Her Organized Life

Blogging to be continued on my personal site

2012-01-09T06:18:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that I actually have limitations. Who knew? (smile)

After having the best, most optimistic, intentions to maintain two blogs, I have discovered in fact, that it is too much for me at this time in my life. I held off on making this announcement in hopes that I could make it work, but I can't.

And so, I'm temporarily suspending blogging at Her Organized Life. However, the good news is that frees me up to post more on my personal site at www.GlynnisWhitwer.com.

My passion is all things surrounding home, organization and productivity. And so that's what I'll be writing about on my site. Hopefully some day I'll have an assistant (that's my goal) and I can maintain two sites. Until then, thank you for subscribing to Her Organized Life.

If you haven't visited www.GlynnisWhitwer.com, today is a good day to start. I'm hosting a 15-Day Clutter-Free Challenge and today is Day 1. I hope to see you there.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Are you always late?

2011-10-04T02:00:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I take longer to run errands than my husband does. If he and I had the same exact list, and went into the same exact store, he would sure finish at least 15 minutes before I would. If not more. I just take longer to do everything! I stroll, consider options, compare prices, chat with someone I meet, etc.

This relaxed approach carries over to most things I do. Knowing this about myself, I've learned to schedule less that I think I can do.

Did you catch that? I always think I can accomplish more than I actually can. I tend to be an optimist - which is good in most areas, but not when I'm trying to accurately assess how much time it takes to get something done ... or show up on time.

So here's what I've learned to do:

1. Order my errands or tasks from highest to lowest priority. That way I can shorten my list as I'm running out of time.

When my kids were younger, I always asked: "What do we HAVE to get done before we leave?" Then we did that first.

2. I add on 10-15 minutes minutes more than I think I need to do any errand or local driving trip.

3. I start gathering items to take with me the day before.

4. I've started identifying one significant task a day I want to accomplish ... then if I can add on minor ones, I'm happy.

Even though I always said I value being on time, aligning my life to reflect that belief has been a work in progress. I'm still working on it!

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

My favorite online shopping & saving sites

2011-09-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I mentioned the idea of creating your Christmas shopping list now, so you can get a head start on shopping ... and hopefully reduce stress and save money.

Today I wanted to share some ways I have saved money when I shop ahead. That's clearance pages on my favorite online stores. Sometimes, you can get deep discounts online, even up to 90%. And you can buy unique items, rather than things you can find in the malls.

From Signals.com

Here are a two of my favorite places to find unique and affordable gifts:

Victorian Trading Company    http://www.victoriantradingco.com/index.html

Signals   http://www.signals.com/

Also, don't forget personalized gifts. Even though these are not usually clearance items, they can be affordable, and make a big impact. Who wouldn't like cute Mary Engelbreit address labels for under $10? (except someone who doesn't do "cute") Check out sites like:

Current:   http://www.currentcatalog.com/

Colorful Images: http://www.colorfulimages.com/

What are your favorite online places to shop and save?

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Seasonal organization tips

2011-09-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

In some areas of the country, fall is actually in the air. Do you know how I know? It's not because of the temperature, because here in the desert Southwest our high was 109 today.
No, I know it's fall because Starbucks is offering Pumpkin Spice Lattes. That is the ONLY sign of fall here in the Phoenix area.

Whether it feels like autumn or not, September marks the beginning of a new season. It got me thinking about some fall organization project you might want to consider:

Create your Christmas gift-giving list now. That way you can shop sales during the next few months.
Go through your gift box and include some of those items on the Christmas list if appropriate.
Start cleaning out your refrigerator so you have room for holiday foods. Plan menus around items that have been in there awhile.
Make a list of birthdays for the next three months and buy cards all at once.
Steam clean carpets.
Clean windows, inside and out.
Sort through summer clothes before packing away. Plan to sell or give away.
Have a fall neighborhood yard sale.

That's a start. What are your favorite fall organization projects?

Grace & Peace,
Glynnis

Back-to-school tips

2011-08-22T00:14:00.000-07:00

As of last Monday I have children in elementary school, high school and college. We've been going back to school for many years. So I thought it would be good to share some of the back-to-school tips that have helped keep our family organized and sane as we shift schedules drastically from the relaxed summer months.

Here are a few of the habits I've developed over the years:

1) Establish a place for each child's classroom informational paperwork. I use a VERY low tech system to keep track of class lists, syllabus's, classroom rules and welcome letters: an inexpensive solid-color pocket folder. Each child has a different color, and their name written in permanent marker. I store these folders in one drawer in the kitchen, for easy retrieval.

2) Establish guidelines for what you will keep throughout the year. When my children were small, I decided I would only save those papers that showed my child's unique personality or skills. So the cotton ball bunny was NOT saved. But Joshua's self-portrait (a rainbow) was. What criteria will you set? And where will you put those papers and art work?

3) Use the weekend to plan breakfasts,lunches and snacks for the week. In the past, I've made a list of options for all of the above and put it on the refrigerator. That helps avoid the complaining about nothing to eat.

4) Pack bags at night, and put by the front door.

5) Pick out clothes for the week, and put in a hanging organizer.

6) Read everything the teacher sends home, and transfer important dates and information to your calendar. Those letters really do have important information in them.

I hope this helps. I'd love to hear your favorite organizing tips for going back to school.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

When are expectations unhealthy?

2011-08-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

Today I've got an article running on At the Well about how to say "no" with grace. If you have a problem saying "no," I hope you'll read my article.

I've taken it from my book that has just been released, "I Used to Be So Organized." And this section on saying no is tucked in a chapter about increased expectations. I see increased expectations as a major reason why many women struggle with gaining control over their lives.

Here's just one example. Back in the day (whenever that was), if a message needed to be communicated, the burden was on the initiator of the message. That meant writing a letter, or calling until the person got through. Now this is reversed.

The burden to communicate is on the recipient. People can send me a text, email or message on Facebook. They can leave me a voice message on my home or cell phone.  I won't even try to figure out instant messaging because that's just one more way people can toss the ball to me. Then, the burden is on me to respond. And if I don't respond promptly, it reflects badly on me.

I can spend so much of my day trying to respond to others that I can't accomplish my priorities. This is a problem for many women I know. So what can we do?

If this is a problem for you, perhaps it's time to reduce the ways people can get in touch with you until you can catch up.  Turn off your answering machine, take a social networking fast, or set up an automatic response on your email letting people know you'll respond within a week to non-urgent requests. Make sure you give key people in your life a hot line to reach you during this time.

I know this may seem challenging in this culture, but the truth is we don't need to be controlled by the request of others. Sometimes we just need to give ourselves permission to NOT respond immediately to every request.

Grace & Peace,
Glynnis

Simplify life in the little things

2011-07-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote about getting rid of extra items before you can focus on organizing. Those items don't have to be big to make a big impact.

Often, I find the greatest satisfaction in getting rid of the little clutter in my life. It's really just simplifying life in the little things. Here are some examples on how I apply this to my refrigerator. Keeping my refrigerator uncluttered actually increases its productivity as cold air needs to circulate.

* Throw away old, mildewed, rotten food. I know you probably hate to waste anything. That's how I grew up too. But using questionable food can make you and your family sick. And it won't get fresh again by leaving it in the fridge ... really ... so throw it out.

* Combine like items with similar expiration dates. Condiments, sauces and salad dressings can multiply in my refrigerator. When safe to do so, I combine items and recycle the extra bottle or jar.

* Design menus to use items in your refrigerator. For example, right now I have pesto and mango chutney in my fridge. They are taking up space, and if I don't use them soon, they'll go bad. So I plan recipes using those items.

* Use clear storage containers. You'll be able to see what's inside, and it will make your fridge seem more open and organized.

You can apply some of these tips for every cluttered storage space in your home. Well, maybe not create a menu around them. But you might plan some craft days using extra art supplies, do some home repairs you been delaying or plants flowers in the pots that have been accumulating in your garage.

Just tackle your spaces one by one and start by simplifying your spaces.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

My book will soon be available! You can pre-order at Proverbs 31 Ministries or Amazon.

Clutter dominates our storage

2011-07-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

Clutter takes up an average of 50% of our storage spaces, according to the National Association of Professional Organizers.

That means that 50% of the contents of our closets, garages, under-the-bed spaces, drawers and cabinets probably shouldn't be there.

What if instead of trying to organize your messy spaces, you just decided to remove what doesn't belong? Would that be easier than "organizing"? Sometimes it's overwhelming to try and do everything at once. Here are some tips to just focus on eliminating what you don't need:

Throw away damaged items that have no life left in them.
Bag clothing that is out of style, and donate to Goodwill or your local resale store for charity.
Take professional clothing you no longer wear to a single moms ministry.
Wash, sanitize and repair children's toys. Take to a shelter for abused women with children.
Donate extra books to the library.
Sell extra books to a used bookstore for credit.
Sell items on Craigslist or E-bay

Before you can organize anything, you've got to get rid of clutter. Otherwise you are just moving stuff around, and that's a waste of your time and space.

Grace and Peace,

Glynnis

My book will soon be available! You can pre-order at Proverbs 31 Ministries or Amazon.

Cost of Clutter

2011-07-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

Not only is there an emotional cost of clutter, but there is a monetary expense to living with more than we can manage – whether it’s in our homes or schedule. Consider these interesting facts about the cost of clutter:

• “National studies have shown that the typical executive spends four and one-half hours a week looking for lost papers. At a salary of $30,000, the cost of searching for important papers, measured in lost time, is $3,376 per year.

• According to management engineers, misfiled documents cost between $61 and $122 to be retrieved.

• Workers lose 280 hours per year, or seven weeks, seeking clarification because of poor communication due to disorganization.

• If you ate one meal out a week because your kitchen was disorganized, it would cost approximately $25 for two, times 52 weeks, equals $1,300 a year in additional expenses. And that’s a conservative estimate.

We don’t need experts to tell us clutter costs. Any woman who has three bottles of pumpkin pie spice sitting next to five cans of poultry seasoning knows it can add up. We can’t put a monetary value on time and energy, but looking for things around the home is clearly a waste of both.

Need some tips for managing clutter? I'll be posting more in the coming weeks.

Grace & Peace,
Glynnis

My book will soon be available! You can pre-order at Proverbs 31 Ministries or Amazon.

Going through school papers

2011-06-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

If you have school-aged children or teens, the end of school brings backpacks full of paper. Instead of letting them sit all summer, take some time to go through them. Here's a step-by-step plan:

Empty everything out of the backpack.
Wash backpack and hang outside to dry.
Test all markers. Dispose of dry ones.
Throw away broken pencils, pens, and crayons.
Sort through what's left, deciding whether to add them to art supplies at home or assemble packs for the next school year.
Sort through papers and select an assortment of work that shows where your child has been academecally or creatively this year. Store in plastic envelopes.
Recycle the rest of the papers.
If your child used spiral notebooks, pull out all used pages, and save the blank pages for shopping lists, etc.
Wash and sanitize any sissors, rulers, binders, pencil holders or small containers that can be reused.
Once clean backpack is dry, repack with reusable items.

This is a nice summer project when the "I'm bored" comments start to happen.

After a long break, I'm hoping to get back to blogging on organization. I'm working on a big project for Proverbs 31 Ministires, and it has been all-consuming. Thanks for hanging in there while I've been MIA.

Grace and Peace,
Glynnis

Creating a welcoming front entrance

2011-04-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

Does your front entrance need some sprucing up after winter? Mine did. Here are the three steps I took:

1) Clean. First sweep all extra dirt and cobwebs off surfaces. Using hot water and cleanser, scrub away smudges and marks on solid surfaces.

2) Patch and paint. I had to repaint my front door and frame to cover up marks that wouldn't come out with scrubbing. It only took the smallest can of paint to do it too.

3) Pretty it up. This is my weekend project. It's time to plant flowers in pots and hang out a springtime flag. I'm also hanging up some new decorations by my door.

If you need a weekend project, take a look at your front entrance. Does it say "welcome"? If not, these three easy steps will make a difference. Maybe you don't have time to do all three. Just pick one every few days and by Easter you'll get it done.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Tips for Being Resourceful

2011-04-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

Today I've got a post running on At the Well about being a resourceful woman. If you are visiting after reading that article, I bid you welcome. If you haven't read it, hop over there when you have a chance.

Twelve years ago, God introduced me to Proverbs 31 Ministries. I don't think I'd ever even read that passage (Proverbs 31) of Scripture before God plunked me in the middle of a group of women trying to learn its applications for today. It didn't take long for me to understand God's reasons for doing that.

As I grew to love this passage of Scripture, I realized God had a message in it for women of today. As the "ideal" wife is described in this book, we see a picture being painted of a God-honoring, family-devoted, productive woman. She works with what she has to support the needs of her family. In other words, she is resourceful.

Being resourceful takes many forms. To me, it means repairing not replacing. Using leftovers instead of throwing them out. Saving money on going out by being creative in the kitchen. Learning something new instead of depending on others to help me.

The Internet has been the biggest help in all of these areas. Instead of saying "I can't", I've learned that by typing in a question to Google, I can figure out almost anything. I promised to share some of my favorite sites on the Internet. Here they are:

Home repair:

Home Depot - Click on "How To" at the top
DIY Network
Martha Stewart

Copy Cat Recipes

Copykat Recipes
Robbie's Recipes
Top Secret Recipes

Now it's your turn. Leave a comment and share a website that's helped you be resourceful. Make sure I have a way to contact you. I'm offering to give away a year's subscription to the P31 Woman magazine on At the Well. Leave a tip here, then hop over there and leave a tip to enter the contest. I'll announce the winner on Thursday.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Ten ways to get ready for Easter

2011-04-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Easter is April 24th this year, and it's not too early to start preparing for the greatest day in the year for a Christian. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, let's incorporate spiritual practices into all the wonderful traditions such as picking out a special dress and preparing colored eggs.

Here are 10 ways to prepare for Easter this year:

1) Plan to attend a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday Service. If your church doesn't hold one, ask around. It's important to share in Christ's suffering as well as His victory.

2) Plan your menu now. Take advantage of sales.

3) Pull out your Easter decorations and herald in the new life of Spring. Martha Stewart has some great decoration ideas. Here's a link.

4) Plan an egg decorating party for the children in your life. Incorporate the story of Jesus Resurrection into your time together.

5) Make Resurrection cookies the night before Easter.

6) If you make Easter baskets, start picking up a few things each week to spread out the cost.

7) Watch the Passion of the Christ.

8) Consider attending a Sunrise Service this year. Get everyone to bed early on Saturday night and get up in time to celebrate like those first women at the tomb. Then come home to cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate before your regular service.

9) Invite a few extra people to join your family Easter dinner. Pick someone who might otherwise be alone.

10) This week, pray about inviting someone to join you at church on Easter Sunday. Then, extend the invitation as soon as possible.

How do you get ready for Easter? Please share your tips.

Grace & Peace,
Glynnis

How to plan a vacation

2011-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Advance planning for family vacations saves money, stress and time. Plus, you avoid the regrets of missing out on something amazing.

Although I'm the organized one in our household, my husband is the vacation planner. I think he's got a great retirement side job in planning and organizing vacations for people. Here are some of the ways he plans our vacations:

1) Guide books.   First, check out what's available at the library. There are so many brand names of travel books, that you'll want to see what you like. The ones we use most are Frommers and Fodors. Then, we recommend purchasing one or two so you can take them with you.

2) Trip Advisor.  Once we've got an idea of what activities sound interesting, we'll often check it out on Trip Advisor to see what others have to say. The Internet is a wealth of travel information.

3) Create a daily schedule. We just pencil in the highlights we want to do or see. This saves us the heartache of showing up at a museum only to discover it's closed on Mondays.

4) Make reservations in advance. Because we plan far in advance, we will often purchase entry tickets months before we leave. This way we've spread out the expense of our trip. The downside is if you have to cancel. But that  hasn't happened yet that we haven't been able to get our money back.

One of the best planning investments we every made was buying The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. It bypassed the standard tourist information, and told you all the little details that would make our trip easier. Like what weeks attendance is lowest and what rides to go on in the morning. We had a magnificent time based on that advice.

What's your best planning advice? I'd love to hear it.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Plan your summer activities now

2011-03-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

It's not too early to make plans for the summer months. Even if your plans include a "stay-cation" get it on the calendar. Here's how we do it in our house.

1) Create blank calendars for the summer months. This can be done using Publisher or a calendar program. Or copying a calendar.

2) Enter in known commitments: church camp dates, summer programs, special events (weddings, birthdays).

3) Block out days you want to set aside for special family times (a picnic, day trip, weekend camping or trip to the mountains).

4) Start planning.

If you've got children in your life, these times are for more than fun. They are investments in family unity, a sense of identity, and will create memories that will stick with children all their lives. Wednesday I'll share some resources we use to plan our family times.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Creating a medical record book

2011-03-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

Last week my son Dylan had knee surgery. I've written about it on my other blog if you are interested. He's doing much better, and thank you for praying if you knew about it.

Throughout this entire experience, I've realized there are many details of Dylan's medical history that are blurry. Like did he break his hand or his wrist playing Pop Warner. Why did he have a knee x-ray a few years ago? And the biggest one was about his heart.

As Dylan was coming out of anesthesia, the supervising nurse asked me, "Has Dylan or any member of your family ever had any irregular heart issues?"

My maternal protective instinct wanted to yell, "WHY? WHAT'S WRONG!!??!!"

But I'm much more mature than that (ahem) and I calmly replied ... "well, he did see a cardiologist a few years ago for something that was heard at a sports physical. It was nothing."

Turns out Dylan was having frequent PVC's, which can be normal for an older person coming out of anesthesia, but not for a 17-year-old, and not as frequent or as long as they continued. They never stopped.

I got home and realized I couldn't put my finger on the piece of paper reporting what the cardiologist heard and said was normal in someone who is highly athletic. I know the records are in a box, along with that year's tax records ... whatever that year was.

It got me wishing I had kept a running medical journal on each member of our family. One book with information on everyone. It would help me when EACH YEAR at my annual exam I guess at the dates of my own benign breast biopsies. It's pitiful.

This book would have helped me see patterns of Robbie's ear infections as a toddler, and Josh's sinus headaches. I could also record medications my daughter has tried and why we stopped using them. I would remember who had a cast, when and why. And which specialty doctor we saw for what issue.

It's never too late to start a medical journal. This will involve some research for me to fill in some missing dates, but once I've done that, it's done. Hopefully it will save us frustration in the future.

Grace & Peace,
Glynnis

2011-03-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

Today I've got an article running on At the Well about how to pick the perfect planner. I love thinking about planners, reading about planners, picking one out and then admiring mine as it sits on my desk.

However, the key is to fully utilize my planner. When I worked outside the home, it was easier to use my planner. Now I have to be intentional with it.

Here is my biggest challenges in managing projects: remembering where I put important information.

That's why I love my planner by David Allen. He understands the importance of having safe places for all kinds of information. Once you learn the system, it gets easier. His book, Getting Things Done, changed my approach to organizing my schedule.

If you have a minute, pop over to At the Well. I know they'd love to have the visitors.

In His Love,

Glynnis

Do I live in a house of crumbs??!!??

2011-02-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

I seem to be in an ongoing battle against crumbs. They are everywhere. My kitchen table. Counter tops. Coffee table. And even under the dogs' food bowl.

Last week I noticed something interesting in my daily battle. After breakfast, I cleaned up some crumbs in one area of the counter. That was all I saw. But as the morning progressed, and the sun changed positions, the light revealed crumbs in another section. Grabbing the rag, I wiped those away too. By noon, the sun showed even more crumbs in different spots.

Crumbs covered my counter from the start. If I had taken a few moments to clean the entire counter, I wouldn't have had to go back repeatedly to finish the job right.

It got me thinking about how I often I stop short of doing something right the first time. Usually, I explain it away thinking I'll go back later and finish it. Which means I end up wasting time.

My time saving tip for today is do it right and complete the first time.

Clean the entire counter.
Sweep under the table.
Call everyone on the list.
Wash every pot and pan.
Iron everything in the basket.
Finish balancing your checkbook.
Go through every closet before donating outgrown clothes.

Of course, sometimes you only have time to complete part of the job. I'm not talking about those times. I'm talking about the times when you can finish something and you don't. Every time we push through to the end, we are training ourselves for excellence.

I'll end with some quotes:

It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Create cleaning procedures for each room

2011-02-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I mentioned my children and I have very different ideas of what it means to "clean" a bathroom.

I would send them to clean the bathroom, only to find soap scum on the sink, water spots on the mirror and gross stuff in other places. Realizing that "clean" is apparently subjective, I decided to create a bathroom cleaning procedure.

So I didn't miss anything, I took a notepad with me to clean my own bathroom. I wrote everything down, in the order it was done. Then I tweaked it, and made sure the language was specific and simple enough so there no misunderstanding.

The first time they had my list, I stayed close in order to clarify. Because somehow, "clean all parts of the toilet" still was open to interpretation. Hence even greater clarification. You'll note I clearly say not to clean the bowl.

This procedure list has come in handy, and I'd like to share it with you today.

Hope this sparks some ideas to ease communication and get your house clean. That's a win-win situation in my book.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

A little "spring cleaning" before & after

2011-02-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

The temperature hit 80 degrees yesterday, and I got a bit of "spring cleaning" fever. This winter, more than ever, I haven't felt like organizing any area of my home. That, added to the fact that I had a book due in December, meant that some areas got neglected.

But now I feel like tackling some ignored spots in my house. I'll try and take before and after pictures. Here's my first project: the shelf over my washer and dryer.

BEFORE

It's obviously cluttered here. On this one shelf I keep all my laundry supplies and most of my cleaning supplies. When I had babies, I moved my cleaning supplies out of reach and they have never gone back. Even though I don't have little ones now, I keep my home baby-safe in case I get a guest and forget.

You can also see that I have a bulletin board by the back door for coupons. These aren't grocery items, but mostly restaurant coupons. The plastic bag holds miscellaneous gift cards. I also put our library receipt here.

AFTER

Here's what I did:

Purchased stacking baskets at Walmart for $8.50.
Removed all items and cleaned shelf
Sorted items by area of use: bathroom, carpet, laundry, general cleaning
Put small items in the lower basket, including dust rags
Put seldom-used items in the top basket
Stored bathroom cleaning supplies in a separate basket for easy travel to that room
Replaced other products, keeping like items together
Removed expired coupons; recycled those
Cleaned tops of washer & dryer and walls

Another item that's up there, just not visible, is a cleaning check-list for the bathrooms. Once I realized my children and I had very different opinions on what constituted a "clean" bathroom, I created a step-by-step list of what should be done, put it in a plastic page protector, and put that in a clipboard. On Thursday, I'll show you what that looks like in case you'd like to create your own.

Do you have any tips on organizing a laundry room? Please share.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

How to never lock your keys in your car again.

2011-02-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

Do you ever walk out of the house in a hurry, then spend your entire day worrying if you remembered to turn off the oven? Or the iron? Or feed the cat?

Perhaps one of the worst feelings of all is locking your keys in the car.

Years ago I learned a memory trick that helps me immensely. It's called "The Pause." It's a simple trick that takes us off auto-pilot and engages us for just enough time to move something into our short-term memory.

Here's how it works: Say what you are doing out loud.

For example, when I run an errand, as I'm getting out of the car, I say to myself with keys in my hand, "I've got my keys." After years of doing this, sometimes I say it in my head. But when I first started, I always said it out loud.

As I'm leaving the house, I might say to myself: The oven is off. or The dogs have water. or The lights are off. or I'm locking the door.

Then, an hour later, when the thought pops into my head, "Did I turn off the oven?" I remember what I've done.

Of course, the danger is people will think you are a little cuckoo by talking to yourself, but it's better than locking your keys in the car.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Getting ready with kids around

2011-02-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

Ever since my children were small, getting ready to leave the house has been a challenge.

If I got them ready first, then something ALWAYS happened while I tried to finish myself. Seems kids have a radar for knowing when Mom is preoccupied. That's the time when boredom can set in quickly, and they start fiddling for something short-term to do.

Most moms of boys have had to change them twice before leaving the house for church!!! Boys find dirt.

Of course, there's always the TV. But I've found another way to keep kids occupied - at least those who can hold a crayon. Workbooks.

I went to the dollar store and stocked up on fun workbooks. Word searches, puzzles and coloring books sit in a special place. Now, when I need my younger ones focused, I pull them out and set them within view. Quiet comes over the house, and I can get ready. And they are learning skills.

It's one option to add to your arsenal of creative ideas for bringing order to your mornings.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Establishing a sweet and simple gift box

2011-02-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

It's the weirdest things about gifts. I'm happy to receive something small, and yet I always feel that I should give more. For example, I love getting little things like:

A bar of lavendar soap
A $5 gift card to Starbucks (one Venti Caramel Macchiato - thank you very much!)
A kitchen soap from Bath and Body Works
A magnetic list pad (BTW - Michael's has the most adorable Mary Englebreit ones for $1.00!)
A pretty pen
A pair of socks
A monogramed note pad (Thanks Sharon S. - I love what you gave me at She Speaks last year)

My friend Barb once gave me a fancy frosted cookie for my birthday. It was something I wouldn't normally buy for myself and I loved it.

This idea that I should give more, holds me back from giving anything some time. I often feel as if it isn't enough. I've got to get over this!!!

This year, I'm working on just that. And keeping a well stocked box of sweet and simple gifts is one way I can be more organized and thoughtful at the same time. So I've started picking up these little items when I have a few extra dollars. I've got lots of girlfriends that would love to get something cute ... and to know I'm thinking of her.

Question: What are some of your favorite sweet and simple gifts to give or receive?

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Never forget a birthday

2011-02-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

Even though I'm not a big birthday-party gal, I love it when someone remembers my birthday. Even an email letting me know they are thinking of me makes my day.

So every year, I try to do the same for others. I've tried a perpetual birthday calendar, but it's hard to keep that up-to-date when you've got lots of birthdays, or when people fall off your circle of acquaintances.

Since I'm a computer-based woman, I now use two ways to remember birthdays. First is Birthday Alarm. This is a free service that sends me reminders of upcoming birthdays. I control how many reminders and when they are sent.

There's a minor problem with Birthday Alarm. Not the program - but with me using the program. Between the first and second reminders, I forget whether or not I sent something to the birthday person. I could handle this by changing to one reminder, and deleting it when I've attended to it. But I've got a better plan in the works.

I'm now transitioning my birthday reminders to Outlook. What I love about Outlook is I can set birthdays to repeat every year, plus also set a reminder. I can make a note to myself what I sent and when I sent it. And sync it all to my phone in case I'm travelling.

Check back on Friday for my favorite things to receive and send for birthdays.

Question: What are your tips for remembering birthdays?

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Saying "no" with grace

2011-01-31T01:00:00.000-08:00

NO. Although there are only two letters in the word - "n" and "o" - when put together, they are apparently very difficult for some women to say.

Saying "yes" too many times, leads to a very cluttered life. Here are a few tips for saying "no" with grace.

If you know the answer is going to be "no," then offer it quickly. Delaying an answer only adds an underlying stress to your life.
Keep your response simple. A complicated response sounds like you are making excuses.
Keep your response truthful. There's always a way to speak the truth with love. If telling the full truth would be painful (For example - I don't like you!), then look at the bigger picture. Perhaps a simple response that you are trying to focus on existing priorities or simplify your schedule could be appropriate.
Close the door completely. Don't say, "I'll trying to make it." Or, "Maybe we can stop by later." People see right through these comments. Just close the door now so you can move forward.

I've found that write myself scripts for saying "no" helps. I've got a few I use that are simple, honest and complete. For example, if someone asks me to help with a project that I don't have time or interest for, I might answer:

I’m trying to be a better steward of my time. As important as this request is, I hope you understand, but I need to decline.

Most people can understand this type of an answer. And there's no way to argue with it.

Over-commitment is a rampant problem for women today. If we learned to say "no" better, I'm confident we would be on our way to becoming more productive women.

Question: What are your tips for saying "no" with grace?

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis