Always have a contingency in place.

When ever you travel you are leaving your best laid plans in the hands of others so always have a contingency. I am writing this from the Airport in Sydney. We have been advised that the baggage handlers and cleaners have walked off the job for a stop work meeting.

This has cause an unknown delay to my home flight. I am due to collect my boys from school. Am I stressing. No!!!!!!

I have a contingency in place, it takes just one quick call to arrange alternatives if things are taken out of your control. So before I board, when ever that is I will be calling my back up school collector Bridget and letting her know if she will need to get the boys. 

This simple plan has saved me a great deal of potential stress and anxiety, and was easy to arrange from a completely difference country. 

Always have a contingency in place, you never know when you may need it.

Reporting from Sydney

I am writing this blog post from my hotel room in Sydney. I am here for the NSAA 09 Convention. That is the National Speakers Association Australia annual convention at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, Australia.

I have had some interesting events that have challenged this organiser. like arriving at the airport at 5 am on Wednesday to be advised my plane had been cancelled and I was the only passenger that did not know. What a weird thing to happen. So Air NZ kindly made sure I got to Sydney via Melbourne and all was well. Then on Check in I waiting 2 hours and 3 phonecalls for my luggage to be delivered to my room. They then bought the wrong bags. I eventually went and got them myself. Not a wonderful start to a 5 Star hotel experience. But after a swim in the pool and some retail therapy I was fine.

This is going to be a great 3 days of learning, sharing, networking and generally mixing it with some of the best International Speakers on the planet. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be amongst such esteemed company.

Want to know what I really think???

Check out my new blog. Brat...NOT! Raising great kids

This is something that I am passionate about as well as organising, so if you are a parent of kids of any age, then this is the blog for you. Enjoy.

Cheers

Another first for Wendy & NZ!!

Wow I am excited to announce I am now a Member of NAPO's "Golden Circle" this is an elite group of Professional Organisers. To be part of this wonderful group a Professional Organiser must have 5 years experience as a Professional Organiser and have been a member of NAPO for at least 12 months.
It is an absolute honour and privilege to be the first New Zealander to be accepted into this amazing group of esteemed professional. To find out more about NAPO visit www.napo.net


This comes just a couple of months after being the first New Zealand based Professional organiser to become a Certified Professional Organiser CPO (R), this is a difficult and worthwhile qualification for any Professional Organiser internationally. It is the highest qualification available to Professional Organisers Internationally. So to be New Zealands only CPO and only one of 2 in Australasia (Karen Koedding is the other) is an absolute honour.

I am excited......Can you tell??

Waking up is hard to do!!!!

We have had a considerable change in routine in my household since the school year started and this has provided some interesting challenges.

Last year my Daughter would bus to school and the boys would crawl out of be at 7.45 and wander down to school at 8.30ish. Well we have had a change of schools this year and now the boys require a 30minute drive across town.

Not being  morning person (as my regular readers know) this is proving interesting. However we are getting this down to a fine art. The kids have even had cooked eggs for Breakfast the last 2 days, so the organiser is getting organised, even in the morning!!

I imagine every home in the world has a morning rush of some type with or without kids to get to school. So I am going to share a couple of the changes I have made and you can too. These all help make those mornings easier.

* Set the alarm 15 minutes earlier than you think you need to get up. For me today was 6.30am.

* Have all the clothes laid out and ready to get into first thing. 

* Spend you evenings checking over the next days schedule and pack you bags for the day then. Do not wait till the morning. Do the bags in the evening.

* Create a check list for each child. This could include: Get dressed, Breakfast, put lunch in bag, put bag by door, clean teeth etc.....

* make school lunches the day before. This has been a routine in our house for years now. Lunches get made in the afternoon and the put in the fridge for the next day. 

* Get homework done in the afternoon and evenings, do not leave till the morning, t won't get done and you do not need the extra hassle.

* Have a nutritious breakfast. that extra 15 minutes can be used to have a healthy breakfast.

* TURN OFF THE TV AND COMPUTER - We first did this 10 years ago and barring special events (such as a rugby test, or worlds cup soccer) our TV and computer never get switched on in the morning during the working week. This makes a huge difference especially with kids attention spans and ability to be ready on time.

Doing these things has helped us transition to a new routine and be organised. After 5 weeks we have not forgotten anything in the morning and the kids are always fed and watered before heading out the door. For me with 3 kids and 2 schools and 30 minutes driving this has been a real accomplishment.

So much so i am writing this in a coffee shop at 9am after doing the morning shuffle and having a relaxing cup of tea and checking my emails, all after eating a healthy breakfast and dropping the kids of on time and well prepared.

Go forth and tackle your morning rush, you Will feel better for it.

A cracker resource for the Recession!

I stumbled upon a gem called "Clara" today and her videos on YouTube are a delight to watch and some real tips for saving money and going back to basics in these interesting economic times.
Please take some time to watch THE DEPRESSION BREAKFAST
There is a whole library of this spritly 93 year olds tips and recipes. Too cool.

What to do, What to do!

I am feeling a little in a dilemma at the moment. That is what to do, I am having this amazingly strong urge to return to full time Mothering and ditching the business. I know I won't but sometimes it does get a little to much to bear.

I have my first book on the shelves and thoughts for a few more, consults are slow (must be the economy!!!!) and getting my speaking gigs up and running taking longer than I anticipated so wondering if I should maybe have a hiatus???????

I have a fabulous office I work from that overlooks the water and I am there till October, then I think I will return home to our newly built study and let things flow. Until then I will no doubt keep trucking along and getting things done.

I would love to hear from you all the things you need from your friendly organising guru and I will continue to deliver. Also what sort of book would you pick up off the shelf? let me know and I will start working on the most popular choice:

1) People Clutter - Sabotage by Association

2) The organised family

3) Moving house information book.

4) real Organising tips from real people

Let me know your preference and I will deliver within 12 months the most popular choice. 

I look forward to your inspiration and motivation.