Method Mixed Bag: August

Welcome to the August Mixed Bag, a collection of mini posts on various topics that are relevant to me right now. This month is all about transitions, and I’ve got some big ones happening in the next couple of weeks. It’s a time to enjoy the last days of summer and prepare for the transition to Fall and school – here’s what is currently on my mind…

The nest empties

I’m dropping my youngest off at college next week; an excursion that I’m looking forward to and dreading at the same time.  I’m looking forward to the trip because Abby is going to school in the Bay Area, which is where I grew up. I still have many people, both family and friends that I am really excited to see while I’m there.  I’m also excited for Abby, I think she is going to love college and rediscover a love for learning that disappeared during 3 semesters of Pandemic Online High School. I’m dreading saying goodbye to my baby, both because I will miss her presence in the house so much and also because of the passage of time that her leaving represents. It’s going to be a roller coaster of emotions so I’m getting ready to just let them flow.  This month’s content on Method For The Madness will be covering all things Back To School but I know folks are gearing up now for Drop Off so here is a checklist of college essentials if you don’t already have one.

fridge refresh

One of the things I will be happy to reclaim once the kids head back to school is the refrigerator! Before I fill it with everything healthy I will do a purge and thorough cleaning. Expired or spoiled food is removed and everything that remains is sorted like-with-like: Condiments, beverages, fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs. Those sweet children do not always comply with my organization standards, especially when it comes to food!
Leftovers are an important part of my meal planning. For that I use glass containers of similar size and shape that stack easily and look so neat on the shelves. I use glass containers because there is low-to-no risk of BPA or similar toxin transfer to the food, plus they hide nothing! I label the standard pull out bins. This helps Jay maintain the fridge organization and keeps us both on track with our food goals!

new service offering

I’m really excited to announce a new service offering – the Custom Blitz! Are you faced with an organizing project that needs a quick turn around? Want to work with Method Seattle but live outside my service area? Not everyone has the luxury of time to complete a project like getting a home ready to sell, setting up organized spaces after a move or decluttering the belongings of a relative who has passed away.

If you find yourself struggling with any of these scenarios, I’ve added a Custom Blitz option just for you. When you book a Custom Blitz, you will receive me and my dedicated attention for a solid eight hour day, up to 5 days. During that time, we can move quickly to transform your space, complete your project in time and take a load off your mind.

Here’s how it works:

1. You book an initial phone consult to familiarize me with your project

2. Next comes a Strategy Session to review impacted spaces, details and preferred dates

3. I then follow up to confirm time estimate and requested dates

4. I arrive at your home and we dive right in!

It’s amazing how much can be accomplished in a short amount of time with a dedicated resource and the appropriate planning up front.

This is a good fit for you if….

• You have a project that is time sensitive

• You live outside of the Seattle-Eastside area

• You want a fast transformation

• You are overwhelmed and tired and need help

If you are interested in learning more or need help now click below to book a consult!

New routines

I know that once I get over the weirdness of the very quiet house there are going to be some things that I will enjoy about the newly-empty nest.  Jay and I can get back to eating responsibly, something that was really hard to do this summer with all 3 kids home filling the refrigerator with junk.  I will not miss dishes left on the counter for me to load into the dishwasher; nor will I miss my kids’ laundry getting mixed up with mine and having to track down my Bombas in their loads.  There won’t be anyone to check on in the AM to make sure they get up for school or nag to please clean up your room because the cleaners are coming tomorrow.  As your kids get older they will become more independent but as long as they are around they have a big impact on your daily routine. Back to school represents that shift as well as a change of season, whether your kid is starting Kindergarten or their Freshman year of college. It’s really helpful to take a few minutes to think about the things that will be different now and how they will positively or negatively affect your lifestyle. My son is gone now but I still have a couple more weeks to squeeze in some quality time with my girls before they head off to school. I’ll go deeper into taking your house back later this month – it’s a worthy topic!

Stay tuned for more Back to School content – have a great month!