Christmas Lights - without Drama!

For many people, this time of year can be very stressful. But there are little things you can do to make it easier on you and others! One idea came to me recently from my Dad and how carefully he packed away the Christmas lights for use in following years.

Backstory: My husband and I recently moved into a new (to us) home and we don't own Christmas lights. As I am hosting the festivities this year, I wanted to put some up so I borrowed my parents' lights since they weren't using them this year. When I opened the box to assess the situation, I was pleasantly surprised at how neatly my dad had put the lights away. It made the process a breeze - we had lights up with no drama in less than an hour! (Full disclosure: a previous owner had already put hooks up along the front of the house from which we could hang the lights, making it easier on us!)

What did he do, you ask? He took each string and carefully wound them in a loose oval, not allowing them to twist into knots. He then laid the first strand inside the box and tied a piece of string with a file label on it indicating which strand of lights it was (i.e. west side of garage, girls' bedrooms, front walkway, etc.). He then covered this with several layers of newspaper, and then put in the next strand, labeled with string. And so on. Over the years he had customized each strand of lights to fit exactly in a certain spot, including adding clear light bulbs near stairs so people could see. As I saw this I said to myself, "Ah-ha! Further proof this is where I get my anal-retentive traits!" :) Because he had labeled in this way, it made it very easy for me to know which lights would work on my house - I picked the two longest strands and that was all we needed.

In addition to neatly stored lights, he also had plenty of extra bulbs available (10+ of each!). He stored them by color in small paper bags inside the box, each labeled with the color. This has already come in handy as we've had to replace several burned out bulbs. Which reminds me, I have two red ones out on the front of the garage - I will go change them now!


Happy low-stress holidays,
-amy

Roadside Hazard Kit

It's important to have emergency items in your vehicle in case you experience hazards on the road, especially as we head into the winter weather season. For around $40-50 you can purchase a kit online that's endorsed by the AAA. It has most everything you need (and some things that you don't!).

Or, you can build your own kit using many items you already have. My dad, who worked as a mechanic many years ago and is my go-to-guy for all things car-related, recommends a few items not in the AAA kits, including an emergency fan belt and an extra quart of oil. I've included those items on my list - pasted below (sorry for formatting weirdness; I've been fighting with blogger for almost an hour now!!). If you'd like a formatted copy (in PDF) that you can easily print and use as a guideline for your vehicles, just send me an e-mail :)

Safe travels!
-amy

Roadside Hazard Kit You Can Make Yourself
Must-Have Items:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Jumper cables (recommended min. 8 feet long)
  
• 2-3 bungee cords
• Flares
• Emergency fan belt
• 1 roll duct tape and/or electrical tape
• Large garbage bag (multiple uses, including a rain poncho and a dry place to kneel when changing a tire or tire chains!)
• 2-in-1 screwdriver and pliers
• Assorted fuses
• Extra quart of oil
• 1 rag or "shop cloth"
• Cable ties (especially helpful for securing hoses and tire chains)
• First Aid Kit

Extras

• WD-40
• Tire pressure gauge
• Tire Inflator (this "goo" patches holes and re-inflates the tire temporarily; can be purchased at automotive stores)
• Safety Lights (I have a 2-pack of 12-hour lights; they don't need batteries or fire)
• Solar charger for cell phone and other devices (we use the Solio)
• My in-laws also gave us the SafetyCross 6-in-1 Self-Powered Emergency Light which includes a compass and radio
• Auto blanket for changing tires, etc. (we have one that's water proof on one side and fabric on the other so we can also use it for impromptu picnics!)
• Safety vest or other reflective tape/clothing (so you can be seen at night on the side of a road)
• Gallon jug of water and energy bars (if desired)
  

Plus: if you live or drive where there is snow, always have tire chains and a blanket with you (and perhaps even rubber boots!)

Fall Project Ideas

Lately I've been working on marketing materials for my business and while developing a flyer I came up with this list of "Great Projects to Conquer This Fall." Thought I'd share with y'all as inspiration. And if you can't tackle one of these on your own, reach out to me or another professional organizer to help you get it done! :)

• Fall clean-ups – clear out clutter and make your home cozy and efficient for winter
• Earn money for the holidays – clean out your garage, closets, storage unit, etc. and sell your hidden treasures on a garage sale or at a consignment shop or even on Craigslist
• Make space for holiday guests – furniture re-arranging, clearing out coat closets, and getting the kitchen and dining rooms ready for entertaining
• End-of-year office organizing and tax-year receipts/wrap-up
• Throw a memorable holiday party (corporate or personal)
• Clean-out your garage so you can park your car inside for the winter!
• Holiday cards/letters – get your list and process organized (or hire someone to handle this for you!)

Thanks for reading. Happy Fall!
-amy

Great Tip for Stacking Linens, Sweaters, etc.

From Complete Organizing Solutions earlier this week - another tip from a Professional Organizer's home on keeping linens and sweaters stacked neatly (I'm sure you've experienced the leaning tower of towels before, as it comes crashing down as you open the closet! Well this tip will stop that from happening. While it might not hurt to have towels fall on you, it's annoying because it makes a mess and often times other household members don't have the patience to refold everything nicely...)



Happy Organizing!
-amy

Fantastic book on time & life management

I just finished reading, "The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management," by Hyrum W. Smith and highly recommend it. A bit dated since it was written in 1993, but some great advice and techniques for getting your life in order and feeling, as the author puts it, "inner peace." I especially appreciated that he focused on getting your values and beliefs in order first, and then using your values to guide your goal setting, and your goals to dictate your daily activities. It's not just about being busier or more efficient or more productive, it's about spending your time doing those things that matter most to you. Only then will you feel fulfilled.

This book really struck a chord with me. I have always had many "to do" lists going at once and managed to get a lot of stuff done...but there were many times when this still didn't leave me with a true sense of accomplishment. I'm excited to embark on this new adventure and try out the Franklin system for scheduling and task lists, tied to my values and goals (it's named as a tribute to Benjamin Franklin, by the way - because he lived his life by governing values). A side note: the book was a bit "sales-y" at times, with pushes to purchase his products like the Franklin Day Planner, but it doesn't overwhelm or take away from the book's very valuable messages.

If you're looking for some motivation and a refreshing way to look at time and life management, I suggest you give this book a read.

Cheers,
-amy

P.S. In an earlier post I included a list of time management books that my friends and colleagues recommended, of which "The 10 Natural Laws" was one of them.