Moving to Simply Organized Life

For now, this is my last post on the Blogger platform.

Please visit my website for future blog posts.

All my best,
Carolyn

Announcing an All New Website

WHAT’S NEW ON THE SITE

My morning commute.

This year I had a wonderful spring! As we move into summer, I celebrate the launch of a new website for Simply Organized Life™. This was one my big goals for 2015.

There will always be a few more small updates to be made, but it’s a lot more organized and convenient for readers. Here’s a brief overview of the highlights:

You will find the Productive Lifestyle Scorecard™ on the Start Here page. When you fill out the Scorecard on-line, I contact you personally to schedule your complementary 30 minute Discovery Session™ via telephone, Skype or Facetime.

You can also find the latest upcoming seminars and service packages listed. And now that I am back to blogging fairly regularly, you can look for specific organizing tips right here in all of my blog posts. Don’t worry, there’s a search box to narrow your results.

I hope you find the new website useful. Working toward and reaching annual goals, like a website overhaul, is so much easier with an Organized Mindset™. What does that mean?

For over 10 year now, I have been giving seminars, working with clients and sharing my organizing wisdom with readers. I feel called to this work and the longer I do it, the more I realize that getting and staying organized is about our mindsets.

In the next post over at Simply Organized Life, I will share 5 tips that can help us develop an Organized Mindset™. I would love to hear what you think!

Please note that all future posts will be at Simply Organized Life. 

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. 

How I Got Unstuck

Archive Photo: Carolyn Anderson-Fermann Presenting

After our dog passed in June of 2013, I was so busy taking care of my kids, working through the CPES training program and in general keeping it all together at home. I felt pulled in so many directions, overwhelmed and stuck.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I have taken small steps to move forward in a positive way. I feel excited to get back to blogging, update my website and take on new goals.

Now, you might be wondering what the heck this all has to do with organizing and productivity. Everything! When our minds and bodies are in good shape, it is so much easier to be organized and productive. 

Here are five thing I did to get myself unstuck:

1.     Adopt a Pet---This one is not feasible for everyone and you might end up with a crazy destructive dog as I wrote about in last month's edition of Your Simply Organized Life. That being said, our pup has forced me to get outside in nature every day, several times a day. 

2.     Get Enough Sleep---Sleep is essential for me. On the days that I wake up having not gotten enough sleep, I am more impatient, short with my kids and definitely less productive. For more tips on getting enough sleep, check out this past edition of Your Simply Organized Life. 

3.     Make Time for Daily Self Care---Daily self care is different for all of us. For a new mother, it might be just taking a shower daily. For those of us with children a bit older, it can mean more. For me, it means getting up before my family to do a few stretches and sit in silence for five minutes. It also means moving my body daily. 

4.     Create a Smaller Wardrobe---Letting go of all those clothes that no longer serve me, has lightened my mornings. It is so easy to get dressed and keep up on laundry with fewer clothes. For more tips on how I approach my simple wardrobe, check out the September 2014 edition of Your Simply Organized Life. 

5.     Get Help---At the start of 2015, I decided that I really wanted to make some big steps forward and that in order to do so, I needed some help. I hired a coach, who has helped me get focused and let go of limiting beliefs that were holding me back personally and professionally.

This is not intended as medical advice, so if you think you might be in a clinical depression, please seek additional help for yourself. 

Contact Carolyn if you need help with your organization or productivity. We always start with a complementary 30 minute Discovery Session via telephone.

All my best,

Carolyn

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. 

Feeling Stuck?

With Muffin, May 2013

Do you ever feel stuck, overwhelmed, not sure where to begin? Me too! As a solo-entrepreneur, busy mom and wife, and household manager some days (okay, many days) it can feel like too much.

As a recovering perfectionist, I hate to let things slide off my to-do list. However, I am learning that there is a season for everything and if you let something go, you can always pick it up again. I hope that will be the case with my much neglected blog and website. 

For the longest time, I had been blogging weekly, every Wednesday. Then in May of 2013 our beloved 14 year old Golden Retriever became ill. My last blog entry is Wednesday, May 8, 2013. I became preoccupied with caring for a sick old dog and preparing my young children for the inevitable. 

It was also about this time, that I signed up for my training to become a Certified Productive Environment Specialist (CPES) with Barbara Hemphill's Productive Environment Institute. The timing was completely off, but I wanted to join before they raised the tuition. 

Our dear Muffin passed on Friday, June 7, 2013, the same day summer vacation for my kids began. Things were busy and I couldn't find the words to write on a weekly basis. We choose to be without a dog in our home for nearly a year. It was a good choice with our children being so young and I was happy not to take a dog out in the polar vortex of 2014. 

But something was missing; I felt stuck, in a funk, overwhelmed. Not a clinical depression, but just not my usual self. Through a whole series of events and personal choices, I am excited to be unstuck, moving forward and getting back to blogging after a two year hiatus. 

In the next post, I'll share quick tips to move yourself forward in a positive direction. As always, I love to hear your ideas!

All My Best,

Carolyn

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Tame the Paper Monster" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. on May 22, 2015. Register now with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. 

Simplify Your Life (Part 2 of 2)

Living a simple life is easier said than done these days. Many of us are overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and stuff in our lives. We crave organization and simplicity, but often do not know where to start.

Here are some easy ways to simplify your life. With these tips, I hope you will find getting and staying organized a positive experience. 

1) Create Empty Space

This is meant both literally and figuratively. Carving out empty space in our homes, offices, schedules and minds can be very freeing. For the month of May, pick one small area in your home or office that you can empty out. Be careful not to overbook your calendar and leave some empty space, just for you.  

2) Limit Distractions

There are so many ways to limit distractions in daily life, but we overlook most of the them or perhaps feel the need to be distracted or "busy". Some of the distractions I try to avoid include: multitasking, text messaging, recreational shopping, television and magazine subscriptions (although I am a huge fan of the free magazine exchange at my public library). 

3) Learn to Say "No"

This one is particularly difficult for those of us who are people pleasers. I have seen it over and over again, where wonderful people (mostly women) take on too much at their own expense. Taking on too much can run you ragged and leave little time to maintain organization at home or work. 

If you need help simplifying and organizing your life, please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Spring Clean Your Clutter" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. on May 10, 2013. Register now with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. Bring a friend to this seminar and you both will receive a free 1 hour consultation with Carolyn via telephone. Just introduce yourself on May 10th to sign up. 

Simplify Your Life (part 1 of 2)

Photo Credit:  Carolyn Anderson-Fermann

It seems that finally spring has sprung here in Michigan. Today was the first day I sent my children off to school without winter coats, although they insisted upon wearing their hats and mittens, perhaps feeling naked without them after a long winter. 

I look forward to washing and packing away all our winter gear in the days and weeks ahead. I want to simplify and create space for the new season.

Spring and summer are always such busy times that can make us feel disorganized, stressed and overwhelmed. A little simplification can go a long way in helping us enjoy our warm weather days more. 

I would love to hear what you will do to simplify your May! 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Spring Clean Your Clutter" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. on May 10, 2013. Register now with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. Bring a friend to this seminar and you both will receive a free 1 hour consultation with Carolyn via telephone. Just introduce yourself on May 10th to sign up. 

Tackling Paper Clutter

This morning I am catching up on some of my own paper clutter using these techniques, originally posted in September 2012. 

Speaking at Multiple Births Canada National Conference, Oct. 2011

Since founding Simply Organized Life in 2005, the question I am most asked is "What to do with all those pesky paper piles?"

After a busy summer filled with lots of activities outside the home, I found myself with some sizable paper piles in my office. I made the piles go away and am only left with my current project folders on my desk. Here's what I did: 

1) Set Aside the Time

Being a professional organizer, I know how to handle paperwork and (gasp) actually enjoy it. However, several rounds of house guests and our busy summer schedule kept me away from my home office where the paper piled up. At the first opportunity, I scheduled time in my calendar to deal with the paper on my desk. 

2) Just Do It

Paper piles can be pretty intimidating. It is much easier (and more fun) to check your e-mail, surf Facebook or do just about anything other than sorting through the papers. What I find works for me is to set a timer for a short amount of time (say 15 minutes) and just starting dealing with the paper pile top down. If a bill appears, I pay it. If project papers appear, I schedule time in my calendar or create a project file. Most people can handle those types of action papers, but what about those pesky papers that you *might* need to refer to in the future? 

3) Put it Away 

Everyone needs a system for those little bits of paper that we want to refer to in the future. The thing is that if we cannot retrieve those papers when we need them, what is the point of keeping them? 

I utilize a combination of paper files, like the family binder I referred to in my "Get Organized for Back to School" post, and am slowly shifting to a paperless system for other things. For my children's artwork I either take a photograph or scan the items. These things are stored by month and year with our digital photos. For other things, like interesting magazine articles or websites, I scan and save to Evernote, which I can then search at a later date.  

Source:  www.evernote.com

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Spring Clean Your Clutter" at Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. on May 10, 2013. Register now with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. Please note that Carolyn was not compensated by any vendors for this blog post. 

Seminar: "Spring Clean Your Clutter"

Archive Photo: Carolyn Speaking on Organization

The evening of Tuesday, April 9, 2013 I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the women's groups at Dexter United Methodist Church. This is a great bunch of ladies and I was honored to be asked for a return visit. I first spoke to this group in December of 2011.

Just in time for the church's spring rummage sale, I shared four simple steps to clear clutter anywhere in your home or office. If clutter is holding you back from reaching your goals, here's where to start:

Step 1: Pick Your Project
Write down the first area that comes to mind and your vision for this space. 
Please feel free to share your project area or ask questions in the comments!

Step 2: Break It Into Small Steps
Consistent small blocks of time yield amazing results and keep you organized. 

Step 3: Set Goals
Use a calendar to aid in making sure your goals are measurable and attainable.

Step 4: Get Going
Keep it if you use it, you love it and it makes you feel good. Everything else can go!

Would you like more details on how to "Spring Clean Your Clutter"? Check out my May 10, 2013 seminar with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed. 

Do you need a speaker for your group? Check out the seminars page on the Simply Organized Life website. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Do you need to conquer the clutter in your space? Carolyn will be presenting "Spring Clean Your Clutter" through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed on Friday, May 10, 2013. Register with Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. 

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!

Spring Clean Clutter

Photo Credit:  Carolyn Anderson-Fermann

As a result of our long Michigan winters, the rebirth of spring seems so much sweeter. It's a fresh start. If you have been reading this blog or my newsletter for any length of time, you know that I love fresh starts.

Spring is a great time to give ourselves a fresh start when it comes to clutter. The thought of a traditional spring cleaning can be really overwhelming. These quick tips are intended to get you moving in the right direction without a major overhaul. 

Do you have "stuff" that is blocking your way both physically and mentally? Perhaps it is clutter on your bathroom counter that makes it difficult to clean? Or maybe those papers everywhere draining your energy? 

If you have clutter stopping you in your tracks, try these quick tips to help you spring clean your clutter:

1) Pick One Flat Surface

Select one flat surface in your home or office that really bothers you when cluttered. Now schedule time in your calendar to clear this clutter. Once you have a clear surface, declare this sacred space and set aside 5 to 10 minutes daily to maintain clarity.  

2) Shred the Old

If piles of old papers are bogging you down, do a little spring cleaning and sort out everything that needs to be shredded. From Saturday, April 13, 2013 Recycle Ann Arbor will once again be offering shredding services. The charge is $6 per banker box or $4 per grocery bag. Readers outside of the Ann Arbor area can check with their local recycling authority, credit union or bank to look for shredding events in their area.  

3) Dispose of Medicine Properly

Saturday, April 27, 2013 is National Take Back Drugs Day. Through the Drug Take Back Network, you can properly dispose of medicine on April 27th and on most days in many communities throughout the United States. Search (top left) the Simply Organized Life blog for more tips on organizing and disposing of medicine.

If you need a little extra help decluttering your home or office, please contact Carolyn to schedule a complementary telephone consultation and be your best in 2013. I work throughout Washtenaw County in person and also offer virtual services over the telephone, Skype or Facetime.

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. 

Organizing Cosmetics

The Clinique counter at Macy's in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It is Clinique bonus time at Macy's (until April 14, 2013 or until supplies last). I do not wear much make-up, so I can pretty much get by on purchasing my favorite powder and the samples from the bonus bag. 

Most of us are pretty good at stocking up on our favorite cosmetic bonuses, but not so good at letting go and organizing our make-up. Cosmetics do have a shelf life and it is important to throw out old or expired items. 

The same day I make my bonus purchase, I take everything out of its package and write the purchase date on the individual items in permanent marker. This gives me a good indication of when I need to throw out old items and how long cosmetics last in my drawer so I do not overbuy. After dating the new purchases, I throw away the old duplicates. This is also known as the "one in, one out rule" in maintaining organization. 

I keep my cosmetics laid out in a bathroom drawer in the order that I apply each item. This saves precious morning time. I also keep a makeup bag (a "free" bonus of course!) in the drawer, so that when I travel everything is easily placed in the bag. In addition to the cosmetics' bag, I have a couple of cups holding brushes, a nail file, nail polish; as well as a small organizer for lip stick, mascara and small brushes. 

This is a really easy way to organize cosmetics, which saves time and money!

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. 

Establishing Positive Routines

Carolyn presenting her popular seminar "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" One of my "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" (sign up here for a free copy) is having positive routines. Establishing and keeping positive routines is not always easy, but the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences.  Great routines can help you be more rested, get where you need to be on-time, keep up on household duties and achieve your personal and professional goals. I hope you will find these tips useful in evaluating your own daily routines.

Take a good hard look at your current routines:  note what is working and what is not working. Are you rushing around every morning, creating a stressful environment for everyone in your wake? Or is sleep deprivation making you a bit, shall we say it? Crabby?  Many families struggle with the morning routine, which really starts with a good evening routine and getting enough sleep. Here are some tips for establishing a stress free evening routine: Have a set bedtime on most evenings for both yourself and your children. Plan for any evening activities to finish a least an hour before your bedtime.  At that time, start winding down by planning for the next day, taking care of loose ends and getting ready for bed.  Lay out your clothing for the next day, so that it is quick and easy to get ready. Some may even want to prepare breakfast for the next morning.  We all have more to do than we can accomplish most days. Jot down those unfinished tasks on a notepad or in your calendar for another day.  ​Before evaluating your morning routine, make sure you are planning for the day ahead the night before. Then look at exactly where the morning routine could be improved up for a smoother start to your day. If you need help establishing your routines, contact Carolyn for a complementary consultation and consider purchasing the Simply Organized Life routine worksheet.  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.

Mom 2 Mom Consignment Sale in April

Guest blogger, Anna Mae Trievel from Ann Arbor with Kids and Fun with Your Kid, shares her recent post on an upcoming Mom 2 Mom sale. 

The Spring Mom2MomConsignment Sale will be held at Liberty School in Saline on Saturday, April 13, 2013 from 9a-2p. The Mom2Mom Consignment Sale is a department style sale with items divided by type rather than by seller. Clothing will be sorted by size and gender making it easier for the shoppers to find what they are looking for. 

Admission is $1 prior to noon and free after noon. Sellers and volunteers receive admission to a pre-sale the night before. 

As a shopper, I like that Mom2Mom Consignment sale is sorted by department and that they verify the condition of every item. It will be so much easier to just shop from an entire section in my daughter's size than to visit multiple sellers to determine who is selling items in her size, the condition, and prices. Check out some tips for Shoppers at sale.

Recently I was sorting through some of my daughter's old toys with the intent to donate them. However, as I was sorting through them to create an inventory list for tax purposes, I realized that many of them were still in very good condition. I also knew that I have several boxes of my daughter's old clothes to sort through in our upstairs closets. So, I have contacted Mom2Mom Consignment Sale about being a seller. There are only a few sellers slots left, so if you wish to sell, you should contact them soon.

Past Mom2Mom Consignment Sale

As a seller, the Mom2Mom Consignment sale allows you to prepare and drop-off your merchandise and not man a table for the sale. As a seller, I love that I can prepare my items ahead of time and drop them off for the sale without having to sit there for the entire sale to sell my items. While they may have more rules on condition, labeling, and presentation of your items than other sales, the convenience of not being there on the day of the sale is worth it for me.

Anna Mae Trievel writes the blog Ann Arbor with Kids about family events and activities in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She recently launched Fun with Your Kid to provide information about events happening across the country or region, product reviews, travel experiences and more.

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. 

Organizing Your Tax Papers

Tax time (and maybe spring) is right around the corner.

It is that time of year again, that many dread....tax time! 

This year you have until April 15, 2013 to file your taxes in the United States. Let's make 2013 the year that you do not have to file an extension.

For easy organizing of tax related paperwork, I recommend three basic files:

1) Annual Tax File

This can be as simple as a box or hanging file folder labeled "2012 Taxes". Employers and financial institutions are required to send financial statements (such as W2s and 1099s) by January 31st, while brokerage houses have a later deadline. While you are at it, make a file for 2013 as well, so you can place items inside (such as donation or property tax receipts) as they occur throughout the year.

2) Flexible Spending Account File

If you do not participate in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or similar program with your employer, skip ahead to item number 3. If you do participate in an FSA, be sure to organize and submit all of your claims before the grace period (typically 2.5 months) ends for your plan. This will prevent you from losing your pretax funds contributed to the account. 

3) Medical Expense File

This can be the most complex of the three tax files listed here, particularly if you have enough medical expenses to deduct from your taxes. There are many ways to organize a medical expense file. A three ring binder for each family member, organized by service date (i.e. the date you went to the doctor) is generally the easiest way. You can tally out of pocket expenses on paper in each binder or create an expense category using a computerized tool such as Microsoft Excel or Quicken.

If you have specific questions regarding taxes, always consult with a tax expert, such as a CPA. 

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.