Organizing A Diet Plan
I decided to try the hCG diet at home using the drops instead of injections, and it took me a week to get around to starting it. The reason was, I wanted to establish a meal plan first and put a shopping list together to ensure I stay on the diet and do it properly.
Having done that wasn’t all that I needed to keep me organized on this diet. Since it was a new routine, I had to establish a way to remember my new routine of taking the drops 3 times a day! So, I got out my trusty iPhone and set my alarm to go off 3 times a day at certain times!
I also began browsing the Internet for any hCG diet recipes, and man did I find plenty! I started printing away like nobody’s business! Then, I hole-punched them and put them in my 3-ring recipe binder. Whalla, I felt completely organized and ready to eat (or not eat)!
Holiday Organizing
It’s Get Organized for the Holidays Month. So, I guess it’s time to say something about it!
For Thanksgiving, I’ve already decided dinner is at my place, so the guest list was made. And, I already know what I’ll be cooking up, too. Since there isn’t any out-of-town guests sleeping over (unless I can talk my sister into coming out here), everything seems easy enough. Of course, a few days before I’ll start envisioning what the table will look like and know I’ll want to get a nice, fresh floral centerpiece for it. Still, no big deal.
Then, there is Christmas just around the corner. Now, that takes a lot more planning. There are cards to get, gifts to purchase, decorations to put up, meals to plan… and that’s just the short list version.
So, I’m making my list and soon I’ll be checking it twice. That’s what it really takes to have stress-free holidays, and is the best place to start in organizing the events for them.
What’s on your list?
Home Office Makeover
I did it! I finished my own home office makeover, and I’m LOVIN it!
My office used to be a tidy, but unappealing space. Walls were pale, windows didn’t quite do it for me, floors were masking bacteria hidden in old, plush carpet, and furniture was placed in tight spaces making the room smaller than it is.
The room needed a face lift and I needed a space that made me feel good.
With bright painted walls that included a darker accent wall, new hardwood flooring, and a little romantic drapes on the windows, my room was transformed into my little retreat. Situating the furniture differently made a HUGE difference because it provided a lot more space to the room.
A Weekend Project
The hardwood floor makeover of my home has been moving forward, slowly but surely. As a do-it-yourself project, I’ve learned a great deal about installing hardwood – more than I wanted to know.
With three rooms down and two large room areas remaining to be done, the project schedule looks like we’ll have it done within two more weekends (since it’s an every-other-weekend project!). Interesting though, when we first had the flooring delivered, it sat in the garage for one month before we decided to tackle the project. The main reason for this was lack of know-how, and the other reason was confronting the massive project. Of course, the confront improved as we learned how to do it ourselves.
The bottom line however, was in setting a target date to start and then sticking to the commitment. I say this because most projects of any nature can not get started and carried through without a plan and targets.
Room Planner
Online Interactive Tools
I want to share a great online site that provides an interactive space planner and home decor organizer. It’s at Pure Contemporary – www.purecontemporary.com. Scroll down the right-hand column to find these tools and start planning your own rooms!
You’ll need to register and sign in, but it’s quick and easy. Have fun!
At the SF Mart
Seminar on Designing an Organized Home
On August 5th, I delivered a 90-minute seminar to 78 interior designers at the San Francisco Mart. What a great place to check out new trends and great styles of furniture and home furnishings, I’ll tell you! There were rooms and rooms and rooms of showroom furniture from many different manufacturers — a wonderful decorator’s playground.
I walked out of there with a handful of brochures and catalog sheets, giving me another way to shop for that perfect item when decorating a room.
Did I mention how nice it was to stroll around San Francisco’s Market Street and look at all the wonderful architecture around there? Quite enjoyable, indeed.
A Busy Life
Keeping up with that “To-do” list
I try to post regularly on my blogs, however there are “those days” when certain things must be delayed. And although I consider writing in my blogs a high priority, when it is weighed against other higher priorities that consume the day, that’s when I have to tell myself it has to wait.
Today is another busy day with a full schedule of activities to tend to. But, I decided to force myself to sit down and take a moment to write something — anything would do, I told myself. I know I’m not alone here. Many of us lead busy lives and have to put things off. I guess the thing to do in this case is to try and force ourselves to find time to squeeze in those things we find valuable. And, I find my readers valuable.
An Organized Affair
Arranging a Gathering
I never really gave it much thought when planning to meet friends somewhere, like a movie, but when I watched someone else arrange it (which was very nice, by the way), I witnessed all the elements come into play. And, it played out like a well planned event.
The organizer of this movie-gathering called everyone in advance about the movie selection and the date, and had us all mark our calendars. Reminder calls and emails followed, along with further details involving the time and meeting place. Ticket purchases for everyone was assigned to one person who would get them early that day. Brillant, as the movie was on opening weekend and predicted to be sold out. Two other people were assigned to arrive early and get in line.
It all came together so smoothly and flawlessly. This says a lot for what a little planning can do and having someone in charge of an activity. The movie was good, too.
Money in Clutter
Clean ups offer rewards
Once again, I found money while clearing clutter from a room. It’s not that it happens once in a while, or with one out of five clients — it happens all the time, and that’s five out of five clients!
Sometimes it is only coins that total a few bucks, and sometimes it is bills or checks amounting from $20 to $500 or more. The other day, it was $52 in cash found here and there among piles of stuff. The best to date was when I found a check that the client lost (and still cashable!) that paid for my services. They were very pleased.
Guess it pays to clear clutter away, wouldn’t you say?
Getting Malled at Malls
Those who truly value their sanity are staying away from the holiday Mall shopping. My bank teller told me that she heard about this woman who drove around this mall parking lot looking for a parking spot, and just kept driving up and down the isles, watching other cars pull into newly vacated spots she just missed because the line of cars she got behind in the next isle got there first. Her stress level was rising and this was before she even entered the mall!
Approximately 30 minutes later, she got into the building and the crowd of people were such that she felt driven to yell into a store at a clerk there and plead, “Just throw something out — anything!”
While the malls and large department stores might be a good one-stop shopping endeavor, it may not be worth it. I suggest, if you must go out and shop, to try retail stores in small shopping strips, or along boulevards with a variety of specialty shops.
As for myself, I’m a stay-at-home shopper and going to let my fingers do the walking… thank you Internet!