spending so you know what you have and what you still need to get.
Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of 100 Days to Christmas, a daily dose of inspiration and motivation to help you prepare for the busy upcoming holiday season and ListPlanIt.com, which has over 350 printable lists and planning pages including everything you need to get prepared for Christmas! You'll find calendars, daily to do lists, card lists, wish lists, gift lists, cookie/candy planner, party planning pages, holiday meal planning pages, grocery lists, and so much more.
Well, it’s “Black Friday,” the official start of the holiday frenzy here in the United States. But I don't do Black Friday anymore; I refuse to let it make me a crazy, bargain-hunting, wake-up-before-anyone-should-the-day-after-a-national-holiday shopping fiend. And as I see it, when it comes to this un-official holiday, we all have two choices:
1. We can stress-out and overwhelm yourself (again) to the point of wishing the holidays away,
or
2. We can make an effort to simplify schedules, and to-do lists, and make more time for a memorable holiday season with family.
If you chose the latter, one foolproof way to get more done in less time, without hiring a personal assistant, is to enlist the help of technology, specifically your handy, dandy personal computer. The following tips and suggestions can help you shave time off your holiday chores and give you more time for sipping cocoa, singing carols or playing dreidel games with your loved ones.
Manage your gift-giving list as an electronic file on your computer.
This can be as elaborate as a spreadsheet or as simple as a list in a word processing document. Start by listing the names of family members you need to buy for in the first column, beginning with your immediate members and progressing down through your more distant relatives. Continue this column with people you need to buy for but are not related to (friends, neighbors, teachers, etc.). After each name, write your budget for this recipient and then any gift ideas you may have. The beauty of having this on your computer is that you can print it out to have as a tangible list as you shop, but if you change your mind about gift ideas, you can easily update your original file (no more crumpled, scratched through papers to lose track of).
As you buy gifts, mark them off on your list by bolding the items. When you finish shopping for a recipient, bold his or her name, too. When I buy gifts for my two daughters, I always try to make things as equitable as possible. So, I take this a step further and also highlight in green those items that I bought that are equal to a gift for the other, and highlight that gift, too. With this method, I can tell at a glance how my shopping is progressing, and I cannot ever be accused of playing favorites.
Keep the electronic file of this shopping list for next year and you will have a template ready for next year's shopping. Simply delete the items and update any changes to the recipients you need to buy for. It will also serve as a reminder of gifts you bought this year, so as not to repeat gift ideas for the same person.
Avoid the stores and comparison shop online for the items on your list.
I lovea good deal, but running from busy store to even busier store during the holiday season can really turn me into a Scrooge. For bigger ticket items, I always comparison shop online. A great site for comparing prices is Shopzilla.com. If electronics are on your list, Cnet.comis a great resource for any product questions you might have, and a much more efficient alternative to trying to track down a busy store employee. Most times, I end up purchasing online, too, especially during the holiday season, when many sites offer low-cost, or even free, shipping deals. Today may be “Black Friday,” but it is followed by “Cyber Monday,” and you can be sure there will be tons of bargains and deals all over the net.
While some of these suggestions may cause you to spend a little more time initially as you set up the systems, they will save you tenfold in years to come when you simply need to update your databases and revisit your favorite website resources.
Good luck as you strive to make this a less-stressful, more relaxing holiday season!
Simply yours,
Okay, all together now, "This year, sending out my holiday cards will not stress me out!"
Hmm, I don't think I heard everyone chime in on that one?
If you've been reading along with my recent holiday-related posts, you know by now that I am all about de-stressing the holidays. So, moving on to holiday greeting card issues, here are some ways to get control of this annual holiday tradition:
1. If you send photo cards, order them online.
Either splurge on the added convenience of having the site mail them to your recipients for you, or order them from a site that has a local storefront and coordinate your pick up with your next shopping trip. Shutterfly.com allows you to pick up your prints at Target if you choose, and drugstores such as CVS and Walgreen's let you pick them up at the store, too.
2. Create a separate electronic database for your holiday mailing list.
Outlook is great for this. Add a new folder to your Contacts and copy all the names and information for those on your holiday card list. Than create a mail merge, using a nice font for personality, and use your printer to address your cards in no time. As you receive cards, save the envelopes with the return address and check them against your database, noting any changes and then promptly recycling them, to avoid building up clutter. Use the notes section to indicate the year you received the card. Next year when it is time to send greetings, you can take note of those on your list whom you did not hear from in 2008, and make a decision about whether or not to continue sending to them.
3. Order your holiday stamps online and arrange for free, in home package pick-up from the U.S. Post Office.
Avoid the lines at the post office and make sure you get the stamp design you want by ordering online from the United States Post Office (the website always seems to have a better selection than the brick-and-mortar version). Delivery is usually within a day. You can also schedule free package pick-up by your carrier and download software from their site to help you print out shipping labels and postage from home.
4. Email your holiday party invites.
Some may think this to be impersonal and an entertaining faux pas, but for casual, informal gatherings, it really is the simplest way to go. And your guests will be more likely to respond, and respond on time. You can even decorate the email with colored text and insert graphics to make it more festive. As an added bonus, it is less time consuming than calling your guest, and a much “greener” way to spread the word – send an email, save a tree!
5. Gather the whole family to assemble the cards.
There is no reason why you have to take on sole responsibility for assembling and mailing your greeting cards. Get the whole family involved. Turn on a little Christmas music, gather at the kitchen table, and give everyone an age-appropriate task. You can be responsible for writing a personal greeting, your hubby can make sure the cards get into the right envelopes, and little ones can stick on stamps and sealenvelopes. In fact, you can even start the whole process out by sending the cards around for each family member to personally sign. After all, don't you send the cards from your entire family?
NOW, once again (and this time I should be able to hear EVERYONE loud and clear!):
"This year, sending out my holiday cards will not stress me out!"
Simply yours,
