One Holiday down, one more to go...

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, there is a sigh of relief on December 25 after the gifts have been opened and the holiday bird carved, but the next day, after the wrapping paper clears, the question is:

"What do I do with all this Christmas stuff?"

Many of us spend time seeking out the perfect ornaments or home trimmings only to misplace them before the next holiday season. So, here's few ideas on how to store your holiday decorations without breaking them, or the bank, next year.

1. Color coordinate!: If you can still find them, purchase those red and green containers to hold your wreath, garlands, and ornaments. Next year they'll be easy to find, because of the colors, in your attic or basement.
2. Take inventory: As always, find out what's broken, missing, or needs to be misplaced. Most likely you will be able to catch these things on sale between Christmas and New Years and who doesn't like discounts??
3. Untangle the lights!: This is part of the reason I like organizing things. Almost every year, our lights would need to be untangled because previous year we just threw them in a box. So, to avoid that, we began wrapping them around a tube of newspaper. Just roll the paper like a paper towel tube, and wrap the lights around it. They are easier to untangle that way, AND they are easier to put on the tree! 
4. Do the laundry!: Before throwing all the holiday linens in a bag to banish until next year, take the time to wash them first! Any stains left to marinate for a year certainly cannot be good. Linens that are soiled beyond repair can be used as cleaning clothes instead. 

These steps will definitely help you keep your holiday decor in top condition for the next year!

Enjoy the rest of the holiday season and be safe!

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009

So You Like To Network Hunh?

Entrepreneurs. Lawyers. Business(wo)men. Barbers. EVERYONE NETWORKS!

Or at least we should....

So the question is, "what do I do with all those business cards?"

I have a client that I have been working with for two weeks, well two days, one per week, and this is the very question we've been plagued with.  Everywhere you turn, there are cards! As a matter of fact, once we finally wrangled them together (like wild cattle), there were enough business cards to fill a boot box. How do I know you ask? We put them in a boot box for the purposes of sorting through items in the office...


For those like me who dislike extra paper and don't have many business cards, here's what I suggest:

1. After you get the card, write on the back (1) where you met the person and (2) anything interesting from the conversation. This will come in handy when you try to contact the person later on. 
2. Utilize Outlook/Gmail/That expensive cellphone: I put all of the business card information into my email contacts and include a note with the information from #1.  This way I can access this information wherever I am, and I don't need the card. 
3. Personally, I throw away the card. However, I know some people believe in keeping them "just in case". This is where personal preference comes in handy...

For professional networkers with LOTS of cards:

1.             Decide which business cards you want and discard the others. Of course one can argue that you never know when you may need a specific service, but if you have the business card of your local Red Lobster’s General Manager from 10 years ago, it’s probably safe to toss it.
2.       Decide the best way to organize the cards for you. They can be organized by service, business name, last name, or even date received.
3.       If you are tactile person who would rather have the physical business card, using a card rolodex or binders with plastic business card inserts.
4.       An Excel spreadsheet would be a great way to organize your business cards contacts as well. As more contacts are imputed, you can sort them to your liking. 

3.    

4.     © BeSpoken Spaces 2009

Party Time!

It's holiday time!

For me, this includes lots of friends from college (Go BLUE!) coming in town and everyone scrambling to see as many people as possible. Needless to say, we usually end up at a nightclub.

Now that I've joined the "Quarter Century Club", I think something different is in order...

So this post is for all of my friends and other "twenty-somethings" who are planning their first Holiday Gatherings (aka get-togethers)...

1. When: Pick a date two-weeks in advance, this gives you time to plan and get everyone on the bandwagon.
2. Who's In?: We live in a hi-tech/social networking society. Twitter, Facebook, Text, LinkedIn are great tools, but a phone call is still the most personal.
3. The Pre-Clean: Clean the home prior to having people over. Put away "unmentionables" and all the fragile items you are afraid that your guests could possibly break. Pre-Cleaning makes it much easier to clean up after the party. Make sure all the dishes are clean and in their proper place. Then you have an empty dishwasher/sink to fill with party dishes.
4. Food: If you are doing potluck --(1) think long and hard about WHO you will ask and WHAT they should bring. If you know Sharon is always late, don't have her bring plates... (2) Remind friends a few days before of which dishes they are responsible for. If you are supplying all of the food, make sure you know everyone's dietary restrictions. Have SOMETHING there for the vegetarians.
5. Entertainment: There are three things that always work, (1) deck of cards, (2) Taboo, and (3) Wii...they never fail.  Try to keep the conversation away from politics and religion if you know you invited friends with conflicting views.
6. To Drink or not to Drink?: If you want to serve alcoholic beverages, serve them early and put them away at least 45-60 minutes before you are ready for people to go home. Also monitor your friends, you know who's getting drunk and who's not. This will minimize the number of people who need to spend the night while maximizing safe, sober drives home.
7. Entertain while you work!: If you politely clean up (gather glasses/cups, condense food containers/trays) while entertaining, this will make your clean up A LOT easier after all the guests leave!
8. Plan B: If all else fails and you are absolutely exhausted, (1) pat your self on the back for throwing a great party, (2) have a glass of wine (or sparkling cider), (3) put up the food (if there is any) and leave the rest for the morning. Hey, we're all human right?

Again, have a SAFE, HAPPY, and BLESSED Holiday Season!

p.s. Don't forget to send your organizing questions to lauren@bespokenspaces.com! Your question may be the next post...

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009

One for the Home Team: We have a website!

After exploring many options and ideas, BeSpoken Spaces has an internet home!!

Visit us at www.BeSpokenSpaces.com

Click Here To VISIT the website!

As a matter of fact, you don't have to visit www.thebespokendiary.blogspot.com any more! You can actually visit the website to view the blog! How cool is that?!

And of course, it was not of my own volition, my WONDERFUL web designer did all of the coding and cool stuff I can't even imagine!

If you're looking for a web designer, contact Scott Friedman (sfriedman@adamsfifteen).

He started a web design company called Adam's Fifteen...cool name. :)

The website is a living organism, keep up with its metamorphosis by visiting every once in a while! Scott and I have some great things planned...

Here's YOUR assignment:

1. Read the Blog!: So I can help you "BeSpoke" your life!

2. Pass on the Website/Blog to EVERYONE!: So they can get "BeSpoken" too!

3. Follow Us!: We're on Twitter, and will soon be on Facebook! Then we can "BeSpoke" you on-the-go!

4. Do Something Nice for a Stranger Today: It will bless you more than them...and at BeSpoken Spaces, we care about you, inside and out...

Check back later this week, I have some organizing tips that will help you get THE MOST out of life!

Until Next Time...

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009  

Technology and Me: A wired loved story...

Happy Holidays!!

From one of your favorite bloggers :) 

So, I've realized that the older you get, you still have toys. I've moved from Pottery Wheels and Game Boy to Electronics. During Thanksgiving week, I used some of my own advice (see the Black Friday post) and took advantage of those holiday sales. Here's how I faired.

#1. I acquired a netbook.

I like it actually. Its so cute and little. It reminds me of the Little Engine That Could, except mine has no problem performing. I purchased a cute little Gateway netbook that has a 10 inch screen. I've actually gotten used to the screen, it's comfy. Windows 7 is very nice, but Microsoft played me...netbooks come with the "Starter Edition" which means you have to pay $80 for the full Windows 7 experience.

I can't change my desktop background, for example...shame on you Microsoft!

#2. I have the cell phone of my technological dreams...

Introducing the Samsung Moment....cue the epic/superhero music! I use A LOT of Google products so this phone is a wonderful compliment. I can finally check my business email on the go (this was not an option on my Centro) and with the click of ONE button! The only downsides I have experienced are (1) the 5.5hr battery life (compared to my 8-12hr centro battery) and (2) it synced my phone contacts AND my Google contacts.

I had 870 contacts...sad times.

#3 I joined Twitter!

Honestly, I was staunchly against it. I didn't want to follow the trend, but, it's a great marketing tool and I can Twitter from anywhere! I thought my friends would judge me for joining, but come to find out, they were all hiding out on Twitter!!

And realized I am not as internet savvy as I always believed myself to be. It took me two days to figure out how to use Twitter.

So, FOLLOW ME! www.twitter.com/LaurenOrganizes

Other than that, business is off to a great start. I'll have a post VERY soon about the website launch! And I booked two clients over Thanksgiving Weekend. Oh Joy!

One last thing, I would love for YOU to get involved in the organizing movement! ANY questions you may have about organizing, contact me and I will write about them! No problem is too small or too big!

Until next time...

© BeSpoken Spaces 2009