Tag Archives: small businesses

Can you Afford to be Disorganized?

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How Much Money Can A Organizer Help You Save?

Hey, you know you are wasting money every time you buy duplicates and triplicates of the same items you can’t find – beauty products, clothing, food, kitchen tools, sports gear … it’s an endless list. Not to mention, the late fees that are paid when the bills are late!

Surprising Stats of Being Disorganized

  • 80% of what we keep we never use (napo.net)
  • Getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of house work (napo.net)
  • Typical executive wastes 150 hours a year searching for lost information. Someone earning $50,000 a year – this loss is equivalent to $3,842 annually. (forbes.com)

Your needs are unique, so each organizing project is personalized to help you be most efficient in your space.

Benefits of Being Organized

  • Reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed
  • Achieve more in less time
  • Reduce your stress level
  • Gain energy and calm from your space

Are you ready to save money and time? I am looking for clients that are motivated to saving money, saving time and transform their lives with organization.

Ready? Call me, pick up the phone dial 860.961.6824 or walk over to your computer, send an email to me at envisionsdesigns@gmail.com.

Peace & Harmony~

P.S. I saved myself 2.5 hours today, because I WAS NOT looking for lost documents!

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Home Sweet Home

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My husband is from Sao Paulo, Brasil – It has been 20 years since I have been there, I can tell you it is still with me!

The music, The people, The culture, The arts, is so infectious that it gets into your soul and won’t leave you alone – at least this has happened to me.

I know today, with the Rio 2016 Olympics ending there will be a lot of people leaving Brasil,  I am sure a good majority of them will be back!

I found this video a couple of months on you tube, I want to share it today – it shows the true diversity of the city ~ Enjoy….

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

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

10 Images That Will Help Create a “Honey-Do” List

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So ….. I have been thumbing through magazines, spending too many hours on pinterest, looking at photos on my favorite sites to gather ideas and plans for our kitchen, and my husband’s “honey-do” list has begun … We are finally going to update and modernize our kitchen, there will be photos and behind the scene videos that will be posted during the process – this should be fun! Lol

kitchen design 1

This kitchen is too pretty to cook in – the style is French-Normandy design. I love the way the designer integrated the appliances for a seamless look with combined light fixtures with different styles and finishes that give the look of having been acquired over time instead of all at the same time.

kitchen design 2

The gallery or corridor style kitchen. Typically the sink is on one side and the range is on the other. This type of kitchen has it’s pros & cons – the negative is, traffic flow – the positive is, this style kitchen is much more efficient to prep and cook, you have everything right there, no walking across the kitchen to grab your supplies. I like that the designer did not put the dark tiles up to the cupboards on both sides, that would have made it look like a long closet!

kitchen design 4

There was a lot of creativity that went into this Pentagonal Kitchen – they squeezed maximum efficiency into this five-sided kitchen, there are some strange angles, walls moved to extend the floor’s footprint under the vaulted ceilings. I like the pop of #sherwinwilliams DARING color against the white cabinetry.

kitchen design 5

I love how this kitchen does not have any straight lines. The main prep area widens to accommodate cooking action – the long wall is bowed to meet the deeper front of the range. I like how the designer built the island in a “ice cream cone” shape. The partition wall is unique with the oval opening – love all the details!

kitchen design 3

Another type of efficient kitchen – is the U-Shaped Kitchen. The designer knocked down the wall between the kitchen and dining room, to maximize the space. This type of kitchen allows you to increase your storage and organizational needs!

kitchen design 6

This Wedge-Shaped Kitchen replaced the existing rectangular island. This type of design lets you keep the walking aisle consistent, so that the room feels balanced and not forced or mismatched. The wider end of the island fits the homeowners baking, cooking needs and offers close proximity to the stove. I like the way the designer added detail to the ceiling, by creating an indentation and adding trimming that compliments the cabinetry.

kitchen design 7

This kitchen is another Wedge-Shape Kitchen – I love the funky ’50s vibe the designer created in this space! There are times, rather than fight the odd shape of a room – it’s best to just go with the flow.

kitchen design 10

This is the type of kitchen you want, when you have more than one cook in the family! There is room for everyone to prep, cook and entertain while you are enjoying your kitchen activities. This kitchen design has plenty of storage for an organized and functional space.

kitchen design 9

Another image of gallery / corridor style – I posted this one, because the designer put a range on one side and double oven on the other side – my baker husband would love this one!

kitchen design 8

The essential work triangle – I love the vaulted ceilings in this kitchen, along with the double sinks – again, great design for the family that shares the love of cooking! The island is a piece of furniture itself – I like how the designer added the arched trim around the window, it adds a classic-cottage look to a recently designed kitchen.

I hope these images help you gather some ideas for your own kitchen redesign project – and create your “honey-do” list!

Peace & Harmony, Cheryl

 

 

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