Planning for International Travel with Kids

For all of you headed overseas this summer, here are some helpful tips originally posted in August 2012.

Photo Source: List Mama, www.listplanit.com

Do you have family overseas? Do you dream of expanding your vacation horizons, but worry about traveling internationally with your children? 

Check out my guest blog on planning for international travel with kids over at ListPlanIt, a membership based website full of any list you could imagine. Why reinvent the wheel?

My guest blog is a time-line based list of steps for any family planning a trip overseas. Many of the steps can apply to domestic travel as well. Enjoy!

Planning and Organizing Vacation Time

Photo Credit: Carolyn Anderson-Fermann

Most of us look forward to vacation time as a special time to explore new things and be with family. If we are not careful, planning and organizing a vacation can take on a life of its own. 

Here are some quick tips to help you plan and organize your limited vacation time:

1) Pull Out the Calendar

Take out your calendar (be it paper or electronic) and map out your vacation time, taking note of major holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July. If you have school age children, now is the time to figure out if your kids will attend some sort of summer camp. Many summer camps have already opened enrollment. 

2) Gather Information in One Place

Before you end up with one more paper pile, now is the time to set up a system for vacation related documents and articles. If you prefer paper, this can be a simple folder, hanging file or a three ring binder.

If you are trying to limit the paper in your life, an electronic application such as Evernote is a great repository for information. I started using Evernote over a year ago and find it really useful to scan in articles on places of interest. In planning our trip to Florida last year, I set up several notes in Evernote; including a packing list, theme park tips and links to recommended restaurants. This was much easier than lugging around a guidebook. 

3) Set a Budget and Start Booking

It is a fact of life that our vacation plans are limited by time and by money. Now is the time to set a vacation budget, start saving and start booking for the best rates. 

If you need a little extra help planning your time, please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation and be your best in 2013. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Do you need to conquer the clutter in your closet? Carolyn will be presenting "Conquer Your Closet" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, March 15, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

Holiday Shopping Tips

With Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought this was a great time to share these holiday shopping tips originally published on Valentine's Day 2006. 

Here are a few brief tips to avoid the stress and rush of last minute shopping:

1) Birthdays---Write all important birthdays of loved ones in your calendar. This can be done once a year if you purchase paper calendars. If you use an electronic calendar this only needs to be done once. Set a time once a month to shop for cards or gifts.

2) Weddings/Showers/Etc.---When you receive the invitation, take a moment to mark your calendar and RSVP. While you have your calendar handy, set a time to shop on-line or in store for a gift. For best selection on gift registries, shop soon after you receive the invitation.

3) Major Holidays (Christmas/Hanukkah/Etc.)---Shopping year round can be a great way to reduce stress and spread out the expense, but only if you keep the items in one place AND keep a detailed record of what you purchase for whom. I have worked with many clients that forgot about their year round purchases and ended up shopping at the last minute anyway.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Do you need to conquer the clutter in your closet? Carolyn will be presenting "Conquer Your Closet" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, March 15, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

Holiday Tidy Up

Carolyn makes a holiday return at REI in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A big part of being organized is planning ahead. I see planning ahead as a little gift to myself to make things easier in the future.

As we wrap up from the busy holiday season and look forward to the potential that a new year brings, here are a few things that you can do now to be more organized in 2013:

Holiday Tidy Up:

1. When you are ready, pack away holiday decorations in a manner that you would like to find them when it is time to decorate again.
2. Have you sent thank you notes for gifts received? Remember, done is better than perfect. So if you can only muster an e-mail thank you, that is better than no thank you at all. 
3. Did you travel over the holidays? If so, empty and pack away the luggage now.
4. If you have received gifts over the holidays, make sure each and every one of them has a home. Return (or thoughtfully re-gift) any items that were not just right and be sure that gift cards/certificates do not get lost in the shuffle.  

Here's to a happy (and organized) 2013!

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Packing Up the Holidays

This is republished from an article originally posted on January 2, 2012. 

66 quart clear bins work great seasonal decorations.

In a previous post on accepting imperfection during the holidays, I mentioned that my husband is a get it done sort of guy. 

We used to leave our Christmas tree up beyond New Year's Day, but the last few years my husband likes getting a real tree earlier in the Advent season and by New Year's Day the tree is starting to look a little sad. I think he also likes to pack everything up during the holiday break when we feel less rushed with other every day tasks.  

No matter when you choose to pack up the holidays, here are some tips for packing and storing seasonal treasures such as Christmas ornaments, menorahs or other holiday items to avoid damage and allow for easy access. 

For seasonal decorations that will be stored in a basement, attic or garage I like to use 66 quart or smaller clear plastic storage totes (see above photo). If you already have similar sized totes or boxes, please use what you have before buying any additional items. I find that totes larger than 66 quarts become too heavy and do not fit easily on most shelving units. Cardboard boxes also work just fine, but will not protect from moisture, bugs or rodents. 

As you pack up from the holidays, wrap each item individually with bubble wrap, tissue paper or newspaper. Use what you have on hand. I like to reuse the boxes and bags that many of our ornaments came in. Always label both ends of the tote, preferably with a removable label so that the box can be re-purposed if need be in the future.

When you are packing up the holidays, think of Stephen Covey's Habit #2 from the bestseller 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,"Begin with the end in mind." Pack up your holiday decorations in a way that you want to find them when the holidays roll around again. 

Here's what Wendy Eggleston of Dexter, Michigan had to say about how we organized her holiday decorations:  "It was so nice going down to the basement and pulling out the organized, labeled bins to decorate with." 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Christmas Break Bucket List

Remember to take time this holiday season to enjoy simple things.

This year I started a "Christmas Break 2012 Bucket List" in the notes feature of my phone. This includes things we must do (renew kid #1's passport) and things we want to do (visit area museums). 

Every year my husband and I look forward to the long break between Christmas and New Year. We have grandiose plans of how we will spend the time. And every year on January 2nd we look at each other and wonder where the time went.  

While I doubt we will accomplish everything on my list, my hope is that we can use it to prioritize our precious time with our family. My idea is to balance the "have to's" and the "want to's" by alternating our activities for each day. 

When the children go back to school in January, I can rename my list "Spring Break 2013 Bucket List" or slide the items to the list I have started for Summer 2013. 

Here's to being intentional in the way we spend our time this holiday season and every day.  

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Would you like to learn 5 simple strategies to keep your New Year's Resolutions? Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year" at this year's Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free healthy lifestyle event on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Register at the Women's Health and Fitness Day website.  

Preparing for the Holidays

Bringing out the Christmas decorations. 

In my home, we are busy preparing for the Christmas holiday. This year we have chosen to take a slow and steady approach in order to involve the kids as much as possible. Every weekend, we pick a small decorating project and have one outing.  

Along with the traditional holiday preparations, I have been focused on clearing clutter in our home, particularly kid clutter. Last year, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of our family and friends toward our children. Even after taking care of holiday returns, we still had a lot of new stuff.

What does clearing clutter look like in a professional organizer's home? Any outgrown clothing or toys have been passed on to the younger child, given to extended family, taken to a local resale shop or donated to charity.

I have also been letting go of my unneeded clothing and household items, such as those blankets we never use and excess belongings stored in the basement. The website www.donatestuff.com is so easy to use that I have scheduled Purple Heart to come out twice in the last  three months.

All of this clutter clearing has been enriching my life, and I hope, that of my immediate family. 

If you are preparing for Christmas, in the midst of Hanukkah or celebrate another winter holiday, my wish is that these tips will help you be just a little more organized and a lot less stressed.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life"and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here. 

Holiday Returns

Carolyn making a holiday return at REI in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

This past Christmas, Santa brought my family a few items that were not just right. 


With all of the extra stuff that the holidays brought to our home, things were getting a little cluttered. Leaving the packaging in place, I separated the items we really did not need.  


Then I went about gathering the receipts that I could obtain and scheduled making the returns in my calendar. 


Between appointments last week, I made my returns and even found a couple of bargains, making sure I did not bring more into the home than I left with. 


Overall, the process was super easy, especially at REI in Ann Arbor, Michigan where a fellow shopper agreed to snap a photo of me with REI team member, Matt (pictured above at left). 


I did not have the receipts for a couple of items, but it was clear where they were from. Both stores offered me a gift card credited with the lowest item price. In one case, the store credit was so low that I did not feel it was worth it to make the return (this item went into my re-gifting box). However, I accepted a gift card from the other store and will make a point to use up the credit for something that we need in the near future. 


In many cases gift cards or gift certificates do expire. Be sure to make a point of using up those gift cards in the next few months, before they expire or get lost in the shuffle. 


Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. On Saturday, January 14, 2012 Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year:  5 Simple Strategies to Keep Your New Year's Resolution" at the Women's Health and Fitness Day in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a free event. 

Packing Up the Holidays

Carolyn Packing Christmas Ornaments

In a previous post on accepting imperfection during the holidays, I mentioned that my husband is a get it done sort of guy. 


Normally, we leave our Christmas tree up beyond New Year's Day, but my husband decided that in 2012 it needed to be done on New Year's Day. Hence of the photo of me at left packing up ornaments yesterday. 


Here are some tips for packing and storing seasonal treasures such as Christmas ornaments, menorahs or other holiday items to avoid damage and allow for easy access. 

For seasonal decorations that will be stored in a basement, attic or garage I like to use 66 quart or smaller clear plastic storage totes (a corner of one of my totes is shown in the photo). If you already have similar sized totes or boxes, please use what you have before buying any additional items. I find that totes larger than 66 quarts become too heavy and do not fit easily on most shelving units. Cardboard boxes work just find, but will not protect from moisture, bugs or rodents. 

As you pack up from the holidays, wrap each item individually with bubble wrap, tissue paper or newspaper. Use what you have on hand. As you might see in the photo, I like to reuse the boxes and bags that many of our ornaments came in. Always label both ends of the tote, preferably with a removable label so that the box can be re-purposed if need be in the future.

When you are packing up the holidays, think of Stephen Covey's Habit #2 from the bestseller 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, "Begin with the end in mind." Pack up your holiday decorations in a way that you want to find them when the holidays roll around again. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. On Saturday, January 14, 2012 Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year:  5 Simple Strategies to Keep Your New Year's Resolution" at the Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free event. 

Stress Free Holiday Tip #10

Toy Soldier in Chicago

Tip #10 Have Fun


The holidays are now upon us. This is the time when we all have a choice. As a recovering perfectionist (see holiday tip #8) I have to remind myself that I can choose to stress over all the little things that might need to be done. Or I can make another choice and focus on having fun with my family these next two weeks.  


After a few bumps in the road, I have chosen to have fun. Only the really essential tasks will make it onto my to-do list and calendar, while the others can wait.


I have decided that what I have done thus far is enough. Those last few gifts that I did not purchase can go on  the list for birthdays. The stockings will be hung as a family activity, but the other decorations can stay in the box until next year (note to self, start earlier next year). What my family really needs is for me to be present and not stressed out. 


So, this holiday season, please remind yourself to be really present with your family. Most likely, it is the experiences, not the stuff, that will be remembered years from now. 


Happy Holidays!


Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will taking a break from blogging until the New Year. On Saturday, January 14, 2012 Carolyn will be presenting "Simply Organize the New Year:  5 Simple Strategies to Keep Your New Year's Resolution" at the Women's Health and Fitness Day, a free event. 

Stress Free Holiday Tip #8

Tip #8: Accept Imperfection

True confession time....My name is Carolyn and I am a recovering perfectionist.

Fortunately, I have a team at home reminding me daily that perfectionism is not the way to go. My husband is a get it done kind of guy. You know, done is the new perfect. My young children teach me that what doesn't matter, doesn't matter. And the big dog gives lots of love while making sure the house has that lived in, dog hair everywhere, feel.

The holiday season has a way of bringing forth the perfectionist in nearly everyone. Even my husband was intent on finding the perfect tree this past weekend at a local tree farm. We found and cut down a lovely imperfect fraser fir that now graces our home with mismatched ornaments (all the fragile ones at the top).

The thing about holiday induced perfectionism is that it causes more stress at an already stressful time. If we can accept that things will not be perfect at the holidays or any day, we can relax and enjoy the blessings that we do have.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #7

Tip #7: Clutter Free Gifts

As we get closer to the holidays it is natural to feel a little pressure to get that "perfect gift" for a family member or friend. Rather than rush out to the mall or the nearest big box store, consider gifts that are both useful and clutter free.

What is a clutter free gift?
I consider clutter free gifts to be anything that the person receiving has requested, can use or will not take up much space. This can include consumable items such as food, home spa items, bird seed, or basically anything that will be used up in the months ahead. Clutter free gifts can also include services such as organizing, oil changes, snow removal, spa treatments or any kind of service that offers gift certificates. Charitable donations were also mentioned in stress free holiday tip #6.

A clutter free gift does not have to cost anything but your time and can be homemade. A friend told me that she (along with her siblings) prepares and gives complete frozen meals to their elderly parents. What a wonderful way to share and care for someone you love!

A note about gift cards
Gift cards are great, but are not always clutter free and some do expire. When working with clients, I often stumble across unused gift cards. Please be sure that the gift card is for a store or restaurant that the person frequently visits and that using the gift card will not add more clutter to their space.

Being organized is not about being perfect. In my next post I will write about accepting imperfection during the holidays and every day.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #6

Tip #6: Ask for It

My intention with this holiday tip is not to focus on material gift giving or to make demanding requests of family members. Instead, the intent is to get away from giving meaningless gifts or worse yet, something that might be considered clutter.

The truth of the matter is that most people stress over holiday gift giving. This tip is meant to eliminate some of that stress both on the giving and receiving ends.

By letting your loved ones know what you want for the holidays you help them give a gift that will be appreciated for years to come. Furthermore, what you might want for the holidays may not be material at all. This is especially true for our older relatives that probably have everything that they need, but just want to spend some time with family.

You should also ask others what they want for the holidays. If your friends and family respond openly, this tip can save you time, frustration and money---especially if you happen to be a last minute shopper.

There will be people that readily tell you what they want. Then there are others that will say something like "oh, I don't need anything" and you know well they will expect a gift come holiday time. For these more challenging folks on your list, look and listen for cues they might give you regarding something they might need or be able to use. A donation to their favorite cause may be just perfect.

By sharing our wishes with our friends and family during the holidays, we get away from frenzied holiday shopping and focus on what is really important during this special time.

In tip #7 I will share my ideas for clutter free gifts.

Would you like more tips on surviving the holidays without a big mess? The December 1st edition of "Your Simply Organized Life" delivers. Sign up here and receive a free gift.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #5

Tip #5: Declutter

I have written about prioritizing how you use your time and money during the holidays. Now it is time to discuss how you use your space during the holidays. Leading up to Thanksgiving, I have been helping many clients declutter their kitchens, family rooms and dining room tables. It is great fun and the rewards are plenty.

If you plan to decorate for the holidays at home or in the office, all of your beautiful decorations will be overshadowed if clutter abounds. Now is the time to declutter. This can be very empowering. Not only will you make room for those beautiful decorations, you will also make room for new gifts.

Making Room for Decorations:
Holiday decorations are usually displayed in the most public areas of a home or office. These are the areas that you want to look nice for visitors throughout the year, but especially at the holidays. If you are overwhelmed by clutter in these spaces, focus on one area at a time that you plan to decorate. For example, if you want to decorate your staircase banisters, focus on clearing the steps of any clutter.

Making Room for New Gifts:
This tip is great for anyone that expects to receive a gift during the holidays. Have you ever heard of the "one in, one out" rule? This is a way of achieving equilibrium in your space. If something new comes into your space, something old must go out. This simple rule can keep clutter from taking over. By letting go of some things before the holidays, you can free up space and share with others that may be less fortunate. It is also a great lesson to teach children.

Getting and being organized is a process, not an event. For continuing tips on decluttering, sign up for my monthly e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life".

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and the founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #4

Tip #4: A Financial Plan!

One of the biggest stressors in life (not just at the holidays) is money. My 10 Stress Free Holiday Tips will help you keep spending in check this holiday season. If you are able to follow these tips, or even some of the tips, you will feel better for it come January 2012.

Rather than calling this a "holiday budget" I like to call it a plan for financial success during the holidays. The goal is not to add to debt in January! You can do this by being in control of what you spend and save this season.

Each of these 10 Tips builds upon the tip before it. By keeping it simple (Tip #1), creating a plan (Tip #2) and using a calendar (Tip #3) you are prioritizing how you want to spend your time this season. You also need to prioritize how you spend your money.

The first step is to determine the overall amount that you can afford to spend on the holidays without adding to your debt in January. Once you have your "magic number" you need to break down your spending plan into categories. This should include not only gifts, but also extra food, decorations, utilities, and travel expenses to name a few.

The difficult part for most people is sticking to the plan. If you find you are a little too freewheeling with the credit card, you may want to make an envelope with cash for each of your categories. Another alternative is to purchase prepaid credit cards for in person or on-line shopping. It is okay to use your regular credit card, as long as you can pay for all of your purchases when the bill comes.

The next post will focus on making room for wise purchases by decluttering your space.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and the founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #3

Tip #3: Use a Calendar!

If you have been reading my blog posts, subscribing to the "Your Simply Organized Life" newsletter or have attended any of my seminars; you know I am a fanatic about calendar usage. I don't care if you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a retiree, in my humble opinion EVERYONE needs to use a calendar daily.

Hopefully, most of you are already using some sort of calendar or planner in your daily life to keep track of personal, professional and family appointments. It does not matter what type of calendar you use (paper or electronic) but I recommend using one calendar for all appointments if possible. If you are not using a calendar, now is a good time to start.

To avoid overbooking (and going crazy) during the holidays, put all of your appointments on the calendar. This includes the company parties, family gatherings and even your kids' holiday events. Be sure to ask your family members about these events and if you will be required to bring anything, dress a certain way or in general make any preparations. Remember, to say "no thank you" to events that do not fit with your holiday plan. This is the difference that will keep you stress free!

If any of your scheduled events require preparations, check to see if they fit with your holiday plan. If they fit with your simple holiday plan (i.e. it is something you want to spent time on), schedule time in your calendar for those preparations and do not forget to schedule driving time! For example, if you want to attend your company holiday party, but do not currently have the appropriate attire, schedule time in your calendar for shopping in person or on-line.

If the scheduled events on your calendar require preparations that do not fit with your holiday plan (i.e. it is something that you do not want to spend time on), try to outsource or avoid those duties whenever possible. For example, if your child needs treats for the school party and you are clueless in the kitchen, schedule time with your child to purchase or order an alternative. It can still be homemade, just not from your kitchen (ask me about my cupcake lady anytime).

With so many service providers available these days you can outsource just about any holiday task from baking, to decorating, to even sending your holidays cards (I have a great system for holiday cards). The key is to make sure that you can afford to outsource holiday tasks. In my next blog I will write about making a financial plan for the holidays!

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life.

Stress Free Holiday Tip #2

My last entry covered Stress Free (or at least less stress!) Holiday Tip #1: Keep it Simple! In that blog we mentioned creating a holiday plan which leads us to...

Tip #2: Plan, Plan, Plan!

Once you have decided what is important to you for simple holiday celebrations, you need to create a plan to make it happen.

Going through the holidays without a plan is kind of like driving in the car without a map or GPS system. I know, many of you will resist this metaphor with the logic that you do not need a map for somewhere you have already been. But if you got lost (i.e. stressed or sidetracked) the last time you went through the holidays, a plan for this holiday season is going to help keep you from getting in a wreck (i.e. overdoing, overspending, and regretting it come January).

You can create a simple holiday plan, by writing down what you want to do this holiday season and scheduling time to do those things on your list. You do not need a fancy notebook or special paper, but you should have your calendar nearby for scheduling time. Any paper or calendar will do, or if you are a techie, you might want to do this on the computer.

Next time we will talk more about using a calendar for scheduling both holiday events and tasks!

Stress Free Holiday Tip #1

Tip #1: Keep it Simple!

Complexity adds stress. It is that simple.

The key to avoiding stress during the holidays is to keep things simple. I know that is easier said than done especially with all of the media messages, stores all decked out and expectations from family and friends. However, with frugality coming back in style, I believe simple holidays are a breath of fresh air for many.

One of the ways to keep things simple is to focus only on the things that you enjoy during the holidays. This may take a little thought, as there are so many things we do "just because". Think about what you and your family enjoy during this season and why. For example, if you enjoy putting up a tree is it because the way the tree looks when you are finished or is it because your kids have so much decorating it with simple things? Asking yourself these questions, will allow you to focus only on the enjoyable elements and keep it simple!

As for those things that always stress you out (and maybe you never seem to get done) if it is not necessary, eliminate it from your holiday plan. What!? No holiday plan!? We will talk about making a simple holiday plan next time.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life.

Organizing for Stress Free Holidays

Yesterday the November 2011 edition of Your Simply Organized Life hit in-boxes. In it I provided 10 simple tip for stress free holidays.

From my perspective being organized is an essential element in enjoying the holidays and living well every day. My 10 tips for stress free holidays do not cost anything and will help you save time and money during this busy time of the year.

1. Keep it Simple

2. Plan, Plan, Plan

3. Use a Calendar

4. Make a Financial Plan (and stick to it!)

5. Declutter Your Space

6. Ask for What you Want (and ask other what they want)

7. Give Clutter Free Gifts

8. Accept Imperfection

9. Remember the Reason for the Season

10. Have Fun!

Over the next few weeks I will be elaborating on each of these 10 tips at the Simply Organized Life blog. Please join me as we prepare for stress free holidays (or at least holidays with less stress)!

If you are in a crunch to get your house in order before Thanksgiving, check out November's special and schedule your complementary telephone consultation today with Carolyn to learn more. Please also feel free to sign up for my newsletter, Your Simply Organized Life. You will receive a free gift just for signing up.

Routines

The holiday season was a real whirlwind for me this year. It seemed to blow in and blow right back out in a flash. While I enjoyed the season, getting back to my normal daily routines is reassuring. Now I seem to have a reasonable handle on the clutter that creeped in during the holidays, including the household paperwork. What routines do you need to reinstate now that the holidays are pretty much finished?