It is Not about Perfection!

When I meet new people I often get the question, “Is your home really organized and clean?”. I tell people yes it is organized for me, for what makes me happy. Clean it is not always spotless, but it is liveable, but cleaning is not organizing. They do go hand in hand but they are not the same. If you were to come to my place to borrow something, chances are I could put my figure on it in a few seconds, 99% of the time.

Organizing for me is not having things folded in drawers so they look pretty when I open them, it is having things folded and put away in the same drawer all the time. It is not about having my spices in alphabetical order, it is about having them all lined up in a drawer, like with like. For example, dip mixes together, broth mixes together, hot spices together, basic herbs and spices together, etc. My kitchen counter sometimes has a few things on it that do not belong, but that only lasts a few days, not weeks. Now all that being said this does not mean that the other ways are wrong, they are just not my style. We all function differently.

Surprisingly enough when I tell people organizing has a lot to do whether you are right brain or left brain dominate they so, “Really?”. Meaning are you more creative or more linear thinking. I am more linear/logical thinking. I do not like to see my organization. Meaning I do not like clear bins, open shelving etc, I like mine labelled and behind close doors.

Home Organizing is like trying a new lifestyle diet. It takes time, it takes dedication and it takes maintenance. You can not go from a house full of clutter to a perfectly organized home overnight. It takes time, dedication and training of new habits. Just like running a marathon, you do not run 40km the first time, you start one km at a time.

Keep things simple. Do not look at the complete home. Look at one room, one cupboard, one drawer at a time. Take 30 minutes a day and start.

Photo by Liza Summer on Pexels.com

10 Tips to Keep you Organized in You Home!

1. Have a home for everything, so at the end of the day you can do the 5-minute tidy, then you can wake up to an organized home, not a home of chaos.

2. Laundry – have a spot set up near the bedrooms, because this is where most the laundry is created, with 4 hampers, Darks, Lights, Colours and Towels. This way when the hamper is full you know you have a load of laundry. Train everyone in the home to understand this, so any one can do laundry when needed.

3. Have an OUT BASKET near the door – this is for books to return, borrowed items, mending or dry cleaning – anything that has to be delivered somewhere.

4. Have a calendar of chores that need to be done each day with a name beside them. Manually or on computer. Then you will have no arguments who’s day it is to empty the dishwasher etc.

5. Make everyone aware in the home, if you put things away, keep things neat and tidy and take 10 or 15 minutes everyday to help out around the home, everything will run smoother and that will leave you all more time to do what you want to do.

6. Have a mail centre set up for incoming and outgoing papers. Use the RAFT systems. READ, ACT, FILE and TOSS. Files set up so you can quickly sort mail and papers in 5 minutes.

7. Have a filing cabinet for all important information, paid bills, insurance, bank information, children’s information – ie teams they are, events they are part of, forms and information for camps, colleges, university etc., – teach them how to keep there own papers in order and they will function better. I have a file for each child and if they are looking for something they know where to find it.

8. Keep original copies of important papers in a fire safe or safety deposit box. Also have a list of all important information and contacts for someone you trust outside the home in the case you were to die or be incapacitated that someone would have this information.

9. Do not be too hard on yourself, none of us are perfect.

10. DON’T SET IT DOWN, PUT IT AWAY!

Moving your Parents to Retirement Living

So, you are moving your parents to retirement living.  Whether a decision they have made on their own, or is it is difficult decision you have had to help them make, it is a time of reflection, loss and transition.   The life as we knew it with Mom and Dad is changing.

So, you get the call; You know that Mom and Dad have been failing but you didn’t realize how much.  Maybe they are geographically farther away, they simply do not tell you to avoid worrying you, or possibly you just didn’t realize how much they were failing.  You find out that things are declining quickly.  Maybe it’s a situation where, one parent’s mind is compromised and the other parent has severe diabetes.  There are so many different possible situations. You are part of the “Sandwich Generation”. The children are still working full-time and have busy lives.  The adult children need to focus on what’s going on in their own family, but Mom and Dad need them. Health care and personal care needs are in question. The retirement home search needs to begin, not to mention the long list of other needed care.

I often hear, “I thought that I would just take a week off and come home”. OR  “My siblings and I will get done what needs to get done will get them moved and get the house up for sale.”   In reality, there are so many things to do when you are moving your parents to a retirement home.  First of all, you need to find out what’s actually going on with mom and dad. Then, you need to look after their healthcare, find a place for them to move to, get all the paperwork in order, all while listening and talking and hearing your parents about their wishes. 

We all accumulate too much stuff, whether it just be day to day newspapers, magazines, mail or the on going collections of things like antiques, books, salt and pepper shakers and more.  So what do we you do with all the stuff?  There will be items that go with them and then there will be items you and/or your siblings will want.  After that what happens to the rest?   Donate the items or sell the items?  Personally, we like to repurpose, reuse and recycle as much as we can. 

We can sell items online or can do an online auction.  We can donate to the people that we know will use it.  For example, we know that animal shelters can use blankets, towels and laundry detergent.  We know where to take men’s and ladies clothes so they will get to those who need them.   Household furniture, tools and garage items, can go to Habitat for Humanity.  We have people to assess and buy coins, stamps, and other collections.  The list of belongings can seem endless and if you do not know what to do with all these things it can be frustrating and time consuming. 

Then there is the photos, what do we do with them all?  We suggest you go through them and get rid of all the ones that no-one knows the people ( yes this does happen), the landscape , the ones with the thumb marks and all the ones that just do not matter.  One solution might be having them all scanned and put on a usb for each child and one for Mom and Dad.  Then you can take Mom and Dad’s usb and get them an electronic photo frame to enjoy. 

When you are moving your parents to a retirement residence you want to do this as easy as possible and in a positive way. You do not need to do it on your own, call us, get help and focus on the things that are important – Your parents, their stories and making their new life transition easy. 

Join the From Chaos to Calm Community

To be honest I’m a type of person who likes to have a routine.   But I can sway when someone comes up with a better idea of what we should be doing?  This week’s been …..shall I say like going on a hike – you go up for a bit, then you go down for a bit,  then you go up a bit more and then you may go down another hill, or you may plateau and just walk there.   I don’t know about you, but the past year has given me; and I’m sure many of you …… a lot of opportunity to think.  It can be good and it can be bad, but what I do know when we are given the opportunity to pull out the good in the past ten months, we can grow with that.  Our business has been shut down fully for 3 months and now this past month only very essential services.  I know many of you have been shut down for more than that, or you may have been laid off from your job. So we can focus on that; ……or we can choose to change and/or ‘be’ with what surrounds us.

 Yesterday morning my daughter called, we were chatting and she was telling me about her week, …. then she asked me about mine. I said,  “Well ……..let me just put it this way, I’m starting over this morning”.  She giggles and says. .. “ that’s awesome Mom, a two day week.” I said. “ yes you are right”.   So I was ready to fire through the day and work on the routine that I had in place for the day ahead.  Before 11 a.m.,  I been up and down, emotionally,  three or four times already.  Why?….. because the stuff that was coming into me was from my close outside world, so I couldn’t just turn it off.  It was emotionally draining.  Noon came and I thought, okay I got this we are just going to start over again……… didn’t work out that way, but I did plug on and I was determined to get X number of things done that needed to get done before I left the office.  I was able to accomplish it, when  my day ended I was thankful that those things got done.  Ross came home, he asked about my day ….. that was a loaded question.  So, long story short I ended my day with happiness. I had yoga that night .  I go into my spare room that I have set up for my yoga, turn on my blanket, light the candles, open up the laptop for Zoom, the next hour unfolded and I was thankful that I had done my yoga, and I was thankful that Ross encouraged me to do it.  We can all live in a state of frustration, anger, or paralyzation, ….. all of those would be very simple to do right now.

BUT INSTEAD ………I would like to offer to you something different.

These past months have given me an opportunity to grow a part of my business that I have been aiming to do.  So here it is  February 1st — I now  have a membership available to people to sign into and they will enjoy the benefits of my blog, my tips, my courses etc., and much more to come that I’ve been learning over the past 19 years.

Please join our New Service for you- click on FOLLOW! And Join us on Facebook and Instagram .  Just sign in and click the links below. 

Start Bringing your Chaos to your Calm!

https://www.facebook.com/JITSolutions

https://www.instagram.com/chaostocalm/

Moving During Covid-19

Our country, well let’s be honest the entire world grinded to a halt last spring. We struggled in our jobs, businesses and within our homes. We struggled to get through every day issues, but then it dawned on us. Life was still moving forward and by moving I mean “MOVING”.

Houses were still being put on the market, sold and people were still moving. There was no stopping that domino effect. Not even a virus could stop that momentum.

And then there were calls from friends looking for help with their parents. They were not allowed to see them, let alone move them into a care facility. Again, life doesn’t stop for a virus attacking the world. Your parents and loved ones still need care, and being in lockdown unable to help caused an incredible amount of anxiety for our clients and their parents.

These are only two situations where COVID didn’t care. It was a truly huge relief when the team from Just In Time Solutions were given the “all clear” to help these people. We couldn’t help but worry about their welfare and state of mind before, during and after a move.

You see moving in the best of times, you all know is known as one of the top 5 most stressful things anyone can do. Add COVID and now you’re doing it alone, without help? No, that’s not the way it has to be. Our team has been allowed to help before, during and after a move. Whether its a downsize, a senior’s move or you and your family are upgrading – we are allowed and are HERE to help.

You Do Not Have To Do This Alone.

You can stand in your kitchen and living room and slowly turn around, and that’s where the overwhelming sense of anxiety starts. You start to look at your surroundings, about everything that has to be done before you list and then again before you move. The housing market is at an all time high. It’s so hard to understand and getting caught up in the momentum is completely natural. When the dust settles and you realize that your friends and family are unable to help due to COVID restrictions, that’s when it dawns on most people – “I’m not going to be able to do this alone”. Two pieces of advice we want to you know:

1 – This is just one day, one week out of an entire lifetime and you are going to make it. There’s no doubt in our minds, you’ll get there. Take one thing at a time. Complete one task at a time. Eventually you’ll see through this situation and you’ll be ok.

2 – Instead of struggling, instead of just being “ok” ….call us for help. There is absolutely no reason for you to struggle with any of this.

If your family is in a situation where your parents need to be moved whether it’s leaving hospital, their home of 40 years or into assisted living. THIS. This is what we do. We walk in and we look after the stuff, so that you can look after them. One client said to us ” you’re the best accident I ever had”.

We can’t stand to see people struggle, it’s just not something we can sit back and watch. So please reach out, don’t get yourself into a position that is going to break you or your family.

When in Crisis, Are You Ready?

This past week in South Western Ontario parents, educators and the general public have been sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear is the “Work to rule” for all CUPE members will turn into a full blown strike.

Now, this may not seem to most as a “Crisis” but to many families who have children with special needs just the talk of a strike sends them into “MayDay…Mayday” zone. And this got me thinking, are you ready for a crisis?

There are plenty of things that we have control over in our lives, but there are many we don’t. Emergencies, tragedies and unforeseen crisis are all things that we would rather NOT think about, much less prepare for. But as we get older we realize that we have family who depend on us. Whether it’s our aging parents or our growing kids there are people in our lives that depend on us. And what would happen if you couldn’t take care of those commitments? Could anyone of your family or friends step into a most likely stressful situation and take over? Would they know where to begin?

Our goal when organizing someone’s home or space is to make their lives as simple and stress free as possible. Whether that means moving the dishes from one cupboard to another so that you’re taking less steps to empty the dishwasher or if it means that we set up a system with all your important documents and communications so that it can be found in a moments notice by anyone.

Don’t take the fact that “you know” where everything is for granted, because there could be a time when you’re not available and things need to be done. The last thing anyone needs is to be rooting around trying to find the details of your everyday life and the information that is necessary for your dependants to continue with their schedules.

Just In Time Solutions can throw you a life line.

Get organized. Bring all of your schedules together in one place. Whether it’s a google calendar where every person has a different colour code, or it’s a daytime that sits on the counter for everyone to see and contribute to.

Get Organized. Important documents including wills, power of attorneys and contact sheets with Doctor, Lawyer, Insurance and/or child care should be accessible and well labeled within a filing system.

Get Organized. On your mobile devices everyone should have a contact listed under the name “In Emergency”. This is a go to for any bystander or emergency personnel helping during a tragic event.

Trust us….we’ve been doing this for 18 years! There is a weight lifted knowing that in a crisis situation your loved ones will be looked after and you can focus on what’s important.

A Photo Is Worth…..?

A photo is worth a thousand words. They are gateways into our past. They are reminders of days gone by. A chance to glimpse at a loved one or smile at a memory that made us part of who we are today.

I can remember a day when you had to lug out the big camera, had to rewind the film and even attach a flash cube!( now that’s showing my age) But those days were soooo good! We took pictures of our lives and places and people. We developed pieces of our past whether they were out of focus, crooked or even ugly! Now with the age of digitalization it’s wonderful that we can delete an unattractive photo in seconds. We can pick and choose what we want to keep and what we want to frame and display. But there are a few down falls to our digitalized world as well.

I’m forever hearing complaints from my parents that they never see pictures of their grandkids anymore! Their fridges are bare or extremely dated with toddler photos ( that kids in second year Uni now). Yes, the digital camera came with so many great attributes, but we’ve taken these pictures and then that’s it! Are they ever really shared?

What about those boxes of pictures from the 70’s where your parents are dressed to kill and living it large! What about your prom pics or even those pictures that finally got developed and now you love them, but not enough to frame and “live with them” in your space.

These photographs are a life that was lived to it’s fullest. They are windowpanes into days when things were a little less fast. Just In Time Solutions can bring those moments back, we can allow you the opportunity to SHARE these photos with your family and friends.

One of our organizing services allows us to scan large amounts of photos and documents and store them safely on a USB, perfect for the digital frame you’re thinking of getting Mom and Dad!

Brain Injury Awareness Month

Relearning Day to Day Living after a TBI

1. How to function in your Day to Day life living and working in your new ‘reality’ at this time and how to move forward as you heal. 

2.  Understanding why systems and organization in your environment will assist you in doing what you need to do and enjoy what you want to do, all the while preserving your energy to heal and move forward. 

3.  Work with your professional team and your support around you to assist you in simplifying your life. 

June 13, 2012 – I was hit by a van on my bicycle, he turned into me, I was thrown onto the van and thrown back and hit the pavement.   God was with me and sent angels. In seconds there was a volunteer firefighter who yelled “don’t move” and seconds later a nurse stopped.   After an ambulance ride to Exeter Hospital, many tests and x-rays I was on my way home to my bed to recover. 

Following a brain injury one of the most difficult hurdles is teaching friends and  family how your life is changed. Most people can relate and understand the limitations when you receive a physical injury, for example, a broken leg.  With that physical injury, your will experience some short term inconveniences.  Day to day tasks will take longer to reach and slower to accomplish. This seemly minor inconvenience will lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration.  When the cast is removed you are taught exercises to get your strength back and told to walk on it as much as you can.  While at the end of the day you might be tired and sore — Can you sit and read a book, get caught up on paperwork or have a visit with your family? — Of course you can.   Now think about having a TBI, you have started to heal and do a bit more but it is midday and you are mentally exhausted so you are also physically exhausted.  Your eyes and head hurt and you can not think, your brain has literally shut off. —but to the average person you look fine  —- to those that know you well they can see the eyes tiring, the slowness in responding and the overall fatigue  — What can you do?   REST — close your eyes – sleep.  

Are you ready today if something was to take you out of your normal today? 

When someone has a TBI, understanding and accepting the new reality today is so important.  Knowing this may not be your new ‘normal’ but it is today’s new normal.  Understanding that simplifications, systems and having organization to assist you and your people around you will conserve the energy you need to heal.   And finally knowing that your team of physical and mental health providers around you are your team members.

Get help to get systems in place are so important.

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO THINK SOME DAYS!

http://www.braininjurylondon.on.ca

April is a Fantastic Month!

April is a fantastic month.  My amazing daughter was born on the 23rd.  My wonderful sister was born on the 17th.  My parents were married on the 20th.  As well as, my mother-in-law and many great friends were born in this month.  April is a month of new birth and growth.

What are you going to plant?  What are you going to weed out so new growth can come in? What are you going to eliminate so you can be more at peace and relaxed?

April is always a great time to help your children go through their toys, books, clothes and other belongings.  Decide what they did not use, wear or need for the past winter months.   Help them see that when they purge their surroundings it is easier for them to find the toy or book they want.  It is also a great thing to give to others who do not have as much as you.  Help them take the belongings to the women’s shelter, the Salvaltion Army, or charity of your choice.  No matter what the age everyone can use a little help with this and it gives you an opportunity to spend time with them and catch up.

People talk about “Living with Less”, “Get rid of Clutter”, “Downsize” etc. Let’s put a positive spin on this – Let’s “Live Real!”  Live your life with you, your family, your friends, enjoy the people around you. Stuff just gives us things to clean up, to put away, to spend money on and to store.  People give us life experiences. 

Take a honest look around your home.  Look at everything in your home and think of what value it has to you, what it reminds you of and what emotion it creates for you.  If it is a negative response, remove it so someone else can enjoy. 

Now it is time to enjoy Spring!!

Spring is coming and so is Patio Weather.

Spring is coming, and so is patio weather.   This is the time to get all your closets, storage areas, kitchen and bathrooms purged and organized so you can head to the patio in the nice weather. 

Often this time of year we talk about going through your closets, but this year I am going to talk about the kitchen.  I find it is one room that gets neglected, but is normally the most used room. 

Do you live in fear of something falling on your head

 when you open your cupboards?

 Do you find yourself having to take out half the shelf and stuffing everything back in every single time you need something?

When was the last time you pulled everything out of your kitchen cupboards to see what you a really have?

 YES, I said EVERYTHING!

1. Pull out all your dry goods. Those that are expired, throw out; those you will never use; take to the food bank.  Spices have different shelf life, if unsure, pale in colour or poor aroma likely means old and should be discarded.
2. Pull out all your cooking utensils, graters, knives etc, group them according to wood spoons, spatulas, knives etc.   Those items you don’t use, or don’t like to use, move them on to someone that will. 
3. Small appliances – broken, get rid of – never use, move on to donation – those seldom used, but enjoy using, store in cupboard that is difficult to use – the rest need to all go together in the same cupboard for easy access.  FYI counter tops are for preparing food, not storing items. 
4. Lastly, cookware.  It baffles me why someone would need 6 or 7 frying pans, but I always get a good story as to why they need them.  I have a small and a large.  I have one set of pots, not 2 or 3.  
5. Small storage bins, drawer organizer, grip liner for drawers, glass or Tupperware to store dry goods – all great things to help you organize your kitchen.   When a cupboard is wasting space – add another shelf.