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Browse every published article connected to Colette Robicheau, with exact attribution and full-archive search.
Articles
Browse every published article connected to Colette Robicheau, or search within this exact expert archive.
Is your mudroom, hallway, foyer or entry way making you mad? Do you constantly trip over everything on the floor? Is there no space to put anything? Or has your clutter been like this so long that you just pass by and not really see what your guests see? You may just spend minutes coming ...
A focal point is the element in the room which the eye is drawn to as soon as you enter the room. Every room must have a focal point because it makes the room complete and creates purpose. If a room does not have a built in focal point, for instance a picture window, you can create one yourself. ...
Always running around looking for your phone? Do you have to search madly for you cell phone when it rings? Here are some tips to help you never lose your cell phone again. When you are out, always store your cell phone in the same pocket of your coat, purse or briefcase so that way it will ...
Feeling pulled in a million directions this holiday season? Your children need you at school concerts, work has extra holiday hours and commitments and your friend needs help planning a big holiday party? The extra money, time and energy during the holiday season is very stressful. Keep in mind ...
Finding the right Christmas gift for everyone on your list can be tricky, not to mention stressful. So here are some handy tips that will help make your seasonal shopping simple and stress-free: 1)The thought counts – Put some thought into each gift so it matches the tastes of each ...
We live in a world where bigger is better and more is all the rage. When we are trying to get the life we want, it often involves adding something new: a new routine to lose weight, exercising more, taking a class or starting a new activity. Also, we are always looking for more time–most of us ...
Running into a meeting just in time to hear the speaker’s final thought for the day? Showing up at the basketball game as the final buzzer sounds? Made it to your favourite store’s sale of the century to find one shirt left, and it’s not even in your size? If this sounds like you, read my ...
As students prepare to return to school, there are several things that parents can do to help their children succeed in the classroom and in life. When discussing studying success, learning styles and learning differences need to be taken into consideration. Sixty-Five percent of people are visual learners, while 30% are auditory and 5% are tactile or kinesthetic. Try to identify your child’s learning style, as well as, other individual conditions they might have, to help create a study environment that works with their strengths.
With today’s growing awareness of environmental issues, green is the new black. Today everyone is thinking green. Consumers can’t get enough of green: whether it’s a sage green throw, leafy green salads, or a beautiful green tree or shrub in the back yard.
It’s a new year - time for new resolutions and goals. Here’s one that will help you get organized while warding off the post-Christmas financial blues – use what you have. You’d be surprised at how many items you have lying around that you’ve never used. Items that, by using them, will create ...
We spend roughly one-third of our day in our bedrooms, most of it sleeping. Little wonder it can be difficult to keep a bedroom tidy and clutter-free. Following these easy-to-remember steps will help you keep things in order—maybe even get a good night’s sleep. Make your bed first thing in ...
People don’t always spend a generous amount of time in their basement and therefore, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. This often carries through when the home is for sale. Research shows us that kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms are main areas of interest to buyers, so when we ...
You have a beautiful flat scree TV mounted on your wall like a piece of art. There is a perfect lighting scheme. You've got a cordless phone so you can easily roam the room. What could be wrong with this picture? Cords! Black, grey, and white lines drawing the attention away from your home ...
It’s a new year and a time when people like to start fresh and sample some new approaches to areas in your life you would like to improve. You have seen the development of the organizing and redesign shows take over our television stations. It’s been called the latest trend, the new dieting but ...
Tired of gifts being returned or unused? Do gift certificates seem too impersonal? Give these gifts that will be used almost immediately! 1. Homemade preserves: Jams, jellies, pickles and beets — just like Grandma used to make! Dig through family recipes, search online or go to the local market and pick up a few bottles of goodies. Place in a basket or cloth bag, and voila!, the perfect present.r
Photographs are a great way to remember special occasions, but it’s not always easy to keep them sorted. Here are a few tips you can follow when printing or picking up your snapshots that will help you organize and protect your precious moments: Go through your photos and discard the blurry or ...
No matter what the occasion is that you and your guests are celebrating, hosting a dinner party takes preparation and organization. With everyone’s busy schedules, families and friends don’t often get the chance to sit down and enjoy a special meal together. Here are some suggestions to ...
Feeling pulled in a million directions this holiday season? Your children need you at school concerts, work has extra holiday hours and commitments and your friend needs help planning a big holiday party? The extra money, time and energy during the holiday season is very stressful. Keep in mind ...
Working from home, or ready to join the thousands of Canadians who already do? Home-based businesses offer considerable advantages, but many challenges. Here are seven strategies that will make your home office experience more productive and rewarding. 1) Select a dedicated workspace. If possible, select a room with a door to block out distractions. Also, choose your space based on how you will use it. For example, locate it near the main entrance to your home if clients and suppliers will be visiting frequently.
Stumped as to what to keep and what to get rid of? Try asking yourself these questions to help you define what should be in your closet: 1. Do I love it and feel good when I wear it? We want to feel good and empowered when we leave the house in the morning for work or head out for our leisure ...
Do you procrastinate? You’re not alone. It’s easy to say, ”I’ll do it tomorrow,” when faced with a project. But if you keep putting it off, you run the risk of racing the clock to complete it at the last minute. And if you do complete it, you may be unhappy with the results. So when you feel the ...
The first step in organizing a small closet is to go through and purge any items you no longer wear or use. Then, looking at what remains, decide what items you use regularly (undergarments, work clothes, jeans, workout clothes), those you use occasionally (formal wear, bathing suits), and what ...
Whether you get up with the early birds at 5:00 in the morning or it’s later in the day, mostly everyone would like to sleep in a little more. You also want to avoid the confusion and rush that can happen when your family is trying to get clean, dressed and fed all at the same time. Here are ...
As warmer weather approaches, our minds turn to tackling major projects – from a full home de-clutter to finishing the back deck. Take the time now to make sure that none of your chemicals are expired and replace any that are. Organize Anything has come up with some great tips to ensure that your household cleaners last as long as possible, what to do with expired materials and how to avoid a meltdown.
Knick-knacks, magazines, electronics, pictures, keepsakes, rugs, and tables. These common household items seem harmless enough, but the more we have in our homes, the more difficult it can be to move! Sometimes we have so much stuff it can block doorways or paths to exit the house—dangerous in ...
What do you do with that extra room in the house? The one that has no real purpose except to collect things? Or you may have an empty room or two when the last of the kids have moved out or gone away to school. We end up with lots of remnants of their lives, but no kids. This room becomes ...
Did you know that your chaotic routine and cluttered physical and mental environments may be making you sick or keeping you sick? Everyone can benefit from a more organized lifestyle which will help your days run more smoothly. Taking care of ourselves, our careers and our relationships can ...
When you only have a few minutes before going to lunch, attending a meeting, or leaving for an appointment, it often seems useless to start any important or involved task. But those few minutes could be a great start to getting yourself organized or chipping away at a larger project. On ...
Are you like most people? Have you set and broken many of your New Years Resolutions already? Have you spent time focused on your deficits and shortcomings? The law of attraction says we will draw those things towards us that we spend time thinking about. n Quote from author, Ellen ...
Breathe better. Ninety percent of the average Canadian’s time is spent indoors, and air pollution is often two to five times greater indoors. Dust, dust mites, molds and contaminants from many of our household products trigger adverse reactions in varying degrees for most of us. A cluttered ...
Here’s a different sort of spring thaw and one you can do yourself. Get prepared to clean out your fridge and freezer. This process is a hot idea with refrigerator rules that will save you money and time. 1.Start now by making a commitment to buy fewer grocery items and eat as much as ...
Look up, look way up! Organizing solutions can be as simple as looking up and looking under. When you think there’s no where left to go—it’s time to get creative with your storage. Look Upn-Shelves are a great way to display collectables as well as store items for everyday use. Consider ...
To a lot people, books are like treasures. Old books hold a sense of nostalgia and quaintness for so many. But, the reality is, the knowledge they contain is the treasure. Due to technology, the information held in books becomes out of date more quickly than ever. When working with our Senior clients downsizing, it is not uncommon for us to put entire encyclopedias into the recycle bin, along with several bags of books. Too many books can cause problems for health and also pose an organizing challenge. Scrapbook paper is acid-free so that it does not break down and yellow.
Many of us think we have conquered procrastination and have become efficient workers. This may be true for some of us, but when it comes to procrastination we may have just become a little more creative. You may just be a V.I.P. – Very Inventive Procrastinator. Read the statements below to ...
Students live in a world of endless opportunities to learn, socialize, volunteer, work, and travel among a long list of things. Good study skills and time management are key to learning how to balance priorities and opportunities in your life as a student. With all these options and new found ...
One in four people will not make it a week with their New Year’s resolution. Here are seven things not to do when creating a New Year’s resolution that will help you go the distance: 1. Don’t keep it to yourself. “I don’t want my friends to know I am trying to ...
It seems like the items we spend most of our time searching for are the ones we need and use daily. The best example is our keys. How many of us spend 20 extra minutes every morning before leaving the house searching for our keys, or five minutes waiting outside the front door before we can ...
People buy from emotion. Our senses are how we define the world around us and have a strong link to memory and emotion. What better way to create an emotional appeal for our home than through our senses. When you decide to put your home on the market it makes good sense to consider your home ...
How often have you found yourself unable to say ‘no’ to someone? It isn’t easy turning down an invite or request. There are many reasons why we might find ourselves unable to say no to requests- anxiety, a sense of obligation, wanting to be liked, wanting to be useful or to ...
Most of us would rather do anything than file our taxes. Even if you have professional help, it’s your responsibility to get the information together. So, here are seven quick tips to help make tax time less taxing for you: nn- Remember that your income tax return is due April 30 each year. ...
The 2011 Organize Anything Top 10 Organizing Product List is a comprehensive collection of products that allow you to save time and live your life. We’ve spent the year looking at products recommended to us by clients, suppliers and that we’ve run across that just make life simpler. Here are our Organize Anything Top 10. 1. Pendalflex Desk Free Hanging Organizer with Caser
Preparing to sell your home this year? The most common mistake many sellers make when staging their homes that you can avoid is preparing your home based on your personal tastes. When selling, you are creating a ‘residential advertisement’ for your home, so it must appeal to the audience you ...
Ready to get organized to better manage your time? Here are some helpful tools to get you started. Day Planner. Use one place to record all your appointments and special dates. Be sure to record telephone numbers along with appointment details so you can call if you are running late or need to cancel the appointment. Instead of writing To Do lists on scraps of paper that easily get lost, record them in the notes section of your day planner. Make a habit of carrying it with you everywhere and don’t leave anything to memory.
Do you ever have trouble ending a telephone conversation? Do you need to speak to someone but worry because it always turns into a long drawn out conversation on topics you would rather not speak about? Do people come in your office and you can't get them to leave? Do your meetings run too long and get off track? Some conversations don't just end naturally they need to be closed or disengaged. The following are ways to take back control of your time and disengage from those conversations that are not going where you would like them to go. Politely disengage: 1.
Stress management is now being accepted as an integral part of any workplace wellness program. Those who report a consistent level of stress in their lives are twice as likely to become depressed. Programs seek to reduce stress on employees by evaluating and changing corporate structure, policies, leadership style and culture, as well as, working one-on-one with employees dealing with organizing their office, time management skills and work/home balance. “Lack of control over daily tasks” was listed as one of the top ten factors of workplace stress.
Exam time can be a stressful time of year, especially for new college and university students. For most students, it’s not WHAT they have to study that gives them the stress, but HOW to study it. Organize your study time and exam-writing strategies to have a calm and collected exam period. 1) Make sure you have sufficient time to study everything: Review chapters every week so that you don’t have to cram everything in the night before. This is why attending class is so important. If you have questions, go to the instructor weeks before the exam, not the day before.
We live in a world where bigger is better and more is all the rage. When we are trying to get the life we want, it often involves adding something new: a new routine to lose weight, exercising more, taking a class or starting a new activity. Also, we are always looking for more time–most of us want to spend more time with our friends and family. Lately, we have heard many promises that if you just put out the intent, then it will all happen for you. In our business we have found that this simply is not true for most of our clients.
Have you ever had to dig through a ton of boxes to find a file, just because you didn’t know what box it was it? Have you ever unplugged two or three things before finding the right cord? How many hours have you spend sniffing the spices, just because you couldn’t tell by looking which one was nutmeg? Wouldn’t it be nice if everything just had a label on it? Well, why can’t it? There are a number of labelers available today – from desk top to handheld. In other circumstances, blank labels and a black marker will do.
Highlight and draw attention to elements in the home, such as a great view, architectural details, even repairs, renovations or equipment upgrades. Your kitchen and bathroom are prime selling opportunities, so pay special attention to these areas. For example, keep your kitchen counters clear of ...
Did you make a resolution to lose weight this year? This is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, and the one that is most often unfulfilled. After all, it’s not easy changing long-time eating and exercise habits. So how can you follow through and stick to this resolution? The best way ...