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Chaos Eradicated! Aggravation Abolished! Overwhelm Obliterated!
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Greetings!
I know we're just 6 weeks from the New Year - don't panic! it's never too late to plan. No gift list? Haven't gotten around to updating the calendar? Join the club! But you can shift gears without burning out your clutch, just remember there are only so many hours in a day. Flex those organization muscles by making out a calendar grid and work backwards from your holiday end date. Also see the planning tips below.
Everyone has different organizational skills, but what is common to all of us is that we focus on all the activities, and forget to take care of ourselves. If you beat yourself into the ground every year, the season of joy and giving turns into the season of dread. Make that holiday calendar grid (read on!)
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November Must Do -
Clean your fridge before you fill it up with leftovers! I found a great resource for this job, stilltasty.com, "Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide". Sounds hokey, but check it out for tips on effective food storage and when to throw away - even the best of us become "cultured" wanting to hang onto to something good that is past its prime. |
News:
- I attended a workshop in New York with Sari Solden MS, LMFT, an expert on women with ADD. It was an amazing afternoon. Most of what is written about ADD in adults is about men; there are a lot of women suffering in silence.
And, just in time for the holidays, you can now buy gift certificates on my website. Ask for them for yourself or buy them for that person in your life who would benefit from a few hours of clutter-clearing, planning, room design, or life-planning (see November's Success Story).
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 OK, so you've ordered your turkey . . .
right? Good! Here are some more ways to avoid "Oh, NO!" on Turkey Day:
1. Make sure you have enough plates, silverware, glasses, napkins, etc.2. Get out your roasting pan - is it big enough for the turkey you ordered? Foil roasting pans from the supermarket are OK, but double up or even triple - one little hole in the bottom will fill your kitchen w/ smoke from the drips.3. Got enough serving bowls, platters, gravy boat? Borrow what you don't have. Make your list of dishes, and get some reliable guests to bring a few of them.4. If frozen, get turkey out of freezer the Monday before. And if you forget, you can do it in a sinkful of cold water the night before, and refrigerate.5. Make a list of dishes and cook times so you have everything ready.6. Don't forget non-alcoholic drinks for the kids. | |
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Great Gift Idea! (but order soon!)
Great memories are always fun to give and to get, especially when you're also saving space - convert old photos or movies to digital! This site gets good reviews: Scandigital.com. Holiday deadlines are coming up soon, early December for movies. They also do slideshows and photo preservation. |
Enough Stuff!
'Tis better to give than to receive - because you don't have to find a place for it afterwards! What to give that won't end up in their attic:
- Gift certificates - obviously a good first choice - you know they will use what they buy.
- Donations - doesn't work for everyone, but it is a nice reminder that our families aren't the only ones with wish lists.
- Activity - dance lessons, a night out, movie tickets, massage - my personal favorite: a night at a B & B.
- Service: babysitting, cleaning, massage - a few hours of your time shows you care like nothing else. Perfect gift idea kids old enough to follow through.
- Monthly delivery of plants, food, coffees are great gifts. Your gift recipient will have something to look forward to each month.
- Tickets-movie tickets, lottery tickets and theater tickets are fun to receive!
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November Success Story
"Hortense" is someone I really admire. She is always out working for some charitable cause - she embodies the ideal of giving back. Recently, though, she found that her commitments were taking over her life; there just didn't seem to be any time for anything else. In addition to her own positions, she was always giving her support to other people and organizations in exchange for their support in her activities.
Unlike most of my clients, she didn't need her closets or basement organized - Hortense was really reorganizing her entire life. Through several discussions, we probed everything from her schedule to her life story. Although her social and charitable commitments were worthy, she found that in the service of others, she had lost sight of things that really mattered to her.
I always try to get clients to examine their personal motivations, and to effect lasting life changes, and this became of the most fulfilling projects I have ever worked on. Through many discussions, we explored what Hortense dreamed about doing.She eliminated all of her projects except the ones with the highest priorities, and regained control of her schedule and her personal life. She also got in touch with a long-lost dream: to write a book.
"I was amazed at how all these activities grew into my life, almost on their own. I never said no, never took time for myself," Hortense told me. "I had pretty much 'written off' writing - stepping back for life-planning has allowed me to restart my dream. "
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(cont'd from above)
big enough to write in Go To Gym, Go For Walk, Do Yoga, whatever you do. Stress builds up in the body, and exercise is the best way to let it out. Also, blocking out the time (and using it!) reminds you that you are in control, and that is always a mood booster. This is also a time we tend to snack more because "it's only once a year." Regular exercise also reminds us that health doesn't take a holiday - take care of yourself, and really enjoy the season.
Thanks for all the opportunities to help you on your journeys,
Anna Sicalides
The Organizing Consultant LLC
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who may appreciate it.
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