Special Times
Thanksgiving can be a stressful time for some people. Coordinating schedules, planning menus and preparing the house can make it a busy time.Make your Thanksgiving Day full of giving thanks. Share on X
Here are some tips to make the day full of giving thanks and you less stressed.
Let everyone help by bringing a dish to the meal.
1. Let people help
Ask them to bring some of the food. If you have someone who doesn’t like to cook ask them to arrive early and help greet people at the door. Ask them to bring some fall flowers to help decorate your home.
2. Plan a menu
- record the amount of food you cook.
- record the cooking time for each dish
- reuse the menu, grocery list and cooking schedule for next year
People enjoy having the same menu each year. They know what to expect and it becomes a tradition. It also makes planning the menu easier.
3. Plan to take a walk
Enjoy time together, and be thankful for the beautiful nature around you.
- Between the main course and dessert have your guests go for a walk and enjoy the fresh air and build an appetite for dessert
- While your guests are out, you will have time to clear the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator
4. Be thankful
- let everyone say something they are thankful for, it is amazing how this can create a happy atmosphere at the dinner table
5. Use simple decorations
- when you cover your table with a colourful tablecloth and napkins your home will look festive.
- pick a few leaves, nuts or flowers and place them around your home
Share your best tip for making Thanksgiving celebrations less stressful.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Julie can coach you to break-free of the physical or emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading Time – 10 minutes
A vacation is a time to step away from all the concerns of your job, an office, a home office and tasks in your home. This break from normal routines and responsibilities lets you rejuvenate and have more energy for the future. Shannon Torberg, PsyD, LP says in The Importance of Taking a Vacation, “A number of studies have shown that taking time away from the job can have physical and psychological health benefits. People who take vacations have lower stress, less risk of heart disease, a better outlook on life, and more motivation to achieve goals. The bottom line is, that taking time away from the stresses of work and daily life can improve your health, motivation, relationships, job performance, and perspective and give you the break you need to return to your lives and jobs refreshed and better equipped to handle whatever comes. ”
Now you know why you deserve one here are some styles of vacations to plan.
A vacation from your computer.
Most of your work is on your computer. Close it and put it away. Pretending to be on a vacation by looking at your computer less frequently is a break from work. Put an autoreply message on your email explaining when you will respond to emails.
A vacation from your normal routines
A stay at home vacation might be the perfect solution for you this year. Take time to plan it. “Research shows the biggest boost in happiness comes from planning the vacation. A person can feel the effects up to eight weeks before the trip!” Don’t miss out on the planning. Change your normal routines, bedtime, getting up in the morning, meal times, and activities. Stay up later, get up later, have breakfast in bed, eat out, order in, go for walks, swim, rent a bike, sit in your backyard/balcony, and read. Think of all the things you enjoy doing and make a plan for each day of your vacation. Fill it with things you love doing, things you want to try for the first time and things that are not part of your normal routines. Here is an article that has 100 activities for kids.
A vacation from your town/city
You may not want to stay overnight in hotels. You can still plan a vacation outside of your city limits. There are many communities that surround where you live. Plan day trips to see local sites and visit markets, parks and walking trails. Try googling 5 free things to do in ……. to get ideas of activities and sites to see.
A vacation from loneliness
During Covid19 there were times when you needed to stay home. You may have gotten used to doing your own thing. We are social beings and need to interact with others. Plan on meeting with someone each day of your vacation. Plan a picnic. Each of you brings your own food and meet at a lovely spot to talk. If talking is not your strong suit, meet up with a friend and play a game. It can be a board game, frisbee, throwing a ball or trying kubb.
A vacation to try new activities
There is nothing better about a vacation than doing something new. If you can’t travel somewhere new do something new. Take a week of lessons and learn how to paddleboard, sew, bike, play an instrument, paint etc. Treat yourself to a new spa treatment every day. Eat at restaurants you’ve never visited before. Public golf courses have lovely patios that overlook beautiful green spaces. Try camping. Start in your own backyard and then explore other campsites.
A vacation to support your country
The country you live in has a lot to offer. Too often we don’t appreciate what is right in front of us. Use your vacation to help local businesses and the tourist industry. Whether you want to travel far or close to home, book a hotel or resort and spend your vacation dollars helping to stimulate the economy. Over many years I have visited all the provinces and 2 of the 3 territories in Canada. I am proud to tell people about the lovely places I have seen, the great people I have met, the fun experiences and the delicious food.
A vacation to support your mental wellness.
We all need a break from the stress of work and the uncertainty of the future. Take time to focus on what you need. Plan your vacation so you are only in the present. It may be a stay at home or an away from home location. Enjoy what is around you, interact with people who encourage you, and experience things that refresh you. You may want to try meditation, yoga or exercise. Take time to try new healthy foods and recipes. Experience nature. Plan each day with activities that will renew you so you can handle what comes next.
A vacation to be with family
You may be feeling like you need a vacation away from family. That is ok. Communication and interactions with family members may be strained with more people working from home. Take a break, laugh together, do new things, go somewhere unexpected. Together, plan a vacation. You may decide that each member of the family plans one day and you all do it. Each member may get to pick one activity they want to do and you combine all the suggestions together. Take the pressure off the person who usually needs to make all the plans. Use the time to reset relationships, build new respect for each other and have fun. I have learned when doing family vacations it is really important to plan into each day a time when everyone does their own thing for a while. Alone time is just as important as together time during a vacation.
Plan a short vacation
Plan a number of shorter vacations. Here are some tips on how to pack light.
The trick to packing for a short trip is to take items that can be used in more than one way. Take a large bag or backpack with you for items you want handy while you are in transit. You can use that bag for shopping, hiking or at the beach. Pack a small handbag in your carry-on suitcase to use after you arrive, in the evening and sightseeing. Take one neutral coloured skirt or pants to wear each evening and pack tops that can be worn in the evening and then more casually with shorts the next day. This eliminates separate evening and daytime apparel for a short trip. Sports clothing can take up a lot of space. For running, hiking, and biking take clothes that can be hand washed reducing the amount you need to bring. Although having a wide variety of swimwear may be fun pack 2 outfits you can mix and match to make 4. Reduce the number of jackets you take by wearing layers, and pack a long-sleeved shirt that you can wear alone or over a t-shirt in case it is cool or you need to cover up from the sun. You will need a sweater/lightweight jacket for the evening and a windbreaker for the day. Combine the 3 layers to help you stay, cool, warm or dry. Having a colour scheme so all of your clothes go together well gives you lots of outfits to mix and match. While you are in transit wear the shoes that take up the most space and pack the ones that need less space in your carry-on suitcase. The last thing to do is make a list of what you packed so the next time you go on a short trip the packing is even easier.
Take time for a vacation and let me know what you did to refresh so you will be better able to handle what comes next.
If you want to talk over your vacation plans, book a 30 minute complimentary virtual organizing appointment. It allows me to support you by providing planning and coaching while both remaining at home. https://mindoverclutter.as.me/virtualorganizingassessment
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading time – 3 minutes
Here are some tips for holiday planning to make a H A P P Y season.
Holiday Decorating
You may be feeling overwhelmed or disorganized by the number of items on display in your house. Try putting the non-seasonal items away to reduce the number of items on display.
Think about decorating with fewer items but larger size items. This means there are fewer items to pack and unpack which will reduce the amount of time you need to prepare your home.
Take advantage of using linens to cover tables or end tables and seasonal pillowcases to cover throw cushions to decorate couches. They may be less bulky to store and cover a larger area making your home seem completely decorated while taking less time to get the job done.
Use items that self-destruct so you don’t need to pack them away, flowers, paper towels, and tissue boxes all give your house a festival spirit but don’t need to be packed away and stored.
When you go through your decorations part with the ones you no longer need early in the month so thrift stores have an opportunity to sell them and so they don’t need to store them until next year. Some stores don’t take holiday décor in January and then you will be stuck storing them for another year.
What tips do you have for a H.A.P.P.Y holiday season? Share on XAccept Help
Acknowledge that you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed and when people offer to do things say yes. We all love to help people so let people feel good about themselves by allowing them to help you.
Parties may be larger again this year. It is a good time to try a new way of doing things. Allow people to help clean up dishes on their way out the door. Be ready for it. Have a place to put cutlery to soak. Have a container for compost. Put glasses or coffee mugs directly into the dishwasher.
You may need to accept help with setting up a hybrid party. Put one of those “youngsters” in charge.
Planning is important
Use a to-do list. Divide your to-do list into to pick up, to e-mail, to call, to buy then you can plan your day and route to get things done and not be driving back and forth all over town. The trick here is to look at the list and use it not just make it.
Keep your plans from year to year, record your menu, grocery list quantities and timelines. Each year you can reuse, revise and update the plan. This year’s plan may need a lot of updating from the previous years.
People and relationships are the reason for the season
Some people like to send cards in December. I keep my cards and addresses and stamps together. When I am going somewhere where I will be waiting I pick up the supplies and take them along and write my cards. I have done it in many places including my van. I usually leave replies to someone who has sent me a long letter until January.
Use your spare moments to write cards
You may want to send e-cards. Jacquie Lawson is the site I use. If you want to automate the card-sending operation there is a company called Send Out Cards. You can attach a gift to the card.
Gift-giving may be an area where you are developing a system. Have you thought about Clutter-free gift giving?
Consider the idea of a gift that self-destructs. See my post on Clutter Free Gift Giving .
Yes you can
Being organized is more about an attitude than how something looks. It is not about having the perfect home, party or gift. It is doing the best you can with the time and resources that you have. The only way to get better at organizing is to practice. It is a skill that can be learned and with practice, it becomes easier and easier. This year’s challenge may be technology. Ask for help and practice ahead of time. You might want to play Yahtzee at your gathering. Try using these 2 sites.
Score sheet http://www.playonlinedicegames.com/scoresheet/yahtzee
Dice roller https://www.elversonpuzzle.com/yahtzee-dice-roller.html
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching. There may be some deals you can find. Ask yourself:
- Will you be spending a lot of your valuable time looking for that special holiday deal?
- Will you end up purchasing things that cause clutter for you or a friend?
- Will you overspend on your budget?
- Will you be happy with your purchases?
Fun Facts
Here are some fun facts. The term Black Friday first became used widely in the 1990’s and refers to retailers reaching profitability or in the black – black ink, as opposed to losses that were originally recorded in red ink.
Black Friday sales declined only once in recent years. It was 2008 during the Recession. Only 263,820 seasonal workers were hired in 2008 – a staggering low compared to the record 764,750 workers hired in 2013.
Here’s an idea you don’t have to wait in line for.
Mind over Clutter.ca has 3 hour packages designed to help with any number of tasks in the home and office. Considering purchasing an
- Income Tax Receipt Organizing Package
- Holiday Cleanup Package
- Streamlining Your Office Package.
- Virtual Organizing Packages
Packages can be designed to fit the individual needs of the person receiving the gift. Purchase your gift package for $195.00. Contact julie@mindoverclutter.ca to purchase your clutter-free gift of time.
Give the gift of time
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading time 5 minutes
There are many considerations when trying to purchase the perfect present. Sometimes the person has everything. Some people may feel that they have enough stuff and they don’t want to have to decide how to store more items. Some people feel that they need to keep everything they are given whether they need it or like it or can use it. They are afraid of hurting the giver’s feelings. It may feel like an impossible mission. Consider the idea of a gift that self destructs.
Give tickets to an event
Sporting, theatre, art gallery exhibits, or musical events. Most of these types of events have virtual or live performances. Give them tickets so it won’t be a gift card that they file or lose. Most performances will allow tickets to be exchanged for a different date. You can support your local community by purchasing tickets to a little theatre production, or concert. Give them the gift of entertainment.
Rent a sports venue
It can be an hour of ice time, indoor soccer, indoor tennis, indoor pickleball and indoor golf. This type of gift usually gets people together to socialize and be active. It is a gift of physical and emotional health.
Give an experience as a gift then there is nothing to store Share on XLessons
You can give lessons to a person. Art lessons, wine tasting, golfing, home improvement, music, craft, beading, the ideas are limitless. Many lessons are delivered virtually and in person. Goggle _______lessons. You fill in the blank It can be one lesson or a group of lessons. You can do it as a group or a person can do it solo. Give the gift of a new experience.
Food
Give a gift of a meal, prepared by you for them on a mutually agreed date. You may want to give them a batch of muffins every month or whatever their favourite food is. People enjoy receiving homemade Christmas cookies or a fruit plate. You can go online and search COOKIES in a Jar. The recipient of the cookie mix adds water or milk and bakes the cookies. Give the gift of sharing your time with others.
A Service
Someone may enjoy being relieved of performing a tedious job. Arrange for a cleaning service, car detailing, professional organizer, snow removal, and lawn care. Give them the gift of time for themselves.
Charities
There are many charities that can benefit from donations. Select a charity and make a donation in the name of the person. Look at one aspect of the person’s life and try to find a charity that represents their interests. Give them the gift of generosity.
Give the gift of Fun
One year we rented a hot tub for a week. Another year I bought rocket kits for everyone, we built the kits and shot off the rockets. Easy enough to do with social distancing.
Give the gift of memories
This year may be the perfect time to collect family photos and make a calendar. There are many online sites you can use to make the calendar. At the end of the year, you can let it go and make a new one. Give them the gift that keeps on giving.
Here are a few gifts that are clutter-free, personal and thoughtful and the ideas are endless. Don’t let time stop you from creatively finding the gift you want to give.
Share your idea in the comments
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually on Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to help you reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
From now until January there are many celebrations. During the holiday season expectations are raised. The food needs to be perfect, the gift needs to be thoughtfully purchased, the house needs to be tastefully decorated, and everyone needs to be happy all the time. Record your expectations for the season. Everything you can think of. Look through your list and decide on a plan that makes each expectation manageable for you. If your expectations align with practicality, this holiday will be less stressful and more fun.
Planning Food
Could you:
Make a simple Holiday meal.
- Cook ahead of time and freeze the food
- Plan a potluck with everyone contributing
- Buy your holiday baking
- Simplify your menu, prepare fewer items
Gift Giving
Gift Giving
Could you:
- Reduce the number of people you buy for
- Draw names so everyone gets one gift
- Set a price limit on the value of the gift
- Plan an experience instead of buying a gift: go to a play, go out for dinner, and go to a movie
If your expectations align with practicality, holidays will be less stressful and more fun. Share on X
Decorating
Could you:
Use flowers to decorate.
- Put out fewer items
- Use more oversized items to make the space look decorated instead of using lots of small items
- Decorate with flowers; you don’t have to pack them away when the season is over
Be Happy
Be Happy
Could you:
Spend time together doing things you enjoy
- Plan your schedule so you don’t get over tired
- Plan downtime so each member of the group can spend time alone
- Plan things you like to do, not have to do
- Plan to exercise and get fresh air
Can you learn to ask for help and accept help?
Can you learn to ask for help and accept help?
Virtual organizing allows me to support your organizing projects by providing planning, coaching and mentoring while both remaining safely at home Book a 30-minute complimentary virtual organizing assessment. https://mindoverclutter.as.me/virtualorganizingassessment
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading time – 3 minutes
I have never been a person to make a bucket list. Mostly because I feel I don’t have anything to put in it, the bucket.
Enjoy a walk and view Niagara Falls, dress warmly
However, during December I sometimes get depressed. It is mostly because of the lack of light. It is also because there are a lot of expectations leading up to December 25th and then it is all over. Sometimes it went well and some years it didn’t go very smoothly. This can lead to dreading the holiday season and having your spirits drop. So over the years, I have been incorporating many fun events through the month of December so there is less emphasis on one day. So this year I am making a bucket list.Incorporate many fun events through the month of December so there is less emphasis on one day. Share on X
- go to a holiday concert
- go to a candlelight walk sponsored by a town
- go to a mall and don’t shop just enjoy people watching and the decorations
- go on a tour of outdoor skating rinks
- go tobogganing /snowshoeing /cross country skiing
- have the neighbours over for an open house evening
- go to a dinner theatre
- walk around your neighbourhood and enjoy the holiday lights every night
- play holiday music
- participate in a gift-giving program, help the less fortunate
- watch the world junior hockey tournament on television
- buy a poinsettia from a fundraising group
- grow an Amaryllis plant
- buy an advent/new year calendar for yourself – this year I saw a Tea advent calendar
- light some candles each evening
- visit Niagara Falls in the winter – cold but amazing
- visit the CP holiday train US or CP holiday train Canada
Let me know what would be on your bucket list.
Plant a bulb and watch it grow
What would you put on your bucket list?
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
The celebration season is here. Thanksgiving, Yom Kippur, Advent, Hanukkah, Diwali, New Year, birthdays and so many more. We are very lucky to have so many times to celebrate with family and friends. It can be fun and a stressful time for some people. Coordinating schedules, planning menus and preparing the house can make it a busy time. Here are some tips to make the day full of thanks and you less stressed.
1. Decorating
Some people love decorating and others don’t. So this advice is for those who don’t like decorating. Decorate with large items. They make a big impression with less work. If you use big items there is less to put out, put away and store. Use items that “self-destruct” and are thrown away after their time is over.
Large items to decorate with are:
- Tablecloths – when the table is covered the entire room looks decorated. You can use a washable one or a paper one that you throw out.
- Flowers – Cut flowers add a lovely look to the room and can be disposed of later
- Use a large bowl- fill it with celebration appropriate items, like leaves, pinecones, pine branches, candy, fruit, and vegetables.
2. Let people help
Most times when you extend an invitation people will say what can I bring? Instead of saying nothing look at your list of things that need to be bought and give them something. Ask them to bring some of the food. If you have someone who doesn’t like to cook ask them to arrive early and help greet people at the door. Here are some things that might be on your list for them to bring or help with:
- drinks
- appetizer
- flowers for decorations
- dessert
- festive napkins
- music or playlist
- photos of past events
- take coats
- keep people out of the kitchen? lol
3. Plan a menu
Plan your menu well in advance of entertaining. This allows you to go shopping before the crush of the crowds. You can do some preparations in advance and freeze some of the dishes. You may cook squash, dessert or appetizers ahead of time. Make a change in the way you do things, have a potluck. Ask people to bring their favourite dish. If you are worried that you might have only desserts and no main course then assign a dish to each person. You might decide to have it catered in your home. You don’t have to do all the cooking. It might be time to move away from a full course sit-down meal and have snacks, finger foods and appetizers only. Consider the many options you have and pick one that makes things less stressful for you.
To make your next celebration even easier record:
- the amount of food you cooked or ordered
- the cooking time for each dish
- reuse the menu, grocery list, and cooking schedule next time
- a list of things that went well
- a list of things you would do differently.
4. Plan a walk outside
Visiting with family and friends doesn’t have to be only sitting around. Make time for a walk outside. Between the main course and dessert have your guests go for a walk and enjoy the fresh air and build an appetite for dessert. While your guests are out, you will have time to clear the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. Many times guests have driven a distance to see you and a little exercise will be welcome before the ride home especially if children are visiting. If you’re like my family a lot of exercise is enjoyed. We would have a ball hockey game between courses. If people prefer to stay inside try playing charades, pool or table tennis. There are always dishes to be washed for those who want to help.
Getting up and moving around:
- helps people to mingle with more people
- helps them to stretch and relax
- leads to new types of discussions
- puts a smile on most people’s faces
- plan a game
- do a puzzle
- have a concert / song fest
5. Enjoy
Take time during the event to slow your pace. Enjoy the people, conversations, activities, and laughter. It is a celebration so remember to celebrate what you are thankful for any time of the year.
What are your tips for making celebration planning easy?
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually through Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading time – 5 minutes
I love to travel. I enjoy exploring Canada, North America, South America, Europe, The United Kingdom, Asia and Australia. I will go almost anywhere. Whether you travel in-person or virtually it is a joy to see new places, people, cultures and ideas. One of the fun things I like doing on my travels is finding things relating to organization. Sometimes the items are good product solutions, show a novel way to use a product, encourage recycling, a fun invention or a thought provoking work of art.
Good Products
I found these stacking laundry baskets in a store. I like them because they stack in a way that you can place items in either basket without unstacking them.
Look at this coffee cup! You fold the top in a specific way and it makes a spout. Everything is recyclable.
Novel Solutions
Once again I was shopping and noticed this shoe organizer that was being used in a novel way. It was holding maps that were for sale. It was easy to see the titles on the maps and quickly purchase the one you needed.
I am an avid cyclist so when I saw this bike repurposed it caught my eye.
Are there too many tea cups around your home? I have seen them used for planting, given away as part of a tea party brunch and hats for gnomes. Here is another first use them as light fixtures.
Do you have any old canvas pictures or wooden signs around taking up space? Convert it into a device to hang items. It keeps them visible, uses vertical space and looks interesting on the wall.
A client made a lovely table out of an old treadle sewing machine.
One of my hotel rooms had this garbage can. It is divided into 4 sections for recycling – plastic, paper, glass, cans and waste. I thought this was a fantastic way to get travellers to recycle. Everything was disposed of in one place.
Fun inventions
The first time I saw this I was a little confused. It is a tap and hand dryer all in one. No dripping across the floor to get a paper towel or use a hand dryer mounted on the wall. It also is a no-touch device that makes it easy to have clean hands when you’re done washing. How does it work? You wash your hands under the tap, the water is turned on by a sensor. Then you move your hands to the right and left ( I like to call them the airplane wings) and the air turns on to dry your hand.
I enjoy seeing furniture that has more than one purpose. These tables can be used as seating, they store nicely under each other and they are eye catching home decor.
Thought Provoking Artwork
Sometimes my organizational find is artwork. This piece is called Organization. It is oil on canvas, 1933-1936, painted by Armenia born, American artist Arshile Gorky. I wonder why he called it that. Any thoughts?
This metal sculpture is by Ruth Ewan, 2019. It is called the Silent Agitator. Ewan’s clock is based on an illustration by Ralph Chaplin. It is a nod to the Industrial Workers of the World labour party. (IWW). It is also a new timepiece adding to the historical collection of ones that helped sailors know what time it was.
Donation
I saw this very creative way to share donations. Items are bagged and tied onto a fence. Anyone can take an item they can use.
Competition
I have not travelled to Nepal, a friend has. She sent me this picture with the caption, competition? It was fun to see a very similar logo in another country.
Here a just a few fun organizing finds from some of my travels. Which one do you like best? Let me know in the comments.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you in managing your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Reading time – 1 minute
The longest day of darkness or light is December 21
I have passed the longest day of darkness in 2021 and moved into more light coming into my life each day. I visited the Northwest Territories in July one year. There were 22 hours of bright sun and 2 hours of dusk. At this time I think of those people with 22 hours of darkness and 2 hours of dusk. Whether you are moving into a time of more light or a time of increasing darkness:
I hope your holiday season is filled with :
- joy for all the things you have learned and conquered in 2021
- light to see a new way of building relationships and
- happy expectations for 2022.
Wishing you a season where you can feel joy, light and happiness.
Share how you overcome the darkness to fill it with light.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually through Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
