You Can Lead a Horse to Water....

I'm sure you've all heard the saying "You can lead a horse to water - but you can't make him drink".  Well - it's the same for organization. You can't make a person "get organized".  They have to be ready and willing.

I've heard a lot of rumblings lately about people's commitment to getting organized. And it's exactly that - "their" commitment. You can't force someone to want something - they may not really want or are not ready for.

This is very prevalent when it comes to spouses calling and wanting me to get their other half on board in getting them to "get with the program" and get their house organizedd.

It's not going to happen!  They have to be a "willing participant". Otherwise - it will cause a lot of other issues that have nothing to do with organization. 

Kids on the other hand - well - this isn't a parenting site - but if you don't have "expectations" for your kids - instead of  "excuses" - you will usually get the kids you created.


You have to teach your kids organizational skills - or you hire someone to do it for you. But - you still have to hold them responsible. You have to stop making excuses for them. When they grow up and go to work their boss will not care about their childhood - they want the work done. So don't set them up for failure. Teach them skills they can use forever.

The next excuse I usually hear is - "but I'm not organized - so I can't teach them the skills".  O.K. -  you've admitted that you don't have the skills necessary to teach them how to be more organized - just like I didn't have the skills to teach my child how to draw and be creative. That's why there are classes out there. Everyone sends their kids to soccer or baseball or dance classes - but when it comes to teaching them organizational skills - it never comes onto their radar.

Teaching kids and adults organizational skills is essential for their life. I've had clients that were not organized - but they wanted more for their kids - so I worked with them on teaching organizational skills - and they were like sponges - they loved learning.

You might not be able to convince your spouse/partner that they need to be organized - but you can teach your kids and start them on their way to a more organized life.

Lead by example - if not by doing it yourself - by acknowledging that you might not have the talent - but you know the value of learning.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Paper and a Shredder

The number one issue for most people when it comes to organizing is paper.  There is too much of it.  It keeps coming in the mail.  The piles keep growing. 

So how do we control it?

With a shredder !!!

Everyone should have one.  For a variety of reasons.  The most important one is security.  With identity theft on the rise everyone needs to be extra careful of their personal identification. And that doesn't mean just their credit cards. That's actually the easiest part.

Most people just throw away "junk mail" - such as advertisements for credit cards or their envelopes for financial or medical information. This is "identity theft" waiting to happen.

Any identifying piece of mail - anything with your name on it - should be shredded.

Those "free" address labels that you get in the mail - shred them if you don't want them. Don't just throw them out into the garbage.

Any old bills should be shredded - not just thrown away in the garbage.

Magazines that have address labels on them - also have identifying information on them. Take the labels off before throwing them away.

Any bank statements - shred those. Never throw those in the garbage.

Sounds "logical" - yes, it is - but most people still just throw everything into the garbage. In this day and age with identity theft running rampant - don't take the chance.

A shredder should be in every home.  Not only for your protection - but also to keep the paper piles down.

Happy Shredding !



Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Cleaning and Organizing Your Fridge

Is your refrigerator clean and organized?  When was the last time that you cleaned it?

It's probably been a long time. Why?  Because you thought it would take too long and it's not a fun thing to do!

It's just one of those things that you should do at least every season! 

Start by taking everything off of each shelf and giving it a good cleaning. Don't put anything back in until the entire fridge is wiped down.

Pull out your vegetable drawers and wipe those out.

While you're doing that - make sure that you only put the food back that is actually still good and that you will actually eat. The fridge should not be a place where you just put things because you don't want to make a decision about it's contents.

Now take everything out of the doors and wipe those down.

Now here comes the organizing part - group like with like!  That means that all of the condiments should be grouped together. Why should you have to hunt for the ketchup? It should be right next to the mustard!

This may sound silly - but some people actually don't know that!

All of your juice and milk should be grouped together.

All of the lunch meats should be in one drawer.

Use plastic containers that stack easily so that you can stack them and have more room in your refrigerator.

Put all of your vegetables in one drawer.

Like with like.  That's our mantra!

Now go ahead - don't put it off any longer!  Clean out that refrigerator and feel good that you've accomplished another organizing event.




Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Feeding Your Family - Make Ahead Meals

Some people don't like to cook and spend a lot of money eating out. Or they think that they don't have time to cook so they order takeout. It all adds up to a lot of expense.

I've never known how to cook for one or two people.  We've always made enough for extra people or so that we can have leftovers.

I love to cook - but sometimes work and life just don't leave enough time for me to make those great big meals.  So when I am making something special like Lasagna - make two and freeze one for later!

When I make soup or pasta sauce - you can't just make a little bit!  I make a great big pot and freeze containers for those days that I just don't have time to cook. It's cheaper to pull out a frozen container of great food that you made yourself than to spend a fortune on feeding a family at a restaurant or even a fast food place. And it's much healthier.

When making chicken or a roast - make a little more than needed for that meal and use the rest later in the week. Get creative and save money!

When I make muffins I always make a double or triple batch and individually freeze them for later use. If you pull one out in the morning and stick them into your lunch it will be thawed and delicious by lunch time.

Get healthy, save money and spend time as a family - at home.

All it takes it a little "organization"!
   


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Making Tax Time Easier

Taxes - something everyone hates dealing with. And I'm no exception.

To make your life easier make a simple list of all of your bank accounts (with account numbers), 401K statements, mortgages, business information, donations, medical information and anything else that you might need for your tax preparer.

I update my list every year and just check off the statements as they come in. That way I'm sure that I have not forgotten anything.

Tax time is very stressful and even the most organized people dread it.

But by having a list to check off all of the needed documents it will make your life much easier and you won't miss anything.

Another good use for this list is for your family - just in case you were in an accident or in preparation for your death.  I know that it might sound morbid - but your family should know where all of your financials are located to make their lives easier.  Coping with the loss of a loved one is not easy and having to sort through a lifetime of paperwork at that time is not something anyone wants to do.

Being organized is not always about you. It helps your family too!

Now - get back to your taxes before that deadline!





Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Stuck Inside? - Organize!

It's winter, snowing and cold (or so they say!).  Some of us are enjoying the beautiful and peaceful snow by going on long winter hikes through the forest. While others are complaining that they are stuck inside with nothing to do.

Nothing to do?  Really?  There's always something to do!

Maybe you don't want to start any big projects and just want to sit in front of your T.V. and be warm and cozy.  That's fine. We all need to do that at times. But you can still accomplish some tasks that you have been putting off.

How about grabbing that stack of mending that's been sitting on your table - waiting for you?  I finally got around to hemming and patching numerous pairs of pants, socks and sweaters that needed a bit of attention. You can do that while you sit on the couch!

Or if you want a few quick "chores" during the commercials - how about:

*    cleaning your coffee maker - run some vinegar through it to clean it out
*    clean out the lint in your dryer
*    dust a few pieces of furniture
*    polish some of your shoes to make them look more professional
*    make individual snack bags for your kids lunches for the week
*    write out this months birthday cards
*    go through your stack of magazine that are sitting on the floor and get rid of the ones you've already read
*    make a "to do" list of things that need to be fixed in your house

There are many "small" things that can be done while you are sitting under that blanket complaining about having "nothing to do".

So -  keep warm and get Organized!



Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

Resolutions - How Are You Doing ?

January is coming to a very fast close. So - be honest - how many of you made New Years Resolutions? And how many have actually kept them this far?

Everyone knows that by the time January nears a close most people that actually made resolutions have already let them go by the wayside. Don't beat yourself up - you are in the majority.

Everyone knows the reason for this - the resolutions are too hard, too big and "life changing".  And most people aren't ready to change their life in January.

Making changes is something that you have to be ready for. And just because you feel the pressure to make a change in January - when the whole world is promising to change - doesn't mean that you are ready. It's just a lot of peer pressure.

So give yourself a break. Step back and re-analyze your resolution. Is it really something that you are ready for? Is it something really attainable?  If you have bitten off more than you can chew - the only thing that will happen is nothing. You will quickly get disenchanted with your lack of success and stop. Period. Just stop.

Part of being organized is knowing your limitations and knowing what you need to get yourself motivated. That is why everyone joins a gym in January. So that they have someone to give them a push and hold them accountable. But with so many new people at a gym when a few fall off - no one really notices and you really don't matter. They aren't there just for you - but for the gym.

That is why a personal trainer is usually more effective. They know your weaknesses and try to find a way to motivate you into gaining the results that you are after.

So there are a number of lessons here:

1) Don't make resolutions that are too broad - be very specific - such as "I will organize my kitchen cabinets" - instead of  "I will organize my entire house"

2) Be honest with yourself and set a realistic time frame based on your level of energy.  "I will spend one (1) hour a day working on my kitchen until it's done" instead of "I will organize the entire kitchen in one afternoon".   If you get tired and frustrated before you are done - you will stop and never continue.

3) Know your limitations. "I am not an organized person and I have no idea how to get the best use out of my space".  If you don't know how to fix your plumbing - you call a plumber. So if you don't know how to organize - call a Professional Organizer.

4) I always start projects - but never finish. Again - a lot of people need a coach / mentor - to help them reach their goals. Look at all of the workout tapes on the market - and still - in January - people sign up for a gym - because they need the push of a "real person".

5) After setting realistic goals that you can accomplish in a time frame that is reasonable and do-able for you - be proud of yourself for that small goal and stop beating yourself up because you didn't organize an entire house in an hour.

Remember....  organizing is a process. An ever-evolving and on-going process.

So - step back and re-analyze your situation. One small step at a time.

Happy Organizing !


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/