(206) 629-‐2362 www.SeattleOrganizingExperts.com

 (206) 629-­‐2362 www.SeattleOrganizingExperts.com About The Author When it all becomes too much, Seattle area residents call Organizational Expert Kammie Lisenby for help. Giving overworked mothers their sanity back, guiding those who are in life’s transition, helping business owners focus on their business instead of drowning in paperwork, showing others what to keep, and which items no longer serve them, and eliminating mental chaos to produce winning results in your business and life is the core heart and passion of Seattle Organizing Experts. Kammie’s philanthropic work started after loosing a dear friend and client Lisa Worthington-­‐Brown, age 34 to breast cancer in August 2012. In her memory, Kammie started The Happy Home Project to help those with debilitating illnesses by creating a safe, happy and healing environment. From Seattle Seahawk Cheerleader to Organizational Diva The Seattle Organizing Experts stated as an idea on her dining room table in 2008, growing from a solo act to a near six-­‐figure business. She happily traded her pom-­‐poms in for a business license with the desire to be of greater service to others. Is the clutter in your life overwhelming? Many people want their life to be a little bit easier, organized and fulfilling. You are probably one of these people. Even though you’ve read every book and have bought every organizing tool known to man, you may still feel disappointed by your environment. The good news is that when you finish reading this booklet, you’ll be inspired and better equipped to start living your life with ease and organization NOW! That’s why we dedicate the first section of this booklet to get YOU back on your priority list! What do Professional Organizers do? Professional Organizers are trained and skilled individuals who coach their clients to develop new systems to live a "clutter free" lifestyle. We help you take control of your surroundings, your time, your paper and your system for life. We will teach you the skills you need to solve a lifetime of organizing problems by designing easy, manageable systems that work for your busy lifestyle. Getting help from our professional organizers you can accomplish more at work or home; meet your deadlines; find what you need, when you need it; eliminate clutter; dramatically improve your quality of life; and much more. Our focus is on clearing the clutter from your environment. We are NOT cleaning people. We go FAR beyond what a cleaning person would volunteer to do! It's our talent to create inspiration out of chaos, no project is too big or small for our team. How are we different from other Professional Organizers? The ladies of the Seattle Organizing Experts want to help change your life. Really! We specialize in residential home organizing and many of our clients fall in love with us and it’s often said that having a professional organizer come in is like, “having a second wife” to help with all the challenges of managing today’s lifestyle of multitasking home, work and a personal life. We try to have fun and make “light” of the weight clutter has put on your life. We are not into “fluffy organizing”. We are ready to get into the dirt of it, making your house feel like “home” again. Give it to me straight... If you want results NOW, this is what is required. Today, give me trying to be everything to everyone. For many of us women in particular, this is where the chaos starts and we wear ourselves thin. And usually not thin in the physical sense of the word, wouldn’t that be a nice payoff? Everything will fall seamlessly into place once you start being selfish with your time. This is the “secret.” Today the work begins with you. Organizing: Is the foundation for living a balance life. Have you ever wondered why some people seem to “have it all together” while your life feels like your life is run on autopilot? The answer is really simple, yet so profound. The people that “have it all together” often have help. Whether it be from family members, friends or a professional those people know that in order to preform their best they can’t do it all themselves. You’ve got to get in the drivers seat of your life, before life runs you over. Today’s fast paced lifestyle of working 40+ hours a week, taking care of our family and finances, the last thing you enjoy doing is spending your “free time” organizing your home while your children run laps around you slapping and hitting each other. Fun Right?! Not so much… Getting your home organized is not some far fetched fantasy. Yes, it is a relatively new service for American’s but it is the “secret” to living a balance life. It is also not limited to the severely disorganized “hoarders”. Although we do extend our services at times to severe circumstances from time to time. Rewarding yourself with a home organizing session can instantly the reduce stress of living with clutter. If you are single: You deserve to live in an environment that inspires where you are going in life. Not where you have been. Not where you are now. You deserve to feel at “home” in your house. Create spaces that are a reflection of YOU. If you are trying to figure out who YOU are. Clear the space. This is a great time to start new. If you have a partner: It’s essential to have an organized foundation. That both of you know what roles to play in your home. That way you’re not running circles around each other or feeling disappointed by tasks that get left undone. Getting organized sets a foundation for your relationship and eliminates the arguments that is caused by clutter. If you have children: One of the primary reasons why I started this business… If you have children THEY DESERVE to feel safe, secure and loved in their home. Home is their safe zone when the bullies at school are picking on them. Home is where they will create memories that will shape their being forever. It is not a failure on your part, it’s your opportunity to give them systems that work for their individual style. Just like everyone has their own way of brushing their teeth, children have their our own organizational style. Set the stage for success and create a foundation for them to work with. If you have pets: Pets are messing on the floor? The most common reason for this is that they are confused. If your home looks like a demolition zone imagine what it looks like from 2-­‐3 feet from the ground! I believe that dogs (okay cats too) are little soul keepers and they deserve the best life we can give them. After all, they give you unconditional love no matter what’s going on. The least we can do is create a safe environment for them. It’s YOUR Time To Get Your Life Organized. You can enjoy these benefits as your own life takes flight by following my time-­‐tested and proven tips. Oprah Winfrey once declared “Not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment..” Anyone can muddle through life; you deserve a great life full of promise, fun and purpose. What is The Happy Home Project The Happy Home Project is our community outreach program designed to directly change the lives of those suffering from disabilities. It’s our mission to give everyone a fresh start and the opportunity to live life, by creating a healing, organized environment in their home. How Does It Work? Do you know someone who is drowning in clutter? There are two ways to enter to receive a happy home makeover –
video or written submission. We’re looking for people who desperately need help organizing their home lives. This outreach program is completely volunteer based and those selected will receive a life changing happy home makeover from the Seattle organizing experts, their community & sponsors. To read more about The Happy Home Project visit: http://www.SeattleOrganizingExperts.com/happyhomeproject Notes: Never let good ideas go, write them down and come back to them later. Rediscover your b rilliance. 1. Change your “routine.” Breaking a negative pattern like avoiding checking your email first thing in the morning dramatically changes your entire day. 2. Get used to feeling uncomfortable and acknowledge that the feeling is okay. Personal responsibility doesn’t always feel or look good. However, if you want to conquer the chaos it needs to start here. 3. Get up an hour earlier; get to bed an hour earlier. Give yourself an extra hour in the morning and get to bed an hour earlier. All successful individuals are strict with this golden rule. 4. It’s never too late to change everyday bad habits. Simple things like removing the garbage from the inside of your vehicle instead of letting it pile up behind your seat
can dramatically increase your positive attitude every time you take a drive. 5. Prioritize yourself first. Taking care of everyone else and disregarding your own personal needs can only lead to the creation of a stressful and chaotic environment. 6. Practice organized thinking. De-­‐clutter your thoughts by creating a mind-­‐dump. Get it out of your head and onto paper. Put your biggest challenge on the center of your paper and circle it. Let all your other challenges surround it. What 3 things can you do today to come closer to solving your biggest challenge? 7. Understand that you’re the most important aspect of your home. Your current environment is a reflection of where you are now, not where your life could be. Without a healthy you, there isn’t a happy home. Just a house longing for life. 8. Work on positive communication. When difficult situations arise, find the positive. It’s all too easy to blame others and find the negative in any situation. Rise above it and think, seek and speak positively. 9. Negative thinking is your only handicap. Positive mental attitude leads to positive mental thinking. When you practice #8, #9 becomes more natural and you become aware of your self-­‐talk. Is it positive? 10. Pick out your outfit for tomorrow the night before. By choosing the outfit the night before, you can save precious morning time for exercise or several hugs with your kids. When completing this step, ensure you have set out all your clothes (under garments too) as well as any accessories you will wear with your outfit. Enlist your children to do the same. This will save the fight over the clothing decision that usually occurs in the morning. 11. Begin a healthier diet; eating smart foods helps maintain a positive frame of mind. Prepare your meals one day in advance. If you’re in the car often, pack smart snacks (almonds, granola and water) leave them in the car for when you get the hunger bug. 12. Stimulate your creative right brain and escape everyday distractions. Take up to 30 minutes every day for creative free time like coloring, painting, or reading. Enrolling others in your family to do the same will be hugely transformative. 13. Treat yourself after a job well done. For you that may be taking a long bath tonight or getting a pedicure after being on your feet all day. 14. Get outside once a day. Embracing nature will help to eliminate stress and get your ideas flowing. 15. Set a timer for 1 hour to complete tasks that aren’t enjoyable, you know what I’m talking about. Get caught up on your calls, emails or overdue assignments. 16. Create a reasonable and obtainable action items list daily. This step is a huge part of your daily success. Write down the first 3 things you know you can accomplish right away. Then add items that need to be accomplished so that you can realize your goals. Keep your list as you cross off your items and conquer your list! 17. Pick up after yourself. Say Wha? I know…We’ve been told this so many times in our life that as adults we feel like we’ve gotten a free pass. How’s that workin’ for ya? If you open it, close it. If you pull it out, put it back! This applies to everything you touch. 18. Dedicate time for reading. I’ve seen more clutter from paper than anything else! You’re not allowed to have a pile that is “to read”. That’s ridiculous! Read it. Keep what’s important and chuck the rest. 19. Perfection is make-­‐believe. Doing the best in this moment is reality. Stop shooting for perfectionism it only leads to procrastination. Do your very best, and realize that it is good enough. Good enough is greatness. 20. Create your ideal day. Start one hour from the time you typically wake up until one hour before you go to bed. If you had everything you could ever dream of, what would your ideal day look like? Start to build it hour by hour. Then take that list and create your reality. Implement some of your ideal moments into your current day routine. 21. Make a list of things in your life that you can live without. Trade in your “skinny mochas” and down grade your cable package so you can upgrade to real luxuries like household assistance! A housecleaner one day a week will work wonders! Your environment shapes your being. 22. Choose a minimum of 5 things to eliminate or donate from your home. Choose anything, big or small, and try it once a week. 23. Do not sacrifice your environment for the sake of recycling. Again, you’re taking into account others before yourself. Recycling is wonderful and should be practiced within reason to your environment. 24. Clean sweep your home for any items that haven’t been used this year...or any year for that matter! You don’t need it, you didn’t need it and you won’t need it, if you haven’t used it this year. 25. Replace broken items. Too often I see people hanging onto broken items. You are hanging onto the memory of that item. Items do not hold memories of you. It’s okay to replace and move on. 26. Don’t forget about the car… If I were to ask you for a ride to the store right now, how would you react? Would you be clearing the seat of garbage, throwing clothes and toys to the back? Treat this environment like you would your office. Keep it clean, organized and free of excess waist. 27. Dedicate a day of the week for conquering laundry. Where does it keep coming from? Enroll everyone in the family to bring their clothes to a central location on a designated day of the week. Everyone is responsible for two loads of either colors or whites 28. Don’t be afraid to part with gifts you’ve received...and don’t know what to do with. Let me be your voice that says GET RID OF IT. It’s unnecessary stress when you have items that don’t serve you. When you look at that gift what things do you say to yourself? If it’s negative, I assure you that the person giving you the gift doesn’t want you to feel that way. It’s better to discard it or re-­‐gift it than to feel terrible about it. 29. Throw away Thursdays! Get rid of all visible garbage from every room! 30. Avoid having a workstation in your bedroom. Your bedroom is a place for rest and intimacy. Don’t clutter the purpose for something other than what it is. If you must have children’s toys close at hand, keep them contained in to an area that is not visible upon entering the room. 31. Tame the toys. If you have children, designate a toy area. If they start seeping over to other areas of the home-­‐eliminate them! Practice “cycling” with your children. 32. If you have candles, burn them. If you have exercise equipment, use it! If you don’t it’s time to find something more useful and less bulky to occupy that space. 33. Place a picture of inspiration in the areas you occupy the most. This may be the kitchen, office or laundry room. I want you to feel love and inspiration in your home at every corner you occupy. 34. Be clear of your ideal environment. If you can’t imagine it then how can it ever be achieved? Again, take your ideal environment onto paper and have fun with it and use magazine clippings and color swatches! 35. Start small, getting in over your head early can create panic. Commit to one pile, one project or one room. Once you feel the accomplishment of a small task you’ll be energized to take on the next and pretty soon you’ll have the organized life you dream of. 36. Try to cycle your personal items. When a new thing comes in, donate an old one. 37. Having an organized home is a team effort; your family members are just as capable as you. I’m a big fan of leveraging your time and enrolling others. A house becomes a home when all parties are involved. 38. Make your closet shop like a boutique. This is so much fun! Organize your closet by color, garment and length. This makes choosing outfits so much fun and saves you oodles of time every day. 39. Define your creative space. Women especially have a hard time with owning one area of their home outside of the typical known spaces: bedroom, office, living room, etc. You need an area of your home that is a reflection of you, your accomplishments and aspirations. This is where you go to get centered and inspired. Create the work environment you love. 40. Contain your notes, lists and ideas in ONE notebook. Those sticky notes decorating your computer station are chaos to your mind! Keep it all centralized and focused. We use Evernote and love it for online organizing. 41. Get your paperwork organized and under control. Understand your organizational personality and design a filing system that is easy for you to maintain. The “right way” is the easiest way for you to maintain it. That is the difference between failure and success when creating a filing system. 42. Define a mail center for opening, filing, paying, recycling and mailing. Don’t change your habit, create a station that is natural for you to maintain. If mailing takes place in the kitchen align everything you need in one contained area. 43. Decorate your workspace; be inspired by your workspace. I once had an office that was 5'x12' and it was the most beautiful organized renovated closet you’ve ever seen! Whether you’re in a cubical nation or you have a home office, the lighting and décor need to be inspirational to you. 44. Don’t face your back to the door! You’re blocking the energy of the room. You always want to see people as they enter your room. 45. FRESH FLOWERS! There is a reason why your dentist office has fresh flowers. Any establishment of business usually has fresh flowers in the waiting area. It’s where customers enter their place of business and is a sign of comfort and luxuriousness. Especially if your environment is stressful, stopping to smell the flowers keeps you centered. 46. Send a thank you email to reconnect with 5 colleagues. Your environment is not just about the physical objects; it’s also about your relationship with others. Strengthen your relationships by reaching out to reconnect. 47. Give your equipment a wipe down. You’ll be amazed at all those hidden dust bunnies. From phone cords to paper stacks dust is chaos to your health. The things you touch most often like your phone, computer and chair need some wipe down loving from time to time. 48. See challenges from a new prospective. It’s easy with work to realize the same problem keeps persisting. You’ve likely heard the saying whatever you resist will persist. See reoccurring situations from a new light and come up with solutions then ACT to resolve them. 49. Purge your filing cabinet yearly. Every year re-­‐assess your filing system and purge unnecessary documents. 50. Keep your working surface clear at all times. Besides working on a large project, keep your area clear of clutter while working. Once you’ve finished for the day on your projects, organize and contain it so that you can easily transition to tomorrow’s achievements. 51. Do not sacrifice your environment due to daily demands. Remember, your environment is a reflection of your life. If it’s all too much, enroll assistance. Your environment shapes your being in this world. 52. Take Control. Grab life by the horns, after all it is your life. What are you waiting for? This booklet is designed so that you can take 1 tip per week. Trying to apply each tip all at once is overwhelming. Take it from the experts to start living an organized life, take it tip by tip. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so make sure your foundation is strong by laying each brick intentionally. Facebook: http://bit.ly/FacebookClutter Twitter: @ClutterExperts Join our community for extra motivation and support. Share your organizing challenges and how this tips booklet has helped you conquer the clutter. Useful Resources Subscribe to the “Clutter News” Ezine and receive free tips, downloads, how-­‐to organizing videos & exclusive offers. Opt in from any page at: www.SeattleOrganizingExperts.com Notes: Never let good ideas go, write them down and come back to them later. The Seattle Organizing Experts far exceeded my expectations! Three months after my move, I was still tripping over unpacked boxes and I knew I needed help. They were completely non-­‐judgmental, and they systems really worked. If you are like me and you're still storing unpacked boxes from your past 3 moves, then you need to call gals of the Seattle Organizing Experts. -­‐Emma K., Bellevue, WA The guest room in my condo had been collecting items for storage for ages. It got worse and worse until I was frightened to even open the door. It was so full that the overflow was moving into other rooms and it was causing a lot of anxiety. They came in and helped organize, sort and haul all sorts of things from make up to furniture. She made the process of deciding what stays and goes so easy -­‐Anne K., Seattle, WA My room was a total disaster and my landlord was going to take a look at it within less than a week. I desperately sought out some sort of organizing/disaster cleaning help, and it was NOT easy. I had a few people tell me that they could help me for a few hours, but didn't think they could finish the job. When Kammie called me back, she was confident she and her crew could do it. Well, she was right. Kammie and her crew showed up and were completely respectful, understanding, and discreet. They were real with me and super-­‐gracious. They were an absolute pleasure to work with, and Kammie is a genius at how to work with a space. -­‐Julie G., University Village, WA ©SEATTLE ORGANIZING EXPERTS LLC 2012 http://www.SeattleOrganizingExperts.com (206) 629-­‐2362