Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Yet

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Accountability is being willing and obligated to a task.  It’ not always easy to feel or be accountable to others. It takes a trusting relationship and a perspective of learning from missteps.

 

There are many ways to accomplish a goal using accountability.

  • Working together as a team can help you get a task accomplished.  When you are accountable for your step of the project, you know you will follow through.  You have team ownership.
  • Just speaking out loud about a project, describing it and discussing it, can help you process your thoughts on a project.  You are more prepared to complete it because you have clarified your work.
  • It may be just to speak about a project out loud and it’s enough for you.

 

Check out all 31 Tips for Your Most Organized Year Ever.

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Do you have notes written on the back of envelopes, paper plates or whatever?

 

Are small piles of post it notes everywhere?

 

Feel like your to do’s are over the top?

 

Task lists, aka to do lists, are a great way to consolidate information. You may have tasks in your email, from meetings or monthly reports that need to be done.  Having it all consolidated on one task list makes it easy to keep track of all these details.  It’s a visual reminder and easier than trying to remember it all in your head.

 

Your task list could be as simple as a spiral notebook.  Be sure it’s easy to carry with you.

 

Your task list could be an app.  My clients love Evernote and Toodledoo.  My personal favorite is Notes, which looks like a small post it note on your smart phone.

 

Your task list could be a series of post it notes stuck on a wall.  You can peel them off as you finish each task.

 

Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with a task list.

 

Check out these apps and see what will work for you.

 

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

What is written in your planner?

 

 

Is your planner full to the brim or barely completed?

 

 

Did you know you can use your for more than just recording meetings?

 

 

Your planner is a great tool to help you process and plan.

  •  Use your planner to record deadlines for important projects.  Decide what parts of the project you want to accomplish by certain dates, breaking the project into smaller pieces. These mini-deadlines help you complete the project on time.
  • If your project requires input from colleagues, write in dates you will request information and get it back.  Give your colleagues and yourself ample time to complete the project.
  • Write in tasks you want to work on during a specific time on a certain date.
  • Record deadlines for requests from your boss.
  • Record expense account deadlines and write in time to complete the reports.

Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with using your planner to plan.

 

Not sure what planner is best for you?

 

Check out this free weekly printable too.

 

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Yet

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Take time each week to review the upcoming week.  Look through the existing appointments and add what has not been noted on your calendar.

 

With your list and calendar, consolidate what is a priority and when you will do it.

 

Weekly planning time gives your the opportunity for a week in review. It’s a time to take a bird’s eye view of what you have coming up and be sure you stay on track. It’s a way to be sure everything is accounted for in the week ahead.  Yes, your plan may change mid week. However with a weekly plan you know that priorities will be taken care of.

 

To be sure weekly planning time is accomplished set a consistent time to do this.  It could be Friday afternoon toward the end of the work day or Sunday afternoon at the start of the week.   Give yourself 30- 60 minutes to be sure you fully complete your planning.  Stay on track by writing your weekly planning time in your planner just like other meetings you are attending.  Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with your weekly planning time.

 

 

More ideas on time management here!

 

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

most organized year ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

 

No one should be left alone in the kitchen after dinner to clean up.

 

It’s not just Mom or Dad’s job to pick up the house.

 

Does it seem easier to do all the work around house rather than ask for help?

 

The first step for working as a family team is to coordinate your efforts.  Start by partnering up with your family, assigning two people to work together to get things done.  It can be during dinner time when two people cook and two people clean up.  It can be a mass effort when everyone picks up for 5 minutes after dinner to get the house straightened up.  Think about how quickly a task can be done when there are lots of people getting it done.

 

How do you get your family on board? Does your family know they are a team?  What does a team do to work together?  It’s all in the conversations you have with your family to share expectations.  When you are modeling how to work as a team is when it has the most impact.  Above all acknowledge and generously praise each person’s contribution in the team.  It definitely takes more effort to bring your team together, but it is worth the effort.   Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever by working as a family team.

 

 

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

Families have a lot going on! There are dates for school, dates for church and dates for volunteering.  It’s too much to keep in our heads.  How do we track all this information?

 

Your family calendar creates communication, coordination and cohesiveness.    It’s one place you see all the information together.  Your family works as a team to be sure you are arriving on time as well as prioritizing which activities you are attending.  It gives everyone a starting point to communicate about priorities.

 

Is it wise to keep two calendars, your own and your family calendar?  Coordination is required.  For the parents, it’s important to have all the dates in one place. For the kids, it’s important for them to track and see their own responsibilities.  This redundancy can help remind everyone about upcoming activities and be sure your schedule runs smoothly.  Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with your family calendar.

 

More ideas on family communication stations here!

 

Keep up with organizing and productivity trends with my newsletter.  Join here!

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Ever

 

 

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

So many papers! So many dates! So much to coordinate!

 

Your family meeting is the key to cooperation, communication and organization.  Each week host your meeting to share what’s coming up this week, gather information on what’s needed and coordinate schedules.  Everyone should bring their own planner to fill in.  There should be a family calendar to complete too. Display that in the kitchen where everyone sees it.  Your family calendar can be a google calendar printed out or a big month at a glance paper calendar.  It’s in seeing your monthly events that everyone stays on track.

 

There are three tricks to success for your meeting. Set your meeting at a time that is good for your family.  Keep it short so everyone stays on track.  End it with fun activity. That can include making ice cream sundaes, going on a bike ride, or watching a family movie.  Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with your family meeting.

 

Check out more family manager ideas here on Pinterest.

 

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

your most organized year ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Everyone in your family may have a different idea of how to do a job at home.  You think laundry is complete when all the clothes are put away. Your family thinks the laundry is done when everything is out of the dryer.  You think the kitchen cleanup is done when all the crumbs have been swept up. Your family thinks the kitchen is clean when all the dishes are removed to the sink.

 

Having standards for organizing helps everyone.  It keeps communication positive. It eliminates frustration.  Everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goals.

 

Not all chores require setting standards, but it’s easy to know which ones will.

 

Be sure to assign chores too.  When everyone knows their responsibilities and it is tracked on a chart, chores are more likely to be completed reliably.  Switch things up regularly so everyone can have a chance to do chores they hate and chores they hate less.

 

Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with family standards.

 

Check out more ideas for family managing on my pinterest board.

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Most Organized Year Ever

 

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

It’s hard to put away clothes when the drawers and closet are jammed full.

 

It’s hard to be organized when you have no extra space for craft supplies or games.

 

It’s hard to be organized when there is just too much stuff!

 

Help your kids be organized by setting aside two times a year to declutter.  These two times must coincide with your child’s birthday and the holidays (especially if these are both in December.)  When you work together on organizing, you are teaching a skill that needs practice.  You are creating a baseline and setting limits.  It’s getting a fresh start for organizing.   Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with your kids.

 

Check out all the tips for Your Most Organized Year Ever on pinterest.

 

Join my newsletter for monthly tips to keep you on track all year.

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

Do you have the same “conversation” with your kids about organizing their rooms each week?

 

A peek in your kids rooms shows clothes on the floor and trash everywhere?

 

Your kids may be overwhelmed and confused by your asking them to organize their room. They may not know where to start or what’s most important.  Organizing is a skill that requires prioritizing and decision making.  Just like in school or sports, organizing skills take practice and repetition for success.  Help your kids learn these skills by helping decide on what is a treasure.  Keep these items in a box, drawer or bin.  Acknowledging the treasures first puts organizing decision making in a new perspective.  By coaching your kids through their organizing you are connecting with them too. Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever by helping your kids distinguish trash and treasures.

 

Need ideas to organize your kids’ rooms?  Look here! 

 

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