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Book Club: 3 Self Improvement Books to Read Through Winter

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Books, Goals — No Comments ↓

After the holiday rush is over, and goals are set for the year, it is time to decompress a bit (hopefully!). The long winter months of New England tend to incite a longing to curl up with a good book. I don’t know about you but there is nothing like being able to sip a cup of tea, wrapping myself in a blanket and really diving into a book on a snowy day.

I also find that this is the perfect time to embark on reading self-improvement books that align with your 2017 goals. What better way to garner inspiration and motivation!

Here are a few self-improvement books that you may find hard to put down once you start reading.

  1. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. If your primary goal centers on your career, this may be a good book for you. Lean In examines women’s leadership roles, and really empowers women to achieve their full potential. This book came out of a powerful TED talk she gave in 2010. Learning to advocate for yourself is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your career.
  1. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. If your goal focuses on finding more happiness in your life, this book is for you. Rubin spent a year digging into scientific research and conventional wisdom to find what truly makes people happy. She found that ‘novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference’. This book will help you find what really matters to you, and uncover that joy missing in your day-to-day life.
  1. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown. “You are enough!” This is one of the great takeaways from this book. Brown encourages us to really dig deep into our minds, hearts, and spirits to discover how to be comfortable in our own skin. In my opinion, once you can be truly yourself, the rest will fall into place.

These are the books on my radar. What books are you cozying up with this winter?

Photo: amazon.com

Do or Don’t – Creating a cleaning schedule

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Bathroom, Bedroom, Home Improvement, Kitchen, Laundry, Time Management — No Comments ↓

Let’s talk about cleaning. Few people love to clean (unless you’re one of those people who find it therapeutic!). And the last thing you want to schedule time for is CLEANING. Scheduling social activities is fun. Scheduling time to clean…not so fun! But in my opinion, it has to be done.

Who remembers their grandmother’s cleaning schedule? My grandmother used to clean various parts of her house on specific days of the week. My own mother picks one day a week to do all her laundry. On that day of the week, she changes her sheets and towels as well.

In theory, it is helpful to have a cleaning schedule. Whether it’s scheduling a day for different rooms, or doing it all at once.

If you can determine what areas of your house need a weekly cleaning – the bathroom and kitchen, for example – then the next step is to pick a day of the week that you know you can commit to cleaning that room or rooms. The other cleaning tasks would need to be put in your schedule for either a weekly or bi-weekly task.

For some busy people, doing the entire cleaning from top to bottom or from right to left is much easier to tackle. Personally, it’s more effective for me to clean the entire house at once. The one exception is with laundry. This is a task that I maintain throughout the week.

The bottom line is that you have to form a cleaning schedule that works for you and your home! What works best for you?

Photo: Real Simple

Tip Tuesday: Three Things Organized People Do Every Day

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Goals, Home Improvement — No Comments ↓

Living an organized life is a daily practice. Trust me. It’s a dedicated lifestyle! Like exercising or eating healthy, being organized requires persistence and a strong mental game. It’s hard at first, but once you get into a routine, it all falls into place. Below are three tips to help you on your way to a more organized new year.

  1. Make downsizing a daily activity. If you open a cupboard or drawer to grab an item, and have to move tons of stuff to get to what you want, it might be time to re-evaluate that space. Do you really need six spatulas? Can 2 suffice? Think of all the time you will save when you can grab it easily and have a home for it upon its return!
  1. Restoring the room to its original look. When you enter an organized room, leave the room in its original condition. For example, take the living room. You grab a blanket from the basket, and pick up the remote from the side table. Instead of leaving the blanket and remote on the couch, put the items back! Restoring order is a maintenance task that few love to do but it can’t be done without you and your commitment.
  1. Forget perfectionism. Life gets busy and sometimes complicated. Even the most organized person can fall off track. However, having systems and established homes in place allow order to be restored faster than you can imagine. Cut yourself a break. Your home doesn’t have to look like a museum or a page out of a design magazine. You need to feel comfortable and ok with whatever your definition of organized means. From my perspective, it’s being able to find what I need, when I need it, and enjoying my home and life without being OCD.

Practicing these three, simple tasks every day can truly lead you on the path to a more organized life. What are some ways that you maintain order in your life?

Photo: Kaboompics.com

Purge! 3 Things to Purge from Your Bedroom

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Bedroom — No Comments ↓

 

Your bedroom is supposed to be your sanctuary, right? Take a look around. Does your room give off that calm feeling when you walk into your room? Is it clutter free and serene? Your room is for sleeping, rest and relaxation, so if you feel stressed by simply looking around your room, it’s time for a change. Below is a list of what to purge to restore a sense of calm in your bedroom.

  1. Technology – Most of us are guilty of having your smart phones next to our bed. You may use it as your alarm; however having that possible interruption of a text message or an alert coming in while you are sleeping in a dark room is anything but restful. If you must have your phone in your bedroom, make sure it is set to silent mode and more than ten feet away from your bed. Also, be sure to turn it upside down in case you do get a text. Better yet, can you put it in your bathroom or out of your room? Best option, buy an alarm clock and leave your phone out of the room! By doing this, you’ll sleep better and wake up rested.
  1. Old books & magazines – Are there books and magazines in your bedroom collecting dust? It’s time to move the books to storage and get rid of the old magazines. It’s best to only keep magazines in your bedroom if you really read them there. If not, move them out to create a less cluttered look. Now, look around for books that you have already read. Donate them to your local library or charity, or store them in your library.
  1. Jewelry – What a great project to tackle this winter! I am sure you have costume jewelry that is just sitting around that you don’t like or wear anymore. Pass it on to your daughter, or donate it. If you have fine jewelry, see about selling it online or at a local pawnshop.
  1. Shoes – Ahh, ALL of those shoes in your closet. Do you really wear them? First, purge the shoes that are heavily worn or ruined. Old flip-flops or shoes with worn soles should be donated or thrown out. If you have professional shoes that you don’t wear, donate them to a charity like Dress for Success. If you do a seasonal swap of clothes, also swap out your shoes to create more space in your closet for boots and winter shoes.
  1. Pillows and blankets – When is the last time you replaced your pillows? According to the Sleep Council, pillows should be replaced every two years and duvets should be thrown away after five years. Dust mites and other yucky things can collect in pillows and duvets so it is important to get rid of them on a regular basis. After all, isn’t our health worth it?

Now that you have your marching orders for your bedroom purge, schedule some time in your calendar to put this into action! What else have you edited from your bedroom to create a more serene environment?

3 Things to AVOID When Goal Setting

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Goals — No Comments ↓

3 Things to AVOID When Goal Setting

Hey, folks! I hope you are shaking off that Christmas food coma, and continuing to relish in that Christmas spirit! The new year is a few short days away – wow, I can’t believe 2016 is coming to a close! As the new year approaches, it’s time for a new set of resolutions. That’s right, let’s talk about goals!

In the past, I’ve talked about tips for creating your goals. This year I want to talk about what NOT to do when goal setting. Below is my quick list on what to avoid when goal setting for 2017.

  1. Don’t set unrealistic goals. You need to be able to achieve your goals so don’t set yourself up for failure. For example, don’t say you will make $1 million dollars this year without really breaking it down and seeing if it is even an achievable goal.
  1. Avoid not prioritizing your goals. It’s wonderful to have more than one goal, but it’s important to iron down your main goal and work on this regardless of the other goals.
  1. Avoid having no idea how to achieve the goal. As you jot down each goal, it’s important to ask what steps you will take to reach those goals. If you have no idea how to reach your goal, you will set yourself up for failure.
  1. Don’t forget about your goals. Once you come up with your prioritized list of goals, you need to consistently look at your goals to ensure you’re working towards achieving them. The most successful people look at their goals every day and have goal-oriented tasks planned out to accomplish their goals.
  1. Avoid not setting a timeline. Alongside writing down the steps you need to take to reach your goal, you also need to write down a timeline for each of those steps. You need to know when you want to achieve that goal! Set a date for you to hit your goal and you will be successful.

What are your tips for achieving your annual goals? Please share so that others may learn from you!

Photo: kaboompics

Have a Merry Christmas!

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Christmas, Holidays — No Comments ↓

Have a Merry Christmas!

By this time, I hope the egg nog is flowing, friends and family are laughing, the feast is cooking, and you have a happy heart. Wishing you and yours the happiest of times spent with friends and family this Christmas season! I hope you got a few fabulous organizing products for Christmas so you can start the new year off in an organized way!

Photo: kaboompics

3 Tips for Organizing Baking Sheets and Muffin Tins

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Kitchen, Products — No Comments ↓

3 Tips for Organizing Baking Sheets and Muffin Tins

There is nothing sweeter than homemade cookies, muffins, brownies, cakes…you name it! All baked goods are quite delicious. This time of year, baking goes into overdrive in many homes. Most of the time, cookie sheets, muffin tins and other essentials are buried in the back of the cabinet, and impossible to retrieve without removing half of the other kitchenware. This can be frustrating!

To save your sanity, it’s time to corral your baking essentials! Below are three ideas to give you peace of mind for the next time you bake those delicious treats.

  1. Vertical Sorter – Who says office organizing products have to stay in the office? Using this vertical sorter will allow you to hold your cookie sheets, cupcake tins, and cake pans in a better position to grab what you need and allow for easy retrieval. Most importantly, it is much easier to put them away!
  1. 4 Sort Divider – Have I told you how much I love The Container Store? There is something for every organization problem. Next time you’re in the store, pick up the 4 Sort Divider. It will keep your bakeware vertical, and makes it easier to grab the items you need.
  1. Adjustable Bakeware Organizer – This is another great solution for your bakeware. This product can be mounted either horizontally or vertically depending on your cabinet configuration and what you want to store.

These are just a few ways to organize your bakeware. Remember, sometimes we can get carried away and have too many tins, pans and cookie sheets, so it’s best to evaluate what you actually use, and purge the rest. If you have an old crusty cookie sheet, get rid of it! If you have bakeware you haven’t ever used, perhaps it’s best to put into storage to free your available kitchen storage space.

How do you organize your bakeware, and more importantly, what are you baking this holiday season?

Photo: kaboompics

Gifts for Neat Freaks

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Christmas, Gifts — No Comments ↓

Gifts for Neat Freaks

It’s that time of year again when I share my favorite gifts for people like me – neat freaks! I’m sure you have a friend or crazy aunt who has a mild obsession with being neat and organized. If you do, this list is for you. This year I focus on functional gifts. These are gifts your organized friends might not have thought of. These are also gifts that might be good for friends or family who are a bit disorganized. Hey, it never hurts to nudge them in the right direction!

  1. Furniture floor protectors – Furniture that wreaks havoc on hardwood floors can drive a neat person nuts! I recently helped a client of mine install these and I love them. They are so easy to install and they will last longer than other types.
  1. Fujitsu ScanSnap s1100 – I love my portable scanner! You can connect to it wirelessly or through a USB, and it scans multiple pages in minutes. Convenient to store and use – a win-win!
  1. thingCharger – Ahh, this gift is amazing and a must for anyone like me. It charges nearly any phone, tablet, or reader from any brand, and 2 or 3 at a time. You have to check it out.
  1. Armoire Makeup Organizer – Mirror, mirror! This is more than a mirror, but a storage gold mine. You can hang this unit over the door or directly on your wall. Now you have a place to store cosmetics, and a place to see how it looks!
  1. Flipfold – Perfectly folded shirts are a neat freak’s dream. With this gift, your friend or family member won’t have to work hard to get that perfect fold.

I hope this list helps find gifts for all of the neat freaks in your life. There are only days left until Christmas – go ahead, get your shop on!

Photo: Amazon

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Thanksgiving — No Comments ↓

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

I wrote about giving thanks a couple of days ago, and now I want to thank you on this wonderful Thanksgiving day! Thank you to my clients and those who read my blog. Because of you I’m able to do what I love, and make a difference in so many lives. Know that I appreciate you, and enjoy your day with family, friends, and loved ones!

Photo: freepik.com

It’s Time to Give Thanks

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Thanksgiving — No Comments ↓

It’s Time to Give Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving week! Wow, I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away. I’m sure you’re busy putting your Thanksgiving Day menu together, cleaning the house and putting up festive decorations. But there is something you’re forgetting. Have you remembered to take the time to give thanks?

Showing gratitude cannot only make another person feel good, but there is strong correlation between giving thanks and your personal well-being. This Harvard Medical School article notes studies that have found this correlation.

As we near Thanksgiving, what are some ways that you can give thanks to the people closest to you? Here are a few suggestions to help you on your way.

  1. Send a handwritten note. When was the last time you sent one? Do you remember how you felt when you last received one? In our fast-paced, electronic driven world, the handwritten note is a novelty. Why not make someone’s day by sending a note thanking him or her for a way in which they helped you this year?
  1. Reflect on who you are grateful. Take some time to meditate or reflect on your life. This is an important step to your overall happiness and feeling of thankfulness. We are not alone in this crazy world, and focusing on those people who have helped you along the way can be beneficial for your overall wellbeing.
  1. Pay it forward. – Why not surprise someone like a helpful neighbor or work buddy with a homemade meal or flowers? Sending unexpected gratitude to a friend can go a long way. I also love the idea of showing kindness to a stranger. Whether it is buying a cup of coffee for the person behind you, or simply helping someone in need during the day. Kindness and gratitude can make the world a better place.

Photo: Oh My Handmade

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