Ideas for Organising Reception / Living Rooms

Living rooms are some of the most used and frequented rooms in your home – they are your social rooms, and as such loads of people will come into them over the course of the year, and they need be organised so that they are able to cope with everything.

Lets face it -

Having a sense of calm, clutter free living for GUESTS will make the whole room feel more comfortable and welcoming to them.

and

Having a sense of calm, clutter free living for YOU will make relaxing in the evening much easier to do (no more toys strewn around, magazines / DVDs / CDs everywhere etc….)

So, to get your started, here are my top tips on organising living rooms – hope you enjoy!

Think about both the overall purpose of the room, and then what you want to do in that room. Don’t necessarily be guided by the “normal” uses for rooms – if you want a space for exercising, or for a hobby, then utilise your room as such. Maximise your space and make it work for you, after all, you are paying for every square inch! Don’t leave a room anywhere in your home unused if at all possible. 

For example -

Lounge – Relaxing, TV watching, Book reading, Socialising, doing fitness DVDs

Dining Room – Dinner Parties, Daily eating for tea, Homework on the dining table

Playroom – Playing games with the children, computer space, storing all toys, reading, a place for them to watch TV and socialise with friends

Once you know what you want to do in each room – ensure that there is the space and necessary furniture/items in that space, otherwise it will just frustrate you by having to get up and down every time you need something.

Basically you want to make every activity you do in the space as easy as possible to do.

For example, if you read in the room – have a seat with a light close by (or by a window for natural light, and ensure you are seated so that the sun won’t get into your eyes as this will annoy very quickly!), bookcases or a magazine rack to hand etc..

TIP – In my business I stage homes for sale as well as do interior design, and I always have to ensure that a home has all the “ticks” for potential buyers. Most want a kitchen/diner, living room, family room if at all possible, and usually say they want a dining room so I stage homes to show these spaces are there – however, actually living in the space is so different – as long as you have a reason for each room then you will be utilising it right for your specific family needs – have a bit of fun with it!

Given my post of a week or so ago, I fully believe that one way of really maximising the organisation and storage in a room while minimising visual clutter is to have furniture that does more than one thing.

For example, a storage footstool to hide away magazines and remotes.. find out more great ideas in the blog itself.

Also – think about not only storage functionality, but extra functionality that may help your circumstances. Only have 2 bedrooms but need a third for frequent guests? Why not have a sofa bed in a living room so that you can easily convert that space to a bedroom when needed.

Just think outside the box a little and you’ll be amazed at the results!

As familys grow, needs change. You may need a nursery and playroom now, but when your children are older you may want to think about having a second lounge for them and their friends to have a little space (and also for you to get some peace!)

Giving children a little independence works really well – and you will still be able to keep a watchful eye on whats going on if necessary!

Its also important to give all members of the family some space as well – my husband and I decided to have 2 TVs in the house – one in each reception room. He is an avid football watcher, and I’m not (!) so when the season is in full swing, its easy to have separate evenings even if we both want to watch TV. It also means that the family room has a TV for my daughter to watch as and when as well.

Remotes – seriously – how many do we all need!

I have just been around my house and counted up – apparently we need 10! For stereos, TVs, DVD players etc… ARRRGGGHH!!! and you can be guaranteed that you won’t be able to find the right one when needed, or its in the wrong room, or has run out of batteries….

If you simply designate an area in the room for them, and get into the habit of returning them there after use (this works for any items in the room, and especially keys), then this will save you lots of time. I like using a drawer or a space within the TV unit itself, or inside a storage footstool. Just maintain where it is and you should be safe!

Also – I spoke briefly about batteries – a real pain when they run out. Why not think about having a supply of remote specific batteries close to hand as well?  (just keep out of childrens way)

It may seem a silly thing to ask, as you will want to answer “as many as there are living in the house of course!” – but stop and think for a moment. How many times do just the members of the house sit down together at any one time in the same room?

Its much more likely to be with friends / for parties / evenings together / kids friends etc…. – and as such you want to be able to sit them all down relatively comfortably. Imagine a dinner party for 6 and you all decide to sit in the living room, only to find 5 seats – not great! (and people could get too cosy than they really want!)

Now – I’m not saying go out and buy as many chairs as possible just to be on the safe side – as you won’t need those 6 chairs every day and the room could look cluttered – but do you have access to chairs in another space that can be easily moved for the evening? Its just about thinking ahead and trying to ensure that you are prepared!

As a minimum though, have enough for your family to sit down! We are trying to encourage this after all!

If you have a family, consider loose covered furniture and get two sets so that you can 1. change them over when spills happen and 2. get a new look easily.

Think about special occasions when placing furniture i.e. where will your Christmas tree go? will it be easy or hard to fit in – try and make everything as easy as possible.

And lastly – if a room doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to move furniture around - you may be surprised at what set up works best for you.

When decorating, consider having neutral colours for the main items (walls, furniture, flooring) and add colour in soft furnishings and accessories – when you want a change it will be easier and cheaper to just change these things.

Another great and very organised idea is having a summer set and a winter set (lighter curtains vs. lined thicker curtains for example) and swapping them over with the seasons. It gives a different feel to the room without breaking the bank.

(I had to add in some interior design advice in here now, didn’t I?!)

Are they accessible? Are they out of the way? Here are some good ways to store things:-

A basket can be used to hold remotes, videos or DVDs in a living room.A bin can be used to hold cards and board games which can be stored in a coffee table, shelving, end tables, or ottomans. Put the small pieces into plastic storage bags so they will not get lost.Have a sideboard style piece of furniture in each room and then you have drawers and a cupboard for all items in that space.IKEA do some great large wicker trunks/baskets that look good in the room but can hide a multitude of things!If you have open shelving, what about adding small boxes and baskets to them so that you can store things but it still looks goodFor young children, a basket can be used to hold books and toys such as rattles. – Use labels to make it easy to know whats in what container (pictures rather than works for smaller children works well)Have only items out that are necessary or that you love, it will feel more like YOUR home then

Clean the room regularly, and keep on top of the larger jobs too so that it doesn’t get overwhelming i.e. carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, chimney sweeping, curtain cleaning etc…

We will talk about this in future posts – but for now just ensure that you know what jobs are needed to keep the room looking good – and keep doing them!

So, you should now have a better idea of what space you have, what you need to use the space for, and what can be done in each room.

You will have decluttered and organised the items that you need in each room, and be on top of maintaining it as well.

Well done! Let me know how it goes!

View the original article here

How to Organise your Memories – Creating a Memory Box

We all lead busy lives, packing so much into them its sometimes difficult to catch your breath! But in the midst of all this busy-ness your life is literally passing you by.

Blink and you’ll miss it! I can’t believe my daughter, Jenna, has just turned 4 – doesn’t seem possible! Although I have been making the most of the time we spend together, I am very aware that some things will be forgotten as life takes over.

I want to remember what we did together when she was little, any funny things that happened, any developmental steps – and its the same for my life – Its so nice to be able to look back over what has happened over the past years and reminisce.

However – I forget things – very quickly! – we all do really. Its a case of whats happening in the here and now has to take priority in your mind and therefore all other bits that aren’t critical are lost – sometimes forever.

Think of your head as a filing cabinet where all your information is filed as you get it each day – pushing the previous information further and further back. Just as with a filing cabinet that isn’t organised well, whats the likelihood that you will be able to access all this information again? Pretty low.

Now, with important information you will be starting to get into the habit of keeping it in your Home File or Diary – for easy access when you need it, but with the other bits and pieces – memories, funny sayings, special moments etc… – that’s a whole other story.

So whats the answer? How can you make sure that key moments in your life are not forgotten, and the little things that mean so much are kept alive?

The answer is a memory box – and I am a HUGE advocate of them – having kept one since I was a teenager. I am quite a sentimentalist at heart you know!

A memory box is a place where specific, sentimental items can be put that you want to keep, but not display or have to hand daily.

Its something that you can take out every now and again to reminisce, and also something to pass on to family (great for children when they are leaving home – as its their life story so far!)

I advocate having a memory box for every member of your household – as then they have something special and unique to them.

The list really is endless – and can be very specific to you – but here are a few ideas to get you started:-

Cards from special occasion from specific important people in your lifeFirst tooth / First haircut lock of hairPhotographsCertificates and TrophiesDVDs of eventsSpecial clothes (I have my first ballet outfit! – so cute!)Toys that mean somethingLettersSchool reportsDiaries (these are great to look back over when you are older!)Photographs of larger items that you had to get rid of but wanted a memory of (wedding dress, your homes / cars etc…)

Setting a limit to the amount of “stuff” you keep is vital to making a memory box a worthwhile possession for you. If you end up with something that’s too big then you’ll never want to take it out and look at it – and it will become one of the clutter hot spots in your home – the LAST thing we want to achieve!

I advise getting a largeish box – whatever style you prefer (I actually use a plastic box with a lid as my memory box is kept in the garage so then everything is protected from water, damp, mice etc..!) and, as with everything else in your home – start a one in one out policy.

TIP – If you want a more stylish box – but still have the waterproofing of a plastic box – why not line with wallpaper inside – then you have a gorgeous and very personal box for everyone in your house!

Lets face it – as we go through life, some things from our past are going to become more important, and some will be less important. As we look back in our memory box, then we can naturally get rid of some items that were once really important, and make room for others. This method will ensure that your memory box always contains those things that really mean something to you, and also that tell your life story.

I like to gather memory items as I go, and just keep them in a drawer for now – quick and easy. Then once a year or maybe more, sort through them and decide what to keep and how you want to update your memory box.

This is also a great excuse to look through the box and share some memories!

It only takes about an hour to keep on top of it in this way – and means so much.

TIP – Write a note on the back of items so you know exactly when and what they relate to. It may be obvious now what something is – but do you think it will be in 10 years time!

(Also – I keep a photo album each year for any bits that we as a family want to keep – that way they are in date order as well – this is great for my daughters art, writing etc… and cards we have received)

A memory box can be a fantastic way of keeping your past with you – without becoming too overwhelming. It can give you a link to your memories, and ensure that things are not forgotten.

Keeping it safe and out of the way should ensure your precious items will stay safe – and give you access to your memories when you want them.

Its a relatively easy thing to start, and makes real sense to start when you have a child, as all their special things can be added so that one day you can go through the box together and reminisce.

I hope you have fun creating yours – let me know how it goes!

View the original article here

July 2012 Organised!

The kids are going to start their summer holidays this month, along with hopefully the warmest month of the year (statistically at least!) it should be the real start of summer for most people.

This month is a great time to start thinking about days out as a family – when the kids are off – and also getting away as a couple or by yourself for some well deserved relaxation.

The days are so long at the moment, with it not getting dark until after half 9 – which is just perfect for getting the most out of every minute. You can do loads during the day and still feel like you have an evening by the end of it! And what could be nicer than sitting outside with a drink in hand watching the sun go down – a great end to the day.

What plans for days out have you got? Tell me more at www.facebook.com/organisemyhouse)

Make this month really count for you…..

Here is a print out diary which I use – works well as theres space for reminders, TO DOs and a diary with times in so you can see at a glance where you have free time (if any!)

JULY 2012 DIARY PAGES

Also there is a handy checklist to get you in the habits of setting monthly goals, creating new habits, and basically being your backup for a more organised start to the month (I suggest printing it out and working through at the end of the previous month so that you are ready to go).

JULY 2012

Get some days out in the diary – if you work then book a few random days off if you can – theres nothing nicer than having a day off in the middle of the week to really refresh you!Get outdoors – enjoy the weather (I’m an optimist!) – have a few picnics, take a trip to the beach or a local river. Theres lots of time to be indoors on the colder months so make the most of it now!BBQs are a great way of socialising in groups (see my post on quick wins to make more of your social life) – ask people who you think will get on together and who have similar aged children. They are also a lovely way to feed just your family,or to have a quiet evening with your partner, and a great excuse for eating outdoors and getting fresh air. What about BBQ night once a week?!Get outside even if its just for a 15 minute walk each day (I walk in my FitFlops as I get a workout at the same time!) – you’ll feel so much better for it. I am currently making sure I walk my daughter to preschool and back every day and I feel more energised and fit.

Finalise childcare for over the summer holidays if required – if you can’t get any for any reason consider sharing childcare with another family – that way you still get some work time!I know its early to think about it – but have you ensured that you are all prepared for back to school in September? Ensure you have all you need from the school, as it will soon be shut for 6 weeks!Finalise any holiday plans and start to look at what you need to take – do you need to start a shopping list?Get some “me time”. I like to listen to podcasts or audio books when out walking – its time that I can switch off, get fit, and enjoy myself (talk about multi tasking!)Keep on top of the garden – with the hot weather being punctuated with rain at the moment everything is growing at a rate of knots – so do a little lowing and weeding each week so that you are always guest ready outside as well as inside!If you work for yourself, are you ready for yours and your childrens holidays? Ensure your clients are aware of any, and try and manage your diary so you don’t come back to a mess. Always try and give yourself a couple of days after getting back to sort out the admin side of things before you start client work again.Birthstone = RubyZodiac Signs – Cancer and LeoOn average its the warmest of the months (lets hope so!)

If you have any questions or comments please reply below and we’ll get back to you always. As ever, we love to hear from you!.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS feed, Like Us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter for the latest news and offers!

May - the month of May Day, Bank Holidays, Half Term, and (fingers crossed!) ...

June - this year its a time for two bank holidays, the diamond jubilee, warm ...

View the original article here

Don’t Put It Off! – (The Answers to Procrastination)

How come some people seem to be able to get everything done and still have time to play?!

I have lost count of the number of times over the years I have looked at my TO DO list and sighed. It just seems overwhelming at best and totally impossible at worst.

There are days I simply want to bury my head in the sand and make it go away. But thats really not going to help in the long run, is it!

Some of us have simply created the right habits to getting things done, and not overthinking things too much. They realise that most jobs will still be there tomorrow, along with a set of new ones that have cropped up, and so its better to stay on top of things as much as possible.

I have already talked about the reasons why people put things off in a previous post, but here I want to give some realistic ways that will help you to break out of overwhelm, take control again, and get things done.

If you can start to do things now rather than put them off, trust me, it helps in so many ways. You have more head space to think about your goals, you have more time to do what you want, and you have more energy (theres nothing worse than sitting on the sofa getting more and more bogged down by the thoughts of all the things you should be doing)

Its time to get off that sofa and reclaim your life! You will thank me for it in the end…….

We all live our lives in our way. We have set up habits that most of the time we don’t even realise we are doing, and procrastinating can be one of them all too easily.

We can think it normal to put things off, run out of time each day, move our TO DOs constantly to the following day – and basically not being in control of our lives at all.

We blame time, committments, family, friends, workload and much more – but the truth a lot of the time is simply that we are spending too much of our time procrastinating and not just getting on with things. Those things are usually the ones we think of as boring, overwhelming, or complicated.

This habit can easily be retrained though, and you’ll be amazed at the results!

Its far too easy to fill up your diary with scheduled things that don’t actually leave any time for your TO DOs. If you use your diary in conjunction with your TO DO list then you’ll be much more likely to get things done.

Make sure that you don’t have too much in your diary for any one day. Leaving some gaps will enable you to add in a few things from your TO DO list. Once TO DOs are scheduled then they are much more likely to happen!

Add in the TO DOs that are the highest priority at that time, and then you will feel accomplishment. If you only ever add in the easy stuff, the quick wins, then you will find yourself still left with the stuff you procrastinate over by the end! Doing things as they are needed to be done will pay dividends.

However, you must get yourself into the main habit of following your diary! Theres no point in scheduling perfectly if you only roughly do whats written down. Think of it as a favour to yourself in that once you have done the jobs for the day, you’ll be able to relax or do the more interesting things in the evening, or for the following day.

If you waste just an hour each weekday by overthinking what to do next, then that adds up to a full day of catchup by the weekend – and who wants to waste their time off!

Its just as important to schedule some rewards and breaks as well – all work and no play……..!

View the original article here

Getting your Social life sorted! (S.M.I.L.E 1 of 5)

Back in December 2011 I wrote a post entitled “How to Live a Balanced Life“.

It was about an acronym that I came up with many moons ago as an attempt to always consider all the different parts of my life each day, and to not let any one thing dominate too much. Basically an easy way to ensure a balanced life.

This acronym was S.M.I.L.E – standing for Social Life, Managing the Home, Income, Leisure and Energy – and I wanted to go through each of these in more detail over the coming weeks – to give you more of an idea of what falls under it, and to get you thinking (as I have over the years) about each section really carefully.

I hope that this helps you to think about what your priorities are, what your goals are for each section, and enables you to lead a more balanced life! I know that having a balance has really helped me over the years.

So – first off in this 5 part series of posts is a look into your Social life – let me know your thoughts!

Part of living a balanced life is gaining a network around you of family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, etc… – your role in the world is not one, but many – think about it:-

e.g. Are you a mother, wife, partner, daughter, granddaughter, sister, auntie, neice, cousin, friend, colleague, neighbour, businesswoman, volunteer, group member, I could go on and on…..!

You have so much going on in your life that its no wonder life can be so full.

The key is to acknowledge these various roles, and plan out how you can feasibly spend time cultivating each and every relationship you have, without getting stressed along the way (or doing what we have all be known to do in the past and not seeing people for months or even years at a time….)

However, firstly we must get to grips with our good and bad relationships – as we will want to spend more time with the good, and less time with the bad (or more time making the bad the good! bear with me and I will explain!)

You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family

Now, while this is mostly true, there are so many exceptions to the rule that I can’t help but think that we are in the midst of a huge social change in our lives.

In days gone by we used to rely on our family so much more, they always lived close by, helped with childcare, and were more often than not dropping by daily. Our partner was usually someone that we grew up with, that lived close as well.

Nowadays we are much more likely to live away from our family (having left for Uni and never come back, or relocated due to a job move or a new partner etc…), and as such we tend to rely much more on our friends to be our family.

As such, I am considering ALL relationships together – as it really depends on your own circumstances as to who you class as your family!

I want to be quite analytical in looking at our relationships, as this is how I work – but I really think that its the easiest way to do it – and if you take the emotion out of things fo a while you will be able to see things much more clearly than ever before.

So – first things first – get some paper and a pen and split the paper into 4 columns. In the left hand column, write down a list of ALL your relationships – anyone that you spend time with at present. This could take a while!

In the next column along, write down how often you see that person and how you spend time with them.

i.e.

MARK – Every Week at the pub

HANNAH – Once a month for coffee

CHLOE – Every 2 months we email

Then in the third column add a tick or a cross. This represents how you feel after you have contacted/seen that person. A tick means you are energised and happy, and a cross means you are worn out/stressed and generally not happy.

The last column is your “Going Forward” plan for that person.

You may want to continue as is – as this works well for you and you feel like you see them the right amount of time. You may want to see more of them or change how you see each other (i.e. you and your best friend may be used to a call every fortnight to catch up, but maybe you want to change it so you see each other once a month). Or lastly, you may decide that you don’t want to cultivate this relationship anymore, as its doing you more harm than good (can be just a friend who asks for favours all the time and doesn’t ever return them, or someone that always talks about themselves with no interest into your life etc…))

Being this analytical really does help you to see who is the most important in your life, who shouldn’t really be using up your time anymore, and also really highlights how often (or not!) you get to spend time with those that matter.

It simply shows you where your good and bad relationships are.

Like most people you will find that you have so many people in your life its pretty much impossible to keep regular contact with everyone – but here are a few tricks to help you get more out of your time while still having loads of great relationships:-

Whether it be friends of family – why not socialise in groups? Have a BBQ for your whole family, or a night out with a group of friends. This makes catching up all the more easy, and probably means you get to spend more time more often with those you care about.

You have already identified people that are basically wasting your time – in that they make you feel low after you have seen them. Now’s the time to declutter them from your lives.

This is much easier to do with friends than family members, but is possible in any relationship.

Try to be less proactive for a while with sending out invites for meeting up – and at least lessen the number of meetings you have. Also, when you do socialise with them, try and make it for less time than usual, or mix with a group of friends so that you see others as well. For family members, only see them at family occasions for example.

This is hard, and quite cold, I know that and I understand that. But the fact is that these are people who you ar letting have a negative effect on your life, however small that may be. You need to do something about it. Think of it another way if this helps – what are you now able to do if you spend time with this person? Who else are you having to postpone?

In this day and age, everyone is pretty much on Facebook or twitter.

I am not saying that this should take the place of talking and meeting up – BUT if you are really struggling for time, why not ensure that all your friends are following you on one of these sorts of sites. That way they can see what you are up to, and you can keep in touch with whats going on in their lives as well.

You only have to update once, and everyone can see what you are up to.

Its worth thinking about as a quick fix while you get yourself more organised. (Word of caution – you can spend MANY hours on social media if you let yourself – just use it quickly for a few minutes a day and it can work well for you)

I tend to use my driving time or when I go for a walk in the evening to make phone calls (hand free of course!). Its a great way to keep in contact with people, and you can even get a sort of schedule going so that you always speak to certain people on certain days of the week (I have recently noticed that after my Tennis Cardio class on a Tuesday I tend to always have a chat with my sis on the way home, the journey is about 25 mins which is a good amount of time – and we keep up to date with whats going on. If I had to find time when I was at home then I doubt that this would happen so regularly, as there is always something to be done at home that distracts…)

I mentioned a schedule in point 4 briefly. And although this seems to be an analytical way of doing things (welcome to my world!), it makes sense really.

When I am checking in at the end of the day and working through my S.M.I.L.E acronym, or checking my diary for upcoming plans, I find that it helps to have my list of people close to hand.

I can then quickly run down the list and ensure that:-

1. I have seen/spoke to them recently – or within our usual time frame

2. I have made plans to see them and they are in the diary already

This simply means I can maintain relationships, no matter how infrequent – and hopefully it stops me from neglecting anyone!

Over the course of life, you will meet new people, move house, join new clubs/groups etc… and people will naturally come and go from your life. This is the nature of relationships.

And its exciting!

However, I would like to think that now you are more aware of what relationships you have, what time you have, and what you need/want out of relationships, you will find it much easier to make new relationships.

You will also be a lot more aware of what you need from relationships.

For example, over the years I have come to term some people as “Fair Weather Friends” – people who want to be around you when the going is good, but are notably absent when times are tough. This is no problem if you are aware that they shouldn’t be the people you ring in a crisis, as you will only be disappointed. But knowing that they will be the life and soul of the party when you organise a night out means that the relationship is more geared towards having fun – and sometimes that can be just what you need!

I find that having a balance of people in my life always works well. People I can lean on, people that can lean on me, and people I have fun with – all work so well, and makes life much more interesting!

So – hopefully you will have completed the actions we have talked about, and got much more to grips with your network of family and friends etc….

You will know what you want and what you need from your relationships, and also be much more aware of any relationships that you should let go, any that you aren’t spending enough time on, and any that are just right!

You will be more open to new relationships, and much less likely to be disappointed as you will be more aware of what kind of relationships you have with people.

And hopefully, you should be able to more clearly keep up to date with catching up with people – not letting friendships drift, and making your social life part of your balanced life!

Heres to a happier, more balanced you!

View the original article here

The “Why, Who, When, Where, What and How” of Getting Organised!

Whether you are single, a stay at home mum, working, wealthy, poor (the list is endless!) it makes no difference to the fact that being more organised WILL benefit you to some extent.

Do you find yourself saying any of the following throughout the day:- “I want to get organised”, “I need more time”, “Where did I put my…”, “Where do I start!”, “I am so sorry, I forgot…”  etc….?

I challenge anyone to not say yes to at least one of those!

The best way to get started is to understand what questions to ask, and get an overview of how it will help you and what you need to do. Being aware of the overall picture will help you to stay focused and motivate you to get to the final destination.

Of course, the “What / How / Why / Where / When and Who questions and answers that I will look at in more detail below will be different for each of you, but its the asking (and answering) that will lead you on your organised way.

I hope that the following helps you to focus on what you want, how to get there more quickly, and how to stay organised for life. It should at the very least make you think about things more closely!

Organising will help you to live life to the full, whoever you are!

Look at the list below and see if you relate to any of them:-

I am constantly losing things and wasting time trying to find themI am late for meetings regularlyMy house is only ready for guests after I spend a day cleaning and tidyingI seem to do everything around the houseI can’t remember the last time I simply had chance to relaxI am always sending belated cards to peopleMy mind is constantly full of information of TO DOs etc…My children leave it to me to tidy up after themI constantly double book myselfPlanning for Christmas / birthdays / holidays is always done at the last minuteI am always chasing my tail and never seem to get ahead

If you have ticked even just one of these, then your life would benefit from being more organised (and you’ve probably identified a good place to start as well!)

“Getting Organised” is such a wide reaching phrase, and can mean different things to different people. The key is to define what it means to you, and to work towards that (this reason will be your motivation)

For example:-

Do you want a clutter free home?So you want to set a good example for your children?Do you want more time?Do you want all the above, and more!?

Define your reason – the “Why” – and you will be able to more clearly see how to get there. Sort out the “Why” first.

You may think that it will only be you that will benefit from you getting more organised (and indeed you should only do it if you are totally invested in it, or its not likely to work), and this is not so.

The butterfly effect (from Chaos theory) states that every small event creates large events (if a butterfly flaps its wings, then a few weeks later a hurricane is formed.

As such what you do everyday can affect your whole life. The little things add up to form large things. Small bad habits, small amounts of wasted time looking for things – all create large amounts of time and effort and energy that you have simply lost – just by being disorganised.

What you do everyday also affects so many other people as well. It stands to reason that therefore everyone benefits from you getting more organised.

You become a better partner, parent, friend, sibling and child all by developing more organised habits:-

You will feel more able to have people over as your home will be guest readyPeople will be able to rely and depend on you moreYou will be on time for thingsYou will remember important eventsYou will appear more relaxed, and therefore be someone easy to be around

Basically, you benefit so much from getting more organised and so does everyone you interact with.

There are some people who are really organised at work, and not so much at home – whereas some people have everything in its place in the home but their car looks like a bomb site (see a previous post as this is me!)

If you can easily see where needs your attention the most, then it will serve you well to pick an area within this to start with.

This could be your home, your office, your hobby, your car, an organisation you belong to, your garden, your social life etc….

This is purely your high level overview of your life – and will give you a good insight as to how balanced it is as well.

Of course, you may be disorganised in the majority of your life areas, as such you will need to look a little more closely……

This links very well to the “where” and is the next stage of working out your organising plan.

You need to be specific with what you want to get organised, as then you will know exactly what to focus on the most, and you will start to see your goals more clearly.

Your “What” should be something that makes your life run more easily, and that has a positive effect on you (and others as well most probably).

Things to consider would be:-

paperwork / finances / daily habits / clutter / time / systems and routines….

And there are lots of theories to consider on exactly how to choose what to get organised:-

Start where it hurts the most – what do you get frustrated by on a daily basis? The positive of this method is that you can see results quickly.Start in the most disorganised space – do you have a really cluttered room, or simply too busy a social life to keep up? Again the positive of this method is that you will make a difference very quickly to your life, and be more motivated to continueStart small and build up slowly – there is a train of thought that suggests that starting with something small like a drawer or a cupboard will give you enough to get started, but not overwhelm. While this is correct, it may be too insignificant for you to feel a big difference and your enthusiasm may wane over time.Start and finish one room / area before going on to the next – The problem with this is in how you define “finished” – nothing is ever perfect, and so you may find yourself stuck in one area trying to reach perfection.

All these methods are good, mainly for the reason that they all get you started – and thats the main goal here – to simply START.

I always go for starting somehere where I feel really needs sorting fast, as long as its something I will see everyday. This way I will see the results and build momentum to keep going. I also make sure I split it into manageable chunks – which means that I can start with a big project but not get overwhelmed. This method covers the majority of the ways to start listed above, and works well!

For example – this past weekend I really got stuck into sorting out the families paperwork.

I have had a lot going on in recent weeks, including an influx of work projects, family changes, and general busy-ness. As such the paperwork has ended up being neglected and piled up (only that which isn’t too important of course).

I also have in the back of my mind that I am writing an ebook soon to be available on this site – all about the perfect way to organise all the paperwork that comes into your home (WATCH THIS SPACE!). As a result I want to be able to go through the process from start to finish to ensure that I think of all the possible niggles in my system so I can sort them out and ensure the system you get is great. Thats the aim! However, this project takes time to do, and as such things had been building up.

ENOUGH!

I simply got started, and felt so much better!

I took everything out of the corner where I intend to set up my system, and then sorted everything out into specific piles – allocating a file or a space in a drawer for each part. Then I put everything where it should go.

The results? I can now find everything I need, I have the beginnings of the system I want to create, and can now see it working properly before I invest more time into getting each part of it sorted. Its enough for now, and it the first step.

I now feel more relaxed when I deal with my paperwork , as I know the system is in place and working for me – even with some tweaks to make. I also know where to find everything quickly and easily.

Its all too easy to fall behind in your organising when you’re busy or waiting for other things to happen, but just getting started will help so much!

So, we have now looked at the “why”, the “who”, the “where” and the “what”.

We have a plan of action but we don’t as yet have the tools to do the job.

The reason you have chosen the area of your life to get organised that you have is because you are to some extent disorganised and need to change what you are currently doing – because thats the only way you know how to do it.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got…

You now need to find new systems, strategies and habits to ensure getting organised is sustainable and will work specifically for you.

My key to getting organised is as follows:-

View the original article here

Top 10 Hidden Storage Ideas

Ever notice how you look at a room in a magazine or a show home and want to recreate it – but no matter how hard you try it never quite looks the same? That’s because those pictures are done for the camera to accentuate space  – and are not how we all live.

They don’t have any real life “stuff” lying about, which can be thought of as visual clutter and is in every home in the country I’m sure!

A great way to decrease the look of this clutter in your home (after actually decluttering that is!) is to make smart buying decisions when it comes to the furniture and items you have around the home.

Multi-functional furniture is a great way of doing this, and having hidden storage in some of your most used peices can create a very calm feel to your home instantly – and its a quick win too because you get to keep everything you need to hand in the right place, but you don’t have to see it every time you walk into a room (which as we all know can make you feel really low).

Think about it, no more magazines lying around the living room, they are in there but hidden away – no more bulky bedding for occasional guests, it is in the sofa bed already! I could go on – but heres my top 10 list of favourite hidden storage solutions. Some of them are well known solutions, and some are a little more obscure.

Hope you enjoy looking through, and that it gives you some inspiration when you next come to buy something for around your home! I would also love to hear from you about any great ideas you have for storage in your home…

I like using a footstool as an alternative for a coffee table in the middle of the room.

This has so many functions – you can pull it towards the seating to use as a footstool when you are relaxing, you can use it as a coffee table in the middle of the room (adding a tray on top gives you a sturdy surface), and if it has built in storage too then thats just a bonus! (its also great if you have kids as there are no sharp corners to hurt themselves on!)

This is just such a gorgeous one I had to include it as the picture – its pricey but there are loads to choose from out there (a search for “storage footstool” in google will bring back loads!)

A great place to hide all those remotes (who has only one nowadays!) and magazines.

Note: There are also loads of coffee table options and I would always go for one with storage rather than without, as the coffee table tends to always be in the middle of the room, and if you can limit the look of clutter on that then the room will automatically feel tidier – just an idea!

If you have a bay window (or it can even work along one wall of a room if its big enough), you can maximise the space by having a window seat. Added seating, and hidden storage – what could be better!

Here are a couple of pictures of what I mean – and a local joiner/carpenter could make one to fit your space as well.

  

(pictures from www.woodworkinstallations.com)

Now – I have already written a post about the merits of storage beds, and I really can’t say enough about them. SO useful and SO much storage! Take a look at the post for my favourites.

I love items that have two purposes, and as such when I came across this one from Dwell I had to share!

Not only does it look great, but it also keeps all your hair products, makeup and/or jewellery to hand but out of the way – it simply rotates on the base so you can also use it as shelving on show if you want to as well!

Ingenious!

This is a lovely traditional bedside table (could also be used as a lamp table).

The beauty of it is that even though there are drawers that are obviously visible, there is also a hidden drawer right at the top of the table which can hide away things that you don’t want people to see, for example, jewellery when you are away – less easy for burglars to find.

Hidden storage isn’t just for hiding more of the visual clutter in your home, but is also really good for hiding your valuables so you feel safer.

(NB. This picture is linked to my own online store, but a quick search for La Roque Bedside table will bring back lots of other places in google to buy it if you prefer!)

Now, a sofa bed is a multi functional peice of furniture anyway, but this one goes one step further, and the storage that it has is an ideal place to keep all the bedding a guest would need ready to go at a moments notice.

Great for unexpected guests – and if its late when they come round you don’t have to wake anyone by rummaging around to look for blankets, pillows etc…..!

I particularly like this one as you can’t tell its anything other than a sofa when you look at it – so feels very sleek and streamlined.

NB – Ikea do a good storage bed as well that is a single and pulls out to become a kingsize – with drawers underneath, but this is more obvious storage.

This is a fantastic item, as it tackles a lot of peoples difficulties in finding something suitable for a home office (with enough storage for everything) but that can also be hidden away when the room is being used for a different reason (dining room is a common one!).

A lot of desks look like desks when not in use, and can make you feel like you are still working even when relaxing. This would look great as a sideboard in a dining room as well.

(Again, one from my shop – just so you know!)

Came across this one when looking for some more funky hidden storage out there!

This would work really well for magazines or remotes – easy to get to when needed but not visible when not! – the drawer closes shut when not needed and has hidden storage.

I specifically like this one as it looks very streamlined as an item of furniture as well – so feels quite calming to the eye!

Another great one for storage with security in mind.

This is a lovely looking clock that would sit well on a lot of peoples mantelpeices, but has the added benefit of having storage in the back.

I would use this for hiding credit cards, or even some spare cash in case of emergencies!

Its out of the way, but accessible when needed – and not many people would find what you have hidden there!

As with the window seat, Under stairs storage will help to utilise wasted space. I have seen this space be used as a storage room, as a downstairs toilet, and also as hidden storage panels which is my favourite!

Take a look at this picture for more ideas and again a joiner can help you to come up with the best solution for your specific space.

This shows panels that can be pushed to open, with plenty of storage behind. Great place for the hoover, cleaning products, coats and shoes.

(Picture courtesy of www.custombuiltcabinets.co.uk)

I was at the Northern Home Show at the Trafford Centre this weekend (Exibiting with the House Doctor Network - part of my business!) and saw the most amazing peice of furniture there.

I have added it into this post as, although its not necessarily storage, it does hide things away, and makes great use of space! Couldn’t resist adding it!

Its called the STUDY BED and basically you can pull it down to be a bed, or up to be a large desk – but the difference between this and other similar items on the market is that you don’t have to tidy away everything or unplug computers etc.. before you make the switch – as everything stays in place! Perfect for teenagers rooms where they need lots of working space but don’t want it to take over, or in a guest bedroom that doubles up as an office. Take a look and see what you think!

View the original article here