Paper Management Suggestions for the Lady at the Gas Station.

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A woman noticed the magnets on my van, and asked me about my business.

She said “I always say, I need someone to help me with my files.  I always think that it’s just me, and there is something wrong with me”.

No, there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not alone in struggling with your papers. Here’s why:

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  • Most of us keep too many papers, and / or keep papers for too long.
  • Most of us name our files the wrong thing, if we even have files.
  • Some of us have barriers to filing, either real or imagined.
  • Most of us don’t maintain our papers often enough.

We keep too many papers, and we keep them for too long:

We keep receipts / business cards / post-it notes / grocery lists far longer than they are useful.

We keep newspapers / children’s daily school work / magazines long after they’ve been read.

We keep papers out of habit, because they started out as “important”, but now they are just old news.

We want to hold on to our papers for “just-in-case”.  HOWEVER, You can purge your papers if:

  • The information exists somewhere else (medical records or on-line banking information);
  • The information is not pertinent to you (flyers for activities that don’t interest you or past events)
  • Purging the paper will have minimal consequences (who reads the privacy notices from credit card companies?)
  • You can’t imagine when or why anyone would ask for that information (utility bills or grocery bills from more than a few months ago, account information from long closed accounts, etc).

We name our files the wrong things, if we even name them at all:

Never name a file Miscellaneous.  Ever.  Either a paper is necessary enough to warrant a file named for it, or it isn’t important and it needs to go.  If you have a “Misc.” file, perhaps it could be more aptly named….:

  • marketing ideas
  • Action Papers
  • general credit / banking information
  • Work To Do
  • You choose…. But make it meaningful.  Name your files, name your papers and get to work.

We have barriers to filing, either real or imagined.  They may include:

  1. Non-existent filing systems (your important papers don’t have a final “Away” in your home or office).
  2. Antiquated filing system (what worked 20 years ago doesn’t anymore).
  3. Physically inconvenient filing: perhaps the file cabinets are under other things, or in a remote corner of your home or office, so papers never get put away, reviewed or purged.
  4. Too-Full file drawers – you have files from 2007, but no room to file the papers from last week.

The solutions are simple: purge the clutter, move the file cabinets, purge or shred the unneeded content.

Most of us don’t maintain our papers often enough.

I know that sounds scary.  As though I am telling you that you have to find more time to work on your papers – ahhhhh!!

But remember, I just told you how to keep a lot less.  Really, we just need to perform maintenance more often but for less time total.  Five to 10 minutes a day to:

  •          Open today’s mail;
  •          Shred today’s shredding (a few pages);
  •          Toss the recycling (a few pages);
  •          Pay this week’s bills (once a week);
  •          Enter a few items into your calendar; and
  •          File the few papers that you actually need to keep.

So, to the lady at the gas station and to you, try one of these ideas this week, and you are not alone in your struggles with paper management!

Keep Your Cool Technology From Getting Cluttered!

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My family really loves technology. I have a few tech items that I am extremely attached to – my IPhone 5, my IPad and my laptop. But those are just MY gadgets.  Everyone else has gadgets, too. We even loaned the 9 year-old an old IPhone 3 to use as an IPod touch (music, games and apps, no internet or phone usage) on a recent long-distance car ride.

So between 5 people, we have 4 phones, 3 IPod touches, 3 Nintendo 3DS handheld games, a couple of Kindles and digital cameras, and my IPad. Plus 3 laptops and a desk top computer, and an xBox 360 and Wii.

We embrace our technology, but the accompanying clutter can be maddening! Here are some ways we clear our tech clutter, try a few for yourself this week!

Tame the snake pit— I mean— chargers and cords.

1.  Dedicate 1 charging station. Image

  • We use a surge protector strip on the kitchen desk. Maybe you need more than one, for different family members, but limit yourself to one or two stations, to help keep track of necessary items and share resources. (Do this when you travel, too, so things don’t get left behind!)
  • Charge where you work. I leave my IPhone charger cord plugged into my laptop, and charge my phone while I work. My husband keeps an extra phone charger at the office.
  • I received a MOS organizer, http://mosorganizer.com/, to review and test in my office setting. A great gadget, the MOS Organizers is a magnetic object that holds the end of your charging cord between charges. The attractive 3.5” whiImagete triangle holds the charger cord end and keeps it from dropping off your desk/ charging area when not in use.
  • My hubby also received a very cool “Powerbot” wireless charger for his phone. He only needs to place his phone on the disc, and it charges! No more cords! (this only works for select tech items, though).

2. Match up your chargers with your current tech gadgets (phones, cameras, IPod, etc.).

3. Label the chargers / cords:

  • Tag the chargers with labels listing tech item type (camera, GPS, cell phone, etc.), date and owner’s initials. If you don’t have a labeleImager, you can also fold a blank mailing label around the charger cord, and jot the initials on that.
  • Bundle the cords. Most are longer than necessary. We use cord coils (picked them up at Office Max), to rein in the chaos.
  • ImageOr try bundling the cords with different colored Velcro straps (each person gets their own color), or even patterned craft tapes.
  • I have to share a suggestion to hang charger cords in the inside of a cabinet door with command hooks when not in use (check out all 34 of these awesome ideas, http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/how-to-de-clutter-your-entire-life
  • Or these handy charging ideas, http://www.workingmother.com/content/desk-control .

4.   Any chargers or cords not matched up with a tech items? Put them in a freezer bag, with today’s date and an expiration / recycle date on it, about 6 months from now.

5.  When in doubt…   Occasionally, I will put all the cords away in the drawer under the charging strip. I figure, everyone knows which cord is theirs, and will take out what they need. And things will look tidy for a while!

Keep your Apps and Updates up to date. At least once a week for my phone, I download all the app and system updates available. I update my IPad occasionally, too, but not as often as my phone.

Set limits.  No phones at the dinner table, or after 10 pm. The wi-fi to the kids’ IPods turns off at 10 pm, and all tech items are left in the kitchen overnight. No one needs to send or receive texts after 10 pm. When the boys were younger, we set TV limits, too, for example, the TV in the basement was set to only age appropriate programming.

And unplug sometimes. Seriously. I love my technology, but I like to just talk to people, too. And nap. And read, like an actual book. And go hiking. And tickle my son.

So, spend just a little time this week, and clear some tech clutter!

Command Center Part 2: Your Paper & Scheduling Challenges (& Solutions)!

A few weeks ago, I asked my FB friends to tell me their most and least favorite things about their Command Centers.  And because I know absolutely awesome people, I received great input and ideas!

The biggest challenges for my contributors were Paper Management and Scheduling.  There was a third area, Technology, but I will address that in a separate blog article!

So, Command Center Paper Management and Scheduling ideas – here we go!!!!

Paper:

  • Did you know?  There are three main types of paper: Active, Passive and Archival.  And each requires slightly different handling.
  • Active (requires an action):
    • If a paper needs returned to school, sign it immediately, note any necessary info on your calendar of choice, attach a check or cash if necessary, then send it back to school.  Right away!
    • Tuck Bills-to-Pay in their own folder, so everything’s together when the weekly bill-paying time comes.
    • If the action required is to jot down a date or details in your planner, make time to do this everyday.  Maintaining our active papers daily keeps them from building up.
  • Passive (keep for a predetermined amount of time, then purge):
    • If you keep schedules or notices for upcoming events on hand, keep them all on one single clip, with the soonest event on top.  Keeping too many notices or reminders causes visual clutter, and we stop really seeing what’s in front of us.
    • Kid papers – admire-then-purge daily papers, if possible.  If papers need to be kept for a few weeks, tuck them in hanging folders per person, and purge monthly.
    • Display kid art on the fridge, and purge old items as new ones come along.
    • Purge passive papers ruthlessly!  Once a week is preferred, once a month is a Must.
  • Archival (papers we expect to make a permanent record)
    • Keep a binder per person for long term papers, or papers you want to keep.  Each of my sons has a binder for their academic records, award certificates, team photos, etc., organized by academic year.
  • With each piece of paper in hand, ask yourself a few questions:
    • What is the next action to take on this paper?  (Act, File, toss)
    • If I choose to keep this paper, why am I choosing to keep this paper?  For example:
      • Academic records?  someone may ask for it some day.
      • Today’s completed and graded spelling test?  No one needs it anymore.  And no, your child will not want to look at it again in 20 years.

Scheduling:

Many of you have scheduling challenges, and I absolutely understand.  My sons, while awesome!!, are often a little light on calendar and event details.

Good scheduling requires regular effort, strategic planning, cooperation from all participants, and communication!  Communication is key.

We have planning sessions with both parents and two teenagers, typically on Sunday night after dinner. The 9 year old gets the highlights and then is dismissed.  I keep everyone’s calendar in MS Outlook, so our planning sessions consist of making sure everyone has the same information in front of them.  We had one a few weeks ago, we probably need to have another one this week since we just added another sports team and schedule.  My husband and the teenagers use Google Calendars, so they can synchronize their own pertinent info, and invite me via email to important events.  I have not yet made the switch.

A few of you asked about scheduling “consequences / rewards”, but I don’t give parenting advice!  However, we have a few guidelines:

  • If you want to add an event to the calendar, tell me in writing / text/ email so I won’t forget it
  • You are one person in a 5 person household.  Keep that in mind when making time and event requests.
  • If you didn’t inform me of an event with adequate warning, it’s possible you may not be able to attend.  You know I will always try, but the answer may be “no”.
  • At any time, the answer may be “No”. And school, family time and church can trump anything else.

If your challenges are also paper and scheduling, try one of these solutions today!

Five (Really!) Simple Steps To Start Menu Planning!

Many of my clients have “Start Menu Planning” on their list of projects. And many never get around to it.  Meal planning is such an invaluable practice, for home management and peace of mind, nutrition and wellness.  People know Menu Planning is a good idea, but getting started proves too daunting.

Why Bother with Menu Planning?  Spending 30 minutes once a week to menu plan will:

  • Save money (shopping the sales, using coupons, using your food better)
  • Save time (plan ahead, cook once and eat twice)
  • Decrease stress. (Avoid the 4 pm emergency grocery run FOREVER!)
  • Allow more flexibility in your schedule.  (Be in command of Dinner Time, instead of a slave to it!
  • Provide better nutrition for you and your family.   (Home cooking is almost always the most nutritious, and family dinners are the foundation of family communications!)

But you probably know all that, just like my clients do.  So the hurdles are still “How do I start?  Where do I start?  What is the small first step that I need to take to start making this good idea a reality?”

Start Where You Are, with What You Have.  And Start Right Now. 

It takes little time and no tools. 

Just start.

  1. Start In Your Kitchen, not at the grocery.  Take an inventory, and base your Menu on what you have.  I was recently in a client’s kitchen, and she had made a list of what was in the freezer.  Brilliant!  Most kitchens I am in have too much food, which means most of us more challenged by “How to use what I have?” than by “Help, the cupboards are bare!”  So, now that you know what you have…..
  2. Make a list of your Family Favorites, and start with those (and not intimidating new recipes).  Start with meals you know your family will eat.  Have everyone list their favorites, and work those into your plan.
  3. Start with just today.  This morning, look in the kitchen and decide what is for dinner.  Decide on your dinner time, thenIMG_1520 check your recipes, if you use them, to determine when you need to get started.  Now pull out 2 baking dishes.  Load one on the counter with the non-perishables to make dinner tonight.  Put the other in the fridge with the perishables.  If you are feeling really ambitious, plan breakfast and lunch while you’re at it.
  4. Do this every day for a few days, until you get the feel for how it works.  Now go the next step, and plan a few days ahead.  Look at that!  You’re Menu Planning!
  5. Be open to changing your kitchen and your habits:
    1. A client suggested buying an extra set of measuring scoops to leave in your canisters.  The largest scoop can go in the flour, second largest in the sugar, third largest in the brown sugar, etc.  Or go to the dollar store, grab all 1 Cup scoops, and leave those in every canister. (thanks LG!)
    2. I am working on a chart for my kitchen cabinets.  The list contains all the items that I tend to use, and how many of IMG_1285each I need in a typical 2 week period (that’s how often I do my major grocery shopping).  For example, if I tend to use 4 cans of tomatoes every 2 weeks, I need 4 on hand, or I need to add some to my grocery list.  Your grocery stores have re-order points, consider this inventory control.
    3. I may not have mentioned it lately, but I love my crock pot.  At least once a week, I spend 20 minutes and assemble dinner at 8 am.  I love coming home those days to the smell of dinner cooking!
    4. A friend shared this link on Facebook, just as I was editing this article!  http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/03/plan-prep-party-3-steps-to-a-cooking-at-home-habit/
    5. Also, go to www.cookingwithchefkate.wordpress.com, and sign up to receive Kate’s blogs.  She has a handy “search option”, and so many of my new favorite recipes come from Kate! (and she is a friend and just delightful!)  Check it out!
    6. Use your prep time for twice the impact.  Soup is on today’s menu, which is great because I can spend 10 extra minutes, clean and cut all the carrots and celery I bought the other day, and have carrot sticks for snacks and diced veggies for a meal later in the week.

So, I hope I have taken some of the “overwhelm” out of getting started with Menu Planning.  It really is a great practice, and saves so much time and money.   Start In Your Own Kitchen, Start Small – Just START!

Strategic Planning: My March Marching Orders

I’m working on my Strategic Plan this week, and you should, too.

My 2014 so far:

January:  snow; back-to-school and holiday wrap up; Get Organized Month, presentations and new clients; busy family life.

February: snow; my son’s Confirmation and the associated preparations, sacramental and otherwise; my Dad’s illness and the travel and planning associated (he’s better now); and busy family life.

These are all good things.  I’ve been focusing on details and getting things done, and that’s great.  But now I need to check my Big Picture, and make sure I’m looking at the right details and getting the right things done, plus plot my personal and professional path for the next couple of months.   Onward March!!

What and where:  Strategic planning is a useful activity to help us see the Big Picture, and determine:

  • What we’re doing;
  • where we are;
  • where we are actually going;
  • where we are should be heading;
  • where other people around us are going, and
  • what we have at our disposal to get us where we want to go, either personally or professionally.

There are often times when we just need to move forward, but only after we know where “forward” is, since we wouldn’t want to charge off a metaphorical or actual cliff…

When: 

I am a planner.  So trust me when I say, “Don’t Spend Too Much Time Planning”.  We can over-analyze and over-plan, leading to Analysis Paralysis and getting “stuck”.

Never Let Planning Take the Place of Action.

Regularly review your Plan and make sure you are still on the right path, doing the right things, moving towards the right goal.  I discussed this topic with my husband recently, and he mentioned that his department’s implementing weekly meetings, for everyone to check in on work flow plus elements of their strategic plan.

I can’t tell you the right percentage of time to spend time in planning.  It is necessary, but so is doing your actual work!  So make time for both!

Why and How:

  1. Strategic Planning takes the view from 30,000 feet.  Focusing solely on details for long periods of time stresses me out.  The closer we look at something, often the less we see.  So backing up, and looking at an overview gives us perspective and a break.  For example, looking ahead perhaps I see a conference coming up in April – I can note that, and start preliminary planning or book my travel plans, but I certainly don’t need to start packing.
  2. It always feels better to have a plan.  Most of us don’t like feeling out of control.  I understand the benefits of planning for events and the unexpected.  And just because sometimes things don’t go as planned, they often do.  And the act of planning is invaluable.  “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable”.  Dwight D. Eisenhower
  3. Strategic Planning elevates the mundane, and gives purpose to our actions.  When we look at the Big Picture, we seen that our every-day work is part of something bigger and grander.  Hope is a huge motivator!
  4. Strategic Planning helps us recognize and allocate resources.  My biggest resource challenge right now is my own time.  I have ideas and energy to spare, but a busy schedule to manage.  I wouldn’t want it any other way.  But it means I have to allocate my most valuable resource very carefully.  Which leads me to ….
  5. Priorities: I have 7 index cards sitting here on my desk, with one word written on each, representing my main priorities.  Knowing that time is my most valuable resource, any new requests on my time have to fit in of those priorities, or the answer is “No, thanks”.
  6. Master To-Do List:  My master To-Do List is not the same as my Strategic Plan.  The Plan has broad categories and steps, and the To-Do List a very detailed list of tasks.  I couldn’t have one without the other.  My Strategic Plan dictates my tasks, and having my Master To-Do List ensures that work gets done, because it collects tasks and ideas for 4 or 6 months down the road, so the Plan and the List rely on each other.

This is a very broad topic, and I’ve given you a lot to think about today.  I have taken entire college courses on similar subjects, so I know Strategic Planning can feel a little overwhelming.  But invest some time this week on your Strategic Plan.  Gain perspective, look ahead, cultivate some hope, elevate your “everyday”.  Time well spent, I promise!

Our Home Command Center, more Command and more Center!

This week I want to share a small project that made a big impact in my kitchen – not too overwhelming and sooooo useful!

First, if you’d like, I wrote this a while ago, for more specifics:

ImageYour Command Center: Knowledge is Power

Your command center is the information hub of your home.  Perhaps it’s a desk, maybe just a kitchen counter or table near the door.  But everyone and every home needs one.

Calendars and schedules, contact lists and team rosters, incoming mail and bills to pay, school supplies and reference materials.  Yep, all of this can be in a command center.

I reworked ours last week.  It took less than an hour, and this is the after picture.  I wanted to post it first, since it is a nice visual, and it makes me happy.

The command center surface is not large (by design), but it is in the kitchen, the very center of our home. That keeps it front and center, accessible to everyone – but that also means that it gets cluttered, and when it does, I have to look at it all the time.  And that occasionally drives me crazy.  So here are the before and after pictures, and my comments:

  • Always start with a plan.  I know what I do and don’t like about our current arrangement, plus what I wanted the updated space to look like.
  • I cleared everything off, and wiped down the space.
  • I moved some books out that belonged on other bookshelves, and I Imageeven (gulp) got rid of the desk encyclopedia.  I kept the dictionary, thesaurus and bible, because I encourage my boys to actually look stuff up instead of asking Google.  However, the desk encyclopedia was mine.  From high school.  And that was a loooong time ago.  So it went away.
  • Before, I had trays available on the kitchen desk for each child.  Not surprisingly, while school papers and assignments moved in and out, other stuff just piled up.  So the sloppy side-by-side trays were replaced by a vertical tray.  Much better.
  • I powered through the school supplies, and ruthlessly purged what the boys don’t or won’t use.  Buh-bye.
  • The charging cords and surge protector still drive me crazy, but I’ve been keeping the cords clipped up when not in use, or in the desk drawer underneath.  And I received a very cool produImagect to review for an upcoming blog that may help with this, so more later…
  • I went with “pretty”.  I don’t always care what my organizing tools look like, but since this area is seen by anyone walking through my house, I invested in matching and attractive items.  Nice, clean lines.  Ahhhhh…. (that is a contented sigh, by the way)
  • A vitally important but often neglected part of a Command Center is the day-to-day attention and maintenance.  I made sure that only current information was present in the Command Center.
  • I recently read a suggestion, to have a “waiting” folder, with items waiting for follow up.  Like rebates, reimbursements, copies of applications, etc.  So I added one to our existing files.
  • So, in under an hour, I improved the look of the most lived-in room in the house, pared down and cleaned up our information, and cleared some clutter. Look around – Do you have a Command Center?  Is it time for an update?!  Give it a try! Image

Less Searching, More TIme, Less Dirt, More Focus? Must be Clean Off Your Computer Day!

Today is “Clean Off Your Computer Day”, designated by savvy IT people to clean old files off your computer – Embrace it!  I am a PC user, and not familiar with Mac, but some suggestions are universal, so read on for ideas to make your system work better for you!

Here are my suggestions:

  1. Grab a note book.  These types of projects generate a lot of other to-do items.
  2. Clean up your actual computer:
    1. Turn off and unplug (if possible) everything.
    2. Locate and wipe off your computer’s fan(s).  My IT guy says this very important step is often neglected, and skipping it can hamper computer performance.  Keep your computer area de-cluttered to maintain good airflow.
    3. Grab your can of compressed air, and blow out your keyboard.  It’s amazing (and disgusting) what lands in there.
    4. Since everything is turned OFF, with an ALMOST DRY antibacterial wipe, wipe down your keyboard and mouse. I said ALMOST DRY, so if you do this wrong and screw up your electronics, I have 100s of witnesses who read “ALMOST DRY” and who know I am not responsible.  Let everything dry completely.
    5. With a DRY and clean microfiber cloth, wipe off your screen.
    6. Since the compressed air is going to blow stuff around, use a slightly wetter wipe and wipe down your work area.  It’s typically a very germy place.
  3. I often get asked:  HOW DO I WIPE AN OLD COMPUTER SO I CAN RECYCLE IT?
    1. Every computer is different, so run a google search on “How do I remove the hard drive from xxxxxxxxxxx (brand and type of computer)”.  You will receive an instant answer involving a screwdriver and about 20 minutes of your time, and perhaps even links to you-tube videos to walk you through the process.
    2. Once the hard drive is removed, google E-Waste recycling in your area and get rid of the old computers, monitors and printers.  Many towns have permanent drop sites for such things as old computers and printers, TVs and almost anything else with a cord.
  4. Storage:  Back up, back up, back up.  External hard drive or cloud, take your pick.  This will be a blog for another day.  Just know you should be backing up your computer.
  5. Manage Your Hard Drive Better:
    1. Operating systems are getting cleverer with their search capabilities, but you can still save time by setting up your system better now to find things later.
    2. When you search for something, sort documents in your hard drive in reverse chronological order, all the time.  Click on the “Date modified” column on your Documents Library page until your most recently used documents are listed at the top.
    3. DO NOT just have one large folder with everything in it.  Just thinking about that idea makes me cringe.  A single cluttered directory makes finding anything very frustrating.
    4. Use Naming Conventions and subdirectories when you save your folders and documents.  For example, my business subdirectory contains a folder called “Presentations”.  Within that folder, I have subfolders for each type of presentation I give (so, Time Management, Kitchen and Menu Planning, Paper Management, etc.).  Within those folders, I have the actual presentation notes, but also the Handouts associated with the presentation, all starting with HO plus the presentation name, so I know which is which.  I use similar rules for naming other things, too, to quickly find files when I need them.
    5. My IT guy saves his documents first to large folders per Application.  For example, he has both a C:Excel and C:Word folder.  He suggests this strategy helps him find things faster.  Within those very broad “type” names, he then breaks down his files into categories.
    6. My saving method is categorical.  For example, I volunteer with Cub Scouts, Choir and Baptismal Prep Ministry.  Each of these important-to-me categories has its own sub-folder in my main drive, with a folder for each year or project, again to help me find my files quickly.

My clean-out-your-computer day activity may be deleting any documents more than 2 years old, or within category folders if those categories no longer pertinent (for example, “completed clients from 2012 and before”, etc.).  Clearing computer clutter will help you save time and focus more clearly.  What will your clean-out your-computer day activity look like?

As Maggie Says, Now There’s More Room to Dance!

Last week, I talked to two clients about productivity and time management.  Both are struggling to get more done, personally and professionally.  These high-performing individuals, Bob and Sue, have systems in place to take care of their personal and professional tasks.  But they, and we, often get distracted from maintaining those systems.

Sue, one of these two wonderful, productive and hard-working people, went so far as to say she was “lazy’.

I have a problem with the word ‘lazy’. Actually, it makes me cringe.  I never assume a person is lazy, but I think we all lack motivation, focus or a plan sometimes.  And I try to be more positive.  No, dear client and dear readers, you’re not lazy.  What is more likely is that life got in the way, as it often does, of being productive.  So let’s talk MAINTENANCE!!!

We have systems, we know what we “should” do, to move ourselves and our homes and our careers forward.  But we often get caught up in survival mode, and forget about taking a little time once or twice a day or week, to get back to the small tasks that helps us maintain order in our lives.  Bob has great time management tools that he’s used successfully (time blocking, face to face communications, email strategies), but he has fallen away from using them with some office changes this month.  Re-committing to proven, effective strategies is a lot easier than coming up with new strategies!

I got a wonderful email today from Sue about her maintenance efforts over the weekend with her family.  She said I could quote her, and since she says it best, I will!

“’Maintenance isn’t happening’ is a kind way of saying we’re lazy.  It’s true, and we’re teaching the kids bad habits by our example.  My new mindset is to keep removing the clutter, even if it’s in little steps.

Yesterday…I set a timer and cleaned for about 1.5 hours, giving us enough time to get ready for church and not be late.  After Mass we played in the snow, and then I cleaned the living room.  I met family for dinner around 3 pm, then came home and cleaned the dining room.  Hubby got rid of stuff while I was gone and Maggie worked at her stuff too.  Little pieces of cleaning made ALL the difference in my world yesterday.  Instead of complaining, I worked the problem until it was finished.  … We still need systems in a few areas, but there were more pressing jobs that needed done first, like getting cleaned up and cleared out so that we can start fresh habits from clean and organized spaces. 

I’ve decided to get to work, with Maggie working at my side.  Hubby tackles 1 or 2 small jobs before he goes to work each day because I know that works for him.  Weeknights are full with full time work, dinner and homework, so weekends work best for me for Maintenance.  I really took to heart your comments about finding out what day / time works best to deal with household maintenance chores and embrace it.  It’s ok to not go gang-busters during the week, but maintenance must be done during the time that’s been assigned to it.

You certainly got me rethinking my shredding/recycling locations while I was cleaning/de-cluttering my first floor.  Plus, after we took out the leaves in the dining room and put away the extra chairs, it was amazing at how much larger the space was…even Maggie noticed and said it was more room for her to dance in. 

 We just did some redecorating… the next job is getting some new area rugs, but the best part is seeing the space when it’s clean and clutter free with enough room for us to dance.  It’s so calming when it’s like that and because I know this, I know it’s up to all of us to keep it that way.  Doing even little things each day with help us all live better, less stressful lives.”  (Thanks, S!!!)

Indeed.

Working with a client yesterday, I mentioned this week’s blog topic.  We had just cleared out her large coat closet and entry way, and restored order.  We hung up things that had fallen, set aside things to be dropped off with errands and donations, and generally maintained the organization we had established on previous visits.  We agreed that she knew what she “should” do, but had just fallen behind on actually doing it.  We cleared clutter, and indeed, Maggie, Now There is More Room To Dance!

More SnowDay Organizing Projects – Kids can Help, and Have Fun, too!

Oh, for goodness sake, another snow day.  Well actually, a Cold Day.  Bitter wind chills, blizzard force winds and new snow overnight. I understand the caution, truly I do.  So, despite having an 18- day Christmas break, and a three-day weekend last weekend, here we are with more days all together in the house.

If you, like me, are wondering how to get a few things done and still have fun with your kids, can I suggest a few organizing projects? The following projects are useful, quick, kid-friendly and should require no new items to be purchased, since it’s too cold to leave the house.

Clean out your pantry / cabinets: 

Little kids can help pull everything out, and sort like items with like (for example, even a 3-year-old can sort cans of different types of veggies by the picture on the front).  Have school-age kids who can read help you determine expiration dates, and toss all the expired or stale stuff.   Talk about service and charity with your kids, and set aside a bag of items to donate to your local food pantry.

Bake some cookies with the random bits of whatever you may find (in my cabinets, 3 bags of pretzels, a partial bag of white chocolate chips and some left over candy canes are inspiring creativity in me!).  Make a large pot of soup with what you find, and leave it simmering on the stove all day to humidify the air and make the house smell good.  You could really get creative, and have your kids plan this week’s menu with you, based on the current contents of your kitchen.

Clean out under your sinks. 

Bathroom?  Kitchen?  Laundry room?  The process is the same, regardless of what room you are working in!

Pull everything out, wipe everything down.  Combine partial bottles of similar items (I often find 4 or more partial bottles of dish soap, body wash or shampoo under client sinks!).  Use containers you have on hand (kitchen storage containers or plastic baskets) to corral small items and keep them from getting lost.

Consider how many of certain items you really need.  Kitchen sink – how many plastic shopping bags?  Bathroom – how many partial / sample / hotel bottles of anything?  Yep, combine and then recycle.

Clean out the Freezer:  Here’s a link to the project:  June, 2011 Kid Convenience And Nutrition in My Clean Freezer!

     The kids can help, though you may want to be the one pulling everything out so little hands don’t freeze!  Everyone can help sort, you can purge or plan the next meal based on what you find.  I want to make my own bread crumbs, and I know there are some neglected ends of bread loaves I can start with!

Review and Purge the bookshelves:

We just did this a few days ago and it’s a great project to do with your kids.

Put all the books together (meaning, collect them from around the room / house if necessary), and sort what you have.  Consider your child’s reading levels, and purge the books that are too young for them (keep some treasured keepsakes, of course, but not too many).  We have some more shelves to review, but we already have a bag of books set aside for our young cousins, and one bag to donate to the local library.

Put Things AWAY.

Have you been waiting for the right time to finally put xxxx, yyyyy or zzzz way?  Well, guess what?  Today is that day.  Per my friends on Facebook, many of you may have the following things to put away:

  • Recycling
  • Business cards and Christmas greeting card envelopes, to update your contact list
  • Socks to finally get matched up
  • Home / personal paper filing, recipes and paperwork
  • The last few Christmas decorations that you took down last weekend
  • DVDs / Wii games to put back in cases
  • Photos!  Every seems to have photos to print / use / put away / scrapbook / file
  • Shoe clutter by the back door, as well as weeks worth of hats / gloves / sweatshirts / etc.
  • Business receipts to file
  • Cords and connectors
  • Kitchen counter clutter
  • craft items of every description!

Today is that day!  Set a timer, and spend half an hour just putting stuff AWAY!  OR longer – again, with another snow day, you all have the time!

So, stay warm, relax and hang out in your jammies, if you’d like.  And spend a little time creating order in your home with your family members.  Today is the day!

Organize Your Home’s Smallest And Hardest Working Space!

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Let’s face it – we spend a lot of time in the bathroom.  So it makes sense to spend time this week improving that very hard working space!  A client recently asked for suggestions to improve her bathroom.  Her questions focused on towel storage / drying, clothes and general space allocation.  Here are my answers to her, and to you:

Towels:

Any place you can add more towel rods / racks would be a bonus.  And consider how to stack the rods on the wall:  for example, hanging them 3 and 5 feet from the floor – the bottom one for long towels and the top one for hand towels or wash clothes.  You can use one wall for more than one rod.

I have also seen over-the-shower-rod / shower-door racks for towels, if your tub / shower have either of those.  Also, if space permits, you could use a free-standing coat rack outside the bathroom door for your towels, too.  The air flow outside the bathroom may be better for drying anyway.

In addition, I did some research last summer when the towels in my hubby’s bathroom were getting decidedly musty.  The experts say we can re-use towels for a few days, instead of using them only once, but we should wash them every 3 or 4 uses, so twice a week, typically.

Clean-ish Clothes (worn, but can be worn again):

I would suggest an Ish-hook, maybe two.  An “ish”-hook, you ask?  An “ish” hook is for clean-“ish” clothes that can be worn again.  We all have those items (for me, jeans and yoga pants), often tossed on a chair, bedpost or in a heap.

Consider a hook or two, again at varying heights if that would help, for pants and tops.  You can also designate a small amount of rod space and / or shelf space for your clean-ish clothes, and both would work.  I prefer the over-the-door hooks, but if that won’t work in your space, the rod and shelf should help.

Command Products make great hooks that are reasonably priced and require no tools for installation, so you can add a few here and there to see what will work for you.  You could even mount them directly on a door, if the over-the-door items don’t work.

Personal Hygiene Supplies:

Pare down your bathroom contents to your essentials.  The bathroom is typically the smallest room, after all.  Keep only current personal hygiene items in the bathroom.  More importantly, use up items completely and keep less in inventory!

Check expiration dates and purge old stuff.  Consider the seasons:  Winter time?  Store sunscreen and bug spray somewhere else.  Also, review items and determine if they’re expired to your current life.  For example – we had a bin of bath-toys under the sink, but as soon as my youngest started taking showers, the toys went away.  Another example is the drastic hair change I made last year: almost all my styling supplies left the bathroom- either into the trashcan, or into a bin on the top shelf of our linen closet.

Cleaning:

Pare down your cleaning supplies, keep only one or two multi-purpose items at hand and store the rest elsewhere.  If your linen closet is in your bathroom, remember the universal tips of storing large single items on high shelves and using clear over-the-door shoe racks for small items.

Spend a little time this week organizing your bathroom, and reap big rewards!