I got out of the car at home to my spouse at the open back door, phone receiver in hand, yelling out to me: The hot tub is going to cost $700 plus GST to fix this time! What do you want me to say? Decision time!

To recap: I bought this old hot tub from a friend who bought it from a local hottub dealer when they used to rent them out. It has history. A life. Secrets. Lots of bromine to wash them away. I’ve enjoyed it during it’s working periods almost every day from October to May, even twice a day on my days off. I love nothing better to do after a 12 hour shift than to bask in it’s steam and heat. It’s my mini stay-cation. I have coloured  caribbean Christmas lights slung around the clothesline beside it. We have outdoor speakers. We have a chiminea that I light with dollarama fire-starter logs. We have outdoor speakers! Need I say more? A little piece of heaven, and I, the floating angel in the hot flowing water.

He ended up telling the electrician that I’d get back to him.

After an hour or so of tossing the tub dans ma tate, here’s what I’ve come up with:

1. Another $700 is just a drop in the bucket for what this thing has cost us over the years. Don’t get me wrong. It doesn’t owe us anything financially. We got it for a bargain and have ended up paying over the years the same amount as we would have if we bought a new one. By now, 5 years later, it would be old also.
2. Let the tub go, let the tub go! Other people survive and even thrive without one, why can’t I?
3. What if I take that money I could have spent and run? That chunk could pay my way ‘almost’ to an all inclusive vacation in the caribbean with my girlfriends. (I’m going to California in April with my man Jim, so the gf trip would be a bonus)
4. I just started Weight Watchers on Wednesday. One of the huge bonuses of this program is that after I’ve spent the bucks, there’s no going back. Too bad I value money more than anything to give me the incentive to lose weight seriously. Anyway, I plan on exercising more, therefore I want a nice hot tub.
5. Our bathroom has an older lower tub. I don’t have a soaker tub. That goes with the bathroom makeover. (Which should be done sooner than later in case I see a house perfect for us and our retirement and want to scoop it up). I am always seeing houses for sale in my business, so the temptation is always there! I don’t know how realtors stay put in their homes if they aren’t perfect for their needs.

If I really enjoy the tub when it’s working, Then why don’t I just get a guarantee that I have a working hottub? A new hottub! I saw one that is the exact same size. If installation is free, then it’s worth it. Isn’t it?

Just a little more research. I’m posting this so that I can get some feedback. If you have a hottub, what do you like about it? Why is it worth it to you? When do you enjoy it? Is it worth giving up other joys in life, like a winter vacation, if financially that doesn’t sit right with your goals? Ahhh! First world problems!!!!

]]> http://showoffshomestaging.com/2012/02/10/hot-tub-dilemma/feed/ 0 showoffshomestaging http://showoffshomestaging.com/2012/01/13/heres-the-talk-ladies-organizing-for-health-habits-de-cluttering-a-room-and-the-closet-party/ http://showoffshomestaging.com/2012/01/13/heres-the-talk-ladies-organizing-for-health-habits-de-cluttering-a-room-and-the-closet-party/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:18:18 +0000 showoffshomestaging http://showoffshomestaging.com/?p=352 Continue reading →]]> Organizing for Health.

January: the Bedroom month

You’ve heard them. Other peoples resolutions.

Some of us want to lose weight. Some vow to save money.  Some want to be more organized or make their business grow in 2012, some just need to live healthier.

Some want all of the above!

Maybe secretly, you do too.

If this is in fact so, pick one goal or resolution, and focus on it for 30 days. Just one, please!

It takes about 30 days to create a new a habit.

Set your intention to take your new action each day for the next 30 days. Put up reminders around your home.

Choose just one new habit to install at a time.

It’s a challenge to focus on more than one. In fact trying to make a whole lot of changes at once is a great way to sabotage yourself. One a month means a whole lot of change by the end of the year.

When you are creating a new habit, you will feel discomfort. This is because you are going through the process of change.

Stephen Covey’s book, ‘The 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE’, teaches habits of personal change.

Habit 1 Be Proactive see problems as a challenge for growth and change.

Habit 2 Begin with the end in mind

Habit 3 Put first things first

Habit 4 Think Win/Win

Habit 5 Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood

Habit 6 Synergize

Habit 7 Sharpen the Saw

Let’s say we start with organizing for several reasons:

Organizing can improve so many aspects of your life, including helping you to live a healthy lifestyle.

Two, two, goals in one!

Being organized reduces stress

The biggest cause of stress, when it gets right down to it, is RESISTING CHANGE. Change is inevitable, as we know, and require us to make decisions in our lives. My definition of hell on earth is having a big decision to make and not having made it yet.

Clutter represents postponed decisions!

BP’s taken before and after a person bets on a horse race at the track, showed significant increase before, then normalizing after the bet was placed. And the race hasn’t started yet! Think about it. Decision’s postponed.

One of the reasons I respect my shopping time, is that, not only are you walking on, perhaps, not the best shoes for a work-out, but everything you pick up has decisions attached to it. Do I like it? Would it make my life better? Can I justify the CPU? (cost per use). Is it worth trying on? Does it come in my size?  (Now you’re looking for something again).

Being organized gives you time to eat right.

You will have the time you need (and you don’t need hours) to eat well-balanced, home-cooked, homemade, healthy meals. You’ll shop with healthy foods in mind. You’ll make the time to pack them up in snack sized quantities for on the go eating. You will grocery shop with a weekly menu in mind.

Being organized gives you time to exercise

The first three things to go when a person is too busy, or just managing their time poorly are friends, exercise and paperwork.

You can easily build exercise into your daily routine–no matter how busy you are. You’re going to make an appointment with yourself for that.

Being organized reduces accidents

Trippage, falls, fires from paper files, candles, computer, etc. Spillage,  and also clobberage from above. I’m an ER nurse. I know how accidents happen.

Being organized allows you to breathe better

It’s very difficult to clean when there’s clutter strewn about. When you’re organized, you can quickly and easily dust and vacuum, without obstacles. Otherwise those dust mites are there, causing allergy symptoms to you and those you live with. Some of you have maybe seen the show called ‘Hoarders’. Mould, mice and worse hide underneath the clutter.

Being organized can make you and others happier

Perhaps you are late for things, your family has to look for things, you cause your daughter to always be late for practice, dance, hockey etc. Your boss might be angry that you can’t find something or get things done on deadline. Being organized will create less stress and less conflict with family members.

Let’s look at your business. What if you had only 2 hours a day to be productive? What would you choose to do? When you book the appointment…2 hours a day, you will use it productively.

What do you want?

How bad do you want it?

What would you do to get it?

What are you doing instead? Look long and hard at how you spend your time. Log it if you have to. Find the gaps. Read between the lines of your daytimer. What are you doing during the commercials when you’re watching TV?

 Tell others about the actions you intend to take - the more people you tell, the more committed you’ll be and the more you’ll be accountable.

Okay, now, let’s get right down to it!

De-Cluttering a Room:

Remember,

De-cluttering and organizing your home is not about getting rid of everything. It’s about surrounding yourself with the things that speak to you, make you feel happy, and reflect the person that you are.

There’s a difference between an organized person and a clutterbug.

Someone can be both. If I asked you to find something, anything, and you can find it within a minute, I would call you organized, even if your space was full of clutter.

The average adult can easily spend up to an hour a day, looking for things. Don’t believe it? Add the computer, your purse, and the fridge.  Ahh, the 1^st world problems of today!

The first step to de-cluttering any space is the most important.

Make the appointment and keep it!

Respect yourself enough to show up. Respect yourself enough to keep the appt like you would respect your friend, co-worker, business associate, or your Dr, Hair dresser, child’s teacher, etc. Why not? You are just as important as they are to your life.

Gather equipment. A donate box, and/or clear plastic bag, a dump bag and/or box, and a delegate bin. This is for those things that are going to another room or place like a garage or storage space.

Turn on some music.

Set the timer for 20 minutes.

Listen to the ticking to focus on the task.

Zone in on one area at a time. You’re keeping only the items that have a home and deserve that prime real estate. If it doesn’t have a home, it can’t live there! Honour the item if it does.

Use it or lose it. Use your good things now. It’s not the end of the world if you have to replace a piece or two.

Donate, Delegate, Dump   Remove to containers. Don’t think long about each item.

Designate a permanent donate container. This is especially useful in the closet.

Sort like with like.  You will eventually designate zones for items that are alike. This makes things easier to find. I know if something is a paper, it’s in my office zone.

Acknowledge your progress - even if you don’t do it perfectly. Focus on what you ARE doing.

Reward yourself: You choose! When the timer goes off, decide if you’re on a roll, and keep up the momentum, or reward yourself with a break, even if it’s just a stop for a cup of tea with your feet up. But time the break also, if you plan on doing more. When I’m involved with a task, it seems that I work beyond the 20 minutes because the momentum is there.

Book another appointment.

How do you keep up the maintenance?

Fake it til you make it.

Live with it as if.

As if you were that minimalist, organized person.

(Organized people don’t see dusty boxes as treasures, they see junk shackling them to the past, blocking them from new experiences and generally overtaking their lives)

As if you were house sitting.

As if you were selling.

As if you were temporarily there. This helps you learn what’s really important in your life. Try not to purge to the point of guilt, because that would be more detrimental than productive, no? There’s a show on TV called Consumed, in which the participants get most of their stuff removed and have to go through a month without it, then decide what to do with the heaps of it in a huge storage unit. But for you? Try a few boxes. Label them and store them.

This could be worth renting a storage space. It could save you in the long run, because consider that this is the price to pay now for saving later in shopping binges, collecting that you’re accustomed to. Oh the 1^st world problems we have!

Make a date to go back to the ‘stuff’ in 30 days.

January is the bedroom month. We are indoors more than any other time of the year. We are nesting after the chaos of the holidays. We are preparing for the renewal that the spring equinox has to offer.

So let’s focus on the closet first. I like to look at closet organizing as if I were having a party in a small space.

The Closet: Have a Party!

Who are you going to invite to the small space?

Ask yourself if each item is a:

Friend, Acquaintance, or a Stranger

Create an invite list.

Be vigilant on what things you allow to enter your life. This includes your friends doesn’t it?

The invitation list has to come within certain parameters when you have a small space:

1.     Size Matters.  Too big or too small a size, or waiting until you are that size again? Dress for now, if it doesn’t fit, it needs to disappear. If you lose weight and a few sizes, you DESERVE new clothes

2.     They have to fit in. Only invite clothes. The most common things found on closet floors are free weights and fans. Certain items of clothing you would wear if they didn’t pucker, or make your tummy or behind look ‘this-way’ ‘or that-way’.  These need to go. You only want clothes that make you feel and look good.

3.     They can’t be outdated. Haven’t worn them in a year? How do you know for sure? Peter Walsh’s tip is my favourite because it’s easy. Turn all your hangers backward. After you wear something, replace it on the rack forward. Now look at your hangers in 6 months when you’re changing over seasons. Purge them. If and when those styles come into fashion again, be assured that new colours and textures will be used by current designers.

4.     They have to be a good influence. Remember your mother telling you that ‘you are who your friends are’. Every time you put it on you get asked if you feel tired. Truth is, you are tired of the item. Then it just sits in your closet

5.     They should be seasoned. Decide, depending upon space, if you need a place to keep out of season clothes. A plastic container, or an unused suitcase can work well for these. Winter clothes get of the way as soon as it’s May! I keep a bulky sweater in white or cream handy for those cool summer nights.

6.     They are allowed their cliques:  Sort like colours together: This will help you see what colors you have in your closet. Is it all black? Black, being a minimizing color, is what every woman needs, but you might consider looking into other colors to accessorize your wardrobe that work for YOU.

7.     Treat your guest list well. No wire hangers for your clothes that have earned their place on your list! Give them the honour they deserve. They made the list after all!

8.     Get a co-host: Choose a buddy. Pick someone that you respect and trust. Someone, perhaps that has the same problem as you and you can swap parties. Pssst! Drop off the clothes at the thrift store on the way!

9.     Reward yourself! This is especially easy if you have a buddy and can go out for a coffee and dessert afterward or between parties.

Keep a permanent donate bin or bag in your closet so you can toss immediately when you have the whim to do so.

Your closet will love you and you will save time, energy, and yes, money!

The principle, or master bedroom should be your sanctuary. The décor is best minimalist yet cozy. You can do this easily with a monochromatic colour scheme. The important thing with using one colour though is to vary your textures to add warmth. You should feel an internal “Aaaahh!” factor when you walk into the room. This is where you start your day with clarity and calm, naturally and balanced, and end your day with peace and gratitude. Enjoy!

See online resources

Helen Buttigeig

Peter Walsh

Clutter Diet-lots of great videos

Get Organized Now

Sign up for Google Alert ‘Organizing’

Houzz.com

Apartment Therapy

Pinterest.com

.

What if you were having a party and you only have a small room to entertain in? That’s how I like to look at my closet. Your clothes are the invited guests.

 Ask yourself if each item is a:

Friend, Acquaintance, or a Stranger

Who are you going to invite to the small space?

Create an invite list.

Be vigilant on what things you allow to enter your life. This includes your friends doesn’t it?

The invitation list has to come within certain parameters when you have a small space:

1.     Size Matters.  Too big or too small a size, or waiting until you are that size again? They are there to mock you! Dress for now, if it doesn’t fit, it needs to disappear.  If you lose weight and a few sizes, you DESERVE new clothes.

2.     They have to fit in. Certain items of clothing you would wear if they didn’t pucker, or make your tummy or behind look ‘this-way’ ‘or that-way’.  These need to go. You only want clothes that make you feel and look good.

3.     They can’t be outdated. Haven’t worn them in a year? How do you know for sure? Peter Walsh’s tip is my favourite because it’s easy. Turn all your hangers backward. After you wear something, replace it on the rack forward. Now look at your hangers in 6 months when you’re changing over seasons. Purge them. If and when those styles come into fashion again, be assured that new colours and textures will be used by current designers.

4.     They have to be a good influence. Remember your mother telling you that ‘you are who your friends are’. Every time you put it on you get asked if you feel tired. Truth is, you are tired of the item. Then it just sits in your closet

5.     They should be in season Decide, depending upon space, if you need a place to keep out of season clothes. A plastic container, or an unused suitcase can work well for these. Winter clothes get of the way as soon as it’s May! I keep a bulky sweater in white or cream handy for those cool summer nights.

6.     Cliques  Sort like colours together: This will help you see what colors you have in your closet. Is it all black? Black, being a minimizing color, is what every woman needs, but you might consider looking into other colors to accessorize your wardrobe that work for YOU.

7.     Treat your guest list well. No wire hangers for your clothes that have earned their place on your list! Give them the honour they deserve. They made the list after all!

Every party is over at some point, but your closet will keep on dancing with you if you maintain it well. Have a permanent donate bin or bag in your closet so you can toss items into it immediately when you have the whim to do so.

Your closet will love you and you will save time, energy, and yes, money!

Remember,

De-cluttering and organizing your home is not about getting rid of everything. It’s about surrounding yourself with the things that speak to you, make you feel happy, and reflect the person that you are.

Make the appointment and keep it!

Respect yourself enough to show up. Respect yourself enough to keep the appt like you would respect your friend, co-worker, business associate, or your Dr, Hair dresser, child’s teacher, etc. Why not? You are just as important as they are to your life.

Gather equipment. A donate box, and/or clear plastic bag, a dump bag and/or box, and a delegate bin. This is for those things that are going to another room or place like a garage or storage space.

Turn on some music.

Set the timer for 20 minutes.

Listen to the ticking to focus on the task.

Zone in on one area at a time. You’re keeping only the items that have a home and deserve that prime real estate.

Honour the item if it does.

Use it or lose it.

Use your good things now.

It’s not the end of the world if you have to replace a piece or two.

Donate, Delegate, Dump   Remove to containers. Don’t think long about each item.

Designate a permanent donate container. This is especially useful in the closet.

Sort like with like.  You will eventually designate zones for items that are alike. This makes things easier to find. I know if something is a paper, it’s in my office zone.

Acknowledge your progress - even if you don’t do it perfectly. Focus on what you ARE doing.

Reward yourself: You choose! When the timer goes off, decide if you’re on a roll, and keep up the momentum, or reward yourself with a break, even if it’s just a stop for a cup of tea with your feet up. But time the break also, if you plan on doing more. When I’m involved with a task, it seems that I work beyond the 20 minutes, and

Just ask the right questions.

What do you want?

How bad do you want it?

What would you do to get it?

Fake it til you make it. Live in your space as if.

As if you were house sitting.

As if you were selling.

As if you were temporarily there.

This helps you learn what’s really important in your life. Try not to purge to the point of guilt, because that would be more detrimental than productive, no?

There’s a show on TV called Consumed, in which the participants get most of their stuff removed and have to go through a month without it, then decide what to do with the heaps of it in a huge storage unit. But for you? Try a few boxes. Label them, and then-

This could be worth renting a storage space. It could save you in the long run, because consider that this is the price to pay now for saving later in shopping binges and the collecting of items like you’re accustomed to.

Oh the 1^st world problems we have!

Fake it til you make it for 30 days.

After 30 days revisit your ‘stuff’ that you’ve stashed. You may be interested to see how you can continue to live without it. You’ve created a habit.

It takes about 30 days to make something a habit.

Set your intention to take your new action each day for the next 30 days. Put up reminders around your home.

Stephen Covey’s book, ‘The 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE’, teaches habits of personal change.

Habit 1 Be Proactive

Habit 2 Begin with the end in mind

Habit 3 Put first things first

Habit 4 Think Win/Win

Habit 5 Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood

Habit 6 Synergize

Habit 7 Sharpen the Saw

 Choose just one new habit to install at a time.

It’s a challenge to focus on more than one. In fact trying to make a whole lot of changes at once is a great way to sabotage yourself. One a month means a whole lot of change by the end of the year.

What if you had only 2 hours a day to be productive? What would you choose to do? When you book the appointment…2 hours a day, you will use it productively.

Tell others about the actions you intend to take - the more people you tell, the more committed you’ll be and the more you’ll be accountable.

You’ve heard them. Other peoples resolutions.

Some of us want to lose weight. Some vow to save money.  Some want to be more organized or make their business grow in 2012, some just need to live healthier.

Some want all of the above!

Maybe secretly, you do too.

If this is in fact so, pick one goal or resolution, and focus on it for 30 days. Just one, please!

Let’s say we start with organizing for several reasons:

Organizing can improve so many aspects of your life, including helping you to live a healthy lifestyle.That’s two, two, goals in one!

I’m an RN in a small ER department, so I have vested interest in this two in one goal.

Start with organizing, and watch how the next goal and the next goal just fall into place.

Being organized reduces stress

The biggest cause of stress, when it gets right down to it, is RESISTING CHANGE. Change is inevitable, as we know, and require us to make decisions in our lives. My definition of hell on earth is having a big decision to make and not having made it yet.

Clutter represents postponed decisions!

BP’s taken before and after a person bets on a horse race at the track, showed significant increase before, then normalizing after the bet was placed. And the race hasn’t started yet! Think about it. Decision’s postponed.

One of the reasons I respect my shopping time, is that, not only are you walking on, perhaps, not the best shoes for a work-out, but everything you pick up has decisions attached to it. Do I like it? Would it make my life better? Can I justify the CPU? (cost per use). Is it worth trying on? Does it come in my size?  (Now you’re looking for something again).

Decisions postponed causes stress. Stress causes illness.

Being organized gives you time to eat right.

You will have the time you need (and you don’t need hours) to eat well-balanced, home-cooked, homemade, healthy meals. You’ll shop with picking healthy foods in mind. You’ll book your time to pack them up in snack sized quantities. You will make your shopping list according to a menu plan. This saves time and dollars!

Being organized gives you time to exercise

We spend up to an hour a day, looking for things. Don’t believe it? Add the computer, your purse, and the fridge.  Ahh, the 1^st world problems of today!  The first three things to go when a person is too busy, or just managing their time poorly are friends, exercise and paperwork.

You can easily build exercise into your daily routine–no matter how busy you are. You’re going to make an appointment with yourself for that.

Being organized reduces accidents

Trippage, falls, fires from paper files, candles, computer, etc. Spillage,  and also clobberage from above. I’m an ER nurse. I know how accidents happen. We sutured a 9 yr old with knife wound in his chest recently because he was running with a bag full of hangers. He was helping his sister move into an apartment. He fell onto the bag, and lo and behold, stood up with a knife in his chest! Luckily, he wasn’t badly hurt, and the knife didn’t penetrate his chest, but didn’t that throw a ‘knife’ into the moving day chaos!

Being organized allows you to breathe better

It’s very difficult to clean when there’s clutter strewn about. When you’re organized, you can quickly and easily dust and vacuum, without obstacles. Otherwise those dust mites are there, causing allergy symptoms to you and those you live with.

Being organized can make you and others happier

Perhaps you are late for things, your family has to look for things, you cause your daughter to always be late for practice, dance, hockey etc. Your boss might be angry that you can’t find something or get things done on deadline. Less stress and less conflict with family.members.

When you make Organizing your first resolution, you’ll find that the next goals will fall into place before you know it.

Have a healthy January!

Welcome to the new year 2012 AD!

There’s been lots of talk about this year, so it promises to be an interesting one for all of us human doings, and human beings.

I’ve asked several people if they have resolutions for the new year, and got no real responses other than “To make no resolutions” or “I don’t make resolutions”.

I have a feeling that they are secretly making some semi-resolutions in their head for the next year to come. We can’t help it, if we are true human beings, to have goals, can we? Isn’t just the act of telling yourself that you plan on improving some part of your physical or spiritual nature, a goal in itself? Who doesn’t want something to be better?

If you’re not growing, you’re dying. But the ones that will do something about it are another group. It’s just a dream if you want it, but it quickly turns into a goal if you plan on a strategy to get it!

What are the differences between resolutions and goals?

We have seen the acronym S.M.A.R.T. when talking about goals:

S pecific

M easurable

A ttainable

R ealistic

T imely

If goals have to meet this criteria, then what are your resolutions doing?

Wikipedia’s definitions for RESOLUTION are:

Legal: a written motion adopted by a deliberative body

New Years Resolution: a commitment that a person makes in the new year to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit.

So if a person writes the ‘motion’, and adopts this motion as a law into herself, then doesn’t that make it a legal resolution? Make it a SMART resolution, and there you have it: A GOAL!

A goal is a dream that has a strategy, or plan attached to it!

How do goals work? Three ways:

Focus

Visualize

Believe

Are your dreams, just dreams, or are they goals? Are you afraid to take the leap to make the change? Maybe you have a dream to be able to play an instrument, get fit, make money, change a relationship’s status, or just to be a better person.

How big do you dare to dream?  How much are your dreams dampened down by your own stories of what is and isn’t possible?  How much do your behavioral patterns hold you in a space that prevents you from growing? Any thought in your mind can be ‘morphed’ into a dream, then a goal, if you make the decision to do so.

And speaking of decisions…

My definition of stress is when you have a big decision to make and you haven’t made it yet. In my experience, stress levels are high at that time more than any. One of the biggest causes of stress is resisting change, especially when it is inevitable.

This year, lets wake up from our dreams and add the plan!!!!

As I sat in the soupy lather, listening to Dan Mangan on the outdoor speakers,  I contemplated the year from beginning to end.

My new year started in Toronto, where I witnessed the scene after the first stabbing of the year. It was a balmy evening, just like this one, and it took us 2 hours to get home by packed streetcar to the Beaches. The streetcar crowd was singing ‘Build me up, Buttercup’ and ‘Hey Jude’ at the top of our lungs. Admittedly,  fun was had.

Since then, all in all, I can remember more bad times than good this year, with relationship issues with family members and friends in their own crises. As a close friend of mine put it once- “Just thank the Universe you’re just the supporting actress instead of the starring role in these dramas”. There were times that were not bad, spent trying to make these count as the good times, just because they weren’t the bad times.

I have been told, and agree, that I am an optimist and have a cheery disposition, but sometimes I feel that I’m not as good a supporting actress if I have too many stars to support all at once. We all got through it OK, albeit a bit bruised.

When we talk about New Years Resolutions, all I can think about is that I resolve to live in the present, not to repeat 2011and to embrace 2012 as the year that could!  This year will be a new year. It will be better. I just  know it.Don’t you? That’s the optimist in me, through and through!

So my toast to this new year is that 2011 can go straight to *%###*”(BLEEP)!

Here’s to 2012: The year that could!

Stress, as we know, can causes a breakdown in your immune system, leaving you susceptible to colds and flu.

Add to that the overdrinking and overeating, and under-exercise, and you might end up in my emergency department!

Yet some stress is natural, invigorating and can get the adrenaline flowing, quickens the mind, energizes the body and helps us get on with life in a much more positive way.

We can see stress as something of a friend: 

As Monty Python once put it:

When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble, give a whistle

So I feel my ethical job is to give my 2011 Christmas organizing, décor and health tips that will relieve the stress. And it’s not a cocktail list, just some ideas to help you make this holiday season the best one yet!

Buy Gift cards. Yes, I said it, something for everyone! The recipient gets to choose the gift, yet it shows that you know what they like, where they spend their time or prefer to shop.

To further personalize, add a token gift to go with the card. For example: Earphones with an Itunes card, A key chain with a Canadian Tire,  or give a La Senza card with a dollar store net bag for washing under garments, A box of popcorn with a Galaxy Cinemas card, a travel mug with a Tim Hortons card.

One Christmas I opened a gift to have an onion fall out onto the floor. It was wrapped in with a set of swimming goggles! That was meaningful and funny for me.

The season is for laughing and joy, after all.

Organize your purse before you go shopping. In my clutter workshop I give the participants 5 minutes to write down everything in their purse without looking in it. Interesting results!

Eliminate any unnecessary receipts, paperwork or other items. Start an envelope for all your Christmas receipts. Especially the gift cards. If there is a problem recinding them, you may need to show the receipt. Best to give it with the card.

Ensure you have all your coupons and gift cards before you go out the door.

Lock your purchases in the trunk of your car. Take a blanket with you to throw over purchases you place in the back seat. There’s nothing like being a victim of theft to ad stress to your life.

Last minute wrapping, baking, preparing?

When you have to organize something, the last thing you want to do is get bored with the project at hand. Add some zest to those organizing projects ahead of you

Turn on the tunes. Background music can be very motivating when you’re trying to get something done. It can keep your energy flowing. However, the type of music you choose should be suited to the job at hand.

Sprinkle in some fun.

Dancing is a perfect way to relieve stress and burn calories. Slow dancing—3.5 calories a minute, fast….10.4 calories a minute. You might pick a pop Holiday album to bop to your chores with..

Remember STRESSED IS JUST DESSERTS backward.

Visiting family, or having them over, and being an adult, but put once again in the role of a child is very difficult. Don’t expect good will. People don’t change. Don’t take responsibility for other’s happiness. Don’t expect miracles. Avoid known triggers in family gatherings. Use distraction techniques. Be a good listener. It makes you popular. (So does stocking up on rum and eggnog)

Guests coming over with no time to clean?

First impressions make the difference.

Take 10 min. to clear and clean the foyer.

Take 10 min to shine the taps and wipe down the bathroom

Take 10 min to declutter. Delegate!

If you set up your manger and there are wise men and a camel missing,, don’t worry. The fact is that there were not 3 wise men, no camels, and actually no manger.

They came to see a babe in a house acc. To Matt. verse2:chapter11.

They didn’t make it to the manger on time, and like 3 wise women would have, they didn’t ask for directions, deliver the baby, clean the stable, make casserole or bring diapers and other practical gifts!

  Don’t do it all in one day

Only Santa has to worry about that Thanks to our time zones, he has as much as 31 hours to deliver to 832 houses per second. And anyway, it was Pope Julius in the 4^th century that chose Dec.25. It’s called a season, this Christmas thing.

If you have a busy lifestyle, you’re not willing to give up any of your activities and you can’t hire someone to help, you can’t expect your home to be perfectly organized all the time. Once you acknowledge this fact, you’ll be able to progress and find happiness in everything you are able to accomplish, instead of fretting over everything that still needs to be done.

 Finish what you started. So today I went home and looked for all the things I started but didn’t finish. I finished off a bottle of wine, a bottle of Bailey’s, some cheesecake, that bag of cookies, the prozac and a box of chocolates. You don’t know how good I feel!

You can complete projects if you commit to the ’20 minutes each day’ plan, and your home could look presentable. Set a timer. Make an appt with yourself. Respect yourself enough to keep the appt.

Book a silent night, holy night. Stay home, play soft music, light some candles,  meditate. You may not say no to others, but don’t say no to yourself either. Treat yourself as often as you can.

My lovely and talented sister, Marion, painted this blue tree. I love it!!!

The #1 selling Christmas song of all time?

Bing Crosby’s:Night before Christmas

Be the architect of your own holiday season.

Honour your family and friends with opportunity to connect.

Create intimate times with the ones we love.

The holidays will not let you down. Only you can do that.

If you could package this wonderful spirit of Christmas, you would have a present full of wonder, peace, faith, goodness, charity, simplicity, fun light and delight, laughter, and glory .

Thankfully you can give this gift. Take care of yourself and you can let it flow freely from your every thought, feeling and action. Give the gift that keeps on giving.

Merry Christmas to All!

Patti and Jim

This next week I’m hosting 4 different social get-togethers at our home. I know, I know. Can’t I say no? Truthfully, I didn’t want to and am looking forward to it all. Life is about balance, and I have a dear friend in palliative care at home for her last few weeks, whom I’m hoping to help out. The celebrations of the season is a nice balance to all that. In actuality, it’s more of a coinciding partnership. It’s all about the love and light of the season, whether I’m with my friend, who’s the light of so many people’s lives, or whether I’m with my family and friends and the light shining from everyone here.

How am I going to make this as stress free, as flowing, as easy as possible? We certainly can try. Today, we’re vegging here at home, and like I started out, making my list. It’s a little downtime before for the up time during the downtime.

The only way to make it flow is to make sure your guests are great! How can you control that? Some of it comes from pre-paration. Delegating jobs and encouraging contribution.

Never say no to guests asking what they can bring. I always ask them what their specialty is. This is usually something they like making and is easy for them because they’ve done it many times before. Effortless as possible. They are already happy guests and the party hasn’t begun.

Always make the party BYOB and have some extra on hand, like a non-alcoholic punch, some homemade irish cream, and some rum and eggnog.

Provide Ambience: Lights of the season. Candle lights, soft lamps, strings of lights, lit up cabinetry, all of it! I have coloured lights hanging from my clothesline. We have a hot tub, and I play Caribbean Christmas songs on the outside speakers at this time of year. Add a fire-starter to the chimnea and voila! Pure delight.

Make the menu malleable. We are fortunate enough to have a freezer full of food that we bought when it was on sale. I see the bag of shrimp. I’m going to fry them up and serve them with a jar of thai dipping sauce I bought from the local farmers market for our Christmas eve party. Guests are bringing snack foods. I created an event on facebook and specified that snack foods would be welcome. Do you like my little ‘Santa Hats’?

Leftover turkey will be used to make casserole for the gluten free types on the guest list on boxing day. With some brown and wild rice, a nice salad, and a dessert contribution from a happy guest. Of course another guest or two has brought some hors deuvres types, and I’ve laid out some cheeses, grapes etc. I can get a guest to make up that tray while they’re here.Perhaps a spicy soup, like pepper squash, or toasted red pepper and tomato? Yes, red is needed.

Provide provisions: Meaning bedding, an air mattress, when needed, or even a nap spot for that hung over Gen Xer, or the senior citizen to revive. Fresh water in a glass pitcher only $2 from the local thrift store will be waiting in the room.

Sometimes your guests overlap to two or more events, and that gives YOU the opportunity to let them help out from one event to the next. But don’t forget, you’re going to impress someone new with each festivity. Add music, lights, then ACTION! Open the door, let’em in!