Tag Archive for: organizing your car

Organized On The Go: Organizing Your Car

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car organizing

 

Our cars need organizing too!  It’s scary when we need to give someone a ride and they might see the inside of our car.  In the fall we start back on our regular routines of school and work.  In the summer you are traveling and spending time with your kids in the car. Your car is your office on the go and your home away from home! Whether you are a professional going to work or a busy mom or dad carpooling, having an organized vehicle can make the difference in your travels.  Organizing your car takes a few extra minutes that are well spent!

Think about what items you will need as you travel. We all need tissues, first aid kit, car insurance, and a flashlight just in case. What is needed for other travelers? Busy families may need books or toys. Travel for work may require business products and files. Take a few minutes to plan and write a list of needs for you and your family.

If you car is your mobile office, organize for stocking, storing and traveling with business tools.

  • Carry some basic desk items such as business cards, calculator, stapler, scissors and tape in a zipper case or small tackle box.
  • Store files in a hanging file case with a cover.

For kids on the go, being organized makes every trip more fun.

  • Place an organizer in the back seat or over the seat with a place for a water bottles, electronic games and books.
  • For movies and technology, add a CD holder on the visor.
  • Place a basket with small fun “just in the car” games and puzzles to keep them entertained.

Every day items require storage too.

  • The leak proof trunk organizer keeps all sorts of items from milk to soccer balls from rolling around your trunk.
  • For tools, purchase a durable canvas bag to contain all the tools including jumper cables.
  • A pop up trash can made of durable mesh can fit by the driver’s seat.

What about paper?

  • The glove compartment or center console is a great spot for this!
  • Use a check organizer and group the papers by category, such as maps and directions, insurance, warranty/instructions and emergency phone numbers.
  • Be sure to label each pocket for easy retrieval.

Finally, keeping your car organized requires maintenance routines.

  • Each time you stop for gas, empty the trash.
  • Restock the items for your business on a weekly basis.
  • Assign the responsibility of vacuuming your car regularly to one of your children or have your car cleaned monthly at the big car wash.
  • Be vigilant about your registration sticker and use a reminder on your paper or tech calendar. You can also use this to remember when to change your oil or rotate tires.

Learn more about organizing and productivity at www.professional-organizer.com, Facebook Professional-Organizer.com, twitter @TexasOrganizer or Pinterest Ellen Delap

10 organizing ideas for 2010

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The beginning of a new decade brings big goals! Just thinking about one goal is a big step, but 10 goals are …. ?  What 10 areas are you focusing on to organize this year? Take one step at a time, organizing one room or thing at a time, and make a BIG difference in your life!

1.  Organizing your closet.   We put ourselves LAST in making a difference! Take time to organize your closet to feel ready to go in the morning and  confident.  Keep only the clothes that make you feel FABULOUS, no matter what the size tag is.  Once this is eliminated, order your clothes in a way that makes sense to you, by outfit or by pants, tops, etc. 

2.  Organize your bedroom.  Our space is intended to be serene and restful. Is it? This year make your bedroom your serenity zone with no paper, no clutter, and just items that are peaceful and promote great sleep.

3.  Organize your laundry room.   It make a big difference to get this chore done.  Having the right laundry sorter makes the difference.  Use a 3 compartment sorter for white, color and towels. Do one load a day, ask for help from your family, and keep it simple.

4. Organize your pantry.  Getting dinner done is about having the right ingredients.  Toss what is outdated (nothing is worse than food poisoning.)   Arrange like the grocery store.  Add a magnetic list to the frig so you can add what you need when you need it. Keep staples on hand to make dinner in 30 minutes. 

5. Organize your car.  Our cars are our offices!  Do the pump and dump (thanks Geralin www.metropolitanorganizing.com) and toss trash as you get gas.  Ask your kids to help you distribute what comes out of the car right away.  Create a landing strip for returns.

6. Organize your purse.  You can tell how organized a person is by their purse!  Have a command center for papers so you can empty these right away each day.  Keep items grouped together, use a wallet you can move to alternative purses, and place your cell phone and purse at an easy access spot in your home.

7. Organize your papers.  Create a command center to make your papers easy to access for action, easy to file for retrieval and easy to archive. Need help? See the tips of the season section!

8. Organize your kitchen.  We all want time together as a family. The magic of meal time is to gather to communicate and have fun. Organizing your kitchen makes this happen.

9. Organize your calendar.  Choose a calendar you love, either paper or technology.  Use it daily – refer to it, enter items right away, carry it all the time.  Once a week have your weekly planning time to get proactive!

10. Organize your time.  Life is about our priorities.   Think through what you are committed to and be sure you are able to fully commit.  There are zillions of options so live a meaningful and purposeful life by making decisions.

Take one idea and carry it through for one month! You will be amazed at the difference for yourself and your family.

Let me know your first step on organizing!

Organizing your car (maintenance)

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Organizing your car means having handy access for the things you need, when you need them, without having an accident to get to them. What about maintaining your organized car? If your car is “trashed” regularly, here are some hints to help you easily keep it in order.

Empty trash at each stop along the way. As you get gas or run errands at Target, drop your trash in the cans just outside the door there.  Or you can place a large trash can in your garage for you to easily drop in items. Take advantage of these trash cans along the way. 

Up to date registration and safety stickers are easy to renew if you calendar the date on your planner.  It saves the cost of a ticket!  You can enter this as a recurring event on your Outlook calendar too.

Need to keep track of mileage for expenses? Keep a mileage log in your car and write it down during a gas stop. Regular intervals like this weekly stop create a baby step for an often overwhelming task.

Empty the extra stuff out of your car each day.  It is a small step to keep your car from being a dumping ground by distributing items back into your home where these belong each day.  Assign this task to your family team members too to get the job done. 

Is your car your office? Once a week refill the items you use regularly, like business cards or marketing pieces, into well defined spots in the car.  It is like preparing for a quick meeting by having handy these items.

What baby steps are you taking to keep your car organized?