Organizing Resolutions

For this New Years, make good on your resolutions. Getting organized is the second most popular resolution (StatisticBrain.com). If it made it on your list this year, here are some tips for starting out and keeping it going:

1.    Write things down on the calendar. If you’re using a calendar in your phone or a hard copy planner or even both, write things down as soon as you make plans. Don’t only write down meetings and appointments, but things like what you’d like to make for dinner that night, people to call, and chores to complete. You’ll be able to look back to see what you did when, if you ever need to. It also helps you remember what your goals for the day/week/month are while keeping you accountable.

2.    Designate certain chores to certain days. This will make your schedule smoother and chores won’t fall behind. If you dust every Wednesday, then you will be able to keep up with it. Make your own schedule, though, so it works best for you and your lifestyle.

Storing Your Gift Wrap

Gift giving isn't just for winter holidays. Birthdays, baby and wedding showers and more happen all year long. Eventually, you’ll need wrapping paper handy. There are some nifty ways to store it without it getting damaged:
Tall, plastic containers are great for keeping rolls of wrapping paper. You can see each design easily, but you won’t be able to stack anything on top of it if you’re looking for extra space. It can be a specialty item for wrap, or something as simple as a clean waste basket or 5-gallon bucket. There are also products on Amazon for storing rolls of wrapping paper that are waterproof and see-through.

Other great hiding spots for gift wrappings are under the bed: out of sight, out of mind. They can be hung on the back of a door, like a closet, or in the corner of the closet.
Bags, wrapping paper, ribbons, and tissue paper can be used more than once, so store them in a way that won't crush or tear. Again, this can be something specific to gift wrap or as easy as an old shoebox. I'm also a big fan of using a paper or reusable shopping bag to store other gift bags, bows or more.

Keeping Track of All the Festivities

It seems around the holidays that you think of so many people you want to catch up with. You were so busy throughout the year that the timing to connect with them never was really great. Now, you have a bunch of parties to go to this holiday season. Here are some tips for keeping it all straight:

·   Mark all the parties in your calendar. Writing down all the party dates and when you need to RSVP is critical to running the next few weeks smoothly. You’ll also be able to plan ahead with them all in one spot.

·   Keep invitations in one spot. Don’t have them scattered across the kitchen counter and the dining room table. Keep them all centralized for easy viewing.

·   Notes if you need to bring something. Write down notes if you need to bring anything like a dessert or salad. If it’s a family party, there might be an anniversary or birthday you missed, so be prepared with a card or gift.

·   Casual or formal? Plan what you will wear before. Take note of whether the occasion is more casual or if you need to dress up.

·   Don’t overbook. By writing all the parties down, you’ll know if you’re overbooking; so prioritize and keep yourself sane during the crazy holidays.

Getting Out that Winter Gear

The days are getting shorter and shorter and the weather colder and colder. It’s time to have all your gear prepared for winter. Break free from your denial!
Gather all the gloves, hats, scarves, coats, and boots. Put them in one spot where everyone can access them easily. Dressing yourself to go outside in the Chicago winter weather already takes longer than it should, so make sure you’re able to get out the door quickly by keeping everything you need in one spot.
You’ll also need to gather everything you need for outside: shovels, salt, etc. Don’t forget about things that should be in your car.  You never know if you’ll get stuck in traffic or if your car breaks down,; you should have several things in there so you can wait it out as comfortable as possible. Keep a first aid kit, water, a blanket and snacks tucked away. And of course, arguably the most important thing is the snow brush.

Shopping for the Holidays Tips

Holiday shopping has officially begun! You just went through Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday… Sigh! Maybe you were able to take advantage of the deals and get gifts for family members. Maybe you mostly found things that you want for the holidays.

Either way, it’s not too late to draw up a budget. Decide how much you are willing to spend total, how many people will be receiving gifts, and how much you can spend on each person. Also note any ideas you already have or what you’d like to gift to them. If you’ve been searching and searching for a gift for someone but can’t seem to find anything, then perhaps it’s time to wrap up a wad of money. That way they can pick out something they like; but gift it in a creative way so it’s still exciting for them to open.

Recycling Tips

The environment is a constant concern. One question that always comes to mind is “What can I do?” Few of us are scientists developing new ways to clean the environment, so for us average joes, it seems that there is little to do to help. Yet, even simple things can make a huge impact.
Recycling not only prevents trash from being dumped into the ocean or another landfill, but it also creates more products and stimulates the economy. There are so many products besides plastics that can be reused or disposed of in a safer way such as electronics and medical supplies. The Illinois EPA has guidelines for how to dispose of each type of waste. Take care to recycle what you can, and keep trash to a minimum.

Cleaning Out the Refrigerator

November is National Clean Out the Refrigerator Month. How fitting, given that we’re starting the holidays soon. One of the great things about the holidays is that you have plenty of leftovers to last for a while. The thing is that sometimes you forget about all that you have.
Clean out your refrigerator twice this month. Do it before you start cooking for Thanksgiving to make room for all the side dishes and turkey. Then, clean it out again a week after Thanksgiving. Chances are some things won’t have been eaten up so toss those out.
When you’re ready to clean out the fridge, remember these 3 things:

1. Have a sponge handy because there are bound to be some spills.
2. Keep a garbage bag near by to toss things quickly and prevent drips, spills and the sour smell of something rotten traveling across your kitchen to the garbage.

3. Have a space cleared for leftovers that you want to save and are still good.

Celebrating the Veteran in Your Life

Contrary to most people’s perception of holidays commemorating veterans and military personnel, there are distinct differences. Memorial Day is a somber day to those who have lost a friend or family member in military service.
While Veteran’s Day has more of a celebratory atmosphere to the day. It honors all those who have served in the armed forces.
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Many businesses show their appreciation to veterans with discounts. Having a list of participating businesses can be a great help to veterans so they can take advantage of the offers. It also gives other customers and employees an opportunity to thank vets for their service.

As both my grandfathers were veterans of World War II, I’d like to offer a discount to military veterans and personnel for the remainder of the year. Please contact me directly for more information.
Some people honor their veterans by displaying photos, a flag, and medals of honor. Many vets don’t seek the attention of large displays, but do appreciate sincere gratitude from others.

Making the Most Out of the Extra Hour

Daylight savings is great in the fall when you get that extra hour! Don’t let it go to waste though. Make the most out of that extra hour by completing tasks you’ve been putting off.
Prioritize those tasks by what you’ve been putting off the longest. It could be dusting, cleaning off the dining room table, cleaning out the fridge, paying bills, balancing the checkbook… you get the picture. If you use the extra hour to your advantage, then relaxing after will be even more rewarding.

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Office Organization


Being organized in the workplace can be crucial to project management and even promotions. It can be frustrating when other coworkers are disorganized, but somehow it’s even more so when it’s you. You know better, but sometimes things can slip through the cracks. Here are two crucial tips that will make your work life a little smoother.


V9MJ5T4TUU.jpg1.    Place for files. There are certain files that you don't use often, but you still need to keep. Have a special place for them that you’ll remember. When there’s that once in a blue moon chance you need it, you’ll know right where it is.

2.    Mirror in digital files. Have a digital copy of all your files. Then if you need to send a document to somebody else, it’s already in the computer. Label files similarly to your paper files to make the systems congruous.

Complete tasks today that will make tomorrow smoother.

Planning Past the Tricks of Halloween

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year! You get to dress up, - maybe multiple times, - and eat tons of candy (even though you say it’s for the trick-or-treaters). There are several preliminary decisions to make before the fun night.
Costumes. Get your Pinterest skills going, and pick out a costume! Everyone wants to have a creative costume. Consider your favorite TV show characters or a twist on phrases like smarty-pants.

Scheduling hair and makeup appointments. Schedules usually book up quickly so make your appointment a.s.a.p. Check out salons and freelancers in your area; word of mouth is usually pretty key here. Getting assistance with hair and makeup can really up the ante of your entire look!

Decorations. Hopefully you put some decorations up already, but this is your last chance to add those finishing touches. Maybe the Chicago weather will cooperate so you’re not decorating in the freezing cold or rain!

Bringing a dish to a party. If you’re going to a party this weekend and you have to bring a dish, chances are they will have a lot of sweets. Perhaps you have an amazing dessert that is the talk of the party, otherwise consider bringing a fruit or vegetable platter. All that candy and sugar can become a little overwhelming. Whatever it is you decide to bring, set aside time to get to the store to purchase whatever you’ll need.

Leaving candy in a bowl. There’s always going to be a punk neighborhood kid that empties the whole bowl of candy into his bucket. You could leave your candy for your neighbors to pass out, leave the bowl, or not pass out any at all if someone won’t be home. Or, if you need to unload your candy stores on me, I’ll be happy to help you out!

Organizing for National Kitchen and Bath Month

The kitchen and bathroom are the two most frequented rooms in the house. Everyone touches and moves things around, so it can become a little chaotic. Create a system that suits everyone’s schedules, likes, and preferences.


The key to this, though, is having every person within the household contribute to organizing it. This way they will be more likely to keep the system flowing since they know why it was done that way in the first place. Plus, it is more convenient for them.

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For the kitchen:
Start by discarding food that is old and expired, and make a shopping list of what needs to be replaced. Keep items that you want your little ones able to reach on the lower shelves. If there are things you don’t want them getting into, put them on higher shelves out of reach. Give everyone a whole shelf, section of a shelf or a cabinet to keep their food in. If you have multiple children, separate shareables into baggies and label them; everyone gets their share and you don’t get a headache later on.


For the bathroom:
For your cabinets, keep what you most often need towards the front. In households with children, any cleaning solutions should be kept safely guarded from their access. Consider keeping Items that shouldn’t get wet, such as toilet paper, tissues, cotton balls, and feminine products in an enclosed container. This keeps them dry from any sink splashes and humidity from the shower. Also, have a separate container with extras for guests: toothbrushes, toothpaste, facial cleansers, makeup remover pads, shavers, feminine products, contact cases/solution, deodorant.


If you follow these tips, family, roommates, friends, and guests will owe you a huge “Thank you!”

Creating Your Own Organizing Style

Cleanliness and organization have a certain expectation that comes with it. Imagine a clean room. Is it sparse with everything perfectly spaced out? Or, are there lots of things out - yet everything has a place? Everyone’s vision of “clean” is different; there’s nothing wrong with that.
It’s time to let go of the stigma that’s stuck to “clean.” If it’s nearly impossible for you to keep your home or office together, perhaps you need to reevaluate what your idea of organized is. It may look like chaos, but is it organized chaos? There’s a difference between knowing where everything is and your space looking like a magazine photo shoot. Don’t organize in a way that you feel is expected; organize in a way that works best for you.
There is no right and wrong way of organizing. The whole point of it in the first place is to help prevent you from forgetting and losing things; you know where everything is. Stop trying to live up to someone else’s standards!

Corralling Your Memories

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The thing that makes stuff more than… stuff is the sentimental value that’s attached to it. Material possessions are a reminder of a different time that has come to pass; it’s physical evidence of your beautiful memories. But, you can still have those memories without the burden of all those things.

Collect all the things that are memorable: cards, pictures, movie tickets, concert tickets, jewelry... anything else. Pick a box or bin with a lid to store everything in to give yourself a physical limit. Whatever you can fit inside that box is what you’ll keep. Otherwise, you can toss or donate anything else. If there is still something you want to remember, take a picture of it so you can still have that memory without the clutter.

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