It’s that time again. School supply, new clothes and schedule changes. Do you have a child going back to school? It can be difficult gearing up for the change in seasons. Here are a few tips that may help you and your child prepare:

• Gather school supplies from last year to help with your current shopping list. Reuse as much as possible.
• Go through their closets and make sure all their clothes and shoes still fit. If not donate them. (Goodwill has a program for clothes that have stains)
• Create a comfortable workspace. Have the kids participate in this area so they will feel ownership in keeping it clean and organized. Some children concentrate better in their room as others prefer the kitchen table. Be sure to consider different learning styles.
• Label all the containers. This also helps with reading and accountability.
• Be sure there is adequate lighting.
• Create a schedule for your expectations. From the time the child gets home from school. Although you may have an idea of what you want to happen. Get input from the little ones, again this helps with decision making skills and ownership.
• Do you have a family calendar? A dry erase board may be perfect for your family. If you need other suggestions feel free to contact Dayna-Rae.
• Set yourself up for a calm morning. Be sure to have a healthy breakfast. It’s helpful to prepare the backpack before bed so all you have to do is grab and go.
• If your children participate (in a small way) by making their own lunch the odds of them actually eating it is much higher.
• Get a decorative box, bin or folder for your children’s art and graded homework. Keep it in one place so there are no questions when you need to find something. You can review the box and recycle quarterly.Put that on your calendar.

Remember to have fun and take baby steps when changing your habits. If you would like more tips follow us on our Facebook fan page.

(303) 658-2901
Tiny Tots classroom
Start Time: 6:00
Date: 2011-11-16
End Time: 8:00

(303) 658-2901
Classroom #2
Start Time: 6:00
Date: 2011-10–26
End Time: 8:00

(303) 658-2901
Tiny Tots classroom

Start Time: 6:00
Date: 2011-09-21
End Time: 8:00

Goodwill Stores

The Golden Circle members of Colorado (NAPO) toured the Goodwill warehouse on April 22, 2011. Here are some interesting facts we learned.

The Goodwill Industries Mission:

Goodwill Industries enhances the quality and dignity of life for individuals, families, and communities by eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power of work.

• Dell and Goodwill have partnered to take on Electronics recycling in a big way!!  Consumers, not corporations, can now drop off electronics from TV’s (not large CRT screens) to telephones.
• www.reconnectpartnership.com.  It is recommended that consumers ‘wipe’ or ‘scrub’ their hard drives before donating.
• If an electronic item does not work you can still drop it off with a sticker on it “Does Not Work” to help out the sorters. Goodwill will recycle everything they cannot sell.
• Goodwill plays a big roll in helping a great many people including the handicapped, the developmentally disabled and others involved in the law with career development, interviews and resume preparations…
• In this 100,000 sq warehouse there is a large area donated to these people so they can help with projects such as assembling of the donation receipts, other project assembly for Science projects with Steve Spangler.
• The inventory stays in the original store for 6 weeks then transferred to the Outlet Store.
• There are Outlet retail stores takes all that doesn’t sell, the ‘leftovers’.  They then sell them to consumers ‘by the pound’.  WOW!
• The process of marking down items in the stores happens with the use of color-coded tags.
• The clothing items that are stained that come to the warehouse are sorted into ‘rag’ piles and are or sold to other companies or to 3^rd World Relief agencies.
• The shoes are also sorted into different categories mostly by a large number of immigrant male employees who are the major bread winners of their families and who have a hard time communicating in the job market.  Even some shoes that are ‘onsies’ are given to places where people use prosthetics.
• Books are a low-profit item but many are now being sold on Amazon for a larger profit and funds are given back to the store of receipt. What doesn’t sell is recycled.
• Many donations are dropped of in cardboard boxes. They now recycle these boxes.
• Goodwill has a large storage area in the back of the warehouse of seasonal items they bring out during the proper season.  Smart organizing!
• Only 10% of donations and retail store profits are used for administrative costs or operational costs.
• 100% of donated dollars from events are allocated toward programs.
• Alison Yeager leads the volunteer efforts regarding Youth Services; a very worthwhile project helping at-risk students from 26 different high schools in Denver.  Last year they helped 20,000 kids with over 1,000 volunteers.
• In the summer they hold a ‘bridge service’ to work with kids who plan to be the first in their families to go to college.  They receive mentors and learn how to advocate for themselves.  And Goodwill works to track their progress and have found these kids to become successful and many who return to volunteer for Goodwill.  Cool!

For more information – www.goodwilldenver.org

This is where I deliver most of my clients unwanted items. Great job Goodwill!

Your own “stuff”!

I have one suggestion regarding organizing a shared space -

You should only be concerned with your own items.

If your partner AND/OR child’s “stuff” is making you crazy then you may want to:

1. Schedule time to tackle the project together
2. Ask him/her to get it done by a certain date
3. Hire a Professional Organizer that is neutral to assist with the completion of the project

If you attempt to organize the shared space for them you will find yourself in the same situation soon after you have taken your time and energy. You may lose their trust and more importantly you will invade their privacy. By physically going through the motions most people will feel ownership and keep the new area orderly. You want to stay organized not just get organized!

Organize with Feng Shui

____________________________

Dayna-Rae was first introduced to Feng Shui many years ago. She’s read many books, studied with Kathie Seedroff, a local practitioner, and is very interested in pursuing her knowledge on the art of Feng Shui.

What is Feng Shui? This actually translate into “Wind and Water”.

It is based on an ancient Chinese system that recognizes that everything in our environment is alive. This affects everything we experience. Intentional placement of objects can change your life.

There are two key principals, intention and Chi. Chi is energy and is attracted to sound, movement and color. There are essential tools for working with Feng Shui. The Bagua, the five elements and cures and enhancements.

Feng Shui is very complex and has been defined in many different ways. I am going to focus on the organizing aspect.

Picture your: office, kitchen or even your car. Is it as organized as you would like it to be? Often disorganized areas can block the flow of healthy, balanced Chi. If you live or work in this chaotic space you may notice a lower physical energy level, limited creativity, lack of clarity and focus in anything you try and accomplish. It is difficult to cook in a disorganized kitchen, work in a cluttered office or even sleep with things around you in the bedroom.

It can actually be a very exciting process once you understand what clutter does to your life.

Author Gunilla Norris says, “it’s better to have less than to have a lot because clutter in our homes makes clutter in our head”.”

Clutter is low, stagnant, and confusing energy that is draining. Depending on the Feng Shui area of your home where your clutter is located, it can also negatively influence, or even completely block, the flow of events in specific areas of your life.

Sometimes organizing can be an emotional process. This is why some people procrastinate.

The good news, is that once you clear most of your clutter and have a clear system to avoid its accumulation in the future, you will start experiencing high energy levels, more clarity, and a heightened sense of well-being.

The main area I recommend you start in is…. You guessed it:

The bedroom. We are most influenced by things, events, and people that are closest to us, so it is wonderful place to start. Begin with:

• Removing all the items that create visual and energetic clutter and do not really belong in the bedroom. This includes any exercise equipment, computer, office/work related items, and the TV, (if possible).

• Clear the stuff or storage under the bed to create a calm flowing energy.

Some Cures and Enhancements:

• Think about things in pairs in the bedroom – pictures with 2 objects, 2 night stands and lamps (they don’t have to match)
• Use lamps, dimmer switch or candle light
• The colors should be soothing earth tones
• The bed needs to be comfortable; you should have a headboard for grounding

I’ll share a story. A very good friend of mine wanted to focus on her love life. Although she had a clean and well put together bedroom it was FULL of stuff. She emptied a few drawers and made room for a potential partner. After doing more cures and enhancements she has been dating and is very busy. She set her intention and is living in a space that supports it.

Another area that is helpful, from a business man to a stay at home mom is the Office.

1.      Is your office welcoming? From the building to the front doors? Add plants and calming colors to your space.

2.      By using the Bagua, place items in your office and on your desk with the intentions that support your goals.

3.      Nothing should be on the floor. Your business is important so treat it that way.

4.      Is there room for new clients in your system? Set the intention and create the space for them. You may want to even label a file for “Future Clients.”

5.      Have you surrounded yourself around things you enjoy and that make you happy? Sports collection, memorabilia, photos, books.

To get started Organizing with Intention begin with these few simple techniques:

1. Open the window for fresh air and movement

2. Wear comfortable clothes, but still look cute J

3. Turn on music you love

4. Start small

5. Stop working before you are too tired and treat yourself. Celebrate with something that feels good. Like a cup of coffee with a friend or a long hot bath.

We’ve talked about the Feng Shui basics and how, clearing the clutter can clear negative energy. Intentional thinking and placement of objects can be very powerful. Have fun, contact me for questions or a referral for an outstanding Feng Shui practitioner.