Are you feeling it?

As I flipped through my newsfeed on Facebook, one post jumped out at me. My friend who I would describe as organized, was feeling the holiday rush crunch. "Things won't be as hectic in January" the post read.  I couldn't help but think of how a post on how to create a productive To Do List may be helpful. If your thoughts are organized then you have won! G.I. Joe had it right....Knowing is half the battle!!

I love large sized calendars. You know, the desk top size that every teacher has! It's fantastic for jotting down due dates of projects, calls to return or doctors appointments. The main reason I love  them? The date boxes allow for a sufficient amount of information, but they don't allow for a mile long To Do List to creep in! If it doesn't fit on the calendar, it doesn't FIT!


The holidays are a great time to remember helping and supporting others, but we can easily get burnt out by the requests for cookies for this bake sale, assist with costumes for the Christmas play, create programs for the church social....it can quickly add up! Remember, it is OK to politely decline and if you need an excuse, see above!


For years senior executives and other time-crunched people have used an A.B.C. approach to organizing your To Do List. It is common to write out 15-20 items and tackle 70% of the list and not have accomplished the most important thing because we tend to chose the easiest or least demanding time-wise to tackle first. Set your page up with three columns; A, B and C. The most important items go in column A, then B and finally C. This technique will allow you to visually see the tasks at hand and in what order they should be tackled.

As a final hint towards feeling more productive, as you write out your list, add a few items that you have already accomplished that day, in the corresponding category of A, B or C and cross them off! I always write "Make To Do List" and cross it off! :D

Holidays, here we go!

No doubt that you have all been surrounded with scary witches, pumpkins and more candy than you'll ever admit to your personal trainer, so it looks like the holidays are upon us once again.

It is so important to keep the focus on what really matters; family, friends and being together to celebrate this fantastic season. Being organized will help to alleviate much of the stress that has been known to creep in around  the holidays. During the next few weeks, I'll be blogging about different areas of our homes and lives and give you tips for getting those areas organized.

Your Home

With an increase in shopping, more items naturally arrive in our homes. Between decorations, gifts, baking, etc. it can get down right overwhelming. Now is a great time to look around your home for items that you have that no longer work, either physically or spatially. Do you have a replacement on your list to Santa? If so, consider donating the item or passing it on to a local charity. Year-end is a great time to not only think of others in need, but rack up those charitable deductions for Uncle Sam.

• Donate or toss old bakeware, blankets and clothing that could be used elsewhere.

• Stock up on storage containers for items that are out of season. Don't forget to use that label maker to mark the bins for easy access next year! Color coding works well too. Use orange bins for Halloween items, green or red for Christmas, etc. 
• Sort through papers on your desk or other work area (don't forget the junk drawer!) and gather receipts in a manilla envelope for tax time. Don't forget to label the envelope with the tax year for easy reference. Trash or shred other papers that you deem unimportant. 
• Be realistic  when it comes to your Christmas lists. Do you have a home for the items that you're requesting? Remember, on December 26th, if you don't have a home the gift can lose it's fun if it becomes clutter. 
• Encourage your children to get in on the fun. Are they asking for new action figures? Books? Games? Sorting through current toys and tossing or donating will easily make room for new. This is also a great opportunity to teach your children a valuable lesson on charity and organization! 

Enjoy the start of this glorious season! 

Containerize

Recently, I've had an overwhelming number of emails asking about how to save money on organizing products. I am a huge fan of integrating products made to help you get organized, but I know that they can be expensive. I, too, have had sticker shock for my clients and myself! A space isn't organized "better" because high-dollar sorters and bins line the space. Here are a few simple - and green- ideas to stretch your budget and get that space in order once and for all!


Reduce:
Streamline your stuff.  Limit the number of categories that you have decided upon. Files should rarely have just one piece of paper in them. Consider combining your files for your cable, water and phone bills into one folder dedicated to all of your utility bills. Placing bills in the back of the stack will automatically collate bills in chronological order.

Reuse:
By far one of the biggest money and planet savers is this step! Do I use fancy organizing products daily? Yes. But my most memorable storage solution was a mint tin! It was the perfect size to contain a collection of spare buttons for a clients sewing drawer. In my own home I am currently using a plastic bin that once held dishwasher tablets for my craft closet to keep my fuzzy pom poms. Who can pass up a free container? The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination and get creative!

Recycle:
Of course the previous step already indicates that recycling is easy and useful when organizing, but consider another side to recycling. Over time, our organizing needs, spaces and tastes can trap us into using the same organizing products over and over in the space and possibly hindering the perfect solution. Check with friends and family about a swap. Need a larger bin for toys? Maybe your mom has one that once held quilts that she no longer has or needs. Trade for that Space Bag that once held all of those toddler sheets you passed on to a friend. Talk to neighbors, friends and family, as well as your social networks to see about needs and how you can help each other!


For further information on organizing or to find a Professional Organizer near you, visit NAPO's website to begin your search.

A Lesson in Organizing

It's almost Back-To-School time. Just today I started seeing the ads for 25 cent crayons and backpacks are on sale. More and more retailers seem to start their prep for this beloved event earlier each year. Aside from the posted "Supply Lists", there is a sure-fire way to ease back in to the school year.

Lesson 1: Always Be Prepared! 
Not only with pens and paper, but for long lines, overwhelming store displays and mile-long lists of required materials. However, this can be a fantastic educational opportunity for you and your child!
Each new year provides the opportunity for a clean slate. Children who were not previously accustomed to organizational skills can become masters this year! Maintaining separate notebooks for each subject can help divide information for children not only physically, but mentally. Moving from notebook to notebook allows the brain to shift gears. Color-coding can also help. Match a notebook, folder and lesson book with a highlighter or pen.

Lesson 2: Playing is learning!
I remember gathering all of my new supplies and arranging them 1,000 different ways in my backpack before I settled on a specific set up. A Professional Organizer in the making? Perhaps, but the rearranging of items can bring a certain level of control and confidence to your child that can only be beneficial when entering a new class or school. Allow them to create their own space (their backpack) how they see fit. And a small amount of help for the little ones may be fun for both parent and child! But allow older children to set up their space alone. This exercise also teaches responsibility and accountability.

Lesson 3: Get Warmed Up Before the BIG DAY!
After months of being away from the classroom, it can be very helpful to rev the brain back up for learning. Take the time while shopping to review math skills, English and spelling skills can be reviewed with making shopping lists and for adventurous parents, a small report on what events took place over the summer, or letters to friends who have been away. This also may be a good time to prepare your children for the schedule that they will encounter when they do head back to school. Sleep is very important! Starting back on an organized routine now may prevent a groggy first week!



NAPO In The Schools


NAPO has introduced a new program to encourage and educate students on the benefits of being organized. This program brings Professional Organizers into the classroom in Elementary school, and soon into the Middle and High schools. For more information on this program or to learn how to bring a Certified NAPO In The Schools educator into your school, visit NAPO  today!

Where Oh Where!?...

Hello?? Where are you?? - Stacey


I'm here! I'm a wife, mommy, church member and business owner. A "techie" I am not! It was time to invest in a new computer for the biz. I researched, haggled and played with every model I could get my hands on without being thrown out of every Best Buy within 100 miles. I decided on an iMac. 
Apparently I have been going the way of the fruit for quite awhile. Fellow Professional Organizers Geralin Thomas, CPO (www.metrozing.com) and Kara Russelo (www.LittleVirgo.com) raved about their iPhones until I caved and got one of my very own. I've never looked back! 
"How did I live without this tiny miracle!" I exclaimed to the world upon downloading my first App. (Short for application for those of you stuck in 2008!)


I admit that due to my fetish with my iPhone, the iMac was the contender to beat. The picture quality in and of itself is just amazing! Graphs, documents and invoices have never been simpler. Hello....I was a PC, and now I'm a Mac!


This being said, I will again remind you all that I am not a techie. Though I would rate my skills at "above average", I was vastly unprepared for the transition from PC to Mac. 


Client files, photos and the financials....oh, the financials!... sent my brain into a tizzy, as we say here in the South. Meaning a migraine that can only be resolved by a pitcher of Mint Juleps. 


The good news: I'm finished! And just in time for NAPO in the Schools to be launched. It should be a fantastic program that brings NAPO professionals into public and private schools in an effort to teach organizational skills to students. Children who display these skills tend to have better grades, stay on task more effectively, and are able to practice skills that will last a lifetime. 


For more information on this program or to locate a Professional Organizer near you, visit the NAPO website!  

Investing in Yourself

One of the biggest complaints that my clients have is that there just aren't enough hours in the day. As a wife and mother myself, I can completely relate to this thinking! All too often demands of daily life; work, children's  activities, friends, housework, etc. all take time and attention. The 24 hours in a day just don't seem to cut it!

In all of the hustle and bustle of life, being organized can save time, money and your sanity! Throughout April, May and June, I'll be blogging about specific ways that can help eliminate the daily hurdles that slow you down.
Stay tuned, or better yet -FOLLOW ME- and get ready to tackle subjects like; surviving family vacations, streamlining your chore list, making better grocery shopping choices, organizing your kitchen for efficiency, creating filing systems, making the most of your closet, preparing for Back to School...and much more!! Do you have a specific topic in mind that you would like to see covered? Let me know!

So stay tuned!

My Clutter Is Costing Me What!?!?

Picture it...2003. My husband and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary living in a 611 sq ft apartment for $611 a month in Texas. It was my anniversary gift, a tabby cat we named Harley, that made me look at every item in my home in a new light. We loved Harley, for the entire 3 weeks he was with us before our management office found out we had him. But his food dishes set something off in me.

It was a normal, everyday, plastic, double feeder. It wasn't large by any means and took up exactly 1 square foot of our kitchen floor. Then I noticed the litter box...3 square feet. Another 4 square feet for his kitty tower. I turned to my husband and said, "You mean to tell me that we are paying $8 a month just to have his stuff here!?" No, $8 a month isn't a large amount, but it was an amazing realization. Every item in your home is costing money to store. Your bed, couch, refrigerator, and yes, even the cat's water bowl. But that is what rent is for...to store the living essentials and niceties, not the clutter that can become strewn about your rooms taking up literally valuable space!

Look around your home. How much of your rent or mortgage are you spending housing your clutter? To figure the monthly cost, divide your mortgage or rent by the total square footage of your living space. That will tell you how much each square foot "costs" a month.

G.O. Month is quickly coming to a close. Remember that any progress is progress!! Be proud of your accomplishments and keep going! To find a professional organizer near you or for more organizing tips, visit NAPO, the National Association of Professional Organizers.

How To...

As week 2 of G.O. Month closed, I received so many emails asking about specific items to organize. Because of the frequency of the requests, I decided to cover the responses here for all to see!

The following items will answer the question "How To..." and hopefully give you ideas on how to organize your home!

"...Create a Baby Keepsake Box"
Definitely the #1 question! Since this task will require storing items for  many years to come, a larger tote bin or storage box is my recommendation. I always suggest a plastic bin with a locking lid. Your child's valuables will be preserved from dust, possible water damage and critters that develop a fetish for glue and glitter. Other items you will need are:

• An accordion file or pocket folders
• 1 smaller shoe sized bin with locking lid
• Permanent marker or label maker
• Paper clips 
• Acid-free tissue paper
• Pen & Paper

Wrap smaller items that may get lost or break in tissue paper and store in the smaller bin for safekeeping. Make sure to mark or label the child's name on every bin to prevent confusion if you have more than 1 child. Making a short note or list of the items as they are placed in the respective bins will be a wonderful way to ensure your child knows the importance of the items within the box. 

For artwork or other keepsake papers, paperclip related items together and place in either an accordion file folder or individually labeled pocket folders, one for each year. These files can easily be placed inside the larger bin for safe keeping. Make sure to annotate special information on the outside of each folder or on a piece of paper in each section of the accordion file such as; age, teacher's name, special friends and any special accomplishments. 

"...Keep My Car Clean"

Since many of us seem to spend just as much time in our cars as we do in our homes, keeping our vehicles organized is key. For those with small children, keep a bin of items such as; diapers, wipes, change of clothes, towel, bottled water and trash bags as a staple. Having a stash will end those emergency moments that children seem to be experts at creating. 

Keep a plastic grocery bag in the front of your car to catch trash that would otherwise end up on your floorboards. Toss the whole bag when it is full or every few days as needed. A medium sized bin will control the backseat clutter by corralling small toys, books and favorite items of other family members. The bin will allow you to easily return items to their homes in the house as well. 

There are several wonderful products that can be tailored to suit your needs. Most of these products can be found at your local Superstore or online in the automotive section fairly inexpensively. 

"...Fold Laundry Faster"

I can't make this stuff up! At least 17 of you actually emailed me asking how to fold laundry faster!! Aside from attaching 4 more arms, here's all I have for you...

If you are a "dumper" and tend to fold clothes from piles on your bed or couch, you're in luck! This post will be most beneficial to you as opposed to those who prefer to fold from the dryer.

First, remove larger items such as towels, jeans and items you know you will hang up. 

Next, quickly pick thorough and pull out the socks. DO NOT match socks or dig for more. You'll find them.

Then, fold items and place in to designated piles by DRAWER DESIGNATION. If jeans and shorts are in separate drawers, separate piles so that each pile will be directly transferred to a drawer space. 

All of the items left in the pile should have been "fold" items and you should be able to make quick work of it. Transfer piles into their home drawers and hang the remaining garments and voila! Done! It may take some practice, but you will get into a system in no time.

More organizing dilemmas? Contact me or visit the NAPO website to locate a professional organizer near you!

1 down, 3 to GO!

Week 1 of G.O. (Get Organized) month is coming to an end. How do you feel that your G.O. is going? If you still feel like you're not sure where to start, this post may help.

Think about your day. When you wake up, shower, dress and generally ready yourself for the day, does it seem to take longer than you would like? Do you fumble through drawers and make up bags looking for a specific item? If so, think about starting with where you start! First things first, as it goes!! People tend to lose quite a bit of time in their morning routine. Culling make up from your bag and clearing items that are infrequently used is not only a good organizing practice, but a must for safety and hygiene. There is a great article for the shelf life of make up here.

Next, consider streamlining your wardrobe. Toss any damaged items right away. Donate any items that haven't been worn in a year, 3-6 months for items like jeans and t-shirts. Typically theses items don't fit anymore. Having items in your closet and drawers that you don't and won't wear only slows you down in the morning.

In the next weeks, I'll be working through other possible speed bumps that slow you down through the day. Keep checking back in and sending your comments and questions to organizedstork@live.com