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Professional organizer offers ideas about how to prepare for the holidays

READY AND INTO THAT FALL FEELING THE WEATHER MAY HAVE YOU THINKING ABOUT PUMPKIN PATCHES, PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES, LEAVES CHANGING COLOR, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. BUT IT CAN BE A GREAT TIME TO ENSURE YOU HAVE A STRESS FREE HOLIDAY SEASON. JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE HAVE KIM SALISBURY, THE OWNER OF HOME METHOD CO, AND I WANT TO JUST GET INTO THIS WITH YOU. YOU HAVE A VERY SPECIAL SAYING WITH YOUR COMPANY ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THE THE FALL COLORS, THE FALL LEAVES HELPING US. AS A REMINDER, I DO. YES, I LOVE THIS AS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS. THIS IS WHAT WE DO. YOU KNOW, WE’RE HELPING PEOPLE LET THINGS GO. BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, RIGHT NOW, THE LEAVES ARE ABOUT I MEAN, THE TREES ARE ABOUT TO SHOW US HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS TO LET THINGS GO. BECAUSE AS THE LEAVES START TO FALL, IT’S ALSO A GOOD INDICATION OF IT’S TIME TO START LETTING THINGS GO. WE TALK ABOUT SPRING CLEANING ALL THE TIME RIGHT? BUT YOU LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IT’S ALSO A GOOD TIME IN THE FALL TO THINK ABOUT SHEDDING THINGS WE DON’T NEED AND CLEANING OUR LIVES UP A BIT. HOW DO WE DO? ABSOLUTELY. IT’S SUCH A GREAT TIME TO ORGANIZE IN THE FALL BECAUSE WE’RE WE’RE GETTING ORGANIZED AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAYS AND THAT’S REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BECAUSE ONCE THE HOLIDAYS HIT, I MEAN, IT JUST IT’S JUST CHAOS AND IF YOU CAN GET THINGS ORGANIZED AND GET THINGS DONE AND START CHECKING THINGS OFF NOW, AS SOON AS NOVEMBER HITS, YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON WILL BE SO MUCH LESS STRESSFUL. IT’S SUCH A SPRINT WHEN WE GO FROM, SAY, HALLOWEEN TO NEW YEAR’S EVE. BASICALLY, IT’S EXACTLY. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. IT’S A SPRINT. YOU’RE JUST GOING AS FAST AS YOU CAN, BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO AHEAD, LIKE IF YOU CAN CALL THE PHOTOGRAPHER NOW AND GET THE GET THE FAMILY PHOTOS BOOKED AND ORDER YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS, LIKE MAKE SURE THE CHRISTMAS CARDS YOU GET OUT BEFORE THANKSGIVING, AND MAKE SURE ALL YOUR FALL DECORATIONS ARE ORGANIZED AND ALL YOUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ARE ORGANIZED AND STARTING YOUR GIFT LIST. NOW START GOING THROUGH YOUR PANTRY, ORGANIZING THE PANTRY NOW, GETTING RID OF ALL THE EXPIRED FOODS. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THE FOOD THAT YOU NEED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON. START DECIDING WHO’S GOING TO HOST THANKSGIVING, WHO’S GOING TO HOST CHRISTMAS. ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL HELP YOU GET AHEAD OF IT AND HAVE SUCH, SUCH AN EASIER SEASON. AND HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO I HEAR THAT LIST AND I GO, OH, THERE’S SO MUCH TO DO. YOU BROUGHT EVEN TOPICS THAT I DIDN’T EVEN THINK OF. SO HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE KIND OF SIFT THROUGH AND REALLY PRIORITIZE? MAYBE A COUPLE OF THE, YOU KNOW, TEN THINGS YOU MENTIONED, MAYBE THE TOP THREE THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. WELL, WHAT WE’VE PUT TOGETHER IS A WE CALL IT THE HOME PRE-HOLIDAY CHECKLIST. AND SO WE HAVE IT ON OUR WEBSITE. IT’S A DOWNLOAD. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT. YOU CAN PRINT IT, YOU CAN HANG IT ON YOUR FRIDGE. THERE’S LITTLE BOXES YOU CAN CHECK STUFF OFF AS YOU GO ALONG. IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE. BUT FOR US PERSONALLY, OUR TEAM, WE’RE IN A DIFFERENT HOUSE EVERY DAY AND WE’RE GETTING IN THERE AND WE’RE ORGANIZING THE KIDS CLOSETS. WE’RE SWITCHING THEM FROM SUMMER TO FALL. WE’RE GETTING THE COAT CLOSETS DONE. WE’RE GETTING THE PANTRY DONE, THE GARAGE, ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN GET DONE AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAYS, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS ROOMS, GOING THROUGH THE KIDS ROOMS, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEM DONATE OLD TOYS THAT THEY’RE NOT USING TO MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT’S COMING IN. BECAUSE WHAT YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IN THE FALL IS FALL. AS FAR AS YOUR HOME IS THAT THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN AS GIFTS. AND SO YOU WANT TO MAKE ROOM FOR ALL THESE THINGS. SO YOU WANT TO BE LETTING THINGS GO NOW AHEAD OF THANKSGIVING, IF IT’S NO LONGER SERVING YOU, MAYBE LET IT GO. EXACTLY. AND THEN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AS WELL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HUNKER DOWN AND AND GET THOSE PROJECTS DONE, IT’S MAYBE A GOOD TIME TO DO IT. ALSO BECAUSE THERE’S NOT AS MUCH TO DO OUTSIDE WHEN THE WEATHER. RIGHT, EXACTLY. IT’S A GREAT TIME TO GET PROJECTS DONE. AND THIS IN FACT, WE ARE SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF GARAGE SEASON RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO GARAGE SEASONS ALL SUMMER BECAUSE IT’S TOO HOT. AND SO NOW WE’RE WE’VE PROBABLY DONE FIVE GARAGES IN THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF. AND SO THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE’RE REALLY JUST EVERYONE’S KIND OF HUNKERING DOWN. THEY’RE GETTING EVERYTHING GOING, AND WE’RE LETTING SO MANY THINGS GO. AND IT JUST MAKES SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND IT’S SO FREEING. AND YOU CAN KIND OF BREATHE AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND YOUR HOUSE AND YOU’RE NOT SEEING ALL THE VISUAL CLUTTER AND ALL THE PILES AND THINGS ARE ORGANIZED AND THEY’RE NEAT AND THERE’S SPACE FOR WHAT’S COMING NEXT, JUST NOT JUST THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN, BUT THE PEOPLE LIKE THE GUEST ROOM READY OR THE TOWELS READY. LIKE, ARE YOU DO YOU HAVE ARE YOU READY TO ACCEPT PEOPLE FOR YOUR FOR INTO YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AS WELL AS MORE THINGS THAT ARE COMING IN? YEAH, IT CAN ALSO HELP YOU GET READY FOR WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE HOLIDAYS. RIGHT, EXACTLY. RIGHT. EXACTLY. KIM, YOU’RE WELCOME. I APPRECIATE YOUR ADVICE AND TIPS. THERE LOTS OF G

Professional organizer offers ideas about how to prepare for the holidays

With the holiday season approaching, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of projects and tasks that need to be done before guests arrive for gatherings or those extended stays with loved ones begin.That’s why professional organizer Kim Salisbury, owner and CEO of Home Method Co., suggests preparing for the holidays right now, in early fall.“Fall is a great time to get organized and edit your home,” Salisbury told sister station KCRA 3 News. “The trees are about to show us how beautiful it is to let go.”Salisbury said that by decluttering and preparing now, you can give yourself the gift of a stress-free season.Where to Start:Home Method Co. compiled a list of projects and tasks to prioritize. That list can be found here.Salisbury elaborated on some of the projects to check off your list during an interview. Watch the full interview in the player above.

That’s why professional organizer Kim Salisbury, owner and CEO of Home Method Co., suggests preparing for the holidays right now, in early fall.

“Fall is a great time to get organized and edit your home,” Salisbury told sister station KCRA 3 News. “The trees are about to show us how beautiful it is to let go.”

Salisbury said that by decluttering and preparing now, you can give yourself the gift of a stress-free season.

Where to Start:

Home Method Co. compiled a list of projects and tasks to prioritize. That list can be found here.

Salisbury elaborated on some of the projects to check off your list during an interview. Watch the full interview in the player above.