Your Organized Home

Organizing While You Are There

  Opportunities exist each day to either clear away a small amount of clutter or maintain an existing space. Taking these small opportunities to organize a little at a time reduces the need to spend hours later “getting organized.” I call it organizing “While You Are There.”

The easiest way to see how this works is with files. No one likes to clean out an entire drawer full of files (myself included), but it doesn’t hurt much to clean out one or two. The next time you pull out a file, look through the entire file. Shred or discard any duplicate, outdated, or no longer relevant information. If you have more time, tackle a few of the surrounding files. This should only take five minutes or so.

The idea is to clear out items that are not used, liked, or needed as you naturally come in contact with them. Follow me through the office and house to see how this works:

• office desk drawers – What supplies do you regularly use? Discard or donate what you don’t. Store the rest in a separate box.

• book shelves – Do the titles on the shelf reflect your current interests and lifestyle? Donate a few books (especially those old college textbooks!).

• kitchen drawers and cabinets - Are you holding onto unused cooking and baking items or food? Donate what you can to your favorite charity.

• junk / utility drawer - Can any items be better used in another room or stored with other like items? Put them there.

• family / living room – Old magazines? Outgrown or broken toys or games? Recycle and donate. No one misses what isn’t used.

• linen closet – Mismatched or old towels? Keep the best. Toss, donate, or store a few as rags in the garage.

• bedroom – Items (like paperwork and kids’ toys) that are not conducive to sleep and relaxation should be returned to their proper homes.

• closet – There’s a reason you, your spouse, or your child hasn’t worn X, Y, or Z. Donate it to someone who will.

• bathroom – Do you really use all those toiletries?


Remember, the idea is to clear out unused or unneeded items while you are already there. Does this take a lot of extra time? No, the time is already there. You just haven’t noticed it yet.

You have a few minutes when you are:

o waiting (in the car, in a line, or for _______ to get ready)

o taking a break between tasks

o looking for something

o putting something away (especially a new item)

This week look around. Is there a small area or two that you could organize while you are there? Do you have a few extra moments to look through that drawer or cabinet? You’d be surprised what a difference small steps over time can make in your home and office.

Take some time this month to clear out a few spaces while you are there. You’ll be glad you did.

© Renee Ursem, 2010

Take the Junk out of Junk Mail!

Most of us are overwhelmed by the amount of mail we receive every day.  It’s credit card offers, catalogs, flyer's, magazines, bills, charities asking for donations, and much much more.  It is unbelievable, not just think of the amount of paper is wasted to produce all this junk!  So, think green and help to reduce the amount of mail you receive every day by following these two simple steps outlined below.

Just One New Habit

          Each year brings the possibility of change. Even though we can make changes at any point in the year, each January we start out the year with a list of good intentions.

Yet, months later, most of our well-laid plans for change have been set aside. We try to make too many big changes in a short amount of time. We get a good start, life interrupts, and we throw up our hands: “I give up! I just can’t __________!”

Instead of taking on a huge self-improvement program, develop just one of the following habits to become more organized:

• Deal with mail each day. Whether it’s email or snail mail, at least 50% of it is junk. Open the mail, toss the envelopes and inserts, and move the important information to the appropriate place. Don’t make a shredding pile; shred as you go. With email, delete things you know you won’t read. Better yet, opt out of subscriptions and mailing lists. Mail is a task if you take care of it daily. Don’t make it a project.

• At the end of the day, make sure your toys are put away. Don’t start the day with a mess. Your brain (whether consciously or unconsciously) slows down because clutter is overwhelming. It’s okay to make messes during the day (you should see my office!), but things need to be put away by the end of each day.

• Never leave a room empty-handed. Put things away throughout the day. When going to the kitchen for a (healthy!) snack, put that receipt in your office. On the way to the car, drop the used magazines in the recycling bin. Teach your kids to do this. It will make clean-up easier later.

• Don’t put empty milk cartons back in the refrigerator. Like the careless teenager, we come across things we no longer like, need, or use, and we just put them back! This year designate a bag or box for donation. The next time you try on the pants that have never fit right, let them go. You won’t miss them. This principle also works in the kitchen (food and cooking items), office (pens, outdated supplies), and children’s rooms (toys, clothes, craft/sports items). When the bag is full, take it to your favorite charity.

• A few nice things are better than a whole house (or office) full of “just okay.” Quality is always better than quantity. Let go of the décor that doesn’t reflect who you are or the appliances you never use. Donate the books you don’t read (or the video tapes). Surround yourself only with items you truly like (or love) and use.

• Flat surfaces are not for storage. Yes, I know you think you need to leave it out to remember it, but does that really work? Usually people end up piling more things around the item, ignoring it. Leaving items out does not get tasks accomplished. Note the task in your planner, then put the item in a place that makes sense. Flat surfaces are areas for work, places to display a few special items, or simply places to rest your eyes. Stop piling things there.

So, are you ready to be more organized this year? Develop one of these habits for the next few weeks. Once it becomes a habit, add another. Remember, you are learning a new skill, so expect it to take some time. It will get easier. Celebrate your successes, and let me know how things are going. I’d love to cheer you on.

Get organized this year with one new habit. You’ll be glad you did.

© Renee Ursem, 2010

Home Filing So You (and Others) Can Find it Again

Yesterday I received a reader question in reference to my action fling Video: 

 "This is the first of SEVERAL videos, books, articles and blogs I have read that actually addressed how to house the ACTIVE files, and not just a storage/filing system. Thanks so much. I do however, have a question that arose after seeing the action You Tube video: I understand that your major client is usually a business; but I have four kids and I have never been able to effectively file their papers, incoming or outgoing, active versus archived in a way that is functional for anyone except myself. The main thrust of my system is a file system PER KID, and then to break that into their sport, school, extracurricular stuff. It works but as I said, its workings are known only to me - which as I recently discovered through a 2 week bout of mono, is very INefficient. Can you tell me if this PER KID approach is the best or should I do it per activity, per grade....I know you understand my dilemma. Thanks in advance. --Lori"  (Florida USA)

Resource Center: 36 Organizing Blogs for your Time, Office, Home and Life

I have a number of colleagues that write about all different areas of organizing.  Today, I thought I'd share some of them.  Scroll through the list and pick a couple to check out!

Your Business, Office and Time

http://www.productiveandorganized.net -- Read about how to make the most of your time, thoughts, information and space.  Learn to live your best life by making room for what is the most important in your life. by Stephanie Calahan

http://www.thepapertiger.com/blog/ -- Learn about how to get your life and office organized and be more productive as well as the benefits of using The Paper Tiger software for document management and filing system needs. by the Monticello Corporation and multiple Paper Tiger Productivity Experts

http://www.meggin.com/articles/ - Articles being productive in your office to being productive when you’re traveling and much more.  by Meggin McIntosh

http://www.ElizabethHagenInspires.com -- Read about getting organized, building great self-esteem and confidence. by Elizabeth Hagen

http://www.quietspacing.com/blog/ --QuietSpacing™ — The Faster, Easier, and Smarter Way to Increase Productivity by Paul Burton

http://www.yourlifeinorder.com/blog -- Are you a professional women?  Then stop here to learn how you can create your very own “healthy, wealthy, and organized” lifestyle – balance, organization and healthy living all rolled into one! by Robin Stephens

http://dalyorganizing.com/?page_id=121 -- 'Shortcuts to Simple.'  Read about making work and life easier and simpler, ie Simplicity, Time Management, Energy Management, Reducing stress by using organizing tools, and Focus on what is most important, etc. by Ellen Daly

http://www.WhoIsLaura.com -- Blog about Home-Based Business Success Tips, Organization and Time Management by Laura Aridgides, Ph.D.

http://www.simplicated.com/Blog/ -- Blog about organizing business and efficiency based on the people she meets and great books read. by Tracy Campbell

http://decidetobeorganized.com/ -- Offers tips and advice to the general public on how to be more organized, and to organizers and other entrepreneurs on how to take their businesses to the next level. by Lisa Montanaro

Your Life and Home

http://www.ellenhankes.com -- Do you struggle with chronic disorganization in your home and office?  Then this blog is for you.  by Ellen Hankes

http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog -- Organize with Sandy provides tips and tricks to organize your home and your life.  She also shares her life experiences managing and organizing a large family.

http://www.productiveandorganizedhome.com -- Organize every room in your home and every minute of your life.  by Calahan Solutions, Inc. and many selected industry bloggers.

http://www.greenappleorganising.com.au/blog -- Blog about organizing your time and home and being green. by Adele Blair

http://www.takecontrolorganizing.com/blog/ -- TCO blogs about organizing tips, suggestions, product reviews, inspiration, and anything else that may be going on that's worth talking about!! by Nikki Kinzer

http://www.Elaineshannon.com -- Organizing expert, Empress of Inspiration and Work at Home mom Elaine shannon helps you take charge and get rid of what’s holding you back. by Elaine Shannon

http://www.Kimberlyeagles.com -- Professional Organizer and Work at home mom Kimberly Eagles helps you to regain control of your space and time through Organizing tips, tricks and answering readers questions. by Kim Eagles

http://www.Organizingconnection.com/blog -- Connect with resources and information to help you get organized and join the weekly water cooler chat about what is happening in the organizing community and around the world. by Elaine Shannon and Kim Eagles

http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com/blog -- Concentrating on organizing for those that are the creative "right brain" type of person.  by Allison Carter

http://nancyorganizes.blogspot.com/ -- This blog is about local (Hawaii) opportunities for people to get organized (i.e. shredding days, etc.) and about tips on how to get organized yourself. by Nancy Nino

http://www.healingorganization.com/cleanblog/ -- Learn ways to incorporate "green" into your life and into your organizing. by Julie Seibert

http://lurleneanderson.wordpress.com/ -- Learn about creating space and harmony in your world. by Lurlene Anderson

http://carriethru.com/index.php/resources-and-articles/ -- You’ll find articles and videos about decluttering, time and task management, procrastination and getting things done. by Carrie Greene, ACC

http://www.ClearSimpleInspiration.com -- Tips, Ideas & Solutions for Living Your Best Life! by Heidi DeCoux

http://organizedinnovations.wordpress.com/ -- Read a tip of the week which is an effective, easy to implement organizing concept or product that people can implement right away.  Short, simple, to the point and easy to do now. by Stacey Anderson

http://www.examiner.com/x-21168-Baltimore-Organized-Families-Examiner  -- Organized Families helps busy moms and dads to be more organized and manage their homes more efficiently.  In addition to interviewing experts, Jacquie shares her organizational tips on decluttering, scheduling, time management, budgeting, simple living, meal planning, organization products and services, and much more. 

http://www.clutterstop.blogspot.com -- ADHD, hoarding, time management issues, how to get past overwhelm, and then I even write about fun stuff like seminars that I go to, or concerts, or trips I've taken, or even a dessert that I've found that is too delicious for words.  by Sheila G. McCurdy

http://openspacesfengshui.com/blog -- Blog about all things Feng Shui, from practical tips and advice, to quirky examples of Feng Shui good and bad, to an in-depth look at its principles and techniques. by Ann Bingley Gallops

http://lelahwithanh.blogspot.com -- Blog about organizing books, products, concepts and offer tips and tools. by Lelah Baker-Rabe

http://www.addspacetoyourlife.com/category/blog/ -- Blog about organizing tactics and strategies as well as wardrobe/ image tips. by Kathi Burns

http://www.gracebrooke.com/?page_id=840 -- Blog about efficiency, office organization, home organization, organizing products, and organizing children. by Grace Brooke

http://downshiftingpos.blogspot.com/ -- Blog about helpful tips, lists, ideas and reference material to help you get organized and simplify your life. by Margarita Ibbott

http://tinyurl.com/theorganizedwoman -- The Organized Woman Show is to offer tips and tools for creating the life you want. by Vicki Winterton

http://blog.harmoniouslifedesigns.com/ -- Organizing, De-Cluttering and Space Design for Home and Garden by Maureen Nuccitelli

Stages in Life and Life Changes

http://www.organizenh.com/wordpress -- Read about mid and later life transitions and how organizing supports you throughout. by Sue West

http://orderuporganizing.tumblr.com -- Posts are geared toward young professionals and consist of organizing tips, techniques, and topics mainly focused on the kitchen.  I also regularly feature individual young professionals and share their feelings on organizing and meal planning.  by Jill Marie Hively

Do you have a blog that you love?  Tell me about it!

To keep, or not to keep: that is the question!

Does this scenario ring any bells???
“Now, I am going to take time to file this stack of papers. Let’s see, this insurance policy is from spring of 2008, should I keep it or toss it? Hmmm….well, better to be on the safe side, I’ll keep it. What about this next paper? I don’t even know what it is, should I toss it? No, let’s just file it in my “Miscellaneous” folder. Oh gosh, how much is left? And, fifteen minutes has already gone by, this is taking way too long! I have to finish this another time. I will just put the pile on the top of the filing cabinet for now….Three weeks later the pile is still there and it has gotten quite a few new friends!!!”

AboutOne Wants to Hear from YOU - Chance to Win an iPod Touch!

I am quite honored to share that the founders of AboutOne contacted me earlier this year and asked me to sit on their advisory board.  After hearing Joanne Lang's extremely professional presentation and vision for an on-line tool that would help busy moms get and stay organized, I was hooked.  Of course I was honored to be on their board!

Up until this point, the AboutOne team has been diligently in the background planning and programming the awesome new tool.  They are now needing your input to ensure that they are spending their development dollars in the right place.  (One of the things I like about this company is that they really care about what YOU think!)

If you have a few minutes, I'd love it if you would go to www.AboutOne.com and take their market survey.  It won't take long and it will help the team tremendously. 

A little about AboutOne:

Coming early in 2010, AboutOne is designed to help busy moms get organized, ->> it is a highly secure, on-line service that helps you quickly enter, track and organize your information and your household information, share pieces with family members and give you the ability from any location, 24/7 to find what you need in seconds.  

 

In addition to helping moms (and yes, dads you will love it too!) the AboutOne team is all about "giving back" too.  Here are three ways that they contribute on a bigger scale:

• free access for our Heroes (army, navy, fire etc) program
• sponsoring children in need
• giving time at events to raise money for cancer.  

Please help the team ensure that the product meets YOUR needs by taking the survey at www.AboutOne.com- it takes less than 10 minutes and you can win an iPod Touch every month too.

Oh!  They will be participating in the Great Organizing Giveaway too!

To your success!

Guest Post: You Get What You Pay For…In File Tabs and Organizing Consultants

You Get What You Pay For…

In File Tabs and Organizing Consultants

by Barbara Hemphill, CPO®

Recently I was placing an order for plastic file tabs for hanging folders to use with a client who was installing Taming the Paper Tiger software. The premium brand cost $4.15 for 25 labels while the competition offered them for exactly half the price.  Seemed like a “no brainer” – after all, how much difference can a file tab make?  (Besides, I was ordering several hundred, so we’re talking about a significant investment for something as simple and mundane as file folders!) 

Turns out, when I got to the job, it made a big difference! 

How Long Should You Keep Papers In Your Home - Ideas for 76 Kinds of Residential Paperwork

Do you struggle to figure out what papers you should keep and what papers you can let go of every month?  Then you are not alone!  A few years ago, I talked with a number of accountants and lawyers thinking I would get the same answers and learned that there is no 100% answer for how long you should keep a document!  It really depends on how conservative you are.

So, I talked to a few more accountants and lawyers and created this document for my clients and now you.  The special report covers 76 different types of typical residential/personal/home related papers.

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Comment and Share!

I'd love it if you would tell me what you think of this document and then share this page with friends and family so that they can get their own copy.

To your success!

P.S.  I can't stand spam! We will never share your information with a 3rd party - period.

Use Color to Help Organize Your Family

Organizing with color is a fun way to organize a family.  It can help you quickly identify where an item belongs or to whom an item belongs.  You may not realize it but you probably already use color to organize your home.   For example: your toothbrushes.  Does everyone in your house have a different color?  Of course they do, otherwise it would be confusing and could get a little gross.

An Easy Solution for Paper Clutter on Your Kitchen Counter

Paper.  We get a lot of paper in our homes and some of it we need to keep.  You don't see many homes without a pile of paper somewhere and usually the piles are on the kitchen counter.  An easy and quick solution to get rid of the piles of paper is to have an open file box.

Sure Fire Ways to Keep Kids Occupied While You Are Doing Other Things

There are just days where as a parent, we have things we need to get done and our kids don't follow along with our plan.  On my other blog, I posted some tips and tricks that can help you.  Check out the links and comment with your ideas!

Sure Fire Ways to Find Work-Life Balance When Working From Home with Kids - Part 1

Sure Fire Ways to Find Work-Life Balance When Working From Home with Kids - Part 2

To your success!
     

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Cool Do-It-Yourself Projects with IKEA Hacks

Are you a closet DIYer?  Do you like to make things for your home or office?  If you are like me, you may like to "hack" things more than make them from scratch. 

What is a hack? A "hack" is when you take something and make it into something else. 

What is IKEA? The store IKEA is a world-wide company that offers a "wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them."  Their designs are very utilitarian most of the time, but high quality in workmanship.

So, an IKEA Hack takes IKEA products and modifies them for form, function or design to work for what the user needs in their space.  If this is of interest to you, check out the blog IKEA Hacker.  IKEA Hacker shows you how to transform IKEA stuff and takes hacks from all across the globe to feature.  Check out the link below for great ideas.

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/search/label/storage

Thanks!! to @lisamurphyTO, @chrissychrzan and @tinkugallery for sharing this site!

Organize Home Office Space In Six Super Easy Steps

It can take a lot to keep your home office in a productive state.  I have personal experience with this!  Sometimes family members want to make the space their own.  Sometimes, it is easy to put off taking care of things because of other pressing issues. What ever your challenge, today I'm sharing an article by a colleague that will help you get on your way to a home office more organized.

In her article, Organize Home Office Space Six Super Easy Steps to a Productive and Organized Home Office, Samantha Buck shares a common sense approach to how to handle your stuff.  Enjoy! http://searchwarp.com/swa395040.htm

Organize your drawers in the office and kitchen

What does your kitchen "junk drawer" look like?  What about your office desk?  Rubbermaid has a great blog that talks about how to organize different spaces in your home and office.  Recently, there was a post on using a silverware sorter to organize things other than silverware.

That reminded me of a personal project I had done a while back. . .

Could you find what you wanted in the drawer to the right? 

I couldn't either!  So here is what I did about it.

Going GREEN - Reducing Paper Piles

Just about every client we talk with says that paper is one of their biggest challenges.  Is it one of yours?

One way you can eliminate paper from your home office (or kitchen counter, entry hall table, etc.) is to

Organizing WGCY Radio Recording

Last March I had the pleasure of spending some time with Jim Killian, News Director for WGCY radio.  He was fabulous.  It was really easy to talk with him and he made me feel at ease. (Thanks Jim!)  To make things even better, Jim provided the recording of our conversation for me to share.

Books on Office Organization

Keep reading for great books on organizing your office. Have you read any of them? If you have please comment in the comment section of this posting and let us know what you think! Have another book that we have not mentioned that you love? Let us know that too!

Junk-Mail -- Banish It for Good with GreenDimes!

The e-mail started "Have you heard about GreenDimes?!  Well, no, I hadn't.  However, since the e-mail came from a very trusted and respected source (one of my favorite professors from my college days -- way too long ago) I figured I better take note.  I'm glad that I did and so will you!

Home Office Organization and Design Resources

Do you work from home?  Would you like to know how to set up your office so that it functions better for you?  Did you know that there are now more home-based businesses than there are "store front" small businesses?  Keep reading for some resources and tips on setting up your office.

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.