RS Activity Highlights

On Wednesday, January 13, our Relief Society Board planned a "P.H.D." Activity . . . a "Post-Holiday De-cluttering." Debi Frandsen, Susan Smaelie, Nicole Berry and Ellen Sperry each gave fantastic ideas for taking control of our clutter to simplify and better our lives. Renee Evans gave a beautiful, spiritual lesson on De-cluttering our lives to make room for the Savior. This was a great activity with useful, practical information shared in a spirit of inspiration for those of us who may be less than organized. We also enjoyed "simple" refreshments of mini quiche, veggies and dip, grapes and water bottles. Thank you, thank you to our wonderful RS Activity Board for another successful activity.

The following is a list of Organization Tips from the activity (you can also find a copy in the Relief Society Bulletins on Sunday).
Organization Tips (or How we learned to get organized, plan a trip and shop IKEA)

1-Get a binder t ohold all your "important documents" i.e. passports, immunization records, birth certificaqtes, etc-Carolee Millet (There were several variations on this idea. Use what works for you).
2-Tidy up before going to bed. It makes you feel better that night, and starts your day our right.
3-Throw out! Throw out! Throw out!-LuAnne Reese
4-Cleaning as you go makes life easier.-Joyce Jeffress
5-A place for everything and everything in its place.-Kathy Jones
6-Check out flylady.net. Fly=Finally loving yourself. "I love her with all my heart. She gives declutter tips and helps organize your day and your home."-Lisa Groneman
7-Structure your day-Every night write down 5 things you need to do the next day. It hleps prioritize the most important tasks.
8-Once a week, have a planning session with your family and go over everyone's schedules.
9-Lable file folders January - December. File all your receipts and paid bills by month. At the end of the year, replace the folders with new ones.-Mary Seehagen
10-Use a work chart for your children. Check with Lisa Groneman . . . she has a system that has worked for years!
11-Want to really shed some of that junk that's building up? Enlist a buddy to help . . . they will be more objective about tossing things and it will be much more fun!-Debi Frandsen
12-Assess your storage needs and then look for products that meet thsoe needs, regardless ofr how they are marketed, i.e. divided make-up trays work great for jewelry storage! Ask Susan Smaelie for more tips!
13-Plan your meals in advance and write out a menu. It saves you time and money at the grocery store.-Ellen Sperry
14-Use your child's backpack, at the end of the school year, as a storage container for that year's memorabilia. It makes you sort out only the most important things to keep.-Nicole Berry
15-It's the moment and memory that you want to keep, not the stuff, so take a photo of your kids with their diorama, soccer trophy, etc. and keep that!-Nicole Berry
16-If you've lost something, check with Ellen Sperry. She's probably three hole punched itand put it in the Sperry Household File!
17-Keep your RETURN receipts in a separate folder/envelope and check them against your credit card statements at the end of the month. You'd be surprised how many times you are not credited for that return.-Ellen Sperry
18-Find a system that works for you. Everyone is different, and has different needs and levels of tolerance for clutter.
19-Your conduit to your Heavenly Father is like a dryer vent. It gets clogged with "Dust bunnies" of regret, despair, overly filled schedules, and outside influences. Clean it our regularly with prayer and the scriptures.-Renee Evans