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Time Management DOs and DON’Ts

Make your time count with our do and don’t strategies.

Do it once, do it right: You’ll focus best when you cut out distractions.

  • Shut down your email
  • Close the door to noise and interruptions
  • Silence your phone

Then work on one thing until you reach a satisfying stopping point. If you must stop before your task is complete, make a note to yourself so you’ll immediately know what your next action will be when the opportunity to pick up the project presents itself.

Don’t multi-task: Trying to do too many things at once is a recipe for not doing anything well. Give each project and task its proper time, energy and thought. Multi-tasking furniture is a whole other thing: we LOVE furniture that doubles as storage and seating.

Let us solve YOUR next problem: 610-896-6896.

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Win the Clutter War

Joy in Your Space logo

Winning the clutter-war means staying on top: 

• staying on top of maintenance
• staying on top of mail
• staying on top of things coming into our homes
(and make sure an equal amount goes out!)
My girlfriend Phyllis’ mother always said when we were raising our children,
“If you let them win the battles — you will never win the war.” 
Aunt Tillie’s advice can be applied to organizing. If we don’t stay on top of things they will get away from us. Be it the basement, closet floors, medicine cabinets, or drawers. If we let it go, we’re into clutter overwhelm. 
Stay on top: take small steps to deal with clutter every day.
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Routine Connections

You may not think of laundry and gardening as ways to fight clutter. They can be…if you make a routine out of it. 

Meditate over laundry
Carve out mind-FULL time. Folding laundry — though a chore — can be a relief from your hectic schedule because it is so mindless that it allows mind-full reflection. The other benefit is being able to sleep in a bedroom without baskets littering the floor.
Follow our laundry folding tips:
  •  separate items into categories: socks, underwear, shirts, pants, shorts
  •  fold each category
  •  put those neat piles away in groups
     It’s okay if the socks and underwear get tossed into the drawer.
Dig-in to Introspection 
Play in the dirt to get grounded. Don’t bite off the whole yard…
  • weed a walkway
  • plant a decorative or herb container
Do anything that lets you connect with nature. Five minutes is all you need to shut out the crowding thoughts of the day and marvel at nature. This ‘grounding’ exercise will allow you to get back in touch with the earth and yourself to calm mental clutter.

As problem solvers, we’re always trying to teach HOW to cut clutter (while offering motivation to establish healthy routines). Stay tuned! Next week we’re talking about routine connections with family. Let us know how folding and digging helped you declutter a small part of your home or outdoor ‘rooms.’

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Happy Father’s Day

Celebrating fathers and the special bonds of fatherhood.

Joy in Your Space logo

As you remember your own dad, reflect on his role in your life today, or celebrate the fathers in your life — remember our advice: Enjoy and cherish the memory…not the stuff!

If you know someone who would benefit from working with us to preserve their memories or family mementos, please share our contact info:
Kelly@JoyInYourSpace.com
Joy@JoyInYourSpace.com
610-896-6896

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We’re Headed to Conference!

 Don’t miss us too much!

It’s that time of year again when Joy approves Kelly’s outfits, Kelly approves Joy’s class selections, and we fly to our professional organization’s national conference. Today, we are headed to Arizona until Sunday.

Don’t be shocked that there are conferences just for professional organizers. Conference is our greatest investment in ourselves, our business, and in YOU!

Joy and Kelly will be attending detail-packed classes, intense workshops, and exploring new niches (think digital!). We cannot wait to see what is at the forefront of our industry, recharge with colleagues, and bring amazing ideas home to you.

Stay tuned for Conference-inspired organizing tips!

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Solving Your Problems with Our Connections

We recommend the following service providers:

Tailors Pete at P & J Tailoring; 610-449-6810 – 28 W. Eagle Road, Havertown 19083

Auction Houses Tim Zeigler at Kamelot Auction House: http://www.kamelotauctions.com

Ebay sellers Beth Fox at FindZOutlet: foxypiles@aol.com – http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=foxypiles

Custom Framers Masterpieces Fine Art and Custom Framing Inc. – www.framesandart.com

Computer Guru (for all things website and email management related) Shai Gluskin at Content2zero – http://content2zero.com

Custom Quilter Rebecca Parmet at RebeccaParmetDesigns.etsy.com – 610-322-4356 – Rebecca.Parmet.Designs@gmail.com

Make-up Artist Beké Beau: info@bekebeau.com – http://www.bekebeau.com/main.php

Special Event Photographer Beth Triester at Beth Triester Photography: http://www.triesterphoto.com

Don’t forget to mention that Kelly and Joy recommended them so they know how much we appreciate the great work they do!

Join our Facebook page to tell us about your experience after you use one of our recommended service providers.

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Happy Passover 2014

From Joy and Kelly Banner

Throughout Passover keep the following thoughts in mind:
  • Enjoy the Holiday 
    Put all of the effort and expense behind you and enjoy your Holiday traditions with family and friends.
  • Keep a Passover Journal
    — save receipts to see where you overspent
    — collect Seder ideas that engaged your guests

    — keep (or make) a master shopping list
  • Make Next Year _______ – er. You fill in the blank!
    Whichever adjective you choose (easier, cheaper, more fun, or even in Jerusalem), you’ll be successful if you plan — starting now!
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March Madness and Our Own Elite 8

Let these questions champion your efforts as you define your possessions.

1. Do you use it?
2. Do you love it?
A “yes” to either of these earns a guaranteed spot on the team.
3. Has it expired?
Cut expired food, medicines, fashions, make-up, and obsolete electronics from your roster.
4. Does it fit?
5. Is it flattering?
Questions 4 and 5 need not apply exclusively to your wardrobe. Really, you’re asking if things fit your lifestyle. Sometimes entire collections represent an old hobby that’s irrelevant to your current interests.
6. Could you easily replace it?
7. Is it still valuable to you?
8. Is it easy to maintain?

Give yourself time to accomplish your goal. Each week, as new tournaments are played make your ‘team cuts.’ Try out the feeling of having less on your shelf, less in your collection, and less on your mind.

In the end YOU will be the winner. March Madness ends on Saturday, April 5. Don’t throw in the towel if the tournament ends while you’re still deciding what to keep. Decisions take time. If you don’t declutter on a regular basis your organizing muscles aren’t at peak performance. Practice will perfect your skills.