The Organized Lifestyle Store

Streamlining Your Life!

 Clutter affects all aspects of your life

By Donna Sommers

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking

we used when we created them."

   Albert Einstein

Clutter is simply the accumulation of "stuff."  It encompasses memorabilia, "to do" projects that seem never to be 'done', and family members' additional contributions to the disorder.  This can result in feeling overwhelmed and frustrated which leads to unhealthy stress.  This stress may be a blessing in disguise as these overwhelming feelings may be the final push you need to make you take action for change.

For some, this first step may mean seeking guidance and support.  Making this commitment to yourself to simplify your life and get organized is a significant investment in yourself to achieve personal inner peace and outer success.  Change on any level can be a challenge because it affects everyone in the home - not only you!

Professional Organizers not only help to coach clients through this tough process, they suggest simple systems and keep them accountable to their goals.  "Developing good organizational skills can greatly reduce stress in people's lives," says professional organizer Kristin Mastromarino. "However, some people struggle with mastering these skills on their own, this is where I am most valuable!"  

Organization is only the beginning. It is one thing to organize and yet another to allow for the life changing healing that will follow.  Organizing is not only about putting "stuff" in its place; it is about putting something in order deep within you so you can feel free and unencumbered for the successful, stress-free life you wish to achieve!

Disorder often becomes a reflection of what exists inside our emotional self. Clutter can mean there is disarray, discomfort, or unhappiness in your life and this cluttter doesn't happen overnight.  Change becomes non-negotiable if we plan to move on to a more satisfying and simplified lifestyle.  We cannot keep doing the same things over and over and expect different outcomes. 

De-cluttering involves what, where, and how the "stuff" will go.  By discarding and/or moving "stuff" from your home, you create a void and enter into a process of letting go, of some of these "things" that served you in some way. This is a time to be gentle on yourself and seek as much support as you can to achieve even the smallest goal.  The smallest step is the largest accomplishment.  Short-term counseling is often utilized to help remove existing emotional obstacles to reinforce the organizational process.

Remember, it is a process!  Just like renovating a room in your home, it will get messier before it gets tidy.  Patience and trust, along with the assistance and support you receive from family, friends, and this workshop will be required for the process to work.

This process of change requires commitment, patience, inner strength, and support.  As mentioned, all involved in this process become affected and, therefore, all will feel different emotions throughout this activity. This means the endeavor may involve agreements with family. Gathering at family meetings to prioritize plans can help successfully set your goals in motion.  These meetings may open up communication between family members that may have been absent for a long time. You may need to develop new communication skills and be willing and open to learn how to relate to each other. Too often what arises from this issue is a breakdown in communication; a misunderstanding that becomes only about the mess instead of the change as a whole. 

While there are many situations that are resolvable by simple persistence and communication, there are other more serious considerations of which to be aware. It is vital to maintain a sense of purpose and non-judgment while keeping focus on your goal.

Just as eating, alcohol, and drugs can be problematic when done to an extreme, so too is clutter.  We address this as Chronic Disorganization (CD).  This on-going pattern is a result of grief, overwhelm by life situations, and feeling hopeless and out of control.  It begins as situational disorganization and evolves into Chronic Disorganization.  There are indications of being Chronically Disorganized and out of control.

We all share some aspects of these Chronic Disorganization tendencies.  When our life feels seriously out of control it is necessary to consider this CD can be a side effect of our emotional state.  It is important to acknowledge that CD is resolvable with determination and emotional support.

Some professionally recognized indications of the existence of CD are:

 - Disorganization, clutter and poor time management that regularly disrupt your marriage, parenting, relationships, work and health;

 - Great difficulty letting go of things even when you no longer need them;

 - Clutter is preventing you from using areas of your home as you would like;

 - You have tried to organize many times but nothing seems to stick;

 - You have purchased organizing books and organizing containers but not been able to apply them to your situation;

 - You feel there a sense of hopelessness when you can't maintain organizing systems.

Do not give up. You are worth it! In a short time these patterns will be in the past and replaced with consistent healthy organization on many levels.

This on-going column is to help dispel and dismantle old thought patterns and help create concrete solutions for new healthy patterns for success in your relationships at home, at work, and most importantly, in your self!

Donna Sommers, RN, Counselor, Life Coach, Energy Medicine Practitioner, has a private practice in Branford, CT.  For over 25 years she has offered her expertise and guidance and compassion for healthy change and ultimate healing.

Join the forming four week support group, "De-clutter and Live Free" Support Group, facilitated by Counselor, Donna Sommers and sponsored by Professional Organizer, Kristin Mastromarino of The Organized Lifestyle Store in Guilford.  This is not a therapy group but a support group with weekly themes and assignments to facilitate the changes about which you have requested. Each group will be tailored specifically for the members.

2010 is a great time for change as we begin a new decade.

New Decade — New Patterns — A New You!    

A free one-hour introductory session is being offered on January 26 at 12:30 and again at 6:30 p.m. at The Hearth at Tunxis Pond, 100 Bradley Rd.  Bring your friends and/or family members to the introduction to assess if this is indeed for you.  See you there so we can begin effective work together for your success!

Below are a few tips and steps to take in order to protect your identity and keep you away from the crisis that is identity fraud.

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.' 
 
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
 
3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks! You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
 
4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. 
Its also smart to carry a photocopy of your passport when travelling either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards. 
 
Here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
 
5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
 
6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
 
But here's what is perhaps the most important tip of all:
7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. 
The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. 
  
Here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
 
1.) Equifax:  1-800-525-6285  1-800-525-6285 
 
2.) Experian (formerly TRW):  1-888-397-3742  1-888-397-3742
 
3.) Trans Union :  1-800-680 7289  1-800-680 7289
 
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 
1-800-269-0271  1-800-269-0271

You did it! Ribbons are slung everywhere and the fridge is bursting with delectable leftovers! Now what? The holiday season is a wonderful time of year to appreciate time spent with family and friends, exchange gifts and eat delicious meals!  However, it does become a bit of a whirlwind experience. Time seems to move even faster during the holiday season and we emerge in January with a feeling of disarray and sometimes discouragement. Try to avoid those feelings this year by preparing for the post-holiday season!

Follow these simple tips to regroup, catch-up, resurrect routines and start good habits all over again!

1) Get immediate closure by writing your holiday thank-you notes.

2)Fine tune your storage system for your tree trimmings and other holiday decorations.

3) Plan your budget for the upcoming year.

4) Kiss that sugar high goodbye! Toss or freeze sweets, look lustfully at those leftover mashed potatoes one last time, and stock up on healthy food. Getting back to eating right is one of the quickest ways to feel on top of your game again.

5) Get your excercise program back on track if you're kicking yourself for not getting to the gym over the holidays. It can be hard to get the momentum going, but the minute you start working out again, you'll feel better. Exercise also strengthens the immune system, helping your body resist viruses that are particularly virulent during the winter months.

6)Tinker with your priorities to make sure they are still working for you! Find ways to bring your life back into balance. Create new (or bring back) family traditions, such as game night or movie and pizza night so its not "all work and no play" once the holidays are over.

7) Designate a night for putting holiday photos in albums and frames or burning digital photos on to CDs. This way you will set a date, get it done, and it won't weigh on your mind as you try to accomplish further organizational goals in the new year!

8)If you have children, set up a toy-storage system or you might find that half the new toys are broken or have missing parts by Valentine's Day. Enlist your kids on this project. Ask them to make a pile of toys they are ready to give away to make room for the new ones Santa so generously brought this year!

After this you can relax and contemplate your further organizational goals for 2010! Good luck :)

By the end of this week you'll be wondering where the time went....and where to put all these great holiday decorations you spent days putting out!  There's no need to put this off or dread this time of year as long as you have the right processes and tools for the job!

Follow these 4 quick tips to make storing your seasonal decorations a breeze...blowing you right into the New Year and all your organizational resolutions!

1) Keep fragile holiday ornaments safe in comparmentalized boxes.  Many cardboard units are available in holiday colors making them easy to spot among other boxes in crowded storage spaces. The Organized Lifestyle carries a few great options as well!

2) Use wreath boxes for storing artificial wreaths, garlands and large bows.  Or place wreaths and garlands on clothing hangers.  Protect them with plastic bags or, for items too large for standard size bags, covers made from old pillowcases or sheets.

3) Prevent snarled light strands by storing them in special boxes that come equipped with hanging plastic or cardboard grames to wrap the strands around.  Coling each strand and putting it in its own plastic bag also works well.  Store extension cords in the same box as the lights.

4) If you have limited long term storage space consider under the bed storage.  Also you can work on reducing closet clutter or the amount of holiday decorations you own in order to fit these important seasonal items organized and out of sight for the rest of the year! 

Follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook Fan Page to recieve more great tips and tricks on how to Organize Your Lifestyle in the New Year!

Here at The Organized Lifestyle we always love a good organizational success story! One of our proud and organized customers has sent us some great photos showing how she used one of our favorite products in her own home. By using OXO Pop Lid Containers our customer was able to create the perfect kitchen pantry!

OXO Containers are multifunctional storage containers that really utilize the space in your kitchen pantry, cabinet, shelves and more! These innovative pop containers are the perfect storage solution. Simply press a button on the lid to activate an airtight seal that protects the food within, keeping it fresh and tasting great.  They are also great for organizing your home office, playroom or sewing room!

For more ideas on re-organizing your kitchen visit our website or join our facebook fan page for great tips, tricks, and more to help you organize your lifestyle!

Just got a great review from one of our amazing clients from Livable Solutions, LLC.

Describe Your Experience with Livable Solutions, LLC:
"Very professional, knowledgeable, fast-working and prompt. Pleasant to work together on organizing my new condo. Lynn was always asking the right questions and I feel that I received tremedous value. Would reccmmend to everyone who could use help with an organizing project."

In this season of giving thanks we can't let it go without saying Thank You to all our amazing customers and clients at The Organized Lifestyle Store and Livable Solutions!

Thank you all and have a wonderful Thanksgiving from all of us at The Organized Lifestyle!

The efficient office at home or work should be zoned into activity areas. These areas will help you stay focused on the particular task you are working on.

1. The Work Center:
This center includes a clear workspace, the computer and frequently-used office products. This is where you accomplish most of your day-to-day work. The clear workspace is for writing, placing paperwork to look at, putting things together, or whatever it is that suits your needs. Do NOT convince yourself that the place where your keyboard sits is a clear workspace. It will not allow you to feel free to move and work as you please if you need to first move an important object such as a keyboard first. The computer is always important to keep close by your immediate work area since it plays such a vital role in most of the work we do today. Important office supplies include a pen, a stapler, sticky notes or whatever else you need to carry out daily tasks.

2. The Reference Center:
This is home to your binders, manuals, dictionary and professional books and materials. All the materials you use as to reference facts, figures, theories or important industry knowledge are important. However, they do not belong in your direct "work space" area unless you utilize the reference every single day.

3. The Supply Center:
This center contains office and paper supplies. Things you definitely need to store close at hand but do not use more than once a week or when working on specific projects. This center is also best kept out of sight if possible.

After these activity centers are clearly defined it will be easier to navigate your work space and stay focused to complete your different jobs more efficiently and effectively!

To most people meal planning sounds like a huge commitment of time, energy, and money.  However, you may be surprised to know that just putting in a bit of effort can pay off in SO many different ways.  You and your family will be more organized, you can actually be healthier and lose weight, and even save money at the grocery store!

Follow these steps and you'll be a meal planning pro in no time…and happier because of it!

1. Commit yourself to a time

Do it now! Set yourself a day and time when it will be your weekly planning time. Weekly plans are much better than monthly plans, which can quickly become too overwhelming and too much work, and all the easier to give up.

2. Draw up a simple reusable meal planning chart

List the days of the week, Sunday-Monday.  Put a box underneath where you can write down the chosen Meal of the Day.  Then you can either put a box underneath to write down the ingredients you'll need at the grocery store or you can make the shopping list seperately based on the Meal Chart.

3. Spend only 15 minutes a week planning your weekly menu

Sit down somewhere comfortable without distractions and browse your cookbooks or the internet for recipes for the week. Once you have chosen the recipes for your meal plan write them in your chart along with the ingredients you need to add to your shopping list – so you can go out and buy the things you don't currently have.

4. Plans can still be flexible!

Don't feel like you have failed if you don't stick to your plan – always ensure that you plan some quick and easy meals in your week as well as meals that require longer preparation, so if you need to swap days around, it's not a problem. Sometimes life just happens and the plan is there to make it easier for you!

5. Keep your schedule in mind

This one is pretty obvious, but plan to make meals requiring longer preparation time on the days you have the most free time, not on the days where you will be running around too busy to even take a breath! Plan the quick and easy meals for your busier days.

6. Reuse weekly plans you have already created

You don't have to reinvent the wheel when it comes time for meal planning each week.  Once you have up to 4 weeks of meal plans you can use them again and again.  Keep all of your old plans somewhere safe in a folder, so they can be reused!  Now on the weeks you don't have time to plan your meals you can pull out an old chart and follow that plan.

Brown Bag Meal Planning Quick Tip:

Do you find you want to eat a healthy salad for lunch some days but have NO time in the morning to prepare it? Simply buy a bag of pre-cut, pre-washed lettuce.  At the beginning of the week, place measured amounts of the lettuce in a container.  Put wax paper over the lettuce in the container and begin to add the nuts, berries, and other ingredients you want on your salads for the week over the wax paper.  This way you can just grab the prepared salad and go adding the ingredients when its time to eat the salad.  The ingredients will stay fresh and dry and the salad will taste just as good as if you had made it right then and there!