If You Were Given A Free Day...

I came across this question in a Real Simple Magazine yesterday, and took its advice to "Imagine 24 glorious hours without any obligations..." 

I immediately felt self-indulgent, for taking the past *cough* month *cough* off from writing and Organizing altogether, due to unforseen health scares with three different family members.  This, combined with the daunting task of planning my High School Reunion, left me completely drained.  Yes, 24 hours would have been a fabulous way to pour my sails into the wind and free my mind of pain and worry, but I obviously needed much more, so a month it was.

Soul-searching between endless road trips and tetious planning, (both for the health care of my father and a quick reunion 500 miles away), led me to some spontaneous trips to the Agua Dulce Desert, boogie boarding near Surfers Point and Rincon Beach of Ventura.  Animal gawking at the County Fair, visiting friends in Pismo BeachSailing Away with the wind in my hair and Watching the Fog Roll In.  And according to Facebook, (which is known to keep track of my splendors far greater than me), I found a new church, went dancing on the weekends, had a little too much midori sour, o_O and made some amazing new friends.  I am sure that I will find quite a few things to cross off my list from these recent escapades.

We also got a chance to see  Eat, Pray, Love (have you seen it?) and if you are anything like I am, drifted into complete wonder at that amazing Bali Cabana in the lush jungle.  Oh, how completely sinful it would be to leave it all behind and tie down some roots in that place...  but Southern California is good enough for now.  In a sense - I lived a little from this book.  I took away with it, the complete pursuit of pleasure and for once put my life on hold for my soul to take a deep breath.



What about you?  Were you at all indulgent this Summer?  Have you let your troubles go so that your mind can have a well-deserved break?  If not an entire month, do you have a week that you can use just for you?  One day works wonders too - but sometimes you just need a little more time to soothe your soul.

I have more useful tips and blogs to share with you now that I am all back-together.  I've gotten back onto my schedule so that I can help you with yours.  Thank you for sticking with me through my absence, and for all of the prayers through my father's illness.


Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website Renew Your Space for a full list of services and details.
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Sundays In My City - The Fog


The Ventura Pier

May Gray, June Gloom, Good-bye July, What shall we call August?







Unknown Mami


Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website www.renewyourspaces.com for a full list of services and details

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Sundays In My City - Ventura County Fair

I love this time of year - Summer sun, surfing, concerts in the park, and the County Fair.  Went to the Sublime concert this Friday which was a crazy mistake on their part to host it on Dollar Days... 
We enjoyed the livestock exhibits much more :)






It's almost time for the L.A. County Fair and those Hilarious Commercials





Unknown Mami




Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website www.renewyourspaces.com for a full list of services and details
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Creating a Family Outing Day / Sundays In My City - Agua Dulce

First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of posts (and quality Organizing blogs) in the recent months. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and it has been a very trying time for me.

My blog has suffered, and I have lost several readers because of it. It has been difficult putting together interesting articles and visiting my bloggy friends as I normally do, so I hope to strike a good balance again very soon.

In the meantime, I may be a little random in posting or I may be doing mostly Sunday posts because they are very therapeutic for me. 
Thank you to those who have sent me kind words and have stuck with me through this tough time.


During the three years that I lived on the Oregon Coast, there were so many amazing sights to see that I decided we needed to make it a weekly habit to enjoy a "Family Outing".  With so many fun things to choose from, we had a hard time deciding on any one location, so we created a way for the whole family to take everything in within a reasonable schedule.

I typed up a few pages with various locations, printed it out & cut into small squares which I kept in a little box on the sideboard.  Every Friday after work, one of us would pull out a square and that would be our Sunday afternoon destination.  It was always a nice surprise to find out where we would end up next, and we would never get bored with our weekends.

What locations would you pick for your family outings? 

Now that we are in Southern California, I am finding the same situation of not finding enough time to see and do everything, so out came the Outing Box.  Our most recent trip was the Agua Dulce Vasquez Rocks Natural Area and Nature Center.  I have not had the pleasure to visit many desert areas of California, so when we found ourselves called out to Santa Clarita for our work, I was amazed at the incredible Rock Formations at the Vasquez Rocks National Park

What a beautiful place, with natural wonders of jagged, moutainous rocks peaking in every direction.  These amazing sights span across 932 acres, located in the high desert near Agua Dulce Springs which have miles of hiking trails and give you a little bit of deja vu as you walk through the valleys. 

I told my husband it reminded me of the Flintstones, and didn't have a clue until I stumbled across this sign - dozens of movies have been filmed out here including the Flintstones, Blazing Saddles and Zorro!  What a fun day & a great hike!  But be sure to bring your water bottles & lots for the dog - Roxy was  not used to the heat out here.




This has been another edition of Unknown Mami's "Sundays In My City" meme  Hop on over to see many more!











Unknown Mami



Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website Renew Your Space for a full list of services and details.
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Sundays In My City - Surfers Point

Surfers Point in Ventura is one of the best surf spots on the California Coast.  Long board, short board, paddle board... you see a little bit of everything out here.  Stacking rocks is all the rage...










Unknown Mami
 


Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website Renew Your Space for a full list of services and details.
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Getting Organized on Campus

First of all, I want to give a special thank you to those who have expressed your concern about my dad. My blog posts have been a little sporatic and I haven't been able to make my usual rounds or comment back as regularly as I should.  It has been a tough situation with his illness and I thank you all for sticking with me through my crazy posting schedule. You are all true friends! :)




It is hard to believe we're thinking about back-to-school already, but the new school year is almost here & it's time to start planning. What better way to get planning than with a few helpful checklists! I have partnered with Organize.com to bring you some great planners and ideas to kick off the season (all available online only).

Create a Dorm Registry With Organize.com To Design The Ultimate Dorm Room! - This is an amazing tool students can use to organize their accessories and necessities before they move in.

Dorm Checklist - Don't forget a thing with this helpful list

Prepare for the first day of Pre-School - If you have a little one preparing for school this year, you won't miss a beat with these helpful tips

How to Pack a Lunch - Get your kiddies involved and learn all the necessities for their lunch box

Teachers - For any teachers out there, check out their amazing discount program!



A few fun finds:


Set of 25 Pink Wall Flowers

These are perfect for dorm rooms that don't allow paint on the walls.  Spurce up those plain walls with these Wallflowers by Umbra.  A dynamic addition to any space, this set of 25 polypropylene flowers come in a lively pink color and have snap fit connectors that allow them to mount with a simple tack.




Grassy Organizer

The Grassy Organizer is a fun and whimsical solution to store your bath counter or office accessories. The green grassy organizer is made of soft molded rubber and can hold a variety of items. In the bathroom, it will hold toothbrushes, toothpaste or combs. For office use, place it on your desktop to add a bit of color and place your pens, pencils, highlighters and rulers. Whether you use the Grassy Organizer as a toothbrush holder or pencil holder, it will add a trendy and unique look to your space


Paper Pockets

Need extra space for keeping your papers sorted? Simply snap these colorful double-sided Paper Pockets by russell+hazel® into your favorite three-ring binder and you're ready to organize. Designed as a stylish accessory for russell+hazel's® Signature Binder, these pockets are the perfect solution for holding loose notes and documents. Their heavy-duty paper construction and reinforced Mylar holes make these paper pockets durable, for all your school, office, or even home notes.




Timing Task Clips

Take your organization to the next level with our stylish interpretation of the standard binder clip. This set of "Timing" Task Clips is fun, colorful, and undeniably useful. The 12 Timing Task Clips will help you avoid work by sorting your papers into neat little piles and clipping them with urgency designations—Now, Tomorrow, This Week, and Someday.



Locker Shelf

No more home-made wooden boards that can collapse!  Organize your locker or your desktop with this Stackable Mesh Locker Shelf. Perfect for the today's busy student, this shelf fits inside most lockers. Buy two or more and stack them for more storage space.


Locker Cup

When running from algebra class to Phys. Ed. a trip to the locker should be fast and simple. This Green Mesh Locker Cup with Dividers by Board Dudes is a great locker accessory for the busy student. Made from durable metal mesh this lively blue utility cup magnetically adheres to the interior of any metal locker and can be moved to any desired location whether it's the inside wall or locker door. Use it to hold small school supplies such as pens, pencils, ruler, scissors, calculator and more. It is also a convenient cellphone holder and cosmetic holder and can be used at home inside the steel frame door of the medicine cabinet. The modern mesh design and colorful coating will add a touch of color and style to any locker.



Hanging Shower Caddy

My personal favorite!!  Carry all of your shower essentials with convenince and ease! The Iris® Hanging Shower Caddy in White has a sleek and stylish design with the added feature to hang over your shower head. The handle has a stainless steel extention that hangs from the shower head and there is an added clip to ensure the Shower Caddy stays in place. There is an Anti-Microbial additive to keep this caddy looking like new even after constant use in the shower. It has feet and holes on the bottom to allow for water drainage. To stay organized there are three compartments too keep all of your products neatly tucked away. This is the bathroom addition you've been looking for!


Organize.com was generous enough to offer these great deals for my readers:

Get 2 free samples with any purchase at Organize.com!

Save $10 at Organize.com on Orders Over $100 Through September During Our Back to School Event!


Be Organized, Shop Organize.com


Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website Renew Your Space for a full list of services and details
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Sundays In My City - Pismo Beach

I know I should be sticking to my OWN city of Ventura here ~ but being somewhat new to ours, we venture out quite often and find so many fun places to explore.  This weekend, we ventured up to Pismo Beach and enjoyed a long walk out to the sea caves...








If you are in California, and haven't explored this section of the coast, you have to come out to see this...  Check out Unknown Mami's Blog for more exciting "Sundays In My City" posts!!




Unknown Mami
 


Do you know somebody who could get organized? I can help ~ even online! Visit my website Renew Your Space for a full list of services and details
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Becoming ReneW Your Space

I will never forget the day that I decided to work for myself. It was a rainy, blustery evening and I had been feeling unappreciated at my current job. The week had been one filled with small “fires” that everyone wanted me to put out, and I was so tired of giving so much of myself.

I popped in the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” and settled in with my husband. Assuming it was just another chick flick, he quickly dozed off to sleep, but something inside of me was awakened for the very first time. There was just something about that woman’s adventure that sparked some crazy match within. I sat up and took note of how I was feeling and where I wanted to be. To make a very long story short, within a few months, I had single-handedly found a replacement for my job and ventured into the unknown.

I did not start out to become a Professional Organizer right away. They always say that successful entrepreneurs try many things before they find their true niche. In my case, they were right – I actually started out with my own little brick and mortar boutique, which was exciting and invigorating. I had never sold retail before, or even used a cash-register, so designing a store from the ground up was a dream come true. I would have to say that running my own business was an amazing experience, but the set-up was my favorite part. Finding my product & vendors, picking paint and patterns for the layout, and designing a window display were all extremely rewarding.

But there is another element to this process that is its own subject – the organizational side; putting together the Point of Sale, web mastering, developing ecommerce, bookkeeping and fashioning an efficient filing system. I found this element to be my true passion and along with it came the deep desire to be extremely organized. The paperwork, the files, the schedules, and time management. Suddenly I realized that I was truly an expert in making it all work... a well-oiled machine as I liked to call it.

I eventually transitioned into my current line of work, which is helping others set up their new businesses. I also organize people’s homes, teach workshops on time management and do virtual organizing via eMail and video. Reflecting back to all the times friends, family & coworkers had sought my advice on how I managed to keep my work so balanced or my home so organized, I can now look back and clearly see that path which led me to where I am today. It is my purpose, and anyone who works within their true calling in life can tell you that it is the most wonderful thing they have ever experienced.

Working for myself brings so much confidence. It brings substance and knowledge into my life that had never before existed. There are a few drawbacks to working for myself - it takes discipline, and I mean lots of discipline! Loving what I do tends to make me work over 12 hours a day, so I have to be very careful to structure my schedule. I have to calendar in every detail of my job so that I am able to close the loop with my client and my bookkeeping, which demands a large portion of my time. And since I teach life-balance to my clients, I have to really practice what I preach by not neglecting the other aspects in my own life.

If you are at that pivotal crossroads where you are dreaming of becoming your own boss, I challenge you to explore your passions and discover how you can make a living at doing what you love. By taking that leap of faith, you may just find that your most amazing career has been waiting patiently inside you all along.

Renee Weatherford is the CEO and Professional Organizer for Renew Your Space . She also shares weekly tips on her blog at ReneW
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