Continue reading »]]> CTO (Care To Organize)  … useful tips, ideas, or information to help you organize your home and life so you can better care for yourself and others

Unscramble Moments (UM)

Don’t have a lot of time or big chunks of time to devote to maintaining your home and life? No problem, you can do it in small bites. You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish in just 15 minutes (or less). Accomplishing small tasks scattered throughout the day may be just what you need to get things done and reduce stress. Think of it as your “Unscramble Moments” to keep your home/work space nice and tidy…  but most of all, to help you live a healthier life.

Make an UM list

Make a list of small tasks specific to your home and life that you can accomplish in 15 minutes or less. You can make one list or multiple lists to suit your needs (daily, weekly, monthly). Keep it in your smart phone, notebook, or post it on a wall or bulletin board.

Tip:  Reuse your list(s) over and over by making a checklist(s). Find an app on your smart phone that will serve as this purpose. Or print out your list(s) and laminate. Use dry erase markers to check-off tasks as you complete them. Clear sheet protectors work great for this.

Keep your UM list close at hand. Whenever you find that you have a few spare minutes during the day, think, “UM, what can I do right now to make my life easier or my home/work space a brighter more peaceful place?” Then choose 1 or 2 tasks to do from your list. As you cross item after item off your list, you’ll feel great knowing that you’re getting things done.

To get you started, I’ve listed quite a few small tasks for you to consider for your UM list(s).

• Pay bills, sign-up for auto payments
• Update and organize medical records binder or file
• Clear the clutter from your desk
• Make a phone call
• Take a walk
• Prepare for a meeting
• Make a list for your next project
• Update your calendar
• Water the plants
• Weed the flower beds
• Practice deep breathing or stretch your muscles
• Drink a glass of water
• Organize receipts and fill out an expense report
• Scan papers/documents into electronic files
• Declutter and organize 2-5 electronic files
• Pick-up and put away everything that doesn’t belong in your main living area(s)
• Clean out a cabinet or drawer
• Tidy-up your closet: pick 5 or 6 items to donate
• Make your bed
• Wrap a gift
• Pray or read your Bible
• Sweep off your front porch or back deck
• Vacuum the sofa (and under the cushions)
• Sort through and put away a pile of clutter
• Start planning a vacation or a weekend get-a-way
• Wash the window sills and baseboards of 1 or 2 rooms
• Dust the ceiling fan
• Throw a load of laundry in the washer or fold a load of clothes
• Delete 50 e-mails from your In-box
• Clean out your medicine cabinet – check for expired or unused medications
• Make an appointment that you’ve been putting off
• Clean out your purse or briefcase
• Prep for dinner:  chop veggies, make a quick sauce etc.
• Take the trash out
• Shred a few papers

So what’s on your UM list? What can you get done in 15 minutes.  Go ahead, challenge yourself. Make it a productive day every day.

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> CTO (Care To Organize)  … useful tips, ideas, or information to help you organize your home and life so you can better care for yourself and others

Do you have piles and piles of stuff, or “junk” cluttering up your home? It seems like it just keeps growing and growing doesn’t it? All of that stuff can clutter your mind, spin your life out of control, cause mishaps, aggravate health problems, or give you feelings of sadness and overwhelm. So what do you do?

Take Control!

Establish a habit of regularly clearing the clutter from your home and feel happier and healthier.

Consider taking on this monthly challenge. Each month decide on an area of your home to sort through all the stuff contained in that space. It really doesn’t matter where you start. You can choose a corner of a room, junk drawer, a closet, garage, a room in your home etc. The point is that you set aside some time each month to clear the clutter.

Here’s what you do:  sort your stuff into 4 categories

1.  Keep – for items that you need, use, or love

2.  Toss – for obvious trash, broken and soiled items

3.  Give Away – items that are in good condition that you have not used for 1 year or more. Give to your favorite charity, donation center, or family/friend in need of that particular item. (Note: When giving to a family member or friend, don’t add to their clutter. Make sure they will use it.)

And now my favorite…

4.  Re-Purpose – a great way to take something that you no longer use or want and transform it into something else with a different purpose.  Take a second look at items you might otherwise donate or throw out.  You might be surprised – with a little tweaking, the item could be of use to you in a totally different way.  In some cases, the item can be used “as is”—let your imagination be your guide. Remember you’re getting rid of stuff that you no longer use or need. The idea is to re-purpose the item during the month …to make it serve a purpose once again. Don’t just keep it for “someday”. If you don’t have time to re-purpose the item then it goes bye bye.

Here are a couple of ideas:

Original Item and Purpose:  White Lid Holder to organize lids

New Item and Purpose:  Black Desk Organizer/Sorter to sort/keep papers, folders, mail etc.

All it took was some black spray paint and a few labels.  1st slot:  “Out” – holds outgoing letters or bills; 2nd slot:  “In” – holds incoming mail, waiting to be sorted; 3rd slot:  “School” – the red folder holds papers that need attention, the green folder holds signed papers or lunch money, etc., ready to put into the book bag. The last slot is labeled “Planner” – your planner now has a home when not in use. Place in a convenient spot for easy access.

Original Item and Purpose:  Magnetic Dry Erase Board to write messages, lists, etc.

New Item and Purpose:  Spice Rack to keep your favorite spices close at hand

It’s very simple. Just remove the frame of a dry erase/message board and paint the magnetic backing black. Hang it in a convenient spot in your kitchen. Fill magnetic containers with your favorite spices and place on your new spice rack. (Canisters from Bed Bath & Beyond)

Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be a daunting chore. Just decide on a place to start, schedule it, and then do it. If you get overwhelmed, then break it down into manageable chunks of time that work for you. You’ll be surprised at the progress you’ll make month after month.

Join me on this journey, won’t you? I hope and pray that clearing the clutter from your life will be a positive, uplifting, and powerful experience in your life. I would love to hear your story: e-mail me at candy@liveunscrambled.com

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> Hope and Inspiration

If you care for a loved one who struggles with Alzheimer’s disease or any type of illness for that matter, I hope you watched the Glen Campbell special on Fox News over the weekend….

Fox News looks at remarkable career of Glen Campbell and his battle with Alzheimer’s – foxnews.com

Glen and his wife, Kim Woollen, tell their story. They are helping so many who struggle with Alzheimer’s disease…giving hope and inspiration.

Click here to read full article and view a clip from the special.

The special also looked at how Alzheimer’s impacts patients’ loved ones, with commentary from TV personality Leeza Gibbons and Maria Shriver – foxnews.com Both of these ladies have been in the role of a caregiver. They know the importance of taking care of yourself so that you can effectively care for your loved one.

There is help and support. I especially like what Leeza Gibbons is doing to raise awareness and to offer support to the Caregiver.

Help for the Caregiver

Leeza Gibbons has teamed up with Caring.com to raise awareness of the struggles of being a caregiver and to offer support and information to help you on the Caregiver journey.

Caregiver Confessions Video Series

Leeza reveals 12 common “caregiver confessions,” along with her uplifting practical advice. “You are not alone,” she says. (Caring.com)

To view the introduction to this series, click on the image of Leeza…to view all the videos in this series, go to Caregiver Confessions with Leeza Gibbons.

You can also check out her new book:  Take Your Oxygen First: Protecting Your Health and Happiness While Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss – available on Amazon.com

For more about Leeza, visit her website:  leezagibbons.com

So remember to take care of yourself…and as always, please let me know if I can be of help to you in any way.

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> Last week I challenged you with a new way to think about change in your life. (go here to read previous post)

Recall that: Lifestyle Organizing is a progressive plan of organizing your mind, home, and life around who you are and the way you live or want to live. It is a road map of your life which means you follow a path to reach your goals.

Here are my thoughts on goal setting. I hope you find them helpful as you develop your goals and plan for 2012.

(Note:  Don’t take this too seriously but serious enough to provoke change and accomplish a set of goals from month to month.)

Reflect

Examine your life, what worked or didn’t work in 2011. This should launch you into your personal brainstorming session.

Know Your Preferences and Thinking Process

Before you build your strategy and make your plan, it helps if you know yourself—your unique thinking patterns and preferences. Knowing these will guide you to develop your goals and a strategy that will hopefully ensure your success.  (Example: if you know that you are a procrastinator then you may want to incorporate some sort of ‘accountability’ into your strategy to prevent unintentional sabotage)

A few areas to consider while making your goals:

Organizing Time

• Are you a procrastinator?
• Are you more productive if you schedule your projects in chunks of time or broken down into small pieces?
• Do you use planners or calendars to help keep you organized? If so; electronic, paper, or both?
• Do you prefer to work on 1 project at a time or several—multitasking?
• Do you know your natural rhythms? When are you at your best and more productive: early morning, evening, or late at night?

Personality

True we can’t change who we inherently are… but, as you set about making and implementing your goals; keep in mind your traits and tendencies. Embrace them.

• Do you mainly rely on lists or your memory?
• Do you thrive on variety or consistency?
• Are you a logical thinker, methodical? Or are you a ‘live and learn’ kind of person who prefers options and flexibility?
• Are you a perfectionist, love details? Or does the phrase, “good enough, let’s move on to the next thing” better describe you?
• Are you decisive and accomplish more when you work alone? Or do you get more done with someone there to help you–a support person, partner or coach?
• What is your learning style: listening, visual, hands-on?

Possessions

Many people have getting organized or decluttering their home/life as a main goal for a new year…and as such don’t know how to go about it or get stuck. It is easy to get out of balance with our possessions. Sometimes we develop unhealthy emotional attachments to things that shouldn’t be. Understanding how you feel about your possessions is key to emotional health. Give yourself permission to clear out the clutter. Questions to ask yourself:

• Do I know why I keep the things I do?
• Do I really need or use all of my stuff?
• Do I keep things because they are of value to me and I love them?
• Is my home cluttered with stuff to the point that I can’t think or am overwhelmed?

Organizing Style

Knowing your organizing style will help you align your home goals with how you desire to live. You’ll be able to plan for future purchases or clear out what is not needed. This is also key in helping you focus and understand how you best function in your home… and may even help you to remember where you put your keys and the mortgage statement

Do your goals match your style?

• Are you the creative artsy type? Like lots of color?
• Do you think your drinking glasses belong with your dinner plates so you don’t have to open another cabinet? Or prefer ‘like’ things together?
• Do you prefer for ‘your stuff’ to be out in the open or out of sight?
• Do you think, “a place for everything and everything in its place”? Or is “a little messiness okay”?
• Do you like your files in a file cabinet, categorized and labeled alphabetically? Or do you prefer piles?
• What motivates you more in your home office:  cozy, all “your stuff” around you or less stuff and more functional?
• Do you like everything to match and have a certain style? Or are you an eclectic/anything goes kind of person?
• Do you prefer to do the work of organizing your home yourself? Or would working with someone be better for you.

Well there certainly is a lot more I can add but hopefully there is enough food for thought here to help you begin your New Year!

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> Happy New Year!

January, for most people, is the time of year that sparks the fire for change in their lives. Are there a few changes that you would like to see happen in your own life in 2012?

You can set goals and get a plan in motion now that will make a difference in your life all year or for a lifetime. What a great way for you to care for yourself and others. How?

Think about this …What if you changed the way you think about CHANGE in your life.

While it may be called “New Year’s Resolutions”; full of hope, anticipation, and excitement that our lives will be forever changed–it is anything but that. Usually, the momentum fades in a month or two. For some, all their dreams and goals will have to wait until the next New Year comes around to try again. Others will wonder why they’ve failed (yet again) and may give it another try by approaching their goals the same way and not seeing real change.

Well, maybe it’s time for a different outlook on the way you approach goal setting. What if you viewed it differently? Stop yourself from just making a list of “wishful thinking” goals with unrealistic expectations that overwhelm you (especially if you get off track). Instead, try thinking and reflecting about your life and write out your goals and plan that is meaningful and unique to you  — I call it Lifestyle Organizing!

Definition of Lifestyle Organizing

Lifestyle Organizing is a progressive plan of organizing your mind, home, and life around who you are and the way you live or want to live.

It is a road map of your life which means you follow a path to reach your goals. The destinations on your map are momentary in the ‘big picture’ of your life and should be viewed accordingly. This means once you reach a destination (goal), you move on to the next one. Can you be working on more than one goal at a time? Absolutely. However, you must be realistic; just like any goal or dream, it will require patience and a steadfast mind and heart. (Tip: Depending on the number or size of your goals, don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to work on them all at once. Just pick 1 or 2 per month to work on. Break your goals down into manageable chunks that will fit into your day or week.)

Lifestyle organizing is a life-long process. Your goals may change over the year and new ones will come to mind. Don’t worry about being perfect. Strive for the overall result. Allow yourself to mess up. Live and learn is a great motto!

Is this starting to sound different than New Year’s Resolutions?

The difference between New Year’s Resolutions and Lifestyle Organizing

New Year’s Resolutions

• Seem too commercialized. It’s all the hype, everyone (just about) makes them. If asked, you may sputter out your big goals for the year
• The excitement is temporary
• Are usually made with little or no real thought, examination or realistic planning. Goals can seem disjointed
• Usually starts in January of a New Year and fades

Lifestyle Organizing

• Is a very personal decision about you and the changes you want to make. These changes/goals are unique to you and are intentional
• The excitement is lasting and momentum builds as each goal is reached giving you peace and joy
• Is a state of resolve. It is a well thought-out process of examining your life and making a realistic plan with achievable goals
• Can be implemented any day or month of your life–not just the beginning of a new year
• Is about organizing yourself and your life so you can live life to the full!

Where To Start?

The best way to ensure change in your life is to first discover your “life” style.  These are things like: your preferences, goals, habits, style, ideas, thinking patterns, and your financial status. When you put them all together, it is your “life” style. In essence—your unique self!

Start by sitting down and writing out your goals for 2012. Reflect on the year before; what worked well and what didn’t, areas in your life you need to work on, projects that you never started or finished etc. Make sure you prioritize, breakdown goals into manageable chunks, and put them in your daily or weekly schedule. Then go for it!

Maintain a positive attitude and celebrate even the smallest of goals accomplished. You can do it!

Still not sure how or where to begin? Next week I’ll give you a few tips and ideas of how to get started with your Lifestyle Organizing plan. If you need one on one help, contact me at candy@liveunscrambled.com or 770-310-5865.

I’ll leave you with this:

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny. ~  Tryon Edwards

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> Hi everyone,

I came across this article by NCPC (National Care Planning Council) and thought “someone” might find it helpful so I’m passing it on…

Recognizing the Need for outside Help in Caregiving

Caregivers often don’t recognize when they are in over their heads, and often get to a breaking point. After a prolonged period of time, caregiving can become too difficult to endure any longer. Short-term, the caregiver can handle it. Long-term, support is needed. Outside help at this point is often necessary.

A typical pattern with an overloaded caregiver may unfold as follows:

• 1 to 18 months–the caregiver is confident, has everything under control and is coping well. Other friends and family are lending support.
• 20 to 36 months–the caregiver may be taking medication to sleep and control mood swings. Outside help dwindles away and except for trips to the store or doctor, the caregiver has severed most social contacts. The caregiver feels alone and helpless.
• 38 to 50 months–Besides needing tranquilizers or antidepressants, the caregiver’s physical health is beginning to deteriorate. Lack of focus and sheer fatigue cloud judgment and the caregiver is often unable to make rational decisions or ask for help.

It is often at this stage that family or friends intercede and find other solutions for care. This may include respite care, hiring home health aides or putting the disabled loved one in a facility. Without intervention, the caregiver may become a candidate for long term care as well…read the entire article by going to the link below.

Please go to the following URL for the entire article and previous articles: Either click on the link http://www.planforcare.org or copy and paste into your browser.

Well if you’re that “someone”, I hope you found the article helpful.

Please let me know if I can be of service to you in any way. Browse my website, Live Unscrambled for more information as to how I can help you. I can be reached at candy@liveunscrambled.com or 770-310-5865.

Organizing for your health,

Candy

© 2011 – 2012, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]>

CTO (Care To Organize)  … useful tips, ideas, or information to help you organize your home and life so you can better care for yourself and others

For some people, gift wrapping can be tedious… and will be put off until the last minute–causing stress overload. Well take a deep breath and implement the following gift wrapping tips. Hey, gift giving and in my opinion, gift wrapping, should be stress-free and fun.

1. Keep up with gift wrapping.  Try to wrap them as soon as possible after you walk in the door with them. This way you won’t be staying up to the wee hours of the night on Christmas Eve.
2. You are more likely to wrap as you go if you have an organized, designated place to wrap.  So, if possible, set up a “wrapping station” in an out of the way place in your home.  A card table is best to use but any table will work.  Grab all your supplies:  gift boxes, wrapping or craft paper, scissors, scotch tape, ribbons, bows, gold and silver sharpies, and name tags (I don’t use name tags, I use solid color paper and write on the gift—adds a creative flair!)
3. For teenagers, young adults and anyone who “selects” their own gifts–don’t stress by wrapping them individually. Instead, since the “surprise” element is gone, why not just put all the gifts for a particular person in 1 box. All you have to do is get an appropriate size box that you already have and wrap it or decorate it. Then put all the gifts for that person in it and …TA-DA, DONE!

Happy Stress-Free Gift Wrapping,

Candy

© 2011, Candy. All rights reserved.

Continue reading »]]> CTO (Care To Organize)  … useful tips, ideas, or information to help you organize your home and life so you can better care for yourself and others

Remember these budget saving tips as you shop this holiday season …

• Set a spending limit for the entire holiday season.  Be sure to budget for holiday decorations, wrapping paper, cards, food etc.
• Make a Hot List.  If on a very limited budget; prioritize gift giving by making a list of everyone you wish to remember this Christmas season.  Start with those closest to you.  Keep in mind those family members and friends in need, your favorite charity:  the homeless, children, single moms etc.
• Set a limit for each person, charity, decorations and food. As you prioritize or progress down your Hot List, the dollar amount should go down.  If you find that you are over budget, go over your list again adjusting the dollar amount or re-think your budget for decorations and food.
• Make a list of possible gifts for each person.  Suggestion: consider filling a holiday tin with cookies, or ingredients for your favorite soup, or if you are the creative type, make something for a personal touch.
• Use Cash:  Put the allotted amount for each person/category in a small envelope and label it. On shopping days, take your gift lists and envelopes with you. When you purchase an item, put the change and receipt in the corresponding envelope for each person or category.
• STICK TO YOUR BUDGET!  Keep in mind tax and shipping costs–include them in the budget.  NOTE: If you go over budget on a particular person or category—you must take the amount you went over out of another’s envelope!!!  e.g. you budgeted $25 for your sister but when you purchased the gift, the total was $28.50.  So you must take $3.50 from someone else–which may not be a good thing! So scrutinize your decisions:  priorities, dollar value, consequences of going into debt, etc.
• Before you buy wrapping paper—look at what you have left over from last year. Idea: use the reverse side and be artistic, write “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays” or other sayings in a gold, green, or red Sharpie.  You could also use brown paper or try using a big bow or ribbon in place of paper.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Candy

© 2011, Candy. All rights reserved.