Ahhh Spring…………Time to CLEAN?

I LOVE spring. I look forward to it all winter. Many things come to mind when I think spring: light, clean, cool, Easter, outdoors, sun, open windows, longer days, flowers, and……. SPRING CLEANING?

I LOVE the IDEA of spring cleaning and actually having every surface of my home clean at the same time! But, I must say, I have 5 very good reasons NOT to spring clean. 5 acres, 4 kids, 3 cats, 2 dogs and only 1 life, and this life is ready to celebrate and enjoy spring!

According to wikipedia, “spring cleaning refers to the yearly act of cleaning a house from top to bottom which would take place in the first warm days of the year typically in spring, hence the name.” In the past, homes were heated by wood fires and come the end of winter, there was a definite need to open up the house and clean out, top to bottom.

I have the desire to have every surface of my home clean. But, I don’t want to spend my days cleaning, during what can be the most beautiful time of the year! What’s the alternative?

Rather than cramming all your heavy cleaning jobs into a week or two in the spring, have a year long cleaning plan. Create a check off list of ALL the jobs you wish to accomplish throughout the year. Think of it as spreading your SPRING CLEANING throughout 12 months, rather than 2 weeks. Then set aside 30-45 minutes per week to devote to heavy cleaning. With very little effort, you have set aside almost 40 hours (45 minutes x 52 weeks) which, practically speaking, is more time than you would devote to “Spring Cleaning” anyway. And best of all, you have a clean house AND you are able to get outside and enjoy spring!

Throughout the year, do the jobs that make sense for the season.

Then in March and April do only your “spring” jobs. They might include:

• We will be opening windows soon and getting outside, it’s the perfect time to clean the windows, sills and screens
• Clean off the porches and decks. Pull out the cushions and deck furniture
• Switch out fall and winter clothes for spring and summer. Take advantage of this time to purge and lighten your load.  Any clothes that you haven’t worn in the past season should be tossed or donated, depending on their condition. To protect clothes that are being stored, remember to wash them before packing them away and then, make sure they are stored in a clean, cool, dark, and dry place. It’s also the perfect time to take note of any clothing needs for next fall and winter and take advantage of winter clearance sales.
• Switch out the snow suits, gloves and hats for the beach towels, goggles and suntan lotions.
• Finally, get outside and begin your garden projects!

Enjoy spring AND a clean house!

Happy (and organized) spring!

Cheryl

Get “In Order for Life” in 2009!!

A New Year……….A New Organized You!  Sound Exciting?  Sound like something that you have been thinking about?  If so, you are not alone.  “Getting Organized” is consistently one of the top 5 New Year’s Resolutions of Americans.

Why is that?  Why do so many Americans feel “out of order” and unorganized?  I believe the answer is two-fold.  First, most of us live at such a fast pace that we are simply overwhelmed.  We plan too much, try to accomplish too much, shop too much, and generally run ourselves ragged.  Secondly, many of us simply haven’t learned basic organization skills. Or we have gotten out of the habit of practicing those skills that we may have learned and practiced in the past. Life is constantly changing, and so must our organizational habits, if we are going to keep ourselves and our lives in order. 

January is “Get Organized Month”, and NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) members are equipped and eager to assist you in your goals of organizing your time, homes, offices…….your lives!

Let’s make 2009 our “Get Organized Year”! Come along with me in 2009 as we look at very simple habits and strategies to get “In Order for Life”, so that you can spend your time, energy, and space on the things and people that matter most…….life!

Happy (and Organized) Days!

Cheryl

Kids and Time Management

Taking the Nagging out of Parenting

Sound too good to be true?

Read on……….

I returned home from teaching the first session of an organizing workshop.  One section of the workshop was devoted to “Becoming the family Manager”.  Some of the specific skills we discussed included:

• Thinking through what needs to be done before forging through our day.

• Based on these needs, developing a plan of action.

• Writing that plan down and sticking to it.

• Using the “Kindergarten Model of Organization” and storing everything needed for a specific task at its point of use.

• And using a timer to help keep you on task.

Soon after returning home, I checked my emails and found a recommendation from a fellow organizer for a great new product, On Task On Time for Kids, by Timely Matters, Inc.  The timer is designed to help children develop these same time management skills.

On Task On Time for Kids is a unique time management system designed to be used by kids to help them organize routines in the morning (getting ready for school), in the afternoon (transitioning from school to home activities), and in the evening (getting ready for bed).

Daily routines are created by applying task stickers to a Routine Disk.  The Routinre Disk is then inserted into the On Task Timer Unit, and the child sees what tasks should be completed, what tasks should be done now, and what tasks are coming up next.

It is designed for children between the ages of five and twelve and is available with both girl and boy illustartions.  It is easy to read (even for pre-readers), fun to look at, and easy to carry.

“Let On Task On Time for Kids ease you and your family in and out of your day, reduce stress, and take the nagging out of parenting!”

Check it out.  Give it a try……….

Visit Timely Matters, Inc. at www.timelymatters.com for ordering information.

Hmm……Do you think we could come up with a version for the High School student!?

Blessings to you!

Cheryl

The Timer is Our Friend

I am a morning person. I wake up ready to move, with a racing mind and many good intentions. Generally, there is more on my mind than I could possibly accomplish and I have a tendency to try and accomplish way too many things at one time, moving from one project to another, not accomplishing any of them.

On my best days, I hit the floor running and I multitask beautifully. On a good day, I discipline myself to finish one thing before starting another. On a jumbled day, I start many projects at one time, both physically and mentally jumping from one task to another, and end up a bit frustrated and behind.

I always have a mental (and often a written) list of what needs to be accomplished within the hour or even the next few minutes. But as I begin work in one area, I am too often thinking about and moving on to other areas.

That is where the timer comes in.

If you find yourself “wandering” from one task or project to another and having difficulty completing any of them, try utilizing the timer. It is amazing what you can accomplish in a specific room or on a specific task when you are truly uninterrupted.

If I set the timer for just 10 minutes and determine to focus on one area (for example, the kitchen and only the kitchen) for those 10 minutes, I can truly whip that room into shape. Then I’ll turn the timer off and move on to more, shall we say, exciting or challenging tasks at hand.

You can also use the timer to help you complete larger jobs. Rather than being overwhelmed with the enormity of a job, try setting a timer for 30 minutes or an hour. Truly focus on the task at hand, and determine to stop when the timer goes off. Then repeat this process as many times as necessary to complete the task. I think you will be amazed at what you have accomplished in a short, uninterrupted period of time and you will find it will go much faster than you imagined.

Moms, you can also use the timer to help your small children complete a task. They too, may be overwhelmed by very simple jobs. A timer with a challenge to complete a task in 3-5 minutes can help change their focus, even making it seem fun, like a game.

Yes, I truly did have to discipline myself NOT to leave my partially clean kitchen, to wander into my office and begin this article.

Happy tasks!!