After many hours of work, I have finally been able to complete a basic website! Many thanks for the insight and support from my good friend Julie, who by the way is an incredible photographer. It is because of her that Hanna wants to be a "photofer" when she grows up! It will have to be one of her many many jobs!!
I am great at organizing, however I am just getting past the 8 ball curve on website design and management. Please bear with me while this is all sorted out in the next few days.
It has been a great learning experience for me and though I am still learning and exploring, would you think I was a bit crazy for saying it has been really fun?
In case this doesn't automatically redirect you, or in the event you are not recieving the updates you have requested, my new website address is:
www.lifeorganizedconsulting.com
Talk soon!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sheds and Other Dreaded Beasts
It's been a long time since my last post. Getting a business off the ground, volunteering at school and being a full time mom and wife is taxing on a person. So I had to take some time for me.
The weekend was warm, so we were outside jumping on the trampoline and taking turns giving Alex wagon rides. Getting the wagon out of the shed was no easy feat. There was spilled grass seed all over, spare tires for the truck, work out equipment and then the outside toys. While the kids were playing with a friend around the yard, I took advantage of the afternoon to pull everything out of the shed and do what I do best: Organize! This was a hands-on, dirty, grimy job; but that is one of the best kind for me. When there is dirt all over my hands and its smudged on my face, when my jeans are dirty and I am hopelessy exhausted I know I have done a good job.
The tires now are at the back of the shed for another day, Chris will have to deal with those. (Tires for a F 150 should anyone be interested in buying them!) The little red tricycle is out for Alex and I adjusted the seat for him. He is still too young to actually pedal right now, but his tiny feet reach the pedals and he absolutely loves the bike. Red seemed like a odd color to buy for Hanna, however I knew the possibility of having a son one day existed. It makes my life less cluttered to have some gender neutral colors around the house. Anyone with children can probably attest to this as well!
The shed and the garage are dumping grounds for anything that we are scared to part with but are not using on a daily basis. Once out in the shed, we forget what is out there. Does this sound familiar to anyone? There are many areas of your house that can potentially be scary to deal with - basements, sheds, garages, the spare room - you know which room it is for your house. With spring upon us, it is a great time to pick a room and go through the contents. Make piles for garbage, recycle, donate, give to friends, etc.
Good Luck, and watch out for mice. They sometimes show up in the strangest places!
The weekend was warm, so we were outside jumping on the trampoline and taking turns giving Alex wagon rides. Getting the wagon out of the shed was no easy feat. There was spilled grass seed all over, spare tires for the truck, work out equipment and then the outside toys. While the kids were playing with a friend around the yard, I took advantage of the afternoon to pull everything out of the shed and do what I do best: Organize! This was a hands-on, dirty, grimy job; but that is one of the best kind for me. When there is dirt all over my hands and its smudged on my face, when my jeans are dirty and I am hopelessy exhausted I know I have done a good job.
The tires now are at the back of the shed for another day, Chris will have to deal with those. (Tires for a F 150 should anyone be interested in buying them!) The little red tricycle is out for Alex and I adjusted the seat for him. He is still too young to actually pedal right now, but his tiny feet reach the pedals and he absolutely loves the bike. Red seemed like a odd color to buy for Hanna, however I knew the possibility of having a son one day existed. It makes my life less cluttered to have some gender neutral colors around the house. Anyone with children can probably attest to this as well!
The shed and the garage are dumping grounds for anything that we are scared to part with but are not using on a daily basis. Once out in the shed, we forget what is out there. Does this sound familiar to anyone? There are many areas of your house that can potentially be scary to deal with - basements, sheds, garages, the spare room - you know which room it is for your house. With spring upon us, it is a great time to pick a room and go through the contents. Make piles for garbage, recycle, donate, give to friends, etc.
Good Luck, and watch out for mice. They sometimes show up in the strangest places!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Life Thoughts
Considering the name of my blog is Life...Organized, I thought it was time we discussed life. Yes being more organized and having less clutter in your home has a direct corelation with your inner feelings and thoughts. However, do you absolutely need to be in control of where every item goes in your house? Can you learn to let go of some things so you can have more of a life?
You certainly can. A friend popped by yesterday and was amazed by all the toys on my living room floor. "You have come a long way Andrea", she said. I remember when this would have never happened." I replied with, "Well, I will pick them up later, what's the point of tidying this room up 20 times in one day." Never ever would I have allowed this 5 years ago. I have been on an amazing journey in the last 5 years of personal growth. Having to pick up the toys constantly was something I did when Hanna was a toddler. Now, I am armed with the knowledge that the toys on my floor do not equal being a "bad mother or bad wife". I have learned to let go, loosen up and just live. If I had to chose spending 10 minutes with my son, teaching him a new sound or the name of something new, or clean up the toys and let him see that cleaning was more important than him; what choice should I make?
You see, children learn from example. You children want to be just like you. Running around the house and always cleaning is NOT how I want to be remembered by my kids, husband or friends. I want to teach them through my actions that spending time with them is the most important priority I have. Yes, we all need to work for a living. And I do believe that when your home is under control and it doesn't look like a tornado just passed through that everything goes a whole lot smoother. Just think for a moment though, if today was your last day, what was more crucial - getting the toys picked up right away so the house was clean, or spending time with someone who loves you?
You certainly can. A friend popped by yesterday and was amazed by all the toys on my living room floor. "You have come a long way Andrea", she said. I remember when this would have never happened." I replied with, "Well, I will pick them up later, what's the point of tidying this room up 20 times in one day." Never ever would I have allowed this 5 years ago. I have been on an amazing journey in the last 5 years of personal growth. Having to pick up the toys constantly was something I did when Hanna was a toddler. Now, I am armed with the knowledge that the toys on my floor do not equal being a "bad mother or bad wife". I have learned to let go, loosen up and just live. If I had to chose spending 10 minutes with my son, teaching him a new sound or the name of something new, or clean up the toys and let him see that cleaning was more important than him; what choice should I make?
You see, children learn from example. You children want to be just like you. Running around the house and always cleaning is NOT how I want to be remembered by my kids, husband or friends. I want to teach them through my actions that spending time with them is the most important priority I have. Yes, we all need to work for a living. And I do believe that when your home is under control and it doesn't look like a tornado just passed through that everything goes a whole lot smoother. Just think for a moment though, if today was your last day, what was more crucial - getting the toys picked up right away so the house was clean, or spending time with someone who loves you?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Let's Get Going!
The sun is shining in the window, the tunes are blaring, and we're ready to rock. The first area of the house you see upon getting in the door is your entry. Other people see it first too, and impressions take just 2 to 8 seconds to form. Be it large or small, there never seems to be enough space in the entry as it gets used by every family member as a dumping ground for absolutely everything - backpacks, laptop cases, shoes, lunch bags, mitts, jackets.....the list goes on and on and on. So let's get going! Most houses have a closet and if it is like mine, the front closet is jammed full and the door doesn't close all the way. That is, mine was like that till yesterday and then it all changed.
I emptied the closet from top to bottom - took my flip flops out (I guess winter really is here) and moved them to the shoe rack in the basement storage room. Hanna had shoes in the closet that were 2 sizes too small and Chris has more shoes than the rest of us put together. Taking precious space in the entry was a shoe rack, and instead of having one shoe rack in the closet and another in the entry; I made space for both inside the closet. The space in the closet where the 2nd shoe rack fit into wasn't being used anyhow, only an umbrella and a pair or two of shoes just thrown in. I went past each hanger and tossed out jackets from the 80's along with the ones that didn't fit right anymore..they must have shrunk in the wash or else we are changing our figures as we age.
The top shelf in the closet had ball caps, cowboy hats, and a motorcycle helmet plus all the odds and ends of "stuff" that just ended up there. It all came out. Now all that rests on the shelf are a couple of frisbees for our dog and a racquetball racquet and balls. Where did all the stuff go you wonder.....well some just went into the garage for another day of organzing but most got put away in the storage room on the shelves. And the rest, well it's garbage day on Thursday!
Now there is space, oh space in the front entry. More than one person can stand there at a time and put on their shoes. And the best part is that when I walked through the door today it felt neat and clean, and ohhh that makes my heart sing. Some flowers on the ledge and its 200% improved. Total length of project 2 hours. Go for it!
I emptied the closet from top to bottom - took my flip flops out (I guess winter really is here) and moved them to the shoe rack in the basement storage room. Hanna had shoes in the closet that were 2 sizes too small and Chris has more shoes than the rest of us put together. Taking precious space in the entry was a shoe rack, and instead of having one shoe rack in the closet and another in the entry; I made space for both inside the closet. The space in the closet where the 2nd shoe rack fit into wasn't being used anyhow, only an umbrella and a pair or two of shoes just thrown in. I went past each hanger and tossed out jackets from the 80's along with the ones that didn't fit right anymore..they must have shrunk in the wash or else we are changing our figures as we age.
The top shelf in the closet had ball caps, cowboy hats, and a motorcycle helmet plus all the odds and ends of "stuff" that just ended up there. It all came out. Now all that rests on the shelf are a couple of frisbees for our dog and a racquetball racquet and balls. Where did all the stuff go you wonder.....well some just went into the garage for another day of organzing but most got put away in the storage room on the shelves. And the rest, well it's garbage day on Thursday!
Now there is space, oh space in the front entry. More than one person can stand there at a time and put on their shoes. And the best part is that when I walked through the door today it felt neat and clean, and ohhh that makes my heart sing. Some flowers on the ledge and its 200% improved. Total length of project 2 hours. Go for it!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Family Meetings
Last night we held our very first family meeting. We talked about school, our holiday plans for this year, work, and anything else that popped into our minds. It felt good to sit on the couch, with our cup of tea or glass of wine and talk as a family unit. We were able to communicate openly what was going on with us as individuals and what we were internally planning for the next months to come.
Keeping your home organized and open communication go hand in hand. What is important to you in life? Family is number one on my list. What about you?
My family needs someone to lead them through each day, and I can do that only when I am calm and at peace with myself. It helps that they know what to expect from me and what I can expect from each member of our family.
In view of that, let's start with a plan for your homes. We will start at the beginning to eliminate clutter and improve family relations. Have a family meeting this week and make a plan. Get a journal or notebook and write down goals for the family, for your home, for you. Keep a list of your accomplishments so you can visualize where you started and see how far you have progressed. This will be a great opportunity to track your growth over the coming months.
Keeping your home organized and open communication go hand in hand. What is important to you in life? Family is number one on my list. What about you?
My family needs someone to lead them through each day, and I can do that only when I am calm and at peace with myself. It helps that they know what to expect from me and what I can expect from each member of our family.
In view of that, let's start with a plan for your homes. We will start at the beginning to eliminate clutter and improve family relations. Have a family meeting this week and make a plan. Get a journal or notebook and write down goals for the family, for your home, for you. Keep a list of your accomplishments so you can visualize where you started and see how far you have progressed. This will be a great opportunity to track your growth over the coming months.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Personal Space
Today I am feeling ready to go. I look around my bedroom, which is always one of the first rooms to get in order. There is a sense of peace and calmness in my room. I usually tackle this room a few times a day (uh husband remember?) so that things can stay in order.
First thing that I do is put away all clothes - clear the floor. Dirty clothes go into the laundry room. Sort them right away, why put off what you can easily do in a few moments? Next, hang and fold all clean clothes. That should semi clean the floor up. Do this every single day.
Make your bed. I do this every morning. My 6 year old daughter makes her own bed as well. My husband, well not so much. I chalk that up to that he's married to me! There should already be some order in your bedroom. Clear the night stands - if there are glasses from water or tea cups, they belong in the kitchen so go put them there. If there is garbage anywhere place in the trash can. Again this is an every day event.
Dusting is not my favorite thing to do. In fact, I really don't care for it too much at all. However, I like the furniture to be dust free - take a damp cloth and wipe it down. Cleaning products are great, however too much product and you will have a build up of it on your furniture. Do this 2-3 times a month, depending on how much dust there is. Vacuum every week. Not so hard and if you are really into cleaning like I am, it can help you unload some stress. Have older kids? Get them to help. There may be complaining at first but what 10 year old doesn't?
My room is done - there is nothing under my bed except for my yoga mat. I pull that out to use it constantly, so to me thats ok. There should be nothing under your bed too.
Now when you are home from work, or pop into your room for a minute during the day and you see the clear room, a sense of peace may wash over you too. I have one more item that I use in my room alot - its an essential oil diffuser. I can change the oils that I diffuse depending on my mood or what I want the room to smell like. Today it is lemon which is fresh, clean and invigorating. A good energy is in the room and inspires me to move onto my next project.
First thing that I do is put away all clothes - clear the floor. Dirty clothes go into the laundry room. Sort them right away, why put off what you can easily do in a few moments? Next, hang and fold all clean clothes. That should semi clean the floor up. Do this every single day.
Make your bed. I do this every morning. My 6 year old daughter makes her own bed as well. My husband, well not so much. I chalk that up to that he's married to me! There should already be some order in your bedroom. Clear the night stands - if there are glasses from water or tea cups, they belong in the kitchen so go put them there. If there is garbage anywhere place in the trash can. Again this is an every day event.
Dusting is not my favorite thing to do. In fact, I really don't care for it too much at all. However, I like the furniture to be dust free - take a damp cloth and wipe it down. Cleaning products are great, however too much product and you will have a build up of it on your furniture. Do this 2-3 times a month, depending on how much dust there is. Vacuum every week. Not so hard and if you are really into cleaning like I am, it can help you unload some stress. Have older kids? Get them to help. There may be complaining at first but what 10 year old doesn't?
My room is done - there is nothing under my bed except for my yoga mat. I pull that out to use it constantly, so to me thats ok. There should be nothing under your bed too.
Now when you are home from work, or pop into your room for a minute during the day and you see the clear room, a sense of peace may wash over you too. I have one more item that I use in my room alot - its an essential oil diffuser. I can change the oils that I diffuse depending on my mood or what I want the room to smell like. Today it is lemon which is fresh, clean and invigorating. A good energy is in the room and inspires me to move onto my next project.
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Beginning...
Welcome to my Blog. Everthing about how I live is organized. My childrens lives are scheduled and structured. My husband is too, although he may not admit it....at first. I have just launched a new career as a Professional Organizer & Consultant and it seems fitting to begin a blog as I embark on this new journey of my life.
Life to me is supposed to be organized. I find when things are not in their place and chaos is all around the house, I in turn have turmoil going on inside of me. From what I have observed over the past years this is true for so many people. The first step seems obvious to me: just get the stuff under control in your house and clean up.
But where to start?
Look around your house. Choose a room or a closet. Take a close look in the closet. Most likely at least half of what is in there is not needed. Items that were bought on a whim, or to fill a void in your heart. Hmmm... There is a connection between how you feel about yourself and where you are in your life and how your home looks.
What I am going to talk about in my blog is this connection and why our emotions play a role in organization. I will also offer my advice and tips for helping you organize your home. I can't wait to get started.
Life to me is supposed to be organized. I find when things are not in their place and chaos is all around the house, I in turn have turmoil going on inside of me. From what I have observed over the past years this is true for so many people. The first step seems obvious to me: just get the stuff under control in your house and clean up.
But where to start?
Look around your house. Choose a room or a closet. Take a close look in the closet. Most likely at least half of what is in there is not needed. Items that were bought on a whim, or to fill a void in your heart. Hmmm... There is a connection between how you feel about yourself and where you are in your life and how your home looks.
What I am going to talk about in my blog is this connection and why our emotions play a role in organization. I will also offer my advice and tips for helping you organize your home. I can't wait to get started.
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