by Heidi | Dec 17, 2012 | Uncategorized
In our home, there are two times a year that I sit down with my children to discuss what toys will be moving out of the house:
Just before their Birthday (in the spring) and in the weeks leading up to our family Christmas celebrations.
Why?
Because, that is when they are sure to get MORE STUFF. Knowing that new things are coming into their life makes it easier to part with other items/toys that are either broken, missing pieces, or have just not honestly received much attention or interest in recent months for whatever reason.
Here’s a peek at what my two boys selected to purge this December (2012)
Kids can actually be quite logical in this process if you provide advanced warning of the impending purge (a day or two ahead of time is usually plenty) as well as a brief explanation as to the ‘why’ of the purge.
What is the ‘why’ ?
* In our culture, it is simply a guarantee that we will always get more STUFF. Sometimes it is things we buy for ourselves, sometimes it’s a gift for a special occasion or simply a hand-me-down from someone else looking to get rid of their stuff. 😉
* Our homes only have so much space to store all of our things.
* We need to choose only what is most important to us (and also only what will realistically FIT) to stay in the home.
If your kiddos (or you) are having a hard time choosing what to move out here’s a few guidelines:
– Anything that is broken or missing pieces.
– Anything that children simply do not play with anymore.
– Anything you have multiples of (for example; decide a distinct limit to the amount of types or sizes of dolls, stuffed animals, mini figurines, cars / trucks / trains etc.) If you need to – provide your child a ‘limiting container’ to give them a visual boundary for specific items. Explain to them that this is the space they may have for a particular toy or collection of similar toys. They can pick which toys to keep, but only what will ‘fit’.
This process is also a very important life skill/lesson that will serve them well into their adult life and give them a healthy perspective on dealing with ‘stuff’.
Do you plan for regular toy purges in your home?
Or, does the thought of guiding your kids through this process seem over-whelming?
I can help!
by Heidi | Dec 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
I have long enjoyed the hobby of capturing memories and moments in time through photographaphy.
I was first introduced to the art of scrapbooking my junior year of high school. A friend invited me to a party where supplies were being sold and the process of creating beautiful and unique hand-made memory books to highlight photos was presented. My love of photos combined with the outlet for personal creative artistry hooked me to the hobby instantly!
I continued the hobby through my early years of marriage and was always on the lookout where I could set up shop to create and find space to store my supplies wherever we moved during the many transitions in our life.
However, once my children began getting older, it became increasingly difficult to pursue.
I never had quite enough time to complete very much unless I was away from home in a retreat atmosphere (which was only a few times a year), and with more people in the house, I didn’t have the luxury of a dedicated room in which to leave supplies out in-between sessions. It began to feel like too much effort to continually pull all the supplies and tools out, only to put it all away over and over again. There was also the factor of limited time as well. I not only had to find the time to have photos printed but also time to travel to pick them up in addition to the time it took to get set up and of course time to actually create.
If you are or have been a mother of small children you know just how precious ‘free’ time is, and I became increasingly dis-interested in spending it in that way.
I still had held onto that desire to photograph and capture our lives, but the creation of albums was slowly growing few and far-between.
Fast forward a few years and I began experimenting with digital scrapbooking. With the help of a few popular websites I was able to continue in the hobby without monkeying around with all the supplies in efforts simplify the process altogether and still have a semi creatively made photobook to look back fondly on of all our cherished memories. I printed the book and was happy to have it completed, but I still felt as though I would have liked to have more of a personalized stamp on the creative process without needing a big time investment to learn a difficult program like photoshop.
Well, my wish came true in the form of MyMemories.com!
I jumped at the opportunity to test drive their digital scrapbooking software, and it was a complete breeze to navigate!
While they offer plenty of free pre-designed kits & templates for the beginning scrapbooker to utilize, there is also a huge collection of backgrounds, fonts, and graphics available for the artist at heart to mix together for a personalized look as well! New freebies are a continuously created and there is also a digital shop to browse even more fancy-schmancy options as well.
The creations that can be made through the software is not limited to just scrapbooking templates either. I’m thinking party invitations, personalized photo art, labels, printables and much more!
What I like BEST about digital scrapbooking software is that I no longer need to purchase & store physical supplies to create something I can still say that I created. It’s wonderful to just open up the program, work on a project for a few minutes, and simply ‘save’ it for another time when my precious free time has expired.
Here’s what I created in about an hours time on a Sunday morning before church:
I drew some inspiration from a holiday card I recently saw advertised on-line and wa-la! It looks nearly identical! YOU can totally do this! And there is plenty of help available if you need it as well. Take a peek at all the tutorials available via the MyMemoriesSuite YouTube channel!
MyMemories.Com wants to share their software with a friend of Operation Organization – MN!!
If you would like to enter to win the software for yourself or to give to a friend or family member simply visit www.MyMemories.com. Browse around for a bit and choose your favorite digital paper pack or layout, then come back to this post and leave a comment on your sharing what you found and loved!
For extra entries, subscribe to and follow other My Memories social outlets and leave an individual comment telling about each one you joined:
blog.mymemories.com
Facebook
Twitter
Entries can be submitted through Wednesday, December 12th at 9:00 pm. Winner will be announced via email (and on the bottom of this post) Friday, December 14th. So, make sure an email address is linked to your entry identity as well.
CONGRATULATIONS to entry #2 (The Muellers) ! You’ve won free digital scrapbooking software from MyMemories! Please email me at operationorganizationmn@gmail.com so that I can connect you with the company to receive the code to download!
Good Luck!!
by Heidi | Oct 26, 2012 | Uncategorized
I’m always encouraging my clients and seminar attendees to only keep what they deem to be beautiful and useful. That can certainly be difficult to determine when considering an entire wardrobe.
I’m thrilled to introduce a new friend of mine to you today that can help!
Carly Gatzlaff, owner and stylist of A La Mode Wardrobe Consulting, had some absolutely fabulous feedback on some of my burning fashion and styling questions:
{H} : I love the series you’ve been featuring on your blog highlighting dressing for your body type – What are some key areas (on the clothing or our body)that we should focus in on when trying to determine if a garment is a good fit on our individual body type?
{C} : First and foremost, we need to show a waist, whether we have one or even if we need to fake it. Finding garments with good structure that have seaming, definition, or a shape that defines the waist (like a faux wrap) are key to every body type.
{H} : What are top colors and styles for fall and winter this 2012 season?
{C} : In terms of color, rich jewel tones are all the rage. A dark plumy/maroon is definitely the color of the season, along with rich emerald greens, camels, royal blues, and mustard. General styles for work are definitely in the skirt/dress realm, while for casual a skinny pant with riding boots and layering tops definitely reigns supreme. A fun take on this is a shorter bootie, used in place of a riding boot, with an ankle pant or rolled straight leg denim.
{H} : How can we determine what is our personal best color to wear?
{C} : Most of my clients definitely have a good feel of their colors from trying things on, however, when in doubt remember two things. First, never match your skin tone and second pay attention to what you get compliments on. I often find most things clients say they get compliments on are garments that are their worst pieces (or craziest that just do not work), however with colors the compliments they receive are always right!
{H} : Who are some of your personal style icons?
{C} : Oye…..that is a tough one, and ironically one of the first questions I ask all of my clients! Blake Lively, Diane von Furstenburg, Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere, and Miranda Kerr are a few of my favorites.
{H} : How do you help clients discover their own personal style?
{C} : I start every first meeting talking with my clients for around a half hour, just figuring out their lifestyle, their loves, and what makes them tick. This is a great start, however the first thing I look at with my clients in their closets are their shoes. You can tell a LOT about a woman or man from their shoes! From there, it is all about directing them into a style and clothing that fits their personality and most importantly their day to day life!
{H} : Are the latest styles and trends for everyone?? What do you tell a client who’s maybe just a bit fearful of pulling off trendy fashions?
I {Heidi} personally would like to feel more ‘hip’ and on-trend when it comes to fashion – but sometimes I feel like I might not be able to pull off a certain look (for example, the ‘skinny jean’ – I see them all over, yet every time I try a pair on, I just can’t pull the purchase trigger –) How do you determine what to try and what to leave on the rack when it comes to trendy fashion statements? Can there be a healthy marriage between the trendy and the basics??
{C} : My entire business is about the marriage of classics and trends.
I am all for trying what is current, however always base appointments around what will stand the test of time. While shopping with clients, I make everyone try on things they may not be comfortable with, however that I know will be great on their body types. Some clients are more open than others, however I don’t think I have ever finished an appointment where my clients were not super enthused with the new trend. (I get tons of e-mails weeks afterwards of clients loving their skinny pants…Heidi I think you need some!)
I think a lot of it comes down to being with someone you trust that is not selling you clothes, yet is giving you honest feedback. When trying something new I always encourage clients to try and incorporate just one new/scary thing into outfits. Keep the rest of the outfit simple with things that you already feel great in to get used to wearing a new trend. This is also a great way to blend classics and trends, use one trendy piece in your outfit and keep the rest classic. You will appear updated, but still refined! As for the skinny denim, everyone should have a dark wash pair that has a little gapping by the ankle (not skin tight) I have put every women from a 00 petite to a 24 in them and every body type does great. The main thing to remember is to vary your proportion, so to use skinnies with something not skin tight on the top.
{H} : What pieces should every woman have in her wardrobe and why?
{C} : -A great flat: comfortable, classic, and uber flattering
-A great dark wash denim: No whiskering or butt spangles! Perfect for day or night
-An almond shaped toe heel or wedge: Dressing anything up in an instant and gives you a great leg line:
-A basic scoopneck white tee: No one has this, but you need it for layering!
Sounds simple…..but so many closets I am in are lacking in these must haves that are timeless, seasonless, and work great on everyone!
{H} : What are some of your favorite shops and retailers and why?
{C} : JCrew: Timeless and superb quality, Banana Republic: Fun takes on the classics, Gap: Cannot beat them for basics, Hot Mama: Great denim, Francesca’s: The hidden gem for accessories
{H} : What (in your opinion) are a few of the best brands of jeans that offer the most flattering fit at an affordable cost?
{C} : Gap and Banana always have great fit for a more modest budget. Citizens and Joe’s for premium denim. Denim, shoes, and handbags are the three places I think every person should invest the most their budget can take…it makes a huge difference and is worth it as they are things you use constantly!
{H} : Tell us a little about the services you offer, as well as the individual approach you take as a Wardrobe Consultant:
(Is it at all like Stacy London of TLC’s, ‘What Not to Wear’?? *smile*)
{C} :I grew up watching What not to wear, and while I think I am nicer than Stacy and Clinton, the process is very similar.
The two main things I do are closet analysis and personal shopping. In a closet analysis, I help my clients weed through their wardrobe, get rid of what does not work for their body type and lifestyle, and style outfits with what they already own. I then follow up by sending them a shopping list with holes I saw in their closet that when purchased, will create the wardrobe and style they were dreaming of. For shopping, every client is a little different in what they need, but I pre-shop for clients and then take them shopping. A typical trip is three hours long in which we can accomplish a full seasons wardrobe. For clients whom hate shopping, are confused about their style, don’t have the time to shop, or just need to shake things up, the shopping trip is a game changer.
I cannot think of a better feeling in the world than completing a closet analysis and shopping trip with a client who is so down on style and at the end cannot stop smiling or talking about how life changing the process was. Especially for my female clients, the self confidence gained by many women is absolute bliss for me!
 |
| Carly & Clients at Twin Cities Live |
Wasn’t that fantastic!!?
Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom and expertise with us, Carly!
Maybe you’ll get me into my own pair of skinnies yet, and I’m now dying to know what your first impression of my shoes was! 🙂
~H
-Carly Gatzlaff is owner and stylist with À La Mode Wardrobe Consulting. Working with both males and females in the Twin Cities, she specializes in closet analysis and personal shopping. Interested in learning more about À La Mode? Visit the website at www.alamodewc.com and make sure to like À La Mode on facebook, sign up for their newsletter, and follow the blog for ongoing fashion updates!
by Heidi | Oct 19, 2012 | Uncategorized
This is the second installment of a series of articles where I’ll be presenting common obstacles in getting {and staying} organized.
Do you ever find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day to dedicate toward your organizing goals?
The way we spend our time is one of the biggest indicators of what we truly value in life.
If getting organized is a value and goal you want to achieve, it must become a priority – and it will require your time.
To understand where your time goes, it is important to assess how you actually spend it.
Try a TIME AUDIT…
Make an intentional effort to observe where your time is going by recording how you spend your time in a typical week. For the next few days (or even a whole week), I encourage you to record everything you spend your time on with the help of TIME USE CHART.
(click link for example)
By recording how much time you dedicate to your activities and accomplishments during a typical day/week, you’ll be able to observe your time usage (for better or worse) more objectively. You may be surprised to learn just how much (or little!) time certain activities really take day-to-day.
Once your audit is complete, ask yourself if what you’re spending time on is truly aligned with your top life goals and priorities.
Is the time you are spending on____________ worth it?
Ask yourself, “Will this help me accomplish my life (or organizational) goals?”
If not, it may be time to re-evaluate how you’re spending your time so that it’s more reflective of what your priorities are.
Need some help?
Organizing Expert, Maria Garcia, recommends making a comprehensive list of things you are actively spending your time on. (a time audit exercise will help with that).
Once your list is complete label each as follows:
- A. : Highly contributes to goals and dreams
- B. : Somewhat contributes
- C. : Doesn’t contribute to my goals and dreams at all
In order to achieve your goals and dreams, work hard to eliminate the C’s
Be especially mindful of how often you fall victim to ‘weapons of mass distraction‘ *smile*
If you continually ask yourself,
“What’s important now?”,
you won’t waste time on the trivial.
-Lou Holtz
Then, EVALUATE –
Take an honest look at your time audit, and work toward creating a time ‘budget’ by assigning pockets of time toward certain activities required for your top 5 life priorities. – Can you identify what activities and/or events are possibly a little too ‘heavy’ compared to the time and attention required somewhere else??
Need some help?
Consider if you could/should;
1. Moderate – can you simply lessen the time commitment you give to __________?
2. Delegate – Can someone else in the family take over the responsibility for ____________?
(could you possibly even pay someone to do_______, so you have more time for ___________?)
or
3. Eliminate – Though painful, sometimes the best choice is to simply step away from an activity or commitment (even if it is a GOOD thing) in order to re-align how your time is spent to reflect the current priorities in your life. Perhaps you will be able to return to it one day, but at least be willing to consider this option in the interest of the best balance within your family life…
While the initial process of ‘getting’ organized by setting up strategic systems and routines is admittedly large in the beginning, the time (and sanity!) that you’ll save in the long run as a result will have a much greater return. Eventually you’re sure find even MORE time and energy to spend on the things you truly enjoy!
Are you ready to find/create time for Organization in your Home, Office, or Life?
by Heidi | Sep 12, 2012 | Uncategorized
This is the first in a series of posts where I’ll be presenting common obstacles in getting {and staying} organized.
It’s easy to trick yourself into putting off your organizational goals/tasks in favor of waiting for the ‘best’ or ‘right’ time to start.
Problem is, the dis-order and clutter that needs to be addressed/sorted will only continue to grow into a bigger problem/challenge that will promise to take even more time energy than if you faced it in the ‘now’.
While you wait, it’s not only the physical clutter that continues to pile up.
So will other common consequences of disorganization.
Stress & Anxiety will also continue to build due to:
Loss of time & energy looking for things you need, but can’t find.
Late charges due to bills you’ve mis-placed, or even more money lost over deals you missed.
Personal and professional relationships tarnished due to chronic tardiness or over-looked appointments, reluctance to entertain due to surroundings and not being ‘fully present’ in your time together due to feelings of stress and anxiety.
Potential health hazards due to lack of general cleanliness or clear walking paths in which to navigate.
Are you feeling over-whelmed about lack of organization in your home office or life that you’ve been putting off organizing while you wait for the ‘perfect time’ to get started?
ANY progress today is a deposit toward a happier and more productive tomorrow.
