Zero Clutter Week! Getting Ready for Summer Break

Summer break starts in less than 2 weeks! Some of you are already there. My family had a great and busy Memorial Day weekend and now I have this urge to get the house, calendar and my mind prepared for summer. I'm planning ahead and tackling the clutter around here before the kids get out of school. I want a clean plate and a fresh start with ZERO CLUTTER!

1. I'm going to finish up those projects on my to do list. First up, uploading my family photos to my online photo book for the year 2010. I like to work on this month by month and well, I got a little behind.
2. I want to clean off the refrigerator. Stuff gets piled on top, stuck on the front and WOW - the dust is thick! I'm also going to clean out the refrigerator. This job isn't so tough because I try keep on top of it whenever I do a big grocery store trip but could use a good cleaning.
3. The paper clutter is going to be eliminated! OK, I cheated and did a majority of this last week when I cleaned out my files and went through the school papers and artwork (when the kids were at school). But, I do have a few loose ends to take care of. My June newsletter comes out this week and this month's article focuses on getting those school papers organized.
4. I'm returning phone calls and getting in touch with friends and family. Of course my friends and family are NOT clutter, but I have a pretty lengthily list of calls I would like to make and I have some down time this week to get back in touch with those important people in my life.
5. Summer activities will be finalized. I'm taking care of the registrations for my kids' summer activities and camps. I'm also getting everything on the calendar, even the 2010-2011 school calendar! I know my husband and I will be looking forward to a few date nights alone so we are picking some dates now and making arrangements. I want to be clear that I am careful not to over schedule; I need to be sure to protect our free time. I prefer last minute spontaneous get-togethers with friends over scheduled events.
6. I'm taking a break from Facebook this week. I realized a while ago that this technology has its positives and negatives for me. I spend way too much time checking Facebook and I have fallen into the trap of "feeling busy" with all the energy I have put forth. Once I realized that I had time for that but not to give #4 my attention, it was an ah-ha moment. Please note: my blog post automatically get posted to my Stuff 2b Organized Fan page so I'm not really breaking my 5 day hiatus already. :)

ZERO CLUTTER.....It feels so good!

Prepare Your Home for the Holidays: 4 Tasks You Can Do Now To Ease The Stress Later

Home Week

Previously, I talked about how it was important to prepare you heart for the Holidays. This month I'm touching on how you can prepare you home. Planning ahead and getting your home in shape before the heart of the busy Holiday season arrives can help to reduce some of the stress. I cover four areas that can be tackled early on.

Declutter
Take time before you put up your holiday decorations to spend time decluttering your living spaces. Grab a box and walk through one room at a time. Gather items that belong elsewhere and return those items to their homes. Use another box or container to gather items that can be donated. Have a trash bag close by to toss the unwanted stuff. It's much easier and more enjoyable to decorate a space that has been decluttered.

Cleaning
Make a list of cleaning tasks you would like done. Perhaps you can list them for each room of the house. Don't forget to give yourself a deadline. Do a little each day or week. Remember the refrigerator and oven. It's also a good idea to schedule the carpet cleaning or cleaning services. Read more on Holiday cleaning HERE.

Linens and Bedding
If you are going to be hosting dinners, gatherings or houseguests, take care of the linens and bedding ahead of time. Are the table clothes, napkins, guest towels and bedding all laundered and in good shape? Don't leave these for last minute surprises and last minute stress.

Stock the Pantry
Why not make sure your have all the necessities and basics on hand now? What baking supplies, beverages and nonperishable food items do you need? Take some time to make a shopping list before you go to the store to avoid multiple time-wasting trips.

Don't wait until the last minute to do everything. Start now and do a little as you go. Too often holiday stress is caused by doing so much in a small window of time. Stick to those tasks that support the focus and spirit of your family's Holiday season.

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

Check out more Countdown to Christmas organizing tips and ideas.

Countdown to Christmas: Home Week

This is my third week of Countdown To Christmas and it's Home Week and I'll be focusing my organizing tips around decluttering, cleaning and decorating.

I like to plan ahead and getting our home into shape before the heart of the busy Holiday season arrives. This allows me to get many tasks around the house out of the way early on. This helps to reduce some of the stress because I'm not rushed trying to get everything done at the last minute. I'm able to focus my energies on those things that are important to me and my family, like reflecting on the gift of Jesus, enjoying time with friends and watching a few Christmas movies.

The first task for me this week is to make a list of the cleaning tasks that need to be done by Friday before our guests arrive on Saturday. Then, I'll decide when I'll do each task. It does no good to make a to-do list without determining the when. I'll also be sure to enlist the help of family members.

I'm going to break my cleaning tasks down by room. Here's my Simple Household Cleaning Checklist. You can also organizing your cleaning by tasks (vacuum, dust, windows, etc).

So this week I'll do the Big Clean and maintain that throughout the month.

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.

Quick Organizing: Fast De-Cluttering

Do you feel like you just don't have a lot time to devote to organizing? No problem! You can schedule mini organizing session to tackle small projects.

I've come up with 8 simple home organizing projects that you can do in 20 minutes or less. I'll be sharing these quick projects with you during the next few weeks.

Project #3

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Next, grab a box and fill it with all the stuff hanging out in your kitchen that doesn't belong there. Then, return items to their homes. If you come across something that you are holding onto "just in case", get rid of it. If you come across an item that you are just not sure what to do with, start asking yourself questions.

1 - Do I need this?

2 - Do I have a use for this?

3 - Is this something someone else can use?

*Repeat Quick Organizing Project #3 in your mudroom, entryway and laundry room.

See past Quick Home Organizing Ideas.

5 Organizing Tips to Beat the Mail Monster: June Newsletter

It's another Works-For-Me Wednesday! Stop over at We Are THAT Family for more tips and ideas.

The daily mail - Do you dread it? Do you pile it? Do you avoid it? It must be dealt with or it will take over your counters, suck up your important papers and drain your energy every time you look at the piles.

Here are 5 tips that will help you beat that mail monster.

Tip # 1: Develop a Routine. Pick a time of the day that you can devote to sorting through the mail. This should take you about 5 minutes. Is there a time that you are not distracted? What about getting up 15 minutes earlier than the kids? Or, are you a night person that gets stuff done after everyone else is asleep?

Tip #2: Designate a Spot. Do you have one spot that the mail goes to when it comes into your house? Or, do you just set it down anywhere? Picking a home for the mail keeps you from searching and saying, "I know I just saw that somewhere." Of course my favorite and effective system is a Household Action Center. Have a recycling bin close by!

Tip # 3: Make Decisions. Barbara Hemphill, Author of Taming the Paper Tiger, says "clutter is postponed decisions." Most likely, those piles of paper and mail are sitting there because you haven't made decisions on those items yet. During my Paper Organizing for Busy Moms workshop, I teach my 3-T Plan™ and you can use this to sort your mail daily and to get through those old 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, flyers, 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.

Tip #4: Follow-Up. Yes, you have to continue dealing with mail on a regular basis. If you deal with your incoming mail and papers on a daily basis, it's much easier and less time consuming.

Tip #5: Eliminate What You Can. Think of ways you can keep that paper from ever entering your home. Are you taking advantage of paperless statements through email? What about online bill paying? Are you finding that you just don't have time to read all the magazines and newspapers you get? Should you eliminate some of those subscriptions? Visit the Federal Trade Commission website for more information on opting out of receiving unwanted solicitations.

If you are ready to take control of the mail, start from this point going forward. Then, go back through the old piles bit by bit. Set and reach mini goals. Set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes chunks. Focus on one pile or area at a time. You'll be amazed at how much you can get through in a short amount of time. You can make the decision to beat the mail monster!

If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter PLUS my special guides, 5 Must-Know Organizing Tips for Moms and the Clutter-Free Gift Giving Guide, just sign up on the right sidebar or click here.

Daily Household Clutter: 4 Secrets to Take Control (May Newsletter)

It's a familiar story. Our days are often filled with busyness. There are appointments to get to, places to take the kids, phone calls and emails to return, volunteer responsibilities to fulfill, job duties to stay on top of, shopping to do, and the list goes on. Many Moms ask me, "How am I supposed to find time to tackle the everyday clutter that seems takes over my home in just a blink of an eye?" You can do it.

Here are my four secrets to taking control of the clutter in your home. For more Works for Me Wednesday tips and ideas visit We Are THAT Family.

1. Stop and breathe. You can only do one thing at a time. Remember, your job is never done. There will always be something you have to do. However, you can prioritize. Ask yourself, "What needs to be done now?" and focus on that one task.
2. Be aware of the to-do list trap. To-do lists don't make us productive. What they are great for is to help us remember what it is we want to do. But, you also have to consider when you're going to do a task and how long it will take. If you are just adding items to your list in hopes that everything will find a way to get done, you might be setting yourself up for failure.
3. Do a quick sweep. Go through each room, one at a time, with a basket or box. Collect those items that do not belong in that room. Deliver the items back to their homes. Get the family involved by having each member put their own belongings away.
4. Work in follow-up time into your daily routine. Follow-up is the fifth step of my organizing process, the STUFF System™ (Sort, Take Out, Utilize a System, Fill Containers and Follow Up). When you get a space organized, it will always require follow-up. The more you use a space, the more maintenance it will demand. The time that you invest daily in your follow-up is nothing compared to the time you will regain.

You might also have to consider cutting one or two items out of your calendar. If you are feeling overwhelmed and supper busy, that's a clue that something has to go. Remember, one thing at a time. Clutter is something that takes its claim on a space quickly, but you can take back control and stay on top of it.

P.S. The kitchen counter is often the biggest clutter spot in most homes. If you are ready to get rid of those piles of paper once and for all, I can help. I have developed my successful Virtual Paper Organizing Workshop for Busy Moms and have set the date for the next class. Can't wait until September? I will do private classes for you and 5 of your friends. Just contact me for more information.

Need Some Extra Cash? Declutter!

Could you use a little spending money? What about uncluttering? Go through your house, room by room, and collect those items that you could stand to part with.

Ask yourself questions:

1. Do I need this?


2. Do I use this?


3. Do I have another one of this?


4. What would happen if I got rid of this?


5. Could someone else use this?


6. When is the last time I used this?


7. Do I or someone else in this home love this?

Having less stuff can be freeing, not just in space but in energy. Face it, the more stuff you have, the more you have to take care of. If you are overwhelmed by the clutter - eliminate some of it and regain some money while you're at it.

1. Hold a rummage sale with a friend.


2. Sell items on eBay or Craig's List.


3. Take items to a consignment shop.


4. Swap items with friends (this works great with clothing).