Here we are in the first weekend of December already!  Christmas is just a few weeks away!  Here are a few articles I read this week with great tips and ideas, which will hopefully keep your Christmas simple and stress free!

Zen Family Habits: – 7 Simple Ways To Enjoy The Holidays With Family! Great tips to keep in mind during the season… I love the idea of starting a new tradition!

How To: Simplify: Blueberry Pancakes - This recipe looks sooo good… I can’t wait to try it soon!

Real Simple: 30 Simple, Festive Holiday Decor Ideas – There are some really creative and EASY ideas in this article.  I am always looking for something a little different and this is a great article to find inspiration!

Martha Stewart: Make Extra Room for Guests - There are some great pictures and organizing tips.  I love the lazy susan in the refrigerator and the using the double rod in your entry closet to make more room for coats!  If you are expecting guests this season, this is a must read article!

Celebrating Christmas - Christmas Gift Ideas, Homemade Gifts and Gift Wrapping Ideas – I love the last paragraph in this article about Gift Baskets!  I am a big fan of a basket with a theme.  There are some great ideas!

Enjoy the Weekend!

Happy Organizing!

Decorating For The Holidays!

The day after Thanksgiving is the time where many people decide it’s time to start decorating for Christmas.  It may even be a tradition for many of you!  Decorating your home can take a lot of time and but it can also be a lot fun!  I love remembering past Christmas’s and there are certain decorations that mean more to me than others, because of the memory they hold.

My kids love to be a part of the process and as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is over, they are asking when can we get the decorations out!  One of our traditions in our home is to let the kids decorate their rooms with the decorations that I don’t really care if they are seen in the main living areas.  I do this because these decorations will be played with and moved around constantly during the season.  So of course nothing that could break or anything of real tremendous value will be seen in their rooms.  But they don’t care, they just love the season!

To keep your decorations organized and your decorating stress free, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Before actually decorating any space, look to see what you have. Many times we will forget if we bought something at the end of the last season.  If you decorate the same way every year, it may be easy for you to start the process, but if you like to change it up, take some time to look at what you have and plan what areas you want to have to certain items.

• If decorations have broken in storage – decide if it’s worth trying to fix, or just throw them away. This is the time to purge these easy decisions, that way when you are packing up your decorations, you will only have what you want.

• Donate old Decorations – Now is the time to get these decorations into Goodwill, while people can still shop for them.   We can easily collect decorations throughout the years, and not every single one of them you are going to love or use.  Don’t feel the need to “have” to decorate with it, if you really do not like the piece.  Donate it to someone who will!

Happy Organizing!

Next week at this time, many of you will be hitting the stores getting the best deals you can find!  In today’s Friday Review, I added a couple of articles / posts on saving money during the Holidays!  Who doesn’t want to do that!

Better Budgeting - 39 Frugal Tips for Saving Money at Christmas – There are some great ideas and tips on how to save money during the holidays, from Christmas cards to grocery shopping!

Retail Me Not – Retail Me Not, is a website to find great deals and coupons.  The coupons vary from all different kinds of stores.. I recently saw one for the Container Store!  I mentioned this website in my last post, but felt the need to bring it up again… Check it out!

eHow.com - How to Save Money on Holiday Food – Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner and other Holiday events can get very expensive, very fast.  Here are some great tips on how to save on the grocery bill!

e-mealz - Holiday Dinner Menu - If you are struggling on what to make for Thanksgiving Dinner, e-mealz has a dinner plan for you!  It includes the menu, the recipes, and the grocery list!  Only for $6.99!

This next post has nothing to do with saving money for the Holidays, but I loved it so much, I wanted to include it anyway!

Zen Family Habits – Use a Map to Create Your Ideal Family – I read this post and not only instantly loved the message but I thought it was great how they used the Mind Mapping process.  Recently I wrote a blog post about the benefits of mind mapping, and this is a great way to effectively use it!

Have a Great Weekend!

Happy Organizing!

Crowds… Sales…Christmas Music in the background!

All the joys of Christmas Shopping!  Ready or not, Thanksgiving is next week which is the start to the shopping season for many of us!

To be better prepared here are a few tips to keep you organized and on track during this Holiday Season!

1) Master List of Gifts - Write a list of all of the people you need to buy for, behind each name, write a few gift ideas.  This will allow you the visual you need to see what you need to purchase but also a good check off list to use as you go!  If shopping for your own children – set a limit of gifts!  It’s easy to get carried away, be practical and plan!  This will eliminate any impulse buying that may occur!

2) Stick to a Budget - Now that you know who need to buy for, figure out how much money you comfortably can spend on each person.  Christmas should not be about the size or expense of the gift, I am a big believer you should also not go into debt at Christmas time. Be creative and consider home made gifts or gifts of time.  For example, draw up a gift certificate to include 4 free hours of babysitting or 4 hours of yard work, etc.  Think outside of the box!

3)  Consider Drawing Names - To help eliminate economic stress, consider drawing names within your family or friend groups.  If that’s not option instead of buying 4 individual gifts for a family, buy one group gift they all can enjoy like a board game or gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.

4)  Shop Online - There are some great deals if you shop online, many stores will waive the shipping fee with a certain amount purchased.  Do this early, not only do you beat the crowds, but you know for sure the gift will arrive on time.

5) Going to the Mall – Shop during off – peak hours if you can.  It seems like stores are opening earlier every year, consider shopping before you go to work, or early in the morning on a weekend, avoid the afternoon if you can.  Make sure you comfortable too, nothing is worse than going to the mall right after work, still in heels or in uncomfortable clothing!

6) Do Your Research - Go online and comparison shop and look for coupons and deals! Don’t drive around looking for the best price when you can do it at home! There are many great websites which offer great coupons and deals.  Check out-  Retail Me Not, If you google Online Coupons, you will get a whole list of different websites to check out!

Do you have a great idea that wasn’t mentioned?  Let us know.. We would love to hear more tips and tricks!

Happy Organizing!

Do the Holidays stress you out? So much to do and not enough time to do it in!  Decorate the house, bake the cookies, plan and prepare for the parties, buy gifts, send out cards, the list goes on and on!

It all can seem overwhelming!  Through December 31, 2010, Take Control Organizing is running a Special Holiday Promotion to help you get organized for the Holidays!  We can help design a custom Holiday Plan just for you!  When you are prepared, you are organized!

Purchase 6 hours of Organizing Coaching and you will receive $30.00 off the total price!

TCO is available for hands on coaching in the Eugene / Springfield Oregon area, and available for online / phone coaching anywhere!  Call for details! 541-514-8573

Let us help you organize your Holiday Season and trade chaos and stress for joy and peace this season!

** Promotion will end December 31, 2010.

Happy Organizing!

Simplify Your Holidays!

Be Prepared!

The Holidays are here, ready or not! In my experience it’s a much better experience if you come prepared and ready!  I felt the first blog post this Holiday Season should be focused on a tool that will keep you organized throughout the whole season! Create a Holiday Binder! To make the binder the most effective…. Create it soon and early in the season!

What is a Holiday Binder? A holiday binder is your one place to put everything you need for the next two months! The binder is personalized and will only have what is relevant to you!   It could be filled with ideas, tips, blog posts printouts, your calendar, etc.  So many options, so many reasons to have one!

Why Create a Binder? Simple, really… To keep you enjoying the holidays and not stressing over all the details! When you designate one area to be the catch all for the season, you feel more in control of your time, your space, and everything going on around you!

Before creating the binder, I encourage you to brainstorm all of the events, ideas, traditions, everything you think you need to do or plan for prior to deciding the categories for binder.  This will give you a clear idea of what your personal binder should look like.

Supplies Needed: This is the best part, to create the binder is very inexpensive!  All you need is 3 ring binder, divider tabs with pockets, and a 3 hole punch.

Ideas of what can go into your binder:

November and December Calendars – Have two clear, empty calendars available to start listing the activities and special events you need to plan for.  These calendars give you the ability to visually see when and what needs to be done.  For example; instead of forgetting it’s time to take family photos for the Christmas photos you can note in November when this needs to be done in order to get the cards back in time.  You can note on the calendar when you need to get your out of town gifts sent off.  You can write down when you are going to do certain traditions, etc.  It’s all about planning and being prepared!

Holiday Budget – Create a reasonable budget and be sure to stick to it.  The holidays are not about going into debt. Write down all of the expenses you expect and and plan for each one.

Gift List – Create a list of people you need to shop for, and write down ideas as you go along.  You never know when an idea may pop up and now you have a place to record it!  Next to the name have your budget in mind when buying the gift.

Holiday Meal Planner – This is a great time to take advantage of the TCO meal planning worksheets, especially if you have guests in town, the busier you are, the more planning involved!  Be prepared by planning your meals and your grocery list ahead of time!

Holiday Recipes – I am always seeing great ideas in magazines and online… Print them out and place them in this section of your binder, when you are ready to try something new, now you have a place to find it!

Holiday Ideas – Same as the recipes, when you find a cute decoration idea or a great article, save it by placing it in your holiday ideas!

Holiday Baking – We all have our favorite recipes and memories of holiday baking.  Create your plan, recipes, lists, etc, keep it all in one spot!

Family Traditions – What are they?  Take a few minutes to write down what your traditions are and when you plan on doing them, list out new ideas and thoughts to go over with the family.  Print out articles you see, anything that inspires you.

Holiday Activities - Many towns have great holiday activities to join in.  When you see something on the news or in the newspaper, jot it down.  Make a list of activities you want to do with your kids, whether it arts and crafts, or taking a trip to see Santa.  Again, the point is to have one place to go when you need the information of when, where, and what!

Travel Plans – If traveling is part of your season, be prepared and have all of your information in one place.  Flight information, tickets, the TCO Packing Checklist to keep your packing organized!

Daily Schedule (To Do List) – Print off a few extra TCO Daily Schedules to get you through the holiday season!  This a great tool to use on those really busy days, be sure to plan into the day what your tasks are and be specific! This will make your to do list a done list!

As you can see there are so many options!

When the holidays have passed and you are packing up your decorations, take note of what worked well this season and what could be improved for next year, and then pack up your holiday planner and re-use it next year!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Organizing!

It’s Halloween this weekend!  What a fun and exciting time for our families!

This weeks Friday Review of course had to include some great articles I read this week about different Halloween ideas and tips!  I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

Real Simple : Halloween Party Checklist

Tablespoon: Easy Halloween Cupcakes Recipe

Disney Family Fun: Halloween Craft Ideas

Here are a couple of blog posts this week that had nothing to do with Halloween!

Seth’s Blog – Organizing For Joy

Zen Habits – Traveling Lightly Through Life

Happy Organizing!

We have been in school now for almost 2 months, some of you maybe even longer.  At the end of October, our Back to School Organizing Central is coming down!

There is no better time than now to re-evaluate the systems you have put in place to keep your home organized and in order!

You have done the work to set up the systems, now you need to ask yourself are they working?

Are your kids turning their homework in on time?

Are you getting permission slips and other forms back when you are suppose to?

What about your mornings and nightly routines? Hopefully they are calm and not chaotic!

Whenever you set up a new organizing system within the home, it’s important to “live” the system for a couple of months to decide if it’s really working.  If you are happy with your answers for the above questions, then you are doing well!  If not, take the time to start looking at where your processes are breaking down.

Are you being consistent enough?

Does everyone know what is expected?

Are you planning in advance?

Look at the areas that need help and start making changes today!

Your organization changes with your schedule.  It’s important to have structure but be flexible enough to change when you need too… There are a lot of activities that come up during the holidays, now is the time to fix whatever is broken so you can enter this new season with peace and not stress!

Happy Organizing!

Our camping trip was a success! Thanks to our great friends who were so helpful and patient with us!  Our kids had a great time and loved every minute of it! We camped at the beach on the Oregon Coast.  Every time we make a trip to the beach and I am always reminded of the beautiful country we live in!  If you haven’t seen the Oregon Coast, I highly recommend it!

Thank you to everyone for the great camping tips… There were so many of them we took advantage of. Camping is really fun but it is a lot of work to prepare for, no doubt about it!

One thing I learned very quickly is if you like to camp, it’s best to be organized! I plan on creating a camping checklist for the next time we go and save it on my computer, that seems to be the only way to go, in order to make sure you do not forget anything!  For this trip I used my friends, which was a great help!  Her extra tip was to include a pen and a pad of paper while you are on your trip.  As you think of items you forget, wish you had, or items that are broken write it down now rather than later! You eliminate the chance of forgetting.  Good idea!

Here are some of the best tips I used and some lessons I learned!

• Plan your menu – although I did not actually prepare and freeze our meals, which by the way I think is a great idea, I did plan and pre-cut everything, and made a list of all the ingredients to make the meals, that way I did not forget anything.  It was such a great relief to know exactly what we were eating for each meal and have everything we needed.
• I clearly understand the need for a towel or mat at the opening of the tent.  I wasn’t as strict as I should have been with the kids shoes, most of our bedding got very dirty… ooops!
• Bring extra blankets – Especially if you are at the Oregon Coast!  It gets chilly at night!
• Wear sunscreen on your face, neck and ears – It was kind of cold so I didn’t think about putting sunscreen on, I was fully covered, except for my face, ears, and neck… and guess what, I woke up Sunday morning, very red!
• One tip was to make sure all of our equipment worked before we left… we did and realized we picked up the wrong tent from my sister, so we had to go back and pick up the right one… I am so glad we checked first!!  However, we did not check one of the air mattresses and did get to the campsite and realized there was a hole in the mattress.  Our camping neighbors were kind enough to lend us a patch!  Thank goodness!
• For the first time, I tried a peanut butter cup on my S’more instead of the standard chocolate bar, I must say… this is a new favorite now!

It helped to go camping for the first time with a family who knew what they were doing!  I feel now that we have the first outing behind us, the next time it won’t take so long to pack and prepare.  I want to come up with the checklist for our family and keep all the camping gear together in the garage, so it’s easy to load and unload.  It was nice to have separate bins for snack food, one for dishes, one for first aide, etc.  Having the items categorized and in separate containers made looking for the items easier.

I think with the right system and practice, we can get this down to a science…

We will be going again and probably soon, as my son said on Saturday, “This is the best day ever!”… It makes your heart smile when you know your children are having such a great time and will remember these days for a very long time!

Happy Organizing!

We Are Going Camping!

One thing you may or may not have noticed is I do not write anything about Camping.  I am not a camper.  My idea of camping is in a hotel.  I would never survive on Survivor!  I know this about myself and I am not afraid to admit it!  I have lots of questions about camping.  I have in my mind it could be a really good time or a complete disaster!

I have a husband and 2 kids who think it’s going to be the best time ever!

So when our friends asked us to join them on their camping trip to the coast, of course the answer had to be YES!  I am willing to give camping a try!  My sister and her family have done a lot of camping in the past, so we will be borrowing their tent and other camping supplies, which honestly, I am not sure what it all consists of…

This is where I need your help!  I may not write about camping but I do write a lot about Organization… I want to learn how to organize myself and my family for this camping trip… So, I am asking you, if you have any great tips, ideas, suggestions, ANYTHING.. Please share… I want to be prepared for this adventure.  I plan on using the tips from my readers for a future blog post… Then I can honestly write about Camping!

Share your knowledge!

You can either respond on the comments page or send me an email at nikki@takecontrolorganizing.com!  I would love to hear from you!

Thank you!  I so much appreciate the help!

Happy Organizing!

The summer fun continues! There are so many great resources on the web to plan for your summer, I keep finding great articles, tips, and ideas to share!

Starting with my guest blog post for The Confident Mom about different Traveling Tips when traveling with kids. If you have ever been on a road trip longer than just a few minutes, you know it’s best to be prepared.  If you are flying anywhere, it’s almost a must, if you want to have a stress-free trip getting to your destination!  It’s a checklist of sort to help prepare for the journey!  The more prepared you are the better!   Click here to read article in full.

A new product, which the Confident Mom just came out with this week, is a Summer Calendar, Surviving Summer with the kids.  I just bought mine today, and I am very excited to use some of the great ideas she has provided!  It is 3 months worth of great activities to do with the kids, links to websites to help do the activities, recipes and more!  What a great resource, especially when you get stuck and are not sure what to do for the day!  Check it out!

Other resources from the web this week that I thought were a worth a mention:

DLTK- Growing Together - A great website with different activities for the kids, summer coloring pages, summer crafts, summer games and puzzles and more!

Activities For Kids- There is so much on this website, you could spend hours on it.. Great printouts, great tips, recipes, you name it and this website probably has something about it!

If you have anything to share, please do, the more ideas the better!  You can never have too many!

Happy Organizing!

Have you ever gone vacation and realized you forgot your swimsuit? I have! Or maybe you forgot a really important medication and had to scramble around trying to figure out who can overnight the medication? My husband has! It happens to even the most organized people, and it when it happens it’s stressful!

The best way to be organized for your vacation is to plan and be prepared! So many times when I was packing for a weekend get away or a week long vacation, I wished I had a checklist! At least one that wasn’t scribbled on a wrinkled piece of paper!   Maybe if I had a thorough checklist we wouldn’t have forgotten the swimsuit and medication!

Since TCO has been developing different forms and checklists I knew right away a Vacation Checklist was going to be on the list! Head over to the Resources area to download now!

I understand we are all different and as much as I try to make this form as general as possible, it can’t possibly include everything for everybody. I have purposely left extra lines for you to add your own needs.

This form is a great start with the basic things we all need, and now, you no longer have to think about… Just check them off!

I hope you find the list as helpful as I do and you will be able to use it over and over again!

In addition to the NEW Vacation Checklist… Here are a few extra Packing Tips to remember when going on vacation!

Most of all, remember to have fun!!!

Vacation / Packing Tips

• Check the weather!  Check out the weekly forecast before you leave and plan accordingly.
• If you have laundry facilities available to you, pack less!
• Bring clothing which is versatile and can go with many things.
• Plan your outfits day to day to eliminate excess packing.
• Before packing your suitcase, spread everything out on your bed, and make sure you didn’t forget anything.
• Roll your clothes in your suitcase, this will add more room.
• Bring an extra bag for gifts and mementos or make sure to leave enough room in your suitcase to bring home items.
• When packing, place heaviest items on the bottom and more fragile items towards the center.
• Make sure to pack lots of snacks, water and activities for your kids.
• If you have a black suitcase, be sure to put a bright colored ribbon.
• Place in your carry on bag the items you can not live without like medication, and an extra set of clothes.. just in case!
• As you are on your trip, consolidate suitcases when you can and designate one for the dirty clothes suitcase- you can also use large Ziploc bags for dirty clothes.
• Wear your bulkiest shoes while traveling.

How do you get your own Vacation Checklist? Towards the bottom of our Resource Page, you will see the sign up for all of Free Downloads!  Click Here!

Happy Organizing!

For the last couple of weeks we have focused on planning your summer vacation, packing and travel tips and coming soon is the new TCO packing tip and checklist!  I love the change of seasons.  It gives us a perfect opportunity to evaluate our homes, our lifestyles and adjust to the upcoming schedule changes.

This weekend is Memorial Day, and I plan on getting my home organized for the summer.  We have a little under 3 weeks until both children are out of school.  I am using this weekend as a jump start to getting our home organized!

Below are the items I hope to achieve over the weekend. My hope is you will be inspired by my list and find ideas where you can start your own list.

The more prepared and organized you are, the more in control you will feel!

The summer should be about making memories and having fun!

My list to do this weekend:

• Go through kids closets and figure out what clothing fits and what needs to be donated.  Make a list of items they need for the summer and how many. I like to be practical when shopping and buy only what they need.

• Go through kids toys.  Pack up toys that are not being played with but would like to keep.  Donate toys the kids have outgrown.  Deep clean and organize both bedrooms.

• Go through outside toys, wash, and figure out what’s still good and what is not.

• Go through art / craft supplies, get rid of anything old.  Take inventory of what we have and make a list of items we need.  Ask kids what kind of craft projects they would like to do this summer.

• Research the web on different craft / art activities for the kiddos.  My son loves word find puzzles and mazes, etc.  There are several websites out there, where you can print these off for free.  It’s a great thing to do during quiet time!

• Confirm babysitting schedule for the summer

• Review Camp Schedule for the summer and budget

• Make a list of subjects my kids are interested in researching at the library this summer

On a side note, I also plan on going to the nursery and planting flowers in the front yard and doing some yard work.  Oh yes, getting ready for the summer does mean there is work to do!  However, once this stuff is done, the prize is having a great summer.

Recently, my heart has felt a little heavy that my kids are growing up so fast.  I really want to take the summer months to just live in the moment.  These summers go by so fast, our children grow up so fast.  We can’t get these moments back, so I want to be sure we live them the best we can…

What do you to prepare for the summer?  Please share your ideas and your to do list!

Happy Organizing!

In case you missed the podcast here is a brief summary of what a Travel Notebook is and how best to organize it!

What is a Travel Notebook? A travel notebook is where you keep all of your travel information, mostly paperwork for your upcoming trip.  The point is to keep everything in one place.

Why is it important? If we are not organized with the paperwork, then often times, things get lost and it is very frustrating trying to find something.  It takes up our time and increases our stress level!  Two things you do not want to happen when trying to plan a fun filled vacation!

How do you organize a Travel Notebook? First, you need a few supplies.  I suggest a small 3 ring binder, a paper hole puncher, dividers with pockets (The pockets are great for brochures).  You may want to add a front pouch for pens, pencils and a small calculator.  Divide the notebook into main categories for your tabs.  I suggest; Budget, Tickets, Transportation, Maps, Hotel, Meals, Activities, Important Phone Numbers.

How to use the Notebook? As you go about planning for your trip and you come up with items you need to save, print offs from the computer etc, you place the items in the notebook where they need to go.  Take the notebook with you on your trip and keep using it as a reference.  This will save you time, money, and of course unwanted stress!

Enjoy and Happy Organizing!

I love the summer. I love the great weather, I especially love the sounds of summer.  I have very distinct memories of summer when I was a child.  I lived out in the country and I can still smell the mint fields, and the splash and clicking sounds of the sprinklers.  I remember my mom’s awesome bbq hamburgers and pasta salad and the lazy days of playing in the sun!  I hope I can bring the same kind of memories to my children as they grow up.

Planning for the summer can become overwhelming and a little stressful if you are not organized.  I have a very simple system I use when planning out vacations and summer camps for the kids.

Here are a few tips to help you keep in order the events of the season, but also to remember to schedule those downtimes which really build the strong memories for ourselves and our children!

• Print out blank calendars for the months of June, July, August, and September.  I simply do this with my calendar on my computer, however, there are several websites available where you can print blank calendars.  Just google, Free Calendars and choose!

• Write down all of your pre-planned trips.  I am visual person and I like to see when things start and when they end.  Note important dates, like holidays, birthdays, last day of school, etc.

• Set a limit and budget on summer camps.  These can become very expensive.  Know your budget and plan accordingly.  Ask your children what is most important to them.  You may find events overlapping with each other, decide what is most important.  You can’t do everything all the time.

• Schedule Free Days!  Not every day or week has to be planned.  Schedule days where you are just playing outside in the sprinkler and side walk chalk!  Make the lazy days of summer a reality and take a step back and just watch and play with your kids!

• We set up a quiet time every day after lunch.  This is downtime for the whole family.  The kids know this is their time to play by themselves quietly!

• Have one library day every week or every other week.  Make reading and learning a priority.  Decide on a subject and research it with your kids at the library.  Find a fun craft to do at home that relates to the research.  Make it fun!

Happy Organizing!

With children in tow or maybe you work out of your car, our cars can sometimes be and is a dumping ground for many things!  If I don’t make a conscious effort to keep my car clean, then in a matter of days it can become filled with baseballs, toys, books, garbage etc!  I have come up with some tips and tricks on how to Organize your car and maintain it!  It’s not magic, it does take time, but I find it is well worth it!

Car Organizing Tips:

1.  Ask yourself, what needs to be in your car?  This is especially important if you do a lot of work out of your car.  What office supplies needs to be in there, if you have kids, what essentials need to be in your car.

2.  Evaluate your current system in organizing your car.  What do you struggle to find?  Keep this in mind when figuring out where items are going to go.

3.  Take everything out of your car and separate into piles.  1)  Stuff you use all the time, 2)  Things you use occasionally, 3)  Things you need in an emergency.  Anything left over gets placed outside of the car.

4.  Clean your car inside and out.  Start your organizing project with a clean slate.

5.  Place like items together.  Go through your piles and place them where they make the most sense in your car.  For example; emergency kits can be placed in the back of the car, hand santizer and tissues should be in the front console.

6.  How many CD’s do you need in your car?  Start up a new rule with yourself, if you add 3 new CD’s, make sure to take 3 out.

7.  Try to keep items off of the floor.

8.  Look into Car Organizers- they have great solutions for over the seat and the trunk of cars.  These are great storage solutions for keeping like items together and in one place.

9.  Keep an extra tote bag to carry items from car to home.

10.  Create a new rule –  if you carry something into the car – you must carry it out.

11.  Have  a trash bag in the car and empty it regularly.

12.  Make a monthly appointment to clean your car.

Happy Organizing!

I am so excited to announce,  Taking Control- The Organizing Podcast!

We have been working on this idea for some time now and it is finally a reality!  In today’s busy world we don’t always have time to read a blog post or do the research necessary to do to tackle a project. Now there’s a different way to get the same great information!  Subscribe to TCO’s podcast through iTunes and all you have to do is listen to your iPod!  At your convenience, put on the ear phones and take a listen while your doing the dishes, the laundry, or when your stuck in traffic!

Every week you will get a new episode tackling some kind of project or question!  The best news yet…. I want to gear these podcasts to what you need! So if you have an idea for a show, or need some tips on a project, email me, and let me know… Who knows, it may just be the next topic!

What to expect from Taking Control:

• A lively conversation with Pete Wright and myself… Who is Pete Wright? Pete is the Producer of the show and more importantly the face behind my website. I consider him a partner in my business and a huge influence in developing and telling the story of Take Control Organizing!
• Tips, tricks, and solutions to your everyday organizing issues
• One new episode per week
• Each episode will range anywhere from 10 minutes to 25 minutes (I know you don’t have a lot of time and I want to use it wisely)
• You get an insider look at how I work with clients and get to know me!
• A whole lot of fun mixed in with great education!

I hope you join me in my journey into podcast land!  It should be a lot of fun and I look forward to tackling your issues.  If you have an idea, send me a note on my contact page, or email – nikki@takecontrolorganizing.com.

You can catch the first episode now… The Office Closet!

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Happy Organizing!

Some of my favorite memories will be of my 4 year old daughter declaring her love for Mrs. Buttercup, (Suppose to be Mrs.Butterworth – we had a lot of french toast over the break!)  Hearing the laughs from the bedroom between her and her older brother, and listening to their intense discussion about dinosaurs!  To see how excited each child was when getting new coloring books for the car ride.

We went to an arcade and my daughter wanted so badly to play the hook game where you pick up a stuff animal.  She loves stuff animals!  I let her a play a couple of times, and then told her no more, it was just a waste of money.  After more begging, I said OK one more time… And yes, one more time, meant she actually got the stuff animal… I couldn’t believe it!  She was so excited!  And my whole theory of it being a waste of money is well basically non existent… Now what do I say the next time she wants to play?

I love vacation.  There is peace and a sense of renewal when you are able to get away from your normal routine.  I always come back home being more motivated and inspired to work on projects that maybe I have been neglecting.

But once I am home, I realize how much I love being at home.  I love the routine and the structure of our lives.

Vacation is good… but there is nothing like being at home!

So is there anything we can do to change this bad habit? Sure!

We often confuse the amount of time things should take to the amount they actually take. The best thing we can do is figure out the gap.  How long do I really need to get the family ready in the morning?  How long is my commute to work?  Not what I think it should be.

For one week, make up a journal and carry it around with you. And write out your day.  Write down how long it took you get ready for the day.  Write down your commute time from home to the office.  And if you are late, write it down, how late you were, why were you late, who did it effect?  Just by seeing it on paper can really make a difference. Then you can start working on the solutions.

When planning your day or week, block out commute times, this will really help make sure you have enough time to get from A to C without overlap.  For example if you have to be at a meeting at 9AM, and it takes 30 minutes to get there, block in your calendar that you are out from 8:15AM on.  This gives you time for the unexpected.  Because as we all know the unexpected can  happen frequently.

In summary, the best prevention to being late is planning ahead and being as prepared as you can be. And expect the unexpected!  Take little steps to see if you can make a difference.  By just setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier, or laying out clothes and making lunches the night before.  Think about what small changes you can make to stop feeling so rushed and the stress that being late causes, not only to you but to the people waiting for you!

Happy Organizing!

What is the Great Organizing Giveaway? Organizers compiled  a number of different items to be given away.  This event is open to anyone who wants to be more organized!   It doesn’t matter where you live, many of these gifts are downloadable from your computer.  Participates are able to sign up to get FREE e-books, audio downloads, organizing tip sheets, complementary consultations, and much more!

There is great information for almost any aspect of organizing you may be looking for. Take Control Organizing has contributed an e-book, titled; ” Getting Started: 10 Key Principles You Need to Know Before Starting Your Organizing Journey!” This e-book is available on my website.

Here are just a few of the items to look for:

• Getting Things Done- How to set up chores
• 9 strategies for Simplifying your Life today!
• 112 tips to Organize Your Workday
• Mess is stress!
• Finally Filing Made Easier
• It’s Time… Stop Procrasinating Now!
• Timely Tax Tips
• 51 Creative Organizing Solutions Found in Every Day Items
• Getting Started: 10 Key Principles You Need to Know Before Starting Your Organizing Journey!
• And Much, Much More!

Happy Organizing!

So like many of you, I am spending the next couple of days cleaning, packing up, and organizing my house back in order.

Here are some great tips on how to organize your Christmas Decorations..

1.  Group into Categories-  Group your decorations the way it makes most sense to you.  Here are some suggestions:  Outdoor decorations, Tree Ornaments, Holiday Cards, Decorative Items, Linens, Wrapping Items.  Another way to group is to put your decorations the way you have them displayed, for example; all decorations in the kitchen go into one box, all decorations in living room go into box B and so on.

2.  Take a picture of how you decorated and put it in the box with the decorations.  This will make decorating next year very easy!

3.  Obtain appropriate containers-  So many stores are having great sales on storage items, and they have great products just for lights, wreaths etc.  But before going out and buying a bunch of new product, take inventory of what you currently have.  So many times we buy what we do not need.  And make sure to measure and only buy containers you can move easily when filled with items.

4. Pack up what you Love and what is not Broken- If you found items you did not use this year and do not plan on using them again, this is the time to donate.  Don’t waste the space.  Check the lights, there is no sense in packing up lights that no longer work.

5.  Label your Containers-  It will make it so much easier to decorate and find that special something you are looking for next year.

Happy Organizing!

Now that I have my own family and Christmas is a big deal around here with 2 small children, it’s been really fun for my husband and I to create new traditions for our family.  But we do this in a simple way, a way that is not stressful for anyone. Because really what is tradition?  It should be something done as a family, everyone having fun, and creating lasting memories! And in our house they do not have to be expensive ravish gifts or dinners, no actually quite opposite in fact…

Here are some of our traditions in our family….

1.  We drive around the neighborhoods and look at all of the Christmas Lights – listening to Christmas Music of course!

2.  We bake cookies for Santa and leave them out with a glass of milk and carrots & apples for the reindeer!

3.  Everyone gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve.

4.  We attend Christmas Eve Church Service.

5.  We watch several different kinds of holiday movies and TV shows from the day after Thanksgiving through New Years.

6.  We make Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows.

7.  I dedicate one day to baking and make plates for family, friends, and neighbors.

8.  My sister, my mom, and I go Christmas Shopping one night together and enjoy a nice long dinner together.

9.  All the gifts from Santa are wrapped in different wrapping paper.

10.  Each person unwraps one gift at a time.  So we can really see and appreciate what each person has received.

What do you do to make lasting memories for you and your family?  Share your ideas … I am always open to new ideas and creating new memories!

Happy Holidays!

When we woke up on Saturday morning we did a gift exchange.  The rules of the exchange was it had to be holiday related.  It didn’t matter what holiday, and the price limit was somewhere around $30.00.

Being the Professional Organizer I am, I quickly jumped from Santa’s and Snowmen to how do you store these Santa’s and Snowmen!  So To Think Inside the Box…. my gift contained one large clear storage container filled with one medium storage container to hold tree ornaments and one small storage container to contain ribbons, bows, etc. and a wrapping paper organizer!  The gift was a hit… We were able to “steal” gifts from each other 3 times and this gift was taken, stolen and taken back from the original owner!

Sometimes instead of the traditional it is a good thing to think outside the box or in this case.. inside the box!

Happy Holidays!  Happy Organizing!

The items I purchased for the gift exchange included:  (You can find these items and other Holiday Storage at the TCO Holiday Center)

Here are a few tips to get your kitchen ready for the Holiday Season…

1.  Clean out your cupboards! You will be surprised how quickly this can be done, and what a difference it makes… Start on one side of the wall and move around the kitchen until every single cupboard has been sorted and organized.  Donate any old dishes, coffee cups, glasses, etc. that you no longer use, and anything broken- get rid of.  As you are sorting through, neatly place back into the cupboard.

2. Go through your drawers! Get rid of any duplicates or gadgets you no longer use.  Keep only your best measuring spoons, vegetable peeler and so on.  Throw out items that are broken or missing pieces.  Donate the gadgets you no longer use or maybe never used in the first place!

3. Clean out your Refrigerator! OK many of you may do this already on a consistent basis, but some may not, and now is the time to do it!  Go through and get rid of any leftovers to old to eat. Check expiration dates on salad dressing and other condiments.  Clean the refrigerator, it’s always amazing to me how much better a refrigerator looks right after you clean it!

4.  Go through your spices! When was the last time you did this?  Well maybe it’s time!  Toss out old herbs and spices.  If they no longer smell and you have had them for some time, replace them.  Keep the jars and buy new spices in bulk, you will save a lot of money.  Any spices you do not use very often, buy in small amounts.

5.  Review my posts on organizing your junk drawer and organizing your pantry!  This is a great time to get these projects done!

6.  Get out the serving dishes, food storage containers, extra pots and pans, anything you may need during the meal you are hosting.  Make sure you have enough of what you need, clean and set aside out of the way somewhere.  Just having them out ahead of time, will save you time the day of the meal.

Having a clean and organized kitchen will make any meal easier to prepare… You will know where your items are when you need them!  I suggest you organize your kitchen as soon as possible!  As the Holidays approach us the more stress comes… Make this a priority!  You won’t regret it!

Happy Organizing!

That’s a Wrap!

I have created a few tips to help organize a perfect gift wrap center just for you!  There are several different ideas depending on your preference, time, and space available!  Take an idea and make it your own… If you have any other creative ideas, please share!  There is never just one right way to get a project done!

1.  Set up a station – Maybe this is in a craft room if you are lucky to have one, maybe it’s a desk, or a closet, whatever space  you have available in your home where you can keep all of your supplies in one central place.  This may be a mobile station where you roll it away into a closet and bring it out when it’s time to wrap! There are many fantastic ways to hold your supplies, I have samples in my holiday store.  Pick what works best for you, but the most important thing is to have everything all in one place.

2.  Take inventory of the supplies you have and make sure to buy plenty extra so you do not run out of tape in the middle of wrapping your gifts! Examples of your inventory should include:  Wrapping paper, bags, paper for bags, gift tags, pens, scissors, ribbons, and bows.

3.  If you have a lot of gifts to wrap, you may want to consider setting up a schedule and breaking it down into sessions.  Rather than trying to do it all at once, or waiting until the very last minute.

4.  When you are ready to wrap, make sure you have a flat surface, and plenty of room to spread everything out.  When you are in the middle of wrapping, make sure you lay your scissors down in the same place all the time.  I learned this the hard way… I have spent many minutes just looking for the scissors I just had!

5.  Get your children involved and have them help wrap the presents that are from them.  Create a new tradition.  Put on your favorite Christmas music, make hot chocolate and cookies, and make it fun!

6.  Another idea is getting together with friends, same concept as above, however instead of hot chocolate maybe it’s your favorite glass of wine!

7.  One tradition my family has adopted, or I should say my husband and I, is we use a different gift wrap for the presents from Santa.  Not only is it easier for us to know which ones need to be hidden until Christmas morning, but the kids get a kick thinking it is really from Santa!

8.  Have Fun!

Happy Organizing!