7 Easy Self-Care Organizing Tips for Busy People

If you’re a young professional looking to establish a name for themselves, if you’re a professional trying to maintain their reputation or if you’re just someone working hard to stay afloat in this economy, we get it—it’s very hard to have any time for yourself. However, self-care is not a waste of time, but a crucial tool for your business success. So if you want to improve your work satisfaction and stay busy without being overwhelmed, here are a few self-care practices to introduce to your lifestyle:

Start your mornings on the right foot

Don’t let your day be busy even before you hit the office. Wake up in time (when you snooze you lose precious time) and start your day on the right foot. Do a short HIIT exercise, take a shower and study your schedule in peace as you sip your protein shake, smoothie or coffee. Grab a light breakfast and get dressed for work. This time that’s reserved only for you in the morning can help you with stress, anxiety and depression—it’s one of the best self-care practices.

Try tea instead of coffee

Slow down, no one is asking you to ditch coffee—we know it’s crucial for all business professionals. However, at times, you can skip a cup of coffee and opt for tea. Herbal tea can rehydrate you and offer a nice break when you’re very busy. There’s something in the process of preparing tea, and the act itself can help you calm down and think clearly, which is something you always need at work.

Do some easy skincare

Skincare doesn’t have to have 10 steps and 10 different products to be called skincare. You can simply do some moisturizing and sunscreen when you’re leaving the house and wash your face after you come home. Great practice for busy people who want to have healthier and more beautiful skin is masks. The best thing about these masks is that you can put them on and continue answering emails, going through your files or making your weekly schedule—they won’t be in your way. Some people even choose to use face masks while commuting or flying for business trips. And you can find a mask made for almost any issue, no matter if you struggle with hydration, sagging, puffiness, etc.

Improve your diet

This is easier said than done for sure, but if you stock up on a few recipes and some healthy ingredients, you can whip up something in literally 30 minutes or less. And if you’re too busy to go grocery shopping (it truly does take a lot of time), you can rely on delivery. For instance, you can always opt for grocery delivery in Canberra and always have fresh and tasty products at home ready to be turned into meals. Now that you don’t have to go grocery shopping, you can have more time to turn ingredients into something delicious and nutritious. And don’t forget to have fun while cooking and appreciate the energy you’re about to consume.

Have nutritious snacks

When you’re very busy, it’s easy to get carried away and miss lunch. In that case, what do you do? Probably reach for fast food, chocolate bar or another cup of coffee to give you some energy. Well, it’s actually very easy to get nutrition even when you’re extremely busy. If you buy trail mix and energy bars in bulk and keep some in your office, you’ll always have something of quality to snack on. If your work has a store, bar or restaurant, see if you can grab something like Greek yogurt, a banana, an apple or veggies with hummus. These are easy to eat even when on the go, yet they are packed with nutrients.

Reward yourself

What do you do when you care about someone? You might give them a nice gift from time to time. Well, do the same with yourself—self-care is often a mental and emotional practice but it can be very much material as well. After you’ve done great at work, you can reward yourself with a present, such as a free day, spa treatments, shopping, clubbing, etc. This little treat won’t ruin your finances but it will make you much happier.

Learn the power of ‘no’

If you’re just at the beginning of your career, it might be tempting to say ‘yes’ to every job, every request and every chance to network, but that can simply drain you to the bone. Saying ‘no’ is a crucial part of self-care and it can ensure you are always fresh and motivated to tackle tasks that truly interest you and what matters for your career, while dodging some boring energy-draining tasks. If you know when to stand up for your wishes, you will earn respect from other people and they will know how not to treat you.

Busy professionals can also practice self-care, especially these aforementioned ways of self-care. They will boost your satisfaction and ensure you’re healthy and strong. 

How to Make Your Cleaning Routine Faster (and Easier)

Let’s be honest: Life is busy. From work to the kids’ activities, the gym to the grocery store, the list sometimes feels neverending. So where, in all these, do you ever find the time to keep a tidy home? There are only 24 hours in the day, but the chores need to be done too, right?

You might think cleaning is a constant, time-consuming job, and you could be right. However, there are ways to keep your house looking and feeling great without slaving away for hours on end. Check out these ideas to get your home clean and organized from House to Home Organizing.

Adopt a Daily (or Nightly) 15-Minute Routine

It may seem like 15 minutes wouldn’t allow for much, but you’d be surprised at what you can get done in that time, especially if you do it every day. Fold a load of laundry, load or unload the dishwasher, wipe down surfaces — take your pick! All of these can be done in a short amount of time, taking at least one item off your to-do list for the day. 

Even better: Get the whole family involved! Have the kids pick up their toys or tidy their rooms, get your partner’s help decluttering or vacuuming — the possibilities are endless. When you’re done, you can relax together, and knowing you’ve cut down tomorrow’s chore list will feel great, too! 

Get digitally organized

If you don’t have copies of all your digital photos in the cloud yet, you should get on that. A digital picture frame will keep family photos present in your life, instead of hidden on a hard drive. It’s also not a bad idea to archive digital documents by tax category or year with an app or online tool that can easily merge PDF files. Then, you can store these combined files and documents on hard drives or in the cloud.

Prioritize… and Outsource!

The very idea of cleaning the whole house is exhausting and can leave you feeling defeated before you even start. This is where prioritization comes in extremely handy: choosing your most essential 2 or 3 chores and doing those first, leaving the rest for later, if necessary. This way, your home stays clean in the most important places, as well as making your load a little lighter when it comes time to do the less urgent chores. 

Whether you prioritize high traffic areas like the living room and kitchen, or the bathroom is your arch-nemesis, it’s a good idea to make a quick 2-3 item list before you start. This can really save you time and mental energy when tackling the parts of the house that matter most. 

All that being said, don’t be afraid to enlist a little help. For instance, you won’t know what you're missing until you’ve hired a professional organizer. When you use your space more effectively, you save time and money!

Keep Cleaning Products Handy

Who wants to be running all over the house, looking for that spray or sponge they need when you’re already pressed for time? No one, that’s who! Keeping your cleaning products handy near the spaces they’re used for will save you time and energy when you’re cleaning. 

Bathroom products go in the bathroom, kitchen products in the kitchen, and so on. This helps you feel prepared and organized, leaving your brain focused on the actual task at hand: the cleaning! Of course, certain items can’t be stored where they’re needed all the time, but having a dedicated space makes them easier to find when you need to.

Spice Up the Old

Tired of your old, drab couch or that used-to-be cute recliner? Before you spend hours upon hours shopping for new furniture, consider giving them a makeover instead! You’d be amazed at what some brightly colored pillows or a cozy, plush throw can do to bring life to something that’s lost its luster. 

The busy life has become the norm, and we all deal with it differently. Whether we sacrifice our serenity for our schedules is up to us, but thankfully it’s not always necessary. Dedicating a little time on a regular basis, along with some prepping and organization, can do wonders for your space and your sanity. Feel free to try these ideas on for size next time you’re cleaning, tidying, or decluttering, and see how they work for you!

Need to get ready for a move? Need help organizing for a parent or senior? House to Home Organizing offers in-person and virtual organizing to help you turn your home into a clutter-free sanctuary in Fairfield, New Haven, and Westchester counties. 

How To Avoid Losing Your Stuff While Moving

While moving, there are so many things you have to worry about—your items are correctly packed, nothing breaks, and you don’t lose anything. Make sure your transition goes off without a hitch by keeping these tips for how to avoid losing your stuff while moving in mind.

Create a Master List

The best way to keep track of everything when moving residences is to create a comprehensive master list. Before you pack a single thing, go through your stuff and make a list of everything you’re packing, breaking it down by rooms, like the master bedroom or kitchen.

A master list will be beneficial when it comes time to unpack, and you want to make sure that everything arrives safe and sound. It’ll also be handy when it comes time to decorate your new place since you’ll have a list of everything you own.

Back-Up Photos and Videos

The last things you’d want to lose are priceless family heirlooms, old photos, or precious home videos. It’s easy for a picture or video to get misplaced or damaged in a move, so the best protection is backing up your photos and videos.

If anything bad should happen, you still have a digital file stored safely in a cloud storage service. Plus, digital backups are much easier to access in the future for those times you want to take a trip down memory lane!

One Room at a Time

It may seem tedious, but the best way to keep everything together and keep track of it all is to go room-by-room. Put all the packing materials you need, like boxes, bubble wrap, and packing tape, in the room beforehand to stay focused on packing.

When you’re running from room to room, packing as you go, it’s easy to misplace things and forget what’s packed and what you still need to box. This way, you’ll also know how much longer you have to pack, and all the boxes for specific rooms will be together when it’s time to unpack.

Labels, Labels, and More Labels

Consider investing in a label maker for your big move if you don’t have one already. A simple label on a box or tote may seem unnecessary, but it can save you a surprising amount of time when packing and unpacking, and making sure you’re not leaving anything behind. If you don’t have a label maker, a few permanent markers will work just as well.

It’ll also help the movers and yourself when moving boxes and totes. Label your fragile belongings and heavy boxes to ensure that they’re handled carefully and make the trip in one piece.

Moving isn’t exactly loads of fun, but the last thing anyone wants is to lose their belongings in the process. Follow our tips for how to avoid losing your stuff while moving, and we’re sure you won’t leave any of your belongings behind!

How to organize your home when you don’t know where to start

We've all been there: with big dreams but no knowledge as to where to start. This is quite a common occurrence, especially if you wish to organize your home. So, if you want to design a functional home office but also want to create a spare bedroom or completely remodel your NYC home - read on. We will help you organize your home when you don't know where to start. We are certain you will transform your home into a dream home with our advice.

Make a plan of action

You must establish a plan of action if you have huge plans but feel overwhelmed by everything that has to be done. Of course, choosing a beginning point based only on the end objective can be difficult. This is why you must first understand what you will be dealing with..

If you live in your current home

If possible, take a walk around your home and decide what you'd like to modify. Note this information, but do not start on these tasks right away. This stage is only meant to provide you with clarity. After you've completed a rough sketch of all the projects you plan to achieve, begin listing them by category. You can organize these projects by room, importance, or time required to complete them.

Prior to relocating

You can, of course, start making plans even before you move. Consider (roughly) what you want your new home to look like and how much work that will require. As previously mentioned, make a plan and list the tasks in whatever order fits you. After that, you may turn to bestmovers.nyc for help. They will ensure you have a successful move by helping you choose reliable movers. Of course, once you've relocated, you will most likely need to alter your previously made plan based on the newfound knowledge of your current situation.

Separate tasks into smaller ones

If you still feel overwhelmed, separate the plan into smaller plans. When you don't know where to start, always start small. For example, if your project involves restoring rooms, why not begin by doing so room by room? You may start by revitalizing your kitchen or remodeling your bedroom. It's entirely up to you.

On the other hand, if you feel you don't have enough time for even the smallest project, separate it into even smaller chunks. If you want to declutter your home, for example, divide the plan by area and then break it down into smaller tasks, such as decluttering one tiny section of the room.

Having plans that won't overwhelm you will ensure the most significant amount of success. So make daily, weekly or monthly goals instead of yearly and give yourself some leeway.

Some tasks to get you started

Figure out your storage needs

When you don't know where to start with organizing your home, the first step you should consider is figuring out your storage needs. As most people in New York City know - space is a luxury. This is why you should declutter first. Room by room, section by section, declutter until only the items you want to keep remain. After that, make a list of all the storage areas you have and evaluate whether you require additional ones. Also, consider how you can make better use of your space. The major advantage of the NYC suburbs, on the other hand, is more space for your belongings. So if you want to relocate to the suburbs, you won't have to worry about storage space as much as people living in the city.

Decide on a design style

Before effectively organizing your home, you should first determine your design style. Consider which aesthetic appeals to you the most and which you'd like to display in your home. This will prevent your home from seeming disorderly and out of place. Sticking to the same or generally similar style in each room will result in a home that is better organized and more stylish. If you don't have a particular style in mind, don't worry. You can decide which color scheme or general feeling you wish your home to have and start from there.

Deal with spaces you keep on eyeing

If there is any specific room or area you've been eyeing when thinking about organizing your home, start there. This is a great indicator when you don't know where to start. In some cases, you may have quite a lot of spaces that fit this description, so remember to start small, separate tasks into smaller chunks, and do as much as you can. You'll be much more driven to organize your home once you've successfully organized these eyesores.

Organize rooms you most often use

Rooms that generate the most traffic, such as your kitchen or living room, can also be dealt with at the start. If you start with these rooms, you'll be able to view the end result more frequently than if you organize spaces you barely visit. For example, you will have a daily reminder of how well you've organized the nursery room whenever you go and check on your little one. In some cases, these rooms can be the main cause of your anxiety, so tackling them first can have more added benefits, such as helping you achieve better clarity.

Take your time and breathe

An important task to do when you wish to organize your home and when you don't know where to start is to breathe. Organizing your home is never-ending, and there will be always more things you wish to do. This is why you should enjoy the process, understand your limitations and do the best you can. Once you finish even one small task, celebrate it before moving on. Never forget to take a breath and enjoy what you've done so far.