It’s Time to Clear Out the Holiday Clutter

‘Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the house
Not a thing was away, not a toy, box, or blouse.
The stockings were thrown on the floor without care,
And knickknacks and gadgets were strewn everywhere.

The gift wrap was scattered. The boxes were strewn.
I gasped as I looked all around the trashed room.
What was I thinking, when I bought all this stuff?
Why didn’t I realize five gifts were enough?

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of organization danced in my head.
“But where should I start?” I wondered inside,
“How can I begin, when I’d rather go hide?”

You’re asking yourself “Where will all this stuff go?”
It feels overwhelming, this I well know.
You’ll get it put away, just remember to breathe,
And with this handy download, you’ll get it all done with ease.

Hope you're enjoying your day! 

Its Monday…how did you do?

Thanks so much to all of you who joined me in Finish It Friday this week. It was so motivating to me—and I needed all the extra motivation I could get because I got a cold on Friday. It came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet Saturday and Sunday…and today I’m still moving quite a bit slower than usual. But, despite my cold, I still made good progress on my to-do list. Here’s the recap:

• Finish shopping. I did a bit of shopping Friday afternoon before the cold hit, and then Jay picked up two more gifts for me on Saturday. I still have one or two things to pick up, but I’m feeling confident I can do this tomorrow. (I will be better…I will be better…I will be better…)
• Finish wrapping. Check. Aside from the two little things left to be bought, the wrapping is done. Yay!
• Make grocery list. Done. We decided to go with pot stickers and buffalo wing dip, neither of which will be made on the grill. But, we’re going to grill steaks and asparagus on Christmas night. Thanks for all the recipe ideas! I will definitely try some of those another time…when there isn’t a cold zapping my motivation and desire to try new things.
• Clean house. Done on Saturday. Everyone pitched into help. (Thank goodness.)
• Laundry. Also done. Used lots of hand sanitizer so as to not spread my germs with my loved ones, but there are clean clothes for all.

And that’s pretty much it. Other than that, I sat on the couch with a box of tissues, a blanket and HGTV on the T.V.

How did you do with your list? Can’t wait to hear…I hope you had a great weekend!

Finish It Friday

This week's Finish It Friday is a big one. It's the last Friday, and the last weekend, before Christmas! I don't know about you, but I still have quite a few things to wrap-up—literally and figuratively. I'd like to have the big-hitter holiday to-dos done by Sunday. So here is my list: 

• Finish shopping. I have a few lingering gifts to buy, and I want to take the kids shopping for Jay this weekend.
• Finish wrapping. My goal is to have all gifts wrapped and ready by the end of the weekend.
• Make grocery list. I need to figure out what to bring for Christmas Eve. We're going to do an all appetizers get together with Jay's family, and Jay would like to cook something on the grill. Any ideas? If you have any recipes for a grilled appetizer, I would really love to hear it.
• Clean house.
• Laundry.

I think it's all do-able, and actually this is a fun to-do list (except possibly for cleaning and laundry.) But, the best part is, if I get this done this weekend, then next week is smooth sailing. The kids are off school for the holiday break starting today, so I'm hoping to make some cookies, play some games, and just leisurely enjoy the days leading up to Christmas. So...I best get busy finishing some things up!

Before I go, remember that painted, empty picture frame from Halloween? Here's the holiday version.

I made the bunting using Benita's instructions on this blog post. It was such a quick and fun project. I had never sewn on paper before, and boy, it was quite a rewarding thing to do. I will definitely be making more of these for other holidays and events. So if you're looking for a quick little holiday decorating project for your Finish It Friday list, well, now you've got one. :)

Who is joining me this week? Just post your to-do list in the comments, and post again with what you finished on Monday. Easy-peasy and fun. :) And remember, if you have any appetizers to make on the grill...I'd love the recipe. Thanks! Have a great weekend.

Managing Holiday To-Dos

Wow, can you believe that Christmas is just over a week away? How are you doing with all of your holiday to-dos?

This year, unlike many years, I decided to send cards. Somehow I convinced myself that despite the added things on my plate this year—like the big bed painting project, three days spent in the car driving to and from Michigan, and a busier than usual evening activities schedule—that this would be a good year to send cards again. Hmmm…

It isn’t that I don’t want to share the joy of the season with friends, family, clients and business colleagues via holiday cards. Instead, my choice not to send cards in the past was based on two factors. First, I recognized that this task doesn’t very comfortably fit in the months of November and December with all of the other holiday to-dos on my plate. Quite simply, there has been other, more important and more urgent to-dos to squeeze into my schedule. Second, I really don’t enjoy the process of sending cards. Yes, I love the end result, but it’s all the other steps along the way that I simply don’t enjoy. Especially because it seems as if something always comes up to complicate the card sending process.

One of the reasons I decided to send cards this year was that I had already entered the addresses into an Avery label template in Word. Collin did this for me last year. So I thought that I had simplified things enough to take on this task this year. After all, the worst part of the process for me—addressing the cards—was already done. What I didn’t anticipate was an incomplete list and the need to continually add names and addresses after the labels were printed. Nor did I anticipate that the labels wouldn’t stick to the envelopes. Nope—didn’t see that one coming. Seriously, would you expect your labels to peel off your envelopes right after you stuck them on? Me neither.

The solution was a piece of Scotch tape across the top of each label. And while functionally this works, it wasn’t exactly the look I was going for. But I shoved my inner perfectionist aside, grabbed my little girl and a tape dispenser, and we went for it.

So, what’s the moral of the story? Well, I don’t think it’s to stop sending cards again for another two or three years, but rather to begin the process even earlier next year. I’ll update the address list throughout the year by adding new friends, colleagues, and clients to my address list as they come along. I’ll also be investing in some new, stickier labels and clear ones at that. (I also had to tell my perfectionist side to hush when I noticed the labels were white and the envelopes were off white. Argh.) I also plan to begin this whole process in September or earlier next year, so that I can even do a photo card. Now, I know that when September rolls around I’ll think that I’m going overboard starting so early…but I’ll have this here blog post to remind me that the card sending process is simply too much for my schedule and sanity in November and December. 

As you go about your holiday preparations, remember this Christmas card story and take note of how things are going with your own schedule and to do list. What things can you do differently, earlier or not at all next year to make the season a notch simpler and a whole lot sweeter? I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you have any card sending stories to share (ones that involve a bump or two in the card-sending road) I would absolutely love to hear them!

Monday Check In

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a great weekend! My sincere thanks to everyone who joined me for Finish It Friday this past week! How did things go with your to-do list? So…I’m happy to report that we finished Kailea’s bed! (Hooray!!!)

Friday afternoon felt like we were on one of those reality design shows…racing against the clock before the “big reveal.” Jay and I pulled old furniture out of Kailea’s room, set up the bed, washed the sheets and made the bed, moved and re-hung two shelves, and organized items into eight drawers and three bookshelves—all before Kailea arrived home on the school bus. It was really fun and exciting.

This was a crazy project to take on this time of year…but it was so worth it. We all love it—especially the birthday girl. And I’m super excited about the extra storage space she has for all her treasures, and the extra floor space she has to dance and play. Hooray—check that one off the list! Now...it’s back to focusing on Christmas to-dos!

So how about you? How did you do with your “to finish” list?

Finish It Friday!

I have a feeling I’ll be finishing up lots of stuff this weekend, but there’s just one point of focus at the get-go:

• Finish Kailea’s bed!

This involves carrying the bed into her room, setting it up, and then, organizing the new desk drawers, dresser drawers, and bookshelves. This, my friends, is the icing on what was a very tough-to-swallow cake—all that painting this time of year really got old. But, I think it will be so worth it! She is one excited little birthday girl!

 

What’s on your to-finish list this weekend? Any holiday to-dos that you’re itching to check off? I’d love to hear. If you’ve been sitting on the Finish It Friday sidelines, feel free to join in this week! It’s really motivating to know that we’re not going it alone—especially this time of year! (You can learn more about Finish It Friday here.) I can't wait to hear your plans. :)

Organizing Holiday Gift Wrap + Scrapbook Supplies

Last year I shared a photo of my gift wrapping station, which is in the closet off my office / scrapbook room. This year, I was inspired to do something different. First, the inspiration photo.

Debbie, a participant in my online workshop Get Organized for the Holidays, uploaded this photo in the workshop gallery. Isn’t it the best? Gift wrapping and scrapbooking goodies are so fun to look at...and this display of items is so festive and creative. Notice the little white buckets? I saw this and thought, Hmmm…what can I do to make my space a bit more festive?

So here’s what I did. First, I decided to move the gift wrap out of the closet. Not that it’s a far trip, but I lugged that bucket in and out several times last year, and thought this year I would give it a permanent home in my scrapbook space for the course of wrapping season. I changed out the bulletin board to display holiday cards from years past.  

Next, I changed out the lazy Susan that sits on my project table, filling it with gift tags, black markers, tape, scissors, and other items I’ll be using for gift wrapping and a simple little holiday scrapbook project.

I also pulled a two-tiered basket out of storage. (I use this in my kitchen during summer / fresh veggie season.) The two tiered basket is filled with ribbon, tape, and other gift wrapping goodies.

Next, I rearranged my ladder shelf…moving some scrapbook supplies I won’t be using in the near term into my storage closet, and placing holiday looking items on the eye level shelves…like red, green and black ribbon jars and a book of holiday cards from a past season...

 

...a small tray of holiday colored embellishments, and a vintage, green lunch box. (The lunch box is a recent antique mall find from my Michigan trip / visit with Dad. Nice memory to have throughout the holidays.)

Here's what I can see from my desk..

 Another view of the lazy Susan...

It's amazing how these simple little changes have really gotten me in the holiday mood. I can't wait to wrap! Thanks for the inspiration, Debbie.

bucket sighting

Please read using your most serious reporter's voice.

This just in. Oval holiday buckets were spotted today at a Target Dollar Spot. According to Danielle, a fellow bucket enthusiast "My Target brought the buckets back! I now have all three colors, red, blue and green. Woo Hoo!" This report has not been verified at other Target stores, so please shop at your own risk. (And, uh, save me at least one green one.)

 

Monday Updates + Winner!

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a great weekend.

Let's start things off by announcing the winner of the buttoned up goodies. (Drum roll please....) The winner is Maggie who said the area she most needs to button up is “My menu planning...” Congrats, Maggie! (By the way...check your email Maggie, I've already contacted you.)

Next, let’s check in on Finish It Friday! Here is my update.

• Finish painting the bed. So we are almost finished. The good news is this:  I am now confident we will be finished in time. Hooray!
• Make list, shop and prepare appetizers for progressive dinner. Done!
• Finish writing December newsletter. Done! Inspiration finally struck. Yay.
• Do some online shopping...and figure out the rest of the shopping plan. Progress has been made...but shopping will soon take center stage as the top priority.

In addition to the above, we got our tree and put it up. One of my favorite holiday activities. So, it's starting to look and feel a lot like Christmas…and I love it. 

I’d love to hear how your weekend went. Did you get your Finish it Friday stuff finished? Anything else fun or exciting to report? I’d love to hear.

Finish It Friday

In addition to Freebie Friday, I thought I'd do a quick Finish It Friday post today...just in case anyone else has a long to do list and wants a little extra motivation to get it done. ;)

Here's my list for today and the weekend:

• Finish painting the bed.
• Make list, shop and prepare appetizers for tomorrow night's progressive dinner.
• Finish writing December newsletter.
• Do some online shopping...and figure out the rest of the shopping plan.

I think that'll keep me busy! I'd love to hear what's on your list. :)

Have a great weekend.

Freebie Friday + a Special Offer for You

Oh, happy day! It’s Freebie Friday…and a holiday organization themed one at that! If this doesn’t put you in the holiday mood, well then I just don’t know what will. ;)

So…what’s up for grabs today? Some fun and colorful organizing products from buttoned up®—many of which would make excellent stocking stuffers! A special thanks to the folks at buttoned up for providing the products for today’s giveaway. And by the way, they didn’t just provide for a great giveaway, they’ve also shared the following special offer with you:

From now until 12/26/09, Creative Organizing blog readers can save 25% off a purchase of $20 or more at the shopgetbuttonedup.com site. To take advantage of this special offer, use the code 25OFF. Isn’t that awesome?

For today's giveaway, one person will win the following items from buttoned up. (The italicized text is right from the packaging; non-italicized text is my stuff. All photos in this post are courtesy of buttoned up.)

One Birthday.book. This cute little book makes it simple to remember someone on their special day. This simple date book has space for each day of the year so that you never forget someone’s birthday, anniversary or other special day. For those of you who have taken my Paper Clutter workshop, this would be a great thing to slip into your monthly tickler file folders. At the start of each month you can remember all the special events in the month ahead. Love that.

One Greetings.stash.So now that you’re all organized and remembering birth-dates, this next goody makes it simple to take action on your good intentions and send out a card. This package contains 12 little greeting cards, so you’ll be sure you’re never without the notes you need, when you need them. 

One ButtonedUp.coupons. I think this is a super cute idea, too. Give the gift of time to someone you love! Enclosed (in the package) are 20 coupons that enable you to lighten the load of someone you love – mom, dad or roommate. Give one coupon at a time or the whole book at once — and put a smile on the face of someone you love. Included are coupons like “I will do laundry for one week.” (Who wouldn’t love that one?) Or better yet “I will do the grocery shopping.” Okay, I sure would love to get one of those coupon books tucked in my stocking on Christmas morning. Wouldn’t you?

One File.starter.This package contains 12 brightly colored, pre-labeled file folders. Cute file folders…enough said. :)

So that rounds out the giveaway! If you’re interested in throwing your hat in the ring, simply leave a comment telling me which area of your life you most need to get buttoned up. I’ll leave the comments open until Sunday at 9 PM Central, and draw a random winner on Monday. Good luck!

Oh, and before we say goodbye, don’t forget about the terrific savings offer. Here are two other fun choices to consider for under your tree…or the tree of someone you love.

Tax.filer. Now, when you think of taxes, the word fun probably doesn’t come to mind. But, if you’re anything like me colorful file folders = fun! So, since you have to do your takes anyway, why not have as much fun as possible in the process? That’s where the Tax.filer comes in. Here’s what the buttoned up website has to say about this handy product…

This pre-labeled accordion file makes it a snap to wrangle all those forms, receipts and records that accumulate like weeds between January and April. Tabs are written in English, not in complicated financial lingo, so it’s easy to follow –“Money In,” “Money Out,” “Money Saved.” Use it to go from W-2’s to completed returns with sanity intact. It also easily serves as the annual organizer for those tax files you need to retain for 7 years in case of an audit.   

Collision.kit. Again, car accidents probably don’t top your list of “fun times” but I love the idea of this product. The Collision.kit contains everything you need in case of an accident like:

• A one-time use flash camera to visually document any damage
• A pen in case you don’t have one handy
• Pre-formatted forms for collecting important information from all parties, including the police.
• A clipboard for something sturdy to write on.
• An envelope for keeping registration and proof of insurance documents, so you’ll always know where they are.

Thank you again buttoned up for providing the goodies for this giveaway. And a special thanks for the special offer!

Happy (Freebie!) Friday!

**Edited. Comments now closed. Winner to be announced Monday. :) **

Getting In the Holiday Mood

Are you getting in the holiday spirit yet? I am, and it feels good. I must admit, however, the season kind of crept up on me this year. Sure…I have been thinking about the holidays since Halloween weekend. So December didn’t really come as a surprise. But with two birthdays, Thanksgiving, a busy work schedule, and all the kid’s extra curricular activities, I have to start getting ready for the holidays in early November if I want any chance of peace on December 25th.

But this year some unexpected things have already popped up…as they always seem to do during this time of year. Some of these unexpected things caused me to take a last minute trip to Michigan, and bring my Mom back here for an unplanned visit. Good choices all the way around. But certainly spending three days driving, two entire days away, and five days with an overnight guest in my home…well, some of my normal holiday prep time was allocated in different ways this year.

So I’m feeling a bit behind this year—at least behind where I usually am. Things won’t happen quite as early as they normally do, but there is still plenty of time to get the important things done. The trouble has been this:  when I feel behind, it’s harder to really feel in the holiday mood. But, I woke up this morning realizing there is still plenty of time to get the important things done, and there is still plenty of time to enjoy myself in the process.

The last couple of days I have been doing a few things to rev up the holiday feeling. But I’d love to know which activities or preparations put you in the holiday spirit. Is there any particular event that triggers that holiday feeling? Or do you have any coping strategies you use to keep the spirit alive when things start to get crazy? I’d love to know what works for you.

Here’s what works for me.

1.  Remembering what matters. My focal point during the holidays is joy. I truly believe that the most important gift I can give my family throughout the holiday season is a joyful, happy me. Sometimes this is easier said than done when staring down a twenty mile long to-do list! Subtle reminders about my intention really help me.

Earlier this year, as part of my preparation for my holiday online workshop, I created a decorative gift box. I pulled this out on Sunday with the rest of my holiday decorations, and placed it prominently on a cabinet in our dining area. I can see this little package at every meal, and any time I walk into the kitchen. It sits there reminding me to lighten up, enjoy the journey, and give my family the gift of a relaxed and joyful Mom.

2.  Distinguishing between must dos and want-to-dos. This morning Jay and I had a talk about our holiday plan and to-do list. We distinguished between the must do tasks, and the want-to-do tasks. Doing this provided an instant sense of calm. The must-do list is really pretty short—buying and wrapping gifts, painting Kailea’s bed / dresser / bookcase thing, and making some food. All quite manageable given that it’s only December 3rd! If you start to feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, I strongly encourage you to put your to-do list through this thought process. Decide what is a necessity and what is a nicety. After all, it’s really hard to get in the holiday spirit when you feel overwhelmed and stressed out!

3.  Drinking hot chocolate. There is something about a hot cup of cocoa with whipped cream on top that makes me happy and puts me in the holiday spirit. Simple but true. It works for me.

4.  Having a creative outlet. This one goes on my “want to do” list, but right at the top. I truly enjoy the process of creating during the holidays. It energizes me and relaxes me all at the same time. From knitting scarves, to wrapping gifts, to documenting the holidays via a scrapbook project, making stuff makes me happy.

5.  Making a daily grateful list. When I spend five minutes early in the day making a list of what I’m grateful for, I feel better all day long. This holiday season, I’m making the commitment to make a daily list of what I’m grateful for that day. I won’t worry about repeats. My family (and hot coffee) makes my list nearly every day. And that’s okay. Because my family and hot coffee…well, they just plain make me happy.

I’d love to hear what puts you in the holiday spirit. Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for sharing. 

Get Organized with Cyber Monday Savings

In celebration of Cyber Monday, simplify 101 is offering terrific savings on our instant download e-products and online workshops like How to Achieve Your Goals and Create a Life You Love and the January session of Organizing 101!

Or, if you’re in the mood to organize your scrapbook space, pick up your copy of The Happy Scrapper e-book for just $7.00! Also on sale is the instant download version of Get Organized for the Holidays—now just $14.95!

So, sit back, relax, and save, save, save! (But hurry because these special offers won’t last long!) View all sale items here.

Happy organizing…and happy saving!

(Re) Finish It Friday

Happy Friday to you! I hope you had a relaxing day yesterday...and that you're ready to get some things done this weekend. :) My Finish It Friday list this week is again short yet long all at the same time. (Short list with lots to do!)

1) Re-finish my daughter's new loft bed...which also includes eight drawers, a ladder, a bookcase, and a desk. I started sanding this baby today, and I have to admit, I'm kind of freaking out about the scope of this project. Did I bite off more than I can chew? Yikes...I'll keep you posted. Her birthday is two weeks from today...so you may see this on next week's list, too.

2) Start and finish decorating the house for Christmas.

3) Drive Mom to either Chicago or Indianapolis. My sister will meet me there and take Mom the rest of the way home to Michigan.

What's on your list this weekend? I'd love to hear...and if you didn't yet post what you did last weekend, please feel free to share that in the comments too. I'd love to hear!

Have a great weekend!

Thankful

(A partial list. In no particular order.)

Today I am thankful for:

• My family. What a joy it is to go on this ride with these amazing people.
• Quiet moments.
• Yoga and my yoga instructor.
• Hot coffee. (Especially hot coffee made by Jay.)
• Thanksgiving traditions like coffee cake, eggs and the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. I can’t wait.
• Home movies.
• Staying up late and sleeping in.
• Naps.
• Craig’s List and the loft bed we got for Kailea yesterday.
• Rental pick-up trucks. (Especially when Jay drives them.)
• Turkey and all the fixins. (Especially turkey made by Jay.)
• Safe travels to and from Michigan.
• A wonderful visit at home with my Dad and his wife, and being able to leave town at the last minute for this visit.
• Having my Mom here for Thanksgiving.
• Jay.
• simplify 101 and our amazing clients and workshop participants. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
• Stretching out of my comfort zone.
• Laughter.
• Memory keeping.
• The power of a smile.
• My Mom’s stuffing recipe.
• Hugs and snuggles from my kiddos.
• Our dog Maggie.
• Knitting.
• You. Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for participating in things like Finish It Friday. I am truly thankful for your readership, support and comments.

Happy Thanksgiving to you! I would love to hear what you’re thankful for today in the comments. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day, relaxing day.