Archive for stress-free

Organizing to De-Stress Your Holidays (all of them)

By Hazel Thornton on November 18, 2019 11 Comments

De-Stress Your HolidaysWhat are “holidays” and why are they so stressful? A holiday is any special occasion, all year round, which involves extra preparations; extra time, money and energy; and extra people, families in particular. Examples include birthdays, weddings, religious holidays, and secular holidays.

Holiday stress comes from having unrealistic expectations of yourself and others. Sometimes it’s the family getting together that contributes to the stress, and sometimes it’s the fact that you’re not getting together, or can’t, whatever the reason may be.

If you can relate to this definition, keep reading for some tips that will help you reduce holiday stress in four major areas of your life.

Holiday stress comes from having unrealistic expectations of yourself and others.

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Categories : Organize Your Holidays, Organize Your Home, Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Time
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Organizing to De-Stress a Major or Chronic Illness

By Hazel Thornton on July 19, 2019 23 Comments
Hand coordination ,Multiracial hands holding each other in unity

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Illness is stressful. The less you have to worry about, the more you can focus your energy on getting well. And getting organized will help you worry less.

This concept applies to any prolonged medical condition that results in decreased energy and mobility.

Here are some examples:

  • recovery from a planned surgery
  • an unplanned medical or health event
  • a major illness
  • a chronic condition
  • depression

If you are not expecting to fully recover, getting organized will help you to enjoy your “new normal” to its fullest.

The less you have to worry about, the more you can focus your energy on getting well.

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Categories : Finding Organizing Help, Organize Your Mind
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The guest-worthy & stress-free home

By Hazel Thornton on November 26, 2018 4 Comments

Do you enjoy house guests? Or avoid them?

Is your home guest-worthy?

Does the thought of having people over cause a small panic attack?

In New Mexico the holidays start with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October! Many of us host visitors during that time. Some of us have friends and family who visit during the summertime, or during the winter holidays.

Even if no one’s spending the night, we might host parties and other celebrations throughout the year.

Or….we avoid company altogether because we are embarrassed about our clutter and our imperfect homes.

When expecting company, keep in mind: They are coming to see YOU, not your house.

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Categories : Inspiration & Motivation, Organize Your Home
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Do you follow proper wish list etiquette?

By Hazel Thornton on December 8, 2016 19 Comments

wish list etiquetteAre you reluctant to create a wish list because you think (or have been told) that it’s materialistic? Selfish? Rude?

Miss Manners may frown on wish lists, but Miss Hazel thinks they can be very handy communication tools, and a great relief to gift givers and recipients alike. In How (and Why) to Organize Your Wish List I focused on the mechanics of an on-line (Amazon) wish list, and provided tips such as to keep it updated, and to add a variety of items in different price ranges. This post about wish list etiquette applies to any and all forms of a wish list, including dog-eared catalog pages. Keep reading for a list of suggested DOs and DON’Ts for gift givers, gift recipients, and parents.

Wish lists can be very helpful as long as you follow proper wish list etiquette.

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Categories : Organize Your Holidays
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How (and Why) to Organize Your Wish List

By Hazel Thornton on December 8, 2016 5 Comments

A notepad with wish list written on it isolated on a white background, christmas wish list

Do you have a wish list?

No? Why not? Because you are no longer a child writing letters to Santa?

That’s no excuse! Wish lists are a great way to de-stress the holidays and make gift-giving occasions easier all year long.

Do you have a wish list? Why not? They’re a great way to de-stress the holidays!

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Categories : Organize Your Holidays
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To send, or not to send? No more holiday card guilt!

By Hazel Thornton on December 8, 2016 33 Comments

No more holiday card guilt!I love to send and receive holiday cards! My Thanksgiving weekend ritual is to take inventory — while relaxing in front of the fire, with a glass of wine, snacks, and some Christmas music — of my friends, family, clients, colleagues, and those who have been helpful to me throughout the year. It’s a natural extension of counting my blessings. I use the cards I receive as decorations. In my Albuquerque home, my office is open to my kitchen, dining room and living room, so I tape them to my filing cabinet!

But the very last thing I want to do is to make anyone feel inadequate in the card-sending department! Who needs that kind of stress? Two friends posted on Facebook one year about receiving their first holiday card of the season. One wrote: “I love, love, love going to my mailbox this time of year! Doin’ a little dance!” The other wrote: “I think it is too early for sending Christmas cards. Maybe it bugs me because I haven’t even made my list yet.”

Here are my suggestions for alleviating holiday card stress and guilt:

Alleviate holiday card stress and guilt by not sending them….or simplify the way you do it!

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Categories : Organize Your Holidays
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Getting Organized Once And For All

By Hazel Thornton on March 14, 2016 17 Comments

Organized For Life

So… what does “Getting Organized For Life” really mean, anyway?

Consider these three meanings:
1. Getting organized so your life will be easier, less stressful, more balanced, and ultimately more satisfying; so you can find your things when you need them, and get stuff done; so you can spend less time doing what you have to do, and more time doing what you want to do! So you can live your life by design, not by default. Less clutter. More life.
2. Getting organized…once and for all.
3. Getting, as in hiring, Organized For Life to come help you!

Let’s face it: getting organized once and for all is like getting the laundry done once and for all.

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Categories : Inspiration & Motivation
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Is Your Guest Room Guest Worthy?

By Hazel Thornton on October 17, 2015 14 Comments
Photo by Ron Behrmann

Photo by Ron Behrmann

For some folks Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday house guest season, but around here it’s October’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. People come from all over the world to participate, to experience, and to visit us in our homes.

Of course it’s nice to have a spare room devoted to only guests, but not everyone has that luxury. The guest room often doubles as an office, a den, a laundry-folding station, or even a child’s room, with the kids doubling up when company comes. But no matter where you put your guests, there are ways to make them feel more comfortable and make things easier for YOU, too:

Is your guest room guest worthy?

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Categories : Organize Your Holidays, Organize Your Home
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Clearing Mental Clutter

By Hazel Thornton on May 17, 2013 6 Comments

accept what you can't changeClutter comes in many forms. If you are worried about something, but aren’t doing anything about it — or can’t do anything about it — it’s mental clutter. For any persistent, worrisome thought, ask yourself: Can you do something about it? If you think so, or if you don’t think so, or if you’re not sure — think again just to make sure. If the answer is yes — you can do something about it – great! Do it! The pure fact that you are doing something about it will help you to not worry about it so much.

Why can’t you part with your mental clutter? Here are some reasons why this is difficult:

Clear mental clutter by focusing on what you can change, and accepting what you can’t.

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Categories : Inspiration & Motivation, Organize Your Mind
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How Can Less be More?

By Hazel Thornton on October 30, 2012 8 Comments

I have always struggled with the phrase “Less is more.”  I suppose I have taken it a bit too literally, thinking, “Less is NOT more. Less is BETTER, in many cases, but it’s not MORE, so why would anyone say that? “

But now, from an organizing perspective, I understand the phrase to mean that the less stuff you have, and the more organized it is, the more easily you can find it, make use of it, and enjoy it. Having access to more of your stuff is better than literally having more stuff buried under other stuff that you don’t even remember you have… right?

LESS stuff makes you MORE grateful for what you have.

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Categories : Inspiration & Motivation
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