February 2025 - Organization Pending Newsroom - Upper Arlington, Ohio
Welcome to Organization Pending's Newsroom, February 2025: Home Organizing for Pets edition.
This month, we're showing love to our pets and homes with a discussion on Organizing for Professional Pet Sitters Week™, including tips for daily living. And don't miss the discussion on the importance of decluttering for moving, including the option to request Organization Pending's Moving Checklist be sent directly to your inbox.
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Organizing for Professional Pet Sitters Week™
March 2-8 is International Professional Pet Sitters Week™, and Thank Your Pet Sitter Day is the 5th! Take the stress out of your next petless vacation with Organization Pending's tips:
Leave a typed and printed list, or organized binder, for the Pet Sitter. Leave at least two ways the Pet Sitter can contact you, along with your vet's name, location, main phone number and office hours, and emergency after hours number.
Include in your list or binder: Make sure to include any allergies and other important health information or directions, and, if needed, ask if the sitters ever bring their own treats to make sure your pet can safely have them.
Include in your list or binder: In the event of an emergency, your sitter may need immediate access to current medical information. Include a quick sheet of emergency information, even if the information is listed elsewhere in your sheet or binder - one location for all emergency information is essential when time is essential. List basic pet information (name, age, birthday, breed, etc.), veterinary information, allergies, updated vaccination information, past surgery information, and other information that could be pertinent.
Include in your list or binder: Create a daily routine sheet, outlining feeding times and medication information, as well as information about your pet's usual routine and habits - "We usually aren't home between the hours of 8am-5pm, and Rocky really loves cuddling after dinner." This will help your sitter know how to help ease the transition between being cared for by you, and being cared for by them. Knowing this type of information could also help alert your sitter that something could be wrong, if your pet is acting outside of their norm.
Make your pet's daily routine fool-proof using written directions in your list or binder, and written descriptions of where your pet's items are located - coupled with labels on foods, medications, and the outside of the cupboards they're located in. Do you have multiple pets with different medication needs? Consider using a pill planner labeled with their name!
An easy way to create your pet's daily routine list is to write down everything you and your family members do for/with your pet for an entire day. This ensures all the smaller details about your pet's day are captured.
Declutter and organize your pet's zones ahead of time! Make sure expired treats are discarded, check on any refrigerated items, and create organized zones for: foods, treats, toys, grooming, and outdoor or litter items. Establishing organized zones for your pets' needs not only makes your pet sitter's job easier, but makes your daily life easier as well!
Organization Pending on the job: home organizing for pets.
Having a cat and a dog in the same household can present a few organizing challenges for their different needs. Establishing a single drawer for both of their food and medication needs in this home helps daily routines run smoothly, while back stock food is kept in a nearby cupboard for easy refills. The drawer above was zoned for daily walk needs for pets and humans, including waste bags, leashes, coat and paw protection for winter, flashlights, and sunglasses. The drawer below included repurposed bins for each pet's toys and grooming needs, and additional clothing and costume options for the dog. Creating purposeful zones makes sure every family member is able to assist with the care of the pets, and zoning daily needs within easy reach makes sure each family member is more likely to replace items when they're done with them.
Moving Checklist
Want to take some of the stress out of moving? Start the decluttering and downsizing process as soon as you know you're thinking of moving, even years in advance - a longer timeline can often allow for a more thorough decluttering.
Why declutter and organize before moving?
Saves you money on boxes and moving supplies
Saves space on the moving truck.
Ensures you won’t need to waste money on a storage unit.
Lessens the stress of unpacking with organized boxes and less overall to unpack.
Makes space planning easier in the new home with only the things you need and love in it.
Request Organization Pending's Moving Checklist be sent directly to your email for six tips to help you through the process, or request focused decluttering sessions through the contact page.
Wanting to downsize? That's just decluttering with a mission to only keep what is useful and/or beautiful, and donate the rest! If time allows, utilize your "maybe" pile as a second-round decision making pile before packing, or commit to only saying "yes" or "no" for faster results. Planning on passing things on after you pass on, but you're not using them now? People of all ages are holding onto items "just in case" or "for ____ when I'm gone". The concept of Swedish Death Cleaning taught me to let things go as I'm able, making moving and unpacking a bit easier throughout my life at every stage. Learn more about this concept in Margareta Magnusson's book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, available at your local library.
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