A Lesson in Organizing

It's almost Back-To-School time. Just today I started seeing the ads for 25 cent crayons and backpacks are on sale. More and more retailers seem to start their prep for this beloved event earlier each year. Aside from the posted "Supply Lists", there is a sure-fire way to ease back in to the school year.

Lesson 1: Always Be Prepared! 
Not only with pens and paper, but for long lines, overwhelming store displays and mile-long lists of required materials. However, this can be a fantastic educational opportunity for you and your child!
Each new year provides the opportunity for a clean slate. Children who were not previously accustomed to organizational skills can become masters this year! Maintaining separate notebooks for each subject can help divide information for children not only physically, but mentally. Moving from notebook to notebook allows the brain to shift gears. Color-coding can also help. Match a notebook, folder and lesson book with a highlighter or pen.

Lesson 2: Playing is learning!
I remember gathering all of my new supplies and arranging them 1,000 different ways in my backpack before I settled on a specific set up. A Professional Organizer in the making? Perhaps, but the rearranging of items can bring a certain level of control and confidence to your child that can only be beneficial when entering a new class or school. Allow them to create their own space (their backpack) how they see fit. And a small amount of help for the little ones may be fun for both parent and child! But allow older children to set up their space alone. This exercise also teaches responsibility and accountability.

Lesson 3: Get Warmed Up Before the BIG DAY!
After months of being away from the classroom, it can be very helpful to rev the brain back up for learning. Take the time while shopping to review math skills, English and spelling skills can be reviewed with making shopping lists and for adventurous parents, a small report on what events took place over the summer, or letters to friends who have been away. This also may be a good time to prepare your children for the schedule that they will encounter when they do head back to school. Sleep is very important! Starting back on an organized routine now may prevent a groggy first week!



NAPO In The Schools


NAPO has introduced a new program to encourage and educate students on the benefits of being organized. This program brings Professional Organizers into the classroom in Elementary school, and soon into the Middle and High schools. For more information on this program or to learn how to bring a Certified NAPO In The Schools educator into your school, visit NAPO  today!

Where Oh Where!?...

Hello?? Where are you?? - Stacey


I'm here! I'm a wife, mommy, church member and business owner. A "techie" I am not! It was time to invest in a new computer for the biz. I researched, haggled and played with every model I could get my hands on without being thrown out of every Best Buy within 100 miles. I decided on an iMac. 
Apparently I have been going the way of the fruit for quite awhile. Fellow Professional Organizers Geralin Thomas, CPO (www.metrozing.com) and Kara Russelo (www.LittleVirgo.com) raved about their iPhones until I caved and got one of my very own. I've never looked back! 
"How did I live without this tiny miracle!" I exclaimed to the world upon downloading my first App. (Short for application for those of you stuck in 2008!)


I admit that due to my fetish with my iPhone, the iMac was the contender to beat. The picture quality in and of itself is just amazing! Graphs, documents and invoices have never been simpler. Hello....I was a PC, and now I'm a Mac!


This being said, I will again remind you all that I am not a techie. Though I would rate my skills at "above average", I was vastly unprepared for the transition from PC to Mac. 


Client files, photos and the financials....oh, the financials!... sent my brain into a tizzy, as we say here in the South. Meaning a migraine that can only be resolved by a pitcher of Mint Juleps. 


The good news: I'm finished! And just in time for NAPO in the Schools to be launched. It should be a fantastic program that brings NAPO professionals into public and private schools in an effort to teach organizational skills to students. Children who display these skills tend to have better grades, stay on task more effectively, and are able to practice skills that will last a lifetime. 


For more information on this program or to locate a Professional Organizer near you, visit the NAPO website!  

Investing in Yourself

One of the biggest complaints that my clients have is that there just aren't enough hours in the day. As a wife and mother myself, I can completely relate to this thinking! All too often demands of daily life; work, children's  activities, friends, housework, etc. all take time and attention. The 24 hours in a day just don't seem to cut it!

In all of the hustle and bustle of life, being organized can save time, money and your sanity! Throughout April, May and June, I'll be blogging about specific ways that can help eliminate the daily hurdles that slow you down.
Stay tuned, or better yet -FOLLOW ME- and get ready to tackle subjects like; surviving family vacations, streamlining your chore list, making better grocery shopping choices, organizing your kitchen for efficiency, creating filing systems, making the most of your closet, preparing for Back to School...and much more!! Do you have a specific topic in mind that you would like to see covered? Let me know!

So stay tuned!

My Clutter Is Costing Me What!?!?

Picture it...2003. My husband and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary living in a 611 sq ft apartment for $611 a month in Texas. It was my anniversary gift, a tabby cat we named Harley, that made me look at every item in my home in a new light. We loved Harley, for the entire 3 weeks he was with us before our management office found out we had him. But his food dishes set something off in me.

It was a normal, everyday, plastic, double feeder. It wasn't large by any means and took up exactly 1 square foot of our kitchen floor. Then I noticed the litter box...3 square feet. Another 4 square feet for his kitty tower. I turned to my husband and said, "You mean to tell me that we are paying $8 a month just to have his stuff here!?" No, $8 a month isn't a large amount, but it was an amazing realization. Every item in your home is costing money to store. Your bed, couch, refrigerator, and yes, even the cat's water bowl. But that is what rent is for...to store the living essentials and niceties, not the clutter that can become strewn about your rooms taking up literally valuable space!

Look around your home. How much of your rent or mortgage are you spending housing your clutter? To figure the monthly cost, divide your mortgage or rent by the total square footage of your living space. That will tell you how much each square foot "costs" a month.

G.O. Month is quickly coming to a close. Remember that any progress is progress!! Be proud of your accomplishments and keep going! To find a professional organizer near you or for more organizing tips, visit NAPO, the National Association of Professional Organizers.

How To...

As week 2 of G.O. Month closed, I received so many emails asking about specific items to organize. Because of the frequency of the requests, I decided to cover the responses here for all to see!

The following items will answer the question "How To..." and hopefully give you ideas on how to organize your home!

"...Create a Baby Keepsake Box"
Definitely the #1 question! Since this task will require storing items for  many years to come, a larger tote bin or storage box is my recommendation. I always suggest a plastic bin with a locking lid. Your child's valuables will be preserved from dust, possible water damage and critters that develop a fetish for glue and glitter. Other items you will need are:

• An accordion file or pocket folders
• 1 smaller shoe sized bin with locking lid
• Permanent marker or label maker
• Paper clips 
• Acid-free tissue paper
• Pen & Paper

Wrap smaller items that may get lost or break in tissue paper and store in the smaller bin for safekeeping. Make sure to mark or label the child's name on every bin to prevent confusion if you have more than 1 child. Making a short note or list of the items as they are placed in the respective bins will be a wonderful way to ensure your child knows the importance of the items within the box. 

For artwork or other keepsake papers, paperclip related items together and place in either an accordion file folder or individually labeled pocket folders, one for each year. These files can easily be placed inside the larger bin for safe keeping. Make sure to annotate special information on the outside of each folder or on a piece of paper in each section of the accordion file such as; age, teacher's name, special friends and any special accomplishments. 

"...Keep My Car Clean"

Since many of us seem to spend just as much time in our cars as we do in our homes, keeping our vehicles organized is key. For those with small children, keep a bin of items such as; diapers, wipes, change of clothes, towel, bottled water and trash bags as a staple. Having a stash will end those emergency moments that children seem to be experts at creating. 

Keep a plastic grocery bag in the front of your car to catch trash that would otherwise end up on your floorboards. Toss the whole bag when it is full or every few days as needed. A medium sized bin will control the backseat clutter by corralling small toys, books and favorite items of other family members. The bin will allow you to easily return items to their homes in the house as well. 

There are several wonderful products that can be tailored to suit your needs. Most of these products can be found at your local Superstore or online in the automotive section fairly inexpensively. 

"...Fold Laundry Faster"

I can't make this stuff up! At least 17 of you actually emailed me asking how to fold laundry faster!! Aside from attaching 4 more arms, here's all I have for you...

If you are a "dumper" and tend to fold clothes from piles on your bed or couch, you're in luck! This post will be most beneficial to you as opposed to those who prefer to fold from the dryer.

First, remove larger items such as towels, jeans and items you know you will hang up. 

Next, quickly pick thorough and pull out the socks. DO NOT match socks or dig for more. You'll find them.

Then, fold items and place in to designated piles by DRAWER DESIGNATION. If jeans and shorts are in separate drawers, separate piles so that each pile will be directly transferred to a drawer space. 

All of the items left in the pile should have been "fold" items and you should be able to make quick work of it. Transfer piles into their home drawers and hang the remaining garments and voila! Done! It may take some practice, but you will get into a system in no time.

More organizing dilemmas? Contact me or visit the NAPO website to locate a professional organizer near you!

1 down, 3 to GO!

Week 1 of G.O. (Get Organized) month is coming to an end. How do you feel that your G.O. is going? If you still feel like you're not sure where to start, this post may help.

Think about your day. When you wake up, shower, dress and generally ready yourself for the day, does it seem to take longer than you would like? Do you fumble through drawers and make up bags looking for a specific item? If so, think about starting with where you start! First things first, as it goes!! People tend to lose quite a bit of time in their morning routine. Culling make up from your bag and clearing items that are infrequently used is not only a good organizing practice, but a must for safety and hygiene. There is a great article for the shelf life of make up here.

Next, consider streamlining your wardrobe. Toss any damaged items right away. Donate any items that haven't been worn in a year, 3-6 months for items like jeans and t-shirts. Typically theses items don't fit anymore. Having items in your closet and drawers that you don't and won't wear only slows you down in the morning.

In the next weeks, I'll be working through other possible speed bumps that slow you down through the day. Keep checking back in and sending your comments and questions to organizedstork@live.com

Get Ready, Get Set, GO Month!

The holidays are winding down and the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is gearing up for G.O. Month. The entire month of January is dedicated to Get Organized! 

Getting organized is a great way to start off the New Year. Here are a few tips to get you going and Get Organized!

• Start with a sort. As you put away all of those new goodies that Santa brought, sort items into categories of like items. For a kitchen example, baking pans, cooking pots, small appliances, etc. This will help you to see what you have and how many of an item you have. 
• Out with the old, in with the new! Take this as an opportunity to toss, donate or sell items that are broken, unused or that you find you have too much of. Do you need 10 mixing bowls? Can the new set of towels Santa dropped off replace a set, or 2?
• Assign new homes to your items. Now is a good time to analyze what is, and more importantly, what isn't working for you in your home. This is a new year, a new start, a new beginning! If keeping the towels on the top shelf is just too far from the tub, consider a few hooks or a shelf to create a new home for the towels. Bake every weekend? Consider swapping the serving items for baking supplies in the cabinet closer to the oven where they would be utilized more frequently. But remember! If items work where they are, don't change! The old saying is true...if it isn't broken, don't fix it!
  
• Containerize! Now for the fun part....organizing products! Organizing products can simplify your daily routine saving time, money and your sanity. Tired of pan lids falling out of the cabinet? Try a door mounted lid sorter. Sweaters toppling over? Try a sweater box or shelf dividers to keep them neat and organized. Can't ever seem to find the hair accessory that you want? Small bins or drawer organizers can do wonders! 

These simple steps can help gain control over clutter and get your New Year off to a great start. For more information on GO Month, or to find a Professional Organizer near you, visit the NAPO website.