I am so excited about my upcoming coaching program for busy moms.  This past year I have been focusing my business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs learn how to get and stay organized.

Not ony have I been busy writing newsletters, blogs and articles on the subject of getting organized, I have produced a line of products called U Can Do It which were specially created to help busy moms.

Now, I am pleased to announce that I have put together an exciting, new coaching program called "Living A More Organized Life".

With this quarterly group coaching program which meets by phone, busy moms will learn how to follow a proven step-by-step method to tackle and accomplish any project, be prepared for every special event, plan vacations and family time, make back to school a breeze and learn how to relax and enjoy the holiday season by having step-by-step ways to do gift-giving, decorating, large family dinners/parties and having overnight guests feel right at home.

This program begins on January 12, 2010 and then continues in April, July and October.

I am highly suggesting that busy moms not miss out on this opportunity to learn how to live a more organized life.  If you or someone you know is a busy mom, don't pass this up.  I only have 40 slots available and it will be filling up quickly.

For more information about this program, visit my special information page at www.4abetterspace.com/coaching.

In the meantime, have a very Merry Christmas!

‘Twas the week before Christmas when all through our house,
There was clutter and chaos…but, thankfully, no mouse!

The mantle was bare, the wreath still in my car,
Not a cookie was baked, not even a bar.

I’d addressed not a card, not a gift had been wrapped,
The jet lag had got me, I just wanted to nap!

One tree was half decorated, the other not bought,
The stockings still packed and the Village was naught.

Ornaments and tissue paper were strewn all about,
I was tempted to say, ‘We’ll just do without!’

But our children and grandchildren will be here next week,
And I know it’s a peaceful, joyful holiday they seek.

So rally I must, this is really a test,
Can I do it? Can I make this Christmas one of the best?

I’ll put on some music, brew some tea, make a list,
I’ll do what I can, the rest won’t be missed.

That we have our health and our loved ones are near,
Is all that we need for our holiday cheer!

SO, LET'S GET ORGANIZED NEXT YEAR!!!! 

For now, five strategies for surviving the next seven days:

Lower expectations. There’s not time to do everything but there’s time to do the important things. Even Martha Stewart would have to make choices with this limited amount of time. The trees will be decorated but the lights and the beads do not have to be perfect; perhaps there will not be so many ornaments as in years past. I’ll bake some cookies, but just enough for us to enjoy.

Plan menus to do double duty. The ham and the turkey will do their work for main meals and then appear again as sandwiches, Turkey Curry, and a couple of luscious soups that’ll grow like Topsy when I add some noodles or beans with vegetables. I’ll also make one trip to the store just to stock up on paper goods, dish soap and laundry soap. This is not the time to run out of those staples.

Do things in chunks of time. Instead of racing from one project to the next, I’ll spend one afternoon decorating the dining room, one decorating the living room. I’ll spend one evening baking cookies, another addressing envelopes and yet another doing the layout for the Christmas letter. In those chunks of time, the biggest projects…those that I deem most important…will be done.

Buy some time. There’s just not time to clean the entire house so I’ll hire someone to do the main areas and leave the rest. Clean beds and clean bathrooms top my list. The rest is just fine.

Take care of myself. The best gift I can give my family is to be relaxed and just enjoy this holiday with them. My mood will set the tone for the entire celebration. I’ll get some rest, a bit of exercise, and give myself permission not to be perfect.

No matter how much or how little I do, December 25th will be here next week. I can choose to be stressed or I can relax and enjoy the season. I choose the latter.

It’s truly the best time of the year. May you all have a blessed holiday with your family and friends!

Contact me if you want to make your holiday season a bit easier next year!  I can help.

Not that long ago, I had a client whose husband had a multitude of health issues and had to see multiple specialists at various locations.  They were constantly being asked to produce his medical history and medications which changed all the time.

We developed a log of each and every doctor visit and the outcome of that visit on in a Word document on her computer so that she could print it out each time they had a doctor's appointment.

Her husband's medications and dosage schedule were printed onto Avery business cards. (Both sides can be used). As these are the same size as credit cards, my clients could easily carry copies in their wallets with their health insurance card.  Now, when asked about medications by a health professional, they simply hand over one of these business cards.

As changes are made to the medication list, the template we created can be modified and reprinted. This only takes a minute and my clients are easily up-to-date again.

This system works well for everyone, but especially those that are chronically ill and the elderly whose medical picture can change quite rapidly.

If you need assistance with getting your home and your life organized, don't hesitate to contact A BETTER SPACE.  I will be more than happy to help.

Have a great week!

The other day I was organizing my cosmetics drawer and realized I use many different brands of cosmetics for the various portions of my face.  Clinique, Arbonne, Maybelline, Loreal, etc.

The same is true when it comes to organizing.  There is no one way to do it.  Good organizing, for me, involves taking various pieces of the puzzle and finding the perfect fit for a solution to the problem.

I have always made it clear to my clients that there is not just one way to get organized.  It is very personal and can combine various options to make it work, just like my cosmetics drawer.

When putting the picture together in a space (just like putting the picture together on my face) it can take various types of systems to make it work for you.

When customizing the best way to get yourself organized, remember that by following one way of doing things just might not work for you.  That is why sometimes, my clients have a collection of organizing books but they can't implement the suggestions.  They don't fit their way of doing things.

A good professional organizer will be able to see the various options you can use to implement your own unique way of doing things. 

That's what will create the look (and function) of the space you are working on.

Whether it's a face or a space, the concept is the same; putting the pieces of the puzzle together to create the whole picture.

If you are overwhelmed with the concept of figuring out those pieces of your organizing puzzle, please contact me at A BETTER SPACE.  I will be more than happy to help.

Wishing you an organized week!