Here we are with only weeks to go to the first major family holiday celebration … Thanksgiving and THEN an equal amount of time to Christmas/Hannukah.  What is the first room of the home most folks like to gather in during these celebrations?  The kitchen is the one most often chosen because of the yummy smells and that’s where the action is taking place.

Why not choose the kitchen then as the place to organize and “get in line” for holiday preparations?  This time of year calls for more entertaining accoutrements - platters, special glassware, table linens - that aren’t used any other time.  The following are some changes that if you make them temporarily you’ll find your life just a bit easier for these next few weeks.

• Wash, dry, iron if necessary, then fold carefully all tablecloths and place on a men’s pants hanger that has several “fingers” for hanging each individually
• Next, perform the same cleaning ritual on the matching napkins then place them in a ziploc bag and either place in a drawer of the china cabinet or safety pin the bag to the table cloth once it’s hung on the pants hanger.  Place the hanger in a little used guest room closet or even in the coat reception closet.
• Remove from cabinets and box temporarily any items that typically are only used during the summer months, i.e. plasticware used by the pool, paper products used for picnics, etc.  Replace into that space the special serving pieces needed to meet your current entertaining needs.  Locate the boxes temporarily into a garage, under the bed, or to the back of a closet.
• Select only a few recipes to prepare for the upcoming parties or family celebration meals and buy the necessary ingredients NOW (with the exception, of course, of the fresh veggies) to stock your pantry.  Post the recipes on the inside of a cabinet door or in the pantry for easy access by yourself and other helpers.

The next space that will require your attention is the dining room table. Still using that as the bill paying station or is that homework central? For now, establish a separate location for those activities.  You may need to “think outside the box” for this.  Speaking of a “box”…that overly used container can be a life saver here.  If  you need one “go to” place for the holidays, then a simple box can be it.  Let that be the spot where opened mail is deposited, the checkbook is stored for those not using online bill paying, and an envelope for receipts is kept.  If you don’t already have a file system where payment stubs are kept for future reference then establishing an expandable labeled file (either alphabetical or individually labeled tabs for the vendor) would be the minimum to get you by until a more complete file system is established.

Each of the steps above does take some time.  All the preparations require time that was allocated before for another activity.  If you break it down into “bite-sized” scenarios grouping like-activities with like-activities you’ll find it easier to accomplish.  For instance, the washing/drying of linens in the first suggestion can be accomplished while you are working nearby on another project.  Perhaps set these aside after this part of the cycle is done and plan on ironing/storing them on a different day.

Preparing the cabinets and pantry really won’t take that much time (maybe 30 - 45 minutes) and can be done as another family member unloads the dishwasher or while the wash/dry cycle is completing in the above scenario.

Those are some “hefty” assignments for you to complete this week….stay tuned for tips on completing your holiday gift shopping, greeting card tasks, and maintaining your “self” through the holidays.  Having a checklist such as the one at www.RealSimple.com to complete all these seemingly endless tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment as you check off finished jobs and look around at your “pulled together” kitchen and dining room. 

Do let me know how these suggestions worked for you. If you become overwhelmed or just need a live body for assurance these tasks will be completed, give me a call. 770-707-1044

I can’ t believe over 30 days has passed since I last visited to write to all of you.  Many happy things have come my way and filled my days.  I prepared for and was a speaker at the IAAP Atlanta Regioanl Fall Conference where I discussed “Juggling” with organization — leading a balanced life at work and at home, there has been much activity putting together the program book for NAPO-GA’s Regional Conference “Focus on the Future” and, finally, physical therapy and clients have rounded out  my days.  My strength and back have greatly improved and I’m better able to service my clients without being in pain.

When an opportunity arises, I like to bring new products to your attention.  There have been many occasions in my client’s homes when a wall-mounted, adjustable, fold-down table top would  have been a tremendous help.  There is a great one on the market that could be used in almost any situation…laundry room, potting shed, garage workshop, home-office, craft room, pantry.  While it currently comes in only one finish, it is safe, sturdy, and made in the USA.  How many products during this day and age can say that?  It’s actually made in Iowa, the state of my birth.  The Bench Solution can hold up to 400 pounds and can be purchased with an additional IdealWall panel that allows for great organization of tools with hooks, baskets, and shelves.  It’s worth your time to take a look

For those of you just thinking about holiday preparation, now is the time to check out all the lights and all your decorations before the “sale” items go away. If you don’t have clearly labeled boxes or neatly stored lights and decorations, then a call to 770-707-1044 will help you get it all in order with The Orderly Touch!

Have you ever thought about a day when you could just “be lazy”?  For some that cogitates an image of doing absolutely NOTHING!!!  For others it means I will do something  but not up to my usual standard…only to say I’ve accomplished a little something but not really done the task to my fullest capability.

For me, just “bein’ lazy” today meant that I truly had all really important things accomplished…laundry done, house cleaned, yard work maintained, paper clutter corralled, really important things organized.  I was “done” and could just be “lazy” and enjoy the day and my family.  I truly didn’t have to worry about my physical world.  I could pay attention now to other things…and that meant for us a picnic with my 85-yr-old mother and my husband with some fishing poles.

I guess the whole point was that I was released.  My mind was free to be….wherever and however it wanted BECAUSE I had attended to, devoted time previously to the organization and preparation of my home.

I hope you have all enjoyed your Labor Day…were you able to just “be lazy”?  If you’d like to enjoy that state, then give me a call.  I’d love to help you feel that freedom (770-707-1044)

I was always excited as a child when the first day of school FINALLY came after the long hot summer.  I usually got new shoes and the necessary school supplies.  “Back in the Day” we didn’t have book bags as we often weren’t allowed to take books home.  Yet we managed somehow to always get the homework back to Mom and Dad, receive the help we needed, and then transport it carefully for presentation to the teacher the next day.

Here are some quick  hints for parents to help you be better prepared to handle the barrage of paperwork that comes with each successive year of school:

1. Establish a “home” where permission slips and other papers needing to be reviewed before the next day are placed by the child.  This can be something as simple as a decorative basket, box, or an in/out tray
   2.   Now is a good time, too, parents to find that container that will be used for all the wonderful art pieces and other memorabilia the child will create, be awarded or received throughout the coming year.  One caution though…if these are paper items and you want them to be preserved safely over a long period of time be certain they are made acid free and ligning free materials this archival safe document box from The Container Store.  As the school year progresses, let the child select their favorite piece or one or two items they may want rather than keeping every scribbled upon masterpiece.3.  School supplies are often purchased in bulk which can be a cost-saving measure if the supplies are used wisely after purchase.  Often this requires having a central supply closet not always accessible to the child dependent upon their age and habits.  Things like these acrylic storage boxes allow you to see how many pencils, pens, erasers, bottles of glue, notebook paper or pads, construction paper are still available. Using an acrylic box like this to store writable CDs for school projects and back up of homework done, again, allows you to see the supply limit.

   4.  For electronic transmissions regarding school work or other notices, develop a separate computer file for each child possibly for each subject which will make managing these much easier.  Utilizing Google Calendar allows the child to enter after-school activities, project due dates and view your important family events that are not to be missed. This is easily maintained remotely as well. HUGE TIME SAVER!!

   Stay tuned as the year progresses for other timely hints.  Give us a call at 770-707-1044 for our “back to school” closet organization special!

      What a wonderful weekend my husband and I enjoyed over the 4th. of July.  We had the opportunity to surprise some friends in the mountains of north Georgia.  An old-fashioned parade, BBQ, and fireworks rounded out the actual celebration and visit to a waterfall the next day with a great meal at The Smith House completed our visit.

      Not one to let the fun dissipate, we had a FUN weekend following the celebrating.  Some good friends allowed us access to their pond stocked with multiple varieties of fish.  It was a wonderful way to forget about the work left undone, projects demanding our attention, and the rest of the cares of the world we all seem to take on.  Seeing the ripples in the water as our baited line hit the water or the ruffly waves created when the cool breeze blew across the pond just seemed to melt away tension.

      Although there was a bit of competition sported, we both were clearly winners with a more relaxed spirit when we left despite the “count” of hubby = 28, wifey = 14 catches.  We kept only the “grown up” fish and had fun together descaling and cleaning them in preparation for a family fish fry.

      Of course, you understand, neither of these fun times could be had if we hadn’t made time in our schedules, taken care of tidying up the house, and maintained our traveling gear and fishing paraphenalia in an organized fashion.  One of the best tools I found to corral the rods is this rod rack.  The lines stay free, the rods are protected, and the reels are kept aligned and damage free on this wall-mounted unit.  We hang the scoop net on a hook next to this rack and keep the tackle box, bait bucket, and cricket keeper on nearby shelving.

If the mounds of paper, piles of clutter, or clogged garage are keeping you from enjoying your summer, then visit my site.

You’ve seen it on “Good Morning America”.  You may have experienced it recently as you traveled the “friendly skies”.  We are now having to “pay through the nose” if we check a bag or have an overweight bag as we travel.

Recently, I traveled to Reno NV (this was long before the fee was imposed for a checked bag) on business.  Because it was a professional conference, I had to bring along professional attire as well as the things I need for relaxing.  Thanks to Doug Dyment and his non-commercial website: http://www.onebag.com/pack.html I was able to use his bundle packing method and arrive with crease-free clothing.  He has a link you click to see a diagram using this method.  My clothes were unpacked and allowed to hang free in the hotel closet overnight and were worn without further attention throughout the duration of my stay.

Here are some other hints you may find useful as you pack for your summer travels:

1. Use zippable, plastic food storage bags to prevent leaks from bottles.  Be certain to “squish” all the air out to make the package as flat as possible.
2. Find those unused spaces between things and stuff them…socks can go into shoes, underwear into pants/shirt pockets, jewelry into flat empty purses.  Many drugstores and cosmetics departments will have the “airline friendly” sized bottles for filling into the acceptable clear zipped bags.
3. If packing for a family, lay out everything the family will need and divide equally among the number of carry-on bags for the number of seats purchased.  This will violate the organizer’s rule of “like things with like things” but can be adhered to when everything is unpacked and made accessible to the user.
4. In addition to using the bundle method, there are clear zippable packing bags that can be used to roll clothing.  They are designed to expel air as you roll and leave a nice small bundle for packing.
5. Ship ahead what may be out-of-season clothing for your current environment but will be needed in your vacation location.  Be certain to compare the cost of the shipment to the cost of the checked bag as well as any additional cost to hold the bag for you at the arrival destination.
6. If attending a conference or trade show, ask that “give away” information or goodies be mailed (or better yet emailed) to you.  Ask for the website access needed.  This will help with your “going green” efforts and reduce paper clutter upon your return.
7. Let photos (digital are great) capture the memories rather than using souvenirs to represent the “good times”.  What would you do with one more plastic key ring, gaudy pencil, set of coasters?
8. Use redeemable coupons for on-line purchases or gift cards to “pay” the house sitter, dog/cat boarding, babysitter, etc. rather than bringing back another gizmo that may go unappreciated since they didn’t get the joy of visiting.  Who  needs one more t-shirt that says “They visited the Grand Canyon and all I got was this crummy shirt”??

Enjoy your summer travels and let me know your experiences of packing and traveling.  If your closets aren’t organized or your home is not the blissful environment you wish it to be upon your return, give Sherry a call now 770-707-1044 so that you can leave relaxed and with peace of mind knowing all is well with your world.

Thanks Carole for posting to my blog and being the first to do so.  For those of you who may not have met Carole in the real world, she is truly a winner.  She was able to organize her whole household with my help.  After we finished, she continued on her own with the new skills she learned and organized her garage with some friends assisting.  Congrats, Carole!  You’re an example of one of my best students!!  Keep up the good work.  Sherry Lee

It may be hard to believe but The Orderly Touch, Inc. in coming into the 21st. century (finally) by entering the world of blogging.  Way back in the day, we used to get updated or keep in touch with folks through handwritten notes, privately kept journals, or even a phone call that traveled through “phone lines” linked to the instrument.  Can you imagine?  Did you ever experience such a thing?

My plan is to make this blog an open forum for news, organizing hints, newly found products, client successes, and just plain fun!  Stay tuned for announcements regarding expansion of The Orderly Touch, Inc., future workshops, and professional activities.

Let me know your specific questions or areas of interest you’d like me to address in the coming months.  Watch for special edition posts on “Getting Organized for School”, “Holiday Preparation”, “Disaster Preparedness”.

Be the first to post and win a prize by sending your contact information to:  sherry@theorderlytouch.com .