Grandmas are really rather easy to buy for. Anything that will remind us daily of our wonderful grandchildren is always welcome! These are two gifts that easily fit that category.

Click image for larger view	Lil Davinci® 85 x11 Art Gallery Grandma will be ready to frame anything the kids draw on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. Includes 4 – 8.5 x 11 Kid’s Art Frames, wall mounting hardware, table stand, and template. Available in black, cherry, or white finish.
Click image for larger view	“My Grandchildren” Calendar Make a 2012 Calendar from for Grandma from this year’s photos. Do it yourself using Shutterfly.com or ask a Heritage Makers consultant to do it for you!

Christmas presents for Grandma – start now! is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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Then around Labor Day, reality hits. The vacation is over. The kids are back in school. You have to think about wearing long pants and shoes again. Taking a look around your living space, you want to call in a hazmat team – how did things get so out of control?!

Since we don’t have the luxury of a “super committee”, most of us will be attacking the clutter on our own. So today, I want to give you a plan of attack that you can put into practice immediately – even before Labor Day – so you can feel victorious, vainglorious, smugly accomplished!

1. Pick a room to attack first. Gather 4 needed boxes and bins*. Set a timer for 1 hour. Don’t leave the room for any reason until #7.
2. Put a black trash bag* in your largest trash can. Place in the center of the room and toss in anything you will not use again.
3. Now set a laundry hamper* next to the trash can. Look around to see if there is anything that does not belong in this room. Stick those things in the hamper ready to be distributed to their proper homes.
4. Get a copy paper box or plastic bin* (16 qt). Gather all papers and place in the box. DO NOT stop to read anything! For further instructions on paper, read this blog post on speed sorting or purchase my ebook 7 Tools to Conquer Paper Piles Forever.
5. Make a pile of any magazines more than 2 months old. Black out your name & address and take to a shelter or hospital waiting room. (JamesCare in Dublin is grateful for any magazines.)
6. Look around at what is left out of place. Pick up one item at a time and ask these 5 Questions to Clear Clutter:
   • Have I used this item in the past year?
   • Will I need it on a definite date in the future?
   • Would it be difficult to get another if I needed it again someday?
   • Do I need to keep it for legal or tax purposes?
   • Do I love it or find it beautiful?

   If the answer to all 5 questions is “No”, let it go! (give, toss, recycle, donate)

7. Make a list of the items you will donate, put the donation box* in your car, ready to go.
8. Carry out all boxes and bins. Distribute as necessary.
9. Find homes in this room for the stuff that is left. I’m hoping you have cut this by at least 50%!
10. Dust and run the sweeper. DONE!

Wow! Do you feel accomplished or what? Shoot me an email to brag on your progress.

If you are having a hard time pushing yourself to do this on your own, why not join my Clutter Management Program for the month of September? See details in What’s Happening. You choose the room; I provide motivation, support and accountability.

After you do one room, give yourself 2 weeks to practice keeping that room picked up. Then, repeat the process in another room. In 3 months tops, you should have your house or apartment under control! Whew, time to dream of summer again…

Organizing 911: Clear the Clutter! is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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These are only a few of the many hats we wear as moms:

• Staff nurse
• Chauffeur ♦ Laundry service ♦ Reminder service
• Teacher
• Tutor
• Coach
• Playmate
• Counselor
• Chef
• Dietician
• Psychologist
• CEO
• Interior designer
• Groundskeeper
• Bookkeeper

“Based on a survey of more than 28,000 mothers, Salary.com determined that the time mothers spend performing 10 typical job functions would equate to an annual salary of $117,867 for a stay-at-home mom. Working moms ‘at-home’ salary is $71,868 in 2010; this is in addition to the salary they earn in the workplace.”

At Salary.com you can find out how much you personally are worth as a mom. Fill in variables such as how many pre-schoolers or school-aged children you have, what zip you live in, what jobs you fill at home and write yourself a check.

A mother averages 90-100 hours on the job per week and 6.5 hours of sleep per night. No wonder mothers feel exhausted much of the time. You get up and hit the ground running just to stay in one place on the merry-go-round.

I cannot say the job is thankless. There are some great perks like:

• snuggling on the couch
• hearing, “I love you, Mommy!”
• watching a toddler’s delight as they experience nature
• feeling pride at new accomplishments – like sticking out tongue for the first time.

What I can say is that thanks come less often in proportion to age until your child moves out of the family home.

A tribute to the love parents feel for their children is the fact that we don’t kill them during the teenage years. I speak softly and am not quick to anger; yet, even I found myself breaking a (flimsy!) yardstick over my son’s head when he would not stop back-talking.

An article I read while at the DR’s office sustained me through those years. To summarize: be glad when your children oppose you verbally and physically because they are perfecting their ability to stand up for themselves when they leave home. My children are experts at standing up for themselves.

One of the best rewards for parents, specifically moms, is to see maturity blossom in their adult children. These adults are not clones of either parent, but their own person. I was amazed to see the child I considered shy becoming a strong woman and leader. The clown became an intelligent, compassionate man. Maybe the yardstick worked?

Once children move out of the house, suddenly Mom and Dad become much wiser. Finally, you get to hear those young people you have sacrificed for say – “Now I understand why you did that.” Or “Thank you for giving me the freedom to make my own decisions/mistakes.” That makes it worth it all!

That’s why I welcome this yearly opportunity to nudge our children into giving us props. When my children ask me what I want for Mother’s Day, I say “Just send me a mushy card and write on it why you are glad I am your mom.”

Yes, we made and (continue to make) mistakes. Our actions have love at the center.

So to all moms AND to the schoolteachers, choir directors, aunts, uncles, and youth leaders who became partners in raising godly, responsible adults, I say…
You are awesome! You may never know the full impact of the difference you have made in that young person’s life. May God bless you, because we can never repay you for what you have done.

P.S. Thank you, Mom.

Rantings about Motherhood is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

ThuRs Recycle and Reuse

Do you have crafts items in your house made with old holiday greeting cards? I treasure the placemats Emily made for me in 1992 from Christmas cards under plastic. The “I love you, Mommy” in 2^nd grade handwriting melts my heart every time.

So what will you do with your stash of greeting cards from Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Years? A couple of ideas:

1.  Greeting cards can, of course, be recycled in any paper recycling program.

2.  Simply cut off the back half, then reuse the front as a postcard greeting.

3. Cut around motifs and punch a hole in a corner to use as a gift tag.

4. Save your favorite greeting card art. Print your personal interior sentiment on new 110# cardstock using a notecard template .  Paste the greeting card art on the front. Mail the renovated card in envelopes made to fit ¼ sheet of computer paper.

5. Send all occasion greeting cards to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. (Copyright cards from Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cannot be recycled.) Using a USPS Flat Rate Box is an inexpensive way to mail large quantities of cards.

Happy New Year!

Mail donations to:  St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

You can always find a grade school teacher to pass the cards on to. Then students can make a masterpiece like mine.

ThuRsday Recycle and Reuse: Greeting Cards is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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ID Guard

1.       ID Guard Stamp at Container Store for $10. Keep handy where you open mail to eliminate personal info on cc offers, junk mail. Stamps up to 1,000 times and can order refills.

2.       Clear drawer organizers at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Perfect for containing slippery lingerie, socks, boxers. This 5 piece set of 3 small and 2 medium are priced right at $9.99. I gave this set to my daughter at her bridal shower. Somehow the organizers ended up in her husband’s drawers.

Car Jar

3.     Yankee Candle Car Jar set. Give the smell of the beach, in 3 hanging fragrances for $6.00. If you can’t get to a Yankee Candle store or Hallmark, order online. Great gift for that driving teenager.

4.       Post-It Pockets will hold the info that must be close at hand. For Mom on the side of the refrigerator, or a working woman to post on the wall next to her desk:.  3-pack at Staples – $12.99

Sticky pad

5.       Handstands Jelly Sticky Pad holds sunglasses and cell phone secure on the dash of your car. Amazon – $4.99.

6.       Michael Graves 6 shelf closet organizer is perfect for sweaters or purses. Hang the unit from your existing closet bar for extra clothing/accessory storage. Drawer inserts can be purchased separately.

Pepper spray

7.    Sabre Jogger Pepper Spray with hand strap, partnered with a cell phone will complete safety precautions for a loved one.

Giving is the fun part. Have a wonderful holiday!

7 Simple Christmas Gifts Under $16 is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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Most of us have felt sad, stressed, or depressed at one time around the holidays. It happens when our grand expectations meet up with the reality of family squabbles, disappointing gifts, and large credit card bills.

There is a way to celebrate the holidays with purpose and confidence. You can be proactive and cope with holiday stressors by 1) keeping expectations manageable, 2) setting realistic goals, and 3) organizing your time/ pacing yourself.

Keep Expectations Manageable: It is helpful to examine your thinking surrounding the holiday your family will celebrate. Ask yourself – “What do I ‘expect’ or ‘wish for’ during this holiday?” Write it down. Is it…

• A family gathering complete with harmonious relationships?
• Feelings of peace and well-being?
• Cards and letters from old friends?
• Receiving the gifts you hinted at or just plain asked for?
• Being able to cook and bake the traditional foods you remember?
• Sharing time with friends and neighbors?

Now next to each of your ‘wish for’ statements, write how likely that is to happen, choosing from these three possibilities:

• Likely
• Maybe?
• Not!

What if none of those things happen? Can you be content? I like this paragraph from Mental Health America:

Leave “yesteryear” in the past and look toward the future. Life brings changes. Each season is different and can be enjoyed I its own  way. Don’t set yourself up [for disappointment] in comparing today with the “good ol’ days.”

Sometimes it is helpful to lower your expectations in order to be pleasantly surprised when something you hope for comes true.

Set Realistic Goals: Do you know what your priorities are? If you can’t answer in 2 seconds or less, give yourself 2 minutes with paper and pencil to quickly answer the question – “What is truly important to me?” Now number your top three with #1 being your first priority, then #2 and so on.

How well do your holiday activities fit in with your beliefs and priorities? Next to your top three priorities, write your Holiday Intention – what activity do you CHOOSE to do that will further your goal in that area?

For example: If you listed FAMILY as being a top priority, your goal may be to raise children who know they are loved unconditionally. Your holiday activity might be to write each child a “love note” describing their strengths and the positive character traits you have seen in their life.

Part of this process is looking at your holiday traditions to see if they pass the “So what?” test. Does that tradition support one of your top 3 priorities? What is the worst thing that could happen if you did not attempt it this year?

Do you feel like I do? I look at my busyness and think I am missing out on opportunities to listen to the people I love. Perhaps it is time to scale back on non-essentials like decorating to impress and baking enough to last for 3 months.

Choose 2-3 activities to include in your holiday celebrations that best represent your beliefs and priorities. Remember that time with people will always trump money, status, and stuff!

Organize Your Time and Pace Yourself: Your next step is to break down each project/activity into smaller tasks.

In our example, the first task is to choose stationery or a note card. Second, write “love note”. Third, find a fun and unexpected way to deliver it.

List each task that must be completed. Be sure to identify the SNA’s, see my blog post, and prepare to do those tasks first. Now schedule those tasks on your calendar.

Good work! You have solidified your Holiday Intention and each supporting task is on your calendar. I hope you can see how doable your holiday plans are now that you have prioritized, cut non-essentials, and have spread the remaining tasks over the next 4 weeks.

One more thing: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! If you put off getting started, you are really making a conscious decision to submarine your efforts. Why? Only a mental health professional can answer that one.

Organizing Your Holiday Celebrations for Less Stress is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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What perfect timing to have snow to usher in the last month of 2010! Just had to turn on my Christmas tree lights and tune in to 93.3 FM for some easy listening holiday music.

Yes, my tree is 4” tall. I have a wreath on my hall door, an entry vignette, and several other holiday touches. Decorating took me a little over an hour. This is what “downsized” Christmas decorating looks like.

This is What “Downsized” Christmas Decorating Looks Like is a post from Organized for Life - . Copyright © Organized For Life, LLC, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

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