The Gift of Time

Last month I had the pleasure of visiting my sister in Sweden. She moved there about five years ago, married a Swede and is now due to give birth to her second child in January. Her first child is almost two years old so the main purpose of my visit was to give her a hand getting ready and organized for the new baby and to assist where I could in her husband's office.

The first few days of my visit were a blur of activity and I found it hard to believe how my sister managed to get anything done between eating, sleeping, playing, and changing diapers!  The amazing thing is that she manages to cook lunch and dinner every day for five people, do the dishes, the laundry, clean the house, take courses in school, do the bookeeping for her husband's business, do the grocery shopping, run errands, play with her son and still be a good friend, wife, sister and mother.  That's a lot of roles for one person!

Now I know from experience that organization can help make life run more smoothly, especially when you have a lot of roles to fulfill, but what I learned more than anything in my two week visit with my sister was that the time I spent with her was more valuable than any organizing advice I could offer. All she needed was someone to listen and maybe offer another perspective. Someone who could lend a hand or an ear every now and then and make her feel like she didn't have to do it all on her own.

Sometimes disorganization is a state of mind rather than of physical space.  When life gets busy organization is one of the first things to go and we make ourselves feel guilty that we can't keep on top of it.  This only adds to the pressure we feel and it completely de-motivates us from doing something about it.  Alternatively, when we feel like there is help we are somehow able to find more energy in ourselves. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed by all you have to do this Christmas, just remember that your time is precious.  Even if you feel you are not accomplishing as much as you would like, the time you spend with friends and family is most important and often the best gift you can give. 

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Office Organizing in Sweden!

While in Sweden I also took on the task of organizing my brother-in-law's office.  He is a Chocolatier and Pastry Chef so I wasn't sure how my organizing expertise could help but I was more than willing to try when he told me that I would be paid in chocolate!

Fortunately the systems were very similar to those used in Canada and despite the fact that my labeller was missing some key Swedish characters we managed to do an okay job translating file names.  The biggest obstacle I found was that they didn't use file folders!  They have hanging folders but regular file folders are nowhere to be found.... Shocking, I know!

Click here to see the before and after photos of this office.

Release

With total flight time to Sweden of about thirteen hours plus the transition time spent in various airports, I knew I would have plenty of time to sit and reflect, so I chose to bring a book with me called "Release - a wilderness adventure of the soul" written by author Daren Wride from Lake Country.

This book is great for anyone who is needing clarity about the next steps in their life.  It is presented in an easy to read format that leads you through a series of thought provoking questions. 

Not only did I enjoy following the main character on his journey, I also started my own journal and had some very powerful insights about my life.  I found it helped me to clarify my goals and outline the steps required to reach them.  It is also a great tool for creating New Years resolutions! I'd recommend it to anyone.

If you'd like more information on the book and how it can help you, check out Daren's website at www.darenwride.com/release.htm.

Organizing Gift Certificates 

Do you have a friend or family member that is always talking about how they would like to get organized? Rather than giving them another item that adds to their clutter, why not give them a chance to organize the things they already own?

Just as you might offer someone a day at the spa, a gift certificate for an organizing session is a special treat for home or office! The customized personal attention Organizing Help offers is a gift which is unique, has lasting value and is sure to come in handy!

To order your Organizing Help gift certificate, contact us by phone or
e-mail info@organizinghelp.ca.

2008..Your Year to Create

Get inspired and make 2008 your year to create!  This event brings together eight speakers who share stories and ideas about creating the life you want. Organizing Help will be there to offer simple tips and ideas on how you can "Create More Time to be Creative".  For more information and a full list of speakers visit our News & Events page.

Event:	2008 Your Year to Create
Date:	January 5, 2008
Place:	Creekside Theatre

Organizing Jump Start!

Want to get organized and create lasting lifestyle changes?  The Organizing Jump Start six week program begins on January 8th, 2008. This program helps you get organized in every area of your life.  You will receive valuable organizing tips and techniques along with the motivation and support to help you move forward with your organizing projects.  Sign up before Christmas to receive a special discount on your registration!

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