Right now I'm reading "The 4-Hour Work Week" by Timothy Ferris.  While I find much of the content to be entertaining at best, I loved this story that he tells in chapter 14: (copied & pasted from his blog)

A boat was docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. “How long did it take you to get those?” he asked.

“Not so long,” said the Mexican.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?” asked the American.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends,have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted. “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty — perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well, my friend,” laughed the American, “that’s when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends..."

I am excited to have my first give away.  (That implies there will be more, right?)  The cool people at Rubbermaid http://www.rubbermaid.com/ sent a few products to me to try: a four pack sandwich size TakeAlongs and a Blue Ice Fun Shape in the shape of a base ball. I pack four lunches a day and I have used both of these products every day since I got them!  I like the blue ice fun shape because it is thin and it fits well in the kid's lunch boxes and of course, it is more exciting than the standard blue ice packs.  I like the TakeAlongs because you can reuse them over and over and yet, you are not out a lot of money if they get lost or thrown away. (Would my children do that?)

TakeAlongs and the base ball Fun Blue Ice Shape.  See how thin it is?

So here's the deal: leave a comment and I will enter you in the drawing for a pack of 4 TakeAlongs & a Blue Ice Fun Shape.  Please leave in the comment your name and how to contact you, and if you would prefer a boy or a girl theme for your Blue Ice Fun Shape. 

Bonus entries:  An extra entry goes into the hat if you tell me that you:  1) would like my monthly news letter or 2) follow me on Twitter (see sidebar) or 3) join my fan page on Face book (http://www.facebook.com/PrimoSolutions).

Good luck to everyone! 

Small Print:

US addresses only please. This contest will end on Monday 10/5/09at 11:59 pm CST.   Only comments containing all of the requested information will be eligible for entry. The winner must contact me to confirm they wish to receive the prize within two days of my notifying them they've won.

It seems like a natural fit for Professional Organizers to help spread the word about National Preparedness Month.  We love to plan and be prepared!  But how, you ask, do you prepare your family for any emergency that comes your way?  I'm glad you asked!  I have found two websites (Ready America and Ready Wisconsin) that have wonderful information on how to get prepared:

http://www.ready.gov/

http://readywisconsin.wi.gov/READYWI/

Here's the skinny:

1.     Get a kit (stuff you need in your home similar to a first aid kit only much more extensive)

2.     Make a plan (so everyone in your family knows how to communicate and where to go)

3.     Be informed (study different potential emergencies and appropriate responses)

Both the Ready America and Ready Wisconsin have check lists of what to include in your kit, forms you can download and print on how to make a family plan and specific information for different populations like kids, seniors and pets.  Ready America has lists of potential emergencies and appropriate responses based on what state you live in, and Ready Wisconsin has a preparedness tip of the day and even instructional videos on how to get prepared.  There is so much more information and many downloadable, free resources!  But just obtaining the information isn't going to help your family in an emergency.  It takes action to be ready.  So let's get going on this project!

As with any big project, breaking it down into manageable parts is a good starting point. My first action step is to make my emergency kit list and then to buy a few items on the list each time I go to the store.  What is your first step? 

I found this cartoon in a recent issue of Real Simple Magazine.  I keep it on my vision board as it always makes me smile.  It is particularly funny to me…I’m not sure if it’s because I am turning 38 next month, or if it’s because I studied the “What to Expect when you’re Expecting” book so much when I was pregnant with my kids.  I realize it’s is a parody, but I can’t help but see the expectations of a mom my age to be unrealistic…I can’t change a diaper in under 2 minutes (my nine month old can’t be still for 15 seconds!) and I would never start any conversation about Japanese fashion, let alone an insightful one.  And then there’s the over the top, stereo typical expectation of moms these days: “write a best-selling novel, work full time, and run a charity organization”.  We only are seen as excelling when we do it all!

I think organizing has a lot to do with expectations.  The “organizing” part of life is setting up realistic, consistent expectations of when and how things get done and who does them.  Organizing daily life can help free up time to study Japanese fashion…or take your kids to the park.  I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.

So what can you expect of me as I enter my 39th year?  You can expect to see more insightful blogs and newsletters on setting up realistic expectations for daily life - on getting and staying organized.  I’ll get to that right after I research “Duran Duran”.  I think I’ve heard of them…

Dannie

First Confession: Organizing is not my natural tendency. Really, there is so much else I want to do! So many ways to spend my time!

There are professional organizers who have been organizing since they were children. In fact, my daughter has a friend who cleans and organizes rooms when she comes over! (silly me. I thought the Wii would be the game of choice.) Then, there are other professional organizers who did not start out so organized, but rather learned from personal experience and many, many other brilliant people how to get organized. I belong to the latter group, and that's why it's such a joy for me to help others get organized. I've experienced the benefits myself! Don't believe me? Here's some proof: this is my closet about four years ago. It was my very first organizing project! What I have learned in the past four years is that spending time on getting and staying organized in my home is similar to investing money....it takes a significant initial investment (of time & energy) but the return (of time & energy & sanity) is even greater.

Second Confession: The current condition of my house is not perfectly organized!

It is, however, organized enough for me to concentrate on the “big stuff” (life goals, parenting & relationships) because I know most of the “little stuff” (housework, meals & laundry) is taken care of. So, if you come over to my house and open one of my closets, don't expect to see it looking like a Pottery Barn ad. And you may have to step over someone's train set or Harry Potter books to navigate through the living room. But you're welcome to come over anytime.

Third Confession: I don't always like telling people I am a professional organizer.

Don't get me wrong...I love being a professional organizer. I love it when clients tell me they have learned how to manage their files, or papers, or meals, or what every it is, without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. But sometimes when I tell people I am a professional organizer, a huge wave of guilt sweeps over their face, and they say “you wouldn't want to see my house!” Or once when I told a stranger that I was a professional organizer, he said, (with a smirk), “oh, right. People are so lazy that they have to pay someone to organize for them!” How far from the truth. I can tell you one thing: four years ago (when my closets and home looked like these before pictures) I was working outside the home 20 hours every weekend, taking care of a home and three children under the age of six, as well as doing volunteer work. I know I was not lazy. Nor was I incapable of taking care of my stuff. I just needed to learn some new skill sets and how to apply them, and I am so thankful to the women who taught them to me.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Happy Organizing!

Dannie

Closet Know how....Simplify your Wardrobe

Step one: Sort it out.

Start by pulling out each item in your closet and placing it in piles. Categorize like items together according to your own associations, such as long sleeve shirts, dress shirts, work shirts, skirts, dresses, etc. Note that your are NOT making any decisions here about whether or not you will keep an item - just keep pulling out everything you have until it's all categorized. Put them in bins or piles so you can see the categories easily.

Step two: Make a decision.

This is the tough part, and you need to be completely honest with yourself. Keep what you use and like, and clothes that reflect your current lifestyle. Ask yourself questions such as: Do I truly have an occasion to wear this? Does it fit? How do I feel when I wear it? Is it stained, torn or in need of repair? Do I really need x number of shoes, belts, jeans, or whatever you that have more than 10 of? Keep this goal in mind: You should be able to find something you love to wear every morning in less than one minute.

Step three: Put it away.

You have to be able to see it and reach it to in order to use it. Now that you have only what you truly use and love in your closet, make sure it is stored in an efficient manner. Your clothes should not be packed so tightly that it is frustrating to find things or pull them out. The possibilities are endless with closet design and organizing tools, and many times the choices can be costly or overwhelming. I suggest using the basic design of your closet and adding elements only as you need them, based on your clothing preferences. Do you need more hanging space? Maybe you can add a hanging shelf for pants and skirts only. Do you need more space for out of season clothes?  Maybe you could add a shelf 14 inches from the ceiling. The idea is to know your needs and purchase organizing tools to meet those needs not to buy the organizing tools first and then try to make them work for you.

Step four: Maintain the order.

Establishing an item in, item out rule is a huge step to maintaining your easy to use closet. Also, develop a new habit of spending 5 minutes everyday putting your clothes away, keeping piles straight, making sure your shoes are in the right spot, etc. To do this, get a small timer to keep in your closet and practice doing it for 21 consecutive days...you will be amazed at the results and your new habit will stick.

Happy organizing! Don't forget...if you get stuck or just need a boost of encouragement, you can always call me or e-mail me. I'm here to help!

Dannie

10 Reasons to clean out your clothes closet....Now!

1.  Your closet is one of the first places you see in the morning and one of the last places you see at night. You might as well make it pleasant!

2.  Closets are great places to start organizing your belongings because they are relatively small and clearly defined spaces.

3.  Your clothes will actually fit into your closet, and not be in piles around your room.

4.  You do not need to be reminded on a daily basis that 10 years ago you wore size 4 jeans. Give them away or at least remove them from your everyday closet!

5.  You will be inspired to tackle the linen closet next!

6.  Save money, because if you know that you own 10 pairs of black pumps, it may stop you from buying those super cute black pumps that are on sale.

7.  Save your sanity in the mornings by knowing all the clothes you can see and reach are clothes that fit you and that you love.

8.  Save time by not shopping for duplicate clothing items just because you can't find them.

9.  There are much bigger things in life to be stressed about than whether or not you can find your favorite white shirt. This is something you can do!

10. Cleaning out your clothes closet is a small initial investment of your time, but it reaps many benefits in the long run.

More tips on how to clean out that clothes closet to follow. Got a comment? I'd love to hear from you!

Dannie

Welcometo the Primo Solutions blog!

This is a great place to find advice, tips, tools and new perspectives on home organizing. Creating solutions for every family is my passion, and my prayer is that you will find the information you need to take care of little stuff - like meals, laundry, cleaning, home maintenance & paper management -so you can focus your energies on the bigger picture, like your life goals.

Please comment and let me know what you think. Advice works best when it' shared!