Feeling Overwhelmed? Organize Your Priorities

Today I was feeling overwhelmed by some tasks before me - several of which are new territory, things I've not done before - marketing my new books, arranging for book signings, etc. As I always tell my clients: take bite-sized chunks and break it down into small pieces.

So, I followed my own advice and prioritized my to-do list, determining what was most important for me to do. Then I bit off a couple of those tasks and got rid of them! It helps to just get moving forward when you're feeling paralyzed, doesn't it? The hardest part is just getting started sometimes.

I felt much better and even got to do some things farther down on my priority list that I really wanted to do!

Donating Business Clothing for Job Interviews

Yesterday my husband and I swapped out our clothes from summer to winter. As we both have lost some weight, we have quite a few clothes to donate. I recently watched a video about a women's shelter in our area, and I am very motivated to donate toward helping these women get back on their feet. Many of these women have had successful jobs, been downsized (or had other devastating circumstances), and end up at the shelter.

Access, the name of our shelter (www.access-shelter.org), has a two-year program for a small number of women to help them get out of debt, get education, find a job, etc. Having clothing to wear to work or job interviews gives them a leg up. As you swap out your clothes and evalute them, consider donating business attire you no longer wear to a local shelter or www.DressforSuccess.org or www.CareerGear.org (for men).

Don't forget to calculate your tax deduction. The Salvation Army has a valuation guide to help you determine the value of the clothing you donate. They give a high estimate and a low estimate, and you can determine where your clothing falls within those guidelines. The amount is based on what your clothing would sell for at a consignmen shop. http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf/vw-search/85256DDC007274DF80256B80003D22FC?opendocument

Get Started on Your Christmas Cards

Why wait until later to start addressing your Christmas cards? You can do it now while you watch TV or a movie or during other down time. It takes no time to whip through those addresses! Just make sure to update your address list first.

If you include a letter in your Christmas mailings, start thinking about what you want to say, if you want to include a picture, etc. By doing these tasks now, you save stress during the hectic holidays.

I've started sending out Christmas letters via email to those whose email addresses I know. It saves a bunch of time, money and the environment!

Organize for the Holidays

October is a great month to get ahead on some of your holiday organizing. For example, before things get more hectic, take some time this month to clean your carpets. That way, your house will look spiffy for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Plan to do it on a day when the entire household can help move things around, if others are of the age to help. If not, farm out your small children or take a personal day off from work so you can focus on the task. Pick a cool day so your heater will help the carpet dry out.

Or have someone come in and clean your carpets for you. Make sure you understand what they will do and will not do - move furniture, etc.

While the furniture is moved, take the time to dust or clean those hard-to-reach areas.

While replacing furniture, declutter as you go - get rid of unnecessary or excessive stuff that is cluttering up your house.

What a wonderful job done! Don't you feel lighter and very organized?!?

Winterizing your garden

It's time to think about winterizing your garden, depending on when cold weather arrives in your area. Here in Ohio, we're looking at some cooler weather in a day or two after unusually warm days. So it's time to think about getting ready. My husband drained the hose and rolled it up on its carrier and stored it in the garage.

We're hoping to get one last coat of paint on the fence before cold weather hits. We've taken out the tomato plants and annual flowers, shored up the raspberry bushes, replanted some carnations I started this year, fertiziled the grass (this is the best time to do it - not spring), and trimmed down some of the perennial flowers.

You may want to put winter tools (shovels, snow blowers, etc. closer to the front of your garage and place gardening supplies and tools toward the back. We'll eventually move our patio table into the garage.

Some of my herbs have been prolific, so I'm trying my hand at drying them. A friend suggested cutting the herbs, washing them off, banding them with rubber bands (so that when they dry out and decrease in size they don't fall down), and hang them upside down in an area with lots of ventilation. My kitchen has a peg board above a wide doorway, which hopefully will be a perfect spot.

I'm hoping to give my home-made dried herbs as Christmas gifts to friends and family. I'll keep you posted.

Home repairs create opportunities to deep clean

We just had our windows replaced. Even though it has been a mess, it has created some opportunity to do some deep cleaning. With all the furniture moved out from the windows, we used the chance to vacuum in those spots rarely vacuumed. It adds extra work, but in the long run, it's easier than having to move all the furniture at another time.

If you have a home project going on, take advantage of such opportunities to do a little extra cleaning if the chance presents itself.

Declutter as You Change Your Seasonal Clothes

Fall is a great time to declutter and purge. The crisp air is somehow energizing.

If you must swap out your clothes to prepare for cool weather coming, take the opportunity to purge. Ask yourself: Do I love this article of clothing? Does it make me feel fabulous? Have I been waiting too long to get into this size? Is it out of date? Is it shabby? Have I worn it in the last year?

Do the same with shoes, purses, belts, underwear and socks.

Make sure you leave out a couple of warm weather outfits for those occasional warm days still lurking around.

Next, organize your clothing according to style (casual, dressy casual, dressy), type (pants, sweaters, etc.), length (short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve; long pants, capri length, etc.), and color - put like colors together.

With a glance you can evaluate your shoppping needs. And getting dressed in the morning just got easier! Now your closet will have breathing room - your clothes will not get wrinkled from being too crowded.

Doesn't that feel good?

Fall decluttering

Fall is a great time to declutter a room! We recently decluttered our rec room - we wanted to take out a bookcase to create more space, and we needed to get rid of enough books to do that! It allowed us to rearrange furniture and create a game area. How refreshing to pare down even more than you think possible! Gives you a lean feeling.

To declutter a room, envision what you want to accomplish in that room. Take out everything that does not lend itself to the functions of that room. Go through everything in the room and determine what is still useful. The items that don't belong in that room can be placed in a more appropriate location or given to charity, a friend, or to the trash bin if unusable. Reorganize, if necessary, to achieve a more functional room - putting like items together. See Three Steps to Decluttering for a step-by-step guide to decluttering (www.1-2-3GetOrganized.com).

Organizing information about your home

I have discovered a great resource for organizing information about your home:
- inventory with pictures
- paint, fabric, carpet colors/brands
- appliance warranties
- maintenance schedule and reminders
- purchase and replacement costs.

It's a residential maintenance plan - software that walks you through as much or as little information as you want to keep about your home. And it's all in one place - your computer! No longer do you need to hunt around for that receipt, paint chip, etc. Have websites and phone numbers available for repair or support. What a great idea!! And it's only $19.99. If you're interested, check it out at: http://coggins.Hometree.hop.clickbank.net.

Get Organized for Christmas

Want to get a head start on Christmas? Visit http://organizedforchristmas.com, the most complete website for Christmas planning ever!

They have printable forms for getting your Christmas lists in order, your house in order, gift buying, and so much more. If you told yourself last year that you need to start earlier this year, this is your answer!

Organize Your Shopping Trips

We've had a wonderful time having our daughters and son-in-law home this month. How we've enjoyed being together as a family!!

Our daughter Comfort and her husband Steve have gone back to Montana, but Sara is still with us for a few days. As she lives in Kazakhstan, she has had a considerable amount of shopping to do for gifts and to replenish clothing and other supplies. We employed some time management techniques to accomplish her shopping with the least amount of stress possible.

Here's what we did: we made a list of everything she needed to purchase. Then we figured out where she might get these items. Finally, we organized our trips according to the location of the stores we needed to visit. This strategy eliminated making several trips to one location, saving us time and gas.

When you have lots of shopping to do - organize your list and trips to de-stress your shopping.

Packing for College

Yesterday I helped one of my foster daughters pack for college. Since she is going to be around for another month, this was the first round - it took us about 3 1/2 hours with three of us working. I asked her questions about each item, she and I sorted them into categories, and we had another person who folded clothes and later packed sorted items. We sorted into several categories - toss, give, store, will take but don't need it until then, and will take but will use between now and then.

Those things she tossed and gave away were cleared out of the room as we filled bags - it gave us more space to work. We packed in clear plastic 70 qt. continers and slipped a sign down the side of each container listing the contents. This allows you to see the list as well as what is inside.

We packed clothes and shoes she didn't need now in a couple of containers. Winter clothes can be packed separately since they won't be used for a couple of months. We put school supplies in a container by itself. Another container holds extra shampoos, mouthwash, toothpaste, toilet paper (I can't believe her school doesn't provide it!!!), etc. Towels and other miscellaneous belongings went in another, and so on.

We also organized stacking drawers she will take for her dorm room - one for electronic things - camera, ipod, wires, batteries, etc. One for important papers. One for daily cosmetics/hygiene stuff. And a set of smaller drawers for little items. She'll pack her remaining items in her suitcases when it's time to go off to college.

By doing the initial packing ahead of time, she was able to get rid of a big job and have peace of mind that it's done. She could take inventory to see if there are things she still needs to get and have enough time to do it without being rushed. Her room now contains only what she will pack up to take to college, or leave behind.

If you have a child going off to college for the first time, make sure to look at the list the school sends you. Work ahead to purchase the things your child needs and to do an initial packing of his/her room. This will provide a pleasant memory for your child as he/she prepares to leave home, rather than a hectic, last-minute scramble. Going away to college is scary enough without having additional stress.

Quick cookies

We got in from a funeral last night and I needed to take a dessert to church today. At Christmas time I made up batches of cookie dough and put them in my freezer. Am I glad I had some snickerdoodle dough left in the freezer - instead of taking a lot of time making a dessert, it took me just a few minutes to thaw and bake those cookies!

Compile activity ideas

For when life seems boring and you are brain dead, keep a list of activities to do in your area. We are teaching our foster children life skills - important things they need to know when they leave home. Each week they can choose one item they want to do, and this week one of the girls chose "things to do with your friends." So this morning, I compiled crazy parties we've had, entertaining dinners, and game ideas.

I also have been compiling a list of interesting things to do in our area - museums. farms, pick-you-own orchards, art galleries, amusement parks, parks, hiking, zoos, etc.

Make up things to do. One we did recently was a progressive fast food dinner (give your children a certain amount of money and go to four different places where they can get only one item). We went to a drive-in hamburger place, a gas station/convenience store, a mall eatery, and an ice cream place. Not something I'd suggest often, but it turned a boring evening into a fun one - especially when you don't tell them ahead of time which places you are going.

If you keep a list of ideas, you can usually pull something fun together when you need it!

Getting out the door

Your mornings will go much more smoothly if you start the night before, according to Elizabeth Pantley, author of Kid Cooperation and Perfect Parenting, http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.

She advises: "Start your morning — at night! A real key to smoothing out your morning is to prepare as much as you can the night before. This means choosing the day’s clothing, packing lunches, gathering homework, signing permission slips and setting the table for breakfast. "