About two weeks ago, my very dearest friend announced that she was going to plan a surprise 21st birthday party for her daughter.  How exciting!  But what an undertaking in such a short amount of time.

You might think that because she is my best friend she would have a similar personality and the likelihood is there that she is organized.  Not in the least bit!

She called me in a panic the past week because she had taken the first step of inviting people - 73 that is!  She basically told everyone she knows and probably some she doesn't know too well to "come on over" this coming Saturday.  So, before she knew it, she has 73 people showing up.  Yikes!  Where will she put them all!

Now she is only days away from the party and there is no plan as to what she is serving or how she is serving 73 people.

Of course, I volunteered to help her out and create an action plan to get everything organized so that the party could run smoothly.

The first mistake that was made was that she did not make a set guest list and really see how many people she was inviting.  She just randomly asked everyone without taking into the consideration the ramifications of her actions.

The next issue is determining what the menu should be and how much food to provide.  (My friend is notorious for purchasing way too much food because she cannot judge how much everyone is going to eat.)  The end result of not planning is that you can end up with so many leftovers, you end up giving it all away because you just don't have room to store it afterwards.

The next issue is how the food will be prepared and served.  Will it be brought in by a caterer or will it need to be prepared at home?  If made at home, when will it be prepared?  Can it be prepared in advance so everything does not have to be done on the day of the party?  How will it be stored?  Is there enough room to store the food until its time to heat it up or serve it?  Do you need to create a schedule for placing items in the oven so they all are done at the same time?

The next issue is whether you have enough supplies - plates, cups, plasticware, napkins, bowls, serving trays, sternos, crock pots, aluminum foil, plastic containers for storage, etc.   When planning the food, you need to determine how it will be served to make sure you are not left stuck in the end with nothing to serve your food on.

The next issue is decorations.  Since this is a surprise party for her daughter that lives at home, no decorating can be done until that morning when she leaves the house to go to work.  It does not mean, however, that you don't plan what to decorate with and where to place it when the time comes.

Lastly, where will you put everyone - in the living room, dining room, kitchen, basement, outdoors?  With a large crowd such as this, the hope is that the weather will cooperate so many will be out in the backyard.  But, if the weather does not cooperate, what is the backup plan?  Will you put up a tent in the backyard?  Do you have enough seating?  Will you be doing a buffet style service and where will it be set up?

No matter what the special event might be - birthday party, anniversary party, christening, bar mitzvah, wedding, it all takes planning.

Be sure to leave yourself enough time in advance to figure out all the various aspects of planning the special event so that it goes off smoothly.  Reduce stress by planning ahead and then you can have a great time along with your guests.  

If you are planning a wedding, why not check out my "U Can Do It Wedding Preparation Checklist" at my ABS Store right on this website.  It provides you with a comprehensive list of what to do starting a year before the wedding. 

Now, that's how you plan a special event!

I am so excited about my upcoming coaching program for busy moms.  This past year I have been focusing my business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs learn how to get and stay organized.

Not ony have I been busy writing newsletters, blogs and articles on the subject of getting organized, I have produced a line of products called U Can Do It which were specially created to help busy moms.

Now, I am pleased to announce that I have put together an exciting, new coaching program called "Living A More Organized Life".

With this quarterly group coaching program which meets by phone, busy moms will learn how to follow a proven step-by-step method to tackle and accomplish any project, be prepared for every special event, plan vacations and family time, make back to school a breeze and learn how to relax and enjoy the holiday season by having step-by-step ways to do gift-giving, decorating, large family dinners/parties and having overnight guests feel right at home.

This program begins on January 12, 2010 and then continues in April, July and October.

I am highly suggesting that busy moms not miss out on this opportunity to learn how to live a more organized life.  If you or someone you know is a busy mom, don't pass this up.  I only have 40 slots available and it will be filling up quickly.

For more information about this program, visit my special information page at www.4abetterspace.com/coaching.

In the meantime, have a very Merry Christmas!

‘Twas the week before Christmas when all through our house,
There was clutter and chaos…but, thankfully, no mouse!

The mantle was bare, the wreath still in my car,
Not a cookie was baked, not even a bar.

I’d addressed not a card, not a gift had been wrapped,
The jet lag had got me, I just wanted to nap!

One tree was half decorated, the other not bought,
The stockings still packed and the Village was naught.

Ornaments and tissue paper were strewn all about,
I was tempted to say, ‘We’ll just do without!’

But our children and grandchildren will be here next week,
And I know it’s a peaceful, joyful holiday they seek.

So rally I must, this is really a test,
Can I do it? Can I make this Christmas one of the best?

I’ll put on some music, brew some tea, make a list,
I’ll do what I can, the rest won’t be missed.

That we have our health and our loved ones are near,
Is all that we need for our holiday cheer!

SO, LET'S GET ORGANIZED NEXT YEAR!!!! 

For now, five strategies for surviving the next seven days:

Lower expectations. There’s not time to do everything but there’s time to do the important things. Even Martha Stewart would have to make choices with this limited amount of time. The trees will be decorated but the lights and the beads do not have to be perfect; perhaps there will not be so many ornaments as in years past. I’ll bake some cookies, but just enough for us to enjoy.

Plan menus to do double duty. The ham and the turkey will do their work for main meals and then appear again as sandwiches, Turkey Curry, and a couple of luscious soups that’ll grow like Topsy when I add some noodles or beans with vegetables. I’ll also make one trip to the store just to stock up on paper goods, dish soap and laundry soap. This is not the time to run out of those staples.

Do things in chunks of time. Instead of racing from one project to the next, I’ll spend one afternoon decorating the dining room, one decorating the living room. I’ll spend one evening baking cookies, another addressing envelopes and yet another doing the layout for the Christmas letter. In those chunks of time, the biggest projects…those that I deem most important…will be done.

Buy some time. There’s just not time to clean the entire house so I’ll hire someone to do the main areas and leave the rest. Clean beds and clean bathrooms top my list. The rest is just fine.

Take care of myself. The best gift I can give my family is to be relaxed and just enjoy this holiday with them. My mood will set the tone for the entire celebration. I’ll get some rest, a bit of exercise, and give myself permission not to be perfect.

No matter how much or how little I do, December 25th will be here next week. I can choose to be stressed or I can relax and enjoy the season. I choose the latter.

It’s truly the best time of the year. May you all have a blessed holiday with your family and friends!

Contact me if you want to make your holiday season a bit easier next year!  I can help.

In my last blog, I talked about how to organize the fridge in preparation for Thanksgiving.  So, now that the fridge and freezer are organized, another issue arises AFTER the Thanksgiving feast - what to do with the leftovers.

Sometimes we just keep eating them until they are gone or take them and prepare something else from them -such as turkey soup, etc.

However, sometimes, we want to freeze the leftovers (in our recently organized freezer!) but are not sure what the guidelines are for how long they will last.

When storing your leftovers, select a shallow, air tight meal-sized container that you can clearly label.  You want to put the date and the contents on the label for future reference.

Here are the guidelines for how long you can save your leftovers in the freezer:

Turkey meat (removed from the bone).............4 to 6 months
Stuffing.....................................................2 to 3 months
Soups........................................................2 to 3 months
Cranberry Sauce..........................................2 to 3 months
Vegetables.................................................1 year (if blanched)
Cakes, cupcakes and pies..............................2 to 3 months

I hope all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving with family and friends but don't eat too much!

Remember, you can freeze the leftovers!

If you need more assistance with getting your home organized, don't hesitate to contact A Better Space.  I will be more than happy to help.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't know about you, but I can't believe it's already the middle of November!  Wasn't it just Halloween!  Well, in order to keep pace with the upcoming holidays, there are some things you can do to make it go smoother.

In order to prepare for the large amount of food you might be preparing for Thanksgiving (including the storage of that pre-cooked turkey), I suggest that this is a good time to organize the inside of your refrigerator to accommodate the room you will need to store all that food.

Here are some quick tips for A Better Space in your fridge:

1.  TOSS - Go through your refrigerator and freezer, shelf by shelf, and toss out anything that has spoiled, has an expired date on it, anything you are unable to identify or that you know you no longer want. 

2.  CLEAN - Clear out one shelf at a time either by moving items to another shelf or temporarily removing them from the fridge or freezer.  You can lay them out on a towel on your counter or floor.  Wipe each shelf out with warm water and baking soda.  Scrape off any bits of food and wipe up any spills.  Don't forget the refrigerator door and drawers.  Then wipe down the items before they are returned to the fridge or freezer to remove whatever might be on the outside of them or stuck to the bottom. 

3.  CATEGORIZE - Designate different shelves for different categories.  By grouping things together, they will be easier to locate.  Some suggestions are to keep milk, juice and other drinks together.  Keep all left-overs together and towards the front so they are easily seen and used before they go bad.  Keep all breads together.  Keep all condiments together either on the door on in a low container on a shelf for easy access to the ones in the back.  Vegetables and fruits should be kept in their designated drawers with the correct setting to assure longer life.

4.  DON'T FORGET THE EXTERIOR - Clear the front of the fridge of all loose papers and toss anything that is outdated.  Coupons should be kept in a coupon organizer and recipes you intend to prepare should be placed in a recipe file.  Remove excess magnets to keep the front of the fridge free of clutter.

By using these simple suggestions, you will create more space inside and outside your refrigerator and freezer for the holidays and be able to find what you need more easily.

Don't let all that fridge clutter "gobble" up your space!

If you are overwhelmed with the prospect of getting organized, simply contact A BETTER SPACE.  I will be more than happy to help.

Enjoy your week!

We are all getting ready for the upcoming holidays, whether it's Christmas, Chanuakah or Qwanza and don't forget New Years!  More than likely you will be having company over, whether it friends or family or both.  Perhaps, you will want to prepare a fabulous holiday party or have guests stay with you during this festive season.  Here's some Quick Tips to start the holidays off organized and eight simple things you can do to help plan that gathering without a headache:

1.  MAKE A LIST, CHECK IT TWICE:  Making a simple list can help you unclutter your mind so that you can concentrate on the task at hand.   Make a detailed list of everything you need to get done.  If you will be delegating tasks to family members (as you should), mark down who's doing what.  Likewise, if you absolutely must tackle one task before a certain date, write down that date, too.  Make sure you list any supplies you might need to accomplish each task.  If you are in charge of a meal, you can even list your recipes right on your list for the next time you go to the grocery store.

2.  COOK EARLY:  Make your side dishes and desserts the day before your big meal.  Most side dishes and virtually all desserts will keep just fine overnight in the fridge or freezer.  This way, on the day of your party, you can concentrate on your main dish and simply warm up the side dishes before dinner.  If you'll be spending the day baking, take the time between cookie batches to wrap last minute gifts!  If you're all caught up on your wrapping (good for you!), take that time to put your feet up for a much deserved rest.

3.  GIVE SIMPLY:  Avoid long lines and crowds at the malls and department stores by giving gift certificates.  (A great gift idea is a gift certificate from A BETTER SPACE!)  They don't clutter and they don't cost much to ship to friends and family out of town.  Plus, everyone gets exactly what they want.

4.  TRY A POTLUCK:  If you're organizing a large family gathering, ask everyone to bring their favorite dish.  This way, everyone can show off their culinary expertise and you'll be saved from slaving away in the kitchen all day.  (I suggest getting a general idea about what everyone is bringing to avoid duplicates.)

5.  CREATE A WRAPPING STATION:  Save time and energy by designating a corner of your home for gift wrapping.  If you have a nice, comfortable space to work and wrap gifts, you're more likely to get it done before the last minute.  Put up a card table in the corner of a spare bedroom or in a space in your basement to keep your gift wrap, bags, tissue paper, tape, scissors, bows, etc.  All of it can be right where you can easily get to them.  You won't have to pull your supplies from various places in your home every time you need to wrap a gift.  Also, if you wrap gifts as you buy them, you'll save time too.  When the season is over, carefully store any leftover paper and bags in clearly marked containers for next year.

6.  SEND AN E-CARD:  So, you've already mailed out your cards for this year and the holiday is only a couple of days away.  You get a card in the mail from someone you forgot to send a card to.  It might be too late to mail them your holiday wishes in return, but email is instant.  E-cards have come a long way.  Most of the popular greeting card companies offer e-cards on their web site and can be personalized with text and photos.

7.  PICK UP EXTRAS:  When you are out and about and find a great sale, buy a couple extras.  Have something on hand just in case someone drops by with a gift for you.  You don't want to be in a situation where you don't have anything to give them.  Holiday treats, candles, restaurant gift cards and ornaments all make great, simple holiday gifts for anyone.  These gifts are also something you can use personally if you don't end up giving them to someone this year.  Wrap them up and mark a code on the bottom so you know what's inside. 

8.  PREPARE FOR OVERNIGHT GUESTS:  It only takes a few simple gestures to make your guests feel welcome and at home.  Leave a basket of travel sized toiletries in a basket in the bathroom.  Place a few books or magazines on the night stand.  Provide space for your guests to store their clothing while they are staying with you.  Provide space in some drawers and some hangers in the closet.  (See my previous blog from April 30, 2008 for more tips on creating a five-star guest room.)

With some simple planning, you have avoid the stress of preparing that holiday meal, gift giving and providing arrangements for guests to stay overnight.

Enjoy the holidays.  In the meantime, if you have any organizing questions or problems you would like me to address, please feel free to contact me at A BETTER SPACE.  I'll be glad to help.

Can you believe almost one-quarter of the year has already passed? Are you still having trouble organizing those special events that occur every year, making sure you have made note of the date and what to purchase, whether it’s a card or a gift?

Here are some Quick Tips for A Better Space which will make organizing those special events a breeze:

First, write all the birthdays, anniversaries and other recurring celebrations on your calendar.

Then, transfer the information, using a 3x5 inch recipe box with 12 dividers inside marked January through December.

On 3 x 5 cards, write the name, address and phone numbers of the person. In the upper right corner, write the date of their special day and highlight it for quick visibility.

You can use white cards for wedding anniversaries, pink cards for female birthdays, blue cards for male birthdays and yellow or green cards for other special days. Put the cards in chronological order in the box by month.

I use this system for both personal information and professional contact information. Some people will get a phone call, others you will send a card to, while others you will buy a gift for.

About 10 days prior to the start of a new month, pull out all the cards for the next month. Review them. Once you have decided what your intentions are for that month’s group of people, plan a trip to purchase any cards and/or gifts you need for that month. As an added perk, write what you give the person that year on back of the card.

Now, you won’t forget that special day!

You can even do a separate box just for Christmas time. Using the same system, just put a card in the box for everyone you want to send cards to and those you want to purchase gifts for. Use a divider to separate the two categories, if you’d like. Be sure to keep contact information up to date so that when it comes time to mail out those cards and gifts, the information is correct. Again, write what you give the person that year on the back of the card. This will avoid duplicates and make you look creative and organized.

It’s easy!

For more information and assistance on this topic or any organizing issue you might have, feel free to contact me. I will be more than happy to help you reach your goals for organization and make your place A Better Space.

Have a great week!

HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR HOLIDAY DECORATIONS

Some of you might still need to put away those holiday decorations. Your holiday decorations can quickly overrun your household if there is no rhyme or reason to their organization. An easy and visual sorting system will allow you access to your holiday decorations quickly and easily. This system not only applies to Christmas, but also to Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, etc.

I suggest either using clear plastic bins or color- related bins, such as orange bins with black lids for Halloween or red bins with green lids for Christmas. There are also pastel colored bins for Easter. You will find these on sale during the particular season, so stock up then. The color coordinated bins are a quick visual reference.

No matter what type of bin you use, I suggest placing a large label on the side of the bin that will be facing front. Not only title the bin by holiday, but list the basic contents it contains. By storing your decorations properly with labels, you can organize all of your decorations for the various holidays year round. Items will easily fit back in the same containers again when you are finished with them, as well. Personally, my family has about 10 to 15 bins of Christmas decorations which we store in our loft, but each bin is clearly labeled so we know immediately what they contain.

When it comes to Christmas lights and garland, it can be a frustrating mess if they are not stored properly. To avoid this chaos, invest in storage bins that are specially designed for these decorations. There are fantastic bins with spools you can snap on the inside that will allow you to wind your tree lights and beaded garland around. They not only save you the frustration of uncoiling, but also prevent knots from forming which lengthens the life of your decorations.

Now a days, there are many types of containers you can purchase either in your local store or on line to store your holiday linens, fragile decorations, tree ornaments, wreaths, artificial tree, outside lighting, wrapping paper and ribbon. And don’t forget the bubble wrap!

For more information and assistance on this topic or any organizing issue you might have, feel free to contact me. I will be more than happy to help you reach your goals for organization and make your place A Better Space.