by Natalie Morey | Nov 7, 2024 | Declutter tips, Organise, Organising, Tips
With only 7 weekends till Christmas, here’s 7 tips to get organised this Christmas.
1. Create a Christmas Checklist
- Why: Having a visual timeline can help you break down tasks into manageable chunks.
- How: Mark important dates such as parties, school or sporting breakups and deadlines for holiday cards or meals. Write down tasks like shopping, decorating and wrapping gifts. Assign deadlines to each task so you stay on track.
2. Start Gift Shopping Early (and Make a List)
- Why: Avoid the stress of last-minute shopping and ensure you find thoughtful gifts.
- How: Make a list of everyone you need to shop for, along with ideas for each person. Check off each name as you purchase or order the gifts. Consider shopping online to save time and avoid crowded stores.
3. Declutter and Organise Your Space
- Why: A tidy home creates a peaceful environment for the holidays and makes room for gifts and decorations.
- How: Spend a couple of weekends decluttering key areas like your entryway, living room and kitchen. Donate or sell items you no longer use. Also, consider organising your storage spaces so you can easily access your holiday decorations when it’s time to put them up.
4. Plan Your Holiday Meals Early
- Why: Planning ahead helps you avoid the chaos of last-minute grocery runs and ensures you don’t forget any ingredients.
- How: Create a menu for all meals you’ll be hosting and make a shopping list. Consider ordering non-perishable items in advance or using delivery services to save time. If you’re hosting multiple people, coordinate with guests about what they’ll bring.
5. Set a Budget
- Why: Avoid financial stress by sticking to a holiday budget.
- How: Use a spreadsheet or budgeting app to track expenses and stick to your limits. Include a buffer for unexpected expenses (like shipping fees or extra ingredients).
6. Tackle Holiday Cards Early
- Why: Sending cards can be time-consuming, so starting early helps you avoid rushing through them.
- How: Address envelopes and write personalized notes in advance. If you’re ordering custom cards, plan ahead for printing and shipping times. Set aside time to send them out before the holidays get too hectic.
7. Prepare for Guests
- Why: You want your guests to feel welcome
- How: If you’re hosting, prepare your guest room or space. This might mean decluttering or clearing out items to make space or planning for additional meals or activities. Consider if you need to buy extra presents so everyone gets a gift on Christmas day?
By following our 7 tips to get organised this Christmas, hopefully you’ll give yourself more time to relax and enjoy the true spirit of the season without feeling overwhelmed. And if you are feeling overwhelmed, then contact The Lifestylers Group. Our team of Professional Organisers love helping people to declutter and organise their homes.
by Natalie Morey | Jun 21, 2023 | Home Office, Home Organisation, Office Organising, Tips, Virtual PA
It’s that time of year. The end of financial year is nearly here. That means it’s time to get your home office paperwork organised. So, here’s 15 ways to organise your home office. They won’t take you long, but I guarantee that if you take the time to do them you will transform your home office in no time at all.
15 ways to organise your home office
Tip 1: Start with your desk. Clear off any unnecessary items, sort through loose papers and create designated spaces for essentials like pens, notebooks and office supplies.
Tip 2: Tackle your filing system. Sort through old documents and create a system that works for you. Consider digitizing files to reduce paper clutter.
Tip 3: Organise your bookshelf. Donate or sell books you no longer need and arrange the remaining ones in a visually pleasing and accessible manner.
Tip 4: Create a designated space for incoming and outgoing mail. Set up trays or folders to sort and manage your mail effectively.
Tip 5: Assess your storage solutions. Optimize your storage by using bins, baskets or drawer organisers to keep items neat and easily accessible.
Tip 6: Declutter your computer desktop. Organise files and folders, delete unnecessary shortcuts and ensure your digital workspace is streamlined.
Tip 7: Focus on cable management. Use cable clips or cord organisers to keep cables and cords tidy and prevent them from becoming tangled.
Working From Home
Tip 8: Evaluate your office furniture. Determine if any furniture items are no longer serving a purpose and if so consider replacing or repurposing them.
Tip 9: Sort through office supplies. Discard dried-out pens, markers, or supplies you no longer use. Keep essentials neatly stored in containers or drawers.
Tip 10: Clear out outdated technology. Dispose of old gadgets, cables or electronic devices that are no longer functional or needed.
Tip 11: Declutter your bulletin board or whiteboard. Remove outdated notes or reminders and create a fresh, visually appealing space.
Tip 12: Evaluate your lighting situation. Ensure your workspace is well-lit with an appropriate desk lamp or overhead lighting.
Tip 13: Clean and organise your printer area. Remove any old or unused paper, refill ink or toner and create a designated spot for printing supplies.
Tip 14: Create a system for managing receipts and invoices. Consider using digital tools or apps to store and organise important financial documents.
Home Office Ideas
Tip 15: Evaluate your office decor. Remove any items that don’t inspire you or contribute to a productive environment. Add personal touches that bring you joy.
For more tips on getting ready for tax time read this blog. Or if you reed some help to get your home office paperwork organised, then contact us.
by Natalie Morey | Mar 27, 2020 | Declutter tips, Home Office, Home Organisation, Office Organising, Virtual PA
Master working from home with these tips.
Home office
Declutter your Space
There is nothing more distracting than having a heap of stuff laying around. Whether that’s in the spare room, on the kitchen table or on your desk. A cluttered space creates a cluttered mind. So now is the time to clear out the stuff you haven’t used for a while.
Home Office Ideas
No PJ’s
No, its not okay to crawl out of bed and still in your PJs start work. Get dressed, get organised, do your hair (and makeup if you normally wear it), ready for your day “in the office”.
Home Office Ideas
Set Some Boundaries
This is super important especially if other family members are also at home. Set boundaries with anyone else who shares the home, so they respect your work time. So that might mean if you are working in a spare room, when the door is closed, that indicates you are at work and you should not be interrupted. Or, if you are working at the kitchen table, family members understand that they should not be interrupting you. Easier said than done if you have kids at home too, so you just need to start the conversation.
Image credit: Williams Cabinets
Working From Home
Check your Internet Package
You cannot function without it. You may need to upgrade your plan to ensure you have enough data, especially if other family members are also online.
Image credit: Hayfair.com
Organised home office
Business as Usual
Keep the same schedule you had at the office. So that means getting up at the same time and starting the working day with the same tasks you would have done at the office.
Small home office idea
Stay Connected
For some, working from home is great. No distractions, no annoying co-workers and office gossip. But after a while you may start to feel a bit isolated. So, to help stay connected, make calls on FaceTime, Skype or Zoom instead. That’s another good reason to make sure you are dressed, hair and makeup done!
Image credit: The DIY PlayBook
Home Office Decor
Take a Break
Just like if you were in the office, schedule breaks throughout the day, especially if you are sitting in front of a screen. However, be careful not to get caught up doing “household chores”. All of a sudden that load of washing that you went to put on gets you side-tracked from your actual work and you have lost half an hour.
Enjoy your new work space!
The Lifestylers Group provide decluttering and home organising assistance. We also offer virtual PA services to help people get organised and stay organised.
