The season of warm company and home cooked meals is here! No matter how much comfort the holidays bring, they are often accompanied with a moderate load of stress, especially if you’re hosting a gathering for all your family and friends. Although your list may seem daunting, take a deep breath and use this preparation guide to leave the stress behind!
Eliminate Clutter
Regardless of the size of your home, you’ll want to start with clearing the space to plan for the increase in foot traffic – especially if you live in a small apartment. Walk through each room that your guests will be spending the most time in and rid it of accumulated clutter. It’s easy for guests to feel crowded and uncomfortable with a lot of people in one space, opening up space will not only put your guests at ease but also make a much safer space.
In each room, have three bags or baskets on hand. Place any clutter into one of the following piles, “Move Elsewhere”, “Donate”, or “Throw Out”. Everything stored elsewhere should be in a location that your guests don’t have access to, such as the garage or a storage room. If you’re in a crunch, use a service that will sort and pick up your clutter for you. We highly recommend 1-800-Got-Junk.
For those that have no idea where to start, hiring a professional organizer to ease your stress might be worth it. Lucky you, we can help!
Rearrange Furniture
Exposed chords or wires are a disaster waiting to happen. Either rearrange the furniture or temporarily cover them with a rug or duct tape. Move any coffee tables or centerpiece furniture away from the couches so guests have an easier time getting to a seat.
Clean the Place
Once the clutter is cleared and the furniture is in its place, the process of cleaning will be much easier! Similar to decluttering, start in the rooms where your guests will be. This way, if you run out of time, the extra rooms that weren’t able to be cleaned aren’t such a big deal.
Begin with dusting and surfaces in all of the main areas of the house, such as the kitchen and the living room. Vacuum or mop the floors, depending on your flooring style. The day before your guests arrive, make sure to give the house a second sweep. Clean the bathroom toilets and mirrors the day before so everything is fresh and shiny!
Add a Taste of the Holidays
After the place is tidy, add a few tasteful decorations in each room. You don’t need an abundance of fancy decorations to impress your company. Your guests understand that you aren’t the Hilton.
Hang a simple wreath to your front door and welcome your guests with a small chalkboard sign in the walkway. Drape holiday-themed tablecloths over your tables and add a small DIY centerpiece. Really get your guests in the holiday spirit with a few holiday scented candles or air fresheners.
The day of the party should be dedicated to cooking and greeting guests. After all, the beauty behind the holiday season is the time spent with the people you love most. If you find yourself stressed, don’t be afraid to ask for a helping hand.
Do you even care about being organized? Why or Why not?
Earlier we explored where to start getting organized. Now let’s go further and talk about why organizing matters. Does getting organized really matter to you? if so, have you asked yourself why? If not, why? Your reasons can be completely different than your partner, family, friends or co-workers. Getting clear on why you care and how it can help you personally will inspire you to make time for it.
Organizing has been given a bad rap in these times of overconsumption and minimalizing. Somehow, organizing has been reduced to putting stuff in pretty containers. Yet it is so much more than that. Here are a few reasons why getting organized in your space and life matter.
Organizing your space helps you:
Consciously choose what you will keep and what you will let go
Create systems for how to maintain your space
Create a space that reflects and supports you
Get your space working when there are multiple people with multiple needs
Have peace and serenity in your space
The Organizing skill & systems help you:
Manage all the daily activities in your life
Manage your time and energy each day
Plan events for all the roles in your life
Grow personally and produce in the world
Reduce stress by making decisions easier
I hope you can see how organizing is an essential part of your everyday life. I invite you again to write down the project or area you want to start organizing this year and why it matters to you. Then, if you want to go further, explore why getting more organized this year will make your life easier and better.
It’s no secret that clutter and disorganization contribute to stress, anxiety, further over-consumption and exhaustion. My purpose is setting you free of this stress.
Did anyone ever tell you that organizing is a SKILL that only 10-12% of the human population on the planet earth is born with (see note below)? Most people assume that everyone should just know how. Parents expect their kids to know how to clean up their rooms. Bosses expect their employees to know how to organizing their office. Yet, 90% of the human population on the planet earth really struggle.
So believe me when I say… – If clutter clearing was easy, the piles wouldn’t be there. – And if organizing was easy, the chaos wouldn’t be here.
If you are part of the 10% then:
Walking into a room filled with clutter and chaos gets you excited
Your hands get itchy and you want to start touching and moving the stuff
You go into a trance or creative zone when you are doing the work
You are often helping other people with their disorganization and maybe you have even started an organizing business.
If you are NOT born with the innate skill then:
You struggle with where to start, what to do and how to keep it up
Even thinking about clutter clearing or organizing is draining
Your attempts to get organized have left you feeling helpless and hopeless
You have probably ready many books and tried many approaches only to give up
My story of how it all began… It was April of 1999 when I met my first organizing client. I was there to work on her home office. I was excited and also terrified. We had only spoken on the phone so I didn’t know what to expect and I felt clueless about how I would help her. I had many tools and lots of experience to draw from but I didn’t have a system to take us through the process.
Throughout my first year I witnessed over and over again that my clients were wired differently from me. They got confused and didn’t understand the steps. This is when the Clear & Simple Systems were born. I realized I needed a way to teach them the SKILL. And I wanted it to be fun and easy.
Coming up, I will be sharing SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. and STACKS. These systems teach the SKILL. These simple steps are what make organizing easier. If you want more information now, go to www.clearsimple.com/systems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WsdRs6WoT0
NOTE: In the last 20 years, I have consulted with hundreds of clients and audiences. According to my research only 10-12% of the human population is born with the organizing gene, with the innate skill. The other 90% really struggle.
Your Guide, Marla Dee – teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last
My entire adult life I have fantasized about having a summer off. I have dreamed of open time to play, to be in nature, to be a kid again. This year my dream is coming true. At the age of 58, I have lots of open space on my calendar. And I know how fast the summer will fly by. So I am taking today to go through the See It and Map It steps for my summer. I invite you to do the same.
What did you long for most from your childhood summers?
For me, it was freedom. Delicious freedom from predictable schooldays. Freedom to lay in the sun, devour ice cream, and float for hours in a turquoise pool.
My summer longings have not changed much. A sun-drenched break from the routine sounds too good to be true, honestly. As a working mom, however, I know poolside paradise will elude me. Instead, the season will welcome busyness.
From where I sit, summer’s two major opponents are sky-high expectations and the pressure to “do it all.” Corporate socials and family get-togethers. Planning a picture-perfect getaway or entertaining kids from dawn ‘til dusk (and then some). Then there’s laundry and groceries and shouts of “who left the screen door open again?!”
The tension is palpable. Often times, our knee-jerk reaction is to purely survive. Sanity, money, rest—these are common sacrifices on the altar called Summer.
But believe it or not, a simpler more satisfying summer is within reach, regardless of our individual situations. The pursuit is straightforward and anyone can start today.
It boils down to pausing before the chaos and tuning into your desires.
Time for the SEE IT. MAP IT. & DO IT. Steps!
SEE IT:
If you could choose a word or theme for this summer, what would it be? My summer theme is Summer Sabbatical.
MAP IT:
Sit down with your loved ones and ask what do you most want to do for –
fun & play
travel & exploration
project time
relaxation & healing
My choice for fun is 2 motorcycle trips with my man Bob, for travel I am taking a road trip to my home town of Bozeman Montana for my 40 year high school reunion, for projects I am creating a family picture wall in our new home, and for relaxation I am sitting on our deck in the evenings to wind down and breathe in the sweet country air.
DO IT:
Now take your map it list and put those things on the calendar. Make them happen by putting them first.
You know that organizers can be obsessed with containers and bags. But when it comes to travel, having the right containers makes a huge difference. I want to share some of my favorite items and places to shop for the best selection of travel bags and more.
Note – Make sure to check out The Container Store’s short tips & videos for ideas to help you stay organized for travel.
1 – The Perfect Bag makes all the difference. You will need your roll on case but back packs are becoming very popular now for shorter travel. Check out this blog on Travel & Leisure for the best checked luggage.
I really like the Eagle Creek luggage. It is equipped with the 4 wheels for easy moving and great compartments and extra features. Eagle Creek has been around for a long time. The quality and warranty are excellent.
I’ve also come across a new line of luggage called Biaggi. Biaggi has travel bags that have zippers to enlarge or condense the size and can easily pack up into a small cube for storage. You can find both brands at The Container Store.
And, of course, there are the classic bags which cost more but they are fabulous! Since, I am traveling a lot more these days, I just updated my bags to a gorgeous Tumi set. I also recommend Briggs & Riley for high quality.
2 – Create your body care set with all your body essentials. By having these all ready to go, you will save time and have less stress both before and on your trip. Then, take 3 minutes when you get home to refill the containers so you are ready for the next trip.
3 – Another of my all-time favorites is the Eagle Creek Pack-it Folders. These cubes make it easy to pack your items, keep everything neatly together. Then I love how easy it is to lay them out (in a drawer or on a shelf) wherever I am staying so I have easy access.
4 – Don’t forget about your technology! You spent money on your tech stuff so you want to protect it. You also want easy access. You can find some great options here. A couple of my favorites are:
I hope these items and tips help you have a fun-filled and easy summer of travel! Stay tuned for a blog & video coming up where I will be showing all my travel gear.
Marla Dee – your guide to an organized and simpler life.
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