|
Get Organized! celebrated the end of 2014 with a GO Team Christmas Dinner (see below) where we shared our favorite GO memories of the year and enjoyed a yummy cookie exchange.
We started 2015 with reality telling us it was time for many people to get organized. January is National Get Organized! month and the phones have been ringing off the hook since New Year's Eve.
I have a full schedule this month with speaking events for seniors, mom's groups and women in business groups. D Home Magazine hits newsstands on January 8th including a recent interview I did with a reporter. Pick up a copy and get some great ideas on getting organized for 2015. Back in December, Angie's List interviewed me for an article on how to store Christmas decorations. I have been thrilled to share my organizing expertise through such wonderful marketing opportunities.
The GO team is getting ready to begin our annual organizing training week. We are picking a home to organize for FREE in the Dallas area, so if you are interested, be sure to enter.
In our last newsletter I mentioned the remodel of our master bathroom and closet. The closet is not installed but should be complete by our February issue. However, our master bathroom is coming right along. Here is a little glimpse before I share the final results in an upcoming issue. 
May you have a blessed 2015,
|
|
Upcoming Events
- January 8 - Lorraine Brock will be featured in an article in the January/February edition of D Home
- January 17 - deadline to enter for your chance to get your home organized for free!
- February 28 - Senior Downsizing Workshop at SeniorFest at Messiah Lutheran in Plano
- March 9 - Organize your Closet Workshop at IKEA Frisco, 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
|
|
Starting New Routines
 Have you heard that it takes 21 days to establish a new habit? If you start changing bad habits now, by February you could be well on your way to an organized home. For example, instead of dumping your purse and keys on the kitchen table when you come home, put them where they belong each time you walk into the house. Next time you walk out the door, you will know exactly where they are, saving yourself time and frustration. So what helps to establish a new routine? Here are a few tips:
- Keep it simple so you will not have to keep track of a lot of new rules or feel overwhelmed by change.
- Write down what your new routine is and post it where you will see it. Seeing it will remind you to do it.
- Make a conscious effort to carry out the new routine, even when you'd rather not. You are working to establish a new habit, so remind yourself how nice it will be once you do it regularly. Tell yourself you really do have time to take 30 seconds to put away the purse and keys.
|
|
Packing up Christmas
As you take down your Christmas decorations this year, spend a little time organizing everything so next year's set-up will be easier. Here are some of Lorraine's tips for storing Christmas decorations:
- First, take a picture of the final layout of your decorations to remember how you arranged them. Plan on storing items that go together, such as lights that go with a certain display, in the same container with a note on the outside saying what it is and where it goes on display.
- Next, pack ornaments away carefully. Use
large ornament boxes with many dividers to keep breakable ornaments from moving around or getting crushed. Wrap tissue paper around those that are especially fragile for extra cushioning. Fabric ornaments can be placed in metal cookie tins or sturdy gift boxes. Throw in a packet of silica gel to keep moisture out. These little packets come free with shoe boxes and can be reused with your ornaments to prevent damage from moisture build-up. You can also get new silica gel at craft stores.
- Wrap strands of lights around empty paper towel tubes. Start by tucking the cord's plug end inside the tube, then wind the cord around the tube to the other end. Label the tube with the cord's length to make it easier to find the size you need next year. A must-have item to pack with your lights is this bulb repair tool that makes finding and replacing faulty miniature bulbs much easier.
- An extra-large plastic tub with wheels is the best organizing solution for storing artificial Christmas trees. Since it is heavy when loaded, the tub can be easily wheeled into a closet, and other tubs can be stacked on top. If you are storing your tree in the attic, you might use a heavy-duty bag, but keep in mind that other items cannot be stacked on top of it, limiting its organization potential.
- If you have stocked up on clearance wrapping paper for next year, store it with the rest of the Christmas gear in this clear gift wrap box that stacks easily and protects its contents.
- Finally, as you pack up Christmas, did you find that you no longer use certain decorations?Maybe they no longer suit your décor theme or have gotten damaged or because you simply have accumulated too many things? Do yourself a favor by letting them go this year instead of storing them one more year. You will be happy to have the extra storage space and will not miss them. Next year Christmas decorating will be much easier since you took time to organize now.
|
|
A Word About Organizing
When you are ready to deal with your clutter and get organized, use this word to help you remember how to get it done the right way.
SPACE, which stands for:
Sort like items together to see what you have.
Purge what you no longer use and can throw away or donate.
Assign a place for each group of like items to be stored.
Containerize by choosing type and size of storage containers for your items.
Evaluate the results after putting everything away, adjusting as needed for function and aesthetics.
|
|
Gift Card Contest Winner
Do you ever feel challenged to find the match for those single socks that appear out of the dryer? One way to solve that problem is to install a small curtain rod sized to fit your wall space, with hooks attached to hold the single sock until its match reappears. Another option is this round hanger with clips.
Althea Crossman, our December gift card giveaway winner, suggested a solution. She says,
" I used to keep the singles in a plastic box on my dryer & match them up periodically, but now I do THIS. I took a belt my husband no longer wears and hung it vertically from a hook on my laundry room wall. Then I took clothespins I already had and attached the single socks to the belt. In two days I matched up more singles than I had in two weeks because I could SEE the singles. Loving it and it cost me nothing."
Try using one of these solutions in your own home. Watch for other gift card giveaways in the coming months. Maybe you will be the winner!
|
|
Become a Professional Organizer through our
Affiliate Program
Get Organized! is interested in connecting with individuals throughout Texas who are naturally organized, creative with space planning and organizational systems, have business smarts, self-motivation, and an understanding of the importance of excellent time management. Organizing skills are often learned or enhanced through tasks and hobbies you have done both in the corporate world and in your own home. These skills, in addition to the branding advantage and professional training from a successful organizing company, can launch you into a profitable organizing business.
Our Affiliate Program allows you to focus on working as a professional organizer while you save both time and money utilizing the experience, brand recognition, and proven processes from one of DFW's finest organizing companies - Get Organized!. The initial investment includes: your time, travel expenses (for training in the Dallas area), general liability bonding insurance, and insurance for business use of your vehicle. There are no other startup costs.
We look forward to hearing from you about starting your own organizing business anywhere in the great state of Texas.
|
|
|
|
|
 Did you receive gift cards for Christmas?According to the Texas Comptroller, many cards go unused each year and the balance is eventually turned over to the state. If you have an expired gift card that still has a balance, you can get it back by calling 1-800-654-FIND and giving your gift card number. Stay organized with some of these ideas to remember to use your gift cards. |
|
Packing/Unpacking
Services
Our team of professional organizers can de-clutter
before you pack and move
and/or pack, unpack, and organize your entire home once your move-in is complete.
We can also work with your movers for placement of furniture when the truck
arrives at your new home.
|
Senior Downsizing
Get Organized! works directly with seniors and their families to help reduce what they have and get them organized.
We work with those downsizing or staying
right where they are.
We organize all areas including papers, shop
for products if needed and create additional storage space.
|
Get Organized! only recommends
partner for the services
listed below, and we proudly recommend
them to our clients.
Carpet, oriental, and area rug cleaning, tile and grout cleaning and sealing, carpet repairs and stretching, leather cleaning and repairs, upholstery cleaning, 24 hour water damage restoration, and
pet urine removal and treatment.
|
|
Need a Realtor?
Buying or Selling?
|
|
Moving Soon?
NDMS coordinates moves within DFW, nationwide, and internationally.
They are the official moving company of the Dallas Stars and maintain an A+ rating with the
Better Business Bureau.
next move.
|
Do you need a caregiver for your children or your elderly parent? Checkout
MomsBestFriend.com. See how they can help you.
|
It's time to clean out those garages! If have more stuff than your garage can hold, then call Assured Self Storage. Your valuables will be stored under 24/7 surveillance.
 Get Organized!
recommends
Assured Self Storage
They have 20+ locations in the DFW area.
|
We are a full-service
moving concierge company,
skilled and experienced in all relocation services. Located in Dallas, Texas,
we offer a premium
moving experience catered to your needs.
|
|
|
