 |
|
|
| |
Lorraine Brock, President
|
Fans and Followers, we have gone mobile!
With over 60% of emails being read on mobile devices, we have given our newsletter a new look and feel that will make it easy to read on a variety of devices.
Another announcement that may make you smile: GO will select a client's home in the coming months to decorate for Christmas the first week of November. Even better, the labor will be free! While all the details have not been worked out, we will be using this time to train about 5 of our organizers in fine-tuning their Christmas decorating skills. They will practice making bows and share techniques on placing lights on trees and using decorations to bring the beauty of Christmas to your home. Watch our Facebook page and our GO Newsletter for details.
I am also pleased to announce that GO is growing again. Get Organized! is expanding to Tyler, Texas, and surrounding areas beginning June 1st. While we do have a team in place, we are planning to hire one additional very organized person. If you or someone you know is in the area and interested in the organizing business, let us know.
Personally, I wanted to share that this month my youngest son will head off to basic training, which means leaving the nest for an extended period of time. We are so very proud of him and are cherishing every moment with him until he leaves. At the same time, there have been a few funny moments that may be relatable to other parents.
A few months ago our youngest went to Cabela's with his best friend to purchase a rifle. My son is mesmerized by all the "toys" at Cabela's and was stunned when the cashier asked upon checking out if he wanted his very own Cabela's card... AKA credit card. At 18, he has had no experience with such decisions, but when they offered him a free Cabela's hat with an application, he jumped on it.
As he filled out the application, he came across the line asking for his annual salary. He quickly calculated in his head what he made as a part-time lifeguard and what he will make once in basic training (for 4 months). He put an annual salary as if he were a full time employee. Keep in mind he's in 12th grade and his 2014 income was about $5,000.
When he arrived back home he was excited but confused. He thought they were going to give him a Cabela's card at the store. Instead he was told that they would mail him a letter. To you and I, this means DENIED. Once we heard his story, we explained to him that he had unknowingly stated his income incorrectly, but at least he got a hat. He said, "I just rounded out what I would make." I said, "Do you even know what you made last year?" "No", he said. Once we figured it out on paper, he realized what he had said was way off from reality. The fact that he had not made the money yet, did not seem to affect the value he placed on his future work.
The evening ended with a lot of laughter, a lot of lessons learned, a great memory, and a hat. Even at 18 there is still parenting to do.
|
 Summer is here. It's getting hot and humid, which means the kids will be asking to go to the pool. Make it easier to say yes to that request by keeping all your pool gear in one big tote bag, ready to pick up and go. A large mesh bag like you'll find at Target, WalMart, or Walgreens is a good choice.The mesh helps wet items air out. You could also use an all-plastic bag that is easy to wipe clean and keeps things dry if the bag happens to sit in a puddle.
Fill the bag with essentials for the pool: sunscreen, dive sticks, goggles, cups and toys, packaged snacks, water bottles, and even summer reading material. Use a safety pin to keep swim tags from getting lost. Restock with dry towels as needed. Keep this pool bag handy so it will be easy to grab and go when it's time for some summer fun.
|
|
Moveable Vertical Storage
|
Looking for a vertical storage solution that isn't permanent? Maybe you have the outside face of a bookshelf that would be the perfect spot for vertical organizing, yet you do not want to mar the finish with screw holes. Perch magnetic wall organizers will meet your need. This system attaches to a smooth surface with removable 3M Command Strips (but does include screws if you prefer). The metal in the square plates holds the strong magnets on the backs of the cup-like containers. You can mount several square plates in vertical or horizontal rows and move the containers around as needed. Cups can hold as much as 6.5 pounds. Look for them at Target and Office Depot.
Use these vertical organizers for office supplies, kitchen tools, art supplies, or even small plants. You won't have to commit to a permanent storage set-up because you can easily remove and rearrange to meet your next organizational challenge.
|
|
Training Kids to do Chores
|
 Do your kids do chores? One of the best things you can do to help them achieve independence is to have them regularly contribute to the family's needs. In other words, teach them to do chores. They may groan at first, but with school out and daily routines changing, this is a good time to add a few new chores to their summer schedule. Lorraine Brock has prepared this age-appropriate chore list to give you some good ideas. Also, be sure to have consequences in place for the times when they neglect to do their chores (an earlier bedtime is one idea). See Lorraine's list of suggested consequences.
Behavior scientists say that some people take longer than others to learn new habits, but the important thing when developing them is to stay consistent and remember that it gets easier over time. So, if you work regularly to train them, your children will soon develop good habits that will set them on the path to orderly living.
|
|
Toy Vacuum Cleaner Giveaway
|
 It's time for a giveaway, and your little helper could be the winner! Get Organized! is giving away this toy Dyson Vacuum Cleaner to one lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is send us your favorite way to get children involved in doing chores around the house. Email your suggestion here and we will draw one winner from among those received. Include your address so that we can mail the toy vacuum cleaner to you if you are the winner. Entries are due by midnight, June 25, 2015. Even though it is a toy, this vacuum cleaner turns and moves just like the real one and makes a soft motor sound, too. It makes vacuuming fun for the preschooler in your home. Best for ages 3-8.
|
|
The Versatile Folding Crate
|
A collapsible crate like this gives you portable, sturdy storage that can be used in many ways. Keep it in your automobile trunk to transport grocery bags home without spilling their contents. Carry picnic supplies to and from the picnic site. Collect books and household donations in it until you take them to a drop-off center. Use it as a laundry basket that stores behind the dryer when not in use. College students packing for the dorm can stash it easily under the bed or in a closet until the end of the semester. There are many uses for this container!
The crate folds easily and takes up very little space when not in use. You can find it at The Container Store as well as Sam's, Amazon, and Office Depot.
|
 |
|
Moving Soon?
NDMS coordinates moves within DFW, nationwide, and internationally.
This is the official moving company of the Dallas Stars with an A+ rating at the Better Business Bureau.
|
| |
|
|
|
Need a Realtor?
Mary Pat Elledge is our recommended realtor for all our GO Clients.
Serving the Dallas area.
|
| |
|
|
|
Need Childcare?
Families turn to Mom's Best Friend to find the best nannies and babysitters in Dallas and Fort Worth. Providing senior care too.
|
| |
|
|
| |
 Low-cost School Supplies are Available Soon!
Why think about school supplies now when school is ending? Because with a little planning, you can save a lot of money.
Before you say your final goodbye to the kids' school this month, find out what school supplies they will need for next year. Usually teachers already have a list ready, or if they do not, you can ask for the list used this past year, because most of it will not change.
Then, during the summer, watch the ads for office supply and department stores. Each week, they offer one or two items at a great discount, and you can take advantage of the low price if you remember to swing by that store when you are out running errands. Buy only what you need and wait for next week's ads. Working little by little, you can gather most of your needed school supplies at a steep discount well before school starts in August.
|
|
Get Organized! services the DFW and Tyler, Texas area: Getting organized is a decision that will change your home, work, your family, and ultimately, your life. It is more than a pretty closet or a clean counter top. It is about changing your lifestyle by turning chaos into calm.
|
|
See us on Good Day Fox Check out one of our many Get Organized segments. "Kids School Papers"
|
| |
|
|
See us in D Magazine Get Organized! helps an employee at D Magazine clear her desk clutter.
|
| |
|
|
|
See how our GO Team helped a family get
totally organized during our 2015 Training Week.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
