Wow, has it really been that long since I last made a blog post? The end of 2009 seemed to whiz by in a flurry of Christmas parties,  taking on lots of new and enthusiastic clients wanting to get organised before the New Year, and working with the Australasian Association of Professional Organisers to promote the industry and plan our activities for 2010.

I really did mean to keep up the blogging - honestly, really and truly!

Isn't it funny how we never seem to be able to find the time to do something we know we SHOULD do, no matter how hard we try?

I absolutely love writing, no matter what the medium, so it really should be easy for me to prop up my pink laptop and keep up my regular blogging. However, life is busy, other things take priority, and my poor blog finds itself neglected for yet another month.

So I have set myself up in a lovely book cafe, consumed copious cups of cappuccino and am ready to start blogging it up again!

How will you get organised in 2010?

This month we launched our New Year, New You organising packages, to help busy bodies and clutter queens who have made it their New Year's resolution to get organised once and for all!

I have been absolutely AMAZED at the response to the packages, a testament to how much we all want to be organised in our lives. In fact, in a survey conduced by Google, 'getting organised' was among the top 10 resolutions for 2010.

Chatting to my new clients about their motivations for hiring a professional organiser, the responses were all very similar - "I've had enough of living like this, I really want to just be organised!"; "Every year I tell myself I'll clear out the living room/kitchen/kids' room, and instead it just gets more cluttered/chaotic/disorganised. I have no idea how to start or what to do!"

It's a fact that most New Year's resolutions end up going unresolved. For the past few years I have told myself each New Year's Day that I will diligently go to the gym 5 times a week, avoid chocolate and go without alcohol. I will become a Zen goddess, harmonious in mind, body and spirit. I will glow as the impurities evaporate from my pores, leaving me with an aura of peace, serenity and total enlightenment.

YEAH RIGHT!

I never really believe my resolution will come true. Why? Because I never write my goal down, tell my friends and family about it, or even bother writing a plan for how I will achieve this new goddess-like lifestyle. Truth be told, I actually enjoy my chocolate and wine, so I never really want my resolution to come true anyway!

Have you resolved that 2010 will be your year to get organised? YAY! Great stuff! However, to truly succeed and live the life you want, you need to make a plan for how you will get there.

Simple steps to getting organised in 2010

So here's what you need to do to ensure your success in getting organised this year:

• Make a plan: Without knowing how you're going to reach your goal, and what steps you need to take to get there, it will be hard to keep motivated. There's no need to create anything too elaborately. Just write a few points about what you want to achieve and the small steps you will take to get there.
• Shout it from the rooftops: Tell your family and friends about your goal and ask for their support. Just as a diet buddy works wonders when you want to shift the kilos, having the support of your loved ones is crucial to keeping on track.
• Have a deadline: Set small, regular deadlines along to the way to reaching your goal. For example, 'By 1 Feb I will have sorted through the boxes of Christmas decorations in the garage'; 'By 1 March I will have bagged up the old clothes in the garage for donation.' Then set a deadline for reaching the overall goal, for example, 'By May 1 I will have organised the garage so we can park both cars with ease.'
• Celebrate! Each time you tick an item off your list, celebrate! Open the bubbly, go to the cinema, or buy your fave gossip magazine. It's important to recognise the improvements you are making in your life and thank yourself for taking steps to succeed.

Good luck!
 

Wow! Can you believe there are just 4 weeks til Christmas?

This year has just flown by and the last month in particular has been so busy that I've barely had time to write a blog post!

We have been flat out helping families across Sydney to de-clutter and get organised for Christmas and the New Year. Now is a great time of year to take action and resolve to finally clear out the garage/wardrobe/shoe collection so that you start 2010 feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for whatever the year may bring!

To ensure we can help as many Clutter Queens as possible this silly season, we will be working right through Christmas. So if you have been thinking about having hands-on help to de-clutter and get organised, now's the time!

On the topic of Christmas, we all spend so much time and money searching for gifts for our loved ones. As much as we hope we find the perfect prezzie, often our gifts end up being re-gifted or shoved in the back of a dusty cupboard, never to be seen again.

Excess gifts means excess clutter. A great way to avoid this is to buy our loved ones a gorgeous gift that won't clutter their space.  Here are just a few ideas:

1. Visit the Oxfam website for a range of gifts that you can buy in the name of a loved one, that delivers vital resources to communities in need. You could buy geese or sheep for a village or building supplies and really help make a difference in the world.

2. Vouchers are a great way to avoid buying unwanted gifts. My favourite voucher is for the Gold Class cinema. Treat a friend or lover to a special night out in comfort in front of the big screen.

3. Visit Red Balloon Days and buy an experience such as hot air ballooning, horse riding or a cooking course. It's sure to be a gift your loved one will never forget.

4. Give the gift of organising! Our gift vouchers are a very popular and unique way to surprise a loved one. Simply choose the amount and the recipient can spend it on any Kat & Kaboodle service. Simply email us to get your voucher.

I hope you and your loved ones have a very safe and organised Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

x Kat

Wow, hasn't this year just flown by? It's hard to believe there are just eight weeks until Christmas!

Getting a grip on time and managing it more effectively was one of the topics discussed in last month's Organised Office online training course, for which we had a fantastic turn-out.

I mentioned in the course that I'm amazed time management isn't part of the school curriculum. I've never had to find out the value of 'x' on a Pythagoras triangle in my years since school, but I certainly have had to tackle a seemingly endless list of tasks to do each and every day. Then we enter the workforce and unless our employer sends us along to a course, it's up to us to make sure we meet deadlines and complete all the tasks that land on our desk.

So in this post, I thought I'd share my top time management tips for you to try, before we start singing Christmas carols and writing our New Year's Resolutions!

• Use the 80/20 rule – while 20% of your tasks are high-value tasks, the remaining 80% are most likely just busy work. So run down your To Do list and choose the top 20% (the most high-value and high-consequence tasks) and focus on just completing those tasks each day.
• Delegate tasks that take you away from completing higher-value work.
• Think about when you are most productive each day. If you can, schedule your highest-value tasks at the times.
• Block out time each week to complete certain activities. For example, Friday afternoon for filing or Mondays for meetings.
• Concentrate on just one task at a time and work on completing it before moving onto something else. This will greatly improve your productivity.

Wow, where does the time go! It's been well over a week since I returned from my little jaunt in the countryside and since then it's been a wonderfully busy time helping clients, writing reports, fielding media enquiries, Tweeting and all the rest!

One thing I did manage to squeeze in this week, which I'm so glad I did, was a meeting with some like-minded businesswomen at the My Business Book Club. The book we discussed was the very unique book The Art of Possibility written by Ben and Roz Zander.

If you want to expand your horizons and think about things in a new light, I recommend you get your hands on a copy. The basic idea Zander explores is that the limitations we have in our lives are only there because we have created them. Or because society has told us that's the way it is to be. It's only once we realise that we are only limited by our imagination in everything that we do, that we are able to open new doors in our life. It's not a new idea, but I think it's a very important one that we often forget.

When I start off with a new client, and we chat about his or her needs, I ask the question, 'If you could create the perfect space - the perfect bedroom (or kitchen or office, whatever it might be), what would it look like? What does your dream home look like and how does it function? How do you feel in your ideal kitchen? How do you feel when you open your wardrobe?' I ask the client to imagine their newly organised life and develop a picture in their mind or on paper, as to how that life will look and how it will make them feel.

As Zander writes, 'Break through the barriers of any 'box' that contains unwanted conditions and create other conditions that support the life you envision for yourself and those around you.'

So if you're feeling overwhelmed by your clutter, or an endless To Do list, I urge you to step back, pour a glass of wine and just think (or paint, draw or write) about the life you envision for yourself.  Project yourself into that moment of simplification and organisation and JOY, and then take action to get there.

Cheers to a new perspective and a newly organised life!

Wow, where does the time go! It's been well over a week since I returned from my little jaunt in the countryside and since then it's been a wonderfully busy time helping clients, writing reports, fielding media enquiries, Tweeting and all the rest!

One thing I did manage to squeeze in this week, which I'm so glad I did, was a meeting with some like-minded businesswomen at the My Business Book Club. The book we discussed was the very unique book The Art of Possibility written by Ben and Roz Zander.

If you want to expand your horizons and think about things in a new light, I recommend you get your hands on a copy. The basic idea Zander explores is that the limitations we have in our lives are only there because we have created them. Or because society has told us that's the way it is to be. It's only once we realise that we are only limited by our imagination in everything that we do, that we are able to open new doors in our life. It's not a new idea, but I think it's a very important one that we often forget.

When I start off with a new client, and we chat about his or her needs, I ask the question, 'If you could create the perfect space - the perfect bedroom (or kitchen or office, whatever it might be), what would it look like? What does your dream home look like and how does it function? How do you feel in your ideal kitchen? How do you feel when you open your wardrobe?' I ask the client to imagine their newly organised life and develop a picture in their mind or on paper, as to how that life will look and how it will make them feel.

As Zander writes, 'Break through the barriers of any 'box' that contains unwanted conditions and create other conditions that support the life you envision for yourself and those around you.'

So if you're feeling overwhelmed by your clutter, or an endless To Do list, I urge you to step back, pour a glass of wine and just think (or paint, draw or write) about the life you envision for yourself.  Project yourself into that moment of simplification and organisation and JOY, and then take action to get there.

Cheers to a new perspective and a newly organised life!

I thought I would write this blog post from a very unusual spot this week - on top of a mountain!

This week for my birthday, my closest friends and my gorgeous partner and I headed up to the Hunter Valley to escape to Eaglereach Wilderness Resort. We're staying in "Couples' Corner", a secluded spot with a day spa, three cabins (Peta, Jabiru and Tallarook) and dozens of little wallaroos (mini-sized kangaroos) hopping about.

Removing myself from the hectic pace of the city and setting up camp in a spot where the sky is clear, you can see all the way to the coast (which is a 1.5 hour drive away!) and the stars are as big as lightbulbs in the evening sky, I have never felt so relaxed.

As I sit here and type (and pray the wireless signal doesn't drop out!) I've been thinking about all the 'stuff' that we accumulate in our lives. I've only brought the bare essentials up here with me. I've left behind stacks of books, dozens of DVDs and half a wardrobe of clothing. All that 'stuff' that we think we need, until we find ourselves secluded, atop a mountain, with a tiny backpack and no mobile phone reception and realise how simple life can be.

And although I'm a city girl at heart (my friends know not to ask me to go camping unless there's an outlet to plug my GHD hair irons into!!) there's something to be said for unplugging every now and then and leaving all our 'stuff' behind. Only once we do that, can we really look up and appreciate the stars. :)

Over and out from the mountain
x Kat

 

As I was writing the material for our new online course The Organised Office, I was thinking about tolerations and why we put up with the things that slow us down or make us uncomfortable.

Things like a chair that digs into our back, a broken drawer that we have to heave back into place each time it's opened, or those extra 5kgs (one I can relate to!)

I wondered why we put up with these annoying little things, even though we know they could be easily fixed. It's just a quick trip to the shops for a new chair, using a little elbow grease (or help from a nearby guy) to fix the drawer, or moving more and eating less in the case of the extra kgs.

I think the answer is that, quite simply, we put up with putting up. We resign to the fact that things are the way they are, and we continue heaving and sighing and feeling fat in our jeans!

So the next time I'm putting up with something that bugs me, and would take less than a few hours to fix, I'm going to take action then and there to fix it. If I'm feeling flabby, I'll take Charlie out for a walk. If the fridge light goes out, I will write a new bulb on the shopping list and get it on my next shopping trip. I will take decisive action, then and there, to correct my tolerations.

Rather the putting up, it's time to get up and take action! :)

 

You know, there are some truly amazing organising products out there. Wooden spice racks, fridge turntables, and a fabulous array of multi-functioning doovalackys. But many of these products cost upwards of $45 EACH. Obviously they look great, and if you have the money, spend away! But for the more budget-conscious among us, I wanted to show you just how easy it is to get organised without spending a fortune.

Yesterday I spent some time re-arranging a pantry to utilise very limited space. The budget was also tight - a mere $35. Down to the local discount shop I went (Willoughby Road in Crows Nest for the Sydneysiders who are interested) to source functional products that would fit within the budget AND look great.

I was delighted to pick up some small caddies (great for storing spices and cooking items) for just 90c! I also found some great cannisters for under $4 each and a really nifty hanging basket to hang inside the pantry for just $2. Bargain! You'll also see in third pic a white shelf, which is a great little item for breaking a shelf into two in order to fit more items. This was also cheap as chips, costing just $3.

Take a look at the piccies below to see just how easy it can be to organise on a budget. I hope it inspires you to check out your local discount store before shelling out too much on fancy gizmos.








 
 

Let's get physical! Turn your wardrobe from drab to fab with these top tips for shedding your closet's winter kilos:

Grab four bin bags, baskets or buckets and label them: Toss, Donate, Move, Store

Start by pulling everything out of your wardrobe so that you're working with a clean slate

Clear some space on the floor and place items into categories according to type. E.g. cardigans, sneakers, scarves.

Go through each pile and honestly evaluate each item. We only every wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. So be ruthless and toss anything that you haven't worn in 12 months, doesn't make you feel fabulous or doesn't fit (don't keep it just because you might squeeze into it 'one day'). Make room for new and unique pieces!

If an item is in good quality, place it in the Donate bag. If not, place it in the Toss bag.

If an item belongs in another room (such as a bank statement found in a sock drawer), place it in the Move bag.

You'll now be left with the items you want to keep for next winter. Instead of putting them back in your wardrobe where they won't be worn for six months, store them in a suitcase or a labeled clear plastic container. Store the container on top of your wardrobe or in the garage or storage area, out of the way.

Your wardrobe is now ready for all your fabulous spring & summer clothing! Hang these items in your closet according to category, so that every item has a place. You might also like to arrange items within each category according to colour, to make outfit coordinating a breeze.

Use a shoe rack or hanger to organise your shoes (clear plastic shoe boxes may look great, but they're often tricky to open and close - stick to a simple system so that it's easy to keep everything organised)

Lastly, take the Donate bag out to your car, ready to take to your local charity store. Place the Toss bin the outdoor rubbish bin and put items from the Move bag in their rightful place.

Top Tip:  Stick a hook or two on the inside of your wardrobe doors to hang scarves and belts. This
               prevents items from getting crushed and keeps them in an accessible spot.



 

It's funny how many of my clients will say half-way through an organising session, 'Your home must be perfect!' I think they imagine my home as something out of the latest Freedom catalogue, complete with Dymo labels stuck everywhere and the faint smell of Anzac biscuits wafting from the kitchen.

The truth is, as much as I love organising and believe it's my calling in life, my pad it no way perfect (plus, I'm a TERRIBLE cook!) Sure, my bookcase is categorised and all the pantry items are labelled and in order, but I too have my organising faults!

For instance, no matter how hard I try, I almost always leave my mobile phone in the car when I bring the groceries inside. I also seem to accumulate far too many 'green bags' in my kitchen, forgetting to take them with me each time to the shops and having to buy more at the checkout. And I'm constantly scrambling in my bag to find my parking ticket, after having crammed in too many purchases.

Of course, my friends love to point this out to me while I fumble. 'Haha Kat, and you say you're an organiser!'

I read a great blog post on Unclutterer recently by an organiser who said she had a moment of panic when hosting a group of organisers are her home. She feared having to 'live up to some unstated standard of organisational perfection.' After racing around her home, manically tidying and perfecting each room, noticing more and more areas that she didn't think were up to scratch, she finally stopped and resigned to the reality of her home. She writes:

"I don’t have to be who I think people want me to be just because of my profession or my standing within it. I just need to be me. I’m comfortable with having a door on its side against the wall in my dining room, and everyone else seemed to be as well. Who knows, maybe my less-than-perfect home made some of those organizers feel better about theirs."

Phewph - looks like I'm free to fumble frantically in my bag for my parking ticket without the guilt factor!