Will you be in church on Sunday???

Visual Girl will be. At the St. Andrews United Church (1044 St. Georges Street, North Vancouver - 2 blks south of Lions Gate Hospital) this Sunday, January 4th, from 9-11am, that is.

She will be involved in the first annual "New Year Resolution Challenge" This FREE workshop will begin with a demonstration and optional participation of a beginner bootcamp by primary hostess, Louise Green, Fitness Professional and founder of www.bodyexchange.ca

Next, the following guest speakers will cover the top five New Year's resolutions:

1. lose weight - Louise Green, Fitness Professional www.bodyexchange.ca
2. get healthy - Birgitta Hellman, chef & author of "Taste This....Healthy Organic Cooking"
3. get organized - Kerith Paterson, Trained Professional Organizer www.visualgirl.ca
4. quit smoking - Pauline Deane RN - how she finally kicked her 40-year habit
5. finding meaning in life - Helga Grout, relationship and life coach www.sandboxlifecoaching.ca

The event is meant to help you go beyond January 20th (the date most resolutions fall to the wayside) and ACHIEVE what is truly important to you in your life.

If you are looking to make some changes, this is the place to be! Drop by for some early morning inspiration!

St. Andrews Church, Sunday, January 4th, 9:00am - 11:00am.

To register, email: resolution@bodyexchange.ca

"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us." - Winston Churchill

A little note on makeup expiration...

Would you keep and use food that has expired? Why makeup then? After all, your skin is your body's largest organ. Take care of it. This short but comprehensive list of makeup shelf lives by Avon sales rep, Ami M Withrow: http://avonfromamiw.com/expire.aspx makes editing your makeup drawer(s), bag, case, etc. a breeze. Suddenly organizing your entire bathroom doesn't seem so daunting.
All the best,
Kerith

Life is not a someday thing or a one day thing. It is a right now, every day thing.

Essentially, because you are worth it. If there is some part of your home bothering you, then do what you can within your means, to change it. The biggest challenge is actually getting started. Once you overcome that, the rewards you reap will astound you.

Prudy's Problem and How She Solved It...

On the topic of "teach your children well", I came across this cute little book about a little girl who really really really loves to collect things. (Sound familiar?) The things she collects are good for a laugh, or at least a good "eeewwww!" Or, the story could read a little too close to home, depending on your child's situation. I would like to say that with the help of her friendly neighbourhood Professional Organizer, all her problems disappeared. But...I can say that her solution did involve some out-of-the-box thinking, which many Trained Professional Organizers do have.

Give a read. I'd love to hear what you (and your children) think of it.

All the best,

Kerith Paterson

Visual Girl

O is for Organize...

VirgoMan, meet Visual Girl...

I was intrigued by the cover of O magazine by the subheading "12 WAYS TO UNCLUTTER your home, car, mail, even your mind". Turns out there's a professional organizer who dubs himself VirgoMan. For the whole article, click http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200809_omag_unclutter . (Very useful stuff to live by, not just read.)

My advice on mail is a little different: with your paper recycle container near the front door, weed out the mail outside. Only bring in the essentials, or what needs to be shredded. Practice on-line banking: no paper statements, no paper ads, no paper stamp to find, no paper envelope to find - Mother Earth loves to save on paper. Have your bills charged to your credit card = saving on paper and adding to your Airmiles! I've sent unwanted magazines back like misdirected mail: with a Sharpie over the address label.

I wholly believe in donating. Find a cause you love and is easy to access. Trust me, it's like turning guilt into a good deed. I love the line, "Your home is not a museum".

If your photo clutter is on the computer, you may not be aware of the fabulous photo books now available. You can add text, or let your photos tell their own story. http://www.mypublisher.com/ offers a very user-friendly and flexible program for making their books - and the finished product will blow you away! You could give loved ones a year-in-the-life photo book for Christmas. Finish most of the book before December, then put some "teaser" photos under the tree boasting a "coming soon photo book" and finish (and pay) for the books in January. Don't forget to add the Christmas & New Year's Eve photos. Once your best photos are captured in this stunning book, you simply save the year on a hard drive and begin all over again.

I believe organizing is a tool; a tool for you to step up the way you work, play, socialize, and live.

Like VirgoMan says, "Being organized isn't about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a different person; it's about living the way you want to live, but better."

I'm not a superhero, but I can certainly help out anyone who is feeling organizationally-challenged.

All the best,
Kerith (aka Visual Girl)