The Art of Family Management!
March 19, 2010 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
As many of you may have already seen on the TCO website, facebook, and/or Twitter, I am very excited to introduce the coaching series, “The Art of Family Management”. This teleseminar is going to be lead by myself and Susan Heid of the Confident Mom.
I first met Susan through Twitter. I had signed up for one of her other teleseminars on ScreamFree parenting. It was such a great learning experience for me. The class was very informative and the best part was talking with other mom’s about our experiences. We all helped each other. It was the first time I have ever read a parenting book cover to cover. 
Susan and I found out after the teleseminar that we had a lot in common. Our businesses were similiar in nature and she had asked me to be a guest blogger on her site. After more discussion, we decided to collaborate on a coaching series we could conduct together as a parent coach and an organizing coach. We are both mom’s, we both know and understand the challenges that families face everyday. We knew with our different expertise, we could offer a great service to our clients and from these conversations the Art of Family Management was born!
The study group will be based off of the book, ” The Busy Mom’s Guide To a Happy, Organized Home” By Kathy Peel. Susan is certified Family Manager Coach from Kathy Peel. We will be offering the study guide based on the book along with lots of “extras” that we feel each mom can benefit from.
There are seven major topics we will be discussing: 
- Time Management and Scheduling
- Home and Property Management – Including excellent organizing tips and tricks
- Food Department – Grocery and Meal Planning
- Family Relationships / Parenting
- Finances
- Best ways to organize and plan for Special Events
- Managing Yourself – taking care of you
What is so great about this teleseminar is you are getting two experts, one in organizing and one in parenting. You get to talk with other mom’s about their challenges and their solutions. We all can learn so much from each other. This is a great opportunity to find support, encouragement, and practical solutions to your everyday problems.
Because of the intimacy of the group, this session is open to only 12 mom’s.
The introductory session is on Monday, March 29th at 6:30pm (PDT).
The coaching series will be held on Mondays, April 12th-May 3rd at 6:30pm (PDT) (4 Monday Sessions, 75 minutes each)
The best part…. The series is over the telephone, No sitters or Driving!
For more information about the teleseminar and to register for the series, click here.
I hope to see you there… This is a fabulous learning opportunity, and I am so thrilled to be a part of a great service!
Happy Organizing!
Don’t Be Late..
February 19, 2010 by Nikki · 1 Comment
Do you find yourself running out the door usually about 5 minutes late? Or realize you didn’t give yourself enough time in between appointments to get from location A to location C? It happens, and with kids it happens to me more now. It’s stressful if you know you need to be somewhere and the clock keeps ticking away! 
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!
Coming Up at TCO!
January 31, 2010 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
I am trying something new. I wanted to bring a little more structure to my blog posts. So for the next few weeks I have chosen different themes to talk about for the week.
This week, I am going to be discussing The Laundry Room! When I asked mom’s to tell me their biggest challenges, this was one that came up over and over again!
Starting Monday, February 1st, read about: Laundry Systems. Coming up: Family & The Laundry, and Recommended Products.
If there is a particular topic you would like to see … Please let me know…You can comment on this post, you can send me a note on my site, you can send me a direct message at nikki@takecontrolorganizing.com, or send me a direct message on Twitter@TCOrganizing. Let me know! And I’ll keep working to make this site a destination for organizing tips and tools that help you keep your house in order!
Happy Organizing!
Great Organizing Giveaway!
January 29, 2010 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
Did you know January is “Get Organized Month”? To honor the Organizing Industry, Professional Organizers around the nation worked together to deliver the Great Organizing Giveaway!
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!
Packing Christmas… Welcome New Year!
December 26, 2009 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
Christmas has come! And now it is gone! I had a wonderful Christmas! With two children in the house it is always a magical time.. Seeing Christmas through their eyes is a great gift! But here we are now… The end of December! And I personally am ready to get my house back in order. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, I love Christmas Decorations.. But as you may guess, I am not a big fan of clutter. And right now I feel a little overwhelmed by all of this Christmas stuff… My house looks like a Toronto came through it!
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!
Creating Holiday Traditions!
December 22, 2009 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
One of the things I love about the Holiday season is remembering the past! I love going to my parents house and seeing christmas ornaments on the tree that I created as a child! Or talking about Christmas memories we shared as a family during different times in our lives. The smell of homemade sugar cookies cut out like Christmas trees with green frosting and red hots as ornaments! All of these things and more mean Christmas time to me…
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!
Organizing and You!
December 21, 2009 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
How Can TCO Help You? We Want to Know!
With the year wrapping up, I am doing a lot of planning for the next year. I am thinking of different ideas for the website, for the blog and other aspects of my business. I want to hear from you!
Do you need tips on keeping your shoes straight? How about tools you can use to keep your closets in order? Need some ideas on managing paper and keeping the bills organized? What are you looking for? Why did you come to an organizing tip blog? Whether you subscribe to this blog or this is first time you have visited…I want to help!
The TCO Blog and my newsletter are both services to you! If there are areas of home organizing that have you particularly stumped, send me a note!
You can comment on this post, you can send me a note on my site, you can send me a direct message at nikki@takecontrolorganizing.com, or send me a direct message on Twitter@TCOrganizing. Let me know! And I’ll keep working to make this site a destination for organizing tips and tools that help you keep your house in order!
As always…. Happy Organizing!
Thinking Inside the Box!
December 17, 2009 by Nikki · 1 Comment
Just this past weekend, I had the privilege to go on a girls only retreat! Myself and seven other women left our husbands, kids, and other daily
responsibilities behind us and went to the beach! It was so good for the soul and exactly what each of us needed during this time of busy schedules and holiday chaos!
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)
Makeover Your Kitchen for the Holidays!
December 15, 2009 by Nikki · Leave a Comment
Hosting a dinner for the holidays? Or maybe expecting company to stay with you this season.. Does your kitchen need a makeover? Now is the time to do it! The kitchen is going to be a very important place during this time! How much better will you feel if your kitchen is under control and you are not wasting your time trying to find items you know you have but can’t find! Take Control Now... It will no doubt benefit you on your big hosting night!
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!
It’s time to Wrap the Gifts!
December 8, 2009 by Nikki · 2 Comments
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!
