Spring into Organizing

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spring organizing

 

 

It’s not been a long winter, but we are already hearing robins chirping, the sun rising earlier and the sensing feeling of change.  It’s also the time we feel ready to tackle organizing in our space.  It’s time to spring forward into organizing.

 

There’s a few important spaces that need attention.  These spaces require a fresh start with a new perspective.  Organizing your office space, laundry room, landing spot and linens help you get a fresh start for spring.

 

Office space

Your office may have become the dumping ground for anything and everything.

  • Get this space back to functioning with a mass purge of papers.  Check out what to keep and for how long and get down to shredding.  Now you know what to keep when papers come in. Keep filing simple with broad categories or just the box for the year.  Simple filing makes it easier to file and takes less time.
  • Reset this space by moving items back to where they belong.  Often offices have lots of bags and boxes that simply need to be redistributed.
  • Recycle your dead technology.  Check on Earth.911 to know where and how to recycle items.

 

Laundry room

Have an overload of clothes taken over your laundry room? Is it impossible to enter?  Get a fresh start in this space.

  • If your laundry room is really your closet, it’s time to move items back.
  • Set up a system with baskets, laundry sorter or other product that helps you start and finish one load at a time.
  • Less clothes make laundry easier. Eliminate clothes in your closet you are not feeling joy and make space for what makes you feel fabulous.  Organizing your closet is a gift to yourself!

 

Landing spot

Winters gone and so should your heavy coats!  It’s time to get the landing spot ready for spring.

  • Go through coats, sweaters and boots to see if these are ready to be donated and bless others.
  • Add a basket for flipflops and other summer shoes that gather in this area.
  • Add hooks for swim and other summer season bags.

 

Spring linens

Give yourself an extra gift with sorting through the linen closet.  Often we have many seasons of linens.

  • Are there stained and torn towels or sheets that can be donated?  How many sheet sets or comforters do you need?  These are sold as rags at thrift stores and used for animal shelters.
  • Is your linen closet in disarray? Just a little decluttering and straightening can help.
  • Need a fresh perk in your bedroom?  Purchase new linens and let go of your existing linens.

 

Choose one of these a week to spring into your organizing this year!

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Six Simple Solutions to keep you Sane every Season!

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simple organizing solutions

Do things seem more complicated than ever? Rather than joy and anticipation, are you feeling overwhelmed at the thought of the new year and all it will bring? Start the year with simple organizing solutions to create order and balance in your life.

 

Your calendar

Have a great calendar you love! It can be paper or electronic, whichever is most compatible and engaging for you. It should be portable to travel with you and the format should be week or month at a glance. Rules for using your calendar include writing in everything regularly (from doctor appointments to work meetings) reviewing it daily. Add a weekly planning time for you to review what is coming up and adding items from your master list. This is the single most important tool you can have for time management.

 

Your list

Most people have too much to remember on a daily basis to remember it all without writing it down. Having a list keeps you in the moment, so that you can keep energy and focus on the project you are doing. Keep a spiral notebook or PDA with you at all times, so you can easily jot down notes and lists when the thought occurs. By consolidating all of this in one place you can review and prioritize actions and projects, combine activities and errands and be more productive each day.

 

Command center for your papers

Create a space for papers that require action. Your command center holds all the very important action papers, including bills and other papers requiring an action. Add a section for papers that will be 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.

A place for everything

Often clutter is the result of items needing a specific “home” or space. Designate that space by deciding where the item is used most often and determine to place it back each and every time. By designating a space, you are also setting a limit to the quantity of the item you can own. For example, all clothes must fit in the master bedroom closet or all laundry products fit on the shelves above the washer. Defining a place for everything helps you save money, ease the stress of looking for items and maintain the order you have created in your home.

simple organizing solutions

Keep it Simple Sweetie

By keeping our projects and routines simple, we can enjoy our lives more fully. Routines like laundry and dinner should be as easy to complete as possible. These are activities that enhance our lives by completion rather than complication. Think of simple ways to create routine for you and your family. Can each family member having their own laundry basket eliminate laundry in the family room? Can dinner be sandwiches and soup? The K.I.S.S. principle makes the difference in our homes and activities.

15 minutes of organizing every day

Every day have 15 minutes of organizing to maintain the systems you have set up. After our busy days, we come home tired from our work, but we still need to get a little organizing completed. What can you do in 15 minutes? Get things back to where they belong, get ready for the next day, get lunches made, get your list together, get paper sorted into your command center and get your sanity back! We all can do anything for 15 minutes, especially, if it adds peace of mind and quality to our lives.

 

 

Work on these simple solutions a little each day. Uncomplicated, easy, straightforward and effortless organizing solutions for every season will make this year your best!

 

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3 Easy to Use Small Business Tools

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business organizing tools

It’s the little things that can cause the biggest snarls in business. When you are a small business owner, it’s hard at times to keep all the balls in the air. You have to work with clients, invoice and bill clients, run small errands and manage multiple projects.  These 3 easy to use business tools simplify and organize your business tasks.

 

Hours Keeper

Struggling with invoicing clients? Here’s an easy to use app that can track hours, add in extra services and send your client an invoice. It takes away the pain of invoicing later that day or later that month. You can email your client and yourself a copy of the paid invoice too.  It’s a small way to jump start an important task.

 

Task Rabbit

What do you need help with?  Assembling your new product? Shopping or delivery? Task Rabbit is available in 19 cities to help you with small tasks at a reasonable price.  Task Rabbit is “smart way to get things done by connecting you with others in your neighborhood.”

Trello

Managing multiple projects is how we maximize our time as small business owners. Trello gives us a visual way to keep everything running smoothly.  This free software is available on all devices to help you use it at the office and on the go.  Trello consists of a board with a list of lists.  You can create cards as  your project progresses and move the cards as you accomplish tasks.  It’s great to use with a team too.

business apps and tools

There’s more tech and apps that can help, depending on your small business needs.  Start small with tech that caters to a specific need.

4 Rules for Organized Living

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organized living

My own personal mantra has always been “Keep it simple sweetie.”

No matter the situation or the conversation, my life works best when I keep it simple. What happens when it’s not simple? Stress from clutter, frustration from lack of time, or feelings of being overwhelmed are common when life is complicated. A focus on simplicity brings life into balance.

How do you keep it simple?

• Ruthlessly look for ways to cut down on clutter.

Set up a bag to drop in unused items to donate to our local philanthropies every week. Keep a shopping list of only what’s needed. When something new comes into your home, let go of something else. Simplify by letting go of MORE than you think you can.

• Prioritize you and your family’s commitments.

There are lots of “good” things we “should” do. Know what’s most important to you and your family and align your activities with these priorities. Keep up to date on your personal and family calendars to know what your commitments are.
• Know what papers to keep, what to shred and what to recycle. Set up a command center for papers that come in and triage paper daily. It’s a station in your home and office where paper is kept and categorized. Each day you go through paper and file, shred or recycle. Once a week have an administrative time to go through the remaining paper, pay bills, and do what’s needed.

• Host a weekly meeting for you and your family.

Building your team makes your efforts easier. Having everyone talk through upcoming activities and plans makes for good communication. Add time to your personal calendar for your own weekly planning as well where you consolidate information from papers, kids, email and more.
Have simple systems and routines in place to reinforce your new mantra. Your sense of efficiency, productivity and positivity will grow as a result too!

 

organized

5 Ways to Make Essential Routines More Fun

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5 ways to make essential routines fun

 

Routines are an essential part of an organized life. The more you do a routine, the easier it becomes.  For some of us, routines are tedious. It’s in adding some spark to the mundane, everyday routine that makes it much easier.  There are essential routines for all of us: getting stuff back to where it goes, getting ready for bed, and getting ready in the morning. Take a new perspective on these routines with these ways to make routines more fun.

 

Reset

If the idea of picking up each day and getting stuff back to where it goes is too dull, start by renaming this routine the RESET. A reset is where you get everything back to where it goes.  The best time to do this is every evening, right after dinner. Set a timer and you have enough time to RESET for 15 minutes and then you are ready for the next day. Ask your family to partner together to get everyone in on the reset.

 

Shutdown

You and your kids need to get ready for bed and everyone is tired of hearing all the details. It’s time to start the SHUTDOWN.  Explain to your family that when we say, SHUTDOWN, it’s time for you to brush your teeth, get in jammies and start your reading.  Keeping it super simple,  your family knows each step and you are all ready for bed on time.

 

Music playlist

Music touches our inner souls. What if you have a playlist for different routines in your home? Just like the Cleanup song for preschool, a pre-set playlist signals the time for everyone to start a morning routine.  Morning can be especially rough for some of us and a playlist eliminates the need for talking.

 

Track it

Use a tracking tool to remind your family about individual tasks that are part of their routines. Make routines a team effort with a tracking tool that rewards everyone for keeping the routines going. Use a visual tracking tool, like adding marble to a jar, for each day you keep the routine. When you reach your short-term goal, and then your longer-term goal, everyone shares in the fun of an ice cream or dance party.

 

App it

There is always an app for that! Apps make it easy to stay on top of routines with reminders and rewards.

 

The more fun a routine is, the more unforgettable. Even if you can’t keep your routine daily, you can always get restarted on a routine. Just start back up the next day, morning or evening.  Be positive about your routines and successes too.

 

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Hugs and Happy Organizing: Office Organizing

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home office organizing
Hugs and happy organizing are client success stories.  Here’s a story about a client’s office.
Home offices are cluttered!  These spaces are jammed paper, office supplies, books and more.  Why not add more vertical storage to create more order.
  • Each different category of paper needs a “slot.”  Create a slot with a basket labelled for each  type of paper.   These categories can include taxes, small business, utilities, instruction books and other papers.
  • Create more space by going up!  With these additional bookcases, there is a basket for each type of paper.
  • Keep your desk clear by having a slot for unprocessed, unopened or to be reviewed papers.
  • Keep papers in notebooks or magazine sorters so these can be orderly.
  • Editor’s note: Our work together was done virtually!

 

Check out more Hugs and Happy Organizing stories here.

My Organizing Obsession: Notebooks

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organizing with notebooks

There’s so many ways to love notebooks to help you organize. Notebooks consolidate information about a single project.  You can keep these on a shelf together, with pages inside neatly ordered.

 

Here are some of my favorites.

 

I love family notebooks.

Family binders help you keep up with information about your family such as family calendar and medical for each person.   Pages can include your schedule, goals, birthdates, activities, and important information like social security numbers.

I love holiday notebooks.

A holiday binder is where you find all the calendars, recipes and information about your family holiday events and activities.  This notebook includes a gift list, Christmas card list and budget for your holiday.

 

 I love bill pay or money notebooks.

Paying bills and keeping up with money can be a chore without a binder to consolidate all your information.  Keep a page for passwords, account numbers and payment dates.  As bills arrive, tuck these into the binder for safe keeping.

 

I love project notebooks.

It’s easy to keep all the information together when you are working in a project, as an officer of a club, or on a remodeling project.  A project notebook has dates and deadlines, names and contact information for team members, and drafts of the project as it progresses.  A club notebook has the membership roster, dates and deadlines for the club, your role as an officer, and club bylaws.  A remodeling notebook has your budget, contact information for vendors, and ideas for your project.

 

I love small business notebooks.

A notebook is the best place to consolidate your information on your small business. If you are starting as a soloentrepreneur, you have research about the business and training for running your business. You might have a chart to track your success.  Small businesses revolving around sales have printables for you to keep.  A small business notebook keeps this all together.

 

organizing with notebooks

 

 

Other ways to use a notebook:

A gratitude journal is a powerful way to record your positive connections each day.

Keep a daily journal to process and reflect on the day.

Keep up with ideas and information in your notebook. You can make a list of places to visit, wines to drink or books to read. It can hold your bucket list.

 

Check out more of my organizing obsessions on Pinterest Organizing Products I Love.

 

 

 

 

 

A Spa Treatment for your Bathroom

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bathroom organizing

Sometimes it is the little things that matter most! Getting your bathroom and vanity area organized can make a difference in getting out the door on time in the morning and starting the day with a bright outlook! Pamper yourself with these tips for organizing makeup and jewelry.  Organizing your bathroom makes it easier to get ready in the morning and get out of the house on time.

 

Makeup organizing

So many samples and products

We all have products we have purchased that are expensive but we decided not to use. Make a decision – toss, “gift” to a friend, or use the product. If you are still not able to decide due to the expense of the product, date the back of the box, and vow to decide in 6 months. As you are reviewing your products, check the expiration dates. Even if your product has not been opened, the expiration date of one year still applies.  Remember, cosmetics have a shelf life due to bacterial growth.

Samples and gift sizes can get out of hand! Keep one container in a guest bath for pampering your guests. Give extra products and samples to college students or teenagers you know. Store the remainder in plastic containers, labeled with the type of product, shampoo, conditioner, lotion or whatever. Also consider giving sample sizes to a women’s shelter or church mission trip.

 

Divide and conquer

Think of the cosmetics displays and counters in the department store. Categorize the different products by their use. Keep products together for your face, your eyes, your lips, and more. Use the back of your vanity space to store the extra products, using baskets or plastic bins for each of the different types of products. For additional vertical space, retail stores have a shelf addition that will double your space under your counters.

Access for every day

For everyday use, keep just one of each product handy for you to use. Keep them in a container that can be lifted easily from below inside your vanity or in the top center drawer for easy access. Purchase containers that keep each group of products together, with an area for mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow, another area for moisturizer, blush, and face powder, and another area for lip liner and lipstick.

 

Jewelry

Create a “home” for your jewels

Keep a small tray in the kitchen and on your bathroom vanity to be the “home” for your jewelry when you take off your watch, rings, and bracelets. This way you always know where to find these valuables! I always take my jewelry off as I reach home so as not to damage these doing chores and laundry. Diamonds are hard, but can still chip when hitting the center of the washing machine!

Queens jewels or not

Review your jewelry – are there broken pieces that need repair? Have you lost a stone? Is there a family heirloom that might be refashioned and worn? Keep these out for repair. Also, is it time to part with some of the costume jewelry that is outdated? Donations to worthy causes and mission trips are a wonderful way to share your blessings.

 

It’s all about access

With your remaining jewels, decide what is everyday jewelry and dress up! Separate these for access and storage. For dress up, store valuables in a locked cabinet if possible. Keep all of it together so you know where it all is, otherwise you can lose individual pieces if stored around your home in various spots. Purchase a small safe or locked file cabinet for a great storage space. Do not store jewelry in your master bedroom – this is the typical spot to check in a robbery. Depending on the quantity of dress up jewels you have, store in boxes from the jewelry store with a label on the outside, or purchase individual leather trays from Hold Everything or clear containers from the Container Store.

 

bathroom organizing

 

For everyday jewelry, store your items as if they were in a jewelry store. There are two ways to do this – store all the rings, bracelets, necklaces separately by category. Or store the items that make a “set” together – a matching ring, bracelet, earrings and necklace in one area. Inexpensive jewelry boxes are available at retail stores and The Container Store to view your jewelry for easy access. Choose what you love, either counter top or inside a drawer, to keep you organized!

 

You may decide to further your “Spa Treatment” in your bath and include your linen closet, medicine cabinet or other area. Please call me if I can be of assistance!

Organizing Your Money

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organize money

 

Money and finances mean many things to people. Depending on our background, we may have experienced scarcity or prosperity. We may view money as “to be spread around like manure” (thank you Hello Dolly!) or for only the most important of needs. Organizing your money means getting a big picture perspective, having tools set up and creating routines that work for you.  Getting organized about money is the first step for use, balance, and comfort.

The Power of One

As in all organizing, you want to be able to find what you have! Having just one checking account is the way to know how and where you are spending it! Having one credit card not only simplifies paying the bill during the month, it also makes you most aware of where your money is going. If you are a small business owner, you should also have one credit card and one checking account for your company. Simplifying our connection to money can make all the difference.

Write It Down

Writing down how and where you spend money is an enlightening experience! Just like those food logs that scare us into a lifestyle diet change, we can do the same for money. Keep a log of EACH item you purchase in a month. Not only will you realistically know what things cost to create a realistic budget, you will also know just how many times you are using money for “wants” rather than “needs”.

Ledgers can make the difference for us in keeping track of and being accountable about our funds. Use your check register all the time to record checks and debit card transactions as these occur. For bill paying, keep a ledger to record your payments to utilities, credit cards and other monthly expenses. This way you see what each bill is each month, compare the expenses of the bill each month, and be sure you paid it each month. Seeing it on paper makes money not only a currency traded, but an effective way to see what are we really about. You can also use Quicken to record the payments to see annually what your expenses are and to help balance your checking account each month.

 

Money and Taxes

Getting organized for tax time can be simpler.  Through out the year, donations and expenses are occurring related to taxes. Before tax season, you’ll start to receive tax related information from your job, your bank, etc. Keep all of these tax-related papers in a labeled file folder. This way, when you’re ready to do your taxes, you won’t have to search for the papers you need.

 

Money Routines

You hear it all the time: “pay yourself first!” Set up an automatic payment from you to your savings account. It is the most painless way to get ahead on your savings.

Having trouble paying your bills on time? Set up automated payments to get this done timely. You will still need to keep up to date on what is being paid and to whom, but the process can make a difference in getting the job done. Finish bill paying by filing all receipts into an easy access file or notebook.

 

Getting Organized with Your Money

Organization with your money is the first step to realizing your financial goals. Do you want to purchase a home, send your kids to college or retire early? Having a working knowledge of your finances makes these goals attainable. Be empowered by organizing your money with systems and routines that work for you. This all takes time, our most valuable resource, however organizing your money is well worth the investment.

Apps that help

  • Mint.com
  • EveryDollar.com
  • Your Bank app
  • MoneyMunk budget worksheet
  • OurGroceries app (save money at the grocery store with a list)
  • RedLaser (for price comparison)
  • CardStar (for loyalty cards)

What ways are you getting organized with your finances?

 

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Why can’t I do this myself?

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why cant I do this myself

 

It’s a sentence I hear from many clients.

 

Why can’t I do this myself?

 

What’s behind this question?

 

It takes a new way of thinking to accept help at times.

 

Recently I heard of a perspective shift from a client.  As a single entrepreneur woman, she had a lot on her plate. She also had her cats to think of.  In thinking about how she was trying to do it all herself, she reflected on some tv shows from her youth. There was the Courtship of Eddie’s Father with Mrs. Livingston, there was the show Hazel and there was the Brady Bunch with Alice. It was an aha moment as she realized she needed help!

 

It takes awareness to reach this new perspective and reach out for help.

It takes courage to accept help in your personal space. It’s about a trusting relationship.  It’s about knowing that there is no judgement in working with someone.

 

It’s acknowledging your need for help is not a lack of your skill or lack of determination.  The most commitment need help too.

 

It’s acknowledging that your brain works in a certain way. It’s knowing that having someone else in the space helps your brain work best, helps you process in a way that works best for you and helps get the job you started finished.

 

It’s in finding who is a good fit for your team.

 

There are lots of potential members of your team. It’s  your counselor, Stephen Minister, professional organizer and coach who create all the different successes.  Finding the fit of many different people who can help you is what’s important.

 

There are many answers to why can’t I do this myself.  There may be more than a single reason. Find what works for you and you can move forward with whatever task you are doing.

 

More ideas and resources for your team here.