Life

A Full House

by

UncleBensHouse

The month of November is wrapping up with one of my favorite holidays: Thanksgiving. It is a great reminder to be thankful for the many blessing we have in life. I was reminded of that these past few weeks as my team and I tackled a very intense job. In two days, we cleaned out the apartment of an elderly man living in low income housing. He never married, had no children, and was a recluse. Due to poor health, he is now in the hospital. I classified his apartment as stage four hoarding. It hadn’t been cleaned in many years and nothing had been thrown away.

His life, which seemed so sad and lonely, was reflected in the things he kept. Sorting through the piles of garbage we found very few salvageable items. The few treasures we did find told us a few things about him. We discovered he worked as a journalist, served in Vietnam, attended the Seattle World’s Fair, and collected Jazz LP’s. However, these few delights were hidden away under piles of garbage, dust and neglect. Out of all the things in his apartment, we were only able to salvage a carload of items to be donated.

We didn’t feel good walking away from this job. We were saddened that someone’s life was now in so many garbage bags; sad that no one knew the extent of his disorder; sad that he placed so much emphasis on meaningless things, but didn’t share much of his life with anyone.

This man is a relative of mine.

It was once again a wake up call for us – a reminder to stop attaching memories to things and build relationships with people. Cherish those around you because eventually all things will perish and only the memories will remain. Don’t leave a house full of things for your children or relatives to deal with. If the task seems too daunting, then reach out for help. I so wish I could have helped him a long time ago…maybe then his treasures could have been enjoyed, not stashed away amongst piles of trash. If you or someone you know is struggling with too much stuff we would love to help.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moss and rust destroy…but store up for yourselves in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19

Clutter Clearing Before The Holidays!

by

Front Door

“Never in the history of the world have so many people been so rich; never in the history of the world have so many of those same people felt themselves so poor.” – Dr. Jerry Sheveland, Rejecting the Wealth of Poverty

Whether you’re hosting a family get-together or planning for all the gifts you will give and receive, there’s no better way to relieve the stress of the holiday season than by getting your home organized. Let’s find more contentment and a clearer perspective this holiday season by un-cluttering our lives.

  • Start with yourself…de-clutter your mind.  Take a walk, clear your head, and decide what your priorities will be this holiday season.
  • De-clutter your calendar:  Eliminate the non-essential commitments from your schedule.  Say no freely and reserve a few days in November and December for family days.
  • Identify spaces in your home that are the most often-used during the holidays, and tackle those areas first. Don’t forget the areas where you’re storing your gifts and planning your holiday wrapping!
  • For each space, commit to removing as many non-used items as possible. Donate, consign, or toss items not worn or used in a year or two. Clearing the space of items no longer needed is essential to staying organized! Every time you buy something new, commit to purging one item so you never outgrow the space you have.
  • If you identify items that are better stored elsewhere in your home when cleaning house, relocate them. Sports equipment stored in the closet? Move them to the garage. Stay focused and don’t start on another area until the first one is complete.
  • Think about how your spaces will function when the holidays arrive. How much countertop space will you need in the kitchen for baking/cooking needs? How will you accommodate guests?
  • Shop for organization solutions that will help contain the items that are staying in the space, as well as consider storage for new items you expect to receive. Try shopping after the holidays for storage solutions for holiday decor. Make sure to buy items of the same size and color for easy recognition. Don’t forget to label!
  • Group like items together. For example, in the kitchen, keep your baking supplies stored in a basket that you can easily remove from the pantry when it’s time to bake. Or, in the kid’s room, keep art and craft supplies all in one place.
  • It’s okay to ask for help. No time do this for yourself? Contact OAL!

‘Tis the season to get organized! 
This really is the most wonderful time of year if we take time to focus our hearts and our minds and simplify everything!

Materiality: Less Is More

by
julies family
Making memories during our Christmas trip to Scottsdale last year.

“You give little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give”.  -Kahlil Gibran

The holidays are upon us. For many it is a very financially stressful time of year. We are a culture obsessed with buying, spending and consuming more. But when is more enough? The temptation to shop can lead to houses over-run with clutter and lives overwhelmed with too much stuff. Clutter has a negative impact on all areas of our lives: social, physical, emotional, psychological, financial and spiritual.

This holiday season, I would encourage you and your families to adopt a new mindset to consume less, live with less, and be happy with less! Reframe your way of thinking so that you’re not constantly thinking about what you don’t have, and find joy in simple pleasures. Spend time with family and friends and make memories to cherish.

Here are a few ideas on how to stay focused and organized this holiday season:

Give an Experience, Rather Than Things
Concert, theater ticket, restaurant gift certificate, or donation to a charity.

Control Gift Giving
Don’t go overboard. Keep your budget and stress down by setting a price limit on gifts, shopping with cash, draw names within your family, doing only stocking stuffers, or purchasing a family gift.

Give kids four main gifts. Something they want, need, wear, and read. That’s it.

Go Digital
Shop online! It’s fast, easy and less stressful than shopping in a crowded store. It also helps you stick to your list and budget. Ship directly to recipients and use the gift wrap option.

Take Notes
Keep a list in your phone or daily planner with gift ideas for family members. Write down ideas whenever a friend or family member mentions something.

Keep a spot in your phone or daily planner labeled ‘Christmas’ where you can remember where you purchased items such as your christmas tree, special activities and fun memories.

How are you going to make this holiday season different for your family?

Time Management

by

Julie Sign

Time cannot be managed. Learn to manage yourself and use time well.

1. Set Your Priorities

    • Use one streamlined system such as your smart phone or planner to establish your priorities (parenting, exercise, work, academics, etc.)  Schedule everything with integrity, commitment and flexibility.

2. Become a Manager

    • A good manager doesn’t do all the work themselves. Delegate and model what needs to happen.

3. Be Aware of Your Time Drainers

    • Computer, TV, phone, etc. For kids, set a timer during these activities so they are not overused. For adults, be mindful of the amount of time you spend doing various activities. If it helps, set timers, unsubscribe from junk mail and limit the number of social media sites you are involved with.

4. Shopping/Streamline Your Errands

    • Shop with a list so you don’t waste time. Avoid busy hours and group your errands together to save time and gas.

5. Leave Time For The Unexpected

    • We can’t always account for traffic, emergencies, and accidents. Get in the habit of leaving early and keep water, snacks and things to do in your car.

6. Learn To Say “NO”

7. Time Saving Ideas

    • Planning is easier nowadays because of the  iCloud system. You can create notes and lists and it  automatically syncs with all of your devices. When you hear of a book you want to read, enter the tittle in your phone. Keep an ongoing Costco and grocery list. Keep track of measurements, paint colors and other household info. all on your smartphone.
    • Create a weekly or monthly meal plan…keep your plan and your meals simple!
    • Pre-purchase cards, gift cards and a few simple consumable gifts for last minute events such as hostess gifts or birthdays.

Thanksgiving…planning ahead!

by

Thanksgiving Collage

Pictures via Pinterest

I had some extra time this morning and decided to use it planning my Thanksgiving menu and shopping list. It didn’t take me long because of some time saving techniques I’ve developed and used year after year.  I keep a file folder in my kitchen labeled ‘Thanksgiving’ where I keep recipes and notes from the previous year. After each Thanksgiving, I write down short notes on the following:

  • How the meal turned out
  • How much was leftover
  • How much food I bought (like 10# of potatoes)
  • What items were hits/misses
  • Guest List
  • Recipes that I want to use again

This is so helpful in planning for the current year. I can just pull out the file folder and plan accordingly.  All I have to do is send an email to my guests to confirm that they are coming and what they can contribute.  I have learned with my family it is best to give detailed instructions on what they should bring so there are no last minute runs to the store!

In early November I will head to the store with my pre-made shopping list and get most of my list before the rush.  Then, Thanksgiving week I only have a few fresh items to purchase.  I like to prep as much as I can ahead of time  so that Thanksgiving day can be spent enjoying company.  I have also become a huge fan of crock pots as a perfect solution for keeping the food hot while 30 family members move through the buffet line!  I know this all seems a little early but a small amount of planning ahead saves time, energy and creates amazing peace of mind.

Fall Organization Tips

by

Fall Leaves

With the end of summer comes the urge to get prepared for winter. That means realizing that you will be indoors for a season, and that the house will need to be fully functioning. For children who are returning to school (and their parents) it’s a natural time to settle into a schedule. And late summer/early fall lends itself to changing schedules because of the shorter days. Here are a few quick seasonal organization reminders to add to your fall schedule!

School Days:

  • Clean children’s rooms
  • Rearrange & organize rooms
  • Sort, purge & donate children’s clothing and toys
  • Set up fall schedule, sports & lessons
  • Set up morning routines
  • Set up evening routines
  • Establish or remind children of drop zones

Household:

  • Arrange/do fall cleaning
  • Begin yard & garden winterization
  • Plant bulbs
  • Store summer sports equipment, repair & replace as needed
  • Winterize car, set date for getting snow tires mounted
  • Clean out freezer
  • Clean oven in preparation for holidays
  • Straighten garage & reorganize
  • Clean & Store lawn furniture
  • Store summer decor & replace with fall decor
  • Bake ahead for the holidays and freeze
  • Plan for holidays
  • Store summer clothing & replace with fall clothing

Happy Organizing!