July 2016 Volume 84

Lorraine Brock, President

Fans and Followers, a word from our President:

Summer is in full stride and families are in the process of creating memories, doing major house and garden cleaning, or getting ready for a move before the school year begins. Whatever you may be doing, we always have such practical problem solving solutions in our newsletter for getting you organized. So let your organizing begin.

This month I have been reflecting on my own life and what I might want to focus on this summer. Have you ever been around someone that you thought might need to go to Walmart to buy themselves a personality? Have you ever met someone who seemed to have no passion, no happiness, and tends to take the joy out of family events? Sometimes as parents we get so wrapped up in our work, responsibilities, and our plans that we do not relax and bring joy to our family gatherings.

How great it is to be the fun aunt and grandmother, and of course, the cool mom and wife. Most of my family loves being fun and silly, but there

is one person in our family my boys always hope will attend our activities...their uncle Star. When he is around, he is full of life and brings out the fun in us all.

Next time you have a family event, play games, be silly, and be the joy giver. If you usually do all the cooking and serving for others, make simpler foods so you can play with the family. If you have no clue what to do, ask a fun person your age. You will form better relationships with your kids as they grow into their teenage years if you let loose and play. I decided to look up the difference between joy and happiness to compare them side by side. After reading what true joy and happiness is...I will take joy over happiness any day.

At our recent 4th of July event, our family played outside all day in our backyard. We slid down waterslides, had water balloon fights, and some wrestled in the blow up pools. Don't find yourself on the sidelines always looking at others playing, but get in the middle of it. Those moments are what fill our memory banks to draw from during the tougher times.

As you continue to have opportunities to play this summer, be the fun, joyful person everyone wants to be around. I choose joy!

Upcoming Events

July 12- 6:00 p.m. From Stressed to Blessed Lorraine will present her popular talk to Marvin United Methodist Church at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler, Texas.

August 4- 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Organize Your Totally Out of Control Time Lorraine will speak to the Lindale Chamber of Commerce about time management and systems that help you stay organized using your calendar. Lunch served with reservations ($10 for members/$15 for non-members).

August 27 and August 29- 10:30-11:30 a.m.- Back to School Routines Choose from two dates to come hear Lorraine speak on nightly routines, toy pick-up, homework, meal planning, and more ideas to start the school year off right. FREE at IKEA in Frisco. Childcare for potty-trained children.

October 5- 10:30-11:30 a.m. Senior Downsizing: Get Organized and De-clutter Lorraine will share ways for Seniors to make the transition into a smaller residence. At the McKinney Senior Recreation Center. Open to those age 50 and up and must be a member of the McKinney Senior Recreation Center ($5/year for residents; $10 for non-residents), which you can join if you arrive early.

Did you catch Lorraine last month on CBS 11? She shared her top 5 ways to get organized because, as she says, "the best defense against chaos is preparation." Click on the link to watch it now.

Organize the Laundry Room

Is your laundry room neat and tidy? In most households, this is a room that gets a lot of use. Just because it stays busy, though, does not mean that it cannot stay organized. Here are some ideas to keep this active room in order:

Be sure to always put away things that have migrated to the laundry room but are not normally stored there. Collect items in a laundry basket so you can deliver them where they belong. As you do, notice any repeat items such as tennis shoes, shopping bags, empty boxes, so you can devise a plan to give these things a home, perhaps in the laundry room, garage, or elsewhere, so they will not keep cluttering your active space.

Make sure you have a designated, convenient place to store laundry supplies. A sturdy wooden crate is good for corralling detergent, bleach, and other bottles in one area.

Add a decorative glass jar or vase repurposed from another room to hold coins that inevitably fall out of pockets.

Place a small wastebasket near the dryer so you won't have to travel far to dispose of lint and used dryer sheets. Line it with a plastic bag to grab and go on trash pickup day.

If you sort the dirty laundry in this room, you can use tall laundry baskets. There are many choices on the market, but we like this simple plastic basket because it can hold wet things without getting damaged, will not snag your clothes, takes up little space, and is stackable when not in use.

This wall-mounted drying rack is perfect for drying hand washables or not-quite-dry items, and it folds up neatly against the wall when not in use.

Keep a few mesh bags on hand. They are great for washing delicates and keeping small items from getting lost in the wash.

After the laundry is dry, Lorraine likes this rolling organizer with four removable shelves for holding folded clothes. You can put each family member's clothes on a separate shelf or hang garments from the rack at the top.

And be sure to keep a container or basket in the room for holding stray socks. You can use these same stacking baskets that come in several sizes to hold cleaning bottles, first aid supplies, and similar household items on laundry room shelves, keeping everything neat. Use a label maker on baskets and shelf edges to help everyone in the household find things easily and keep the laundry room tidy.

Patio and Window Cleaning

We spend plenty of time outdoors this time of year, so it is a good time to turn our attention to chores that keep the outside of our house clean. Here are some suggestions to help make your time outside more pleasant.

For the grill: Clean it once a month to keep pests away. After using it, keep it on high for about 15 minutes to burn off any food left on the grate, then scrape it with a stainless steel grill brush. Let it cool and clean the grates and other surfaces inside with a bucket of soapy water and the same grill brush. Rinse with the garden hose.

After it dries, put a grill cover over the clean grill to keep it in good shape and reduce future cleaning chores. Store the grill brush below to keep it out of the rain. By the way, check your brush periodically to make sure the bristles are in good shape, not coming loose, nor getting too matted down. Broken bristles can get attached to food and be accidentally ingested.

For the patio furniture: If it is plastic or metal, use a bucket of water and dishwashing detergent with a clean rag to scrub clean. If it is wicker or teak wood, use a soft scrub brush and a mixture of water and Murphy's Oil Soap. For both methods, rinse clean with a hose and allow to air dry.

For the patio surface: Sweep off all leaves and dust, then use a stiff push broom to scrub using a bucketful of water and dishwashing detergent. Rinse clean with the hose. To remove stains on wooden decks, concrete, stone, or brick, try a deck cleaner, taking care to follow directions.

Be Ready for Pet First Aid

Like people, pets can have emergencies, so it is a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected.

The main thing you need in any pet emergency is the phone number of your pet's veterinarian as well as the phone number of your nearest animal hospital. Any time you are unsure if your pet's situation needs immediate medical care, you can call one of these numbers. Keep both of them handy in your phone or address book, posted on the fridge and in the file with your pet's records.
Here is a helpful chart filled with information that will help you evaluate your pet's symptoms, listed by animal and emergency.
Make sure you have a few essential items on hand for first aid: clean towels for protecting a wound or wrapping a hurt animal; gauze for wrapping a wound until you get to the vet; hydrogen peroxide for inducing vomiting in dogs (but not cats) at the instruction of the vet; rectal thermometer in case your vet asks for a temperature; saline solution for flushing eyes; and a muzzle or Elizabethan collar to keep a scared pet from biting.
Help your pet find you if it gets lost by keeping a microchip or collar ID tag on at all times. Keep it current by updating at the time of the pet's yearly check-up. Also, be sure you have a good photo of the animal that can be used to help identify it in case of separation.

Just a little bit of forethought can keep you prepared so that when an emergency occurs, your focus can be on giving your pet first aid.

Organize Your Jewelry for Travel

Don't let your necklaces get tangled or jewelry get lost in your suitcase! The next time you head out on a trip, take this multi-pocket jewelry organizer with you to keep everything organized.

It has ten zippered compartments that carefully fold out origami-style to hold earrings and necklaces, keeping them safe from tangling or getting scattered and scratched. Straps on the bottom snap in place to safely hold rings and the three removable pouches that come with it. Bracelets and larger pieces can sit on the cushioned bottom before folding the side pouches in to zip the sturdy case closed. It's like a bento box for jewelry!

Fun Facts About Moving Season

Summer is the busiest time of the year for moving and storage companies. Sparefoot.com recently commissioned a study about people's clutter, and here are some fun facts they found.

Did you know more than half of Americans describe their home as cluttered? Many people view moving as the best way to declutter their home. And in fact, it is an excellent time to purge, since you do not want to pay to move the extra stuff you do not even want or need.

Purging can be difficult though, because it can stir up feelings of guilt. The top five things that make people feel guilty to get rid of are gifts, family heirlooms, rarely-worn clothing, greeting cards, and drawings and crafts made by their child. People have difficulty getting rid of their stuff because they think they might need them in the future, they feel sentimental about them, they think they can sell them for a good price, or they hope to give them away as gifts.

What often ends up happening is people get overwhelmed by keeping too much stuff. They are spending 2 hours or more per week looking for misplaced items among their accumulated belongings, those things that they don't even really want. To control against unnecessary clutter, be realistic about why you are keeping something and whether you have the room to hold on to it. Do you really have the time and motivation to sell? Could you just take a picture of your sentimental holdings and then let them go, knowing that you have a picture to look at? Could someone else get more use out of your unused clothes if you donated them?

People move for a variety of reasons. About one third of Americans have moved for a job, one third because of the cost of living, and one tenth have moved because of crime, weather, and traffic, respectively. But some have even considered moving because of poor cell phone reception or fear that they live in a haunted house!

If clutter is taking over your life, Get Organized! can help get it under control before you move so that you pack only the items you want in your new place. We can also unpack and organize your new home, setting it up so that it functions well and reduces your stress.

Did you know we also organize storage units? We can purge, sort, box, label, and even give you an inventory list to make it easy to find something when you need it. Contact Get Organized! to get started.

Old Glory

In celebration of our country's heritage this month, we wave the American flag. Did you know there is symbolism in the ceremony of folding a flag by an Honor Guard? Here is an explanation of what each fold means. This site also provides a wealth of information regarding the display of our flag. For instance, the flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset, but only after dark if it is illuminated. You can read more about flag etiquette at the link.

Savvy Ways to Save

Each month we bring our readers a Savvy Way to Save. This month is free bowling at hundreds of bowling lanes across the country. Kids Bowl Free is a program that allows your children or grandchildren to bowl two free games daily all summer long once you register your child under 15. Some locations also offer a low-cost pass for older family members to play as well. Check this out for something fun to do this summer, whether you are in town or traveling.

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.

Central Bark

Luxury Apartment Living in Frisco

Downsizing in the Dallas area? Check out Origin at Frisco Bridges. These apartments are walking distance to world class shopping and dining plus all the attractions of Frisco and North Dallas just minutes away. Origin amenities include a dog park and wash station, leisure pool and lap pool, multi-level parking garage, unique technology features, and EXTRA storage. Visit us at Origin at Frisco Bridges to see our floor plans.

Get Organized! services the DFW and Tyler, Texas areas: 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.

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