Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 3

                    

Here are some more laundry tips from professional organizers. I've included some pics of laundry organizing products, too.

"First each child should have one of those rectangular or round pop open laundry baskets in their own room.  Each child should be responsible for bringing the basket down or at least to the top of the stairs to go down if they are in need of clean clothes.  

I do one load per child and I don’t bother to sort colors because I am not that picky and their clothes are outgrown or put threw the ringer quickly enough it’s not worth the effort on my part- that’s just me though!  Anyhow, these laundry baskets can be found at target and they are great because once the load is in the washer you can fold it up and slide it between the washer and dryer or wall.  LOVE that!  

When the laundry is ready to come out of the dryer, the owner of those clothes or the person whose chore it should be (not MOM’s) should remove the clothes from the dryer and set by the stairs to go up when that person goes back up.  I do fold the younger children’s clothes and put away but the 10 year old puts his own away- his way.

Hope that helps." Maria White

Some laundry basket ideas: 

"I do laundry all in one day. It gets it done and then I don't have to think about it for a week or so (except for emergencies).
 

So when I sort, it is all over the floor in the adjoining family room, but only for a day. The clean laundry gets brought up to my bed, where I fold it into a basket designated for each kid and just put my laundry and my husband's away as I fold. It makes for a long day, but usually it is one where I am puttering around with projects/computer work anyway.

Shout Color Catchers ... really do work! They do a great job of a mixed colors load.  One of my ADD clients told me about them." Kate Varness
 

Some laundry room space savers:

"I do one load per kid, as well. I don't bother to sort by color for the kids. It creates lots of little piles, which means I am spending way too much time doing laundry. We sort in the bedrooms. I use the floor to sort.

Here are some of my "tried and true" laundry streamlining tips:

• Stain treat as the kids take the clothes off at night (with a stain removal product like Stain stick or the like). Prevents a lot of remembering which clothes to treat and standing by the washer stain treating.
• Older kids can fold and put their own clothes away. Or even do their own laundry. The bottom line is get the whole family involved so it doesn't fall to one person to do all the laundry. Even my 2 year old can help load and unload the washer and dryer.
• Get in a laundry routine: In the morning, throw a load of laundry in. At lunch or after work, put them in the dryer. After dinner or when the kids go to bed, fold. Put away the next morning/day.
• Have a basket per person so that the baskets can go to the appropriate room. My husband and I share a laundry basket since the laundry is going to the same room - his stuff is on one side and mine is on the other side of the basket.
• Do full loads, when possible." Robin Harisis

Laundry tools:

"We all do our own laundry in my household, except that I've been paying my 14-year-old $5 a load to do my laundry for two years now--I like it fluffed in the dryer and hung up warm and damp.  On color-coded hangers, which speeds the agonizing task of putting together outfits for me. Jane Cambell

More clever laundry options:

     

More on laundry:

Organizing Laundry

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 2

Disorganized Brain Activity May Lead to Teens' Illogical Decisison-Making

   

The following article, "Teen brains over-process rewards, suggesting root of risky behavior, mental ills" citing the work of B. Moghaddam of the University of Pittsburgh, is quite interesting. It answers the question, "What were you thinking?" we ask of our teenagers.   

 

"University of Pittsburgh researchers have recorded neuron activity in adolescent rat brains that could reveal the biological root of the teenage propensity to consider rewards over consequences and explain why adolescents are more vulnerable to drug addiction, behavioral disorders, and other psychological ills. 

 

The team reports in the Journal of Neuroscience that electrode recordings of adult and adolescent brain-cell activity during the performance of a reward-driven task show that adolescent brains react to rewards with far greater excitement than adult brains. This frenzy of stimulation occurred with varying intensity throughout the study along with a greater degree of disorganization in adolescent brains. The brains of adult rats, on the other hand, processed their prizes with a consistent balance of excitation and inhibition.

The extreme difference in brain activity provides a possible physiological explanation as to why teenagers are more prone than adults to rash behavior, addiction, and mental diseases, said lead researcher Bita Moghaddam, a professor of neuroscience in Pitt's School of Arts and Sciences. She and coauthor David Sturman, a Pitt neuroscience doctoral student, observed the disparate reactions to reward in individual neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region that weighs payoff and punishment to plan and make decisions.

'The disorganized and excess excitatory activity we saw in this part of the brain means that reward and other stimuli are processed differently by adolescents,' Moghaddam said. 'This could intensify the effect of reward on decision making and answer several questions regarding adolescent behavior, from their greater susceptibility to substance abuse to their more extreme reactions to pleasurable and upsetting experiences.'

In addition, malfunctions in the orbitofrontal cortex have been observed in cases of schizophrenia, mood disorders, and other psychological disturbances, Moghaddam said. The type of erratic activity in the cortex that she and Sturman observed could aggravate these conditions at a time when the maturing brain is vulnerable. 

'The symptoms of these illnesses generally begin to appear during adolescence,' Moghaddam said. 'Adolescence is a period of behavioral and psychiatric vulnerabilities, so the disorganized brain activity and excess excitation could push a brain already predisposed to mental disorders too far, triggering the onset of symptoms.'" 

More on the brain and disorganization:

Disorganized Teens - Symptons of ADHD

Clutter and the Brain - Dr. Peter Whybrow

How Sleep Helps Keep Your Brain Organized

 

Realtor: Key to Selling Your Home

          
Looking to sell your home in the near future? Here's some advice from Houston realtor and broker Marchel Peterson:

"Yesterday I showed the nicest staged home; it was such a pleasure to show.  It was not a big home at 1800 square feet but every room was staged to perfection.  

Staging is becoming more popular all the time and is a wonderful way to show your home off to its best advantage.  I do realize that not all sellers are going to want to have their home staged but even if you don’t pay a professional stager there are many things you can do yourself.   

As I was looking around this home one of the things that dawned on me was that the clutter was missing.  It looked like a model home.  Now when we opened the garage we found a number of boxes already packed.  Having boxes in the garage is no big deal as the buyer can see that the seller is preparing to move from their house.
 
I thought the cut lemon on the counter was a nice touch.  The bowl of lemons has fake lemons in it but there was one half of a lemon cut up and the rest of the lemon was in a pitcher of water.  Lemons have such a nice clean smell and it is a natural smell.  I have often went in to homes where the candle smell was so strong it made the buyers think the seller was trying to mask some kind of odor.

You can tell from the lemon picture that the counters were relatively clean of clutter.  If you notice that I keep talking about clutter I just think that is one of the keys to getting a home sold.  When there’s a lot of clutter in a home it is hard to look at the home.  Sometimes it is also very nice clutter but the buyer gets so caught up in looking at the stuff they miss the home.

So long story short if you are even thinking about putting your home on the market start thinking about de-cluttering."


More on Decluttering:

Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks

Tips for Staging Your Home for Sale

Prioritizing Fall Projects

 

Digital Course Planner for Students of All Ages

          
 Disorganized student? Get Organized may help - and it's free! It's in beta mode, so be sure to look at its known issues first. Here's a review of this versatile product:  

"Get Organized is a digital course planner for students of all ages that offers a lot more than just the standard course planning that physical planners offer. 

It is naturally possible to add terms and courses to the planner. That’s easily done at anytime. Difference becomes visible straight away. 

A course is defined by its title, term, start and end date, class days, room number and credits. Get Organized furthermore can keep track of instructors (name, email, phone, Office location and hours), the grading scale and required textbooks.

In addition, courses can be displayed with their own color to make the identification easier. The digital course planner supports events and assignments that can be tracked as well. Assignments are directly linked to a course, while events are not. Assignments are homework and other activities directly related to courses, events are summer parties for instance.



The application can display information about events, assignments, grades and courses in different ways in the interface. A list view and calendar view are available. They appear to only display information about events and assignments at this point in development. It would make sense to add information about courses at least to the calendar view as well.

Filters are available at the top, for instance to only display overdue assignments in the calendar.

The application can keep track of grades which are added by completing assignments.

Another interesting option is the ask the instructor button. This button can be used to directly email the course instructor if an email address has been added to the data set.

Feature Overview

• Keep track of terms, courses, and assignments
• Add instructors, textbooks, and weighted grading to assignments
• Keep track of grades for each assignment once it’s completed
• Keep track of overall grades throughout terms in the Grade Book
• Organized your social life with events as well
• Color code any view by course (or event category), due date, or priority
• Need help with an assignment? Click “Ask” to start an email to the instructor
• View assignments and events in two views: List View – Sortable, colorful, scrollable, Calendar View – See the month laid out for you and never forget when things are due
• The Mini Calendar in the lower-left corner helps you quickly see if something is due on a particular day (the day is marked red), or if things are due by you’ve already completed them and need to turn them in still (the day is marked blue)

Get Organized is compatible with Windows, Linux and Macintosh systems. The program requires Javabeta (Java Runtime Environment) 1.6 or higher to be installed on the system. The program is available as a version that can check and install updates automatically."


More on organizing students:
Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Guest Post - Leveraging Technology to Get Organized: 4 Clever Tips

Time Management App for iPhone - Lucid Lists Free

     

Got Cabin Fever? Organize Something!

          
Seems like this winter is especially cold and snowy, doesn't it? Why not use the time indoors to declutter or organize something?

My husband and I have had a few days off. We usually watch a few episodes we've taped of Masterpiece Theatre and the Mentalist. We've also been wanting to go through some of our files and keepsakes to purge and consolidate.

So we decided to combine the two. It only took us a few minutes to go through a container each while watching one of the episodes. I ended up keeping only a third of what was in my box, and my husband found some important papers as he was sorting through some of his parents' stuff.

When the weather get nice, we'll not want to be cooped up indoors sorting through our treasures. And it feels so good to simplify!

While I was putting away Christmas decorations earlier this month, I purged again, just like last year. We reduced our Christmas paraphernalia by a couple of boxes, I'm pleased to say.

So if you're having a snow day, clean out a drawer or a box or a closet or a file drawer. Doesn't take much time and you'll feel so successful!


More on winter organizing:

Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks

Snow Day

Get Organized Month - Organize Your Receits

Get Oranized Month 2009 - Update Your Addresses

         

Organizing Your To-Do Lists Online - 12 Great Choices

    
When researching online to-do lists, I came across the following article by Alyssa Gregory from Web Pro Business reviewing online task management tools. She gives a descriptive explanation of 12 different sites. If you would like to see more tools, take a look at the comments following the article. Here's an excerpt:

"If you don’t have a need for a comprehensive project management tool or overall information management system, a simplified to-do list tool may be a perfect fit for you. Here is a list of 12 online to-do list tools to check out.

Bla-bla List: Bla-bla List is a simple and shareable list tool that lets you publish your lists with RSS, privately share your lists with anyone and e-mail yourself a copy of your list.



e2doList.com: This tool lets you manage tasks in separate lists, add notes and reminders, and share your lists with others.



Google To Do List: A simplified way to track tasks and enhance productivity, especially if you are already a Google product user.



The Online CEO: The Online CEO provides a creative approach to tasks as it lets you assign points to each item and has a running points total so you can measure priority and productivity. You can also use a timer to keep track of how long you spend on each task.





OrchestrateHQ: A quick and simple tool for creating and managing multiple to-do lists. You can navigate through your lists, maximizing one at a time.



Remember The Milk: Remember The Milk is one of the most feature-rich task management tools I’ve seen. You can create, manage and organize tasks quickly and easily with extensive keyboard shortcuts. You can receive reminders via email, SMS, and instant messenger; tag your tasks; and locate your location-based tasks on a map. There is also a Pro version that provides an app for iPhone and iPod touch, and MilkSync for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.



Ta-da List: Ta-da List is a 37signals product that lets you create multiple lists and add, edit, re-order, and remove tasks from each list. You also have the ability to share and create RSS feeds for your lists.



TaskToy: With TaskToy you can create individual tasks with multiple lists, recurring tasks, and use simplified project management actions. You can also print and share your lists, and access your data from your mobile device.



Toodledo: Toodledo allows you to organize and prioritize your tasks in a sortable online to-do list. You can setup e-mail and SMS reminders, and access your lists on your mobile phone, in your e-mail, on your calendar, in your RSS reader, via IM, and integrated directly into your web browser. 



Tudu Lists: Tudu Lists is a very simple open source application that lets you create and share lists, access your lists via an RSS feed, and modify it for your individual needs.



voo2do: This tool lets you organize tasks by project, add tasks by e-mail and track time spent on each task. You can also do some basic task sharing with the tool.



WorkHack: A whiteboard-based to-do list tool that is easy-to-use, supports multiple lists and RSS feeds. You can start using it right away, without signing up."



More on to do lists:

Organizing Your To-Do List

Time Management App for iPhone - Lucid Lists Free

Reduce Your Stress - Say No

 

Say Goodbye to Unbearable Meetings!

     
I don't know about you, but I've endured a lot of boring, long, disorganized meetings. Such a waste of time. And multiply by each person attending, and it's disgraceful!

I came across mycommittee which helps eliminate the torture. It sets up a website for your committee to have a place to connect. Here's some info from their website:

"mycommittee allows you to create and share indexed meeting agendas, minutes and documents and provides your members with a central location to collaborate and stay connected between meetings. It is designed especially for committees, boards or other groups that have regular and recurring meetings."

Smart place!

More on meetings:

Conducting Time-Worthy Meetings

Why Meetings Can be So Unbearable

Trivial and Strategic Interruptions

Three Steps to Time Management at the Office

 

Winter Organizing and Cleaning Tips from HGTV

     
Here are some winter organizing and cleaning ideas from HGTV:

"Winter is the perfect time to de-clutter and clean interior spaces, organize and pack away unused items and make plans for your spring garden and outdoor rooms. 

Are the faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms closing securely? Replace washers as needed or call a plumber for bigger jobs. Small leaks can cause big trouble and waste precious water.

Give your kitchen an extra-thorough cleanup. Working from the top down, wash walls with a grease-cutting solution. Then use dish soap and water on windows. Finally, mop the floor, clean appliances, wipe counters and cabinets and scour the sink. 

Store bins of untreated kitty litter or traction grit (coarser than sand) at key points along paths, and in the car. Both are safer than de-icing salt, which can damage flowerbeds and the lawn.

Did you store leftover soup from a dinner party or berries you picked during the harvest season? Don't forget these goodies. Take a quick inventory of freezer contents and post the list on the freezer door. Then enjoy the unexpected treats.

Flip, spin and vacuum. Your mattress will last longer and you'll sleep better, too."

What organizing chores do you do in the winter? 


More on winter organizing:

In a Winter Rut? Here's How to Climb Out!

Swap Parties - Decluttering, Saving Money

Don't Let Clutter Create a Fire Hazard

 

Why Have a Clean and Organized Dorm Room - Is This a Trick Question?

                  

Mary Roberts, founder of Successful Student Environments wrote the following article for college students on how to keep their rooms neat and clean. If you are a college student, know one, or have one, this might be helpful!

"Away from their parents’ supervision, many college students start to neglect their rooms. Those routine cleanings that were once a frequent habit quickly get put on a long to-do list and often are completely forgotten. Soon enough, junk piles up, trash overflows, a film of dust covers everything in the room, and students find themselves living in a pig pen.

If you’re a busy college student with plenty else to worry about, you may think you’re unaffected by the mess. However, a chaotic room creates chaos in your mind, making it difficult to think clearly and focus on school work.

By cleaning and organizing your room, you can start to clear your mind for effective and efficient study, thereby helping you become more successful at college. The cleaning process not only helps you organize yourself and the work you have to do, it also gives you more energy, allowing you to accomplish your everyday tasks and your long-term goals.

Here are ten easy steps to help you successfully clean your college dorm room:

1. Wash bed sheets in hot water. During sleep, you perspire and shed dead skin cells on your sheets and pillow cases. Dust mites breed easily on your moist bed sheets. To keep these microscopic arachnids at bay, wash your sheets in the hottest water possible every week.

2. Open the windows to ventilate your room. Clean indoor air is vital to good health, but your room’s air is probably more polluted than you think. The air you breathe affects your brain function, so the purer your air, the better you will function.

3. Pick up and put away your clothes. When clothes are scattered about your room, your thoughts can become scattered, thus impeding your ability to focus. If your clothes cover your floor, you may be affected emotionally, feeling dragged down and hopeless. Putting your clothes away will lift your spirits.

4. Sweep your floor and/or vacuum your rug. A clean floor will help you feel more motivated to start your assignments. Use a vacuum with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter that best removes dirt and grime from your carpet.

5. Clean and organize your horizontal surfaces. Symbolically, your desk and bureau tops and your bedside table are landing pads for your ideas. If completely covered with stuff, you have no place for your ideas to surface. Organize your books, magazines, notebooks, cosmetics and personal care items so you have some empty space on your horizontal surfaces. Dust with a microfiber cloth or clean with a plant-based household cleaner. To make your own, dilute vinegar with warm water and apply with a microfiber cloth.

6. Empty garbage can. Overflowing trash can sap your energy. Dorms usually have a place to empty trash on every floor, simplifying the removal of trash from your room.

7. Throw out stale snacks and leftover fast food. Odors from leftovers and stale food distract and annoy anyone within smelling range. Remove these items from your room and throw them in the hall trash bin. To freshen the air, open the window and/or spritz with an air freshener made from essential oils.

8. Clean out your refrigerator. A sticky, gooey refrigerator becomes a breeding ground for germs, leaving the food you still plan to eat vulnerable to contamination. Remove old and outdated food, and clean the inside of the fridge with a microfiber cloth.

9. Organize your back pack. Remove old papers and items, and put in the work and materials you need for the week. You will find what you need easily.

10. Throw out old school papers. Outdated school papers clog up your precious space and your thinking. Throw out or file them for later use, making room for new information and knowledge.

A weekly cleaning will keep your room in good condition and you on the fast track for college success." 

More on organizing and college:

Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks 

Organizing for College - Guest Blogger Sarah Scrafford

Guest Post - Leveraging Technology to Get Organized: 4 Clever Tips 

 

Keeping it Neat While You Declutter

 
Decluttering can be messy, especially if it's a big job. One way to keep it a little neater is to sort into stackable boxes. If you need to stop decluttering, you can close the lids and stack them, until you can get back to decluttering.
 
I like to use clear plastic containers like the one below because 
- you can re-use them, 
- you can see the contents,
- you can easily label and relabel them by sliding a piece of paper down the side with the contents listed,
- you can slide them across the floor,
- you can stack them,
- and they have snap and lock lids.

If you prefer, you can use banker's boxes in the same way. They are cheaper in the short term, but don't last as long.

So, if you're decluttering a room that you need to use every day, give yourself a little peace of mind by storing and stacking those things you've already sorted. At least it will contain some of the mess!

More on Decluttering:

Announcing: Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks!

Clutter and Migraines

The #1 Cure for Accumulating Clutter

A Dozen Tips for Staying Clutter-Free in 2011

 
Hope you had a nice three-day weekend. Ours was pretty quiet other than having the stomach flu visit us for the third time!! A different person each time, thankfully. On to our post for today ...

Here are a few hints for staying clutter-free in 2011:

1. Deal with your mail as you bring it in. Sort your mail over a paper recycling container (a box or paper bag will do), a trash can, a shredder, and near the place where you keep bills and mail that must be acted upon. 

That way, you get rid of most of your mail and put the essentials where they belong. Instant decluttering instead of a stockpile of mail!

2. Reduce the mail coming into your house. 

Lifelock gets rid of credit card offers and other solicitations while protecting your identity. There is a fee for this service. 

Catalog choice allows you to opt out of the catalogs of your choice and other solicitations. This is a free service.

Yellow Pages Goes Green allows you to opt out of both white page and yellow page phone books that are left at your door.

Unsubscribe to newspapers and magazines you do not have time to read. 

3. Determine how much art work and school papers you will keep for each child. At the end of each week, cull through their papers and together decide which ones are keepers. Do the same at the end of the month, further reducing the stockpile. You are training your child to be discerning and not to hold on to everything. Send some to relatives or military personnel as a nice way to purge.

4. Have a giveaway box in your home. When you discover outgrown or unused articles, toss them in the box. When it's full, take the box to your favorite charity.

5. Keep a container in your car to hold returnable items - library books, borrowed items, purchases that need to be returned, etc. Even though dry cleaning is not a returnable item, it could be kept in the box, too. You're more likely to return those items while you're out.

6. Change clothes near the laundry hamper. Better yet, have five laundry hampers - whites, lights, darks, towels, delicates. When one basket is filled, wash what's in it - no sorting necessary!   

7. Hang or fold clothes as they come out of the dryer. Clothes are unwrinkled and you don't end up with stacks of laundry to fold. I consider laundry clutter - it's constant and can become overwhelming if not taken care of regularly.

8. Clean up as dishes are used. It takes little effort to put dishes in the dishwasher rather than stack in the sink. Train other family members to do the same - you are not their maid! Divvy up clean-up chores after dinner - floor, counters, putting food away, dishes. Even toddlers can help! 

9. Before bedtime, have everyone clean up what they've messed up or pick up what belongs to them. Tomorrow will start on a pleasant, uncluttered note!

10. Have a place for bookbags, briefcases, purses, keys, coats. Train everyone to store these items in the proper location - hooks, a closet, shelves, cubbies - whatever works for you to eliminate the after-school-after-work explosion!

11. Have a container where you place things that people have left around. I have a yellow Rubbermaid container in the bottom of our coat closet. Our foster daughters are deterred from leaving their stuff around for fear that their precious possessions will be put in the "yellow bucket" with someone's stinky socks! I have heard of others who charge the owners a fee to take something out of the container, or require the item stay in the container for so long. 

12. If you find items lying around that do not have homes, create a home for them, so they are not just moved from place to place. 


More on decluttering:

Announcing: Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks!

Clutter and the Brain - Dr. Peter Whybrow

Quick Decluttering Tips

 

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 2

         

Hope you are having a nice three-day weekend. We are working, of course, but we've only had one girl for a couple of days. Two are with family, and the other ran away. She has been found, but has not been returned to our home. On to some more laundry suggestions from professional organizers ...

Here's an unconventional idea for laundry - don't sort! A couple of professional organizers tell us how they do it.

"I separate by owner of the clothes but I never sort colors and have only messed up one thing two years ago.  And I will throw in a towel or two with the clothes sometimes." Laura Clayton

"I have 3 boys ages 4, 6, and 8.  My washer and dryer are located in our dungeon basement.  I do laundry every day and I actually wash everything together, no sorting.  I know, it's crazy but I've been doing this for years and have only ruined one or two things.  None of our clothes require "special" care so this works fine for us.  By doing one load a day without sorting, it's pretty easy.  On Saturday I wash the bath towels as a separate load.  I usually wait until I have three or four baskets of clean clothes before I take them all upstairs to sort, fold and put away." Angela DiCicco

More on laundry:

Laundry Tips from Professional Organizers, Part 1

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time

Shaving a Few Minutes Off Laundry Time, Part 2

 

Get Organized Month - How to Save Money by Being Organized

     

Did you know that you can actually save money by being organized? Never thought about it before? Here's how:

- A U.S. News & World Report study found that that Americans spend roughly a year of their lives looking for lost items at home or at work - that's a lot of wasted time which equals wasted money.

- When you're organized, you know what you have and you don't buy things you already have.

- When you're organized, you are aware of the food in your fridge and you use it up before it spoils.

- When you're organized, you plan errands, saving both gas money and your time, which is also worth money.

- When you're organized, you are able to take advantage of opportunities that come your way that either save money or make money for you.

- When you're organized, you know where your bills are, and you pay them on time, saving late fees or reconnection charges.

- When you're organized you service your car and other appliances, saving costly repair bills or replacement costs.

- When you're organized, you have necessities on hand, preventing last minute trips - costing both time and money (especially if you go to the convenience store).

- When you're organized, you plan meals, saving costly take-out meals or eating out. For the price of four combo meals at a fast-food restaurant, you could be eating steak or salmon, neither of which are time-consuming to prepare!

- When you're organized, you pack a lunch instead of eating out. Spending only $5 a day for 20 work days equals $100.

- When you're organized, you keep track of your bank account, saving expensive overdrawn fees.

- When you're organized, you write down business mileage and charitable contributions, saving money on taxes.

Want to get started? Start small. Determine the area that is costing you the most money. Organize that area and move on to another area. Reward youself when you make progress! Give yourself credit for small steps forward!!


More on saving money by being organized: 

Five Tips on Being Eco-Friendly and Saving Money at the Same Time

Six Ways to Save Money on Food by Planning Ahead

Organizing Your Time Can Cut Costs

   
Source: previous post on 1-2-3 ... Get Organized.

      

Announcing: Organize Your Kitchen in 3 Weeks!

   
Do you find yourself eating out more often because your kitchen is a disaster?

Is it hard to find anything you need?

Do you spend more time figuring out where things are than actually cooking?

Do you find that mealtimes are stressful and tense?

Why is an organized kitchen worthwhile?

You will finally be able to find what you need, when you need it.

You will find yourself and your family eating healthier. Home-cooked meals, even the same meal as a restaurant, usually contain less calories and fat.

Family dinners can become a time for building relationships instead of tension.

Eating family dinners at least five times a week drastically lowers a teen’s chance of smoking, drinking, and using drugs according to the CASA report. “While substance abuse can strike any family, regardless of ethnicity, affluence, age, or gender, the parental engagement fostered at the dinner table can be a simple, effective tool to help prevent [it],” says Elizabeth Planet, one of the report’s researchers, and the center’s vice president and director of special projects.

Take a step today to reduce the stress in your life!  A few days of work can save you time and energy and make cooking more enjoyable for the rest of your life!

You will receive an email each day for 3 weeks, enabling you to organize your kitchen in that time. How refreshing to have clean and clear surfaces, organized cabinets and a pleasant environment in which to cook! Click here for more information on Organize Your Kitchen in 3 Weeks. 


More on Organize Your Life in 3 Weeks:
Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks
Rethink Your Life in 3 Weeks
    

Announcing: Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks!

    

How does clutter affect us? 

 

According to a poll, over a third of readers avoid going home because of the overwhelming mess and don’t know where to begin cleaning and decluttering. (In contrast, less than 10 percent say their homes are clutter-free.)  Clutter can drain us of our time and money and create additional stress in our lives.

Time: Do you spend extra time looking for lost items such as keys, money, shoes, tools, etc.?

Money: Have you accrued late fees due to losing/misplacing bills, statements, etc.?  Have you spent money replacing items that have been misplaced or lost because it takes less time than trying to find it?

Stress: Have you avoided having friends over because of the state of your home?   Have you wanted to start a hobby, like scrap-booking or an exercise regiment but can’t find the space?  Do you walk through your house and think about all that you need to do, instead of being able to relax and rest?

We can help you get rid of your clutter in an easy step-by-step process.

We will send you an “easily do-able” pdf checklist (and explanation) each day.  Many organizing books bog you down and overwhelm you even before you start.  Once you finish decluttering one room, you can use this method on all other rooms in your home that need to be decluttered.

Take a step today to reduce the stress in your life!  Save time and money and have a home that you can relax and entertain in. Click here for more information.


More on Organize Your Life in 3 Weeks:
Rethink Your Life in 3 Weeks
Organize Your Kitchen in 3 Weeks 

Announcing: Rethink Your Life in 3 Weeks!

      

Are you ready for a change?

Are you going through life with little passion and enjoyment?

Are you passionate about a subject or a cause but have little time to devote to it?

Are you working in your strengths or weaknesses?

Are you doing what you love?

Receive an email each day for three weeks to help you align your passions, priorities and gifts with your schedule. A perfect way to start out the new year!

Start realizing your physical, scholastic, social, spiritual, financial and mental goals. Whether you are just starting out in the “real world” or wanting to refocus the direction of your life, these 3 weeks will help you Rethink Your Life!


More on Organize Your Life in 3 Weeks:
Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks
Organize Your Kitchen in 3 Weeks

        

Get Organized Month - Organizing Your Jewelry

    
I get up at a ridiculous hour, and don't want to stumble around in the dark looking for jewelry, waking up my husband. I had gradually moved much of my jewelry piece by piece into the bathroom from my organized system in the dresser drawer in my bedroom. I'm embarrassed to say, this is what it eventually looked like!!

I needed another system, obviously! I looked at a bunch of jewelry organizers, but this one at Online Organizing appealed to me most of all.  

 

It hangs on my bathroom wall where I can find what I want with one glance. This organizer comes in three sizes. I chose the one that measures 12" x 19" and is supposed to hold 80 pairs of earrings. I cheated, though, and put a pair of earrings in each hole rather than one earring in each hole. 

The rack holds both post and hook earrings plus necklaces and bracelets. I organized according to colors to make it easier to find what I need. 

In my search for a jewelry organizer, I also came across one woman's creative solution for organizing her necklaces: a rake!

Have you found a jewelry organizer you love?

More on organizing jewelry:

Get Organized Month - Declutter Your Jewelry

Jewelry Organizer from I'm an Organizing Junkie

Memories, Small Spaces and Double-Duty Storage

 

Recovering from the Holidays - Priorities Amidst Chaos

    
I fully intended to start blogging at the beginning of the week, but one of our foster daughters got suspended from school on Monday and ran away on Tuesday. Needless to say, my time and priorities have been chaotic.

I'm looking at our half-decorated tree while I write. The above-mentioned girl wanted to earn some money, so she had gathered all the Christmas decorations in a couple of locations for me. All I need to do is put them away and undecorate the tree and store the decorations and tree.

Because I've had to spend extra time dealing with our current situation, I've had to leave the Christmas decluttering for the moment. I've done the top priorities, and have had to postpone other things, even though they have been important, too.

I've divided my tasks into those which can be done while the girls are home and those which require more concentration. Consequently, the Christmas decorations will be done as I get a chance when I'm home with the girls.

Even though the house will be messy for a little while longer, I have to be content that I'm choosing the best use of my time. And other priorities will be done as I get a chance. 

Thankfully, our foster daughter was found on Wednesday. I'm not sure when or if she will return to our home. In the meantime, I will attempt to keep my top priorities in mind, and rest in the fact that that's the best I can do!


More on priorities amidst chaos:

Priorities and Perspective from a Ninety-Year-Old

Feeling Overwhelmed? Organize Your Priorities

Staying Organized in a Changing World