Pinterest: No more paper clutter

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no more paper clutter

 

 

 

Look out Good Housekeeping and Real Simple, there’s a new cowgirl in town. We all love our magazines where we pull out important articles, recipes to try and beautiful interiors to copy in our home.  With the new social network Pinterest, we can search online for all these and have easy access whenever we want to look for something new.  No need for magazines to enjoy this fun!  No more paper clutter!

Pinterest was started with the idea of sharing.  It is really a tool for women who love to see and experience.   With Pinterest, you create categories on “boards” that are shared with friends.

Pinterest eliminates your need for paper clutter by creating these boards.

  • Interiors, design and color, for renovation or new building
  • Recipes your friends love too, especially ones made from brownies, peanut butter cups and chocolate chip cookie dough
  • Teacher ideas for the classroom, for whatever grade or content area you teach
  • Personal style boards, including monogramming, favorite colors, and what were they thinking
  • Reuse/reduce/recycle ideas for items you have at home and love

Word of warning, that Pinterest can be addicting! You are jumping to lots of new websites, with lots to see. So set your timer for 15 minutes to be able to hop off.

So it may be time for you to start eliminating paper, using this new digital technology.  It can be loaded onto your ipad, tablet or slate to take it with you too!  You can search to star new boards with the easy search tool too!

If you want to get started on Pinterest, please email me to send you an invitation. Pinterest is by invitation, but it is for everyone.  View my boards at www.pinterest.com/EllenDelap.

Tackle A Tiny Area: Laundry Room

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Small steps lead to big accomplishments! Tackling a tiny area can make a difference in your home or office. This summer we are taking a tour of these projects and creating a plan for you. This project is the laundry room.

Laundry is an important process in our homes and for ourselves and our family. Having a well stocked, efficient space makes it easy to get this job done. 

Set your timer for one hour.  Eliminate trash first, then recycle plastic containers.  Pull out the items that are unused and donate these.  With the items that remain, group these together by categories, such as lightbulbs, cleaning, glue and tape,  pets, and laundry.  Decide if items truly belong in the garage and distribute these at the end of your hour.

Even a laundry room can be a place of beauty! Uniform, attractive containers make the difference.  Label the containers to help you and your family maintain order. Think about painting the walls a color you love too!

Laundry stuck in this room forever? Invite your family to the “laundry party” and purchase one laundry basket per person.  This way you can distribute laundry to each person’s room effortlessly, with each person putting away their own laundry.  If laundry is leaving and not getting put away in  your kid’s room, have them watch a movie, fold and put on hangers, and then set a timer for 5 minutes to put it away.  Give your family a deadline and a date to get this done every week. 

What ways are you tackling your laundry area?

Summer Routines start NOW!

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summer routines

 

 

 

Here is it, the first week of summer vacation.  Its time to start a new routine for you and your family, transitioning to ways your family can make the most of summer.  Summer routines start now!

  • Have a family meeting where you talk about what summer means to each family member.  Talk about how you can be a team this summer and about each person’s growth.  It can be working together on a family project or fun activities. For individuals, it can be becoming a better reader, building more confidence with math (for parents this is balancing your checkbook), taking on a new challenging sport (I see moms who are becoming triathaletes), or just deciding you are going to have more family time together.
  • Write up a checklist for your kids to accomplish each day, including chores and their chosen challenge.  Decide on a completion time for the checklist, so without controversy and conversation it is done.
  • Establish a bedtime for parents and kids this summer, including curfews for older kids.

Starting your summer routine also requires commitment. If these routines do not go as planned, press the “reset button” and start again the next day.

What routines are you starting this summer?

Join me for summer fun!

Tackle a Tiny Area: Linen Closet

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Small steps lead to big accomplishments!  Tackling a tiny area can make a difference in your home or office.  This summer we are taking a tour of these projects and creating a plan for you.  This project is the linen closet. 

It starts out as just a small mistep.  You are in a hurry and drop your towel on the floor. Then company is coming and you swoosh it into the linen closet.  Then you don’t know what to do with something in your room, so you open the linen closet and drop in something totally random.  And then you are so overwhelmed each time you open the door, how you could ever get organized?

How do you tackle this tiny area? Set your timer for one hour! Have 2 garbage bags ready, one to drop in what is to be donated and one that is for trash.  Start at the top shelf, taking each item out and deciding what to do with it. If you are keeping it, establish categories like first aid, medications, body wash, make up, travel, and any others. Any items that need to be distributed to the rest of your home, start a group by the door just for distribution.

Once you have decided what to keep, decide what will keep these categories together.  Is it a functional clear plastic shoe box or a pretty wicker tote? Now you know how many to buy, so measure your space.  You can order online at Amazon or make a quick trip to a local store to purchase these items.  Remember you will be labeling this container to maintain order too. 

Tackling this tiny area has big rewards! Now you now what you have, you can easily find it rather than purchase duplicates, and your success will push you forward in the next area you tackle!

Let me know how your baby steps in organizing is coming along!

Favorite Products for Organizing Papers

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My favorite organizing products are often the most simple ones to get your paper organized.

I love creating a Command tCenter with a desktop organizer.  This clear lucite organizer works well in a small space for your papers. You can choose whatever colored hanging files to insert and use your label maker to create labels, such as Action, Pay, File, Receipts, and other categories of paper that you use frequently.

If you are very, very visual, here is a product that can help you categorize your papers and keep these where you see them all the time. And when company is coming over, you can close up your work and keep it confidential.  Again, use a label maker to categorize your slots. Otherwise, it will all be miscellaneous!

Loving the product you use for organizing your papers makes all the difference!

Get organized for your vacation

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get organized for your vacation

 

Summer’s here! And we are ready to get on the road or to the airport.  Getting out of town and getting ready to travel can be very overwhelming.  Here are a few tips to get started, get going and get organized.

  • Start early. Flights are cheaper 21 days in advance.  Hotel availability is better with advance notice.  Pull out your calendars and make a plan to know what dates will work best for your family to go on vacation.  Be sure to steer clear of beginnings and endings of big projects, as well as clear your calendar for a day after you return too.  Your transition back to reality will be much happier.
  • Get packing in this sequence: complete laundry, make list of attire, lay out clothes to view, then pack in suitcase.  In order to be ready, complete laundry well in advance so you can pack well in advance.
  • Create checklists.  A packing list ensures nothing is left behind.  A vacation checklist ensures that your mail will be picked up, your pets cared for, and all the other details of home management while away. This is a substancial checklist provided by TravelSmith.  http://www.travelsmith.com/TravelSmith/US/TravelCenter/guide-packing-checklist/landing-path?SourceCode=GCRSS003&cm_mmc=SEM%20NonBrand-_-Packing%20List-_-Google-_-keyword=travel+packing+checklist
  • Pre-load your digital fun.  Upload to your kindle, itouch, and other digital devices a week in advance.
  •  Think about using the app TripIt on your smartphone. You can consolidate information in a paperless way. You can store your paper documents in a special travel binder, adding items as you make reservations and plans.
  • Get ready with coupons online from fun venues at your destination.  Print or add to your smartphone to access these.
  • Smartphone apps can help too.  Gowalla gives you ideas at your destination.  GasBuddy gives you locations for cheaper gas on your trip. Weatherbug gives you up to date weather forecasts.
  • Pack the essentials in your carry on. Snacks, kid friendly fun, hand sanitizer, and your digital chargers are a must for getting there.

What are your ways to get organized for a vacation?

Get Organized with Microsoft Outlook: More Instructions

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Thanks to Microsoft for additional information on how to set up your Outlook!

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/basic-tasks-in-outlook-2010-HA101829999.aspx

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/create-tasks-and-to-do-items-HA010354415.aspx

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/view-your-tasks-HA001229377.aspx

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/onenote-help/basic-tasks-in-onenote-2010-HA101829998.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/productivity/streamline.aspx

How has your new view of Outlook helped you with productivity?

Get Organized with Microsoft Outlook

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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!

Decisions and decluttering

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decisions and decluttering

 

 

Decluttering is all about making decisions.  What to keep or release? What category is this item in?  Where do I store it to know I have it?  How many should I keep? These decisions can be hard!

 

Why is decision making so difficult? Maybe you need the affirmation that you are making the “right” decision.  Maybe you need ideas and could choose one to be the final decision. Maybe you need the energy and focus to think clearly about a decision? Maybe you have never had practice making decisions.  Maybe you are too overwhelmed to know what decisions need to be made.  Research shows that not only cognitive ability plays into decision making, but also emotions.  All of these aspects come into play when decisions and decluttering are linked.

 

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?

 

 

More ideas on decluttering in my monthly newsletter! Join here!

10 Ways to Get Organized for Summer

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10 tips for summer organizing

 

It’s that time of year when the weather turns our thoughts to summer. Our last day of cooler weather is officially over, so let’s bring on the fun and sun! This list of will help you start your summer organizing!

1. Time to move out the winter wardrobe. Review what you have worn or not worn this year and decide to donate.  Pack away the winter sweaters in a tote, ready to store in the back of your closet or under your bed. Review your coats in the coat closet, and decide if any of them are ready to donate. Then move them to the back of a less accessible closet. Shine up your winter boots and store these away too.

2. Check out the expiration dates of medicines, sunscreen and bug spray. Be prepared with medicines for allergies and bug bites, as well as sunscreen for your lips too.

3. Get your swim bags together for you and your kids. Pack the essentials, like sunscreen, but also some change, tissues, sun hat, and fun fan to keep cool.  Load up your kindle, nook or tablet with a great book you have wanted to read.

4. Go through all the precious artwork and papers from your kids this school year. Keep only the most special, like the first 100 on a spelling test or a hand print turkey, to save in a box marked with that grade.  Place the boxes in the top of your children’s closets.

5. Rinse out your coolers. Handprints and other dirt come off with a Clorox wipe or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Dry completely before storing in an easy to access spot in the garage.

6. Evenings are great time for outdoor fun, even in the heat. Pick up inexpensive outdoor fun, like bubbles, kick balls, sidewalk chalk, croquet or horseshoes for family fun.

7. Its enticing to drop all routines during the summer.  Being well rested is important all year long!  Be sure to set a bedtime for you and your kids this summer, turning off all electronics 30 minutes before slumber to ensure a great night’s rest.

8. Schedule some pampering with a cool summer haircut and pedicure for you and your kids.

9. Air up your bike tires and plan for summer picnics in the shade. Pick up some fresh new BPA-free waters bottles in different fun colors for everyone in the family and donate your used water bottles.

10. Host a family meeting and ask your kids and spouse about their summer wish list. What is the one most important thing for each person this summer? Be sure to mark your calendar to include everyone’s special activity during summer vacation, as well as block out your vacation, dates for summer camps, and July 4th holiday plans.  Gather up ideas for summer fun from local papers, online or other moms. A little extra planning makes all the difference.