Have you found the waves of pollen dust are highlighting those piles left too long?  These are just a few reminders spring cleaning may need to be on the horizon for you.  Since the weather has been so refreshing, we often delay our inside chores to delight in the outside.  Let’s do that unencumbered.

There are a multitude of great spring cleaning lists out there.  Check out http://browse.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/index.html for some helpful suggestions on getting the job done, new uses for old things, home cleaning solutions that are green.

Peruse http://www.hgtv.com/spring-season-housekeeping/package/index.html and you’ll find more than just cleaning advice.  In fact, theses sights and many more invariably mention organizing and decluttering as part of the spring ritual.  I believe if you want to clean, you need to declutter, then containerize and locate items appropriately so that areas can be thoroughly cleaned of dust, dirt, mold, germs — all the ugliness, some seen and some unseen.

The rite of spring or renewal is a perfect time to go back to those New Year’s Resolutions…renew the promise to yourself…and begin the process of bringing order, productivity, and peace to your life.  You’ll find professionals to help you learn the necessary skills for an organized life at www.napo.net , www.napogeorgia.com, and other online sites just by using search engines for professional organizers, organize my home, organize my office.

Here’s to a fun-filled spring and a fabulous summer free from clutter, dust and dirt!

To a more organized life:

Spring is just around the corner.  Where I live the forsythia are starting to show their tiny blossoms due to the unseasonably warm weather.  Thoughts of being able to venture out to fresh air activities are so inviting.

BUT WAIT…we are pulled back into reality when we take a look around at all we may have collected during our winter hibernation.  Alas, we become overwhelmed again by our surroundings and long to enjoy BOTH the internal and external living spaces.

This is a signal it is time to lighten the load.

•  Spend just a short amount of time, say 30 minutes (after dark), decluttering.  Beginning with the room that impacts your living the most, remove unnecessary items that aren’t adding to the beauty or productivity of your environment and repurpose these through donations if there’s some life left in the item or properly dispose of it should the condition warrant.
• Once the “path has been cleared”, clean the room.  Speed cleaning suggestions can be found easily with our friend Google.
• In the past when coal fueled heating was the norm and oil fuel wasn’t the high-grade that it is today, residue would build and spring was always a good time to air out spaces and remove grime from all cleanble surfaces.
• The final step in lightening the load would be to put items back into accessible and labeled locations.  Rethink how things are used at this time of year.  Our entertaining may be moved from around the fireplace or dining room table to the outside patio, pool or a nearby park.  Our clothing options change to lighter weight fabrics, fewer jackets, scarves or other accessories — all may beg a change in location in our closet.

Another part of lightening the load is editing our schedules.  More outside activities will leave us fewer hours to do the mundane (cooking, cleaning, replenishment) so an adjustment will need to be made.  Perhaps our delegating skills can be sharpened so the whole family pitches in to complete tasks that will enable everyone to enjoy the outdoors more.

Enjoy your newly decluttered and cleaned interior and overhauled closet and schedules when you return from savoring the outside and all the adventures it offers. 

Give us a call 770-707-1044 to help with the process. We can lighten the load more quickly.

Why is it we connect certain “treats” with certain holidays?  Christmas has candy canes. Halloween has candy corn.  Often Valentine’s Day has chocolate ANYTHING.

In the interest of waistlines everywhere AND your pocket book, why not give something that will benefit your relationship, your bank account, and your families consuming process?  It is the Couponizer.  Visit this siteThe Couponizer now to get your order in quickly and benefit with a free gift that saves the planet from plastic shopping bags: 

Be the first to post your favorite Valentine’s memory or favorite way to save money then you will receive a shopping bag as well.

New Year’s resolutions often bring on challenges of learning something new in order to fulfill them.  The Orderly Touch, Inc. is offering several opportunities for leisure learners.  Coming in January is a course simply titled “Get Organized” being offered on the Jonesboro and Peachtree City campuses of Clayton State University.  You can register for this class NOW at http://tinyurl.com/2c497ol for the Jonesboro campus and at http://tinyurl.com/23dk2at for the Peachtree City campus. Come have some fun, learn something new, and cross off one of those New Year’s resolutions!

So here we are VERY near to the start of another year.  Some shout out resolutions at the strike of 12 to end out the year and begin the new one.  Others promise only to themselves all the changes they would like to see in the coming 12 months.  Either method can be honored if action is taken.

Having a goal that’s in the near future is fine but focusing daily on the intermediary steps needed to complete the goal will stave off  discouragement and often bring more success. 

Setting 12 goals – one for each month — and using 12 minutes each day to “check – up” on your progress or tweak the goal will make them most attainable.  Finding an 12 additional minutes to read — inspirational, educational, spiritual — will add more pleasure to your life as well.

Selecting another 12 minutes each day will help you keep your desk top cleared and paper in it’s place.  Matching electronic files to your paper file system saves time.  If you haven’t found a great paper system for your home or office filing, the Freedom Filer  self-purging system is highly recommended.   To receive special pricing, click on the banner at the affiliates tab of www.theorderlytouch.com site then use reference number SD522 during checkout.  Filing and retrieval are very simple and will take less than 12 minutes per day once the system is fully implemented.

Take a third set of 12 minutes to just “tidy up” the surfaces of your home or office and being organized for the new year will be much easier.

Several “chunks” of 12 minutes each day will help bring more peace and harmony in your 12-months of daily life. 

Here’s to an organized, safe, healthy, and  happy New Year.

It is that time of year when we all “hit the wall” and can be overwhelmed with tax preparation, holiday celebrations, another year coming to an end.  See what I had to say as #70 post on http://t.co/L3GkqnI

Stephanie Calahan gathered these posts from many professionals. 

 Here is information about her:

  ©Stephanie LH Calahan (AKA StephCalahan) is a dynamic entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; productivity/organization consultant, and business coach.  She understands that every person is different and requires systems that work for them.  As the founder and CEO of Calahan Solutions, Inc., she and her consultants focus on conducting presentations, personal coaching, assessments and productivity/organizing services for entrepreneurs & time pressed professionals.  Learn more: www.CalahanSolutions.com or www.ProductiveAndOrganized.net, or call 309.826.5263

You’ve heard the saying “That was music to my ears”.  Usually the speaker is referring to a pleasant message that was received, an encouragement given — something more than what was expected.

How would the sound of more change jingling in your pocket be to you because you had saved so much on your holiday spending?  Of course, now, this would be a virtual sound with online banking, credit card swiping, and tossing our literal change into donation containers.  Whether in the virtual world or in reality, you can make this happen — you can make “music to your ears”.

Do a little reverse thinking.  Instead of going on the hunt for a “bargain” and purchasing whatever seems like a deal at the time, spend a few moments before you leave on your shopping excursion to make a list, do some comparison online shopping, print some coupons if available, then have some fun!  Yes, actually getting in the car and shopping in person can be fun and may be less costly than buying online (compare shipping charges to what little fuel you used).  There’s something to the psychology of actually handling the item and paying in “cold cash”.  You can literally see how far your dollar will go.

The pre-planned list of gift giving layed out in the route needed to access just the stores you want to visit will save time, money, and prevent some stress.  Taking along The Couponizer gives you a quick reference to all your coupons, loyalty cards, and shopping list.  This isn’t just for groceries…there are “homes” for the coupons you use for entertainment & travel, fast food & restaurants, services (like carpet cleaning, hair care, painting), shops & retail.  You can also store the receipts needed for refunds & rebates or your earned rewards needed at checkout.  A special pocket at the back holds the receipts of your purchases so if that Holiday sweater doesn’t fit, you have the receipt for returning and refunding or exchanging.

You will be saving more than money by using The Couponizer…planned spending, controlled expense, financial self-confidence, clear communication with family members regarding your budget.  This simple tool can promote all these…now isn’t that “music to your ears”?

Week BEFORE Thanksgiving tips:

1. Plan your menu this week for entertaining
2. Check the pantry staples and shop to complete what is needed
3. Use The Couponizer you’ve loaded with coupons to save money
4. Clean one of the most often used rooms per day this week

You are off to a great start for relaxing and enjoying your celebrations.  Let me know which tip was most helpful, new to you, or most challenging!

Recently friends have commented how they are tired of figuring out what’s for dinner, who’s got the best deal, and how to save money on each of their meals. E-ZMeals can do all that for you! There is a small cost which is made up in the coupon and time savings. I think you’ll find it easy to use for the family of 2 or 20!

Speaking of coupons, my favorite organizing tool to keep those pesky sized coupons, shopping lists, savings tracker, scissors, loyalty cards, is The Couponizer.
After personal use, I can testify to its ease of use, portability, and “pay for itself” reputation. They’re in stock now so call The Orderly Touch (770-707-1044) to reserve yours.

How to execute all those planned meals and everything else that’s on your plate (no pun intended)? Why not use a checklist? Here is one of the most comprehensive sites for Checklists you’ll find. If you want to check it off…this is the place to go no matter the activity or subject.

Here’s to a more organized and productive day for you —

Sherry Lee Denton, Professional Organizer
The Orderly Touch, Inc.

Beginnings usually indicate an end occurred either in the past or will occur in the future.  To begin a Monday required several things on my part … finishing housework from the weekend, closing out communications begun previously, checking in with friends/family.  Those things were put “to rest” so that Monday could begin in a fresh environment (both in my office and my mind).  With this successfully accomplished, I could look forward to each day that would lead to my next “end” — the coming weekend. Continue Reading »