Technology and You! Calendars, Addresses and More!

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It used to be we relied on paper and pencil.  Now there are many outstanding ways to stay on top of dates and details.  The best tool for this?  Here are some options!

Never forget a date again with google and the google calendar.   Input your info from your phone or from your computer.   Its with you all the time so you can consult your calendar and then make a plan.  Add dates right away while at the doctor or at school.  And you can keep track of all your family on this calendar.   Share your schedule with Dad, mom and kids.  Everyone can enter information so right away you know when your kids’ soccer games are, their test dates and more.  Enter birthdays, anniversaries and other special events and mark them as recurring events.  You will be alerted for these.  And this is all free!

Never lose track of someone’s address or phone number again.  Using Outlook makes keeping it all together so easy.  Upload information right away from email and add phone and address too!   I also suggest adding your own signature line to your email.  This is a way to share your contact information right away. (Here are some instructions for adding this.   http://email.about.com/od/outlooktips/qt/Create_Email_Signature_Outlook.htm)  If your phone synchronizes with Outlook you are totally set!

I love having lists ready to go! So why reinvent them?  A great service ListPlanIt.com has lists for every possible need.  With over 500 lists to choose from,  you will have them at your fingertips.  Check it out and see what you think at www.listplanit.com . 

Have technology that works for you?  Share that tool here!

Embrace your inner minimalist at the office

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Are you drowning in paper at work? Is your space littered with too many empty mugs or hand cream?  Do you feel disconnected, unproductive and disorganized? Do you feel it reflects on you professionally ?  Embrace your inner minimalist! 

Create a vision of who you are and your professional performance with the décor in your space.  Define what clarity looks like in your environment. Think of colors that are a reflection of your style.  Keep minimal personal photos and knick knacks.   Think through the books, the art, and even the awards you have placed in your office.  In creating this vision you can make a list of adjectives you want to embody as you change this space. 

Many companies have an existing record retention policy stating how long to keep paper records.  But sometimes we can create rules for what you will keep and how long you will keep it if it is a rough draft, old budgets, or even a former employees previous paper.   If you do keep the paper, decide if a notebook or file is a better location for you to find the information.   How did this office client eliminate so much paper? By knowing what to keep and where to keep it! 

Take time to maintain your minimalist style.  Start and end the day with routines that reflect this.   Bring your one mug to and from work in your professional looking bag.  End the day with picking up the paper and replacing it in your project slots.   Once her office style and routines were defined, my client was able to share  that “clutter means I am too busy and moving too fast.”    Being definite about your style makes maintenance that much easier!

 What does this office say to you?

Conscious Donation and Goodwill Industries

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Many thanks to industy leader Lorie Marrerro as a cheerleader, educator and spokesperson for Goodwill.  Not only does Lorie challenge us to join her in a new movement of Conscious Donation, Lorie also shares with us information on what to donate.  My clients often ask me how to determine what to “bless others with”.  I encourage reuse of most items, except in the case of damaged or broken items. But even the smallest of items can be used by others.  

Lorie wants to “create a culture of Conscious Donation, and have people consider where they are making their donations of belongings as carefully as they would consider where they are making a financial donation.”  Going beyond an aweness, we want to be mindful of how our donations can make a huge difference locally.   For Goodwill, your donations create jobs.   Goodwill’s Job Connection Centers serve individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and are ready, willing and able to be productive citizens in meaningful, self-fulfilling jobs.

 In this post by Lorie, she shares what Goodwill takes.  These also apply to other donation resources. 

http://www.clutterdietblog.com/2010/07/donating-dos-and-donts.html

Another part of the Goodwill donation site is the donation calculator.  See what your donations do for people!

http://donate.goodwill.org/

So won’t you join us in conscious donation?  I am committed to it!

Last minute school organizing

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It’s the last weekend before school, your back packs are packed, complete with pencils and paper.  Your kids’ new school outfits are laid out and ready for the first day.  You have lunch bags set on the counter, ready to fill.    So what is left to prepare or organize for the new school year?   Being organized means you have that last minute fun before the new school year.    Have a last minute fling with a day trip to Galveston,  family fun night of games, or just an inexpensive jaunt to a local park.   

Are you not ready and not so organized?  Put in a couple of hours of organizing and jump into the fun!  Your kids will remember this last minute fun more than you will stress over being unorganized. And next year it will be a reminder of why get organized – so you can  have more fun! 

On your outing, talk about what is going to make this school year the best yet!  What will each of you do to be great team members for your family? What will be your goal and what does it take to get there? What routines will help everyone achieve their goals for the new year?   The best part of family fun is the communication that happens, the sharing laughter and the time spent together. 

Not even getting ready for school?  Have your last minute fling next weekend!  Kids and families will be in their new routines and it will be less crowded than Labor Day Weekend.

 We all want to stretch summer to the end!

Back to School Preparation Checklist

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Back to school check lists

 

You and your kids are counting down the days until school begins again.  Start the year off right with some easy steps to prepare for the first day.   A little preparation goes a long way throughout the school year.

 

Appointments

It is time to schedule all those back to school doctor, dental and eye glass appointments. It can take up to 2 weeks so call now for the best time.  Many athletic departments require physicals and it is important to have an updated immunization record. Be proactive and get these dates on your calendar.  Remember to get an extra copy for your files too!  Schedule other groom essentials like haircuts and more too.

 

Paper

Before the new year avalanche of paper starts, take the last year’s artwork and corral it.  Using a Fed Ex Box large box, save only the “precious” items to store in the top of a closet.  Label the box by year (1st grade or 2009-2010).  Now you are ready for this year’s art.

Set up your command center for action papers.  Your command center holds all the very important action papers, including bills, kids papers from school  and other papers requiring an action. Add sections for papers that will be pending and filed. Each day open your mail at this station, recycle junk mail, shred potential identity theft papers and bring catalogs and magazines to a reading spot. By creating a specific work station for these papers, you are ready to act on them with an hour of weekly administrative time.

 

Closets

Clean out your kids’ closets before you shop for back to school gear.  Only keep what is fitting or a little larger.  Keep some warm weather attire for the beginning days of school.  When it comes to creating a system for storing the clothes, have your kids partner with you to create what works. Kids can maintain their closets or drawers if they are in reach and they have a good routine for this.  Have a laundry basket in everyone’s room to collect dirty and redistribute clean clothes too.

 

Academics

The first few weeks of school are all about refreshing skills and concepts. Do your kids need a little routine for the last few weeks of summer? Skill building books and free online computer games are available for writing, math and problem solving.  Make it fun with stickers and rewards for accomplishing and completing pages.

 

Morning and Evening Routines

The hardest part of getting back to school is getting back to the morning routine.  Two weeks before school begins, start having earlier bedtimes and wake up calls.  You can inch back bedtime for half an hour earlier each week until the week before school starts you are setting the routines in motion.   Practice getting up with an alarm too.   Hold your family meeting to review what works best each morning and evening during the school year.    Set in motion an evening routine where backpacks are ready at the backdoor the night before, clothes are laid out and everyone feels ready for the next day.

Make this your best school year yet by chatting with your family about their expectations and more.  Go around the table and ask each person to talk about what they want to accomplish this year.    Ask how each family member can assist another, in partnering about tests, sharing responsibilities or other aspects.  Create a team in making each person’s academic goals come true!

Heading off to college

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college organizing

 

More than just getting your clothes together and buying your books, heading off to college is best done with great organization.  It takes some time, but it is well spent!

Start with a great list.  Think about the very small space you will be living in and sharing.   What is most essential for your comfort and success?  Everyone is different, but most agree that laptop, clothes, bedding, small refrigerator and a few other items are at the top of the list.  Keep this list handy so that you are not easily distracted to add more and more.   You will thrive in a decluttered environment and your space will be small.

Now that you know what you need, eliminate what you will not use.   We are blessed with an abundance of clothes, so let’s share these blessing with others.   Start with a serious sorting of what really needs to go!  You will clear space for the rest of the process this way.

Next gather your goodies together that are going with you.  View them all together so you can really see what you are taking.  Time to start gathering what you wil take in 66 quart tubs to travel safely to the new destination.  Be sure to carefully pack things that will leak or break.  Be sure to keep important papers like college registration documents and medical information in a special spot to keep close by.

Before you start unpacking, think through the space.   Think through all the activities you are doing in your room.   Note where the outlets and computer connections for technology are.  Where will you get ready in the morning?   Think through the game plan of where you will put on makeup, dry hair, do homework and entertain new friends.   Mark spots with post its where things will go.

NOW you are ready to shop!  Here are a few great products to help in small spaces.

It really depends on your space what you will need, but having command hooks to hang various items, using the back of your door for storage of all types, a desk top sorter for papers, drawer systems for your closet, in the room or under your bed, a way to contain your makeup and toiletries and a great laundry basket make a difference in keeping your college life in order.  These items are from the Container Store, but there are tons of selection at all your local retailers.    Think about your personal strengths of how you stay organized and choose products you love to help you!  Be sure to measure a space before you purchase items to be sure it will fit.

Having a great year at college is more than just learning academics, it is learning life skills too.  Organization is one of those life skills and make a difference now and later.

Organizing for the Mom Entrepreneur

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I  love learning what works for moms!  In using twitter, I met the most organized entrepreneur mom ever, Melissa Lierman, @timeoutmom.  She shared with me the most important technology tools she uses to keep her busy home organized. 

  • My blackberry allows me to go to more kids activities because I can take the office with me.
  • Online bill paying takes the stress out of finances. 
  • Have  a dimmer switch in your bathroom for  bath time relaxation.
  • Have a DVR so you  are not tied to regular television viewing.   We just record our shows and watch when we want.   We have 2 DVRs, one for the family and one for me!
  • We have a slew of timers.  We play beat the clock, set the timer for 15 minutes and do crazy fast RTO = Restore the Order to the house.
  • The computer makes great spreadsheets for chore charts, after school routines, and organize weekly & monthly projects.
  • My  favorite non-tech item is her end-all be-all giant family calendar – master calendar to organize everyone’s work and activities.

Thanks Melissa for these great ideas! 

About Melissa

 Melissa Lierman will be married to her wonderful husband John 14 years in November and is a busy mom of 3 great kids – smart and sharp 11 year old MacKenzie Peter, artistic and creative almost 9 year old Maria Stella, and powerhouse action-packed 2.5 year old Jonathan Roger. She believes that the keys to success for a busy household are: lots of love, lots of patience, and lots of organization, and great communication.

 Melissa runs 3 businesses as a work at home mom. She travels once a a month speaking all across the United States and Canada teaching and training how to use Social Media and Twitter for Business. She fills in her time between travel with her product business (all mom-made), her training and consulting business, and her work with authors.  She teaches how to do it smarter, better, faster, stronger and goes by the nickname The Bionic Wonder Woman ! 

 Website: http://www.timeoutmom.com (complete re-do in process this summer, re-launch in september)

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TimeOutMom

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/TimeOutMom

 

Website: http://www.ILoveAuthors.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ILoveAuthors

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/ILoveAuthors

An Organized Move

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Getting organized for a move makes all the difference.  It is so overwhelming to move that breaking it into baby steps  keeps you sane!

As soon as you know you are moving, start decluttering! There are so many items you will not want that getting them out and away right away saves you time and money in packing and moving. Pack only what you love and use. Leave behind the items that you know you will not use or need at the new home.   

Establish  a notebook for all the details.  Use a binder with slash pockets for receipts and other small slips or papers. Use it to track phone calls, hold samples of flooring and wallpaper, paint swatches and drapery goods, hold receipts, schedule appointments to turn on your lights, water, cable and other essentials.  Keep it with you at all times!

 Label everything.   Purchase a large (500) box of computer labels available for your computer printer.  Make labels for your boxes:

  • Kitchen
  • Living room
  • Family room
  • Master bedroom
  • Girl bedroom
  • Boy bedroom
  • Bathroom
  • Storage

Give each packer a sheet of labels. Place a label on all 4 corners of every box as it is packed.

Pack the essentials first.  Pack a  box containing the essentials of life: coffeemaker and children’s night time loveys, bed sheets and blankets and pillows, an alarm clock, toilet paper, shampoos and toiletries and more. Your Essentials Box should contain all those items you’ll need for the first day and night in your new home. With small children, think about including dishes, cereal and all the little stuff you need daily. 

Enlist all the help you can get.  Get friends or family to watch your children as you pack and unpack too!  Say “yes” to any and all offers of food, extra hands, and other assistance. 

Get plenty of wrapping paper and heavy-duty tape.   Use unprinted newsprint. For items you prefer to keep clean, you can purchase this packing paper from your mover. Kraft paper, tissue paper and shock-resistant corrugated paper make excellent wrapping materials and may be purchased at most major department stores, craft stores or your mover. 

 Pack on a room-by-room basis.  Start with the least used room.  Keep the contents of each room in separate boxes.

Before you begin unpacking randomly, sit down with your family. Discuss a plan, including where things will go, who is responsible for what, etc. It will help things run smoothly.  Keep a tool kit handy to reassemble the items. Arrange your furniture, and then unpack accessories and personal items.

Give yourself extra time.  Getting items into boxes and moving takes more time than you think. And of course something can go wrong too, so just add a few extra hours to each piece of the moving  job.

Following Through

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following through

 

 

Over the last few years, I have realized that we all struggle with finishing things up!  In learning more about this,  I read the book Following Through by Steve Levinson and Pete Greider.   Some really simple concepts emerged from this short read.   The book covers both new perspectives on why we fail to follow through and strategies for us to do so.

Even with the best of intentions, we fail to follow though.  Humans operate on a primitive survival  oriented guidance system.   Whatever squeaks the louded and most, of course gets the attention.   It often operates at cross purposes with intelligence based guidance.  The intelligence based guidance comes from our brains thinking through what we want and how to logically complete a task.  However, we can operate with a coordinated effort by both guidance systems if we make a plan to do so.   As the book states,  ” we don’t have a problem knowing what we want, just following through to do it.”

Two ideas were most valuable in following through on tasks. Personally and professionally, I tapped into both of these concepts.

Compelling reasons  are a critical aspect of follow through.   Make the reason for completioncritical to you and eliminate wiggle room for not completing a task.   Compelling reasons include highly motivating accountability.  Host an early meeting  in your office so you must get your desk in order to start the day.   Plan an anniversary party to clear the clutter in your family room.   Pay an incentive to an assistant to get your work bid out on time.  Each person has different ways and thoughts on what is truly compelling, from financial gain or loss to personal consequences.  Tapping into your personal ideas is what makes the big difference.

Strike while the iron is hot  makes use of our natural high energy to finish a task.  While you are sensing urgency to complete a task do so.  Use your intention to complete to help you finish up.  Levinson and Greider use the example of while you are grateful, write your thank you note right away.  They state “use your intention while your emotions are stirred.”  Acknowledging that inspiration can fade, use it to full advantage while you feel it.   Clear your clutter when you are most agitated and frustrated by it.  Look at your credit card bill and pay it right away.  When you hear a productivity tip you like, use it that day.   Take the action while highly motivated.

If you are struggling with completing tasks, this is the book for you!

Company’s coming! Get Organized!

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company's coming get organized

 

 

Organizing takes a new level when company is coming!  Flylady often talks about CHAOS – can’t have anyone over syndrome. But with a few tricks, organizing can make a difference for you and your guests. Company’s coming and it’s time to get organized!

 

Set a real date for real company and you will be propelled into action. 

Brain chemistry kicks in and you are focused, energized, and making decisions.  Clients who are determined to invite people over really make change happen!  It can be an anniversary party or a  surprise bday party; whenever it is something very special it makes a difference.

 

Break your responsibilities into baby steps.

Set a time table that works for you.  Set the date and work backwards, allowing more time than you think to get things done.  Create the guest list and make invitations 4 weeks in advance.  Invite guests 2 weeks in advance.  Make a list of what you are serving and your groceries to purchase a week in advance.  Start your food preparation 3 days in advance.   Clean the house 2 days ahead of the party. Set the table the day before and purchase flowers that day.  The day of the party turn on lights and music, set the food out, and enjoy yourself!

 

Cultivate team members to help you.

Look at the strengths of your team members, including your kids, to see who can do what. I recently worked with a family where one daughter was great at cleaning, one was great at decorating and one was great at clean up.  They each enjoyed their part of the party planning.   Sometimes a little healthy competition works too.  A husband and wife were working together on painting and putting up storage in a room. As they worked, each judged how far along they were, and both finished about the same time.   Partnering creates success!

When it comes to food, choose what you do best and delegate other responsibilities. With oodles of catering, choose the snacks to make and the snacks to purchase.  Or have a signature dish you make all the time as your “go to” recipe.   Ina Garten  and Sandra Lee, both from Food Network, talk about simple dinner fare.    Take a tip from these accomplished ladies.

 

Make people the focus, not perfection.

Often clients scurry about worrying about whether the windows are clean enough, the food divinely delish, or the music special.    It is all about your time with your guests more than anything else.    Take the time to really be in the moment of the party.     Just before the party begins, take a moment to survey your success.  It is that time in which you know how much you have accomplished.

 

Simplify your holiday with these ideas!

 

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