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Don't stop caring. Care Smarter. Care Stronger.
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We now offer Corporate Wellness Programs that help to keep family caregivers who work outside the home happier, healther, and more productive! Wellness workshops, teleseminars, webinars, management sensitivity training, and more available. Visit us at http://CaregiverAtWork.com
A disorganized home is a symptom of, and source of stress! In fact, medical research shows that seeing clutter sends a signal to our brain to release stress hormones! With stores having sales on home organizing products, now's a great time to reclaim space, and bring some peace back to life. Spending the time to do it now, will save you time in the future. Think of how much time you waste on searching for things that never seem to be in the right place. Take charge! Start now.
Get Organized!: The 10-Minute Power Session
Physical clutter around us (those papers stacked up on the kitchen counter, endless To Do lists, etc.) has a way of getting into and cluttering up our minds!
Professional organizers like to say that clutter represents unmade decisions.
Hmmm, so there's a psychological component involved here, too. Don't dwell on it, get decisive this month! Focus on reserving little ten minute chunks of time for various tasks in your life. Sit down and devote ten minutes to meal planning, ten minutes to organizing a grocery shopping list, ten minutes to going through that stack of mail.
Remember, you're going for speed in these sessons. Only allow yourself ten minutes to make the needed decisions, and move on.
I'll bet you'll be surprised at how much you can accomplish, and I know you'll be happy with the satisfied feeling that comes when you're able to cross some things off your list and stop worrying about how and when they're going to be done.
Clean that Kitchen
Not sure where to start? Here is a list that may give you some ideas to nudge you into action!
The utensil drawer or jar - Sort through and toss all broken pieces. How many spatulas do you really need (or use)? Donate extras or give to your kids to use as drum sticks!
The spice rack - Spices don't last forever. Check expiration dates and toss old ones.
The Media drawer - Do you really need that phone book from 1980?
The junk drawer - It's called "junk" for a reason! If you really won't use it, toss or recycle.
Your plastic lids and bowls - You may only have a few trusted pieces that you always grab when needed. The rest? They are just taking up space! Recycle them!
The fridge - Check dates on everything--including your mustard collection--and toss all that have expired. Then, scrub down the shelves and walls of your fridge with warm, soapy water.
The freezer - could be scary, but be brave and dive in! Again, check all dates. Most meats, when properly frozen, will keep for 3-4 months.
Cleaning supplies - These have expiration dates too! Also check for leaks and spills. Buy new sponges - old ones are breeding grounds for bacteria.
Medicine cabinet - Look carefully at each medication and throw out all that have expired.
Maximize Your Storage
Is it a bucket or an art supply caddy? Is it an under-the-bed rolling storage container, or is it a game and puzzle cart that can be kept under the couch in the family room?
It is what you say it is!
Be creative and customize your storage easily and inexpensively by re-purposing everyday items.
In selecting an efficient container, expert organizers say to look for something that:
is sized to take up all the available space in the storage area so that you can maximize that prime piece of real estate. To fill a large space, use multiple stackable containers with lids.
is see-through or allows you to clearly label it for fast finding
is sturdy enough to handle being bumped around and moved in and out as needed.
Go through your storage containers for things that you don't regularly use as least once a year to make sure you still need everything that's in there. If you don't, let it go!
Go Vertical
Take Care Tip #80 from Take Care Tips, by Jennifer Antkowiak (St. Lynn's Press)
When you need to create more storage area in a room, look at the walls. All of that empty space is available for inexpensive shelves that you can mount to hold books and containers. Hanging magazine racks help to keep reading materials off your table tops. I've even seen people hang towel bars on their family room walls so they can store the blankets and throws they curl up with on the couch.
You can install one shelf in ten minutes if you have the right tools: usually a pencil, measuring tape, screwdriver, and maybe a cordless drill. No special skills needed.
Keep your eyes open for all sorts of good-looking and cleverly designed shelf systems, rods, or hooks, available in hardware, and bed and bath departments, as well as yard sales and flea markets!
