Category: Organized Family

How To Organize Holiday Gifts: What Do You Need to Track?

I read in a recent article that many folks kicked off their Christmas Shopping with last week’s Amazon Prime Days.

Also last week, 2 different clients asked about organizing their Christmas presents. I believe in responding to organizing trends, so we’re talking holiday shopping this week!

For the record:
Christmas is over 2 months away,
I have not started shopping, and
I am not encouraging you to start unless you really feel like it.

I just want to answer the question NOW, while folks are asking!

So, the title: How to Organize Holiday Gifts: What Do You Need To Track?

When each client asked me last week how to organize their gifts, that was my first question. What do you need to track?

For example, Client #1 answered: “What I have so far and how much I have spent per person, to keep things even among my grown children and their spouses.”

This is a completely reasonable answer, and typically how I organize my gifts.

Client #2 answered: “How many gifts I have for each person, especially the little kids, because the number of gifts is how the little ones determine ‘fair’, so the number has to be the same.” And she wants to physically organize her gifts purchased so far, to make sure the piles are about equal size in addition to number. Also a completely reasonable answer, especially if you have ever watched little kids in action under the tree!


So, how DO we organize our Christmas gifts?

You have to answer the “What do I want to track?” question for yourself. Sorry. But regardless of what you’re tracking, I suggest a list. Yes, you can make piles of gifts or arrange things physically, but stuff gets moved or people come to visit, etc..

Create your list, perhaps over the course of a few days. On the list:

  • Add the names of people you are shopping for. My lists starts with, for example,
    • Husband Gifts,
    • Husband Stocking,
    • Son #1 Gifts,
    • Son #1 Stocking,
    • Son #1 Birthday (Christmas day),
    • Son #2 Gifts,
    • Son #2 Stocking,
    • Son #3 Gifts, etc….
  • Note anything you have already purchased for each recipient (both clients last week already have some things purchased).
  • Jot down any other ideas you have for each person already.
  • In this technological age, I might also add a link to their Amazon Wish List (like I just received from my Sister-In-Law for my nephew!) or other gift ideas, so I create and keep my list digital in Evernote, but you could do the same in Notes, Google Docs, etc.
  • Then, add columns or notes for what it is you want to track:
    • Perhaps you are like client #1, and want to track total amount you have to spend or have spent per person; or
    • you, like client #2, also want to track total number of gifts per person; or
    • maybe you’re like me – I need a column by due date, as I will need to ship some gifts out of state by early December; or
    • some of the gifts are group gifts, and you need to track who is responsible for which gift; and
    • For goodness sake, MAKE A NOTE OF WHERE YOU HIDE THINGS SO YOU CAN FIND THEM AGAIN!

Start the list this week, even if you haven’t started your shopping! You will be ready to jump in fully prepared when you are ready to shop!

Routines Now To Avoid Emergencies Later!

Looking back at the last week or two, what are some of the hiccups in your day that really set you back? Small annoyances or big problems that slowed you down, made you cranky, threw off your schedule and your flow? 

Now, look again, and ask “Could this have been avoided?”   Some challenges can not be avoided, but many CAN BE avoided with some forward planning and good routines.

Last week, a friend / client mentioned that she liked last week’s article because there was NOT a call to action. 🙂  That made me laugh.  But this week, friends, is all about action.

Imagine how having routines that work for you can actually help you avoid emergencies.  It is possible.  When our needs are taken care of, we are more ready for whatever life brings us.

I am not here to tell you to do what I’ve done (ever!).  I’m sharing my routines as examples of how we choose to handle routine tasks to avoid inconveniences later.  These have been created over time in response to challenges.  So, Where Do You Stumble? and Imagine where routines could help you stumble less! 

Examples of routines to avoid personal inconveniences!

  • Know your re-stocking and re-order levels for regularly used products.
    • Weekly, I re-stock toilet paper and tissues and re-fill the hand-soaps at all the sinks in the house. 
    • Later this week, I will place my monthly order (first of the month) for my eco-friendly cleaning supplies that get delivered to my house. 
    • Same goes for grocery items which we now mostly have delivered.  We add items to the grocery orders when they are low, BEFORE we actually run out of stuff.
  • Handle regular maintenance tasks regularly.
  • Set up a schedule for bill-paying and personal business items.
    • Years ago, a client mentioned paying ALOT in late fees every month on his bills.  I asked him when he set time aside to pay bills and was met with a blank stare. We won’t look at budgeting and bill paying today, but I will say that scheduling time to regularly take care of personal business means we miss fewer deadlines, pay fewer late fees, spend less time on the phone with customer service, etc.
  • What other tasks can you make routine, to save you time later?
    • I fill up my gas tank once a week on a planned errand run (or when we travel, of course), so I don’t have to make unplanned stops.  Because as much as I used to tell myself I would remember in the morning to leave early and stop for gas on my way to work, I would forget.  

And what about, routines to avoid emergencies professionally? 

  • You know your work!  I will not assume to tell you how to do your job, but we can ask the same questions professionally that we ask personally:  Where do I stumble?  And How can I avoid the stumbles in the future? 
  • For example, Mondays and Tuesdays I am writing my article and newsletter, like today.  But Thursdays host a block of recurring tasks for my business. 
  • On Thursday mornings, I: do my bookkeeping and pay my bills; check in around upcoming presentations, confirming details and sending invoices; check in on my website comments and social media, etc.   All of these tasks keep me ahead of challenges and course corrections I need to make to keep things running smoothly.

On the other side of routines, I love the flexibility that comes when an emergency actually does arise.  Let’s say I or a family member gets sick, or I am called away out of town on short notice.  Perhaps my routine tasks don’t happen for a few days or even a week.  Guess what?  No biggee.  When we regularly take care of things, emergencies or blips in our schedules don’t throw us off too much.  

Your action items this week is to ask yourself:  Where Do I Stumble? Where could routines help me to stumble less!  Now, get busy crafting those routines to help you avoid emergencies tomorrow!

The Second Best Thing You Can Do With Your Stuff Is To Put It Away.

THE SECOND BEST THING YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR STUFF IS TO PUT IT AWAY. The best thing to do with your stuff is to use it, of course. And if you never use it, the third best thing to do would be to purge it / donate it / sell it, etc.

The Power of Away.

I spend time with clients putting things away. If they are new clients, perhaps we are establishing an “Away” or home for their stuff.

We are naming a dresser drawer the sock drawer. We are naming a shelf the coffee mug shelf. We are naming a cabinet the office supply cabinet. We are naming a closet My Clothes Closet. And that is where those items live.

If they are existing clients, perhaps we just need to maintain the organizing we completed before. Stuff migrates out with use, and that’s ok.

We are SUPPOSED to use our stuff. Otherwise, why do we have it?

We know, though, that when we use our stuff, it doesn’t (ever!) automatically put itself away and let’s face it, we can get distracted or forgetful and then our space is filled up with stuff. And it looks messy and we feel overwhelmed and out of control. I spent an appointment last week just putting summer things away. Simple really. Stuff needs a home, and stuff needs to be put away in its home if you ever hope to find it again.

Notice how I have not called the stuff we used and need to put away Clutter? Your stuff that you used and now needs to be put away is probably not clutter. Clutter is unused, unneeded or unloved. Your stuff that has been used is not clutter. They’re your belongings and you need to take care of them.

Establishing an “Away” for an item means that item is important. It means you plan to use it again some time in the future. That item is not clutter because you need it or use it or love it. And you put it away because… YOU WANT TO FIND IT AGAIN.

And there, right there, is the Power of Away. Being able to find your stuff again when you need it.

Your space looks better when your stuff is Away.

Your space is safer, with fewer things to trip over, when things are AWAY.

Your items last longer and stay in better condition when they are put AWAY.

Small pieces stay put, stuff doesn’t get dusty or dirty or sun-faded. Delicate items are protected. Sets are kept with sets. Shoes, socks and mittens stay with their mates.

AWAY doesn’t take long. Once you establish a home for your stuff, putting stuff away gets a lot easier. Doing it regularly means the piles don’t spread or get tall. Cleaning off your surfaces once a day or a couple times a week, and just putting clothes and books and papers and things way goes a long way to maintaining order.

As we talk about National Preparedness Month in September, the best way to prepare for any possibility is to set yourself up to act and react quickly and confidently. To find your stuff when you need it, should the need arise and a wildfire or hurricane comes or maybe you’re just called out of town and need to pack a quick bag. And putting your stuff AWAY so you can find it again is one of the best ways to prepare for ANYTHING life may toss your way.

Commit this week to just putting stuff away. A few extra moments when you finish using something, or a couple times a week to catch up. Small bits of time really add up when your stuff is maintained and your space is clear!

Plan Ahead: Find Your Personal Vital Records NOW, Before You Need Them.

It has been a crazy 6 months.

Pandemic? Sure.

But there’s more. A friend in West Hollywood shares early morning FB posts every time there is an earthquake. Many of us know folks affected by the wild fires – even our sky here in Illinois is gray with their smoke this week! And those are just the things we know about right now!

Talking to a friend today here in Chicago, she was thinking about what that would actually look like – having only a few moments, if any, to prepare to evacuate. What would we take?

That packing list would vary from person to person or situation to situation. But there are a few items that should be on that list, no matter what. Let’s talk about your Personal Vital Records.

This is one of those tough topics and some of you may feel a little uncomfortable – I’ll apologize in advance! But since I’ve been talking about National Preparedness Month, I need to spend a little time talking about our Personal Vital Records (PVR). If we are working on Being Prepared, we need to think about them and more importantly, be able to put our hands on them when we need them.

So, what are our Personal Vital Records? Wikipedia says:

Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), and death certificates. In some jurisdictions, vital records may also include records of civil unions or domestic partnerships.

I would include additional items like social security cards, Baptismal certificates, copies of your Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Finance, etc., your mortgage papers, titles to your cars, etc. Your pile of PVR is probably not big, but it is precious and important.

Very often, in terms of preparedness, we don’t know exactly what we are preparing for, but we know that some papers are really important to be able to produce in case of accident or illness or insurance, etc. And while replacing PVRs is not impossible, it can be a long and complicated process, so let’s just collect and protect them now while there isn’t an emergency, shall we?

Be Prepared by collecting and protecting your Personal Vital Records. Here’s how:

  • Establish a home for your PVR, even temporarily. If you have them tucked in various places (dresser drawers, jewelry boxes, desk drawers, file cabinets – any of these sound familiar?), collect them into one central location.
  • Label that location, and tell at least one other person know where the records are!
  • Invest in a portable fire-proof safe. Portable so you can take it with you if you need to leave in a hurry. Fire-proof because, well, yes, Fire. And a safe because it can be that one central location and can also protect your items. We received a safe and a fire extinguisher from a friend as a wedding gift. Brilliant! Safes are not very expensive and are an excellent investment.
  • And, again, as you establish a place or a safe to hold your PVR, make sure at least one other person (maybe even one outside of your home) knows where the safe and keys (separate) are.
  • As you go through your day to day life, if you run across one of these PVRs, be sure to put it in its’ established home. For example, maybe you pulled a birth certificate out recently to copy and hand in to school for your student’s enrollment – pull it out of the random school papers on the counter and tuck it into your newly established Personal Vital Records folder or safe.

Take this simple step this week, and add to Personal Vital Records as you find them. When the time comes that you DO need to put your hands on one of them, you’ll be grateful you took the step!

We all need a Plan B. Because life throws you curve balls (and snow balls, asteroids, hurricanes and a pandemic).

1 Comment

Please, take a few deep breaths with me before you read this. I started writing this last week out of frustration, and while I’ve softened my language and my heart A LOT with edits, it still feels harsh. Probably because this is a tough time and topic. So, breathe with me and know I’m writing this from a place of love!

To say we always need a Plan B is an understatement. We need a plan C and D and E and more, until we run out of letters. And this need to plan existed long before our current situation, and will continue long after. I’m just using it as a shining example of why we need to plan.

Why do we need a Plan, and then a Plan B? To care for and protect those people and things that are important to us. And the only predictable thing that we can say about life is that life is unpredictable.

I chatted with a friend at Mass on Sunday. She is an educator and administrator and she mentioned that she flew past Plan B for this school year weeks ago and now is onto Plan P at this point. She also mentioned the very real possibility of moving into double letters soon. I feel you, sister.

A friend is a Marine Biologist, which means she always lives near an ocean. She has become proficient – well, amazing, really – at prepping for hurricanes. Supplies, generator, battened hatches, reading materials, non-perishable food, water. Some things just stay prepared, especially this time of year, and some steps are activated as soon as the weather reports start coming in. She’s got this.

And You Can, Too. So, let’s make a plan.

“A plan for what, Coll?” you say? A plan to care for what is important to you. If you have people or work or things (tangible and intangible) that matter, you need a Plan B to protect and care for them. And for yourself.

Look at the people and things and plans that are most important to you.

Imagine scenarios, and recognize what those scenarios all have in common.

Check your notes. Look back at the last 6 months and identify where life has fallen apart or had avoidable unnecessary stress.

Your favorite outfit or uniform? Identify it and a back-up.

You need a route to your regular destinations, and a few alternatives if the way is blocked (I live on the south side of Chicago – TRAINS anyone?!). Perhaps you download the app for public transportation, too, in case of car trouble.

Weak wi-fi? Call your provider and boost it now, for working and learning from home.

Uncomfortable work-and-learn-from-home spaces? Tweak them now.

I will be talking about prepping for cold and flu season next week because I want my comfort measures and OTC medicine in my house BEFORE one of us starts feeling poorly.

In this uncertain time, you need your Plan A and then Plans B, C, D to Infinity for child care and back-up schooling situations and flexible expectations. I know it is hard and I know this uncertainty feels uncomfortable and inconvenient, but unfortunately adulting (and parenting) often are.

Do you know what is on my list for later today? “Check out (insert University name here)’s current policy” – as in TODAY because things can change – for handling COVID on campus and what actions my son and I will need to take should someone at his school test positive.

Because… plans need to evolve, too. I’ve read somewhere that over 90% of flight plans are not completed exactly as filed. There’s the rub, right? That we can look at our current situation and plan for today and for contingencies, and then our situation changes again and we have to make a new plan – Ugh! But, yes. We have to do it again. We can rail against the injustice, or we can remember that we know how to plan because we have done it before and we can get to work.

So, my friends, it is time to get to work. Soften the blows of uncertainty later by planning now.

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” – General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

The Shower Gel Survey, July 2020 (Shopping Best Practices)

I would happily NEVER RUN ANOTHER ERRAND AGAIN. It seems like an impossible goal, but a girl can dream, right?

Here’s something funny – the idea for this article, along with the original working title (the first line above), were in my draft folder from June, 2019. Look where we are now! I shop so much more on-line now than I did a year ago!

Truth is, I have happily made the switch to on-line shopping for essentials and non-essentials. I really don’t like to shop, especially not in-person. Even after we are through this pandemic tunnel, I will still use on-line fulfillment for essentials and as many non-essentials as possible.

Just to clarify, and thanks to my Facebook tribe for chiming in:

  • Essentials = groceries, toiletries, household items
  • Non-essentials = everything else
  • I am applying this broadly, just for today.  Because the walking shoes I bought on-line were essential to me, but I don’t consider them “essentials”. 

There are rules or Best Practices to shop by, regardless of how you choose to shop or what it is you’re buying. I’m going to list them all together, and then explain each.

  • Stick with your list. Know your needs.
  • Know what you need and don’t get distracted by “shiny”.
  • Know your time line.
  • Know where you typically source your essentials from. 
  • Know where you typically source your essentials from, but have a plan B.
  • Have at least a vague idea of your current prices for essentials.
  • Realize that, at least at first, there is a learning curve and setting up an account and a habit will take time.
  • For non-essential purchases, be aware of return policies. And be ready to actually complete the returns.
  • The obvious, and a topic for another day: know your budget.

 




Stick with your list. / Know your needs.
I have a master grocery list in a spread sheet (email me and I’ll share it with you as an example). I print out 5 copies at a time, and leave one posted on the white board in the kitchen.

This single sheet has an area with grocery items listed that I buy regularly (which I usually buy in person or, recently, on-line from Jewel), Costco items, Target / Amazon items (household and toiletries) and Melaleuca items (cleaning).  Just this week, I also made space in the corner of it for notes on this week’s Menu Planning.

We add items to the list as we use them up or identify a need (well, “need” is occasionally gummy bears or tortilla chips, but I digress). In addition to using the list like a regular list, I also use it to inventory things I purchase regularly and make sure I have these essentials on hand. I have it next to me as I place on-line orders, or I take it with me when I shop in person.

In this strange time, it’s more important than ever that I plan my shopping efficiently so I don’t have to run back out for something because I’m still trying to socially distance. Thank you, List!


Stick with your list / Know your needs AND don’t get distracted by “shiny”.


Learn to say “No, thank you” even just in your head.

We all know that impulse shopping happens when we stand in line at a store. Cookies next to the check out are? Why, yes, certainly, don’t mind if I do.

But impulse shopping happens on-line, as well. Ordering one package of cookies? It’s just as easy to hit the “+” button. OR, ordering sneakers? “While you’re here on our website, perhaps you also need new socks with your new sneakers?” (Nope, got some, thanks.) Or “A good pair of sneakers – maybe you would also like some flip-flops, too?” (never). Amazon’s ploy – “Shoppers who bought that item also bought these 47 other items, perhaps you’d like to buy them, too?” No, thank you.

Keep your eye on the prize – fulfilling your needs and completing the transaction – and steer away from those impulse buys.



Know your time line.

If you need an item for Thursday morning, best not to wait to shop in-person until Wednesday night. The same goes for on-line shopping – be aware of how long a shipped item may take to arrive or what your delivery options are, and then add a day at least for just in-case! (And BTW, what ever happened to that dress I ordered three weeks ago?! Ugh…)

Know where you typically source your items from. AND Have a Plan B.

I was using Target Restock for pantry items like toilet paper, paper towels, some cleaning supplies, etc., every 3 weeks until things went crazy back in March and now they no longer offer the service. In stricter shelter-in-place times, I bought some of those items with my weekly groceries though they were more expensive, just for convenience. Most recently, we’ve been transitioning to Amazon for household items and toiletries.

Hence, the shower gel photo and title. As we transition to Amazon, we have to find new favorites. The Solimo brand shower gels are a better deal when you buy them by the 6-pack, but we don’t know which type we like best yet. So, we bought one of each. The wasted space on this drives me buggy, but I know it is for a good cause! We’ll try them all, pick our fave, and purchase in bulk.

For most items that I buy, I have at least a couple different vendors where I can purchase them, so I can bundle my purchases as needed. This is where the grocery list mentioned above is just SOOO handy! What if there is a sale, or someone is running an in-person errands and can pick up items? Or your typical source is out of your item?

Let’s say I usually body wash from Amazon, but my husband mentioned he needs to go to Menard’s, and I know Menard’s carries body wash at a reasonable price, saving me the need to order them.

Ah, Menard’s. Where else can you buy a new toilet flapper mechanism for home toilet repair AND shampoo AND DampRid AND dishwasher tablets AND garbage disposal tablets AND beef jerky AND Wylers raspberry drink packets (my husbands’s recent Menard’s list)? I realize, as I type this list, why my husband went alone to Menard’s and kept his own list. He knows I won’t buy most of the items on that list. (DampRid, dishwasher tablets, garbage disposal tablets? Yeah, nope).

The point is, Know your “Typical” but be ready for a plan B.




Have at least a vague idea of your current prices.

I placed an on-line grocery order last Friday. On Saturday, we took a planned (every 3 or 4 weeks) trip to Costco. The bag of our favorite tortilla chips I ordered from Jewel (approx. 3.79 for 14 oz) didn’t arrive. But the 3 lb bag of still-good Kirkland brand tortilla chips at Costco? Also $3.79.

Yes, please!

There are some things I don’t mind buying in bulk for the lower price point, but that is why it’s helpful to know what is a good deal or not.

Check out this article from Kiplingers about the best things to buy at Costco.

From this list, we buy bacon, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, gas, rotisserie chicken and tortilla chips. We also buy cascade brand pods from there, looks like we’ll make a switch the next time we need them. Some things listed are never on my grocery list anyway, like Italian sparkling water, vitamin water, vodka or wine, or – well – the cheese wheel (I kid you not) so I’m not missing them!



Realize that, at least at first, there is a learning curve and setting up an account and a habit will take time.

To quote a friend, “I realized recently that I am not giving this category the proper time respect that it deserves. Because I’m no longer leaving the house to acquire things we need, I have deluded myself into thinking this somehow does not take any time!” (thanks, J!)

3 months ago, it took me hours to set up my account and them populate a cart for on-line grocery ordering. Now it takes no time at all. Same goes for Amazon – setting up my standard shopping lists took time, but now taking care of my orders are a breeze.



For non-routine purchases, be aware of return policies. And be ready to actually complete the returns.



So, how are you shopping differently these days? And which of these tips resonated with you? Let me know!

Is It Time To Tweak Your Routine?

I feel like I talk all the time about Routines. I think about them often and how to make mine work better for me. And I spend a lot of time during presentations and coaching calls discussing the importance and creation of Routines for others.

Maybe I do talk about them all the time, though – after a brief review – I don’t seem to bring it up here on my blog space very often.

I am tweaking my own Routines this week and this month, and I thought I would bring you all along for the ride.

What are our Routines? Our routines are the set of tasks we set about doing on a regular basis – daily, weekly, monthly, etc. – that help us handle the essentials of survival and maintenance in our life and / or our work.

Routines:

  • provide structure to our days, should we need it;
  • ensure that essential tasks are completed as often as necessary;
  • help us stay balanced and make sense of life and work;
  • save us time, help us be productive, eliminate stress;
  • are a great foundation for anything else that needs to happen daily or weekly.

We create routines through repetition. Our routines are attached to certain times of day – “I get out of bed at 6 and take a walk”; or certain events – “I take a shower and change my clothes when I get home from a client appointment”. And our routines are tools – tools to make our life run more smoothly. Or building blocks, providing a strong foundation.

Routines are habits, but they can also be changed or improved as changes in life requires them to change. And let’s face it, life has required many changes recently.

I tweaked my routines back in March as my state’s shelter-in-place orders began, and I usually tweak my routines for summer, as school and kid schedules change, so I know it is time! I can sense a change, a need to review and re-establish my routines when things start to feel a little out of sync, just a little wrong. As though I’m wearing the right shoes but on the wrong feet.

So, how to make changes? Or create a routine from the beginning?

Start with Needs.

I need to take a walk every day for optimal health, I need to take my supplements. I NEED to do these things, but the WHEN is more flexible.

During the school year or when my husband actually has to drive downtown, we walk at 5 am. Lately, it’s more like 6:15. Needs remain the same, WHEN can change.

List out your needs. You can list all your needs for the day, but I will start with morning. My morning (anything between waking up and starting my work day) Needs may include, in no particular order:

  • take a walk;
  • take my supplements;
  • make my bed;
  • make sure I have something planned for dinner (maybe even start something in the crock pot);
  • pray;
  • shower and get ready for my day;
  • start a load of laundry;
  • water my garden;
  • You get the picture.

Your list may be longer or shorter, and may contain tasks my list does not. And that’s just how it should be.

Next, assign any specific times to your needs and then put them in a logical order. Looking at the example above, I might order them like this…

  • 6:15 am Take a walk;
  • water my garden (when I get home from my walk, since I’m outside);
  • shower and get ready for my day (because it’s hot and I’m sweaty after my walk);
  • make my bed;
  • start a load of laundry;
  • take my supplements (coupled with the dinner planning, since I’m in the kitchen);
  • make sure I have something planned for dinner (maybe even start something in the crock pot);
  • pray (I do this at my desk, usually when I sit down to start working);
  • 8 am Start my work day.

Perhaps you have different routines for different times of day. I have personal or house specific routines around dinner time and bed time, and they are created the same way – start with needs, move on to times and convenient bundling.

And perhaps a routine for your work day would help you be more productive? Same process!

I suggest both a daily and weekly routine for work place productivity. My day-to-day schedule can change – today was not a typical Tuesday (I started with a 1.5 hour coaching call and then sang for a funeral), but the first few tasks I complete every day when I sit down at my computer – check email, check business social media accounts, confirm tomorrow’s clients – are the same whether I start at 8 am or noon.

When it comes to a weekly routine, I find it helpful to assign tasks to each day, for example:

  • Monday – strategic planning, client care
  • Tuesday – write article and publish newsletter
  • Wednesday – update website and social media
  • Thursday – check in around presentations
  • Friday – billing and invoices

If this idea works for you, great! Fill in your own essential tasks instead of mine. Just like a daily routine, having a weekly routine around NEEDS, in this case the NEEDS of my business, ensures the continued health and productivity of my business.

So, how can you tweak your routines this week? Determine your needs for your self and your home and your work. Make sure the Needs that need to be met daily are added to your routines, and the same for weekly.

Choose the best time for your routine tasks to be completed. Are you a morning person? A night owl? Maybe you hit your stride late in the day?

Look around – is there anyone in your house or office better equipped to do a certain task? Maybe there are tasks you can delegate!

Put your tasks in an order that saves time or makes sense. Try it out for a week or two and make sure it’s working for you! And expect you will need to review your routines every few months to make adjustments accordingly!

I will be working on my own daily and weekly routines this week, too! I know we will all be better off after spending a little time figuring out the best way to spend our time! Cheers!

Use Small Steps to Measure Your Organizational Success

On a zoom call yesterday, a class participant asked “How should we measure progress in our organizing?”

What a great question. I was so excited she asked, and in that moment I realized that question would also make a great blog article topic for this week!

The short and truthful answer is

“Incrementally.”

As in, please measure your organizing progress in small increments instead of broad and large sweeping content.

Just last week, I suggested in my blog that we should all craft our Done List in this Strange Time. And I absolutely still mean that!

But Done can look different from person to person, project to project and even day to day.

So let’s talk about Incremental Progress instead of only Completion.

If you break down a large organizing project, it becomes easy to see that large projects are made up of many smaller projects. For example, if my large goal is to “Organize My 15 Year-old’s Room With Him”, some of the smaller projects I can cross off my list might be:

  • Order new platform bed and risers (Done)
  • Clean out the old toys in containers under the bed (Done)
  • review and re-organize the bookshelves (Done)
  • Move empty bookshelves downstairs (Done)
  • Assemble new bed and risers when they arrive (Done)
  • Order chair and new comforter (in process)

We are making progress – actually, he is making progress, as he has done most of the work himself! – and crossed many tasks off the list. Are we DONE with the WHOLE PROJECT? No. Are we making really good and completely satisfactory progress? Yep.

In working with a virtual organizing client lately, she and I discuss the cascade effect of organizing projects. More truthfully, I refer to it as the “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” effect. Are you familiar with this children’s book series? The book tells the story of cascading tasks…

“If you give a mouse of cookie, he will want a glass of milk.
If you give him a glass of milk he will probably ask for a straw.
When he is finished, he will ask for a napkin.
Then he will ask for a mirror, to make sure he doesn’t have a milk moustache.” etc..

The point is this: often when we move through our organizing projects, we realize that the path is not straight. Given the example above, I had a few steps to complete before my son could move forward. Also on my task list was “make room in storage room on bookshelves for John’s children’s books that he wants to keep” which meant I needed to review my books and purge some, and while I was at it, organize the books by category, etc., etc.

All of these tasks are moving us towards a broad goal, but they don’t all happen at once. If we only celebrated completely finished big projects, we wouldn’t celebrate very often and our motivation might lag.

Then, there is the subject of Maintenance. (More on Maintenance Here) Usually, our projects don’t stay completed. We have to maintain our progress, and often tweak or update the progress we have made. Just because I went through my books last week and purged a bag doesn’t mean that I will never again have to review and purge my books. That doesn’t mean that I did it wrong or incompletely: more books may come, some books will get loaned out, my interests will change. The task is DONE, and done well, but it will someday need to be done again. Maintenance is part of the organizing process.

In this strange Pause time, it is even more important to measure our success incrementally. I have tackled MANY organizing projects in the last month but I also spend a whole lot of time on Maintenance. And I, like you, find more areas I want to organize as I work through my days. The cool part about this Pause time (yes, the Cool Part!) is that some days I have the time to tackle that new project when it pops up!

To finish answering my class participant’s question, Measure your progress in incremental steps. Celebrate progress towards a goal. Set your time and work for half an hour and see how much work you can get done in that time. Don’t worry about or get hung up on only completion or perfectionism. Just start, and celebrate when you can!

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!