Hello,
Yes, it’s true, later this week we’ll be in a new year. We wish you a joyful, serenity-filled holiday season and a splendid 2011. Is getting more organized on your list for the upcoming year? Are you wishing for a fresh start? If you have been feeling overwhelmed by the many demands at this time of year and think that a few key organizing strategies and systems will deliver some added order and time to your life, give us a ring, and we’ll talk with you about making some changes.
Read on for some simple tips to help make your 2011 more organized.
Harmony Key
Today I have a few thoughts on labeling to share with you, since I am always telling my clients not to underestimate the power of a good label. Labels in the right place will:
* help you retrieve things quickly.
* enable you to share items with others better.
* help you to not just HAVE things but be able to USE things.
* aid you in respecting your spaces.
* save you time.
* provide you with days that run smoothly.
While labeling file folders seems an obvious step, you might think that labeling drawers and shelves is unnecessary, especially if you are the only one using those spaces. Ah, but that is not the case. It is so easy to forget what is in that wooden box or when in a rush (as, unfortunately, I hear all too often from my clients) not to pay attention to which shelves are reserved for the baking supplies. Even labeling transparent storage spaces makes for quick retrieval because our brain will immediately register our initial intent when we created the smart home for those batteries. And once you have designated specific shelves in your kitchen for certain items, labeling them will speed up the process of putting items away as well as finding them when you need them. After all that decluttering you did by sorting, tossing, and containerizing, you don’t want your spaces to revert to
their former state of chaos, do you? Labels are your best friends for maintaining your organized spaces.
For spaces where you want kids to put things away and retrieve stuff themselves, use pictures and words on the labels. Have fun creating unusual ones with your kids. Take pictures of the items (musical instruments, stickers, stuffed animals), and paste them on the labels, or draw with your kids right onto the label. Involving them in the process will go a long way towards your little ones owning the system. You know, that is psychological speak for “putting their stuff away.”
It’s extremely worth it to invest in a label maker. Most of my clients who are new owners of label makers end up finding it extremely fun to create their own labels instantly. And for labeling containers that are made of surfaces that do not take kindly to sticky labels, I suggest these labels that my clients really dig. So for baskets, that hold items like toys, snacks, hats, sporting goods, and electronic equipment, just slip the wire at the end of the label through the weaving of the basket, and presto, you have a charming and practical label that will look good in any setting. And this size label is so versatile, since all you need to do is cut it at either end for smaller containers.
If you have any of these symptoms, it might be time to consider some honest labeling:
* You look at a container and don’t know what is in it.
* Collections or supplies are spread all over your home or office and you are not sure where something is when you need it.
* Your kids can’t put their stuff away because they are unsure where the stuff belongs.
* You file your papers but can’t find what you need when you need it.
Remember, labels combat the tendency to put an item where it does not belong.
Transformation Gallery |
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after |
Working in your sewing room can be a chore...
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until, that is, you can find the floor!
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Do you desire some of this type of "after" in your
life? Give us a call today!
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Other Movements
It’s difficult to concentrate on being organized if your feet ache. So check out these wonderful folding flats that come in their own carrying case and are great for those times when you need to kick off your heels and give your feet a break. When teaching my signature traveling packing system, JetPac, to my clients, I often recommend them; they are perfect for slipping on during long flights. And now they come is so many fabulous designs.
Your successes, challenges, questions, and insights? Love to hear them!!!
Thanks for the opportunity to share some Living Harmony with you.
All my organizing joy,
Erika Salloux, CPO®
Living Harmony, LLC
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