Killing Time?

In my conversations around town a troubling phrase keeps coming up. More than five people in the last week have mentioned that they did one thing or another to "kill" time while they were waiting for something to happen. Killing time? I know that I have said this on a few rare occasions but it seemed odd and a bit alarming that so many people are not using their time to the best of their abilities.

We all have those short stretches of time where we are waiting to move from one mode to another. The question is - How can we use even those teeny, tiny times to our advantage?

Waiting for appointments? Have a folder of things you really want to read, not just what is supplied in the waiting rooms. It is also a time to read/sort mail.

Sitting in traffic? Consider a good book on CD/TAPE/MP3. Check your local library for titles to borrow. Also, check iTunes for their free selections.

Watching TV? What hobby or activity could you pick up to make that time more fruitful? Maybe even a time for exercise(?!)

Whenever your bits of wasted time occur, it is possible to take back your time and use it well. If you don't use your time, it WILL be wasted... and we all know just how valuable time really is!

Wishing... then doing!

I wish that I could say that my house is perfect, that my children are angels and that my life is bliss. Yes, my life is great but it is a REAL life with ups and downs. At this very second I can hear my three year old crying downstairs because she doesn't want to help my husband pick up the messes she has made today. Yes, messes do happen... even in an organizer's home.

My family is about to take a huge step out into the unknown. My husband's job is ending in June and we don't know where we are going yet. My business is growing but it doesn't feed us and house us quite yet. I find myself wishing a lot these days. Wishing for stability, wishing for someone else to pack my moving boxes for me, wishing for it to be a year from now instead of right now. Today it occurred to me. I have to stop wishing and just start doing. "Inch by inch, life is a cinch. right?"

So what am I doing? I am being faithful to the processes that I know and always try to use. Maybe they will be helpful to you too.

Sort and open my mail each day
Do my best to answer and delete email each day
Keep up with the laundry
Make the beds - even when I don't feel like it
Start everyday by looking at the calendar and making sure I have a "flight plan"
Buy only the things that I really need
Avoid food that is neon-colored or clearly not "real" food
Pray or be still at least once each day
Shower, no matter what!
Be thankful about something and/or someone... then let him/her know about it
End the day with a clean(ish) desk
Always have extra batteries... and a secret stash of cookies
Get enough protein (hard since I am a veggie)
Try not to be "grouchy mommy"
Clean out the refrigerator once a week
Still have a date night with my husband
Ask for help (that one is really hard for me)
Love myself more
Listen to others more
Cut out the things that don't really matter to me (or the ones I love)
Drive slower
Listen to music as much as possible
Read something everyday (even if it is only a few moments in the bathroom)
Give my things away to those who really need them
Smile... even when I am by myself
Trust what is to come....
.... Julian of Norwich was right -
"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well"

New Year's... and a new year.

I think that resolutions should be made on some random Tuesday in May. It seems like they are more viable than those that are made in the midst of holiday overeating, charged up credit cards and snowed-out exercise plans. Thinking about retooling my life each year stirs up feelings of failure, not dreams of relief.

So what do I do?

I make a promise to be gentle to myself. My natural tendency is the work myself to death. I guess that comes from my Pennsylvania Dutch (German) background. It is actually a true exercise of all my skills to do nothing.

So what does it mean to be gentle to myself?
Finding a pace that keeps me happy, engaged, and moving forward in my life.

Most of what we resolve has to do with "problems" in our pace of living . So why not do what all good doctors do - treat the root issue and NOT simply mask the symptoms.

How will you change your pace this year? What would it mean to be gentle to yourself?
Why not try it today.

Curious....then grossed out

Have you ever been appalled yet wickedly intrigued at the same time? Last night when I was picking over the discount bins at a store I saw just the thing that made me appalled and intrigued both at once. (By the way - you do look in those bins, right!? There are major organizational treasures hiding in there!)

There on the shelf was a brightly colored box of sour candy coated raisins. And here is the best part - the makers of these disgusting treats were proud to claim that the product contained no refined sugar ...and were being marketed as a "smart choice" for healthy kids!

It seems like an idea gone totally wrong to me. I picked up the box and even laughed out loud to someone passing with their cart. It should have been a clue when they had been marked down from 99 cents, to 69 cents and then finally to 24 cents.

Of course I bought a pack. How could I pass up such a bizarre deal??

Sitting in the parking lot I tried one. Only one... and that was enough. I normally don't make it a practice to spit things out preschooler-style but I did! I guess my "intrigued" voice spoke louder than my "appalled" sensibilities. Never again! :-}

Holiday Madness

This year really takes the cake!

I know that stores like to make us feel like we need, need, need things but this really is going too far. While strolling down the holiday aisle of a major big box store I saw Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's AND Valentines Day items all at the same time!

As your friendly professional organizer, I beg you not to shop until you drop this season. Consider how you can celebrate these holidays other than buying something. Your closets, drawers and storage areas will thank you!

It finally happened to me...

You hear stories about it... and you think somehow you will be different from the rest. It hit me today. I am officially an American mom.

• I drive a minivan.
• I went for a trial aerobics class today (and it kicked my butt!).
• I actually carry one of those quilted mommy bags I swore off as a young adult.
• Right now I am waiting for macaroni and cheese to cook. (Yes, the orange kind I promised never to pass the lips of my children.)
• I spent part of the day in the doctor's office with a cranky almost two year old.
• I enrolled in Weight Watchers this year to drop those last few baby weight pounds.
• Half of the beverages I consumed today were "stolen" from a sippy cup.

....Need I go on?

The temptation is to mark these off as tiny defeats in the person I thought I would be... but I have to tell you that (most days) it is wonderful. Motherhood is hard. There are women who will never admit it.. but it is true. Setting the scene for the rest of someones life is a big responsibility. It is also (partially) the reason why I decided to become a professional organizer. Everyone deserves to have a place to live that is memorable, safe, clean and happy. Look around at your space. What will you (and those you love) remember about that space? You have a choice...