2012 Olympcis - Closing Ceremonies

Closing Ceremonies

 

You have worked hard, achieved your goal, received your medals and now it is time to reflect on all that you have accomplished and plan for the future.

                                     

Let’s consider what your closing ceremonies at home or at the office could look like each day?

Home:

• Lunches packed for tomorrow (make enough for dinner each night to cover lunches the next day)
• School Bags at the door
• Cell phones charging
• Where are your keys?
• Ensure counters are cleaned off
• Sink is empty and dishes are away
• Pull your wardrobe out for the day ahead
• What is on the menu for dinner tomorrow – do you need to pull something out of the freezer?
• Check the calendar and make your “To Do” list for the day ahead

Office:

• Stop answering the phone one hour prior to quitting
• Review your “To-Do” list for the day and spend time planning for tomorrow
• File any paperwork that has been completed
• Clean out your email inbox (do not answer, just clean out, file or delete)
• Wipe down your desk and computer screen

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The Organizing Olympics, Day 16 - The Garage Triathalon

These Garage Solutions can be found at Canadian Tire

Day 16 The Garage Triathlon

This event is an all-day team sport and each member of the team is responsible for the success of the win!   You may even want to bring in a few “ringers” from another team to help out with this one.

                                     

The events in this Triathlon comprise of the following three main components:

• Clear Out the Garage

• Sort Like Items Together

• Restore Order

We are going to go beyond the usual 15 minute timer for this event since it really will take most people a good chunk of their day to complete.

Elfa Garage Storage System

Set your timer for 60 minutes and begin removing all items from the garage.    As your team members, take the contents out to the driveway, or lawn, keep like items together such as:

• Lawn maintenance,

• Car Maintenance,

• Kids toys, etc….  

Stop to take a break, have a drink and perhaps a snack and get right back at it.

Once everything is sorted by category, follow the rules below and make decisions.

1. Continue to Keep “like” items together
2. Donate any items that you have not used the past year
3. Determine how many of each item you need? 

Now that the garage is empty, sweep up the debris, knock down any cobwebs, and if possible, power-wash the floor.

Assess the items you are keeping and ask yourself again do I need this?  

• Do you need more shelving?
• Do you need some bins? (I recommend using clear so you can see what is inside),
• Can anything be suspending from the ceiling? (bikes or hanging storage racks)

 

Start putting your items back into the garage keeping all like items together and label everything.

Anything that you are not keeping should either be tossed or donated.

Remember to use your timer to ensure you take a break every hour or so and to keep yourself focused and moving.

Your team crosses the finish line when the items are all back in the clean and organized garage, the donate bag and items have been put in the trunk and get your medal when it is dropped off at Salvation Army/Goodwill.

Garage storage solution images are from Elfa and Canadian Tire  

Need help planning and implementing your garage project?   We can help!

The Organizing Olympics, Day 15: The Closet Crawl

Day 15 The Closet Crawl  

This event is an individual or a team sport depending upon whose closet you are taking on in your competition.    

For this event you will need:

1. A good supply of hangers.   I prefer wooden hangers with a bar across the bottom (good for both pants and tops) I also like it when the hanger has grooves in the top to help stop camisoles and tanks from slipping off the hanger.   I find having one uniform hanger in the cupboard creates a visual sense of order.
2. Your Timer
3. Donation Bag or Box
4. Repair Bag or Box

The rules of this Crawl Event are as follows:

Keep “like” items together

Donate any items that you have not worn in the past year
Determine how many of each item you need?  White blouses, Black Slacks
Does it fit?

Do you like it?

Will you wear it this year?

Does it need repair before you will wear it?   Put it in a bag to go the tailors for repair.

Set your timer for 15 minutes and begin removing items from the closet.   Use the bed as your sorting zone.  Work one section of the closet at a time and sort into categories as you go.  Once everything has been sorted into categories, follow the rules above and make decisions.

If this is your closet, try on anything you are not sure about but keep focused on the task. 

If it is your child’s closet, have them try on clothes as you go.  

Anything that does not fit, put directly into a donate bag.

Take a break if needed and then set your timer for another 15 minutes.

Here is a link to a great folding video on YouTube    It will help you maximize the space in your closet and allow you to see what you own in an organized and unified manner.

Remember to use your timer to ensure you take a break and to keep yourself focused and moving.

You cross the finish line when the donate bag and items to repair bags and been put in the trunk and get your medal when it is dropped off at Salvation Army/Goodwill or the tailors for repair.

If you would like some one-on-one organizing assistance, our Minute-By-Minute Organizing Program may be for you!

So, as you may have noticed -  The Organizing Olympics took a little hiatus mid-event due to some illnesses in the family.   Everyone is good now and life is ramping back up.   Thanks for the patience everyone.

The Organizing Olympics, Day 14: Dresser Drawer Diving

Day 14 Dresser Drawer Diving  

This event is an individual or a team sport depending upon whose dresser drawers you are taking on in your competition.   

The rules of this Diving Event are as follows:

Keep “like” items together

Donate any items that you have not used in the past year
Determine how many of each item you need?  Jeans, T-shirts, Socks?
Does it fit?

Will you wear it this year?

Set your timer for 15 minutes and begin removing items from the dresser drawers.   Use the bed as your sorting zone.  Work one drawer at a time and sort into categories as you go.  Once everything has been sorted into categories, follow the rules above and make decisions.

If this is your dresser, try on anything you are not sure about but keep focused on the task. 

If it is your child’s room, have them try on clothes as you go.  

Anything that does not fit, put directly into a donate bag.

Take a break if needed and then set your timer for another 15 minutes.

Here is a link to a great folding video on YouTube.   It will help you maximize the space in your drawers and allow you to see everything that is in the drawer in one quick glance

Remember to use your timer to ensure you take a break and to keep yourself focused and moving.

You cross the finish line when the donate bag and been put in the trunk and get your medal when it is dropped off at Salvation Army or Goodwill.

To learn more about organizing and the services we offer at Adventures in Organizing, please visit our website

The Organizing Olympics, Day 13: Linen Closet Cycling

Day 13 Linen Closet Cycling

This event is an individual sport and you will be standing on the podium in no time!   

Cycling involves endurance and quick thinking. Knowing where your competition is at all times is critical.     Your competition in this race is the contents of your closet.

The rules of this event are as follows:

1.       Keep “like” items together

2.       Donate any items that you have not used in the past 2 years
3.       Determine how many of each item you need
4.       Clean the shelves

Set your timer for a 15 minute and begin removing items from the closet.   Begin first by putting all the towels together, all the sheets together, all the table linens together, all the pillows etc…

Pull everything off the shelf and make some quick decisions.  

    

• How old is it? Is it full of holes  - Toss
• Do you like it? If not, recycle
• How many do you need?  2 sets of sheets per bed + perhaps a set of winter flannels
• Is this the best shelf in the pantry for this item?

·         Do you use it?   If not, recycle.    Even if you like an item but never use it, consider donating it to Goodwill and allow someone the pleasure of actually using it.

Now that you have decided how many sheets per person, you are going to use.   Consider which shelf in the closet would be best – easy access is important for frequently used items.  High and low, shelves are usually best for seldom-used items.  Wash off the shelf and start putting items on the shelves.   Store each sheet set inside the pillowcase for the set.   Label the section of shelf “Twin” “Double” or “Queen” depending on your needs so everyone in the family can find what they need and put things away properly

Do the same for towels.   Decide how many per person you need.   How many facecloths, how many hand towels and then choose the shelf.   Label the shelf.   I like to use binder clips on my shelves so I can move the labels around as the needs change.   See image below.

Use your timer to ensure you take a break and to keep yourself focused and moving.

You cross the finish line when the donate bag and been put in the trunk and get your medal when it is dropped of at Salvation Army or Goodwill.

If you need help getting your closets organized, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can design a program or package just for you!