Does your dresser or vanity [...]]]> Once again I would like to share my Organizing Column from the KV Style magazine. It is sometimes a gals worst nightmare and can be a health issue as well. I hope that you find the expiry dates on cosmetics to be helpful.

Have you reached the Beauty Routine Storage limit?

Does your dresser or vanity look like it has been dusted with pink, blue or brown powder? …yes that is the residue from the makeup du jour. How about the flat irons, straight irons, curling irons in 4 different barrel sizes and the hair dryer with the diffuser that looks like a mass of cords? What about the polish…oh not the stuff for the floors….the stuff for the fingers and toes?

Just like any other organizing project, it is fun to think about the vanity of your dreams. Check online and look through magazines to find ideas of what you want your Dream Vanity to look and feel like.

Spend a bit of time doing some planning.

Take some of the ideas from your dreaming and scheming and create a mini vision board with pictures, colors and ideas that you can use in your own home. We may not all have glossy magazine homes but it is quite easy to create the same look and feel on a dime…I know you can…there are many TV shows that do this on a very tight budget or with no budget and a bit of creative flair.

Next you need to gather all beauty routine items together

The make up, hair stuff and nail care items and sort so all the like items are together. Don’t forget to take a peek in the bathroom vanity, linen closet and the bedroom to gather it all up…yes I mean all the beauty items….leave no stone or should I say emery board unturned.

Now the big purge…yes I said purge.

I am not sure if you are aware of it but anything that you put on your body has an expiry date. It may not say it on the package or item but there are some standard guidelines you can follow.

Make-Up best before dates

• Mascara – 3 months, don’t pump as it adds air and bacteria
• Cream eye shadow or blush  – 6 to 12 months
• Cleansers, moisturizers and toners- 6 to 12 months. Tubes or pumps are better due to reduced exposure to air.
• Liquid Foundation- 1 year
• Powder Foundation,  eye shadow or blush – 1 year
• Lipstick – 1 to 2 years
• Sunscreen- 1 year after opening

Refrigeration will actually extend the shelf life of your cosmetics. Keep your brushes free from contamination with regular cleaning.

Hair care best before dates

• Shampoo, conditioner, gels and mousse – 12 months after opening. They won’t damage your hair but they do lose their effectiveness.

Nail Care best before dates

• Nail polish – 1 year
• Polish remover – indefinitely

Makeup and Nail care Storage

A simple cutlery tray or a variety of containers will do the trick. You can get low end plastic options at the dollar store or visit Winners for sleek high end wood and cloth box options.

Curling/Straightening irons;

Here are few creative options; a wastebasket to stand them all in, cloth shoe holder that hangs over the door, stainless steel kitchen utensil bar to hang multiple items from.

If you are a visual person like me and want your everyday items organized so you can see them, then open storage is best for you.

If you prefer things tucked away then use the recommended storage ideas and tuck the organized items in a great looking cabinet, closet or box that will get it out of eyesight.

This simple organizing project could save you valuable minutes in the morning…reducing your morning stress and starting your day in a beautiful way!

Over the past seven years I have had the pleasure of sharing my [...]]]> Here is the article from the KV Style magazine from the June 26th edition.  A subject that I am very passionate about and get on a soap box quite frequently when in presentations to local service groups. You can read it online here.

Over the past seven years I have had the pleasure of sharing my organizing expertise with many people from retired veterans to corporate executives. I am amazed that the same question pops up at each session regardless of the audience. It is something that you probably have on your mind as well. Are you ready for this million dollar question?

How do I let go of my stuff, stuff that has history attached to it?

The stuff  that was received as a gift, perhaps passed down by a family member or stuff that is being kept because it was expensive ?

During the excess of the nineties people bought and bought…because it was all about having stuff. Some how we began to associate our stuff with our self worth…the stuff that fills our home, office and our time.

Here we are in the 21^st century and we want to move forward in our life. We know that the things that we had in the past worked then, but they really don’t fit who we are today.

Intellectually we know that we need to cut the clutter but in our hearts we can’t let go.

Here is a new way to think about the things that you are holding on to for sentimental reasons. For you it is sentimentality…for someone else it may be about survival.

For as long as I have been sharing my expertise I have also been sharing information on where to donate our gently used things. Places like homeless shelters, food banks, churches and service associations have been receiving the generous donations that I make on behalf of my clients. I am still touched by the gratefulness of the receivers of your generosity. Your beloved items that you are keeping for sentimental reasons that are stored in boxes in the basement of your comfortable home suddenly become the house wares that a homeless family uses to start over again.

It was clutter to you.…. It is survival for them.

If you are ready and willing to move on and let go, here are some places where you can donate your stuff and help others at the same time:

• Books can be donated to the 5^th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Book sale up until August 21^st.  Drop off your books at any Saint John Sobeys location. (all book types except encyclopedias, textbooks and magazines
• Towels and blankets can be donated to the local animal shelter as well as food, toys, brooms and laundry soap. Contact them for further information 642-0920.
• Clothing and Household items can be picked up by community living, making it very convenient. Call them at 642-5511.
• The Saint John Boys and Girls Club are always looking for socks, shoes and various items for the preschool daycare. As well as beds and furniture.
• Women’s and children’s clothing as well as hotel toiletries can be taken to the local women’s shelter.
• Cellular phones can be donated to The Charitable Recycling Program of Canada with drop off locations at Value Village in Saint John.  http://www.charitablerecycling.ca/CA/newbrunswick.asp
• If you have any antiquities contact your local museum to see if they want to add it to their collection.
• Your great-grandmothers period clothing may be just what your local theatre company is searching for.

Be sure to ask for a donation receipt when you are dropping off.

I would like to leave you this week with a very thought provoking video that was produced several years ago and has reached over 10 million viewers. It is The Story of Stuff. Watch it now…

Canada Day, previously know as Dominion Day has been celebrated “from far and wide” here in Canada since 1867 when the British Colonies came together to become this great country we call CANADA. For most of us it will be [...]]]> Happy Canada Day to all of our Canadian friends and to everyone else…a happy July 1st.

Canada Day, previously know as Dominion Day has been celebrated “from far and wide” here in Canada since 1867 when the British Colonies came together to become this great country we call CANADA. For most of us it will be a day of beach parties, barbeques, community fairs and fireworks. A real kick off to the summer months.

For this months Watercooler I will be taking you across Canada to introduce some amazing Canadians who have helped shape the Organizing industry and have been a big influence on my life. They are all Silver Leaf members of Professional Organizers in Canada and I consider all if them friends.

British Columbia

Elinor Warkentin of Goodbye Clutter is one of the reasons that I am actually in this industry. Back in 2003 I read the most interesting article about a gal from BC who grew up in a Mennonite community. Her story made me think of all the organizing I had done as a child and to this day I look forward to seeing Elinor’s beautiful smile at conferences. Take a minute to check out her site and to follow her on twitter.

Alberta

Shelly Morrison of Clutter Cutter is  Western Canada’s first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization. That is no small feat, it has taken Shelly years of education and hands on work to achieve this designation. With this specialized training she works with Hoarders which you have probably seen on the recent shows about hoarding. Not an issue to be taken lightly and people like Shelly are there to help…bravo to you! Shelly is someone I can look at eye to eye if you know what I mean….we are both vertically challenged and I like that about her

Manitoba

Morva Bowman of  Masters of Time and Space has been organizing Winnipeg since 2001. We met at my first organizing conference in 2004 and I immediately fell in love with Morva’s sense of fun. I look  forward to seeing what color hair Morva will be sporting each year at conference. I also had the pleasure of sitting on our National Board together in 2004-05.  Morva has been a mentor and an inspiration to me over the past 7 years.

Ontario

Jane Woolsey of  Professional Organizers.com is the Past President of  Professional Organizers in Canada as well as the 2009 winner of the Harold Taylor Award . Jane is a leader, a mentor, a teacher and a friend. I received my introduction to the world of professional organizing with a 3 day training program that Jane and former business partner Debra Milne offered. It was the foundation for my career and thankfully Jane is still offering this amazing opportunity to others who want to enter the professional organizing industry.

Hellen Buttigieg of We organize U is someone who I have admired from afar for many years. Hellen has been inspiring people to conquer clutter since 2003 as the host of the Gemini nominated show neat and with her recent book launch. Hellen is a busy mom with lots on the go and manages to maintain balance…I think this is why busy mom’s connect with her because they know she has walked a mile in their shoes…thanks for paving a path for the rest of us.

Clare Kumar of Streamlife inspires me with her energy, ideas and creativity. I had the pleasure of a lovely lunch with Clare and another pal Marlo Nikkila on a recent trip to the big city…yes that would be Toronto. Clare is a busy gal with her hands in many organizing pots. She has been on the talk Show Stephen & Chris to share her organizing tips.  She writes for Staples and Canadian Tire and has made her Shopping channel debut. Clare is on my list of Organizers to Watch for 2010.

Nova Scotia

Colette Robicheau of Organizing Anything is my good friend and conference buddy. In 2006 we shared a room, some crackers and lots of giggles at the NAPO conference in Boston. In 2007 we shared a room in Johannesburg South Africa where we both had the pleasure of speaking at the POAA conference. Wow…I still can’t believe that we travelled halfway across the world and had the pleasure of speaking to our peers at the Professional Organizers Association of Africa  Conference. We tried new foods, drank some South African wine and met the most amazing people that opened their homes and hearts to the  Canadian girls.

And last but certainly not least Kim Eagles….my business partner and friend. In 2007 we embarked on a journey to bring affordable organizing help to the market. Through our professionally produced Home Organizing Videos we did just that. With over 60 minutes of How-to videos and 70 pages of worksheets and e-book tips we have created a product that is affordable, easy to follow and available instantly as a download. Want to preview it now

I hope that you find the people I have introduced to be as interesting and informative as I have found them to be.

Happy Canada Day from the Shannon and the Eagles families…enjoy!

Think about how you feel when you come home to a messy kitchen or arrive daily to work in an [...]]]> Please enjoy this weeks column from the KV Style Magazine. You can read the article here or read it online

Over the past few years I have clearly seen the connection between the inner and outer clutter in life.

Think about how you feel when you come home to a messy kitchen or arrive daily to work in an office that makes you feel less than motivated. Your environment has a direct impact on your inner well being.

The more I learn about stuff and the connections that we have to our things I realize that the organizing industry is about so much more than de-cluttering. It is about letting go of the past; past failures, successes, relationships, regrets and memories. By holding on so tight to the past it is hard to move into the present and in the direction of your future. Living this way is like driving the car while looking in the rear view mirror…you might be able to do it for a few seconds but soon enough you are going to crash.

Perhaps it is time to start looking forward.

I have an awesome library full of organizing resources.  This week I want to share some words of inspiration from a few selected books, words that will hopefully inspire you to move forward.

If you want to create your ideal home, office and life…pay attention to where the clutter and stuff show up, then you can better assess how to let go and move forward.

May is traditionally the unofficial start to summer. The time when we can [...]]]> On this last day of the Month of May I would love to share my recent column from KV Style Magazine on the importance of planning and preparation for the upcoming Summer Break. You can read the article online or right here.

May is traditionally the unofficial start to summer. The time when we can get out into the garden and nurture relationships with plants we have not seen for months. When lazy days on the golf course and backyard bonfires become more than just a distant dream.

For most of us the end of the school year is a busy time with wrap up activities – dance performances, NB Music Festival, recitals…. How can you even think of the lazy days of summer when you are on a schedule like this? You really have to; once the spring activities are over the summer activities are right there in front of you. Summer is a special time of year and our Eastern Canadian ones are so short. You don’t want to miss out on all the fun things that you can do and see because you didn’t get organized and plan ahead of time.

Here are some helpful tips to get a jump start on organizing and planning your summer activities;

• Start with the big picture. Grab your June – September calendar and determine what time you have available to enjoy 2010 summer.

• Next you need to time block. What weeks have you booked for vacations? What weeks are the children booked for summer camps? Oops, have I opened a can of worms. If you haven’t booked the summer camps yet you need to do this sooner rather than later. The popular camps fill up early and you don’t want to be looking at last minute alternatives.

• Have a family meeting and ask the important question. What do you want to do this summer? What if Sara wants to play soccer and Brad wants to play baseball, but they both practice on Tuesday night—at different ends of town. Do you want to be running all over town all summer? Is car pooling a possibility? Make a plan.

• What about the actual summer vacation? Was there something that you wanted to do last year and just didn’t get around to it? Plan as a family, do some research online and make this a real family event from start to finish.

• Have you thought about summer childcare for when the wee ones are not in school? Are they under 12 and need all day supervision or are you going to be dealing with bored teenagers? There are many options from day camps to volunteer activities and summer jobs that can be investigated.

• Do you have a summer budget? This time of year can be a very costly yet with proper planning you will be able to manage your money as well as the expectations of your family. Take into account the cost of entertaining, special gatherings, summer camps and the overall cost of the Family Vacation.

Lastly, remember that Organizing Today Saves Time Tomorrow...it could also save you some money and add peace of mind this summer.

Last month we surveyed our readers and the results were awesome, thank you to all who shared their thoughts with us we appreciate it very much. The survey has given us direction in how we move forward with the Watercooler.  It is now a monthly post instead of a weekly one and we have [...]]]> Hello Everyone,

Last month we surveyed our readers and the results were awesome, thank you to all who shared their thoughts with us we appreciate it very much. The survey has given us direction in how we move forward with the Watercooler.  It is now a monthly post instead of a weekly one and we have had requests for more organizing tips and yes…contests.

Enjoy this May Issue of the Watercooler and what is happening to help you on your journey to get more organized.

Happy Birthday OrgJunkie

First off  we want to start by wishing our good Friend Laura the OrgJunkie a very Happy Blog  Birthday, she is celebrating the 4th year of her blog and I can tell you she has been an amazing supporter to us personally and a go to gal for ideas in the organizing industry- I am sure all her readers can attest to the amazing information she provides on her blog and we wish her many more Birthdays to come. Happy 4th Birthday Laura!

Garage Organizing

You want more tips…and we want to deliver. Check out this recent post…Garage Sale 101, Clear out the clutter and make some cash.

Inspiration

I know organizing is a tough subject and often the major task in trying to get organized in  just getting started.  For that I have some inspiration for you to show you that it is NEVER to late to START anything you put your mind to…watch this video of an 80 year auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent…she will Blow you away and teach you to live with NO REGRETS, I absolutely LOVE her laugh as well:

Overcome Procrastination

For those of you who have a really hard time getting started I have discovered in the past year this awesome gal who can help you overcome your procrastination issues through Hypnosis, sounds kind of funky but I can tell you from personal experience…it works! I had the pleasure of meeting Wendi last Summer in Vegas at a conference and have been getting help on many issues ever since. Check her out at  WendiTV to see live broadcasts and also check out her Do It NOW! End Procrastination program:

Awesome Organizing Book

‘Organizing Your Home…In No Time’  is one of my all time favorite organizing books, it is easy to follow and has fabulous tips and tricks to getting any home in tip top shape. Check it out and get your copy today:

We love sharing information so if  you have any organizing tips, tricks, news, product launches or links you would like to share please leave us your comments or email us to be included in an edition of Around the Watercooler.

Oh and before we forget…a little shameless self promotion…last month we were interviewed for the Financial Post magazine about our entrepreneurial journey and on May 4th our interview was published…read the article here.

Happy Organizing,

Sincerely

Kim and Elaine

Having a time-sensitive [...]]]> Here is my latest column for the KVStyle magazine for the Organize Column. With Garage sale season upon us the tips are timely for exchanging cash for your clutter…to read the article online click here.

A garage sale is an excellent way to clear out clutter and make some money at the same time.

Having a time-sensitive event is a good way to motivate you to complete a task.

Many years before having my first over-the-top garage sale ($2,000 in one day) I did a lot of research. The research was years of attending rummage sales, garage sales, yard sales and tag sales… immersing myself into the world of buying and selling treasures.

Garage sale junkies are up and at it early with a plan prepared long before the garage door opens. It is an art form. Finding that coveted purchase makes the whole day worthwhile.

At garage sales first impressions do count. Having a great sale or a “drive by” is all in the planning. It could mean the difference between clearing out the clutter or packing it all back up at the end of the day.

Here are five key steps to elevate your garage sale from “drive by” to “must see”:

1. Set aside time to prepare for the sale by going room by room and clearing out the unused/unloved/unwanted stuff. Remember, your clutter is someone else’s treasure. Make the event worthy of your time and the buyer’s time.

2. Get others involved and have a community garage sale or have your sale during a town-wide event. This cuts down on your ad costs… yes, there is a cost. Place an ad in the local paper and make it interesting by mentioning a few of the key items. The diehards will already be on the road with their Friday paper before the Saturday paper even arrives. So place your ad in both editions.

3. Attract attention with brightly coloured signs that provide the address and the time of the sale. Use several sturdy signs with a post so you can be sure it will stand out and stay in place. This is also good for the environment as it can be reused. Post the signs by 4 p.m. the day before the sale; you want people to add it to their agenda for Saturday. (P.S. don’t forget to pick up your signs after the sale.) If you are lucky you will get a few earlybirds on Friday. Yes, let them in and let them buy; this is a garage sale not a garage show.

4. Sell good stuff… not garbage or broken things. Broken is just broken; if it is garbage then throw it out. If it does has some life left in it have a free box at the end of the driveway and give it away. As I said earlier “Your clutter is someone else’s treasure.” Make sure it is treasure worthy.

5. Make it easy for people to shop at your garage sale. Clearly mark the prices on the items. People like to know what the prices are without having to ask. Group similar items together like clothing/books/dishes and have a price list above or near the items for quick reference.

You can organize a successful garage sale when you have the right plan of action. Garage sale season has officially started. Now go and organize, advertise and sell!

Paper Paper everywhere…oh what do I do with all [...]]]> With tax season just behind us….I thought I would share a recent article that I wrote for the KV Style Magazine for the March 20th edition.   I hope you enjoy it and will use the tips to prepare you for next year’s Income tax season.

Paper Paper everywhere…oh what do I do with all the paper?

Is the paper in your home localized to the kitchen counter or has it managed to spread itself throughout the house. Is it perhaps hiding in one of these spots?

• Bedroom closet, night stands, dresser drawers and floor.
• Family room cupboards, end tables and floor.
• Living room coffee table, chairs and under furniture.
• Dining room table is a great big flat surface that is most times used for paper storage.
• Mudroom cupboards.

Why does it do this? Because paper isn’t just one thing – it’s bills, it’s flyers, it’s magazines, permission slips, information sheets, calendars… And when something has so many possible storage places, unless you’re ruthless in maintaining it, paper ends up homeless and therefore shoved out of the way when company comes.

Tackling this issue is as simple as grabbing a simple laundry basket and collecting all loose paper; including magazines, newspapers, manuals, warrantees, homework, and all other individual pieces of paper. This may take some time but is quite necessary for the new system that you are going to create for the storage and organization of the paper.

As you sort the paper that you have gathered use the 4 D’s of paper management to help with the purge.

Deal

• Open all mail as soon as you receive it, or at least batch it and do it once a week
• If the piece of paper has an action associated with it, do the action right away if you can
• If you can’t do it immediately, schedule when you’ll deal with it and store the piece of paper in a “Waiting Action” file

Decide

• Sort all paper (including the mail) as it comes into the home.
• To be dealt with
• Information only
• Pleasure
• Or whatever categories you’ve come up with

Deposit

• Is it recycling, something that you need to keep for income tax or legal reasons and just needs to be filed or do you need to do something with it?
• As you deal with each item, store it where it belongs
• Remember that some active papers (like magazines and school information) will be active but stored in the “Waiting Action” file

Destroy

• Recycle junk mail and magazines
• Shred anything that contains financial or address information that is not needed.
• Whenever possible, use a one-in/one-out rule for your files, reducing the need for larger periodic purges. Things like old phone bills that you will have the last 12 months of.

For more paper wrangling tips visit OrganizingConnection.com

Elaine Shannon and Kimberly Eagles don’t care for clutter. A visit to their company’s website [...]]]> May 4th, News when it is newsworthy…We are in the Financial Post Magazine today. This paper is a division of the National Post newspaper. Please enjoy this article and we hope you can learn from our successes and our mistakes…

Elaine Shannon and Kimberly Eagles don’t care for clutter. A visit to their company’s website is a testament to that: its very clean. Which is good, considering the pair are the founders of Organizing Connection, a firm that sells online videos to teach the secrets of professional home organizers — goodbye cluttered kitchens, closets and bedrooms — to the rest of us.

The work-at-home-moms have run Organizing Connection for the past two years, with Shannon based in Rothesay, N.B., and Eagles in Moncton, N.B. “The idea was to create videos that people could download to learn how to organize their homes, says Shannon. “Instead of hiring an organizer or buying a book, it’s visual learning, which was absent until we hit the market.” The company is in a growth phase now, targeting new customers and negotiating to get their videos stocked on the shelves of a major multi-national retail chain. But in getting to this point, Shannon and Eagles learned a few hard organizational lessons of their own — the most important being how to organize a launch.

They thought they had it all worked out back in 2008 when the company debuted. Shannon and Eagles had selected the National Association of Professional Organizers conference in Reno, Nev…..Read the rest of the article: