Get Rid Of Mail Before It Arrives!

At a presentation last week, I promised to share some tips about purging paper clutter.  Specifically, how to cut down on mail before it even hits your mail box! 

Wouldn’t it be better for mail to just not even arrive?!  We can make that happen!  Drastically reduce your new mail and have less paper to manage!

Check out the Direct Marketing Association website at https://thedma.org/accountability/dma-choice/, and for $2, sign up for DMA  Choice.  Here, you can choose to remove your name from mailing lists, cutting down on your unsolicited mail.  I have a couple of derivations to my name – Colleen and Mary Colleen, for example – so I can list all the different ways my name appears and remove it from unsolicited mailing lists.

Rest assured, the DMA will only remove you from unsolicited mailing lists (from organizations and companies you don’t already have a relationship with), so the mail you want to receive will be unaffected.

File this under “learn something new every day”, the DMA also offers the option to remove deceased family members from mailing lists, to help eliminate the sometimes painful exercise of returning mail or having to call organizations and talk about a death.

 

Next, on to Catalogs.  Tear off the back page and recycle the rest.  Then, with your back pages in hand, head over to CatalogChoice.org, to eliminate unwanted catalogs.  Catalog Choice will ask for the name of the catalog, your name and address, and the key code and source codes on the catalog.  It may take up to a month to see a difference, but your mail box will thank you!  If you have a catalog not listed on CatalogChoice.org, try calling the 800# to cancel it.

 

Also, receive as much of your mail via email as possible.  Magazines, newsletters, banking and financial statements, bills – all can be recieved via email or logging in!  Save your statements to PDF on your computer, and eliminate the need for paper (Making sure you back up your data, of course).

 

And… if the mail does still arrive, as some, no doubt, will…

  • Set up a recycling bin next to the door and toss immediately anything that can be recycled.
  • Keep a shredder close at hand, too.  There will be unsolicited mail that arrives that may contain personal information or offers, and these items should be shred immediately.
  • Tackle these quick steps regularly, so mail and paper clutter doesn’t have a chance to pile up

Keep the mail from piling up, and give your mail box a break!

Nat’l Organize Your Home Office Day: Your Papers Need a Home

The second Tuesday of March is National Organize Your Home Office Day.

I have posted dozens of articles about paper management and office organizing.  Just last week, I was reminded of the importance of having a Home for Your Papers, and wanted to share!

Think about the idea of “Home”.  If a person has a home, you can typically find them there.  They start and end their day there.  If you need to send them something, you send it to their home so it’s waiting for them when they arrive.  A person’s home is their default, their normal resting place.

Our important papers need the same thing. Our papers need a home so we can find them again, pair them with related papers, and keep them safe.

(A word about technology:  Any of these suggestions also work if you keep only digital records of your information instead of actual paper!)

There are three main categories of important papers.

  1. Active papers:  Papers that require a further action soon.  Bills to pay, coupons for an upcoming purchase, forms to complete and return.  The most important thing about Active Papers is to take action on them, so their HOME needs to be convenient and close at hand.
    For example, when I finished opening mail with a client recently, we had just a few small piles of papers to deal with.  After I filed some passive papers, we set up her bills to pay, and she tucked into her purse the village vehicle sticker info and some coupons for her errands later in the day.
  2. Passive Papers: Passive papers are papers we need to keep for a certain amount of time, like paid bills or bank statements or tax returns.  We need to keep them  for a certain amount of time, and then we need to make sure we purge / recycle / shred them once in a while, so they don’t pile up and we end up with 20 years of paid utility bills in a file drawer, or grocery receipts from 6 years ago in a shoebox.  The most important thing to remember about Passive Papers is to put them away instead of leaving them pile here and there, and to regularly purge them, like once a month or once a year, so that they don’t accumulate.
    For example, today I went through bank statements with a client to prepare to do her taxes.  It was easy to find the necessary statements since ONLY 2017 and a few 2018 statements were in the file – all the others are bundled up with previous year taxes and cleared out of the drawer!
  3. Archival Papers are Papers that we need to keep for the long term.  Birth / marriage / sacramental certificates, social security cards and pass ports, house purchase papers, car or boat titles, wills, etc.  The most important thing to remember about Archival Papers is to protect them, so their HOME needs to offer protection (a safe or a bank safety deposit box) and may be a little less convenient to access.  But that’s OK, since we don’t need to access Archival Papers often.  For example, I registered my youngest for high school last Saturday and his birth certificate and social security number were both required.  Grabbing both took all of 10 seconds, since we have one and only one very safe and specific place for such vital documents.  And of course, I PUT THEM BACK when I was done with them!
  4. There are probably more than 3 types of papers, if we add in memorabilia or photos, but those will be a discussion for another day!

So, as we think about organizing our Home Office on National Organize Your Home Office Day, make sure to have HOMES for these three types of papers.

  • Active work space and open storage for tackling your to-do pile, and time set aside in your schedule to take care of business.
  • Closed storage, perhaps a file cabinet drawer or a desk drawer, for your passive papers.  Plus, a regular habit to regularly (weekly or monthly) file passive papers, and every month or year to purge your outdated passive papers.  And
  • Safe storage, perhaps a portable safe or a locking file cabinet drawer, for your important archival records and vital documents, so you can always find them when you need them.
To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

National procrastination week (No, you don’t get to procrastinate)

Did you know? The first full week of March is National Procrastination Week, supposedly an entire week dedicated to putting things off.   

Um… you know that is NOT what I’m going to recommend, right?  Instead, let’s look at how to get things done, even when the path is difficult!

I am a solo entrepreneur, which is a fancy term for a small-business owner who does EVERYTHING.  In the midst of delivering organizing services, coaching and offering presentations, I also need to plan and grow my business for the long term with new ideas and products.

 Lately, I’ve been wrapping my head around a remarkably daunting project (hosting webinars), and last week, I mentioned to a fellow business owner that if I was an employee in charge of this particular project, I would have fired me by now!

Sometimes, we just need to do what needs done!  Can you relate?  Either professionally or personally?   Got a project you’ve been dragging your feet about?

If you’re procrastinating, it’s time to figure out what exactly the problem is.  You need to do something, but:

You… Don’t know how.

  • Call in your experts.  Years ago, I spent time and energy worrying if I should become an LLC or an S or C Corporation.  What a waste of time.  I didn’t need to figure out, I just need to contact a trusted friend, my attorney Eileen Kerlin Walsh. She knew exactly what I needed and made it happen with a minimum of fuss.  The same strategy worked when I needed to update my website.  I didn’t need to learn how to build a new one, I called my expert, my webdesigner Claire at Aplify7,  and she made me look great with no hassle!
  • You don’t need to know everything, you just need to reach out.

You… Worry about the cost, monetary or otherwise, of working on a project.

  • Is this project worthwhile?  Explain out loud why you need to do this thing or meet this goal,  and perhaps that will help motivate you to act.
  • Sometimes action costs money or time or other resources, true.  But if you’re procrastinating around a business venture, or health care issue that you can’t seem to make the appointment for, or house repair that you’ve been avoiding, the better question is “Can you afford to NOT do this?”
  • While I wrote this, a friend reached out to me about trademark and copyright laws for protecting their business brand.  I don’t know the answers, so I asked my experts and of course, they stepped up! But this was a great example for weighing the potential high price of working with a knowledgeable attorney vs. the even higher cost of NOT acting and having your brand damaged.

You … Don’t want to, it may be uncomfortable.

  • Have you ever noticed?  We spend far more time dreading the unknown task than it usually takes to complete it.  I missed an article deadline recently for another publication, and I dreaded (and avoided) for days fessing up and letting the publisher down.  And they were kind and not bothered at all.  I spent far more time being uncomfortable about NOT doing something than actually doing something about it. Seems rather silly now.
  • Know yourself. We like to be comfortable, right?  So agree to be just A LITTLE uncomfortable, try just a small new thing, in the interest of progress.  Once you try something, it’s not new anymore.

You… Don’t want to start when there isn’t time to finish. 

  • Do you hear yourself when you say these things?  We tell ourselves we only want the finished project, but we never start?  That, my friend, is what we call a Contradiction.
  • Set a timer, focus on time dedicated and not completion of the task.  Some progress towards a goal is still progress, even if you don’t complete the project this time.
  • Acknowledge that Perfectionism and Procrastination often go hand in hand, and may be working against the actual completion of your project.

You… Don’t know how long it will take.

  • Yup, this one terrifies me. For example, I procrastinate about making phone calls.  Not logical or wise, I know. But my very real fear is getting stuck on the phone and not knowing how long the call may last.  But I can decide how much time to dedicate to a task.  Even if I won’t complete the task, I can still start.

You… Are just not feeling it right now.  

  • We’ve all been there.
  • Long ago, a client said she was waiting to wake up one morning and be suddenly motivated to exercise, keep her house clean, get a job, etc. And because she was paying me to, I asked the tough question “Has that EVER actually happened?”  And the answer was… uh, no.  So, we fake it until we make it.
  • Intentionally procrastinate for a few (JUST A FEW!)  minutes.  Set a 10 minute timer, step back, change your scenery, get up and grab a cup of coffee or tea.  Then get back to work!
 Rest assured, I am saying these things to ME right now, too!  Observe National Procrastination Week by actually getting over some procrastination!
To:

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Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

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Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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“What Do I Do With All Those Magazine Articles?”

“What Do I Do With All Those Magazine Articles?”

This question came up at a Paper Management class a few weeks ago, and it comes up often in my work!

 

I understand the challenge!  Personally, my magazine reading consists of:

  • Stash new magazines into a holder above my desk as they arrive in the mail;
  • Grab the magazines as we head out the door for a road trip (I read when it’s my husband’s turn to drive);
  • Read magazines cover to cover, pulling out only the articles that interest me;
  • Recycle the used magazines;
  • (Eventually) Process the handful of articles and information I have pulled out when I get home.

So, most of those steps are pretty straightforward, right?

  • Create a spot to keep your un-read magazines.
  • Create time and a routine around actually reading them.
  • Keep the important info, and recycle the rest.

But…. then what?  How do we store them? What should we DO with them?  Here is my answer for the class participant (let’s call her Patty) and the rest of us with the same question!

CATEGORIES:  My first question to Patty was “What are the categories for your articles?  She answered:

  • Health articles
  • Books to read
  • Diet & Exercise tips
  • Great Household Tips
  • List of Good Wines
  • Sentimental Greeting cards given to me
  • Beauty/Makeup Products
  • Easy Craft Projects
  • Decorating Ideas

For my own categories, I might add:

  • Items to share with others
  • Recipes
  • Business ideas / marketing ideas
  • Blog article ideas

 

HOW TO USE THE INFO?

Once you have established your categories, consider how you want to use each category’s information.   For example –

Let’s say you save an article with “work out moves for cold weather”.  You probably want to post that article where you can see it as you work out.

What about an article regarding a new treatment that you want to discuss with your doctor?  You probably want to keep that article close at hand but portable, so you can take it with you to your next doctor appointment.

What about recipes?  The logical place for recipes is in the kitchen, of course, where they will be used.

HOW TO STORE THEM:

Low-Tech Solutions:

Consider 3-ring binders for articles you want to keep and read again.  Binders work if you want to read your information like a book, or if you want your information to stay portable.

I personally use a 3 ring binder for recipes.  I have done away with most of my cookbooks over the years, and keep only the recipes I use often.  When I tear out a new recipe from a magazine, I will tuck it in to the front pocket of my recipe binder.  When I am looking for dinner inspiration, I will head to that front pocket!  I’ll only keep recipes that my family and I actually have tried and like – those go in page protectors in the same binder, filed by category.

I have a client with multiple health challenges, and she keeps a binder for articles and ideas to take to appointments and discuss with her different medical professionals.

I also recommend standing file holders with hanging files tabbed with the name of each category.   As you collect the articles, filing becomes so easy!  Then, when you’re ready to review the file, you can pull out all the similar articles at once.

 

 

Consider high tech solutions, too.  I asked Facebook friends for their magazine article suggestions:

MHD: “I scan the articles and store in a file on my computer” or

MTO: “I take photos of recipes that I want to save and keep a file on my PC. For longer articles, I will sometimes scan them to my PC and save them based on topic. (Meaning, a marketing article would go into the Marketing folder on my PC, a sales article would go into a Sales folder, etc.)”

Snap a picture with your phone or tablet, save articles and ideas on Evernote or Pinterest. Better yet, consider receiving your subscription electronically on your tablet or kindle.

 

HOW TO USE THE INFO BETTER!

The most important thing to remember about these magazine articles you are keeping is that you actually want to USE the information they contain.

Read your periodicals differently.
  • Keep only the pages you want, and recycle the rest.
  • Read with a pen and notebook nearby.  Sometimes, an article only contains one idea or reminder that we need to keep (circle it or highlight it!!), or generates one idea or task to add to our to-do list. (“Oh, reading this article reminds me I want to ask my doctor about vitamin D supplements.”)
  • Make sure that you make time to actually ACT on the ideas from the articles!
  • What can you take care of right now?  Add ideas to your lists, bookmark the website referenced in an article or subscribe to the newsletter or blog, then toss the paper!
  • What can you get rid of for good?  Are there certain magazines that always seem to pile up?  That you never seem to want to read? Or that don’t have articles that you keep?  Time to let that subscription go!
To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Organized People… Don’t Pay Late Fees! 4 Tips to Organize Your Bill Paying

Organizing Your Bill Paying Process ensures successful and consistent Bill Paying!  Try these 4 tips to Streamline Your Process!

Set An Appointment.  

Client Study:  A client I first met many years ago admitted that deadlines and due dates would often slip past her and her husband, costing lots of money in late fees, not to mention frustration! She did not have a set time to regularly sit down and pay her bills, so as life got busy, they would both forget to pay bills.

Tip: Set aside time every week or every other week to pay your bills.  For example, if you get paid every other Friday, make an appointment with your computer / check book for every other Thursday evening to pay your bills and manage your money.  If it’s on the calendar, it’s more likely to happen!

 

Do the Job Until It’s Done.   

Client Study:  I worked with a couple, and I could tell that the husband was very nervous about having an organizer in the house! He was very happy when I told him I wanted him to spend LESS time on his papers every week!

Here is the rest of that statement: “Carve out an hour every week (they chose Saturday morning) to open all the mail, pay all the bills, respond to any other correspondence and shred / recycle whatever needed to go.”  They agreed an hour should be enough. They could worry less throughout the week, but they had to tackle all their money management tasks, start to finish, when they DID work on their bills.

Tip: Spend less time on your bill paying, but complete the job from start to finish when you sit down.

 

Dedicate Space for Paying Bills.

Client Study: I worked with a lovely couple just last week.  They took turns explaining how they used their shared work space.  One person had a place to always tuck the bills to be paid. The other person had no idea that was the system in place!

Just that one piece of information, a dedicated place to put the Bills-To-Pay, made a huge difference in how each uses the space!

If you pay bills on line, consider creating an email subfolder or maybe even an email account just for bill-paying and financial information, and make sure everyone who needs to know about it has access!

In addition, set yourself up to succeed with your necessary supplies in that space (pens, notepad, post its, computer if you pay on-line, envelopes and stamps, etc.).

Tip: Dedicate Space for bill-paying, and let all involved parties know the plan!

 

Make  Filing Easier, Too!

Client Study: Me.  For both our personal and my business bill paying, we have done away with individual vendor files and just have monthly folders for all income and banking info.  Any paid bills, receipts, bank statements, etc., get added to those monthly files.  Finding info is so easy, as is filing!

Tip: Create Monthly Folders for all things Income / Banking related and make filing easy!  And if you like this idea, apply it to your on-line bill paying as well!  Same idea around your directories on your computer or google drive!

Pick a Tip, and Give it a Try!
To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
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Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Create Productive Work-From-Home Space: National Clean Off Your Desk Day

Last week, I heard from a newly minted college graduate.  She is very excited to start her first  professional position with a national company, working from home.

Hmmm… “Working From Home”.   A quick glance at wikipedia revealed related terms like “telecommuting”, “remote work” or “teleworking”.  This is a growing trend, with many of us working at least some of the time from non-traditional work space.

According to this recent New York Times article,  “More American employees are working remotely, and they are doing so for longer periods… Last year, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely, according to the survey of more than 15,000 adults.”

With this conversation in mind and National Clean Off Your Desk Day (second Monday of January) here again, let’s talk about Organizing Your Work Space for Working-From-Home.  Let’s look at solutions to common Work-From-Home Challenges!

Be Professional and Productive While Working From Home

There are habits we can create to feel professional and productive, no matter where we work.

  • Create a morning routine – get up, work out, eat a healthy breakfast, get clean, etc. – even if your commute is the 10 feet between your living room and office.

    My Company Wellness Program 🙂

  • We all benefit from the clear definition of a start and end to our work day.  If you need separation in your day between personal time and work, go for a run, for Mass, for coffee, or to drop off the kids at school.  Then, come home and boot up!
  • Dress professionally, even if you don’t see another person all day.  No PJs for productivity!
  • We need to minimize distractions (more on this later) working from home, but the opposite is also true.  Remember to walk around and take breaks!

My Company Cafeteria (a.k.a. my kitchen counter!)

Stay Connected:

  • A common challenge of working from home is feeling isolated.  Remember, Community comes in many forms.
  • Check with your company!  If your company has teleworking opportunities, they probably also have strategies in place to help employees stay connected.
  • Find a mentor or accountability partner within your company.   You can also ask the professional association attached to your industry, or even just someone you really respect.
  • Join networking or FB groups within your chosen field or geographical community. My FB and networking groups are amazing resources for me as I navigate my day!

Physical Workspace:

  • If you are clear on the Work of your Work, you can probably work from anywhere!
  • No one needs to know where you work!  Some days saying “working from home” doesn’t feel professional, so I might say I’m working “remotely” or “virtually”, whether I’m at a client’s office, my own home office or Starbucks!
  • Your Actual Work Space:
    • If you skype, or have video conference calls, invest in a back drop or standing screen that looks more professional than your family room or basement!
    • Organize your work space, especially if you need to switch from student focus to work focus, like my young friend.  A clean desk helps you focus.  My accountability partner mentioned just last week how much more creative she feels when her work space is organized and clutter free.
  • Need Professional Space for a change of pace or a group project?  Perhaps your team is coming into town for training?  Many communities have available shared professional spaces or  business centers.  For a fee, these centers may offer work spaces, office services such as copiers or fax machines, conference rooms to rent by the hour or day, and even administrative help.   For example, I am a member of BAPA here on the South Side of Chicago, and their business center offers office equipment and conference room space free to paid members.

The “Home” part of Working-From-Home

  • Be clear with your house-mates what your tele-working will mean.  You may be home but still on the clock!  (The same goes for pets – one client closes the door and curtains to the back yard, to signal to her faithful furry companions that play time is over!)
  • A closed door can be an arranged signal that quiet time is needed, or that a conference call is in progress!

Consider these ideas when creating your productive work-from-home space!

Got Resolutions? Perhaps We Just Need to Get Back To Normal!

On New Year’s Eve, I was thinking about positive changes to make in the new year.

I found myself saying “Know what? Change is hard.”

Saying it out loud, though, I immediately realized that I was wrong.

No, change isn’t hard.

Sometimes, change is extremely easy.  For example, just a few weeks ago, I was exercising daily and making healthy food choices.  And … then… the holidays happened.  And it is -2 degrees as I type this.  So there are still too many cookies in the house, and our daily walks are on hold until the weather breaks or I get on the treadmill.

While it’s easy to believe the self defeating statement “Change is Hard”, that is all it is – a self-defeating statement lacking truth.

We convince ourselves that “Change is Hard”, and then we set ourselves up for failure by:

  • setting unrealistic Resolutions;
  • starting a new journey without a map or plan;
  • setting the bar too high; 
  • pursuing goals that are not right for us right now;
  • not asking for help; or
  • expecting big change overnight.

But here is the good news – Change doesn’t have to be hard.  And for the New Year, just getting  back to what you are supposed to be doing can be a big step in the right direction.

Start with just getting back on track, whatever that looks like to you.  Let’s leave the bad holiday habits behind.  It’s time to:

  • Get to bed on time;
  • Clear that kitchen counter, and put the snacks out of sight;
  • Take that January list I suggested you make, and add action dates to it; 
  • Curb or stop spending money;
  • Unsubscribe from advertising emails;
  • Stop running around like a crazy person; or
  • Conversely, start moving again and be productive;
  • Clear holiday / all other clutter from surfaces;
  • Log into your on-line banking, and pay those bills;
  • Re-boot your morning meditation / routine / reading hours, etc.;
  • And From My Friends:
    • Use my little elliptical stepper in the evening (SM);
    • Go to the gym with my neighbor / Work out (JM/JH/LB);
    • Eat better (PB/LB);
    • Reduce sugar intake, decrease sugar / artificial sweeteners (LZ / MC);
    • Finding a planner I like and actually use it (LR);
    • Write 3 gratitudes each day, focusing on the positive; (PM)
    • Refocus on work, the Holidays allow a lot of distractions (LB);
    • Start running again! It is just 30 minutes out of my entire day, so no excuses (MO);
    • Spend time regularly to tidy/organize my papers & desk so that it STAYS tidy & organized (MTO);
    • Have fun – so often, I fall in the trap of pursuing accomplishment of various items in my ‘to do’ list that I neglect to devote time to things that are purely enjoyable (SRC).

I am so happy for us!  Know why?

WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS!  We know what to do.

We know what healthy habits are, and how to re-establish them.

We know how to be productive, we just need to get back to it!

We know how to be good to ourselves, so let’s be good!

This year, let’s start the year with returning to what we know.  How about we review our good habits that may have gotten a little lax over the last month?  Let’s start the year strong, with realistic expectations to build a strong foundation, and then climb from there!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Even Santa Knows, Lists Can Be Naughty or Nice

The List.

I love lists.  Lists can be powerful productivity tools.  Or they can just be words on a page.  I want my lists to work for me.  So I turn my lists into Action Plans with a few simple steps.

Let’s turn that jumbled bunch of ideas into a list and then a useful, manageable Action Plan!

I worked with a client last week.  We were scheduled to work on a couple of projects, but when I arrived, she mentioned that what would really help her to feel organized was to plan for an upcoming brunch she was hosting for family.  She said she always got anxious about hosting big meals, and she really just wanted to enjoy her family this time!  Her goal was to be done and  leisurely sipping a cup of coffee 30 minute before the guests arrived.

Here is what we did:

Write it all down.   ALL OF IT.

Is your brain full?  Of thoughts and ideas and to-do’s, Oh My!

Every once in a while, I sit down and get all the thoughts and ideas and tasks out my head and down on paper.  I used to call this activity a Brain Dump, but that seemed inelegant, so my friend Jen came up with “Cranial Cleansing”.   This is a very useful activity!

Write it all down, don’t bother to edit.  Just get it all out.  And “write it all down” could also be “makes notes on your computer or smart phone or Ipad”.  I use either my Bullet Journal (by hand) or Evernote (technology) for such things!

With my client, we started with the notes she had already jotted down.  We added a lot more items, without editing, just adding them to the list!

The list included:

  • clean the house;
  • iron the napkins;
  • hang the wreath;
  • take the Christmas decoration storage bins downstairs;
  • organize the holiday storage closet;
  • make the breakfast casseroles using her mom’s special recipe;
  • set the table;
  • wash the china and wine glasses;
  • decorate the Christmas tree;
  • make the grocery list;
  • go to the grocery;
  • pick up champagne and other beverages;
  • get the table linen cleaned and pressed;
  • take back returns;
  • put appetizer trays together;
  • print up the Christmas photo and keepsake poem;
  • buy the paper to print up the photo and poem;
  • make or purchase desserts;
  • put together the salad;
  • clean the garage.

Make a Not Today or Not Now List.

A few items on my client’s list, like “Clean the Garage” and “Organize the Holiday Closet”, are good and worthwhile projects but were not necessary to the success of the Holiday Brunch.  So we put them on the “Not Right Now” list, and focused on the work in front of us!

Enlist Aid.  What can be delegated?

Fortunately, this client hires cleaning people a couple times a month, and they were scheduled for the next day.  Also, she and her husband would be home together on Saturday, and he had offered to take care of some of the errands.

Realistic Time Estimates.

This looks like a very long and overwhelming list, I know.  But when you start to break it down, most of these tasks are actually pretty short and to the point.  So we assigned time estimates to them all, so we could be more objective.

Assign a Day, sticking with your strengths.

As we worked on the list, my client mentioned she had a full day of work the next day, so we didn’t put too many tasks on that day (Friday).  Also, she likes to go to the grocery around 8 pm, as it tends to be empty that time of night.  So we worked with those details!

So, after the above steps were applied, our Action Plan looked something like this:

THURSDAY:

  • (Thursday, 10 minutes) hang the wreath
  • (Thursday, 10 minutes) take the Christmas decoration storage bins downstairs
  • (Thursday, 20 minutes) make the grocery list
  • THURSDAY ERRANDS:
    • (Thursday, 10 minutes) drop off table cloth to be pressed
    • (Thursday, 30 minutes) buy the paper to print up the photo and poem

FRIDAY:

  • (Friday, Cleaning team) clean the house
  • (Friday or Saturday, 30 minutes) print up the Christmas photo and keepsake poem
  • FRIDAY ERRAND
    • (Friday evening, 90 minutes with putting away) go to the grocery;

SATURDAY:

  • (Saturday, 45 minutes) make the breakfast casseroles using her mom’s special recipe
  • (Saturday or Sunday, 20 minutes) put appetizer trays together
  • (Any day, picked Saturday, 10 minutes) iron napkins
  • SATURDAY ERRANDS (husband will run):
    • (Saturday, 10 minutes) pick up table cloth; cleaned and pressed
    • (Saturday, 30 minutes) bakery to purchase desserts
    • (Saturday, 30 minutes) pick up champagne and other beverages

SUNDAY:

  • (Sunday morning,  20 minutes) wash the china and wine glasses
  • (Sunday morning, 15 minutes) set the table
  • (Sunday morning, 20 minutes) put together the salad

Not Now List: 

  • take back returns;
  • clean the garage
  • organize the holiday storage closet;

We spent a little time and effort at the beginning, turning jumbled thoughts into a solid, easy to follow and completely manageable action plan!  What was really great was that once we completed this process, which was quick and easy and painless, we had time to tackle some of the items on her list!

How can you apply these steps to a current project?  Give it a try!

(P.S., I texted the client this afternoon to see how the brunch went, I’ll let you know her response next week!)

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Sandals to Boots and Baseball Caps to Stocking Caps

Fall is in the air.

It was 49.2 degrees this morning.  The forecast calls for a high of 70, but let me tell you, it was very dark and chilly at 5 am.

In response, all day I have been mulling over my “It’s really Fall now” list of things to do, to clear clutter and stay organized.  Perhaps you have that list, too?  Perhaps you are looking for some suggestions?  Here are a few!!

  1. Check your entry way, and swap out your accessories for the new season.
    Clean out the accessory basket by the door, review the contents, toss the old or broken items (empty bug spray bottle, beat up shopping bags), and put away all but a few of your absolute favorite warmer weather items (just in case you really do need that base ball cap again). Now re-stock the basket with hats and gloves, umbrellas and scarves.
  2. Check your entry way, and swap out your shoes for the new season, too.  So long flip flops, hello boots and wellies.  Toss the old or unmatched flip or flop, get rid of all but the last pair or two of sneakers (“Truly, dear, no one needs 4 pairs of old sneakers for ‘yard work.'” ).  Take in any shoes in need of repair, and put away the rest.  Then make space for the colder weather shoes and boots.   Do the same with sport items.  Play it Again Sports, anyone?
  3. Look around your home, and make note of projects and repairs to be completed.  Make some plans or make some calls.  Get on the schedule with service providers now before their schedules fill ip around the holidays.  Better to maintain – furnace checks and regular carpet cleaning – than to pay for last minute or emergency repairs or replacement.
  4. Pantry and Fridge shopping.  Check your cabinets and fridge.  Check your expiration dates and use up some of the foods you have on hand, to clear clutter and make room for holiday / seasonal items.
  5. De-furnish.  We have a 2 x 5 table sitting in the basement.  We moved it over the summer when our old kitchen cabinets and counter top were installed in the laundry room.  We should have put it in the crawl space at the time, but we didn’t.  It currently serves no purpose.  It goes AWAY today.  At a client’s yesterday, we collapsed 2 folding tables and a couple of chairs and put them away – they’ve been up for YEARS.  A client with a penchant for small side tables (they’re EVERYWHERE, and hold only clutter) took 3 or 4 to a local resale shop.
    In the interest of clearing physical and visual clutter, what small (or large) items could you do without? Put them away or let them GO!
  6. Drop off stuff.  Bags of donations, like clothes or books or shoes?  Recycling?  Items to be returned to a store?  Stuff that belongs to other people?  Take those piles / bags and boxes that are next to the door or already in the car, and get them Gone, gone, gone!!

6 tasks are enough for this week.  Next week’s list holds tasks like finishing switching the closet to Fall, window washing and putting away the deck furniture, but those can wait until then!!

What will you do this week to Embrace Fall, clear clutter and get organized?

Sharing the Idea of “20 Minutes or 20 Dollars”

I had the privilege of speaking to a wonderful group in Merillville, IN last night about downsizing.

We covered a lot in our 60 minutes together: clearing clutter, determining the value of our stuff, how long to keep certain types of papers.  One idea that I shared with the group was the idea of “20 Minutes or 20 Dollars”.  A couple of people made a point to tell me that they really liked the idea, so I thought I would share.

I wish I could say that this genius idea was my own, but I can’t!  The idea comes from The Minimalists, in their essay, Getting Rid of Just-In-Case Items: 20 Minutes, 20 Dollars.   The premise is that if you are debating whether to keep or get rid of an item, remind yourself that almost anything can be replaced within $20 minutes or for $20 dollars.  And because we can easily replace most things, we don’t have to keep a million items for JUST IN CASE!

For Example:

20 Minutes:  
At last night’s presentation, I referenced the set of siblings that I’ve organized, each with a full set of chafing dishes.  Awesome but big, awkward, and only occasionally useful chafing dishes.  Apparently, these siblings had a very nice Great Aunt Somebody who always bought newlyweds a set of chafing dishes.  Here’s the thing – surely these siblings could SHARE a set, and just move the set around from family event to family event, instead of each of them having to keep their full set.  As they were all trying to de-clutter, it seemed that a quick phone call to each other and a 20 minute errand to pick up the shared set was more reasonable than keeping all the sets.

20 Minutes:
Last summer a friend hosted a big group of teens at her home for a weekend.  Instead of buying 20 air mattresses, she asked Facebook friends if she could borrow air mattresses.  In 20 minutes, she had dozens of offers for what she needed.

20 Dollars:
You know that box of cords?  Yes, THAT box.  The one that drives you crazy?  Most of us have at least one.  The black spaghetti mess of unmatched, unlabeled and unclaimed charging cords from ancient phones or digital cameras gone by?  Look around.  If what you use regularly already has a cord attached, you could probably purge all of those unclaimed cords and spend $20 someday on a replacement in the very remote chance you actually needed one of those random cords.  Clear up a whole lot of space, and bank on the fact you don’t need what is in that THAT box!

20 Minutes and 20 Dollars:
Sombreros (or similar items, you get the idea!).  Sombreros are big.  Awkward to store.  Not a commonly used items, let’s face it.  If you EVER had a need for a sombrero – party, costume, school presentation – you could either spend the $20 to buy one at a party store or on-line, or better yet, ask 10 friends if anyone has a sombrero, and I bet someone does!

This week, look around your house and at your clutter.  Ask yourself if you are keeping things for JUST IN CASE that could easily be replaced for $20 and / or within 20 minutes!  If so, let it go!