Trying to organize without the right help!!

My web designer left for a trip to Ireland. Lucky her!! However I got the desire to make changes to my blog this morning. I thought "hey I can do this." Well I should have taken the advice I give to my organizing clients; don't get started without a plan and the proper help.
I went against both today! I am admittedly computer illiterate and the whole blog thing is still pretty new to me. So what happened? Well if you are looking at this blog it's pretty obvious; my logo is taking up almost the whole page! I can't seem to fix this cute little problem. Now I have come to the conclusion that this will give you a good laugh and help you realize that I too am human!!
So now I will wait for Amy to return from Ireland. Of course due to my OCD this will seem like an eternity. But I have learned my lesson and Amy will be glad to know her job is safe.
This is a good story for you too. Getting organized is something I hear so many of you say should come easy or shouldn't be that hard. It's not but that's only with the right plan and the help to get there. This morning I searched up on other organizing blogs to read and see what new things are out there. It's scary; organizing is becoming such a vast topic and the information floating out there is infinite. Don't just jump in. Get a plan and choose the right person to help. Whether that is a family member or a professional organizer choose someone you feel understands your needs and can really help you create a space that will function for you.
I was recently called in to reorganize an office for a client. She called very upset and during the call she told me about her office and how the disorganization was interfering with her being more successful. At the end of the call after we set up a consultation she told me that she hadn't told me everything. she then went on to explain that she had no intention to hire us. She explained that she had just paid $3000 to have her office organized less than 3 months earlier and it was worse than it was before she hired someone. I didn't know what to say. She went on to tell me that she really just wanted to show me and see what ideas I had for her to fix it herself. I totally understood. When I went to her home and looked at her office it all made sense. The organizer who came before me didn't do a bad job. She just did the wrong job for the client. This particular organizer put in a system that was complete and thorough but she didn't understand the needs of her client. This woman had ADD. I have ADD. I am not hyper, I am a daydreamer and what I know all too well about this condition is that systems have to be as simple as possible and eliminate opportunity for the client to get distracted. The filing system that was created was based off of a number system. Each file had a number and the number corresponds to a master list. This client could never keep up with how the numbers were set-up or where the key or master list was. Trying to figure out where things were supposed to be was too much for her. This system although great for some was awful for her. She needed something as simple as ABC. I worked with her to show her how this could be redone. I showed her pictures and typed out exactly how to create this new system. The directions were only a paragraph. Remember keep it simple!! A few weeks later we went in and recreated her filing system.
The point: create systems around you. Don't change who you are. Organizing is about understanding your needs and habits and then creating organizational systems for your needs and habits. Too many times we feel that if we are disorganized we need to change who we are to be better organized and that's just not true. You are great!

Exciting news about Organizing Your Meals!!

Just like I said yesterday; I have exciting news that will save you time and money. There is a new online meal program that is revolutionizing dinner. And for only $36 a year! Are you kidding me? After I tell you about it you will see what a no brainer it is!
Some of you are aware that I dislike cooking. I would use the word hate but I tell my children not to say that so . . . My husband is an amazing cook and he loves cooking. However he hates trying to figure out what to fix and half the time we pick soemthing out and don't have all the ingredients. Needless to say it causes frustration; we run to and from the grocery too often; and we wind up eating too late in the evening and no one really enjoys it.
One of my organizers, Cassie, alerted me to this new online program where for only $36 a year you have an acount, log on and pick from a predetermined meal plan or choose recipes from their database, and then it creates a grocery shopping list for you. I thought it sounded great but I had no idea how great it really is. I signed up and got started. First, I can tell you it is very easy to navigate. Second, I think their recipes to choose from are plentiful and easy to make, and last we saved time that very day when we went to the grocery store. After I checked off the meals I would cook this week my grocery list was made for me. Another great feature of the grocery list is that you can uncheck any item you already have before printing your final shopping list and it will take those items off of your shopping list. I am a coupon clipper so I was able to look through the list and see what items I had coupons for and since I had just clipped them from the Sunday paper I was even able to choose recipes that had ingredients I knew were on sale.
Our grocery bill was right on target for our weekly allowance and I even had to buy cold medicine for the kids (the most expensive thing on the entire grocery list!).
Next came Monday's meal. We had everything we needed, we knew exactly what we were going to cook, and dinner was delicious! For me, this is a new must have and a life saver.
So now the best part. I called the owner of the site and told him that I wanted to share this amazing information with my clients and he has agreed to give all of you an $8 discount. $28 FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR!!!! How could you lose? All you have to to is go to my home page www.theamandas.com and click on the link provided. When you are subscribing it will ask you for a sponsor code. Your sponsor code for your discount is AMANDA-13. It's that easy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am!
And stay tuned for even bigger news as we continue to bring you the best that organizing has to offer!!

Exciting Organizing News

I am so excited!! First, I have received so many pictures and responses from people who are working on getting organized and they all look great! Everyone is really doing remarkable and I just want to say thanks for the compliments on how I am helping. That's really what it's all about. As I have told those of you who have contacted me we are working on something huge!! Something that will really help everyone! I can't say just yet but I will keep everyone updated as we prepare for a May 1st launch. Due to this new venture I will be changing the blog information. I will actually write more often but it will be different. I have agreed to work with those of you who are wroking through the closet and on to other spaces through e-mail and if I have missed anyone please contact me. But for everyone else just hold on. Things are going to get exciting!! Second, I have found out about a new service that will revolutionize meal prep and grocery shopping and save you big bucks at the same time! I have tried this system myself and we are working on a special program to offer this service through our website at a discounted rate to anyone who subscribes through our website.
I know this whole post is a big tease and I am so sorry but believe me it will be worth the wait.
As always I am here if you have any questions and stay tuned, maybe even as soon as tomorrow, for the details on a service that will make dinner much easier.
Also tune in to Fox 8 in New Orleans every Thursday in March for our organizing "how to" segments. This Thursday one of my organizers Heather will be on to tell you all the ways getting organized can save you money. She will also be able to tell you just how much you can save. If you miss the segment you can log on to the Fox 8 website and look us up under Morning Show. Until then . . .keep it organized!

Organizing inspiration

I know we are in the middle of a project right now but I thought I would take the time and let you know how great it is that you are getting organized. Do you know how many people want to get organized but think they don't have the time or make excuses for why they just can't. I am amazed all the time with clients, online and in person who are commited to getting organized. And those on my staff who are committed to helping them. I will give you 2 examples.
We are working this week with a woman who's husband is very ill. She struggles daily to take care of him and herself. She has a beautiful daughter who trys to remind her that she needs to take care of herself but, as most of us would in that situation, we put the care of others above any of our own needs. However she did decide that with all that was going on in her life she wanted to get organized. Not only did she want to but she followed through, hired us and has worked this week with us to make that goal a reality. And even when her husband got sicker this week she stuck with it. She is so pleasant and smiling and committed even through all the chaos. And not only that but she is enjoying getting organized! Which just affirms everything I tell people; this will free you; this will change your life. It is worth every second and every penny you invest as long as it is done right. I had a client meet a friend at a New Year's party in 2008. The friend wanted to get organized and the client of mine told her all about me and how I had helped her get her kitchen organized. She went on and on about how great it was and how beautiful her kitchen looks. The friend asked her if she had just had this done to which my client responded "No, it was December of 2004". The next week her friend called me. If it is done right, it will be worth it.
My second example is my employees. All of the organizers who work for me and with me to help people get organized and change their life ar amazing. Over time I have seen each one of them go through personal problems or issues that would have others running for cover. But not them. They are as passionate about helping others as I am. They are so passionate that they feel that working helps them, during hard times in their own lives, have something to look forward to. Something they can really put their heart and soul in to. They are amazing and a blessing. And soon they will be working with me even more to reach more of you and you will all have an oppotunity to see how lucky I am. I have the best clients and the best employees and I do everyday what I love most!
And I am proud of you for taking this journey with me and for working through the organizing delimas in your life. I will continue to be here for you. Together we can make your goals a reality!
So get back to the closet. I'll meet you there!

Master Closet Organizing made simple!!

We are working on the master closet and if you are just joining us we discussed in the last post the first step to working on this project, which is "a plan". Now that we have a plan and you have purged we can move on to the next step. I hope the purging went well. I got several e-mails with questions about what to get rid of or where is the best place to donate. All good questions and I was glad to see everyone really getting involved. Some of you had the desire to move on to the next step and I encouraged you to go back and purge again if you were looking for something to do. I always tell my clients after we purge that it is only the first pass. Purging can be done over and over. This week your assignment is to get all of the clothes you are keeping moved over to a good hanger. I am not strict on what that has to be but I do have some suggestions. Wire hangers must and I do mean must go!! They are horrible for clothing. I would suggest getting an acrylic hanger (clear plastic) or wood hanger. You can use the tubular white hanger if you choose but they are not my first choice. We sell both the acrylic and wooden hanger on my store site www.theamandasonline.com. Here is what you need to know about the wooden hanger. The hanger I have chosen to carry is a flat slimline real wood hanger. And they are very inexpensive a box of 20 is only $14. They will not take up any more space than the acrylic or white plastic. What they will do is provide excellent support for your clothing and a sleek and gorgeous look to your closet. And best of all they last forever. For the last 5 years this has been our number 1 seller. If you have a more contemporary style then the acrylic hanger is for you and they are eaqually as durable and stylish and around the same price. As you are changing all of your clothes over you can begin to group and categorize. Place all of the white shirts with white and then follow the rainbow. Which is red, organge, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, and then brown, grey, and black. I would also suggest putting in shirts according to sleeve length. The white shirts would all be together and they would start with sleeveless to short sleeve and end with long sleeve. If you don't put sleeve lengths together sleeveless shirts can sometimes get lost between long sleeve shirts. Also hang as much as you can. Disorganzed people do better with placing clothing back on the hanger than folding on a shelf. In fact if you are disorganized, a shelf is not your friend!! You see it as a place to pile. This is your task for the week. Take it on with passion. Be proud of the purging you accomplished! You are moving in the right direction. Slow and steady wins the race. The process of organizing and some of the simple tasks you do can be a little like the Karate Kid. Wax on wax off may teach you a great fighting move. Hanging up your clothes and grouping them will teach you about the clothes you kept, give you ideas for new outfits, remind you of items that need to be hemmed or repaired, and give you a respect for all of the things you have! Good Luck. You are all in my prayers.

Let's Get Organized: The Master Closet

So as luck would have it I have been getting a ton of calls and e-mails about master closets. Everyone is tired of the cold and looking forward to spring and this is leading them to think about their closet. So . . . this is where we will start. I have always said I am a big proponent of making a plan. The first thing I want you to do is make a plan. Let me tell you what I mean. Get a notebook or journal; something you can use this year as we go through the phases of organizing your home. Now stand in the door of your closet and take a good hard look. Then close your eyes and picture the closet you want to have, the closet that will make you feel better about getting dressed in the morning. The closet that will save you time and frustration as you are getting ready for the day. Keep your eyes closed and think of all of the details. What kind of hangers do you want, lighting, cabinetry, anything you can dream up. Now open your eyes and write those things down. Make every word of it positive. After you have it all down you can then make a plan as to how you will get to that point. There are some basics that will be included in every plan such as purging, getting rid of wire hangers, etc. and this is where I will help you. Follow along to get organized and don't be afraid to send your questions. I am more than happy to add answers in my blog. I am always amazed with the number of people who e-mail me and say they are embarrased to ask questions on the blog. Don't be!! Others have the same questions and we are all here with the same purpose.
For this week I want you to create a plan and then purge!. How do we know what kind of storage we need if we don't know what we are trying to store? Look through your winter clothes and see what you haven't worn this season. We are close to spring (closer in the south) and if you didn't wear it yet ask yourself "why not". Purge the items in your closet first. Then if you have spring and summer clothes packed away you can purge those. We don't want to cause a bigger mess than necessary. If you pull all of the clothes out at once and try to purge chances are you will become overwhelmed and bail out on the process. Small steps will get you there quicker than standing still. Happy purging and let me know how it goes!

Getting Organized: Let's Get Started!

If you have been following my blog you can see just the mere mention of resolution sets you up for failure! But you know what I say? Start from wherever you are. Just start. If you really want something whether your goal is to lose weight or get organized; doing anything is better than nothing! One of my favorite quotes is by Calvin Coolidge which reads "Persistence prevails. Determination alone makes you omnipotent". Wow! What an amazing thought. Most of us never realize the power of our own determination to make something happen. One last thought for the day and then I promise my next entry will get started on getting us all back on the road of organizing!! A preacher appeared on The Ellen Show and discussed the power of our own thoughts. He suggested that if we take the last minutes of the day before we fall asleep to think of what we want and picture it as reality you will change your life. What can that hurt? It sure beats thinking about all the things that may have gone wrong that day.