by Natalie Morey | Nov 7, 2024 | Declutter tips, Organise, Organising, Tips
With only 7 weekends till Christmas, here’s 7 tips to get organised this Christmas.
1. Create a Christmas Checklist
- Why: Having a visual timeline can help you break down tasks into manageable chunks.
- How: Mark important dates such as parties, school or sporting breakups and deadlines for holiday cards or meals. Write down tasks like shopping, decorating and wrapping gifts. Assign deadlines to each task so you stay on track.
2. Start Gift Shopping Early (and Make a List)
- Why: Avoid the stress of last-minute shopping and ensure you find thoughtful gifts.
- How: Make a list of everyone you need to shop for, along with ideas for each person. Check off each name as you purchase or order the gifts. Consider shopping online to save time and avoid crowded stores.
3. Declutter and Organise Your Space
- Why: A tidy home creates a peaceful environment for the holidays and makes room for gifts and decorations.
- How: Spend a couple of weekends decluttering key areas like your entryway, living room and kitchen. Donate or sell items you no longer use. Also, consider organising your storage spaces so you can easily access your holiday decorations when it’s time to put them up.
4. Plan Your Holiday Meals Early
- Why: Planning ahead helps you avoid the chaos of last-minute grocery runs and ensures you don’t forget any ingredients.
- How: Create a menu for all meals you’ll be hosting and make a shopping list. Consider ordering non-perishable items in advance or using delivery services to save time. If you’re hosting multiple people, coordinate with guests about what they’ll bring.
5. Set a Budget
- Why: Avoid financial stress by sticking to a holiday budget.
- How: Use a spreadsheet or budgeting app to track expenses and stick to your limits. Include a buffer for unexpected expenses (like shipping fees or extra ingredients).
6. Tackle Holiday Cards Early
- Why: Sending cards can be time-consuming, so starting early helps you avoid rushing through them.
- How: Address envelopes and write personalized notes in advance. If you’re ordering custom cards, plan ahead for printing and shipping times. Set aside time to send them out before the holidays get too hectic.
7. Prepare for Guests
- Why: You want your guests to feel welcome
- How: If you’re hosting, prepare your guest room or space. This might mean decluttering or clearing out items to make space or planning for additional meals or activities. Consider if you need to buy extra presents so everyone gets a gift on Christmas day?
By following our 7 tips to get organised this Christmas, hopefully you’ll give yourself more time to relax and enjoy the true spirit of the season without feeling overwhelmed. And if you are feeling overwhelmed, then contact The Lifestylers Group. Our team of Professional Organisers love helping people to declutter and organise their homes.
by Natalie Morey | Aug 1, 2024 | Tips
If you are after a Father’s Day gift that’s a little different and might even help keep Dad organised, then look no further. Father’s Day is not far away so here’s 5 Father’s Day gift ideas, with something for every type of Dad.
- Personalised Wooden Coin Tray
Fathers Day Gift – Wooden Coin Tray
It’s a stylish and practical wooden coin tray that you can personalise with initial’s and message of your choice. A great storage solution, this wooden tray is the perfect place to keep keys, change and accessories.
It’s not too big either, the solid beech wooden tray measures 13cm x 13cm x 2.5cm and is 1cm deep.
2. Super Hero Dad
Fathers Day Gift – Super Hero Poster
A super print to let Dad know how special he is (even if he can’t fly or climb up walls).
3. V8 Race Car Driving
Fathers Day Gift – V8 Race Car Driving
Go V8 racing for the ultimate thrill. This V8 driving experience will have you strapped in and roaring to go for a spectacular 4 laps around a real racetrack. Dad will be taught pro driving techniques and talked through his experience through an intercom, getting him up to speeds of up to 200kph!
3. Gold Class Movie Tickets
Dad can enjoy an afternoon or evening at the movies in style. Gold Class Cinemas features luxury reclining seats and state of the art cinema technology, a full service bar and gourmet food with personal waiter service.
4. Garage Make Over
Garage Makeover
Instead of another boring tie or DVD try a gift that is a little more practical. Dad’s love gifts that they can use over and over again, especially if it helps them organise their favourite places in the house. And, if you’ve ever spent any time in a disorganised man cave or a messy garage you will know how helpful a little organisation can be. Get Dads garage decluttered and organised by a professional organiser. Contact the experts at organising, The Lifestylers Group.
Gift vouchers available.
5. Man Cave or Office Make Over
Home Office
Get Dads Man Cave or office organised once and for all. A professional organiser will declutter, sort and get his Man Cave or office looking schmick and organised. Gift vouchers are available.
We hope our 5 father’s day gift ideas have given you some inspiration. For more information on our Fathers Day Gift Vouchers contact us.
by Natalie Morey | Sep 11, 2023 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation
- Set aside a dedicated time to declutter your garage, such as a weekend or a few evenings. This will allow you to focus on the task at hand without interruption.
- Start by removing everything from your garage and sorting it into different categories. This can include categories such as tools, sports equipment, gardening supplies and holiday decorations.
- Get rid of items that you no longer need or use. If something has been unused for over a year, it’s likely that you can do without it. Consider donating or selling items that are still in good condition.
- Invest in storage solutions such as shelves, cabinets and hooks to help keep your garage organised. This will allow you to keep items off the floor and create designated spaces for different categories of items.
- Group similar items together to make them easier to find. For example, keep all your gardening tools in one area and all your sports equipment in another.
- Make use of vertical space by hanging items on the walls or from the ceiling. This can include things like bicycles, ladders and tools. Utilise wall-mounted storage systems or install pegboards to maximize storage space.
- Label storage containers and shelves to make it easier to find what you need. This will help prevent items from getting misplaced or forgotten about.
- Take advantage of wall space by installing hooks or racks to hang items such as shovels, rakes and brooms. This will keep them off the floor and free up space.
- Create a designated workspace or area for specific activities, such as a workbench for DIY projects or a space for gardening. This will help keep your garage organised and make it easier to find and store the necessary tools and equipment.
- Regularly maintain and clean your garage to prevent clutter from building up again. Dedicate a few minutes each week to organising and tidying up, so you can enjoy a clutter-free space
by Natalie Morey | Jun 21, 2023 | Home Office, Home Organisation, Office Organising, Tips, Virtual PA
It’s that time of year. The end of financial year is nearly here. That means it’s time to get your home office paperwork organised. So, here’s 15 ways to organise your home office. They won’t take you long, but I guarantee that if you take the time to do them you will transform your home office in no time at all.
15 ways to organise your home office
Tip 1: Start with your desk. Clear off any unnecessary items, sort through loose papers and create designated spaces for essentials like pens, notebooks and office supplies.
Tip 2: Tackle your filing system. Sort through old documents and create a system that works for you. Consider digitizing files to reduce paper clutter.
Tip 3: Organise your bookshelf. Donate or sell books you no longer need and arrange the remaining ones in a visually pleasing and accessible manner.
Tip 4: Create a designated space for incoming and outgoing mail. Set up trays or folders to sort and manage your mail effectively.
Tip 5: Assess your storage solutions. Optimize your storage by using bins, baskets or drawer organisers to keep items neat and easily accessible.
Tip 6: Declutter your computer desktop. Organise files and folders, delete unnecessary shortcuts and ensure your digital workspace is streamlined.
Tip 7: Focus on cable management. Use cable clips or cord organisers to keep cables and cords tidy and prevent them from becoming tangled.
Working From Home
Tip 8: Evaluate your office furniture. Determine if any furniture items are no longer serving a purpose and if so consider replacing or repurposing them.
Tip 9: Sort through office supplies. Discard dried-out pens, markers, or supplies you no longer use. Keep essentials neatly stored in containers or drawers.
Tip 10: Clear out outdated technology. Dispose of old gadgets, cables or electronic devices that are no longer functional or needed.
Tip 11: Declutter your bulletin board or whiteboard. Remove outdated notes or reminders and create a fresh, visually appealing space.
Tip 12: Evaluate your lighting situation. Ensure your workspace is well-lit with an appropriate desk lamp or overhead lighting.
Tip 13: Clean and organise your printer area. Remove any old or unused paper, refill ink or toner and create a designated spot for printing supplies.
Tip 14: Create a system for managing receipts and invoices. Consider using digital tools or apps to store and organise important financial documents.
Home Office Ideas
Tip 15: Evaluate your office decor. Remove any items that don’t inspire you or contribute to a productive environment. Add personal touches that bring you joy.
For more tips on getting ready for tax time read this blog. Or if you reed some help to get your home office paperwork organised, then contact us.
by Natalie Morey | Feb 23, 2023 | Declutter tips, Home Organisation, Kids Organising, Pantry Declutter, Pantry organization, School Routine
The holidays are done. School is back and the routine has started. Is anyone else struggling to get back into routine? I think we have come out of COVID lockdowns, then packed everything into last year. Then, when we finally stopped for Christmas holidays, we really stopped. And, it has been extra hard trying to get back into the school routine (even after a few weeks)ol. So, if you are like me and have found it hard getting back into routine here is 8 tips to get you back into routine.
Sunday Session
My preparation for the week starts on a Sunday. Each Sunday I spend a few minutes planning out my week. I have a weekly planner that I put on the fridge, so everyone knows what’s happening and when. All the kid’s activities and classes are listed along with anything else happening for the week. I also list down what we are having for dinner every night. Spending a few minutes on a Sunday always ensures a more organised week. And I know when I don’t do my planning on a Sunday, I inevitably miss something during the week.
Organise your Schedule
In addition to a more detailed weekly planner you should also have a 12 month planner as well. If you haven’t previously done one, it’s not too late to find a planner that suits you. You may prefer a paper planner, a shared online calendar or an app for your phone or tablet. Whichever you choose, start off right by entering times and commitments you already know about.
Pack for Weekly Activities
As mentioned above I list all the kid’s’ activities on my weekly planner. I then ensure all their uniforms are ironed and together on a Sunday. (For my son’s basketball gear, I use one of those combination coat hanger with clips, so his basketball shorts are already on the hanger with his top – so, there’s no last minute panic to find the right shorts).
For the swimming bag, the towels and bathers are put straight back in there after they have been washed. As our swimming lessons are at 5pm I also pack their change of clothes (PJ’s given the time) in the bag as well. That way, I’m not running around madly on swimming night trying to find their gear.
Prepack
Put all the items you’ll need out the night before. This goes for the kids stuff too. School bags are packed, shoes are cleaned and out and their hat is in their bag. Oh, and don’t forget their socks too. This helps avoid that last minute rush too.
Lunch Prep
Start prepping lunch boxes the night before, by packing any fruit and snacks. I generally like to make sandwiches fresh in the morning though, but if everything else is done, then it saves me time. Don’t forget to fill the kids water bottles and pop in the fridge the night before too.
After School Snacks
Organise School Lunch Boxes
If the kids are going straight to sport activities after school, pack those snacks separately so you can take them with you when you pick up the kids.
Double Batch your Cooking
I love having a few pre-prepared meals in the freeze. This is perfect for those busy weeks. So, when I cook something like lasagne I do a double batch, eating one that night for dinner and freezing the other. Last week I starting doing “triple batches” so I have a nice stock pile of Meatballs and Lasagna. Highly recommend. Need a meal planner checklist. Check out this one. Need more inspiration on meal planning, then click here.
Get Up 10 Minutes Early
8 Tips To Get You Back Into The School Routine
Of the 8 tips to get you back into the school routine I think getting up 10 minutes early can make a massive difference. Even if it just gives you time to have a coffee in peace, or double check that everything is organise before the kids get up, it can make a big difference.
I hope these 8 tips to get you back into the school routine help.
