Storage Ideas for Crafts and Art Supplies

Terri, one of my blog followers, asked for some help on organizing craft and art supplies. I'll do a couple of blogs on this, and we'll start with storage ideas. The following websites were mentioned on a NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) chat. I've chosen some creative storage products from each one.

Craftmates is one of the best organizational storage solutions for small supplies such as brads and buttons. I use these screw on containers for beads - they're easy to remove and put back, unlike flat divided containers with one lid.

Cropper Hopper, has everything from furniture to embellishments, but specializes in flat and embellishment storage. Left to right, first row: Paint and Dabber Holder, Embellishment Bags, Zip 'n Flip Embellishment Bags. Second row: Ribbon Revealer, Small Sticker Bin, 10-Drawer Rolling Cart.

Creativity, Inc., aka Crop in Style, has been around for the past 10 years and has led the way with wheeled totes and paper storage. Left to right: Cube with four inserts (paper storage), Tote to transport paper and tools, Pen caddy.

Fiskars, is great for cutting systems and tool storage. Left to right: Scissor/tool storage, Embossing Organizer, Hobby Holder.




Archival Methods, has everything archival for photo and memorabilia boxes, in addition to long-term album storage. Left to right: Archival Tissue, Snap-Lock Hanging Files for Photos, Slides, Prints and Documents.

Archival Supplies is similar to Archival Methods, but has a bigger selection of supplies. Left to right: Archival Document Storage Boxes, Vertical Filing System - Wall Rack.




Two Peas in a Bucket Left to right: Wall Clip Hangers for Paper, Embellishment Organizer.


That gets us started on storage ideas. We'll talk some more about storing and organizing crafts in an upcoming blog. In the meantime, what are your clever ideas on the subject? Subscribers, click the title to comment at the end of the original blog.

More on crafts:
Saving Time by Cutting Out Craft Clean Up
Craft Storage
Organizing Your Ribbon

How to Stay Organized When No One around You Is

Hope you're having a nice Labor Day weekend. We've had some time off and one of our daughters came for a visit. So nice - we played games, watched a movie, laughed, shopped. Today's blog is a guest blog by Adrienne Carlson. Enjoy!

How to Stay Organized When No One around You Is

As a child, I was notorious for losing stuff; my parents despaired of me being able to keep any of my belongings safe and I was never allowed to own anything valuable for this reason. But as I grew older, I underwent a remarkable transformation – I became very organized, so much so that my parents wondered if aliens had conducted experiments on me. Somehow, I began to detest clutter of any kind and made it a point to set schedules and stick to them. I followed the policy of a place for everything and everything in its place and the rest was easy enough.

Until the day I got married that is – much to my dismay, I discovered that my spouse was a pack rat, someone who hoarded stuff, and never bothered to pick up after himself. Now I know that love is blind, but after a while the clutter and confusion tend to overcome even the strongest of emotions, and this lead to the first fights in our married life. After a few days of constant bickering, we decided to do something constructive, or at least I did. I resolved to stop fighting a losing battle and instead, work out a system where I could stay organized even when my significant other was the exact opposite. For organization to take center stage:

Anticipation is the key: When you are the only one who is neat and organized in a family, you must anticipate your partner’s habits and plan accordingly. For example, it’s not enough to just plan your day and schedule; you must also anticipate your spouse’s habits and messiness and leave enough time for you to clean up after them. Yes, it is extra work for you, but on the bright side, it allows you to become a better organizer in the limited time that you have.

Separate spaces play a large role: Unless you each have your own space in which to do your own thing, organization can become an uphill task with the summit never in sight. If your spouse is innately messy and unorganized, you must allow them their own space in which they can be themselves. If not, tensions could run really high and you’re going to find yourselves fighting more often than not. It’s better to reach a truce.

Ignorance is sometimes bliss: There are times when you must ignore the mess or clutter if you wish to avoid constant arguments. Instead, just wait for a quiet moment to get your point across; explain how being organized or at least trying to be makes a huge difference in the amount of time you have and in how efficiently you do your work.

It takes a bit of extra planning, but it’s still possible to stay organized even when no one around you is.

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of christian college online. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address.

Trivial and Strategic Interruptions

According to Wendy Cole (Time Magazine, 10/11/2004) office workers are interrupted approximately seven times an hour each day, 80% of the tme with trivial matters. That totals 56 interruptions in an eight-hour work day. If the average interruption is only 5 minutes long, that adds to over 4 1/2 hours a day!

Basex, a New York research firm, discovered that employees worked on a project an average of 11 minutes before being distracted. Once interrupted, workers took 25 minutes to return to their original task, according to researchers Gloria Mark and Victor Gonzalez of the University of California at Irvine.

Franck Tetard's research at the Institute for Advanced Management Systems Research in Finland, found that the more complicated the interruption, the more time it takes to recover from the interruption. He also discovered that in-person interruption take longer to recover than from phone interruptions.

At this rate, how does anyone ever get any work done?

Eliminating Trivial Interruptions

If you are plagued with trivial interruptions, it's time to take control! Make a list of these trivial interruptions - papers to be signed, questions from co-workers or those reporting to you, phone calls, emails, unimportant chatter - to name a few. Once you have categorized your interruptions, determine how to eliminate these interruptions. Here are a few suggestions:

- If you must frequently sign papers, attach an envelope or file on the outside of your office or cubicle wall where papers can be deposited for your signature. Attach another one for signed papers. If they are confidential, ask recipients to place the papers in an envelope. Post a notice stating when you will be signing papers each day and when they can expect to collect them.

- Create a time(s) during the day when you are available for questions. If your most productive time is the first thing in the morning, wait until mid-morning to field questions. You'll need a break by then anyway. Since in-person interruptions are more time-consuming than phone or email interruptions, request that simple questions be emailed to you.

- Speaking of email, disable the option of being notified each time you receive an email. Even if you don't look at it, it's a distraction, therefore an interruption.

- Designate specific times when you read email, preferably not at the beginning of your day. Focus on your highest priority task at the beginning of the day without allowing email to distract from your goals - unless emails are your highest priority.

- If your job requires a fair amount of concentration, determine specific times during the day when you will answer phone calls. State those times on your voice mail message, so those calling will know when to expect to hear from you. Turn off the volume if you can hear messages being left - another distraction.

- Notify those with whom you work when you will answer questions, email and phone calls.

- Also, educate your people on how to determine what priority level their interruption is - high, medium or low. Determine how each priority should be handled and communicate that to them.

- If possible, have your back toward the opening of your cubicle or the door/window to your office to prevent being distracted by what is happening around you.

- Create a notification system of your availability. For example, when you are not available, attach a red card to your wall or door. Change it to green when you can be interrupted. Suggest that your entire team or office institute this system to create more productivity and less interruptions.

- Wear headphones to muffle the sounds if you are working in a cubicle or open office.

Using Interruptions Strategically

- If you work with a team or are a supervisor, schedule touch-base meetings to answer questions, communicate information, etc., rather than be deluged with interruptions. If your people know you'll have these meetings regularly, they can save their questions until then.

- Suggest that your entire team or office schedule "do not disturb" times. For example, start the day with a "do not disturb" time until 10 am, at which time your team meets for 15 minutes to touch base with one another. Make it a stand-up meeting. If necessary, schedule another touch-base meeting time inthe afternoon so everyone can be ready for productive, uninterrupted time the next morning.

- Schedule meetings, phone time, and appointments to compliment your energy level. For example, If you know your energy is high in the morning, work on your high priority tasks at that time. Schedule appointments or meetings in the afternoon. Plan your touch-base meeting when you need a break.

- If meetings and/or appointments are your primary work, schedule the most important ones during your high energy times. Do mundane tasks during your low energy times.

- If you do a lot of paper work or computer work, interrupt your work by returning phone calls or more social duties throughout your day to energize and restore yourself.

- Do not schedule intense work or important meetings that require creative thinking right after lunch, when most people struggle with drowsiness. Strategically use that time to handle phone calls, emails, etc.

A sample schedule that controls and strategically utilizes interruptions:
8- 10 am - Highest priority task
10-10:15 - Touch base meeting
10:15-10:45 - Phone calls
10:45-11:15 - Check emails
11:15-12:00 - Highest priority task
12:00-1:00 - Lunch
1:00-1:30 - Phone calls
1:30-2:30 - Highest priority task
2:30-3:45 - Appointments/meetings/touch-base meeting
3:45-4:15 - Check email
4:15-4:45 - Phone calls
4:45-5:00 - Prioritize to-do list and schedule for tomorrow

As you can see, the above schedule is for those who must spend a considerable amount of time at their desks. Those with more active and/or unpredictable jobs will need to adjust accordingly.

Interruptions aren't always negative. By strategically planning when to allow interruptions can increase your productivity and possibly that of your co-workers.

How do you handle interruptions at work? Subscribers click the title to comment on the original blog.

More on Productivity:
A Dozen Tips for Efficient Appointments
Conducting Time-Worthy Meetings
Three Steps to Time Management at the Office

5-Minute Stress Relievers - Inhale a Wonderful Scent

As part of our series on 5-minute stress relievers, we'll look at aromatherapy today.

So what is the big deal about aromatherapy? Is this just a scam? I recently read an article about the research done on the effects of scents on our moods and behavior. Here's a portion:

"Aromatherapy science has shown that aromatherapy can strongly and quickly effect mood and behavior. Researchers recently discovered that the introduction of natural scents like lavender and vanilla can significantly reduce anxiety and distress in at least some scenarios. These positive outcomes in aromatherapy science may spell great news for people who are looking for an affordable, easy way to relax both in crisis situations and in everyday life."

Here are a few quick things we can do to create wonderful scents, thereby reducing stress:

• Light a scented candle.
• Buy yourself some flowers and enjoy their aroma each time you walk by.
• Warm some scented oil. Make your own by adding cooking extracts to oil.
• Spray a favorite fragrance.
• Simmer cinnamon, cloves and orange peel.
• Apply your favorite scented lotion.
• Make yourself a vanilla steamer - heat milk and add a dash of vanilla.
• Put a drop of aromatherapy oil in the space above your lip and below your nose.
• Open a new bag of potpourri.
• Make some mint tea from fresh mint leaves or tea bags. Serve hot or iced.

What scents relax you? Subscribers, click on the title and you'll be able to comment at the end of the original blog post.

More on stress relievers:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Spiritual Refocusing
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Organizing and Cleaning
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Physical Activity

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Running out of room in the bathroom? Here's an idea from Better Homes and Gardens:

"Paint the door with magnetic paint to create an attractive surface on which to hang towel hooks and metal disks. Install removable bins and towel bars to store extra towels, shampoo, and soap."

Or need a unique presentation wall for your office? Apartment Therapy recommends a magnetic wall and column magnets:

How about a gallery wall for your kids' art projects?

So, how do you create a magnetic wall or door? There are a couple of ways: you can buy magnetic powder to mix with primer/sealer. Or you can buy magnetic primer.

Magnetic additives and primers are magnetic because they contain tiny pieces of iron. This presents two issues: your surface will not be perfectly smooth and the gray color of the metal may be hard to cover. Here are three options with quotes from their websites:

1. Magically Magnetic On sale at $15 a quart (regularly $22)

"This can contains enough dry, concentrated, magnetic additive (a one cup volume weighing two pounds) to mix with a quart of any high quality primer/sealer, stain blocker paint. Use either oil based or latex paint to mix with our additive and cover with any brand latex finish paint. Because the additive will increase the volume of the paint it is mixed with, you will want to use a mixing container that is larger than the volume of paint you are using.

Our additive will not change the color of the white primer/sealer so it will cover very easily with any color finish paint. Top-coat with your color choice of a coat or two of any latex paint."


2. Rust-Oleum Latex Primer 32 fluid ounces $20.98 at Lowe's, covers 33 square feet

"Top coat with any latex paint or even Chalkboard paint.

Shake can in an electric shaker in the paint department, if that is not possible, stir paint for at least 10 minutes until the paint is a consistent dark gray color.

Apply 2-3 thin coats of primer and 2 coats of top coat for maximum attraction. Flat or strong magnets with minimal weight adhere best to treated surface."


3. MagnaMagic $19.99 per pint; $29.99 per quart; $89.99 per gallon

"Not only do we have a universal additive to turn your paint into magnetic paint, we have our new line of Active Wall™ magnetic primers.

Our Active Wall primers are formulated to perform like regular, every day paint making your magnetic paint project simple and rewarding.

Our patented process uses very fine particles of iron to produce the smoothest finish possible. Extra care has been taken to color lighten the paint with state-of-the-art lightening agents. This means that your colors will easily cover our natural gray finish.

When you are finished with your project, your walls will become magnetically interactive.

For as little as $1 per square foot, you can have unlimited decorative options in the future."

Robert Raub, in the construction business for 25 years, makes some observations about using the dark gray latex primer:

1. "The metal shavings in the paint will change the texture of the surface in which you are painting. So, if you have a smooth surface and want it to stay that way it won't. Sanding it will take away a lot of the metal shavings and the magnets won't work as well so you'll have to live with the variation of texture the metal shavings will create.
2. Magnetic paint is fairly expensive! You will have to cover the surface you want to be magnetic at least 3 times! I painted only one wall that is close to 9' x 12' 5 times and it cost me about $125.
3. The metal shavings colors the paint or primer a metalish gray. So, whatever you paint over it will be affected by the gray color. If you plan on painting a light color on that surface you should paint a few coats of the magnetic paint first, paint at least one coat of the good quality primer next, and then paint your color you really would like to see. The wall will still be magnetic but you'll get the color you like.
4. Even with 5 coats of the magnetic paint, some of my magnets don't stick. If they are heavy or weak then they slide down to the base boards. Mighty magnets work super as well do the lighter in weight magnets."

So there you have it. When I added the cost of paint ($18.09 per quart/400 square ft. coverage) to option #1, it's a little less than $1 a square foot. #2 is a little more if Robert Raub is correct. And #3 states its price is around $1 a square foot.

#2 seems to be a lot more work and less effective magnetically. So my vote would be #1 or #3. I didn't see additive on the website for #3, even though they claimed to have it.

Do you have experience with magnetic paint or primers? Let us hear from you! Subscribers click the title to go to the original blog to comment.

Related topics:
An Unusual, Time-Saving Painting-Prep Tool
Getting Organized for School - Organizing Your Child's Artwork and School Papers
Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Getting Organized for School - Organizing Homework

We sent our girls off to school this morning not to return until Saturday evening, and my husband left on a two-day trip to see his parents. So I'm home alone!! No cooking, no chauffeuring, I can do some lengthy projects - whatever I want!

But let me get back to our topic at hand: homework.

I posted this blog last year and the year before, but thought it was worth repeating. Homework can be a constant source of contention without a plan.

Having trouble getting your child to do homework? Or does homework seem to stretch out over an unusually long time? When my children were in school I came up with a solution that gave my girls control and motivation, as well as some training in time management.

While they were having their after-school snack, each girl would list out all her homework assignments on a 3 x 5 card with the estimated time needed to complete each subject. Then, depending on how much time we had that day for homework, she would plan out her homework time, interspersing homework time with play time - a video game, a game with me, a TV show, shooting hoops, playing outside, etc. I recommend 30 minutes studying and 15 minutes to play with longer study times for older kids, shorter for younger.

I found that my kids were motivated to complete their homework in the time they estimated so they could get to playing. Plus homework time didn't turn into an endless expanse of time with no end in sight.

If one of the girls would underestimate the time it took to complete an assignment, her play time was still honored. Just having a change of scenery refreshes the brain.

By giving each girl some control over how she managed her time, she was motivated to do her homework and felt a sense of accomplishment from organizing her homework. Homework was broken up into bite-sized pieces and interspersed with fun. Homework battles were greatly reduced!

A suggestion: study your child. One of my daughters, an introvert, was depleted both physically and socially when she came home from school because she had used up all her words. She needed food and time to regroup before she was ready to talk about her day. My other daughter, also an introvert, wouldn't use up her words at school and was a chatterbox because she felt more comfortable using her words at home.

A child with ADHD may need to get rid of a bunch of energy before sitting down to homework. Each child is different, and as we study our children, we'll have more insight into creating an atmosphere for their success.

What do you to solve homework battles? Subscribers click here to comment at the end of the original blog.

More on homework:
Helping Your Child Organize Large Homework Projects
Getting Organized for School - Online Homework Help
Organizing for School - Papers

100 Free and Essential Web Tools for the College Bound

Happy Monday! We are down to two girls now from five - it's so quiet! I actually got to go to the gym at my regular time! Now it's time to work. :) But first, an incredible resource for college bound students:


Amber Johnson over at Online College sent me this wonderful article she thought you might find useful if you're a college/high school student or parent of one.

100 Free and Essential Web Tools for the College Bound
By Hannah Watson

"Heading off to college can be one of the most exciting times of a young person’s life, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Fortunately, there are some tools out there on the web that can help students stay organized, keep in touch with their families, and get on the right track for success in all aspects of this new stage in life. Here are a just a few that we think are worth the time to bookmark before heading off to class this year.

Preparing

These tools will help you do everything from learning how to finance your education to getting the best deals on the books for your classes.

1. Book Finder: Use this free tool to search through several online sites to find the best prices on the books you’ll need for classes, saving you money and making sure you’re ready for school when it starts.
2. Bookmooch: If you really want to go cheap, use this online tool to find students to swap textbooks with.
3. RateMyProfessors: Find out what you can expect from the professors you’re signed up with using this tool.
4. AnswerU: Have some questions about your school? Ask them on this site and get answers from students already going there.
5. FinAid.org: Find funding for your education on this site.
6. Chegg: If you don’t want to buy your books you may be able to save money by renting them on this site.
7. BigWords: Use this site to search through the biggest book retailers online for the lowest prices on your texts.
8. BookBurro: This extension for Firefox will let you easily look up the best price of books by right clicking on any book name on a webpage.
9. Bartleby.com: You may not even need to pay for your books if you can find them for free in this public domain collection.
10. TuitionCoach: Get a basic education on how to pay for your college education through this site.

Note Taking

A big part of doing well in your college classes is taking notes. These applications and tools will let you easily take notes and organize, share, and store them.

11. NoteMesh: This site allows students who are in the same classes to share notes and collaborate easily with one another.
12. Notely: Notely can help you get all your school stuff together, with schedules, calendars, note-taking tools and even a homework planner.
13. Notesake: Organize all of your notes with this online application.
14. Evernote: With this app you can take your notes with you anywhere, even sync them up with your cell phone for notes on the go.
15. MyStickies: If you’re browsing the web you can leave little notes for yourself with this helpful sticky app.
16. NoteCentric: This social networking site lets users put up and share their notes from classes at school.
17. University Notes: Check out this social site to share and read notes from courses at your school and those around the nation.
18. UberNote: Not only can you take notes with this tool but add tasks into them as well.
19. Webnote: This online tool is a pretty basic way to take notes online.
20. ShareNotes: Use this site to find notes and share your own for study purposes.

Studying and Homework

These tools can help you study more effectively and get better grades on your homework.

21. Cramster: This site is a great place to seek out answers to homework questions you need help with, find practice exams and a whole lot more.
22. CollegeRuled: Here you can keep up with your courses, create class schedules and maintain to-do lists so you can remember your important assignments.
23. Quizlet: Use this tool to make your own quizzes to study or find those that others have made.
24. Mathway: Want to check your math skills to make sure you’re on the right track? This tool can help.
25. CollegeCram: This site is all about social learning and is a great place to find other students to study with.
26. Graphing Calculator: You don’t need to invest in an expensive graphing calculator– just use this free online version instead.

Writing and Research

If you want to make writing papers easier and get a leg up on researching, try out these tools.

27. EasyBib: Make creating a bibliography much easier with this free online tool.
28. Ottobib: Ensure that your bibliography or works cited pages are done correctly with this tool. Enter in the information about the text and the type of format you want it in and the program does the rest.
29. GoogleDocs: Want to be able to work on your paper or project no matter where you are? Even if you don’t have a laptop, GoogleDocs gives you access to all your files right from a Gmail account, making it easy to keep homework mobile.
30. Wikipedia: While you should never use Wikipedia as a source on your paper, it can often be a great starting point for research on a project and can point you in the direction of the books and resources you should be looking for.
31. Google Scholar: Ensure that the sources you’re searching for on the web are reliable by using this helpful academic-only search engine from Google.
32. BibMe: Whether you need ALA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style, this free bibliography tool can help you out.
33. SparkNotes: If you’re having a tough time understanding the classic lit you’re reading, give these free study questions and notes.
34. CiteULike: Use this tool to search for, sort and cite scholarly research sources.
35. Footnote: Go to the source and get access to original historical documents on this site that you can use in your research.
36. Dictionary.com: Chances are pretty good that when you’re doing your reading you’ll come across words you don’t know. Look them up on this site, find synonyms, get translations and play educational games as well.
37. YourDraft: Here you can type and store your paper so that you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection.

Presentations and Collaboration

Inevitably, you’ll have to give a presentation and work with others on a project. These tools will make it a little easier and help you get the grade you want.

38. Zoho Show: If you need to give a presentation and don’t have Microsoft PowerPoint you can easily create one using this fully-featured and free alternative.
39. bubbl.us: Check out this tool to make working in groups a little easier. You can map out your ideas and thoughts for the project and easily email it to anyone you choose.
40. Thinkature: Here you’ll be able to engage in real-time collaboration, with voice, text and visual elements.
41. MeetWithApproval: This site can help you arrange a meeting or event at a time that works for everyone in your group.
42. ProBoards: Create a board through this site so all members of your group can post and work together easily online.
43. TimetoMeet: Set up an account with this site to make it a little easier to meet up with those you’re working with, especially if there are several people in your group.
44. Goplan: This app isn’t totally free, but you can use if for 30 days for free which is more than likely more than enough time for you to work with others collaboratively on a project using it.
45. Clipmarks: This application will let you store, share and comment on the information you find on the web, making collaborative research easier.
46. Lazybase: Check out this site to make a database where you and others you’re working with can edit and add-to information.

Organization

These helpful online tools can make sure you keep track of your assignments, fun activities, and just about everything else.

47. MyNoteIT: This application comes with just about everything you’ll need to stay organized at school, from a calendar to a simply way to store and share notes for all your courses.
48. Delicious: While you can bookmark just about anything you like with this tool, it can be incredibly useful for keeping track of the websites for your courses, syllabi and other important school information. Better yet, you can access it no matter where you are or what computer you’re on.
49. Zotero: This Firefox tool makes it easy to organize, store, cite and use your research sources right from your browser.
50. Mindomo: Help yourself get your thoughts in order with this free mind mapping tool.
51. Diigo: Use this tool to organize your web world, with functions that let you highlight, create sticky notes and email information.
52. MySchoolog: Get everything in your school life organized through this online tool.
53. TracksLife: Whether you want to track what you eat, your progress in a project or your budget you can do it with this tool.
54. Backpack: While designed for business, this tool can help you organize all of your big, semester-long projects.
55. Presdo: If you have a busy social schedule, this application can help you track all of your outings in one place.
56. NetVibes: Check out this site to keep all your social networking, chat and frequently visited sites in one place so you won’t have to run all over the place to use them.
57. Shoshiku: This online tool makes it simple to keep track of all your assignments and projects so you’ll never forget something important.

Scheduling

Whether you need a great calendar or an easy way to keep track of what you need to get done, these tools will help you stay on top of everything when you’re at school.

58. TaDa List: If you’re the sort of person who can memorize all the capitals of Africa but who can’t remember all the errands you’re supposed to run, this application may come in handy. You’ll be able to keep track of homework, work, projects and more from one easy list.
59. Remember the Milk: Help yourself remember the milk or just about anything else with this to-do app.
60. Google Calendar: One of the best free calendars out there, Google Calendar can keep you on track with all your tasks and even makes it simple to send out invites to fun events as well.
61. 30 Boxes: This simply designed calendar will help you keep all your important events organized.
62. Jotlet: If you want to be able to share your schedule with family and friends, sign up for this free calendar service.
63. WhichTime: With loads of widgets available to customize it, this calendar is a totally personal way to keep track of tasks.
64. My 50: Keep track of the big picture with this tool that lets you track and organize your life goals.
65. Toodledo: Check out this tool to keep a to-do list that does it all, including analyzing your dates, priorities, and time estimates to create a customized schedule for your needs.
66. bitBomb: If you want to take your to-dos on the go, try out this application. You’ll get reminders to your cell phone of what you need to get done.
67. Nozbe: With functions that help you keep to-do lists, manage projects and tasks, get reminders, share with others, and even access from your mobile phone, this app does it all.
68. HipCal: Created by college students, this application will let you create your own calendar or one that can be shared by a group and create to-do lists as well.
69. LifeTango: Keep track of all your personal goals whether for the short or long term on this site, a great way to track your progress throughout the year.

Communication

Whether you’re homesick or just want to make sure you stay in touch, these tools offer you a lot of options for communicating with everyone important to you.

70. Meebo: No matter what IM service your friends and family use you can chat with them using Meebo. With a Meebo account you’ll be able to access your accounts on everything from Gtalk to AOL at once.
71. Gmail: This free webmail application is generally considered among the best, partly because of what a great job it does of filtering out junk mail. It is full of other features as well, and can make it easy to keep in touch with friends and relatives.
72. Facebook: There aren’t too many college students out there today without a Facebook account, so sign up to keep in touch and share what you’re doing.
73. Skype: While not all services from Skype are free, calls from computer to computer generally are, letting you talk with those you love without breaking your budget.
74. Twitter: Let your friends and family read short messages about what you’re up to on this site you can update from anywhere– even your phone.
75. ooVoo: Similar to Skype, this site offers free video conferencing and chat.
76. WordPress: What better way to let others know what you’re up to than with a blog? With WordPress you can set up a free site and post updates and pictures to your account.
77. CampusBug: Meet other students going to your school and find out about groups you might be interested in with this social networking site.
78. Campfire: This site may have been created for business use, but it can also be a great way to work with others can keep in touch and share files with family members.
79. GroupLoop: If you’re heading up a group you can keep all members in the group on the same page with this free, web-based software.

Finance

For many students, college will be the first time to manage a large part of their own finances. Since most students are on a tight budget, these tools can help make it a little easier to have fun, but live within their means.

80. Wesabe: This tool provides a great way to track your finances and get support and help from an online community as well.
81. Mint: Link up your accounts with this site and you’ll get weekly reports about your standings and a whole lot more.
82. Buxfer: Get a better picture of your financial standings by using this free tool.
83. MoneyTrackin’: Make sure you’re staying within your budget with this helpful financial site.
84. Geezeo: You can track all of your accounts on this site and tag spending with categories so you can see where your money is going.
85. Student Advantage: Through this site, you can find out what kind of discounts you qualify for as a student at your university.
86. Coupons.com: Help yourself get discounts on just about everything with the coupons found on this site.
87. iOWEYOU: Keep track of debts with friends and roommates with this helpful online tool.

Fun Stuff

Don’t be all work and no fun– these sites allow you to listen to music, read blogs, share photos and more.

88. Google Reader: Whether you read the latest news or keep up with celebrity gossip, this tool will let you do so quickly and efficiently.
89. FoxyTunes: If you like to listen to music while browsing or studying, this Firefox tool lets you control just about any media player right from your browser.
90. last.fm: Find new music and share the music you love with this site, popular with college students and adults alike.
91. College Mailer: This site can help make it easy to send out mail and memos to all the people in your clubs and organizations.
92. Flickr: Store and share your photos with both family and friends using this site.
93. MeetUp: If you’re trying to make friends in a new place, this site can help you find organizations, clubs and fun things to do no matter your interests.

Miscellaneous Tools

This assortment of tools offer students a variety of options from free courses to supplement your learning to the ability to store and access files online.

94. Schoolr: This search engine combines several of the most useful searches, Wikipedia, Google, Dictionary.com, and more, into one page.
95. Craigslist: Whether you want to sell your books or find cheap furniture for your dorm room, you can find deals on this classifieds site.
96. DivShare: Through this site you can share your videos, photos and more– up to 5 GB for free.
97. GPA Calculator: Curious about what your GPA is going to be this semester? This tool can help.
98. Adrive: This site will let you store up to 50GB of information online for a 14 day free period.
99. Box: Use Box’s online storage to back up your files or provide access to important information from anywhere.
100. MIT Open Courseware: You don’t have to be enrolled at MIT to take courses from there. Here you can find information and videos about hundreds of MIT courses, a great way to learn even more about subjects you’re interested in."

Isn't this a fabulous list? I applaud all the work Hannah did to pull this together!

Have you or your children found other helpful sites? Comment on the original blog by clicking here if you're a subscriber.

More help for the college student:

Getting Organized for School/College - Software Tools

More Resources for Present and Future College Students

Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student

Organizing Your To-Do List

Overwhelmed by all you need to do? Write it down! Make a list of everything you need to do.

Next, assign a day to each task. Those things that are most important and urgent should be assigned to an earlier day. Beside those items you will do on Monday, write an M. Put a T beside the things you will do on Tuesday, and so on.

Then, look at the items you have on your list for today. Prioritize them by putting a 1 beside the most important and urgent item on the list, 2 on the next, etc.

By tackling #1 on your list, you know you are doing the most critical task on your list. Even if that’s the only thing you accomplish today, you know you have spent your time on the highest priority item on your list.

Transfer today's prioritized list to today's page on your calendar. Transfer your lists for each day to the corresponding day on your calendar

At the end of today, compare undone tasks on today’s list with those items on tomorrow’s list. If necessary, reprioritize your list for tomorrow. By doing this tonight, this allows you to get started quickly on your day tomorrow with your most critical task.

As a result of creating and prioritizing your to-do list, you may realize that it is humanly impossible to do all the tasks on your to-do list. You will need to delegate, ask for help, or lower your expectations.

As things came to mind, add them to your list so everything is in one place. If you write things down, you won’t have them rambling around in your mind, and you won’t forget them!

By creating and prioritizing your to-do list, you stay focused on what you need to do, you're motivated to use your time well, and you are forced to live in reality as far as what you are humanly able to accomplish.

More on priorities:
Your Priorities, Passions, and Gifts Create Context for Your Clutter
Announcing My New Coaching Package - Rethinking Life
The Effects of Disorganization at the Office
Get Organized Month - Declutter Your Schedule - Take Some Time Off!

Comments? Subscribers, click here to comment at the end of the original blog.

Better Homes and Gardens - Inexpensive Storage and Organizing Solutions

Sergei Fyodorov over at Better Homes and Gardens wanted me to let you know that they've come up with some creative and economical ways to help you live a clutter-free lifestyle.

He said, "We've updated BHG.com to include the latest storage trends that are simple and inexpensive to implement. Because of today's economy, our content emphasizes being creative without breaking the bank."

Take a look at BHG's storage suggestions - I've included pictures of a couple of my favorites:

Bathroom storage ideas: photos presenting low-budget, innovative ideas for storing towels and toiletries to make life more convenient for the family and guests

Closet storage - closet storage ideas for children's rooms, laundry rooms, the mudroom, and the family catch-all closet

Design-a-closet templates - offering the chance to select the type of storage closet you want and try out different variations to see what works best

Garage organization - photos of helpful storage ideas, everything from an old fashioned pegboard with hooks to storing family's sporting goods so they are visible and easy to reach

I love that garage! You can also follow BHG on Twitter@bhg.

Which idea or product is your favorite?

5-Minute Stress Relievers - Taking a Mental Break

Speaking of stress, we have five teenagers starting four schools this week. One started Monday, two started Tuesday and two start Thursday. We don't usually have this many foster daughters in our home at one time ... but the first week of school?!

They've managed to get out the door on time today and yesterday. Monday was a different story, which necessitated a down-to-the minute bathroom schedule. But I digress ... we're talking about taking a mental break to relieve stress. (Maybe I should do a blog about blogging as a stress reliever! I sure feel better now. Thanks for listening. LOL)


When you're working on an intense project, have a packed schedule, or are otherwise stressed, take a mental break. Even if you can't change your physical location, taking a mental break will provide rest and refreshment. The key here is to do a mental activity that is totally different from your current task. Some ideas:

• Read a magazine article.
• Close your eyes and picture a calming scene.
• Examine the meaning and rhythm of a poem, noting the mental pictures you're making as you read it.
  
• Watch a short, funny video.
• Read a chapter in a good book.
• Tell jokes.
• Get a book of short stories or Reader’s Digest and read a story.
• Do a crossword puzzle, sudoku, computer game, etc.
• Get a book of five-minute mysteries and try to solve it with your family, friends, coworkers.
• Examine a piece of art.
• Read or listen to the news.
• Have a friendly debate.
• Dream.
  

By switching to a different mental activity, you're utilizing a different part of your brain, giving the area you've been using a rest. After a short break, you're ready to get back to the task at hand with renewed energy and vigor.

What do you do to take a mental break? Subscribers, click here to comment at the end of the original blog.

More on stress relievers:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Organizing and Cleaning
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Relaxation
Reduce Your Stress - Say No
Three Steps to Planning Dinner

Cubicle Sanity

Are you a cubicle dweller by day? Here's an article by Jack Wallen about keeping your sanity while doing so:

"So you work in a cube farm, and every day you spend there sucks more and more of your sanity away. You're pretty sure that any day now you will be taken off in a straightjacket to work in your new padded cell. How can you avoid this? How can you hang on to a semblance of sanity when day in and day out, you spend eight hours sitting in the center of three industrial walls? It's not as hard as you might think. Here are some suggestions to help you preserve your sanity.

1: Change it up

When your surroundings do not change, the best way to keep your cool is to change them yourself. A friend of mine has been in the same cube farm for nearly 10 years. During that time, she has made a point to randomly change the decorations in her cubicle. But she doesn’t just add a photo here and a knick-knack there. My chum is a serious Trekkie and makes a point to focus on one character (or race of characters) at a time. So one month will be Cardassian month and the next will be all about Dr. Bashir or Jean-Luc Picard. Not only has this helped her sanity, it has given her quite the reputation around the company and provided plenty to chat about.

2: Take breaklets

Most people work like this:

• Work four hours
• Take a lunch break
• Work four hours

This works for a while, but eventually it will catch up with you. Instead of sticking only to this schedule, you should mix it up. If your company allows it, split your break up into smaller breaks throughout the day. Or better yet, just randomly get up and take a stroll around the company. If you have to, grab a folder or a handful of papers and make like you’re heading for the printer. Just get up and get out of that cubicle throughout the day. Taking strolls around the company won’t just get you out of your cubicle; it will give you a bit of exercise you desperately need. If you’re feeling really daring, skip the elevator and hit the stairs!

3: Crank up the tunes

Music is the food of life. But you will be best served (as will your fellow employees) if you keep that music to yourself. Back when I had an office at TechRepublic, I was notorious for cranking up techno very loud. It didn’t dawn on me that maybe it would have been better if I’d left the volume at a respectable level. And that was with an office — not a cubicle. When you are working in a cubicle, your best bet is headphones. I also recommend that you don’t just bring in your favorite CDs and listen to them over and over. You might as well stare at the same gray-brown walls and listen to the voices developing in your head. Instead, point your PC to a nice Internet radio station. If you use Linux, you may want to open up Streamtuner, as I do, and take in a whole world of music.

4: Turn to Facebook/Youtube/Twitter

I know, it sounds horrible — but I am advocating the use of social networking sites at work. However, I suggest you use them with moderation. Do not plant yourself on Facebook and stay there at the expense of your work. Instead, give yourself social breaks between tasks. Complete a task, update your status. Reconfigure that router, tweet! Or create a social networking site for your fellow workers. With this in place, your social networking will be work related. If you can’t create the site yourself, propose this to your IT staff.

5: Move your office

I don’t mean literally. But if you use a laptop, take it away from your cubicle and move to the break room or a meeting room. Do this once a week or so, and you’ll find that cubicle not nearly as life-stealing. Just make sure you are not breaking any company policies by doing so. And if the weather is nice enough (and your signal strength will reach) take that laptop outside for an al fresco workday. Just remember to have a full battery or an outlet nearby.

6: Socialize

We’ve all done it before — worked in places where we just… couldn’t… stand… the… people… we… worked… with. You can’t get along with everyone, but there should be someone you can at least form some sort of social bond with. Find someone who shares similar interests (like Star Trek, Linux, or mountain biking) so you will at least have SOMETHING to talk about (other than complaining about how you hate your fellow workers).

7: Do an anonymous act of kindness every day

This is all about karma. Do something good for a coworker every day. It doesn’t have to be big. You could pick up someone’s print job for them and deliver it to their cubicle (see number 2) or clean up an area around the office. Just make sure the act is random and anonymous. The anonymity will give you a certain pleasure as you watch others trying to figure out who did the deed.

8: Play hooky

Remember how good it made you feel back in college to skip a day of class? That feeling can be enough to get you through until the next vacation day. Find a special event or just a perfect day outdoors and call in sick. Yes, it can backfire on you if your boss takes a break and catches you playing Frisbee golf in the park. But then, if your boss catches you in the park, what exactly is he doing there?

9: Employ the Les Nessman cubicle strategy

Who can forget Les Nessman, the award-winning news director from WKRP? One of his many quirks was his belief that a news director should have his own office. Well, he didn’t — so he made do. Les lay down masking tape on the floor to create the outline of the walls of his “office.” He even included a “door” that he mimed opening and closing every time he entered or exited. So what is keeping you from going “Les” on your cubicle? Tape down that fourth wall, include a door, and insist that people “knock” and use the “door” when they need to meet with you.

10: Have a sense of humor

Humor will get you through just about every situation — including cube life. Become a practical jokester, laugh at silly mistakes, let everyone see that you can take just about anything that life throws at you. But as you’re laughing it up and plotting the demise-by-joke of your next victim, always remember your company policies. Make sure your master plan does not go against any company rules, or the HR department will have the last laugh. Above all, have fun, enjoy your workday, and make it more pleasant for everyone around you."

Several of these ideas can be used regardless of where you work. What do you do to maintain your sanity at work? Subscribers, click here to comment at the end of this original 1-2-3...Get Organized blog post.

More on working effectively:

Six Ways to Maintain Peak Energy at Work

Creating Routines and Systems

Interruptions at work

Three Steps to Time Management at the Office

Getting Organized for School - Start the Night Before

Wouldn’t you love to have a peaceful, stress-free morning tomorrow? Starting the night before can help eliminate the rush and push, getting your day off to a pleasant and calm start.

Getting Your Child Organized

Knowing how much sleep your child needs is essential to his/her well-being and success at school. Trying to function well in a sleep-deprived stupor is impossible.

I feel strongly that a huge role of mine as a mom and foster mom is to create an atmosphere where my child can succeed. In order to insure that my children get enough sleep, I work backwards:

- I figure out when my child needs to be in bed with the lights out in order to get the sleep she requires. We have five foster daughters in our house this week. One starts school today, two tomorrow and two on Thursday. We are reining in bedtime so everyone can get enough sleep.

- We determine how much time is needed for nightly routines – shower/bath, brushing teeth, room decluttering, prayers, reading, etc. – and start the routine that much earlier than bedtime. With five girls and one bathroom between them, we are starting at 7 to get them all in their rooms by 9!

- Next, we figure out how much time is needed for morning routines - shower/bath, brushing teeth, breakfast, etc. Each child sets the alarm to allow enough time for her morning routine to be accomplished without rush. We have one child who is younger than the rest, and has trouble judging time. When she first came, we wrote out a timed schedule of what she needs to do in the morning and how much time it should take.

- We encourage each child to choose her clothes for tomorrow and lay them out.

- Before choosing her clothes, she should have packed her backpack – homework assignments, permission slips, gym clothes, etc., checking her backpack checklist (see post on July 30, 2008).

- Before packing her backpack, she can pack her lunch and put it in the fridge. If she doesn't want to make a sandwich the night before because it will get soggy, at least she can pack everything else and know which kind of sandwich she will make in the morning. (I must confess, I made my girls’ lunches throughout high school. For some reason it stressed them out, and I didn't mind doing it.)

Getting Yourself Organized

If I am running behind in the morning, it makes life stressful for everyone! So I try to create the same type of routine for myself. If I am sleep deprived, I get crabby and little things that shouldn't bother me trigger inappropriate responses.

- I need to know how much sleep I need and determine when I need to be in bed with the lights out in order to get it.

- Working backwards again, I calculate how much time I need for my nightly routine and start the routine that much earlier than bedtime.

- During my routine, I think through what my morning routine will be and how much time it will take, including fixing breakfast and making sure everyone else gets out the door on time. I set my alarm to allow for that to happen without panic. Ten minutes can change panic to calm, so I try not to cut my morning routine too short.

- Before I start my evening routine or during my routine, I think through what I'm going to wear tomorrow and make sure it's clean, ironed, etc.

- Before that, I think through my schedule for tomorrow and pack my briefcase and/or purse and/or gym bag (backpack or diaper bag for some of you) with what I need for the day tomorrow. I'm much less likely to forget something if I can think it through calmly.

- If I'm going to need a lunch, I'll prepare it before I pack my bag and stick it in the fridge. If I take leftovers from dinner, I try to package them while putting the food away after dinner.

- While I'm packing my lunch or while preparing dinner, I look to see what I have planned for breakfast. When I plan my meals for the week, I also plan breakfasts so I can get what I need when I do my weekly grocery shopping.

- After dinner is a good time to set the table for breakfast. If you have two tables - one in the kitchen and one in the dining room, you can set both whenever you empty the dishwasher - one for breakfast and one for dinner.

It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? It’s easy to see why time slips away without even realizing it. But by being intentional about your evening schedule, you’re creating an atmosphere of success for both your child and yourself which will hopefully result in a peaceful and productive day tomorrow!

What do you do to get your day off to a good start? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.

More on Organizing for School:
Getting Organized for School - Family Calendar
Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Getting Enough Sleep
Getting Organized for School - Creating a Hub
Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom

Six Ways to Maintain Peak Energy at Work

There are a number of ways to maintain your peak energy level during your work day. Experiment with the following:

- Get organized the night before. By getting your clothes, lunch, and briefcase ready the night before, you're less likely to be rushed and/or late. A calm and controlled start to your day allows you to focus readily and lucidly when you get to work.

- Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation results in irritability, stress and slow reaction time similar to being drunk, not to mention many other health risks. Your body keeps track of the sleep you've lost. Falling asleep when sitting quietly is an indicator that you may be sleep deprived.

- Take breaks! Take those your employer offers or create your own breaks if you are your own boss. Go for a walk, go outside, climb a few flights of stairs - move! Just a few minutes of change refreshes your mind and your body.

- If you are in a noisy area, close your door or wear headphones to reduce sound, if acceptable at your workplace. Go to a quiet location to work, if possible.

- Eat. If you are running low on fuel, you will not be able to function properly. Have a healthy snack during your breaks.

- Drink. Keep yourself hydrated. Coffee from our well-known coffee cafes is three to four times stronger than regular coffee. And if you get a specialty coffee, it's loaded with sugar. Stop for one on the way to work, and expect your energy to crash in a couple of hours as the caffeine and sugar wear off. Better to have some green tea or water.

Be intentional about maintaining your energy level, and you'll find your productivity will increase. As your productivity increases maybe your paycheck will too!

What do you do to you maintain your energy at work? Subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


More on effectiveness at work:

A Dozen Tips for Efficient Appointments

Delegation - A Key Ingredient for Efficiency

How Efficient is Multitasking?

Three Steps to Time Management at the Office