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Unclutter Your Life

Stop Procrastinating and Start Prioritizing

5/23/2020

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How Prioritization & Trello Can Help You Accomplish Your Goals

Life is filled with many things we don’t want to do, but we do them anyways.
Studying for a test, putting together a presentation, public speaking, making important decisions; these are all things that require preparation and have consequences if not done well.  They are also things I tend to procrastinate.

When I was in fifth grade, my dad gave me the advice to study a little bit every day, so I wouldn’t have to stress and cram before a test.  No matter HOW HARD I TRIED over the years, I couldn’t get myself to do this. 20 years later, I still think about this advice.  It sounded simple, but with a due date so far in the future, I always waited until the last minute.

When I couldn’t procrastinate any longer, my brain would go into hyper-focused mode and I would always get things done. I wasted a lot of time overthinking and stressing, rather than actually doing.  For the majority of my life, I assumed I operated “better under pressure” and identified myself as a procrastinator.  Something about that didn’t feel right, because I am also a planner and list-maker.

A few months ago, I started thinking about this topic, in-depth.  I started reading articles and listening to podcasts and audio books, and quickly noticed a trend: procrastination often goes hand-in-hand with perfectionism.  MIND. BLOWN. Maybe you already knew this, but for me, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head.  The things I had been procrastinating my ENTIRE LIFE had negative consequences if they weren’t done well, and therefore, I was putting off doing them because I subconsciously knew the amount of time and energy I would have to put into them to gain a PERFECT result.  I would overthink, over-prepare by making lists and planning out a schedule, and would attempt to line everything up “just right” before actually starting - but what I was actually doing was procrastinating.  By the time I needed to take action, there was no TIME to overthink, I just had to DO.
A few weeks ago, I listened to an audiobook called “Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” by Brian Tracy.  I highly recommend reading this book if you can relate to being a procrastinator, as this book has completely changed my mindset and the way I operate!
​He recommends beginning your day with your most important, biggest, hardest task first, as those are the ones we tend to procrastinate.
  
If you complete that task, not only does it feel good when your biggest task is done for the day, but you will gain more momentum to get the rest of your tasks and goals accomplished!

I’m sure you’ve heard that “a goal without a plan is just a wish.” Thank you Antoine de Saint-Exupéry for this wonderfully accurate quote!

Having a plan will give you peace of mind, a sense of structure and stability, and direction, even during uncertain times like the present.

Since my job as a professional organizer is primarily done working inside clients’ homes, I have had to make a massive pivot in what I’m focusing on and where I spend my time.
Over the past year, Trello has been the single best tool I’ve found to help me manage that.  It completely has replaced my paper planner, random to-do lists and functions alongside the calendar on my phone!
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Trello is an excellent tool for business owners, but is also an amazing tool for managing your LIFE, even if you’re not!

I operate off of several Trello boards, but have one board in particular that I call my Life-Management Board.  On this board, I include every task relating to my personal and work life that I need to accomplish so I can see it all in one place.
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You can add due dates, checklists, notes, links, and pictures to your boards, prioritize and categorize them as needed, and keep track of everything from your computer or phone.

I have also used Trello to plan trips, study, organize social media content, create shopping lists, to-do lists, and manage projects. Overall, I use it to maintain structure in my days to make sure I’m accomplishing everything I need to.

I want to provide a few basic Trello functions to get you started, because over the past year it has become the most essential tool that I use to keep my life organized (and as a bonus, it's FREE!)

Once you create an account you will:
  1. Create your first “board”
  2. Create your first “list”
  3. Add “cards” to your lists
  4. Enhance your cards
  • ​Color Code & Categorize with Labels
  • Add images and attachments
  • Add a description and include important notes
  • Make checklists and track progress
  • Add due dates

I created a life management board template HERE that you can save to your own account to get you off to a good start.

To save this template so you can use it, select the button at the top that says “Create Board from Template,” select your settings, and Create.

Once you’ve done those steps, the template is ready for you to use!

My hope is that this wonderful tool can help you the same way it helped me.  With all of my “thoughts, tasks, and reminders” living in one place, I spend significantly less time wondering what I have to do, searching for lists, and second guessing due dates.  The drag and drop feature helps me adjust my priorities into a timeline so I can time-block and move my “frogs”  earlier in the day, serving as a reminder for me to get those done FIRST.

If you use Trello, I'd love to hear about how you like to use it, too!
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Getting Ready to Sell Your House?

5/10/2020

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Don't Forget To Tidy Up Before Listing Your Home!

Decluttering & Organizing is one of the most important factors that should be taken into consideration when preparing your house for sale!  The tidiness of your home greatly influences potential buyers’ perception of the space and can have a major impact on their decision-making.
 
Some important spaces potential buyers will be paying attention to are your:

  • Entryway
  • Kitchen
  • Closets
  • Cupboards & Drawers
 
Here are some actions you can take to prepare your home for sale and present it in the best possible light!
Declutter
  • Front Entryway
  • Entryway Closets
  • Kitchen Countertops
  • Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets
  • Pantry
  • Bedroom Closets
  • Bathroom Countertops/Vanity
  • Linen Closets
  • Laundry Room
  • Storage Spaces
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Depersonalize
  • Remove photos
  • Remove artwork on refrigerator
Organize
  • Built-In’s
  • Closets
  • Pantry
  • Storage Spaces
  • Collect and organize warranties for appliances
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Rent a Storage Unit (if necessary)
  • Temporarily store items such as furniture, artwork, etc. that you want to move into your new home, but are taking up too much space
Need assistance? Kara Desmond, Professional Organizer of Utterly Uncluttered can help reduce the stress of moving and help you accomplish these tasks before you move!

Get in Contact:
Website
Email
Call
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Organize Your Kitchen + Reduce Food Cost

5/5/2020

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6 Benefits of Properly Managing Your Food During Quarantine + Beyond

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On March 12th, at 7:45 AM, as I briskly walked through Target down the bare aisles of where paper towel and pasta were supposed to be, it hit me that what we were about to go through was going to have a significant impact on our lives. Forty-five minutes later, panic had begun to set in. 
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Thoughts of "how long will this shopping trip be able to sustain us for if we can't leave to get more food?" followed by "how much is this going to cost, where will I put it all, and how do I make sure we don't waste any of it?" flooded my mind.

I imagine many people experienced similar thoughts the first time (if not the first few times) they went to the store at the start of this pandemic.

Many people are facing these roadblocks:
  • Lack of kitchen space
  • No organization systems in place
  • Bought a lot of food but have limited time to eat perishables before they expire

How does one combat these issues?
Creating a plan and managing pantry and fridge organization, similar to how you would organize your closet, is essential.  By following these six steps, you can develop sustainable habits that will extend beyond quarantine, and it will save you time and money in the long-run.

The 6 Steps:
  1. Clean out your pantry and fridge (this is the most critical step, START HERE!)
  2. Take inventory of what you have
  3. Create shopping lists (and stick to them) - see my free downloadable PDF, below!
  4. Stretch your wallet by planning your meals and grocery list, taking extra precaution with your perishable food to preserve freshness
  5. Categorize, Label, & Create Homes for your food (check out my favorite products here)
  6. Visualize how a clutter-free and organized kitchen will make you feel

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To assist with this, I have compiled a few of my favorite resources to help with extending the life of your produce and prioritize what you need to eat first to reduce waste:
  • "How to Store Vegetables to Keep Them Fresh"
  • "How to Store Fresh Herbs so they Last Longer"
  • Eat By Date
  • FoodKeeper

I am also attaching 2 FREE printable downloads to help with your weekly meal planning and grocery shopping!

What is your biggest challenge when trying to keep your pantry and refrigerator under control? ​
weekly_meal_calendar.pdf
File Size: 25 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

grocery_shopping_list.pdf
File Size: 44 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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