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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 Click To TweetLessons
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, 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 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
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
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. Click To Tweet
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.
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 next year
3. Plan to take a walk
Enjoy time together, 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
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, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. 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. Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Click here to learn more about working with a Professional Organizer?
Information below from Fire Prevention Canada: Working with the private and public sectors to achieve fire safety through education. Fire Prevention Canada is a non-profit organization that depends on sponsors and volunteers to help keep Canada fire-safe.
This year’s national theme is “Have Two Ways Out.©” Fire Prevention Week is recognized every October during the full week – Sunday through Saturday – that October 7th falls on. Despite the fact that fewer fire losses are reported in Canada, still, on average, eight Canadians die from fire every week. Most of these fires are preventable and caused by careless behaviour. That is why it is critical to educate Canadians and incite them to act. During this week, fire departments across the nation will promote public awareness of the dangers of fire and the ways we can protect ourselves from fire.
Did you know that modern homes burn much faster?
Research over three decades has shown that modern homes may be making house fires more deadly than ever before.
Newer homes and furnishings are made with more synthetics which make fires ignite and burn faster. They also release more toxic gases when burned. Most fire victims die from smoke or toxic gases and not from actual burns. Deadly conditions are reached much more quickly now than in the 1970s when more natural materials were used in home and furnishings.
Over 30 years ago, an important study conducted tests in actual homes with sizes and floor plans, furniture and items, and smoke alarms on the market. That report concluded smoke alarms generally provided the necessary escape time for different fire types and locations. This research led to the popular use of smoke alarms in residential settings
A more recent 2005 study found a troubling difference with the previous investigation. The amount of safe escape time was consistently shorter and the fire growth rates were faster. It is thought that synthetic materials currently found in homes contributed to this change. The study concluded that because fires could be more aggressive, the time needed to escape home fires has been reduced from approximately 17 minutes to as little as three minutes.
This gives less time for occupants to escape a fire and is shorter than the seven minute response time target for fire services. This disparity can mean the difference between life and death.
With this in mind, this is just a gentle reminder that it’s everyone’s responsibility for fire safety. Your line of defence is as follows:
- The prevention of fires in the first place;
- the detection of smoke and fire with working smoke alarms as a second line of defence; and
- Evacuation to safety by having a well-rehearsed fire escape plan is the third and most important action are all important notes.
Need help organizing a plan in your home, contact Mind over Clutter to help with streamlining your processes and developing home routines.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and 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
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
Click here to learn more about working with a Professional Organizer.
The computer swallowed Grandpa,
Yes, honestly it’s true!
· He pressed ‘control and ‘enter’
· And disappeared from view.
·
· It devoured him completely,
· The thought just makes me squirm.
· He must have caught a virus
· Or been eaten by a worm.
·
· I’ve searched through the recycle bin
· And files of every kind;
· I’ve even used the Internet,
· But nothing did I find.
·
· In desperation, I asked Mr. Google
· My searches to refine.
· The reply from him was negative,
· Not a thing was found ‘online.’
·
· So, if inside your ‘Inbox,’
·· My Grandpa you should see,
· Please ‘Copy, Scan’ and ‘Paste’ him,
· And send him back to me.
··· This is a tribute to all the Grandmas & Grandpas, Nannas & Pops, who have been fearless and learned to use the Computer………
· They are the greatest!!!
·
We do not stop playing because we grow old;
We grow old because we stop playing …
NEVER Be The First To Get Old!
In May many families are raising money to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. This video show’s one families motivation and determination.
Learn more about Cystic Fibrosis and how you can help.
Please share your stories in the comments below.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Near the end of May is National Multiple Sclerosis Day. I have met a wonderful lady who has this disease and conquers it every day. She has written a book about her life. It is an amazing story by Eva Marsh called Black Patent Shoes Dancing with MS. Go to her website and order it. It will make you laugh and cry and rejoice with her. You will learn a lot about this disease in a fun, entertaining way. If you need a speaker for your group she is the lady for you, always upbeat, insightful and fun.
If you need help organizing because your health may make some tasks difficult, call me and let me be of service to you.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Listen to this Ted Talk with MC Abdominal and his Mom about the rap song they wrote and performed together. Moms aren’t prefect but they give you inspiration. Remember to remember your mom.
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
