Productive & Organized Home

Unusual Tools for Organizing Hobbies

I've talked before about using what you have to help you organize, but today I have a fun situation for you.  A few years ago, I had a client with an amazing collection of Barbie dolls.  She had an entire room dedicated to them.  It was truly interesting to see how much the female icon of a toy has changed over the years.  You could literally see time pass as you looked at each one.  Well, with that many dolls she had boxes and boxes of them that she could not apreciate them very much because she could not easily see them.  All of the floor in the room was covered with barbies.  Some in original boxes (collectors) and some not (the ones to play with.)  We went vertical.

Do you take your medicines when you should?

I have talked before about how various medical conditions can make it difficult for you to focus and organize.  Often, even if you are being treated for your condition, you could have problems.  Why is that?  It could be caused by not taking your medication or by taking it at the wrong time.  Some medicines are more sensitive than others. 

Do you have a lot of medications to take?  Do you remember to take them when you are supposed to? 

For many, remembering what meds to take at what time is very difficult.  The more medicine you have to take the more difficult it can become.  Here are some things you can do to help:

Organizing the Stuff Your Auto

We have a lot of things that we both keep in our cars as well as tote to other places in our autos.  Keep reading to find ways to "stow your stuff!"

Managing Your Mail

According to NAPO, 80% of papers that are filed are never referenced again. Rent for the floor space, the file cabinets, and filing supplies all cost money.  The following tips will assist you in managing the piles that build up in your home or office.

Many times when I speak to groups or go into offices I hear from people that say that they just wish they would not have so many piles.  Barbara Hemphill - author of "Taming the Paper Tiger" would tell you that "Today's Mail is Tomorrow's Pile!"  I could not agree more.  There are some simple things that you can do to help.

Throughout my blogs I'll mention different techniques.  Not every technique will work for every person.  It is about what you WILL do, not what you think you should do, so pick ones that makes sense to you, practice them until they are habit and then pick another.

Consider Donations in Your Tax Planning

If you have gone through a great decluttering effort and have donated items to your favorite organization, you may want to consider documenting it on your taxes for a deduction.  You might be surprised about the type of deduction you can actually get!  I have been doing this for years and it has been very beneficial for us.

Now, it used to be that figuring that kind of thing out took a lot of time.  I used to create an Excel spreadsheet and then go to the IRS tables to determine what each item was worth.  That just took way to long!  Then, back in 2005 Intuit came out with a product that did it all for me!  That first year, I did the estimation my way and used the software, just to compare.  I was shocked!  The software took me significantly less time and gave me a BIGGER deduction. 

Well, Intuit has now integrated that software into TurboTax.  Here is how it works (just focusing on the donation stuff):

Save Time!! Grocery Shopping Can be a Breeze!

I have a confession to make.  I cannot stand to go grocery shopping!  I never have liked it.  It is not logical, but it is true.  So, I have found a way around it!  Want to get out of your grocery shopping too?  Read on to learn about how I saved hours every week!