Last minute holiday shopping tips

Are you starting to stress out about holiday shopping? Wondering how you will get it all done? Here are some tips to help you manage the process.

• Make a list of those you need to shop for. Jot down any ideas you may have for them as well.
• If your list is really long, try to pare it down. Is there anyone you can mutually agree NOT to exchange gifts with? Maybe your family can do a name draw for the adults. Or maybe you can agree to go out for a fun dinner with a friend rather than exchanging gifts.
• Map out your shopping. Start with what you can buy online. The more you can do online the better and right now, most retailers are offering free shipping!! For the stores you need to hit, make a plan of attack. Maybe you need to hit Wal Mart and there is one right by your office. Make a plan to get an early start and go there before work next week. Determine which stores you can stop by during your regular routine and then set aside time to do the rest. Plan your driving route so you aren’t running all over and wasting precious time.
• Consider gift cards. Shipping is really expensive and it requires trips to the post office. Think about who you can buy gift cards for and look for those cards at your grocery store next time you are there. All you have to deal is put them in a card and send them off. Easy! Also consider www.giftcertificates.com where you can email gift certificates to loved one.
• Plan better for next year. Keep your holiday shopping list with you all year. It is much easier to find the perfect gift when you aren’t desperately searching for it. Give yourself all year to find it.
Happy Holidays!

More eating, less stress!

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it seems appropriate to discuss how you can alleviate some of your holiday stress by organizing your meal preparations. Easy solution? Go out. Just kidding. A holiday at home can be low stress and even enjoyable.

If you are reading this on Monday you have three days to go. If you haven’t shopped yet, make a list. The first list should be what you plan on serving. Based on that list, create a shopping list with all the ingredients needed. If you have a lot of guests coming, be sure and invite them to bring a dish to share. This cuts down on the work for you and makes it a meal in the true spirit of Thanksgiving. If you can, hit the grocery store early in the morning or late at night. It will be crowded this week, but if you go during off hours, you can avoid much of the crowd.

Figure out what can be made ahead of time. Things like stuffing, pies, and casseroles can usually be made at least a day ahead of time. Get it done early so you have less to do on Thursday. Personally, I think that giving things like stuffing a day to sit makes it taste better too since all the flavors have time to really combine.

Another thing you can do the night before is set the table. If you have kids, put them in charge of either the center piece or the name cards. The kids will enjoy being part of the decorating and it will be one less thing for you to do.

Make sure you know how long your turkey needs to defrost. Usually they need at least a few days in the refrigerator prior to cooking. If you forget, remember you can always soak it in cold water to expedite the defrosting process. There are lots of great websites that will walk you through this process if you aren’t familiar.

Take a minute to plan your cooking schedule. Unless you have a professional kitchen, you probably only have one oven. Plan ahead to determine when things need to go in the oven so everything can be ready around the same time. Consider alternative ways of cooking the turkey like smoking, barbequing or frying (although I don’t recommend this method due to fires and clogged arteries…).

Finally, charge your camera and video camera batteries. Make sure they are ready to capture wonderful holiday memories.

Happy Thanksgiving and I pray that your holiday is full of love, relaxation and happy memories.


Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

The many ways to use a lazy susan

Lazy susans or turntables, whatever you choose to call them, can be found at any store like Wal Mart or Target. They are inexpensive and oh-so-handy. Here are 5 uses for them:

• Spice rack
• Hair products
• Medicines
• Vitamins
• Cleaning products

I could go on all day, but you get the point. Go pick a few up now and get those cabinets organized!

Not sure what in the world I am talking about? Follow this link to view the product - http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd100112



Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Reason number ten million and one to process your mail daily....

You know how I always talk about how important it is process your mail daily? Usually I refer to the fact that when you don't process it each and every day it turns into an overwhelming pile that is difficult to tackle. While that is very important, I have a new and personal example to share.

Back in August I went to go pick up my mail and found a letter from Chase corporate offices. My husband and I have had an account with Chase for a while and were in excellent standing - no bounced checks, excellent credit, etc. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened the letter to find that they were closing out our accounts and kicking us out as customers.

I wont get into the gory details right here. Instead I will share the link as my husband and I went straight to the media when Chase would not give us any information. This nightmare has lasted for almost 2 months with no resolution in sight. (If you bank with Chase - GET OUT NOW!)

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/meagan-mike-farrell-chase_n_974754.html

After you read our article, I want you to think about how much worse the consequences could have been had we failed to read that letter immediately. If this mess up with Chase could happen to us, it can happen to anyone. If you process your mail, email and phone messages each day, you can minimize damages.

Happy Anniversary to Clear the Clutter!

This September, Clear the Clutter is celebrating our 5 year anniversary! 5 years of organizing has zipped right by. People often ask if I deal with hoarders. The answer is no, hoarders need special attention from someone equipped to handle all their issues. I deal with people that we can all relate to. In fact, 9 times out of 10, the majority of their home are clean and organized. They are people who have a trouble spot (or room) that needs some help. Often times, they are generally organized people who have had something change in their life: a baby, a divorce, a death, the start of a new job…you name it. Something happened in their life that got them off track.

I have truly enjoyed each client. The best moment for me is when we are done and they breathe a huge sigh of relief. Less stress, less stuff, more freedom. Thank you to all my clients for allowing me to share my passion with you. I look forward to the next 5 years and the next after that.



Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Why Hire a Professional?

My windows are filthy. I have tried to clean them myself, but they always end up streaky. I’ve tried all the supposed techniques, but no matter how I try, they just don’t look good. So now I hire window washers. It isn’t very expensive and they make my windows sparkle in no time at all. Should I be embarrassed?

No way! These guys (and gals) are good at what they do. They have honed the art of cleaning windows. You may think that your windows are pretty bad, but they don’t care. Their focus is on getting your windows clean, no matter how bad they were to begin with.

The same is true with professional organizing. People always tell me that they need my services, but are embarrassed to let me see the problem. I am here to tell you that there is nothing embarrassing about hiring an expert to help you with a problem. Professional organizers are not there to pass judgment. Rather they are there to help you and share their knowledge.

Personally, I have admiration for people who seek professional assistance with things that are important to them. I always admire that my clients are willing to work so hard to make their home or office a better place. Don’t let the fear of being judged stop you from improving your life and reducing your stress. Call a professional organizer today!


Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Check out Clear the Clutter at www.monroe98272.com. A great site for all things Monroe!