Category: Organized Family

Workflow: “Initiation to Completion”

     Last week, I offered suggestions for cleaning off and setting up your workspace for National Clean Off Your Desk Day.  The next logical step is to look at your workflow, and make it work better for you.  Wikipedia defines “Workflow” as “The sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion.”

      “Workflow” sounds rather business-y, but refers to anything any of us need to complete, professional, personal or other.  The term “workflow” suggests water to me.  Sometimes water pools and sometimes it moves along, just like work.  Water is necessary to survival, plentiful and refreshing, but can also overflow and escape.  Just like work.  Our work needs to flow into our life, through our processes, reaching completion and leaving our workspace.  The whole point of workflow is movement and action. Here are 4 tips to keep your work flowing!

  1. National Clean off Your Desk Day reminded us that a clean desk can enhance workflow. 
    • Your workspace is sacred, only today’s active work should be there.
    • To decrease interruptions, keep your work and necessary resources to do complete it close at hand.  If you repeatedly have to get up to retrieve a resource, move it closer. 
    • Get non-work stuff out of your workflow, with recycling / shredding / trash close at hand.
  2. Consider your work, and know the path your work should take, from start to finish. 
    • Large companies industries define workflows for different types of jobs, like “idea for article / writer / editor / production”.    
    • Molly’s Example:  I set up a work space for a new bookkeeper last week for a client.  The first thing we did was discuss Molly’s responsibilities and workflow.  Her workflow demands efficient use of her office time, since she’ll be there only a few hours a week.  It includes, in order, reviewing all mail and sorting it into three piles, per the three different business entities she will manage.  From there, the bookkeeping process is the same, regardless of which entity she is working on.  Open mail; sort into Payables, Receivables, Other work, Paper to go to someone else, shred, recycle, etc; do actual bookkeeping; write checks; send those to the manager for clearance and signatures; then mail payments and file the rest.  Done!
    • Kate’s example:  Another client needed to pay her January bills.  First she needed to balance her check book, though, and before she could do that, she needed a print-out from her bank.  For her, the workflow was: call the bank; pick up the printout; balance the check book; pay the bills; and mail the bills.  Until she really thought about the process, she couldn’t see the logical steps to take.
  3. Eliminate or delegate what you can. 
    • What is waiting for someone else’s input?  Send that work on its’ way right away, so that other person can get on with their work, too. 
    • What work can flow to someone else, or be deleted from the stream all together? 
    • Eliminate repetitive and redundant steps.  Years ago, I paid our personal bills and then my husband the CPA would take all the information and enter it into Quicken.  He now does it all, cutting the work in half (and he is really good at it!). 
    • Most definitions of workflow look at processes, not actual work items, but let’s face it – paper and work are usually synonymous.  In my paper management classes, my first suggestion is to get rid of as much new paper as possible.  Cancel catalogs, take your name off of mailing lists, receive bank statements, subscriptions and newsletters electronically or via email.
  4. The definition ends with “Completion.”.  Roll that word around your brain and really think about what it means.  Completion (satisfied sigh).  The work is done.  Now stand up, put away what needs put away, and for a moment, appreciate that feeling of satisfaction that comes from Completion.  Then get back to work!

My Three Elves!

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     My boys are very helpful, griping only occasionally when I pull them into projects.  We cultivate this helping attitude, focusing on the “Why everyone helps” from an early age.  Why should children help out, especially around the Holidays?  Because it:

  • Teaches responsibility and job skills.
  • Teaches self worth, when you explain and then illustrate that each member of a family, just like every person in the world, has skills and talents to contribute and that their efforts are needed and appreciated.
  • Offers opportunities to share traditions, and instill a love for the spirit and details of the Holidays.
  • Gives a glimpse of the spiritual side of tending our homes, and breaks down gender roles.
  • Helps get things done, and have a lot of fun!

     A long-ago co-worker got frustrated when her young children would try to “help” because we moms can do stuff better and quicker than little hands.  However, we’re not raising children, we are raising future adults.  If we don’t let the kids help when they offer, they will stop offering!  So say Yes! when they offer, and if they don’t, show them what needs done.  Either way, be specific with your request, show them how to complete a task, and then let them!

     When assigning tasks, know limitations but stretch your children’s abilities. Even the littlest hands can help.  Find out what they like or don’t like to do.  Imagine for a moment how you can enlist aid from your family this week.  Here are some tasks my boys will complete:  

  • Baking Help: chop nuts, unwrap candies for recipes, add ingredients
  • Sous chef duties: clean and cut fruit and vegetable, shred cheese, make lunches for rest of family
  • Move and unpack boxes of decorations
  • Keep younger siblings busy
  • Assemble Christmas card mailings by filling envelopes, applying return address labels and stamps
  • Wrap gifts
  • Help Santa with other duties, appropriate for older children
  • Help with guests and parties:  At two recent events, the boys set the table, took beverage orders, arranged extra seating, “plated” food for serving, took coats and welcomed guests.  They swelled with joy and pride when their efforts were appreciated!

      Rest assured, we will also relax.  My boys have visions of sugarplum or something dancing in their heads.  The teenager can’t wait to sleep in for 2 weeks, and I think the tween is imagining 14 days of alternating Wii play and TV.  The little guy?  He just wants to play with his toys and have friends over (he asks daily, typically on the drive to some after-school activity, so I always have to say “not today”).  Let me assure you, and them, that much of what they are dreaming of will indeed happen.  We’ve just got a few things to take care of, and they will be helping me!

     Make your efforts more meaningful for you and your elves this week!  Merry Christmas to all!

How Can You NOT Menu Plan?

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A woman next to me at the grocery last week admired my organized list.  I mentioned how we always post a list on the refrigerator so we can note when we run out of something, and how the list is handy when it comes to menu planning.  Which naturally led to “Menu planning?  What is that?”  I’ve menu planned for so long, I honestly don’t recall how Not to menu plan.  It is so easy, essential and helpful, I don’t know folks survive without it, especially during this busy time of year!

So, make a calendar of this week and note any special events or scheduling issues.  Then think about what food you have on hand and what you want for dinner this week.   For example,

  • Sunday:  Dinner with friends, take a side dish
  • Monday: home day, Make Soup
  • Tuesday: volleyball game, left-overs
  • Wednesday: Taco!
  • Thursday: Home early, grill chicken
  • Friday: tournament / scouts, Pizza?
  • Saturday: Party

Why should you menu plan this time of year?

Save money and make space.  Menu planning helps you use what you have and make room in the cabinets or freezer for baking or party food.  Make space, buy less, waste less!  Once you make your plan, you may find you don’t need to go shopping!

    1. Plan your leftovers.  I’m home today and have time to make soup, so I am turning a frozen turkey carcass into turkey noodle soup by dinner (hmmmm, I think I can say I have never used the word “carcass” in a blog before!).
    2. Sunday I’ll make a ham, then dice the leftovers for chef salad and a carbonara pasta sauce next week.  I also made extra cheese sauce the other day, to be used on pasta one day next week when we are really busy!

Save time.

    1. Don’t go to the grocery unless you have to!
    2. I can put a roast, soup or stew in the crock pot at 7 am, ignore it all day, and still have dinner ready at 5 pm.  I typically have more food prep time in the morning than I do after school, so this works out well for us.  But making dinner at 7 am requires a plan!
    3. Plan your prep:  I have a great tray that makes it easy to bring veggies and dip to holiday parties.   I peel and cut lots of veggies all at once, then use them for 3 or 4 parties, plus in recipes at home.  And now my sons are old enough to help with the washing and peeling!

Provide good nutrition and peace of mind.

    1. When the weather turns colder and the schedules heat up, we all tend to catch colds.  Good nutrition helps us stay well and keep our energy up for holiday fun and activities.  We eat better and better-for-us food with menu planning.
    2. My oldest son thanked me recently for NOT relying on fast food to feed him and his brothers, even when we’re busy (I was floored, right?!).  He and I agree that fast food is convenient, but we are not used to the grease and carbs and don’t particularly like the taste.

So, as I finished this, I got up and put the diced-last-week carrots, celery and onions in my soup pot. Now I’ll edit it, send it for publication, and get cracking on cleaning out my fridge and freezer and putting together the rest of my menu plan.  Give yourself the gift of time and menu and a little sanity, and give menu planning a try this week!

Sleep Advice From A Recovering Insomniac

Poor sleep makes us overwhelmed, unmotivated and unfocused.  Being well rested makes good time management and organization possible.  So here is what I have learned, from an organizer’s point of view, on my journey to a good night’s sleep.

     I love to snuggle down for a good night’s sleep, especially this chilly time of year.  But sometimes good sleep eludes us, for a host of reasons.  I have never fallen asleep easily, and there have been times in my life where it has been nearly impossible.  My hubby kindly observed that I am a stickler for good sleep habits in my kids because I don’t want them to suffer from insomnia like I did, and he’s right.  I encourage good sleep habits in all of us, to help my kids now and later in life.

Tidy up your bedroom for better sleep:

     The National Sleep Foundation tells us that people who make their beds daily are more likely to sleep well every night, and 71 percent of us sleep better in a fresh-smelling bedroom.  In addition, a cluttered room reminds us of unfinished tasks, whereas a calm and uncluttered room helps us relax.  Closing closet doors and dresser drawers further soothes us.

     We sleep best in a cool-not-cold, dark (no bright alarm clocks!), and quiet (but not too quiet, I like a little white noise) room.  Limit the use of your bedroom to sleep and relaxation.  No distractions.  No computer, no TV (yes, really), no treadmill or workout equipment, no unfinished work or unfolded laundry.   Sleep and relaxation, That’s It!

Good Sleep Hygiene:

     Go to bed and get up the same time every day.  I won’t tell you to get your full 8 hours, since some adults need less and some need even more.  Adjust your bedtime and wake time to where you fall asleep when you go to bed, and awake rested, sometimes without the alarm clock.  And try to stay close to your target bedtime and wake time even on weekends and vacations.

Put your brain to rest: 

     A favorite tip to clients and friends is to keep a notebook and pen (I have a pen that lights up!) at the bedside to jot down stray thoughts for the next day.  Anxiety and a cluttered mind can interfere with falling asleep.

Organize Your Home for Better Rest:

     You will be spending lots of time indoors soon, so make your home cozy and soothing for the colder nights ahead: 

  • Assemble cozy blankets and candles in the rooms where you spend your evenings.
  • Set up a tray for tea and hot chocolate-making in the kitchen, to make it easier for you to have a soothing hot beverage (this is one of my kids’ favorite parts of colder weather!).
  • Turn down the lights in the evening, to remind your body it is time to sleep.  Strategically place lamps to light your rooms, turn off the bright overhead lights!

 Sweet dreams!

Got Kids? or a Spouse? Organize Together!

     This Article is dedicated to 3 friends, L., K. & A.  I started this as an “Organize your kid’s bedroom” article in response to a request from L.  Thanks to K. and A.,  I realized today that the same suggestions I have for organizing with kids would work for organizing with other adults, too! (Perhaps your Spouse? Parent? Sibling? Who knows?!)

     I also tried something new this week, posting visuals on my Pinterest page, so click here for more inspiration!  http://pinterest.com/colleencpo/kid-s-storage-ideas/

So, friends, here are your answers!

  1. Organize WITH your loved one, to get their input, their cooperation and to transfer organizing skills.  Yes, it may take longer, but they need to know where things belong, and to learn how to organize for themselves.  However, and you don’t need to tell them this, keep in mind the few things you may come back for and dispose of permanently, after the fact.
  2. Recognize your differences.
    1. We see trash, they see treasure.  We’re both right.  But you can’t just throw away their treasure. 
    2. You and your loved one may have different learning styles.  You are both right, but may have different ideas.  Respect both. 
    3. Our children and loved ones are constantly evolving, as are their interests and their stuff.  What is important now may need to move to make way for other things in 6 months or a year.   (Another friend called it “keeping it lean” to describe the clutter control in her daughter’s very small room.  She keeps only what is for current interests and purges the rest!) 
  3. Start with the easy stuff: dirty clothes, dirty dishes (though these shouldn’t be in there in the first place!!).  And start small. If the whole room is overwhelming to both of you, plan on tackling just the dresser or closet or bookshelves today.  Conquer that, then move on to the next area.  Set a timer, and you both get to take a break when the timer goes off.  Then back to work!
  4. Always have a destination in mind for items to purge.  Options include elsewhere in your home, give to family, donate to charity or local non-profits like the Library or sell (Game Crazy or Play It Again Sports).
    1. Discussing respect and taking care of stuff, one of my cub scouts said he “recycles some of his toys this time of year to make room for new things and to help the kids who don’t have any toys.  So sweet, and so true!
  5. Keep the process objective and unemotional.  Try “I read an article / Mrs. Klimczak / my Professional Organizer suggested we spend some time organizing the bedroom.  We can make some space by clearing out outgrown summer clothes, off season clothes and sport equipment, etc.  This makes room for new items you’ll get for Christmas.”  (Sounds better than what we want to say, “Ugh, that’s it!  We’re throwing everything out!”)
  6. Show your loved one the benefits of being organized.  Just last week, I taught organizing to 45 elementary students.  During the class, we talked a lot about the benefits of organizing.  
    1. For example, “Cleaning out your closet and drawers of clothes you don’t wear makes it easier to find your favorites / get dressed in the morning / get to practice on time. “
    2. Or “When we organize our hobby stuff, like baseball cards or jewelry making supplies, we make sure not to lose or break them.  Then we can find what we need when we need it.”
    3. Or “You really love your Nintendo DS / cell phone / IPod / Ninjago figures (I have sons).  Let’s create a spot for them so you can always find them.”
  7. Every Kid’s room should have:
    1. High shelves for display of childhood treasures, trophies, etc.
    2. Low shelves for books and toys, low so they can reach them and put things away.
    3. A dresser they can access, safely open and close all drawers.
    4. Closet space for hanging clothes.  We hang school clothes in the closet on hangers.  High closet shelf storage is great for off-season clothes, childhood treasures in clear, well labeled boxes.
    5. Lots and lots of hooks (like command hooks) for hats, accessories, medals, belts, etc., hung low for easy access.  Your children may be vertically challenged, so their storage solutions should be down on their level!
    6. Under bed storage for bedding, small toys in bins, off-season clothes, etc.

Organizing can be fun, and it is always useful!  Organize with your family members to make your home more livable, and teach each other a few things while you are at it!

 

Clear Clutter for National Recycling Week

This week is National Recycling Week.  Make a conscious decision to free your self and home from clutter while benefiting others and the environment.  Clear your house for Fall, for the Holidays or just because!

     Recycling goes way beyond the bags you put out with the trash every week.  It means re-using or re-distributing stuff, and almost everything is recyclable or reusable.  Recycling is the right thing to do.  It cuts consumption of energy and resources, saves money, keeps stuff out of landfills and toxins out of the water supply.  Looking at 5 common clutter challenges, here is how to make Recycling the easy thing to do, too:

Clothes and Donations:  I bet you have bags of donation clothes in the closet, by the door, in the laundry room or in your trunk.  Cast-off clothes and donations are easy clutter elimination and the ultimate recycling.  You may have designated stuff to donate or give to others, but it is still cluttering up your home.  Load up your trunk and drop off those bags of clothes / shoes / books / whatever.  Then come home, take a breath, appreciate the clearer space, then get back to work!

Returns are also a form of recycling since returning items you won’t use keeps stuff in circulation instead of letting it stagnate in your trunk or closet.   Take returns back to their stores, put some money back in your pocket, and revel in the clear space. 

Plastic and Paper Shopping Bags:  Got bags?  Under the kitchen sink, in the laundry room, on a hook by the door?  Working with a client recently in a small storage space we ended with 6 bags of plastic grocery bags to be recycled.  As an organizer, a problem I have with bags in general is that you can’t stack them or see inside, which make them a terrible way to store stuff.

     Keep a dozen plastic bags, and maybe 2 dozen if you happen to have a pet and need the bags for dog walks, etc.  Take the rest back to your local grocery store for recycling.  Re-use plastic bags as packing material or to re-line your messy garbage cans.  They’re also great for organizing projects – write “trash”, “recycle” and “donate” on 3 with a Sharpie, stand them up, and have the kids fill all three on cleaning day.  When they’re full, take action on the stuff in the bags, then fold them up and keep them for the next project!

     Get used to carrying your own shopping bags.  I always carry one small one in my handbag for most of my shopping stops, and for bigger trips, I keep my reusable bags where I need them, bundled in the car.

 Boxes and Cardboard:   Take a peek in your garage, attic, basement or hall closet.  Recycle those empty cardboard boxes and open up some storage space!

     Last week, I cleaned out our basement Holiday closet where we store Halloween and Easter decorations;  Halloween costumes; gift wrap and extra shipping boxes; and purchased gifts.  It was looking neglected, to say the least!  So I put away the Halloween decorations and costumes, purged a dozen extra cardboard boxes, and broke down the keepers to store them flat instead of assembled.   There’s lots of space now!

Electronics:  Many towns have E-waste recycling available now, for old computers, TVs, DVD players, etc. Check with your municipality to see what’s available near you.

Junk Drawer Contents:  As your professional organizer, I will let you have a junk drawer.  JUST one.  So, let me guess what is in your junk drawer… Dead batteries, old eyeglasses, dried up pens, broken crayons, pennies, random photos, household tools and repair items, expired coupons and take-out menus, twist ties and rubber bands, empty toner cartridges, scotch tape, old cell phones, pop tabs.  Sound familiar?

  Dedicate a use for each drawer, like office supplies or couponing or tools and hardware or kid’s crafts, so it is less likely to become a junk drawer.  Label it to make it easier to remember and maintain.  Almost every item I listed above can be Recycled or re-used.  Old batteries to Home Depot or Walgreens.  Eyeglasses to your local Lion’s Club.  See your old apple phone back to Apple for recycling and credit towards your next purchase. Sorting a junk drawer with your kids can be a great teachable moment.  Show them how to sort stuff, toss the trash, and organize what is left. 

      Use National Recycling Week to help your home by clearing clutter, and help the planet by doing it responsibly!

(c) Copyright 2011          M. Colleen Klimcak, CPO

Is Your Routine Stuck In A Rut?

     I talk about Routines often, OK, all the time.  Why?  Because Routines are great! Creating a Routine helps us prioritize and order our necessary tasks.  Sticking with our Routine takes care of regular maintenance items.  Routines free us from time-wasting decision-making.  They are vitally important to our every day success.

     However… there is a darker side of routines.  Buried in “Routine” is “rut”.  As in, “When we do the same thing over and over again, we can get stuck in a rut”.  We can lose sight of Why we do what we do, and then our routine starts to run us, instead of the other way around.  Sometimes, we have to look at our current practices and make sure they’re working for us.  And if they aren’t, it’s time for a change.

How do you know your current Routine works?

  • You feel comfortable with your schedule most days.  Even when you are busy, you don’t worry that you are forgetting a task or appointment.
  • You allow for flexibility in your schedule, to accommodate travel time between appointments, special events or requests, spontaneity and minor emergencies.  Then you get back on track.
  • You can easily explain your time management practices to others.
  • You get things done. 
  • You have time for work, relationships, hobbies or passions, etc. 
  • You are good with deadlines and appointments, and you are on-time most of the time.

      If you are wincing at any of the above questions, it’s time to re-assess your time management and Routine. 

 “How’s that working for ya?”     

     I’ve been working with a client who struggles to complete tasks. I suggested she use a planner and to-do lists to help her get things done.  She asked me Why she had to make a change?, because she really did not want to.  As her professional organizer, my obvious answer went something like “well, let’s see, life without a planner or lists – how’s that working for ya?”

             If you are missing deadlines, forgetting or re-running errands, spending more money than you need to, or feeling overwhelmed and out of control at least once a day, your current practices are not working, and YES, it is time to re-assess your time management and Routines.  I know new practices may seem intimidating, but soon they will be routine, too.    

     Do you know the story of the Frog and the hot water?  The adage says that if you put a frog in hot water, he will jump right out.  But if you put the frog in cold water then slowly heat the water, he’ll not jump out, and will boil.  We notice an abrupt problem, but not always a gradual decline.  

Don’t Boil the Frog, or yourself.  Review then re-commit to your routine regularly.   

      Lately, I have not stuck with my own Routine components of 1.  getting in the shower upon waking (very important for me to get in early, so I can get my boys up and ready for school); 2.  taking my vitamins every day (I feel so much better when I do the right thing); and 3. exercising (also, so important and usually the first thing I abandon when the schedule gets busy).  So I need to get back to all three of those things, and I started this morning. 

     I also realized that the things I have let slide are for my own health, and since it is bad when Mom gets sick as there is no one left to tend the family, I am also committing to completing the vitamins / exercise / weight watchers log-in tasks by 10 am every day. 

      If you notice things slipping, make sure the task that is slipping is still important, and then spend a few days focusing on completing that task until it again becomes Routine. 

Break Your Own Rules:  occasionally break your routine to get non-routine tasks done.

      Last Thursday, I realized that my regular routine was not allowing a couple of really important projects to get done, so I ditched the Routine and powered through those important things just to get them done and into someone else’s hands.  Then I caught up with my regularly scheduled life.    

     If I find that I am regularly breaking out of my daily Routine just to get things done, then I have to ask myself 2 questions:  1.  Do I allow enough time in my daily schedule and Routine to get all my tasks done?  And if not, 2. Do I need to reconfigure how I spend my time?  Which leads me to….

 Life Changes, and so should your Routine. 

     Our schedule has gotten crazy lately with 3 boys in 3 sports, in addition to everything else we do.  I love that my boys are involved in sports, but our 3-7 pm block of time, the time I usually use to make dinner, catch up on paper work, make client calls and take care of home business is now spent at games. 

     I recognize this fact, and have consciously decided to let Routine slide on some days to get business tasks like billing and writing done. I assure myself that volleyball season is fleeting, and in 6 weeks, when all is done, I’ll be sad it is over.  For now, though, forgive me if I respond to your phone call or email from the bleacher seats (thank goodness for my smart phone)!

            Sometimes changes are more long-term, not just a sport season but for life, like a new baby, new job or retirement, etc..  Use that transition time to reflect on your daily tasks and determine how to make things get done, around your new schedule. 

     So, Routines are the best time management tool ever, but even the best tool needs occasional adjustment.  Be aware of how you spend your time, and how you want to spend your time, and make sure the two match up!

Get Organized and Save Money

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     In this uncertain life, not to mention economy, it pays (literally) to be prepared and organized. A small investment now in time and resources can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars annually.

Make Some Money on Your Unwanted Items:

  • Sell your clutter. Clutter is defined as anything you don’t need, use or treasure. Turn those unwanted collectibles, furniture or clothes into cash at a consignment store or garage sale or on eBay. And while you’re at it, get rid of the storage unit that has been holding all of this clutter. Let your clutter become someone else’s treasure.
  • Return your clutter. Return any items that you purchased months ago but have not used. One of my clients, who still had clothes that she purchased months ago in a shopping bag, realized just how uncommitted she was to those items and took them back. She received a refund of at least 50 percent of what she paid. Money in your pocket is better than clutter any day.

Save Money on Your Stuff:

  • Buy only what you need. Being organized means knowing what you have and where it is in your home. Designate a permanent location for your stuff and stick with it. This will prevent you from purchasing duplicates of what you already have.
  • Take care of what you have. Don’t allow your treasures to be lost or crushed at the bottom of your closet under mounds of stuff you don’t need. Don’t let the clutter in your garage force you to subject your car to the elements. Don’t let your prescriptions expire simply because you lost track of them at the back of your kitchen or medicine cabinet.
  • Clutter covers up what we do need, use and treasure; by clearing the clutter, you can tend to what is truly important and save money, too!

Save and Make Money with Paper Management:

  • Retain and organize your receipts. Keep receipts, manuals and warranty information for appliances, electronics and other big-ticket items, together in one place.
  • Take the time to fill out and mail the warranty cards. When something breaks down, you will have all the information you need to repair or replace the item.
  • Never pay another late fee. Store your outstanding bills in a file labeled “To Be Paid” in big, bold letters. Then set aside an hour every other week to pay those bills.
  • Take advantage of sales and deals. Retailers offer great money-back specials and rebates because they don’t expect the general public to send in the paperwork. Take the time to mail in that paperwork, and follow-up one month later. Those free product coupons and in-store checks can really add up.
  • Cash in those coupons, gift cards and certificates. I worked with a client recently who had accumulated $300 in local restaurant gift certificates. She used them up and saved some money in food and entertainment costs.

Self and Time Management:

  • Do more for yourself. Trim your son’s hair; mow your own yard; change your own oil; clean your own house; groom your own pet. If you are paying for services, you may be able to save money by doing these things yourself.
  • Ask for what you really want. Instead of more clutter, wouldn’t you love to have some time to pamper yourself with a massage? How about a donation in your name to your favorite charity? Or perhaps a gift of a day of yard work from your family is more to your liking. If you want less stuff but more of something else (time, help, love, self-care, etc.,) just ask for it.

     For me, being organized means I get to make the most of all that I have.  That means money, time, stuff and relationships.  Get organized, and make the most of what you have, too!

Maintenance: Easy, Essential & Perpetual

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Last week, I was asked “What are Your organizing projects?”.  We’re already organized, so I don’t have huge projects on my list.  My answer is “I am forever engaged in maintenance”.

I use the analogy of laundry. Laundry is never completely done, we’re always making dirty laundry.  In life, there are some tasks that we do and they stay done, and there are some tasks that we do and re-do forever, like dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.; or in an office, client care, filing, billing, etc.

My clients and I talk a lot about the value of “Done”.  Sticking with a task until it is finished so we can move on the next project.  The feeling of accomplishment, the chance to take a breath and pat yourself on the back – I love “Done”.  However, most things don’t stay “Done”.

Remember the line from The Incredibles?  Mr. Incredible: “No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit?  I feel like the  maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for… for ten minutes!”

We all, including Mr. Incredible, need to recognize and embrace a vital component of the Organizing Process – Maintenance.   Maintenance is many things, but I will focus on three.  Maintenance is Easy, Essential and Perpetual.


Maintenance is Easy.  Maintenance is the easiest  part of organizing, certainly easier than getting organized.

Getting Organized takes lots of time, energy, money, motivation, decision-making and all sorts of other things we may or may not be willing to spend.  But Maintenance is what makes Getting Organized stick and stay, and takes much less time, money, energy, decision-making, etc.

Imagine your organized life.  Your clutter is gone.  Your stuff has a home, a place to be “put away”, and you have adequate storage for your items.  If this was your house, maintenance would be easy.  New stuff comes in, old stuff leaves, you put stuff away regularly and you make sure your stuff and systems are still working.  You do this a little bit daily and a lot once in a while, like at change of seasons.  This all becomes easy and routine, and you revel in having less clutter and less stress in your life.  Welcome to Maintenance.

And yet, Life Happens.  Good things, bad things, stuff happens.  Big emergencies and little upsets.  And that is why Maintenance is Essential.  I was discussing motivation with one of my tennis friends, and she said she would rather take care of things right away instead of waiting to do them “because more will always come”.  Maintenance is an investment in your future.

Being organized makes life run more smoothly, and occasionally saves us from those big and little emergencies altogether.  Maintaining our health keeps us healthy.  Maintaining our finances keeps our bills paid.  Maintaining our home keeps most major house emergencies at bay. In negative terms, there are many costs of Delayed Maintenance: Preventable but neglected health issues; late bills, collection agencies and poor credit scores; leaky roofs or plumbing problems.  Maintenance is essential, and a lot cheaper than emergencies. 

Maintenance is Perpetual.  I hear from friends and clients that it feels like organizing is never done.  We think we’re close, and then something happens and we have to adjust.

We are all perpetually in transition.  New day, new season, new challenges, new situations, new jobs, new babies, you name it.  So we have to realize that Yes, we have to maintain our systems and adjust to new things.  And that’s Ok.  And inevitable.

Sometimes I want to fight the perpetuity of maintenance.  Going back to Mr. incredible, can’t the world just stay saved for a while?   Any of these sound familiar (and not just in my house?!)?

“Come on!  I just went to the grocery!   Where did all the food go?  That was a week ago?  And we ate it?  Oh. ”

“We have to go pants shopping again because the teenager is suddenly 5 inches taller?  Really?”

“Didn’t I spend yesterday doing laundry?  What do you mean your uniform is dirty?”

“Didn’t I just pay the bills?  Or clean the gutters?  Or mow the grass?  Or get my flu shot?  DO I really have to do it all again now?  Grrrrr…..

So, I get it.  I do.  But then I remind myself that it is silly to fight Maintenance.  Maintenance will still need done even if I don’t feel like doing it.  And I know things will get really ugly if I don’t do it.  We need to eat, we need to wear clothes, I need to clean my house because it will not clean itself.  I don’t always love to clean, but I do love the end product of a clean home.

We can realize the perpetuity of Maintenance, but still cut ourselves some slack, and accept “Done Enough” or “Done For Now”.  There comes a time each night when my people are safely in bed, and I turn off my brain and the light and declare myself done for the day.  “Done Enough”. For now.  Tomorrow is another day.

So embrace Maintenance, in all its forms, and keep up with your Organizing efforts.  Remind yourself of the Easy and Essential parts to help you embrace the perpetual part!  And give yourself a break and allow for “Done Enough” or “Done For Now” sometimes.

Spend Your Screen Time Wisely

Did you Know?  September 18-24th is National  Turn Off Week , a challenge to Reduce your Screen Time on TV and technology.  

     I am blogging to the internet on my laptop, then sending a newsletter via email to suggest you spend less time this week on Screen Time and technology devices.  The irony is not lost on me!  So let me get on with this, so you can read and learn, then go and do something else!

     A Google search of “Turn Off Week” produced links from hundreds of organizations recommending less screen time for both adults and children.  Why?  As a society, we are spending lots of time, often too much time in front of Screens and technology.  Stepping away from the TV, computer and game screens enhances our fitness, health, nutrition, education and family time, just to name a few.  

     I like TV.  I have a handful of shows that I DVR every week, and watch avidly when I have the time, on my own terms.  TV is not bad.  As I start this article on a rainy Sunday afternoon, my hubby is watching football and the kids are watching a Red Box DVD downstairs.  We like TV.  But just this past week, it became evident we need to spend some more time on our school work; all three boys want to sign up for Fall sports; and the pre-teen wants to learn 2 (yes 2) more musical instruments.   Time for these activities has to come from somewhere, so Off The TV will go!

     I love technology.  I use lots of screen time for work and play.  But Technology is only a  tool.  It can educate, communicate, illuminate, entertain.  It can do lots of things, but it is a thing.  It exists to make our lives better.  So use this National Turn Off Week to make sure you are using your technology, and not the other way around. Consider Turn Off Week as a Time Management experiment, how to use our time and resources the best way possible.  

 Things to Think About and Try This Week:

  1. Remind everyone (including yourself) that Turn Off Week is a positive choice.  Replace screen time with family activities, game night, hikes and outings, etc., to reinforce that Real Life is more important than screen time.
  2. The first step to positive change is always awareness.  Need to start small?  Just pay attention to how much you and your family uses technology, and determine if you all could improve your lives by cutting back on your screen time.
  3. Use tech tools to manage your tech.  I love these ideas, for managing your Tech Time, from a Real Simple article, April, 2011:
    • “MacFreedom.com disables all roads to the internet for an allotted amount of time”;
    • “RescueTime.com  tracks your every on-line move and provides easy to read, painfully revealing charts” telling you just how much time you really spend on Facebook or shopping on-line; and
    • “LeechBlock, addons.mozilla.org, blocks certain websites either perpetually or during specific periods, to help you focus you and your family’s time better.”
    • Also, we can set our Direct TV parental controls to allow TV viewing only at certain times of the day, and on certain channels.  I will re-set our viewing hours to between 6 and 8 pm unless I lift the block with the secret code (we’ll see how that goes!!).
    • On the other hand, we can record shows on the DVR for the kids to watch later, so they are guaranteed to have something they want to watch when they do finally sit down to do so. 
  4. Set a limit for how much screen time you and your children use every day.
    • My MIL used TV tokens with her kids, and introduced the idea to my boys one week over the summer. Every day each child receives 3 tokens, for ½ hour each of TV time, Wii or Nintendo.  They can lose their tokens for minor offenses, or they can save them up if they want to watch a movie on the weekends. 
    • It was amazing to watch my 7-year-old become a savvy shopper when it came to “spending” his tokens.  He might turn on the TV, consider what his choices were, and then decide to turn it off because he didn’t really like the choices.  Before the tokens, he would have just sat there and vegged out. 
  5. Be mindful.  Decide when and what to watch, or when you will check your email or smart phone.  Then Do what you plan to do, and Move on.  Get on Facebook, check in, get off, go do something else.  Be mindful when you are using your technology tools, but also be mindful and appreciative of your family and the day around you.  

For Life:  Reduce Screen time with a few simple guidelines: 

  • Keep TVs and computers out of the bedrooms, especially children’s bedroom, for safety, better sleep, better focus, and more family time;    
  • Don’t eat in front of the TV or computer (a challenge for me on days when I work from home); and
  • Set guidelines, like “No cell phones in the bedroom or at the dinner table”.  Neither my teenager nor we parents need our phones where we sleep, since we should neither send nor receive texts at midnight!  We can choose when to answer messages and texts, and hopefully raise awareness in others as to what is appropriate or not. 

     So, our plan?  1. We’ll all work on using our Turn Off Time wisely, for the cool activities we want to do instead of mindless TV viewing, and 2. I am going to work on my own screen time, to focus on people and not technology when we are all together.  I will check then ignore my email first thing in the morning on my iPhone, but wait to turn on my computer until the boys are off to school and I am ready to really work.   And I’ll let  you know how it goes, in a week, via technology again!   And let me know if you have ideas or suggestions for how to spend your Turn Off Week!