Reset the house
How long does it take you to unpack after a trip? I’m halfway through my own Clean the Chaos course and highly motivated to keep my rooms clean and reset the house. (Yes, I’m taking my OWN course!) We recently came home from a beach trip and would have normally had time to unpack, do laundry, grocery shop, etc. But instead, we went to the airport to pick up international friends whose flight was delayed 2 days. Unexpected houseguest on top of regular house guests and unpacking from a trip was delightful chaos, of which we are quite accustomed to. We survived pretty easily on pantry supplies, popsicles, air mattresses, and board games. However, once everyone left I was itching to get my closet back together. I had emptied my suitcase on the floor, piled in some clean laundry, and tried to sort out travel supplies in one corner. My previously clean closet motivated me to not wait very long before taking the time to return it to order after my trip. Same with the rest of my house. Now that my linen closet and guest rooms have been decluttered, it makes me want to quickly do laundry and reset…
10 tips for using Google Tasks and Google Calendar as a student agenda
How can you effectively use Google Calendar as a student agenda? Time management is a life skill that is important to teach students, and I love a good organizational system! Over the years, I have traded my paper calendars and agendas for digital ones. It is helpful to see what events I have have and where I have time in my schedule for tasks. Many of my tutoring clients tell me they do not need an agenda because they can just look at the list of assignments in Google Classroom, but this does not teach them time management skills nor does it help them chunk large projects into manageable pieces. (Nor are most of them capable of keeping all that info “in my head” as their main strategy for remembering all their homework assignments but I do hear that option quite a bit!) This school year when I teach study skills to my middle and high school tutoring clients, I will include how to use an agenda whether it’s a paper one or a digital one. For a simple digital system for students who have Gmail accounts, I recommend Google Calendar and Google Tasks. Use the calendar events to block time…
10 Tasks to Clean Your Digital Spaces
How full is your email inbox? When I teach my course “Clean the Chaos,” I not only want you to clean your physical spaces but also clean your digital spaces, too. Here’s a short segment right out of a recent email to my clients on cleaning out home office spaces. These 10 tasks will help you clean the chaos in your digital life and lighten the junk mail and unnecessary files that burden your devices. Set aside some time this month and work through these 10 tasks to clean your digital spaces. You will be so glad you did! Delete junk emails Unsubscribe to email lists Create folders or filters for important emails Create folders on your device for important files with names that work for you (home, personal, health, auto, receipts/orders, pet, manuals, etc.) including a folder for each person in your household Delete unnecessary photos and files Delete apps and subscriptions you do not use Delete trash files periodically Use digital bookkeeping and bill pay to manage bills and minimize paper use Use a financial app to monitor your credit scores, find and manage subscriptions, and cancel recurring charges Back up your files Bonus tip? Delete junk mail…
Quick Cleaning Tips
What do you clean if you just have 10 minutes? Here are a few easy tips from my Clean the Chaos workshop for doing some quick cleaning or organizing if you just have a few minutes. For most of us, we have some extra minutes during the summer where we can actually do a quick project indoors to avoid the outside heat or to get ourselves off the couch. Got a few extra minutes? Choose a room and a task from the quick cleaning suggestions below. Bedrooms: 2 min Tidy: pick up dirty clothes, set out tomorrow’s outfit, spot treat a garment 5 min Freshen: start a load of laundry, fold a load of laundry 10 min Tackle: declutter a dresser drawer, mend clothes Bathrooms: 2 min Tidy: tidy up a drawer or counter, wipe the toilet seat, wipe the mirror, take stock of the supplies 5 min Freshen: wipe down all the surfaces and polish the faucets, clean shower curtain or door, dust the fan 10 min Tackle: clean the faucets and shower heads, dust or wash the light fixtures, use one of those beauty masks then hop in the shower and scrub down the tile while you wait…
A nose for organizing
Which scent makes you smile – springtime lilacs, ocean breezes, Kimpton hotels, or your mom’s perfume? Let me share with you something I learned recently while trying to find a new perfume and how it got me thinking about my business and my nose for organizing. Perfumes have 3 fragrance notes or 3 different scent layers that make a perfume unique and appealing. Top notes you smell first. Heart notes are the foundation and influence the base, and base notes deepen the complexity and create a lasting impression. That got me thinking about how my love for organizational systems helped me start my business and blog, Tailor Joy. The opening notes of my business are my tips and tools for your everyday life delivered in my slightly zany, outside the box manner that brings a smile to your face when you discover them. The heart notes are my systems of organization for approaching life’s curves with confidence such as my resources for tutoring or starting your own business, or my private tutoring and coaching services. The base notes are my background as a teacher, wife, and mom that provides years of experience problem-solving in everyday life and the desire…
Guestroom Checklist
When was the last time you gave your guestroom a refresh? Having a restful space for guests is a sign of good hospitality that is not that hard or expensive to achieve. Here’s a guestroom checklist with 10 things to check in your guest space. Bedding: Fresh bedding, extra pillow, and extra blanket (refresh/wash your bedding if it’s been awhile. Consider replacing your pillows if needed.) Guest Info: Wifi password/contact info/welcome note/housekey Entertainment: A book, card game or puzzle Lighting: Lamp near bed (it’s nice to not have to walk across a dark unfamiliar room to find the bed), maybe a nightlight for bathroom or room Outlets: Access to an outlet or power strip ( for charging electronics or medical devices) Bathroom: Toiletry supplies (a few extra guest supplies like toothpaste, ear plugs, and cotton swabs or even the travel kits you get on the airplane), good shampoo/conditioner/soap, disinfectant spray or wipes available, and extra toilet paper Food and Drinks: Snacks, bottled water, and a note about kitchen access or breakfast time Temperature: Heat/ac info if it’s ok for guests to adjust, a fan in the room Clothes: Laundry access (washer, dryer, steamer), a place to hang up their clothes…
Before, During, and After Travel Tips
What should you do before, during, and after your travels besides pack your bags? Recently I posted about international travel niceties and necessities so I wanted to expand on those travel tips to include things you can do before, during, and after your trip to save time and help your travels go smoothly. Having recently traveled to the countries of Georgia and Turkey, I tried out my own tips before, during, and after traveling. With each international trip we take, I try to evaluate my packing and see what I would do differently the next time or what one investment I might make to my capsule wardrobe. Before my next winter trip I want to add a black crew neck merino wool sweater, otherwise I was pretty happy with my minimalist packing. Below are my travel tips for saving time and avoiding travel stress on your next international trip. Ahead of time: Lots of packing lists abound: here’s mine Pack your bag 90% full or less so you have room for souvenirs (or consider bringing a foldable duffle bag if you need an extra bag on the way home) Never pack a bag heavier than you can carry. Often you…
10 Spring Cleaning Tips
Would you rather shake the rugs or dust the ceiling fans? Of all the spring cleaning tips, my number one tip, of course, is to sign up for my Clean the Chaos course and you’ll be cleaning and decluttering each space of your home throughout the year without a need for a big spring cleaning! Did I mention that for less than $50 for the year, you get a 5 step system that works in every space along with monthly checklists and motivational emails? Spring is a time of refresh after the winter. There are so many little things you can do to welcome spring into your home and clean out the winter cobwebs. This is not an ultimate spring cleaning list, but 10 spring cleaning tips to reset your home for spring. Dust cobwebs off ceilings, ceiling fans, vents, and light fixtures. (And vacuum up the dust that falls down!) Wash the baseboards and hose vacuum the edge of the carpet where it meets the wall (you know that long crevice that your regular vacuum misses!). Clean the curtains and blinds to get ready to welcome in the sunshine without having a cloud of dust come down when you…
20 International Travel Necessities
When going on an international trip, what must-have things should you not leave home without? The internet is full of helpful packing lists for travel, but often lacks the explanation as to WHY those items are necessities or how to differentiate between necessities and niceties. In addition to your clothes, what should you not leave home without? Whether you have made your first international travel plans or are helping a friend pack, here are a 20 necessities and 20 niceties for international travel to get your started. Bon voyage! International Travel Necessities Travel tissues (not all bathrooms have tissues, have one in your daypack and one extra in your luggage) Change/small bills (to pay to use some restrooms or buy water in order to be able use a restroom, to pay at places that do not accept cards) Credit/Bank card without international fees (notify your bank of your travels, too, so you can release your cards for international use) 1 reusable grocery bag (many stores charge for bags) Day pack or bag with crossbody strap (for the days when you aren’t carrying your luggage everywhere) Hand sanitizer (so many germs in public spaces!) Universal power adapter (can be used in…
Style Your Storage Spaces
How decorated is your closet or laundry room? Styling your living space is a natural step when moving into a new home, but what about styling your closet or laundry room? These storage spaces deserve a little bit of character that reflects your style, too, and makes you smile when you open the door. In my workshop Clean the Chaos, I talk about styling your spaces, even the closets and laundry room. You can check out Pinterest for closet organization systems, but often just decluttering and organizing your space is all you need to reset the calm. Adding a small bit of styling is icing on the cake. Do you smile when you open the closet door? Most people do not think about styling their laundry room, but I put up a pretty wallpaper border in the tiny laundry closet at one house I had. It was a simple and inexpensive way to brighten the space and make me smile when I opened the doors to do a chore I did not like, especially when the kids were little and the laundry piles were large. Consider using wall space in your closet or bedroom for small hooks, racks, or shelves.…