Monday, June 27, 2011
"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few. One moon shell is more impressive than three. There is only one moon in the sky. One double-sunrise is an event; six are a succession, like a week of school days. Gradually one discards and keeps just the perfect specimen; not necessarily a rare shell, but a perfect one of its kind." -Anne Morrow Lindbergh from Gift From the Sea.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Organizing, like dieting....
We all know how diets go. You pick a diet plan, follow it closely and lose the weight. Then after a few months, you get out of your new routine and fall back to the old. What happens then? You gain the weight back. Getting organized and losing weight are the same in that manner. Both are things that require permanent changes in your lifestyle.
If you truly want to get organized in life, it all boils down to changing your ways. Just like there is no magic diet pill, no amount of cute gear from the organizing store can magically make you organized forever. You must permanently alter the way you operate.
To get organized, reduce what you have. Once you have truly weeded out what you no longer (or never did to begin with) need, organize your stuff. If you need help, hire a professional. Come up with organizational systems and solutions that are realistic for you, but remember, you will still need to permanently change your habits.
Habit changing is difficult, but if you set realistic goals, like doing 15 minutes a day of organizing, you should have no problem doing it.
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/
If you truly want to get organized in life, it all boils down to changing your ways. Just like there is no magic diet pill, no amount of cute gear from the organizing store can magically make you organized forever. You must permanently alter the way you operate.
To get organized, reduce what you have. Once you have truly weeded out what you no longer (or never did to begin with) need, organize your stuff. If you need help, hire a professional. Come up with organizational systems and solutions that are realistic for you, but remember, you will still need to permanently change your habits.
Habit changing is difficult, but if you set realistic goals, like doing 15 minutes a day of organizing, you should have no problem doing it.
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/
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Managing photos
With 15 years of marriage under our belts and a recent victory in the battle of breast cancer, my husband and I decided to renew our wedding vows. It was a lovely ceremony full of love and emotion. With the professional photographer snapping away, we re-committed ourselves to a life together.
A few days after the ceremony, we sat down to look at all the photos taken. There were so many amazing shots and we wanted them all. But after the initial glee of reliving the ceremony through photos wore off, we realized something……we pretty much never look at the photos taken 15 years ago – the first time we said “I do.”
15 years ago we spent a large chunk of our wedding budget on photography. I love pictures and that was one of my priorities. But all these years later, the photos have hardly been looked at and only a few are actually in frames on my wall.
Pictures are hard to walk away from. They are a moment captured and a memory to hold onto. But they only offer you this gift if they are looked at and remembered. A photo means little to someone who doesn’t know the story behind it or the people in it. So read on for a few tips to keep photographs under control:
When organizing pictures, first and foremost, think minimally. You attend your children’s soccer game and take 50 photos. When you download them, immediately go through them with a logical mind. Immediately delete the ones that just aren’t any good. Then delete the ones that look a lot alike. Your goal is to get down to only the ones that are absolutely the best. Your child will not want 50 photos times every soccer game they were ever in to have to manage one day.
Once you narrowed them down, make sure you put them in their own folder and label it. These photos will mean so much more to your child someday if they can remember the who, what, where, and when of it all.
While scrapbooks are a lovely way to preserve memories, keep them to a minimum. Our children’s generation knows only one thing – digital. Scrapbook only the most special occasions and leave the rest on CD’s. Also consider digital scrapbooks.
Photos are like everything else. Too many of them or not having them neatly organized can make it overwhelming instead of enjoyable.
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/
A few days after the ceremony, we sat down to look at all the photos taken. There were so many amazing shots and we wanted them all. But after the initial glee of reliving the ceremony through photos wore off, we realized something……we pretty much never look at the photos taken 15 years ago – the first time we said “I do.”
15 years ago we spent a large chunk of our wedding budget on photography. I love pictures and that was one of my priorities. But all these years later, the photos have hardly been looked at and only a few are actually in frames on my wall.
Pictures are hard to walk away from. They are a moment captured and a memory to hold onto. But they only offer you this gift if they are looked at and remembered. A photo means little to someone who doesn’t know the story behind it or the people in it. So read on for a few tips to keep photographs under control:
When organizing pictures, first and foremost, think minimally. You attend your children’s soccer game and take 50 photos. When you download them, immediately go through them with a logical mind. Immediately delete the ones that just aren’t any good. Then delete the ones that look a lot alike. Your goal is to get down to only the ones that are absolutely the best. Your child will not want 50 photos times every soccer game they were ever in to have to manage one day.
Once you narrowed them down, make sure you put them in their own folder and label it. These photos will mean so much more to your child someday if they can remember the who, what, where, and when of it all.
While scrapbooks are a lovely way to preserve memories, keep them to a minimum. Our children’s generation knows only one thing – digital. Scrapbook only the most special occasions and leave the rest on CD’s. Also consider digital scrapbooks.
Photos are like everything else. Too many of them or not having them neatly organized can make it overwhelming instead of enjoyable.
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/
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Organizing Basics Class
Interested in spending 2 hours learning all the tricks to getting really organized? Come join me on Monday, May 23 from 6:30 - 8:30 while I give away hoards of organizing tips and answer your specific questions. Class will be held at Park Place Middle School in Monroe, WA. Registration fee is $15. To register, call 360-804-2570. Come join us!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Behind the Door Shoe Holders Are Good for More than Just Shoes.
We have all seen those shoe holders that hang behind your door, but did you know that there are so many more uses for them?
Put one in your kids' room to hold Polly Pockets or Matchbox cars.
Put one in the bathroom to organize hair accessories or personal care products.
Hang one in your office to hold USB cables and office supplies (see photo).
Hang one in your pantry to organize spices or kids snacks.
These shoe holders are inexpensive and come in a few different colors. Just label the pockets and you are ready to go, utilizing a completely unused space.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Purge Before You Buy!
Organizing supplies are so appealing. You walk into a place like Storables and think you have just found the solution to all your organizing problems. Sadly, going on a spending spree before purging your items is not only going to add to the stressful clutter that already exists, but it will also stress out your pocketbook. Oh, and throw in a little guilt too because every time you look at those unused products, you will feel worse for having spent money on them and then not used them.
The first step in getting organized is always purging. You will be amazed at what organizing products you do NOT need when you get rid of all that you do NOT need first. So clear out that clutter. Once all the unused, unwanted or unneeded stuff is gone, you can decide if you need more organizing materials, such as boxes or containers.
Unless you are Bill Gates’ long lost child or heir, you may want to reconsider stores like Storables or the Container Store. Places like Target and Wal Mart or even the Dollar Tree have great selections of inexpensive clear containers that you can sort things in. Remember that clear boxes are key because you can see what is in them. And don’t forget to label everything. Don’t have a label maker? No worries – masking tape and a sharpie work just as well.
Enjoy getting organized without breaking the bank!
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 first step in getting organized is always purging. You will be amazed at what organizing products you do NOT need when you get rid of all that you do NOT need first. So clear out that clutter. Once all the unused, unwanted or unneeded stuff is gone, you can decide if you need more organizing materials, such as boxes or containers.
Unless you are Bill Gates’ long lost child or heir, you may want to reconsider stores like Storables or the Container Store. Places like Target and Wal Mart or even the Dollar Tree have great selections of inexpensive clear containers that you can sort things in. Remember that clear boxes are key because you can see what is in them. And don’t forget to label everything. Don’t have a label maker? No worries – masking tape and a sharpie work just as well.
Enjoy getting organized without breaking the bank!
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/
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Get Organized for a more enjoyable vacation!
Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:
• Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.
• To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.
• Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.
• Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.
Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!
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/
• Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.
• To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.
• Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.
• Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.
Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!
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/
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