Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling...

To remind those of you who forgot, Ready Aim Organize is located in the great state of Maryland. And for those of you who lived under a rock this past weekend the Mid-Atlantic was hit with a record breaking snow storm on Saturday. Officially the storm was a blizzard (a blizzard is defined by heavy snow with rates of 1 inch per hour, visibility below 1/4 mile, and winds sustained (or frequent gusts) at 35 mph for 3 consecutive hours). The storm in fact was a blizzard! We also received over 30 inches of heavy, wet, cold snow. It was SnOw unbelievable! I have never seen so much snow in all my life. And I’ll be fine if I never do again!

If you live in a region that could get snow – regardless of the amount – it’s important that you are ready. Be prepared for snow. Create an emergency kit. Your snow emergency kit should include rock salt, snow shovels (more than one, plastic shovels can break easily), blankets, flashlight, and nonperishable food. When shoveling stay hydrated. It was a great workout moving all that snow off the driveway but also very exhausting. Listen to the news and government officials regarding the weather and road conditions. Governor Martin O’Malley described it best on Saturday morning when he said driving in a blizzard is like surfing in a hurricane, you just don’t do it. This was well said! Visit Ready.gov for more information about an emergency kit, creating a plan and being informed. When the next snow storm comes, use caution and be prepared! I know I will be!

Enjoy the pictures of the snow…I’m still in shock we had over 30” of snow!

What is your favorite memory of the 2010 Blizzard?

This is what I saw when I entered my kitchen on Saturday morning. Rise and shine - time to shovel!

The snow weighing down trees.

My husband's car buried under the snow

Organizing your Home Library
Whether you have just a few books or your collection rivals the Library of Congress organizing and taking care of your books is important so they are easy to find and easy to use. First take inventory of your collection. Only keep your favorites or books you have yet to read. If you don’t enjoy…
Cabin Fever Cures
February is here. Is it me or does the shortest month of the year seem like the longest? The cold temperatures, wind and snow have been pounding us since November. If you’re my friend Lindsay who has an ocean front condo in Florida then you might not remember what I’m referring to! But for…

Books on a shelf

Whether you have just a few books or your collection rivals the Library of Congress organizing and taking care of your books is important so they are easy to find and easy to use. First take inventory of your collection. Only keep your favorites or books you have yet to read. If you don’t enjoy reading or do not make time to read then maybe you can reduce your collection significantly. Space in most homes is limited so only make room for the items you love and need. Arrange books in logical groupings that work for you and your family - color, theme, title, audience, etc. Keep children’s books at their eye level and they will be more likely to read.

Remove any bookmarks, paperclips, etc from the inside of the books before placing the books on a shelf or a box/bin for storage. Storing books with paper clips, for example, can damage the pages and the integrity of the spine. Neatly write or use a label maker to label the inside covers of each book with your name. This way if you loan the book to a friend you will be more likely to get it back. Dust books regularly with a dry, clean cloth – never use a wet or damp rag to clean books.

To recycle books that are in poor condition remove the hardcover spines first. There are many resources to sell or donate used books. Here are a few:

Donation Options:

• Books For Soldiers
• International Book Project
• Local school district/daycare/etc.
• Local Library – call or visit your local library to learn what their donation guidelines are. Some libraries will accept any books, regardless of the condition because they earn money for recycling the books they don’t use or can’t sell. This is a great way the libraries earn financial support! Other libraries are not a part of such programs and have strict donation guidelines. If your library does not accept donations – call a nearby county/town and you may have luck. That’s what I did in Maryland – I drove 15 minutes further but the books were no longer clutter collecting dust and instead they became a resource at the library!

Resell Options:

• Used bookstore – this is a great option if you don’t want to resell your books online
• Amazon
• Half.com by eBay
• Craigslist

If you don’t love the book, don’t plan to read or the book is in bad shape then let it go. Recycle it, donate it or sell it. Keep the books you love and make time to enjoy them! Happy organizing and happy reading!

Winter cabin

February is here. Is it me or does the shortest month of the year seem like the longest? The cold temperatures, wind and snow have been pounding us since November. If you’re my friend Lindsay who has an ocean front condo in Florida then you might not remember what I’m referring to! But for the rest of us, cabin fever has officially set in.

Symptoms of cabin fever as explained by Wikipedia are restlessness, irritability, forgetfulness, laughter, and excessive sleeping. Rather than getting angry and sleeping these final weeks of winter away we should use this energy and be productive.

Here are my favorite Cabin Fever Cures

• Try something new – Trying something new will remind you that spring is just around the corner and although we may feel hopeless, there is a lot to look forward to. Today, Groundhog Day, is a perfect day to try something. Remember the movie Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day was a comedy starring Bill Murray who had to relive the day over and over again until he learned to live as a better person. Just like I thought the movie would never end, sometimes it feels winter won’t either…so today try something new!
  •  
    • A new recipe for dinner
    • Take the dog for a walk in a new direction
    • Carry a different purse, if you always carry the same black or brown purse
    • Eat dinner off of the “fancy dishes”
    • Take an online class to learn something new

• Being cooped up inside is a great time to sort and purge your things. Make it a game. Clean out your sock drawer. If your sock drawer is like a bad game of Memory each morning, then do just that, make it a game. Dump the drawer on the floor. Match all the pairs. Any socks without a match gets thrown away. Also toss any pairs that are worn or have holes. Make it a game to get the kids involved and before you know it all the socks in the house will be neatly matched and organized!
• Do you have a stack of photos that you have been meaning to sort and put in photo albums? This is a perfect winter project. Once spring comes you’ll want to be outside and sitting inside sorting photos will not be a priority. Stop procrastinating and get to it. This is an easy project to do while you watch TV. If you have an excessive amount of photos recruit other family members or consider hiring a professional organizer to help the project move quickly and more efficiently.
• What’s the one thing you’ve been meaning to do but just haven’t done it yet? Caulk the shower? Throw away the phonebook? Hang your wedding picture? There’s no time like the present…do it NOW!

Hal Borland said “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Spring will come but we have 47 days till that happens. So try one of the ideas above or find your own remedy for cabin fever!

No sense in suffering…what’s your cabin fever cure?

Today celebrates my one year anniversary as a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). This year has been exciting! Being a member of NAPO has been wonderful – it has given me the opportunity to meet many other wonderful organizers and to learn a lot about this industry.

Technically, this is my third year as a NAPO member. In my “previous life” in the corporate world I was a member for 2 years but did not take full advantage of all that NAPO has to offer. In 2010 I hope to continue my involvement in NAPO and get even more involved. At the end of 2009 I was trained as a Quantum Leap Volunteer. I am excited to get involved in this program. Here is an explanation about Quantum Leap from napo.net…

NAPO believes that making important shifts in one’s life is difficult to impossible without basic organizing skills. For those in life transitions—individuals living in shelters or public housing, the homeless, teenage mothers, victims of natural disasters, and many others—those skills are critical, but are often unaffordable. Quantum Leap represents a concerted effort to bridge that gap. The Quantum Leap program is NAPO’s community service initiative aimed at those who are welfare-vulnerable and in a major life-changing transition. As individuals or as part of a local chapter initiative, NAPO professional organizers volunteer their time to offer skill-building organizational sessions on paper, time and money management.

Theresa Finnigin

Also in 2010, I am planning to attend the annual NAPO Conference. This year’s conference is in Columbus, Ohio. Any excuse to go to Ohio is a good excuse! I have heard nothing but great things about each previous year’s conference. This is a great opportunity for me to participate in educational programs, network with other organizers, and learn to better assist my clients.

NAPO has had a direct impact on the success of Ready Aim Organize and me as an organizer. I am excited to celebrate today…and I look forward to the year ahead!