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Lorraine Brock, President
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Fans and Followers, a word from our President:
Organizing is in full swing since school started and we are booking for our fall and Christmas in-home Decorating Services, where our elves are designing breathtaking Christmas memories for families. See below for more information about these services.
We were honored to help the Plano Chamber move into their new location last month. Our team spent a full day with three of our organizers unpacking and organizing their new space.
Over the summer I worked on a new Get Organized! talk called Take Control of Your Inbox. It is all about email organization and how to efficiently use and store what you have in your inbox. If your group is interested in booking a workshop, email for more information. Another announcement that will make you smile: GO will pick a home in the coming months to decorate for Christmas 2016 for free! While all the details have not been worked out, we will be using this time to train a group of our organizers as they fine tune their Christmas decorating skills. They will learn to make bows, properly place lights on trees, and design the perfect décor for their clients. Stay connected to us via our Facebook page and GO Newsletter for details on the upcoming contest.  In early August one of my nieces decided as a shower/birthday gift she wanted me to space plan a desk area for her to start homeschooling.
With limited space, we chose an area in the living room right off the kitchen where she would teach (see the photo at left). Look at the after photo below as I explain the organizing process. First, I removed the small piece of furniture that was inefficient for the space and a tall metal stand full of DVDs. We decided to take the DVDs out of the cases and use a DVD binder for storing them. This binder now resides in one of the open cubes in the piece to the right.
The cube system is a Kallax from IKEA and allows for the desktop attachment that comes in three different sizes. To support the desk top on the left side we selected an Alex file and drawer piece instead of just  a leg for support. On top of the desk we purchased a printer riser to create storage below for the DVD player and store additional printing paper. We added 4 baskets in the Kallax for storing arts and craft supplies using pencil boxes inside the baskets for keeping smaller items seperated. Decorative boxes were placed on top, one for storing electronic items and the other for storing her rarely used tutoring manipulatives. When space is limited, maximizing it is even more important. I wanted her space to function first, but I purchased organizing pieces that would flow with her living room and give her some style. I would love to see our fans submit a photo of their disorganized spaces. One might just show up in an upcoming newsletter with some awesome ideas you can implement yourself. Email them directly to me at Lorraine@GetOrganized.ws. Now go get organized,
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Last month, Lorraine was presented with a plaque from the Lindale Chamber of Commerce, pictured here. Get Organized! is now a proud Chamber member as we continue to expand into East Texas.
September 22- Lorraine will be a featured speaker at WERE Community's Women's Conference in Allen in conjunction with North Texas Giving Day. Her workshop, Organize Your Totally Out of Control Time, will be geared towards the needs of women in small business. Free, but you must register.
September 22- 6:00 p.m. Organizing Your Kids Come hear Lorraine speak on teaching kids to be organized, not just neat, at Smith Elementary PTA in Frisco.
October 5- 10:30 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 who are a member of the McKinney Senior Recreation Center ($5/year for residents; $10 for non-residents), which you can join if you arrive early.
January 10- Messy Desk, Missing Papers- Lorraine will present one of her most popular talks on systems that help manage piles of paper to the Women's League of Canton.
January 20- Organize Your New Home- Learn techniques to get your most cluttered areas in your home organized. At the Denton Library. More details to come. |
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In-Home Christmas Decorating Services
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It seems hard to believe with our warm, muggy days, but we are now scheduling our Christmas decorating and takedown services. We would love to help you put together a plan, shop for new décor, decorate your home, and later take it all down and store it neatly for next year. Our creative organizers are trained to work with you to bring out your own style and make your house beautiful for the season. Watch them at work in this video from last year.
If you book your appointment by October 1, 2016, we will thank you with a free gold Card Cubby, a small wristlet made to keep your gift cards and loyalty cards organized in your purse. It is perfect for upcoming shopping trips. For more information on booking, see our website, and prepare to enjoy a sense of beauty and peace in your home this Christmas. |
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Habits of Organized People
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 If you struggle to stay organized, you are not alone. The good news is you can cultivate effective habits over time to become more organized. Here are 9 habits of organized people:
- They guard their time. They do not overextend themselves, leaving little time for regular de-cluttering and taking care of the home. They consider this tidy-up time as important as an appointment or getting kids to school.
- They prioritize their time by making a to-do list the night before, deciding what is most important or most time sensitive, and then scheduling their day accordingly.
- They have a system to manage paper when it enters the home. If they cannot deal with it immediately, they store it in a designated spot and return to it later for sorting, filing, shredding, or recycling.
- They have regular routines for mornings and evenings. For example, they make the bed and unload the dishwasher in the morning. They do these actions automatically to set themselves up for success later in the day.
- They store items where they will be used. In the kitchen, coffee, filters, and mugs are grouped near the coffee maker to save time.
- They tidy up after themselves before moving on to another task. This means wiping up spills right away and putting dirty clothes in the hamper, not leaving them on the floor.
- They regularly purge drawers, closets, cabinets, and other spaces to weed out items they no longer need. They realize there is more freedom in reducing clutter than in hanging onto dried-up pens, kitchen gadgets that might come in handy later, and especially duplicate items. Similarly, they are selective in what they purchase, considering if they really need it and where they will store it in the home.
- They establish a place for everything so that everything has a home. They also label bins, shelves, and files so other people in the household will know where to find things, and more importantly, where to put them away.
- They maintain two key containers: a large one to hold items that will be donated and a smaller one to hold items leaving the home soon, such as store returns or outgoing mail. And then they follow through with getting the items out of the house regularly.
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Make the Most of Bedroom Storage
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 How organized is your bedroom? If you could use some help, here are some space-saving ideas:
Make room on the bedside table by mounting your lighting on the wall. This eyeball sconce comes in three different finishes at a low price.
A woven hamper with a lid will hide your dirty laundry in plain sight.
If you find yourself frequently throwing briefly worn clothes on the bed or chair, mount a hook or hook rack in the bedroom so these items will have a home. Also, store tomorrow's outfit on the built-in rod and knobs behind this full-length mirror.
If your kids have a bunk bed, a multi-pocket organizer that hangs from the top bunk will create vertical storage space.
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Keeping Metals Looking Nice
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 Brass, copper, and other metals are popular right now in interior design. While modern metallics can look beautiful with a vintage patina that does not need to be laboriously kept shiny and bright, there are times when they need a good polishing.
One product, Flitz Polish-Paste, is an effective tool to remove tarnish and leave a protective coating on brass, copper, chrome, silver, stainless steel, and other metals. You can rub it on briefly to protect the metal from corrosion, or rub longer to easily remove layers of tarnish and return metal to its original color. It can also be used on fiberglass and painted surfaces to clean and protect. |
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Fun Facts About Fall Organizing
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 Many people say fall is the best time to get organized. SpareFoot.com, the website that helps find the best deals on self-storage and full-service storage, conducted another survey recently and found that 45% of Americans are inspired in the fall months to get organized. And who can blame them, with the temperatures getting cooler, the kids back to school and the holidays on their way? Getting rid of clutter and spending time on fall cleaning can be a part of getting back into the regular routine.
Of course, it also gets busier this time of year, and 80% of parents report that it takes longer to get ready in the morning once school starts. They also report that once they have gotten themselves organized from summer break, it is only a matter or time before everything slides back to disorganization. Over half of people surveyed report their good habits usually last no more than two weeks, and then they are back to their old disorganized ways.
Do you struggle with temporary tidiness? Usually there is an underlying reason for clutter and dysfunction in a household. Get Organized! can help determine the root of problem and offer family coaching to bring the entire household together. Our organizers can lead a family discussion that is less about emotion and more about solutions to bring order to your home. Contact us to schedule a consultation and turn your temporary tidiness into lifelong habits. |
 Do you love dual purpose items? This IKEA PS storage table is more like an end table beside a chair. We just love it! Not only can you sit items like drinks on the top, but each layer offers storage to hold magazines, toys, and more.
It does come in this all white version or in a multicolor one if you would like a splash of color. Priced at $69.00, it may seem expensive, but when you consider all it does, it is worth the price.
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 Are you planning a trip? Here is a book to help you save money in over 30 major cities around the world. The Lonely Planet's The Best Things in Life are Free is a guide to money-saving but memorable things to do when you travel. Organized by continent and city, this guide gives the what, where, and when you need to know about free and low-cost museums, gardens, activities, and food to help you stretch your travel dollar. For example, did you know you can kayak for free in the shadows of Manhattan skyscrapers? This is just one of many fun ideas you will find to make a memory on your next trip. |
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Become a Professional Organizer
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 Ready to get others organized? Get Organized! is ready to add another team member to our already elite team. If you love a flexible schedule working at least 3 days a week and are highly organized yourself, you might be just what we are looking for.
At this time we are hiring a team member who lives in the Irving, Grapevine, North Richland Hills area. If you are interested, please email Lorraine@GetOrganized.ws with the city you live in and your phone number. She will call you back to do a preliminary interview. |
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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.
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Need a Realtor?
Mary Pat Elledge is our recommended realtor for all our GO Clients.
Serving the Dallas area.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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See us on Good Day Fox Check out one of our many Get Organized segments. "Kids School Papers"
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See us in D Magazine Get Organized! helps an employee at D Magazine clear her desk clutter.
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See how our GO Team helped a family get
totally organized during our 2015 Training Week.
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