A New Life, A New Adventure
by Maria Gracia

Well, you finally decided take the big step–to share one
heart–and one household. You both have tons of stuff.
What will you do with all of it?

1. First off, think married-couple-like. If any of your
furniture and accessories are too ’single-life’ or
‘dormitory-style’, donate them or give them to someone in
college.

2. Make a vow to each other to get rid of at least 20% of
your stuff, or more if you can. A great time to declutter
is now–before you move into your new place. If you
currently have something in storage, consider donating
it. If you’re not using it now, and haven’t in awhile,
you likely won’t use it later–and it will just gather
dust in your new home.

3. That being done, start making lists of what you both
possess. Go over your lists together, Anything thing that
is a duplicate, donate one. Keep the newest or best one.
Make that decision before you move. Decide where these
things are going to go in your new home. Indicate the
area on this list.

4. Box your possessions up. Don’t combine two rooms of
stuff in one box. Each box should only contain the
possessions for one room. All kitchen stuff in its own
boxes. All living room stuff in its own boxes.

5. Label each box with the room it’s going to go in, the
contents of the box, and where it’s going to go in your
new home. Mark the Open-Immediately boxes that contain
blankets, pillows toiletries, and other items you’ll need
for a first good-night’s sleep in your new digs.

These are just a few of Maria’s great ideas for anyone tying the knot. Stay tuned for more to come!

The Mrs. Organized Interview with Jennifer Fallon

Mrs. O: Tell me about yourself and how you got started:

Jennifer: I’m an Atlanta native. I’m married and have two beautiful twin girls who just turned two! I’ve always been a high-energy person, which has come in very handy with two little ones and a business. I’ve been able to transfer that energy and passion into my work to build The Aspen Brands Company (Kate Aspen and Baby Aspen).

While planning my 2003 wedding, I fell in love with the perfect outdoor venue with magnificent gardens. It was beyond our budget, but I’m not one to take “no” for an answer. I negotiated a deal with the owner: I would exchange my time to market his venue online to brides in exchange for a more palatable price for our own reception. Within no time, I had booked the venue for every weekend for a year! This experience solidified my belief in the power of internet sales. At that time, I also discovered an untapped market in wedding favors. I wasn’t finding creative options in the quantities and price point that I needed. After we returned from the honeymoon, I launched a retail wedding favor site. Within one year, I began to see trends and took note of what brides were seeking: more practical favors and more flair in their favor presentation. It was then that I decided I would design and manufacture my own line of favors, and I launched Kate Aspen in October 2004.

Kate Aspen now has more than 300 favors for weddings, baby showers, and all life events! In 2007, we also launched Baby Aspen which has now grown into a line of 20 plush baby gifts with keepsake features. This year, we launched In Favor of a Cure and the Pink Ribbon Favor Collection and look forward to growing the charitable side of our business.

Mrs. O: What do you suggest for the bride to start choosing and thinking about favors

Jennifer: Brides need to think about the vision for their reception–more than just the venue and the food, but how they can bring their personality into the reception. After all, it is HER (and his) day! Be sure to budget for favors. They offer a lot of wow for a minimal cost and can contribute to the overall décor and experience. Kate Aspen favors and packaging range from traditional black and white to bright spring-like colors, and they can really add pop to the table, whether they are center plate, arranged attractively in the middle of the table or at the gift table.

Mrs. O: What inspires you for your favor designs?

Jennifer: Bride feedback and color trends are just a few things that guide us as we design our favor collections. We also have a very creative design team. We actually meet weekly to brainstorm and discuss. It’s a fun and creative process. We have always touted the fact that we have something for every kind of bride, so we try to keep the traditional bride in mind just as much as we would the whimsical bride that might even want a hint of humor in her favor selection.

Mrs. O: What organizational system works for you and would you recommend for brides:

Jennifer: Use whatever organizational system works for YOU. Pick a system and stick to it. File everything together. Don’t assume you are going to remember details! Let yourself be flexible enough to change your mind too. First impressions are strong, but you never know when a creative idea will hit you. I keep a notebook with running notes with me at all times. I know people who use their phones to leave themselves messages and people who keep a pen or a voice recorder next to their bed for middle of the night ideas. Whatever works! The more organized you are, the less stressful your wedding planning is going to be. Relax!

Mrs. O: Tell us about wedding planners and what role they play in picking out favors

Jennifer: A wedding planner is a fabulous resource. Their job is to keep the wedding within budget and create a vision that is perfect for each bride. Remember that even though you might think you know what you want, be open to your wedding planner’s suggestions. After all, she or he does this every day and may have many ideas you’ve never considered. Work together to perfect the “good” ideas and let go of the less-than-perfect ideas. Plus, if you struggle with organization, your wedding planner will be your savior!

Mrs. O: Favorite wedding ideas, favorite favors and ways to use them

Jennifer: I LOVE fresh flowers. If I could have them every day at home and at the office, I would. I love color themes and using favors within those themes. Black and white and metallics are always in fashion. I like using favors for a practical purpose. The coasters not only serve as a place card holder at the table, but they serve as a picture frame for your wedding photo to display and enjoy for years to come. I also like the look of several different favors at each place setting. Why not light a votive candle favor as part of the table décor, use keepsake a place card holder next to each plate, and surround the bottle of wine in the center of the table with heart-shaped chrome bottle stoppers in pretty packaging. Another fun idea is to give different favors at every table or alternate them at every other setting. It’s a great conversation starter for your guests. Keep in mind that your wedding is not just about the ceremony and the reception, but it’s all the special events leading up to it. Favors are perfect (and appreciated!) at bridesmaids’ luncheons and at showers. With so many favor designs, you can even string a theme through from the engagement party to the reception.

Mrs. O: Favorite wedding story

Jennifer: Remember the outdoor venue I mentioned that I booked for my wedding reception? Well, it was gorgeous, but the weather on our wedding day wasn’t! It rained, it poured, there was lightening and it poured some more! Although we had tents and a fair amount of covered area, the sheets of rain were relentless, causing a muddy, sloppy mess on the ground. Our wedding guests were dancing in their good shoes, covered in mud. It was quite a sight! We had a wonderful time though, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…which goes to show you sometimes things don’t go as planned, but it’s the joy in your heart that matters!

It’s no surprise that Jennifer has been able to build a successful business and have such a great family at the same time. Her personality shines through her enthusiasm and love for what she does.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

4) Don’t forget garment bags- It’s always a good idea to pack at least one nice outfit for travel, but wrinkles can ruin the fun. A garment bag will help keep your clothing protected and have it ready to wear when the time comes.

5) Have all your important documents printed, organized and ready to present- These items are better left out of the suitcase. Nothing is more stressful than being at the check-in counter (airport, hotel or otherwise) and scrambling through your purse, bag, or luggage looking for your ID, tickets, confirmation numbers, etc. Carry everything need in an ID and Document Holder so all travel documents are kept in one convenient place.

6) Have fun!!!! Packing the perfect bag will help you get excited and eager to be in full travel mode. Laying out your outfits and imagining all the fun places you will go and things you will see will help you to mentally prepare for your getaway. Packing is only the beginning of a great trip.

“Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.” ~Roy Goodman

NEAT Thing I Love Today:

As the creative juices are always flowing at Organize.com, we are constantly coming up with new ideas and plans on how to make organization more fun and stylish for the customer. In doing so, the 8 Days-A-Week Planner Pad from Bob’s your uncle is my favorite project manager. It is not only a great tool to plan your day, but also helps to keep each project manager on task and aware of what’s needed. The team knows what’s going on at all times and it is big enough for all our activities. And it’s full of color too!

“This first picture is of the wall space over my computer station that I call Color Central. Here I keep any color guides I get from trend services or any palettes that I have created for the projects that I am working on. Because we are so visual it is so important for artists to have things on display. The trick is keeping the space organized and not overwhelming. At any given time I am usually working on at least three projects. The Stainless Steel Bulletin Boards are really versatile and easy to adapt to my extremely different display needs. I also find it great because the shelves and hanging hooks allow me to get things up instead of being on the surface of the table, which is never big enough. There must be some unwritten universal law that attracts paper to flat surfaces, at least in my studio, so anything I can do to keep my creative table clear is a must.

On the wall next to my desktop computer is the Wall Mount Magazine Rack for my design accounts. Each company has a specific color assigned so I never get the files mixed up. When I ordered this I thought it was a good idea but only after I got it and started to use it did I realize how effective it is. It saves so much space. I made the folders out of some paper I had because I wanted the bigger pockets but regular letter size folders work great too.

The second photo is a shot of the center table (notice I did not call it work table) and the cabinets that hold both collage supplies and office supplies. I LOVE the red Hardware Storage Cabinet. It has 44 drawers and at first I thought it was going to be hard to fill. Before I got the cabinet, I was keeping some of the contents in an old cupcake tin and other stuff in a plastic compartment box. Now I have a few spare places, but I bet by the end of the year those are going be filled for sure. I hated trying to keep track of all of those little things and this system makes it easy. The 5 Tier Cart is great for project storage. I like to be able to keep things together that I am working on and with this system I can easily be working and at the end of the day clean up. The shelves are easy to remove and very lightweight.

When I’m not working on my newest adventure, a start up that stems out of my passion for inspiring creativity and beauty in people’s lives, I do illustration which I license for craft and stationery products, branding design and consulting. I also schedule in at least 2 days a week for my fine art which is very abstract using oil, engraving and encaustic. I love the variety. I might be designing with felt one day and doing a logo the next.

A lot of my ideas start from sketches and mock-ups on the table then I move to my computer and scanner and work from there to develop the designs. It really is important to have everything at my fingertips and organized because when you have a creative idea there is nothing more frustrating then not being able to get it out.”

NEAT Things I Love Today:

When getting home from work, my hands are always full with my purse, keys, mail…you name it. My saving grace is the 3 Piece Office System that is posted right when I walk in the door so I can set everything down all at once. I pin invitations or coupons on the corkboard, hang my sunglasses and keys on the hooks and put my outgoing mail in the letter holders. It is my “House Central!” Even Mr. Organized knows to put any important notes or messages on my board to be sure I get them.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

Being a seasoned air traveler has allowed me to put together several tried and true tips that can be applied no matter where you are headed. Here are few to get you started:

1) Keep it simple- Too many times we go a little overboard and try to cram everything from our closet into the suitcase. Remember that your travels are only temporary and you should pack that way. Plan your outfits according to how many days you will be gone and the climate of where you are going. Try to pack just the basics when selecting pants, shorts and skirts. You can never go wrong with pair of black pants or a khaki pair of shorts. Then you will have more room for the fun and fancy tops and create multiple outfits.

2) Plan, plan, plan- Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to pack. You don’t want to throw everything in the suitcase just to find that you are stuck with a wrinkled wardrobe or your favorite pair of shoes is still at home next to the bed. When you rush, you forget and it will make for a bad vacation. To help avoid leaving things behind, make a list and write everything down. A good one to use is the Travel Prep Pad or Pack This Pad by Buttoned Up.

3) Pack your accessories and toiletries separately- Keep socks, undergarments, jewelry, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc. in their own compartments within the suitcase. If you don’t have extra compartments, mesh laundry bags, toiletry bags or cosmetic bags work great. If socks and undergarments are packed separately, they will be easier to find and help your suitcase stay organized. And toiletries always have the tendency to explode all over your favorite blouse. Placing them in a toiletry bag allows them to stay secure and contained. Real Simple (one of my faves) has some additional pointers on the how to avoid spills and other suitcase disasters.

NEAT Things I Love Today:

Recently there was a new addition to the Mrs. Organized family, and his name is Sammy. He is my Yorkie Maltese and I adore him. Since he is still a puppy and needs constant supervision, the Iris Pet Pen has saved my life! I couldn’t live without it and you shouldn’t either. I can place little Sammy in the pen while I get ready for work in the morning or while cooking dinner at night or when we have guests over to the house. It gives him plenty of room to roam without taking up a lot of room in the house.

1) Wake up early. Set your alarm clock for 15 minutes
earlier than you normally do to get an early start on
your day. Get up when the alarm sounds.

2) Time your showers. Most people take way more time in
the shower than is needed. Set your timer for 7 minutes.
When the timer sounds, your shower is done.

3) Plan your outfits the night before. Put whatever
you’re going to wear to one side of your closet, or
folded neatly on a chair. When you are done with your
shower each day, your outfit will be waiting for you.

4) Never run just one errand. Try to always combine at
least two to three errands in one trip. Start with the
errand furthest away, and then work your way back.

5) Make and use written lists. Don’t try to remember
everything you have to do. Always jot down tasks, errands
and things to pick up.

6) Cook enough for two meals. No matter what you’re
cooking–breakfast, lunch or dinner–always cook enough
for two meals. When everything is prepared and done,
divide it in half. Immediately refrigerate or freeze the
one half, and enjoy the other half now.

7) Clean and organize as you go. Rather than giving
yourself huge cleaning jobs each day, as you make a mess
quickly clean it up. Dirty dishes can be rinsed
immediately and placed in the dishwasher. Wipe off the
bathroom countertop and spray the shower with shower
spray as soon as you’re done. Make your bed as soon as
you get up. Vacuum any crumbs under the dining table the
second everyone is done eating. File papers away as
needed, rather than allowing them to pile up in a To Be
Filed tray.

8) Enlist help. Whoever is living in your house, whether
that person be a spouse, a child, a friend or a
relative–that person should be able to help you get
things done in one way or another. A spouse can help out
with the kids bath times every other night. A child can
help fold clothes, help dust or help put toys away.
Someone who is not able to help physically, may still be
able to sit at a desk and help you sort the mail or shred
some documents. It should definitely be a team effort and
not a one-man or one-woman show.

9) Consolidate your phone calls. Rather than making and
taking calls throughout the day, allow your answering
machine to field your calls. Then, make or return calls
during one consistently scheduled phone hour each day,
such as between 1:00P and 2:00P. Before your phone hour,
toss in a load of laundry. After your phone hour, toss
those clothes in the dryer. Multi-tasking is one of the
keys to being super-productive.

10) Reward yourself. There is nothing more draining than
going through an entire day without doing anything fun.
Sandwich small rewards between each task. For instance,
when you’re done with the ironing, read your favorite
novel for 15 minutes. When you’re done cleaning the
bathroom, sit in front of the fireplace while you relax
and sip a cup of tea.

Maria’s broad range of skills covers clutter control, planning, scheduling, peak productivity, records management, space planning, time and paper management, filing systems and computer oriented organizational systems and more. We are excited to have her as a contributor and friend on Mrs. Organized.

NEAT Things I Love Today:

The Do & Delegate Work Notebook by Buttoned Up! Work is hectic, but this helps me to manage the who, what, where and when of the daily grind. And the best part, it’s all in one place.

“Now that I am relaxing with dinner made, some time spent in front of the television watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and a glass of wine by my side, I am smiling at the thought of writing advise to women on “how to do it all.” My dishes remain in the sink, only the pretty colored envelopes have been opened from today’s mail and I believe by last count I have 15 un-heard messages on my home voice mail. Truth be told, the most important tip I could ever give anyone would be to carve out some time for your self each
day. Obviously I do not classify doing the dishes as a soulful activity and folding laundry yields “no zen” for me. Time spent energizing your spirit equates to more in reserve to tackle whatever may come your way. My formulas for stress relief is reading through Oprah Magazine, having lunch with friends at our favorite sandwich shop, laughing while talking on the telephone long after the children are asleep, exercising with the greatest (and most eclectic) group of folks at sunrise, visiting eBay every now and again and in the absence of American Idol , watching the Bachelorette. These are simple activities which allow me to shed the worries of the day for a brief moment, bringing a sense of calm. The second bit of personal wisdom I live by is to get all that I have to accomplish off my mind
and onto paper! That means recording it in my Truly Mom planner (of course). I actually sleep better at night knowing everything is written in one place. I use the planner’s sticky notes (appropriately titled, “remember this”) the most. Having been one of those people who was just short of writing important things to remember on my forehead, I am a huge fan of the stickys. At certain times of the year, they adorn my bathroom mirrors, the front door, and the steering wheel of my car. I have yet to kiss my children goodnight and place a sticky reminder on top of their blanket, but as the old adage goes, never say never!

Michelle’s advice comes from a different place. She always discusses the clarity on life she received through her recovery from cancer. Her motto is simply “do it now.” If you have a phone call to make, an appointment to schedule or a task to complete, waste not a moment of time and get it done. There is so much time spent in between the thought of “having to do something” and actually executing the task. She is a firm believer if you simply master the project initially you will save precious time. Organizing time efficiently allows more time to be spent with family, friends and on fun! Michelle’s “my day” sheets are always complete, giving her the freedom to spend it doing what she enjoys the most.

Kristin is terrific at time management. She runs the design aspect of our business. Her beautifully designed custom stationery reaches from coast to coast. At any given moment she has several baby announcements, birthday parties, Bar Mitzvahs, bridal showers and weddings on her list of things to do! Her advice is to approach each project with enthusiasm. She does not view her tasks as work but rather as being able to celebrate life’s special moments with people. She dutifully sits each evening and fills out her day in her planner as well as crossing off her completed design projects on her “my list.”

All of us at Truly Mom revel in celebrating life. Life to us is found in the joy of our daily routines. Waving goodbye to the children as they put one foot out of the car and onto the curb in front of school. Having a teenage son and blessing him with wild abandon all while reminding him of traffic laws, both big and small, as he leaves the threshold of our home with car keys in hand. Saying a brief hello to the barista at Starbucks, lacing on our tennis shoes to go for an early morning walk, savoring a conversation with an old friend on the telephone, picking fragrant roses from the garden, successfully making a new recipe with ease and writing a thank you note telling someone they are special (a reason behind our “thanking out of the box” stationery set.) These simple joys enhance our lives providing our spirits with strength as we move forward conquering each new day.”

All the gals at Truly Mom are so passionate and enthusiastic about everything they do, it is contagious. After speaking with any of them, even if just for a moment, you can’t help but want to stop and smell the roses.

NEAT Things I Love Today:

My “Thanking Outside of the Box” Thank You notes by Truly Mom. They “make me so very happy” and are too “ooh la la!”

Happy Organizing!

Mrs. Organized

Alicia from Buttoned Up says if she writes it down, it gets done. “It may sound silly, but write down each week the friends and relatives you must connect with (on the phone or in person). Put it on a to do list just like an important sales call. It is amazing how just that step elevates the importance and makes sure it gets done. I do this every week for 3 or 4 people and it does get done and I get to connect with people that otherwise I probably would always find a reason to be too busy to get a hold of.”

If you’re the on-the-go gal like Alicia, a great mobile desk for the car is a must.
Another great tid bit of advice from Alicia is to go into Stand-by Mode. “Rather than completely ‘turn off’ during my free time (e.g. weekends, evenings), I go into Stand By Mode (just like your computer). What does that mean? I keep my iPhone with me so that if I get a text, email message or voice mail, I can quickly and easily see who it is and if it is urgent, but if not, I can quickly move on to everything else. Why does this work for me? Because otherwise the stress of ‘What is going on?’ or ‘Does someone need me?’ would take up too much mental energy to really focus on my personal life. By doing this, I can more easily relax and know all is well.”

To help calm the nerves and enjoy your relaxation time even more, a great home spa set does the trick.

A few tried and true secrets that Lindy from Gloveables has learned is “NO is not an option…most everything can be done, attitude is everything and keep asking questions. Ask and you will know. Don’t ask and you will never know.”

Sometimes we all need is to slip on our favorite t-shirt, take a deep breathe and close our eyes to be thankful for another hectic day.

NEAT Things I Love Today:

One thing that is worse than realizing the laundry sat too long in the dryer is folding the wrinkled clothes. With the Folding Board by Caldrea, all those worries go away. The board makes you feel like a professional and with the flick of your wrist, your closet shelves and dresser drawers are in impeccable order.

Happy Organizing!

- Mrs. O

In memory of Tim Russert, I must share what a very good friend and writer said to me yesterday about learning of Tim’s passing. He said, “It was like watching the running scene in Forrest Gump with everyone following. When Gump stopped, the followers looked up as if to say…’what about us’?”

Happy Father’s Day Dad!

Mrs. O