Are you great at prioritizing, but can’t find that phone number you need? Find out which areas of organizing you are skilled in and which you stink at. Just take the “How Organized Are You?” quiz, saying True of False out loud with the first answer that pops into your head. Don’t think too hard about it or try to fudge your answers. Then read on to see how you stack up.
June, 2009
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How Organized Are You? – Take the Quiz
Friday, June 26th, 2009Ice Cream in a Bag
Monday, June 22nd, 2009This is a recipe my mom introduced to my two younger girls. The few ingredients are ones I normally have on hand. It always helps to have an “emergency” activity up your sleeve for kids and grandkids!
I made my own ice cream!
Ice Cream in a Bag: Mix 1/2 cup milk (whole), 1 T sugar, and 1/2 t vanilla in a quart ziplock bag. Place the small bag in a gallon ziplock containing ice cubes to which you have added 6 T rock salt. Zip, then shake for 5 minutes. Open, then eat!
The same ingredients will work with 3 lb. and 5 lb. coffee cans for a delicious game of “Kick the Can.” Use packing tape to seal the cans well.
Out of Season Storage
Friday, June 19th, 2009Most of us would like an extra closet or two. Barring that possibility, clearing out off-season clothing and linens can help. Here are a few hints on how to do that safely and efficiently.
- Clear space for everyday wear by putting special occasion clothing in the farthest corner of the closet.
- Use vacuum-compressed storage bags to hold bulky sweaters, jackets, blankets, beach towels. They really work!
- Store containers of cloth items only in spaces that are heated, to avoid dampness that causes mold and mildew.
- Use empty suitcases,old drawers with wheels, or low plastic containers to store out-of season items under a bed.
- Cedar chests can double as seating and storage for less frequently used items.
Remember to mark your calendars to retrieve summer/winter items early in the months that start with the letter A. Then you can see what you need to complete your wardrobe for that season in time to hit the sales that month!
Do You Have CD?
Thursday, June 18th, 2009No, I didn’t leave out the “O” in OCD. CD stands for chronic disorganization. Judith Kolberg in her book, Conquering Chronic Disorganization, states that a “Yes” answer to all three questions is an indicator of chronic disorganization:
- “Has getting organized been a challenge for you most of your adult life?”
- “Does being disorganized negatively affect your life in some way every day?”
- “Have you tried and failed to get organized by yourself?”1
If you found yourself saying, “That is me!” , remember that doesn’t mean you are flawed. You are simply wired differently, and the conventional organizing methods that are logic-based do not work well for you.
Clearing the Clutter (Part 1 of 3)
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009Clutter happens. Clutter can be defined as “anything you own or do that does not enrich your life on a regular basis.”1
Piles of clutter are one of the top reasons I hear from people wanting to get organized. Things that you don’t love or use on a regular basis take up valuable space and make it harder to find the things you need. That is why once clutter is cleared, organizing the things you do use and need is so much easier!
An easy first step to reducing clutter is to go on a Trash Hunt. Grab a black plastic trash bag and look for things that are obviously garbage. You may find candy wrappers, a sock with a hole, an empty drink cup from Taco Bell, announcements and coupons past the due dates, the kitty food that got scattered, pizza boxes that don’t fit in the kitchen trash, empty spray cans, the shampoo that smells horrible. Just getting that stuff out of there can be a great feeling. This clutter-free idea is very liberating!
Art as a Model of Life
Monday, June 8th, 2009
a taste of the Art Festival
A feast of the senses. Sights - dogs of all sizes, the Mime Guy, people of all sizes, tantilizing colors, giant Gumby on canvas. Smells – barbecue, funnel cakes, hot blacktop, sunscreen. Sounds – foreign languages, a child’s laughter. Taste – a much-needed lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Touch - stroking the rich fabric of fantasmic fauna, bumpy leather pieces, and the coolness of blown glass, while rubbing shoulders with other folk as we stroll among the exhibits.
My husband gets megapoints for taking me to the Art Festival in downtown Columbus this past Saturday. Crowds repel him; I love sharing the excitement of the other viewers. We smile at each other with delight and every once in a while reach past our carefully guarded perimeters to describe what we see.
Once again, the artists and their creations are so diverse that I marvel at their innovation.
Pain or Gain?
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009Psychologists say that resistance to change in our lives is natural. Even in the face of uncomfortable or painful circumstances, we will choose the familiar over a solution that represents an unknown.
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
~ M. Scott Peck