by Natalie Morey | Jul 27, 2021 | Declutter tips, Home Office, Home Organisation, Office Organising, Tips
I use these 10 tips for coping during lockdown every single day. They work and help me keep on track of what is a crazy time at the moment.
Make friends with your slow cooker
I’m a bit of a slow cooker connoisseur. I prep my veggies, and get them all cut up and meat ready the night before. Then, in the morning all I need to do is pop them in the slow cooker. After a challenging day of home schooling and wrangling kids and trying to juggle work (and stay sane) I don’t have to think about dinner as it’s done.
10 Tips For Coping During Lockdown – Image Ref: ablissfulnest.com
Batch cooking
If you’re making Spaghetti Bolognese, make a double quantity and freeze the other batch. This week we are having Pumpkin Ravioli, Spaghetti Bolognese and Shepard’s Pie, all out of the freezer. Then all you need to do is cook some veggies or makem a quick salad and dinner is done.
10 minutes a day keeps the pile away
Ironing is probably the last thing on your mind at the moment but if you do 10 minutes a day it will keep it in check.
I miss my cleaner
Obviously, my cleaner cannot come at the moment and the last thing I have time to do is clean. So, I just do 5 minutes here and there. As soon as I have showered, I wipe out the shower. It’s amazing the difference this makes and your shower won’t need a proper clean for weeks. A quick wipe over the bathroom mirror and vanity after the kids have cleaned their teeth means another job done. Five minutes here and there makes a big difference. Although one of the benefits of lockdown is that no one will be coming to visit you anyway, so maybe cleaning doesn’t need to be high on your list either!!!
Take 10 minutes for yourself
Before the craziness of the day starts I make a cup of tea and go and sit quietly (away from the kids) and take the time to drink it in peace (and whilst it’s hot). Its amazing how you feel if you can just get 10 minutes here and there to yourself.
10 Tips For Coping During Lockdown – Image Ref: followtheyellowbrickhome.com
Book that appointment
We won’t be in lockdown for ever (even though it does feel like that some days). So, book that facial or massage now so that when lockdown is finished you have already secured your spot.
Plan out your week
Map out those important meeting that you cannot miss and plan your day around them. Let the family know too. If you need to get the kids set up with Google Meets first thing in the morning, then schedule any “must do” meetings in the afternoon.
Recharge at night
Be sure to recharge all your device e.g., iPads at night ready for the next day of learning.
Bribe your kids
Normally not one that I would suggest but do whatever it takes to get it all done. If you have little kids perhaps start a reward chart for them. They get stickers (and eventually a reward) for doing good things like not coming into the office when you’re on a Zoom meeting, or completing their school work for the day.
The last of my 10 Tips For Coping During Lockdown – Up your vitamins and greens
Let’s be honest, we are all probably burning the candle at both ends. So now is the time to up your dose of Vitamins so you can cope. I know I finished work at 11pm last night so I definitely need some extra energy today.
Good luck with lockdown 5.0. Hopefully it won’t be long and we will be back out again.
Want more tips on coping during lockdown? Then check out our blog on: Master Working From Home.
Whilst we cannot go and do any home organising we are still helping our clients virtually. So if you need some help, we are only a phone call away.
by Natalie Morey | May 2, 2017 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation
When did you make the time to declutter your books? If you’re like me, I’m tipping it hasn’t been recently.
Declutter your books
Declutter your books in 5 easy steps.
When your books start to build up and create clutter on your bookshelves, bedside table or book shelves its time to declutter. So here’s 5 steps to help make the process of decluttering your books easier.
Set time aside to declutter your books.
You need to set designated time aside if you want to declutter any space. If you don’t have an hour, then just allocate 10 or 15 minutes and don’t stop till the time is up. Just remember though, once you have culled and decluttered your book shelve, bundle the books up ready to be dropped off (also set a date by which they must be dropped off). If you only have 10 or 15 minutes for a declutter session, then also make sure you set yourself a goal as to when you want to have the entire book shelve decluttered.
One shelf at a time.
Like any declutter project you need to start small. So in this instance when you are decluttering your book shelf, start decluttering one shelve at a time. Work from the top down. And if they are spilling out onto the floor, then that is the best place to start your declutter.
Will you really read it again?
I know myself, I had a heap of books that I was never going to read again. So I decided it was time to clear the clutter and let go. With any decluttering that you do, maximum impact is made when you can let go of more items. Plus, it is so much easier to organise and style a book shelve that is not jam packed with books. So keep that in mind with you when you start your declutter.
Why are you keeping those books anyway?
I realised that I was keeping a heap of my old university books. Why? I think it was because of all the memories that they brought back. But the reality was, I was never going to use my Macro Economics book again (I hated the subject then and my opinion has not changed), so why was a keeping it, so they had to go. Declutter and be gone!
Declutter your books and donate.
Feel good about decluttering your books by donating them to someone who can use them. I recently did a declutter for a client and we donated books that were in very good condition to her local library. The library then sold the books and used the money to buy more books.
Other places to donate books to include:
http://www.brotherhoodbooks.org.au/donate/
https://www.footpathlibrary.org/contact-us/ they have branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
The Lifestylers Group provides decluttering assistance in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. For assistance with any declutter project (the kitchen, bedroom, office, wardrobes, garage) contact us.
Image credit: http://bliss-athome.com/about/
by Natalie Morey | Feb 23, 2017 | Home Organisation, Tips
Get to get organised
I don’t know about you, but I find it easy to run late if I’m not organised.
I worked with a client recently to help her get organised. Her biggest gripe was that she was always running late. Late to work. Late to pick up the kids. Late to visit friends. Late with dinner. And she wanted to fix this problem.
I know myself, if I’m not organised then I am guaranteed to run late. So I could totally understand where she was coming from. So here’s my tips to help you get out the door, on time, every time.
Planning
It all comes down to planning. It doesn’t have to be military precision, but the more planning you do, the more likely you will be on time. Plus, the more kids you have, the more planning you need to do. So for example, if you know you are going somewhere tomorrow morning, then work out:
- What time you need to leave to get their on time.
- Consider if you need to allow extra time to park or if you will hit peak hour or school traffic.
- Do you need to get petrol on the way?
Then allow an extra 10 minutes, as a buffer. So if you had planned on leaving at 9.15am aim to be in the car at 9.05am. Easy!
Communicate
If you are taking the kids then ensure they know what is expected of them in the morning. Explain the night before, that they will need to be up at a set time in the morning.
Allow extra time
As I mentioned above, factor in a 10 minute buffer zone. I’ve got little kids and it never fails that as soon as you are ready to get in the car, they do a poo. So their nappy needs to be changed. And, if you’ve got big kids, they still need to be managed too.
How long does it take to do one’s hair?
I mean really!
Do you really need to be snap chatting or texting at 8am in the morning!
Most teenage kids only know one pace. Dawdle!
Plus some kids are just not morning risers. So you need to plan for this. Explain the night before what the deal is. What time they will need to be up in the morning. And then stay one step ahead of them by calling them 15 minutes earlier than required.
Organise your clothes the night before
Each night I work out what I am going to be wearing for the following day. It’s out, ironed and ready to go. Then, there’s no procrastinating in the morning about what to wear. If you want to be super organised, plan your wardrobe on Sunday. Iron and hang it some separate so you are organised for the entire week. Easy!
I do this for my kids as well. So, then I’m not running around trying to find their clothes in the morning. Plus it avoids arguments.
If they are at the stage where they want to dress themselves, then get them involved. Get them to choose their own clothes the night before. There’s nothing worse in the morning. You’re now running late. You’re screening at the kids to get in the car and you realise your daughter is dressed like a bumble bee!
Don’t waste time looking for lost keys
Have one spot where your keys and phone get put. Perhaps you need to hang a hook inside the front door. Or set up a “drop zone” somewhere in your house where your keys and phone are put religiously.
Is it in the top draw in the kitchen? A bowl setting on the bench. Or on the hallway table. Basically whatever works for your home!
Get up 15 minutes earlier than planned
I find this really useful, especially if you have to get kids organised to. Get up, get yourself organised and perhaps even have your breakfast first. You want to avoid shoving cold toast in your mouth as you run out the door…running late again!
The Lifestylers Group is a professional organising and decluttering service, based in Melbourne and assisting clients in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
by Natalie Morey | Sep 22, 2016 | Declutter tips, Home Office, Home Organisation, Tips
Don’t make these 4 mistakes when decluttering. If you keep motivated and inspired you will achieve great results. Make sure you have a plan and keep focused on the job at hand. Their is nothing more rewarding than standing back and admiring your work, once the job is done. I often find myself going back to a cupboard that I have organised, opening the doors and having a quick peek in to see my decluttering effort.
1. You don’t think there is a problem
Time to declutter and organise your wardrobe
You have become so use to living in a mess that it has become normal. It doesn’t worry you anymore that the dining room table is full of papers and stuff. You cannot see the office floor because of all the paperwork lying around but that is fine because you have just become accustom to it. You get frustrated when you go to get dressed for work because you cannot find anything, but that’s just normal now because it happens every morning.
2. You procrastinate
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the job at hand and just not do anything because you don’t know where to start. If you are struggling then perhaps book the services of a declutter expert to help you. It’s amazing how motivated you become once you know someone is coming to your house to go through your wardrobe!!
3. You don’t have a plan
To do list
You need a vision if you are going to get anywhere. Often clients stand at the door to the room and because they don’t know where to start, they simply close the door again.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed so having a plan or a vision is essential. I always ask clients how they visualize the room once it has been decluttered. It helps them to get inspired and motivated about the declutter process plus they have a goal to work towards.
I also recommend decluttering one shelve at a time. Start small, work through that area then start on the next one. Use these 4 categories as a guide to help you group declutter and group items.
- Keep
- Cull (throw)
- Donate
- Repair.
4. You lose motivation
Declutter and get organised
It’s easy to lose motivation especially if you cannot see much of an impact in the room you have been working in.
Decluttering can be a big job especially if you have a room full of stuff. If you are decluttering an office it can be much harder than decluttering a wardrobe because you physically have to inspect each piece of paper in case it relates to tax. Where as you can make a big impact in a wardrobe in a small amount of time by simply throwing out a couple of big, bulky items. Therefore, it’s important to remind yourself that your mess that may have been building up over a number of months or years, is not going to disappear in a matter of minutes. It might take a couple of hours or even a couple of days to see a difference.
It might also be a good idea to get a declutter expert to help you. They make you accountable and they can give you work to do in-between visits. We often give our clients “homework “to do before we come back and see them again. It helps our clients stay motivated because they have a deadline to work towards.
The Lifestylers Group can work with you to declutter and organise any part of your house: the kitchen, pantry, home office, bedrooms or garage.
