TWO TIPS to Simplify the Holidays - Part I

Since it is the first week of December, my TWO TIPS for you will focus on Holiday Decorating!

Keeping it Simple
How many bins/containers do you have for the Holidays? Are you dreading pulling those bins out of the attic, garage or basement? Maybe there is a reason for this. Maybe the anticipation that you used to have to get the house ready is not what it used to be, and you look more forward to celebrating the holidays in a different way than you did 5, 10, or even 15 years ago. This is OK! Maybe you enjoy going to parties and events...or taking a holiday vacation. If this is the case, then maybe decorating isn't so much your thing anymore. So why not donate your excess decorations (you still want to decorate a little, right?) to someone in need. So many people lose their decorations each year due to fire, flood, and other disasters. Some new couples are starting out with very little, and why not give them the chance to go to the donation store of your choice to purchase that angel wreath you no longer love?

Memorabilia or Decor?
Do you pull out things from your Holiday bins/containers, and then put them back in the bottom? Are they craft gifts that your kids made 10 years ago (it's ok, you don't have to get rid of them!)? If you are finding yourself putting those special items back for safekeeping, why not create a special bin just for Holiday Memorabilia? Call it such, and add to it every year, weeding as you go. There, now that paper plate angel with gold glitter will have a new home!


Next week's TWO TIPS involve gift giving. Part III will be all about Entertaining, so stay tuned!

Professional Organizer Actually Buys a Large Piece of Exercise Equipment - Hires Local Hauler

It all started with an innocent email from one of my Organizing clients.

"Jill, remember that elliptical machine you liked, the one my husband has? Well, he doesn't want it anymore, so would you like it?"

Ok, so any good, self-respecting Professional Organizer is going to ask these questions before he/she brings anything new into the house:

1) do I need it?
2) will I actually use it?
3) where will it live?
a) if I put it there, what will have to be moved or gotten rid of in order to have it fit?

Then, after answering all of these questions satisfactorily to myself, I replied:

"Yes! I would like it!"

(Excitement on both ends here)

So I called my dependable hauler/mover, Erik Snyder, who this client has used before as well, and we set it all up. I also mentioned that we were going to be doing some yard work this weekend, and would be pulling out some debris from the summer/fall that he could take with him to dispose of once he delivered the machine. Since he was going to have an empty truck, we worked it out that he would load it the same morning. (yeah!)

My great client was very flexible with the timing, and Erik was very communicative and prompt about when he could do the pick-up and delivery. We settled on Sunday morning (today).
I was hoping that worked out for everyone involved, as I was hoping to get it all done before church and the Steelers game!

I rearranged some things, and the big day arrived - Erik was early, friendly, and professionally dressed. His truck had a hydraulic lift gate on it, so he just lowered the machine to the ground, and rolled to my backyard, and easily got it to its new home in my basement, facing the TV. He even moved a loveseat, on his back, mind you, to its new home across the room.

He then loaded his truck with my junk from the yard and under the porch - I paid him easily with my debit card, and he was gone by 10:30. It was a very reasonable fee for all the work he did!

Erik is also great at moving furniture within your house, or in an office setting - he has a great, strong, insured team of professionals to help with any moving project as well!

Erik's Hauling and Moving 412-758-9736

Several of my customers absolutely swear by him - and wouldn't use anyone else!

Getting the machine here was the easy part, now I just have to figure out how it works...