Going Vertical!

If you have run out of space for storage, think about going vertical. A hanging rack in the kitchen to hang pots and pans; shelves above a desk in the office; shelves above the toilet in the bathroom.

Remember to measure, measure and measure when buying containers!

Be like NIKE–Just Do It!

One of the biggest obstacles people face in getting organized is actually getting started!

Some people fear that there is only one way to get organized. While there are certain methods that make sense (like getting organized before buying you containers), different strokes work for different folks. The first step for someone in organizing a closet might be to jump start the process by getting rid of everything they haven’t worn in the last year or so. Someone else might need to sort their clothes first. If one way doesn’t work for you, then you can try another (or hire a professional to help!)

Some people are overwhelmed at starting what seems like an insurmountable task. Take baby steps. Vow to do 15 minutes a day clearing out one area. You can chunk that HUGE project into little tasks you can accomplish daily.

Other people worry that the end result won’t be right or perfect. It is okay to have to tweak systems. That happened with me recently. I received a free coupon organizer and thought, “Great. I can keep this in my car along with my reusable bags.” After a few weeks this system drove me nuts! I didn’t want to take the time to sort coupons and place them in the organizer. I now clip my coupons and keep them in a magnetic clip on the fridge. Before I go to the store I weed through and see what I need.

Finally, cut yourself some slack! Those glossy pics in the magazine are staged! Being organized is not about perfection. Be realistic about how organized you can be and live with that.

Be like NIKE and JUST DO IT!

Happy Monday!

The Cost of being Disorganized

Can you locate your home, auto and health policies in case someone calls to compare rates?

Do you have pen and paper ready for when a potential client calls or are you fumbling around asking them to hold?

When you walk into your home or office do you feel overwhelmed, anxious or drained?

Some interesting stats:

• The average American has between $2,500 and $5,000 worth of perfectly usable stuff they aren’t using while carrying $10,000 in credit card debt
• Over 85% of couples say they argue about clutter and disorganization
• The average person spends over an hour daily looking for things. This translates into two weeks every year! So, by age 50 you could have spent over a year of your life looking for things.
• Depression can cause clutter in your house and clutter in your house can cause depression. It can be a vicious cycle that is hard to escape.
• Being disorganized can cost you money. When we don’t have bills and financial papers organized, bills can get lost, causing us to accrue late fees. Replacing lots items, and buying duplicates of those we didn’t realize we already had, can also carry a cost that adds up quickly.

The next time you think you don’t have time to get organized you might want to reconsider!

Reusing: Buying Used to Get Organized

When getting organized you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of new gadgets. Many times you will be able to reuse what you already have.

I started my business full time a few months ago. Until then I really didn’t have a need for a “real” office chair. Until my back started hurting when I blogged from my rocking chair.

The wonderful photographer Elizabeth Galecke, also founder of the equally wonderful Chix in Business, told me about the state surplus store here in Raleigh. They sell chairs, desks, as well as other items you can bid on from a pepsi machine to tires. Here’s the link:

http://www.doa.state.nc.us/ssp/

Check your state to see if there is one near you! With cash strapped states it is a win win for you to buy used and for them to get some money!

Get creative! Instead of a clothes swap have a container swap with your friends and have fun getting organized! By making organizing fun you are more likely to stick to it and finish a project! Of course, you can always hire a professional organizer to help!

Have a great weekend and be green!

Recycled Containers

I try to be as green in my life as possible and have carried that into my business as well.

I encourage people to use what they have, rather than going out and buying more containers or gadgets. Most times we can make do with what people already have in the house.

One common mistake is that people rush out and buy a bunch of containers before getting organized and often what they buy doesn’t fit, isn’t right, etc.

When people are purging I also encourage them to recycle what they are able as well as donate gently used items.

Check out this site. They have some containers made from recycled products:

http://www.recycledproducts.com/?cid=4

It is possible to go green and get organized!

We had joy, we had fun, we had SEASONS in the sun

It is fall in most of the country (we are expected to get 89 today in Raleigh!). Take advantage of the change in seasons to de-clutter. Take all the clothes that you didn’t wear this spring and summer and donate them to charity. Your mind is fresh knowing what you didn’t wear so capitalize on it and allow someone who really needs it and/or loves it to appreciate it.

You will have more room in your closet, a tax write off and bring joy to someone. What else could be better?

Organizing and Maintenance

As I have often said as an organizer it is not about perfection, but about creating a peaceful environment and being able to find something in five minutes or less!

If you have an organizer come in and help you get organized and create systems for you it will fail if you do no maintenance. Yes, there are days when you can’t keep on top of everything but if you aren’t willing to take time to keep up then any system will fail.

Try to make this a fun time: play music, dance around as you put items in their home, talk on the phone while you file. The few minutes a day will save you time in the long run!

Social Networking: Don’t become like Charlie on the MTA

I just finished my daily morning routine which includes updating my status on facebook and linked in and scanning what others had to say; checking my personal and business emails; and skimming the news.

I actually have that penciled in my daily calendar. Why? It helps keep me from being sucked into the online world where I could “never return with my fate still unlearned” like Charlie on the Kingston Trio’s MTA song.

Not only can we lose track of time, but we can become less productive by constantly interrupting our work to respond.

I also schedule blocks throughout the day to check email and I do NOT have an icon that tells me when I receive a new email. I have spam filters on so I do not have to wade through a lot of junk. Finally, I ask people who take my business card to not automatically add me to their newsletters

I do check my blackberry at stop lights. After driving 10 years in Los Angeles I am not a fan of driving and traffic so I use the blackberry to distract me in a good way.

In an age where we are connected to everything and everyone it is hard to turn it all off. But we need to every now and then for not only productivity, but peace of mind!

80/20 Rule for Filing

This is a good rule to remember when organizing/cleaning out files. 80% of what you have filed you won’t use again.

About a year ago I reduced my files to about half. I did a mini purge this weekend and was able to weed out some more stuff as well. I found a great site that allowed me to throw out some of those thick manuals:

www.manualsonline.com/

It is worth it to take the time to weed through your files at least annually or every six months. I only need one filing cabinet and it is not full. When I need to find something I am able to do so quickly. I also am a fan of the file flag. As a small business owner, it is easy to see where I have removed a file and can replace quickly.

If you are having trouble or get bored easily, ask a friend to sit down and help you.

Fall 2009 Newsletter

Click on the icon to download my Fall 2009 quarterly newsletter. It’s one page with tips for organizing different areas of your life.

Happy and safe Labor Day!
Fall2009

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