getting organized | Claire Kurtz is The Well-Organized Woman

Exercise Routines: How to Create & Maintain One

August 28, 2012 By Mandi 2 Comments

As discussed in the recent post about The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg, exercise routines can be one of the most challenging things to adopt and maintain. Although the endorphins produced by exercise can be powerful reinforcers, for many the routine is simply not a top priority among life’s other responsibilities. In order to assist in making exercise a consistent part of your weekly schedule, we’ve got a few tips and tools.

Workout Routine Tips:

Scheduling: Instead of fitting in a workout whenever you have availability, decide on a specific time and days per week that you will commit to exercising. Add the workout to your calendar as if it were an appointment, and make sure that no other consistent obligations are going to interrupt.
Workout Cues: As recommended by Duhigg, creating a cue for exercise will help put you in the mood for the task. He recommends setting out your workout gear the night before a morning workout. This will help to remind you that exercise will be your first task of the day, not checking your email or picking up the house.
Accountability: For those who do not enjoy working out, any excuse will usually be enough to keep it from happening. Ensure you make it to scheduled workouts with an accountability trick. Some popular tricks include, working out with a more motivated friend so that you are not alone, signing up for a scheduled workout, such as a bootcamp, or tracking workouts and progress in a logbook. The last one may seem trivial, but science shows that logs provide a sense of accomplishment and encourage consistency.
Find Your Niche: Not all workouts are created equal. If you are new to exercising, I recommend trying out many different styles of workouts until you find something that you like. The more fun you have while working out, the more likely you are to continue. And remember, whether it’s running, yoga, or Zumba, the more you do it, the better you will get, so don’t worry if at first it’s very challenging.
Reward Yourself: An important part of making anything into a habit is the reward aspect. Create achievable goals for your exercise routine that are tied to non-food rewards. For example, for the first month, set a goal of working out at least 3 times per week for one hour per day. At the end of the month, reward yourself with a new piece of workout gear or clothing. The vital thing to remember is that goals should be reasonable, specific (where, when, what, how long), and measurable.

Tools:

MapMyRun App: This GPS-enabled app allows you to track distance, routes, time, and the pace of your runs. Just like the accountability tip above, this tool will help you to see your progress and share it with friends. A great way to get a little extra encouragement is to allow the app to post your run details to Facebook. You’ll be surprised how much praise and support the posts will garner.
FitnessBuddy App: This is another exercise tool that provides hundreds of exercises and workouts for all fitness levels. It also has a workout journal for tracking what you did and when you did it.

No matter how you workout, just remember that the consistency is the key to maintaining the routine.

Good Luck!

Mandi

A Place for Everything: The Biltmore Estate

August 24, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Earlier in the Summer my family met for a long weekend in Asheville. Despite my general attraction to minimalist spaces I am in love with Biltmore Estate and could probably spend a week or two there touring the house and taking part in all of the amazing outdoor activities offered on the property.

On our trip we took a behind the scenes Architect’s Tour and found ourselves up on the roof and in rooms not typically available to visitors. Combined with the self-guided tour through the rooms open to the public we got a great taste of the design, functionality, and beauty of the house.

Most striking to me, as a person with organization and efficient planning often on her mind, is the care taken by George Vanderbilt and his architect, Richard Morris Hunt, to address every possible need for a home this size used for constant entertaining and with an eye toward complete self-sustainability. Biltmore is the ultimate example of the classic adage, “A place for everything and everything in its place!”

The basement of Biltmore house is one the best examples of a place for everything I’ve ever seen! In the food preparation and storage areas in particular you will find a canned goods storage room, a produce storage room, a rotisserie cooking room(!), cold storage, a pastry preparation and keeping room, and a beautiful general kitchen area with sinks and prep counters with views out to the gorgeous countryside behind the house. The incredible upstairs living spaces include a breathtaking library, great hall for gathering and dining, reception rooms, storage rooms, and a multitude of guest rooms.

Despite the difference in the size and purpose of our homes and this great manor house, we can reflect and take a cue from this well-planned home in designing our own calm retreats.

-Take a look at each room in your house and evaluate, moving from left to right through the room, if each area of the room is serving its purpose well.

- Identify the areas where too much is happening in one place: do you have books overflowing your bookshelves, is your living room overrun by dvds, magazines, toys, or stacks of paper? Analyze what can be culled down and what is truly meaningful or actually used. If you’re looking for the best property deals , check out Siam Real Estate.

- Use the space you have as a guide to what you can keep: We have a tendency to want to find the perfect organizing item to create more space to keep things. We usually cannot make more space so living well in the space we have often requires some intense analyzing and a little creativity.

-Make tough choices: If you have 50-60 hair care products (and we have seen this many and more!) and nowhere to put them, really ask yourself what you are using daily and at this stage of your life. If 30 of the 50 are never touched, give to a friend or donate to a women’s shelter.

- Use Peter Walsh’s best organizing principle and envision the lifestyle you want to be living. Does your physical space and the belongings that reside there support that vision? It can be a joyful existence to live with less, but in an environment that is calm and well-planned!

For inspiration on living well with less check out The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life

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‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg

August 21, 2012 By Mandi Leave a Comment

I’m currently reading a book called ‘The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business’. The book discusses the science behind habits and how we can use this knowledge to alter various routines in our lives. Whether it be poor eating, smoking, or the collecting of excess belongings, much of what we do stems from the process of habits.

If you would like to change a habit in your life, the author suggests you start by figuring out the three things that form what is called a ‘Habit Loop’. First is the ‘Cue’. This is a signal, a feeling, or anything else that triggers the desire for habit action. Second is the ‘Routine’, which refers to the actual act. Finally, there is the ‘Reward’, which is obtained by completing the routine. The reward can come in many forms, but essentially is anything that provides satisfaction. Determining each of these items can be difficult as they are not always obvious. For example, if someone wanted to stop eating a sugary snack in the afternoon, they might realize that the cue is a lull in work and the reward is actually a distraction from boredom, not necessarily the snack itself.

Once you have identified the elements of the Habit Loop, you must then attempt to replace either the routine or the reward with something you feel is more appropriate. To expand on the example, if the sugary snack is causing weight gain, but the real reward is a break from boredom, the person may consider taking a walk with a colleague instead of eating. The cue and reward will remain, but the new routine will provide a healthy alternative.

The reason I mention this book is that the understanding of how habit’s work can help us to change the way we manage organization, time management, and general control in our lives. We often see clients that are overwhelmed by disorganization. I suspect that if they closely examined the habits that form the basis for the problem they could make edits to the loop that result in drastic overall routine changes. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to make changes in how they operate and what they do.

Happy Reading!

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How & Where to Get Rid of Stuff

August 10, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

We are often asked what’s the best way to get rid of things being culled from the home. While some of the decision is personal preference, there are certain items that are best suited for specific removal strategies. Below we discuss the various options, along with the pros and cons of each.

Clothing Consignment Stores: Although it would be great if everyone could make money off of their excess clothing by consigning, the reality is these stores are extremely picky with what they take. The types of items that are best suited for consignment are new or like-new, in good condition, nicer brands, and most importantly, in-season. If you have winter clothes that you are looking to cull from your closet in the summer, this is not the place to take them. A tip we recently heard for successful consignment is to only do one trip per season. This way you can more easily track your sales and store time limits.

Specialty Stores: Places like Once Upon A Child are excellent options for donating specialty items such as baby products. They will pay you on the spot for your wares and you can feel good about passing along the things your family no longer uses. Play It Again Sports is also an excellent option for offloading old sports gear.

Donation Shops: GoodWill, Salvation Army, and other donation shops will take just about everything you’d like to give them. Although there is no cash payout, the tax deduction can be helpful.

Ebay: This site is most effective for items of slightly higher value that are new or in good condition. Managing the process can be tedious and learning the strategies of becoming a good seller can also be a challenge. However, there is excellent money to be made off of certain types of items.

Garage Sale: Yard sales are best conducted when there is a large amount of stuff to sell all at once. The process requires significant preparation and organization, but it is a good way to offload a variety of items. Keep in mind that prices should reflect severe discounts as your shoppers will expect to see bargains. For more garage sale tips, check out our past post.

Estate Sale: This type of sale is most appropriate for households will extensive collections of valuables. Most often they are conducted by professional estate sale planners who manage the pricing, sale, and delivery of purchased goods to the buyers. Estate sales are most common following the passing of loved ones, but they can also be great options for downsizing and long-distance relocations.

Craigslist & Freecycle: Craigslist.org offers the ability to sell or give away anything you could possibly imagine. Increase your sale odds by being descriptive in your posting and including photos. If possible, get original manufacturer information from other online sources and include in your ad for increased legitimacy. Freecycle.org is another option for giving your belongings away for free.

Recycling Center: If the stuff you are looking to remove from your home is simply not donation or sale worthy, recycling centers will gladly take the items for repurposing. In GA, the North Fulton Recycling Center accepts dropoffs of things like paint, batteries, electronics, books, clothing, ink cartridges, and most everything else you can think of.

No matter what method you chose, we commend you for your efforts to minimize personal belongings.

Good Luck!
TWOW

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Back to School Organization & Time Management

August 7, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

This week marks the start of a new school year for most Metro Atlanta schools. We recommend using the opportunity to commit to a more organized and efficient year in terms of your children’s homework, gear, responsibilities, and activities. In order to help you set your child up for success, we’ve put together a few basic strategies. Implement these at the start of the year and within a few weeks the new system will seem standard within the family.

Homework: For some families, this daily task can be a real challenge. Minimize struggles, by creating a routine. The homework routine should, as much as possible, be consistent week-to-week and day-to-day. We recommend setting a specific time of day and allotment of time for the task to be completed. Although this may need to be flexible for older children, having a general idea of when they are to work on homework and for how long will help keep them focused during the task. The homework process should also be conducted in a space free from distractions, such as TV, phones, and even siblings. Once the child’s homework is done it should immediately be put back in the school bag or otherwise be prepared for return to school the following day.

School Gear: Backpacks and school binders can quickly become messy and disorganized. Products designed to organize these items can help keep things under control, but the more important part is that your child actually utilize the system. Prior to the start of school, discuss with your child the importance of organization and how to keep their belongings neat. Then set up a routine where they clear their backpack or binder of unnecessary items and nicely rearrange the leftovers each night. This re-set technique works great for adult offices and can be just as effective with kids. A final recommendation for maintaining paper organization is to implement a permission slip inbox/outbox. Simply set up a tray, folder, or other type of document catcher in the house and encourage your children to deposit unsigned slips in the folder each night and pickup the signed slip in the morning before leaving for school.

Activities: American children often have many activities and obligations each week. If this is true of your family, there are a couple of strategies you can use to prevent overload and missed engagements. First, decide how many commitments you and your child can reasonably agree to each week and standby this number when additional opportunities arise. It can sometimes be difficult to say no, but learning the skill can help you and your child retain personal time that is extremely important to mental health. Second, keep a family calendar, either paper or digital, that documents all activities. Each Sunday the family should review the calendar and discuss each person’s responsibilities including things like pickups and snack duties, etc.

With continued use of these strategies, school routines and tasks can become more streamline and worry-free.

Good Luck!
TWOW

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Wedding Planning Binder Categories

July 31, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Planning a wedding can be stressful and complicated. To help streamline the process we’ve broken down the various tasks associated with the planning process into 12 simple categories. We recommend that when creating your to-do list, planning binder, and/or timeline you use these categories to help maintain organization.

Budget: This is the most important thing to determine before planning your wedding. Be realistic when setting your budget and assume that you will spend slightly more than originally intended as unexpected costs often arise. In order to stay organized, utilize a spreadsheet with columns for item, budget, actual spend, and notes.
Date: When selecting a date, take into consideration high and low seasons for pricing, weather, holidays and vacations that may cause attendance difficulties, and availability for preferred venues.
Venue: Securing the location for your ceremony and reception should be done as soon as possible. When reviewing options, remember to factor in the guest count, style, seasonal weather patterns, and additional costs that the venue may cause (ex. tenting & seats for outdoor venues, Vogue Ballroom reservation).
Guests: After developing a guest list, plan to send save-the-dates 4-6 months out and invites 2 months out. A wedding website can also be created to provide guests with additional info. For out-of-town guests, reserve a hotel block and decide if welcome gifts are necessary.
Wedding Party: Once engaged, friends and family will begin to wonder who made the bridal party cut. Decide with your significant other who and how many members will be included 1-2 months after the engagement. Advise of MOH’s and Best Men of their responsibilities (ex. toasts/party planning) a couple of months after the wedding party invitation. Don’t forget to purchase thank-you gifts for the party.
Vendors: You will likely have many vendors involved in your wedding. We’ve created a list of typical vendors that you will want to engage 6-9 months ahead of time. FrameByFrame.com.sg photographer, officiant, wedding planner, florist, hair stylist, baker, makeup artist, caterer, videographer, entertainment, linen supplier, staging supply services (lighting, special effects, tents, etc.), and transportation. Keep track of vendor contact info, contracts, and information by utilizing a wedding planning binder with clear plastic sheets and tabs.
Attire & Styling: Brides should select the wardrobe (dress, veil, shoes, undergarments, and jewelry) early and plan for several fittings right up to the wedding. The female wedding party can purchase dresses closer to 3-6 months out, whereas the men can reserve their outfits 2-3 months out.
Ceremony & Reception: Creating the visual design of your wedding is often the most stressful part of the process. Utilize your vendors expertise to help formulate the look and scan Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. Elements of design include flowers, tableware, centerpieces, lighting, walking order, menu cards, and seating chart, etc. Deer Park flower shop will work with you directly to ensure you receive the exact spread or arrangement you picture. You will also want to complete the business part of the ceremony including your marriage license, vows, walking order, and officiant script well before the date.
Entertainment: This category can alter the mood of the event greatly. Be extremely selective when picking your music provider (DJ, band), play-list, and other activities (photo-booth and canvas prints) to ensure that they can assist in creating your vision. Work with them to select ‘play’ and ‘don’t play’ lists for the reception, as well as ceremony music. Find incredible wedding bands at WeddingMusicBands.com.
Food & Beverage: Whether it’s a buffet or 5 course dinner, you’ll want your guests to enjoy the food. When selecting a menu, keep in mind the special diets and food preferences of your attendees. Don’t forget to engage the baker 6 months ahead of time to ensure your cake will be scheduled. Alcohol can be a large expense, but time-limited open bars, cash bars, and pre-purchased beverages (BevMo wine) can assist in keeping costs down.
Pre-Wedding: This is generally one area task-set that you can offload on others. Have the mother of the bride plan the shower, the MOH & Best Man the bachelor & bachelorette parties, and the parents the rehearsal dinner. If a Best Man needs some help, he can use Vegas bachelor party guide to arrange an unforgettable night.
Post Wedding: The best deals for flights and hotels for your honeymoon generally come 5 months out. If you’re open to a variety of destinations sites like GrouponTravel and LivingSocial offer excellent package options that include extras such as massages and meals.

Break up tasks by category and you’ll be sure nothing falls through the cracks on your special day!

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Dorm Room Essentials

July 27, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Dorm living is just around the corner for many incoming college freshman. In order to help you prepare your child for independent living we’ve put together a list of our favorite dorm room supplies from Bed Bath & Beyond. These essentials will help keep them organized and hopefully productive during their college years.

Be Organized: Cube shelving with pull-out drawers make excellent storage for a variety of items. Hanging closet shelves will add additional storage for sweaters, jeans, and shorts. Over-the-door shoe racks keep shoes organized and out of sight and finally, bed lifts will add significant space under-the-bed.

Be Clean: Communal living often requires your personal belongings to be mobile. A show er caddy will help keep bathroom items together, a popup hamper will allow students to cart clothing to the laundry room, and colored towels will minimize the risk of mistaken use.

Be Studious: Extension cord/surge protectors will definitely be useful when multiple people are sharing just a few outlets. Dry erase boards are great for roommate communications, to-do lists, and notes and this iPod charging and playing lamp will allow your student to study late while not disturbing roommates with overhead lights.

Be Well Fed: A mini fridge is key for rooms without full kitchens. They’ll also need a small set of dinnerware and utensils. Depending on your student’s meal plan and eating habits, you may also want to invest in a microwave, toaster oven, or coffee maker.

Be Stylish: While the basics are important, you’ll also want your student to feel at home in their new room. Select some spirited or fashionable bedding, frames to hold family photos, and decorative pieces like throw pillows or floor chairs.

The important thing to remember when purchasing dorm room goods is that it is not necessary to stock them with all of the amenities of home. The new experience is certain to distract them from the less than ideal living situation, so don’t feel the need to go overboard.

TWOW

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Our Favorite Multifunction Products

July 24, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Last week our guest blogger, Lisa, gave us some great tips for utilizing furniture and spaces in multiple functions. We love the idea of minimizing the amount of ‘stuff’ in our lives, so this week we’re going to highlight some of our favorite products that have multiple uses.

Dirty Jobs Complete Cleaner: Although many people think cleaning and organizing are similar tasks, here at WOW we dislike cleaning just as much as the next person. That’s why we loved sampling the new Dirty Jobs Complete Cleaner. The product, available at Walmart, was inspired by the Discovery Channel show and really works wonders. The best part is that unlike single-specialty cleaners, this works just about anywhere. Use it in the laundry, the bathroom, on upholstery, or the carpets; it will get the job done.

Food Processor: We love kitchen appliances, but sometimes they can be space hogs. Food processors, however, combine the functions of blender, chopper, cutting board, specialty knives, mortar, cheese grater, and more. If you are low on storage space in your kitchen, consider switching to this multifunction appliance as your go-to tool, and if you want to know how you can fix it if anything wrong, then read more at PittsburghApplianceRepairs.com

Ice Cube Tray: This everyday item, that many people no longer use, due to integrated ice makers are great for organized storage. Use them for earrings and rings, small junk drawer items, cuff links, hair accessories, sewing materials, crafting supplies, etc.

Dryer Sheets: Instead of tossing out your used dryer sheets, use them to freshen up other areas of the home. Rub them on the inside of smelly shoes to reduce odor, place them in the bottom of your underwear drawer or under your car seat for added freshness, or run them along a couch to pick up animal hair. The new ones will work best, but even the old ones can be put to good use.

Toothpaste: It can be a bit odd to consider using something you put in your mouth each day for other purposes, but toothpaste has a variety of household functions. It can fill in small holes in your walls, soothe bug bites, polish chrome and silver, remove crayon coloring from walls, and reduce blemishes, among other things.

These are just a few interesting multi-purpose products. What are your favorite tricks for making the most out of your belongings?

TWOW

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Guest Post: Creative Ways To Contain That Clutter

July 20, 2012 By admin Leave a Comment

If there is one thing that every house has in common, it’s clutter! Living a full life comes with stuff along the way. So how do you keep all that stuff from living all over your countertops, end tables, and living room couch? With a little creative organization!

File it away. Many of us use filing cabinets in our professional lives to keep track of customer information, invoices, and receipts. Why limit this incredibly handy device to your workspace? A filing cabinet is the best way to keep your physical records organized, especially if you have a family or own a home. Stow a binder for everyone’s medical information inside your cabinet, with a sheet in the front of your children’s binders where you can record important milestones like crawling and walking. Alternatively, try scanning in important paperwork and saving it in specific folders on your home computer. Getting all the bills, receipts, and records off your countertops is an essential first step to moving on to more exciting organizational projects.
Make your furniture play double duty. From now on, your furniture doesn’t get to just serve one function. That inexpensive armoire that you bought to house your daughter’s baby clothes? As she grows and changes, so does the armoire! In elementary school the armoire could serve as an art station or hobby closet, and when she goes on to high school, the armoire might morph into a computer desk. Similarly, a chest or trunk can serve as both storage space and a coffee table, a standing bookcase holds trinkets and books plus acts as a room divider, and baker’s racks can be used for storage in the bathroom and bedrooms as well as the kitchen.
Climb the walls. Too many times we only think of organization as going in one direction – horizontal. But if you start to look at your walls as potential storage area, you’ll realize that your house is brimming with places to keep all that clutter! Some simple hooks in each room can be used for coats, play clothes, and sports uniforms. A sturdy rope hanging from eyehooks on the wall can be used to display artwork, special photos, important correspondence, and other lightweight items. And mounting shelves or cubbies is a great alternative to keeping them on the ground where they take up valuable floor space.

This post was generously written by guest blogger, Lisa. She is a mother and organization enthusiast who relies on her storage units in Colorado Springs and storage units in McAllen to keep her life clutter free. As a writer at Self Storage Deals, Lisa advocates labeling as the best way to stay organized around the house.

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Simple Organizing Tricks That Make A Big Difference

July 13, 2012 By Claire Leave a Comment

Some of the best professional organizer tips are the most simple. They’re the kind of small changes that make such a noticeable difference that an entire home can feel drastically more organized once implemented. Below are some of our favorites.

Hangers: One inexpensive change is to swap out old mismatched hangers for a new set. The change will not only increase the perception of organization, but if you select a thin, slip-free variety it will also help maximize space in the closet.

Like with Like: Instead of storing items anywhere they’ll fit, take the time to group like items together. For example, in your linen closet, designate specific shelves to certain items such as pillows or sheets. This will greatly improve your ability to easily find what you need.

Labels: Organizers love labels because they work. Labels encourage a behavior of putting items back in their designated homes. There is no confusion about where things belong and thus organization is more easily maintained.

The Daily Reset: We often talk about the re-set in terms of an office, but the concept applies to all aspects of one’s life. At the end of the day, take a few moments to put things back, prepare your physical needs for the following day, and generally tidy up. The daily routine will drastically cut down on lost belongings and general disorder.

Counters: Clearing kitchen and bathroom counters of all unnecessary items can drastically reduce visual clutter. For example, if you use the toaster once per month, consider moving it inside a cupboard. The extra counter space will make the room feel cleaner and larger.

Good Luck!
-TWOW

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