 Are you at home and social distancing during this Covid-19 pandemic? Here are a few organizing ideas that you can accomplish during this challenging time.
Organize Your Refrigerator, Freezer and Pantry
Organize Your Hobby Supplies Scrapbooking, jewelry making, knitting, watercolor painting, knitting, stamp collecting, photography and more!
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  This week there is a record smashing cold sweeping the nation from southern Texas to northern Maine. At least 150 million people, in 25 states stretching over 2,000 miles, are under a winter weather advisory. Power outages and rolling blackouts are happening around the country due to the extreme weather conditions and high energy demands.
Here are some Covid and Extreme Weather Emergency Prepardness tips from several government agencies to help you and your loved ones stay safe and well. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
FEMA
National Weather Service
Ready.gov
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Did you know that a bacteria called Atypical Mycobacteria can grow and build up in and on your showerhead?
Recommendation
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  It's beginning to feel as cold as it was several years ago when this icy landscape formed off the coast of Chapoquoit Beach here in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The frigid temperatures and the devastating Covid-19 pandemic are keeping many of us close to home with perhaps the time and a renewed interest in getting some special projects done!
Here are three websites featuring American companies that you might enjoy visiting as you get your children's artwork, your old clothing and/or your family/friend photos organized. Energize and Organize is not an affiliate with any of the companies ... we just stumbled upon them on the Internet and thought that you might enjoy reading about them too as you work to bring organization to your home lives. Enjoy! 1. ArtKive - celebrating children's artwork
2. CampusQuilt - turning old clothes into lasting memories
3. Fotobridge - looking back and looking ahead vintage photo collections
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Does your home have crayon overload? Work together with your little ones to round up and donate the crayons to organizations that need them such as art programs, battered women shelters, homeless shelters, hospitals and low income day care centers.
You can also bundle them up and send them to Crazy Crayons LLC, which makes new crayons out of donated scraps. To date, this company has kept 120,000 pounds of the waxy art implements from the landfills. Visit www.crazycrayons.com for details. © 2020 Posts on Demand™ Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com Energize and Organize: Monthly Falmouth Community Spotlight - Getting to Know Neighborhood Falmouth1/1/2020
 Source: Neighborhood Falmouth website Mission Statement Neighborhood Falmouth Inc. is a community-based membership organization whose mission is to provide information and services that will help members live independently, safely, and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. What We Do One phone call or email from a member to the Neighborhood Falmouth office initiates action to provide services and answer questions. Volunteers provide rides to appointments and for grocery shopping, assist with computers and other electronic devices, help with light household maintenance, and offer additional services. Visit www.neighborhoodfalmouth.org to learn more about this incredible community organization supporting Seniors in Falmouth! _______________________________________________________________________________ Here are some very useful donating and downsizing tips and recommendations from Neighborhood Falmouth. Source: www.neighborhoodfalmouth.org Book Donations
Clothing and Household Goods
Electronics Disposal Once a year the Lawrence School Band & Chorus and Falmouth Band Parents sponsor an Electronics Disposal Day. The event is held early spring in the Lawrence School Parking Lot, 113 Lakeview Ave, Falmouth. Items accepted include televisions of any size, computers, monitors, stereos, phones, air conditioners, large appliances and more. Disposal cost is $10 per computer component, $20 per television (any size), $20 per large appliance, and $1 for cell phones. Disposal of ink and toner cartridges is free. Data destruction on computers is guaranteed. Eyeglasses The Falmouth Lions Club collects used eyeglasses to help people around the world who have sight issues. There are drop boxes in several Falmouth locations including the Falmouth Senior Center, Walmart, CVS, Stop & Shop, and Roche Brothers. Fabric The Woods Hole Library has a fabric and notions sale each year on Superbowl Sunday. For more information about the sale contact the library at 508-548-8961 Household Hazardous Waste Collections Barnstable County has a regular rotation of hazardous waste events. There is one annually in Falmouth (late spring), and four per year on the Upper Cape. The Town of Falmouth website shows current dates and locations. Medical Equipment
Paper Records Once a year in the spring, Neighborhood Falmouth holds a shredding event at Lawrence School. Cost is $10 per box, 10 box limit. Proceeds benefit Neighborhood Falmouth. Phone: 508-564-7543 Prescription Drugs Unused prescription and over-the counter medications can be disposed of in the Drug Drop-Off Box located in the the lobby of the Falmouth Police Department, 750 Main Street Falmouth, Phone: 774-255-4527 Swap Shop The Swap Shop, located within the town transfer station at 458 Thomas B. Landers Road, lets residents drop off unwanted items and take other items as needed out of the shop. Open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. Dump sticker or entrance fee. Phone: 508-457-9353 Estate Sales, Yard Sales & Consignments
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  'Tis the season of fun and festive holiday celebrations ... Thanksgiving ... Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve and more!
It's very important to give your financial situation an annual review to assess your areas of strength and areas of challenge. Here are some tips for you to consider as you work to achieve and maintain financial wellness. 1. Take Home Pay and the 50-30-20 Rule
2. Emergency Savings and Retirement Savings Emergency savings
3. Net Worth = Assets vs Debt
4. Credit Scores and Credit Reports Credit Scores
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Coats for Kids Drive (and adults, too) by Anton's Cleaners, Jordan's Furniture and Enterprise Bank Community Service Announcement ...
A warm coat isn't a luxury...it is a necessity. In our very own community, there are thousands of individuals who will not have a warm winter coat without the assistance of programs such as Coats for Kids. Our mission is to ensure that anyone who needs a coat this winter season will have one. Items that you or I may often take for granted, make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate around us. A warm coat for a child means everything to a parent who may otherwise have to choose between putting food on the table or buying warm winter coats for their growing family. Please look through your closets and bring your gently-worn warm winter coats. We'll be accepting gently-worn warm winter coats in all 43 of our Anton's Cleaners locations. All donated coats are cleaned free of charge by Anton's Cleaners and distributed through a network of distribution partners made up of local social service agencies, schools, and nonprofits. Some of the organizations include Massachusetts Community Action Programs (MASSCAP), Salvation Army, Middlesex Human Service Agency, Women’s Lunch Place, BU Medical Center Outreach Van Project, Wish Project, Community Giving Tree, Mental Health Association of Greater Lowell, Strafford County Community Action, Catholic Charities, to name just a few. Coats are needed for all ages: children, teens, adults, and infants. Make your donation at any Anton's Cleaners, Jordan's Furniture, or Enterprise Bank location through January 12th! Source: Anton's Cleaners Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  May National Geographic Society's Joe Ferguson and Ann Judge and all who perished on 9/11 Rest in Peace and may their loved ones find comfort and joy in their most cherished memories of the love, laughter and light shared together and deeply treasured for all time.
 If your mornings are chaotic, follow these get-organized tips to ensure out-the-door ease.
• Make mornings flow smoothly by getting everything ready the night before. Have school bags packed and placed by the door and tomorrow’s outfits laid out. Pack the non-perishable parts of the lunches, so you can simply pop in a sandwich in the morning. Set the breakfast table. • Create a checklist of kids’ to-do’s (make bed, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.), and post it on the fridge or bathroom mirror. Likewise, create an “out-the-door” list of items they need to take to school, and post it on or near the exit door. You might include things like homework, lunch, snacks, library books, instruments, and gym shoes. (Some neat, ready-made checklists called Get Your Gear are available from www.simplyordered.com.) • Organize your kids’ arrival. Declare a proper destination for backpacks and school bags in the entryway, install hooks at a kid-friendly height, and have your children put bags there as they arrive home. • Teach kids to empty out their backpacks right away after school. Immediately bring homework to their designated study spot, place papers that need parental review in a designated basket or tray, and put lunch containers in the kitchen. Encourage them to place coats, shoes, and hats in a designated spot to avoid frantic morning searches. © 2019 Articles on Demand™ Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  There is no time like the present to declutter and downsize to live the life you envision for yourself and your loved ones. Wondering where to begin? Take inventory and make a checklist of your belongings by category then ... Ready, Set, GO!
Consider how you interact with your belongings and ask yourself, "In the past six to twelve months, have I worn, read, handled, needed, used and/or admired a particular belonging?" If not, make a plan to declutter your belongings by categories then donate/sell/recycle/share with family and friends your unwanted items. Decluttering Categories
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com 
Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Recently I read about Ellen Bennett in the New York Times. Ellen, the Los Angeles-based founder and C.E.O. of the culinary and lifestyle brand Hedley & Bennett, has an "everything in it's place" kitchen" that makes the organizer in everyone smile. Here are a few of her best tips.
1. Cookware - four category groups sorted, labeled and stored in separate drawers and cupboards
2. Refrigerator Contents - zone sorted by flavor and function
3. Countertop Essentials
4. Spices
5. Kitchen gadgets - kept to a minimum
How do you have your kitchen organized? We are all unique and unrepeatable and so are our kitchens! Create an "in the zone, in it's place" organizational system that works for you and let the kitchen chemistry fun begin! Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Neighborhood Falmouth Annual Paper Shredding Event
Date: Saturday, June 8th Time: 9:30 AM - Noon (or until the shredders have reached capacity) Place: Lawrence School Parking Lot Details
Proceeds benefits Neighborhood Falmouth! www.neighborhoodfalmouth.org Neighborhood Falmouth Contact Information Phone: 508.564.7543 Email: director@neighborhoodfalmouth.org Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Source: The Cape Cod Latex Paint Collection and Recycling Initiative Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com Energize and Organize: Electronics Recycling Day Supports Lawrence School Music in Falmouth5/1/2019
 Date: Saturday, May 04, 2019 Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Place: Lawrence School Parking Lot (113 Lakeview Ave) Falmouth, MA 02540 The Lawrence School Band and Chorus is sponsoring an Electronics Disposal Day. Unwanted electronics and appliances will be received for a small disposal fee. Items taken include TVs, computers, monitors, stereos, phones, air conditioners, large appliances and more! Costs are $15 per computer component, $25 for TVs (any size), $25 for large appliances and $5 for small electronics. Proceeds from this event will help support the music festivals, field trips, scholarships and equipment for the Lawrence School Band and Chorus. Rain or shine! Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Happy Earth Day, 2019 Did you know ...
 What can be done to recycle, reduce and reuse your unwanted clothing items today and every day? In additon to donating clothing to charities and sharing/swapping clothing with family and friends, consider fashion resale. Here are some interesting sites to explore ... ThredUp www.thredup.com Poshmark www.poshmark.com Tradesy www.tradesy.com Etsy www.etsy.com The RealReal www.realreal.com Ebay www.ebay.com Kidizen www.kidizen.com Don't forget ... "If everyone in the US bought just one item used instead of new in 2019, it would save nearly 6 billion pounds of carbon emissions—the equivalent of taking over half a million cars off the road for an entire year." (Source: Thredup.com) Remember, if you need professional organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  An organized home is a happy home. Yet it's hard to keep track of everyone's busy life. NAPO-NY suggests these tips to keep everyone organized.
1. Create a master calendar. Track each member's daily activities including how he/she is getting there and back home again and keep it in a central, visible place. 2. Post a visible log of important information. Especially necessary for caregivers, this log would include family cell phone numbers, food allergies, doctor's and emergency numbers, bedtimes, acceptable television programs, etc. 3. Have and keep handy a folder for each child. Fill each folder with their class calendar, school contact information, and class phone list for easy reference. 4. Designate a set time for checking backpack and pockets. Whether's it's at the end or start of each day, make a habit of emptying (or for older children have them empty their own packs) school bags so necessary papers are signed and returned to school. 5. Basket the clutter. Provide each child with a color-coded basket to shuttle their belongings back to their room at the end of each day. 6. Outsource special tasks. Children enjoy "special tasks", so outsource your to-do list by assigning one to each child according to skill level, i.e. little ones can help carry laundry, older ones can take out the garbage, etc. 7. Rid your home of unused toys. At birthday and holiday time, have your children give away all those toys and books they've outgrown. 8. Routinely clean out closets. At the beginning of each season, pull all outgrown clothing from your children's closets and give them away. Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Falmouth Seaside Where's a good greeting card when you need one? To avoid last-minute dashes to the store, stock up on a dozen great greeting cards today. Grab some funny birthday cards, a few touching "thinking of you" cards, and a couple of "get-well" and "sorry for your loss" cards. Then, keep them in a handy spot along with stamps so you can send off a quick card in no time.
If you would like to grace your loved ones with positively beautiful notecards you are cordially invited to visit my sister Jennifer LaRoche's nature and fine art photography website at www.stampandnotephoto.com Jennifer is portrait and event photographer and you are also warmly welcomed to visit www.jenniferlarochephotography.com to view her exquisite work! Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Organizing a basement, attic, or garage is a great opportunity to pare down. Wondering what to do with the leftovers? Here are a few options:
Donate: Give yourself a tax break and help others in need by donating items in good condition to a local charity. Some organizations, such as Vietnam Veterans of America, offer pick-up service. Give to family/friends: If you find a treasure that may be meaningful to a loved one, offer it to them. (But let them know it’s okay to decline. Remember, we don’t want to add clutter to their lives!) Garage sale: If you have a large amount of good-condition cast-offs (especially baby and kids’ items, tools, or other highly desirable stuff), consider a garage sale. But remember, sales are a lot of work, so this option is only good if you have time to dedicate to pricing, setting up, promoting, and staffing a garage sale. eBay/Craigslist: Computer savvy? Try listing furniture, antiques, and other higher-value items online. Or take treasures to an antiques dealer. FreeCycle: With over 4,000 groups across the globe, this nonprofit connects people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns. Its mission is to reduce waste, save precious resources, and ease the burden on landfills. Visit www.freecycle.org for details. Trash: Rent a dumpster if you have a lot of unsalvageable junk. Or hire 1-800-GOT-JUNK, North America’s largest junk removal service, to do it for you. They load the truck, and then recycle and dispose of your stuff as required. © 2018 Articles on Demand™ Remember, if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office organization, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, MetroWest and Eastern Massachusetts Contact: 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  It is not enough if you are busy. The question is, “What are you busy about?”
— Henry David Thoreau With our to-do lists ever-growing, assigning tasks to our calendars can be a simple way to manage time and reduce stress. The simple act of writing down the things we need to do releases us from having to remember it all “upstairs.” Below are some tips to help you successfully manage your tasks and calendar. • Be realistic about how long each task will take. • Learn to say “no.” • Delegate. When you authorize others to take over some of your activities, you free yourself to focus on where you can make your best contribution. • For those little things that take only a minute or two (such as putting away your dirty dishes or signing a permission slip), sometimes it’s best to just do them right away. • If the task will take 15 minutes or more, choose a specific time in which to do it. Schedule an appointment with yourself. You may need to communicate to your coworkers or family that you are unavailable due to scheduled work. • Without a place to “assign" tasks, you'll always be in a reactive mode. Use your calendar diligently. Do things on your time, when you are ready. You are in command. • Don’t double-book yourself or plan your appointments too close together. Planning for delays will keep you calm and allow you to enjoy the current moment. Forget about multitasking for a while; simply enjoy the pleasures of each task you do. © 2018 Articles on Demand™ Remember, if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office organization, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, MetroWest and Eastern Massachusetts Contact: 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Are your taxes filed for 2017? Today is the last day to file your 2017 taxes without an extension. Hope you and your loved ones are all set!
Taxes filed? Well done! Not yet? Time to file for an extension ASAP! Next up ... the ongoing paperwork retention question of what to keep and what to toss? Here are some resources for you to review as you make those important decisions.
Always be sure to consult with your own accountant for specific information pertaining to your financial needs and requirements. Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Spring cleaning routines and rituals have begun in many households around town and here on the Cape as we all bid our challenging winter adieu and warmly welcome spring!
Neighborhood Falmouth, dedicated to helping Falmouth Seniors stay safely in their homes, is hosting their annual Secure Document Shredding Event on Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Lawrence School parking lot! Come support this wonderful community organization and tackle/eliminate your paper management challenges at the same time! You may choose from two services ...
Additional Details ...
Questions? Contact Neighborhood Falmouth at ... Email: director@neighborhoodfalmouth.org Phone: 508.564.7543 Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Donna LaRoche became a professional organizer when she retired from teaching but finds her teaching skills apply to her second career as well. Professional Organizer Offers Tips For The New Year
By ANDREA F. CARTER/FALMOUTH ENTERPRISE, Jan 5, 2018 Heralding in the new year for many means committing to a new round of resolutions. Organization is a popular goal this time of year, sending people to the book store or library for advice from professional organizers. Those in Falmouth do not need go far for some tips. Donna LaRoche of Energize and Organize in Falmouth can offer some guidance for bringing in the new year with less clutter. Ms. LaRoche describes her role as a facilitator, working with people in their homes and offices to develop organizational systems and habits. Keeping clutter at bay not only can free up space but also time, bringing a sense of ease and renewed productivity to a person’s life. “We all live very busy lives,” Ms. LaRoche said. “At the end of the day, wouldn’t we all like more time for pleasurable pursuits.” The first step going into the new year is to do away with the idea of a “resolution.” Ms. LaRoche prefers the terms “goal” or “intention” which have more positive connotations. Often resolution can refer to an action people failed to meet the previous year she said. Establishing a goal is more hopeful, looking forward instead of back. “That’s what makes goals and intentions so exciting.” Ms. LaRoche said. “It’s pursuing a new adventure to bring calm and harmony and balance to your life.” Her advice, however, is to start small. Goals must be realistic and attainable. She offers the acronym, “SMART” as a guidepost. An intention should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. For example she may suggest that clients begin with organizing a closet or even one cupboard. Or if they are tackling a larger space such as a garage or basement, she helps them break down these areas into zones. “Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the clutter didn’t accumulate overnight and that it won’t unclutter overnight,” she said. The idea of working in zones refers back to her 35-year career as a kindergarten and 1st grade teacher with classrooms that had different stations for reading, writing, painting and block corners. “If people think in zones, they are very successful,” she said. One of the more common concerns among her clients is handling paper clutter. “Paper management is always big, piles to files,” she said. Even in the electronic age, an abundant amount of paper mail is going through houses and offices each day. “Literally some clients have bags of mail unopened,” she said. The more paper builds-up, the harder it is to get started. Her recommendation is to create a three-tiered filing system where papers are organized based on those that need some sort of action, reference materials, such as owners’ manuals, and archived records such as birth certificates or marriage licenses. She also suggests that people stand by the recycling bin while opening mail to toss out the junk mail or empty envelopes immediately. “It’s as simple as those three systems to bring order to all that chaos,” Ms. LaRoche said. “Clutter is really about postponed decisions.” When going through a space such as a closet or cupboard she has the client takes everything out and divide items into categories to keep, recycle or toss out. Bringing the clutter out in the open, however, can be overwhelming. “Getting organized is hard work and requires persistence,” Ms. La Roche said. She also suggests placing like items together in a space, such as a refrigerator, pantry or closet. This allows clients to visualize supplies they need or have enough of. If a client has multiple pairs of black slacks, it is not time to buy more but perhaps time to donate pairs to a clothing drive or to an organization. This can also be a good lesson to share with children. After a birthday when they receive an abundance of new toys, donating items they do not need or use can feel good and teach them generosity and organization as well, Ms. La Roche said. Being organized can save people money. People tend to buy more when they cannot keep track of items at home. She mentioned one client who had eight staplers strewn about the house. Certain clients have run into credit issues because they have lost track of unpaid bills in a paper pile. Ms. LaRoche also lends her expertise to students, whose lack of organizational skills are inhibiting their success at school. She mentioned one student who had received Ds and Fs on a quarter report card. When she met with him, they found a majority of his work still stashed in his backpack. His grades improved after she helped him develop a system to keep track of his assignments and turn them in on time. “This was literally disorganization for this child, who was struggling when he could have been thriving,” Ms. LaRoche said. Her work with elderly clients often involves downsizing from a family home to an apartment or condominium. Ms. LaRoche realizes that one size does not fit all when it comes to solutions. Techniques must fit the personality and lifestyle of the client. Ms. LaRoche added that she is not there to judge or tell a person what to throw away. Just as building on students’ strengths was something she employed as a teacher, she now uses this idea as an organizer to help people develop organizational habits that work for them. “Part of what I am doing is a lot of listening,” Ms. LaRoche said. “The client is telling me what works and doesn’t work for them, and then we devise a plan.” Her suggestions can be a less extreme alternate to some celebrity professional organizers such as Marie Kondo, whose method, which ask if items spark joy, can cut people’s stash by three-quarters or Peter Walsh, who suggests that people discard anything they have not used for 12 months. “That may be too much for some clients,” Ms. LaRoche said. Ms. LaRoche said that patience is required in developing a new habits or behavior, such as storing an item in the same place each day. It can take about 30 days for a behavior to become a habit she said. And there are times when people may backslide but that is expected and okay. A motto she brings from the classroom is “Working toward excellence not perfection.” The variety of people she works with keeps the job interesting. She recommends that people who are pressured to seek her service from family or friends or are not ready to dig into the job should wait for the right time. Often these clients call her back when they are ready. “You need to have ownership for yourself, so it matters to you,” Ms. LaRoche said. Ms. LaRoche always had organizational skills and they were noticed by her siblings when she was growing up. Her sister suggested this second career path to her. Teachers Ms. LaRoche worked with in Belmont also asked for her organizational advice in their classrooms regularly. After discovering the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals online and joining the New England chapter, she took coursework through the organization to become a professional organizer. “I am a lifelong learner,” she said. “The transfer of teaching skills to organizational skills was right there in front of me. For me there is joy in helping people and seeing their joy in attainment.” Ms. La Roche said she also knew that she wanted to move to Falmouth for retirement. She had visited family here over the years. Since arriving she has bought her first home and has become involved in various organizations such as the Falmouth Newcomers club and is playing pickleball. “It feels like coming home to me because I have been coming here all my life,” Ms. LaRoche said. Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com  Best to get these wellness supplies out of the bathroom cabinet and well organized! Best Weapons Against Flu: Hydration and Elevation is an informative article published in the New York Times on January 12, 2018. Read on and take action!
Are you and your loved ones prepared for the winter allergy/cold/flu season? There are all kinds of viruses going around at the moment so be sure to take the time now while you are feeling fine to get and be organized in the event you and/or your loved ones do come down with something. Here's how ... Step 1: Gather supplies. Gather all of your medications and medical supplies in one place. Step 2: Sort by category. Categories might include Cold, Congestion and Cough Remedies, Digestive Health Remedies, Fever Remedies, First Aid Remedies, Food Remedies, Miscellaneous Remedies, Prescriptions, Vitamins … Step 3: Examine expiration dates. Carefully read the labels and throw out any items that have expired. To learn where you can safely dispose of your discarded medications, call your local police station and/or visit …. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/ Note: "The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, (April 28, 2018 - 10AM to 2PM) aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Please check back on April 1, 2018 to locate collection sites near you." Step 4: Containerize and Store. Group like items in labeled baskets and store the baskets in your linen closet, kitchen cabinet and/or other designated location. Remember that prolonged exposure to heat and moisture can affect the effectiveness of medications so be sure to store them away from children and in a location other than the bathroom. Step 5: Take Inventory and Stock Up Do you have a variety of these supplies in your home and/or office? Colds, Congestion and Coughs Remedies
Digestive Health Remedies
Fever Remedies
First Aid
Food
Miscellaneous
Remember if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer Serving Cape Cod, Metro West and Eastern Massachusetts Contact 617.640.2366 www.energizeandorganize.com |
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