NAPO WDC Blog

by Janet Schiesl

Basic Organization

Did you know that your home’s clutter could affect your health?

1. Increased Stress

Your messy rooms contribute to higher levels of stress in your body. The abundance of visual stimuli signals that you still have work to do, which can lead to guilt, anxiety, and frustration. You may see this stress as physical symptoms like asthma or emphysema. Maybe you’ve experienced increased blood pressure, heartburn, acid reflux, headaches, and body aches. You can create a serene space that will support better health by decluttering.

2. Decreased Focus

A cluttered environment limits your ability to focus. It’s similar to being overwhelmed by different noises all at once. Do you concentrate better in public spaces like libraries, conference rooms, or coffee shops? It’s probably because there are fewer distractions than at home. You can create a serene space that will support better health by decluttering.

3. Overeating

Did you know that a cluttered kitchen could be one cause of your overeating? Studies show that a messy kitchen influences poor snacking behaviors. Everyone is affected by what’s in their home, so a cluttered environment can negatively influence your habits and behavior, leading to overeating. You can create a serene space that will support better health by decluttering.

4. Poor Air Quality and Environment

Clutter increases your risk of asthma and allergies. It’s hard to clean round piles of clutter, meaning you spend longs doing housework. Decluttering can also prevent pests and reduce dust, mold, and mildew. You can create a serene space that will support better health by decluttering.

5. Impaired Learning

Children in decluttered classrooms perform better on tests than children in disorganized classrooms. The same is true for your home. You can create a serene space that will support better health by decluttering.

6. Less Restful Sleep.

If your bedroom is cluttered, you may need help falling and staying asleep and experience more sleep disturbances throughout the night. Decluttering can create a serene space that will support better health.

7. Lower Self-Esteem

Clutter often leads to negative self-talk, which damages psychological well-being. When you declutter, you take positive action to make a favorable change in your home.

If you’d like to learn how we can help, give us a call. 571-265-1303.

For more information, contact Janet Schiesl.

by C. Lee Cawley

C. Lee Cawley

The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and togetherness. However, the hustle and bustle and COSTS of the season can quickly become overwhelming if you're not prepared. By planning ahead and budgeting wisely, you can ensure a stress-free and enjoyable holiday experience.

 

Gift Giving: Planning and Budgeting

•  Create a Gift List: Start by making a list of everyone you plan to give gifts to. Consider the cost per person and their wish lists

•  Set a Budget: Determine how much you want to spend on gifts overall. This will help you avoid overspending and stay within your budget.

•  Consider Alternatives: Explore alternative gift ideas that don't involve spending money, such as homemade gifts, sharing experiences, shopping secondhand or making charitable donations.

Entertaining: Planning Parties and Gatherings

•  Decide on a Theme: Choose a theme for your holiday parties or gatherings to create a festive atmosphere.

•  Make a Guest List: Invite guests well in advance to give them ample time to respond.

•  Delegate Tasks: Divide responsibilities among family and friends to make planning and hosting easier.

•  Plan the Menu: Create a menu that caters to different dietary needs and preferences. Consider potlucks or buying ready-made to save costs and effort. 

Travel Planning:

•  Book Early: If you plan to travel for the holidays, book flights, accommodations, and transportation well in advance to secure the best deals.

•  Pack Smart: Make a packing list and pack efficiently to avoid forgotten essentials and baggage fees.

•  Ship Gifts to Your Destination:  Save lugging them there but address them to a pet (ex: “Fido Jones”) so that people know to leave YOU to open the packages!

•  Consider Alternatives: Explore possible options, such as celebrating on different days or celebrating virtually to save time and money.

Food and Beverage Planning:

• Make a Grocery List: Plan your special and everyday meals and snacks in advance to avoid last-minute shopping trips.

•  Consider Bulk Purchases: Buy non-perishable items in bulk to save money if you have room to store them and will eat them.

•  Don't Forget Beverages: Plan for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to cater to all guests.

Other Costs to Consider:

•  Holiday Cards: Purchase or create holiday cards & stamps, and address them well in advance.

•  Traditions & Events: Reconsider traditions, does everyone really still enjoy "The Nutcracker outing?  If so grab tickets early, if not stay home or replace with a drive to see light displays.

•  Decorations: Set a budget for new holiday décor or tableware and consider reusing decorations from previous years.

•  Charitable Donations: Budget for charitable donations if you want to give back during the holiday season.

•  Tips to Service Providers: Don’t forget to thank your hairdresser, lawn service, babysitter, cleaning staff, etc…

By following these tips and planning ahead using these planning pages, you can alleviate stress and enjoy a more joyful holiday season. Remember, the most important thing is to spend quality time with loved ones and create lasting memories.

For more information, contact C. Lee Cawley.

by Heather Nickerson

Artifcts

Dusty albums. Bulky albums. What do we do with you? We want to lighten our loads and declutter without guilt. 

Who among us compiles physical photo albums anymore? "Back in the day” a store like Target would have had a huge photo department. You could purchase and process film and buy photo frames and albums, along with supplemental inserts in a dizzying array of designs and sizes. 

No, not so anymore.

As we’ve shifted to digital photos, we’ve likewise replaced physical albums with digital-friendly options, including build-your-own photo books, shared digital albums on social media and cloud storage sites, and digital photo frames, like the beautiful frames from Aura. Physical photo albums today are usually reserved for major milestone events, like weddings, trips, and anniversaries, when we feel it’s worthwhile to sit down and thoughtfully curate those experiences.  

Those of us with photo albums tucked in our closets and bookshelves, those that we have created and inherited, not to mention the albums our parents and grandparents own and we’ll inherit one day, need solutions. What do we do with all the existing albums, so they avoid landing in a craft shop or, worse, a dumpster when the details about the people and stories within are lost to time? 

Photo Albums Have Problematic Similarities to Scrapbooks 

Like scrapbooks, photo albums are designed to be shared, in person, and talked through, reminiscing about and reliving with the telling the places you’ve been, the experiences you have had, and more. Unfortunately, also like scrapbooks, photo albums present long-term challenges: 

1. Do you know the stories behind the photos? (We have tips for that!) Will you remember them? Scrapbooks tend to at least provide more leeway to add notes and stories than photo albums. Stories behind the photos are incredibly vulnerable to being forgotten. We can animate photos in creepy ways, but they cannot remember for us the stories lost. Look back through your albums. Do you recall all the people and events in a way that’s meaningful anymore? 
2. Albums, the pages within, and the photos will deteriorate. Little known fact outside the photo industry: Those photo prints you ordered in single and even triplicate were never meant to last more than a dozen years, and that's for the highest quality pritns! That’s why the colors change as the chemicals used to create the images degrade and the paper eventually becomes more fragile, too. 
3. Your album is singular and unique, unless you have access to the negatives. But even then, those are decaying with every passing day as well, so ... 
4. Albums can be bulky. Do you have room to continue to store them? What about those you may inherit? They are substantial in size and often uncooperative with short shelves and shallow storage. In the words of one Arti Community member, "I’m in my 40s and my albums are still at my parents’ house. I didn't feel the need to take them with me, but, yes, someday I’ll hold onto them. I don’t want to throw them away."

How Can You Preserve Photo Albums?  

And maybe even let some photo albums go ... 

Share the love. At the risk of making a lot of people very angry, we have to say it: You are not beholden to anyone to hold onto your own albums or anyone else's albums. Ask! Do YOU want them? 

Don’t fall for the guilt trip you are getting or think you’ll get. Ideally, you should consider yourself a steward of the history within those albums and as such, ask family members if they want the albums before you take them apart or get rid of them. It’s the kind thing to do. But beyond that, ...

... Digitization has never been easier or more affordable. We have shared tips about digitization in general. You can buy machines to do it yourself, but there’s a catch. We turned to Cathi Nelson, founder and CEO of The Photo Managers, to explain: 

"Many people created scrapbook photo albums during the decades of scrapbooking and those albums are often 12x12, which is too big for traditional flatbed scanners. You can outsource this project to a professional photo manager whose scans allow them to capture the entire page and individual photos.  

If that is not in your budget, and you have a flatbed scanner, such as the Epson v600, scan each page and use photo stitching software to magically merge the pages.  

Another option is to carefullly remove the photos and scan them (front and back). If they are stuck to the pages, you can use a butter knife or dental floss to gently remove the photos."

We want to also celebrate the amazing ease with which apps from modern photo companies like Photomyne and VividPix —with scanners at local museums, libraries, and historical societies that can scan whole album pages up to 11.8" x 17″—can slice up each photo on the page into its own file photo or image file. No need to take the pages apart or tediously scan them one by one. This is great for do-it-yourselfers!

Digitization Wisdom

Before you and as you digitize, keep three things in mind:  

• Photo layouts may be a part of the story. Some albums may be chronological or thematic. Others are designed for people to arrange photos in a way that may inherently help them to share stories, too. Take this example:

Had I scanned each photo and then disassembled the photo album, I would have disconnected these photos from the story of that day as captured in the Artifct, zapping their collective ability to convey a piece of my childhood. Instead, I could photograph or video the album before dismantling, if that’s what I decide to do with the album.

• • Create an index as you go for your photos with the file name and other details you care about (location, people, event, ...) or edit the photo metadata (e.g. date, location, and other information stored with the image file) with the additional information; 
  • Transform the album into a photo book and add the information in the image captions;  
  • Artifct the photos and include what you know about them. Check out our interrogation techniques for photos.

• Share the stories behind the photos. CONNECT with your loved ones. Don’t be annoying and share 100s of photos from a single trip. Tell them the “best of” or most meaningful moments. Artifct the best ones! Artifcts are easy to share, helping you get the story out there so it can live on. You might also share the Artifct with a friend who is going on a trip to the same place you went and want your tips! You can also easily share an Artifct to a friend’s or family member’s digital photo frame. Ask them how.  

If you are taking the time to create photo albums, maybe take time to create an additional Artifct or two to go with each album, even if the Artifct is of the album itself, and is your story of why you created it, what it means to you, etc. Bonus, you can include audio and video and bring your photo album to life for the next generation.

by C. Lee Cawley

C. Lee Cawley

In a world of endless choices, we often get bogged down by decision fatigue. From the moment we wake up, we’re faced with countless small choices—what to wear, what to use, what to buy. These seemingly minor decisions can add up and cause stress. One easy solution? Simplify by Single-choice! 

This doesn’t mean stripping your life of variety, but rather reducing the number of repetitive decisions you make every day. Let me show you how this works in a few areas of my life:

1. One Type of Sock

My husband used to have a drawer full of mismatched socks, wasting time every morning trying to find a matching pair. Now, he has just two styles:

•  White sports socks for casual wear and workouts.
•  Black dress socks for formal or professional outfits.

This change makes his day smoother. And when one sock develops a hole it does not negate the whole pair!

2. One Scent for All Soap Dispensers

Every bathroom and kitchen sink in my home used to have a different style and smell of hand soap. But now, I buy one large container of my favorite lavender scented soap and refill all the dispensers in the house.

Shopping for soap is a no-brainer, and I enjoy the cohesive, fresh smell throughout the house. Plus, it’s eco-friendly—fewer plastic bottles and less waste.

3. One Style of T-Shirt for Casual Wear

A client I know simplifies her days by buying one style of t-shirt that is the perfect weight, texture and fit!  She buys it in multiple colors and it feels and looks great at all times. Whether she’s running errands or relaxing at home, she knows exactly what she’ll wear each day without giving it a second thought.

This doesn’t mean her wardrobe is boring; it’s streamlined. Having a go-to casual outfit makes getting dressed quick and stress-free.

4. One Type of Towel

Instead of having a mix of different towels in various sizes and colors, simplify by choosing one style and color of bath towel and matching hand towel for the entire household. This creates a uniform, clean look in your bathrooms and makes laundry much easier.

5. One Color of Serveware

Instead of a blend of colorful plates, bowls, trays, and serving dishes, I decided to stick to all-white serveware. It makes my everyday or holiday table look elegant, everything matches and all the food looks appetizing on white.

6. One Type of Pen

Choose one reliable pen with the point size and ink color you love for all your writing needs. Whether for work, journaling, or jotting notes, having a consistent go-to pen eliminates the distraction of multiple types lying around and not being “quite right”.

Why Single-Choice Simplification Works

When you choose just one of something, you reduce unnecessary decisions, free up time, and declutter your life. This practice also makes your environment more harmonious and your shopping more intentional. Plus, it can help reduce waste and promote sustainability by focusing on bulk buying or refillable items.

Start Small

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to feel the benefits. Start with one area, like socks, soap, or t-shirts, and see how much easier life feels. 

Choosing just one may be the simplest way to create more space for what really matters in life.

For more information, contact C. Lee Cawley.

by Kruti Naik

We Organize

The fastest way to inbox clutter and overwhelm your email inbox are those daily, weekly, and monthly emails that you either ignore or delete without reading when they land in your inbox. Let me tell you—the simple act of unsubscribing from unwanted emails (even if you unsubscribe from just one email a day) will do wonders in keeping your inbox uncluttered and under control. Trust me, over time you will see a big change. You may not realize it, but it makes a huge difference when you have 15 relevant emails in the inbox vs.30 emails in your inbox, half of which are irrelevant.

The Brain’s Reaction to Email Overwhelm

Studies show that email overload can have significant effects on the brain and overall mental well-being:

1. Cognitive Overload:

Information Processing: Your brain can become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of emails, especially when many are irrelevant. This overload requires additional cognitive resources to filter and process the information, leading to decreased efficiency and mental fatigue.

2. Increased Stress Levels:

Stress Response: Constant exposure to a cluttered inbox activates the brain’s stress response, leading to higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol can negatively impact mood, cognitive function, and overall health.

3. Decision Fatigue:

Frequent Choices: Regular decision-making on whether to read, delete, or sort emails contributes to decision fatigue. This mental exhaustion can reduce your ability to make effective decisions in other areas of your life.

4. Decreased Productivity:

Distraction: A cluttered inbox can lead to frequent distractions, interrupting your workflow and reducing productivity. The constant need to manage and sift through emails can fragment your focus and hinder task completion.

5. Emotional Impact:

Frustration and Anxiety: The sight of an overflowing inbox can evoke frustration and anxiety, particularly if you feel overwhelmed by the volume of messages. This emotional strain can affect your overall well-being and job satisfaction.

Practical Tips for Managing Inbox Clutter

1. Unsubscribe Regularly:

Daily Habit: Make it a habit to unsubscribe from at least one unwanted email every day. Over time, this will significantly reduce the clutter in your inbox and help manage the volume of incoming messages.

2. Use Email Filters:

Automate Organization: Set up filters and labels to automatically categorize and sort incoming emails. This helps keep your main inbox focused on essential communications.

3. Create Email Rules:

Organizational Rules: Establish rules for automatically moving certain types of emails to designated folders. For example, newsletters can be routed to a "Read Later" folder, keeping your main inbox clear.

Schedule Regular Cleanups: Routine Management: Allocate specific times to review and clean up your inbox. Regular maintenance helps prevent email overload and keeps your inbox manageable.

Prioritize Important Emails: Focus on Relevance: Use tools and techniques to prioritize important emails, ensuring you address critical communications promptly while minimizing distractions from less relevant messages.

Final Thoughts

By hitting the unsubscribe button and actively managing your inbox, you can significantly reduce email clutter and its negative impact on your brain and well-being. This simple yet effective action helps lower cognitive overload, stress, and decision fatigue, ultimately leading to a more organized and less stressful email experience. Over time, the benefits of a cleaner inbox will become evident, enhancing your productivity, focus, and overall mental clarity.

For more information, contact Kruti Naik.

by Jill Katz

One to Zen Organizing

The Story

Have you every wondered why you are not making progress with your organizing goals or other goals in your life? I used to think about this all the time as it related to my clients.

Working with a client, sometimes we make great progress, other times...not so much. During times of stagnancy, I found myself confused and discouraged because I couldn't pinpoint what was standing in my client's way. After all, this person had reached out to me for help and I had the tools to get them there. So what was the problem?

Then one day, I was introduced to the 5 stages of change and I knew this was the answer. Understanding these stages is the key to understanding our process toward changing our behavior so we can reach our goals.

The 5 Stages of Change

The 5 stages of Change Model was developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente  in 1983 and has been used as a framework to act in order to change a behavior. The 5 stages are:

Precontemplation: Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed

Precontemplation is the "pre work" happening in our brain before we even understand what we want. If you try to convince someone to change at this stage, they will most likely defend their current behavior. Sometimes, I will receive a call from a concerned family member asking me to help their loved one with clutter. I respond that I am happy to reach out but, ultimately, the person needs to want that help in order to make progress. We all have thoughts that need to marinate until we are ready to make sense of them. We can't take action on ideas that we are not yet ready to acknowledge.

Contemplation: Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready, wavering

Contemplation is the stage when I first hear directly from a client. In a previous post, I mentioned that sometimes I speak with people who reach out to me and say they would like to declutter but, In the end, they decide they are not ready. During contemplation we are grappling with information and emotions and the outcome of this stage will decide whether or not we move forward to the next stage.

Preparation/Determination: Getting ready to change

When a client reaches out to me during the Preparation phase, his or her convictions are strong and goals are clear. I hear sentences such as "My clutter is preventing me from being functional and I want to do something about that." In this stage, we are gathering more research, which serves to ground our thinking and makes it more likely that we will jump into the next phase.

Action/Willpower: Changing behavior

This stage is where most of the external visible work happens. Ironically, it is the shortest phase. This means that most of our work is invisible and internal. But it all comes together during the action phase where we can be seen working toward our goal. This stage is where I am having sessions with my clients and providing accountability and strategies to help them move forward. All is good (usually... more on that shortly)

Maintenance: Maintaining the behavior

This final stage involves keeping on track after achieving your goals. In maintenance, we have periodic check-ins with ourselves reminding us why we have have changed. To maintain a decluttered space, I provide my client with strategies that will help them create routines. Hopefully, these habits can carry them through in times of struggle. We also talk about how to reset, so when a space or system falls apart, they can recover.

Obstacles To Progress - The 5 Stages of Change in Play

Once I had a familiarity with the 5 Stages of Change, I was able to pinpoint why I wasn't seeing progress with some of my clients. Maybe some of these situations will resonate with you and why you haven't seen the results that you would like.

Scenario #1: The Preparation Phase is Cut Short

In this scenario, my client has conducted enough research to hire me but is still missing a strong foundation for change. So when we start working together, they are not motivated to do the work. Going over client values or even having clients take some time to reevaluate their priorities has proven helpful in this stage.

Scenario #2: Help with Willpower & Discipline

In this case, my client has done the prep work but needs more support with willpower. Hiring an organizer can help, but additional support from family and friends, along with building good habits, is essential. Those with executive functioning issues might need more time establishing and practicing new routines.

Scenario #3: Relapse

In this last iteration, my client will be making the most strides and then suddenly have a setback. Here, I have found that the best move is to evaluate their coping strategies while making sure they show themselves plenty of grace and self-compassion. I try to model this compassion for them. If they can get past this phase, they can reset and often rebuild, creating an even better, more organized and productive life.

In Conclusion

Understanding the 5 Stages of Change has been transformative in understanding myself and my clients. It has shifted the way I approach organizing and helping others, giving me the insight needed to identify where each person is in their journey and how best to support them. Most importantly, understanding that most change occurs internally allows me to give myself and my clients the space to do the invisible work. Whether you are struggling to start, feeling stuck, or facing setbacks, recognizing where you are in the process can be the key to unlocking progress.

Have you experienced a stall or setback with your own or with your client's progress? Does this fit into the framework of the 5 Stages of Change? Send me a comment and share!

For more information, contact Jill Katz.

by Ginger Willis

Elements of Fun Organizing

Pets may rule our hearts, but they do tend to bring a bit of chaos to the household! One of the best ways to return that love (and preserve your home) is to include them in your organizational strategy. This will help you better meet their needs without sacrificing your own quality of life. As it turns out, animals thrive on structure, much like human children. So, a functional system can play an important role in keeping them happy and healthy. I’ve put together the following guide to help you “manage the farm,” no matter what kind of pets may be roaming your house.

Avoiding Animal Take-Over

Sometimes all it takes is just one animal (or one disorganized pet parent) to make your home feel out of control. Creating the right space for your pets, keeping track of their food and supplies, and setting reminders for yourself can help restore order.

• Set Up a Pet Station – Having a central location for all your pet-related stuff makes things more convenient and helps you keep track of what you have on hand. You don’t want to cross the room every time you need to fill a bowl or get the leash! You can set up a pet station wherever it makes the most sense for accessibility. Any closet, cabinet, drawer, bench, basket, or small cart will do.

  Depending on how your home is set up, you may need more than one location to keep everything neatly tucked away. You may want a separate feeding station, walking station, and toy station.

• Keep Items Close to Where You Use Them – Transparent storage bins are a great way to keep everything contained within the space. You can even pop a descriptive label onto each one.
  

• Store Extra Inventory in One Place – Extra food and supplies that aren’t accessed daily may be stored in another dedicated space. But keep them together!

• Have a Container for Toys – Baskets are a simple way to corral pet toys, and they can be matched to the aesthetics of your home.

  *Storing dry food in an airtight container rather than the bag it came in can be a game-changer! The area will stay cleaner, food will stay fresher, and it will keep both insects and pets from helping themselves to a snack. Plus, you can easily label them with the pet’s name and the amount they get so you are pet-sitter-ready!

• Set Up a Pet Area – Not every home has the space for it, but if you do, a dedicated pet area is a nice way to honor your pet and preserve your home. It can not only provide them a kingdom to call their own, but it helps keep everything pet-related contained…to a point.

• Conduct an Audit - Regularly audit and edit toys, supplies, medication, etc. to make sure they are in good condition, loved and enjoyed, clean, in date, etc.

• Set Limits – It can be tempting to bring more and more pets into your home, but consider your space carefully before you make that commitment. Do you have space for a massive rabbit cage in the living room? If not, and you really want that rabbit, plan and organize the space first. It may require some editing. Your other pets, your family, and the rabbit will thank you for it…even if you ultimately decide NOT to bring the rabbit home.

• Stick to a Cleaning Schedule – Okay, I know. Where’s the fun in a cleaning schedule, right? The goal is to make things easier by tackling the mess before it gets out of hand. Animal fur, paw prints, nose prints, drool, tracked litter, well-loved toys, messy eating areas, and “aromatic” sleeping areas can add up to a lot of yuck. So, it’s helpful to stay ahead of the game! If you wait until it’s overpowering…well, you know.

Giving Your Pets a Solid Routine

Life tends to revolve around the combined schedules of your household members. But pets are people too, right? So, it’s important to create a routine so they know what to expect each day.

• Feeding – Not only do your animals know what time it is, but they like to know what’s for dinner! So, being consistent with when, what, and how much you feed your animals is very beneficial to them. And you definitely don't want to run out of food and treats. Consider using auto-ship once you know how frequently you need to restock.

• Potty Breaks – The more consistent you are with feeding, the more consistent your animals will be with the need for potty breaks. This not only helps them physically and emotionally, but it helps you plan around their “necessity” schedule and hopefully reduce accidents in your house.

• Grooming – If your pet needs regular grooming, nail trims, etc., it’s helpful to set up a schedule with reminders…even if you do it yourself.

• Annual Checkups – Keep your pets healthy by taking them to the vet annually for their checkups. It makes things easier if you schedule the appointment and put it in your calendar far ahead of when their vaccines and tests are due.

• Medicine – If your pet requires meds, be sure to put the refills on your calendar, set reminders on your phone, or “set it and forget it” with auto-ship.

Prepping for the Pet Sitter

Sadly, we can’t take our pets with us everywhere, so at some point you may need a pet sitter. Whether that person is a friend, family, or a professional you hire, a set of instructions can be incredibly helpful. If you already have everything documented, you won’t find yourself stressed at the last minute trying to remember and relay those details.

• Create a Pet Care Guide – You don’t have to write a book, but documenting critical information will make your sitter’s job a lot easier. It can also help you relax, knowing that you’ve given them everything they need to properly care for your fur babies. Here are some things you might include depending on what kind of pet you have.

Feeding Schedule

What do they eat, how much, and at what time? Do bowls need to be separated if you have multiple pets? Any special diets?

Play and Exercise Needs

How often, where, and how far do they walk? How do they like to be entertained? Where are the toys? Which toy is their favorite?

Human/Animal Friendliness

Do they get along with other animals and people, and are you okay with them interacting?

Behavior

Is there anything else important to know about their behavior?

Safety

Do certain doors need to be left open or closed to prevent an animal from getting trapped or escaping? Do you use a crate at certain times of the day? How do you transport your pet to the vet? Is your pet allergic to anything?

Potty Break Schedule

How long can they go between visits? Do you have certain cleaning supplies in case of accidents or wet/muddy weather? Does your neighborhood have any designated or restricted areas for pets?

Treats

When should they get a treat and how many are appropriate?

Location of Supplies

Where are food, treats, bowls, leashes, poop/litter bags, towels (in case it rains), sweaters (if they need to be dressed for the weather), and cleaning supplies located? This one is a lot easier if you’ve set up a pet station!

Medicine

Do they require medicine, how much, how often, and how is it given? A daily pill organizer can be helpful in some situations.

Commands

What commands do they respond to? Are they in training and receive rewards for certain behaviors?

Identification

Which animal is which if you have multiples? This is especially important if one needs medication or if there is anything to report back to you.

Trash/Recycling

Where do you dispose of poop/litter bags or empty food cans? Do you recycle?

Vet information

What’s the name, address, and phone number of your vet?

Contact Info

What’s the contact information for you and a local backup person?

Updates

How frequently would you like updates?

Availability

Will you be available for questions, be in another time zone, have phone service, etc.?*This one is trip-specific and will need to be updated.

Need to Create a Pet Organization System?

If you don’t already have a system that keeps your pets and their “stuff” organized, we can help! Our team of professional organizers absolutely loves working with pet parents. Whether you want us to step in and tackle the project for you or you just need a little virtual guidance, we’ve got you!

For more information, contact Ginger Willis.

by Janet Schiesl

Basic Organization

We all have a collection (or two). Even me!

From my perspective, it’s NOT OK to collect, for the sake of just having things. But it’s OK to have a collection. What’s the difference, you ask? In my mind, a collection is a group of items you gather together and take care of and it’s things you love. To collect is to keep things without meaning or usefulness.

A collection is a select number of any one type of item that you take pleasure in owning. 61% of us accumulate items of a similar nature (coins, toys, trading cards, jewelry) according to a 2022 survey by Magnify Money by Lending Tree. Being a responsible collector means taking care of your collection, especially if you want it to retain value over time.

Here are 5 things you need to do to take care of a collection:

Organize

A detailed inventory is a good tool when you need to assess the value of your collection. Whether you create a spreadsheet of information or use a service or app, it should include a description of each item, with measurements and flaws, and note where you purchased it and what you paid. Some inventory applications that you may want to check out are Artifcts, HomeZada, Sortly, or Pinventory. to name a few. There are many of them out there, so do some research to find the right one for you.

Accurately Value

You should know the general worth of your collection. An easy way to do this is to search for recently completed transactions on eBay for the same or similar items. If you want to work with a professional, find an appraiser through the Appraisers Association of America or the American Society of Appraisers. Expect to pay a flat or hourly fee to work with an appraiser.

A few things to note

• Know the difference between an appraisal for fair market value or replacement value.
• You may want to get items graded, which means evaluating the condition each item is in.

Proper Storage

Where you store your collection is important. Look for a cool, dry, and dark place. But, your basement may not be the best storage option. The humidity in some basements may cause mold or mildew, so run a dehumidifier to protect your items from damage. Even if you want to display your collection it’s important to preserve their value when displayed. There is a great book called Saving Stuff, written by Don Williams, a Smithsonian Senior Conservator that covers how to preserve a wide variety of collections.

You should also store receipts and the original packaging, since these may make your items more valuable. so consider how much space you will allot for storage when starting a collection.

Keep Clean

Be very careful with how you clean your collection. Again, a little research may go a long way to not making a mistake with cleaning products that could degrade your items. Even refinishing and repairing an item could lessen its value if you want to sell it in the future. Now, if you want to use the item, then go ahead and make it functional. I say enjoy those things that you love and make more memories around them.

Plan for the Future

Who will inherit your collection in the future? If one of your children loves the same kind of collecting you do and wants your collection, then count yourself lucky. Most of the younger generation isn’t interested in the same things. either way, your heirs will benefit from all the information you have gathered about your items. Make sure you note in your estate plan which person should be gifted your collection. Write down why it’s important to you, what they might do with it, and where/how they might liquidate the collection.

What Not To Do

Don’t stress over the value of your collection. The going price of anything fluctuates with time, so it can be unpredictable. My advice to you is, if you think your collection is valuable and you are saving it for your kids, take the time to sell it now. Don’t leave that project to someone else.

Bottom Line

Care for items while they are in your possession, but if they no longer bring you joy then sell, gift, or donate and let someone enjoy it.

For more information, contact Janet Schiesl.

by Anna Novak

Simply Downsized

In my experience as a Washington, DC-based downsizing specialist, I’m frequently tasked with planning, arranging and overseeing a wide range of services that may be needed to complete a major home transition. I almost always bring on Professional Organizers to support my clients with projects that are too large or too specialized for my clients to manage on their own.

When you think about it, a major downsizing move is the Granddaddy of all organizing projects!  Sorting, selecting, organizing; these tasks are among the most challenging and overwhelming aspects of a move, especially when the client has lived in their home for decades.

Washington-DC area downsizers are fortunate to have so many wonderful options and specialties represented in our local cadre of Professional Organizers.  Over the past six years, I have called on them for a wide variety of skills and support, including:

Photo Organizing and Document Scanning: Helping clients organize and scan their photos and important documents before their move.

Family History Preservation: Preserving family history by organizing and safeguarding heirlooms, documents, and memorabilia.

Wardrobe Downsizing: Helping clients sort through their wardrobe and choose the best options for fit, function and their future lifestyles.

Hobby Area Organization: My clients love their hobbies! Organizing and sorting supplies helps them continue to enjoy their favorite activities in their new, smaller space.

Furniture Selection: Measuring furniture and evaluating which pieces will fit into the new space and have the most value for my clients after they move.

Kitchen Organization: I love cooking and kitchens, but they are a big job to organize, pack and unpack. Organizers help my clients both before and after their move, ensuring everything is functional and accessible.

Cataloging Items for Auction: My clients sometimes choose to catalog and sell their items online or at a local auction house.  An organizer can help with the task of creating accurate descriptions and tracking the details of auction items. 

Home Decluttering for Market: Sometimes, a home sale can complicate an already busy and overwhelming time.  Professional Organizers can make a tremendous impact when it’s time to declutter a home for market.  

Move-Day Assistance: Helping with move-ins, including setting up essential areas like the bathroom and bedroom for the first night in a new place.

Unpacking After a Move: Another significant benefit of Professional Organizing is assistance with unpacking and setting up belongings when older adults move into a senior community or smaller residence. Unpacked moving boxes and packaging materials can easily overwhelm a small apartment, making the task of settling in seem impossible.

Storage Unit Clearing: Many of my downsizing projects include addressing items that have been in storage, either onsite or offsite. Organizers can complete this type of sorting quickly and efficiently, saving my clients a lot of money and effort dealing with things they no longer use.

There are countless scenarios where a homeowner could benefit from the services of a Professional Organizer, whether they are downsizing or not. I’m thrilled to have the resources of my local NAPO-WDC chapter for all of the variety and expertise they bring to projects small and large.

For more information, contact Anna Novak.

by Janet Schiesl

Basic Organization

Never forget your passwords again! Wouldn’t that be great? With this simple formula, you can do it.

It’s so simple, so secure, and easy to remember.

Follow the steps below for a simple way to create passwords for you and your family.

The first thing you want to do to create a secure password is to make up a sentence that you can easily remember.  How about this:

We like to read paper books at night.

Secondly, take the first letter of each word in the sentence to start your password. (In this example I replaced the word to with the number 2 and the word at with @ sign.)

We like to(2) read paper books at(@) night.

It looks like this:

W l 2 r p b @ n

Thirdly, think of the websites you’d like to use. Let’s try Amazon. Use the first three letters of Amazon’s name.

Your password would look like this:

Wl2rpb@nAMA

You have now created a password specifically for Amazon’s website.  So simple and so easy!

You can easily create a different password for each website you visit, making them easier to remember. Isn’t this a simple way of creating your passwords? Try it out!

 

Here’s another tip:

If you need to change your password you can do so easily by using the same sentence and placing the three letters from the website in front of your created password. Or you can change your sentence. The choice is yours, and again it should be easy to remember.

 

Enjoy this quick tip on how to create a secure password from Basic Organization.com.

For more information, contact Janet Schiesl.