How to Relax in a Busy World

Recently, I’ve been seeing a theme on social media saying it’s ok NOT to be busy. This resonated with me because much of the practices I’ve developed in my home and also in your homes is how to be organized so you AREN’T too busy and can have peace, quality time and feel happiness when you walk in your door. Here are 4 things I do to keep from being “too busy.”

 1.    Be still

If you are overwhelmed, stressed and unhappy, yet you keep saying yes to everything, then you will continue being overwhelmed, stressed and unhappy. Make yourself a priority and remove the trivial things filling up your calendar. These may be fun things that we like to do, such as football games, social events or parties, but if you are empty and exhausted, these things might not fill you up and could further deplete your energy. Schedule some time to just be still.

2. Use a family calendar

Make thoughtful scheduling choices. True, we cannot get out of many of our work activities or home chores.  But, if we see them on a calendar, we can spread them out accordingly. If I know I’m going to have a busy week ahead, I will spend Sundays doing a little more than the usual weekly reset. Such as, I know I won’t have time for my usual weeknight laundry(or it will be an added stressor) so I take care of it ahead of time or I’ll make sure to leave time the following weekend to handle it. Also, seeing things on our calendar might relieve some stress. You may realize that you are not as busy as it seems.

3.    Minimize time wasters

Looking for your purse, wallet and keys is wasted time. Make them a home and use it. Staring at your closet in the morning looking for something to wear is wasted time. Get your clothes out the night before. Social media is a great way to disconnect but how much time is wasted? Set a timer so you don’t get lost in Facebook land too long. Don’t waste time on people, things events that don’t deserve them.  Be picky about where you spend your precious time.

4.    Get organized

Having a home for everything doesn’t mean your home won’t be messy, but it makes picking up and finding things go much faster (See wasting time!). Science has proven that clutter causes stress and anxiety (mayooshin.com). Less clutter and more organization might not take your stress away but having a relaxing home to come home to could certainly help you find some happiness in your day.

 Being still, using a family calendar, minimizing time wasters and getting organized are only small steps to eliminating the “too busy” feeling that you may have.  The choice is yours.  

 If you need some ideas or help with eliminating some of your stress, let’s set up a consultation!  Give us a call. 

Answering the Age Old Question, "What is a Professional Organizer?"

“Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for misplaced items. The research found we lose up to nine items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork top the list.” [Source]

Almost 6 years ago, as I was helping a friend organize her bathroom, I said, “I love doing this. This is my gift! Wouldn’t it be great if I could do this for a living?” That smart friend researched it and opened my eyes to a Professional Organizing world that I had no idea even existed! But what exactly do they we do?

The term “Professional Organizer” sometimes drums up an image from the reality show “Hoarders.” While that may be true in some circumstances, the typical Chaos Organizing client is usually just a busy person that becomes overwhelmed at the thought of tackling the huge task of organizing their home. They either don’t have the time, don’t know where to start, or don’t have the desire to do the work themselves.

So what is it that professional organizers do?

That’s where we step in! Well, we do a lot of things but here at Chaos Organizing, but our main goal is to make your house functional for you so you enjoy it and find peace being there. And that looks different for each and every family we serve. We organize your home so you are able to find what you need at a quick glance. Your grocery lists will be items you actually need!

Ever get a late start to your day because you can’t figure out what to wear, what to eat, or where your keys are? Yep, that’s what we help with! We can teach you life skills to implement in your day that save you time and money! (If your clothes are organized, you can see what you have and know what is truly needed, which means less impulse buying.)

We increase your space by eliminating what you don’t use or love so you can function more efficiently and effectively in a home that you find peaceful and happy.

Here are some statistics about clutter that you may find interesting.

1. There are 300,000 items in the average American home (LA Times).

2. The average size of the American home has nearly tripled in size over the past 50 years (NPR).

3. And still, 1 out of every 10 Americans rent offsite storage—the fastest growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the past four decades. (New York Times Magazine).

[Read the rest]

Does hiring a professional organizer mean your house will never be messy? HECK, NO! We are busy people with busy lives! What it does mean is that everything in your home has a home, so putting things away becomes easier and sometimes even a new habit, freeing up time and energy.

Our homes are becoming places to store things instead of a place of happiness and peace. Professional Organizers can help you refocus your priorities so you are spending more time feeling peaceful and happy.

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Sweet Dreams and a Decluttered Bedroom

Written by: Lisa Clement

Good night ...

Sleep well ...

Sweet dreams ...

Get a good night’s rest ...

 How many times have you heard these expressions? Through the centuries people have been wishing these sentiments onto others for good reasons. Sleep, good sleep, is like medicine. It restores and renews the body and soul. Along with eating and exercise, sleep is one of the most important parts of the health equation.  Without good sleep you will sacrifice optimal health. 

There is much research on the benefits of a good night's sleep. 

“Poor sleep is known to compromise cognition generally. So, if hoarders have cluttered/unusable bedrooms (and less comfortable, functional beds), any existing risk for cognitive dysfunction, depression, and stress may increase as sleep quality worsens,” explains Pamela Thacher, study researcher and associate professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University. 

The sleep industry, according to Market Research, is forecasted to grow at a 4.7% average annual growth rate. What does this research tell us?  It tells us we spend a lot of money trying to get a good night’s sleep!  

Articles and publishings suggesting where to spend our money to achieve a good night’s sleep are everywhere!   

“How to set up your bedroom to achieve the best nights rest.” 

“Best mattresses and sheets to purchase for sleeping like a baby.”  

“What is the perfect ambient lighting to install in your bedroom?”  

“What apps help you achieve better sleep?”  

These are just a few titles of articles telling us how best to spend our money for a good night’s sleep, but perhaps the key to a good night’s sleep is less instead of more. Here are three things you can do to have a more restful bedroom.

Clear the clutter from the flat surfaces on your bedroom.  

Studies have shown higher cortisol (the Stress hormone) levels in people who live in cluttered homes. Researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute published the results of a study they conducted in the January issue of The Journal of Neuroscience that relates directly to uncluttered and organized living. 

How is one supposed to feel calm and at peace when their mind is racing with thoughts like, 

“Now I lay me down to sleep, 

with 45 things on my to do list 

that will not keep.”?

Cluttered side tables and dresser tops can leave the mind busy and cause restless thinking about what needs to be done.

“Notice how you can relax in a hotel room.  Quiet, dark, cool and clutter free spaces are optimal for rest” says organizing expert, Martha Carol Stewart.

“One of the constant themes throughout much of the research I have studied is the thought to creating a comfortable environment. I’m sure most of us immediately think of our mattress and bedding, but we should think deeper.”

You cannot achieve comfort if you are stumbling 

over your clutter to get into and out of bed.  

Clutter is a thief. We have preached about this before and will continue to preach about clutter because it is so important to understand. Physical clutter seeps into mental clutter and sabotages everything with which it comes into contact. Clutter will affect your sleep, affecting your productivity in the following days and weeks.  Lack of sleep impacts your health, your ability to function in your job which can have adverse consequences for other areas of your life.  

All of this because of CLUTTER!  

Make your bed every morning

 According to Charles Duhigg, the author of “The Power of Habit,” daily bed making can become a keystone habit kickstarting a chain of other good decisions. Beginning your day with this simple habit can instill you with "a greater sense of well-being and stronger skills at sticking with a budget." 

Put your phone away

This is a tough one for me because as a small business owner, time off isn’t a thing. A missed call or email could result in a lost organizing opportunity and lost income. I have read that the blue and white light emitted from electronics, can be harmful to your sleep as it suppresses your melatonin (sleep hormone). So, join me in my attempts to put away my phone and commit to better sleep because what I have learned over the last few years is that a tired organizer benefits no one.     

Clutter is the antonym of PEACE. Let’s seek PEACE in this hectic world we all coexist within. Let’s start with a GOOD NIGHT’S REST.

Dream sweetly 

Sleep peacefully 

Wake happily

All About the Bathroom Clutter

The kitchen is consistently described as the hardest working room in the home and while it is a hard-working room, I am here to debate its claim to fame as THE  hardest working room. After all, I know people who never cook favoring going out to eat as an alternative for most of their meals. I’ve even heard people say they don’t even need a kitchen since they rarely use it! 

So, you ask, what is the hardest working room? Well my friends, I say it’s the bathroom.   

 Think about it. Unless you are lucky enough to be on vacation, the bathroom is the room that is sure to be used daily. There is no “I’ll just go out to bathe, brush my teeth, weigh myself, etc.” These things get done daily at home in your bathroom.  Even when you are on vacation the bathroom is an intricate part of your “private” space.  Some hotels have a kitchenette, but ALL hotels have a bathroom. (Well except the place my daughter stayed in near Big Bend but that’s another story for another day. ) 

Since the bathroom is such an important part of our homes, it is imperative we keep this space organized.   

This room is used to start and end your day.   

 We try to incorporate into our daily challenges on social media quick tasks that go a long way to keeping you on track with getting and staying organized. This week’s challenges were centered around the bathroom.   

Purge Old Perfume 

Perfume has an average shelf life of three to five years from the time it is produced. While it doesn’t necessarily expire, overtime as perfume ages it will lose its concentration of original scent and it may start to smell like vinegar. Applying old perfume can also result in skin irritation, allergic reactions, or simply unpleasant aromas. Take a few minutes to do a smell test on your perfume and colognes discarding the stinky old ones.   

Pro tip: 

Perfume is best stored in opaque bottles with the top on in a cool and dark spot. I know, this is not the answer you were searching for as the bottles are oftentimes like works of art and look so pretty sitting on the counter on a tray. That’s how I keep mine too, but I make a point to use my stuff before it has an opportunity to start to smell differently than produced. 

Clean Brushes and Toss Old Appliances 

Does your bathroom cabinet, closet, drawer resemble a study in the history of hair?   

 ·        How many hair dryers do you own?   

·        Curling irons, flat irons, hot rollers?   

·        How many brushes and combs do you possess?   

·        Most importantly, what do you use regularly?   

The items you use on a daily basis should be the items taking up the prime real estate in your space.  Everything else should be stored away for occasional use. You may not wish to hot roll your hair daily, but you know there are times when those babies are needed. Store your rollers in a container properly labeled and placed it in a location for those occasions but out of the space you use daily.   

This is about clearing your area for the things that matter most giving you a sense of space.  Having that perception of space will go a long way in creating a sense of calm. 

 Wash Makeup Brushes and Toss Expired Makeup

 Good makeup brushes are an investment. I used to use the brushes that came with the drugstore makeup I bought. However, as I’ve gotten older, I have made a point to invest in better makeup and most importantly better brushes. There are some drugstore makeup brands I still gravitate towards, but the higher quality brushes make even inexpensive makeup easier to apply.   

I have started earmarking Sunday mornings as my time to clean my makeup brushes. This small task effects my everyday makeup routine in such a positive manner.   

Additionally, toss any expired makeup products that may be taking up precious space. Expired makeup not only takes up room, but it can cause skin irritation or infection and no one needs that in their lives.

This image was originally posted by The Perfume Expert.

 Pro Tip: 

Check out this video on how to properly clean your makeup brushes. Create a weekly time to do this task. And check out these articles on The Perfume Expert and Today to learn more about makeup expiration and keeping products clean.

Toss Expired Medicine 

Don’t further your family’s illnesses by giving them bad medicine. Check the expiration dates and toss the items that are no longer up to date.   

Clear the Flat Surfaces 

Starting your morning in a clutter free space allows you to focus on the tasks ahead of you setting the tone for the rest of your day. Clutter is a thief. It steals our energy. If you at least start your day sans the clutter, you are a step ahead.   

 Having a spot for your items will help you keep your bathroom clutter free. Even a tray to corral the items used daily is better than having them haphazardly strewn around the counter.   

At the end of the day when you are winding down this clutter free environment will help induce a better night's rest which will impact the next day.   

 These practices have such amazing benefits and truly take little effort when placed into your daily routine.  Give us a call if you need help finding your calm. We are experts at clearing the clutter and establishing systems to keep your home a sanctuary of calm, peace, and fun. 

Capsule Wardrobes, Closet Cleanouts, and Pre-holiday Decluttering

This article was first featured in InRegister. Original Source.

Despite Louisiana feeling like an actual oven, summertime is nearly over. The days are getting shorter and schools are back in session. However, there is no need to succumb to summertime sadness, because fall is only a few short weeks away. Ah, the season of pumpkin spice and sweater weather. Well, not really the second one. The temptation to break out a cute sweater is almost unbearable, at least until you step outside. The South has no understanding of fall weather. So what do you do when it’s mid-November and still 90 degrees outside? 

“Have a capsule wardrobe,” says Martha-Carol Stewart, founder and CEO of Chaos Organizing. The versatility of classic, staple pieces will make seasonal transitions easier, while also creating more closet space. A win-win. 

Stewart, who started Chaos Organizing with a mission to help people organize their homes so that they could live efficiently, shares a few tips on how to calm your closet no matter what the wardrobe demands of the season require. The key, she says: Define your goal and then ask yourself if each item is helpful or hurtful toward your goal.

“You want your closet to feel like a happy place,” she says, not a room filled with clothes you no longer fit into. Create a pleasing aesthetic by using matching hangers, and organize by labeling and having a home for everything. “It simplifies life.”

Decluttering our homes is especially important during the fall as we prepare for the upcoming holiday season, Stewart notes. The holidays, she says, have a reputation of unforgivably filling homes with chaotic clutter. 

After all, tis the season of decorations, cooking, candy and, of course, presents. Yes, holidays mean peace and joy, but let’s be honest, they can be stressful. Think endless trips to the attic for decorations, desperate searches for the perfect presents, and wrapping paper everywhere. Basically, a clutter nightmare. How to ease the pain? Organize it.

“Your home needs to be a place of calm, peace and fun,” Stewart says. “Focus on more of the family, and less on the stuff.”

To avoid losing your sanity searching for Christmas presents, Stewart recommends gifting “experience gifts” like concert tickets, spa days and gift cards, instead of tangible items. This no-stress-needed method takes the worry out of shopping, and prevents the possibility of Christmas presents becoming clutter. 

“Emotions are more attached to experiences,” she says. “My son’s 18th birthday present was tickets to Paul McCartney, and he’ll never forget that.”

These types of experience gifts are about the gift of time, and creating memories that will last much longer than a scented candle or clothing.

Since spending time with family members is a staple of the holidays, Chaos Organizing is hosting a clinic to share their favorite holiday-decluttering tips to ensure that the season will be centered around family, not stress. The clinic will be held Tuesday, October 1, at The Royal Standard from 10 to 11 a.m. Stewart and her team of professionals will cover tips like decorating without clutter, organizing gift wrap and clutter-free gifts.

“My goal for this class is to each people how to find peace,” Stewart says. “My Christmases are so special now, and not anxiety ridden.”

Every day during the month of December, Chaos Organizing will post clutter-free gift ideas on its social media and blog posts. For more information about Chaos Organizing, and tips on how to create an organized home, click here.