Can you believe that today is the last day of September? Which means tomorrow, 01 October, we we will be stepping into the last quarter of 2017! And what a year 2017 has been so far… the perfect time to refresh my monthly review posts.

The idea is to respond to a series of ten prompts, in order to share what’s been going on at More Organised HQ. It’s a fun way of giving a little extra background to my usual blog posts, to help us get to know each other better and find new ways of connecting.

I have chosen 10 prompts, some to do with organising and some not, to give a more balanced view of life behind the More Organised scenes. I am intending to write a post at the end of each month, which will also give me some accountability with my plans and projects. I hope you like it… here goes!

I am currently…

Organising all the things! We moved into our new home – a rural Scottish farmhouse – four short weeks ago.  Fortunately we were able to unpack pretty quickly as we did a huge, once-in-a-lifetime declutter before we left Dubai – selling or donating around a third of our possessions. Everything is now in the right room / place, and it already feels like home. But now the fun really starts! I have a list of organising projects that I want to tackle – my new office, under the kitchen sink, our store room, pantry, the linen closet… all those areas that help to keep a home organised and efficient. Earlier this month I wrote a post for The Nerd Nest on how I am setting up and organising my creative space in my office, my first project in our new home. Follow me on Instagram to see that post and keep up with progress!

Working on More Organised Limited, my very own professional organising company which is now live in Scotland! Yes – after two years of Instagramming and blogging, I have now turned my little corner of the internet into a professional organising company. When we decided to leave our beloved Dubai and move home to Scotland, it was to design a life for ourselves that we love. For me that means helping other people get decluttered and organised. I couldn’t be more excited about this new direction, and the projects and people that I am going to meet! Get in touch if you would like a free of charge 30 minute consultation, to see how I can help you get More Organised. I work with clients virtually over Skype, as well as in person across Scotland.

Celebrating becoming a member of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (APDO)! APDO is our professional body for organisers, and is made up of a community of professional organisers who are insured, registered with the ICO for data registration, and follow APDO’s Code of Ethics. I’m especially excited to be the first APDO member in the south of Scotland, and to get to meet my fellow members across the country.

Planning my Whole30 which starts tomorrow – eek! The Big Move to Scotland has taken it’s toll, both through the stress of the actual move, and then the temptation of all the yummy Scottish treats one we arrived. (Fish and chips followed by a pack of Tunnocks tea cakes for desert, anyone?!) It’s time to get back on track, and my go-to plan for a reset and re-education is the Whole30 programme. 30 days to focus on real food, with no grains, dairy or sugar, which I already know make my inflammation worse. My last Whole30 was in September 2014, and I really need this right now. Wish me luck!

Choosing my capsule wardrobe for the last reset of Project 333 for 2017. Project 333 is a minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months, started by Courtney Carver. I don’t have an extensive wardrobe so Project 333 has been fairly easy for me to follow over the past few years. Now that I have less need for corporate wear (goodbye 9-5!) I am adjusting to life in jeans and jumpers, unless of course I have a meeting or networking event to go to. So this next 3 months of Project 333 are going to be interesting as I define a new style more suited to the life of a professional organiser, in a much colder country!

Loving Autumn. It’s so long since I have lived in a country with real seasons. With the transition to Autumn happening right before my eyes, I am fascinated. As is Mr 6 who has never experienced falling leaves, Bonfire Night or frost before.

Creating new routines and traditions for our new home and lifestyle. Even without The Big Move, I like to review our household routines every September.  The start of a new school year always feels like just the right time for a review and tweak of our family diary. This term we have picked only two after-school activities, leaving three days week days and all weekend free for friends, family and just being us.  

Watching The Great British Bake Off (isn’t everyone?) Probably not the best viewing material as I plan my Whole30! I’m also really enjoying “The Eighties with Dominic Sandbrook” on BBC2. A nostalgic trip down the Memory Lane of my youth! From the politics and economics of this rapidly changing decade, to shopping trends, fashion, music and TV, this documentary series is proving quite a talking point in our house.

Reading The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. A warm, cosy read cram-packed full of quirky, loveable characters. I loved the individual stories behind the items lost and found – a reminder that everything has its own story.*

Writing a series of blog post about my beloved Project Life. Project Life is a pocket scrapbooking system, devised by the amazing Becky Higgins, to help you organise your photos and memories simply but creatively. I have been a huge fan of Project Life since my good friend Betsy introduced me to it nearly 6 years ago. This year I am honoured to be on Becky’s Project Life Creative Team, sharing my love of Project Life through monthly projects. I’m looking forward to sharing more about my approach to photo organising and memorykeeping on the blog.*

How was September for you? I would love to hear what you have been organising and working on this month! What have you got planned for October?

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