The Clutter Diet Blog

Organizing Your Holiday Gift Giving

Quick, can you tell me how many stockings you need to stuff?  Where will you hide your gifts-- and can you then remember where you hid them? Let's organize your gift-giving right now so you can feel more like singing "Joy to the World" instead of "In the Bleak Midwinter."

Make a list-- just like Santa, only better!
Our list is going to be much more than just a bunch of names and whether they are naughty or nice. We're going to track a lot of useful information from year to year in a Holiday Journal. Click here for my holiday gift organizing strategies on the Good Housekeeping Home Style Blog.

 

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Clutter Video Tip: How to Organize Your Refrigerator

Peppermint Patty knows how important it is to have a well planned holiday meal. But, chances are you aren't serving toast, pretzels and popcorn for Thanksgiving. So, you may need to think about organizing your refrigerator before the big day. Today, I'll give you a peek into my own refrigerator and show you how I organize this space that's used by the whole family. You don't have to feel like a blockhead in the kitchen, watch this video to make meal preparation less stressful and more productive.

(Click here to watch on YouTube if you can't see the embedded player. Or watch the video at http://bit.ly/TCDFridge.)

PLEASE HELP: "LIKE"-ing, sharing, and commenting on these Clutter Video Tip videos on YouTube really helps me a lot to get the word out about the information we have to offer. If you like it, please go to YouTube and take only a few seconds to Like, Share, and/or Comment. (Tweeps can use #ClutterVideoTip hashtag for tweeting). Here is the direct link on YouTube if you'd like to comment there: Clutter Video Tip: How to Organize Your Refrigerator. Thank you in advance!

 

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Is Your House Ready for Guests?

Does the sound of the doorbell fill you with dread? Holidays are coming up! You may be hosting family holiday meals, dinner parties, gift openings, or even (gasp)... overnight guests! Click here for your checklist for making sure you're ready on the Good Housekeeping Home Style Blog.

Flickr image courtesy roblisameehan

 

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Clutter Video Tip: How to Organize Greeting Cards

When you care enough to send the very best (greeting cards)- shouldn't you also know where they are and when to send them? Watch today's video for the strategies I use to store and organize my greeting and holiday cards. These tips will streamline your card writing and make sure that your sentiment arrives on time.

(Click here to watch on YouTube if you can't see the embedded player. Or watch the video at http://bit.ly/TCDGreetings.) See if you notice who is on my Birthday Card List!

PLEASE HELP: "LIKE"-ing, sharing, and commenting on these Clutter Video Tip videos on YouTube really helps me a lot to get the word out about the information we have to offer. If you like it, please go to YouTube and take only a few seconds to Like, Share, and/or Comment. (Tweeps can use #ClutterVideoTip hashtag for tweeting). Here is the direct link on YouTube if you'd like to comment there: Clutter Video Tip: How to Organize Greeting Cards. Thank you in advance!

 

Follow me on Twitter for my Daily #ClutterTweetTip, "Like" us on Facebook, and see our weekly #ClutterVideoTip on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/clutterdiet

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Clutter Video Tip: Going Green with Halloween Decor

It’s that time of year to listen for things that go bump in the night. But, that bump shouldn’t be you walking in to a big pile of holiday decorations. Do you have a stack o’ jack o’ lanterns in storage?  Have your mummy’s and monsters run amuck? Watch this video and illuminate your deepest darkest organizing dilemmas and learn how you and your ghouls and goblins can go green at Goodwill with your holiday decorations. The trick is following these strategies when you are caught up in the spirit of the festivities. The treat is an organized and less stressful home!

(Click here to watch on YouTube if you can't see the embedded player. Or watch the video at http://bit.ly/TCDGreen.)

PLEASE HELP: "LIKE"-ing, sharing, and commenting on these Clutter Video Tip videos on YouTube really helps me a lot to get the word out about the information we have to offer. If you like it, please go to YouTube and take only a few seconds to Like, Share, and/or Comment. (Tweeps can use #ClutterVideoTip hashtag for tweeting). Here is the direct link on YouTube if you'd like to comment there: Clutter Video Tip: Going Green with Halloween Decor. Thank you in advance!

 

Follow me on Twitter for my Daily #ClutterTweetTip, "Like" us on Facebook, and see our weekly #ClutterVideoTip on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/clutterdiet

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Organize and Go Green for Your Halloween Scene

As a professional organizer, I have worked in clients' homes who have entire large rooms devoted to storage of holiday decorations, outfitted with uniform rows of shelving units stacked with color-coded bins for Easter, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, and of course, countless bins for Christmas. Other clients have basements, garages, and attics full of these same bins. If you are feeling like it's all too much, click here for some thoughts for paring down the decorations while having the same festive effect on the Good Housekeeping Home Style Blog. 

Flickr image courtesy hanna_horwarth.

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TRYING to Wish You a Happy New Year...

If I am TRYING to wish you a Happy New Year, it's not a very strong wish, is it?  That doesn't make you feel very solid and sure about my intentions.

I bet you've invited someone to a party or event before who said, "I'll try to make it." And you knew right then they were not coming.

My friend Joyce Bone is fond of quoting Yoda, who said:

“Do or do not... there is no try.”

So many of us are in the New-Year's-Resolutions-Making-Mode right now. Consider that the root of "resolutions" is the word RESOLVE. In the dictionary this is a verb meaning "to make a firm decision about" and a noun meaning "firmness of purpose."

How firm are these decisions you're making about the year to come? Are you going to TRY to get more organized, or are you going to DO IT?  What real changes will you make? 

I guarantee that if you are already thinking, "I'll TRY to (fill in the blank here)," you are going to fail. Making changes is a commitment. Making changes requires three things-- I have studied this quite a bit:

• Education: Learning how to do it.
• Motivation: Having the resolve and the WHY that makes it compelling for you.
• Support: Getting the help you need when your motivation wavers, as it will.

Most people nail it on the first two, reading a book or watching something on television that inspires them, and they are truly motivated to change, but they forget the missing link--- SUPPORT.

If you are serious and "TRY" is not in your vocabulary, make sure you set up support for yourself to make the changes you're resolving for this year. You can do that with a "buddy" system. As I have explained in my book, I get the majority of things done that I accomplish because I have two Motivation Partners whom I talk with every single week. I have done this literally for years. We check in, we push each other, we help each other get unstuck.

If you are trying to get organized, you can partner with a friend, and you can also consider getting support from our team online at ClutterDiet.com. We have an entire team of organizing experts-- Certified Professional Organizers®-- who provide our members with unlimited support, 7 days a week, in our member message board area. You can upload photos to show us what is going on in your space, we'll provide the "Education" you need to get it done, and when you're stuck, we'll be your Motivation Partners too. We have helped thousands of people in 18 countries since 2006-- and we do this for about the price of a pizza each month. I am extremely happy that our program has made getting help from Professional Organizers affordable for anyone from anywhere! Click here to read about our membership options and see if it's right for you.

I want to firmly and resolutely wish you the happiest new year possible. I am so grateful for you, my friends, readers, followers, members, and colleagues! Thank you for being in my life and letting me share my messages with you.

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8 Questions to Ask Yourself for the New Year

My husband told me years ago that sometimes at his work they step back and ask themselves the Stop-Start-Continue questions:

• What should we STOP doing?
• What should we START doing?  and,
• What should we CONTINUE doing?

These are great questions to ask ourselves as we head into a new year.

I am a big believer in journaling as a way to pull things out of your mind and get clear on goals. It's like spending 30 minutes or so talking with the wisest part of yourself. You can take these questions, sit down with a cuppa joe (or tea-- I am a big tea drinker), and contemplate the year to come. Here are a few more questions to ask yourself:

• What is my ideal day? How could I get closer to that?
• What is bothering me the most right now in my life? Think about   spaces, projects, things, situations, and... people.
• What is my definition of being organized? How am I not fitting that definition right now? (Here's my definition, by the way, if you want to hear it.)
• If I picked a theme for this year (kind of like they do at the prom in high school) what would it be? What will next year's theme be?
• If I woke up tomorrow morning and magically found I had everything I truly wanted, how would my life be different? (This question is from my friend Wendy Lipton-Dibner's book, Shatter Your Speed Limits.)

 Do you like journaling? Do you prefer handwriting, or typing your journal? What will change for you in 2011? Share in the comments!

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Nine Creative Ways to Say "No"

I have always admired my friend, Renee Peterson Trudeau, for her ability to set boundaries between her work life and personal life and truly practice self-care. She is author of The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal, which is a book I recommend often. This brilliant article is an excerpt from it. During the holiday season we really need to exercise our "No" muscles so we can say "Yes" to what really matters. Enjoy!
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As women we’re socialized to put others first, to be the nurturers and to be selfless. One of the hardest things for many of us to learn is how to say no.

Why is this so difficult? The answer varies, but often it has a lot to do with how we were raised and who we are as individuals. Consider the list below and see if any of these points resonate with you.

Common reasons many women have trouble saying no or asking for help:

• Fear of disappointing others (do you suffer from the disease to please?)
• Fear of failure
• Fear of the reaction of others
• An inability to receive support (you may ask, do I deserve this?)
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of being judged or criticized (for some, asking for help may be viewed as a weakness)

To encourage you in your newfound skill, here is a list of nine creative ways to say no. Most women find that the more they say no, the easier it becomes to draw clear boundaries that allow you to say “yes” to those things that really matter.

1. Just No: “Thanks, I’ll have to pass on that.” (Say it, then shut up.)
2. The Gracious No: “I really appreciate you asking me, but my time is already committed.”
3. The “I’m Sorry” No: “I wish I could, but it’s just not going to work right now.”
4. The “It’s Someone Else’s Decision” No: “I promised my coach (therapist, etc.) I wouldn’t take on any more projects right now. I’m working on creating more balance in my life.”
5. The “My Family is the Reason” No: “Thanks so much for the invite, that’s the day of my son’s soccer game, and I never miss those.”
6. The “I Know Someone Else” No: “I just don’t have time right now. Let me recommend someone who may be able to help you.”
7. The “I’m Already Booked” No: “I appreciate you thinking of me, but I’m afraid I’m already booked that day.”
8. The “Setting Boundaries” No: “Let me tell you what I can do …” Then limit the commitment to what will be comfortable for you.
9. The “Not No, But Not Yes” No: “Let me think about it, and I’ll get back to you.”

(This list is adapted in part from Work Less, Make More—Stop Working So Hard and Create the Life You Really Want, by Jennifer White.)

From “Managing Your Energy,” Chapter Four in The Mother’s Guide to Self- Renewal by Renee Peterson Trudeau. Visit www.reneetrudeau.com to register for one of her transformative retreats or classes, learn how to start/join a self-renewal circle using the Guide, receive monthly life balance tips, or order the book. Trudeau is a career/life-balance coach and president of Austin-based Career Strategists, www.careerstrategists.net.

Lorie's Favorite Things 2010

Happy Holidays! For a few years now I have written this "Favorite Things" post. I like to include things that are not necessarily about organizing but that are just practical, useful gifts that I think are cool. (Here are links to the 2009 list and the 2008 list.)

Table Topics: I have given these cubes as gifts many times-- they are sets of cards with questions that are designed to start wonderful conversations, like "If you could do something dangerous just once, with no risk, what would you do?" I am including them this year in my list because they just came out with new sets of "Idea Cards." These are not questions but are instead ideas to choose from, for Date Nights and Family Time and "My Time." For example, a Family Night idea is, "Eat dinner backwards, starting with dessert and ending with appetizers." Fun! (image from tabletopics.com site)

Purse Organizers:  From our own store-- these are one of our best selling items! (Click image to enlarge view) When anyone sees mine in person they immediately want to buy one, and people have been buying multiples of them to give to friends. I think we're onto something! I love this because it provides a home for everything in my purse. Now I can just find things in my purse by "feel" since I know which pocket it will be in, and I can transfer the essentials from purse to carry-on to tote bag without forgetting anything. Use the coupon code "purse" for 15% off this product through January 7th, 2011! 

Easy Lunchboxes: My new friend Kelly invented these lunchboxes and made them with all of the qualities an eco-conscious and convenience-minded mom would want! (Click image to enlarge view) They consist of stackable, compartmentalized containers that go with cooler bags to carry them. No waste, reusable, easy to clean, etc. They sell out at back-to-school time, so it's a great time to get them while they are in stock. Great for taking lunch to work, not just for kids! (image from Easy Lunchboxes' site)

The Time Timer: These timers are recommended constantly in the organizing industry as a great way to help people who have trouble staying on track or estimating time. Especially wonderful for kids as they learn how to gauge time! The timers show the remaining time as a red disk that shrinks as time elapses. This video shows how it works, and this page shows applications in business, everyday life, and so on. I love the idea of using one to keep time in a meeting! It's a visual representation that makes running out of time a more concrete concept. (image from timetimer.com site)

What are your favorite, practical gifts for this holiday season? Share in the comments!

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(PS: To be proper about it, some of the links here are affiliate links so that I may get a small percentage of commission on these items... but that is NOT why I chose these items, I am just being smart about using an affiliate link if I have one!)