Prepare Your Heart and Mind for the Holidays.....November Newsletter Article

There are so many events, tasks, and meals that need planning for the upcoming holidays. Planning now definitely helps, but don't forget to also prepare your mind and spirit.


Many times we feel like we have to recreate something right out of a home magazine. That just isn't realistic. We end up being so busy trying to make everything just right, we miss out on what is going on around us. There are so many "should do's" and obligations floating around in our heads.

Here's a great tip: You don't HAVE to do it all! Make time for those things that are most important to you and your family and cut the rest out!

I have challenge for you.

What if you could go into the holiday season with your heart, spirit, and mind with a new focus - one that wasn't focused on the stress, to-do lists, and busyness? What would that look like to you?

1. Answer the question: What does my calm and spirit focused holiday season look like? Yep, that means writing or typing it. What are those things that cause you stress - can you cut those out?
   
2. What are 3 ways (your action steps) you can make that happen? Write those down, too! They don't have to be big ones. For example, "I will only put up those decorations that I really love", "We will go to 2 holiday gatherings", or "I will let go of perfection."
   
3. Share your actions steps or comments with me other moms!

Click Here to find out how you can get more strategies, tools, and actions plans to help busy moms like you make the most of their time and take back control from the busyness.

For more Works-for-Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

New Baby, New Life

So I've trying to think of a creative way letting my readers know about the arrival of our new baby and at the same time adding some thoughtful organizing tips to go along with it. My brain just is not there yet. So.............

Baby Lia arrived this week. She is dearly loved by her big sister and brother. So much so that I am seriously considering developing "Who Gets to Hold Lia Now" schedule.

From the first day home, I quickly got a taste of what being a mom of 3 (that just sounds strange to hear) will be like.

I realize that this is a major transition period in our lives and so things will seem off balance from time to time as we all adjust (especially my 5 year old son). I anticipate some unnecessary things will fall to the way side and our family priorities will be the focus. - Hey, there's that hidden organizing thought.

We have been blessed.

Moms Rock!

I love working with moms and I enjoy helping them make their daily lives easier and less stressful through the tool of organization. God has given us an awesome responsibility and it's so easy to at times feel caught up and overwhelmed with the every day tasks. I truly believe that organization is tool that can help us so much.

I've recently had the opportunity to get know and work with some great women who took my Paper Organizing for Busy Moms Virtual Workshop. I am always so impressed by their determination and commitment. These women are taking care of their families, working and striving for organization and balance in their lives.

Stuff 2b Organized on Facebook

Become a fan of Stuff 2b Organized

Christmas Cards: Paula's Easy Action Plan

If you have struggled with meeting your goal of sending out Christmas or Holiday cards this year, now is the time to lay out an action plan. I've broken down the steps for you. Start now and do one or two steps a day or a week.

1. Locate the cards/envelopes you will be sending out. Using a photo card? Decide on the picture you would like to use. Even if you will be getting prints made at a later date, you can still complete steps 2-6 in the meanwhile.
2. Compile your list.
3. Determine the date you will be putting the cards in the mail. Put it on your calendar!
4. Create a family letter if you will be including one.
5. Address envelopes. Break it down into smaller batches.
6. Buy stamps before the post office gets super busy.
7. Stamp and send the cards out by your target date.

Why not consider sending cards for Thanksgiving, New Year's or Valentines?

For more Works-for-Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

School Papers Piling Up? 3 Steps to Get Them Organized Today

Now that school is in full swing, are the papers starting to pile up? Use my 3-T Plan™ to sort your mail daily and to get through those growing piles on your kitchen counters, table, and mudroom.

1. Take Out -Get rid of (recycle, shred, throw) the stuff right away that you don't need! That includes junk mail, fliers, the envelopes the stuff comes in, expired coupons and anything else that you don't need in your home sucking up your energy.
2. Take Action - If something requires action from you, pick a time and/or a date that you can do it. Put it on your calendar like you are scheduling an appointment with yourself.
3. Take Back or To File - Got stuff that you have to file or take to another part of the house? Take it there once you are done sorting through the pile.

For more Works-For-Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

Wisconsin BBB Hosts Secure Your ID Day -- ShredFest!

Did you know that most identity theft crimes occur when something containing your personal information is lost or stolen? Protecting yourself from identity theft is in your own hands. If you don't need it, shred it -- responsibly!

This Saturday, October 17th, the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau will be hosting free document shredding at these three locations:

Madison
Anchor Bank - Hilldale Mall Location
302 N. Midvale Blvd.
from 8 am to 10:30 am
Limit of 3 boxes per person, please.

Metro Milwaukee
State Central Credit Union
10015 W. Greenfield Avenue
West Allis, WI 53214
from 8:30 am to 11 am
Limit of 3 boxes per person, please.

Appleton
AnchorBank
1220 W. Northland Ave.
from 8:30 am to 11 am
Limit of 3 boxes per person, please.


~The following info is provided by the WI BBB~

What needs to be shredded?

Canceled checks
Canceled checks with no long-term significance for tax or other purposes can be destroyed after one year. However, canceled checks that support tax returns, such as charitable contributions or tax payments, should be held for at least seven years – long enough to cover the six-year tax assessment period. BBB advises that consumers indefinitely keep any canceled checks and related receipts or documents for a home purchase or sale, renovations or other improvements to owned property, and non-deductible contributions to an Individual Retirement Account.

Deposit, ATM, credit card and debit card receipts
Consumers should save credit, debit, and ATM receipts until the transaction appears on their statement and they have verified that the information is accurate.

Credit card and bank account statements
Credit card and bank account statements with no tax or other long-term significance can be discarded after a year; remaining statements should be kept for up to seven years. If a consumer receives a detailed annual statement, they should keep it and shred the corresponding monthly statements.

Credit card contracts and other loan agreements
Credit card contracts and loan agreements should be kept for as long as the account is active in case the consumer has a dispute with their lender over the terms of the contract.

Documentation of a purchase or sale of stocks, bonds and other investments
Investors should retain documentation of a purchase or sale for as long as they own the investment and then seven years beyond that time. Monthly retirement and monthly investment account statements can be shredded annually after being reconciled with the year-end statement.

Paycheck Stubs
Paycheck stubs can be shredded yearly after the income has been reconciled with a W-2 or other tax forms.

Utility or monthly bills
Monthly bills should be shredded the year after being received by the consumer. This way, if it’s a power bill, for example, consumers can compare this month’s bill to last year’s bill for any major changes before shredding it.

Shred-it Checklist - Don’t just toss it, shred it!

• Documents that include Social Security numbers, birth dates, PIN numbers or passwords
• Banking documents and other financial information
• Leases, contracts or letters that include signatures
• Pre-approved credit card applications
• Medical or dental bills
• Travel itineraries
• Used airline tickets

For more information, visit the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau or find locate your local BBB.

Countdown to Halloween

There are 16 days left until Halloween. Are you prepared? Here are some things to think about to get ready for the spooky day.

Decorations
Gather all your Halloween or Fall decorations. Sort through the items and get rid of any broken pieces. If there are decorations that you aren’t displaying, pass them on or donate them. Now is a great time to weed through your decorations.

It’s always a good idea to do some de-cluttering before putting up the decorations. Here are some past De-cluttering Ideas.

When the season has passed, store your Halloween and Fall decorations together in labeled bins. You might also have your Thanksgiving decorations in the same containers so you can pull those out as you are putting your Halloween themed décor away.

Costumes
Has everyone in your family chosen their costume? Are there items that need to be made or purchased? If you are making the costumes, be sure to give yourself enough time so that you are not sewing on tails as your little creatures are running out the door. You might even want to put a reminder on your calendar for next year to allow time for costume making so you don’t feel rushed.

Treats
What about treats? Will you be handing out candy to the neighborhood goblins? What about small prizes in place of sweet treats, such as pencils, crayon, plastic bugs, etc? Are you contributing to your children’s classroom party? Will you be hosting a scary gathering of your own? What ghostly goodies do you plan to make?

Shopping
If a shopping trip is in order, be sure to make a master list. Make note of the items and the store where they might be located. If your family really loves to celebrate Halloween, it’s also not a bad idea to consider making a budget. It’s so easy to get carried away at the store when you see all the fun stuff but the extras add up fast. Here’s a Simple Halloween Shopping List to help keep it all organized.

For more Works For Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

What Cleaning Routine Works for You?

Cleaning the house. It's one of those jobs that is never done. NEVER. Just like laundry.

Are you looking for some ideas and tools to help you stay on top of this never-ending chore? There are so many different approaches to take. What will work for you will depend on your preferences, schedule and family.

Here some ideas that come to mind:

1. Routines: Create a schedule to tackle the various house cleaning chores. Do a little each day or all of it in one marathon cleaning spree.


2. Daily Maintenance: The clean-as-you go approach.


3. Get the Family Involved: Each member of the household is responsible for specific tasks. Here's a sample of a Simple Chore Chart for Kids - It's what I'm currently using.


4. Make it "Fun!": Here's an idea my mom used when I was growing up. She would make a list of chores, cut the list into strips of papers and each family member randomly picked a task from a hat. Of course my brother and I didn't think it was that fun. Put on some fun music and have a reward for the family when everything is done.

The theme for today over at We Are THAT Family is Cleaning Tips. Check out the other great ideas today!

Feeling Off-Balanced?

What are those things that are most important to you?

Are you satisfied in those areas of your life?

If not, what is one thing you can do today to start making changes?

Time to Get Out the Hats and Mittens

Fall weather is officially here in Wisconsin! I've already sent my kids to school with hats! One of my readers sent me a great reminder to share with everyone.

Becky writes,

With the colder weather approaching we gathered the family last night, pulled out the winter coat, snow pants, hat and mitten bin and went through the whole thing. We basically did an inventory of what fits, what doesn't, and who needs what.

It seems if you want until the snow flies to buy snow pants etc, the stores are already picked over by then. I like to give my business to the local gently-used kids consignment stores, but they are even already starting to get picked over.

Its just a good idea to do your winter-wear inventory NOW, not wait until you are in panic mode!

Thanks Becky! Becky has a couple sites to check out.
Travel Activity Bags For Kids
Lake Area Moms Squad

Organize Your Recipes and Cookbooks in Five Steps.....(October Newsletter Article)

Have your recipes and cookbooks gotten out of control? Do you have good intentions to get them organized but get overwhelmed when you think about it?

Imagine if you could put your hands on the exact recipe you are looking for in seconds!
To help you achieve that goal, I've laid out the 5 steps to get your recipes and cookbooks organized using my STUFF System™.

Sort
Gather all your cookbooks, loose recipes and cooking magazines. Next, start sorting into piles - cookbooks, cooking magazines and loose recipes. Then, sort your loose recipes into piles by the type of dish (desserts, poultry, fish, meat, vegetables, appetizers, etc). Look at a cookbook to get ideas of possible categories ideas.

Take Out
Go through each pile and decide what you will keep and what you will let go. If you are limited on space you'll have to be more selective. If you use just one or a few recipes from each cookbook, consider making a copy of those favorite ones and pass the cookbook on or donate the books to your library.

If you have a collection of cooking magazines taking up lots of space, tear out the recipes you use or would like to try. Recycle the rest of the magazine.

What about all those loose recipes that you've printed from the internet and clipped from magazines? Do you have more than you'll every try? Toss any incomplete or duplicate recipes.

Utilize Your Space and a System
Look at your available space. Where will your cookbooks and recipes live? In the kitchen? On a bookshelf? In a cupboard? In the pantry? Avoid storing them on your countertops.

~Ideas for Your Loose Recipes~
Create your own recipe binder to store your loose recipes. You just need a 3-ring binder, clear page protectors and divider tabs. Lay out your binder just like a cookbook. You've already sorted your recipes into piles - use those categories to label your divider tabs. Then slip the recipes into the clear page protectors. The page protectors also protect the recipes from spills and are easy to wipe clean. Perhaps you can have a section devoted to your family's favorites or a section of new recipes you want to try.

Another idea is to use a portable file box to store your loose recipes. Label each hanging file folder with the categories and slip the recipes behind the appropriate tab.

You may prefer transferring recipes to index cards to store in a recipe box or small plastic photo albums. Here is an example of how I use small photo albums for my favorite recipes. I love using this system because they are always handy.

Fill Containers
Containers keep like items together. Your recipe binder is a container. A recipe box is a container. See how this step and the previous step can go together? Be sure to label your containers.

Follow-Up
Once you have your cookbooks and recipes organized, you'll want to stay on top of them to keep it that way. Be picky about what you keep. If you try a new recipe and it just doesn't work for you family, there's no need to hold onto it anymore. Think before you print and clip! How easy would it be to get those recipes again when you are ready to make them? When you do come across a new recipe on the internet or in a magazine that you want to keep, put it in your binder and on your menu right away.

If you get a new cookbook, is there another one you can part with? Consider utilizing your local library when you're in the mood to try out a new cookbook.

Make it Happen!
Now that you have all the steps, pick a date to start working on your recipes and cookbook organizing project. Do one step at a time. Depending on how much you have, you may have to schedule multiple sessions.

*Holiday Tip* If you will be hosting or attending Holiday gatherings this season, start making your menus now. If you come across a recipe you'd like to try, make a note of it and where it is located.

*Gift Idea* Compile your and your families' favorite recipes, print them so they look nice and compile them into a small photo book. Present them as a gift by itself or in a kitchen theme basket. My Mom did this for my brother and me about 6 years ago. We both cherish that gift of her favorite recipes that she used to make. Every time I make something from that book I think of her and the memories.