Clutter Crusader Chronicles

GO Month events! Don’t miss out.

2012-01-20T19:00:00.001-05:00

To celebrate Get Organized Month, attend the FIRST ever ASK THE ORGANIZER! Monday January 23 at 9:30 I will be having a casual meet and greet time. If you would like to join me at Panera Bread and pick my brain, please RSVP on our Facebook page under Events. https://www.facebook.com/events/274446009284772/

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It's GO Month and I want you! Or really Just your outgrown and worn out shoes! Condition doesn't matter. My Soles 4 Souls challenge ends this month and I'd love to collect as many pair as possible for this wonderful organization! Please contact me and I will pick up your shoes or arrange a drop off. Join with my Faithful Organizers Chapter of NAPO to help change the world “one pair at a time”.

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If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

It’s A New Day!

2012-01-13T23:00:00.001-05:00

Every day is a new day to make new choices in life. At the beginning of the year (just two short weeks ago) many of us probably made some resolutions. Whether they were blind, or well thought out, look back on them and ask yourself how are you doing so far? If you are meeting the challenge: Great! Well done! You have a reason to be proud! If you have fallen behind: Give yourself some grace for each day is a new day.

What kind of resolutions did you make for 2012? How are you doing with meeting those challenges?
I have some goals for this next year. They basically involve health and “unspending”. So far there have been good days and bad days for each – but I have comfort in knowing that no matter what happens on this one day, I will try my best, but tomorrow is a new day.

What are you going to to with your tomorrow? Make it great!

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To celebrate Get Organized Month, Attend the FIRST ever ASK THE ORGANIZER! Monday January 23 at 9:30 I will be having a casual meet and greet time. If you would like to join me at Panera Bread and pick my brain, please RSVP on our Facebook page under Events. https://www.facebook.com/events/274446009284772/

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Technorati Tags: Announcement,Excitement,New Year,New Day,Ask the Organizer

It’s GO Month!

2012-01-06T12:55:00.001-05:00

Every year Getting Organized is in the top ten for New Year’s resolutions. If organization is one of your resolutions this year, contact me before the end of January to take advantage of last year’s rates. Book a session before February 1, 2012 and SAVE!

Technorati Tags: NAPO,GO Month,Get Organized,New Year's Resolutions,NYE,NYD,Jacksonville,Professional organizer,Organizing is fun!

Simplify the Season: Ho ho ho, Put away, here we go!

2011-12-25T21:05:00.001-05:00

Just when you thought our series had ended, you find out there’s still more to this Simplifying the Season Adventure! We have reached the end of Christmas day, my friends. Or what I like to call… dun dun dun… The Aftermath.

Whew! Christmas is OVER!

Why do we so often feel like this on Dec 26? We’ve just had a joyous celebration. Everything we planned and worked for is complete. Hopefully there were no major incidents/catastrophes and everyone even got what they wanted!

But then… We look around…

Wrapping. Boxes. Gift Bags. Tissue Paper. Dishes! Need I go on?

New STUFF that needs to find a spot SOMEWHERE in your home.

SO MANY New Year’s resolutions are made to De-clutter! It’s no wonder that January is National GET ORGANIZED MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sit back. Relax. Enjoy the twinkle lights a few more days. Breathe deeply and remember the real reason we just celebrated has nothing to do with the clutter at your feet. Let’s just think up a plan:

Step 1 – Make sure there are no gift cards/checks/cash/etc in the gift wrap. You don’t want to lose anything of value. PUT THOSE GIFT CARDS AND CHECKS IN A SPECIAL PLACE. And make a note to yourself in your planner WHERE you put all of those wonderful items.

Step 2 – Discard/Recycle all old gift wrap and packing materials. If you are a re-user, fine – put it ALL away NOW. If you don’t have room with your gift wrap to put it all away, choose the nicest and give the rest to your distant relative to re-use. (I’m just teasing!) What I’m saying is, if your gift wrap stash is already full, you don’t NEED to keep EVERYTHING from this Christmas too. Remember, this is about Simplifying! You can even shred the wrap into strips to use as packing material.

Step 3 – Separate gifts into “whose” piles or “room” piles. (This is a good time to use your empty laundry baskets for sorting.) If you have children you will want to do the piles for each person, most likely. Otherwise you will have piles for rooms of the house where the new gifts will go to live… kitchen, family room, play room, bed room, bathroom, garage…. donate… return….

Step 4 – When you move these gifts from their piles to their more permanent homes, keep in mind the “one in one out” rule! For every new item that is coming in an old item has to go. Look at existing space. Decide what things you were just gifted that may replace an older item. Decide what things are in the playroom that need to go to make room for newer gifts. Decide what books you can pass on to make more room on your bookshelf. Are you getting the picture?

Step 5 – Donate the old. Cherish the new. Return the unwanted. Remember that many returns expire quickly. If someone was an early shopper and gifted you with an unwanted item, you will need to act fast! I say this with love and sincerity in my heart. Certain people will buy me clothing as gifts… and ALWAYS in the wrong size. While I am flattered that someone thinks I may wear a size Small… ha ha ha… Let’s just say that isn’t going to happen! Act quickly on returns.

Enjoy this week! Relish is the last days of the beautiful twinkling lights and the knowledge that a baby was born to die for you. Peace on earth. Good will toward men.

Start to think about your New Year’s Resolutions. New Year’s Day is just a week away!! I’ll share my thoughts on resolutions with you next time.

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized (or you want some help Simplifying YOUR Season), and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,Gifts,Christmas,Holidays,One in one out rule,Organized

Simplify the Season: Merry Christmas!

2011-12-16T19:14:00.001-05:00

Ok, so it isn’t the shopping or the family traditions, or the baking, or even the special moments stolen with myself or a loved one during this season that are my absolute favorites. My A#1, favorite thing about Christmas is the REASON we celebrate. Most importantly that I can share it with you. The true meaning of Christmas is celebrating Christ’s birth, so I would like to wish you a Blessedly Simplified Season for Christmas by sharing Scripture from Luke 2:8-20.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[^a^] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Thank you for joining me today on your journey to Simplify the Season. I look forward to hearing from you about what worked and what didn’t on your Christmas trek to a less complicated/less demanding holiday. May you find time to ponder things in your heart this season as Mary did on that very first Christmas. I’ll see you next week and we’ll clear up the aftermath of Christmas. See my friend, the Simplifying isn’t quite over yet.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,Organizing,Christ is the Reason for the Season,Merry Christmas

Simplify the Season YOU!

2011-12-10T14:49:00.001-05:00

This is quite possibly my favorite part of Simplifying the Season! This time of year we are often doing so much for others, that we forget how important it is to take time for ourselves. It is not selfish to take a little extra time to do something for yourself. I am a fairly low maintenance gal. The extra few moments in the shower, taking the time to do my own nails, or the monthly massage appointment, taking a few evening minutes to read a book or watch (even part) of a movie - all make me better. I'm a better servant, a better spouse, a better mom, a better friend, a whole better me when I do these things.

As we draw towards the end of our Simplify the Season time together, Don't forget about you this Christmas Season. Make a plan. Put it on your calendar. Don’t neglect time for you. I can’t wait to share one more week of pre-Christmas Simplifying with you! Stay tuned; We’re not done yet.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,"me time"relax,fun,organized,Christmas,Holidays

Simplify the Season Wrapping

2011-12-05T11:21:00.001-05:00

Veni. Vidi. Visa.

We came.
We saw.
We did a little shopping.

How do you get all the gifts wrapped and keep it simple? Set up a gift wrap central if you have the space(and for some of these ideas, they will work in just about any space). Whether it is your dining table, spare bedroom, rolling cart, closet, under bed box, folding camp table, Big Orange 5 Gal bucket- get all of your wrap, bags, tissue, ribbons and bows into one space. This will make it easier to wrap gifts quickly, say --- during nap time or Sesame Street? My personal choice is thick under the bed type bins that house my gift wrap and ribbons. I am able to balance them across adjacent dining chairs as I carefully wrap all the gifts upon my dining table. I keep extra supplies (like scissors and scotch tape) in the gift wrap bin year round. The best tip I can offer you is to make your gift wrap central PORTABLE.

After gifts are wrapped you will need a place to stash them. Those needing hand delivery (like teacher gifts) can go into a box/bin in the car – if you have chocolates in there and it is going to be some time before they are delivered, you may need to find a cool dry storage place out of the way in the air conditioning – linen closet or laundry room… or maybe just in the corner BEHIND the tree. Just keep those “gifts on the go” separate from all of the other under the tree gifts… just don’t forget where you have hidden them. If you are likely to forget where you stashed them, make a note in your agenda/planner/PDA.

What’s a good way to keep nosy present peekers from spying on their gifts? Don’t tag them.

#1 Choose one wrap for each person. For example, all of Little Tommy’s gifts are in Silver themed paper and all of Little Sara’s gifts are in Red themed paper. I have used this method for separating “gifts to go” and “gifts that stay” also. No gift left behind!!!
#2 Choose one tag type or each person and leave the tag blank. For example, all of little Tommy’s gift tags are Snowmen and all of Little Sara’s gift tags are Santa.
Make a note of what wrap or tag theme you are using for each person in a special private spot (like your planner) if you have a tendency to have memory lapses (like I do!). It’s not as much fun to peek at someone else’s gifts as it is to spy your own.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,Organized,Gift Wrap,Holidays,Christmas,Wrapping

Quick List: Wrapping

2011-12-01T17:05:00.001-05:00

In case you’re in the mood for more than brown paper packages tied up with strings:

Wrapping Paper

Gift Bags

Tissue

Tape

Ribbon/Bows

Scissors

Pen/Marker

Labels/Gift Tags

Flat surface

Gifts!!!

(We’re getting ready to wrap! Gather your materials and stay tuned!!)

Technorati Tags: Simplify the season 2011,wrapping,gifts,organizing,Christmas,holidays

Simplify the Portraits

2011-11-28T09:22:00.001-05:00

Would you like to be able to Simplify the Seasonal Portraits? Schedule the Christmas portraits and Address the Christmas card envelopes early. Early, as in, the first week of December. It is ok if you “cheat” and have photo cards made which come with envelopes so that you don’t have to buy actual Christmas cards -- in that case, just make a list of card recipients. You can go one step further and make labels if you're super savvy. (Note: If you are planning to write a Christmas Letter, or using specialty photo cards, keep that in mind for addressing envelopes. You will not need card shaped envelopes. You will need letter sized envelopes. Wallet-sized photos will still fit nicely into letter sized envelopes.)

And write that Christmas letter now!

Technorati Tags: Cards,Photos,Christmas,Holidays,Say Cheese,Simplify the Season,Organize

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-23T20:00:00.001-05:00

Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.

Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for this year?

Technorati Tags: Happy Thanksgiving,Thankful,Simplify the Season,Holidays

Simplify the Season Shopping!

2011-11-22T12:26:00.001-05:00

Now let’s talk about Christmas shopping!!!!!!!! Could shopping possibly be a part of a Simplified Season? You betcha!!! And who doesn’t love shopping? I don’t mean the “sharpen your elbows, Black Friday, 3am” kind of shopping. Although if anyone can turn shopping into a contact sport those ladies sure can! If you are out there this weekend, have a great time!!!

My favorite thing about Christmas shopping is finding that PERFECT gift. The gift that you know that the receiver will open and love.

FIRST - Make a list of everyone for whom you will need to buy gifts. Include family, friends, neighbors, clients, your child's favorite playmate, service people (school teachers, nursery workers, babysitters, hair dresser, the staff members at an office you frequent regularly, postal worker, barista, whoever!). Even if the gift is "just" a plate of cookies, jot the person down. Great! So, my stress free friend, just by making the list of recipients, you may even get some gift ideas. Hooray for you! With just a little advanced planning, you are well on your way to a stress free Christmas Celebration.

SECOND-Think about that list of people you just made. Do you have to buy gifts for people whom you hardly know? Whether it is a brother-in-law or a boss, this can be a daunting task. What are their hobbies, and favorite sports teams? How do they spend their time?

There are several sites which offer GIFT FINDERS to help you narrow down a personality, generate ideas for a gift, even purchase the gift (amazon.com and gifts.com – just to name two).

Are you a parent or a grandparent (or an aunt) looking for toys for the tot in your life? Try the search features on www.target.com or www.toysrus.com for age appropriate toy ideas.

Still no luck finding the gift you seek? Get a gift card. Make it personal. Think about the recipient's tastes on this one. For example, if the recipient is a luddite, a gift card for an electronic or computer store is probably not the best idea; however a restaurant gift card for that uncle who enjoys fine dining - a gift card to you aunt’s favorite boutique - some movie passes for the college student – a Netflix subscription and a box of microwave popcorn for the new parents - and a bookstore gift card for the reader whose favorite author will be releasing a book past your holiday celebration deadline – all great ideas. Simple pairings make them personal by adding on some simple and inexpensive “tags” - a bag coffee candy (or bag of Starbucks truffles) with a Starbucks card, a bookmark with a book store card, a box of movie candy with the movie card. Now you’re thinking outside of the gift card envelope!!

One more shot… and it’s a good one!

Think about giving gifts of FOOD. If you know a person enjoys something in particular. What a great way to make someone’s holiday breakfast more simple than an easy muffin mix!

Experiential gifts are also a great way to keep the clutter at bay. For a child: Seasonal Zoo, Water Park, or Theme Park passes really go a long way. Whether it’s a date for your spouse, or a special day out with your favorite kiddo, even a round of mini golf or a night of pizza and ice cream are a great gift to give. They cost little, other than time. They don’t add to the clutter in your home. They help you create happy memories with someone you love and WANT to spend time with.

As a family, we love to be generous and give to others, especially during the holidays. We try to Simplify our Season by only purchasing a few gifts for our child. There are things that we would rather spend DOING with him than GIFTING (plastic toys) to him. We usually choose a small gift and a large gift. I also use this time to set up traditions. He gets an ornament every year and Christmas/winter themed pajamas. Those are more things that I want him to have than things he would choose, so I do not consider them gifts. We have Christmas pictures taken. We usually chose a charity to give to - adopting an angel from the angel tree or filling a shoe box for Samaritan’s Purse.

I have a friend who gives their children each three gifts as a reminder of the three gifts of the magi.

When you are shopping, keep in mind that you are going to stay the course and have a Simplified Season. Keep your list updated and keep it handy while you shop. That’s right! Take it with you. You’re making a list and checking it twice here! That’s how it is going to stay simplified.

One final note on shopping. Let’s not forget about on-line shopping to save time and gas money. This is especially great if you can find FREE SHIPPING options. Some sites (like Wal-Mart) will even let you ship to the store nearest you for free. Happy Cyber Deals, my friends!

Technorati Tags: Give,Cheery,Gifts,Christmas,Holidays,Simplify the Season,Organized,Shopping,Santa

Simplify the Traditions

2011-11-19T19:19:00.001-05:00

As we inch towards Thanksgiving and continue to plan for Christmas, share with me: What are some of your favorite Christmas time traditions? Are there things you can remember doing as a child during the holidays that you would like to pass down to your own children? Are there events in your area that you attend annually? Maybe there are some Season Spectaculars that you have always wanted to experience, but never seem to make the time. This is your year, my friend!

Our area boasts all sorts of local events from festivals to school plays. Free school concerts to Symphony Pops at their finest. Whether you and your family choose simply caroling in your neighborhood or the extravagance of going to the Nutcracker Ballet, make a plan!

First, list the events that are local to you that you/your family is interested in attending. It may not be possible to do it all. Pick and choose and save some events for next year. If your area isn’t rich with local happenings to enrich your traditions, create some of your own.

Trimming the tree
Holiday Baking
Caroling
Taking cookies to firemen, neighbors, shut-ins
Trips/Vacations
Hosting a Party

After listing your preferred events, do a little research. Find out when, where, and how much it costs.

After selecting the celebrations you wish to be a part of, go ahead and add these events to your calendar. Make a plan to go.

Have a Holly Jolly Time!

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,Organizing,Thanksgiving,Christmas,Holidays,Traditions,Family

Simplify the Season Baking!

2011-11-19T19:16:00.001-05:00

Last week we discussed traditions. Thanks for sharing your memories and traditions with me. It seems that there was one overwhelming theme through many of your responses. Everyone loves a good Christmas Cookie!

This week’s challenge is to plan out your Christmas baking. For this, I have a few “rules” to live by that will keep you from going insane.

#1 - Don’t go overboard!
Pick a couple of favorites and do them. It’s hectic trying to bake 7 or even 5 DIFFERENT goodies.
Get your books out early (like now) and make a list of ingredients so that you can start grocery shopping for them a little at a time. Your bank account may thank you.

#2 - Schedule time – whether you do a little of prep/baking over the course of several days or you spend one huge weekend in the kitchen… PLAN IT.

#3 - Consider Baking with a friend. Each pick 2 goodies to make. Make twice as much as you usually would. Then split. Not only do you have more goodies to go around, you are building in fellowship with friends during an especially busy time of year. You’re also investing time in a fellow human being, which lets them know that they are important! I have fantastic memories of sharing baking with friends as an adult.

#4 - If you’re baking at home, remember that even little (washed!) hands can help. It’s important to invest in those littlest hands as often as we can! I have great childhood memories of baking Christmas Cookies with my mom and older brother.
Let a pint-sized helper add the ingredients into the big mixing bowl, stir with a spatula or spoon, even crack an egg! Sure it’s messy, but messes can be cleaned up. Want more motivation to involve your kiddos (or grand-kiddos)? This is a great way to discuss fractions while having fun. Plus it reinforces that some math is useful in everyday life! Really. It is. I promise!

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season,Baking,Christmas,Holidays,Celebrate,Keep your sanity,organizing

The time has come!

2011-11-13T15:57:00.001-05:00

It is officially November! Halloween is over. Winter weather is (somewhat) upon us here in NEFL. Santa has made his mall debut. Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away. What does all of this mean? It’s time to prepare before the holidays sneak up on us. It is time, my friends to – Simplify the Season 2011!

If you haven’t already, let's take care of Thanksgiving Meal Planning. Which family member is hosting this year? Are you having Lunch or Dinner? If you're the hostess, make a list of dishes to be prepared. Whether you decide on turkey or ham, pumpkin pie or pecan pie, mashed potatoes or rice – Make sure to decide! Make a plan and keep it Simple this Thanksgiving! Have fun and dole out the responsibility! That's right. Let Aunt Emma make the sweet potatoes. That not only frees you up from cooking an extra dish here and there -- let’s face it you can still cook your favorites -- it allows everyone to be a part of the celebration. You may want to let the bachelor uncle stick with being the ICE BRINGER. It is an important role.

To keep track of all the planning check out ListPlanIt.com ‘s Occasions section for Holiday Party Planners, Thanksgiving Meal Planners, Thanksgiving Shopping List, and MORE.

If you have family coming in for the holiday the night before, would you like a great idea for what to feed these weary travelers? Wouldn’t you like it to be simple? How about an easy crock-pot stew, chili, or spaghetti? It will stay warm if traffic or a flight causes a delay.

Keep these same things in mind when planning your Christmas dinner! Look at that! You just moved a month ahead of the game! Woo hoo!

Simplify the Season Binder Revealed.

2011-11-08T09:51:00.001-05:00

As we move toward our time to Simplify the Season 2011, I have been pouring over my notebook to guide us along. There are SIX individualized sections in my notebook: TimeLine, Party Planning, Baking, Portraits/Cards, Wish Lists, List of ME TIME Activities, Family Traditions/Outings.

TimeLine: Contains monthly calendars of October-January. I keep this separate from my planner because it contains ONLY my Simple Season plans. These plans coincide with the weekly blogs you will read through the next few months.

Party Planning: Includes our plans for Thanksgiving Dinner through New Year’s Brunch and any party or family event that we host in between. This includes guest lists, menus and “Who is Bringing What”. (Perfect for that cookie decorating party with the little ones or a Mom’s Night In cookie exchange party.)

Baking: This is a great place to house your favorite Christmas goody recipes, the ones that are favorites year after year.

Portraits/Cards: This section holds my holiday cards, address book, and photos to insert into cards. (Stamps and a pen are housed in a pencil pouch in the front of my notebook. Also, if I receive a card for someone and have not previously known their address, I can Simply tear off their return address from their envelope and put it in this section to correspond with them at a later time.

Wish Lists: Every child’s favorite section! This section holds wish lists, budget, store locators, and “crafts for gifts” ideas. I also keep an envelope marked “Christmas Receipts” in this section.

List of ME TIME: so that I do not neglect myself during a busy holiday season, I keep a running list of ways to spend my precious alone time.

Outings/Traditions: Contains a list of area happenings that the family enjoys going to year after year – along with a list of new things we may want to try each year. I have high hopes that one of these years, we will get to go on that scenic historic holiday trolley ride with hot cocoa!!!

All wrapped up: This was just a plain green binder. I recycled some old Christmas wrap that was past it’s prime, so that it would be a little more festive and gave my plain old binder a little bit of pizzazz.

So there you have it: my Simplify the Season Binder has finally been revealed to you all. Now let’s get ready to SIMPLIFY YOUR SEASON!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-11-02T19:14:00.001-04:00

People with clear, written goals,
accomplish far more in a shorter period of time
than people without them could ever imagine.
~ Brian Tracy

This is very good news! As we head into Simplify the Season 2011, keep your goals in mind!

Technorati Tags: quote,inspiration,time management,organization,fun,goals

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-10-19T12:29:00.001-04:00

Without goals and plans to reach them,
you are like a ship that has set sail
with no destination.
~ Fitzhugh Dodson

Weekend Quick List: Trick or Treat!

2011-10-15T15:22:00.001-04:00

Pumpkin/Knife/Candle/Newspaper = Jack-o-lantern

A Hearty Dinner!

Costumes

Face Paint/Masks

Flashlight (with batteries)

Copious Amounts of Candy

Vessel to RECEIVE Candy
(pumpkin head, grocery sack, tote, pillow case, etc)

Vessel to DISPENSE Candy
(large bowl)

Working Porch Light

Post Treats Movie - to unwind
Our personal Favorite is “The Great Pumpkin”!
Who doesn’t love Charlie Brown?

Technorati Tags: Halloween,Trick or treat,Pumpkin,Fall,Organizing,Quick List,Pumpkin Carving,October

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-10-12T11:03:00.001-04:00

“Produce great pumpkins,
the pies will follow later.”
~Will

Technorati Tags: quote,inspiration,fall,fall quote,this one's a thinker,work now on the small things

Quick List: Entertainment

2011-10-08T10:01:00.001-04:00

I’m alone “trapped” at a very lovely beach condo in the middle of a Nor'easter Storm, so I’ve decided to create a Quick List for things to do in order to entertain oneself in a similar situation. Thankfully, I do have power.

Watch the scenery.

Fold some laundry.

Get some work done. (Hello blog readers!)

Clean house.

Read a book.

Play Angry Birds.

Watch an old movie.

Make that phone call you’ve been meaning to make.

Play real Solitaire (with real cards!)

Relax.

Technorati Tags: vacation,productivity,organizing,relaxation,storm

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-10-05T07:10:00.001-04:00

Procrastination is opportunity's assassin.

~Victor Kiam

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-09-28T10:01:00.001-04:00

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.

~Walt Disney

Technorati Tags: quote,Disney,Wisdom,organizing

Friday’s Quick List: Fall

2011-09-23T13:36:00.001-04:00

Happy Fall Y’all!
Autumn is welcoming us to a new season today!

What better time to make a quick list about our favorite Fall things?

Cooler Weather

Colored Leaves

Apples

Apple Pie

Pumpkins

Fun Costumes

Neighbors

Warm drinks

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Muffins….

What’s your favorite thing about Autumn?

Technorati Tags: Fall,Autumn,Scarecrow,I love FALL

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-09-21T08:27:00.001-04:00

Sometimes the questions are complicated
and the answers are simple.
~Dr. Seuss

The countdown has begun!

2011-09-17T20:13:00.001-04:00

It is still Summer here; Fall has not yet “officially” begun. But friends, it is a mere 99 days until Christmas.

While we here at OWJ do not start Simplifying the Season with you for a few more weeks, we thought it was worth the mention. The clock is ticking.

Don’t forget to check out the countdown with List Mama, Jennifer Tankersly of List Plan It. http://listplanit.com/ There will be plenty of things to learn in her daily emails as well.

Meanwhile we will dust off our Simplify the Season Crate of OWJ wisdom and giveaways. Stay tuned here for ways to ease into your holiday planning with us for Simplify the Season 2011!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-09-14T08:48:00.001-04:00

A teacher affects eternity;
he can never tell where his influence stops.
~Henry Brooks Adams

Artwork Trash or Treasure

2011-09-09T20:56:00.001-04:00

I talk to many people about what their number one organizing issue is. The answer always boils down to the same thing: PAPER. I’ve written about paper management before. I even give talks on it! At these talks, I often meet parents who are overwhelmed with the amount of paper creations their children make. Children love to create. And as parents, it is sometimes hard to know what to treasure and what to trash. Pay attention to the following, and you just may learn how to whittle down that enormous tower of art hovering in the corner.

For most of us, it is the beginning of a new school year. The children have all gone back to school and we are starting to get a handle on having a new schedule and some different routines than our Summer months allowed. What a perfect time to set up a system for acquiring your child’s artwork.

Display.
We are all so proud of our children for the hard work that they do. Set up a display place for their art and good works to rotate. It can be a special bulletin board, the refrigerator door, or a rotating frame gallery. I especially like an art wall a friend has made by stringing some heavy wire between two wall hooks and using clothespins to attach art and create a gallery wall.
(ala Pottery Barn’s cable system)
Leave things on display as time and space allow. When new creations come in, the older art can move to the next phase…

Gather.
Whether it is a fancy basket, a cardboard bankers filing box, or a plastic tub – designate a location for art and special papers to collect. We will call this the “Art Basket”. Just having everything in one spot makes the next step so much easier!

Sort Together.
Pick a time each month to sit down with your child and sort through the Art Basket. Keep 4 items total for each month. Let you child choose favorites and have him tell you WHY it is a favorite or WHAT makes it special. If you choose 4 pieces of art for each month, that is approximately one per week. Think of your child’s entire elementary school career. You will be saving roughly 36 pieces of art each year, multiplied by 6 years for a total of 196. That’s nearly 200 projects to look back on with warm fuzzy memories! (Add to that special holiday memorabilia, summer camp, and at-home creations and the number reaches even higher!)

Go digital.
Because it may be hard to let some things go, particularly if you think that SOME DAY my child is going to miss this precious piece of paper and the accomplishment that it portrays – then by all means, take a picture. It may even be fun to take a picture of your child WITH his art so that you can see how small he was when he made that gorgeously weird squiggly thing-bob. Keep the printed pictures stored with the other artwork so that everything remains together as a fond memory unit. Not much of a photog? You don’t have to be! Many art pieces can even be scanned. Store all the art in one digital file so that you and your child can watch their artistic progression as a slide-show!

Taking pictures is also a great way to “store” a 3-D art project without actually keeping it around.

Letting go.
Yes, friends this is the "TRASH” step. If your child (or you) have a difficult time throwing out all of the artistic genius that lies before you, mail it to relatives for them to enjoy. If there are grandparents living far away, it may be a good way for them to stay in touch with your child and it will also give your child something to share with their grandparents.

Store.
Now that I have all of this artwork sorted, what do I do with it? Notebook, portfolio, memory box. Choose one way to store it and SET A LIMIT. Need more ideas on specific storage? Drop me a line!

Keep it up!
This does require time and maintenance, just like anything else in life. Your child will probably look forward to spending time with you, looking through their monthly accruement of papers and sharing memories about the special creations. As you sort with your children, you are teaching them several important life skills! You will not only enjoy spending time sorting through art with your children, but also the fun of creating an art gallery to showcase their work. Doesn’t that sound better than a pile of papers that needs to be shuffled around the dining room table? Bonus!

Technorati Tags: art,papers,kids,school,organizing,paperwork,trash,treasure,growing up

Later is Clutter’s Best Friend.

2011-09-04T07:56:00.001-04:00

I heard that quote recently from Peter Walsh during his OWN show “It’s all too much” and I’ve been pondering it ever since. It’s simple really. I’ll make a decision about that LATER. I’ll throw that out LATER. I’ll go through that box LATER. I’ll pile the donations here for now so that I can donate them LATER. So then what happens? All of those piles for “later” tend to sit around and take over. They begin to take on lives of their own and make friends in the process of waiting. Those “later” items begin to take over and now they have morphed into CLUTTER.

Problem #1: When is “later”?
Later needs to be better defined. I may fold the laundry and leave it in my laundry room until all of the laundry for the day is done so that it can all be put away together “later” – at the end of the day when the laundry is done. I do not care to run laundry around my house 9 times in one day just so that it can all put put away at the end of the cycle.
I may place the recyclables in the garage so that the next time I go outside “later” I will take them with me to the blue bin – the next time I go outside. Especially in the heat, I try to go outdoors as few times as possible. Those empty plastic bottles can definitely wait half a day to complete their journey.
What’s the solution? Set a deadline for “later”. Heck, write a date on the donation bag and plan time in your daily log to take it to the donation site. If you can’t take it by that date, then promise to call a charity to pick it up on that date.

Problem #2: Is keeping something for “later” always a bad thing?
I may toss a magazine in a basket to read “later” when I have some free time – but what if that free time never arrives? Good question. In the case of the magazine in the basket: The basket is only so large. While a certain amount of magazines will fit into the basket, eventually it fills up. Do I get a second basket to hold even more magazines? Do I find a larger container? NO!!! My magazine space has been filled. I have some options. I can go through the basket and get rid of those magazines that do not interest me, are out of date, are no longer relevant… OR I can just refuse to let any more magazines enter my home. Either way, there is a finite amount of space allotted for magazine storage. When that amount of space is full, a decision has to be made. Does it make sense to set aside pleasure reading for “later”? SURE. What sense would it make to drop everything in order to read each magazine the moment it came in from the mailbox? That would really get my Time Management Panties in a wad!

Is Later really Clutter’s best-friend? In many many instances, I would have to say YES! If Later has a short-term deadline, I believe that is acceptable. If Later has a SMALL, reasonable limit, I believe that is acceptable. It is when Later never comes that Clutter is able to breed and grow.

What do you think about LATER? Do you have any related points to ponder?

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-09-01T09:02:00.001-04:00

Education is the movement from darkness to light.
~Allan Bloom

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Quick List: Office Supply Favorites

2011-08-27T15:16:00.001-04:00

It has been awhile since I blogged a Weekend Quick List and I miss them! How about you? Check out my favorites. Just in time to snatch up some “Back to school” pricing bargains for the office.

Good, old-fashioned legal pads. Brain-storming, list making, doodling, etc – I just love having something tactile to work on.

A good black pen. I love my Sharpie Pen. (Yes I said PEN – not Marker.)

… But while we’re talking Sharpies – The markers do come in handy, so I keep a couple of different colors on hand.

Paper Clips.

Post-its: Notes, Labels, Page Markers.

Pencil with a good eraser.

White-out tape.

Stationary and stamps – because the hand-written is so extraordinary.

Color-coded hanging files – makes locating files at a glance so much more simple.

The File Box – Useful for files, storage, and transporting stuff. They come in lots of colors, but I like to keep things simple in the office space.

What are some of your favorite office supplies? What keeps you on task and organized while you work?

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home or office better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: office supplies,get 'em while they're hot,organizing

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-08-23T22:05:00.001-04:00

Education is not filling a pail
but the lighting of a fire.
~William Butler Yeats

(This is one of my favorites for this time of year!)
If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-08-10T10:13:00.001-04:00

In school, I could hear the leaves rustle
and go on a journey.
~Clint Eastwood

Are you a parent or a student who is looking forward to a bright school year?
This quote from Clint Eastwood reminds of of the reason for learning and the images a good book can conjure.

Technorati Tags: quote,school,journey,literacy

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-06-29T14:16:00.001-04:00

All our dreams can come true,
if we have the courage to pursue them.

~Walt Disney

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and dreaming of a more organized home or office, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: quote,Disney,dreams,organize,courage

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-06-22T12:31:00.001-04:00

“The only reason for time
is so that everything doesn’t happen
all at once.”

~Albert Einstein

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, OR NEED HELP PRIORITZING YOUR TIME and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: quote,organizing,time management

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-06-08T10:05:00.001-04:00

“I have decided to catch a Heffalump.”
Pooh to Piglet.
~A.A. Milne

What’s your Heffalump today?

Technorati Tags: Quote,Wisdom,Pooh Bear,Inspiration

Happy Birthday! A Sweet Organizing Deal for You.

2011-06-05T23:08:00.001-04:00

I LOVE all things Birthday! I love cake and ice cream. I love Birthday cake milkshakes. I love balloons. I love presents. I love feeling like a princess. I love being serenaded by wait staff (and grocery cashiers – yes it has happened!). I LOVE LOVE LOVE Birthdays.

When I was in elementary school, our class would always have an end of the year party. The last week of school usually coincided with my Birthday, so I usually (honestly) thought that the party was just for me. In high school, we often had final exams on my Birthday; not quite as much fun as my early years. In college, classes were out and I was usually off campus by the time my Summer Birthday rolled around. Of course, as adults, we usually have to work on our Birthday – which is only fun if you are blessed enough to be in a workplace that will actually celebrate.

Why all this talk about Birthdays? Because this is June – my Birthday month!!!!! And since I love all things Birthday, I thought I would share a little gift with you; a Summertime treat, if you will. If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com For June only – ONE FREE HOUR, with the purchase of a four hour session. Make sure to include “Birthday” in your email. That’s a savings of 25% on one session - up to $50. Multiple purchases allowed per customer. Applies to gift certificate purchases. Void where prohibited.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-06-01T00:15:00.001-04:00

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile
the moment a single man contemplates it,
bearing with him the image of a cathedral.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What’s your rock pile today?

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized (or a little help with your rock pile/cathedral project), and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Ready. Set. Summer!

2011-05-19T10:21:00.001-04:00

School is going to be out soon. I was in the process of compiling our Summer fun list when I realized that some of you might be compiling fun summer things too! Let me know what you have planned, locally or abroad. And while you’re thinking about that, feast your eyes on this domestic treat as I have assembled a packing list for you and your family!

One Plastic Laundry Bag per person. Put a dryer sheet in each bag. You’ll thank me at the end of the week when your dirty laundry is following you around. (If you have little ones, remember small bags for diaper disposal, as well.)

Add a separate bag for wet stuff (swim wear or otherwise). Keep in mind, a mesh bag will allow wet things to breathe.

Clothing:

Pajamas
Socks
Diapers AND WIPES/Underwear/Pull Ups
Pants/Shorts/Skirts
Shirts
Suit
Tie
Dresses and SLIPS
Stockings/pantyhose
Swim Wear (and swim diapers)
Swim cover-up/sarong
Light Sweater/Jacket
Shoes/Sandals/Sneakers/Dress Shoes/Flip Flops/Water Socks.

Toiletries:

Hair dryer, if not provided
Shampoo/Conditioner
Comb/Brush
Hair product – spray, gel, pomade
Hair clips and ties
Soap/Body Wash
Toothbrush/toothpaste/mouthwash/floss
Deodorant
Powder
Cotton Swabs
Lotion
Razor, Shaving Gel, After Shave
Cosmetics Bag – Don’t forget the moisturizer!
Makeup remover
Lip Balm SPF
Sunscreen AND after sun lotion
Contacts, Solution, Case, Drops
Glasses
First Aid
Nail kit
Feminine items
OTC and Prescription Medications
Vitamins

Sleep:

Special blanket/Pillow, and for the kiddos stuffed animals/lovies
We can’t go through an over night without “Spot the Cow”, our beloved pillow pet!

Misc:

Tote/Day Bag
Sunglasses!
Hat
Antibacterial Wipes/gels/lotions
Snacks and drinks (and napkins)
Camera and spare batteries
Rain gear – Umbrella/poncho/hat/coat
Beach Towels
Playing cards/Travel Games
Zip top bags
Sewing Kit
Mosquito Repellant
GUM
Flashlight and spare batteries
Cell phone – cord and charger
Travel Alarm (if not integrated into your phone)
Palm, Ipod, etc – charger
Laptop – cord and accessories
Stamps for mailing postcards “Wish you were here!”
Books/Magazines
Hostess Gifts
Sporting Equipment/Musical Equipment/IT Equipment

Paperwork:

Notebook and pen
ID and Insurance information
MAPS for en route
MAPS of your destination
Airline tickets or e-tickets
CONTACT INFO for your destinations (lodging) and family members. (Yes, I pack my address book)

This moves us along to ITINERARIES- two copies. Make sure to take one copy with (on your person/in your carryon) and leave a copy behind with a trusted family member or friend. This is especially important when flying. Include phone numbers of your destinations and your flight numbers on the itineraries. Make sure your confirmation numbers are recorded here. ALSO include the hours of operation and phone numbers for attractions.

Obviously we are talking about domestic summer travel. If you need to forgo the swim wear and pack the parka, then by all means make this list your own.

Don’t forget your favorite FURRY family members! Make sure Fluffy and Fido have their summer reservations. If pets are traveling with you, pack their items as well (kennel, leash, water and food dishes, bottled water and food, litter box, special bed/blanket/towel).

Tell me fellow travelers, did I omit anything essential? What items can you not live without on a trip?

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-03-16T08:15:00.001-04:00

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

~Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Technorati Tags: quote,st. patrick's day,blessing,irish proverb,Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-03-08T09:56:00.001-05:00

"Happiness and abundance
can be found in simplicity
and actually in less."

~Peter Walsh

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2011-03-02T08:45:00.001-05:00

Roses are Red.
Violets are Blue.

We love to organize.
How about you?

How would you finish this popular poem?

Technorati Tags: Roses,Love,Quote,Wisdom,Silliness

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-02-23T13:03:00.001-05:00

He is the happiest,
be he king or peasant,
who finds peace in his home.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-02-16T11:44:00.001-05:00

A man travels the world over
in search of what he needs,
and returns home to find it.
~ George Moore

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home to be your refuge, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail

juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: home,refuge,dreams,inspiration,quote,family,organizing

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-02-08T22:09:00.001-05:00

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined.

~ Henry David Thoreau

Technorati Tags: What's Your Dream?,2011,quote,Dreams,Organizing

Retro Purse Purge!

2011-02-07T00:21:00.001-05:00

We haven’t done one of these in a LONG LONG while so let’s “Take 15 minutes and…”

Clean Out Your Purse! (C’mon and join the game. It’s fun!)

Grab your purse and a trash can and get ready. It's time to clean out the deep recesses of the purse and ALL of the pockets.

1. Empty the entire contents. Go ahead- Dump it!

2. Sort into categories:
Keep in purse (wallet, cosmetics, gum, pain reliever, etc), – Put like items together in piles as you sort.
Put elsewhere (toys, receipts to file, mail, duplicates of items, etc),
Trash (expired receipts, candy/straw wrappers, open food items, obvious trash).

My find upon doing this task recently? An empty CapriSun. (Thanks, Boo!) What will you find?

If you have recently cleaned out your purse and think you are off the hook, how about your gym bag, your child's backpack, or your glove box/console in the car?

3. The trick now is FIRST putting all of those "elsewhere" items into their proper homes and SECOND putting the "trash" into the can.

4. Wipe down, mini-vac, or wash your purse (gym bag/backpack/glove box/console) before replacing the "keep" items.

5. Replace the "keep" items. If things are constantly getting lost in the deep abyss of your purse, try using a small cosmetic bag (or two) to hold certain items.

6. Smile! You have a lighter cleaner purse!

What did you find that surprised you the most?

Technorati Tags: Organized,Purse,Fun and Games

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-01-25T21:23:00.001-05:00

“Later” is Clutter’s Best-Friend.

~Peter Walsh

Technorati Tags: clutter,organize,quote,inspiration

New Year. New Closet.

2011-01-22T20:40:00.001-05:00

I am so excited about 2011 and organizing that I spent some time re-vamping my own closet today. It was a blast! Closets are often neglected because they are the clutter you can’t see. It’s easy to shut the door and have everything “out of sight, out of mind”. However, it can be really stressful to get ready in the morning when the hunt for clothes takes so much time. It doesn’t take a fortune to make over your closet. It’s time to take a deep breath and let the skeletons, or at least the clutter, out of your closet.

Where do I start?

The SORT
Make your bed. :)
Take everything out of the closet and lay it on your bed. (That’s why you have to make your bed first!)
Try to keep/put like things together if this is possible.
Separate the empty hangers from the dressed hangers.

The PURGE
This is one of those times where we can really see the 80/20 principle in action. We use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time. We wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. So why do we own the other 80%? And what can we do about it? Purge.

How do I know what to purge?
If you do not LOVE it…
If it does not look good on you…
If it is old, faded, or otherwise beyond repair…
If it does not properly fit…
If it is too big or too small…
If it is from a different era of you life…
If there are multiples of the same or a very similar item…
It is time to let it go.

What do I do with the things I have purged?
TRASH - if it is worn out, needs repair, etc PLEASE do not donate it. It has live its life and served its useful purpose and now it is time to let go.
DONATE– There is a plethora of local places just waiting for your wonderful items to come along. Think about the local City Rescue Mission, Food Banks, as well as Goodwill and Salvation Army
CONSIGN– This is a great option if you have brand name clothes that no longer fit your body or your style. You will not make back your entire investment. It is a way to ease the pain of letting go. ***Make sure you know the rules of the particular shop before you choose this option.
HAND DOWN – Maybe you have a co-worker, neighbor, or friend who could benefit from some of your castoffs. Many MOPS groups have a clothing trade for children’s clothes.
OTHER OPTIONS – ONLY if you are disciplined enough to set a “good-bye” date and time - freecycle.com, craigslist.com, ebay.com, yard sale

Now that you’ve purged it is time for the…
RELOAD.
Group like things together.
T-shirts, Dress Shirts, Collared Shirts. Pants. Skirts. Dresses. Ties. Scarves.
Group like colors together.
Use baskets and bins to group smaller items together on shelves. These don’t have to be fancy. You can use shoeboxes for ties and smaller wallets. Turn a milk crate on it’s side to store purses. Purchase baskets or small canvas bins to store out of season items. The important thing is to keep LIKE with LIKE.
Stick small plastic hooks on the wall to hold caps and belts.

This is an Itso Fabric Cube from Target. They come in many colors are are super sturdy!

Things to keep in mind for organizing Kids’ Closets.
Make it accessible.
-What they cannot reach or see they will not use.
Keep it kid friendly.
- Make it easy to choose outfits and easy to put things away.

How do I know how to divide the clothing in a Kid’s Closet?
Well, a definite must in any BABY closet would be to divide by size. They grow from those 6 month to the 9 month clothes in no time! What a great way to keep track! (Note sizes aren’t always accurate, so keep a watch on lengths, etc).
For older children (just like adults) I recommend ordering the closet by type of clothing. Not only are you doing yourself a favor now, you are teaching them how to have an organized closet for their grown up life. Remove any outgrown clothing as you sort.

I keep a box in the bottom of the closet for things to donate/hand down. As my son outgrows an item I don’t hang it back up when it returns through the laundry cycle. I simply toss it into the box.

I keep a basket in the top of the closet for clothing items that my son is not yet ready to use due to size or season. When he hits a growth spurt or the weather changes, I check that basket first before I plan any shopping.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through the closet. Let me know what your tips are for keeping your clothes in check. What are your problem closet areas?

Technorati Tags: organizing closets,2011,family,fun,i love my closet!

New Year. New Labels.

2011-01-17T20:23:00.001-05:00

Whether you’re just thinking of getting on the organization band wagon or you’ve been here a long time – Welcome! Welcome to my weekly blog and welcome to Eleven – It’s going to be a FUN year. I love that the year kicks off with National Get Organized Month. It’s like a fresh start for everything all at once! We can approach the year with wide eyes and long to-do lists knowing that there are 365 days to get everything on that list done. So where should our first stop be? For me, it’s giving you peak into my personal life with labels.

Last Fall Stuck On You, USA Labels joined the National Association of Professional Organizers as an affiliate sponsor. Having seen similar label products, I wanted to check them out and see what made these labels so different and special. After contacting the company I excitedly received my package of shoe labels, iron-on clothing labels, and sticky labels for everything else! And it all came in it’s own little zippered pouch! What could be more organized than that? To add to my excitement, the labels are adorable! Not only are they great bold colors, there is a charming little dinosaur graphic by my son’s (correctly spelled) name! Oh the joy!!! (And there are LOTS of different graphics to choose from!)

The true test for me was being able to label Allergy Boy’s containers of food with his name. These containers get micro-waved, frozen, stashed in the bottom of the backpack, shoved under the seat of the car only to be recovered weeks later… You probably get the idea. I’ve tried standard labels. They leave behind goo as they rub off – probably no thanks to my dishwasher. I’ve tried (the best marker ever) Sharpie. As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Sharpies, they just don’t hold up after being frozen/micro-waved/dishwashered/abused, time after time. Something’s gotta give and it’s the fading of the Sharpie that gives every time. So would these Stuck On You labels leave me with messy goo or just slide off the container as the previous labels had? NO! They stayed put. No goo. Hooray!!

(Isn’t that little pouch to keep the labels in precious?!)

That test down, I decided to check out the clothing labels. I live in Florida. We do not wear coats very often. However, when you need a coat, boy, do you need a coat! I choose to “buy used and save the difference” on anything I can. This winter one of those things was my son’s winter jacket. I had to chuckle when I picked it up for just a few bucks at a consignment sale. The previous owner’s Mommy apparently did not have such sweet labels; there was tape residue across the back from the former owner’s name tagging. Nothing a good amount of wash and elbow grease didn’t fix. Did I mention it was a steal? Stuck On You Clothing label easily ironed in. No need for guesses as to which jacket is my kiddo’s at the end of the day. And no tape residue.

Shoe labels are a perfect fit for the inner heel of any shoe. I’ve even seen some crafty mamas tag the outside of a rain boot with them to make tricky boot identification oh so simple.

(This is not the aforementioned coat.)

I haven’t gone hog wild crazy with my labels. Stuffed animals are still label free as are most toys. When the weather gets a bit warmer again and we’re visiting the park more, the sports equipment is going to be brandishing my son’s name. (Who knew that ALL soccer balls and sand shovels pretty much look alike?)

If you’re looking for labels for your kiddos, spouse, yourself, a new baby gift, or even a teacher gift head on over to http://www.stuckonyou.biz/usa/ and see what they have to offer.

I was provided with labels free of charge in return for doing a review. This post contains my honest opinion about the labels with which I was provided. The opinions expressed here are purely my own.

Technorati Tags: labels,stuck on you usa,review,organizing,NAPO,family,fun

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-01-12T07:49:00.001-05:00

“Give careful thought to your ways.
You have planted much
but harvested little.”

Haggai 1:5b-6a

Technorati Tags: Stop spinning your wheels,What are you planting in 2011?,quote,organizing

Quick List: New Year. New Resolutions.

2011-01-09T20:00:00.001-05:00

1. Lose Weight
2. Get Organized

3. Get Finances in Order
4. Live an Abundant Life
5. Learn Something New
6. Quit Smoking
7. Quit Drinking
8. Fall In Love/Find “The One”
9. Spend More Time with Family
10. Help Others

Did your resolution make the Top Ten for ELEVEN?

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like help achieving your goal of getting organized in ELEVEN, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: New YEar's Resolutions,NYR,2011,Organizing is FUN

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2011-01-05T11:01:00.001-05:00

We don’t work BETTER under stress,
we work FASTER under stress.

~Harold Taylor

Photo Credit: StockExchange.com

Technorati Tags: Time Management,Priorities,Peace,Quote

New Year. New Goals.

2010-12-31T01:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome Friends to 2011. This is the year where it all comes together. This is the time when resolutions are made, priorities are set, goals are established. Eleven. An odd year. A year that deserves attention. So what goals are you setting? Less coffee? De-clutter? Stop smoking? Stop yelling? Weight loss? Downsize to a smaller home? Upsize from your condo to your first home with your first real lawn? Be kinder to yourself?

There has been a ton of research on goal setting. Writing goals down can help you stay focused on your goal. People who write their goals are more likely to attain the goals they set out to achieve. More recently, I have learned a little about goal mapping. It goes a little something like this -

FIRST: Start with your goal in mind. Make it something measureable. If weight loss is your goal, select a number of healthy pounds to lose. If de-cluttering is your goal, decide by how much and stick to it. Make it something attainable. Losing 10 pounds? 20? Great go for it! Losing 300 pounds may be a stretch for just one year. De-cluttering the whole house in a year? Yes, that’s attainable. Doing it all in one weekend? May be attainable for some, but not for most. It probably took more than one weekend to accumulate the clutter, so it will most likely take more than one weekend to sort, purge, and organize your home.

SECOND: This goes back to the aforementioned research that writing goals helps us stick to them and achieve them. Jot it down. (I personally prefer middle of the page.)

THIRD: Think about what you need to do to get you from where you are now (Point A) to your Goal (Point B). For example, “1.Menu plan to 2.eat healthy foods and 3.make time to work out 4.twice a week doing 5.yoga and 6.weights.” After you’ve written all of the steps you need to take along the way…

FOURTH: Number them. “1.Stop shopping in order to 2.free myself from un-needed items that end up as clutter and 3.save some money to 4.plan a nice family outing/do home repairs/hire a professional/have a cushion in savings/pay off debt/etc.”

FIFTH: Use this activity to create your personalized step by step list that will help you reach your goal.

CAVEAT: Set some small deadlines along the way and include those dates in your list.

SIXTH: Find someone to keep you accountable. Post it on a social networking site, tell your best-friend, post a comment here. Tell someone, somewhere what your goal is.

Happy New Year!

Technorati Tags: New Year's Resolutions,NYR,Organizing,Goals,Priorities,Fun,Why is ELEVEN so exciting?

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-12-28T19:36:00.001-05:00

If the ladder is not leaning
against the right wall,
every step we take
just gets us to the wrong place faster.

~Stephen Covey

Technorati Tags: What wall are you heading towards?,goals,priorities

Ho Ho Ho – Put Away Here We Go! Simplify the Season 2010

2010-12-26T22:05:00.001-05:00

Just when you thought our series had ended, you find out there’s still more to this Simplifying the Season Adventure! We have reached Dec 26, my friends. Or what I like to call… dun dun dun… The Aftermath.

Whew! Christmas is OVER!

But then… We look around…

Wrapping. Boxes. Gift Bags. Tissue Paper.

New STUFF that needs to find a spot SOMEWHERE in your home.

SO MANY New Year’s resolutions are made to De-clutter! It’s no wonder that January is National GET ORGANIZED MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step 1 – Make sure there are no gift cards/checks/cash/etc in the gift wrap. You don’t want to lose anything of value. PUT THOSE GIFT CARDS AND CHECKS IN A SPECIAL PLACE.

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or searching for Organize With Julie. Want to follow me on twitter? Find me @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: simplify the season,the aftermath of Christmas,holiday,organize,one in one out rule

Simplify the Season: Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T07:49:00.001-05:00

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, or would like to know how to personally SIMPLIFY your Seasonal demands, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Christ is the Reason for the Season,Merry Christmas

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-12-21T23:05:00.001-05:00

I will honor Christmas in my heart,
and try to keep it all year.

~Charles Dickens

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Quote,Inspiration

Time for who? Simplify the Season 2010

2010-12-17T08:14:00.001-05:00

This is quite possibly my favorite part of Simplifying the Season! This time of year we are often doing so much for others, that it is important to take time for ourselves. It is not selfish to take a little extra time to do something for yourself. I am a fairly low maintenance gal. The extra few moments in the shower, taking the time to do my own nails, or the monthly massage appointment, taking a few evening minutes to read a book or watch (even part) of a movie - all make me better. I'm a better servant, a better spouse, a better mom, a better friend, a whole better me when I do these things.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,"me time",relax,fun

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-12-15T14:47:00.001-05:00

The only real blind person at Christmas-time
is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
~Helen Keller

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Quote,Inspiration

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-12-08T07:12:00.001-05:00

It is Christmas in the heart
that puts Christmas in the air.
~ W.T. Ellis

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Quote,Inspiration

Simplify the Portraits 2010

2010-12-05T12:30:00.001-05:00

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Pictures,Portraits,Christmas,Holiday,Organizing,Fun,Family,Say Cheese

Simplify the Wrapping 2010

2010-12-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

Veni. Vidi. Visa.

We came.
We saw.
We did a little shopping.

What’s a good way to keep nosy present peekers from spying on their gifts? Don’t tag them.

#1 Choose one wrap for each person. For example, all of Little Tommy’s gifts are in Silver themed paper and all of Little Sara’s gifts are in Red themed paper. I use this method for separating “gifts to go” and “gifts that stay” also. No gift left behind!!!
#2 Choose one tag type or each person and leave the tag blank. For example, all of little Tommy’s gift tags are Snowmen and all of Little Sara’s gift tags are Santa.
Make a note of what wrap or tag theme you are using for each person in a special private spot (like your planner) if you have a tendency to have memory lapses (like I do!). It’s not as much fun to peek at someone else’s gifts as it is to spy your own.

Technorati Tags: Holidays,Christmas,Simplify the Season 2010,Wrapping,Organizing,Family

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-12-01T09:50:00.001-05:00

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

~Oren Arnold

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Quote,Inspiration

Simplify the Shopping 2010

2010-11-28T15:54:00.001-05:00

My favorite thing about Christmas shopping is finding that PERFECT gift. The gift that you know that the receiver will open and love.

There are several sites which offer GIFT FINDERS to help you narrow down a personality, generate ideas for a gift, even purchase the gift.

Are you a parent or a grandparent (or an aunt) looking for toys for the tot in your life? Try the search features on www.target.com or www.toysrus.com for age appropriate toy ideas.

One more shot… and it’s a good one!

Think about giving “clutter free” gifts. Instead of just giving one more generic bath set -- know the giftee. Find out if they have a favorite brand or scent and go with that. Novel concept? You betcha! Have I stepped on any toes yet? Probably. Sorry, we’re simplifying!!!
Experiential gifts are also a great way to keep the clutter at bay. For a child: Seasonal Zoo, Water Park, or Theme Park passes really go a long way. Whether it’s a date for your spouse, or a special day out with your favorite kiddo, even a round of mini golf or a night of pizza and ice cream are a great gift to give. They cost little, other than time. They don’t add to the clutter in your home. They help you create happy memories with someone you love and WANT to spend time with.

I have a friend who gives their children each three gifts as a reminder of the three gifts of the magi.

When you are shopping, keep in mind that you are going to stay the course and have a Simplified Season. Keep you list updated and keep it handy while you shop. That’s right! Take it with you. You’re making a list and checking it twice here! That’s how it is going to stay simplified.

Technorati Tags: Cyber Monday,Holidays,Christmas,Planning,Simplify the Season 2010,Family,Shopping

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-11-24T08:39:00.001-05:00

Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.

Happy Thanksgiving!
What are you thankful for this year?

Simplify the Baking 2010

2010-11-20T20:08:00.001-05:00

This week’s challenge is to plan out your Christmas baking. For this, I have a few “rules” to live by that will keep you from going insane.

#2 - Schedule time – whether you do a little of prep/baking over the course of several days or you spend one huge weekend in the kitchen… PLAN IT.

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Baking,Holidays,Christmas,Planning,Fun,Organizing,Ho ho ho

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-11-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving was never meant
to be shut up in a single day.
~ Robert Caspar Lintner

What are you THANKFUL for today?

Technorati Tags: Thankful,Simplify the Season 2010,Quote,Inspiration

Simplify the Traditions 2010

2010-11-13T22:58:00.001-05:00

Trimming the tree
Holiday Baking
Caroling
Taking cookies to firemen, neighbors, shut-ins
Trips/Vacations
Hosting a Party

After listing your preferred events, do a little research. Find out when, where, and how much it costs.

After selecting the celebrations you wish to be a part of, go ahead and add these events to your calendar. Make a plan to go.

Have a Holly Jolly Time!

Technorati Tags: Simplify the Season 2010,Thanksgiving,Christmas,Holidays,Organizing,Family,Fun,Traditions,www.organizewithjulie.com

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-11-10T21:07:00.001-05:00

Purpose is the engine,
the power that drives and directs our lives.
~ John R. Noe

Technorati Tags: Organizing,Purpose,Simplify the Season 2010,quote,inspiration

The moment you’ve all been waiting for…

2010-11-09T14:53:00.001-05:00

It is officially November! Halloween is over. Winter weather is (somewhat) upon us here in NEFL. Santa has made his mall debut. Thanksgiving is just about 2 weeks away. What does all of this mean? It’s time to prepare before the holidays sneak up on us. It is time, my friends to – Simplify the Season 2010!

Keep these same things in mind when planning your Christmas dinner! Look at that! You just moved a month ahead of the game! Woo hoo!

Technorati Tags: Christmas,Thanksgiving,Simplify the Season 2010,Holidays,Planning,Organizing,Fun,Family

Photos courtesty of stock.xchng.hu

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-11-03T16:35:00.001-04:00

People with clear, written goals,
accomplish far more in a shorter period of time
than people without them could ever imagine.
~ Brian Tracy

I thought this one appropriate as we head towards the time in which we will… Simplify the Season 2010! Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: goals,time management,organizing,Simplify the Season 2010,Christmas,Holiday,quote

It’s Election Day, America

2010-11-02T15:05:00.001-04:00

Vote early and Vote often!

I’m just kidding.

But please, exercise your constitutional right to vote today!!!

Technorati Tags: family,country,vote,make it count

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-10-26T20:23:00.001-04:00

“For every minute spent in organizing,
an hour is earned.”

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like to earn some time back into your life and have your home better organized, choose the assistance of a professional organizer. E-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie.

Technorati Tags: time management,organizing,quote,NAPO

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-10-20T10:40:00.001-04:00

Failure is not fatal.
Failure should be our teacher,
not our undertaker. …
From honest failure can come valuable experience.

~ William Arthur Ward Quote

Technorati Tags: Organizing,Life,quote,Success

Are you ready to countdown?

2010-10-18T11:53:00.001-04:00

Fall has definitely begun. There’s no denying what’s next. Don’t fret. Check out http://100daystochristmas.com/ After all, we are just 68 days away and Jennifer Tankersly, ListMama, of ListPlanIt.com fame, will help you with a little bloggy saneness every day.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-10-12T22:33:00.001-04:00

“Organize your life around your dreams
and watch them come true.”

Technorati Tags: Dreams,"What's your dream? Everybody got a dream!",Organizing,Quote,Fun

Quick List: Trick–or-Treat

2010-10-09T21:35:00.001-04:00

Pumpkin/Knife/Candle/Newspaper = Jack-o-lantern

A Hearty Dinner

Costumes

Face Paint/Masks

Flashlight

Copious Amounts of Candy

Vessel to RECEIVE Candy
(pumpkin head, grocery sack, tote, pillow case, etc)

Vessel to DISPENSE Candy
(large bowl)

Working Porch Light

Post Treats Movie - to unwind
Our personal Favorite is “The Great Pumpkin”!
Who doesn’t love Charlie Brown?

Technorati Tags: Halloween,Trick or treat,Top 10 list,Fall,Fun,Kids,Organizing,Family

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2010-10-06T09:44:00.001-04:00

Even Miracles take a little time.
~ Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother

(Sometimes Organizing Does Too.)

Photo Friday: What is Organizing?

2010-10-01T23:48:00.001-04:00

Organizing doesn’t have to be drastic. It just has to make sense. Organizing takes things from a situation that isn’t working and movies towards a situation that is functional. Take the simple example of under a kitchen sink. In this first photo there are organizational systems (ie containers) in place, yet everything is crammed into the cabinet. There are duplicates of cleaners. One cleaner has to be removed in order to reach another. The tower of garbage bag boxes threatens to attack every time the doors are opened.

After a little adjustment, like cleaners were put into containers together and assigned specific homes within the cabinet. Boxes of garbage bags were re-assigned to the side of the cabinet. When there are multiples of an item stacking them behind in a deep cabinet (akin to a grocery shelf) makes it easier to see all inventory.

What’s under your kitchen sink???

Technorati Tags: kitchen,organizing,photo friday,simple soltution,NAPO,fun,Jacksonville

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

2010-09-29T11:15:00.001-04:00

One of the advantages of being disorderly
is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.
~ AA Milne

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, (or want someone to make those exciting discoveries alongside you!), e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: Winnie the Pooh Bear,Organizing,Not the kind of discoveries that are always fun,Reduce Stress,Adventure

Words of Wisdom (?) Wednesday

2010-09-22T09:42:00.001-04:00

Happy Fall Y’all!

Today is the first day of Autumn!!!
Can you believe it?

Technorati Tags: Fall,Autumn,Organizing,Welcome to Fall,Words of Wisdom Wednesday,This is my favorite Season of ALL

Closet Organization 101 – Kids Closets

2010-09-18T21:17:00.001-04:00

Children LOVE to be helpers. It is almost instinctive. It is important to teach children from an early age that things have a place and that they have the ability to put their things into the proper places. In order for children to be helpers and to put things away, they must be taught where their belongings should go… which means their belongings (including clothing) should all have homes.

Sure, you could buy closet rod dividers at your local home organizing store… but if you don’t need anything fancy, do not be afraid to make you own. What will you need? How about a pair of scissors, a Sharpie, some invisible tape/ribbon, and an index card? Sound too easy? It is!!!!

How do I know how to divide the clothing?
Well, a definite must in any BABY closet would be to divide by size. They grow from those 6 month to the 9 month clothes in no time! What a great way to keep track!
For older children and adults, I recommend ordering the closet by type of clothing. First sort the clothing into types and hang accordingly. Remove and outgrown clothing as you go.

Then make a list of what types of clothing you have. Those clothing types will become your personalized rod labels.

After listing your types on the index card in the appropriate height, the next step is to cut out the labels. Let your child help with this step! When children own a part of the organizing process, it is much easier for them to comply with the system.

In this closet, adhesive tape was used to secure the index card labels above the rod.

Voila, one super-organized and labeled child’s closet. A simple 30 minute project! Now even Dad knows the difference between play clothes and good clothes!

What are you waiting for? You can do this too!

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home (or closets!) better organized, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: clothing,closets,kids closets,DIY,organizing,simple

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-09-15T08:18:00.001-04:00

"When defeat comes,
accept it as a signal
that your plans are not sound,
rebuild those plans,
and set sail once more
toward your coveted goal."

~ Napoleon Hill

Technorati Tags: failure,overcoming,organizing,quote

Friday’s SHORT Quick List: Paperwork

2010-09-10T21:20:00.001-04:00

I like to talk about dealing with paperwork with the acronym RAFTS: Read Act File Trash Shred. So what do you do with the things that you need to keep on hand for every day use?

Start here:

Collect – And and All Lose Papers

Sort – Put Like Things Together

Purge – Get Rid of Expired Items

Categorize – When you sorted, what type of categories did you end up with?

You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled TOP TEN lists for Friday Quick Lists. :)

Technorati Tags: My Nemesis,The Beginnings of a Home Hub,Paper Sorting,Organizing is Fun!!!,Top 10 - er ummm 4.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-09-08T14:33:00.001-04:00

"You can't cross a sea by
merely staring into the water."

Rabindranath Tagore

Quick List: Diaper Bag

2010-09-04T21:04:00.001-04:00

Diapers and Wipes

Ointment of Your Choice (Aquaphor is a great all-in-one, my personal opinion)

Changing Pad

Change of Clothes for Baby – down to the socks

Extra T-Shirt for Mom (Trust me!)

Pacis/Teething Toys

Bottles

Pre-measured Formula

Snacks for Baby and Mom (Don’t forget to hydrate the mommy!)

Blanket and Burp Cloths

Technorati Tags: Quick List,Baby,Family,Top Ten,Organized,so many new babies in my life!

Thursday’s Words of Wisdom: Labor Day

2010-09-02T10:19:00.001-04:00

That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.

Routines and Schedules for Back to School

2010-08-30T18:32:00.001-04:00

Back to school time brings a change in routine. Many of you have been experiencing that change the past few weeks. Some of you are anticipating that change soon. My personal back to school season started mid-August sending my teacher-husband back to the classroom. It always an exciting new year unpacking his classroom and getting things organized. He is so blessed to have a great parent volunteer to assist him in staying organized throughout the year. In addition to getting the hubby’s big kid classroom set up in a school, I am continually modifying our home classroom for our son. This year we start Homeschool Kindergarten. Moms and homeschoolers, stay tuned. I will have lots of what works and some of what didn’t when organizing our school area. So as far as change in routine goes, our family routine changes twice. Once when the husband begins his school year and then again when we begin ours at home.

Why not start both school years at once?
We all need time to adjust to change, especially my son. It is really hard to be a 5-year-old, whose constant playmate (Daddy) for the past three months is suddenly gone all day. If you have multiple children, I imagine they all need time to adjust to new school year change. I would even venture to guess that they may adjust at different rates. Keep the first few weeks of school as flexible as possible.

What do you do with sleepy heads in the morning?
I give me coffee. In copious amounts. I am NOT a morning person and never have been. My child, however awakes happily before 7am each day and is ready to begin the day head-first. If this means I must occasionally begin the morning’s instructions in my pjs to take advantage of his focus hours, then so be it. Do as much planning and getting things ready the night before so that mornings are not a time to rush. Get everyone to bed at a reasonable hour. Use a gentle approach and give sleepy heads extra time. Your parental exasperation will not make their day start any more pleasantly… yours either for that matter.

How do I keep track of the onslaught of new information and activities?
Step 1: Get a really good planner AND USE IT.
Step 2: Assemble a Home Hub.
It really is that easy. Want to know more? Let me know!

The start of school is an exciting time. I hear so many parents say “I can’t wait for school to start so that I can regain our routine.” In that one simple phrase what I am hearing is, “Summer has been fun, but I am ready for things to return to normal now.” I want you to know that I can relate and I can help you along the way.

Technorati Tags: back to school,home hub,routines,schedules,plan ahead,organizing,family,homeschool

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-08-25T09:27:00.001-04:00

Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire.

~ William Butler Yeats

Quick List: Cleaning Supplies Warning: Not a GREEN List

2010-08-21T13:15:00.001-04:00

Dish Washer Detergent

Laundry Detergent

Stain Remover

Bleach

All -Purpose Spray

Bathroom Cleaner

Toilet Cleaner and Brush… OR Toilet Wands

Anti-Bacterial Wipes

Rubbing Alcohol

White Vinegar

Now that the kids are back in school, it’s the perfect time to get the house ship-shape!

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized (this post should in no way infer that we are a cleaning service), and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Technorati Tags: clean,back to school,i love the smell of bleach

Thursday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-08-19T19:59:00.001-04:00

Education is a better safeguard of liberty
than a standing army.

~ Edward Everett

Thursday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-08-12T20:01:00.001-04:00

The larger the island of knowledge,
the longer the shoreline of wonder.

~ Ralph W. Sockman

Technorati Tags: School,Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Quick List: School Supplies.

2010-08-05T22:12:00.001-04:00

Writing utensils. Pens, Pencils.

Art supplies. Markers, Crayons, Glue, Scissors.

Tissues.

Paper. Writing Paper, Copy Paper, Construction Paper.

Notebooks/folders. Composition Books.

Pencil Box.

Lunch Box.

Back Pack.

Labels, Labels, Labels!!! (more about labels coming soon!)

Little extras: Erasers, Ruler, Hi-lighters.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-08-02T23:13:00.001-04:00

What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge,
and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.

~ George Bernard Shaw

Back to School. It’s true.

2010-07-30T20:48:00.001-04:00

So maybe there is one whole more blissful month of summer for you, still it never hurts to be prepared. Not only have the school supplies been taking over our big box stores for the past few weeks, the sales flyers this past weekend were rampant with school supply sales. Our local school district resumes the school year in just weeks! Many private schools go back even soon! Time to prepare!!!

Buy all of your back to school goodies - now before they disappear. Most Big Box and Office Supply stores have lists available (some even by school!) for your student’s needs. Don’t wait until after Labor Day or your child’s favorite character lunch box may have disappeared off the store shelves.

Get a schedule/Keep a schedule. Routine is important for children to be able to do their best. It eases tension and chaos in the home as well. Want to learn how to make a schedule that will work? Contact me here juliebavi@gmail.com Start with your routine schedule a week or two before school starts in order to conquer the back-to-school-schedule-shock.

Plan ahead as much as possible. From picking out clothes to making lunches and packing back packs, the more you do ahead, the less there is to do last minute. Less is forgotten and there isn’t a fretful morning rush. Wouldn’t it be great to start each school day with laid back smiles instead of frantically searching for homework and lost shoes? Want to learn more? Check out this post for some helpful hints.

Revamp your Home Hub. This is the PERFECT time of year to reinvent the wheel… ummm… I mean Hub with new schedules, new activities, new class directory, new school info. If you are in the Jacksonville or St. Johns area, there may be a Home Hub Party happening near you soon. Contact me for more details!

Here’s to a great year. We start a new exciting adventure in first grade this year! Yippy!!

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like your home better organized (or would like support assembling a Home Hub for your household) and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or searching for Organize With Julie. Want to follow me on twitter? Stalk me @juliebavi.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-07-28T00:07:00.001-04:00

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards;
they try to have more things, or more money,
in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier.
The way it actually works is the reverse.
You must first be who you really are,
then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

~ Margaret Young

If you are in the Jacksonville/St. Johns area and would like to begin living your life in order, and would like the assistance of a professional organizer, e-mail juliebavi@gmail.com You can also find me on Facebook by clicking HERE or by searching for Organize With Julie. Stalk me on twitter @juliebavi.

Quick List: Dorm Room

2010-07-23T12:19:00.001-04:00

Shower curtain

Linens (Bath: Towels, Wash Cloth, Bathmat and Bedding: Mattress topper, Pillow, Sheets, Comforter)

Command Hooks AND Over Door Hooks

Hamper/Laundry Basket/Laundry Bag

Small Trash Can

Mini Fridge and Microwave (where allowed)

Shower Tote/Caddy

Clothes

Computer (with backed up files), Other Electronics (iPod, Cell Phone) and accessories (chargers, car chargers, docking stations)

Extras: photos from home, teddy bear, marker board, posters, bed risers, storage trunk, shoe rack/storage, extra hangers, CDs, DVDs

First Aid Kit

Pantry Kit

School Supplies

Toiletries

If you don’t send it with your student from home, there will probably be a store nearby where you can purchase any of these items. You may want to visit some websites to make note of where the local stores are for your student. Visit a Stuff-Mart, Pharmacy, and Grocery Store with your student and make sure they know how to get there should the need arise.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

2010-07-21T21:55:00.001-04:00

Guard well your spare moments.
They are like uncut diamonds.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quick List: Packing for Camp

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Clothes

Swim Wear

Extra Shoes (for when the first ones make their trip through the spring/storm/lake/swimming pool)

Toiletries (see previous list)

Hair Dryer

Towel

Bedroll (Alternately Pillow, Sheet Set, Blanket, Sleeping Bag)

Cell Phone/Calling Card

Minor First-Aid Kit (First Aid Cream, Bug Bite Ointment, Band-aids, Q-tips, etc)

Snacks

Technorati Tags: Quick List,Top Ten,Summer Camp,Organizing,Lists

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

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In summer, the song sings itself.

~William Carlos Williams

Are you having that kind of summer? I certainly hope so!

Clutter Crusader Chronicles

GO Month events! Don’t miss out.

It’s A New Day!

It’s GO Month!

Simplify the Season: Ho ho ho, Put away, here we go!

Simplify the Season: Merry Christmas!

Simplify the Season YOU!

Simplify the Season Wrapping

Quick List: Wrapping

Simplify the Portraits

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Simplify the Season Shopping!

Simplify the Traditions

Simplify the Season Baking!

The time has come!

Simplify the Season Binder Revealed.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Weekend Quick List: Trick or Treat!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Quick List: Entertainment

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Friday’s Quick List: Fall

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

The countdown has begun!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Artwork Trash or Treasure

Later is Clutter’s Best Friend.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Quick List: Office Supply Favorites

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Happy Birthday! A Sweet Organizing Deal for You.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Ready. Set. Summer!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Retro Purse Purge!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

New Year. New Closet.

New Year. New Labels.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Quick List: New Year. New Resolutions.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

New Year. New Goals.

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Ho Ho Ho – Put Away Here We Go! Simplify the Season 2010

Simplify the Season: Merry Christmas!

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Time for who? Simplify the Season 2010

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Simplify the Portraits 2010

Simplify the Wrapping 2010

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Simplify the Shopping 2010

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Simplify the Baking 2010

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Simplify the Traditions 2010

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

The moment you’ve all been waiting for…

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

It’s Election Day, America

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.”

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Are you ready to countdown?

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Quick List: Trick–or-Treat

Words of Wisdom Wednesday

Photo Friday: What is Organizing?

“For every minute spent in organizing,
an hour is earned.”

Quick List: Cleaning Supplies Warning: Not a GREEN List