Summer means a lot of outside activities. For us it's spending a lot of time camping and hiking. To avoid forgetting things and for those impromptu hikes and picnics I keep a lot of supplies that I might need in my car at all times.
I always have a few blankets and an old towel. If the kids want to put their feet in the river I let them - knowing that I have a towel they can dry off on before I let them back into my car.
A plastic table drop - for use under a blanket in case the ground is slightly damp - or as a table cloth.
I always keep extra grocery store plastic bags - for a variety of uses. Garbage, collecting who knows what, vegetables that I picked from my community garden plot...and so many other uses.
Since I now belong to a community garden plot I also keep some gardening supplies for those impromptu trips to pull a few weeds.
A small plastic container for vegetables or to contain numerous things.
Your car contents should change as the season changes.
Think about how you live and what you do and make your car fit your lifestyle.
Happy Summer!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, July 8, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Planning Ahead - Get Organized Before You Start - Any Project
No matter what project you are working or planning on doing in the future - planning ahead - being organized is crucial.
Sometimes it seems like too much trouble. Sometimes it seems like a waste of time. But it's always a good idea.
Craftsman have a saying "measure twice and cut once". It's a great and powerful saying.
It means that you should be prepared and know what you are going to do - and make sure you are doing it correctly. Just like any project you are working on.
If you just randomly jump in and start working on your project without planning it out and thinking ahead - you might find yourself backtracking and doing more work - or possibly undoing some work you did - because it wasn't quite right or any number of other reasons.
I make a lot of lists. And I go over my lists before and after every event - and tweak the lists as life happens. Things change. Lists and plans should be fluid.
By constantly tweaking your lists you become more efficient. You find out that you really didn't need to pack XYZ - because you never used it. You might have - a long time ago - but you don't now - so take it off of your list.
Being prepared and looking and planning ahead means that you call all of the necessary contractors well ahead of time before you are ready to start a project - instead of getting upset that nobody is available when you finally decide to start the project.
Planning ahead means that you take the time to think about the "big picture" and organize your thoughts and ideas. To a lot of people this is a waste of time - but you will do it - if not in the beginning - then later when something unexpected occurs that you did not anticipate.
So if you are planning to move tomorrow - don't wait until the night before to call a moving company. And don't be upset when everyone doesn't change their plans to help you.
Treat your personal life a little more like a business - be organized and prepared - and your life will be much less stressful.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Sometimes it seems like too much trouble. Sometimes it seems like a waste of time. But it's always a good idea.
Craftsman have a saying "measure twice and cut once". It's a great and powerful saying.
It means that you should be prepared and know what you are going to do - and make sure you are doing it correctly. Just like any project you are working on.
If you just randomly jump in and start working on your project without planning it out and thinking ahead - you might find yourself backtracking and doing more work - or possibly undoing some work you did - because it wasn't quite right or any number of other reasons.
I make a lot of lists. And I go over my lists before and after every event - and tweak the lists as life happens. Things change. Lists and plans should be fluid.
By constantly tweaking your lists you become more efficient. You find out that you really didn't need to pack XYZ - because you never used it. You might have - a long time ago - but you don't now - so take it off of your list.
Being prepared and looking and planning ahead means that you call all of the necessary contractors well ahead of time before you are ready to start a project - instead of getting upset that nobody is available when you finally decide to start the project.
Planning ahead means that you take the time to think about the "big picture" and organize your thoughts and ideas. To a lot of people this is a waste of time - but you will do it - if not in the beginning - then later when something unexpected occurs that you did not anticipate.
So if you are planning to move tomorrow - don't wait until the night before to call a moving company. And don't be upset when everyone doesn't change their plans to help you.
Treat your personal life a little more like a business - be organized and prepared - and your life will be much less stressful.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 24, 2013
Take Five Minutes
Time is a very important thing. Something not to be wasted. But we all do it....waste time.
We sit on the couch and watch T.V. in a daze..... while we complain that we don't have any time to do anything and our house is a mess. Admit it....we've all done it.
So go ahead and watch T.V. ....but there are those commercials that give you plenty of time to get a few things done! Really, take five minutes and organize something. Do something. Anything!
* Bring your basket of clean laundry into the living room and fold your laundry
* Organize your purse, briefcase or backpack
* Organize a drawer
* Make a list of things to do for the weekend
* Go through your mail
* Pay a couple of bills
* Read your child a chapter in a book
* Write out your grocery list
* Write out next months birthday cards
* Sew the buttons on a shirt
There are a lot of things that can be done during a commercial break. Don't worry - those commercials will be on again (and again....) so you won't actually miss them!
Make better use of your time by doing small projects that you keep putting off. This is one time where multi-tasking is O.K.
Happy Organizing!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 10, 2013
Unexpected Loss - Are You Ready ?
Life doesn't always go as planned. We just lost a loved one and it was beyond devastating. My brain just stopped working and I was lucky that I knew what day it was. Everything was a blur.
But during the very hectic days where arrangements were being made the one thing that we didn't need to worry about was "where did we put things?".
A few years back I had put together a list of everything. Where the wills were kept, who the lawyers were, where all of the banking was done, where the investments were, names of all of the doctors and any and all pertinent information that someone might need to find.
When you are in an emotional state - the last thing you want to do is to scrounge through your house and frantically look for things.
By being organized and just putting together some lists we had everything at our fingertips.
It's not easy to think about the eventual future that we will all have to face. But by being proactive and thinking ahead - it helped take a lot of the stress out of the mix.
Re-read the article about "Organizing Your Paperwork" to learn more.
http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2011/01/organizing-your-paperwork-and-your-life.html
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
But during the very hectic days where arrangements were being made the one thing that we didn't need to worry about was "where did we put things?".
A few years back I had put together a list of everything. Where the wills were kept, who the lawyers were, where all of the banking was done, where the investments were, names of all of the doctors and any and all pertinent information that someone might need to find.
When you are in an emotional state - the last thing you want to do is to scrounge through your house and frantically look for things.
By being organized and just putting together some lists we had everything at our fingertips.
It's not easy to think about the eventual future that we will all have to face. But by being proactive and thinking ahead - it helped take a lot of the stress out of the mix.
Re-read the article about "Organizing Your Paperwork" to learn more.
http://professionalorganizer4u.blogspot.com/2011/01/organizing-your-paperwork-and-your-life.html
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 3, 2013
Organizing Your Pantry and Your Freezer
Summer means farmers markets, fresh fruits and vegetables, which translates into canning and freezing. Well, at least at my house.
But have you checked your pantry or freezer lately? Have you used up all of your older products?
At least a few times a year you need to clear out your freezer and pantry. Take a good look. Rotate your food and check all of your expiration dates.
If you have not used up all of the products that you made last year you might want to re-think what you really use in your home and either don't make as many for the upcoming year or make them but give them away as gifts. People love homemade preserves and other food products.
Canning has once again made a comeback - believe me - I could not find any canning supplies last year because they had all sold out!
But some people tend to forget what's hidden in the deep crevices of their pantry and freezer. So take an hour and go through your freezer and pantry and take stock of what you still have and double check that everything is not past their expiration date.
Make sure that everything is neatly organized by product type so that you can tell at a glance how much you have.
Shopping - in your own home - what a great idea!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
But have you checked your pantry or freezer lately? Have you used up all of your older products?
At least a few times a year you need to clear out your freezer and pantry. Take a good look. Rotate your food and check all of your expiration dates.
If you have not used up all of the products that you made last year you might want to re-think what you really use in your home and either don't make as many for the upcoming year or make them but give them away as gifts. People love homemade preserves and other food products.
Canning has once again made a comeback - believe me - I could not find any canning supplies last year because they had all sold out!
But some people tend to forget what's hidden in the deep crevices of their pantry and freezer. So take an hour and go through your freezer and pantry and take stock of what you still have and double check that everything is not past their expiration date.
Make sure that everything is neatly organized by product type so that you can tell at a glance how much you have.
Shopping - in your own home - what a great idea!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, May 20, 2013
Organzing Your Childrens School Papers - Artwork Galore....
Kids come home from school with a lot of papers and artwork. All of which they are proud of and want you to keep - forever.
It doesn't matter if it's just a few scribbles on a piece of paper or a watercolor they think is a masterpice....they want you to keep it - forever.
Each piece of school work, each test....you just have to keep it - forever.
But the reality is....we don't have the space for it all. I try to sort through it and keep what I think are the really great ones - the ones that show their personality.
Each child has a folder and each day when things come home I pick the ones that go in my "keep" pile.
My husband...he thinks it's just a way for the teachers to get the stuff off of their desks!
Anyway....my "keep" pile ....was getting too big - so I had to sort through it - again. This time, I really had to toss just about everything (let's not tell the children).
It's near the end of the school year and I had a huge pile (a very neat pile - thank you). But I only have so much room and I got new containers for each child. So I had to make some very tough decisions and keep only a few pieces of art and notes that they have written.
The point is.... organizing is a continuous process. It is always evolving. You sort and keep things that you love and have great memories of....and in the future....in a year or two or three.... you go through the process again and again and make further decisions to de-clutter and dispose of things that you now can comfortably get rid of.
Organizing isn't stagnant. It's a process. It changes as you change. Be comfortable with that thought.
Now....go out and make some hard decisions. You can do it!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
It doesn't matter if it's just a few scribbles on a piece of paper or a watercolor they think is a masterpice....they want you to keep it - forever.
Each piece of school work, each test....you just have to keep it - forever.
But the reality is....we don't have the space for it all. I try to sort through it and keep what I think are the really great ones - the ones that show their personality.
Each child has a folder and each day when things come home I pick the ones that go in my "keep" pile.
My husband...he thinks it's just a way for the teachers to get the stuff off of their desks!
Anyway....my "keep" pile ....was getting too big - so I had to sort through it - again. This time, I really had to toss just about everything (let's not tell the children).
It's near the end of the school year and I had a huge pile (a very neat pile - thank you). But I only have so much room and I got new containers for each child. So I had to make some very tough decisions and keep only a few pieces of art and notes that they have written.
The point is.... organizing is a continuous process. It is always evolving. You sort and keep things that you love and have great memories of....and in the future....in a year or two or three.... you go through the process again and again and make further decisions to de-clutter and dispose of things that you now can comfortably get rid of.
Organizing isn't stagnant. It's a process. It changes as you change. Be comfortable with that thought.
Now....go out and make some hard decisions. You can do it!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, May 13, 2013
Vacations Made Easy - Lists and Stress Free Packing
We just got back from a really nice and relaxing vacation. A condo overlooking the lake with the mountains as the backdrop. It was glorious!
But it was one of those times where the few weeks leading up to our vacation were extremely busy with work, meetings and other activities so I didn't actually pack our suitcases until the morning we were going to leave. Believe me - this is not like me.
But I had a great excuse. Jeff Dunham. What can I say - I'm a huge fan! We got tickets to see his show and it was scheduled for the night before we were supposed to leave on vacation - so packing got pushed aside. I do have my priorities!
I then learned the power of lists! I've been packing up the house and kids for vacations for a long time so I have it pretty well down. But waiting until the very last minute to pack can be a bit stressful even under the best of circumstances.
With my packing lists it took almost no time at all and I didn't forget a thing! I had a checklist for each member of the family and everything went into the suitcases as planned.
Lists are great - they take the stress out of most things in our busy lives. Orderly and efficient.
So make fun of me if you must - but my vacation list saved the day and our vacation was very relaxing.
As an add on - remember that vacations are not only about packing your suitcase - but about making your house vacation proof.
When you go on vacation you not only have to remember to pack all of the things that you need…you also have to remember to take care of your house / apartment / cats or dogs / plants / garden / bills and a whole slew of things.
A few things that you might want to do:
• Put your mail on HOLD
• Make arrangements to get your lawn cut / your garden or flowers watered
• Make arrangements to get any inside plants watered
• Make arrangements for any animals ( to get fed or taken care of)
• Make arrangements to have your bills paid ahead of time
• Make arrangements to have someone pick up some basic food essentials for your return home so that you have something to eat until you have a chance to go to the store
By planning ahead you too can have a relaxing and enjoyable vacation and a relaxing return home.
Have a great vacation !!!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
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