CALLING ALL ORGANIZATION LOVERS AND HOME SCHOOL MOMS

                                                    Out of organizing find simplicity.

As I've mentioned in previous posts I'm working on simplifying my life. This means different things to different people. Right now for me, in this stage of my life, it means de-cluttering. Next year we will have been married 50 years! Yikes! I can't even believe I'M 50, much less being married that long! Anyhoo, you can imagine what you can collect in that amount of time. Especially when your husband is a pack rat like mine. He has a hard time letting go of everything!

I've been cleaning out drawers, cupboards and closets one at a time. I'm doing things in "baby steps" so as not to mess up the whole house when de-cluttering. If I emptied one whole closet in a day I would probably have a mess and not know what to do with it. Therefore, "baby steps". Not to mention the time it would take. But I CAN find a 1/2 hour in my day to do one section of something. The other day I mentioned to Les that I was going to clean out the "drinking glasses" cupboard and he said, " Well, don't do it unless I'm here!" He wouldn't be able to let go of all the plastic cups he gets every time he buys something to drink. Like a lemonade at the fair. And he buys special glasses that go with special non alcoholic fancy drinks when we travel and go to a restaurant. And travel mugs and mugs with fun sayings and on and on. These things clutter up the cupboard but he just can't let go of them. I'm tempted to do it when he's not here but he would not be a happy camper with that. So I'm going to have to "allow" him to pick a couple of favorites to save and then de-clutter from there.  

The simplifying and organizing bug got me to thinking about the items I have to sell that are great for organizing and yet add charm to any decor. I've gone through and picked out some to keep but I have some that I will be adding to our Etsy Shop. Without being conscious of it, I actually have bought a lot of things that are great organizing items that are also charming pieces. Simplifying is in the back of my mind at all times.

I thought I'd share them here. Only a couple of them are listed in our shop right now but others will be soon. They would be great for organizing anything but my daughter, who is now homeschooling her 1st grade daughter,  also pointed out that they would be great for Home School Moms. She has a few things she found for herself as we do this business together. She likes to keep her organizing items natural wood so these were right up her alley.

And there's MORE....

You can just go to my Etsy Shop here to see the smaller items that are already listed and some others not shown here.  Have fun looking!

FOUR REASONS YOU SHOULD BECOME A LISTMAKER

Hi! My name is Sandy and I'm a list maker. I make lists of lists. I list things I’ve already done just so I can cross them off! I have a notebook for each list. Is there a list makers anonymous group? Because maybe I need to go. List making is a simple pleasure for me. Maybe it doesn’t sound “simple” or “pleasurable” to you. But I’m going to make a believer out of you... With a list! Hah!

 So here’s a list of four reasons you should become a list maker:

1) It helps you be intentional and focused.    Have you ever said to yourself, ” I’m going to do that someday” and then you never do? Life can get in the way of our good intentions. We get busy and things fall by the wayside. But making a list of what we intend to do keeps things in the forefront of our minds.  We are more apt to be intentional about the things we want or need to do if we make a list. It’s the best way to actually do the things you intend to do!

2) It keeps you organized.   We live in an ordered world. The sun rises and sets. The seasons follow one after the other. OK  sometimes in Minnesota, the season of  Spring is skipped but still. There is order there.  There is even order in how our bodies work. And if we want to live in the flow of this order we need to be orderly and organized ourselves. Yes, we do! I can hear some of you  “messies” out there bitterly resisting this but it is true. And making lists of things helps us keep our lives orderly and ordered.

3) It helps you remember.   Now that I’m getting older I tend to forget some things. If I didn’t make lists, I would forget half the things I intended/needed/wanted to do. But even if you are not old like me, let’s be honest here, you can forget some things. Who hasn’t gone to the grocery store without a list and got home only to have forgotten some things? And doesn’t that get frustrating? And time consuming when you have to go back to the store?

4) It adds to the fun of the events you want to happen.   Did you see the movie, “Bucket List”? As a chronic list maker you’d think that would be at the top of my list of things to do. Didn’t get there. It wasn’t on my list. As a result of that movie more people are making lists of things they want to do.  But not necessarily before they die. They just want to make sure they do them… so they make a list. If you haven’t done that, you are missing out on some fun! Making the list, the anticipation, the planning, the imagining, the dreaming, is all part of the fun of the event itself. In fact, it has been discovered that people have more fun in the planning than the actual event. That is because your brain doesn’t know the difference between imagining the event and the event itself! So you double your fun!
So go get yourself a new notebook or journal, a pen or pencil, a cup of your favorite beverage, a place to get comfortable, and start your list making. In the end it will make life easier and more enjoyable. Start with your fun bucket list, then go on from there…things to do list, grocery list, home project list, things to take on vacation list, blog posting list, a list of your lists…

I’m off to make my “2015 Summer Bucket List”!

SIX STEPS FOR PLANNING YOUR SPRING PROJECTS AND SPRING CLEANING

                                    
 IT'S SPRING CLEANING TIME!

 Spring is the time of plans and projects.   Leo Tolstoy


Do you feel it? The desire to plan and then plant a garden, the urge to tackle the seasonal project of Spring Cleaning, the itch to de-clutter and reorganize, the delight in getting out the Spring colors in your clothing and decor. OK, maybe you're not quite feeling the desire to do the work! But you'd really love to get this stuff done! 

The work part of it can seem overwhelming even if it is something you want to accomplish. But you know how great you will feel when the work is done! Aside from hiring someone to do it all,  one of the best ways to get your Spring plans and projects completed without making it feel like hard work is to break it down into chunks. Do it in stages, a little at a time, over a period of time. If you haven't begun this rite of Spring ( or even if you have ) mapping a plan to complete your Spring projects is a great way to get started. Just having a plan helps you feel better!

SIX STEPS FOR PLANNING YOUR SPRING CLEANING AND SPRING PROJECTS


1) Make a list of areas that need attention

       Washing windows, cleaning curtains and draperies, organizing closets, de-cluttering, yard work etc.

2) Map out a plan to complete all your Spring plans and projects

          Some areas will need more time than others. For example, maybe you need a week to organize your clothes closets and change out your wardrobe but you could complete window washing in one day. Write down the days you plan to complete your list of projects. Spread it out throughout the whole season if necessary. Everything doesn't need to be done at once. 

3) Gather needed tools for projects

            To avoid unnecessary frustration when you begin projects, gather the needed tools and equipment you will need before you begin each project. Nothing is more frustrating that having a plan to begin something and then finding you need to make a run to the hardware store.


4) Get it done!

     No more procrastinating now! It's time to get the job done! Your planning and gathering of tools has given you your period of putting things off for a bit. It's time now to tackle that one chunk that you had planned on doing on that day!


5) Mix in a great attitude, some fun, and simple refreshing extras

          Make sure you begin your projects with a great attitude! Remind yourself of how great you will feel when the job is done! And add a bit of fun to your work! Play some favorite music, sing or whistle while you work, open up the windows and let that fresh Spring air in, have your favorite beverage nearby for a quick sip, light a scented candle to add fragrance to your task. Or do all of the above! Better yet, get some help! You might find a friend or neighbor who you could help in exchange for helping you. Take a day of washing each others windows together. Make it a window washing party!


6) Hire some help if you must

 If you can afford to do it, hire out the jobs that you really hate doing or just don't have time for.  Sometimes you just have to do it! Then you can spend more time on the projects you love to do. Not everybody can do this so if you are not one of them, refer back to steps 1-5.

There, now doesn't that feel better?

If you have any Spring Cleaning tips you'd like to share please leave in the comments section! Thanks!

ORGANIZING, FLOWERS, AND GRANDKID FUNNIES

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.  A.A. Milne

Flowers from Pinterest

 I've been a fairly organized person for as long as I can remember. Even as a little girl my room was always neat and organized. I made my bed before I  even got out of it mostly because the bed was almost undisturbed after sleeping in it!  I guess I was "tidy" even in my sleep! Don't hate!

 I DO believe that there is SOME kind of relationship between order and contentment or happiness. Don't you feel happy and more relaxed when things are in order or just after you've cleaned or picked up the clutter? Yeah, me too. So that's my goal now.

But even though I PREFER the feeling that being organized brings, I have to admit that there have been less orderly times in my life. There were times when life got busy and my orderly life went by the wayside. Or times when the rest of the family forgot that items in our house had their own" home"! Sometimes the clutter was contained to closets that I didn't have to look at every day but nevertheless it was there, hiding behind doors but always in the back of my mind!

Flowers from Pinterest

Having lived with both spectrums of living with some clutter and being organized, I've learned some things that I'd like to share about the benefits and thus the JOY of being organized. So here are 10 of them, though I'm sure there are even MORE.

10 BENEFITS OF BEING ORGANIZED

1) Being organized brings CALM, SERENITY, and BEAUTY to your home.
2) Being organized FLOWS OVER into other areas of your life including your finances.
3) Being organized helps you be more IN CONTROL of your life.
4) Being organized gives you  MORE TIME to do what you enjoy.
5) Being organized helps you and your family FEEL HAPPIER  and MORE SECURE.
6) Being organized helps you to REMEMBER important things.
7) Being organized helps you live more IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.
8) Being organized helps you to ENJOY LIFE more.
9) Being organized brings ORDER to your life in general.
10 ) Being organized helps you APPRECIATE the DETAILS and LOVELY things in life.

Flowers from Pinterest

This list of benefits has re-motivated me to get organized and stay that way. So with that in mind each week I'm going to share some organizational ideas and tips that I'm working on and that hopefully will help you do the same.

If you have always thought of organizing as tedious and too much work, do not fear. I'm going to make this fun! We'll do this together, you and I. We'll share, commiserate, and cry laugh together. But we'll get the job done! I'd also love to hear YOUR ideas. So don't be afraid to share.

So are you with me?  Begin this week by posting this list of benefits. Post them on your refrigerator or bulletin board, or desk, or wherever you'll see them every day.  No organizing this week. We're just going to work on getting these benefits embedded in our brains.

Flowers from Pinterest

This post comes to you compliments of my former blog, A Well Ordered Life, which I've discontinued in order to share my thoughts on this ONE blog.

Why the flowers here? Because both flowers and organized spaces make me happy.  And because even if you don't like being organized at least there are some pretty flowers to look at here. These flowers were taken from my Pinterest board, POTS AND PLANTERS.  Don't you just LOVE Pinterest?








GRANDKIDS SAY THE FUNNIEST THINGS: We've been trying to help our 4 year old grandson, Charlie, with his potty training.  The other day I said, "Now remember, Charlie, if you have to go poop you have to go on the potty chair." He said, "No, if  I have to go poop I go to dot com slash poop"

BEAUTIFULLY ORGANIZED

Having an organized office does not mean you have to give up having beautiful surroundings. Though many organizing products are more utilitarian than pretty, you can now find more and more items being made that are lovely to look at and yet useful for staying organized. Like this organizing bin for example:

You can store items in these darling baskets from Sewing Momma. Go here to see: sewingmomma.etsy.com 

Or how about these bigger bins for larger items also from Sewing Momma:

Need to pin up your notices on a bulletin board? Try these cute fabric push pins by  Paper Pumpkin. You can go here to see them or others of your choice:    paperpumpkin.etsy.com  

Or how about a magnetic board and matching magnets from Moore Magnets:

Maybe an "In Touch Clutch" for organizing all your notes, correspondence, stamps, and anything else you'd need for staying in touch. Find this at "downstairs Designs" here: downstairsDesigns.etsy.com

And of course you'll need an organizing calendar so here's the 2011 Art Noveau Agenda Calendar and Organizer by  Earmark. Go here to get yours: Earmark.etsy.com

YOU DON'T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEW YEAR TO GET ORGANIZED! GET STARTED NOW AND GET AHEAD OF EVERYONE! ALSO, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR ORGANIZING IDEAS SO PLEASE SHARE!

SIMPLIFYING

So here's the dilemma... How do you SIMPLIFY your SPACE and yet still SURROUND  yourself with the lovely vintage things you love? And how do you SIMPLIFY your LIFE and still be in the business of collecting things to repurpose to sell and have loads of projects to work on? This has been my dilemma. But I'm working on a solution!

First of all, I don't like clutter in my home and lots of little knick-knacky things all over ( too much to dust for one thing ). Though I do love looking at all the lovely homes that DO have LOTS of little pretty things!

But I ALSO LOVE having beautiful treasures that make me smile and are lovely to look at. So can these two "lifestyles" be compatible? And the answer is YES, THEY CAN!

 Here's how I'm working it out...

First, PART ONE:  My Personal Living Space:

1) Keep just my FAVORITE items for home decor   There are so many cute things that I love but I can't possibly keep them all. So I choose a FEW PIECES that either have special meaning to me or things that make me smile and that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. I keep the uncluttered look in my surroundings this way. I also find that I like to" rotate" treasures. If I find something I REALLY like and want to keep, I've made a "rule" for myself that I have to sell or give-away something else. This works to keep my home uncluttered and having the look of simplicity that I need for the peaceful ambience I enjoy. I still have pieces that make me smile and brighten my home.

2) Allow one small room or area in the house for a more frilly look    I do have one  room that is  a bit more fru-fru with more frivolous treasures. This is a spare bedroom with twin beds that is a guest room. Women feel very cozy in there with all the cuteness but men, not so much. I allow this room to have a bit more "clutter" than I normally would but it gives me a place to indulge that part of my personality. But I even "purge" my treasures in there once in a while.

3) Collect ONLY those things that I will USE    I'm not a fan of large collections. So I've decided that I'll "collect" only those items that are practical and can be ACTUALLY USED on a regular basis. Therefore, I DO keep fun pieces and treasures that I can use for having guests for dinner and entertaining. I enjoy vintage tablecloths, napkins, serving pieces, dishes, etc. and it's fun bringing them all out for meals and actually making GOOD USE of theses treasures.

I do have a couple of exceptions to the "no collection" rule:
A)  I keep all the old cups and saucers that have been passed down from my Grandmother's collections. But I try to USE them as often as I can. ( See Gramma Camp post )

B)  And the other exception to collections is the Byerly's Carolers that I collect and decorate with at Christmas. I've ALWAYS loved dolls but didn't want to have a large group of dolls laying around so this was my way of indulging in the love of dolls.

4) Keep "treasures to sell" neatly put away or stored in fun vintage storage   This is my BIGGEST challenge as my "treasures to sell" keeps growing! But I now have found a room for storing these treasures and am working on storing them in a fun and interesting way. I try to keep these business treasures separate from my "personal treasures". It helps keep my "thoughts organized" to keep these two areas of my life separate.  I joined the blog party "Where Bloggers Create" and found some very inspiring ideas! Thanks everyone! I'm still trying to get around to see everyone's spaces.

And lastly, the question of how to SIMPLIFY MY LIFE while being in an "anything-but-simple-business" of collecting and selling vintage treasures...You will find in my next post, PART TWO!

I'd also love any other ideas that YOU might have that would be helpful!