It’s no secret that this time of year can get crazy with the beginning of the new school year and the start of many activities. That’s why laying a good organizational foundation now will do wonders for your mental health as well as potentially free up precious moments here and there where you can get back into or maintain other healthy habits. To help us wrap our heads around this, I asked professional organizer Jenna Fischer with The Arranged Abode for some back to school organizing tips that will help save your sanity and your health.

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Peppermint Tea & Me: How important is it to our mental wellbeing that we start out the school year with some type of organizational system for all things school and activity-related?

Jenna Fischer:I would say it’s of the utmost importance. Your physical space really kind of breathes life into and impacts your mental wellbeing. If you are surrounded by physical chaos, your brain kind of turns into that as well. I just think it’s so good to take a little bit of time, invest your time and energy into establishing an organizational system that’s going to keep you going throughout the year.  I also think it’s always better to be proactive organizationally as opposed to reactive. It takes a lot longer if you’re reactive and you have to backtrack.

PT&M: What are the different types of categories or piles or messes that can accumulate that have to do with schools or activities?

JF: Paper is always one of them. The forms and all of that. But of course, there’s all of a sudden the book bags, the sports equipment and the band equipment. There’s so many different kinds of categories of things. Even within the categories of papers, there’s permission forms, basic school info like syllabi and activity information forms. It’s very common to get overwhelmed with it.

PT&M: When you have clients in this situation who come to you for help, what is the main complaint that you hear from them?

JF:  It’s just the volume. It’s just the influx all at once and it’s like, “Oh my gosh, it’s so busy already and now I have to make time to do this, to go through this. And it’s just one more thing to add on to my ‘to do’ list.” So, it’s really just volume versus time.

PT&M: What is the main thing that you see that people are doing wrong in this area?

JF: You have to create the foundation. You want to create the framework so that you don’t feel bogged down at any point. But quite frankly, the other thing you need to do is to schedule home management time. Whether or not that’s regularly on your calendar or whether it’s the amount of time that you give to it this particular time of year, I think you just need to have a little bit of your own kind of clerical get stuff done time.

I would put time on the calendar or get yourself into a habit of ‘every Saturday morning I spend 15 minutes on this.’ Do it once a week or multiple times a week so you don’t have to do it in such a big chunk or anything like that. But physically schedule it, keep yourself accountable so that there’s no excuses. It’s not fun. But you kind of have to, and the feeling afterward of not having that huge pile will be the reward even though it’s not a fun task.

The other thing too is when papers come in, and this is the same for mail, but when papers come in or kids bring home paperwork, look at it really quickly and just decide, “Do we actually need this, or do I already know this? Do I have access to this online?” If you can immediately throw it in the trash or recycle, that’s going to help at least from the paper clutter standpoint.

PT&M: What are the main steps people can take in getting school and activity organized?

JF: In thinking about papers, look at your categories and decide first and foremost how best to separate things, such as by child or by category – meaning different activities, and different programs and stuff that they’re doing or sports. If children are all in the same activities, it might make sense to do it by child. Or, if you have two different Scouts things going on and one person is in band and one person is in music, maybe it’s better to separate them out categorically.

The other thing that you could kind of create would be like a system where you go through and you look at whatever you have and decide, ‘Is this a 911?’ Is this an ‘I can take care of it in a week?’ Or’ I can take care of it’ in two weeks, a month, or whatever it might be. Looking at what you need to accomplish chronologically and put it in designated piles with labels and create that framework so that you can decide, ‘Okay. This goes directly here. These things need my attention now, and these things could wait until the end of the week.” I think you just want to think about how your brain would work and make it easy for you because everybody is going to take in things in a different way.

PT&M: What about backpacks and school supplies?

JF: If you’re lucky enough to have space in your home, it’s really great to be able to create a drop zone. Not everybody has the space, but make sure there’s something in place that says, ‘Book bags and shoes and stuff go here,’ or they immediately go up to the child’s room – some sort of system so that everyone knows exactly where to put things back.That way, there’s no excuses for anybody.

Be as creative as possible in creating that space. If you can do bookbags in a big basket by the front door, or if it seems logical to put some extra hooks out in the garage on the wall or something like that. Just make sure that you’re thinking of it ahead of time because if you can’t instill it from the beginning of the year, it might not stick.

For school supplies, it’s really going to depend on your space. If there’s an opportunity in that drop zone, that would be a great place to just have a labeled bin that says extra school supplies. You could also think about the top shelf of the pantry. If you’re not using that space for something, put a bin up there and label it. It doesn’t have to be everyday accessible; it just needs to be where you won’t forget it. Also, if you have one of those built-in office nooks that may have cubbies, those are normally really good and accessible for kids to get in and out of. Another idea is that there might be an opportunity for each of your children to have their own school supplies living in a small bin in the bottom of their closets.

PT&M: What about band and sports equipment?

JF: I try to get a lot of my clients on board with empowering their kids in that it’s their item, it’s their responsibility and it needs to go to their room. The other thing too is if you are blessed to have a larger vehicle, there’s maybe an opportunity for some things to stay in the car. Not all things of course but think about if there’s no homework for the night maybe the lunchbox comes in and the bookbag stays in the car. So, I think it’s particular to each family, but it kind of comes back to your stuff, your space and teaching kids where things go.

Even with sports equipment, I believe that everything in your home should have one home. For ease of having a place to put it back to and also just knowing where to find it when you need it, it is good to designate that one particular space. For me, if it’s sports equipment, it would stay in the garage. Even with things that are going to be taken out and put back in every day or a couple of times a day, I just think it’s so much simpler to say, ‘This is the one place where this lives.’

PT&M: Are there any affordable tools or resources that you would recommend?

JF: I don’t think that any of this needs to be expensive. I think if we’re talking about papers, getting something at the dollar store is completely fine. It’s not going to be something that you want to put anything really heavy in, but if you have a desktop and you want to do one bin per child, you could easily find an 8×10, probably three-inch deep basket that would be completely fine. It’s just a matter of putting a label on it and making sure that only specific categories go in there.

If you are creating a drop zone, you can go to Home Depot and get a wall mounted coat rack or something where you have hooks to put coats and bookbags and stuff like that. It’s just a really simple way to maybe utilize a blank wall that didn’t have anything on it and say, ‘This is where the bookbags get hung.’ For your little kiddos, you’ll need to hang it lower because you want them to get in those habits. If you put it four or five feet up, they’re not going to be able to do that. They’re going to throw their stuff on the ground. Also, as I mentioned before, a large basket off Amazon would be pretty inexpensive and all bookbags can go in there.

 **My Note: Jenna also recommends file systems for paper that you can hang on the wall. Mardel’s Filetastic Organization Center (affiliate link) and the Scholastic Classroom Resources File Organizer Pocket Chart (affiliate link) are great for this.

Bottom line, the sooner that you can lay the organizational foundation for the year, the sooner the whole family can contribute to helping keep all things school and activity-related in order. Afterall, the ultimate goal is to teach your kids to be self-sufficient – right? A good organizational system not only teaches them skills that will be useful later on, it also provides the framework for them to start being more responsible for themselves, which is good for them and your overall health and wellbeing as well.

The post Back to School Organizing appeared first on Peppermint Tea.

It’s Spring! And that means it’s time to breathe some freshness into our homes and our lives by getting the winter out and letting the spring in. This is important for the cleanliness of our homes as well as for our physical health and mental wellbeing. But for many of us, spring cleaning is one of our least favorite tasks to do. That’s why professional organizer Jenna Fischer with The Arranged Abode is offering some tips and tricks to make spring cleaning easier and more enjoyable. Yes, you read that right – enjoyable.

What Is Spring Cleaning?

Jenna says that spring cleaning is different than organizing, decluttering or tidying up. While those tasks can be done in addition to spring cleaning, the process and the goals are very different. Spring cleaning is a thorough washing that gets the dirt, grime and bacteria out of your house. That means getting into the back of that cabinet, washing those baseboards and cleaning out the corners, cracks and crevices that you probably ignore the rest of the year. Jenna thinks of it as “breathing vitality into a space” after a long winter. Yes, even if you live in a place where the seasons are mild, every home or living space needs a good, deep cleaning at least once a year.

While decluttering isn’t the same as spring cleaning, Jenna believes that adding it to the process if possible can actually make the cleaning part easier. As you’re emptying out shelves and bins to clean them, if you go through and make conscious decisions about what you’re not using anymore, that may mean less to clean, and it certainly means less to put back. (Think kids’ hats, gloves and scarves that you know won’t fit by the time next winter rolls around.)

Why Is Spring Cleaning Good for Our Health?

As far as our physical health goes, spring cleaning is all about getting the germs out and letting the freshness in. Jenna says that with everyone being cooped up inside for the winter, sharing sickness and germs and breathing the same air, “things have probably gotten a little grimy.” This is the time to throw open the windows (after pollen season ends) and give it a good once over before you start on your late spring and summer endeavors that might keep you out of the house more. “If you get it done now,” Jenna reminds us, “You’re just able to upkeep it throughout the fun months.”

As far as our mental health goes, Jenna acknowledges that for many of us, spring cleaning is like working out. “You may not really look forward to it, but the feeling afterwards, the feel-good endorphins that you get post-clean are really what you should be going for.” When we’re done, it feels so good because our physical surroundings affect our mental state. “The process of going through and cleaning resets the space in order for us to think more clearly, probably be more productive and to simply enjoy it more.” And again, once it’s done, it’s done, and you can get on to the fun stuff.”

Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks

What’s the most the most efficient way to approach spring cleaning to make it go faster and hopefully be more enjoyable? Jenna offers these tips and tricks to get you going.

• Make a list. This is absolutely the first thing that you should do, and there are a couple of ways that you can do it using paper, a whiteboard or a spreadsheet. One way includes putting down every room or area that you need to tackle and be specific about the different jobs that need to be done within that space. Another way involves just listing general tasks that need to be done such as clean all windows, clean all furniture, clean baseboards, etc. Jenna reminds us to include the exterior of our home as well. Things like power washing, clearing out flower beds, wiping off outdoor furniture, etc. Having a physical list also lets us have that sense of accomplishment from checking things off versus a mental list that just keeps going on and on.
• Break up list into manageable chunks. No matter how you organize your list, be sure and break it up into manageable chunks or categories. Make sure that each one is something that can be realistically accomplished in a given amount of time. For maximum mental benefits, we need to be able to check off the items in that category at one time, otherwise, it can get a bit overwhelming.
• Decide how much time you’re going to spend in each cleaning session and put that time on your schedule. Jenna is a big proponent of scheduling time for anything you really want or need to get done. “You have to schedule time for things if you want to make them happen.” If you don’t want to spend your entire weekend spring cleaning, set aside a few hours or a day to do it and spread the process over a few weekends or a month. If you want to get it done all at once and not have to worry about it anymore, schedule a weekend and maybe some time each afternoon or evening during the week to “hunker down” and do it. Either way, it’s important that everyone involved understand how much time is being dedicated to cleaning.
• Don’t clean alone. Be sure and get your kids and spouse involved because spring cleaning is not a one-man (or woman) job. You and your spouse have different strengths and may enjoy or hate doing different tasks. Decide which tasks you’re both best-suited for so that neither of you are miserable as you clean.

**My note: While the level of misery, of course, doesn’t necessarily need to be taken into account when assigning tasks to kids (because any cleaning is probably going to make them less than happy), it is good to keep their ages, abilities and their general personalities in mind. If you have a younger child or a child whose attention may wander easily, give them wide open spaces such as windows or walls to clean. If you have a more fastidious one, give them the corners or tighter spaces to work on.

• Do a chore swap with close friends or parents. Jenna suggests this as a way to make spring cleaning fun. If your best friend really likes doing windows and lint-rolling curtains but hates doing floor stuff, spend your pre-determined amount of time at one of your houses and each of you knock out the things that you enjoy doing. You can even say that at the end of it, you’re going to treat yourselves to dinner. Then swap on another day and do the other house.
• Make sure you have the right products for the job. As you mentally get ready for spring cleaning, make sure that you have your rags, cleaner and any tools you might need. If you make your own cleaner, do that ahead of time. This all takes planning, but it’s critical to making sure that you’re able to get, and stay, in the right mind set for cleaning and that you don’t have to keep stopping and starting and losing momentum.
• Remember to clean your appliances that help you clean. It’s easy to forget that even the things we use to help us clean on a regular basis need to be cleaned themselves. Spring cleaning is the time to do this. Your sink and disposal need to be cleaned, as do your dishwasher, vacuum and washing machine. The same holds true for any of your appliances, such as coffee makers, Keurigs, microwave ovens, etc.
• Use discretionary funds to hire someone to clean. If you have fun money set aside, and spring cleaning is really something that overwhelms you or causes you stress, use that money to pay for a cleaning service or hire neighborhood kids to help. While you might miss out on the mental accomplishment of doing the cleaning yourself, if you’re going to be tired or resentful, you may want to consider waving the white flag and recognizing that it’s time to outsource.

Resources

Jenna suggests these resources if you need recommended products, do-it-yourself cleaners, tools, systems or simple motivation to set you up for spring cleaning success.

• Clean Mama
• Clean My Space

Bottom line, a good, thorough, deep cleaning should be one of your spring rituals because it simply makes you and your home feel good. So, blast your music and get your spring cleaning jam on. It’s time to breath some freshness into your environment and into your life.

The post Spring Cleaning for Your Health appeared first on Peppermint Tea.

The popularity of Marie Kondo’s Netflix show Tidying up With Marie Kondo and the KonMarie method shows that many of us either secretly or very openly want our lives to be well… more tidy. While Marie Kondo’s system may or may not work for you, there is an organizational system out there for each of us and finding it sooner rather than later could actually do wonders for our overall health and wellbeing. That’s why I went to professional organizer Jenna Fischer with The Arranged Abode. In this first of a two-part series, she explains why getting and staying organized is good for our health and shares some budget-friendly tips to help get us started.

Why Getting Organized Is Good For Our Health

Jenna is a firm believer that our messes – both big and small, can affect everything. “If you live in this constant state of both visual chaos as well as not knowing where things are and being really anxious about your environment, it’s going to affect your total health and wellbeing.” She operates under the idea that our home should truly be our sanctuary and a place where we can relax. “When it’s not a good resting place,” she says, “If it’s something that brings you angst and anxiety, you can’t rest properly, which is never going to be good for anyone and especially not our health.”

You know the feeling, you’re lying in bed and suddenly wake up remembering that a bill has to be paid that day or a receipt has to be turned in for work or you won’t get reimbursed, and you have no idea where they are. Or you know you have tons of birthday gift bags and tissue paper somewhere but getting to them in the closet or attic would take forever, so you end up having to take extra time and spend the extra money to buy more just because it’s easier. That’s not only stressful in and of itself, it’s also taking a toll on your pocketbook, which makes it even more stressful.

And what does all of that stress do? Integrative medicine expert, board certified functional medicine provider and best-selling author Dr. Keesha Ewers says it causes our bodies to produce cortisol and other stress hormones, which would be perfectly appropriate if we’re being chased by a lion and the danger only lasts a few seconds or minutes. That our body can handle. What it can’t handle is living in a constant state of stress, and our hormones are left to run haywire. Our mess is like having a lion on our tail, we just have to tame it.

Where to Start

One of the biggest sticking points for many people is figuring out exactly where and how to start. Here are some tips from Jenna that can help to move us out of the stuck position.

• Get in the right mindset. Think about things in terms of whether you love them and/or whether you use them – currently. If the answer isn’t yes to at least one of those questions, it should go. If it’s served you well in the past, that’s great, but if you’re no longer using it, then you need to think about whether it truly still has any meaning for you or if you’re just keeping it around because you think you’re supposed to. Which brings us to guilt. Jenna says one of the biggest things her clients struggle with is guilt associated with their items. Guilt because they spent money on it, or because it was a gift and they feel bad about getting rid of it, or if it’s children’s artwork. She says that it’s okay to say that you found value in something five or 10 years ago, but times have changed, seasons have changed, your favorite color may have changed or your size may have changed. Whatever the reason, if you no longer use something or have never used it, it’s okay to get rid of it. For children’s artwork, find a creative way to keep some of your favorite pieces and then don’t feel bad about letting the rest go. It served its purpose when your child proudly gave it to you and you couldn’t have loved it more if Picasso had given it to you. But if it’s just sitting in a pile collecting dust, then you can ask yourself what purpose is it serving now?
• Set aside time. She says that you don’t have to devote money if you don’t want to or can’t, but you do have to devote time to getting organized. Think in terms of two-, three- or four-hour sessions. Decluttering and/or organizing is both physically and mentally exhausting, so don’t plan on getting it done all at one time if it’s a bigger project.
• Decide on a budget and if there’s a look you’re going for. Jenna acknowledges that you can go crazy with Instagram and Pinterest projects, and that’s perfectly fine. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If it doesn’t truly matter to you if all your bins look the same, go for whatever is the most affordable and functional in your space. Jenna says you “Can get organized on a Dollar Store budget or on an Ethan Allen budget.” She’s even cut down cereal boxes for people before and used Amazon boxes or gift boxes. The bottom line on organizing is good for your bottom line – there are probably plenty of options already around your house that may be part of your need for decluttering in the first place, so be sure and shop your home first. Possible storage containers may just be hiding inside that pile you’re trying to get rid of.
• Measure your spaces. It’s easy to get something that’s pretty or cool, but if it doesn’t work in the space where you need it, it won’t serve a purpose. Also, don’t forget to use vertical spaces. If a shelf is one level, get a stool and think about second tiers.
• Start with the most impactful. If you have your sights set on one particular area that is giving you more grief than another, then you know where to start. If not, Jenna believes kitchens or master bedrooms are a great place to start because they’re so impactful for everyday living. She says that kitchens are the focus of so much of your day – especially if you have children – that having that space in order and making sure that you’re efficiently using it is very important. Master bedrooms are also impactful because as Jenna said, this is where we should be able to go to rest and relax.

Those steps should be enough to get you started with at least thinking in the right direction about your next organizing project. Be sure and check out Organizing for Our Health and Wellbeing, Part II where Jenna will walk us through the process of making our organizing dream a reality.

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