Where have we been?? Well, we moved. We have a new website and blog going at www.freshlyorganized.com.
Come and visit us at the new site!
Where have we been?? Well, we moved. We have a new website and blog going at www.freshlyorganized.com.
Come and visit us at the new site!
Summer has arrived and your kids now have time to clean their rooms…really clean their rooms. We work with a lot of kids to get their rooms cleaned out. Here are a few of our top tips for helping kids clean out their rooms.
How to do it:
We always recommend you try to let kids manage their own space because it is a life lesson. You and I both know that when they are adults, there will not be anyone telling them to clean their room. Kids can learn the importance of being organized by parents having them help keep the “family spaces” in the house organized. All this being said, in most homes, parents can usually only stand the messy bedrooms for so long. So about every 6 months or so, help your kids clean up and organize their room. It is hard to believe but we think kids crave the organization…or maybe it is just our wishful thinking!!
We love this article on Houzz. Great tips!
Great information from H&R BlockFall Filing Cabinet Fix-Up: What To Keep and What To Pitch via H&R Block
Spring is about to arrive and our wardrobes will soon be in transition. The turtle necks and sweaters will be put away so the blouses and tank tops can come out. Did you know that most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time? This means that as you switch your wardrobe around, you will most likely find some winter items that you forgot wear when it was cold out.
As you transition to your summer wardrobe, now would be a great time to set up a system that will help you edit your wardrobe on a daily basis. This is much easier and less overwhelming then dedicating a whole Saturday morning to your closet. Let me share a few tricks that can get you started.
Flip all your hangers backwards and after you wear an item you can put the hanger back the correct way. Yes, flipping all the hangers backwards is a bit of a pain but this will make such a difference on how you view your wardrobe. By doing this, you actually get a visual of which clothes you wear. This will encourage you to move away from wearing the same pieces each week. After a couple of months, if you still have some hangers that are backwards, you may want to get those items out of your closet. There is usually a reason you are passing over them each morning.
Place a donate bin, basket or bag near your dressing area to help facilitate the removal of unwanted clothing from your wardrobe. As you put clothes on and then take them off (yes, we all do it), determine why you aren’t wearing the item. Some times it doesn’t fit right or maybe the fabric makes you itch. This would be a good time to toss it into your donate bag.
Sometimes, the hardest part of removing clothes from our wardrobe is getting past our feelings associated with the clothes. We may feel guilt over how much we spent on an item or we may be hoping to fit into those small clothes after we lose a few pounds. But be honest, if you lose those 15 pounds, are you really going to wear the 20 year old jeans or are you going to celebrate with a new pair? And yes, an expensive blouse is much harder to get rid of than an inexpensive t-shirt. If this is a stumbling block for you then you may want to consider consigning your clothes. That way you get a bit of a financial return on your investment.
Are you ready? The new year is here and you have resolved to get organized. Sometimes getting organized is about more than just the stuff. At the end of this month, Amy will be facilitating a retreat at Knowles Mercy Spirituality Center that will cover not only what to do with all the stuff but also what is going on inside our hearts and minds. It is an all day event with a program that will be customized to the participants needs. Go to http://www.kmscenter.org to get more information on how to register. Not only will this be a fun and informative program but they also have a beautiful facility and great food!
Retreat information:
ORGANIZING OUR LIVES… INSIDE AND OUT – Wednesday, January 30, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This year, get a little help with new years resolution from Amy Tokos, a local professional organizer and family management expert with Freshly Organized. Amy will help you find the balance you desire in your daily activities and help you bring focus to your priorities. And yes, she will also give tons of organizing tips along the way to help you simplify the stuff. Fee: $40/person/continental breakfast and lunch.
Go to http://www.kmscenter.org to get more information on how to register. We would love for you to join us!
The holidays are here. Do you have a plan? You might consider creating a Holiday Mission Statement to get yourself started. A mission statement can be your guide for the holidays. It can keep you focused on your goals.
The first step to creating a Holiday Mission Statement is to start asking questions. Talk with your spouse and discuss questions like this:
Now you are ready to bring the family together and have a family meeting. Some more questions could include:
You may be amazed at the things your children remember and want to do again this year. From here you have can make a mission statement. Just a sentence will do. This will keep you focused on the traditions the are the most meaningful to your family.
The Tokos Family Thanksgiving Mission Statement is to have great food and focus on being thankful.
Pretty simple but it says a lot. From here I asked my family to define great food. Are we making the traditional fare or making something different? Thankfully they mostly insisted on the pumpkin pie. Focus on being thankful. How? The kids want to make a thankful tree. We do this every year and it consist of tree branches and construction paper leaves. We write on each leaf something we are thankful for. We are also going to talk each evening at dinner about what we are thankful for. Pretty simple.
It may be a little late to do a Thanksgiving family mission statement but you can still do one for Christmas. Have fun with this and let us know how it goes.We would love to hear some of your mission statements. Enjoy the Season!
Donation Locations in the Omaha Area
compiled by Heartland Organizers
“Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven.” Henry Ward Beecher
Clothing
Goodwill – multiple locations
Sienna Francis House- 402 341-1821
Open Door Mission – 2828 N 23rd st. phone: 402 422-1120
Career Clothing–MICAH House, Council Bluffs, IA
Scout uniforms–check local scout troop for “uniform closet”
School uniforms–check school for “uniform closet”
Youth Emergency services – www.yesomaha.org – only takes clothing, no shoes or undergarments
Salvation Army
St. Vincent de Paul Locations: 5920 Maple Street 402 551-5501
5037 So. 24th Street 402 733-3505
2101 Leavenworth St. 402 341-4942
Am Vets Locations: 1623 N. 105th Street 402 496-7567
Am Vets Truck pick up: 402 731-8387
Heart Ministry – 2222 Binney Street
Eyeglasses
For Haiti-UNMC Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences’ optical center
For information, call (402) 559-8351.
All optical departments will take glasses for the Lion’s Club Eyeglass Program
Home goods
Goodwill – various locations
Sienna Francis House – 402 341-1821
Open Door Mission – 2828 N 23rd st. phone 402 422-1120
Hand me Ups – various locations 402 502-2430
will pick up large furniture
Salvation Army
St. Vincent de Paul Locations: 5920 Maple Street 402 551-5501
5037 So. 24th Street 402 733-3505
2101 Leavenworth St. 402 341-4942
Am Vets Locations: 1623 N. 105th Street 402 496-7567
Am Vets Truck pick up: 402 731-8387S
Heart Ministry – 2222 Binney Street
Electronics
Goodwill (will take computers and other electronics)- various locations
Target – has phone and Mp3 drop off bins
Best Buy – item takes computers – $10.00 fee, and they give you a $10.00 gift card
Details at www.BestBuy.com under Recycling link at bottom of page
Books
Half Price Books – 120th and Center
Mary’s Book Exchange – 7340 Maple 402 391-5926
Recycle Locations
103rd and I Street – Cardboard, Glass and Paper
Under the sink – 120th between L and Center phone: 444-7465
Chemicals, paint and batteries
Omaha Paper Stock – 1111 Fort St. Omaha, NE Free shred all the time. phone: 402 392-2007
Building materials, etc.
Habitat for Humanity re-store
Council Bluffs, IA
1003 S 24th, Omaha, NE phone: 402 934-1033
Consignment Stores that will buy items
Once Upon a Child – 14120 Arbor St. 402 330-4116 – Children’s clothing
Plato’s Closet – various locations – teen clothing
Esther’s about 75th and Pacific
The Pot and the Ladel 80th and Center by Mangelson’s – kitchen items
Sometimes in all the hustle and bustle of family life, we forget to make time for what is really important. Here are a few ideas on how to simplify and get back some time for your family.
What kinds of things are stealing your time. Can anything be simplified or even eliminated? Let me know what kinds of things you’ve done to simplify your schedule.