Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  It’s time to step back from those busy schedules, clients, emails and businesses to focus on family and friends during the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course, this is easier said than done for many consultants and business owners, but important nonetheless.

Preparing for Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming.  In fact, planning ahead and being organized can help reduce those feelings of stress.  Here are some tips that will help the prep process:

• Create a menu and write down a shopping list based on the menu.
• Create a cooking time schedule; be sure to indicate which dishes can be made ahead of time.
• A few days before Thanksgiving, clean out the refrigerator so there is room for groceries and dishes.
• Set the dinner table the day before. It is one less thing to do on Thanksgiving Day and it will help ensure that you have all the necessary dishes, platters, glasses, etc.
• Assign tasks to people so that you don’t have to do it all on your own. Assigning a set up crew and some dishwashers for after the meal can be extremely helpful.  People want to help.
• Prepare some of  the side dishes and desserts ahead of time.

Enjoy the day and give thanks for what surrounds you.  Have a safe, happy and organized Thanksgiving!

By: Melissa Stacey

There are, and always will be, only 24 hours in a day.  How you spend that time is up to you.  Here are some easy tips to help maximize those hours:

1. Give everything a “home”.  If you put your keys in the same place every time you come home, you will spend less time looking for them when you leave the house.
2. Prioritize your tasks for each day and limit or say NO to time suckers.
3. Be strategic about running errands.  Map them out ahead of time so that you are maximizing your trips.
4. Use one small notebook to keep track of all information including To Do lists and notes.
5. Delegate tasks that you don’t enjoy or others can do easily for you.

Maximize your time and minimize your stress by being aware of how your are spending the hours of your day.

By: Melissa Stacey

Recently, in a spurt of ‘abundance thinking’, where I was convinced that 2010 is going to be a MUCH better year than 2009 (I can’t afford to think otherwise, can you?!), I decided to do an inventory of people/resources I can turn to when my workload is too heavy to do it all myself.

Like many fellow consultants, I can perform every function needed to support most client projects myself, but have found it very wise to outsource certain portions of my research projects when I have a heavy client load in order to ensure that my time is spent on the things that are: 1) high value activities, worthy of my $100+ hourly rate and 2) things that only I can do based on my unique talents or the client relationship.

In an effort to streamline the process when I need to turn to other resources, I created a spreadsheet that provides me with a quick glance at the resources I’ve qualified and established relationships with over the past 10 years.  Some of the features of the spreadsheet:

• Every row is a different person/resource
• The first few columns include contact information, notes about the resource and their specialty
• The rest of the columns are categories of resources such as Interviewing, Analysis, Recruiting, Panels/Lists, etc.
• I put an X in each column/category that a given resource can help with

Having this quick reference allows me to rapidly scan a given column when I have the need for support in any given area.  When I meet/qualify new resources, I add them to the spreadsheet, which ensures that I think of them when the need arises.  This saves me a LOT of time and helps me make sure I make the right choice for each project, which helps ensure high quality results for my clients.

Let’s all think ‘abundance’ for 2010 and do a similar inventory of our resources…and if you don’t HAVE back-up resources, be sure to find some…WIC is a great source of qualified people who can partner with you to help in almost any element of your work.

By: Jen Berkley Jackson

Setting up the right organizing systems in your office can make all the difference in the world.  You can clean up and organize your space, but if you are not setting up maintainable systems that work well for you, the clutter and disorganization will come back.

A recent article called “An Orderly Office?  That’s Personal” in the New York times discusses one person’s journey to organizing her office and how organizing systems changed her life.

To read more go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/garden/26office.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=march%2026,%202009%20organizer&st=cse

By: Melissa Stacey

The best way to store items is by using storage containers.  Containers help keep similar items in one place, they protect your belongings and they serve as a “home”.  You can also use them to maximize your storage space by purchasing containers that are stackable.

Favorite Stores – Some of my favorite places to shop for containers are Container Store, Storables, OSH and Target.

Container Store 25% Off – Right now you can find some great containers for your organizing projects at the Container Store and get 25% off through April 13th with this coupon: http://images.containerstore.com/messyHouseTour.pdf

By: Melissa Stacey

Spring is already here and I am still working on implementing my New Years Intentions/Resolutions. Better now than never!

Is your new year resolution or intention about getting organized?  If so, a great way to start is to stop extra mail that comes into your home or business.  Check out www.dmachoice.org or www.greendimes.com to remove your name from junk mailing lists.

Looking to get rid of old electronics?  I found a great website that will buy used cell phones, MP3 players, computers and camcorders. The company will send you a prepaid postage box so you can ship your items to them.  The website is very user friendly and it only takes a few minutes to look up your electronics.  Go to www.gazelle.com for more information.

By: Melissa Stacey

I have found that one of the biggest problem areas in many households is incoming mail.  Managing your mail can be challenging because of all of the “stuff” we are sent every day.  Two ways to stop the junk mail are to contact www.dmachoice.org or www.greendimes.com.

The most important part of controlling your incoming mail is creating a system that you will maintain.  Read my post at Invincibelle for mail solution ideas: http://www.blog.invincibelle.com/?p=213

By: Melissa Stacey