Save Time by Cleaning and Defragmenting Your Computer Disks

I have been having some computer issues for a while. They are not over yet, but I’ve discovered how to speed up my computer, thereby saving time. As I’ve told you before, I’m not technical, and I’ve probably done this before, but I didn’t remember it.

While spending hours on the phone with technical support, I learned how to defragment and clean my disks. This process gets rid of all those extraneous files that slow down your computer.

For those of you who are computer geniuses, I’m sure you’re laughing at me right now, but I figure if I didn’t know/remember how to do this, there may be others out there who need this info.

It’s very simple:

- Click the Start button
- Go to “All Programs” at the bottom
- Go to Accessories
- Go to Systems Tools
- Go to Disk Cleanup or Disk Defragmenter
- Click “C”
- Click Defragment or OK

I did both cleaning and defragmenting on my computer, and it took several hours for each during which time I could not use my computer. The tech person said it should be done every two weeks or so. Obviously, it had been a while for mine!

Anyway, just thought I’d pass along what I’ve learned.

Cash from your Clutter

Do you have clutter that could bring in some cash? In these economic times, you may discover some items around your home you'd like to exchange for money.

Here are a couple of ideas:
- Craig's List is an online classified ad site. You can submit an ad at no charge to the Craig's List in your area - there's a list for every part of the country. You can also list services your business supplies to clients.

- eBay is a little more complicated, but reaches a national audience.

- You can also barter products and services, a practice that is gaining popularity. By googling "barter" you'll discover several sites that will help you get started.

All of these are win/win situations: you get rid of clutter and receive money or a desired item in return!

Do you have other ideas for turning clutter into cash?


Related posts: Declutter and Downsize Now for the Spring Housing Market, Clutter in Your House or Office Means Clutter in Your Mind, Tackle the Clutter before Christmas, Toy decluttering

If you need help with decluttering, see Three Steps to Decluttering, part of our 1-2-3...Get Organized series.

Declutter and Downsize Now for the Spring Housing Market

If you're hoping the housing market perks up next spring so you can put your house on the market, start getting ready now! Your realtor will want your home to be uncluttered and uncrowded. While you're spending more time indoors during the winter, take advantage of it by decluttering or downsizing so you'll be ahead of the game in the spring!

Double your productivity: look for times when you can double your time by downsizing or decluttering when you're listening to your child read, talking on the phone, listening to music, or watching TV. Even if you're not putting your house on the market in the spring, you'll be creating a refuge for your family!

Give an objective look to see how a potential buyer might see the room you're in. Does the room project peace and draw you in? Or does the clutter communicate chaos?

By using the time throughout the winter season, you'll be able to put your house on the market quickly in the spring, without losing valuable selling time!

What hints do you have to prepare your home for sale?


Related Posts: Prioritizing Fall Projects, Organizing Drawers, Chopping Big Chores down into Bite-Sized Chunks, Decluttering Tips, Clutter in Your House or Office Means Clutter in Your Mind

If you need help decluttering or downsizing, see our Three Steps to Decluttering and Three Steps to Downsizing.

Getting Rid of Stuff While Saving the Environment

Got stuff? Want to give it away for free without someone having to buy it again from a thrift store?

Freecycle is a network that is "made up of 4,619 groups with 6,059,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free."

This is how it works: you sign up and start receiving emails of free stuff being offered in your area. You, too, are able to offer free stuff. There are guidelines on how to post your giveaways and how to arrange pick-up of your stuff.

A down side to this is that the emails can be prolific. You can also choose to view the list by signing in to the site without receiving the emails. And once you've gotten rid of your stuff, you can always discontinue your membership.

A nice way to bless someone else with perfectly good stuff while saving the planet!


If you need help decluttering, see Three Steps to Decluttering, part of our 1-2-3...Get Organized series.

Capturing Usable Moments

We all have those moments when we're waiting on something - the microwave, the coffee, a person, traffic, while we're on the phone, etc.

Even if it's just a minute while the microwave is heating something up, I try to look around and see what I can do in that minute: clean off a counter, put some dishes in the dishwasher, stack dishes and silverware for setting the table, for example.

Because we need to be in the presence of our foster girls most of the time, I use the time while they are doing homework, finishing breakfast, etc. to chop up something for dinner, clear out the dishwasher, dust and other small chores. Cleaning is not one of my favorite things to do, and if I can accomplish it in little chunks of time rather than having to set aside a big chunk, so much the better!

Investing in a headset for my phone was one of the best few dollars I have spent (around $20)! If I know I'm going to spend a few minutes on the phone, I plug it in and I can use both hands to clean off my desk, file - a multitude of tasks!

I'm not a very patient waiter, so if I occupy myself with something useful, I'm much happier! Especially in the car. My husband and I have checked out books on tape from the library when we go on long trips, but it works around town, too. If your absorbed in a story, waiting just gives you more time to hear it! Road construction? No problem! We used to travel 11 hours to visit our girls in college during the 7 years one or both of them were there. Books on tape made the trips fly by!

By using little scraps of time, I accumulate more time to do what I like to do - that works for me!

What do you do to capture usable moments?


Related posts: Decluttering in 5 - 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do In Five Minutes or Less, Get Organized Month - Declutter Your Catalogs, Organizing your to do list, Decluttering Tips, Wrapping Up Today So Tomorrow Runs Smoothly, 5 things to do with 5 minutes, Sorting Mail, Headsets

Fall Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

Today is the start of the Fall Bloggy Giveaway! I'm giving away Three Steps to Decluttering, Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay at Home Mom, Three Steps to Clever Cleaning, Three Steps to Organizing Your Kitchen, and Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room to one lucky winner.

To register to win, leave a comment below. If you want an extra chance, go to my website and look at my other books not being given away and tell me which one is your favorite. For a third chance, sign up for my blog on organizing tips and come back and leave a comment telling me you did so.

For more giveaways, visit Bloggy Giveaways.

My giveaway will last through midnight Saturday,November 1, and I will announce my winner on Monday, November 3rd. MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. :-)

Destressing Christmas, Part 4 - Organizing Your Cleaning and Decorating

I love having people in over the holidays! But that means my house must be clean and, of course, I’ll want to decorate. If I wait until the last minute, though, I’m stressed! Here are a few thoughts to help you avoid that stress:

Cleaning

- Determine cleaning chores that need to be done for the holidays. Parcel out chores over the weeks remaining before Christmas, starting with the ones that are long-lasting: cleaning the silver or the carpet, decluttering and purging, etc. Save the surface cleaning until closer to your events. Or, if you haven’t cleaned for a while, just get caught up on your cleaning and do it every week.

- If your list of chores seems too overwhelming, work on them in 15-minute segments and do them 2-4 times a day. If they are still too overwhelming, eliminate some! Enlist family/house members to help with the cleaning chores.

- This is not a time for major home repair, sewing projects, painting, or other major projects!

If you don't know where to start, you may want to take a look at Three Steps to Clever Cleaning.

Decorating

When the time comes for decorating, here are a few hints:

- If you have a lot of decorating to do, prioritize your list and schedule the individual items on your list.

- As you decorate, remove your regular decorating accessories and put them in the boxes from which you took your Christmas decorating items. That way, you won’t have to remember where you put them. I have a friend who couldn’t find her regular decorating items for a couple of months after the holidays one year!

- Take this opportunity to purge any decorating items or holiday items you no longer need or want. A great time to declutter! By doing this, the number of boxes you must get out every year decreases.

- Make holiday decorating a family affair, using items that have sentimental value to family members. Warm up some apple cider and put on some music!

- When you put your Christmas items away, make a list of what you have – decorating items, wrapping supplies, paper products, cards, extra gift items, dishes, etc., so you don’t duplicate them. Also make a list of items you need to purchase for next year and pick them up during the sales, if possible. This is a great time of year to get holiday storage boxes at a reduced price, too.

Do you have some great cleaning or decorating ideas you'd like to pass on?


Related Posts: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think Through Your Expectations, Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Thinking Through the Needs of Your Family and Friends, Destressing Christmas, Part 3 - Smart Gift-Giving

Posts from 2007: Destressing Christmas, Part 1 - Think through your expectations, Destressing Christmas, Part 2 - Think through your family/friendship needs and commitments, Destressing Christmas, Part 3 - Think through gifts, Destressing Christmas, Part 4 - Think through cleaning/decorating/entertaining, Destressing Christmas, Part 5 - Think through your health, Destressing Christmas, Part 6 - Think through your calendar, Organizing Your Holiday Meals

Swapping Out and Purging Your Seasonal Clothes

Fall is a great time to declutter and purge. If you live in a part of the country where seasons change, the crisp air is energizing! And that means swapping out your clothes to prepare for cool weather coming. While doing so, take the opportunity to purge.

First, go through your summer clothes as you take them out of your closet and drawers. And then start on your winter clothes.

Ask yourself: Do I love this article of clothing? Does it make me feel fabulous? Have I been waiting too long to get into this size? Is it out of date? Is it shabby? Have I worn it in the last year? Do the same with shoes, purses, belts, underwear and socks. Make sure you leave out a couple of summer outfits for those occasional warm days.

As you purge, place your unwanted items in a giveaway stack and a throwaway stack. My husband fills up his collection of rags at this time of year!

Thrift stores appreciate getting fall items at the beginning of the season. (If you're really energetic, they are taking Christmas items now, too!) Make a list of your donated items for tax purposes. Salvation Army has a valuation guide for donations to help you determine the value of your donated items.

Next, organize your clothing according to style (casual, dressy casual, dressy), type (pants, sweaters, etc.), length (short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve; long pants, capri length, etc.), and color - put like colors together.

With a glance you can evaluate your shoppping needs. And getting dressed in the morning just got easier! Now your closet will have breathing room - your clothes will not get wrinkled from being too crowded.

What are your tips for swapping out seasonal clothes?


Related blogs: Declutter as You Change Your Seasonal Clothes (updated and recycled into today's blog), Donating Business Clothing for Job Interviews

Review by Just a Mom's Take on Things

Deb over at Just a Mom's Take on Things has reviewed a couple of my books: Three Steps to Decluttering and Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom.

Deb was very thorough (and kind). Why don't you stop by and check it out. While you're there, spend some time browsing through her fabulous site! She even has some giveaways!

Getting Organized for School - Cleaning out the Car

This is the last in my series of getting organized for school. Next month we'll look at National Preparedness Month to see how we might prepare for emergencies.

You don't often think of cleaning out your car as part of getting organized for school. However, as activities gear up, you'll probably find yourself chauffering your child to lessons, practices, school and such, spending more time in your car. Why not make it a pleasant place to be?

Let's start with the trunk. Corral those jumper cables, windshield washer fluid bottles, and whatever else you have back there into a container. A plastic crate works well, but you could use anything that does the job.

Get rid of accumulated trash, sports equipment, clothing, etc., and return them to their homes. Vaccuum if needed.

Now to the inside. Start with removing trash and other unecessary items. Evaluate: do you need some organizers for items you want to keep in the car - music, maps, sunglasses, etc. Some attach to the visor, others attach to the back of the front seats, while others sit on the console between the front seats.

While you're evaluating - what do you want to keep in the car at all times? We like to keep tissues, paper towels, music, maps, batteries for the dvd headsets, and change for toll roads. When our girls were in high school, I also kept deodorant in the glove box for those forgetful days. :-)

Give the car a good clean and you're ready to go!

My Guest Blog on Creating a Mudroom

Drop in on Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie and see my guest blog on creating a mudroom. Check out her Round-Up for this month which is on entryways/mudrooms. Organize yours, submit it, and you may win her prize! Don't forget to look around while you're there to see all the resources she offers to make your life more organized.

Announcing Our New Updated Website - 25% Discount

I am so pleased to announce the launch of our new updated website! Kudos to Comfort at Concept Design Studios for spending many hours redesigning the site to make it fun, colorful, easy to navigate and simple to use.

The site is organized to make it quick and effortless for you to find what you need to organize your home, your office, or your time. This is a great time of year to get organized, and we have just what you need to help you get started!

To celebrate our launch, we'd like to offer you a 25% discount on any order through August 20. Use the code 123 to receive your discount.

I'd love it if you'd pass the word to your friends!

Hoarders vs. Pack Rats and Living with Them

My mom recently sent me an article by Heidi Baker and Eden Jarrin, co-founders of www.BeJane.com, an online community and resource for women's home improvement. The article spells out the difference between hoarders and pack rats, and what to do if you live with either one.

Read the entire article published by Oklahoma City's The Oklahoman by clicking the title above. And if you're the handy type, discover home improvement projects to do yourself by clicking on their website above.

Thanks Mom!

Related Posts: Clutter in Your House or Office Means Clutter in Your Mind, Schedule Daily Clean Up Times, Reduce Your Stress by Organizing, Chopping Big Chores down into Bite-Sized Chunks, Decluttering Tips

Organizing for College - Guest Blogger Sarah Scrafford

I'm so pleased to invite Sarah Scrafford to share a blog with us. If you are a college student or know one, Sarah offers some great advice!

Sort out your Organization Problems

My dad is a profound thinker who excels in converting his ideas into intelligent and profitable ventures. But there’s one thing I don’t get – his perpetually disorganized and cluttered desk. Woe betide his secretary or anyone else who attempts to restore some form of order to the chaotic mess of papers and other office paraphernalia; he argues that if the desk is cleaned, he’s bound to forget where he left stuff, little bothering to even listen to my take on the value of a clean and orderly desk with a place for everything and everything in its place.

I guess tidiness and order are characteristics that we acquire as we grow up, because I certainly didn’t inherit them from my dad. Besides saving an enormous amount of time when you’re searching for something, being organized is one way of letting others know that you are disciplined, in how you take care of your belongings and in how you deal with any aspect of life.

College is a time for higher learning, not just from the pages of a book, but in the art of self-discipline too. It’s time students took the effort to change the stereotype that college dorms are messy places that stink to high glory. By turning around one minor aspect like the cleanliness and order of your room, you’ll find that the same attitude spills over into the more important things in your life. Here’s how students can maintain order in their rooms, the easy way:

· When you move in to your residence (either on or off campus), don’t just dump your belongings anywhere; make an effort to identify the right place for each of your things, and put them away neatly.
· If you have stuff that’s left over after you unpack, take what you don’t absolutely need back home to your parents.
· Your books and study materials need to be kept separately from your other belongings.
· Make sure your papers are filed neatly and pinned so they don’t end up flying out the window or being swept away in the trash can.
· If you eat in your room, throw out the leftovers and empty containers immediately instead of waiting for a week to clear up the mess. The sooner you tidy up, the less stains and spills you’ll have to deal with.
· Put your dirty laundry in a designated basket so that the smell of sweat isn’t overpowering when you enter the room.
· Set aside time every week to do your laundry and take care of other personal errands.
· Tack up a list to a cupboard where you can add items that you’ve run out of and need to replenish. This not only simplifies your shopping process, but also makes sure that you’re not left high and dry when you need stationery or other personal provisions.
· As much as possible, do not borrow stuff from others or lend them yours. It’s hard to keep track of what belongs to whom when there’s too much exchanging going on.
· Make notes of things you’re supposed to do for the day. Better still, set up an online calendar of all the events you’re supposed to attend all semester. Check your to-do list each morning before you leave your room.
· If you’re not a morning person and have trouble waking up all fresh and cheery, wake up 10 or 20 minutes before you normally do so you have time to compose yourself, take a shower and be as fresh as a daisy for class.

While there are no hard and fast rules to be followed in your attempt at order, a regular routine helps when you’re a student. An orderly existence is the hallmark of an orderly mind, which in turn makes sure you are successful in anything you do.

Sarah Scrafford is an industry critic, as well as a regular contributor on the subject of top online university. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com

Related Posts: Great info for college students, their parents, and college professors, Packing for College, Review of Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student, College Survival Kits, Organizing For College - Dorm Room, Organizing for School - Papers, Getting Organized for School - Backpack Checklist

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival hosts a massive giveaway every quarter. There are already over 200 giveaways and it's just the beginning! I'm going to be giving away a package of organizing books (Decluttering, Cleaning, Kitchen, Planning Your Child's Parties, and the Time Management book of your choice) - over $50 in value. So click the title above to enter any or all of the giveaways. Hope you win!!

Just leave a comment to this post to enter.

Organizing Your Pantry List

Jillian over at A Freckle for Every Moment blog had a great idea for creating a pantry list so you don't forget what you have and buy duplicate items. It's the July 20th entry.

Related posts: Get Organized Month - Declutter Your Pantry, Get Organized Month - Clean out the Freezer, Decluttering in 5 - Check out the Shelf Life of Your Spices

To Do List or Not To Do List - That is the Question!

I ran across an article today in MomSense, a newsletter put out by Christianity Today that I thought was extremely refreshing. It's about giving yourself permission to take things off your to-list that are good, but may not be good for you. It encourages you to determine what's important to you, and not compare yourself to others. It sings my theme song! And you don't need to be a mom to appreciate the message. For a wonderful, freeing read, click the title above.

Organizing for School - Papers

Yesterday I was walking through WalMart and I couldn't help but notice all the school supplies - in multiple places. It reminded me of an organizing system one of our foster children set up for herself. It's a 13-pocket expandable file.

She designated one pocket for each subject at school and kept homework assignments, finished assignments, study sheets, papers that needed to signed - anything pertaining to that class - in the appropriate pocket.

This system eliminated the bookbag stuffed with a multitude of random papers, lost homework, and the chaos such disorganization produced. At the end of the week, she would go through her expandable file and transfer noncurrent papers to her notebook.

I saw these expandable files at WalMat for $5.88. They come in multiple colors and are only a couple of inches thick.

If you want to get a much more sophisticated filing system, check out the Binder Buddies Multipocket Organizer by DocOA. Each pocket has three sections, so you could have three filing categories for each school subject. Just click the title to see more.

Either of these systems could work for elementary through college.

Related posts: Hope for Disorganized Students!, Getting Ready for School: Organizing Homework Papers

Recycling Computer Components

Do you have old computer components you'd like to get rid of, but don't know what to do with them? The Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov) has created a list of possible options. Click the title above which will direct you to their list.


If you have a computer geek in the family who needs to declutter, you might suggest the following amusing article by Evan Goer, Decluttering for Computer Geeks: http://www.goer.org/Journal/2008/07/decluttering_for_geeks_computer_components.html

The Most Wonderful Organizing Bag!!

I have discovered a fabulous bag at Target - something I've been searching for for months! A bag with lots of pockets for all my categories of things.

My technical abilities are lacking at the moment, so I can't put up a picture for you, but if you click on the title above, you'll see it. The one I got is fuschia canvas, but there are other colors - black, green, gray, and tan. And it's only $16.99!

What I love about his bag is that there is a separate pocket for my phone, my palm, my wallet, my sunglasses, my keys, my tissues and gum, and my papers - and that's just on the outside. Inside the large main zipper compartment are three open pockets I use for my lipstick, a little first aid kit, and my lotion. There's loads of room - I don't even use it all - just a couple of zippered bags to corral small things.

Last night we went to a waterski show and I was able to fit in a hat, sunscreen, and bugspray with plenty of room left over. I could get along with a smaller bag if it had the same number of pockets, but I'm thrilled to find this one! The strap is long and adjustable. I only hope they come out with something similar for winter!

Have you found a bag that works for you? I would LOVE to hear about it.