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 The world from a short person's POV - not Australia or New Zealand. |
Random thoughts, pointed comments, and whatever else crosses my mind 
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| "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." Mark Twain Here is a good New Year's question for you: How much clutter can pile up when there is the option to hide it? If you are the only one who uses the pantry or laundry room or storage under the stairs do you just toss and cram until nothing else fits or you have to spend most of the day looking for an extra blanket or suitcase? Remember, clutter is clutter no matter where it goes. Maybe you don't have a weekend to dedicate to organizing your closet "again." Or the Konmari Method may not be the one for you if it is hard for you to consider if each item you touch brings you joy, or if you basically have no trouble donating or letting go of items. So what is your particular issue? How do you resist the temptation to purchase all those deep discounted sale items after the holidays? You need more than an organizing plan. You need to take stock of your lifestyle, how you want to live your life. The environment you create in your home, the way you dress (does it have to be the latest, trendy fashion), how you spend your time all contribute to your sense of well being. We all differ in the number of things we need around us and the way they are organized in order to be happy and feel good about ourselves. For me, I need order and calm with a routine that incorporates the regular daily/weekly 'to do's." I like looking at my calendar often to plan and review weekly/monthly activities. I can get very detailed about such things. My husband, not so much. Still, our house/life functions relatively smoothly. People are different. Spend some time and get to know yourself and what is important to you; what makes you happy. Organizing is underrated in the big scheme of things, or is it? If this is always at the bottom of your priorities, think again. In reality, time doesn't get freed up, nothing gets done and you don't find any spare time until you get your life under control. You don't have to be obsessive about having a place for everything and everything in its place or constantly reviewing your schedule or list of "to-dos". You can take minimal steps that will help in a big way. For starters, review your lifestyle and pinpoint what isn't working for you. Now, what do you need to change what isn't working? Do you need to learn to organize (there are a lot of "helps" out there, including my blog)? Do you need to plan better? Why not use a desk calendar with a space for writing down goals and "to-do list." Take a few minutes before going to bed to review these items and write down your plans for the next day. Be sure to plan for long-term events like vacations and recurring payments. Take a good look at all your stuff. Do you really need 20 pairs of shoes and 10 handbags, or 6 sets of dishes or all the magazines you have collected over the last 4 years? What about all the "collectables" from trips or gifts you don't need or use or even like? Pairing down can be a very freeing experience, but more about that later. Here are a few helpful reminders to get you started: Make your bed when you get up. It helps put everything in order and creates a more positive attitude to start your day off right. (Just for fun, pick a positive word for the day; like gratitude, joy, or blessings and use it often, even if just to yourself.) Create zones to maximize space in each area. You need designated areas for things so they don't end up all over. This leads to spaces being minimized rather than maximized. Use appropriate storage containers like the new thin hangers for clothing or containers for specialized items like dishes, trays, etc. It is well worth the money to find the right type of storage container for the items you want to keep. Baskets are always good to keep in the family room or anywhere else items tend to collect. When you straighten the room put miscellaneous items in a basket then help them find their rightful home (family members should help.) Throws or blankets can be folded and kept in a basket. These are quick helps to make a room appear more organized. Yes, enough is enough, even for this blog. I hope you will keep reading and commenting. It is always appreciated. |
| "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe As much as we love our holiday decorations they only stay on display for a while. (I leave some up at least through March since they can also work for winter and Valentine's Day.) How do you store the things you want to save for next year? If your answer involves throwing everything into a box, you might want to re-think your storage strategy. Decorating a Christmas tree is fun until it is time to put everything back in storage. Suggestion: Purchase a container with individual slots for each ornament. You can check out stores like Wal Mart, Home Depot, At Home, Lowes for these. They are relatively inexpensive and make putting decorations away easy. You'll be glad you used them next year when you find all your ornaments unbroken and in one place. Just make sure you consider the shape and size as well as the number of ornaments you need to store when purchasing these boxes. There are stackable ones and ones that fit on a shelve or under a bed, so give some consideration to where you will store them. There are also bags and boxes for holding string lights. These are specifically made to hold lights together in a neat, orderly way. The ones that work like a spool of thread can also be used for garland and tinsel. (If you have cats and/or small children you might want to consider not using tinsel.) And of course, there is the need to store that faux Christmas tree so it can be used next year. The original box they come in really doesn't work long term. Make sure you get the bag large enough for your tree. You may have to do some checking around to find stores that still have these after Christmas. If not in the stores, you may be able to find one on-line. (I have found that you can find almost anything online now.) Gift wrap, whether you are a gift wrap hoarder or just buy a few rolls at the beginning of the season, storing will go much easier when you use a designated storage container. Some even have storage pockets for gift bags, bows, and tissue paper. They can be stored upright, hung in a closet or slid under a bed. Throwing a wreath in a large garbage bag might do the job but a storage container made specifically for wreaths will do a much better job protecting your decor. Wreaths are one of the more expensive holiday decorations so why not store them properly to protect them for use from year to year. What to do with the rest of your holiday decor? Basic plastic storage bins to the rescue. You can even get them big enough to hold deflated yard decorations. It is best if they are clear so you can quickly see what is inside. It is also very helpful to label them, especially if you have someone help you decorate. Make sure you store candles in separate boxes in a cool, dry location that is easy to access if you plan to use them for different occasions. It works better if you plan an hour or so of uninterrupted time to put everything away. This is also a very good time to look at all these decorations and decide what you really want to keep and what you could give away or gift to someone else (especially if they are just starting out.) Sometimes our taste in decor changes or our living/storage space grows smaller or we just get tired of trying to use the same items year after year, right? So now is the time to do the work, declutter and reorganize. HAPPY PACKING, HAPPY NEW YEAR!! |
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Fire dancers!!! Wow! What fun! You really are in Paradise! So happy you for you! 
But I wish I loved it. That would be SO HANDY! So, I've been working on positive self-talk regarding cleaning. I smile when I say these things and I say them out loud if I'm alone or in my head if I'm not. I say things like, "I love to clean. Cleaning is fun. Cleaning makes me happy. I enjoy a tidy space." Blah, blah, blah...
Sure, it's dumb, but if it works, it doesn't matter. 
). 
I'm the prime example of someone who needed her own advice over 40 years ago. 