Category: Things You Should Know How To Do

Kitchen Hacks We Plan to Keep

The topic of “The Changes we made during the Pandemic that we would like to keep (or not)” has been coming up a lot lately. For example, going to school via Zoom may NOT be something we want to keep. But having a Zoom happy hour with my college roommates who live far away is AWESOME and something we plan to keep! We can dig a little deeper into this topic, if you’d like, email me if you’re interested.

For Today, though, I’m excited to share these kitchen adjustments we instituted this time last year that will definitely stay!

  1. We (almost) eliminated paper towels and paper napkins.
    Since paper products were difficult to find I bought extra microfiber cloths on Amazon.com, and we got in the habit of using the cloths instead of paper towels and napkins. The photo shows the pile of clean cloths on the right and the basket for dirty ones on the left. We still have a roll of paper towels in the kitchen for raw meat juices but one roll lasts a long time!




2. We have a tray to corral all the sink stuff.
A year ago, we got in the daily habit of spraying down all the kitchen surfaces with an anti-bacterial spray. A spray bottle joined the other items on the small silver tray (Amazon.com) that already lived by the sink. In the picture, you can see the spray, along with lotion, hand soap and dish soap all in one compact place! (And you may notice all 4 products are from Melaleuca! If you want more info, I can connect you with my friend!)






3. I came up with a way to protect my family members’ drinking glasses (and clear clutter). Soooo… when there are lots of people living / working / going to school in my house, the counter can get cluttered with items including drinking glasses set aside by family members to use later. And, well, I may or may not have a habit of just sweeping dishes into the dishwasher, regardless of if the beverage is only half-consumed or not.

In the interest of protecting my family’s beverages, I purchased these personalized coasters (click here for my friend’s FB page of personalized items to purchase), not to force my family into anything, but to protect their drinks from my cleaning! (And they’re really good about using them!)




4. I adjusted our cabinet shelves around our new habits.
We ate. Oh, goodness, did we eat. Constantly. Suddenly all 5 of us were in our house, eating every meal at home instead of the school cafeteria or downtown at the office.

All 5. Every meal.

One of my first organizing projects was to tweak our cabinets and adjust around new habits. I cooked A LOT more, so I inventoried our pantry items and adjusted the shelf heights to accommodate a snack shelf and a can shelf.

My family was more excited about the snack shelf – just the right height for bags of chips laid on their side, easily accessible and regularly stocked.

I was more excited about the can shelf. All the cans now live on the bottom shelf where the short person (me) can easily find things. I adjusted the shelf above the cans to an inch above the tallest can which made space on the upper shelves for the snacks. Easy peasy.

5. We also have a candy basket now. Because, well, why not have a candy basket? At first, we tried to ration the candy so we didn’t eat it so quickly and then we gave up. I feel less guilty because it’s not a big basket. And sometimes you just need some M&Ms. You just do.

And we have new habits that will stay, too.

  • We run the dishwasher every night, and empty it every morning (mostly). This has been a game changer.
  • We are strategic with our take-out. We have some great local restaurants, and we’ve made a point to order from a different local restaurant a couple times a month.
  • We now order groceries on-line (woot woot!). I had always wanted to order groceries on-line but hadn’t gotten around to it. And then we were told to stay home and not go to groceries and I found the time! I go a little more often now than I did last year, but I will happily continue on-line grocery shopping with delivery.
  • Family dinners and more scratch cooking, of course, but those are topics for another article!

Anything new you would like to try in your kitchen? I’d love to hear about it!

Organizing Projects Don’t Stay Done (sorry)

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This may be difficult to read, but our organizing efforts do not always stay done. (I know, sorry about that). It’s true, though. We can do the work, work the organizing process, and LOVE the outcomes. However …

Sometimes… things slowly creep back out from their storage spaces and don’t get put back away. Or we acquire a new item but don’t dedicate a new home for that item so it lingers on the counter or in the middle of the bedroom floor, etc.

This time last year- well, we all know what we were doing this time last year. Here in Chicago, this was our last non-shelter-in-place week (not EVEN going to call it normal) before things closed down for a bit. I was agonizing over how to properly but safely celebrate my husband’s birthday, my son’s college campus was closing up until August, and trying to figure out how to pivot my business if I couldn’t actually see people in person. Well, you remember. We all have our stories.

The point, though, is that many of us responded to Shelter In Place with a flurry of organizing projects. And I LOVE THAT, of course!

However… Organizing Projects don’t stay done.  It may be time to tweak the areas you organized in a flurry a year ago.

This week, I challenge you to check in on the organizational status of areas in your home, and add some maintenance to your project list for Spring. For Example:

Kitchen:

I offered my “An Organized Kitchen” presentation last week which inspired me to take a look in my own cabinets.

Pretty, right?

I checked the dish cabinets and made sure things still made sense in there.

I checked the food cabinets, looked at expiration dates, tossed out a few stale items, made my menu for the week with what we have already and assembled a bag of food for a local food drive.

I ordered a new tea pot and a replacement blade for my blender, too.

Maintenance is quicker and easier than organizing, AND it is essential.

Clothing closets:

I know MANY of us organized clothes and closets for ourselves and our family members last Spring. I always feel the itch to review my clothes this time of year as the season changes. But if you do not always get the organizing itch, let this be your reminder – time to check in on your closets. Try things on, swap out heavy Winter items for Spring, look critically at things too old / stained / big / small and purge the things that don’t make the cut.

Be objective, friends – those lounge pants and hoodies you or your kids have been wearing for a year now? Umm, just saying, it might be time to let them go…

Linen Closets / Hall Closets / other small storage spaces :

I am lumping these storage spaces together as only YOU know how you use your storage spaces. When we attacked the linen closet or coat closet last March, we were reacting, getting by, making do. Look more critically at your small storage spaces this week and make sure they’re still doing their jobs. The process remains the same –

  • sort what is there,
  • purge what can go,
  • assign a home and containerize what you’re keeping, and
  • maintain the work as you live in your home
  • (process per Julie Morgenstern, Organizing from the Inside Out)

The good news? You may have done this project in the last 12 months, so you just need to catch up instead of starting all over.

Clearing clutter in these spaces: I offered this tip last year and here it is again – linen closets or bathroom storage? Corral your toiletries and use up all the partial bottles or travel sizes for the next few weeks, then recycle!

And cleaning supplies? OK, if you were a clorox wipe, bleach or paper towel collector (no judgement here), you may still have a stockpile of such items cluttering up your spaces. Take a couple of deep breaths and start using some of your stock to clear clutter and make room for more living.

Outdoor Spaces:

Last summer was definitely the summer of the backyard oasis.

Many of us worked on gardening, our garages and our outdoor spaces since we couldn’t really go too many places or do too many things!

Now is the time to sweep out that garage again, put the things away that have wandered out of storage over the winter and start dreaming again of warmer and sunnier days in our outdoor spaces. And maybe, just maybe, we get to include more friends this year!

Sooo, what areas made it onto your project list this week? As I wrote this, I also thought to share my resources page with everyone again, if you have recycling or hauling or selling questions as you clear clutter, https://peaceofmindpo.com/2019/06/26/organizing-resources-to-reduce-repurpose-and-recycle/.

To-Do List: What Is It? What’s On It? and How To Choose For Yourself?

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(Click here to hear / see this article in a Facebook Live post!)

Productivity and Progress flourish with a clear vision of what DOES and DOES NOT need to be done right now. And this clear vision starts with a good To-Do List!

As we get started, I need to share a few truths:

Yes, you need a to-do list, and not just one in your head. No, you will not remember.

If you won’t keep one for yourself, do it for others as other people rely on you to get things done, too.

I know how I use my To-Do lists but I was curious about how other people use theirs. I asked my Facebook community last week to share their insight around tasks and to-do lists. I know AMAZING people and they were forthcoming with their answers to these questions:

  • Do you keep a to-do list?
  • How do you track your tasks-to-do?
  • Are you a paper person or electronic person, or a mix?
  • Anything else you’d like to add, of note?

It turns out, people have strong thoughts about To-Do lists! My questions were mostly answered by folks who embrace to-do lists.  I did not receive any “No” responses, so either my FB tribe generally keeps to-do lists, or anyone who does not didn’t respond.

I quickly realized that this topic would take multiple articles to cover adequately! This week, let’s talk about what is ON a to-do list, and what is the right way to keep your to-do list (spoiler alert, there is no one “right way”!)

What IS a To-Do List? And WHAT is on it?

  • A To-Do List is a physical or digital list of tasks and errands you need to complete, often sorted by date, time or priority.
  • A To-Do List is a component of a productive day and of an effective planner. 
    • A planner is the composite pieces of a calendar, to-do list, contact information, goals, routines, etc.
    • Appointments are scheduled events.
    • Routines can be part of your To-Do Lists, or not. You can add your daily routine to your to-do list if you like, or if you are working on establishing new habits.  But you will have to decide for yourself if “Get Up” or “eat breakfast” need to be on your to-do list.  
  • An important feature of a good to-do list is the option to keep track of future tasks.
    • Keeping a long-term to-do list helps to turn ideas into actions (I should buy new deck furniture in the Spring”, or “next Christmas I would really like host a party”) and
    • Gives our brains a break from the pressure of remembering ALL THE DETAILS ALL THE TIME. (exhausting!)
  • I spoke recently about to-do lists with a client. He defined them as “the tasks that need to be jotted down for the in-between times.” Meaning, he won’t forget to get up, eat breakfast or walk the dog.  He also won’t forget to go to work or complete his work.  But he might need to remember to make a hair cut appointment, pick up a birthday gift for his mom or take in his truck for an oil change.  

How Do I Choose The Right Way To Keep My To-Do List?

The question is often “Tech or Paper?” when it comes to To-Do lists. However, reviewing the responses this past week, I am happy to report most people use a blend of platforms and tools for different situations and outcomes.

The choice between Paper or Tech does not determine success. MAKING the choice and USING the tools determines success. Don’t be afraid to be wrong! The Best To-Do List is the one you will actually use.

I’ve been asked recently to recommend a planner for a reader starting their own business. Regrettably, that isn’t something I can do. A planner, or for today’s article, a platform for a To-Do list, is a very personal choice. I can coach around determining necessary features or talk through the pros and cons of different types, but I can’t tell someone what kind of planner to use.

Consider a Blend!

  • If you are choosing your paper planner, consider:
    • Some popular paper planner brands are Happy Planner, Purple Planner, Franklin Planner and Bullet Journal.
  • If you choose tech:
  • (For both, I will share more paper or tech tools as I find them! )
  • Or Consider the Blend!
    • Some people prefer to see their entire month at once so they prefer paper. You may run out of room, though, if your schedule is complicated or your daily to-do list is too itemized for a small block.
    • There is pleasure and feeling of accomplishment that some say only come from a pen-and-paper to do list!
    • Work versus home: One person mentioned that her personal to-do list was digital (and more portable that way) but that her daily work to-do list is comprised of sticky notes and those are client specific and stay at work!
    • I like the portability that comes from a digital list – I use Evernote and can call up and update a list on my phone, tablet or laptop and it stays current. Plus, I can share the list with others as needed.
    • On the other hand, I use a Bullet Journal for jotting down notes on the fly or for the pleasure of writing by hand lists, ideas or journal entries (then I copy them over to my digital to-do list).
    • What I really appreciate is how my FB community blended methods, like jotting down notes on paper (anything from old envelopes to a beautiful notebook with heavy paper) and then supporting those tasks with audible reminders or alarms on their tech. Clever!

As you plot your productivity and progress, consider what tools will help you set-up your To-Do list! Have a great week!

Kitchen 2021: Set Yourself Up To Succeed.

If I desire new outcomes, I require new inputs.

“New” things aren’t necessarily hard or confusing. They are just new and maybe different or uncomfortable. Sometimes, change is hard. And often, well, it isn’t. And here’s the thing – hard or not, sometimes change is necessary.

Perhaps you are not a resolution maker, and that’s OK. Perhaps it’s enough to just get back to normal (and healthier) post-Holiday routines.

I met with a registered dietitian last week. I am excited about making some positive changes. And since these changes are my changes, I am not about to tell you what you need to do differently. BECAUSE, I am not a dietitian.

BUT, I am your certified professional organizer. While I cannot tell you what to stock in your own kitchen, I CAN tell you how set up what you have to make your own changes successful!

So, here are the steps to organizing the changes in your kitchen to make positive change in your life!



Educate yourself, and keep educating yourself! Read up on your new strategies, and plan to keep reading! We learn things as we go, through education but also through experience.

Clear off your counters! A study from Cornell University suggests “When it comes to the food left out in the kitchen, it’s increasingly clear that what you see is what you eat.” Meaning, your current counter landscape of junk food and holiday treats needs to be exchanged for healthier items if you want to succeed! Fewer cookies and chips, more fresh fruit, veggies or nuts. Goodbye hot cocoa station, hello clear counter! And less clutter overall – if you don’t have room to cook a healthy meal or dice veggies for a salad, you will not make those healthier choices.

Review your cabinets, check expiration dates and tidy things up post Holidays! (p.s., I would NOT get rid of food that doesn’t fit into your dietary changes just yet. First, I’m frugal and don’t want to get rid of food that is still good. Second, I live in a house with 4 other people, so there is bound to be someone here who will eat most things. If you need the space, or if you need to remove temptation, tuck away the things that will probably need to go in a grocery bag and out of sight for a few weeks. Then they are ready to donate to a food pantry or hand off to a friend when you’re satisfied with your changes.)

Menu plan around your healthy changes and using inventory you have on hand (if possible).
(click here for more kitchen and menu planning articles)

Plan a grocery trip to fill in the blanks, but only after you have inventoried what you have on hand and made a plan!

Make healthy habits convenient. There are some habits that benefit everyone, like taking your vitamins and drinking more water. Corral your supplements all together into a basket and then set a timer on your phone to remind you to take them consistently. Better yet, use a pill sorter and set your supplements up for a week at a time to save time. Take a few minutes now to fill and chill water bottles to take with you on the go, and dole out serving sizes of your healthy snacks into baggies or reusable bowls.

A few minutes and a little planning can help support your healthy habits, whatever they may be!

Pots And Pans: Enough, But Not Too Many?

The topic for this week’s article occurred to me back in September while organizing a client kitchen. And I thought the week before Thanksgiving would be a great time to take a good look at our pots and pans!

Pots and Pans. Wow. I have organized dozens of kitchens over the years, and organizing Pots and Pans comes up A LOT! Every kitchen has them, most people use them, some people are very attached to them. They are also big and cumbersome and sometimes awkward to store.

Here are some things to think about, in no particular order:

Invest in Good Pots and Pans.

If you cook, invest in a good set of pots of pans. Not requiring great or expensive! I mean, if you’re looking for a new set, do a little research and find out which brands and styles are worth the money and the time. We’ve had the same set of Revere Ware copper bottom pots and pans since we received them as a wedding gift in 1994. (And yes, I cook almost every day!)

How many Pots and Pans do you really need?

Here at home, we have 3 sauce pans with lids, 2 non-stick skillets with lids (my preferred), 1 cast-iron skillet (my husband’s favorite), 1 large stock pot and a lidded Dutch oven. I also have a roasting pan that I’ve used twice ever, but will be used again next week! These are enough, I’ve never need more.

Everything but the stock pot fits in one kitchen drawer, including lids.

I went to camp for a week with one pan. Expectations were low, but one pan was enough. My college-aged son who really does cook has a skillet and a sauce pan. He has found that is all he needs.

If space is at a premium in your kitchen (and it usually is), look critically at home many pots and pans you HAVE versus how many you NEED and USE.

Treat Your Pots and Pans Well.

It turns out, some folks own more than one set of pots and pans because they don’t wash everything after use. Let me advocate for “Cleaning as You Go”, and not letting things pile up!

Please, wash pots and pans as they’re used and don’t let them sit as they get harder to clean the longer they are left dirty! (This is something I regularly remind my son of, when he makes macaroni and cheese!)

In addition, regular maintenance keeps a cleaner kitchen and clean pans can be used again quickly, which means we can own fewer pans.

The jury is still out on using the dishwasher to clean your pots and pans. We wash them by hand, which cleans up the kitchen mess and gets the pans into usable form quicker, but takes longer.

When we re-did the kitchen 3 years ago, I dedicated a wide and deep drawer to pot and pan storage, instead of a cabinet. This has eliminated the accessibility and lid-stacking challenges, so if you can try this, go for it!

We use liner like these (see picture, from Amazon.com) when storing my skillets, they really seem to have helped save the surfaces.

Let Your Pots and Pans Work For You.

As mentioned, today’s topic occurred to me a few months ago. It motivated me to:

  • find a replacement lid for one of our saucepans (thank you, Ebay, when your pans are 26 years old and apparently considered vintage!);
  • google the brand of Dutch oven I was gifted, to make sure it was stove top and oven safe (it is); and
  • gift a high quality but never used skillet from my drawer to my college -aged son to use at school.

Don’t expect the pans to make you a good or willing cook:

I have encountered many folks over the years who have bought snazzy new sets of pots and pans expecting that THESE new pans are going to be the ones that magically make them want to cook. That is a pretty impressive expectation for a box full of inanimate objects. The desire and skill to cook is not going to come from a box (sorry), so please stop buying more THINGS.

Spend a little time this week making sure your pots and pans are all together, pared down and ready to do their job! Happy cooking!

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).

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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