Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Serving Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Ok, so you missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You can still give great gifts!
Here are some ideas for gifts that you can pick up this week. Lately there are a lot of gift certificates that you can buy online, and then print! Instantaneous.
Service Gifts
Entertainment
Memberships
Consumables
Classes
Financial
Hopefully this list will give you some last minute gift ideas that will make your life easier and your gift recipient happy! The extra bonus is that these gifts will not create or increase the clutter in one’s life.
If you have any other ideas, please let us know… we are always looking for new ideas.
Do you have closets filled with items that you have never used? Is money a bit tight these days? Does the thought of shopping in crazy crowds make you feel sick? Consider regifting this holiday season and you can go shopping in your own home!
Did you know that December 15th, 2011 is National Regifting Day? What a great way to save some money and clear your closets at the same time! Here are 3 valuable benefits to regifting:
1) You Save Space – Go on a scavenger hunt throughout your home for items that you have never used before and never plan to, or that you just don’t care for. Why hang onto these things if they are just taking up precious space? Unless it is a family heirloom, don’t feel like you need to hold onto anything you don’t want to.
2) You Save Money – Like most of us feeling the effects of the down economy, buying gifts can create a lot of financial stress. By regifting, you can treat your loved ones and colleagues to great items that just aren’t right for you. However, make the gifts personal by buying new festive wrapping paper or a gift bag and a card that will make them laugh!
3) You Save Time – Since you don’t need to brave the mall, you can spend a little time to add a personal touch, like slipping a recipe or article that you know someone would appreciate, into their card.
All in all, have a happy and warm holiday season and most importantly don’t forget to make sure you don’t give the gift back to the person who gave it to you first!
Need ideas for those hard to shop for people on your list? Want to give something that won’t just sit around unused or add to anyone’s already full home? Here are ten ideas for useful gifts to delight your friends and loved ones for the holidays:
1. Collapsible fabric totes
These totes are the best! They can be used in the top or bottom of a closet for a multitude of essentials: winter accessories, pet supplies, extra slippers, spare toiletries… just about anything! And, when they’re not in use, they fold flat and store easily. You can give a set of two or three, collapsed, or open each one up and fill them with snacks and treats to use as gift “baskets!”
2. Slim non-slip hangers
Know someone with lots of clothes and not enough closet space? These work great and take up less than half the bar space as the plastic ones. Dress the gift up with a silk scarf (that will be sure not to slip off these hangers!)
3. Craft Storage Case
Is there a knitter or crafter in the family? So many craft stores now carry quite an array of craft supply organizers – from bead sorters to long knitting needle cases – thoughtful and practical gifts for anyone who loves to be creative.
4. Under-bed Shoe Storage
Those zippered cloth shoe storage bags that can hold 10-14 pairs of shoes and slide right under the bed can be a perfect gift for someone who’s always wearing something different on their feet. It keeps shoes out of the way, easy to reach and dust/pet hair free! Want to add some pizzazz? Top it with a pair of slippers or all-weather crocs.
5. Lap Desk
Lap desks are perfect for almost anyone these days. They offer a firm work surface while providing cushion for your legs. They’re great for students sitting on a bed using a laptop or for grandma sitting on a couch doing a crossword puzzle. And they store easily beside whichever seat you choose.
6. Car Organizer
There are several different types of car and trunk organizers. Some hang over the back of a seat and some sit upright on the floor or in the trunk. Great for busy parents who are always on the go!
7. Photo Storage Box
Although many stores carry photo organizers, my favorite type is the Power Sort Box sold by Creative Memories. It holds and safely stores over a thousand photos and makes sorting them a snap!
If you know someone who has a lot of paper, numbers 8 or 9 might be the perfect gifts:
8. Paper shredder
In this day and age of identity theft, there is nothing more necessary (or fun!) than having a paper shredder on hand. It’s a wonderful gift of peace of mind.
9. File Cabinet
If you’ve ever tried to battle with old file drawers that no longer slide easily, you can appreciate how much of a treat having a new, easy-gliding file cabinet would be!
10. Gift Certificate
Make sure that any gift certificates you give can be used online or locally: Spa, Grocery Store, Movie Theatre, Babysitter… or time with a Professional Organizer!
Here’s wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and clutter-free holiday!
Dazzle your friends, family and maybe even yourself! No more last minute holiday chaos for you. Follow some of these tips and reap the rewards of a sane and organized holiday season!
Tip #1
If you use a lot of services, make sure you get them scheduled NOW.
• Window cleaners
• Carpet cleaners
• Landscapers
• Whoever installs your lights
Tip #2
Decide what date you will be decorating, set that time aside now. Many people do it Thanksgiving weekend. (Hopefully the weather will be good.)
Tip #3 Check & Order your wrapping supplies:
• Personalized Wrapping Supplies
• Eco Friendly
• Bulk Wrapping Supplies
If you are having a party…
Tip #4 Choose your date (get it on the calendar and it will happen)
Tip #5 Create your guest list (you can always add and cut later)
Tip #6 Call your favorite caterer NOW
If you are doing a card…
Tip #7 Choose your photo now or, book your photographer holiday.
Tip #8 Review your mailing list
Tip #9 Choose how you are going to send your holiday cards:
Regular Card, Photo frame, or the greenest of all Paperless Post
Tip #10 Create a holiday notebook (it can be digital, or paper). Create sections for your party, your cards, your gift lists, entertaining, travel, decorating. This is a great resource for the various components: List Plan-It
Now you have some tools that will help you approach the holidays with a smile on your face! Once you have these accomplished you will have a framework to sanity and organization. You will DAZZLE those around you, and maybe even yourself!
Family and friends watching loved ones drown in their clutter and despair can frustrate and un-nerve the person, ending up with emotions & angered words flying about! I’ve seen some very heated interactions when family & friends step in to “help” or “save” their loved ones. They mean well, although most times I have observed that they feel they can take the decision making away from the individual and that their opinions rule!
As human beings in this world we live in, we feel we own our things and place a lot of value on them, which means we have the right to do as we please with these things, and nobody else has the right to these decisions.
As professional organizers, we practice non-judgment, patience, mirroring what the client says, pointing out other point of views to consider, and being a support through this difficult new process. We listen, empathize, give moral support, and partner with them in accomplishing their goals.
I am writing this so people can learn to heal themselves with this process. The process as I stated in one of my other blogs, has many hidden components. These components are comprised of layers of emotions and thoughts not always recognized consciously. The healing can start with the person taking a stand for themselves with a family member. What does that mean? This may be the first time they have stood up and expressed what they believe or set boundaries. This will alter and impact future interactions with them in a positive manner. Once someone has a breakthrough like this, life alters. Asking for professional help to assist does provide healing in a loving, nurturing and non-judgmental way. It can be a cry for help, and an acknowledgment of self-love for the first time! So, if you don’t hire a professional, you will probably experience some version of this.
Take a moment to be grateful to the people who care, and notice your distress. These special people in your life mean well, and are only expressing their love, and support for you. The key is to understand their commitment to you, and your well-being. BUT, remember to stay true to yourself and express your needs in a loving manner!
Is your office the epitome of a work station or a storage facility? If your home office isn’t “working” for you, here are 10 Home Office Organizing Tips to help you get your office in efficient working order.
1. Designate an incoming mail area. We are all inundated with paper daily. Do not just lay it on your counter, desk or the first available space you find.
2. Have pre-determined and labeled bins or folders to sort your mail into.
3. When you are ready to look through your mail be prepared to sort it to the appropriated areas. Do not continue to pick up the mail, look through it and return it to a pile unsorted.
4. Keep your trashcan or paper recycling container close by so as you sort, you can toss what you do not need.
5. Keep your shredder close by if you choose to shred any junk mail that you feel has sensitive information on it.
6. Keep as many items as possible off your desk and in appropriate files, drawers, containers or storage areas. You cannot work at your desk if your desktop is a storage facility unto itself.
7. Keep your “tools”: pens, pencils, stapler, paperclips, etc. together either in an easy to reach top drawer or neatly in desktop containers.
8. Make a filing system that works for you, so you have a place to file or store paper information and documents in your office.
9. If something no longer has a purpose to you, such as expired coupons, a broken stapler or anything irrelevant – dispose of it.
10. Your office space should feel good to you. If it’s cluttered and messy you won’t want to use it.
Remember: Organizing is an on-going process, just like laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc.
Mail, paper and clutter are incoming daily, so organizing what is incoming and maintaining organization is continuous as well. With an organized system in place, maintaining an organized space is much easier and more time efficient!
