Reduce Clutter – Get Organized
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Home Improvement, Organizing, Parenting, decluttering
Reducing clutter will aid in getting yourself organized. But how we reduce that clutter is the first challenge.
If your home or office has a lot of clutter, to avoid becoming overwhelmed, start small. Whether it’s a drawer or closet, getting started is half the battle. You’ll find that the act of decluttering becomes contagious. Now only for ourself, but often for other family members, as well.
If children are involved, make it a game. Set up boxes or totes and let them determine that which can be donated, or maybe later sold in a garage sale. If children are taught charity (the gift of sharing and giving to the less fortunate), they will soon learn how to easily give up toys they are not playing with.
As you declutter, you may encounter some items to which you have an emotional attachment. If you’re not willing to let go of these items, think about packing them up and putting them in storage.
On thing I learned from reruns of the “Home Made Simple” show on TLC (The Learning Channel , is to have either a “path” or a “home” for everything you own.
A home for your clothes would be a closet or drawer
A home for dishes, pots or pan may be in a cabinet, drawer or hanging off of a pot rack.
A home for books would be a bookcase or shelf
A home for a family heirloom may be a curio cabinet
A path for excess toys, clothes not being worn, or decorator items not being used may be…”to our favorite charity”
A path for broken or worn out items would be ….to the garbage
A path for seasonal clothes or sports equipment would to …..to storage
A path for important papers would be……to be filed.
I now use this technique when I go shopping. If I see something, and I think of buying it, I ask myself, “Do I have a home for it?” Often the answer is no. By using this technique, I’m not only saving money, but reducing excess clutter.
Some say, if you bring one new item into your home, you should remove two like items. Although this appears to be a great system to declutter a home, I haven’t tried it yet.
Photo Credit: ifindkarma’s photostream
Tags: decluttering, decorator items, emotional attachment, excess clutter, family heirloom, garage sale, half the battle, photo credit, pot rack, rerunMultiple Telephone Numbers – Easy Organization Tip
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Organizing
Business owners have dozens of telephone numbers to track. Many individuals do, too.
Keeping track of telephone numbers becomes a time consuming chore, and I have tried every organizational system imaginable.
Photo Credit: klynslis’ photos
I have used a Rolodex, business card holders, manually entered numbers into multiple cellular phones, (over and over before the SIM card came along), and entered numbers into all kinds of costly address/phone number type gadgets that were suppose to make life easier for me, and save me time.
I found myself spinning the Rolodex hunting for a number under the specified letter, with hopes it was filed correctly, flipping through pages of the business card holder, or spending time scrolling through dozens of names and numbers in phones or gadgets, until I got to the right one.
I said to myself, “there has to be an easier way”
And there is:
I opened my Excel spreadsheet program (any spreadsheet program will work)
Using three columns, I typed in three headers
Name
Office
Cell
I then typed in all of our clients names and corresponding telephone numbers – in no particular order.
I highlighted the three columns, and alphabetized the information.
I edited the spreadsheet to print the grid lines, set the font to my liking, set print area, and hit print.
All of my important telephone numbers fit onto two sheets of paper.
I placed the two sheets, back to back, into a plastic sheet protector.
I now have all of my important telephone numbers at my finger tips.
If I need to add a number, I go back to my saved telephone number file, insert a blank line, type in the new information, and reprint/resave.
So simple, so easy, and best of all, the least expensive method.
An added tip, print your telephone numbers on colored paper, making it stand out from the white paper that arrives on your desk.
You now have all of your telephone numbers alphabetized in an organized manner.
How easy is that?
For more ways to organize your office by color, read Organizing Your Office With Color
Tags: address phone number, business card holder, business card holders, excel spreadsheet, grid lines, important telephone numbers, least expensive method, photo credit, plastic sheet protector, sim card, spreadsheet programSimplify Your Life – Find Your Creativity
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Cleaning Tips, Organizing, Projects
The easiest way to simplify your life, is to get rid of clutter.
Clutter can be everywhere. In your closets, on your counter top, in your office, in the children’s rooms, in your garage, in you car…the list goes on.
Too much clutter can overwhelm you. It can make you tense and irritable. It can be embarrassing. And, clutter can also stifle your creativity.
I once heard a story of a women who wanted to simplify her life. She first got rid of her husband, then proceeded to get rid of most of the furniture in her home (he picked it out…she hated it), and then moved onto her closets and cabinets. Even though her home was nearly empty of “stuff” , she was happier than she had been in many years. She felt lighter, and her creativity, which had been dormant for many years, began to resurface.
Now, I’m not suggesting that simplifying your life, means getting rid of a spouse, but, getting rid of clutter can result in a feeling of “a ton of bricks being lifted”
But…where do you start?
It doesn’t matter what room you start in, just start.
If you are feeling too overwhelmed, start with a small area. …maybe a drawer, cabinet, or bathroom.
Remove all items from your selected area. Find another area where you can sort through these items. This can become a time consuming process, so allow sufficient time.
Take items you haven’t used, or don’t like, and get rid of them.
Create three boxes or bags. Label them as:
Trash
Donate
Keep
One thing that I do, since we have an annual neighborhood garage sale, is to create a fourth box, for “garage sale” stuff. I keep this box in the garage, and throughout the year, add stuff to it, when I am doing “mini” decluttering projects. Read my previous article How To Have A Successful Garage Sale, for great garage sale tips.
If you change your decorating scheme, and have a mixture of different motifs, throughout your home, this is a great time to pack away (if you still like them), items that aren’t matching your current decor.
For example, I love the Victorian era, but am currently not using that theme in any of my rooms, so I have packed away all of my Victorian decorations. I know I will revive that theme at a later date, so instead of getting rid of my fine Victorian pieces, I have them stored away.
Hint: When deciding whether to keep or get rid of makeup and/or lotions, remember, they do have a shelf life. Lotions can start smelling rancid, and mascara, only has a shelf life of 3 to 4 months. For a complete list of shelf life for beauty products, see this article at Real Simple.
Once you have removed all items from the area your are decluttering, proceed with cleaning that area. Scrub the counter tops, wipe out the cabinets, sweep the floor. Do whatever it takes to get that area clean.
After your area is clean, start putting things back, one by one. As an added bonus, when you begin to put things back, you may end up tossing or donating, even more.
Proceed to throw the trash in the garbage can. As soon as possible, take the “donate” box/bag to your favorite charity drop off. Get it out of your house.
Decluttering can be contagious. Just about the time you finish one area, you will be motivated to declutter even more.
Before you know it, your whole house will be decluttered.
As an added benefit, you will feel “lighter”.
Don’t be surprised if your creativity kicks in, too. 
How To Have A Successful Garage Sale
Having a garage sale is a great way to declutter, get more organized, plus make some extra cash. However, having a successful garage sale takes some planning.
While preparing for a garage sale, you’re house may feel like it’s being turned upside down. Plan for it.
1. Go through your house (closets, drawers, cabinets), garage, and/or storage unit, and collect all items you no longer have a use for. Make it a family event and encourage your children to get rid of some of their unused toys or games. Let them keep the money they earn by selling their “stuff”.
Store all items in a central location. Don’t try to sell “junk”, i.e. broken toys, empty margarine containers, empty glass jars, etc. – if nothing else, either put them in a “free” box, or throw them away.
2) If you’re planning on selling clothes, do not sell clothes with permanent stains, holes, or rips (either throw those clothing items away, or cut them up and use them for rags)
3) Pick a day, or weekend for your sale. Watch the forecast-due to the weather, you may have to delay your sale.
4) Plan how to display your items, i.e on tables, shelves, on drop clothes (or old sheets), on hangers, or in boxes. You may have to borrow, or rent folding tables.
5) Get your signs ready, and plan where to place them. Need a permit to have a garage sale? Do your homework. Get any needed permits ahead of time.
A few days before the sale
6) Advertise in the local newspaper. In your ad, target big ticket items, or if selling clothes, advertise sizes, or say “baby clothes”. Include your address and the day(s) and time for the sale. Do you need to include directions? If so, add those as well.
7) Price your items. Important: Price your items to sell. If you price your items too high, you’re going to be left with them.
I usually price in $.25 increments, may have a “dime” box of small stuff, and I always have a “free” box. Kids love to rummage through the free box and I allow them to choose one item each. It also keeps kids occupied while their parents are “shopping”.
At my last garage sale, I priced all clothes (adult), hard cover books, and bedding items at $1.50. (I also advertised that in my ad) Hint When pricing, ask yourself, “What would I pay for this, and feel like I got a deal?” Don’t get hung up on what you paid for it. Remember, you want to get rid of this “stuff”.
8.) Go to the bank and get cash for your sale…small bills and change ($100 worth should be more that sufficient), and set up a “cash box” or fanny pack. Do not put all of your cash in a cash box. Keep extra cash either in your pocket or in a safe place.
9) Start setting up for your sale, and be done pricing by the night before the sale starts. If you can set up inside your garage, set up early.
Group like items together, i.e. kitchen items, picture frames, books, etc. Decorating items look great when grouped by color. Keep breakable items on higher shelves or near the back of the table, so they don’t accidentally get broken.
If setting up inside your garage, cover all items that are not for sale by either using tarps or old sheets. Garage salers will often ask if you’re selling something they see in the back of your garage. Some people can be very rude, so be prepared. If using only half of your garage for your sale, block the back half by using tables, hanging a tarp, or whatever works for you.
Morning of the sale
10) Put up your signs. Having good signs, with the address and directional arrows, can drive more traffic to your sale. Avid garage salers will “chase signs”. Don’t scrimp on signs.
11) Be prepared for “early birds”. If you advertise that your sale will start at 8:00 a.m., it’s not uncommon to see people showing up at 7:30. You can decide how to handle the early birds. Either tell them you’re not open for business yet, or if you want, let the sale begin.
12) Try to have at least two people working the sale. One person can be the cashier and the other person can be helping customers, or moving inventory around as items sell. You can give each other a break, grab a bite to eat, etc… It’s also a safety issue.
13) If using a cash “box” Do not leave your cash box unattended. Many people have been ripped off by leaving their cash box unattended.
14) Be willing to negotiate on your prices. Don’t take a check, unless you know the person. Be willing to “Hold” items for someone, but, only for a very short period of time.
15) Keep small or expensive items, such as jewelry, close to the “cashier” table. It’s not uncommon to have unscrupulous people steal at a garage sale.
16) If you’re cash box is getting full, take some of the money out and put it in your pocket, or take it inside the house to a safe place
17) Keep your house locked. Don’t let people use your bathroom or go inside to try on clothes.
18) Near the end of your sale, be willing to drop, or start marking your prices down. Remember, you don’t want to be left with too much.
19) Take down all signs You don’t want people showing up at your door, uninvited, because you neglected to take down your signs.
20) When the sale is over, box up what’s left and take it to your local charity. Write down what you’re donating and use it as a tax write off.
21) Take some of your profits and treat yourself to a nice, relaxing dinner. You deserve it.
You’re done. What a great feeling to have that behind you. Your house is less cluttered, your garage has more room, you may be able to get rid of that storage unit ($$$$), and, you made some extra cash in the process.
What to really have fun with a garage sale? Organize a neighborhood sale. Make it an annual event.
Hint I’ve had garage sales many times. I usually have them for two days. Friday and Saturday. My most successful day has always been on Friday.
Tags: garage saleOrganizing Product Manuals & Instruction Booklets
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Organizing
Yesterday when I was working on my office filing, I ended up finding several manuals for things I had bought. Since I had used my Easy Office Filing System for my office paperwork, I decided to create a way to have access to my manuals and instruction booklets, as well.
What I did was use three ring binders and plastic sheet protectors. Into each sheet protector, I placed a manual, or instruction booklet. I then placed those into the three ring binder, and made a label for the spine of the three ring binder. I did the same thing for manuals and instruction booklets that apply to our business.
Now when I have the binders on the bookshelf, I know what’s in them, plus finding my manuals or instruction booklets, has just became a lot easier.
How simple is that?
Looking for three ring binders or sheet protectors? Check out Office Depot
Easy Office Filing System
I love the easy office filing system I use. Although fling is my least favorite job, I have created a method that almost makes it fun…if that’s possible.
Yesterday, I told myself, it was time to file again. I just couldn’t put off filing any longer. I cleared off the kitchen table, got out my handy dandy C-line sorter (for more information, see Product Review-C-Line Sorter) I had my stack of papers, and to my left I placed my shredder (see Gotta Have It-Cross Cut Shredder (to protect yourself from identity theft)). To my right I had my recycle basket (see My article about recycling paper), and my garbage can.
I turned on some lively music and began the tedious process of filing. Before I knew it, I had that mountain of papers filed alphabetically in the c-line sorter, ready to be put in the file cabinet. With the shredder available, I was able to reduce my amount of filing by about 25%, and the recycle basket ended up with a nice stack of paper I can reuse. Once I have printed on both sides, I will put those papers in the curb-side recycling bin.
I took the c-line sorter to my desk and proceeded to insert the paperwork into my colorful files (see Orgainzing Your Office With Color). What a sense of accomplishment.
Now, I’ll have anything I need, right at my fingertips. I like that!
An added bonus to my filing, I found a receipt I was looking for that I needed for a return. Remember, that’s “money in the bank”. For my view on that, see Save Those Receipts…... Sweet!
No tags for this post.Get Organized In Your Office With A Monitor Riser
Having my office organized makes it much easier for me to get my work done. I’m always looking for ways to have the things I use most often within reach, but don’t like having my desk cluttered.
Recently I got a monitor riser. It is like a “box” that you place under your monitor, and it has an open front. The front of it has a tray(s) (for paperwork) and some models have a drawer where you can keep small items. I use the drawer to store items I use all of the time, or don’t want to misplace. And, I use the tray to store forms I use frequently. That way, when the telephone rings, I have everything within my reach.
The monitor riser keeps my desk neat and organized, and puts my monitor at eye level. It’s a win-win situation.
Check out the Office Depot Supervalues. I found several monitor risers on their website that would work great.
No tags for this post.Get Motivated to Organize with TV Shows
Filed under: Archives, At Work, Cleaning Tips, Decorating, Organizing
Motivation to get organized can come from many sources. My favorite source of motivation is the television show, ” Clean Sweep” which airs on TLC (The Learning Channel). I love watching them go through two rooms of a home, purge, then have a garage sale. In the meantime the crew of “Clean Sweep” is busy painting, redecorating and reorganizing the rooms. I gain so much knowledge from this show, and get great tips, as well.
I recently found another show that helps with organizing and time management. It’s named “Home Made Simple” and also airs on TLC. They have quick and easy recipes, and lots of ideas to make life less stressful.
HGTV (Home & Garden TV) has a show named “Mission Organization”. They use a professional organizer to help the homeowners.
All of these shows are filled with great tips and ideas to make life a little easier. I usually watch “Clean Sweep” and “Home Made Simple” on Saturday mornings, while I’m doing housework. They get me motivated to want to do more.
Tags: garage saleTime Management – Find More Time In The Day
Time management seems to be an issue for a lot of people. I know it is for me. I’m always looking for ways to utilize my time better, and accomplish more in a day. My list seems never ending, and just when I think I’m getting close to the end of my list, I’m adding more to it.
So, the question is, how do we find more time in a day. We all know, a day is 24 hours-that never changes. I know I need 8 hours of sleep to feel rested and refreshed, so that leaves me with 16 hours. Sounds like a lot of time, doesn’t it? My biggest problem is, where do those 16 hours go? Some days they just seem to disappear. Poof! They’re gone, and I don’t know what I accomplished. If I were one who sat for hours and watched t.v., I would know where part of the time went, but I’m not a big t.v. watcher. I do watch t.v. to catch up on the news or to watch a favorite show,, so I have a small t.v. in the kitchen I can watch while I’m cooking or cleaning up after a meal.
My biggest discovery was that I wasn’t multitasking. Now I am. I recently bought a headset for my cordless telephone. Now, when I’m talking on the phone (provided the conversation doesn’t require my undivided attention) I can be on the computer, throw a load of laundry in the washer or dryer, dust, do my nails, walk on the treadmill, etc. I try not to do anything that’s too noisy, as that would be disruptive and disrespectful to the person I’m talking to.
When I know I’m going to at my desk for an extended period of time, or decide to go outside to do my gardening, before I start, I throw a load of laundry into the washer, throw dinner in the crockpot, or put the dishwasher going. Those chores are taking care of themselves, and I can concentrate on my work or gardening.
When I have a list of errands to run,, I take a little more time to plan my route. I try to plan it so that I’m not backtracking. With gas prices being so high, this way I also save a little on gas as well. Since I believe in making lists, I either create my list in the “order” of places I need to go, or just “number” my stops. If I have to run an errand for our business, I will also take care of a personal errand at the same time. If an errand isn’t a priority, I will often put it off for a day or two, and run errands when I have more than one place to stop.
I’ve found that by making just a few small adjustments in my daily schedule, by day’s end, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Plus I’m able to carve out time for myself, for a little bit of pampering. In this day and age where women are always taking care of others, I think it’s very important to make time to take care of ourselves, and to not feel guilty if we want to take a break away from it all.
Need to get organized? Find the tools you need at Lillian Vernon!
No tags for this post.Product Review – Fellowes Shredder
Filed under: Archives, At Home, At Work, Organizing, Product Reviews
The Fellowes Shredder is a life saver in my office. I receive so much junk mail. I recycle what I can, and use my Fellowes Shredder to shred the rest.
I also think one of the best defenses against identity theft is to invest in a cross cut shredder (end product looks like confetti). I’ve heard stories of people who used the “single cut” shredders (end product is strips of paper) , have their garbage stolen and the thieves pieced their paperwork back together to get their personal information- that’s pretty pathetic, but it happens.
Whether you have an office, or are just trying to organize your personal papers, you end up with a lot of paperwork. Some of this paperwork can be eliminated as soon you bring it home (you know, all of those credit card offers), some can me destroyed as soon as you pay the bill, but some paperwork must be kept for years. (Check with IRS and your State government for their requirements, if you’re in doubt on the time limits.)
When I bring the mail home, I have my trusty cross cut shredded right next to me. If I get credit card offers or other junk mail that has my name and address on it, I immediately put it into the shredder. As I open the mail, I divide it into three piles: business paperwork, that I have to enter into the computer, personal paperwork, and reading material. Most catalogs end up in the recycle bin. I try to recycle as much of the paperwork as possible. Between shredding and recycling, I get my mail down to only what’s important.
I use a Fellowes brand cross cut shredder which I’ve had for nearly two years, and am extremely pleased with it. It will shred up to eight sheets of paper at once, plus will shred credit cards.
UPDATE: Read my post Protecting Your Identity regarding depositing mail in the proper receptacle.
No tags for this post.Life Saving Tips
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