Organizing Your Child's Bedroom in A Weekend - 6 Easy Steps

Ever look at your child's bedroom and wonder how it got that way? Clothes all over, toys, stuffed animals and dolls thrown around in a disheveled mess. The bed, although made up, still doesn't help the look of the room. Sounds familiar? Well, I did just that last weekend. I looked at my daughter's room and could not bear to enter it. After looking around, I decided it wasn't just a matter of having her clean it up, but it was, in fact, that she had nowhere to put her toys and belongings. Or at least, she didn't have enough room for everything. Remember, this is a 6 year old I'm talking about. She doesn't know the meaning of the word organization. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.




The First Step - Sorting





We made different piles for the toys, dolls (with a different pile for all the tiny clothes and accessories that they come with), stuffed animals, arts and crafts, and books etc. The larger items we sorted separately as well. Anything she didn't want anymore, we put in a bag to be donated.




Then we stood back and tried to figure out where to put it all. We decided to take the closet door off of her closet and made an area on the unused floor for the toys. This is a 10 x 10 room we're talking about. Creativity is a must when organizing it. I found a small shelving unit in my basement that would fit perfectly in her closet. I added a few baskets and began throwing the sorted toys in a predetermined basket. One for dolls, another for arts and crafts... you get the idea. We allowed space for some of the larger toys to sit on the shelves and stood the books up neatly. Looked great but it needed one more thing. Beaded curtains. That's right, beaded curtains come in every color and style imaginable. We chose a purple iridescent one to match her room and hung it up to replace the door we took off. We now had a closet space that is multi-functional and adds more space to a very small room.




Now, what to do with all the stuffed animals she wouldn't part with. After much consideration I decided to build up as there was nowhere else to go in her room. We made a wall to wall shelf over her window and stored all the stuffed animals there. When she wants to play with them, she just has to ask, and we take it down for her. They are out of the way and actually acts as decoration for her room not an eye sore as before.




2nd Step - Clothes




I decided that at 6 years old, my daughter needed to be able to have easy access to her daily wear. Her dressy clothes for special occasions and church etc. were hung in her closet. Anything that she would wear on a daily bases were then placed in her armour. We used the smaller drawers for her underwear, socks, belts etc. The larger drawers were used for her school clothes (jeans, tops etc.) and another drawer for pajamas. Other foldable clothes that she didn't wear as often or hadn't yet grown into were placed separately out of her reach in the armour.





3rd Step - A place for Dirty Clothes





Pop up hampers. The greatest invention. They look good and you can get one to match any room or decor. Princess is the theme in this room. So, of course, we have a princess hamper. We placed that in the corner of her closet and her dirty clothes scattered all over the room is now solved.





4th Step - Knick Knacks





The hardest part to the organization was where to put all the little decorative stuff. You know, the trophy's, ornaments, pictures etc. With so many things, where do you put it all in a small bedroom? This is where some creativity as well as decorating skills come in. We decided to put up shelving on the walls for her to display her knick knacks. With all the different types of shelves and shadow boxes out there, following your rooms theme decor is easy. With that said, we put shelves up on 2 of her 4 walls. Staggered them for interest and got to work displaying her stuff. Her room was organized and still had personality - her personality. All of her things were proudly and neatly displayed. She was very happy.




5th Step - Decorative Hooks





Another easy thing to do is put decorative hooks behind her door or in the open for displaying things that can be hung. My daughter loves to wear her robe daily and always has jackets or hats laying around her room. Sometimes she wears something that she doesn't want to put in her hamper, but wear again later that day or week. These items can be hung on hooks placed strategically around her room. It's an easy and effective way to keep the clothes off the floor. If you prefer not to see the clothes, put the hooks on the wall behind her door. It keeps the clothes etc. out of site but still accessible.




6th step - Under Bed Storage





With so many different options for storage bins, boxes etc., utilizing the wasted space under the bed is now easier than ever. I picked up an under bed storage unit for storing all the seasonal clothes, So now my daughter has a place for clothes that she will not be wearing for a few months. The winter clothes are swapped out for the summer clothes and vise versa. This works great for us and she doesn't have to filter through a lot of clothes to get to the stuff she needs now. Storing away clothes with the change of seasons makes everyone's life much easier and keeps the drawers and closets neat, tidy and uncluttered.





So now that my daughter's room is organized, she and I feel much happier. She loves her room and works hard on keeping it organized and tidy. Her friends always compliment her on her room and that makes her feel special. I hope this will motivate you and act as a guide the next time you undertake a room organization task. I think the main thing I found is that you need to have a place for everything. If you have a place dedicated for a certain item, it's that much easier to put it back there when you're done using it. A simple concept, but one that seems to elude a lot of us.





See my article coming soon on "Decorating a girls bedroom".





Written by: Marcia Pasram

The Art of Forgiveness

When someone has wronged you, when you have been treated badly and unfairly, lied to and manipulated, the most foreign thing to do it to forgive and forget. But forgiveness is possible and it is necessary for your physical and mental health.

"People who forgive show less depression, anger and stress and more hopefulness," says Frederic Luskin, "So it can help save on the wear and tear on our organs, reduce the wearing out of the immune system and allow people to feel more vital."

So how do you forgive and forget?

1. Calm yourself. To defuse your anger, try a simple stress-management technique. Take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, someone you love.

2. Do not wait for an apology. The other person may not have meant to have hurt you, they may see things differently to you or they may have meant to hurt you on purpose. Whatever the case. they are probably not going to apologize first. Forgiving somebody does not mean that you are going to be the best of friends again, but it does mean that you release them in your heart and you do not hold any resentment against them.

3. Recognize the benefits of forgiveness. Research has shown that people who forgive report more energy, better appetite and better sleep patterns. If you are unaware of the distress that bitterness and resentment toward somebody else can have, then you will never realise the importance of forgiving and letting go.

4. Do not forget to forgive yourself. For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge, but it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don''t do it. Do not blame yourself.

Organized vs. Spontaneous - Does It Have to Be Either Or?

Being organized or being spontaneous? Does it really have to be one or the other? A good friend of mine recently confided in me a deep dark secret. Deep down she was afraid that becoming organized meant that she would have to lose her spontaneity. Her fun loving, get up and go spirit was something she cherished and nearly everyone who met her could easily fall in love with that quality about her.

Of course it got me wondering if everyone who was chronically disorganized had this fear, but moreover I shuddered to think that people may be finding me (gasp!) boring and a tiny bit dull! So, out of sheer friendship I set out to put this myth to the test and dispel my friend's qualms. Alright, maybe some small portion of me wanted to make sure I was still fun to be around!

Trying to think back to the last time I did something out-of-the-blue, I realized immediately that I, a professional organizer, almost never plan a weekend. It's true. Take a look at my Palm Pilot and you'll see that among the carefully planned weekdays, there is hardly a Saturday or Sunday to be found with a planned activity. Now, come to think of it, that's just disturbing. Maybe I don't have a life after all. Surely there's something else to draw on as a case in point.

I'm sure I can be just as unpredictable as the next person. Just a couple weeks ago, for example, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things and I didn't even take a list! Nope, didn't even bother to take stock before I hit the store because I stopped on the spur of the moment! That's got to count for something. Everyone knows that is one of the cardinal rules of organized meal planning.

The truth is, since becoming more organized (no, it doesn't have to come natural but that's another story) I think I've truly learned to loosen up and adapt more. Over time, I have been able to enjoy the freedom of being more impulsive on the things that really matter because I don't have all of the "un-dones" hanging over my head. I have learned that if I'm not particular about the way the towels are folded and put away, I leave the possibility open for someone else to help me around the house. I have developed the knack of being prepared so that if I want to scoop up the kids and head out for a day of unplanned fun, it doesn't take me hours to gather everyone and everything and leave the house.

I think learning to be more on top of things has led me down a path of "planned spontaneity". I think that may be the best of both worlds, my world anyway. The object of the game is finding what's right for you.

Anger Management- Lock That Monster Up

Patricia runs a small graphic design company. She employs several designers, illustrators and copy writers. Her office is a beehive of creative activity and often deadlines can mean a hectic atmosphere.

This is a typical right-brain office and when you have so many creative employees, there can be friction between team members. Her employees are highly talented. Sometimes these creative people lose track of time and deadlines. Pat, on the other hand, has a business to run and cannot afford to be late with the end product. Her clients wouldn't stand for that.

But I am surprised she never loses her temper with either her employees or clients both of whom can try her patience. I asked her once what her secret was. Pat seems unfazed by all this but I know she must secretly froth at the mouth. Here's what she told me.

"Marilyn, it is hard to be the boss of creatively charged twenty somethings and if I don't manage it well, I would be close to losing my temper every hour of every day. I find it better to hold my tongue than let go of a valuable employee. I have spent hours training them, refining their skills, and that is too much of an investment to lose. I wait till my anger has passed and then speak calmly to them. Most of the time I am able to get the point across and avert a crisis." Patricia said.

I employ the same strategy myself. Our conversation re-affirmed my belief in not making a decision or delivering criticism when angry. Anger can spoil a good thing – it is a moment of weakness for a business owner and repeated bursts of anger with employees can destroy a good team.

Sometimes your clients or employees will make you angry. The trick is in not dealing with them right away. Take some time to compose yourself, rehearse your case, and then present it to the other party in a calm voice. Invariably, you will come out the winner.

A good strategy is to let the phone call go to voice mail if you think the caller will be telling you bad news or you have just handled a stressful situation and are still upset. Always invest in caller ID!

If you are talking to an employee or client and the conversation is going badly, take a break and think about the situation. Hardly any problem cannot wait a few hours for a solution. Always leave yourself time to think. It is better to be seen as "not decisive" than make a decision you will regret.

Use this strategy when you anticipate bad news or even when you have to deliver a bad news. It is better to wait and think about a problem with clarity in your mind before responding. You can never take your words back or undo an action taken in anger.

Kitchen Cabinet - Kitchen Cabinet Clutter

The last time you opened one of your kitchen cabinets did things fall on your head, were you afraid to venture behind some old boxes of Noodle-Roni, because of what might be living back there? It doesn't have to be this way. You can eliminate clutter from your kitchen cabinet with just a little fortitude and a bit of time.

First of all, don't let the enormity of the task overwhelm you. You don't have to tackle the whole job all at once. Break it down into sections and work on one section at a time. For instance, you can decide to do all the drawers first. In your cutlery drawer, get rid of flippers that have seen better days and the broken serving spoon you have been saving. In your junk drawer, get rid of old receipts and telephone numbers with no names. Put pictures and keepsakes in their special place before they are ruined or lost. You will probably find pens without ink and pencils with no tip or erasers. Throw it out. In no time at all, it will be as cluttered as it was before.

Get rid of any dishes, bowls, and cups that are chipped or broken. Do the same with your drinking glasses. Reorganize the kitchen cabinet if you want while you are doing this task. Chances are you can find a more convenient place in another kitchen cabinet for some of the items that you use every day. Your pots and pans should be the easiest kitchen cabinet to tackle. Most of those items you will keep, so just put them back neatly and get rid of anything that is worn, such as the finish on non-stick pans.

The kitchen cabinet that holds the food is usually the most frightening. Many of the items you purchased will still be edible, but you find your family just doesn't like it. Donate these items to a food pantry or a homeless shelter rather than throw them out. One man's garbage is another man's treasure. Canned items and boxed items are best for this. It will be greatly appreciated by a family in need and you will feel good about helping someone else.

Anger Management Technique - What Is Anger?

Anger is a growing issue that is hitting our generation with its full force. With abusive relationships, road rage and violent attacks all on the increase – is our society more like a pressure cooker – and if so, what can we do about it? I remember a good few years back seeing the eruption into the limelight of road rage after a man was stabbed to death at the road side. Unfortunately it has become one of those stories that we see so often that it is sadly something that rarely shocks us anymore. In the last few years we have also watched the behaviour of 'air rage' also thrust into the limelight. Let's hope that this doesn't become just another norm in our increasingly pressurised world.

Doing the job that I do as a hypnotherapist I have dealt with many cases from men and woman that just get a little flustered when they don't get their own way or can't get their point across. I have also dealt with people that in the same types of situations have used unacceptable force to make their opinions known. Unfortunately the difference in these two types of people is sometimes only time as if they don't learn to control their anger, it will ultimately get worse. The other thing that I notice when helping anger management clients is that it tends to be a Jackal and Hyde situation where they can actually be really nice people – until they get angry.

Nearly all of my past and present anger management clients have said that it is almost like other people are pressing their buttons or are winding them up when they get angry. However this is not true as what really is happening is that when a person becomes angry, they become more sensitive to certain things that are going on around them. Because of this sensitivity and anger that it is associated to, an angry person can perceive that someone else is winding them up, even is the other person is actually trying to help.

As a hypnotherapist, there are many techniques and ways of doing things that I can utilise to help with anger management in order to assist a client in bringing their emotions under control and also to communicate their points of view effectively. In fact, communication is a large part of the process as when a person can get the results that they want with someone else without losing control or flying off the handle then there is no need for anger to be used as a mechanism to get ones point across.

Stress Management Techniques - The Top 5 To Cultivate to Succeed at Work

What are your favourite stress management techniques?

The techniques described here take time to cultivate, but is well worth your effort. The ultimate objective being to develop a habit of these techniques - so that it becomes second nature to you.

As a career builder newbie, I urge you to start developing some of these stress management techniques in order to manage the stress you will experience as you climb the corporate ladder.

1. Greet People Warmly




Greeting people warmly especially in the morning is important to manage stress. You wonder why? Have you ever noticed how some people come in the office grumpy? It is almost as if, they have decided that they will be stressed out that day. When you greet someone warmly in the morning, it says you have decided that you will start a great day. Imagine starting a day on the low and watch it get worse!

2. Be Conscious Of Your Behaviour




Being conscious of your behaviour means to be conscious of how you feel and act. It is the trigger in your mind that says "I am getting impatient with this discussion. And I am going to raise my voice." Once you are mindful of your actions you can choose to react in a more positive fashion. Now, you may ask – how can I be conscious of my actions if I am in the middle of an argument with someone? Well, it takes practice. Just as we practice a certain sport prior to an important tournament.

3. Be Conscious Of Our Breath




Taking deep breaths and counting is a popular stress management technique. In this particular one, my variation is to be conscious of my breath. Whenever I feel stressed, I excuse myself if I am in the company of others and walk away. While walking away to the washroom for example, I concentrate on my breath touching the tip of my upper lip. And I consciously slow my breath down while concentrating on it. It takes the negative thoughts out of my mind.

4. Reviewing The Positive




Create a habit of reviewing the positive that has happened throughout the day. The idea is to cultivate the habit of looking at the positive. Instead of crashing in front of the television when you reach home, spend five to ten minutes reviewing what nice things others have done for you. The kind deed others have done that made your day turn out great. I practice this while being stuck in traffic. It kills two birds with one stone, it allows me to review the positive and takes my mind off the traffic situation at the same time.

5. Letting Go The Negative




Let's face it - we are but mere mortals. We will make mistakes while trying to cultivate these habits to manage stress. In reviewing the positives, we should also be conscious of the negative that we have done. Maybe we did not realize it earlier in the day. It could be something nasty we have said to someone. Realize this and "cleanse" yourself by flushing away the misdirected actions. Do this by forgiving yourself and remind yourself that you will not do it again.

Admittedly, these 5 stress management techniques take time to cultivate. Make a decision to start today and watch your stress greatly reduced as time goes by.

Law of Attraction - Having it All

According to a recent blog post of my business partner, I am a proponent of a balanced life...

Her comment took me by surprise, and I chose to examine my reaction. Perhaps when I hear the word 'balance' the cliche of trying to balance work, family, personal pursuits, etc. comes to mind, and this is NOT what I am all about...so oddly her comment rubbed me the wrong way.

What I AM about is having it ALL. How many times every day, all our lives, have we heard things like 'Do you want to have fun, or do you want security?' 'Do you want passion with a guy who is broke, or to marry a boring guy who will take care of you?' 'Would you rather have a job that pays you decently and participates in a pension plan, or take the HUGE risk of losing it all and follow your heart?'...What kind of messages are these, and where did they come from?? Why can't I have passion AND security? Follow my heart AND make a ton of money and never worry about finances again? Why can't I be wealthy, have a wealthy guy or guys if I so choose and feel secure, have lots of fun and adventure? Have amazing friendships with people of all ages and learn and explore until the day I die?

Settling for anything less in life than what is really in my heart is, to me, a true prison and a waste. While I understand and respect those choices and can see how they are made, I myself have a passion for growth, learning, adventure, and freedom that do not allow me to stay in one place for long. As you might expect, this affects my most personal adult relationship/s, in that I will never settle for anything that is less than wonderful and full of growth, and will either work to make/keep it passionate and fun or will leave it...

Until recently, I have always somehow felt deeply WRONG or defective for all of this wanderlust...but why should I be shamed of who I am?...I'm not a soccer Mom, although I am an amazing mother to my little girl - I expect I understand and support her dreams more than many parents who are more 'traditional' - I NEVER tell her she CAN'T. Instead she hears 'OK, let's figure out HOW...'

We are all about pursuing our dreams and living full, passionate lives at Breathing Prosperity. There is no need to sacrifice anything for anything else, ie. love for money, because the Universe is abundant - there is more than enough for everyone. Create for yourself LOTS of everything you want -- money, resources, generosity, love and kindness, amazing relationships, powerful experiences, security -- whatever it is you value.

I just felt a need to share today and perhaps have you ask yourself the following: If you have dreams you are not reaching and are unsure of why, is it possible your underlying belief systems conflict with what you say you want? Are you wishing for financial abundance, yet holding on to the 'security' of a job that will never make you rich? What can you do today to change your perspective to that of the YOU in your dreams? What can you let go of?...Grab on to? Give more commitment to, or release?...Food for thought...

This is excerpted from the Breathing Prosperity blog - updated daily!

Never Give Up

Never give up !

One day I decided to quit...to quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" [Sounds familiar hmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!]

His answer surprised me... "Look around", He said.
"Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said. "In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo
seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."
He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been
growing roots?" "I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they
both make the forest beautiful." "Your time will come",
God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

Remember this, HE will never give up on you!

Win the War Against Clutter, One Box at a Time

You do not need to feel overwhelmed by the clutter surrounding you in your home. You can win the war against clutter and all it takes is a box a day.

When you feel overwhelmed by a project, the easiest thing to do is walk away from it. While this makes you feel better in the short-term, it actually makes the long-term outlook even worse because, by doing nothing, you are allowing the problem to get worse. If the problem is worse the next time you think about trying to tackle it, you will feel even more overwhelmed than you did before. Start putting an end to this pattern today.

The best way to approach situations that tend to overwhelm or frustrate you is with baby steps. Doing just a little bit at a time allows you to make progress yet avoid that pit in your stomach that makes you want to throw in the towel. Here is a great way to approach your household clutter with baby steps.

Get yourself a medium-sized box. The boxes that reams of paper come in work great. Every day fill the box with one type of clutter. For example:

Day 1: Recycling

• Old newspapers


• Old magazines


• Telephone directories


• Junk mail

Day 2: Trash

• Since you want to save your box, you may actually want to use a trash bag for this so you can take straight to the curb. Just make sure the bag you use is not too big. One tall kitchen bag at a time would make excellent progress.

Day 3: Book Donations

• Donate your unwanted or your children's outgrown books to your local library. You can ask them for a receipt to claim your donation on your tax returns.

Day 4: Clothing Donations

• Your children's outgrown clothing


• Any clothing that you have not worn in the past year


• Donate your clothing items to your favorite charity. Be sure to get a receipt for your tax returns.

Day 5: Toy Donations

• Donate any toys that your children no longer play with to charity or to the pediatric ward of your local hospital. If possible, get a receipt for tax purposes.

Once the box is full, stop. It is very important that you stop when the box is full or you will risk overdoing it and winding up right back at the frustration you started with.

The next step is crucial to your decluttering success. The same day you fill a box get it out of your house. Do not set the box aside to take care of later. It will just wind up becoming another pile of clutter for you to become overwhelmed by. In order for you to see the progress that you are making you must remove your filled boxes from your home immediately.

If you have filled a box of recycling, put the contents into your recycling bin and be sure to put it at the curb on the next pick up day. If you do not have curbside recycling in your neighborhood, take the box to your local recycling center.

If you have filled a bag of trash, put it in your outside garbage receptacle to be placed at the curb on your next pick up day.

If you have filled a box full of anything that you intend to donate it, put it in the back of your car and take it to the drop off center for your chosen charity.

Be sure to save your box so you can fill it again the next day. When you run out of types of clutter to fill your box with, start over again from the beginning. Continue to repeat the list until you have cleared your home from clutter completely.

If you remove one box of clutter from your home every day for one month, you will have removed 30 boxes of clutter from your life! So while it may not seem as though you are making much progress in the short-term, the long-term results are amazing!

Organizing Ideas for Laundry Duty

The average person spends six hours a week washing clothes, according to a survey of homeowners conducted on behalf of Sears, Roebuck and Co. There are possible solutions to make your laundry less invasive in your daily life.

Start with the Laundry Area

Depending on the size of your space, there may be steps you can take right where you do your wash. Try to locate your machines side by side to save on steps.

Install a closet rod with a shelf or a rod between two cabinets to hang clothes. Keep your detergents, stain removers and fabric softeners right next to the machines, preferably in a cabinet or on a shelf. Keep a clean surface to fold clothes and have bins or baskets for sorting.

Your System

Only do what you can wash, dry, fold and put away in one day. You may prefer to do all your wash in one day; someone else might prefer to spread it out to a few days. Some prefer to do all their ironing for the week at once, others may prefer to do it daily. I prefer that my husband does the ironing; he's much more efficient and therefore he's better qualified!

If your space allows it, save yourself the extra work and fold clothes right out of the dryer and into baskets for each member to put away.

If you have the closet space, try hanging more clothes rather than folding and storing items in drawers. Less folding means less time spent doing laundry. Have a hamper or basket in each bedroom that can easily be carried to the laundry room.

Help from Family Members

Involve family members as much as possible and get children involved from a young age. Yes, a toddler will take great pleasure in learning how to fold towels and putting away their own clothes. This may mean a little extra effort from you now, but in the long run you are teaching them the skills to do it on their own.

Assign each child a day to help with the laundry. Chances are being involved will help them understand that every item of clothing they try on does not automatically go into the dirty clothes.

Teach family members to assess the level of dirtiness of the clothing they remove. Socks and underwear automatically get tossed in the hamper. Jeans can be worn more than one time.

Other Time Saving Ideas

If you are doing a major clean and come across a ton of laundry (most often found in children's bedrooms), consider making a trip to the laundry mat. You could get multiple loads done at once. This is also a great idea for the return home from a trip. Rather than unpacking all those dirty clothes, take the suitcases right to the laundry mat.

Take a good look at the amount of clothing each family member owns. If you can go for 2-3 weeks without running out of clothing, you may have more than you really need.

Whatever system you try, stick to it for a few weeks and then make changes or adjustments if needed. Laundry is something many of us dislike; it is time consuming and never ending. But, I am grateful I don't have to boil the water, scrub my clothing on a washboard, or by a river bed, for that matter.

5 Tips For Successful Solo Living

1. Living alone doesn't have to mean living lonely. Building a community of people who care about you will help you stop feeling lonely or disconnected. Take time to see friends, join clubs or do volunteer work. Having a partner isn't the only way to get your emotional needs met – your quality of life will improve when you start to include others in it.

2. Live in the present, not the past. Make sure your surroundings reflect who you are now and who you want to be in the future. If you've recently split up with a partner your home may reflect what you created together. What do you want your home to say about you now? Take the opportunity for a spring clean and create a home that uplifts and supports you.

3. Be the hostess with the mostest. Don't assume that your friends with partners or families are going to be too busy to hang out with you. They may well relish the comparative calmness that solo living brings. Invite friends round or make regular dates to have fun.

4. Treat yourself – you're worth it. You don't need a partner to give yourself gifts, time or attention – you can do all of this yourself. Bringing a little luxury into your life will support your confidence and self –esteem.

5. Enjoy your single status and the opportunities it brings. Now's the time to do all the things you meant to do but were too busy to because you were in a relationship. Take time to plan how you'd like your life to be in 5, 10, even 20 years time. What have you always wanted to do but held back on because your partner wasn't interested or wouldn't approve? The rest of your life starts now so make it happen.

In Case of Emergency

No one likes to think of the "what if's" if tragedy happens. It's depressing, it's a mood killer and it's not fun. It's even more horrifying when the "what if's" haven't been prepared for. Does someone in your family know that you have an allergy to shellfish or iodine? Are your bills easily accessible and well laid out so that someone else can walk in and know what to pay, when to pay and what has been paid? How about a living will? Assets in your name, bank account information, credit cards, safety deposit boxes, does anyone know where to find all of the above information? How about any medications you are currently taking, your family doctor, specialists you have been seeing? It's overwhelming, I know. Now imagine your significant other or parent. What state of mind are they in if something life threatening has happened to you? Is it fair to add the extra stress of trying to figure out what insurance company you are currently with, when they are distraught and worried about your health?

Nasty subject, I know, but I have seen the affects of not being prepared when an unexpected death has occurred and it is not pretty. I also know that most people do not even want to talk about "if something happens to me", but it is necessary. Several years ago, I flew over to Scotland by myself and it was the first time I had been out of the country and I was leaving my two children with my mother. Before I left, I handed my mother a file folder with copies of my passport, driver's license, credit card and banking information, Power of Attorney if something happened to either myself or the kids, insurance numbers, social security cards and I also had a Living Will drawn up, just in case. Obviously, my mother was a little taken back by the file and I did try to soften it by putting the information in a pink file folder, but the logical side of her brain realized that this was necessary. Just in case.
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Being prepared isn't necessary just for the elderly or those of you who travel, it's necessary for everyone. An estimated 1.2 million people worldwide die each year from a car accident and you think you don't need to be prepared? Emergencies aren't just limited to fatalities or accidents tragedy can also come in the form of missing family members. That is definitely something you don't want to think about, but it is imperative that you are prepared for it.

Let's just assume you agree that you need to have your things in order, how do you go about organizing the information?

Tools To Get You Started

1. 3-Ring Binder

2. Page Protectors

3. Business Card Organizer sheets

4. Divider Tabs

The binder is a great way to house all of your important documents in one place that can be easily retrieved and taken to the hospital. The page protectors can be used to house pages you may need to change often or may not want hole punches in. The Business Card Organizer can be placed inside the 3-ring binder for your doctor cards, prescription information, and any other specialists, bankers, financial advisors, lawyers, etc. Even emergency contact information of family members and friends can be placed inside the binder. You will need the divider tabs to organize the different types of documents housed in your binder.

Divider Tab Labels

Not everyone will have the same information, so please be sure and customize to fit your needs. I also encourage you to have a section for every member of your immediate family and keep it all in one place.

1. Medical Information - doctors, allergies, medications you are currently taking, insurance

2. Personal Information - full name, social security number, passport information, copy of your driver's license, a current photo, finger prints, marriage license, divorce papers, birth certificate

3. Banking Information - checking accounts, credit cards, loans, safety deposit boxes

4. Assets - stock, bonds, IRA's, real estate, companies you own, etc.

5. Legal Documents - wills, trusts, Power of Attorney, Living Will



Again, everyone's binder will be different, so if you need to add more information and different tabs, then please do.

Once you have your binder and tabs ready, start putting in the information. It is entirely up to you if you want to place originals in the binder or copies. I have both in mine. A copy of my passport for when I am traveling and the original so I know where to find it when I am home, but it is entirely up to you. The next important piece of this project is to let someone know that you are doing it, why you have, and where it's at. It should be easily accessible, yet not somewhere it can be inadvertently snatched up. Remember, your life is that binder. If you have a fire proof safe consider placing it inside. Just make sure the person you put in charge of the binder knows the combination.

Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Organizing could be one of the greatest gifts you give to yourself and to your loved ones.

Suzanne Babb-McLoone

Organizational Empowerment

"Empowering you, your life, your future"