Plan Ahead for the Golden Years

Organizing and adopting systems and habits that suit the client are as individualized as the clients themselves.  However, when organizing a client for the rest of their life, there is one plan that every one should adopt.  We should all PLAN AHEAD!  We have heard it before, but depending upon who your elderly client is and what type of personality he/she has, planning ahead can be hard to weave into their life as they grow older.   It is necessary to help them realize the importance of setting plans in motion to prepare themselves for their golden years, without making your client feel that you are “planning” for their final demise.

Both sets of my grandparents are testimony to the PLAN AHEAD theory.  One is an example of how to organize for the future; but valuable life lessons can be learned from the other more chaotic experience. 

My mother’s parents were in their late eighties when they died.  However, 15 years prior to their death, my maternal grandparents made many proactive decisions concerning their future, which were positive for them as well as their loved ones.  With my mothers help, her parents made the decision to sort through forty-five years of memories and sell the multi-level house that they had lived in for thirty years.  It was a much easier task to accomplish with my grandparents as willing participants.   They were actively involved in all the decisions of this sometimes difficult and stressful process; and they were happy to give furnishings etc. to children and grandchildren at that time.

Moving to a more “senior friendly” environment and purging unnecessary material goods are obvious things that need to be taken care of; however, the following are potentially sensitive things that should be addressed when organizing the elderly.  All these things need to be accomplished while making certain that the elderly client feels that they are still in charge of their life.

• If a Professional Organizer is helping a senior client prepare for their future, it is especially important that the Organizer make certain that a loved one of the client is involved in the process.  This person needs to be able to step into their elders shoes at a moments notice.
• Encourage your client to give Power of Attorney (POA) to a loved one. POA might be needed to help sell a car, house or other property, write checks and pay bills, help with taxes and investments, and make decisions concerning their health.
• Encourage appraisal of valuables.  Make sure insurance covers these valuables.  Pictures are important.  Take pictures for insurance purposes.
• Make a list!  Encourage your client to decide the benefactors of their treasures.  Making these decisions is much easier, and a potential family peace maker, if the senior client is making decisions while of sound mind.
• Examine their environment.  Is it safe? Do they need to move?
• If a move is necessary and it requires an “intervention”, the physical move should be immediate once the decision is made and the new location found.
• Encourage them to update their wills and living wills.
• Help keep important dates and appointments.
• Once a year, go through and purge if necessary and go over important items on the list above.
• Look for the silver lining……Bad times are good times to accomplish positive things.  i.e.: a medical crisis might mean moving from two stories to smaller quarters on one floor or where there is help!  

These issues were addressed with my mother’s parents while they were able participants in the process.  This is not to say that it wasn’t emotionally difficult as they got older and their health declined, but having these things pre-determined made it easier for my mother to help her parents help themselves.

My father’s mother was recently “forced”, in a family intervention, to move from her residence of 36 years. Her two story townhouse had become an unsafe environment considering her poor hearing and the fact that she is legally blind.   My parents will tell you that this move was made at least 10 years too late.  My paternal grandmother has always been resistant to the process of preparing for her golden years.  We have joked that she is the last Southern Bell alive!  Like Scarlet O’hara, my grandmother did not want to surrender her domicile, even if it meant improving her quality of life and living conditions.  As a result, this strong, independent and sometimes stubborn side of my grandmother clearly got in the way of the PLAN AHEAD theory. 

My grandmother was an unwilling participant when it came to making decisions about her future.  It caused a lot of trauma for her as well as her family.  For years, many attempts were made to help my grandmother sort, appraise, make lists and get her affairs in order.  All attempts failed and it was not until recently, that my father and his brother were able to get a Power of Attorney for their mother.  Understandably, the transition to a residential home was difficult for my 98 year old grandmother.  As a result of not facing the future, there were many bumps in the road, but she is now in a safe and secure apartment with many of her favorite things.  Scarlett has found her “Tara”!

I wonder if my parents will become clients of this Professional Organizer?

Home Organizing Tips

The Children's Place

1.    Have bins and boxes on lower shelves so that a child can put away the toys. Have the child label the bins and boxes.  
2.    Provide low hooks to hang up sweaters, pajamas, jackets, book bags, etc.  
3.    Take children with you when you go to donate unused items. This helps them learn to part with things and teaches them the gift of giving.  
4.    Encourage your child/teenager to choose their outfits for the next day before they go to bed at night.

Make the Garage and Storage Work for You

1.    Determine how you wish to use the space. Is it a workshop? Is it a storage center? Is it a sporting goods center? Is it both? Stick to the floor plan.  
2.    Get rid of things that don't work!  
3.    Sort, purge, and then decide the proper storage containers or fixtures for the treasures that you must keep. Clearly label both the tops and the sides of the containers.  
4.    Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks, and pegboards.

Love Your Closets

1. Go through your closet today and ask yourself these three questions:

• Does it fit?
• Do I like it?
• Will I wear it?

If there is a “NO” as the answer to anyone of the above questions, you probably don’t need that item in your closet.

2.    If you haven’t worn a clothing item in a year or more, it might be time for it to go into the donation pile; unless it is a seasonal item and you didn’t wear it because the weather was appropriate.  Clothes don’t get better with age!  
3.    Decide what you want at your fingertips and what can be hidden away in containers under the bed, on top shelves, or in drawers.  
4.    The closet should be bright and inviting. You should be able to see what you have in your closet. Consider installing good lighting.  
5.    Hang like items together—group shirts together, pants together, dresses, etc.

Customize Your Kitchen

1.    Things that work together should be stored together, such as baking pans, electrical appliances, plastic containers (with lids), pots and pans, and large platters and bowls.  
2.    Drawer dividers are a good way to keep utensils in order.  
3.    Rotate food staples out of your pantry. Create menus to use up dated canned goods.
4.    Feel the flow of activity in your kitchen. Place glasses near the sink or the refrigerator.  Put snacks in a convenient drawer or cupboard.

This Summer - Clean out the Garage

Have you ever driven through a beautiful neighborhood, seen a gorgeous house with a neatly manicured yard and as you passed the garage; the door opened to reveal a complete mess?  Where does all that “stuff” come from and how does the garage get so messy?  It’s simple; the garage is often the largest room in a house and can easily and quickly become the catch-all for everything from yard tools, to holiday decorations, to that “84 pack” of paper towels from Costco.  Does this scenario sound familiar?  If so, don’t panic!  With the helpful hints below, successfully clean out your garage this summer.

• Make a date: Every family member has something stored in the garage; set a time for the entire family to help clean out the garage.
• Make a pile: Sort everything into three piles: KEEP, SELL/DONATE, and a TRASH pile.
• “KEEP” hints:  Don’t save something you “might need one day.”  If an item is easily replaced and inexpensive consider tossing it.  The space you gain far out weighs what it “might” cost to purchase that item if and when you actually need it.  Be ruthless!  Own your possessions; your possessions should not own you!
• Sort it out: To help determine your storage needs, sort the KEEP pile into like items: yard and gardening tools, sporting goods, hand tools, wood, paint, etc.
• Think vertical: With Cars in your garage, space is always at a premium!  Consider storage solutions that get as much off the floor as possible.
• Stow it: Once you evaluate your storage needs; THEN purchase your organizational items.  Shop around; there are many organizational products available at every price point.  Additionally, there are companies that can provide organizational systems for your garage based on your needs and budget.
• Clean sweep: Clean your garage before you reload your items back into it.  A clean space is a happy space!
• Re-load: Helpful hints to consider when reloading items back into the garage:  

1.    Think about what you use regularly.  Store these items in an easily accessible location.  Don’t hide the bug spray behind your power drill!
2.    Consider the kids: Put the kid’s things where they can get to them easily.
3.    Store flammable items in a safe place out of reach of children.
4.    If possible, store the lawn mower and other bulky items in a secure location outside the garage.

• Let it go: Once a date is set for the garage sale, call a charitable organization to pick up unsold items later the day of the sale or the day after.  Remember to make a list of what you donate.  Your donation is tax deductible!
• Price it to go: Make it easy for customers and price EVERYTHING! Remember: price things to go or be willing to negotiate!
• Share the wealth: Get the kids motivated by letting them keep the profits from the items they sell at the garage sale.
• Motivate your neighbors: Organize a multi-family garage sale with the neighbors.
• Reminder: Clean up and put things away after every project and at the end of every weekend.
• Now stand back in your driveway and admire your handy work and a garage you would be proud to display for the neighborhood!

Kim's Favorite Products

Here is a List of Products that I Love and Recommend

Rubbermaid Track Garage Organization System

I like this organization system for the garage because when space is at a premium and you want to get your car in the garage, vertical is the way to go.  The Fast Track System can get everything off the floor of the garage and up on the wall.  There are a variety of products in this system that can fit everyone’s needs.

Hanging File Folders

To you have paper clutter?  If you do, you need a file cabinet large enough to accommodate the paper you Need to keep and hanging file folders to get the papers organized.  Call Simply Organized Space to help you get a file system today!

Brother P-touch Label Maker

A label maker is the perfect thing for those final touches of organization.  Label your files, spices, craft boxes, crayon bucket, lunch box and much, much more!

Tomboy Tool Travel Bag

Any type tool box will do to have everything you need when you need it.  But, I love teh Tomboy Traveler tool kit.  

Flings POP UP Trash and Recycle Bins

Are you having a party and you don’t have enough trash cans.  Try these easy to use Pop Up trash bins and/or recycle bins.  Pop them up, use them and throw them away!

Husky Contractor Clean-up Bags

These are my favorite trash bags when you have a big clean-up job to do.  They are big and they are tough!  Use them in the yard or to stuff full of all the things you need to purge from your house.  

Slim-Line Hangers

If you wished for more space in your closet to hang up clothes, these  Slim-Line Hangers are exactly what you need.  These hangers will keep your clothes from slipping and can help you gain up to 50% more space in your closet.  You can certainly order the hangers on line but they also carry them at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  If you go to your local Bed, Bath & Beyond, don’t forget your 20% off coupon.