Today I worked with a woman who is soon to be a mom for the third time. She's also in the midst of packing for a move. She's a busy lady! As you can imagine, over the past few months her size and shape has changed, and it will continue to do so for at least another few months (or years). So, how do we pack clothes and separate pieces so she has things to wear now, and can easily find what she can fit comfortably in to when she's unpacking and baby is here?
First, we separate all the clothes she's wearing now and will anticipate wearing in the next six weeks before baby arrives. Thankfully, she's been a mom for quite some time already and has an idea of what her body will do. Those items will stay in the closet and dresser, as she prepares the rest of the home to move.
Next, we go through everything else and divide into three categories:
- Clothes she will likely fit into in a couple months (post-baby, but not exactly at her pre-baby size)
- Clothes she will fit into in about a year (using realistic expectations of what a woman's body will do)
- Clothes to donate (she'll never fit in to or want to wear again)
Now, the actual packing. Clothes that are a year or more away from being worn are packed and sealed into boxes labeled "[Name]'s Clothes." The clothes that will be worn sooner rather than later, are put in to vacuum bags and compressed as much as possible. We label these "Post Baby Clothes." The vacuum bags are useful for reducing space while still allowing the wardrobe to be accessible. Because, who knows how quickly or slowly her body will actually change.
The boxes can be put in out of the way storage after the move, while the sealed bags can be placed closer - the top or bottom of the closet, for example.
Now, the hard part - waiting for baby in a new home!
Summertime Fun
Now that the weather has finally started to feel like summer, let's talk about a few things to organize for the season:
1) Summer clothes: If you keep your seasonal clothes out of your regular dressing area, it's time to swap the sweaters for shorts and tanks. When you do this, try clothes on to make sure they still fit comfortably and are a style you still want to wear. You'll have a better idea of what items you may need to purchase for the season.
2) Check your beauty products: Not only should you check the expiration dates on your sunblock and bug spray, but you may also want to check your make-up (if you wear any). If your skin tone is anything like mine, you get a bit tan in the summer. That means my cover-up/foundation/powder changes. When I swap these out (once I've finally gotten some color on my face!), I check the consistency, smell and date on the package.
3) Clean and make accessible summer kitchen items: Items for picnics, eating on the patio, taking snacks to the park/pool/beach and so on may have been in storage for quite a few months. Rinse out any dust and set them near the front of your cabinet.
4) Check outdoor toys: Do you have bubbles, chalk, bike pump and basketball hoop at the ready? Peruse the garage or shed to dust off toys and tools for the yard. Check the air in balls and tires.
5) Enjoy yourself. In the Midwest, these summer months seem to rush by much more quickly than the snowy, wet months. Put on those shorts and sunblock, and hit the beach with your picnic basket!
1) Summer clothes: If you keep your seasonal clothes out of your regular dressing area, it's time to swap the sweaters for shorts and tanks. When you do this, try clothes on to make sure they still fit comfortably and are a style you still want to wear. You'll have a better idea of what items you may need to purchase for the season.
2) Check your beauty products: Not only should you check the expiration dates on your sunblock and bug spray, but you may also want to check your make-up (if you wear any). If your skin tone is anything like mine, you get a bit tan in the summer. That means my cover-up/foundation/powder changes. When I swap these out (once I've finally gotten some color on my face!), I check the consistency, smell and date on the package.
3) Clean and make accessible summer kitchen items: Items for picnics, eating on the patio, taking snacks to the park/pool/beach and so on may have been in storage for quite a few months. Rinse out any dust and set them near the front of your cabinet.
4) Check outdoor toys: Do you have bubbles, chalk, bike pump and basketball hoop at the ready? Peruse the garage or shed to dust off toys and tools for the yard. Check the air in balls and tires.
5) Enjoy yourself. In the Midwest, these summer months seem to rush by much more quickly than the snowy, wet months. Put on those shorts and sunblock, and hit the beach with your picnic basket!
When I Don't Have Any Motivation Left
Half of my job is keeping you motivated to continue or finish the project at hand. I keep us on track, pulling you back from whatever distraction has walked across our organized path. But, what happens when I'm not around? I often assign homework to be tackled in between appointments. How best to keep yourself from sitting down and watching more Netflix? Well, actually...just that.
Reward yourself, in small ways, for a job well done. Reinvigorate yourself and get a burst of energy, no matter how small it may be. Create a plan that includes increments of success: first, clear the bookshelf, then the desk top, then the desk drawers, then the pile of papers on the floor next to the desk, etc. After each step is tackled, you'd ideally move on to the next. But, if you're already fatigued and distracted, do one of these things:
1) Have a bathroom break. Seriously. Even if you don't need to use the facilities, brush your teeth. Wash your hands. Splash some water on your face. All will give you a quick little lift.
2) Have a small snack. My sister, a dietitian, would say something like grapes and almonds. That would be awesome. But, if it happens to be a couple cookies, I'm in no way going to judge. (Because cookies are the best).
3) Dance break! I'll be honest; I've never done this with a client. But, I do it at home, by myself far more often than I should probably admit. One or two songs is enough time to give you a break, dance out your frustration, and jump right back into organizing, without tiring yourself out. If dancing is not your thing, try walking around the block once or twice or some jumping jacks.
4) Watch a couple minutes of TV. As in, from one commercial break to the next. Watching something without commercials? Set a timer for no more than 7 minutes. Your reward to is to watch more after each step in your organizational plan.
5) Call a friend. Start the conversation by saying it's a quick call. You're just taking a break from organizing and need to not make decisions or move piles around for 5 minutes. Should you feel compelled, ask him/her to call back at a certain time to make sure you've finished the project.
Reward yourself, in small ways, for a job well done. Reinvigorate yourself and get a burst of energy, no matter how small it may be. Create a plan that includes increments of success: first, clear the bookshelf, then the desk top, then the desk drawers, then the pile of papers on the floor next to the desk, etc. After each step is tackled, you'd ideally move on to the next. But, if you're already fatigued and distracted, do one of these things:
1) Have a bathroom break. Seriously. Even if you don't need to use the facilities, brush your teeth. Wash your hands. Splash some water on your face. All will give you a quick little lift.
2) Have a small snack. My sister, a dietitian, would say something like grapes and almonds. That would be awesome. But, if it happens to be a couple cookies, I'm in no way going to judge. (Because cookies are the best).
3) Dance break! I'll be honest; I've never done this with a client. But, I do it at home, by myself far more often than I should probably admit. One or two songs is enough time to give you a break, dance out your frustration, and jump right back into organizing, without tiring yourself out. If dancing is not your thing, try walking around the block once or twice or some jumping jacks.
4) Watch a couple minutes of TV. As in, from one commercial break to the next. Watching something without commercials? Set a timer for no more than 7 minutes. Your reward to is to watch more after each step in your organizational plan.
5) Call a friend. Start the conversation by saying it's a quick call. You're just taking a break from organizing and need to not make decisions or move piles around for 5 minutes. Should you feel compelled, ask him/her to call back at a certain time to make sure you've finished the project.
Books!
A lot of people have a lot of books. It seems like an innocuous thing to have around the house: a small little thing that can sit on a shelf out of the way. A sign of knowledge or a good story. Or, both. The problem is, especially in the digital age we live in, those books tend to stack up and weigh down those shelves. They collect dust after months or years of never being picked up. So, let's reassess the situation.
1) Can you get this information somewhere else? The Internet is an endless supply of...well, everything. And, don't forget your local library and it's fabulous resources. Oh, and by the way, do you read everything on a tablet or e-reader now?
2) Does this book actually belong to someone else? People borrow and loan books all the time. Borrowed a book? Return it!
3) Did you like what the book had to say? Terrible story: donate it. Outdated information: donate it. Topic you no longer want to read about: donate it.
4) Is it awkward to store or ugly-ing up your room? Big books, misshapen books, books that are falling apart. These might not be worth the trouble of finding an appropriate spot to keep.
5) Is it more important to keep this book than the value of either storing something else there or enjoying the open space? That's the most important question to ask yourself.
1) Can you get this information somewhere else? The Internet is an endless supply of...well, everything. And, don't forget your local library and it's fabulous resources. Oh, and by the way, do you read everything on a tablet or e-reader now?
2) Does this book actually belong to someone else? People borrow and loan books all the time. Borrowed a book? Return it!
3) Did you like what the book had to say? Terrible story: donate it. Outdated information: donate it. Topic you no longer want to read about: donate it.
4) Is it awkward to store or ugly-ing up your room? Big books, misshapen books, books that are falling apart. These might not be worth the trouble of finding an appropriate spot to keep.
5) Is it more important to keep this book than the value of either storing something else there or enjoying the open space? That's the most important question to ask yourself.
Declutter Drive Thru!
As you may or may not know, I'm currently the president of the local chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), known as NAPO-Chicago.
Annually, we host a Declutter Drive Thru for the public. This free event is open to anyone and everyone this coming Saturday, May 2. You can simply drive through the MB Financial parking lot at the corner of Damen Avenue and Irving Park Road in Chicago and drop off donations, electronics, shredding, recycling and almost anything else you can think of!
I will be there the whole time and look forward to seeing you there!
Annually, we host a Declutter Drive Thru for the public. This free event is open to anyone and everyone this coming Saturday, May 2. You can simply drive through the MB Financial parking lot at the corner of Damen Avenue and Irving Park Road in Chicago and drop off donations, electronics, shredding, recycling and almost anything else you can think of!
I will be there the whole time and look forward to seeing you there!
Tax Day!!!
Today's the day - taxes are due!
Well, that is, if you were prepared enough to get them in on time.
I've written about tax time prep in the past, so I don't want to repeat myself. Check it out - Prepping for Tax Time!
But, the short of it is this: If you didn't need that paperwork for taxes, you really don't need to keep it. If you did need it for taxes, keep a copy - whether digital or paper.
Now, go celebrate, taxes are done for a whole year!
Well, that is, if you were prepared enough to get them in on time.
I've written about tax time prep in the past, so I don't want to repeat myself. Check it out - Prepping for Tax Time!
But, the short of it is this: If you didn't need that paperwork for taxes, you really don't need to keep it. If you did need it for taxes, keep a copy - whether digital or paper.
Now, go celebrate, taxes are done for a whole year!
On Multitasking
"In an attempt to keep up, doing two things at the same time became a popular strategy. People figured that if they could physically do it, they could mentally do it as well. This has proved to be false. We don't have two brains that work independently; we have two hemispheres of one brain that work in unison." - Harold Taylor
Multitasking sounds ideal, doesn't it? Get two or three things done in the time it takes to do one of them alone? What's not to like? Turns out, it's not that easy.
A study discussed on NPR, "Think You're Multitasking? Think Again," tells us what's really happening in your brain when you think you're doing tons of things at once. Instead of having multiple things going at the same time in your brain, different parts of your brain are actually switching from topic to topic - action to action. They are not, in fact, happening at the same time, but rather occurring in short bursts of one task, switching to another, and back again. In turn, that means we tend to be less successful at both tasks. The opposite of what our goal probably is.
Even more upsetting is a study found in Forbes, "Multitasking Damages Your Brain and Your Career, New Studies Suggest." Here we find that this constant switching from task to task lowers our IQ at that moment in time.
Wait, what?
Yep, multitasking makes us dumber. Literally. Because of the constant switching, researchers have shown that the average IQ drops to that of someone who has not slept all night or partaken in drug use - generally landing somewhere around the IQ of an eight year old. My guess is that none of us would feel particularly on our game in that case. Now, the study doesn't actually prove that multitasking damages the brain, but it can show that constant multitasking results in smaller brain density.
So, what's a busy person to do? Take a deep breath. Power through one thing before moving on to the next. Occasionally, we all multitask. Just try not to get too distracted and make a habit of it.
Multitasking sounds ideal, doesn't it? Get two or three things done in the time it takes to do one of them alone? What's not to like? Turns out, it's not that easy.
A study discussed on NPR, "Think You're Multitasking? Think Again," tells us what's really happening in your brain when you think you're doing tons of things at once. Instead of having multiple things going at the same time in your brain, different parts of your brain are actually switching from topic to topic - action to action. They are not, in fact, happening at the same time, but rather occurring in short bursts of one task, switching to another, and back again. In turn, that means we tend to be less successful at both tasks. The opposite of what our goal probably is.
Even more upsetting is a study found in Forbes, "Multitasking Damages Your Brain and Your Career, New Studies Suggest." Here we find that this constant switching from task to task lowers our IQ at that moment in time.
Wait, what?
Yep, multitasking makes us dumber. Literally. Because of the constant switching, researchers have shown that the average IQ drops to that of someone who has not slept all night or partaken in drug use - generally landing somewhere around the IQ of an eight year old. My guess is that none of us would feel particularly on our game in that case. Now, the study doesn't actually prove that multitasking damages the brain, but it can show that constant multitasking results in smaller brain density.
So, what's a busy person to do? Take a deep breath. Power through one thing before moving on to the next. Occasionally, we all multitask. Just try not to get too distracted and make a habit of it.
Magazines and Catalogs
First thing's first: gather them up from all over the house into one gigantic pile!
Second, like any other organizing project, separate into categories. If you have tons and tons, start with magazine vs. catalog. If it's just a medium sized stack, separate out by publication. For example, People Magazine in one pile, Better Homes & Gardens in another and Hammacher Schlemmer in a third.
Now, address a pile at a time. Let's start with catalogs. Decide if it's a catalog you'd actually want to order something from. If the answer is no, recycle all of it's issues. If you would order something, keep the most current and recycle the rest.
Do a similar sort for magazines: Keep the most current issues or two, at most, of a magazine you'd actually want to read. Recycle the rest; recycle all magazines you'd never read.
Try to keep the keepers in an area you will be able to see and remember to peruse them.
Most importantly, unsubscribe from the publications that you don't even want to enter your home. You can certainly contact the publisher directly, but that will take some time. Consider using a website like Catalog Choice to mass unsubscribe from many different publications.
I Want in Your Drawers!
(Not those drawers!)
Everyone has a junk drawer. The goal is to make sure every drawer you have isn't a junk drawer.
We store all kinds of things in drawers - silverware, utensils, pens, rubber bands, stamps, bookmarks, twist-ties, menus, straws, matches.....the list just keeps going. How can we make some sense of it all?
First, take it all out of there! As you pull things out, set them on the counter in categories (all those things I just listed). Wipe out the drawer now that it's empty. Take a look at those categories. Do you want all the items in each pile? Pull things out for trash and donation. Now, ask yourself if any of these piles belong some place else. Do you have tons of office supplies from the drawer that belong in your home office? Have you found Legos that belong in the toy box? Beauty products that should go back to the bathroom? Set those items aside to deliver to their homes after you're done with the drawers (Don't risk the distraction of walking away in the middle of a project!).
From what you've got left, set the drawer up so categories stay separated and easy to grab. Dividers don't have to be fancy. This drawer perfectly fit some used Amazon boxes!
Sometimes, it's easier to contain all the items in the drawers and place the containers inside the drawer. Like here, with tube-shaped containers to hold markers, pencils and more supplies for crafts:
I also like this photo from Buzzfeed. It shows a deep drawer, popular in kitchens with newer construction. These deep drawers are great for casserole dishes and pots and pans, but can be a challenge for silverware. This a is a great solution: turn the silverware to stand tall, divide and conquer!
What solutions have you found for your drawers?
Everyone has a junk drawer. The goal is to make sure every drawer you have isn't a junk drawer.
We store all kinds of things in drawers - silverware, utensils, pens, rubber bands, stamps, bookmarks, twist-ties, menus, straws, matches.....the list just keeps going. How can we make some sense of it all?
First, take it all out of there! As you pull things out, set them on the counter in categories (all those things I just listed). Wipe out the drawer now that it's empty. Take a look at those categories. Do you want all the items in each pile? Pull things out for trash and donation. Now, ask yourself if any of these piles belong some place else. Do you have tons of office supplies from the drawer that belong in your home office? Have you found Legos that belong in the toy box? Beauty products that should go back to the bathroom? Set those items aside to deliver to their homes after you're done with the drawers (Don't risk the distraction of walking away in the middle of a project!).From what you've got left, set the drawer up so categories stay separated and easy to grab. Dividers don't have to be fancy. This drawer perfectly fit some used Amazon boxes!
Sometimes, it's easier to contain all the items in the drawers and place the containers inside the drawer. Like here, with tube-shaped containers to hold markers, pencils and more supplies for crafts:
I also like this photo from Buzzfeed. It shows a deep drawer, popular in kitchens with newer construction. These deep drawers are great for casserole dishes and pots and pans, but can be a challenge for silverware. This a is a great solution: turn the silverware to stand tall, divide and conquer!
What solutions have you found for your drawers?
Improvising
Sometimes I walk in to a project that seems like it just can't be finished...yet.
For example, earlier this week, I was helping a new home owner unpack and settle in to her new place. We started with the kitchen, which was spacious and appeared to have more than enough room to store her dishes, pots and gadgets. The kitchen included a large pantry to house all the food items, as well.
However, a couple boxes in, we realized something. Some construction was still going on in the home - just little things. Knobs being added, switch plates screwed on and a couple doors to attach were still on the to-do list. Unfortunately, this included the shelving to go in the pantry.
Now, I don't know about you, but I love food. Eating it. Preparing it. And, I'd like to think my client would also enjoy having access to her food stuffs.
So, I improvised. We had plenty of packing boxes that would otherwise just be broken down and taken out to the alley to recycle. So, I made them into temporary storage cubes.
While unpacking, we also found a couple stacking shelves from the previous home that were no longer needed anywhere in the new home. They fit perfectly in between the stacked boxes. They also provided some support for the cardboard on the sides of the lower boxes, making the entire system a little more reliable.
No need to go out and purchase something for a temporary fix. No need to leave all the food just stacked on the floor or still packed away in boxes. And, in the long run, it allowed my client to get a better idea of what categories of food for which she will need permanent storage in the pantry. The good news is, she'll still have more than enough space to store what she wants.
For example, earlier this week, I was helping a new home owner unpack and settle in to her new place. We started with the kitchen, which was spacious and appeared to have more than enough room to store her dishes, pots and gadgets. The kitchen included a large pantry to house all the food items, as well.
However, a couple boxes in, we realized something. Some construction was still going on in the home - just little things. Knobs being added, switch plates screwed on and a couple doors to attach were still on the to-do list. Unfortunately, this included the shelving to go in the pantry.
Now, I don't know about you, but I love food. Eating it. Preparing it. And, I'd like to think my client would also enjoy having access to her food stuffs.So, I improvised. We had plenty of packing boxes that would otherwise just be broken down and taken out to the alley to recycle. So, I made them into temporary storage cubes.
While unpacking, we also found a couple stacking shelves from the previous home that were no longer needed anywhere in the new home. They fit perfectly in between the stacked boxes. They also provided some support for the cardboard on the sides of the lower boxes, making the entire system a little more reliable. No need to go out and purchase something for a temporary fix. No need to leave all the food just stacked on the floor or still packed away in boxes. And, in the long run, it allowed my client to get a better idea of what categories of food for which she will need permanent storage in the pantry. The good news is, she'll still have more than enough space to store what she wants.
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