fbpx
Top Ten Tips for Summer

Top Ten Tips for Summer

by

SEE IT – get in touch with what is most important to you

MAP IT – make it happen by writing it down on your calendar

DO IT – then enjoy each event to its fullest!

  1. Put FUN First – Choose the most important fun activity and fill up on the juicy energy it offers.
  2. Before you leave on vacation – make two copies of each document in your wallet. Keep one in a safe place at home and take one with you to put in the hotel safe. Then you are prepared if anything should happen.
  3. Connect with the Earth – Choose one morning or evening each week to be your time to connect with the earth – a long walk, sitting outside under a tree, a bike ride, or soaking up the sun. Let this be a time that fills you!
  4. Garden – If you want to garden but just never have the time, plant a container with a favorite flower or vegetable. You will still enjoy gardening but on a more manageable scale.
  5. Family Passes – Buy a family pass to your favorite summer place, then as a family review the schedule of events and mark your calendar with those you don’t want to miss!
  6. Three Most Important Things – Every morning, when you are planning your day, write down the three things that truly matter most that day. The sense of accomplishment that you will feel when you complete these three things will free you to do other things.
  7. Organize Last Years School Papers – Make a date with your child to spend an afternoon to go through all of the papers you saved from the last school year.Lay them all out on the dining room table or the floor. Enjoy reliving the last year. Then choose the keepers and treasures. Next simply three hole punch them and put in a fun binder so your child can look at it whenever he/she wants too.
  8. Birthdays, Graduations, Weddings – Take one hour and make a master list of all the birthdays, graduations, and weddings, which are coming up this summer. Keep a copy with you so you can jot down gift ideas and have it handy when you are shopping
  9. Weekend Project – Take one weekend, pick one project, (i.e. a closet, pantry or storage) and using the Clear & Simple Systems (see download below) organize the space. Then mentally let go of the rest and enjoy your summer.
  10. Keep it simple, take a deep breath. Our favorite app for simple breathing and meditation is headspace.com

Marla Dee & Team

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. © and S.T.A.C.K.S. © are property of Clear & Simple, LLC. All Rights Reserved

STACKS: The 5 Step Organizing System

by

The 5 Steps to get organized at last

It is time to learn the simpler way to organize. Earlier we talked about the foundation system of SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT.  You start with the SEE IT – take a look at where you’ve been. Then MAP IT – make a plan for where you want to go. Now it is time for the DO IT step. Now we are touching the STUFF and trouble starts. Because this step is so loaded it gets its own set up steps called STACKS.

S – SORT

T – TOSS

A – ASSIGN

C – CONTAIN

K – KEEP IT UP

S – SIMPLIFY

Organizing can be overwhelming because we are trying to make many decisions at once. Should I keep it or let it go, where will it go, how did it get here, who will take care of it? It is exhausting and we typically give up after a couple of hours. STACKS breaks down the process into 5 distinguishable steps that you take one at a time. You ask one question at a time, make one decision at a time, and take one action at a time.

These steps make it possible to break down the process into bite sized pieces. And the steps build on each other. When sorting just sort! The toss is easier once you can see exactly what you have, then what’s left needs a place to go followed by what it will go in. Once everything is contained, it is time to ask how to maintain it and lastly, how to simplify? If you really give STACKS a try for a couple of small projects, you might get hooked.

I promise using STACKS will save you time, energy and money! And, by taking one step at a time, you will have more energy, think better, and get through the project faster.

Get your copy of the C&S Steps Guide here.

Marla Dee – Your Guide to getting organized at last!

Home Organizing Tips & Tricks for Productivity

by

Being organized and being productive both require finding what you need when you need it. The following tips will make both of these easier.

Our homes can easily fill with clutter and chaos.  Yet, the purpose of our home is peace, support and connection.  We are sharing our top 5 tips that are easy to implement and can make a big difference over time.

Watch the video for all the great information and see our tips down below. Marla on Fox 13 – The Place

Marla Dee on Fox 13 – The Place

Top 5 Tips: 
  • Containers make a huge difference for all types of stuff and all areas – everything from drawers to the garage. Containers make it easier to store your things, find your things and return them to where they belong.  Trick: Leave the tops off containers that will be used often for easy access. (Watch the video for some of our favorites)
  • Then label the containers and the shelves. This makes it easy for you to find what you want rather than digging through multiple bins and boxes.  It also makes life easier because the kids (or husband) can put it back where it belongs. Get and use your own labeler. The Container Store has a great selection of all kinds of labels.
  • Get your own TimeTimer – the best tool for making time tangible. This wonderful tool is different from you typical timer.  It shows you by the section in red how much time is left so you can quickly adjust.
  • Capture all incoming information in ONE place – one notebook, one place on your smart phone and one container for all the paper that lands in your home. (check out the video for a couple fun ideas including a magnetic container from the Container Store that can attach to your refrigerator Piggy Magnetic Container.
  • Create strong ZONES by putting like with like. These days we are so busy that the stuff lands everywhere. Start with creating zones just for home office & paper, for all the toys, keep the bedroom only the bedroom, all tools together, a nice relaxing living room, etc.

We care about your home being everything you need and want.  Please reach out and let us know if we can help by teaching you how or helping you get it done!

Marla, Kate & Team