 "Advice from a pumpkin: be well-rounded, get plenty of sunshine, give thanks for life's bounty, have thick skin, keep growing, be outstanding in your field,
think big. - Anonymous And ... before the happy holidays begin and the snow flies, eliminate the clutter and chaos in your life by getting and staying organized.  "Ceiling fans are an efficient option for keeping cool. The breeze from them can help you feel up to 4 degrees F cooler. That may not be enough on very hot days, but if you have A/C you can set your thermostat higher and stay comfortable.
According to Energy Star by raising your thermostat only 2 degrees and using a ceiling fan, you can lower cooling costs by up to 14 percent." Source: Consumer Reports, September 2024 As you know warm air rises so in the winter you want to turn your ceiling fan blade to spin clockwise (left to right) so that the warm air blows down. In the summer, turn the ceiling fan blade to spin counterclockwise so air is pushed down and the room has a cool breeze. To check, stand under the ceiling fan and see if the blades are turning from right to left (counterclockwise). Remember if you need organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Source: Falmouth Enterprise  Remember if you need organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Does this crazy chaos garage storage nightmare look familiar? Let's work together to create peace and tranquility in your life and home environment!     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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  It's summertime, it's hot and humid, and sheds/garages typically are not temperature controlled spaces. When making decisions about what to and what not to store in your sheds and garages, this informative list written by Lisa Milbrand for Real Simple is an excellent resource and guide. 1. Pantry Foods (food spoilage and damage from moths, mice, other pests) 2. Clothing and other Fabric Items (mold, dust, pests, unwanted moisture damage) 3. Propane (gas buildup and potential fire/explosion if tank leaks) 4. Important Papers (damage from pests, dirt, moisture) 5. Wine and other Drinks (quality compromise) 6. Electronics (temperature extremes could wreck havoc on the electronic wiring) 7. Refrigerator or Freezer (huge energy use in hot weather) 8. Books (damage from moisture, pests, dirt) 9. Valuables (temperature extremes, lack of adequate security) 10. Batteries (high temp causes batteries to lose some of their power and/or could spark) 11. Wood Furniture (warping or cracking in high temps, weakening of the joint glue) 12 Paint (requires temperature controlled environment to avoid paint separation) 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Have you heard of the organizing acronym S.P.A.C.E.? Developed by professional organizer Julie Morgenstern, S.P.A.C.E. is a wonderful acronym to keep in mind while getting and staying organized!
Source: www.juliemorgenstern.com It's springtime and you know what that means. It's time to get your S.P.A.C.E. organized for an exceptional summer! 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Source: Falmouth Senior Center 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Dave Karas, Certified Aging in Place Specialist (C.A.P.S.) and professionally licensed/insured remodeling contractor, spoke at the warm and welcoming North Falmouth Congregational Church "Speaker and Soup Series" today. He discussed a wide range of important and invaluable safety ideas and implementation suggestions to make residences safe for aging in place.
Some of Dave's excellent recommendations included having a plan, making a commitment to accept change, making simple and complex home modifications, getting exercise, eating a good diet and nurturing and sustaining friendships and social connections. interesting facts ... An AARP survey found that 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day. Almost 90 percent of them want to stay in their residences for as long as they can. And, Dave noted that only 1% of homes in the USA are ready to age in place. Dave is available for Aging in Place group presentations, individual on-site home safety assessments and residential safety enhancements work throughout Cape Cod. Dave Karas' website is www.aginginplacecapecod.com. He can be reached at 508.418.4443. It was a pleasure to meet Dave and to learn about his wonderful aging in place and home safety knowledge, expertise and services! 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Source: Falmouth Enterprise 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Busy life? Tight time schedules? Novice or experienced cook? Lots of favorite recipes on bits and pieces of paper scattered about? Culinary chaos in your kitchen?
There are many wonderful recipe apps online. Here are a few for you to explore and enjoy as you bring order to your culinary chaos! Bon Appetit! Paprika Recipe Manager Organize your recipes. Create grocery lists. Plan your meals. Download recipes from your favorite websites. Seamlessly sync to all your devices. (Many thanks to my dear friend Monica for introducing me to this wonderful culinary organizer!) Yummly The smart cooking sidekick that learns what you like and customizes the experience to your personal tastes, nutritional needs, skill level and more. Allrecipes Everyday recipes with ratings and reviews by home cooks like you. Find easy dinner ideas, healthy recipes, helpful cooking tips and more. 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Wishing You and Yours a Very Happy Valentine's Day!
  Source: Falmouth Enterprise Remember if you need organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  Getting Organized Does Not Happen Overnight NAPO Guest Post: Tina Hazen, RN Professional Organizer, Author and Speaker www.thinkinsidetheboxx.com Getting organized is a GREAT resolution or goal for 2024. You may be able to find things when you need them, save money and even save your sanity! Getting organized, unfortunately, does not happen overnight. It is a muscle that you need to work daily to see the results. Putting things where they belong, keeping up with the laundry and creating spaces to place important items are key.
Some people are naturally organized but have a wrench thrown into their lives and they get off track. This could be having a baby, getting married, getting divorced, having surgery, moving, starting a new job, or any event that knocks you “off of your feet.” During this transition, having an organizer may save the day. He or she can help you decide what to keep, what to get rid of and what to pack. Since I have moved many times with my husband’s job, this has become a part of my business. I can relate with the stress of moving. When getting married, blending homes can be hard with multiples of every item. The new apartment or house cannot hold two toasters, waffle makers or ironing boards! When you have a baby, a person moves in with you, and that comes with a lot of “stuff.” People are lovely and may shower you with gifts, clothing and diapers. Having an organized way to store these items will help you. If you have surgery and need to be off your feet for 4-6 weeks, things may not be the way you want them. I had a client with a bad knee and I was there to help carry items up and down the steps. Some organizers pack and unpack items and do it in an organized fashion. I always label each box with a color. Each color represents a room in the home. For example, all kitchen boxes will have a piece of red tape on the top and on the corner of the box. The movers know immediately what room the box goes in based on the color of the box tape. During these transitions in life, having help is important. You may want to tackle it by yourself, but it may be too taxing for you. Having an organizer can help alleviate the stress and anxiety of the situation. NAPO has a website that is quite convenient for the public. If you are looking for an organizer, just put in your zip code and there will be a list of organizers near you. These organizers are members in good standing with the National Association of Productivity and Organizing. Get Organized Month happens every year in January. It is a great time to set goals and look at what needs tweaked in your life. Getting organized will never be an action that you regret! Having zones for items, knowing where to put your pantry items, and even your clothing will help in your everyday life. There are so many hours wasted “looking” for items that you know you have. If you place the item in the SAME place every time, it will always be there! Remember if you need organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  How to Make Resolutions that Stick Guest Post: Emma White, Nutritionist Healthy Balance Magazine and Nutracheck (www.nutracheck.co.uk) Note: This post was summarized from the original Apple News article. Set Measurable Goals: Choose something concrete you can tick off the list. Don't Be Unrealistic: Success breeds success. Accept Slip Ups: Slipping up is not failure; failure is not picking yourself up and trying again. Find Activities You Enjoy: Find something you love that ads value to your life. Enjoy Everything in Moderation: Remember the 80-20 approach. Remember if you need organizing assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ... Donna LaRoche, M.Ed., Professional Organizer, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth  January is GO {Get Organized} Month! Here are 10 organizing tips to help you start and stay organized in the new year. Enjoy! Source: NAPO 1. Gather up your receipts and bank statements from last year now to get a jump start on the April tax paperwork panic. 2. Set up your filing system for this year’s paperwork now. Create a file for each tax deduction category or file receipts by the month. It’s easier to organize it along the way than to wait until next year. 3. Use your Christmas card stash to update your contact manager. If you’re still using a paper address book, consider the tech alternatives on your smartphone, e-mail contact manager or cloud solutions. 4. Take a day or a few hours to set goals for your business or personal life. Remember to make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely)! It’s hard to get somewhere without a map. Where are you trying to go in this new year? 5. Reevaluate your daily, weekly & monthly routines. Rework them to incorporate new habits, like exercise and cooking at home more often. 6. Tackle one tiny organizing project each day or week. When you look at the big picture, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. How do you swallow an elephant? One bite at a time! 7. Instead of purchasing new plastic totes to put all of those Christmas toys into, how about donating the old toys and reusing the totes? Not only will you clear the clutter, but you are teaching your children about generosity. 8. As you pack up the Christmas decor, throw out anything broken, worn out or unloved. Stock up on replacements during clearance sales. Buy color coded bins and limit the amount of space you allow for seasonal items. 9. Create a “home” for transitional items. Everyone has them – library books, items to return to the store, etc. The “home” you create should be as close to the exit of your home as possible, so you remember to take the items with you when you leave. 10. Turn all of the hangers in your closet backwards. As you wear each item, flip the hanger around. Mark your calendar for today’s date next year and donate all clothing items you haven’t worn in the past 12 months. 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, 617.640.2366 Organizing Barnstable, Bourne, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Hyannis, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth   Source: Falmouth Enterprise Remember, if you need assistance and support with your family life, home and/or office, you are cordially invited to contact ...
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