Disorder2Order blog

5 mistakes everyone should make

Megan Spears — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:25:00 GMT

When I think of the word "situation", it no longer carries the same meaning to me. I remember the word situation referring to set of circumstances, not an actual person. Before you know it, we are going to start referring to getting a good tan as gettin' a "snooki".

I finally am working my blog back into my day to day and this morning I was looking through some articles I had clipped, I came across a "Life Lesson" from Real Simple 's September issue. It was titled 5 mistakes everyone should make . In my opinion, these might not necessarily be a mistake but more of a situation.

The list reads:

1. Totally embarrass yourself.
2. Ruffle people's feathers.
3. Follow trends blindly.
4. Be willing to fail - doing something you love.
5. Carelessly put yourself at risk.

In my lifetime, on more than one occasion, I have found in these "situations". In the heat of the moment, yes, I can agree, these might be considered a mistake, but really the author is right... a mistake worth making!

I remember when I clipped it out I wanted to blog about it. Because first of all, I have definitely done every item on this list (some more than once). And secondly, because when I have found myself in these "situations," embarrassing or not, my life somehow changed. In each instance, I learned a valuable lesson about myself that dramatically the changed the course of my life... for the better.

So, when you find yourself wondering "oh my gosh... should I, shouldn't I my vote is to take the chance. Be bold .Stand for what you love.

What's your baggage? Here's mine...

Megan Spears — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:26:00 GMT

Picture this... You are invited to a friends house for the first time. She is having a dinner party with a small group of friends. You feel slightly at ease knowing that most of the people attending are mutual friends. You have brought with you a nice bottle of wine and as you are walking up to the front door, you mind starts wandering. You think...

Is her house cleaner than mine? She is probably more organized than me? I wonder if she has... or maybe she's....

Frequently, I find myself answering the door to these types of guests. Just recently I invited a friend over who had never been to my house before. When I answered the door, we chatted the usual greetings of hellos and did you find the house okay. I noticed her eyes darting left then right, up the stairs and around the corner. I didn't get much of a chance to pick up before her arrival and the usual random toys were all over the floor and a thin layer of dust coated the piano. To make things a little easier for her... I said as I chuckled, "I may be an organizer by trade but I am human too." She laughed and I could tell felt a little more at ease.

That night, after my friend left and I told my husband about our initial greeting, he too laughed and said that "it's like you have to live by a different set of rules just because your an organizer." I wonder sometimes, do you think that all lawyers live by the letter of the law every minute of the day? Do you think that all chefs come home from a long day in the kitchen and cook for themselves?

I think the reason why I enjoy helping people get organized is because I am human too and I wear my baggage for all to see. It makes the reality of trying to get organized seem a little more attainable for those that struggle to attain it. Here's my baggage...

I have two kids... who need a lot of guidance and care when it comes to managing their lives.

I have a husband... who, God love, him doesn't see things the way I do (not that he should have to, but just that he doesn't) and also requires a little help in managing.

I have a cat... who leaves more hair behind each and every time I vacuum the floor no matter what!

I have my job... that requires more attention and time than I am ever able to give it because I am too busy doing other things.

I have bad days, dirty laundry, dishes in the sink, weeding in the yard, cloths on the floor, magazines in a pile and on occasion bills laying out to be paid... just like everyone else does.

There is more but you get the idea. The point is that I am just like everyone else. Just because I am an organizer doesn't mean I don't have baggage too. Just because I am an organizer, doesn't mean I struggle to get back up when I fall down.

We all have struggles. It's how we choose to respond that makes us more capable in maintaining our lives. So remember, that if today didn't work out the way you wanted, tomorrow is always another day to try again!

6 things I am thinking about for back to school...

Megan Spears — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:33:00 GMT

Yes, I am still here! I've been enjoying my summer and believe me it's been great! Things will get back on track soon... thanks for hangin' in with me!

It's amazing to think that we are about 40 days from the first day of school. It's time to start thinking and planning ahead. Don't procrastinate, just start with the basics... here's what I am thinking about...

Back to school supplies: Get the list from your local Walgreens ... I know the lists are in stores now (I know people) and they have the best pricing on most school supplies! Watch your circulars because the sales are on!

Closet Inventory: Start looking through the kids closets. Clear out the clothes that are too small, too worn or just plain done! Make a list of only what they will need for the coming year!

Review the shoe selection: While you're in the closet, be sure to check out their shoes. Make sure the tread is good and that there is still room for their toes. Payless is running the BOGO so don't wait!

Check the school's website. Over the next few weeks your school will start posting important dates and information parents need to know.

Get the school calendar. It's out there! Just go and get it! Download your calendar and start writing in days off, in service days and vacation weeks. Once it's in your calendar you don't have to wonder...

Volunteer @ School - Anymore, we don't have the luxury of not being involved with your school. You don't have to be the PTO President, just give what you can. The schools need us and the teachers need to know we care!

Organizing the kids art work

Megan Spears — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 22:36:00 GMT

Every now and then the boys will ask me to look through their box of artwork. We love to go back and look at some of the adorable things they have made over the years. With school coming to a close it seems like everyday they are bringing home stacks of art, worksheets and papers that require us to make a decision...

do we keep it or do we toss it?

I have tried to get into the habit of managing papers throughout the year as they come in, but for some reason I still end up with a HUGE stack of papers to deal with. Just the other day, I noticed piles of papers in both kids rooms, there was a stack on the piano and another stack in my room. They tend to just take over...

Artwork is a sensitive issue for me. I don't know if it's because I kept very little from my childhood or if I am trying to capture every single moment of their childhood. Either way, if I kept every piece of paper they brought home, we would fill our entire house with papers. So today the kids and I sat down and sorted through it all...

We gathered all the current stacks all over the house and pulled out their box of art work in their rooms.
We laid it all out on the bed and began sorting.
We sorted into piles: work papers, artwork, awards and certificates and items we might consider tossing.
After we laughed and enjoyed the memories from things we created and who we created them with; we carefully put all our "keepers" back into our box and decided that the toss pile was okay to take to the recycling can.

Making the decision to get rid of the toss pile was all them. I felt that they needed to make that choice, not me (although I will note that I did "guide" them to that decision). We discussed that if we keep everything, then nothing is really special.

When I asked my seven year old how he felt about it all he said, "mom, I think it's great to get rid of some of our papers because then we know the ones we have are the best of the best."

Teaching kids to sort and organize is an important skill. They start to understand that you have to manage your things and that to be organized (or as my five year old says... so you can find your stuff) you can find what you are looking for.

Do you have trouble meeting your goals?

Megan Spears — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:02:03 GMT

Can you believe that it's almost June. I am amazed at how quickly this year has flown by. It seems like yesterday when I sat down to write out my goals for the year. Most of us start the new year in the same fashion... Full of ambition and motivation, ready to challenge ourselves and take it to a new level. All our intentions of achieving various goals quickly fades as fast as the snow, and now we are stuck.

How do we get unstuck?

When I start feeling stuck, I usually try to take stock. and see what I have accomplished and how close I am to achieving my goals. To give you an idea where things sit with me... some of my personal and business goals for 2010 are:

1. Join a local networking group (business).
2. Enhance my existing programs (business).
3. Make the time to workout at least three times per week (personal).
4. Get a new desk (business/personal).
5. Paint my bedroom (personal.)

As you can see, not a very exciting list, but no less a good list of attainable goals. I carry this list in my planner and look at it almost every time I open it up. It serves as a reminder of what I want, and where I want to be going. What are your goals? Are you close to meeting them? I frequently talk with clients and colleagues about the importance of goal setting and planning.

Often that "stuck" feeling comes from three obstacles that we face like...

1.Bad Timing.
Timing is everything and that's the truth; however, we don't need to be realistic when it comes to our dreams. If you have a goal, write it down, let it sit there for a year, or maybe two years... however long it takes. For many years I have had "join a local networking group" on my list of goals. For lots of reasons things just didn't work out. Now, the stars have aligned and I finally am able to cross it off my list. Don't be derailed because of the timing. Sometimes you have to look for the reason why it hasn't happened yet to understand.

2. Low Motivation.
Motivation is unfortunately an important component to getting things accomplished. There is nothing worse than doing something you aren't motivated to do. Ask yourself how important this goal is to your overall life and if it doesn't contribute to it, then why is it a goal? To regain your motivation or give yourself a boost, take a moment to think about what life would be like after you accomplish that goal and write down how your life would be better.

3. Have a Plan.
Having a plan of action to achieving your goals makes the act of getting to your goal so much easier. If you have a step by step plan, you can easily break down the goal into manageable pieces; then it becomes easier to achieve them. If you don't have a plan, sometimes it's hard to imagine that end result looks or feels like.

Goal setting can be whatever you want it to be. It might be scratching down five actions on a napkin or piece of paper; or if you feel focused and really want to take the time to do some goal setting write out a goal plan. Make it easy so that you are inspired to do it!

From ordinary to extraordinary!

Megan Spears — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:59:00 GMT

I like to think that there is good in the ordinary. If look at this picture for example... it's just a rock on the beach, right? If you look a little closer you might see an elephant drinking from the ocean.

Seeing potential in things that are ordinary is one of the best parts of my job. I see things that others don't (or can't) in themselves or their cluttered spaces. The interesting thing is that when I started my business, I had no idea that was going to be so important.

When I started my business it was scary. Really, what did I know about running a business? Was I really going to be able to make money? How was I going to balance babies and a business?

There were moments in that first year that I truly thought I had lost my mind. Now, six years later I am so thankfully for my decisions and the obstacles that I have overcome. Not only do I have the best job in the world but I make a difference, and that makes me feel good.

To achieve your best life, sometimes you have to do something drastic to see the change that you need or want. Change is inevitable. We can't stop it. We either embrace it and work through the discomforts we might be feeling, or we fight it and find ourselves feeling stagnant and unsatisfied.

There are plenty of times when change can be difficult. We struggle with knowing what to do, we fear the results that will be coming, and we judge things that we don't know very much about. So often we don't even realize that the change we are facing might actually be the best thing for us (good or bad).

My kids and I have been reading quite a few books on these little "life lessons" that even adults struggle with. Often, I remind my kids that even mom still has a hard time with learning some of these very important life lessons. The important part of learning is to just try.

If it's starting a new job or having to start over. Just do it. What's the worst thing that could happen?

If it's facing parts of your past that you have buried. Just do it. You might find joy or forgiveness!

If it's dealing with paperwork that scares the living day lights out of you. Just do it. When it's done, you might be able to move on to something that makes you happy!

Facing a change can change the ordinary into something extraordinary!

*image from worth1000 {dot} com

Take me off your list...

Megan Spears — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:14:00 GMT

It's not that I don't love to read newsletters. I actually love to read junk mail.

It's not that I don't enjoy hearing what people are up to and what they are doing with their business. I love to be in the know.

It's that I am getting WAY TOO MANY EMAILS. It has to stop. After a wonderful 10 day vacation in the glorious sunshine of Arizona and California I realized that I need to cut back and declutter my inbox. I wasn't checking email daily, but I was checking it every few days and after opening my inbox each time to 300+ emails I quickly came to the conclusion that enough is enough.

Time to start saying NO. Instead of quickly hitting delete, I am going down to unsubscribe.

How do I decide what has to go? If it's an advertisement or non-industry related newsletter. It's got to go. If I see more than one email a week, it's got to go. Really people, do you need to send an email daily?

The other thing I did was changed my settings on some of the group chat's that I belong to (you know who you are). It's just enough to drive a person made with the amount of DIGEST emails we get from various groups.

It's been a lot of work, but really, in the end I know I will be much happier. Less time wasted hitting delete and more time reading the things I truly enjoy!

Aunt Elmo's 90+ year old primrose

Megan Spears — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:39:00 GMT

About six (or so) years ago my husband's grandfather passed away. I remember that it was in early spring (right when the daffodils were blooming) and it was still quite cold outside. We headed north for the funeral and during our visit, we had the chance to visit with his sister (Great Aunt Elmo) and see her garden. As I suspected, it was beautiful. Small but very well kept and full of promise for the coming year. Tucked in the front yard, beneath a bush (I can't remember what it was) was a beautiful primrose in full bloom. I mentioned to Elmo how much I admired it and she responded with "that flower is over 85 years old." I was shocked... "85 years old...no way." She said "yes, and it blooms all year round. I think it thrives on neglect."

As we milled around the garden and then headed off to another relatives house, Elmo approached me and had a small bag in her hand. She thanked us for coming up such a long distance and gave me the small bag. Inside was a start of that very same primrose flower.

As soon as we got home that evening, I quickly planted the flower in my yard and waited for the ambitious little flower to spread it's delicate white flower petals... I waited and waited. The following spring there it was, peeking out of a small clump of snow in mid February. From that day on, each year I would get three or four rounds of flowers. Amazing.

Every year at our family reunion, I would see Elmo and I would keep her posted on how her flower was growing in size. She always had this gentle smile on her face as I would excitedly explain the details of it's location etc.

Elmo died in 2007 and then we moved shortly after that. I was determined to bring the primrose with us to our new house and throughout the transition it was a little touch and go if it was going to make it.

This past weekend, when we came home from our Spring vacation, I walked into my back yard and there it was... full bloom. it was like that little flower was saying "hello... welcome home."

I don't know why it is, but even something can stand the test of times. 90+ years ... that's amazing!

Getting prepared for the mountain to blow

Megan Spears — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:32:00 GMT

We are getting ready to celebrate Earth Day. It's such a good time to remind ourselves that our Earth is only as good as we maintain her. However lately, I have been feeling like things are a "little cuckoo for coco puffs" here on our Mother Earth.

Between the earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and now Los Angeles, and the crazy weather happening on the East coast... I just have to wonder. What the heck is going on? Can a disaster really happen in my backyard, in my lifetime?

I live about 25 or so miles from the top of Mt. Hood, which is still an active volcano. I also am about 200 miles from the Oregon coast, where there is always potential for plate shifting on the fault lines. Not that I am complaining, I love where I live, but I do feel as though the potential for disaster to strike is probably pretty good in my lifetime. So, what do we do?

For years, I have blogged about getting a preparedness kit together and so this past month I finally got it started. Thus far, I have collected:

food and water (four people + four days + kitty)
tools (can opener and a few miscellaneous garage tools)
first aide kit
safety items (masks, blankets etc.)

What's always held me back from getting this started is that we are "campers," so we have all the gear and equipment to survive a disaster in the garage, already packed up. Now that I have my kit started where do I put all this stuff I have packed? I have a nice sealed container, but what if the house comes crumbling down, will I be able to find it? Will we be able to get to it? Will it get destroyed? All valid questions that make you really stop and think.

So help me out here, do you have a kit? Where do you keep it?

BOOK REVIEW: A mom's ultimate book of lists

Megan Spears — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:37:00 GMT

There is no greater job in the entire world than being a parent. When that joyous day finally comes and that little bundle of joy makes their grand entrance, no one tells you what comes next. Sure, there are lots of nurses and doctors (and sometimes family members) sharing their expert opinions on what you are "supposed" to do, but really there is no step by step manual to tell you what comes next.

As a parent, I look back at the last eight years of my life and I think about all the struggles we have overcame and how many books I read telling me what to do and why.

As an organizer and someone who functions well from a "check list" I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to read, A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists, by Michelle LaRowe.

This book is by far one of the handiest books I have ever read. No new mom has time to read the reason why babies cry, they just want to know how to calm them down and make them stop. A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists is the perfect book for every new parent and what' even better is that it's "ultimately" organized!

Every good project needs a plan. Michelle starts you out with many lists on what to do when preparing for baby's arrival, trip to the hospital and specific questions you really should ask your physician. She walks each parent through the first few years arming you with valuable techniques and methods in dealing with those unexpected moments.

Throughout the book she takes on the journey of life preparing and arming you with some helpful advice and how to's. My personal favorite is Michelle's Top 10 Tips for Time Management. All extremely valid and truly important to any parent!

1. Have a routine.
2. Be organized.
3. Have a place for everything.
4. Use a family calendar.
5. Keep a daily to-do list.
6. Delegate.
7. Learn to say no.
8. Prioritize.
9. Keep a running grocery list.
10. Plan a weekly menu.

What I really appreciated was that throughout the entire book, Michelle walks mom's through all the many challenges that require us to plan ahead and most of all be prepared. Dealing with friendships, working through family budgets and how to feed a picky eater just to name a few. There is no situation that Michelle doesn't cover. Being a parent is a demanding job and being a mom is a lifetime career. Why not arm yourself with the best book of lists!

Thanks Michelle for this powerful book!

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

BOOK REVIEW: So You Want to be a Work-At-Home Mom

Megan Spears — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:31:00 GMT

Are you a stay-at-home mom? Thinking about starting your own business?

What would you do if I told you there was a step-by-step book on how to get that done?

As a stay-home mom and business owner, I would have loved to have a book on how to get my business off the ground. When I started my business, I had a two year old toddler and brand spanking new baby. It was a long process of doing what I could when the kids were sleeping and working with clients when I had the extra help.

The book, So you Want to be a Stay-At-Home Mom: A Christian's Guide to Starting a Home Based Business by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen is one of those books you buy then refer to over and over again.

Both authors started out exactly the same way most small home based businesses do... with an idea of a business and not a clue how to get it going. They share their experiences (good and bad) of how they started their business, what choices they had to make and how they got where they are today. Successful Work At Home Moms!

They provide you with a road map to getting your business started, the key things you need to get done, a great checklist on how you can market your business PLUS a ton of resources on how to keep it going.

The thing about running my your own business is that you have to be prepared to wear every hat; the worker, the marketer and the manager... in addition to that other job of running your household.

Throughout the book, the authors share motivational support and spiritual advice in assisting you on your journey, which is truly inspiring. What I most enjoyed is that after all the years since starting my business, I found this book to be a valuable read even to a seasoned business owner.

In my opinion, you can't ever have too many business resources! Enjoy!

Procrastination: learned or genetic?

Megan Spears — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:02:00 GMT

It's always so enlightening to see what various chat groups are discussing. I belong to a few organizations recently have been discussing procrastination, a topic that I love to debate. Is it a learned behavior or is it something we genetic? In my opinion, genetic things the color of our eyes, our skin tone or sadly rare diseases.

Some people I know (you know who you are ) claim that they procrastinate because they just are always that way and genetically that's just how they have always been.

The dictionary defines procrastination as:

–verb (used without object): to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.

–verb (used with object): to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

The interesting thing about this word is that it starts with PRO, which typically means to think ahead or FORWARD action.

Are we ACTIVELY thinking we don't want to do something? Is the end result going to be really that bad?

What would happen if we actually completed the said task? How would that make us feel?

I can tell you from my own experience that procrastination makes me feel icky. I hate the guilt, stress or pressure in not completing a specific action. Believe me, I too fall prey to procrastination. Let's face it, we are all human. The key is to accepting what we do and making the change happen!

Tell me what you think about it... learned or inherited?

*image provided by Quo Vadis blog dot com

My 3 little obsessive compulsive areas

Megan Spears — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:02:00 GMT

It occurred to me this morning that I am a little obsessive about a few things....

1. Brushing my teeth.
2. Washing dishes.
3. Cleaning the toilet.

I don't think it's a bad thing to be a little obsessive about "clean" however some might consider that to be a little compulsive. If you asked my husband, he would probably tell you that the list is much longer...

Is there something that you get a little"obsessive" about?

A hook on the wall can change your life

Megan Spears — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:34:41 GMT

My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years now. The best 12 years I might add...

Looking back, it's strange that the smallest things can mean so much. We sometimes forget to look at the value that those small things bring to a relationship!

When we first met, my dear husband had a terrible habit of only using a towel once, then tossing it on the floor. Each day, he would get up in the morning, have a shower, then lay the now used towel on the floor in a neat little pile. Rinse and repeat each day.

The "one use" ritual filtered into the everyday t-shirt and shorts for my dear husband. After many conversations about the issue that when you wear a pair of shorts for two hours, you can actually wear it again the next day for another two hours.... without having to wash them first.

It would drive me crazy to wash a t-shirt and shorts that still smelled like laundry soap. After many "complaints" from me, my dear husband began to realize that you can get multiple uses from certain items... however, this joyous change in his habits bread a new habit... the never ending pile of cloths laying on my closet floor.

This past weekend, he we had a major break through in the closet. My dear husband hung a nice new hook in the closet... just for his cloths. NO MORE PILES ON THE FLOOR. For the last two days I have walked into my closet to a clear floor, no piles. It's been pure bliss!

The point that I am trying to make is that change is possible (only 12 years in the making, but possible). Over time habits change. To say that your spouse, significant other or dear husband isn't capable of change is a flat our lie. It is possible! Come and take a peek in my closet and I will show you how it's possible.

*image courtesy of the container store dot com, all things organizing

My favorite Christmas things....

Megan Spears — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:00:00 GMT

I love Christmas! Remembering Christmastime as a kid was always exciting, lots of fun activities, great foods and special moments that will stay with me forever! I hope to create those fun memories for my kids so that when they have their own children, they remember those things that made it seem like Christmas! Here are some of my favorite holiday things...

Favorite Christmas dessert: My grandmother's Yankee Plum Pudding (no one can make it like she did).

Favorite Christmas activity: Going to get our tree. $5.00 for the permit and an adventurous day at the mountain. It doesn't get any better than that!

Favorite Christmas song: White Christmas and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire (reminds me of my dad).

Favorite Christmas cookie: Martha's Gingerbread Cookie (it's the best one yet).

Favorite Christmas decoration: My White Christmas Snow Globe.

Favorite Christmas movie: Scrooge 1970 - with Albert Finney

Favorite Christmas tradition: Christmas day, big family breakfast and NO FAMILY but our own. That day is reserved for just us!

Favorite Christmas present: 2002, Maxwell was born on Christmas Eve!

My wish for the new year is good health, joyous memories and a prosperous year for all! Merry Christmas to you and Happy New year!

*image brought to you by the daily green dot com. The consumers guide to a green revolution!

Conquering fears... I did it!

Megan Spears — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:37:00 GMT

Today has been a huge day for me. I did something I never thought I would be able to do.

I drove across the Hood River bridge... and didn't freak out or have a panic attack!

This is a really big deal for me.

I have had a life long fear of heights. The Hood River bridge is ultra narrow, super high and can be on certain days dangerously windy to drive across.

You can understand why this is such a big deal for me! I made it. I did it.

I feel so great about being able to make this step in completely getting past (what I really consider) an unnecessary fear.

Do you have a fear that you struggle with facing?

Do you suffer from photo frame overload?

Megan Spears — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:55:00 GMT

If you have ever been to my house, you might notice that I love to hang pictures of family, friends and memories from days gone by. I love to be surrounded by things that make me smile.

Because I enjoy hanging pictures up in my house, I am always looking out for deals on photo frames (which of course means ACCUMULATION). I never cared much what the frame looked like, and that "eclectic" look was always appealing as a "twenty-something" gal.

As I am quickly approaching my "forty-somethings," I have found that a traditional black frame gives me a sense of consistency. So over the last year, I have been swapping out my frames for basic black. Now I am faced with a large stack of frames I don't use.

When trying to get organized most people face the issue of what to do with things we don't think we want; don't need to keep; or question if we should toss it in to the donation box when it's still usable.

With any sort of "project" it really comes down to looking at what we love and keeping those things that make us feel good (all within reason)! Here are three simple steps you can take to sort through photo frames.

1. Gather all questionable items together for sorting.
I have been collecting old frames in a box in my craft area for the last year to deal with when the box was full. Today, I noticed that the box wouldn't closet. Which means... Time to Sort!

2. Sort out the "keepers" into one pile.
A keeper should be the creme de la creme of whatever you are sorting out. They should be the best and most valuable items within the stack. In my situation, it came down to the best looking, unblemished and pristine condition frames.

3. Sort out the damaged and/or broken items into one pile.
This is always the easiest task for me. I try not to keep anything that is broken or damaged, however if it can be repaired and still usable, I will typically keep it. HOWEVER (and this is the most important element of keeping damaged goods), if I know that I am not going to fix it within a short period of time, I will discard it. No sense in keeping things I won't repair.

At this point, the pile has significantly decreased in size so it becomes easier to make the hard decisions on the what to do with the remaining items. Today, I managed to put nine frames into my box to go to S.C.R.A.P. (one is missing a back and the rest are still in decent condition but I just know I won't need or use them). Four miscellaneous frames that I will keep to use for gifts, plus four remaining black frames for future memories that I will someday hang on my walls.

Photo from ApartmentTherapy from a great article on inspirational ideas for photo frames.

Simplify your holiday cards

Megan Spears — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:33:00 GMT

I am really excited today! I finished my holiday cards yesterday and got them to the post office.

This task, although rather a long process, is one that I will never give up. No matter what. I have been told (you know who you are) that I am a little obsessive with my holiday cards. I don't look at it as obsessive. I look at it as doing things just the way I like it.

I like to send a photo card of my family (so people can see just how big my kids are getting), along with a holiday letter of what we have been up to (this year is a Q & A from each family member). On each letter I like to write a little note of greetings to the reader, so that they know that I truly mean what I am wishing for them this holiday season. In addition to that, I hand address each card.

Doesn't seem like that big of a deal, right... I do this times (this year) 287. I make the process so simple it really doesn't seem like much work. Here is what I do...

ORDER HOLIDAY CARDS. Typically I start just after Halloween downloading pictures and getting the cards ordered online.
WRITE HOLIDAY LETTER AND PRINT. This is the easiest part, but of course takes time to print off XXX number of letters. I usually get paper the year before when everything goes on sale.
GATHER SUPPLIES. Things like stamps, a good pen, my address stamp, letters, cards etc., into a basket or bin so that no matter where I am at home, I can take it with me and work on my cards. Sofa, playroom, office, kitchen table, I like that I can go "moblie" where ever I need to be and can work on the cards.
WRITING THEM OUT. This is the easiest task to multi-task. Almost always November is filled with old movies, basketball games or quite evenings at home (because my DH is working late). I spend usually a couple of hours every few days working on them.
COMPLETE! This is the best, a gratifying trip to the post office to drop them off!

My goal is always to get them completed sometime in the first week of December. Mostly because I want to be thinking about what cookies I am going to bake or all the great bazaars I can frequent through these last few days before Christmas!

The goal is to simplify.

Find what makes you happy and stick with it.

Keep it easy and you will always enjoy it! I do!

*photo from MyExpressions

41 days since my last post and..

Megan Spears — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:11:00 GMT

Newsflash... I have fallen and I can't get up... just kidding.

Can you believe it...? 41 days since my last post. Where did those 41 days go?

It's been a crazy busy 41 days and within those 41 days, it was critical that I get down to basic survival skills to keep things a float (i.e. feeding the kids, making sure they have clean underwear and keeping up with my appointments/commitments), which clearly didn't leave much time for the "other stuff."

I don't feel badly, although I feel like my blogging outlet has left my a little empty in the creativity department and I have missed my blogging friends.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving and ours was wonderful. The turkey was perfect, the company was exceptional and I have never felt more relaxed than I do right now! I have so many things to be thankful for this year that I sure hope I still have readers... because truly, I am thankful for them!

I am bound and determined to get back on track this month.

I am not going to end this year feeling an empty feeling like maybe I haven't accomplished what I set out to do (even though I know it's not true)...

So here is my three step plan to regain the order I need for myself and my business!

1. Schedule appointment with myself for goal setting. DONE
2. Get back to my weekly blogging. Starting this week!
3. Get back to one new marketing task each week. Due by Friday

Everyone falls off the wagon and no matter what happens, the important thing (and key) is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep on keeping on!

Have a super week!

Living for today and not the "what if's"

Megan Spears — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:31:00 GMT

This past weekend we took the kids to Spokane for the weekend. For no particular reason we just decided to head North for a couple of days. Being in the car for long periods of time, I decided to pack up my stack of magazines and read them in the car.

I was especially taken with an article I read in Family Circle (November 2009 Issue) called House Call (by Meredith Janson). Not realizing what the article was (after all it was under the "Health" section of the magazine), I was pleased to see this discussion about....

...how clutter effects our overall health and quality of life.

The author brings in all the experts that I love and follow, Laurie Marrero (Clutter Diet), Peter Walsh (Clean Sweep), David Allen (Getting Things Done) and Julie Morgenstern (SHED Your Stuff). It really is an amazing thing to think about how your stuff truly does effect our overall health. Too often I hear about clutter situations and how it effects the household and one's quality of life (or in some cases even death).

It's an interesting thing... clutter. Most people really do have genuinely a relationship with their clutter and often, find that it fills a space in life similar to like a family member does. Taking it away would make them feel badly and often sad. One of the points made in the article, which is frequently an "ah-ha" moment for some, is when they talk about the "what if's."

What if I need that someday?
What if I can give it to a family member or someone who will need it?
What if it I should find a better way to recycle it?
What if it will harm someone or the earth?

The "what if's" are a never ending list and there will always be a reason to have a "what if". Taking a look at how the clutter is impacting your life TODAY is where the focus really needs to be. Ask yourself...

...what are you sacrificing TODAY to keep your clutter around?
... are you living the life you want to TODAY?
... what does keeping the stuff do for you TODAY?
... what value does keeping the stuff give you TODAY?

When you can look at clutter from a different perspective, it becomes easier to see things a little differently. It's not always about just throwing everything away, but living your life the best you can.

Are we living our best when we can't eat a meal at the table with our family?

Are we living our best when we can't invite our loved ones over for dinner?