Category: Life Hacks

The Post-Deadline Lies We Tell Ourselves

Have you ever had these thoughts before:

“I can’t wait to finish this project… life will be so much easier when it is done.”

“I’ll have so much free time when this semester is over.”

“Wow, whatever will I do with all my free time after this project / deadline, etc.?”

Or, “After the holidays, things will finally settle down.”

A friend and client brought this up to me years ago – the game she plays when she is in the middle of a semester (she is a teacher) or writing an article: the “when I finish this, I will finally be able to slow down / take a break / relax for a while / few days / few months” game. But that break never seems to happen.

We work and work towards a deadline, and think fondly though fleetingly about how nice and relaxing it will be once that deadline is met and the project is complete. And then we complete the project and meet the deadline, yeah! Great, Way to Go!!

However…then the basic survival and maintenance tasks we have neglected while we hustled to meet our deadline clamor for our attention. The house is sort of a mess, the cabinets are a little bare, the desk top or work space is strewn with project remnants and papers, the laundry has piled up and your in-box is atrocious.

Plus, the other projects that have been neglected while we finish come rushing forward for our attention and we end up right back into overwhelm. There – can you see it? – the next deadline / project is already looming on the horizon! Agh!

So, what could we do instead?

When the deadline is successfully met, article submitted, we can revel for a bit in the glow of “Done”, “Finished”, “Accomplished”, before jumping into the next big project.

We can take some time to take care of those survival and maintenance tasks. Grab some lunch, some water, a break outside in the sunlight. Take a shower and start that load of laundry!

We can factor in recovery time (I am saying this to you and to my self). I am slowly and with resistance learning that we need to factor in recovery time after major efforts. Talking with a friend, they spent an entire weekend day tackling yard tasks and were sore. So the next day, they laid low and took it easy. Recovery.

We can find some closure around the project or semester or article or whatever that big THING was that you’ve been working on. Clean up your work space, file your papers or info, leave yourself a few notes for follow-up, send a few thank you’s to folks who lent a hand. Take a few deep breaths and smile.

We can clean out our brain with a 30- minute cranial cleanse of non-project related tasks and ideas, or collect any notes-for-someday you may have written yourself while in the throes of that project. For next time, keep a bullet journal or make notes in an Evernote or Google doc as random thoughts occur to you and save them for later so as not to distract from your deadline!

And during your next brief down-time, look ahead and schedule some of these catch-up tasks for yourself post-deadline. We can leave ourselves a plan, maybe a check list of self-care, recovery and clean up tasks, to give our tired post-deadline brain and body a break!

The Payton Jersey or the Sunrise Picture? (Organize you and your space for virtual meetings)

We should probably get good at Zoom calls. Even when social distancing is relaxed, many groups and businesses may still use virtual meetings and webinars to connect participants and members. I miss meeting with people in person, but I also recognize the benefits of virtual meetings and webinars, so I imagine some combination of in-person and on-line as we all go forward.

And, of course, as I offer suggestions about getting better at virtual calls, I’m not talking just about Zoom. These suggestions could work for Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime, etc.!

Load your virtual meeting app(s) on all your devices. Because sometimes tech fails or hits a snag. Or your device isn’t fully charged and you don’t realize that until 2 seconds before this week’s virtual staff meeting. It is good to have options.

Look around you, and look through your camera’s lens:

  • Early on in this social distancing time, I considered what I want people to see around me as I attend webinars. (A friend shared on FB how her parents were attending family Zoom calls but the camera was always pointed at the ceiling fan.)
  • While you ARE NOT ON A CALL, try out different spaces in your home for the best vantage point of what is behind you. Turn the camera on your laptop / iPad on and take a tour to find a nice backdrop. Perhaps you like the framed Chicago sports pictures on the wall behind your couch, or a warm and cozy bookshelf look in your office, or the nondescript sunset picture on your bedroom wall (just so long as it doesn’t look like a bedroom wall – awkward!).
  • Make sure you choose a backdrop that won’t change – like if your backdrop is near a door where people might wander through during your call!
  • Check your devices for the best camera. After some research (read “trial and error”), we determined my Ipad camera is better than my laptop camera. If I am presenting and need to share my screen for a handout, then I need to use my laptop. But for a better camera, I can use my Ipad.

OR… Consider Using a Virtual Background.

  • Also in the first weeks of this strange time, I tried out virtual backgrounds for my Zoom calls. I quickly discovered my laptop camera did not support virtual backgrounds without a green screen (which I did not have). If you’ve looked lately, on-line vendors aren’t shipping green screens until August.
  • My first solution was to create a green screen using green foam board, green masking tape and binder clips from a local office or educational supply store to mount the whole thing on the wall behind me. This works well!
  • The other solution is for Zoom calls that I attend (but not deliver). I attend on my iPad for that better camera, to support the background better with or without the green screen.
  • Plan ahead for the virtual background, and BEFORE your next meeting populate your saved photos for virtual backgrounds.

Once you have chosen your space, pay attention to lighting.

  • Don’t use overhead lighting, it casts unflattering shadows.
  • Don’t rely on daylight since much can change in an hour.
  • Use soft lighting in front of your face or to each side (almost equally).
  • Lighting is one of those areas in which the following is true: “You won’t notice it if it is good, but you will certainly notice if it is bad.”

Bring Your Supplies With You. If your chosen space is not your usual seating spot (one of mine is at my desk but the other is in a different room where I can close the door), plan to bring supplies with you. I have a tray for my stuff that I need during my own virtual presentations. The tray hold tissues, water or tea, my phone and charger if necessary, laptop and mouse, iPad and stand, etc.

Practice, practice, practice. After you’ve added the apps to your devices, start a meeting on one, invite yourself and join from the other devices, and get used to navigating between them, choose the better and view, etc. If you have been in a call having technical difficulties, you know you don’t want to be that person!

Spend a little time and practice this week to put your best virtual self forward!

Is the Phone Really Dead?

Someone: “My phone is dead.”

Me:  “Is the phone really dead?”

Someone: “Yes, it won’t charge.  It doesn’t hold a charge.  The charging light doesn’t even go on.  Tried it a couple of times, the phone is dead.”

Me: “Let’s break it down.  The problem might not be the phone, that is just the part we see.  The problem could be the phone (the most expensive item to replace, of course!), but it could also be

  • the cord, 
  • the cube, 
  • the outlet, 
  • the connection between any of these components, or
  • in many cases sometimes, ‘user error’ (a nice way to say I or you may be the problem).”
  • And the problem was the charging cube, in case you were wondering.  The phone recharged and works fine.

I love a good challenge.  I love to solve mysteries and problems like this.  And yes, sometimes, the phone really is dead and the problem is exactly what it presents itself to be.

But sometimes it is not.

“Is the ceiling fan really dead?”

“… It doesn’t turn and the light won’t turn on.”

Yes, but is the ceiling fan the problem, or:

  • Is there something wrong with the wall switch?
  • Is the circuit tripped?
  • Is it the on-off switch on the fan?
  • Is it the connections in or out of any of these?
  • (turns out, it was the connections in the ceiling to the base unit).

My handy husband and son spent an hour and solved the mystery a few weeks ago instead of just going out and spending money on a new fan which wouldn’t have worked either, because the problem was in the connections in the ceiling.

This works on more subjective challenges, too. 

“Hmmm, This person and I don’t seem to be communicating well.”  Is the problem with

  • the message? (one of you doesn’t want to hear it or want to say it?); 
  • how it is being said? (the tone, the jargon)
  • the method of communication?  (you would prefer to text, the other person prefers to talk on the phone)
  • the timing? (the sender or receiver is distracted by something else more important or urgent)
  • something even more  personal or subjective with either the sender or receiver that has nothing to do with the process or method?

If you have a problem to solve, whether it is objective, like fixing a cell phone or ceiling fan, or more subjective like interpersonal communications, it pays to take a moment and break down the problem into smaller pieces that can be examined on their own.  Perhaps the solution is right in front of you!

Create a “Done List”, In This Strange Pause Time.

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I want to talk again about lists! (see my article from 2 weeks ago, It’s Time to Make Your Some Day Soon list).

This week, I challenge you to start your Done List. In the past two days, I’ve had two conversations about Done Lists. I LOVE a good Done List. Not a To-Do list of what still needs to be accomplished, but a DONE List, of accomplished tasks and completed goals. (Woot Woot!!)

There are lots of benefits to creating and keeping a Done List. Every week I share a Done List with my accountability partner, where I get to share successes from the last week based on my goals. A mini-celebration, if you’d like, with imaginary confetti and fan fare in my head. I get to share my Done List, re-assess what still needs to get accomplished, and craft this week’s plan. But first I get to celebrate!

What are some benefits of the Done List?

  • Dopamine boost that comes with a sense of accomplishment;
  • acknowledgement of learning;
  • release and stress relief from met deadlines;
  • a clear conscience!

Have you noticed? Time is passing strangely – the hours pass slowly but the days pass quickly. As the days pass without acknowledgement, our efforts could also pass without notice.

I have been amazed, though, by what people are accomplishing during this Pause Time. Big things, little things. We are all finding new and interesting ways to do our regular stuff, and also new and interesting ways to do new and interesting things. People are growing beyond their comfort zones and stepping up to help as needs require. Way to go, everyone!

Here is a little piece of my own Social Isolation Done List so far (in no particular order)? I…

  • successfully made yeast bread after years of telling myself I didn’t know how;
  • caught up on my VIRTUS training modules (there were many!);
  • took LOTS of Zoom webinars to find out how to host Zoom Webinars;
  • presented my first and then many more presentations as Webinars on Zoom (has been on my to-do list for years!);
  • recorded and shared a newly created Webinar with a training center just this morning;
  • transitioned many in-person clients to virtual organizing and coaching (also on my list for years!);
  • cantored for two Masses that were recorded and / or live-streamed for Holy Week;
  • made progress on the back-log of my non-fiction reading pile;
  • started to learn to play the ukelele;
  • attended meetings virtually last week that I can never seem to find time for in a normal week; and
  • cleaned up the yard for Spring.

Maybe your Done List is simpler: “Worked, maybe a lot; served others; made it through today; found beauty where I could; reached out and made connections with loved ones.” All important and noteworthy.

The point is, tracking our accomplishments can help us to find positivity and hope in this strange unsettled time. Days are passing without our usual noteworthy experiences – how many birthdays have already been celebrated without the parties, how many events have been rescheduled or cancelled all together? Weekends look different now, and may look remarkably like any other day.

So, my friends, make a conscious decision to create and maintain your Done List this week. Appreciate your own efforts and applaud your own accomplishments, with a little (or a lot of) celebration!

What Do Instant Coffee and Travel Sized Toothpaste Have in Common?

I drank instant coffee yesterday morning. It wasn’t too bad, actually, Starbuck’s Via Dark Roast. I keep some packets on hand for when I travel, just in case there is not morning coffee at my destination.

Goodness knows I’m not traveling this week, so what gives?

(And Why?! do my posts seem to involve coffee, pictures of coffee or drinking coffee?!)

Here’s the thing. I inventoried my kitchen cabinets before a grocery trip over the weekend, and I noticed the coffee packets were nearing their expiration date. Obvious next action, use them up before they expire.

In keeping with the coffee topic, I started out this social isolation by using up ground coffee in my french press. Why? To use up open inventory and clear clutter before returning to my usual K-Cups in the morning. My Intelligentsia coffee beans are still in the freezer, they will last a long time in there.

(For more information about using up your food inventory, check out last my article from a few weeks ago, “Menu Planning: This Just Got Real”.)

HOWEVER, this is not about coffee. Today’s topic is inventory management.

I know why I talk about coffee, but Why am I talking about Inventory Management? Because utilizing the items we already have in our home is the best way to save money, save time, clear clutter, waste less, make better choices, flatten the curve, etc.

I’m also using travel sized toothpaste right now. Who knows why we have 6 of them, but I’m using up those before I start on any new full sized tubes.

I mentioned inventory management to a coaching client yesterday. She was adding “finish organizing the bathroom” to her plan for the week, and when I brought up inventory management, she said “Yes! I always seem to tuck things away in clever places but then can’t find them again when I need them!”

Yep.

So, to save money and time, clear clutter, waste less, etc., here’s what to do this week!

Find Your Inventory!

Corral all your stuff by category. For example, the toiletry category, like soaps, shampoos and toothpaste. Other home inventory categories could be cleaning supplies, light bulbs, paper goods and the like.

Check the medicine cabinet, the linen closets, under bathroom sinks or in bathroom drawers, the travel bags and where else? Where does that stuff land in YOUR home?

Bring it all together, open or still sealed, on the bathroom counter or the kitchen table if you need more space. Sort the broad toiletry category into sub-category piles, like soaps, shampoo, dental, personal care, etc.

Purge the Stuff That HAS TO GO.

If you have a 5 year -old partial bottle of conditioner that has turned lumpy and smells funny – would you actually put that on your head? (No. The Answer is No.) Purge the old and the empty, recycling containers if you can. Pet shampoo when you don’t own a pet? Old shower poofs or loofahs? Go, go, go.

Establish a Designated Location For Your Home Inventory.

Some folks like to keep a stash of toiletries in every bathroom, and I understand that … sort of. I find that having multiple locations in your home for stashing inventory is what makes inventory management so difficult. So, choose a spot or maybe 2 – one on each floor of your home, perhaps? And store your unopened inventory in that spot, to stock the spaces where you use it when you need it.

Plan to Use The Open Stuff First.

Stock your storage space like a store. Freshest (items with expiration dates farthest in the future) inventory goes to the back of the shelf, with inventory that needs to be used before it goes to waste moves to the front. If we are talking about those other categories of inventories, like cleaning supplies or paper goods, place partial containers at the front and use them first.

Check Your Stock Before You Restock.

Get in the habit of checking your Inventory before you shop.

Use the empty spot to alert you to when something needs to be replaced or reordered. If the “bleach” spot on my chrome shelves in the laundry room is empty, I know it’s time to buy bleach. If the cup of new tooth brushes in my toiletries bin is empty, it’s time to buy toothbrushes.

DON’T BUY MORE UNLESS YOU NEED IT!!

Just like retailers or manufacturers, Know your re-order point, and recognize that stuff takes longer to arrive these days, whether you go out and shop for it or order on-line. For example, over the weekend I ordered more dishwasher detergent pods. We’re not out of them yet but we will be in a week and shipping takes longer than it used to, so I placed my order.

Do your home and your $$ a favor, and spend some time setting up your inventory management this week. Get the most out of what you already have and clear some clutter while you’re at it!

Meal Planning: This Just Got Real.

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These are interesting times we’re living in right now. I have written and presented A LOT about Menu Planning and Strategic Food Prep, etc., but these ideas have gained special importance over the last few weeks.

You bought the food, now what are you doing with it?

If you didn’t inventory your stock on hand before you bought all your groceries over the last few weeks, you really need to do that now.

Sort like items together, pulling the foods from all the areas in your house it might be stashed or stockpiled

Check expiration dates on all of your food, cabinet / fridge and freezer! Pay close attention to expiration dates, friends. Even in this uncertain time – perhaps ESPECIALLY now – saving money over an expired can of tuna could land you with a case of food poisoning.

Rotate your inventory like a store, meaning put all that new food you’ve recently purchased at the back of your inventory in the cabinet / fridge / freezer and pull the older food towards the front to be used up sooner.

What to eat first:

Eat your leftovers first. I issued a moratorium on throwing out leftovers. With our current status around here, it’s even more important that we not waste food. Check the pantry, too, and use up what is open first.

This is the actual note I left my family members the other day, with the board placed under a bag of crackers left on the counter overnight with TWO crackers in it, a loaf of soda bread with ONE slice left, and a bag of 6 banana mini-muffins in it left open on the counter. (grrrr…..)

Finish. The. Bag. And then throw it away!


(And I’ve already reminded all the young adults in my house to NOT EAT ALL THE SNACKS in the first few days!)

Make your plan: I am not necessarily assigning meals to dates just now, but I have on hand the ingredients to make the following:

chicken pie, shepherds pie, baked ziti, crock pot – chicken tacos (today), beef stew / home made bread, crock pot – creamy chicken and rice soup, bacon-potato soup with cheddar, pork roast and risotto, pork chops and ??, chicken breasts and ??, spaghetti and meatballs, breakfast for dinner, crock pot chili, beans and rice (Friday).

Most of these meals rely heavily on frozen meats and veggies (which will last for months), non-perishable pantry items and some fresh produce that I’ll need to use in the next week, choosing those recipes first – hence the chicken tacos today!

In this new normal where we find ourselves, I have to think about having lunch food on hand, too, which is new. Granted, around here, planning for lunches means making sure we have sandwich stuff, leftovers or make-your-own-breakfast stuff available.

We’re actually having some adventures in cooking, since we have the time! I made french bread from scratch the other day, which was time consuming but so gratifying and delicious, paired with my home made beef stew! And now that I found bags of caramels at the store this morning, my sons are planning to bake some type of new cookie they want to try (works for me!).

I hope these ideas help you to get a handle on your own kitchen inventory and your meal planning! I wish you all good health – physical, emotional and spiritual!

Hiking Wisdom, For Organizing and For Life

Earlier this month, I went on an adventure. It was amazing. I learned a lot about new and interesting topics, and also about myself.

If given the choice, I’ll choose hiking above other activities, and there was great hiking on this trip. Hiking provides time to think, and I realized that many lessons learned from hiking can be applied to life and to organizing, as well. Here are a few things I learned:

Many small steps often work better than fewer larger steps (especially for short people like me). My hiking guide was much taller than me (most folks are!) but still took the trail in small steps sometimes. Smaller steps help control your exertion, keep your muscles from over-stretching and allow for more certain foot placement. My habit is to take long strides. That works on flat Illinois and Michigan paths but not so well on rocky and uneven steep climbs. Expect to change up your stride, and you will go far.

The Right Pace makes all the difference. Recognize that in hiking and in life.

Don’t jump down onto loose gravel. I might even state, don’t Jump Down ever, since you don’t know if the trail is loose or not. Strategic foot placement keeps you from slipping (much!).

Even cloudy days hold their own beauty. (see right!)


Save enough energy for the hike back. Some of us start out moving really fast but then burn out our energy early. Better to keep moving, even slowly, than to have to stop or turn back. Slow and steady really does win the race.

Conversely, we are only hiking out for half the trip. The other half is hiking home. This was a very good reminder when UP the hills was getting tough. For every tough UP climb, there is a corresponding gentler DOWN climb.

Our own breathing sounds very loud to us. But our fellow hikers are only hearing their own breathing, as well. I felt very self conscious about how hard I was breathing, then I realized my fellow hikers couldn’t hear me over their own breathing. The point is for us to focus on improving ourselves, and let others focus on working on themselves.

Wear layers. Pack Enough but Pack Light.
My biggest hiking adventure was a half-day canyon hike. We started out at 9 am at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The sun warmed the canyon, we climbed above 4,000 feet and then a cold front rolled through. There were many layers shed and then put back on. Hiking wisdom says “Plan for Cold” if you want to Pack Enough, because you can always take off layers as you heat up. But no matter what you bring, you are stuck carrying it, either on your body or in your backpack, so pack light.

Pack Enough but Pack Light can be good advice for life, too. Carry and have what you need but not too much more.

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. And always bring a snack.

The really great views require effort.
My hiking guide Kevin reminded me of this as we gazed out over the valley. If you want the really good views (aka, the tough and amazing outcomes), you have to be ready to work hard.

Recovery time is essential. Very often, in hiking and in life, I forget to factor in recovery time. Hard work, either physical or mental, is good work but it also uses our body’s resources, and those resources need replenished. I hiked A LOT on my trip, and by the third day, my legs reminded me they needed to slow down a little and take a break if I wanted them to continue to operate in good form. So day 4 was a slower day, a recovery day. And then I got back to it on day 5. The point? If you want you and your body to operate well, factor down-time and rest into your busy schedule.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my adventure and photos with you. I hope you learned a few things from my hikes, too!

Make Healthier Habits Stick

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to meet a great group of women and talk to them about how to make their healthier habits really stick in this New Year! Regardless of what your goals are, progress has to start with small, convenient and simple steps in the right direction, instead of big and sometimes not sustainable changes!

SIMPLE CHANGES! 

What will simple change look like? (And please take these ideas as merely suggestions!  There are lots of ways to make your Goals work for you!)

  • “Get to”, not “have to” – changing our mindset.  Talking to a friend who runs marathons (I know, right?!), he plans when he “Gets to” go for a run every day.  He may have to creative or cut the run short, but he was always looking for the opportunity to run. I often think of exercise as “Have to”, but “Get To” motivates me more!
  • Find Your Tribe, and Spread the Word.  What are your goals?  Make your success a group effort by finding like-minded folks with similar goals or people who are already doing what you are doing, or by sharing your goals with friends who will support your efforts! 
  • Plan your Day.  Set timers, if those help you.  Set timers to take vitamins or supplements and to drink water.  We have our phones with us all the time anyway, use them!  You can customize your timer, too, so your wellness timers sound unique and help you remember!
  • Make Room in Your Home For Your Better Habits.  In my recent presentation, I challenged the participants to pare down easy clutter – coffee mugs or extra water bottles, holiday decor or storage containers – and find some space for whatever is needed for those healthier habits!
  • If wellness is your goal, Meal Planning ensures healthier eating and saves $$ and time!
    • Make your meal plan for the week, or just start with a few days.
      • Plan your meals and snacks;
      • Check your grocery inventory on hand, and plan to use first what you have on hand;
      • Hit the grocery (or place an order on-line to limit impulse buying) to fill in the gaps between your plan and your inventory.
    • Daily, take your supplements, eat your healthy breakfast and plan for or pack your healthy snacks and lunch. (Remember, make healthy choices more convenient and you will be more likely to make them!)  
    • For example, snacks can be healthy AND something I look forward to!  If I prep my snacks in advance, in the morning or perhaps all my snacks for the week on one day, I am more likely to stay on track!   always think “protein and produce” when it comes to snacks, so servings of nuts in small re-usable bowls or snack bags plus cleaned and prepped fruits, veggies and hummus in reusable bowls, hard boiled eggs, etc..

So, we have set up our days, routines, habits and spaces to nourish ourselves and our new habits.   Yeah Us! Let’s Do This!

How To Stack & Store Stuff!

January is Get Organized Month! How To Stack and Store Stuff!

Getting organized is a process, and choosing and using the right containers for storage is a really important step in the process!

During my presentations, I talk a lot about Containerizing and how to do it the right way! (BTW, “Containerize” is a word introduced by Julie Morgenstern in her book Organizing From The Inside Out). And for ease of writing (and reading, I expect!), I am talking about large storage containers during this article, and not the little ones in your kitchen cabinets.

Why Containerize?

-To protect your items.

-To maximize your vertical space.

-To keep your items conveniently portable.

-To provide boundaries and limits for collecting.

-To enable retrieval of similar or related items when needed.

To Protect Your Item, choose the right containers that will offer physical protection and structure for your stuff. Consider heat and cold variations when you are storing your stuff (as in, snow globes will FREEZE and SHATTER if they’re kept outside), protection against bugs and moisture and dust. Cardboard is almost NEVER the right choice for long term storage of your belongings because it is susceptible to moisture, dust and bugs plus it degrades over time and usage.

Containerize your really heavy or fragile items to protect them from falling or from harm. And store both heavy and fragile items in small containers with only a few other things (but not together, of course!).

Maximize your vertical space. Containers are great for utilizing your vertical space well, since you can stack containers into tall stacks. When you are storing filled containers, store the heaviest and widest containers at the bottom of the pile, and don’t just keep piling. For safety sake, most stacks shouldn’t be over 3 or 4 containers tall.

Keep your items conveniently portable. I have no intention of moving from my home any time soon. BUT, if I did, it would be super easy to move the contents of my crawl space. Most of the contents are seasonal items and decor, and all are pared down, categorized, containerized and well labeled, so moving would be a piece of cake.

When containerizing, don’t pack really big containers full of really heavy items. Those 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers are great for storing holiday decor, bedding or clothes or toys, but not books and photos and papers – those heavy dense items would make the big containers too heavy to conveniently move and stack.

Containers provide boundaries and limits for collecting. Containers provide reminders of what is the reasonable amount of stuff to keep. Think about your dresser. It seems reasonable to keep one or two drawers of t-shirts (or socks or underwear), right? But if we don’t containerize our stuff in a drawer, it is difficult to determine how much for something we actually own. Containers provide a gauge for quick estimates of content.

When you’re explaining to your kids (or others) how much of something to keep, you can say ‘one container’ or 2 or whatever of memorabilia or stuffed animals, etc.

Containers enable retrieval of similar or related items when needed. Label your containers, so you can find things again. Affix a label to two sides of the container, one end and one side. DO NOT label the top, for as soon as you stack your containers, you will not longer see the top.

Label your container (and DO NOT write the containers’ contents on the container!), and be willing to change them if the contents change. I have spent 17 years now searching for good labels. So far, the best combo is a Post-It note and a Sharpie marker covered over with clear packing tape.

Decide if you want to see the contents of the container or not. Clear containers provide a clearer view, but are often more expensive and less sturdy. In addition, we may want an opaque container for a more uncluttered look in your storage area.

If you are packing away seasonal decor this week, or looking to get organized for 2020, give some thought to the right containers for the job!

Quick Fixes for a Better Closet

I received photos of a stranger’s closet via text last week.  (It sounded funny to me as I typed it, but it is not an uncommon occurrence, and the stranger isn’t strange at all!)

A participant from a recent presentation asked questions  about her oddly shaped and slightly frustrating closet.   I love these questions!  And regardless of the size or status of your closet, there are steps I suggest to EVERYONE, including this class participant, to give you more breathing room and make your closet work better for you!

Try one of these suggestions this week, or all of them!

      • Pull all unused hangers off your closet rods.  Toss or recycle the old or decrepit ones, and set aside the ones you may use as you hang clothes up today.   When you’re done clearing space today, put all the extras in the laundry room.

      • Collect and recycle the empty shoe and shipping boxes, then toss out the shopping bags, dry cleaner bags, tags, pocket lint, tissues, etc. from the floor.
      • Collect all those Errands-To-Be-Run items – for return, repair, donate or share?  Yep – send them all on their way.  Pack them into the car, and add the errands to this week’s to-do list.
      • If space is tight, consider moving move all non-clothing items elsewhere.  (For example, more-than-one-piece-of-luggage, keepsakes, excessive bedding, gifts to be given, bags of clothing donations, fans, furniture?)  Send these under the bed or into storage elsewhere in your home.
      • Swap your clothes for the season.  Yes, I know it may seem like a hassle, and I also know some items can be worn all 12 months but some… can’t or shouldn’t be worn all 12 months.  Store these in storage bins or totes under the bed or on the top shelf of the closet.  Your clothes will last longer safely folded away instead of hanging and collecting dust, and you will reap major space benefits by clearing away items you won’t wear for a while.
      • Swap out your shoes for the season, too.
      • Move that safe on the floor. (Yes, everyone keeps their safe on the floor of their closet and thieves know it.) Hide it somewhere clever while freeing up some closet space.
      • Now that you have more breathing room, use your vertical space better: install over the door shoe racks on the back of the doors, or jewelry storage on a blank wall.

Try one, try all!  And enjoy some breathing room in your closet this week!