Chic.a.Holic

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving!

-Chicaholic

Ten Things to Toss Today

Harboring an an excess of stuff can definitely be a downer. Clutter often effects people in ways they don't realize. A cluttered environment can often deplete your energy, put a damper in your productivity, and in general, can bring on negative stress and unnecessary frustration. Why not toss all the junk and replace it with a few chic things?

The following is a suggested list of ten things you can get rid of today that will help create a little more space in your life.

Trash. Empty your trash cans on a regular basis. Gather up trash that's laying around and throw it out.
1. Junk mail. Need I say more? Okay, I will. Get rid of your junk mail. Sale papers from stores you don't shop at, credit card offers, and other junk that comes in the mail - get rid of it immediately to avoid a pileup. Get a couple of nice letter trays to sort the mail you DO need to keep.
2. Items you no longer like. If you bought a shirt you once loved, but not it's out of style, or you just don't like it, there's no reason to hold on to it. Ask a friend if they'd like it, or donate it. If you have a lot of items you no longer like, combine them with the things that fall into the next category and have a yard sale! There's no room in life for stuff you don't want. Only keep things that are useful and make you happy.
   
Items you no longer need or that have become useless to you. Just like items you no longer like, if you bought something at one point because you needed it, but you know you really don't need it any more, donate it, sell it, or if you know someone who (genuinely) needs it, you can ask if they'd like to have it.
3. Outdated materials. Old store sales papers, catalogs, periodicals, event invitations, coupons - these are all perfect examples of irrelevant material than can become overwhelming if we let it pile up. Recycle it! Only store or file what is necessary. Get some new supplies and ditch the boring manila folders that are falling apart because they were jammed full of catalogs.
   
Duplicates and excess "stuff". I've walked into many situations with clients where we've come across 10 pairs of scissors, five staplers, and even a couple of irons. I've fallen victim to this myself - you don't remember you have something, or you can't find it, so you just buy another one. Well, not only is that a waste of money, but now you're left with more stuff taking up space than is really needed. Pick the best pair or two of scissors and get rid of the rest. If you have way too many pens, just keep the ones that write the best. Only keep the stapler that doesn't keep getting jammed.
Free giveaways or tchotchkes. Just because it was free doesn't mean you need to keep it. If you collect free stuff from festivals, meetings, conferences, or from people who just give you stuff in passing, you are in no way obligated to keep it. I must admit, there are some clever tchotchkes out there, but appreciate it, have your laugh, and let it go.
4. Things that no longer work. If that toaster isn't working - get rid of it. Toasters are inexpensive, you can get another one if you need to. I know an older woman, approaching her 90's, who is of the mindset of getting things fixed. She recently paid $350 to get her TV repaired. First off, the repair man should have, in my opinion, told her that her TV wasn't worth $350. He chose to take advantage of her instead. No one would buy that TV for $350 if you tried to sell it, and she could have purchased a much better (and lighter) television set for less money. When she moved in with her daughter a month later, she had to give the TV away. If your kid's toy is broken, please get rid of it. Old broken cell phone? Donate or recycle it to an organization like CollectiveGood, please. Again, don't keep junk. Keep things that are functional and attractive.
   
Things you keep in your off-site storage unit. Why are you paying for storage? I suppose for some people out there, legitimate reasons exist. But if you rarely visit your storage unit, how important is the stuff you are keeping in there? I had a storage unit once. I was living in a studio apartment and maintaining a storage unit to the tune of $80/month. While I did go every once in a while to retrieve things, my mom pointed out that I could put that money toward a bigger place. That made sense. Did I get a bigger place? No, I just got rid of the stuff in storage because I realized it wasn't important enough to want to move it all in with me.
5. Items that have negative associations. I mentioned this in my 10 Minutes, 10 Days series on my blog. Keeping items that bring up negative emotions for you continue to stir those emotions whenever you encounter them. Free yourself from the negativity by letting go of these items.

Alaia Williams is a Professional Organizer who loves helping people create spaces they can feel good about. You can find out more about Alaia at her website and get more organizing tips at the One Organized Life Blog.

Lipstick Jungle Canceled - Yes it is true

I am so sad and sorry to report that one of my favorite shows, Lipstick Jungle, is being canceled. I think maybe America's audience was not ready to have a show about career focused women.

No one knows yet whether they will allow the rest of the season to air, but I don't see why they wouldn't do it. They already moved it to Friday's, so perhaps it won't hurt to let them to let the show ride out.

So, my question for you is...who was your favorite Lipstick Jungle character and why?

My favorite is Victory's character because I can relate to the struggles she has as a business owner. It is quite another ball game to own your business VS. work in the corporate world.

Photo credits: NBC

I have a bit of Victory Ford in my office with the same tape measure she uses in the first season.

Click on the picture to get one for yourself:

Until next time,

Chicaholic

Start Your Work Day with a Little Planning

Plan your day before you start reading emails or checking voicemails. Take 10 to 20 minutes at the start of your work day to figure out what you need to get done and by when. Set priorities and realistic goals. Make sure the things at the top of your to-do list for the day are things that absolutely need to get done today. Work your way down the list with things that can be done at a later date toward the bottom of the list.

Make sure the items you add to your list contribute to your overall project or business goals. Planning your day before you get inundated with emails and voicemails is a great way to establish some direction and lay a foundation for the day. Even better - if you can make the list the evening before, you'll be ready to get right to work as soon as you arrive.

Alaia Williams is a Professional Organizer who loves helping people create spaces they can feel good about. You can find out more about Alaia at her website and get more organizing tips at the One Organized Life Blog.

Kate Spade Sale - 60% off!

November 11th-14th Kate Spade Semi-Annual sale! Woo hoo!

Last sale I bought a BEAUTIFUL wallet at over half off.

Here it is:

Kate Spade Sale

Happy Shopping!

-Chicaholic

Creating and Maintaining a Smart Schedule

1. Always strive for balance: Take your energy and productivity levels into account when creating your schedule. Avoid leaving your schedule empty or too loose if there are important things you need to get done. Avoid adding so many to-do's, events, and meetings to your calendar that you feel exhausted at the end of the day. Which leads to tip #2…

2. Create breathing space: If you think certain task will take you 15 minutes, plan for 20 or 30 minutes. Leave room in your schedule for travel time so you aren't rushed, and if there is traffic or something unexpected comes up, you'll be able to handle it – with time to spare. Meetings and conference calls can sometimes run over the scheduled amount of time, so try not to schedule meetings and calls back to back. Leave yourself a few minutes in between in case the meeting runs long, but also so that you can grab a bite to eat, return a call or email, stretch your legs, or to prep for the next meeting.

3. Cut down on your commute time: If you have errands to run, meetings to attend, or clients to see, schedule things in close proximity around the same time if possible. This saves gas money as well as time. The time you spent trekking back and forth across town can now be used for more important things (and that includes rest!). If someone wants to schedule a meeting with you, but the topic in question can be handled over the phone, don't hesitate to request a phone meeting

4. Run errands during off-peak hours if you can: Grocery stores tend to be less busy before work hours, and earlier on weekend mornings. My favorite time to hit the grocery store or places like Target is on Sunday night. On weekends, stores tend to be a little less crowded when they first open than during the mid-day hours when everyone is out and about. What are the off peak hours for the places you frequent? Definitely try to make your stops during that time.

5. Pick the right planner. Take some time to find the right planner or calendar for you. You might have to experiment and that's okay. I've gone from Franklin Covey planners to Palm Pilots, Treos to Google Calendar, and back to a Dayminder with quarter hourly appointments. All of our brains work differently, and fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from. I feel the same way about calendars as I do about journals. Choose one that is visually appealing and suits your needs so that you are more likely to use it. What is the point of buying the planner if you'll only use it for a week? Put the calendar to good use and use it as a tool to help you stay on track.

Alaia Williams is a Professional Organizer who loves helping people create spaces they can feel good about. You can find out more about Alaia at her website and get more organizing tips at the One Organized Life Blog.

Happy Halloween!!

Sorting with Style and Chicaholic would like to wish you a VERY Happy Halloween!!!!

SPOOKY!!!!

Creating a Chic and Organized Office at Home

With a growing number of people working from home, those who are leaving the traditional office setting (at least part time) are realizing the importance of creating a dedicated workspace at home.

If you have decided to make the transition to work from home, I strongly suggest creating a space in your home that you use only for work.  There are many important benefits to creating this space including increased productivity and separating home life and work life - which benefits both you and the people that live with you. Find a place that can be all your own - if not permanently, at least temporarily. Pick a place that is low traffic during the day, setup shop, and have a place for storage nearby that you can neatly store things in at the end of the day.

So, now that you've found the place, you need the proper tools to create an organized and professional business environment for yourself. Make your workspace aesthetically pleasing. If you dread the thought of entering the space, you won't be in the right mindset to accomplish amazing things throughout the day.  Trust me - I've been there. When you are screaming, "get me out of here!!" I'm pretty sure you probably aren't working as efficiently as possible.

Investing in a few chic products to spruce up your workspace helps add some life to a space that many people leave dull and lifeless.

•    Memo or message board:  I love message boards. They are a great way to put important notes at eye level, or near a door, so you see them on your way out.  Make sure to check the notes on a regular basis, so you don't miss anything!

•    An appropriate calendar:  There are tons of options for calendars on the market. Choose the one that is right for you. I find that even though I have a smartphone that I access my calendar on, having a paper calendar still comes in handy.

•    An adequate amount of filing supplies:  I have yet to come face-to-face with an office that is 100% paperless.  There are some thing that it is important to have hard copies of. The amount of papers you need to retain will vary based on your business - stock up on filing supplies accordingly. Boring manila folders got you down? Choose something bright or bold.
 
•    Writing utensils: Am I the only who always has pens that go missing?  Make sure you have enough pens and pencils on hand so you don't have to search the far ends of the earth for one when someone needs you to jot down their information.
Analyze what your needs are and choose organizing and storage products appropriately.  Most people can benefit from having at least one or two letter trays. I love magazines. If you are like me, a magazine holder will help prevent stacks of magazines from getting too messy. The last thing you want when you are heading out the door is to knock over a stack of magazines, slip, and lose everything you are holding on to - or hurt yourself.  Safety first!

The bottom line:  If you are working from home, make sure you have space when you can focus and get things done. Tell others to keep out while you are working. Set office hours as if you were going into a traditional office. Invest in yourself and your business. Create a chic and organized office. Buy quality products and spend a few minutes each day making sure everything in your office is in it's place. If you love your space and feel good being there, you will look forward to getting started each day.

Alaia Williams is a Professional Organizer who loves helping people create spaces they can feel good about. You can find out more about Alaia at her website and get more organizing tips at the One Organized Life Blog.

One Organized Life-Guest Starring on Chicaholic.net

Our very own Professional Organizer

Alaia Williams, founder of One Organized Life, a Professional Organizing company, will be our new weekly "Guest Star!" Alaia will be sharing with us her own techniques and tips on organizing our life, work, and everything in between. Realizing that people do many things in their day to day lives, Alaia has shaped One Organized Life with the vision of helping clients get a firm grip on what is most important to them so they can achieve a greater sense of balance and peace in their everyday lives.  We are lucky to have her here every Wednesday so keep your eyes open for her first post tomorrow!

Until then, Cheers!

Featured on Charmingly Chic-Birdsong Paperweight

It seems that a lot of my recent posts have been announcements of the store appearing on my favorite blogs, but it is too exciting to keep to my self!

One of my favorite paperweights on the store was featured on Charmingly Chic, a VERY chic blog always featuring the hottest and most stylish products, both online and off.

Birdsong Paperweight $26.50

Adding some beauty to your office isn't only my thing, apparently it is quite popular these days!

To see the post on Charmingly Chic click HERE.

See you soon!

-Chicaholic