Category Archives: self storage

WTH..k! Back to School…..Already

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Are you Ready? If not…..

I have organizing tips courtesy of a former Preschool Teacher Assistant ……Me!

I worked as a Preschool Teacher Assistant for seven years with the public school, one protocol that was consistent – we sent home a LOT OF PAPERWORK! Not only from our own program, but from the school district. If I had one “pet peeve”, it was when a parent would come into the classroom complaining that their child missed a school event or function because they were not notified. I would listen to their concerns and complaints – then ask them “Did you see the notices in ______ backpack?” and they would reply, they seen NO notice! After the parent left the classroom, I would check the child’s backpack and find papers in the folder from months ago!

Moral of the story: CHECK YOUR CHILDREN’S BACKPACKS EVERYDAY!!!!

I had the priviledge of working in the same school district for years, I would see that same child in an older grade – their teacher asking me “how do you get _____ parents to look and respond to notices that were sent home?” I would just SMH! In this case, when they are older students, it could be a “praise note” you are missing, a deadline to a program that would benefit your child, a grant that meets a deadline and you do not want your child to miss that once in a lifetime opportunity because your child followed the example you set of not being organized!

I say it all the time “children are cameras on a tripod” you can talk to them all day, but they are recording your every move – make sure they are getting good, useful footage!

Here are my Teacher Tips:

Transition Time ~ Don’t let the school year sneak up on you – When you are scheduling your end of the summer events, take a couple of extra days to get your house in order for the school year ahead.

school is starting

 

 

Bedtime bump-up! ~ Beginning in early August, move up your children’s bedtime by 15 minutes a night until you meet their school bedtime, and wake them up earlier.

bump up time

Family Command Center ~ Find an area in your home, maybe clean out a coat closet or your mudroom, to create a space for the kids (not you) to store backpacks, jackets, sports, music equipment and other back-to-school gear. Hang a family calendar in this area, so that everyone knows what is going on in the household.

 

entryway mudroom          family command center 2

Streamline The Paperwork ~ Create a system to streamline your child’s important papers as well as artwork. During holiday breaks, go through the folders with your children and keep what’s necessary. At the end of the year, put the files in a keepsake box with room for the upcoming years. A extra little tip for the younger ones: ask your child’s teacher how the students take care of their paperwork at school and streamline that process at home – believe me they love taking ownership of their own belongings!

storage tote for papers                       To Be Signed

School/Work Stations ~ Take inventory of last year’s school supplies to see what can be used for the upcoming school year. Recycle old notebooks, keep any unused notebook pages to use as scratch paper. Then new and old supplies are kept in a storage space/area near where the children will do their homework.

Art Station         DIY-school-supply-carousel-lazy-susan

Let’s be In-sync! ~ Use today’s technology to your advantage. Input all important dates, sporting events, school functions and club meetings onto a compatible calendar, and sync your phone and computers so everyone can see the same schedule. Extra tip: create a digital photo album for each child!

google calendar         ical image           icloud image

Help Wanted – Apply Within! ~ Encourage responsibility into the weekend by making chores fun! When your children are at school, they have responsibilities – keep it going at home, it will make your life easier too! Follow Envision-Designs on pinterest imagefor ideas to incorporate a chores system at home and to put routines in place.

I Love Uniforms! ~ When it comes to school systems, I do love uniforms and truthfully …..shhhhh So do the children! But, if your children do not wear uniforms to school, get into the habit of you and your child picking out an outfit the night before. My mother had my brothers and I doing this every school year, you save yourself from the chaos in the mornings.

picking out outfits

Let’s make 2016/2017 The Best School Year for your child and you!

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

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Could you use a Walk & Talk?

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walk and talk image

What you will learn:

  • What buyers are looking for
  • What to keep and what to pack
  • Furniture placement and accessory arrangement
  • Tips for closet organization
  • Wall color recommendations (if required and time allows)
  • Recommended cosmetic repairs and updates

Save time and money! Do it yourself with clear, easy-to-follow guidance from a professional!

If you are ready to take action – call or email Envision-Designs

(860)961-6824 or envisionsdesigns@gmail.com

Hello Darkness My Old Friend #Prayers2Nice

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“There is no world outside us. The world is, in fact, our collective projections of love and fear, hopes and conflicts. In taking responsibility for our own thoughts and feelings, we play our part in the healing of the world. The world is in a critical phase because we are. The world is in massive shift because we are. The world still has a chance for survival, both in spite of us and because of us.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Am I the only one in love with Loft Living?

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My love affair with Loft-Living started the first time I seen the movie Flashdance in the 1980s – the scene when she comes home to her pitbull and rolls her bike into her loft … I was hooked!

Flashdance loft scene

There are some special characteristics you will see in Loft-Living:

  • High ceiling – set at 12 feet, under that it’s just a condo with high ceilings
  • Exposed piping, duct work, structural elements – concrete, steel
  • Large expansive windows and lots of light – often from floor to ceiling
  • Minimal uses of interior walls to define space & doors to close off areas
  • Outdoor spaces – often with roof top gardens or decks
  • Transition space, living and work space, blurring the lines between workplace and residence
  • Modern finishes using concrete, metal, stone, brick, wood used freely alongside drywall, ceramic tile and vinyl & other materials available

Here is a collection of Loft-Living images that I have been collecting:

This week there was a ground-breaking for The Lofts at Ponemah Mill in Taftville, CT – We will all benefit from this project, especially the village of Taftville, it will be a rebirth that will be seen as a ‘true gem’ of Connecticut.

Ponemah_building

Every day I go by this building, I see some architectural detail I had not seen before in the 27 years I have been living in the area. I have sat across the street in the parking lot, either waiting for my nieces to get out of dance class at Luis Pabon Dance School or taking my lunch break from working at Wequonnoc Elementary School in the village. The dreams and ideas I had about this building I must say, was not too far off the mark in what is planned on being built here. I am so excited to see this beautiful building have life again!

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

How cleaning can inspire your office productivity!

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small-office-design

Did you know the way your office looks can impact productivity and morale?

When your office is cleaned and organized, it can affect the mood of the people that enter your building and/or work in your building. As humans, we have a strong need for safety and security and look for those attributes in our environments. We look for physical comfort, we seek environments that are pleasing and stress-free. At Envision-Designs we specialize in Small Business Office Cleaning & More – we can personalize and customize an economical program for your office cleaning needs. I have many years of experience in both Commercial & Residential cleaning along with Organizational skills. Envision-Designs can help make your office a place where people will want to visit and work.

Here is a few items from the checklist I use:

  • Desk by Desk : (Personal items and confidential information removed before cleaning) *dust desks *clean chairs, armrests *phones *keyboards *electronic devices *general dusting shelving, picture frames *cobwebs removed *lamp shades dusted
  • Break/Lunch Room: cleaning the fridge *cleaning microwave, coffeemaker *dusting/cleaning furniture *wash floors *doors *windows *trash cans *general dusting knick knacks, frames, etc.
  • Bathrooms: vanity cleaned & disinfected *toilets cleaned & disinfected *cobwebs removed *general dusting shelving, picture frames *mirrors and chrome fixtures cleaned and shined * sinks cleaned & disinfected

          We can help with all the Cleaning and Organizing needs of the office

         We can help with all the Redesign and Space Planning of the office

         We can help with all the Meeting/Special Events of the office

Contact Cheryl Camacho for more information on Small Business Office Cleaning & More services – 860.961.6824 or email: envisionsdesigns@gmail.com – Don’t forget to Visit me on social media buttons 2

 

Are you looking for relaxation?

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colorful chairs

I do the work – You relax and take it easy.

You get the best job in town, at rates you can afford!

Do you have home clutter? I clean too….. weekly, bi-weekly, monthly

Do you have office clutter? I clean too….. weekly, bi-weekly, monthly

  • Simply Work Agreement – No long-term contracts
  • High quality cleaning & organizing service
  • Checklist completed at every session
  • Environmentally friendly products
  • Fully insured & background checked
  • Office spring cleaning: workstations, conference room, employee lunchroom
  • Free quotes provided

If I can help you with cleaning, organizing your home or office –

please call me @ 860.961.6824 / envisionsdesigns@gmail.com ~

Visit me  social media buttons 2

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

 

How Do I Work?

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Today, I thought I would give you some information about how the Process & Plan works when you call to purchase sessions for help on Organizing your home or business.

My process is: Assess – Plan – Implement – Evaluate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

organized interiors 2

Assess:

Filling out a Client Intake Form, Photo Release Form and a Working Agreement

Taking a Walk-Through of the home or business, taking notes and pictures

organized interiors 5

Plan:

Sit and listen to the client, have them share their dreams & expectations of the space

Sit and work with the client to map out a plan for all the spaces that will be organized

organized interiors 6

Implement:

This is where I help my client plan out the ‘Zones’ throughout the space we will be working

Once the ‘Zones’ are planned out, we will begin to Sort, Purge, Assign a home, containerize the items of the space

organized interiors 4

Evaluate:

At this point, we see what is working and what is not working

We schedule some routine check-ups (if needed)

I will send out reminders – “spring cleaning”, “clean-off your office desk day” just to name a few

I hope this helps you to understand how the process & plan works – please visit me @ http://www.envision-designs.com for more information.

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

Why hire a Professional Organizer?

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blue organized living room

  • Professional organizers are individuals who are employed for the purpose of cleaning, arranging, and tidying a home or professional work space. Their objective is to create a working environment for clients that allows them to work or live more smoothly and efficiently.
  • Help individuals and businesses control surroundings, time and paper piles.
  •  Provide room-by-room space planning and reorganization, estate organization, and improved management of paperwork.
  • Design custom organizing systems and teach organizing skills using tested principles and techniques.
  • Professional organizers provide the right plan with the right tools!

Live in what you love – If you are not loving what you live in – Call me 860.961.6824

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

Why not make the wait more enjoyable?

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waiting room 3

The waiting room is often the most overlooked first impression of a business. Your waiting room, reception area should be a comfortable and pleasant experience. If you want to help your patients or clients feel content, relaxed and not cramped – Envision-Designs can help with commercial redesign. We can re-arrange the space and make suggestions on decorating, art placement, calming accessories and paint color, if needed. Make the wait worth it!

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

 

How to Host a Clothing Swap

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clothing swap 4

Hosting a Clothing Swap

Clear the Clutter and Upgrade your Closet!

  1. Include friends of all sizes & shapes.
  2. Host your swap at the end of the season – use Evite or Facebook invitation (save some trees).
  3. Note the minimum or maximum number of items each person should bring.
  4. Only items in good condition.
  5. Add accessories to the mix (handbags, scarves, shoes, belts) gently worn – this will ensure that everyone can find something.
  6. Designate one room for changing – have at least 2 full-length mirrors.
  7. Ask friends to throw everything in the dryer (handbags & shoes too) on high heat for 10 to 20 minutes – State on invite: if your items have already went through the dry cleaning process – skip this step.
  8. Find a local charity that will take the overflow – (Dress for Success, Goodwill)
  9. Have plenty of Wine, food and music, and you will get plenty of laughs, good time and your friends go home with a new outfit ….. Priceless!
  10. I wanted to add this – if you are friendly with your children’s teacher(s), please invite them, they are always looking for items for their classroom. Especially, if you have preschooler, the teachers are looking for clothing for Dramatic Play area, or an Art teacher – looking for shirts as smocks when creating, Dramatic teacher that puts on plays at the school, School Nurses to have extra clothes on-hand. These professionals struggle to get items for their students, and this is a good way to help!

Enjoy and Have fun!

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl