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Tip Tuesday – 5 Tips to Stay Organized While Holiday Shopping

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

5 Tips to Stay Organized While Holiday Shopping

Christmas is 39 days away – yikes! It always surprises me how quickly fall turns into winter. All of a sudden, it’s Thanksgiving and the hunt for holiday gifts is on. If you haven’t started shopping for holiday gifts, you need to begin soon to prevent any last-minute-shopper stress! Here are some tips to help you stay organized while holiday shopping.

  1. Make a master list – There are so many balls to juggle this time of year and you don’t want to leave your many to-dos to memory. Make a master to-do list on an app like Evernote or simply write your lists down on paper or in your planner. Make a list for gifts to buy for friends & family, and also make lists for groceries you need to buy for entertaining events.
  1. Schedule time to wrap gifts – Once you’ve purchased all of your gifts, wrap them ALL at once instead of one at a time. Just think about the time it takes to pull out the wrapping paper, tape and gifts tags. By wrapping your gifts in large batches, you’ll save time and restore a bit of sanity.
  1. Plan Ahead – Shopping is exhausting. To circumvent even more exhaustion, plan your meals and make large quantities of food when possible. When you are making a casserole, why not double the recipe and put the second batch in the freezer? Now, on the days when you know you will be exhausted from shopping, just pull the frozen casserole out and viola, dinner! By doing this, you don’t have to rely on take out and you will also save money.
  1. Online Shopping – Driving around to physical store locations during the holiday season is time-consuming and tiring. Looking for a parking spot, standing in long lines, or realizing the item you drove all the way to get is now out of stock. These are all great reasons to stay at home and let your fingers do the shopping.
  1. Look for a bargain – Subscribe to your favorite retailers’ newsletters or social media channels. The stores will offer advance notices and deals to their subscribers. You can also download savings apps like RetailMeNot to save digitally in your favorite stores.

Staying organized and planning ahead can free up more time for you to actually get into the holiday spirit. Enjoy these moments with your family and friends – be present, be joyful!

Photo source: Huffington Post

Giving Back – 5 Organizations to Support Over the Holidays

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

5 Organizations to Support Over the Holidays

It’s easy to get swept away into the insane holiday season. Your to-do list is long, there always seems to be insane work deadlines, and school schedules are packed. As you’re juggling the different areas of your life, it’s important to take the time to give back to your community.

There are many organizations that would benefit from donated goods, monetary donations or volunteered time. Look locally to see what organizations would benefit, or find an organization that falls in line with one of your passions.

Below is short list of organizations to help generate some ideas of organizations you can support this holiday season.

  1. Food Banks – Food is essential to life, and these organizations are always in dire need of donated goods and funds. If you’d like to donate food, look at the list of foods these organizations need the most including juice boxes, canned vegetables and boxed pasta.
  1. Toys for Tots – Children are the heart of the holiday season, and truly look forward to opening that special gift over the holidays. There are Toys for Tots drop-off locations around every community, and all it takes is one toy to make the holidays a little brighter for a child.
  1. USO (United Service Organizations) – The holidays aren’t the same for military family members who are separated from their loved ones. Since 1941 it has been providing care packages and entertainment to military members. Because the government doesn’t fund the organization, it relies on support from donors.
  1. Local animal shelter – There are many ways besides donating money to support your local animal shelter. I take gently used towels and sheets to my local shelter and they are always happy to receive these donations.
  1. Senior Centers/Council on Aging – Your time is oh-so valued by seniors who might not have loved ones close by. All it takes is an hour or more to make someone’s day during the holiday season. Look up your local senior center to see what services you can provide or volunteer to spend time with seniors in your community.

By blocking out time to give back, you will move into the holiday season with a grateful heart, and a better appreciation for the season.

Photo source: boston.com

5 Spooky Realizations of a Professional Organizer

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

Realization of Professional Organizer

My chosen career as a professional organizer is a niche. I get it. I’m one of those rare individuals who have a passion for turning clutter into clean. And nasty into neat. This is spooky enough, isn’t it? As we get ready to celebrate Halloween tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to share some other rather “spooky” realizations about myself. I laugh looking at the absurdity of how true these really are, and hopefully they give you a good laugh!

  1. I love paperwork. Yes, it’s true. I realize we are all living in a world of less paper, but I still have a passion for the working with paper (my own and clients’). There’s something so fulfilling about organizing these tangible pieces.
  1. I’m a Teacher. At one point in my life I was considering a career change to become a teacher. Little did I know that my love of organizing and working with people in this field would combine those skills. It is so much fun watching clients have an ah-ha moment.
  1. My favorite tool is the label maker. I couldn’t live without one. How wonderful is it to look in your file cabinet or pantry and see consistent labels? They are clean looking and so easy to read. As we age, why strain our eyes?
  1. Organizing when shopping. I have been known to reorganize, straighten up, or put “like with like” when shopping. It makes me crazy to try to find something I want in my cart when the items are in a chaotic mess. It’s strange, but I can’t help myself!
  1. Comments from friends and family. I can’t tell you how many times my friends and family members have started a sentence with, “You would be so proud of me…” and proceed to tell me an organizing project that they accomplished. I’m happy to inspire them to lead a more organized life, and of course, I am always so happy to hear about their successes!

Stay tuned for November’s blog post as we turn the page from fall and start discussing wintertime and the holiday season. There’s a lot to discuss, so be sure to come back!

Photo: CBShome.com

Tip Tuesday: 5 Organizing Tips for Working Moms

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

Mother holding baby son and using laptop

A mom’s work is never done. Whether you are a mom that works out of the home, or a mother who heads to the office during the day, all women, when you become a mom, are working moms. You wear many hats, and there are many schedules and to-dos to juggle. While the proverbial plate is always full, organization can take a boatload of stress out of your life. Here are some organizing tips for working moms that can help out.

  1. Set realistic expectations. This is important. Sometimes we pile on too much work, fall short, and then start to feel guilty or angry at the situation. Be realistic about what you’re able to take on. Unless you want to spend all day Saturday or Sunday cleaning your home, enlist the help of family members. Or, if budget permits, have a cleaning company/person come to the house once a month to do a thorough cleaning.
  1. Use the ‘fringe hours’. There’s a new book, The Fringe Hours, that shares great advice on using time before and at the end of the day to get work done. If you can get up at least an hour earlier before your children, you can focus on getting yourself ready first and then focus on your children. Remember what they say on the airplane, put your mask on first and then others.
  1. Plan meals. Again, planning is king! I know this sounds a bit old-fashioned, but if you have your meals planned out, your trips to the grocery store go smoothly, you can set daily meal expectations with your family, and there is no more resorting to take out meals.
  1. Cut the clutter. Are you surprised this is a tip? Of course not! The less clutter you have on your kitchen counters and throughout your home, the easier it will be to do cleaning and have company over without spending hours preparing for their visit. Maintenance can save time and prevent stressful situations.
  1. Take a girl’s night out. Taking time for yourself is important, and it’s crucial to hit the ‘reset’ button when you’re running on fumes. You need to recharge your batteries, so be sure to share responsibilities with your significant other and have him take care of the kids one night. Friends help reduce stress and having time for girl talk will do wonders for you (and your family).

Photo: Women’s iLab

RESET DAY: Cleaning routines with your kids

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

Organizing with Children

I’m excited to introduce a new series of blog posts called “Reset Day”! This series is dedicated to helping you “reset” an area of your life so you can effectively reignite and move forward more efficiently.

Today we’re talking about how to get your kids to regularly do their chores. I’m reminded of the phrase I heard (often!) as a kid, “Have you cleaned your room yet?” How many times did you hear that growing up and how many times are you saying these words now?

Children’s bedrooms can get out of control. Organization is oh-so important in helping your children maintain some sort of order in their chaotic lives. If your children aren’t regularly cleaning and organizing their rooms, hit “reset”!

We know how to clean and organize a room, but that doesn’t mean they do. Work together to show them what chores you expect from them each day. As a Boston professional organizer, some of my clients have done this and they are so happy they took the time to show their children what was expected of them. Some of my clients, have taken photos of what a clean, organized room should look like to help their children see what the end result will be.

By setting expectations and putting these routines in place, you will be happier. Your children will also learn the importance of cleaning and organizing their own room, which will pave the way for a valuable lifelong lesson.

Photo: Yay!

Check in: Have you reached your 2015 goals?

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

Goals for 2015

No need to fire the alarm if you haven’t reached your goals, as we still have 3 more months left in 2015. The end of September is always a great time to check in on the progress toward your personal and professional goals. Have you examined your goals and are you on track? If not, it is not too late to take inventory of what you have done and what can be achieved in the last quarter of this year.

As you look at your 2015 goals, ask yourself these questions:

  • Were my goals reasonable and achievable?
  • Did I set myself up for failure?
  • Am I proud of the progress I made?
  • Was my goal too easy?
  • Did a life event get in the way of me making progress toward my goals?
  • Did I create too many goals?

Don’t beat yourself up if you haven’t gotten to all your goals. It’s important to stay aware of progress or lack of progress to ensure better goal setting for next year.

I made a business goal to send out a monthly newsletter this year. I did great until the month of July. I missed that month. Rather than beating myself up, I chose to learn from that situation. Come August, I was back on track and will strive to meet my goal by the end of the year.

What have you learned when you look back on your goals? Any adjustments that need to be made? Please share any thoughts or insights.

Photo: A Thrifty Mrs.

3 Things to Purge As Fall Arrives

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Fall, Garden, Summer — No Comments ↓

Fall Organizing

When it comes to getting rid of “stuff” cluttering the house or yard, we all have items that need to either leave permanently or be put away for the season. So what are we focusing on this month? Summer. Yes, we are sadly saying goodbye to summer items so we can make room for fall and winter clothes and essentials. Below are three sets of items you should be throwing out or storing in a safe place:

Beach gear – Take a look at your supply of beach towels, kids’ sand toys, and beach chairs/umbrellas. Get rid of anything that is stained, broken, or simply unusable. If your child is too old to play with certain toys next year, donate them to a friend or non-profit organization. As for the items you need to retain for next summer’s fun and frolic, store them in a less accessible spot to make room for autumns’s rakes and blankets.

Summer shoes – As the temperature dips, sandals will be worn less and less. One of the things about sandals and flip flops is they tend to get A LOT of wear during the summer, and sometimes, they are simply too worn out to keep around. Get rid of the shoes that have seen better days, and place the rest in a crate or box that you can store in the basement or garage.

Annual plants – This is always one of the hardest tasks to make time for. It’s easiest to just let the garden die, and simply do it next year, right? Wrong. Prep your garden and lawn now. Remove your annuals, prep your lawn, and get that rake or leaf blower ready. In a matter of weeks, you’ll need to start removing those pesky leaves.

As you’re saying a fond farewell to summer, take a minute to soak in the memories. Summer will be here again, but the memories are most assuredly unique to each calendar year.

Photo: sheknows.com

Tip Tuesday: 5 Essentials for a Better Organized Kitchen

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

Kitchen Organizing Tips

We’re halfway through September, and that means we’re nearing the primetime for cooking and entertaining. I absolutely love cooking and spending time with guests over the holidays…but if my kitchen is in disarray, it is less enjoyable. Quite frankly, I get grouchy. Get ahead of the holiday chaos and get your kitchen organized. There are five kitchen essentials I think every home should have.

  1. Magnetic Knife Holder – Now, I know every knife set comes with a knife block, but sometimes these blocks are too clunky and take up way too much counter space. Hang a magnetic knife strip on the wall above your counter, and make more room for cooking preparation! With a magnetic strip mounted on your wall, your kitchen knives will always be accessible when you need them.
  1. Tension Rods for Platter & Cutting Boards – Are you tired of having to lift out trays and cutting boards to get to the one you want? By installing small tension rods vertically in a deep drawer or cabinet, or on shelves, you can store your platters and cutting boards in between the tension rods. With this little DIY kitchen hack, you can easily see all of your available kitchen platters and cutting boards, and easily choose the one you want.
  1. Wire Magazine Holder for Plastic Wrap, Tin Foil, and Wax Paper – Install a wire magazine holder to the inside of one your cabinets. This will create a vertical storage space to easily store those long, rectangular boxes, and free up precious drawer space.
  1. Tension Rods for Cleaning Supplies – Cleaning supplies are great! Yes, keep on cleaning up your kitchen space regularly. But sometimes all of those bottles can create clutter under the sink or on the counter top. Hang a tension rod under your sink to hold your entire spray bottle cleaning supplies. It will be easier to see the labels on the bottles, and you’ll be able to free up valuable kitchen storage space.
  1. Lazy Susan – One Lazy Susan is good. Multiple Lazy Susans are even better! Use a large one in a bottom cabinet to store pastas, cereals and more. Use a smaller one in a refrigerator to easily store condiments and see what you have with a quick spin. And of course, use one to store your spices.

I hope these kitchen organizing tips are helpful! Next week is our monthly “Purge!” post focused on what you must get rid of before fall rolls around. Stay tuned!

Image: bobvila.com

Enjoy the Day, Folks. Happy Labor Day!

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

Labor Day Organizing

Wow, where has the summer gone? It always goes by so quickly. It’s already Labor Day but it seems like yesterday that there was snow on the ground and we were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of warmer days. Those days finally arrived, and they were amazing. The time with family and friends during the summertime is simply unbeatable. I’m a little bit sad to see it start to fade away.

As we celebrate Labor Day, let’s take this time to relax and reflect on the memories from those good ol’ summer days. For many of us, starting Tuesday, children will go back to school and the rush of life will be in full swing. It goes by oh-so quickly, so be present and enjoy these moments.

Image: NEOC

 

The Perfect Homework Caddy

Posted on by Dawn Link Posted in Back to School, Children, Storage — No Comments ↓

Homework caddy

When school is back in session, the kids take over. Notebooks are on the kitchen counter. Pencils are found in between couch cushions. There are school supplies in every nook and cranny of the home. To minimize unnecessary clutter and avoid misplacing these supplies, create a homework caddy. This should be the hub for all homework supplies. By creating a homework caddy, your kids can do homework anywhere, and even work next to mom or dad while he or she is in the kitchen preparing dinner.

The homework caddy can be easily made, and the best part is you can do it on a budget. First, purchase a caddy, small bucket, or basket. Then, think of the supplies that your children need. Here is a starter list:

  • Lined Paper
  • Scissors
  • Index Cards
  • Markers
  • Crayons
  • Pencils
  • Pens
  • Colored Pencils
  • Highlighters
  • Stapler
  • Erasers
  • Glue
  • Protractor Kit
  • Pencil Sharpener
  • Tape
  • Graph Paper
  • White Out
  • Calculator

Put everything in an organized fashion on this caddy, and even create a checklist of supplies you have in the caddy. By consolidating your homework supplies to this mobile caddy, you can minimize unnecessary pickup around the house, and easily put homework supplies out of sight. What are some other school supplies that your children need? Share your ideas with us.

Photo: Happy Go Lucky Blog

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