Author: pdd-dev

  • Top 5 Tips on Organizing for Summer Camp

    There are only a few more weeks of school and then summer is upon us.  The kids are thrilled that summer is almost here, but personally, it brings me another set of ‘to dos’ in the form of prepping for summer camp.  Whether your kids are going to one summer camp for all 9 weeks or they are switching camps week-by-week, these tips will help make your summer run a little smoother.  Here are my top 5 tips for organizing for summer camp:

    1. Buy enough of each clothing type so that you don’t have to do laundry mid-week.  Most kids need swim suits, towels, shorts, socks, sneakers, water shoes, etc.  My recommendation is that you go find 10 towels, 10 bathing suits, shorts, socks, t-shirts, etc (not shoes, but at least 2 each of those).  Trying to do a full load or two of laundry on Wednesday just to ensure that you have enough clothes for Thursday and Friday just adds more stress to

    Over-the-door-pockets
    Use this over-the-door organizer to keep things at your fingertips.

    your week.  You can find cheap towels in a 5-6 pack at Sam’s Club or Costco.  Hit the consignment stores for bathing suits since they won’t last more than one season anyway.

    2. Label Everything!  I can’t stress this one enough, unless you have unlimited funds to replace all the items of clothing that will get lost if you don’t.  Lovable Labels has great self stick labels that adhere to the tags of the clothes and stay on even through the wash.  They even have a camp pack that includes labels for water bottles, shoes and clothes.   https://www.lovablelabels.ca/     Enter code TaraRLB1 to get 10% off your order.

    3. Make lunches easy.  There are 9 weeks of summer, so if your kids are in camp 5 days per week that means you have 45 lunches to pack for the summer.

    a. Pre-label all 45 bags (our camp requires disposable lunch bags) with your child’s name, bunk and other necessary information.  If you want to get fancy, use 4×4 shipping labels and just print a few sheets of them to affix to the front of the bag.

    b. Pre-pack 5 bags for the week with all the non-perishable items: snack, fruit leathers, spoon/fork, napkin, water bottle, etc.  This way you will only have to add a sandwich or main course.

    c. Don’t over pack. Our camp tells us that 50% of all packed lunches end up in the trash.  Only pack what you think your kids will reasonably eat while having a fun lunch with their friends.

    4. Streamline your morning routine.  There are so many things that need doing in order to get out the door in the morning, so make your life as easy as possible.  Hair needs brushing, ponytails put in, sunscreen on, bug spray, back packs packed, etc.  Keep all the items you need to get this done in a bin in your kitchen or mudroom or get an over-the-door hanger with pockets to keep everything at your finger tips.

    5. Prepare for summer first aid.  No matter how great the camps are at supervising our little ones, there will always be sunburn, bug bites, bee stings, cuts, scrapes, water in the ear, red eyes from chlorine in the pools and any number of minor first aid situations.  Make sure you have a good stock of all the necessary cures on hand.  Whether you like to use aloe, Calendula, peroxide or cortaid creme for whatever ails your little people, stock up now before the need arises.

    Summer is a time for the kids to step away from the books and enjoy all that summer has to offer, just make sure that you are ready to handle the the changes before they hit.  By getting organized for summer camp, you can ensure that both you and your kids have a fun-filled and stress free summer!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer and Life Management Expert, Tara Donohue Rudo, helps working moms and families focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

     

  • Don’t Forget! Organizing Tips for Remembering Things

    On any given day we need to remember a ton of things: what to get at the grocery store, take our vitamins, brush our teeth, call someone, email someone else, send a birthday card, etc. How can we possibly remember everything that we need to do? In my humble opinion, it is virtually impossible to just ‘remember’ everything that we need to do. So, if you are relying only on your brain to remember everything that you need to remember, you are setting yourself up for failure.

    Here are some of my tips to keep you organized and looking like you remember everything with ease!

    1. Have a central calendar.  By this, I mean have a calendar that has ALL of your information on it.  It doesn’t necessarily need to be in a central location, although that would be preferable.  This calendar should contain all the appointments, birthdays or events that are happening at a specific time in the future. Tip 1a of this is: You need to check the calendar at least once per day.

    2. Write it down.  If you are busy and most of us are, don’t rely on your brain to remember something you were thinking of as you fell asleep by the time you wake up in the morning.  Keep a note pad by your bed, in the kitchen, in the car or wherever you have thoughts OR, if you are techno savvy, make the notes on your phone or tablet.

    3. Set alarms or timers.  If there are certain things that need to happen at a certain time, set an alarm or timer.  Most of us are not very good a judging time, so this will ensure you are punctual.  This could be for picking up Johnny from school, taking medications or baking something in the oven.  You can use a manual timer, your calendar program on your computer or there are several apps where you can set alarms or reminders.  My favorite is Alarmed.  You can set alarms with multiple reminders.  Have to make an important dinner and you are notorious for trying to get ‘one more thing done before you leave’, you can set it to chime 30 minutes before, 15 minutes before, 10 minutes before to really light a fire under you to get out the door on time.  There is an upgrade from the free version for $1.99 that will allow you to repeat reminders throughout the day to get up and stretch every hour or drink your water.

    4. Make lists of other’s good ideas.  We have all had those conversations where your friend tell you about the great movie, book, restaurant, wine, etc that you MUST watch/try/read.  You think it is a great idea and can’t wait to take their advice.  The problem is that the minute you get home you have already forgotten what restaurant/book/wine you were supposed to remember.  This is what I think Evernote or SpringPad apps are perfect for.  I have a ‘notebook’ in SpringPad for each of these great categories and every time someone tells me about their great idea, I have someone to put it AND somewhere to look when I want a new movie, wine, restaurant, etc.  I also have a notebook for gift ideas, so that if I see something when I am out and about, I can log it in.

    5. Make checklists.  If you are someone that needs a checklist to get out the door in the morning, pack a suitcase or complete a project, then make one.  You can do it on paper,in a word document or on an app like paperless lite, reminders, toodledo.  This way you can set up a check list once and reset it each time you need it without starting from scratch.

    6. Create visual reminders.  If you absolutely CAN’T leave the house in the morning without the really important work file, put a giant note on the door leading out of your house reminding you to get the file.  It is not silly to have a giant note on your door.  It IS silly to forget the really important work file.  I have a weekly reminder of my kids daily activities where they need extra items for school and it is on the door to my garage.  It is easy for the kids and me to check the board before we leave the house to ensure we haven’t forgotten the gym shoes, library books or special projects (see picture).  It is dry erase, so it can be easily changed for schedule changes.

    Remembering details, being prompt for appointments, sending timely emails or calling someone on their special day makes everyone in your life feel respected and cared for.  Remembering to take necessary medications, test blood sugar and eat on a regular schedule can prevent unnecessary side effects of chronic illnesses.  Taking the time to put systems in place will help you take better care of yourself and those around you.  It will also reduce your stress knowing that you don’t have to ‘remember’ everything!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important.  Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Organizing for the Flu

    With all the news reports of a record flu season, you better get prepared.  Today, we are organizing for the flu.   Even if you escape the flu, there are still a bunch of different viruses that are circulating around throughout the winter months.  You can do everything right: wash your hands, eat healthy, get plenty of rest and still get sick, so here are some of our tips and tricks for surviving flu season.

    • Have a ‘middle of the night’ emergency kit.  Have a bucket or small trashcan and fill it with paper towels, lysol or disinfecting wipes, old wash cloths and hand sanitizer for when you or someone in your family gets a stomach bug in the middle of the night.  You don’t want to have to run downstairs and collect supplies at 2 a.m.  You may even want one or two waterproof pads to put on the bed if you have small kids.
    • Check your stock of medicines.  Make sure you have everything you or your kids would need for the onset of symptoms: pain reliever, fever reducer, decongestants, cough medicine or their natural equivalents.  If you use nebulizers or humidifiers, check their filters or keep extra on hand.  If you have a full stock, check their expiration dates to make sure all are still current.
    • Have a sick day bin with stuff to keep the kids occupied if they are stuck at home.  This could include: videos they haven’t seen, coloring books, legos, books or other self-contained and not-too-messy activities.
    • Set up a small section of your pantry with easy-to-make or ready-made soups, noodles, Gatorade (or other electrolyte/rehydrating drinks), crackers, jello, etc.  Items that are easy on the stomach or easy to make for the non-sick family member who is stuck cooking for you sick people.
    • Have a back up plan!  If you are working crazy hours or work a distance from your child’s school.  Have a list of people who could and would be willing to pick up your sick child from school and keep them until you get home.
    • Have a list of delivery places for groceries, meals, prescriptions, etc.
    • Have your boss’ or some of your co-worker’s home phone numbers.  If you are sick or need to stay home with a sick kid, be nice and let your boss or co-workers know as soon as possible.  This is especially important if appointments need to be cancelled or if someone at work needs to deal with your work.

    We all get sick from time to time, but if we are organized and prepared we can at least minimize the impact that it has on us and our families.  Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2013!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Stop Playing Phone Tag!

    Do you find yourself calling the same person 3 times and always getting their voice mail?  Are you tired of calling someone back, getting their voice mail and because you have no idea what they needed, leaving a ‘please call me back’ message?  Let’s join forces to stop the phone tag!  Phone tag slows productivity by forcing us to make unnecessary calls that just take up extra minutes in our day.  By being more direct and clear with leaving messages, we can reduce the need for ‘call backs’ and thus gain precious minutes in our day.

    Here are 4 tips to stop phone tag:
    1. When inviting people to events or just out to dinner, leave details and be specific, so they can check their calendar and make a decision before calling you back!

    Example 1 – Mary, this is Tara.  I was calling you to see if you wanted to join me and the kids for dinner on Thursday night at the Pizza Place  at 5:30.  Hubby is working late and I thought it would be fun to take the kids out.

    Example 2 – Tara, this is Jane.  We would love to have you on our upcoming radio show next Friday, January 11th at 11 a.m.  The show would last about 30 minutes and we would need you in our studio by 10:45.  Would that work in your schedule?

    2. With clients or prospects, leave all the pertinent details, so you can make the most of your working hours.

    Example 1 – Client, this is Tara.  I just wanted to remind you that we are scheduled to work together on Monday, Jan 7th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.  When we last spoke, our plan was to work on your home office.  See you then.  (This allows the client to only have to call you back if they want to change the plan.)

    Example 2 – Prospect, this is Tara.  I got your email and would love to talk to you about how No More Piles can help you with your organizing project.  I will be in my office from 9-2 today if you would like to call me, or you can leave me a message and let me know a good time to call you back.

    Example 3 – Tara, this is your Accountant.  I have received the paperwork to start on your taxes, but I am missing your bank statement for July.  If you could please scan it or fax it to my office, that would be great. (No need to return the call.  I can just send over the missing statement.)

    3.  If you are looking to hire someone and you are making the call for the first time, leave the details and repeat them.  Sometimes, cell phones break up or call waiting puts gaps in your message.  Repeating your name and phone number, at a slow pace, will ensure a call back.

    Example 1- Roofer, this is Tara.  I got your name from Joe Shmoe whose roof you did last month.  I would like to get an estimate on replacing my roof.  I will be home this evening or all day Saturday, if you could call me then.  My name again is Tara and my number is 444-867-5309.  Again, that number is 444-867-5309.

    Example 2 – Terry, this is Tara Rudo.  I found your website on the internet.  I am interested in learning more about your services and the costs.  I can be reached on my cell phone at 444-867-5309.  That’s 444-867-5309.  I look forward to hearing from you.

    4. If your call is urgent, say so!  By the same token, if your call isn’t remotely urgent, tell them.  The is especially important when leaving messages for kids, parents or other family members.

    Example 1 – Child, this is your mother.  Please call or text me immediately.  You were supposed to call when you got home since I had a late meeting today and wouldn’t be there when you got home from school and I haven’t heard from you.  If I don’t hear from you in the next 15 minutes, I am calling the police!

    Example 2 – Mom, this is your child.  I am just calling to let you know that my flight arrived in Florida on time.  No need to call back, just wanted to let you know that I am here, safe and sound.

    By using these four tips, you can help everyone you talk to improve their productivity, reduce calls and even communicate more clearly.  Best yet, utilizing these tips doesn’t take any extra time, but they all add extra time to your day!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.    Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • A great organizing product for children– Lovable Labels

    Here’s a great organizing product for children that I’ve been using at home.  It’s called Lovable Labels, and I use them for all of my kids clothes, backpacks and lunch box containers. Here is a great holiday deal so you can save some money and get organized at the same time.


    Lovable Labels, Disclaimer, Facebook Page, Twitter, Contact, Label Me Crazy, Pinterest, You Tube

    Lovable Labels Disclaimer Facebook Page Twitter Contact Label Me Crazy Pinterest YouTube

  • The Two Best Things I Learned at NAPO Conference 2012!

    I recently attended the National Association of Professional Organizers annual conference and I want to pass along to you the two best things that I learned at NAPO Conference 2012. I know you are reading this and forming jokes or crazy visuals about what a conference with 840 organizers looks like. No, we don’t invade housekeeping at the hotel and refold all the sheets and towels.

    Over the course of 3 full days, I attended10 sessions, 3 networking events and even ate and drank with other organizers.  It is always amazing to be with so many people from different states and countries that all do what I do.  What is even more amazing is that we all do things differently and have different areas that we specialize in.  I learn so many incredible tips and tips in those 3 days that it usually takes me weeks to process all the information.  I learned about some great new products that you will see in my e-zine or on my products page, but the tips that I want to share with you are the ah ha moments when a speaker says just the right thing that triggers you to realize great things.

    Here were the two biggies for me:

    1. The brain can’t tell the difference between fiction and reality.  Keep repeating something that you want to come true and eventually, your brain will believe it. (Dr. Jo)

    You can call it the power of positive thinking or the downward spiral of negative thinking, but what I realized in this statement is how often people in my life are doing one or the other.  I find myself drawn to other people that, even if not yet achieving it, are thinking and moving toward their goals.  At the same time, I find myself shying away from people who constantly ‘down’ and complaining about people or situations.  With all of life’s stressors and pulls in different directions, I will choose the positive thinking person to spend my time with.  I want to be happy and recharged and surrounding myself with people who want the same, is halfway there.

    2. We cannot achieve balance.  Even if we could, it is not sustainable. The reality is that in life you are perpetually off balance, invested in each moment with a bias toward achieving something meaningful or worthwhile. Being ‘off balance’ is how you will learn, grow and improve yourself.  (Dan Thurmon)

    Everyone constantly talks about balance.  The big one we always hear about is work/life balance.  I am always trying to balance spending time with my kids and being a good mom with being a good business person and serving my clients.  Dan used juggling to illustrate is that we all have multiple ‘balls’ in the air.  If you have three balls in the air (which we all have many: work, relationships, health, spirituality, etc), you have to let go of one, to catch the incoming ball.  Therefore, if you are holding on to any one thing to tightly , you are leaving no space for the ‘catch’. AND, as you add more balls, you need to toss each one even higher to give yourself time to catch and throw the next one.

    My goal is to now take these tidbits and use them to make my life and my clients’ lives a little better!  Hope you can use these in your world too.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

     

  • The 24 Hour Rule

    I was working with someone last week to schedule a meeting with 7 other people. We had sent out an email with all the details and gave a deadline 5 days out to respond to various action items.  On the day of the deadline, we had still not heard from half the group.  I had to send a second email reminding the group about the deadline and promptly got everyone’s responses. Why did they wait so long to respond?  If they could respond so quickly to the second email, why couldn’t they have responded just as quickly to the first?

    I am guilty of this too.  A friend called me on a Friday and when she hadn’t heard from me by Sunday, emailed to make sure that I was OK.  I am sure that you are either guilty of this offense or have been on the receiving end of the ‘no response’.

    In this day of instant messaging and access to email and text messages from our phones which we carry with us everywhere, why is it that so many people don’t respond, don’t call back and don’t RSVP. Are we too busy? Are we just rude?  OR, are we not placing high enough priority on prompt responsiveness and our personal relationships.

    If we waited several days to call our mothers back, we would probably find the cops or fire department banging down our front door.  Whether personal or for business, I think we should adopt the 24 hour rule.  If you are soooo busy that you can’t find the time to call someone, then shoot them an email and arrange a time for the call.  If you have an email that requires lots of time and thought, at least send an email back telling the sender that you need a little time and will respond by____ (fill in the blank). Responding promptly will let the people in your life know that you appreciate and respect them and their time.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

     

     

  • Entertaining Made Easy

    Every Thanksgiving (or other holiday or party), do you spend your entire time in the kitchen?  Cooking?  Restocking?   Are your feet tired?  Did you wish that you spent time lounging with your friends and family?  I have made two short videos to help you tackle the three big issues that stand in the way of enjoying your party.

    I hope that all of you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

  • The Great Purge of 2011!

    I was talking a friend this morning who is undergoing a whole life makeover.  She is reinventing her business, her home and even has a new hair color.  Since the motivation for change was running rampant, she and her husband decided to go room by room go through everything in their house.  They named this project: The Great Purge of 2011!  They are spending evenings doing small purging projects (like a junk drawer) around the home and one day each weekend on the big stuff (like the master closet).  I love this (of course!)!

    I can’t think of a better time of year to purge.  The holidays are fast approaching and that always means new gifts, clothes and toys coming in via piles of gifts.   It also means house guests who may actually need to put clothes in closets that you have used for storage.   It is always much easier to purge and make space for the new, by clearing out the old, broken, worn out or no-longer-used items, then it is to try to find space for them after the fact.  And, if you have kids, it is a great way to show them the “one in, one out” rule by practicing it yourself and leading by example.

    If you aren’t sure how to start your own Great Purge of 2011, I will make it easy for you.  Give each family member a paper bag or trash bag and tell them to fill it up with toys or clothes that they no longer use, they don’t love or have outgrown.  Set up a central large trash bag for all toys or clothes that are broken, missing pieces or are ripped and cannot be donated and just need to be trashed or recycled.  If you are reading this and saying that there is no way YOUR kids would willingly give away their toys, you are wrong.  Help them understand that their old toys or clothes are going to be donated to poor kids who don’t have any and I can guarantee they will find some to put in their donation bag.  Even my 3 year old filled a bag to give to our friend’s 1 year old, but it really helped her to know WHERE her toys and clothes were going.

    Good luck and happy purging!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.<p><a href=”https://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=681″>Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

     

  • 4 Organizing Documents that will Save Your Life and Your Money

    You always hear lawyers and financial planners talk about your will, power of attorney and advanced directives being the MOST important documents that you can have.  In my 9+ years as a professional organizer, I have worked with LOTS of clients who have had loved ones get sick suddenly or pass away and they are left digging through piles of paperwork to figure out the answers to a doctor’s questions or trying to find these important documents that often control our health care in an emergency or the money of a loved one who has passed.

    I recommend that you take a couple of hours to create the following four documents.  These documents will speed up your care in a health emergency and save your loved ones a series of HUGE headaches in the event of your passing.

    1. Create a Professional Service Provider List of all your major professional services providers that spouse or children may need in case of emergency (Accountant, Attorney, Financial Planner, Insurance Agent).  Also, include other service providers like lawn services, snow plowing, dog walking, etc.
    2. Create an Estate Map to document the location of insurance policies (auto, homeowners, life insurance), stock certificates, savings bonds, titles (home, auto, land), jewelry or other valuables.
    3. Create an Account List of all your investment and bank accounts with account numbers, phone numbers and locations.
    4. Create a Personal Medical Directory containing all the information on your doctors with addresses and contact information, any medications that you take regularly, drug or food allergies and surgeries.  You should attach this to your medical power of attorney and advanced directives.

    Consider giving copies of these documents to your children (if they are old enough) or the person that you have chosen to be your power of attorney or executor.  If you trust them enough to handle your estate or your medical decisions, you should be able to trust them enough with these documents.  Otherwise, give a copy to your attorney to file with your will.  Just make sure your executor, kids, etc know who your attorney is!