Join me at the Houston Galleria Microsoft Store for Get Organized with Microsoft Outlook!

Overwhelmed by email? Can’t find a contact when you need it? Not sure of meeting dates for work or family activities? We will be sharing tips and tricks to get all of this together in one place, easy to access and making communication easy!

Some tips, tricks and techniques we will be sharing:

• Setting up your view in Outlook
• Using Quicksteps to file easily
• Using categorizing and color coding to prioritize
• How to make the most of the Task Bar
• Setting up your calendar to be your most productive
• System  integration with your slate, phone, and laptop

Microsoft Galleria Store

May 19 at 2pm

Bring your laptop, slate or windows phone and play along with us.  Happy organizing!

Decluttering is all about making decisions.  These decisions can be hard! Here are a few ideas to help you make decisions that make sense, make letting go easier, and make a difference for you. 

• Donate it if it is “good”.  It is considered “good” if it can be used and still in working condition. 
• Freecyle if it is broken.  List it on freecycle.org and it will be picked up from your doorstep.
• Give it a moment, then give it away.  Look at it, touch it, and then put it to the side. In a moment you will be ready to give it away.
• Set a number.   How many do you think you need of any one object? Think of your own number as a guide.
• Compare two.   Establish a “tournament”, do you prefer this or that?
• Set a boundary.  Where does a specific item belong?  That is the boundary, the space where the item will be confined.  Let that guide you for how many and where to keep items.
• Gather items all together, see how many you have and need. Once you see items together, it is easier to decide what to keep. 

What is holding you back from making a decision?

Your mind is swirling with ideas. There are so many projects you would like to do, but they are all running together.  There are also lots of small but very important unrelated tasks, which never seem to be at the top of your list.

According to ADDitude Magazine, “personal productivity is not a matter of coming up with ideas for what to do. The problem lies with poor sense of time and inability to gauge how long it will take to complete a given task. Then there’s trouble with setting priorities, and tendency to get distracted and forget what we were trying to do.”

Here is a list of some ideas that can help you get more done in your week.

• A body double helps you get started and make decisions.   Ths is a person who is with you, virtually or in person, to just be in the moment with you.  The person is just there, not giving you advice or being an expert, just in the space with you.
• Be sure to list all your tasks in one place. This can be on paper or in technology.  The list starts with just a brain dump, getting everything out of your head.  This step makes the biggest difference in clarity! Then choose just 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) for you complete.  Prioritizing these 3 MITs can be difficult. However, any 3 completed are 3 less tasks to do.
• Set a timer to help you get started on your tasks.  Initiation can be a challenge, so just getting started may be the key to getting tasks done. 
• Give yourself ample time to complete a task. If you think it will take 10 minutes, give yourself 30 minutes. It may take up to 3 times longer for completion.  Give yourself some “warm up” time too.  This is about 10 minutes to get oriented, prioritize and get into the mindset of the work at hand.  
• Find someone to assist  you with verbal processing.  Verbal processing is talking the ideas that are swirling in your head.  By talking through the work, you become aware of what is most important and cull out the first action step.
• Know how important self care is and practice it. We all work much better with a good night’s sleep and good lean protein in our diet.  Be sure you are at your best to get your best work done.

What ways do you get started or get finished with your tasks?

I am often asked where to start organizing in a home or office. It just takes starting in a small spot. Here are 5 you can start in to feel successful and motivated.

• Car glove box! You can easily clean out receipts, old insurance papers and other odds and ends.
• Silverware drawer! It gets a little crazy sometimes getting utensils back in the right slot. Take a few minutes to sort and clean out.
• Sock drawer! There are just too many socks sometimes. Match up the socks, and toss the rest. Be brutal!
• Top drawer of your desk! We just slip papers in there, just too easily.  Spend a few minutes tossing what is old, unused or broken in there, decide what really belongs in this space, distribute the rest, and then you are more productive than ever.
• Email inbox and processed folder. You don’t have to keep all the emails in your inbox.  Add a subfolder called “processed,” “read,” or whatever you what to name it, for the emails you have read and want to keep.  Keeping your inbox just for incoming mail will be more effective and efficient.

What small stuff do you do to get organized?

It’s time to get moving on decluttering our homes and offices.  It’s been a busy winter and now it’s time to focus on spring renewal.   Doing the Spring Fling helps us by eliminating the unnecessary, deciding on what is most important and keeping only the best. 

Get motivated and focused first by having the end in sight.  Find ideas on www.houzz.com.  Tap into your inner organizer by defining 3 key words that will describe your newly organized spot, such as nurturing, simplified, inviting, or friendly.  Know what you want your organized space to be and to feel like. 

Gather your team to get going. At home your team can be a supportive friend, your children or your spouse.  At the office it can be your colleagues, assistant or boss.  It is more fun and energizing to work with partners.  Set specific dates and deadlines for your organizing.  Break the work into smaller units to work effectively and get this job done.

Find a cause that you are passionate about to donate your items. Make donating simple and get your donations out the door the same day you decided to part with them.

Not sure what to “fling?”

• Would you wear it today if it fit?
• You purchased a new one and it’s time to “fling” the old one.
• Your kids have outgrown it or don’t play with it.
• Extra home decor, linens, or framed prints
• It’s still good and it’s time to let others use it. 

Create functional, accessible and beautiful space using bins or boxes in colors you love, adding uniform shelving, and embracing simplicity.  My new favorite closet items are slimline hangers. Choose one color for your closet and donate your used hangers or return wire hangers to your dry cleaner.  This simple addition makes for a beautiful closet. 

 Add in great routines to keep your space maintained. Have a nightly family pick up or take just 5 minutes each evening to get items back to where they are stored.  Plan a general reorganization each spring and fall, just to keep your home and office efficient, orderly and attractive.

Email overload is taking over where paper overload was! The email tsunami and electronic technology overwhelm can paralyze you. 

• Synchronize all your technology using IMAP. With this system, you can add and delete information on one machine and all machines will be updated.  Not sure what to do, get a great technology person to assist.
• Be sure all your spam filters are up to date. Nothing is worse than having to delete, delete, delete.
• Be sure  you are backing up with Carbonite. It is not if but when your computer will crash.
• Be deliberate about your email, reading and list servs.  Process your email 3 times a day.  Have your reading come to a separate area with an RSS feed.  Stay on only the list servs that make a difference in your work.
• Have a file folder for processed email. It can be just one folder, just so you can slide completed email in there and out of your inbox.
• Color code your really important email.  Email from a boss, your most important client, or your family should stand out so that you can find it easily.
• Remember, the more email you send the more you receive. Pick up the phone when you are ready to finalize a date, a contract, or a meeting. It will save you time and energy.

What are your email and technology organizing tips?

There are certain times each year when our best organizing efforts get out of control. It is when there are just too many things to do at the same time.  It is when we are about to host a party, but there is clutter on the counter.  It is holiday time and instead of time to get your house in order, you need to purchase holiday gifts.  It is when we need to drive someone in our car, but the paper is everywhere in there and we need to stash it.  Is this preventable?  Maybe…..

Keeping your home, car or office in order and preventing the wheels coming off the wagon can happen!

• Spend 15 minutes every day getting things back to where they belong in  your home or office.
• Take 5 minutes every day to go through the mail. 
• Write preparation time in your calendar. Plan 2 weeks out from a party, with one week just to prepare your home and one week to prepare for the party.
• Start decluttering months before a move. 
• Just do it! If it takes under 3 minutes to get any job done, any stuff put away, or any note to write, just do it.
• Get help and delegate. If you can’t do it all, get a great helper to do what they can. 

Next time the wheels come off the wagon for you, look back and learn where it all started.

In our busy lives, information and paper come at us from all directions all the time! Where does all this come from? It comes in with the mail, from school or work, or in your purse! These items might require immediate action, might be dates and times to enter on our calendar, bills to pay, or addresses or service providers we may need later. The family command center is a space for information and paper that needs easy access and quick retrieval.

Our first decision is where best to create the space for this work zone. Where do you see these papers? In most homes, it is the kitchen since it is the hub of your home. However, if your home office is on the first floor and in a central part of your home, this is a great space to establish this area. You decide what works best for you.
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For papers begin by reviewing the current clutter. Start by deciding what to keep and what to toss. Be decisive! This ensures keeping only what you need. Continue by sorting your papers into the categories that work for you. Most people need these categories: to do, to pay, pending, and to file. Other categories include the names of each of your children and partner, weekly activities, other school and organizations’ papers.

Now that you have categories, decide what organizing product might assist you best in keeping these papers in order. Look around the space, measure the area for size, and think about your personal organizing style. Look for a desktop file suited to the décor of the space with hanging files to label with each category. You can also use wall pockets, one for each category, if you have h ave vertical space.  Be sure to choose a product you love and this will help you stay organized.
 

A family calendar is a vital tool in this area too!  Add a month at a glance calendar where everyone can record their activities.  Placing it where all the family can see it helps everyone stay on top of weekly plans. 

Establish family and personal routines for your family command center. Hold a family meeting once a week to update your calendar. Family members take turns as scribe to add information.  Designate an administrative time for you to work  on the command center. This routine usually takes just one hour a week, especially if you choose a time you are high energy to get the job done. Write your administrative time in your personal calendar to commit to the time and make yourself accountable to get the job done.

Creating a family command center makes the difference in keeping information accessible and easy to locate. Find the right space, the right categories, the right products and the right time to make this work for you. You benefit by having balance and peace of mind! Your family learns organizing systems and routines that will last a lifetime!

For some people, time management is a natural rhythm of the day. For some people, there is no awareness of time, time passing, arriving or leaving on time.  The greatest asset for time awareness is a clock! Placing clocks in various spots in your home or office can make a difference.

• Analog clocks give you a better perspective of time passing.  The face of the clock, markings for each 5 minute period, and the “feel” of how long a task takes come together with an analog clock.
• Place analog clocks in many different places in your home and office.
• At a minimum, have a clock in your bathroom, in your kitchen and in your bedroom at home.  
• It seems redundant to have a clock by your computer, but often we loose time perspective during our work. Have a clock where you can see it without getting up from your chair.
• Set your clocks all at the same time.  Many people want to have 15 “extra” minutes as a measure to prevent tardiness.  If so, set all of your clocks with the extra minutes. 
• Setting alarms on your phone helps you if you relie on auditory cues.  Set the alarm 5 minutes early so you can be sure you are ready to go even after it goes off.

What places and spaces do you see clocks in your home?

I am often asked for “my” organizing ideas, including tips, tricks and tools.  Here are the top 12 for me! 

1.  Always shop with a list.

2. Know where an item will be located in your home, before you purchase it.

3.  Set up specific spots for specific items, such as only clothes in your master closet or only paper in your office.

4. Commit to tasks and responsibilities only after checking your calendar.

5. Anything that is really going to happen, has to be listed on a date on your calendar.

6. Go through your paper for 5 minutes every day. Spend one hour once a week paying bills and working on admin tasks.

7. Know what papers to keep, and how long to keep them. Ask your accountant or lawyer for your personal dates and details.

8.  Always keep a list of tasks, not matter how small the task or how short the list. 

9. Use versatile organizing products in many different places, such as the back of the door shoe holder used in the craft room for crafts, toy room for matchbox cars, or back door for bug spray.

10.  Find organizing products that you love, that match the decor of the space they will be used, and that have ways to separate and categorize your items. 

11.  Any big project is best done in baby steps, one hour at a time. 

12.  Keep it simple sweetie! The simpler, the better!