1978’s Blue Velour Running Suit

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     I will admit to you, I still have Christmas Shopping to do.  I will finish later today, from the comfort of this very desk chair, after everyone is snug in their beds, settled down for a long winter’s nap, with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, etc.

    I boycotted all malls back in October, and have not (and will not) darkened the doors of one this holiday season.  So Amazon.com and the internet are my mall of choice, and I may invite Jim the UPS delivery guy to Christmas dinner, he’s been so important to my holiday happiness this year. 

     We employ the Amazon.com wish lists for all of us, and I installed the very useful Universal Wish List button on my browser a few weeks ago, for those items not found at Amazon.com but still centrally located on the amazon wish list.  I have items to purchase off-list and off-line, but I will be Keeping the Green in Evergreen (my village’s slogan) and shopping small local stores for these off-line items.  For shopping specifics, check out my November Blog about Shopping, Deals and Receipts.  I have been very happy to find that most on-line retailers I have been using are offering great promotions and / or free shipping. 

     Sometimes, it is the WHAT TO BUY Question that gets in the way this time of year.  I clearly remember receiving a dark blue velour (it was the 70’s) jogging suit from my Uncle John, and loving it.  He would buy everyone the same thing for Christmas, so 10 jogging suits in different colors and sizes, and he was done.  As a kid, I thought it was sort of funny, but today I recognize what a great idea that was!  So, if you are scratching your head for gift ideas, try a theme:

  • Charitable donations in a loved one’s name or to their favorite charity
  • One big Family gift, like a DVD player, Wii, ice cream maker, etc.
  • Family fun:  Board games, popcorn maker and bucket, hot cocoa ingredients
  • Events or Non-material gifts, such as Museum memberships, Theater or movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates, etc.
  • Sleep: Everyone gets new PJs, robe and slippers, books, blankets, alarm clocks or herbal tea
  • Reading:  Books or How-To Kits, book lights, Magazine subscriptions  
  • Photography:  Frames for some, cameras for others, digital picture key chains, digital picture frames, scrapbook kits, photography classes, you name it!
  • Vacation destination souvenirs
  • Electronics:  everyone really likes toys – no matter their age
  • Automotive:  Car Wash, driving gloves, car organizers, thermal coffee go-mugs, sunglasses
  • Movies:  DVD players (big or portable), movie tickets, DVDs, trivia games

     Tomorrow night, after everyone is in bed, I’ll put on my I-Pod with my Christmas mix,  set up the gift wrapping table and pull out my supplies; gift wrap or bags, tissue paper, tape, ribbons, scissors, tags and a pen.  I’ll open up the shipping boxes that have arrived and start wrapping their contents, then sort the wrapped gifts into large boxes per destination (Christmas eve at Grandma’s, Christmas Morning with my kids, Christmas Day with my in-laws, Day After Christmas with my family) and grab the box I need as the event nears.  Wrapping things now saves me in a number of ways:

  1. Everything will be done and ready by the end of the week, giving me more time to relax next week!
  2. If I need supplies for wrapping, I’ll find out now instead of 11 pm Christmas Eve, and I’ll add the supplies to my grocery list for this week.
  3. If I have any more gifts to purchase, batteries to add, etc., I’ll find that out now, too, while I still have time solve any problems. 

Have fun with your gift giving and wrapping, and Uncle John:  Merry Christmas and Thanks!

Favorite Party Planning Tips, 500 words or less

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To work on my own perfectionist tendencies this week, I am writing  My Favorite 5 Party Planning Tips, in 500 words or less (and because I have another party to plan, so I’d better get to work): 

1.  Don’t over plan.

We went to a party last night that was so very enjoyable (J&J, thanks!).  The host mentioned the hostess was starting to worry about having enough food.  But so long as each guest brought something to pass, we would all have enough.  And we did.  And it was lovely. I have never been to a party where we ran out of food.  Ever.  Maybe it is because I come from a long line of Irish women who feed everyone, but maybe it is because everyone is willing to pitch in and have fun.

2.  My favorite party prep tool:  My ceramic place cards (google them if you like the idea, I got mine from Solutions.com a few years ago).  I got rave reviews for them last week.  Write things like seating arrangements, or food titles or specifics (“vegetarian dish” or “contains peanuts”), use them to plan the placement of your dishes on your buffet or dining table.  

3.  Embrace White:

We received a lovely Irish linen table-cloth and napkins as a wedding gift.  We have used it for any and all holidays along the way, because we can start with the lovely white base and change the theme with accessories /candles / etc.  My kitchen and bathroom towels – also all white.  Bleachable, matches everything.

4.  Remember why you are having a party.

You are having a party because…. you want to honor a particular person; it is a specific holiday; it is always nice to have everyone together; no one else would; who needs a reason?  You are not having a party to show off or prove your domestic prowess.  So do enough to make you and your home pretty and welcoming, and enjoy.

5.  Stay flexible, but have back-up plans.

Cookies in the freezer for drop in guests this time of year, and card table and folding chairs for extra people.  Table cloths are cleaned as we use them and returned to the server in the dining room for whenever.  We have on hand the ingredients to a tried and true appetizer that requires 5 minutes to assemble and microwave (though I do need to add a bag of tortilla chips to my grocery list…. done).  I try to relax and enjoy, but I can relax better knowing I am covered if something unexpected but great comes along!

Above all, enjoy your own party.  Make sure that you get out of the kitchen and enjoy your guests.  That is really the whole point, any way.  It took me a few years to figure this all out, but trust me, make sure you’re having fun, and your guests will, too.

Take Back Your To Do List!

       Don’t let the holiday frenzy take over you life!  The holidays should not cause a frenzy any way, they are supposed to be enjoyed!  Think of your To Do List as things you Get To Do, ways you get to bless your family and your holidays, and not as things you Have To Do. 

Six Time Tips to Get Things Done:

  • Break big tasks into little tiny pieces.  The thought of cleaning my house may seem overwhelming, but spending 15 minutes on each bedroom today makes things much more manageable.  Or get up 15 minutes earlier each morning, and take large tasks, like addressing Christmas Cards, and break the tasks into 15 minute pieces. 
  • Stick with your routines.  Now more than ever, it is imperative that you take care of the every-day stuff in a quick and competent manner.  It is also imperative to maintain your health, so remember those vitamins, exercise, adequate rest, etc.
  • Maintain Perspective.  When we look at everything together, it can seem overwhelming.  A party was starting in less than an hour, and I literally almost cried over a glass of spilled milk.  A deep breath or two, a lot of paper towels and a teachable moment saved me. 
  • Schedule an afternoon for shopping or preparing alone.   Take an morning or afternoon off of work to get things done, or swap sitting services with a friend – watch her little ones for a morning while she hits the mall, do lunch together, and then it’s your turn for the afternoon out!
  • Be realistic and delegate if possible.  Have your husband put the lights on the bushes, let your kids run errands, let someone bring a dish to pass to your party. 
  • Outsource if possible.  The point is not that you should get rid of family and cooking traditions, the point is that we can pay others to do things for us sometimes.  Cookies can be bought, a few side dishes can be catered, someone can be paid to help you clean for a house full of guests, there are even services to hang your lights.  Let others help!

You can get things done if you keep the big picture in mind while making little steps of progress as time permits.  Enjoy!

Glossy Catalog Pages

     I flipped through holiday catalogs the other day on a road trip.  The beautiful, shiny and glossy pictures of things I-don’t-own-but-should-want had the opposite effect than what the advertiser intended, I am sure.  Looking at the lovely things made me crave my own holiday treasures.  The items that appealed to me most on the catalog pages are similar to things I already have.  So, I am looking forward to my own treasures.

     I worked with a client last year who was dreading the decorating process. She enjoyed it, mostly, but the idea of her 20 bins of Christmas stuff scattered all over her basement and living room seemed so daunting.  I advised her to open one bin at a time, take out only the items she wanted and place those in her home, and then put the bin away.  One bin at a time.  Control the flow of chaos.

     I tried that myself last year, too, and it worked really well.  So today, I pulled out the first bins from my own crawl-space and opened the first box of decorations!  I will shop in my own Christmas bins, select only the items I want, the ones that fit my mood, and put the rest away.  Most importantly, I want the Advent items, our Nativity and Advent Calendars, and our outdoor Christmas lights out this week.  The rest can wait!  The house will look pretty, we can enjoy the minimalist attitude and my kids will be ecstatic when we put the tree up in a few weeks, just to prolong the fun!  It’s all good!  And, of course, after the holidays, I will re-assess what I did not put out this year and decide if I want to get rid of it.

    Enjoy this first week of Advent, of Waiting, and get a handle on your decorating.

GPS for the Christmas Season

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I was introduced to a car GPS system this past week.  My hubby got one, and I also traveled around the Chicago area with some out-of-town guests who used one in their car, and Wow, what a handy gadget!  A smooth voice tells you exactly what turns to make and when, and what the steps are to successfully reach your destination.   This little tool does all this while simultaneously alerting you to traffic trouble or the next gas station / rest room / eatery.   

 That smooth voice is never without a suggestion.  She does not judge your driving, nor get angry when you ignore her instructions and go your own way for a while.  My favorite part of the GPS?  “Re-calculating”.    The smooth voice does not throw up her GPS hands or shake a finger at you in exasperation when things don’t go as planned, she just… Re-Calculates.

We have fun in the car, pretending what the voice would say if she was real: “LEFT!  I said take a LEFT!”, but instead she is always calm and soothing, and simply offers the next logical suggestion to help you reach your destination. 

At all times, I let my motto of “Service to God, Family and Community, in that Order” guide my decisions.  But this Christmas season, my internal Colleen-voice will also whisper “Re-calculating….”.  Often. 

Take a breath, clean up the mess, sing the Christmas carol, welcome the friend, care for the stranger, order the gift, and get it all done.  And when things don’t go as planned, and assuredly, sometimes they won’t, I’ll try not to get distracted or frustrated.  I will just… Re-Calculate.

Hospitality as an Art, a Gift and A Skill

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     Hospitality is an art, a gift and a skill.  It may be something you are born with, but it can be taught and it can be learned!  There is a song we sing at Mass called “People, Look East” about Advent and preparing for the birth of our Lord.  We are advised, in the song, that … “The time is near, Of the crowning of the year.  Make your house fair, as you are able.  Trim the hearth and Set the table.”  So appropriate this time of year!
           To sum up the 6 paragraphs on Wikipedia, Hospitality can be considered somewhere between a “sacred religious duty and social service” and “throwing really great dinner parties”.  I consider it both, at different times!  For my purposes, we’ll settle for:

  • provide a warm, friendly and caring environment;
  • actively invite friends, family and even strangers into our home; and
  • consider the needs, comfort and enjoyment of our guest first and foremost. 

     Think about the best place you have ever stayed while traveling, either hotel or a friend’s home.  What did you like best, and what can we learn from great friends and hotels?  We can learn how to be the ultimate organized hostess…

Space:
     Make things obvious.  Label stuff for your guests.  We have a chest of drawers in our guest space, with labels on the handles like “blankets, sheets, extra toiletries”, etc., or you can stick a label on the kitchen cabinet with the coffee mugs for the early morning java!

     Make room for your guests.  Give them counter space in the bathroom, clear some closet space for their items in your guest space.  Make sure there is a chair or bench for them to rest their suitcases on, to make packing and unpacking so much easier.  

     Anticipate your guests’ needs, for example, regarding sleep (small children?  Early risers?) or diet (any special restrictions or requests?).  And stick to your own home itineraries if you need to, but be flexible if you can, for  example, stick with bedtime, but move meal times to accommodate travel plans.

     There is always room at the inn.  It is not too difficult to stay always relatively ready for guests.  We love having guests, and we have carved out space and created routines that enable us to say “Yes, of course you can stay with us” at a moments’ notice.

     We are positively influenced by beautiful surroundings and uncluttered space.  Remember:

  • Treat your guests, and everyone, how you would like to be treated.
  • Little things mean a lot.  The mint on the pillow, the bed turned down, the quality in-room coffee.  The milk and cookie buffet on one cross country trip!  
  • Be a tourist in your own town!  Have lots of different things available (museum passes, theatre schedule, other happenings in the metropolitan area), and then let your guest choose.
  • Leave guide books, tickets, and information about your town for your guests.
  • New and exciting is great, but at the end of the day, we all enjoy a taste of home.  Fuzzy slippers, squishy towels, whatever.
  • Alert your guests ahead of their stay to weather updates, schedule changes, special events, etc.

 Be an organized guest!

  • Don’t guess.  Ask lots of questions, and ask the experts.  If you are not staying at a personal home, ask the Concierge!  I arranged a college roommate reunion weekend a few years ago for the women I roomed with in college.  My new best friend became the Concierge at the hotel where we stayed.  He made dinner reservations, spa appointments, caught us a cab, and generally made our weekend run so smoothly!
  • Know the fire escape routes.  The first thing we do with the kids in a hotel is to find the fire escape routes.  Why wouldn’t you do the same anywhere you plan to sleep?

     And a final thought, If you are flying this holiday season, and taking gifts with you, I offer two suggestions:  Head to Fed-Ex, UPS or the Post Office before your trip, and ship ahead what you will need while you are on vacation; or if you must carry your gifts with you, do not wrap them – you may be asked to unwrap them at the airport.  Line your suitcases with re-usable gift bags, ribbon, tags and tissue paper, remove what packaging you can from your gifts, and be prepared to wrap them in the bags when you reach your destination.

     Happy travels!

Holidays and Everyday: Shopping, Deals and Receipts

     Things can start to feel rather frantic this time of year, so today begins my series of organizing tips for the Holidays And Everyday. 

     This week’s topic is “Holiday Shopping, Deals and Receipts”.

  1. First step is to Make your Gift List.  On paper or in the computer (mine is in MS Excel, I just update it every year with any changes), list all the people you buy for, any ideas you have for each person, your budget for each person and any gifts you already have purchased.
  2. Our families swap wish lists, but every family is different.  We like the lists because it ensures the kids (and adults) get something they will really like, is age appropriate and is not a duplicate.  You and your family can do whatever you want!
  3. Next, look around your house to inventory any gifts purchased earlier in the year, or unopened items that could be used as gifts (for example, I stocked up on candles over the summer, knowing I would need hostess gifts this time of year!).  
  4. From now on, carry your Gift List with you all the time, and keep it updated with budget, purchases and ideas.  I took advantage of a sale at a local store because I had my list on my IPhone, and knew what brand of product a client was looking for.   
  5. Which leads me to Deals:  A good plan can help you take advantage of deals when they come along.  Coupons, free shipping, special sales, etc. are great when you find them for things on your list.  Here are some tech-friendly places to find the deals (from Real Simple and Parenting Magazines, October):
    1. Fastmall.com  (free IPhone app), maps of local malls
    2. Shopkick.com (free IPhone app), sort of scary but this app “knows when you walk into one of its partner stores, like Macy’s and Best Buy, and rewards you with coupons, cash back, etc.”
    3. MobiQpons.com, (free app for many devices) finds store and restaurant coupons
    4. Coupons.com, redplum.com, and smartsource.com for in-store purchases
    5. Couponcabin.com, offers.com and retailmenot.com for on-line shopping
    6. Cellfire.com and couponsherpa.com for shopping on your handheld device
  6. NO IMPULSE SHOPPING!!  Do I need to say it again?  Deals and coupons are only helpful if you are buying something you really need or want as a gift.  Using these specials to stock your own home or to buy things no one will ever want just because it is on sale will lead to gift disasters and debt.  Both things to avoid!
  7. Receipts:   This time of year, consider receipts as valuable as cash, because in some instances, they are.  Receipts enable gift returns in case you realize you’ve got a duplicate or gift receipts for your loved ones in case the gift wasn’t quite right.  Take an envelope out right now, put Christmas 2010 Receipts on it in big bold letters, and keep it in a prominent location.  I put all holiday shopping receipts and packing slips in there, and save it for 6 months. 

Happy Shopping!

Inspiration on the Indiana Toll Road

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A loved one asked me over the weekend if I had a trick for getting people over their procrastination.  I replied “If I did, I’d be rich!”  I wish it were as simple as a trick, but for most of us, conquering procrastination is any thing but simple. 

     In my role as an organizer, I can tell you what to do, how to do it, and why you should.  I can even stand next to you, and do it with you.  You know what you should do to Get Things Done, what you Need to do.  But YOU have to ACT.   There are resources available to help, but you have to act. 

     Pondering the question again later, I was reminded of two words, from high school physics and college Psych courses, Inertia and Insanity:

  • Inertia is “the name for the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion, or an object at rest to remain at rest, unless acted upon by a force. This concept was quantified in Newton’s First Law of Motion” (from About.com). 
  • And a common definition of Insanity “is doing the same things over and over again, and expecting a different outcome.”
  • Hmmm… maybe they are both In- words because I was on the In-diana toll road?

     These two words were rolling around in my head as I rolled down the highway.  Inertia keeps us moving if we are moving, but also keeps us stopped if we are stopped.  And insanity keeps us trying (or avoiding) the same things over and over, expecting different results. 

       I think two parts of procrastination are

  1. Lack of Action, because that is our habit and we are used to it; and
  2. Not learning from our experience, doing things the same way all the time even with poor results. 

Find Your Motivator:
When starting a project or looking at a life change, look inside, and find your motivator – improving your health?  Saving or making Money?  An upcoming event or life change?  Desire for respect or admiration?  Your Self motivation?  Image?  These are all great motivators – find yours and use it (there can be more than one, of course)!

Acknowledge your Hurdles:
When the inertia of procrastination sets in, be ready to ask yourself “What is holding me back?”  Are you tired, hungry, bored, depressed, distracted, overwhelmed?  Then ask yourself, “Will I let any of these trivial and passing annoyances de-rail my plans or my progress?”  No way!  So, get cracking! 

Make Your Mantra:
Changing your internal soundtrack can go a long way to conquering procrastination.  Once you know your motivator, be ready to remind yourself –  a lot! – of what is motivating you, what you will gain from finishing your project, and how great you will feel when your project is complete.   Remind yourself, too, that reaching your goal in lots of little steps is still progress.  And often, little pieces are less overwhelming and more manageable than big chunks.  

Finally, remember, there are two parts of the definition of Inertia.  True, when we are stopped we tend to stay stopped, but once in motion, we tend to stay in motion.  I found Inspiration on the Indiana tollroad, to overcome the inertia and insanity of procrastination.

168 Hours A Week, 1440 Minutes a Day

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     If you and your calendar are feeling stretched thin or maxed out, maybe it is time to take a look at your Time Management practices.  There are three Questions to ask yourself:  What tasks can only I do?  and what can someone do for me?   Finally, what is the most important thing right now? 

If you need to make some breathing room in your schedule…

1.  Outsource whenever possible.

  • I love providing for my family, but I hate shopping.  Lately, the physical act of acquiring more stuff in a store drives me crazy.     
  • So I resolved to put the joy back in my holiday planning, and shop on-line as much as possible.  I am willing to pay a little more in shipping, just to save my sanity while finding the great gifts.
  • What Can Only You Do:
    • Be the family member to your kids, spouse, parents, siblings; 
    • Your professional life;
    • Mail / To Do List / Bill Paying
    • Decision Making / Big Picture (leaving implementation to outsourced person)
  • What Can someone else do?  There are always things that you can pay someone else to do.  Clean your yard or your house, shop for or wrap your gifts, cater your parties.  All of these things require an exchange of $$ for convenience and expertise, but that exchange may be worth it, if it helps you out.  You do not have to solve every problem yourself.  There are trained professionals and technological wonders that can solve problems for you!  
  • I am not a crafty person (at all).  My creative friend dropped off my lovely new hand crafted gift certificates to me today, just in time for the holidays.  The exchange of money for services is totally worth it!
  • Be ready to relinquish some control, in the interest of getting help / getting things done.

2.   This may sound crazy coming from a professional organizer, but don’t do a task just because it needs done. 

  • I just went out to check the mail, and I notice my yard needs raked.  The street department will come soon to clear the curb side, it looks messy to me, it just needs raked.  And I like to rake (don’t tell anyone).
  • But I, Colleen, also have a really important meeting in 2 hours that I need to prepare for, and I need to get dinner on the table before I leave.
  • So I tack “Rake” on to my kids’ to-do list for after school, and I get ready for my meeting.   I have more than one thing that needs done right now, so one task has to take priority.
  • Take care of tomorrow and this week before you worry about something in 2011!

3.  If there is a task on your To-Do list that is a gate to other things, get it done.

  • Putting my son’s Christmas Lists on Amazon.com will help my family members get started on their To-Do lists, so at some point today, that task will take top priority and it will get done.  
  • I have to send out an email query about an event coming up, so I can get final numbers and start preparing for it.  The numbers influence the final outcome, so I had better write that email!

4.  Why can’t we just get started?  

  • I am a perfectionist.  Honestly, you probably are, too.  I often struggle with not having the time I need to finish a task exactly the way I want it to be finished.  So, then it gets put aside again and again, waiting for that perfect opportunity. 
  • Let me be the first to tell you, Perfect is an illusion for we humans.  It is reserved for God, not us.  So perfect opportunities may never come.  And our tasks may never get done, if we keep waiting.
  • A very smart person at a meeting last week asked “Why can’t we get started on this great idea now, instead of waiting 4 weeks until our next meeting?”  Turns out, there was no reason why we could not get started.  So we did!
  • Just Do It.  Don’t wait for perfect, don’t wait at all.  Value “getting it done”! 

5.  Make things simpler.

  • Helped loved ones move out of their home over the weekend.  At one point, one of them walked back into the now empty, cleared-out house and asked if he could stay.  His garage had never been that spacious, his kitchen never that uncluttered!  Simple seemed very appealing.
  • It is never too late to clear clutter, either from your house, your schedule or your mind.  It is always a good idea!
  • Eliminate clutter, and don’t replace it (see last week’s Pantry Shopping blog article!).

I challenge you to look at your next 168 hours a little differently!  Have a great week.

Create Money, Space and Peace of Mind in The Pantry This Week!

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(Original publication, 2010!!)

I gave my kitchen some attention this past week.   I cleaned out and assessed one cabinet a night every night, after dinner.  I spent less than 20 minutes on each cabinet, and now I am done.

Cabinet by cabinet, I made sure that what I have in each place is what I need there.  For example, all baking supplies are together, as are the serving dishes for parties. I put my soup pot in a more user-friendly spot for winter.  I purged anything un-used and un-necessary.

One of my favorite kitchen organizing strategies this time of year is Pantry Shopping. Here’s the definition: “figure out what you have and use it”. Pretty low tech, I know, but it is oh-so-useful this time of year!  Pantry shopping benefits you and your kitchen in a number of ways:

  • Take this opportunity to assess what you have on hand, and put it in a useful spot.
  • Open up some space and clear some clutter before holiday cooking and baking takes over.
  • Save money at the grocery by using up what you have instead of buying more.
  • Share with people less fortunate that you, if you can, and be a responsible steward of what you have.
  • Use items before their expiration date.


So, take some time this week to go through your cabinets, refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  Determine what you have on hand and if there is an excess in any area.  For example, I know my freezer space is always at a premium once I start my holiday baking, so I will use up the big bulky and boxed items this month, making room for other things.  I also keep a stock pile of canned and non-perishable goods during the winter months, but I can still see that 12 cans of green beans is excessive (though I do love Costco!), so we’ll add green beans to a couple of meals this week.

We will enjoy the cheaper grocery bills that come with pantry shopping, knowing that the expensive holiday cooking is just around the corner. We will limit the shopping to produce, dairy and bread as long as we can.  There may be some odd food combinations as we use things up, but that is literally a small price to pay!

We will also take this opportunity for a teachable moment and have the kids help me bag up extra food we have on hand and drop them off at our local Food Pantry.  We also talk about what is necessary to make a healthy meal (protein, veggie, complex carb), so a double teaching bonus!

I usually attribute this concept to Mary Hunt, in either Cheapskate in the Kitchen or Debt-Proof Your Holidays, but checking those books yesterday, awesome reads by the way, did not yield proof.  It could be from her newsletters over the year.  Mostly, I just want to give the idea person his or her props, so I hope I did.

Spend a little time this week in your kitchen, and reap the benefits for months to come!