I love the golden russets, crimson and burgundy reds and the vibrant oranges of the leaves in fall. They remind me that there is truly beauty in this world and at every stage of life within it. For me, fall is also a time of renewal. Just as trees shed their leaves, colourful and beautiful though they may be, so too should we embrace fall as an opportunity to shed our home of clutter and the disorder caused by a summer full of activities. Fall is an opportunity to simplify our lives, to save our energy for the winter ahead and to use this season, the days often still filled with brilliant sunshine, to plan for the winter ahead. Today we’re talking about embracing fall and managing it all – because – with a little help, it IS possible!
For some, fall can feel a bit frantic. Children head back to school, sports and after-school activities begin anew and kids are focussed on a “new” year of learning. Many a beautiful calendar, organizer or planner is published this time of year, encompassing the last three months of this year as well as the year that follows. Its like publishers have read my mind and it’s one of the reasons I think of fall as a “new” year! It’s time to plan and in these current turbulent times, both planning, and simplifying your life, has likely never been more important. At thE Concierge, we can help.
Tips for Managing it All in Fall!
Use a Calendar
First of all – buy that day planner, or if you prefer online, fire up your laptop and start filling in key dates. Nothing says organized like having a “month at a glance” posted somewhere that is easily accessible not just to you but the whole family. Writing down all of your commitments both at work and at home (or using a shared online calendar) helps everyone in the house to stay organized and on top of things. It’s also a clear opportunity to ensure all tasks that can be, are delegated so you’re not the one doing them all! Johnny needs a drive to piano practice? Perhaps older sister Sarah can drop him off on her way to her part time job. Mom is on pick up duty on her way home from work and just like that your day is organized. Everyone plays a role.
(Helpful hint: If not everyone can play a role in your house, using a service like thE Concierge, to do any one of these pick up/drop off or any other regularly scheduled weekly tasks, makes your life a whole lot easier!)
A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place
You can thank Grandma for this timely piece of sage advice. It really is true – particularly as we stare down the oncoming winter – that our homes stay organized by having a place for everything. Whether that’s a basket labelled per child for winter hats and mitts, a pantry organizer for pre-approved “grab and go” school snacks (online learners and kids attending school both seem to need a ton of snacks!) or a central “drop zone” for all incoming mail, permission forms, insurance paperwork and more, the bottom line is if everything has a home it’s much easier to keep the clutter down and to find what you need in a hurry.
(Helpful hint: If you need a jumpstart on the decluttering process in your home, it’s just one of the many helpful services thE Concierge provides for busy families.)
Touch it Once
We learned this a long time ago and are happy to share it today – touch paper only once so set aside a time to do it. Designate a time of day (perhaps after dinner while homework is being done) to deal with “the paper” whether that’s the mail or those school permission slips or gymnastics registration forms. Once you’ve touched it, deal with it, sign it, or throw it out! Other than that “first” touch to place the mail in the designated drop zone, touching paper any more than once is one time too many!
(Helpful Hint: thE Concierge helps families plan for living life, not getting overwhelmed by it! We have strategies, tips and tools for simplifying your life no matter how busy your schedule is. Visit our website to find out more about how we can help!)
Speaking of Simplify……
Remember those beautiful fall leaves in our opening paragraph?
They’ll need raking.
Those grab and go snacks? They’ll need to be purchased.
That day planner you bought?
Don’t forget about scheduling Thanksgiving and Halloween, Diwali or Christmas.
That’s a lot of planning; gift buying, food shopping, potential clutter cleaning and holiday organizing that will need to be done.
Luckily, living a life just like yours, raising three daughters and managing a busy career, I know the challenges you face and have designed thE Concierge around helping busy families just like yours. We simplify lives by managing the day-to-day. Plan to have a conversation with us and learn how thE Concierge can help you take control of your life.
Offering grocery shopping,
Costco trips, (particularly during COVID if mask wearing and shopping causes you stress)
birthday and anniversary gift shopping
and/or event planning, (yes even for smaller COVID sized events) are just some of the things we do.
We also offer delivery services or even waiting for the “Maytag repairman” so you can attend that dance recital – we do it all.
From decluttering and organizing to holiday shopping, if you’re like me and love to use this season as an excuse to get organized,
Embrace fall because thE Concierge can help you manage it all!