Let’s Get Organized

So, who is humming “Let’s Get Physical” as they read the title of today’s blog?  This month I am going to focus a lot on getting organized.  WHY?  Because it is the top New Year’s Resolutions people make.  Was it one of yours?

I admit I can be a ‘hot mess”!   From my desk and my office to the dust bunnies under the coach.  I  love to de-clutter and organize but am often overwhelmed by it.  Crazy right since I have lots of tips for everyone else?  I used to be a “just in case” gal.  The one who saved things in case they were needed from crafts to knickknacks…. you get the picture.

I am working on a room, maybe a closet/cabinet at a time cleaning things out.  One the outside it may not look like much has been cleaned out but believe me, I have been decluttering.

Are you feeling overwhelmed already in the New Year?  Day 3 with everyone is back to work and school.  Do you have a hundred things going on –  work, family, social life, daily responsibilities, goals, and the list goes on, right?  Has the day just started and you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all?

I tend to overcomplicate things. It isn’t intentional, it just happens. We are going to work on clearing the clutter (a little bit at a time) – emotionally and physically.  Once the clutter is gone, we can embrace the many blessings the Universe has for us.  So, here is some basics and we will talk about all of them in more detail as the month goes on…

CLEAN AS YOU GO

Don’t let the dishes pile up in the sink.  Put them in the dishwasher or wash them up.  Make the bed right after you get up in the morning. Open the mail as soon as you get home – tossing the junk mail. Have one spot to read later.  Doing things “as you go” will keep things neat.  It will also keep you from feeling overwhelmed or like you are constantly cleaning.

RE-EVALUATE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

We all have toxic relationships.  The people who suck the energy from us, are negative all of the time or just aren’t good for you. Don’t be afraid to cut ties with people like this. Your time is precious, so you want to spend it with people you care about, and people who make you feel good about you.  This is a process.

UNSUBSCRIBE

OMG!  You will be amazed at the difference this makes in your life.  How many hours do you spend deleting messages from your inbox without even reading the email? I routinely unsubscribe to lists instead of just hitting delete.  When you unsubscribe, you also stop getting emails from their “associates”.  Unsubscribing will not only make your inbox easier to read but may also cut down on the impulse shopping.  A whole other subject!

DE-CLUTTER

Get rid of old things like clothes, dishes, electronics, magazines, furniture you no longer need- donate what you can.  Too many material possessions sitting around can make you feel drained and can complicate things,  taking your attention away from what matter’s most.

WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS

Write down your top 3 daily goals. I put them in my planner and block time for – reading, cleaning tasks, calls to make, errands to run and  general life stuff.  I limit myself to 3 tasks in my business and 3 tasks in my home.  It has helped me to increase my focus and get things done.  It also helps me to stay in the moment when I am with friends and family.

FORGET MULTITASKING

We have all said it at some time “I’m good at multitasking.”.  Did you know multi-tasking is stressful and ultimately unproductive?   You can get so much more done when you focus on a single task, time-block and schedule your work.

CREATE A MORNING ROUTINE

Are you always running out the door in a rush?  What if you got up just 15 minutes earlier every morning?  Getting up a little earlier would give you more time to write your to-do list, prepare lunch and get ready for the day.  Write down the things you need to do in the morning and the time it takes to do them.  Then figure out what time you need to get up to get them done.  Be realistic!

RE-EVALUATE YOUR COMMITMENTS

This one is tough and takes practice, at least for me.  What matters most to you?  Home life, social life, work, side-gig, family, hobbies, friends, worship? If you are doing something you don’t love or it doesn’t give you value, give it up – if you can.  Focusing on the things which bring you joy or matters most to you will make a HUGE difference in your life.

SAY NO

How often do you feel obligated to say “yes” to something?  Did you know “NO” is a sentience all by itself?  We tend to forget it and try to explain why we can’t do something which opens the door for a conversation.  There is no need to explain yourself – if you don’t want to do it, just say no.

This year, why not focus on getting back to a simpler time in our lives.  Let’s start valuing our time.  Life is too short.   It is time to do the things we want and what we like doing. De-cluttering, getting rid of anything  which doesn’t serve you will help you simplify your life and feel more at peace.

Lots more tips and tricks on simplifying your life and de-cluyttering this month…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

A New Year, A New Closet

Do you know what today is?  Yes, it is HUMP DAY!  For some it may be a short week since many places considered Monday a holiday, I can almost guarantee many are focusing on their Resolutions.  I am always trying to get organized….Yes, this bag lady can help the messiest get organized but she still struggles with her own hot mess…

Whether you are a fashionista with a perfectly color-coded closet or a man who wears five of the same type of shirt every day, chances are your bedroom and closet could benefit from a good cleaning and reorganization.  Here are some tips to help in you tame the messiest of closets

#1 GRAB A BAG AND A BOX

It doesn’t matter what kind of bag or box you use, the goal is to divide and conquer your cluttered closet and dresser drawers.  The bag will be for trash and the box will be for donations. If you think you’re going to need more than one of each, grab as many as you need.

#2 PREPARE YOURSELF

The secret to a good clean is ensuring you have everything you need BEFORE you start.  Then comes the “mental preparation”.   Get yourself in the mood to clean out your wardrobe, put on some upbeat music to set the tone.

#3 DESIGNATE YOUR PILES

Now, put everything — and we mean everything —from your closet on the bed. That includes accessories, hat boxes, shoes and whatever is in your closet. Make sure the closet is empty.  Why the bed?  Well, isn’t it a great motivator to get things done since you won’t be able to go to sleep until everything is off the bed?

Sort the items into three piles –  “keep,” “trash” and “donate.”  My “keep” pile always gets put away in the closet or the drawers right away.  You may have a fourth pile — maybes. These are clothes you rarely wear but want to hold onto for some reason.  Once you are done sorting everything, go back through this pile  and ask yourself these questions:

Have you worn the item within the year?

Does it look better on the hanger than it does on you?

Could someone else use it today?

If you answer “no” on the first question, it goes into the donation pile. If you answer “yes” on the last two questions, it goes into the donation pile.

#4 MAKE YOUR BED AND FINISH UP

After you have narrowed down your wardrobe –  remove the trash and donation piles from the room. If it is left in the room, you may never get it to the trash bins and your favorite thrift store.  I put the trash right out and the donations go in the trunk of the car to be sure they get to the thrift store.

Here is a another tip from a friend, when putting all of the clothes back in the closet, turn the hangers the wrong way.  As you wear something, you turn the hangers the right way when you put it away.  At the end of the season (or year), any hangers still facing in the wrong direction – those items get donated.  If you haven’t worn the item in 6 months or a year, there is no need to keep it.

What is your best tip for cleaning out your closets?  Share them with us or how about a Before and After picture….

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

What is Your New Year’s Resolution?

The first Monday of the New Year….. some are off from work, while others are struggling to get it together.  Some are ready to JUMP right into their New Year’s Resolutions while others are wondering why they made them.  Which are you?

For me, I am looking forward to the New Year with anticipation of all God has in store for me.  Leaving my part-time job.  Trusting and having faith God will provide for our needs (without the use of credit cards).  Excited. Scared, Nervous.  #changeisintheair….

So what were your New Year’s Resolutions?  Here are the TOP 10 for the year (and most years).

 

Let me help you with YOUR New Year’s Resolution…..

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Are You Undermining Your Goals?

It is the time of year when everyone starts setting New Year‘s Resolutions or goals for the upcoming year.  As you look back on the past year, does Doubtful Debbie stop by for a visit or maybe Negative Nellie?  Maybe you realized you did not meet your goals for the year or those New Year’s Resolutions got a little dusty after the first few months.

The truth is, you may have sabotaged your own goals.  Have you ever doubted your performance – in a job interview or on a project – only to have others perceive it as much better than you did?  I can relate to this all the time.

Have you ever talked yourself out of an opportunity? You wanted a job, but deep down you doubted whether you were ready for it. A little more experience. Some more education or training.  Maybe you want to start your own business?  You play the comparison game when you see what others are doing, so you put it on the back burner.

Now, I know you don’t do this on purpose.  I mean we really want to achieve those goals and BIG dreams.  The negative, or doubtful conversations are actually our way of underestimating ourselves and our deepest dreams. The universe grabs onto our doubts and fears, focusing on them and our opportunities go from abundant to limited.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where are you?  I am probably about a 4 most days. Research shows women are far more likely to underestimate themselves than men – rate themselves lower on tests, tasks and projects, even when objective results show we perform at the same level or even higher than our male counterparts.

Some may feel they are being humble while others feel they are being gracious.  We are actually ignoring the frustration of missed opportunities, lower pay, and less influence. When you don’t see yourself accurately, you don’t step up for the abundant life you are uniquely designed for.  

The Universe is listening and often shows up like this:

• You downsize your goals and aim lower than your potential.
• You accept less than you deserve – in relationships, income, and career possibilities.
• You let fear and perfectionism trick you into believing you’re “almost ready” when you are ready right now.
• You communicate a lack of confidence, influencing others’ perceptions of your abilities or causing them to manipulate your abilities for their gain

You are capable of far more than you know. Believe it. When you begin walking in belief, you begin showing up in ways you wouldn’t otherwise.

What would you do differently if you didn’t underestimate your ability to get exactly what you want? Would you step out of your comfort zone?  Would you #JUMP, take the risk and do what you have always wanted to do?

I challenge you this week to give yourself more credit than you usually do.  Stop underestimating yourself. When you hear those words of fear and doubt, SQUASH them knowing you are capable of far more than you know

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!