Containers and Organization - What's the Difference ?

I love containers and everything in its proper place. It makes things look so neat and orderly.

But just because you have containers doesn't mean that you are organized.

Being organized means that you have a plan, a place for everything and you know where everything is.

It means that the things you have are "useful". You don't just have a bunch of "stuff".

If you have a lot of containers (boxes, baskets....) but you have a lot of "everything" thrown into them and there is no pattern or reason to their order - then you really aren't organized. You just have a lot of nice containers!

Organization means that you have put "like with like". It means that only things that are supposed to be in the room (or file or cabinet....) are in there.

It means that you have a plan for how things are supposed to be and you stick with the plan.

Containers are a tool. Organization is a state of mind, a way of life.

You need both to be successful and to make your life easier.

But don't get carried away and start buying a lot of containers when you don't need them or they aren't functioning in a way that is helpful.

Everything should have a purpose and a place.  That's what being organized is all about.  



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Organize Your Calendar

It's almost summer time - when lots of things happen.  Activities - fairs, concerts, open air markets and so many activities that beckon us.

So how can we be sure not to miss anything?

It's easy - Organize Your Calendar!

Seriously - if you can organize all of the other aspects of your life - why not your social life?

There are a lot of things that you can do that does not cost any or very little money. There are a lot of outdoor activities, parades, outdoor concerts and other things that you can enjoy - if you know about them.

Every city or town probably has a city website where it lists all of the activities in the surrounding area.

Sit down with your calendar and put everything that interests you on your calendar.  That way you won't forget it and you will have something to look forward to all summer long.

Schedule everything - including things like "hikes" or "go to the beach".  Force yourself to get out and enjoy your town.

People always say  "there's nothing to do".  Yes, there is....if you look for it and schedule it.

Just like work projects - you have to organize and schedule your social life.

So....pick up your calendar and start planning your summer and learn to enjoy the simple things around you.

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Organizing Your Email

Everyone gets bombarded with email. How in the world do you keep up?

Unless you are on your computer (or other device) 24/7 you will eventually get behind.

So how can we  keep our emails and constant electronic communication from taking over our lives?

It's addicting. We think that we can't live without being "connected".  But not so long ago - people survived without email, texts, twitter and everything else.

If you are in business it's almost required to be connected these days. But at what costs?

What if you are not in a business where your job requires that you stay connected 24/7.  Most people today are still obsessed with their electronic devices.

By being able to organize your email so that you can quickly decipher what is important and what isn't - junk mail that's not spam - you can save yourself a little bit of time.

Get into the habit of putting something into your "subject" line of the emails that you send so that the other person knows what the email is about.  Hopefully you will be able to tell from other people's email subject line if it is something that needs to be dealt with immediately, if it's something that can be deleted, if it's something that can be dealt with at a later time or maybe it's something that can be filed in a "reference" file.

Get into the habit of checking your email at only certain times of the day. Quickly go through and put your emails into categories first.

After you have categorized them into "must read", "can deal with later", "for reference" and "junk - delete now" - then you can deal with each group when you have time.

Each person needs to decide on categories that make sense to them. By dealing with one category at a time you can get through your emails quicker.

By cutting down the amount of times that you check your email you will save yourself a lot of time and you will have more time to devote to more important things - such as your family and friends.

Organizing your email - your inbox - takes some time. But once you are done and get into the habit of putting things where they belong - you will be amazed at how easy it is.




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Tax TIme - Avoid the Stress Next Year

It's April 15th - Did you file your Taxes?

A lot of people wait until the very last minute to file their taxes. It's something that everyone hates doing. It takes a lot of time - especially if you didn't keep all of your needed receipts or records in an organized system where they were easily accessible.

So....what did you learn from this?

Do better next year !

You can start now by making up a few folders and putting anything tax related into them as they come in. That alone will save you a lot of time, frustration and stress next tax season.

A few quick ideas for file folders:

• Tax related
• Medical / Health Care
• Donations
• Investments
• Mortgage info
• Banking

Just by having these few folders and putting anything related into them - you will have cut down your tax preparation time tremendously.

Get into the habit of filing these important papers into the appropriate files as soon as they come in - you will save yourself a lot of time next year. Time that is well spent this year.

Getting organized and staying organized is a lot of work.  But well worth the effort!




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Spring is Here - Getting Your House Ready for Sale

Moving - when is it a good time?  A lot of people think that spring and the beginning of summer is a good time to sell your house and buy another one - especially if you have kids.  Once the kids finish school you can pack them up and move them without disruption.  A great plan - if you are organized and leave yourself plenty of time to acccomplish everything needed to make it happen.

Start by going through each closet and cupboard and sorting through a lifetime of possessions.

Decide what you really need / have to have / want to pay to move.  Moving is expensive, so for some things it makes sense to leave them (donate or sell) and to buy new after you get settled. Things like a ten year old washer / dryer - when the newer models are more energy efficient and more cost effective.

Get rid of mismatched dishes, clothes that don't fit or are worn out, toys that the kids have outgrown or are broken and anything else that you really have no use for. Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to pack and then unpack things that you are going to throw away once you get to your new home?

All of this takes a lot of time and energy. And....it is a very emotional process - even if you think you are prepared and ready to move.

So - leave yourself plenty of time and your move to a new home will go much smoother and be less traumatic.
 

Happy House Hunting !



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Get Outside and Organize Your Yard

It's warm and sunny and beautiful out!  So don't stay inside....get outside and enjoy the weather!  And while you're there you can get your yard ready for spring.

O.K. ....some of us enjoy it more than others.  I love being outside and digging in the dirt.  It's relaxing. Well. for some of us it is.  As my kids say, "Really? It's not relaxing, it's work". 

But, as with anything, once you have done the hard part, getting everything cleaned up....you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all summer.

Does your yard look the way you want it to?  Do you want to plant more flowers or a vegetable garden?

Make a list. Go over it numerous times so that you haven't forgotten anything before you go to the garden store.

Is your garden hose in working order? Do you need any landscape bricks or borders?

Do you need mulch?  How much?  Or fertilizer?  Or any nutrients for your yard?

What type of plants do you want to grow?  Do you want to have vegetable starter plants? What materials would you need for that?

Thinking about all of this before you start will save you time and running back and forth to the garden store.

Organizing your yard work is the same as organizing anything else. One step at a time. Make a plan. Go over your plan. Make corrections.

Be realistic about what you want to accomplish and what you can accomplish.

Having a yard that you can be proud of and is low maintenance will let you enjoy your summer all the more.

Now go and have fun and get dirty!

Happy Gardening !



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Company is Coming - Let's Clean & Organize

A lot of people out there only think about cleaning or organizing their home when they have visitors. In fact, some people will use their "lack of cleanliness" as an excuse not to have people over to their house.

This is just another example of how disorganization and lack of time management can affect your life.

Everyone's idea of clean is different. But using the excuse of  "not having a clean house" to avoid having people over to visit brings up a lot of other questions. Such as - "what are you really trying to avoid"?

Having an impromptu gathering should not be a stressful moment. Not everyone was taught how to clean and organize - so put that out of your mind for a moment. To get ready for company when you only have a few minutes there are a number of shortcuts that you can use.

First, get a basket and go through your main living area and put everything that does not belong in that room into the basket. Any toys or books or dishes....put them into the basket and get them out of there. 

Grab a duster and quickly dust the surfaces. The less clutter that you have on your coffee table the easier it is to dust and clean.

Fluff some pillows.  Light a candle for some nice atmosphere.

Enjoy your visitors and relax.  They are not going to know that you just had a whirlwind de-cluttering session. 

Is this the "normal" way to clean your home on a weekly or daily basis?  No - but being social is sometimes more important than being perfect.

Having friends over can help relax and de-stress you.

But remembering the rule about "if it does not belong in the room - take it with you when you leave" is a great and easy rule to remember. Using a basket to go from room to room and getting everything picked up in one fell swoop is another easy way to get yourself organized.

Cleaning doesn't have to be an all day drudgery. Having a plan that works for you - on your schedule - even a few minutes a day - can make all the difference in the world.

Now....go and GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED !!!

Organizational Consulting Services

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