Tips for organizing your home, your office, and your time.
Welcome!
Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you find some helpful hints for organizing your time and space. My passions are to help you make home a refuge instead of a crisis center, and to help you function in peace rather than chaos - at home or at work. I have switched my main blog to 1-2-3 ... Get Organized on WordPress, so please visit me there.
Raina Bisson-Orr, a student at Sharon High School in Sharon, MA has written the following articlewhich was published in her school newspaper, The Talon, on February 28, 2011.
She is participating in a team project in her media awareness class in which students argue for or against spending fictional money on modern technology for the school. Here is her argument for Nooks, eReaders which allow students to download their textbooks. She has convinced me!
"21st century America is seeing the dawn of a technological revolution. With the onset of computers, cell phones, hybrid technology, and even wireless credit card processing, it is evident that technology is making its way into every sect of American life.
Such developments boast faster access, improved usability, connection to a wider range of information, and even “going green.” But while other institutions grow increasingly more “plugged in,” schools continue to use primitive tools like textbooks.
The Nook, an eReader device, has means to save students from literally and figuratively dragging behind as they lug textbooks to school in an increasingly technology based world.
'I think the focus in school investment should be in media and technology as soon as possible,' says John Brande, SHS Media Awareness teacher.
'Purchasing textbooks now is a complete waste of money. Every student should be making use of the Internet at all times in school.'
Modern technology seeks to expedite organization by consolidating other devices into one. A persistent issue many high school students have is being disorganized. When a student is assigned several separate reference books for each class, disorganization is an easy trap to fall into.
Disorganization makes misplacement easy and therefore makes referencing study materials a difficult and stressful task.
'At this point in my life, I am completely overwhelmed with textbooks,' says junior Bridgit Wald, who admits to being poorly organized.
'I am lucky if I can keep track of two of them, nevertheless the nine I have this year.'
Sophomore Ian Deutsch agrees with Bridgit. 'I’ve forgotten textbooks at school several times, once before a test in the subject,' said Deutsch. 'It is hard to keep track of them all.'
One 2GB Nook can store up to 1,500 books, magazines, or newspapers. The Nook makes disorganization of books and reference materials virtually impossible.
The Nook permits better organization with less effort. Currently, classroom time is spent to pass out books and assign book numbers to each student in a classroom.
However, a Nook-using student would be able to quickly download e-Books instantly to “My Library” via Wi-Fi. A student can further organize from there by choosing to create easy-access “shelves” to file e-Books by topic or school subject.
The sheer weight of transporting textbooks and binders is intense even for students with whom disorganization is not an issue.
Much concern has risen over heavy backpacks and it’s potential and harmful affects on students, many of whom have bodies that are still growing.
A Nook, regardless of whether it’s carrying 1 book or 1,000 books, weighs a mere 12.1 ounces, which is about the weight of an apple. Just one, the largest, of the three books required for use in SHS’s Advanced Placement US History course weighs about 88 ounces, which is nearly the weight of two watermelons.
'It’s lightweight; they weigh less than 15 ounces, so they’re pretty portable and easy to move around,' says Joe Dumas, the Nook Specialist at Barnes and Nobles Booksellers in Walpole.
Julie Fishman, a junior, agrees with Dumas. 'It’s a pain to have to carry around heavy books and textbooks to school,' Fishman says.
'I haven’t really used a Nook before, but I know it’s lightweight and it would be easier to only have one device for it all!'
The Nook includes a vast array of helpful usability features - foremost, accessibility. Like Deutsch said, a student depends on their books or textbooks to study, so students are limited to studying in areas that they are allowed to carry them or bring them.
By downloading the Nook App to an iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, or Blackberry, students can access their e-Books and study anywhere that has Wi-Fi.
Using the Nook application on such phones as the iPhone, one can highlight, create notes, and control text size as well as font and font color.
'Using a Nook has the same features as a book, just electronic,' says Dumas. 'It includes book marking, highlighting, and the screen zooms in and out.'
Nook’s display includes 16-level gray scale font with display and zoom capabilities that make font easier to read than a book or textbook.
The Nook’s extensive collection of over 2 million, ready to download e-Books and ability for pre-ordering new releases ensures access to updated material at all times.
Schoolbooks can become easily outdated but are replaced only every 5-6 years and textbooks even more rarely.
The Nook also has an extra-long battery life of up to 10 days without ever having to re-charge as well.
'I own a Nook and I love it,' said Adam Block. 'I have trouble reading small fonts, so the zoom feature is really helpful. The battery life is also really long.'
The NookColor also has a basic web browser. Students can check e-mail, send a note, or Google search using the touch screen keyboard. Using N highlight, a student can instantly look up a word with the Nook’s built in dictionary feature, sparing class disruption and student confusion.
Nook’s environmentally friendly aspect is another triumph over textbooks, each having the ability to save thousands of pages of paper.
'In the long run, I think that investing in a Reader would be worth it. Nooks save energy and paper. Plus you can’t tear them apart,' says SHS English teacher James Sanford.
'The environmentally friendly aspect is one of the most appealing features to me. It’s faster, easier, and saves the environment, so why not?' says junior Xander Bennett.
The Nook costs $149 and the NookColor costs $249. While the initial cost of purchasing Nooks may be daunting, e-Books are often about half the price of their book counterparts.
Last week I helped a client organize her linen closet. We categorized the items into like groups: towels, blankets, sheets, etc.
My favorite part was organizing the sheets and pillowcases. One way is to tie a ribbon around a set of sheets. But I like this idea better: placing the sheets and extra pillowcase (if applicable) inside the pillowcase for that set.
Everything stays in one place and the sheet sets don't fall apart or fall down when one set is removed. Even if they do, they are nicely contained in the pillowcase.
It's sunny today - a welcome respite after more snow over the weekend! My husband and I bought a planter kit for my herbs and a grow light, so I'm excited to get going on my herb garden. I'm going to try growing them from seed this year, trying to stagger some of them so I'll have them all summer. We'll set up a place in our garage for them to grow when it's not sunny. Speaking of garages, here's a rerun of a post from the past .... Spring is the time to clean out the garage, swapping out winter items for summer ones. As you attempt this task, here are a few pointers from Don Townson of the Vancouver Sun about storing hazardous materials:
"If you have to keep hazardous materials in the garage, follow these rules:
- Store products in their original containers with their labels
- Never mix products
- Keep gasoline in an approved container
- Do not store gasoline or volatile solvents near water heaters or other appliances with pilot lights
- Keep flammables away from outlets, electric tools and appliances
- Store all hazards out of reach of children and pets; use a locked cabinet
We had a nice weekend off. I don't think we realized how exhausted we were from the trip and circumstances surrounding my mother-in-law's failing health. It's an indication to me that I'm stressed when I need a lot of extra sleep! And you know how I feel about sleep! LOL! Now on to our topic of the day - underwear!
According to a new survey by Hanes®:
"Unused clothes are often pushed to the back or bottom of the drawer, where they remain forgotten for long periods of time
More than one in five Americans keep a lone sock, hoping it's missing mate will eventually appear
Drawer rotation is uncommon; people tend to put clean laundry on top and grab what's closest in the morning, which means they are actually only using a small percentage of what's taking up space in the drawer
When people took the time to purge, donate and replenish, it ultimately saved them time, made them feel calmer and led to more productive shopping experiences because they had a better sense of what they liked and what they actually needed."
In order to encourage people to donate their gently used clothing, Hanes® is partnering withGoodwill Industries®, Star of Bravo's "Bethenny Ever After" Bethenny Frankel and Michael Moloney of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" in their new effort "Clean Out Your Drawers".
Here's more from their recent press release:
"What's hiding in the back of America's underwear drawer? Denial, anxiety and forgotten undergarments. So reveals Hanesresearch that sheds light into the usually dark spaces of our closets and drawers.
Virtually everyone hoards underwear and socks – despite the fact that most people wear only 70 percent of the items inside their drawers. According to a recent national survey commissioned by Hanes, 50 percent of Americans admit to stashing non-sock, non-underwear items into their clearly designated sock and underwear spaces.
To inspire the masses and help with a drawer organization overhaul, Hanes has enlisted star of Bravo's "Bethenny Ever After" Bethenny Frankel and Michael Moloney of"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Together, they'll make the case for why it's important to rid closets and drawers of the gently worn, the ridiculously uncomfortable and the out of style.
"Staying organized helps me save time and keeps me sane," said Frankel. "I need to be able to quickly get what I need from my drawers and know that, without a doubt, it's going to fit correctly and look good. While it's nice to keep old items for sentimental reasons, it's important to set aside time to purge, donate and replenish. You'll feel great afterward!"
Research shows there are significant emotional benefits to being organized and clutter-free. The task becomes less daunting when people realize that "drawer hoarding" is a universal behavior and they are not alone.
But why do most people hoard? Research indicates that, for men, it's mostly about nostalgia (which may explain that stack of old concert tees or the pile of baseball socks that haven't been worn in 15 years) and inertia – it's a behavior that's become a habit. For women, it appears that hoarding stems from an innate fear they will be left in desperation on laundry day. There's also anxiety that, one day, a certain dress or top will require a specific bra they no longer have. ...
Hanes has partnered with Goodwill Industries and its Donate Movement to educate drawer hoarders about the value of donating unwanted clothing.
"As an interior designer, I try to help people live in a clutter-free zone and show them that being organized does not need to be agonizing," said Moloney. "Many people tell me they avoid cleaning out their drawers because they don't know what to do with the items they don't need any more. Making a donation to an organization like Goodwill® allows you to turn gently used items into opportunities for people in need of job training or support services."
Purging and replacing is only half the battle. Whether donating a still-good but unworn sweatshirt, T-shirt, socks or even intimate apparel, Hanes wants everyone to feel good about where the items are going. When given to reputable organizations like Goodwill, the sale of donations support job training programs that help millions of Americans find good jobs each year. Making clothing donations to Goodwill will help keep clothing out of landfills, and will have a positive impact on both people and the planet."
It's about time to think about summer camps and other activities to keep your children occupied over the summer. But why just keep them occupied?
Rather than enduring through the summer, make it intentional! If your children are old enough, have them think through some goals for themselves over the summer. These could includes the following categories: physical, social, financial, vocational, spiritual, educational, mental, artistic, musical, and life skills.
If you have grade school children, you may need to talk about this with them. If your children are younger, think through the areas that would apply to your small children and come up with ways you'd like to see them grow over the summer.
With our foster teenagers, we let them decide their own goals. Some of them included losing weight, expressing anger appropriately, speaking gentle words instead of harsh words, saving money for a car, learning how to manage money, and making new friends.
Some ideas for each category:
- Physical: eating nutritionally, running a mile in a certain time, learning a new sport, swimming lessons, care of hair and skin, an athletic camp, honing athletic skills, riding a bicycle/tricycle, fine motor skills, etc.
- Social: table manners, fun ideas for dates, sharing, please and thank you, not interrupting, telephone etiquette, how to be a good conversationalist, how to be a good friend, how to protect yourself on a date, what to do if your friends want you to do something you shouldn't, etc.
- Financial: saving, tithing, budgeting, opening a checking or savings account, investments, generosity, etc.
- Vocational: shadowing someone in a field of interest, researching a profession, field trip, internship, volunteer work, getting a job, how to interview, how to write a resume, how to fill out a job application, etc.
- Spiritual: vacation Bible school, memory verses, prayer, how to study the Bible, seeing God in nature, how to know God, restoring your relationship with God when you've blown it, finding a church you like, joining a youth group, etc.
- Educational: brushing up on needy subjects, summer school, work sheets, college visits, thinking through a major, keyboarding or computer skills, how to study, how to take a test, how to take notes, learning the alphabet or numbers or colors, learning how to read, etc.
- Mental: learning more about an interest, field trips, logic exercises, games, challenge programs, learning skills, memory techniques, time management, etc.
- Artistic: art lessons or classes, art time for drawing, etc., crafts, woodworking, sewing, jewelry, cartoons, knit, crochet, etc.
- Musical: lessons, learning a new instrument, concerts, symphonies, outdoor music programs, voice lessons, choir, band, camp, etc.
- Life Skills: changing a tire, setting the table, ironing, mending, tying shoes, folding clothes, laundry, how to plan balanced meals, cooking, how to use household appliances, cleaning up toys, how to make a bed, etc.
Hope I gave you some food for thought. Tell me about your intentional plans for the summer!
I learned from Ramona Creel about an article on WebMD that suggests foods to help people with ADHD to focus or extend their focus. I found it very interesting. Here's an excerpt: "Scientific research on ADHD diets is limited and results are mixed. Many health experts, however, do believe that diet may play a role in relieving ADHD symptoms. WebMD's ADHD expert Richard Sogn, MD, points out that whatever is good for the brain is likely to be good for ADHD. Brain researcher and ADHD expert Daniel Amen, MD, recommends these ADHD diet suggestions.
Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks, to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as candy, corn syrup, honey, sugar, products made from white flour, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi). Eating complex carbs at night may aid sleep.
Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available in supplement form." More on ADHD:
We had a lovely day yesterday - sunny and above freezing! Almost shorts weather. :) Makes me want to plant herbs! And I'm further inspired by our post today ...
Joe Lamp'l is a master gardener, author and host of "Growing a Greener World" on PBS. In the following article, he offers advice on planning your garden. Whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned gardener, I'm sure you'll find his ideas helpful.
"A few hours of organizing and preparing now can save you money and yield a more manageable and efficient garden come spring.
But first things first. Make note of the locations where plants did well and where they didn't thrive. Which vegetables were successful and which disappointed? Read some garden books and improve your gardening skills where necessary; then spend time considering exactly what you want to plant.
If you're into salsa, for example, plan lots of space for peppers, onions and tomatoes. Do your research. By now, you should have quite a collection of seed catalogs. Use them and the Internet to sort through information on the varieties you're interested in growing.
Order seeds as soon as possible. The earlier you get your order in, the better your chances of getting all the varieties you're looking for. Once they're ordered, you can create a growing time line. Work backward from the last average frost date in your area and start seeds indoors so they'll be ready to set out when the temperature warms enough in the garden.
To begin, just use soilless sterile seed-starting mix and something to contain it. Plastic or paper cups, pizza boxes, takeout containers, soda bottles or just about anything else you can think of will work. Poke a few small drainage holes in the bottom, add the soil and then plant the seeds according to the package's directions.
Hang up a grow light, like a fluorescent shop light, over the plants. Attach a simple timer that allows the light to remain on 16 hours each day. Adding a plastic or clear covering over your container will help hold moisture in, which is very important for seeds to germinate. But, you can skip this step as long as you make sure you supply the necessary moisture. This could be every day.
Although it's probably too cold for the compost to be actively working, keep tossing eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable waste and other kitchen scraps (except proteins and fats) into the pile. When the weather starts warming up, add water and soil, and soon you'll have some great compost to add to your garden soil. It's the best soil amendment you can ever provide, and any time is the right time for adding compost.
Maintain your tools. Clean them up, oil wooden handles and repaint metal surfaces. Sharpen shovels, pruning shears and other edged tools. Once spring arrives, they'll be ready to go and you can head right out into the garden. Start getting together all the miscellaneous items you'll need, too: sturdy wire for trellises and black plastic or other covers to start warming the soil and killing weed seeds.
How about covering the garden with several layers of newspapers? Topped with a layer of straw or any type of mulch (leaving openings for plants to come through), they're a great way to keep weeds at bay. I did this often in my large vegetable-garden set of "Fresh from the Garden" on DIY Network. It worked great and was a super way to recycle those newspapers. Just be sure to wet down the paper as you spread it out. This weighs it down and helps keep it from blowing away until you get the mulch on top. This technique is also great between your planting beds and in paths as well.
Finally, use last year's bounty to inspire you. Remember the satisfaction you felt when those shrubs and trees started breaking their buds, and the sweet peas started poking through the soil? Gardening is about promise and anticipation. And winter is the best time to make plans and get motivated for the coming spring, while you still have a little time."
Jeff Hamilton writes about the challenges of living with adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Here's his description of how he manages to keep his desk clutter-free:
"ADD and a messy desk, that's a bad combination. You may work out of your home, in a cubicle within an office building or your desk could sit in many different locations. No matter where it sits or how big it is, a mess is a mess and it can push you right off your path of productivity.
If you are challenged by ADD, you need to work on things in order to be successful in managing it. If your desk is messy it creates distraction, chaos, items are easily lost, we become disorganized, frustrated, procrastination can occur, it impacts time management, productivity goes down and slowly......we lose control.
My desk clutter solution is simple and involves two easy things
1. My note book - I write everything down in my note book. It keeps all my thoughts, to-do's and things I need to remember in one organized place where it's easy to find. From that, I tend to schedule tasks into my Outlook calendar.
2. I've gone electronic - no more paper, no more piles of crap, no more cluster. If I have something I need to review and I don't have time, I'll place it on my book shelf and then schedule the time to review it at a later date in my Outlook calendar. My bills/invoices arrive via email, which is also good for the environment.
Other items that are paper based can be scanned and filed on your computer.
Keeping your desk clean and uncluttered is a must-do for people with ADD. ... Besides the basic computer requirements, I have only a few things on it: Kleenex, my note book, a picture of my kids and some flowers to show the sensitive male side of me within ;) That's it. My desk set up is a clean, lean production machine!!
I learned about iReader from Maboot and love it! It allows you to read web articles without all the ad clutter. Plus it takes that pesky article with multiple pages and puts it on one page. Here's Maboot's review (sorry about the grammar and punctuation):
"Readability has now long been used to get a simple reader friendly article out of all the crap found in the form of web links and graphics on the web pages. However catering to additional much better requirements and demands highlighted by the users, such as restoring pages to normal much easily and also the ability to loading multiple pages simultaneously. I have tested an extension that delivers just the same.
The web’s is just not as reader friendly place as it should be. For instance unnecessary glowing screens and moreover the advent of innumerable ads, unnecessarylinks and the articles divided into more than one pages, make reading annoying for the reader rather than a pleasure.
The app named iReader, is just what we were searching for. This app is from a company named Samaboxand distinct from Readability, the iReader which is for Chrome and Firefox offers to handle multiple pages at one time. Moreover similar to Safari’s ‘Reader’ function, it can also be closed with the hit of a button. We should rather take a look now.
Via iReader For instance you have found found an exciting article on a jumbled page. In such cases you address bar will show an iReader icon. Now on clicking this icon you will simply get the same article free from all the clutter offered to you on a fresh white background .... Its that simple, however for accessing more features you can simply follow the remaining article.
Features Scroll over the button bit of your article and you will notice this bar. Starting here you can: Create text bigger or smaller.
Take a Print of the clutter-free copy of the article.
Share the article via email
Share via Twitter/ Facebook
Remove all the pictures
You can even configure iReader, as required.
Features also include setting up the black color’s opacity to cover the clutter, whether you want the article to be emailed from Gmail or your default email application, how presentable you want your article to look and even if you want a smooth scrolling, you can just set it accordingly.
While you are configuring your iReader you will also be having an instant preview of the changes you are making, enabling you to make better judgements according to your taste on the way.
You can download the iReader now, selecting chrome or firefox as the source.
As mentioned earlier, after you install iReader, the readability icon will appear on every website displaying an article. Just click on it and iReader will take on from there. Though its been observed that it takes a little longer on some heavily cluttered sites but you will soon realize that its worth it."
I've discovered a new organizing system for your bags and purses, drawers, backpacks, luggage, briefcases: GRID-IT!™ It organizes all kinds of gadgets, tools, and more. What I like is that you don't have to search through pockets, zippers, etc. to find your stuff. And it's great for traveling through airports, too! There are all different sizes starting from $9.99. Click "products" on the Cocoon site.
"The GRID-IT!™ organization system is a proprietary patent pending object retention system. A unique weave of rubberized elastic bands made specifically to hold personal objects firmly in place.
Designed to provide endless configurations of objects, digital devices and personal effects, GRID-IT!™ is as versatile as life itself!"
We have been on a roller coaster ride this last week. We got a call saying my husband's mom was at death's door. We scurried around and left the next day. Over the four days we were with my mother-in-law, she rallied. So we drove home in six hours of rain, sleet, snow and fog. The next day we got a call saying death was likely. My husband packed up again and called the doctor to find she had improved! It's so difficult caring from a distance! On the bright side, I worked some on my taxes during the trip, the subject of our post today ...
If you compute your deductions on your income taxes, Salvation Army's Value Guide can help you determine amounts to deduct for those physical items you've donated to non-profits. It provides a range from high to low for clothing, dry goods, furniture and other items.
In addition, TurboTax and H&R Block tax programs have built-ins that help you determine what may or may not be deductible on your taxes.
FYI: even though I've heard experts say that you need to keep your tax returns for only 5-7 years, I'm hearing more and more that you should keep them indefinitely.
Need some advice on organizing your pet's meds? Here's some advice from veterinarian Dr. John Beck:
"... there is the non-technical way of handling these problems. Getting a pill sorter and pre-sorting each pet's medications once a month, including their preventatives, can help you remember. Writing it on your calendar or planner is also helpful. Some heartworm and flea preventatives come with stickers in the box to place on your calendar to remind you to give your meds. I always check it off the calendar once its complete so I don't look back in a few days and wonder if I remembered to give it or not.
Modern technology has made some things a little more convenient. One heartworm preventative has an application that can be added to your smart phone that will remind you to give your preventative on the day you choose. Some animal hospitals can also send you an e-mail reminder or text message when it is time to purchase your next six or 12 month supply of preventative.
Some drug companies have even attempted to make things easier by combining flea and heartworm preventative into one topical solution or one pill (available late February). Another option for heartworm prevention is an injection given once every six months. The injection has to be given in a veterinarian's office, but will protect your dog from heartworms for half a year. Then you don't have to worry about that for half a year."
Tired of going from one online bill site to another? Now you can pay all your online bills in one place: Doxo.com.
"With doxo you organize and manage all of your bills, statements and other important documents in one place. Scan through your incoming mail; quickly identify things you need to take action on; set up reminders; and file everything important, forever.
The average household has 22 businesses that send mail each month. That’s about 21 more account logins and passwords than most of us want to deal with. With doxo, you keep your account details safe and secure on one website—logins, passwords, customer support numbers—whatever you need."
I know I've written some previous blog posts about storing and displaying your child's artwork. Here are a few more ideas: - Load digital photos onto a digital photo frame and create a slide show of the masterpieces.
- Use small notebooks to keep notes and small drawings.
- Make a scrapbook of artwork for each school year.
- Slide artwork into a binder with page protectors, storing two pictures back-to-back in one page protector.
- Scan the artwork and burn it onto a disk or memory stick.
- Turn the favorite pieces into a calendar by taking digital pictures of the artwork. Instead of using photos of people to create the calendar, use your digital artwork.
- Take a digital picture of each picture and keep them in a photo album.
- Frame some of the special artwork for yourself and/or grandparents.
- Have one piece professionally framed each year - with the child's name, age, and description of the artwork on it.
- Create a digital scrapbook of the school year.
- Scan them and turn them into cards or wrapping paper.
- Make a digital collage - as a picture, mug, calendar, blanket, mouse pad.
- Use framing mats as a rotating gallery on one wall.
- Create a hardcover photobook through a photo site and display it as a "coffee table" book. You could have your child write a note about each piece of art.
- Store artwork in school years booklets ... the ones that have a folder and pages for your child to record memories each year.
- Take pictures of the art work or scan it, and print it out on T-shirt iron-on-transfers.
- Decoupage a wooden toy box, small keepsake boxes, or a piece of wood, using several art pieces.
- Scan them and make magnets for family members. Different sites offer free ones for various holidays - Father's Day, Mother's Day, etc.
- Take art to a nursing home for their rooms - to brighten their day. You get rid of the extra "art" and have a lesson in charity.
- Take a picture of your child with the artwork and put the picture in a scrapbook. It records not only the art but the age at which your child created it.
- Post them on Artsonia, an online kids' art gallery.
- Use black frames and white mats, several on one wall - looks like custom art.
- Store your child's collection of artwork in a Dynamic Frame, swapping out artwork in a jiffy.
- Take photos and make them small enough to fit charm bracelet frames/charms. Tie a ribbon on each and hang them as a decorations on your Christmas tree.
If you need some extra exposure, consider advertising on 1-2-3...Get Organized, like these fine businesses:
Concept Design Studios
Three Steps to Becoming a Downsizing Professional
Organizing Solutions for Kids
Campus Calm University
I'm An Organizing Junkie says ....
"I know I've reviewed a few organizing books in a row now but I've got another great set to tell you about that I think you're going to like. Professional Organizer Beverly Coggins has created a 1-2-3...Get organized series of seven mini books to help you organize your life one book at a time.
The seven books are as follows: - Three Steps to Organizing your Child's Room - Three Steps to Decluttering - Three Steps to Organizing your Kitchen - Three Steps to Organizing your Office - Three Steps to Time Management for the Stay-at-Home Mom - Three Steps to Clever Cleaning - Three Steps to Time Management at the Office
Each books consists of three main steps with each step offering plenty of tips and advice broken down into quick and easy to read points.
I'll tell you what I love most about these books. Not only are they small but the plastic glossy pages are wonderfully durable making them perfect for throwing into your purse to take out and read whenever you are stuck in a "hurry up and wait" situation. I also love the colorful pages as presentation is very important to me.
For those a little more ambitious and wanting to really get serious about getting organized she offers a workbook series that comes complete with checklists, questionnaires and templates on CD. Some of the titles include Three Steps to Downsizing to a Smaller Residence, Three Steps to Time Management for the Working Mom and Three Steps to Planning Dinner. These do-it-yourself guides are very thorough with Bev carefully walking you through each step of the process.
Now I've saved the best for last. One of the other things Bev includes in some of her packages is a Hassle Free Dinners CD. This CD is a menu planners dream and you all know how I feel about menu planning! It offers 52 dinner menus complete with step-by-step instructions and recipes along with coordinating color-coded weekly shopping lists. I am very impressed with how much work this must have been to put together especially since everything you need to put quick, nutritious, sophisticated meals on the table is included! She also didn't repeat an entree for the entire year either! Well done Bev!"
Campus Calm University, The college student’s 10-step blueprint to stop stressing ...
![Barnes & Noble NOOK ebook reader (WiFi + 3G)[B&W]](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1400599997&tag=123getorga-20)
and create a slide show of the masterpieces. 
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