Organize Archives | HKpowerStudio

GO-Month | Call Your Year to Order!

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“January is Get Organized & Be Productive (GO) Month, an annual initiative sponsored by the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO). This month-long event increases general public awareness of what NAPO is and how our members are drivers of change by providing unique services tailored to meet their individual client needs.

January is the ideal time for GO Month since “change” is a popular New Year’s resolution. During GO Month, NAPO professional organizers and productivity consultants across the country host events in their communities to empower individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to regain control over their surroundings, time and possessions.”

Professional organizers enhance the lives of clients by designing systems and processes using organizing principles and through transferring organizing skills. Getting organized is one of the top 5 (in fact it’s #2!) New Year’s resolutions, January is the perfect time to get started.

Make a commitment to get organized and call your new year to order! To find a professional organizer near you visit NAPO’s Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultants Directory to search for professional organizers or productivity consultants in your area. And of course if you are in Charleston or Camden, SC, and need some help getting organized, please send me an email and lets schedule a time to chat. Wishing all your organizing dreams come true with 2020 clarity this year!

Travel Tips for a Happier Holiday

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More Tinsel Less Bristle-Travel Tips for a Happier Holiday!

All too often we hear about the chaos and stress of the holiday season. The holidays are an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends, but between long road trips and TSA merriment is often overlooked. This season we’ve put together a list of travel tips for a happier holiday so that the only frosty part of your holiday is the snowman outside.

Keep in mind who you are traveling with. With kids? Make sure you have extra games or activities and maybe a few healthy snacks – the more spill-proof the better. This will keep the little ones entertained and cut down on grumpy roadside snack stops.
Invest in quality luggage. Nothing is more frustrating than dragging an oversized, tearing at the seams suitcase with a couple of busted wheels. If you are traveling by plane, double-check that your carryon or checked luggage is within size and weight restrictions.
Pack light. You may be bringing things back, and you do not need 5 pairs of shoes for a 4 day stay. And don’t forget! If you are taking gifts with you by plane be sure to save the wrapping for after your arrival.
Before you leave the house – tidy up things up a bit. After long hours on the road or in the air, the last thing you want to come home to is a mess.
Before you drive – consider leaving in the early morning or late night hours when traffic is at its lowest, aim for 2-digit interstates which provide the most direct routes through cities, and make time to stop and stretch your legs which will keep your body from assuming constant chair pose and give your mind that much needed second wind.
Before you fly – check in online ahead of time to save yourself from unnecessary kiosk lines and arrive early. During the holiday’s airports are packed and subject to cancellations or delays, so a minimum of two hours before boarding time is ideal particularly if you are flying into or out of airports like JFK, LGA, or O’Hare to name a few.
Remember to breathe. While you are sitting in traffic or waiting in line at TSA take a moment to monitor your breath. Avoid getting caught up in the hectic energy that makes us feel like we are rushed. Unknit your brow, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath, and take your time.

Most importantly, remember to pack a good attitude. We all know plans don’t always go exactly as expected. Be ready to roll with the punches and if your patience begins to slip remember that in a few hours you’ll be surrounded by the ones you love so you can eat, drink, and be merry.

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Year-Ahead Planning Resources

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Schedule time for for yourself for a end-of- year review and year-ahead planning in the last weeks of the year.

Where I’m headed is a direct result of the ideas, goals, intentions and planning I create space for in my life.

I’ve come to love a few tools that I use over and over routinely and have included them here. I’ve also come across some new tools! Planning begins for me by selecting a planner. I went back to paper a few years ago and have used quite a few planners over the years, including the Franklin Covey system, Filofax, Danielle La Port and more!

With a desire to keep it simple but not go all out Bullet Journal, I use a Moleskin planner and customize it with categories and intentions, goals, tasks and events on a daily/weekly basis. I already have a regular habit of Journaling so I get a lot of ideas out and on paper during that process and can move more concrete ideas to my planner. This works for me, I’m always re-evaluating and making small adjustments but overall, I’m happy with this and can easily go back through my year to see my accomplishments. If you’re still searching for some great planning tools, the first few below are tools I’ve personally used and love! The last couple are new additions this year but I deeply trust the sources and can therefore recommend them both with full confidence you will find them helpful!

Susannah Conway guides us to reflect on your year in Photo’s (on Instagram) with December daily prompts—->>>Here and she has a beautiful tool called “Unravel your year”
The word of the year is a process that both Christine Kane and Susannah Conway (as well as others) share tools for discovering. I’ll be revealing mine soon, but 2019 has been guided by Intuition. I’ve been discovering how to hone my intuition through an exploration of the senses this year!
Ali Edwards has some beautiful tools for her One Little Word discovery and a year-long creative exploration you can join as well. She’s one of the first people I discovered the word of the year with!
Check out this free toolkit from Do What You Love
Moleskine Planners are my favorite and though I’ve tried digigtal planenrs and other newer planners, I just keep going back to this great staple that can be used in a variety of ways, comes in lovely colors and several sizes, and layouts.
Danielle Laporte offers her free Soulful Habit Tracker she also sells a gorgeous planner and other great tools and inspiration for planning, I’m a long time reader and fan of Danielle’s!
Vision boards! This is such a fun project/tool for creating a visionary map of what you want to create in your new year. It’s a practice I began about 7 years ago and I’ve continued to make them and teach them almost every year!

How do you plan for the year ahead and reflect on your accomplishments? I’d love to hear your favorite tools and routines in the comments below! I know there are a lot of options out there so I’m only sharing what I know, trust and have seen results from:) Happy, almost, 2020!

17 Sanity Saving Holiday Organizing Tips

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Each of these seventeen holiday organizing tips will help get you through the season with a bit more sanity & JOY!

After receiving new holiday gifts, donate used items you no longer need to charity (One in One out Rule).
Ditch the photo holiday cards…hate to say it but they end up in the trash (recycled hopeful) and people can see you more frequently via social media. How about a digital holiday card?
As you pull holiday items out, donate old ornaments and out of date holiday decorations.
Begin memento boxes for your kids holiday traditions, keep these separate so they can be given to your older kids when they leave home.
Clean out your attic, garage or basement space before you return your holiday decoration bins (vacuum, wipe down shelves if needed etc).
Have a Grab-A-Gift bag or bin with an assortment of “anyone” appropriate gifts (for last min hostess or holiday gift exchange items).
Clean out your spices, as your cooking and baking toss the old and make note of anything needed (put date of purchase on bottom in ink).
Spruce up your kitchen: spend 10-30 min’s a day tackling an appliance or area (fridge, stove, toaster, sink etc). You’ll feel healthier & I bet you’ll eat healthier! See my kitchen organizing post here.
Get your gift & wrap organized:use a gift tracking list & invest or DIY a great wrapping station—see Pinterest for ideas.
Don’t over book your holiday calendar. If you’ve been invited to a million parties and events, say no to a few and leave yourself some evening’s at home, either alone or with your family and just relax!
Schedule a date with your honey or yourself for a little holiday pampering. Dinner and a movie, a bubble bath and champagne, your pick but keep it easy and fun.
Plan for the next year! Get a planner or calendar to start mapping out large events such as vacation and business travel, important family occasions and setting personal and professional goals for at least the first 1-2 quarters of the year.
Create a vision board to really see what it is you want to create…it’s a beautiful thing!
Pick a Word of the Year-AKA-#WOTY
Take a thorough home inventory this year-don’t wait for a disaster! Join me for a virtual workshop “Home Inventory without Heartache”, more information coming soon. Subscribe to my mailing list or “like” my Facebook or Instagram for more frequent tips and inspiration!
Keep your body moving, do a little dance, hit the gym, take a walk…whatever your thing is, this is a great way to get out of your head and feel your way through the season.
Finally and most importantly, take time to Celebrate what is truly Sacred to you this season. Is that a tradition, time with family, a treat that you honor yourself with? Whatever it is this is the best season to celebrate the sacred!

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Attic storage inspiration, before the holidays!

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Outta sight attic storage sometimes needs a little inspration. When we can’t see it regularly, those areas can get clutteered and filled up with unknown mystery and duplicate items. Here are some essential go-to attic storage tips, just in time for you to get your storage organized for the holidays!

Six simple fixes that will make your attic storage easier to access and use.

Safety
Flooring
Shelves
Bins
Labels
Hanging storage

Start with making your attic/stair’s easy to access and safe. Check the cables, railing and steps for safety a couple times a year and have them maintained or replaced as needed. There are some really great new stair options out there, see more here.

Next, think about the safety of what you are storing. If your attic is not climate controlled, whatever you store there will be subject to fluctuating temperatures and humidity. This can be especially damaging to wood and paper products. The attic is not the best space for books, photo’s and valuable heirloom furniture. You also may not want to store clothing long term, but seasonal storage in bins or a cedar chest should be okay.

The attic should be totally fine for extra household items including bulky or less frequently used kitchen items, travel gear (suitcases etc) and all your holiday decorations (except candles-I recommend storing ALL candles together). Of course, do not store flammable items in the attic and keep things clear of HVAC and other utilities (per instructions of the manufacturer). I’ll share more next month on specific holiday decor storage ideas.

Put down some sort of flooring! Don’t straddle the rafters, step through drywall or get fiberglass all over yourself! There are a lot of options, from plywood to these really great (reusable) L ock-N-Rollin floors…so easy to install!

Use or install shelving of some sort. It’s fine to stack bin’s if you only have a few but if you have a lot to store, shelves (either pre-made or custom built) will make it super easy to pull things in and out.

Use smaller bins to make it easier to bring things up and down. Make sure you know how large your opening is so you know what size storage will fit. I see so many people who try to put large bins in the attic, this usually causes accessibility challenges.
Store like things together by season and category (holidays etc).
Add labels to bins and shelves as needed.
Hang things in unusual or tight spots. This is a clever fold down “secret” storage spot but you can also just add hooks and hang oddly shaped, light weight items directly from rafters.

The space below is “finished” attic space but no less challenging due to the unusual shape. We used hooks to hang an assortment of sport gear on the wall so that the back of the space could still be accessible (with shelves added for additional storage).

With a bit of planning and elbow grease you can maximize your attic storage to suite a variety of household needs. If your project is out of your control, let me know how I can help!