Packing for Summer Vacation

July 14, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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If you are like most people, the thought of packing for a trip can be enough to make you reconsider actually going anywhere. Add to the stress packing for kids, different kinds of activities and varied weather. Here are a few tips to help you breeze through the packing process (and security line) and get on with enjoying your vacation.

  1. Keep all documents in one place. This one actually starts before the trip, when you begin the planning. As you start reserving your airline tickets, car rental, hotels or whatever else you may need to reserve, it is a good idea to print out your confirmations and put them all in one folder. That way, when it is time to leave, you can pick up one item and not search for things at 2:00AM before your flight. Another handy tip is to keep these documents in the order that you will use them, for example: flight confirmation first, rental car second, hotel third and so on.
  2. Pack light to avoid fees. With more airlines charging you to check a single bag this summer, it is more important than ever to be efficient and minimize the amount of baggage you have. Plus, the less you have, the less you have to schlep around with you. For trips of 5 days or less, you should be able to fit everything you need in a carry-on. Longer trips may require you to check a bag. Decide how much you are willing to take and stick to it. Now, during the summer you may need more than 3 ounces of sunscreen, which you cannot take in a carry-on anymore. If that’s the case, buy it at your destination. In the developed world, you can find a pharmacy or mass merchant to sell you just about everything you need, in case you have forgotten something. If you are traveling to a developing country, well, that is a topic for a different column. Give us a call and we can help.
  3. Less is more. When deciding what clothes to take, assess what you will be doing on this vacation – is it a cruise with formal nights? Will you be hiking in a national park? Lounging on a beach at a resort? Take out the clothes and shoes you think you will need for each activity and sort by type of clothing and for what purpose it will be used. Now, (and this is the hard part, folks), take AT LEAST one third of it and put it back in your closet. Think about the events that you need specific items for, and take those, but minimize the other stuff. Chances are, you will end up wearing the same pair of jeans all the time anyway.
  4. How is your memory? No, I am not talking about recalling your high school algebra, I am talking about your camera. Have you cleared off your memory cards to make room for photos from this trip? Have you packed an extra memory card and your charger? If you are going overseas and are planning on bringing any electronics – like the aforementioned camera – you will need a voltage converter to charge them, so add that to your list, too.

Make your trip memorable for the fun things that happen, not the giant suitcase falling on your foot at the train station.

Sentimental Clutter

May 19, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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We tend to accumulate stuff from many different areas of our lives. One thing that I notice most often when helping people organize is the sentimental clutter – the birthday cards, the photos, the stuff that belonged to a relative – and it is all stuffed in a drawer or piled in a closet.

So, what can you do about it? Here are 4 easy ways to help you deal:

  • Photos. One of the biggest culprits of all. After all, it is only in the last several years that digital photography has gone main stream. Before that, we printed (and kept, it seems) everything. Go through the photos. Get rid of the ridiculous ones (you know, where you only see a nose, or there is a thumb covering half the image). Pick ones you like enough to scan. You can either scan them yourself or use a company to do it for you. Put the ones you really like into albums that are small and easy to store, using a company like Shutterfly or My Publisher
  • Kids. Every client I have ever worked with has the same thought when it comes to things their kids make: How can I throw this out? My child made it for me. The answer is twofold. One, yes you can keep some of them. Some. Not all. Edit, please. Two, why not take some of the artwork, scan it to your computer and use it as your family holiday card? As an added bonus, everyone will thank you for not making them pose for formal photos.
  • Books. Read them, pass them on to others who will enjoy them, donate them to a library. You do not need hundreds of dog-eared paperbacks cluttering your shelves. Keep the ones you really like, look to for reference and want to read again. Pass on the rest. Or, just buy an electronic book reader and download to your heart’s content.
  • Things that belonged to someone special.  We all want to hold on to memories of those that are no longer here. However, keeping a closet full of tarnished silver you don’t really like doesn’t really do a lot to honor the memory of your favorite relative. Pick a few pieces that you really like, and find a place to display them. As for the stuff you don’t really like? Give it away or (gasp!) sell it.

What is a Professional Organizer?

May 12, 2010 by admin · 2 Comments
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OK, some folks have been reading this (and meeting me in person) and saying to themselves “Well, this is all very interesting, but what can you actually do for me? What is professional organizing anyway?”

Good question! Well, two good questions.
First of all, a Professional Organizing is defined by Wikipedia as “a service that helps individuals and businesses determine what to do with their items–which are generally found in a disorganized, cluttered state–then helps efficiently arrange the items and create systems to maximize the utility and visual appeal of a particular area and allow easy retrieval. A person who performs this service is a “Professional Organizer” or sometimes referred to simply as an “Organizer.”

Basically, if you have too much stuff, don’t know what to keep and what to get rid of and how to make it all work, you may need some professional help.
So, what can Your Personal Manager do for you? We can help you edit your belongings – yes, that means you have to get rid of some things if those items have taken over all of your space. We can help you find the most efficient way to use your space and suggest new furniture or other storage items that can help you maintain your new space. Are you in South Florida – Dade, Broward, Palm Beach or Monroe counties? Give us a call at (954)925-TIME (8463) and find out how we can help you take back your space.

4 Really Useful Things

April 21, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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One of the things I see when I go into homes and offices of people trying to get organized is this: a whole slew of never-opened packages of organizational aids. Things that were
intended to be useful, but have been sitting in a closet and now are being given away. Why is this a phenomenon? Well, we are constantly being inundated by the message that we need “stuff” to organize our stuff. We are being told in catalogs, stores and on TV that we are inadequate and the only way to improve ourselves is to be organized. And the only way to get organized is to buy lots more stuff.

Here are a few things that I find to be actually useful:

1. Over the door shoe racks: You may have these hanging over closet doors holding shoes, which is good, but there are many more uses for these handy and inexpensive things – the things kids need for school (hang over a door near the front of your house so they can grab what they need on their way out); dolls and doll clothes; toiletry items in a bathroom; office supplies. The list is really endless. Anything small that you have trouble finding can easily slip into one of these spots.
2. Phone charger stations: keep the wire clutter to a minimum by using these handy devices which include a power strip so you can use 1 outlet instead of 4 or 5. These also can be used for iPods and more.
3. Shelf doublers: these are often made of coated wire and can fit in your kitchen cabinets to provide easier access to your plates. They are also useful in the refrigerator when you are having a party and have too many platters and not enough shelf space.
4. Tickler file: the best part of this is that you can make it yourself. Take a file box and add 43 files – 31 labeled 1-31 (for the days of the month) and 12 labeled with each month. You will then be able to use the daily files for the current month (to keep track of bills, invitations and more) and the other months for future commitments.

Quick Tip #2

April 14, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Make decisions to eliminate clutter. Leaving something on your counter because you don;t know where it goes? Find a spot for it right away, and keep your counters clear of clutter. Just like that.

Note that sometimes the best spot for something is the trash.

5 Steps to Getting Organized

April 7, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
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It is now April. Have you kept your New Years resolutions? Getting organized is one of the most common resolutions every year. Really, it is second only to losing weight. That is a lot of disorganization going on.

Fortunately there is help. Whether you need to organize your office, your kitchen or whole house, we can help. Follow a few simple steps to get your life back on track any time of the year.

  1. Start small. If you feel like you need to organize your whole house, start with one room so as not to get overwhelmed.
  2. Purge. Just because you have a lot of stuff doesn’t mean you need to keep it all. Make some tough decisions and start getting rid of the things you really do not need.
  3. Make a plan. Set goals and end dates for each mini-project, and put them on your calendar. It will help you stay focused and on time.
  4. Get any necessary supplies. After you purge, analyze what you have and how you use it. That way, it will be easier to figure out how to store it.
  5. Make time each week to keep up. Sometimes it may be too overwhelming to file and stay organized every day. Set aside a few minutes at the end of the week to make sure you stay focused and on track.

10 Steps to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

November 19, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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What is it about certain holidays that makes you crazy? Is it the turkey you can barely lift? Lip-puckering cranberry sauce? The expectation that everything needs to be Martha Stewart perfect? Perhaps the pressure that this is your one-turkey-a-year chance to prove to family and friends that you are, indeed, perfect, is just overwhelming. A little planning can give you enough time to catch some of the football game and still enjoy the meal.

These 10 steps are a recipe for a stress-free holiday and a great meal:

1. Reflect. You may be doing this holiday for the first time or the fortieth time. Either way, think about what you have done in the past that has been really great (sweet potato brulee, perhaps), as well as those things that may have not been such a big hit (Cousin Sylvia’s now-infamous pilgrim reenactment, for example). Think about what new traditions or foods you would like to try (maybe this is the year a bar-b-q Thanksgiving catches on).

2.Decide on a menu and make a list. Now is the time to factor in (or rule out) those creative recipes.

3. Delegate. If Aunt Mary is always bragging about how great her stuffing is (and how “not your strength” yours is), let her bring it. Likewise, assign dishes to various friends and family according to their strengths and likes. This way, the food is good, you have less work and you just saved several sweat-filled hours and some cash!

4. Recycle. OK, so you have been meaning to get rid of those pumpkins from Halloween, but they are still in your house. Don’t fret. Instead use them for centerpieces and to decorate the buffet table. (You just saved 2 hours and many dollars by not ordering flowers). Be sure to get rid of the pumpkins after Thanksgiving to make way for Christmas or Hanukkah decorations.

5. Assess the current situation. (Grab a notepad and pen for this one.) How many people are coming? What has each person or family committed to bringing? Do you have enough dishes (or paper goods) for everyone that is coming? This includes wine glasses, if needed, as well as items like soup bowls, silverware and napkins. Don’t forget to make sure you have enough seating for everyone.

6. Create your shopping list. Now that you have narrowed down the two or three items you are making, you can create your shopping list. Don’t forget to add to the list those items you may need to borrow (like the chairs if you don’t have enough). Sort your list into different sections (grocery store, items to borrow, specialty store or party supply store) so that it is easy to find the items you need in one trip.

7. Eat, Drink and Be Merry. You have already assigned the food items to others, now it is time to ensure the Drink and Be Merry parts of the holiday come together. Pick a variety of beverages suited to your crowd. If it is a wine drinking group and you don’t know merlot from malbec, just stop in to your local wine store (yet another section on your shopping list) and let them know what you will be serving.

OK, so you now feel prepared for the big day, right? There are still a few things left to do before your guests arrive.

8. Concentrate your efforts to get the house ready. Assign duties to the whole family- the kids can help set the table, one person can make the turkey, one can be in charge of beverages. Make sure that your table is set and serving dishes are out and cleaned early in the day. When your guests arrive, you can simply take their dish and put it in the appropriate serving piece, and offer them a beverage.

9. Relax. If you have a well organized plan, there is no reason for you not to have a few hours to spend relaxing with your family before the guests arrive.

10. Enjoy the time with friends and family. When your favorite cousin laments never getting to see you and suggests getting together in the next few weeks, get out your calendar right then and there and make a plan. Don’t put it off, or it may be next Thanksgiving before you see them again.

With a little preparation, a bit of organization and a dash or creativity, this Thanksgiving is a recipe for success.

Four Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

November 5, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Let’s face it, everyone feels the need to clean out his or her closets, but so few people actually do it. Why? It is a daunting task to many. Here are a few tips to make it a little easier for you:

1. Each person in the house needs to do this for him or herself. There are a couple of reasons for this, but one of the big ones is so that nobody else can complain about what you have tossed. But how to decide what stays and what goes? Read on.

2. Clothes that don’t fit. Maybe they never fit right, maybe they were perfect just 10 pounds ago. Either way they don’t work now, and by the time they may work in the future you won’t want to wear them anyway. If it is something in good condition donate it, otherwise toss it.

3. Clothes and shoes that need repair. Put them in a pile with a date on it – no more than 30 days out. That is your deadline for fixing or getting them fixed. If it is not done by your deadline, toss them, as you will most likely never get around to fixing them. (Face it, they have probably been sitting there for months or longer anyway).

4. Things that used to look good on you and things you just don’t like. Even the most seasoned shopper has an “oops” once in a while. Maybe you bought something because it was on a super sale. Maybe your body has changed. Maybe your tastes have changed. Whatever the case, clear out the clothes that are simply taking up room but are never being worn. Donate them to a shelter or an organization such as Dress for Success. You will feel so good about yourself, you may want to go shopping.

Quick Tip – Storing Makeup

October 15, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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How many of you have makeup that gets all over your bathroom drawers, is stashed away in a bag and not very handy or basically just hard to manage? Perhaps you have a wife or girlfriend in this position? Well, here you go: one easy step to manage all of your makeup needs… a silverware caddy.

Yes, you read that right, and no, I have not completely lost it. A silverware caddy is generally the correct size to fit in a basic Home Depot vanity, and you can use one or many. (Note, these are the individual ones that are about 3 – 3 1/2 inhes wide, for one item, like forks, not the one for 12 placesettings!) Keep everything in one or sort by categories if you have a huge collection of makeup – eye makeup in one, lipstick in another. Not so big that things get lost, not so small that they don’t hold anything. Now, go home and try this and let me know how it works.

The Abundance of Snail Mail

September 23, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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You may have noticed your mailbox a little less full these days. You can thank the struggling economy for people spending less on direct mail. However, there is still a lot of mail that comes into your house and never leaves. Here are a few tips to help you tame the mass of mail:

  • Throw out the junk before it comes in the house. Before going in your house, or right after you enter, sort your mail. Put the newspapers and other junk into the recycle bin, put the bills in the to be paid pile, and deal with any action items.
  • Get rid of catalogs unless you need to buy something RIGHT NOW. (Right now is defined as in the next week, for purposes of catalogs). If you recycle the catalogs and later need information, you can always get it online.
  • Toss the trash. All the extra stuff that comes in your bills – ads, credit card offers, junk from whoever is sending you the bill – just takes up space. Get rid of it and file only the actual bill.
  • Stop credit card offers. Go to optoutprescreen.com and stop getting credit card offers in the mail. As an added bonus, there will be less of your personal information floating around.
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