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A. Rey of Hope
Blog
Livin' the Dream
| Posted on 21 October, 2014 at 22:20 |
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 There's no time like the present so why not make today the day? The day that you decide that where you live can be perfect for how you live.Things just don't fit right, you may think. Or, if there were only more cabinets in this darn kitchen! Whatever it is about your home that's cramping your style, here's a way to address it all now. Make yourself a map. Not a map of your home the way it is exactly, but a map of what you need it to be.  Begin with what is unchangeable. For instance, if you are not prepared to do any reconstruction, all of your walls and fixed appliances and shelving are the first things that belong on your map. Add in only furniture that you absolutely know is in the appropriate room. Leave out any large items that you think might not stay in place. Next, it's time to dream. Fill in the blank rooms with a word or two for what you intend to do in those rooms.  Take your map from room to room and be a detective.  Does everything in this room relate to what it says on your map? Are there things that don't belong? Can everything that belongs be put away in some sort of storage in this room? |
Do You Have S.T.A.R.S. in Your Eyes?
| Posted on 28 July, 2014 at 19:01 |
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After 6 years working closely with a wide variety of people looking to organize their homes, their offices, their files and paper, and their lives, I have come up with a term that describes a common experience that is a key factor leading many to the cluttered situations they exasperatingly find themselves in. The term is S.T.A.R.S. "Shiny Things (© Annette Reyman) Syndrome". Want to know if you're suffering from seeing STARS? Here are the symptoms -  Characterized by:
Can sound like:
 Can lead to:
Read more... |
Keep and Let Go Criteria: 37 Questions
| Posted on 25 June, 2014 at 9:22 |
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We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell  Once
you have decided that getting organized is in order, sorting through your
belongings will be a key part of the process. Sometimes we can look at the same
items over and over and not really know how to make a decision about what to do
with them. This list of thirty-seven questions should help you in that
decision-making process. Check down the list when you are stumped with an
object and see what questions help move you forward.THE BASICS 01. Does it belong to someone else? 02. Is it too worn/broken/unidentifiable to use? LEGAL 03. Are you legally required to keep it? 04. Is there a tax reason to keep it? 05. Would you need this check / document in a legal
dispute?  USE IT06. Will you actually use it/refer to it? (Have you in
the past?) 07. Will you really read it? When? 08. Is the information still current? (or can newer
information be found online?) 09. Have you used it in the last year? 10. Do you think you will use it again (or for the first
time) and what circumstances will have to be in place in order for you
to use it? 11. Are you really going to finish this project?
When? |
Qualities of Organized People
| Posted on 11 March, 2014 at 18:57 |
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Organized people are decision makers.  "In general, organized people can say, 'This is good enough,' and then move forward," says Reyman. "It doesn't have to be perfect, and we don't have to rehash it 10,000 different ways." Organized people consider their options, choose one and stick to it, without looking back with regret on the paths not taken, she says. (read more...) |
Do You Rent Storage?
| Posted on 20 January, 2014 at 19:16 |
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I've got all the money I'll ever need, if I die by four o'clock. - Henny Youngman Hiring a professional organizer can save you money. Are you one of those people who has so much money you just don't know what to do with it? You know, extra cash just laying around collecting dust. No? Me neither. I will be speaking at the Philadelphia Home Show this coming weekend. Last year, Mark Brunetz of the reality show Clean House, spoke before me. I really enjoyed listening to him speak about his experiences working on the show and with people who really needed help getting their homes back in order. He also had a lot of great information to share. One thing Mark shared was the statistic that one in every ten Americans rents a storage unit. One in twenty rent multiple. First, I just want to say that there are many good reasons to rent a storage unit, some of them being:
to name a few. However, "I have more stuff than what can fit into my home" is not one of them. If you have more than what you can fit into your home you either have too much stuff or need to buy a bigger home. If buying something bigger is not an option, think about this: A 5 X 10 foot storage unit averages about $175.00 per month. Would you rather pay $175 dollars to store things you don't use, or put $175 extra into your budget each month? That's an extra $2,100.00 per year. Consider what it's worth before you pay one more month's rent. |
Organizing is Child's Play
| Posted on 16 January, 2014 at 12:19 |
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At a recent local area Home Show, a fellow organizer and I played an organizing game with some of the children who stopped by our booth with their parents. The object: to sort out a jumbled mess of office supplies and fit them into a compartmentalized tray. The kids had a timed minute to complete the task and then received a prize. 
 2. Make sure they have the necessary tools.
 3. Give them a chance to do it on their own.An infant needs help for everything, a toddler wants to start doing things on their own, a pre-teen's hormones make them see things differently. Each developmental stage our children go through is a also a developmental stage for us as parents. We are challenged to learn how much autonomy we should give at each stage. A good rule of thumb is: if there's no harm in trying on their own, let them try. Organizing is a life skill that can support your child at every stage of their life for the rest of their life. Give them that gift. |
Free Time
| Posted on 11 January, 2014 at 22:29 |
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 Using my schedule in this way helps me make my Busy life, a Full one - and that is worth my time. Because, its not about the time, it's about the Times of my Life. I'm looking forward to my lunch with Sue on January 23rd. |
Give Credit Where It’s Due – You!
| Posted on 31 December, 2013 at 12:12 |
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What do you have on your plate that is just crying out to you, needing to get done? Chances are, several
things flew through your mind when you read that. What were they? Write them down, get them out of
your head, and then ask yourself “What can I do to get these things taken care of right now?” Notice I
didn’t say “What do I have to do myself to get these things taken care of right now?” I don’t mean that
you need to take care of everything personally, but you do need to be in charge of getting the ball
rolling. Where I live, we have these bright yellow flags at each crosswalk called “Take It to Make It” flags, and
our city claims that more than 60 people have been injured or killed when not using the flag, and zero
injuries/fatalities have resulted when pedestrians do carry the flag with them when they cross the
street. I’m not saying that all of the responsibility falls on the pedestrian for road safety, but when a
pedestrian is willing to take that extra step to be safe, they are often willing to go the extra mile and
tend to be more aware of their surroundings, which makes them safer all-around. You may be wondering how these two things relate, and I’ll tell you...it is all about YOU taking
responsibility. YOU have to make sure that you have the right team in place to take care of your stuff for
you. YOU have to be in charge of making sure your stuff gets done, either by you doing it, or by
delegating it out (my preferred method). It is up to YOU to go that extra mile and make sure that YOUR
stuff gets done. In the end, it’s up to YOU, and in the end YOU get to give credit where it’s due! It’s time
to start walking forward, and don’t forget to Take it to Make it! Susan Brennan is a speaker, personal assistant and productivity enthusiast. You can learn more about
her and how she helps people Be Productive Vicariously, by visiting her website at
www.consideritdonepersonally.com.
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Three P's of Moving
| Posted on 25 October, 2013 at 12:04 |
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Gearing up for a Big Move?  The three P’s I am referring to are, in short: paper, pearls and pills. Whether you will have a one or two day
cross-town move or a four to five day cross-country move, it will benefit you
to have control of items that are critical and vital to you and your
family.
 Papers: The papers that you will want to keep in your
possession are anything having to do with the move – moving company contract,
rental agreements, etc., school registration requirements, identification for
each family member. With the exception
of ID, it is also ok to keep these items digitally. Try using Evernote to take a picture of each
document. Evernote will store them by
the date and location the picture was taken.
Make sure you practice this in advance.
When I first tried this, my pictures were not saved because I did not
realize I had to make a selection to choose
to save them.
Pearls: Whatever jewelry you may have of any value
should be kept with you at all times or securely stored in a safe or safety
deposit box. Moving time can be
confusing; don’t leave your valuables to chance.
 Pills: Yes, you plan to be at your new home
tomorrow, but then the truck breaks down, your flight gets cancelled, there’s a
family emergency in Florida and Aunt Alice needs you to get there right
away. Sometimes unexpected things
happen. It may not be easy to refill prescription while in transit. Be sure that you when you travel you bring a
two-week supply of medications for each person.
Naturally, you can spend time post-move
searching boxes for these essential three P’s.
I suggest you save yourself the added stress. Make a list now and, when it’s time, start by
setting these items aside. You’ll be
happy that you did. Do you have a busy family with no time to waste? Visit All Right Moves to hire a team of NAPO professional organize who will unpack and organize your home in a matter of days. All Right Moves will help you move in so you can move on! |
Check Out this "Info-Graphic" on Clutter!
| Posted on 30 July, 2013 at 23:11 |
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A new wave in sharing fast facts is the Info-graphic. Info-graphics combine information, statistics and pictures for quick, at-a-glance answers.  This Clutter info-graphic was created by Sparefoot and gives 15 Fantastic Reasons to Clear Out Clutter at Home. From earning more money when selling your home to improving your health and even bumping up your credit score - clearing out clutter pays off in more ways than you may think.
Check out this infographic and find out what professional organizers already know! Visit Sparefoot to read the full article. |