Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I've picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes...

Simplified Bee: Organizing Household Paperwork and Buttoned Up ...

For those of you that need a jump-start in organizing household paperwork and don't want to bother with labeling, the File.starter set from Buttoned Up is for you. It comes with ten labeled, color-coded, file folders grouped into three ...

A Robert Brault Reader: Thoughts on Organizing a Household

Thoughts on Organizing a Household. The trouble with, "A place for everything and everything in its place" is that there's always more everything than places. "There is a common parental fallacy that a missing chess piece, ...

Household Notebooks: A Great Tool for Organizing Your Home ...

What is a household notebook? If you don't know, maybe you need one! Learn more about this helpful home organization method.

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Do you often find yourself not answering the door or hiding when a person drops by at your house unannounced because you are ashamed by all of the mess? Do you feel embarrassed to invite someone over your home because of the clutter that has accumulated and piled up so much? If you are like anyone I know, when you start to look all around at all the mess and clutter in your house, you feel exhausted and cannot find the needed energy to clean and clear it away. It just keeps on collecting dust and each time you stare at it, it makes you all the more tired and listless and you do not even know how or where to start.

Well, believe it or not, but the most powerful and effective change you could bring about in your life is to eradicate and get rid of all the clutter surrounding you. Most individuals have really no idea how much their clutter truly affects them. It’s only when you begin to clean it out of your system, you would then realize how much better you can feel without the burdened eyesore brought about by the mess. The thing is that energy is everywhere around us, every thing is energy, even all your material possessions and acquisitions, though they are just seemingly inanimate objects, all have energy.

All our things and possessions are believed to hold our connections and memories in our life. In other words, if you have material things that you no longer use, need or want, they are tying and holding on to our energy, thereby creating and emitting inactivity in the energy of your atmosphere and surroundings. When disorder abounds all around you, it is becoming more and more impossible to think clearly about what you are doing in your life. However, you could think more with a clear mind and making important decisions become easier when you clear all the clutter away.

Most individuals who have disorder in them always feel tired. They say that they have no energy at all to start to clear it. Yet in fact, it is the stagnant energy that piles up and accumulate around the mess that actually causes lethargy. Finally clearing it frees and releases the energy at your house and gives off new and abundant mental and physical liveliness and aura in your body. If your thinking has a tendency to dwell in the past, you may get caught up in the ongoing problems and difficulties in your life. Having your space full of unnecessary clutter leaves no room for anything or something new to welcome into your life.

Clearing and getting rid of the clutter let you deal with those problems and move onwards. You have to let go of the past to make a new and better future. People treat you the same way you also treat yourself. And if you value and look after yourself, you would also be treated well by other people. At the same time, being surrounded by clutter could also affect the way other individuals treat you. And if you let clutter to stack up all around you, you might attract people whom you will be better off without.

About The Author

The author of this article Amy Twain is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem overnight. More info about this “Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You” is available at http://www.FabulousSelfEsteem.com.

Technorati Tags: clutter clearing, house clutter, household organizing

I’ve recently heard more and more people mention the word “declutter” and wondered what all the fuss was about. Is this a fad, a load of rubbish, a reaction to our modern excesses or a necessary remedy to make our lives more livable? Being interested in doing a bit of “decluttering” myself, I decided to conduct a little research and found there is a ground-swell of anti-clutter thinking building up across the country. In the UK there is even a trade body called the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers!

So what is all the fuss about? It seems that we all have huge amounts of disposable income and a distinct lack of time. The end result of these two factors is that we buy loads of unnecessary stuff and have no time to either use it or throw it away. Another factor is our innate tendency to hoard things. Our reluctance to throw things away, even if we never use them, results in a build up of rubbish that slowly but surely consumes our living space until we reach that breaking point when the declutter urge begins to nag! Everyone has a different declutter urge threshold, with some people unable to cope with even a small pile of old newspapers, whereas others will reach the point where they can hardly move from room-to-room before the urge to take action kicks in.

It seems that there are various locations that merit a bout of decluttering and there are a range of drivers that spur the declutterer into action. Let’s deal with the locations first of all.

The normal location is the family home. Kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms and garages are the usual culprits. For bedrooms, clothing is the main clutter contributor. For those of use who can’t resist a little retail therapy, there can easily be a rapid build-up of unworn clothing, but garments are one of the easiest items to clear out. Whatever you do, unless your old clothes are worn-out, damaged or dirty, don’t throw them away. You have a perfect opportunity to donate your clothes to charity during your decluttering. Many people recommend using the “one year” rule – if you haven’t worn an item of clothing during the last 12 months then you are highly unlikely to wear it again – just clear it out! If you have children, then toys can also start to take over a room if not kept under control. If you don’t keep your toy-count in check, your children will soon have too many toys to be able to find their own favourites. Another opportunity to recycle beckons, so whatever you do don’t just throw them away. Donate them to friends with younger children, sell them at a car-boot sale or even on Ebay. In the kitchen, old utensils can be thrown away for hygiene reasons and in the garage, throw out all those old tins of paint and rubbish that you moved out from the house last year.

If you have mountains of rubbish, it may be worthwhile hiring a skip to make the job easier.

Another location that really benefits from a good clear-out is the office – either your desk at work or your home-office. You’ll be amazed at how much paperwork people can accumulate over a short period of time. I’ve known companies that have had periodic office reorganisations, purely to make people have a regular clear out of their work space.

So what are the benefits of all this decluttering? If you have tried it even once you’ll know exactly what I mean by the sense of satisfaction and achievement that can be attained from all of this. If you haven’t ever set aside time for a spot of decluttering, then I can only suggest that you try a small test run. Plan to spend just one hour, in one room and see how far you get – and see how good you feel!

Another favourite technique is the 15-3 sprint. Take a rubbish bag and for the next 3 minutes, try to fill it with 5 items to throw away each every minute. If you reach 15 in the allotted time you’ve done well and just see how good that feels. You may even be tempted to repeat the exercise every day.

You may have a few guilty feelings about being wasteful and disposing of perfectly good things, but these will be more than compensated for by your sense of achievement, your satisfaction in being able to let go and the cleaner, lighter space you have created. You’ll feel more relaxed in your home, you’ll be able to find things more easily and you’ll know exactly what you have. In fact the fewer things you have, the more you will cherish and use them. Go on, have a good old clear out today.

About The Author

Marcus Brooks writes on a variety of property and home improvement subjects for the UK skip hire company http://www.skiphiredirect.co.uk.

What is the best way to organize a household in cleaning so that you don't spend the whole week cleaning a house from room to room?

Technorati Tags: declutter home, get organized now, household organizing

7 levels of organization?

i need to know the seven levels of ognization!
I know 4 ; cells, tissues, organs, and systems.

I’ve recently heard more and more people mention the word “declutter” and wondered what all the fuss was about. Is this a fad, a load of rubbish, a reaction to our modern excesses or a necessary remedy to make our lives more livable? Being interested in doing a bit of “decluttering” myself, I decided to conduct a little research and found there is a ground-swell of anti-clutter thinking building up across the country. In the UK there is even a trade body called the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers!

So what is all the fuss about? It seems that we all have huge amounts of disposable income and a distinct lack of time. The end result of these two factors is that we buy loads of unnecessary stuff and have no time to either use it or throw it away. Another factor is our innate tendency to hoard things. Our reluctance to throw things away, even if we never use them, results in a build up of rubbish that slowly but surely consumes our living space until we reach that breaking point when the declutter urge begins to nag! Everyone has a different declutter urge threshold, with some people unable to cope with even a small pile of old newspapers, whereas others will reach the point where they can hardly move from room-to-room before the urge to take action kicks in.

It seems that there are various locations that merit a bout of decluttering and there are a range of drivers that spur the declutterer into action. Let’s deal with the locations first of all.

The normal location is the family home. Kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms and garages are the usual culprits. For bedrooms, clothing is the main clutter contributor. For those of use who can’t resist a little retail therapy, there can easily be a rapid build-up of unworn clothing, but garments are one of the easiest items to clear out. Whatever you do, unless your old clothes are worn-out, damaged or dirty, don’t throw them away. You have a perfect opportunity to donate your clothes to charity during your decluttering. Many people recommend using the “one year” rule – if you haven’t worn an item of clothing during the last 12 months then you are highly unlikely to wear it again – just clear it out! If you have children, then toys can also start to take over a room if not kept under control. If you don’t keep your toy-count in check, your children will soon have too many toys to be able to find their own favourites. Another opportunity to recycle beckons, so whatever you do don’t just throw them away. Donate them to friends with younger children, sell them at a car-boot sale or even on Ebay. In the kitchen, old utensils can be thrown away for hygiene reasons and in the garage, throw out all those old tins of paint and rubbish that you moved out from the house last year.

If you have mountains of rubbish, it may be worthwhile hiring a skip to make the job easier.

Another location that really benefits from a good clear-out is the office – either your desk at work or your home-office. You’ll be amazed at how much paperwork people can accumulate over a short period of time. I’ve known companies that have had periodic office reorganisations, purely to make people have a regular clear out of their work space.

So what are the benefits of all this decluttering? If you have tried it even once you’ll know exactly what I mean by the sense of satisfaction and achievement that can be attained from all of this. If you haven’t ever set aside time for a spot of decluttering, then I can only suggest that you try a small test run. Plan to spend just one hour, in one room and see how far you get – and see how good you feel!

Another favourite technique is the 15-3 sprint. Take a rubbish bag and for the next 3 minutes, try to fill it with 5 items to throw away each every minute. If you reach 15 in the allotted time you’ve done well and just see how good that feels. You may even be tempted to repeat the exercise every day.

You may have a few guilty feelings about being wasteful and disposing of perfectly good things, but these will be more than compensated for by your sense of achievement, your satisfaction in being able to let go and the cleaner, lighter space you have created. You’ll feel more relaxed in your home, you’ll be able to find things more easily and you’ll know exactly what you have. In fact the fewer things you have, the more you will cherish and use them. Go on, have a good old clear out today.

About The Author

Marcus Brooks writes on a variety of property and home improvement subjects for the UK skip hire company http://www.skiphiredirect.co.uk.

Inspiring Cooperation In Others To Organize Through Clutter Control

Hold a family meeting or council where everyone sits down together and discusses organizing and creating systems together. When people have input into ideas and creating systems they are much more likely to be willing to do the task. ...

a soul's reflections: Nature of Relationship Between Business Plan ...

An information system plan is a road map indicating direction of systems development. Normally, the information system is linked to the business plans of the organization. This is because aside from the business strategies being planned ...

a soul's reflections: Nature of Relationship Between Business Plan ...

We have talked and mentioned about the information system and its significance to the organization before. The purpose and use of information systems in the beginning, according to a reference that I have found, is targeted towards ...

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: declutter room, organize systems

Back with more news for you today. It's amazing how much good information there is on this stuff out there if you know where to look. Three in particular that I found really valuable were...

Crap Cycling & Walking in Waltham Forest: Waltham Forest: a ...

Unfortunately, a lack of funding halted work, but 25K additional funding obtained in 2006/07 will allow for training, research, and Phase 2 of the clutter removal programme to take place ensuring this essential work continues. ...

Clutter Removal Service

Does anyone have experience or recommendations on services to organize and remove clutter? I'm not talking about a maid or a junk-removal service. I want a company that will come in and work with someone to clean out a room, ...

Download System Mechanic Professional 9.5.0.30 at High Speed ...

· Optimize your PC for peak performance.
· Repair problems and errors, and prevent them from re-occurring.
· Clean up system clutter.
· Remove spyware and fix security vulnerability flaws. ...

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Who hasn't experienced frustration trying to organizing their inbox!? I receive close to 400 e-mail each day due to the variety of activities and contacts I have online. Some I am truly interested in their content - most I am not.

A big part of keeping your inbox and your e-mail organized is discipline. Yep, good ole' fashioned discipline! You need to have a system that you consistently put into practice! Upon checking your e-mail there are several tasks you can put into place to keep ahead of the increased traffic of bits and bytes finding their way to your inbox.

What are we to do? Let's get organized!

1. Put your DELETE button to work! If you do not recognize the sender, look at the SUBJECT: field. Are there funny characters, alpha-numeric gibberish or it just doesn't make sense? Delete! Don't fall for tricky SUBJECT: fields that say any number of enticing comments only someone you know would or do business with would say.

None of these e-mails are from friends or folks you know or even companies you are doing business with. They are from spammers - the worst kind too - the ones who underestimate your intelligence by thinking these e-mail will be something you would take seriously. If you don't know the sender and the SUBJECT: field looks off, send them on their way to the trash!

2. Once you go through all your new e-mail and follow step #1 above, you are now ready to determine what to do with the e-mails that are left. Do you have several e-mail from the same person? Do you have e-mail from companies who e-mail you quite regularly? Do you have some e-mail that is personal business and others that are more serious and therefore, you probably need to keep a copy on hand?

This is where filters come into play. Filters, or Rules as they are called in Outlook, are what allow you to organize your e-mail on the download (and Send too). Yes, as you download your e-mail it can go into e-mail folders setup for specific topics or contacts! Right off the bat you are more organized!

You can have a "Mom" filter that sends all e-mail from dear old Mom right into your Mom folder. Set up filters to have e-mail from some of your banking sites, go directly into their own folder. Your favorite site can have it's own folder. You can even have information from your financial institutions automatically end up in a folder specifically divided into further folders - Annuity, CDs, Stock, Bonds. The sky is the limit!

The benefit of filters is that if you organize your e-mail to go into their own folders on the download - your inbox has less e-mail that you requested or were expecting leaving only the questionable e-mail for you to review. Filters only need be setup once and they are in place until you delete them.

3. Another use for your filters? As if filters are not already sounding like the best thing since sliced bread, you can use them to send certain e-mail right to the trash bypassing your inbox all together! You know, the e-mails for certain enhancement products and adult sites - right to trash. Filters can be configured to find certain adult or offensive terms when listed in the SUBJECT: or BODY of an e-mail message and send them right to trash on the download!

4. Back to your inbox... We now have filters in place that organize your e-mail on the download so all the e-mail you requested and or are expecting, is in their appropriate folders for you to read at your convenience. Now your inbox should only have the orphan e-mail with nowhere to go. After following the suggestions in #1 above, begin to review your e-mail.

If you run into an e-mail that is from a new mailing list you've subscribed to and plan on getting regular e-mail from, stop right there and make a folder and filter to accommodate these future e-mail. Set up a filter to look for something specific to that e-mail (usually e-mail address works best) and moving forward, on the download, those e-mails will go right into their own folder. Do this for any e-mail topic or contact you plan to receive e-mail from on a regular basis.

5. Read and delete. Read your e-mail as time permits and then delete any e-mail that doesn't have content worth keeping for future reference. Then, empty your trash daily. Loads of e-mail files use a ton of your system's resources. Not keeping copies of e-mail you really will never need in the future helps remove the clutter and drain on system resources.

6. When reading your e-mail you can prioritize when you want to address them. Many e-mail programs allow you to label e-mail by color when viewing a particular folder. For example you could have labels that at a glance tell you how you have prioritized your tasks. Say, red for urgent, blue for later, yellow for maybe. By opening that specific e-mail box you know, at a glance, which e-mail you have set to address right away and which you can get to as time permits.

7. Empty your trash daily but before emptying your trash, you want to be sure to take a quick look-see just in case any of your filters inadvertently picked up on some terms that were included in e-mail that you possibly didn't want to trash. This happens all the time! A quick once-over before deleting your trash will ensure legitimate e-mail you do want to read didn't get lost in the shuffle.

8. Create a folder called Follow-Up, Interesting or To Do. This is where you will file some of the e-mail from your inbox that peaked your interest that you would like to review in more detail but just don't have the time. Then, when time permits you can go to that folder and check into the e-mails worth keeping. Once you review them, though, either send them to another folder for keeps or send them to trash.

9. To avoid e-mail backup, be sure your inbox is cleared each day. Move e-mail to trash, a specific folder or your "To Do" folder, and then empty the trash. If e-mail is older than 90 days in your "To Do" folder - send them off to trash as most likely the information or offer is no longer current. By doing so each day, you keep your inbox clear and your e-mail much more organized.

10. What about all these folders? Have as many folders as you need to be organized and call them whatever will intuitively work for you with a glance. This system is different and unique to each and every user - make sure you use terms and a system that works for you.

The above 10 tips when practiced daily will make the world of difference in keeping your inbox organized and clutter free. Just a bit of discipline is all it takes to be on the road to less time spent dealing with e-mail which frees you up to do other important things... like responding to e-mail.

Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse who has played @ TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her Business E-mail Etiquette Blog and join in the conversation @: BusinessEmailEtiquette.com

Technorati Tags: clutter removal, organization tips, organize your home office

A WAY YOU CAN OVERCOME FRUSTRATIONS

I don't know you. But I have been frustrated many times. My heart was broken many times. I divorced. I have been unemployed. I have been in the street. I have felt totally alone. I became an alcoholic. There were nights I closed my eyes waiting not to wake up any more. I was on the edge of the suicide a couple of times. I needed help like never before in my life but there was nobody around to help me. And I discovered an even worse thing: there was nobody who could really help me. As things were going I could see only two choices. Being dead or somebody to drive me back in time so I could rectify the bad decisions I took, the opportunities I lost, in short so that I can fix my life but knowing the results of my last errors ahead of time. The first thing didn't happen ‘cause I didn't have the guts of taking away my life and simply day after day I checked that it won't happen naturally, not yet. The second chance is a fantasy. Then, sinked in the deepest bitterness and frustration, a thought began to hum in my mind. There was a tool, the only one I could count on..... my mind! I realized that all my life, and any other person’s life, is governed by the group of thoughts occupying the mind. Tell a woman she looks great today and you will draw a smile in her face, you will ligth her day. Why? Because you put a pretty thought in her mind! You go to your office tomorrow, you enter in the elevator and you listen as a murmur “... poor man, his wife deceives him...” and moreover they’re looking to you. Forget it man! Your day has become a hell. You have a lousy mood. You cannot concentrate on your work. And what is the reason? Because an unpleasant thought has entered in your mind! And maybe the murmur you heard in the elevator were even not referred to you! Thoughts work in this way, for or against us while occupying our mind. And they are like the stone in a pond, they can generate chain reactions in our lives of disastrous consequences. That is what I discovered. And, after that, I decided to use my mind in my favor.

I began to re-program it. And I found the only way to replace the old thoughts was putting new ones in my mind. More beneficial for my activities and my life. More powerful than those that had ruined my life. Then the computer I had up of my shoulders began to work... in the way I wanted! I began to see solutions to my problems I didn't see before. I began to feel more optimistic. I began to feel more energy every new day. And all that gave place to a dramatic change in my life. You don't need money! You don't need a “specialist” (that neither has lived, nor has suffered your problems) helping you to solve your problems. Take yourself the responsibility of all your errors, of all your faults and your lacks. The only thing you need is in your head! Use it! Here is the formula! Repeat, all the time you can do it, each new thought that you consider beneficial for you like a no-end tape ... (sometimes in silence others aloud) until you see results! Believe me, it works!

IN YOUR MIND YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST TOOL YOU CAN COUNT ON

In your head you have the biggest computer of the universe. Your brain represents the hardware and your thoughts the software. Although you cannot update your brain to a brain Pentium V for example, your brain is powerful enough for not to need any type of updating. However, YES, you can change the programs that govern your reactions, your attitude, your state of mind. YES, you can change the thoughts that make you act in an or another way. YES, you can program your mind with the appropriate thoughts to make your life in agreement to as you want it to be.

THOUGHTS CHANGE HUMANITY'S HISTORY

A man invented a recipe for the cough that didn't have the desired effect. Another bought it and transformed that same recipe into the most sold drink in the world. Let me ask you: Which is the difference among these two men? Answer: The thoughts occupying their minds. One had his mind programmed to make inventions, the other one to see business opportunities. Which one would you like your mind to be programmed as?

Less than 200 years behind some men ‘' dreamt of flying while others believed that it was impossible to achieve it”. Some of them imagined themselves rising throuhg the air in a great flying machine even not knowing how to do it, while the other ones maintained their thoughts in earth. You tell me, who changed humanity's history? And, Why? In the same way in real life it is the thoughts you allow to occupy your mind that determine your success or your failure. Your thoughts are those that make you capable or unable of overcoming the setbacks. It is your thoughts that can sink you into frustration or take you out of it. Don't lose time and try it! Re-program your mind! Re-program your life! What do you have to lose? What can you win? You don’t have to live frustrated. You deserve a life without frustration. You must take action now against frustration.

About The Author

J. Ramiro Sejas M.

Author of “How YOU Can Overcome Frustrations In An Easy, Cheap And Simple Way”

http://www.overcoming-frustration.com

"Organize" is a familiar word heard on many of today's popular decorating shows. Every family has its struggles with some type of clutter whether it is stacks of papers or a cluttered and cramped bathroom. In fact, the National Association of Professional Organizers reports that 80% of what we keep we never use, we wear 20% of the clothes we own while the other 80% hangs there just in case, and 25% of adults say they pay bills late because they lost them.

If you have stacks of papers, frazzled mornings, or lost car keys, use the following ideas to help you organize your family and home.

Evenings/Mornings:

1. If you have rushed mornings, make lunches, set out clothes, and put everything you need for the next day in a designated area the night before. Have kids pack homework and books in their backpack so they will be ready for the next day.

2. Place your purse, briefcase and keys in a designated area every day so you always know where they are.

3. Decide the night before what is on the menu for breakfast the next morning. If the family is to have cereal, set out the cereal boxes, bowls, and spoons.

4. Make a "to do" list for the next day and organize it according to what task needs to be completed first.

5. Fill the gas tank the day before so you won't have to worry about getting gas if you are running late the next morning.

Bathrooms:

6. To organize countertop clutter, purchase a plastic tub with a handle on top. Place all of your accessories such as hair spray and lotion, in the tub and place under the counter. Take the tub out when you are ready to use it and then put it back under the counter when you are finished with it.

7. To organize your shower, buy shower caddies to place your soaps and shampoos in. There are numerous styles available in many discount and fine department stores.

8. To help keep your shower doors clean, buy a water squeegee (like you use on your windows) and place it in the shower. When you are done taking a shower just wipe down the doors with the squeegee and you'll have a clean and dry shower door. Many of the squeegees come with a whole in the handle, which is convenient for hanging it up in the shower with a suction cup.

9. Install a straight magnet in your medicine cabinet for tweezers, nail clippers, and scissors.

10. Store reading material in a decorative magazine rack. As you add new magazines, throw away the older ones to keep the magazine rack from overflowing.

11. Throw away items in your bathroom that are old or you don't use anymore, such as make-up, lotions, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, old razors, sunscreen, and perfume.

12. If you are out of space in your bathroom cabinets for towels, roll them up and display them in a decorative basket next to the shower or bath tub.

13. Install hooks on the back of your bathroom door or wall space for towels and robes.

14. Use drawer organizers for makeup, jewelry, ponytail holders, and other loose items.

15. Place a shelving unit above the toilet for storing extra towels, washcloths, and other accessories.

16. Put a clock in each bathroom so everyone can be on time.

Closet:

17. Place baskets in your closet for laundry and dry cleaning.

18. Sort through your clothes and anything you don't wear anymore, bag and donate to a local charity. This includes clothes that are no longer in fashion, no longer fit, or clothes you haven't worn in a year. Also, get rid of those worn out and/or uncomfortable shoes you no longer wear.

19. Separate your clothes by season. If you have a tall closet with several rows of rods, place current seasons clothes on the lowest level and move out of season clothes on the tallest rods.

20. Categorize your clothes by purpose, such as work, casual, and formal.

21. Gather all unused wire hangers and take them to the dry cleaners to recycle.

22. Hang scarves on a hanger or scarf rack. Also, hang belts and ties on hangers or racks.

23. Use a shoe rack to keep shoes organized and throw out shoe boxes that clutter the floor.

24. Install hooks on the closet wall to hang up hats and purses.

25. Store clothes that you want to save in a vacuum sealed plastic bag. These bags pack down for storing under the bed or in a closet. Remember to save only the clothes that you think will be worn!

Kitchen:

26. Organize your cabinets into several categories such as plates, glasses, Tupperware, kid's plates and sippy cups. Place the plates on one shelf, the glasses on another shelf, and so on. This way when you empty the dishwasher, you or other family members will always know where everything goes.

27. Group your foods together in the pantry for easy access and to help you identify when inventory is getting low. For example, group together your canned goods, cereals, pasta, etc.

28. Place all packets (gravy, Jell-O, sauces) in a basket and place on shelf.

29. Purchase a spice rack that works best for your cabinet. Alphabetize your spices and place frequently used spices on the front of the rack and all others towards the back of the rack.

30. For all of those plastic containers and Tupperware items, dedicate one cabinet or drawer for those items and try to purchase stackable containers to maximize your space.

31. Save your countertop space for items you use daily. Only display cookbooks that you really use and if possible store your canister set in your pantry instead of on the counter.

32. If you have a collection of clipped recipes that are filling drawers and countertop space, purchase a three-ring binder in a color that matches your decor, a box of plastic sheet protectors (to protect your recipes), paper, and a set of dividers with tabs. Glue each recipe onto a piece of paper (use front and back of each piece of paper) and then place into a sheet protector. Categorize recipes (breakfast, desert, etc.), label the tabs, and place recipes in binder. Additional tip, if you purchase a binder that has pockets, store clipped recipes that you want to try in the pockets before adding them to your collection.

33. Do you have mounds of plastic bags from the grocery store? Place about 10 bags inside of 1 bag and throw the rest away. You can always get more the next time you go to the grocery store.

34. Get in a habit of cleaning out your refrigerator every time you bring home groceries. Dispose of any food that is no longer edible or your family is not going to eat.

Kid's Room:

35. In a boy's room, put a basketball hoop over a laundry basket for slam-dunking dirty clothes.

36. Place a two-compartment hamper in your kid's room so he or she can sort light clothes from dark clothes as they undress.

37. String a clothesline in your child's room and have your child clothespin his or her favorite artwork.

38. Hang a fish net from the ceiling to store stuffed animals, dolls, or action figures.

39. Add a bookshelf and help your child organize their books.

40. Buy the kids their own alarm clocks and teach them how to get up on time.

Misc.

41. Make sure everything in your house has a home. Teach all family members to mind their own messes. For example, if you take it out, put it back; if you open it, close it; if you throw it down, pick it up; if you make a mess, clean it up; and so on.

42. Put wastebaskets in every room and place several unused trash bags in the bottom of each one. This will eliminate countless trips to retrieve new trash bags and give all family members a place to throw away their trash.

43. Place a decorative basket on the coffee table to keep remote controls in.

44. Use a plastic caddy (instead of shelf space) to store cleaning supplies in and tote it from room to room.

45. Keep baskets or tubs for toys in every room for fast pickup and play time.

46. For kids' outdoor toys, purchase a weatherproof, bench-style storage box and store toys inside. Also, gather all outdoor balls and place into a large, mesh drawstring bag and store in garage.

47. Each night before bedtime, have all family members pick up clutter for 15 minutes. Make a game out of it and see who can pick up the most things in the shortest amount of time.

48. Create a family message center on the refrigerator or other prominent place and use it for shopping lists, reminders, calendars, and phone messages.

49. Make a master grocery list on your computer from a spreadsheet or Word document. Categorize the groceries into sections such as frozen, dairy, and so on. In each category, list the most frequent items that you buy. Organize the grocery list according to the way your favorite grocery store's isles are set up. Print copies and keep one copy handy for the current week. When you see you are low on a product or you're preparing your grocery list for the week, simply highlight whatever items you need. Keep the document current by adding new items and/or deleting items you no longer buy. Also, create a space on the document for Misc. items where your family members can write down what they need that is not on your list.

50. Create an in box on your desk for papers (bills, permission slips, etc.) that need your attention.

The goal of organizing isn't to make your home pristine but rather to make your life more calm and functional. Work with the above ideas and you will end up having less clutter, a simplified home, more quality time for yourself and your family, and improved productivity.

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the founder of http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com - The Home Decor Exchange is a valuable website full of information and resources about home and garden decorating.

In addition to editing the Home Decor Exchange website, Lesley is a crochet pattern designer and needle fiber artist. You can view her crochet patterns and needle fiber designs at: http://www.ErinOliviaDesigns.Etsy.com

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Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: clutter organize, declutter my home, how organize your home

Do you find yourself tripping over things as you make your way to the bathroom? Are there kids toys and clothes strewn throughout the living room? Do you just want to tear your hair out when you try to find something in the closet?

This may not describe you and your home to a T, but maybe you recognize that it describes you at least part of the time or in part of your world. I know it does me.

As is regularly said, you have to admit you have a problem before you can fix it. I'm not sure that it's really a problem for most of us, just an annoyance.

Some people never allow clutter to creep in, my wife is a good example. But, I think that is pretty rare. Some experience clutter that sits idle under layers of cobwebs for years.

For some, it's an intermittent malady that comes and goes, alternating between having a home that is a shambles, and a home that is pristine. Most people finally get it in gear and get the job done. This can be a problem for some people, because they place such an emotional attachment on "things". It's this attachment to possessions that is often at the root of the problem.

Some people hire an assistant to help, such as a professional organizer, because they need that fresh perspective.

So, let's assume, shall we, that you are going to tackle this on your own. There are a few things that the pros suggest you do.

1) Divorce yourself from emotional attachment to all this "stuff".

2) Be prepared to let go of that "stuff".

3) Organize into piles

4) LET GO OF STUFF!

Sorry to shout, but if you can't make the tough decisions you are condemning yourself to constant chaos.

Get guidance if you need it. There are resources available that can help you come to grips with the process. The most important part is to get started.

Arnie Jacobsen is a closet clutter creator. He has found a way to declutter fast. When he can find his desk he loves to write about target rifle scopes [http://www.1st-rifle-scope-depot.com] and mini-trampoline rebounding [http://www.1st-trampoline-depot.com].

Hiring a Professional Organizer
 by: Carol Weeg

Have you been thinking about organizing your home or office, but you never get beyond the thinking-about-it stage? What you may need is a professional organizer—someone who can help you get all that clutter under control so you can live and work more freely and easily.

What’s it like to work with a professional organizer? Victoria Pearlman, a professional organizer in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, who calls herself the Order Artisan (www.orderartisan.com), answers our FAQs:

What types of people hire a professional organizer?

It’s quite a variety. A lot of clients are professional women. They’re working all the time and have no time for the stuff that needs to get done at home. Busy mothers and people who are chronically disorganized are also frequently clients. Working with a professional organizer is good for anyone who needs a semblance of organization in her busy life. If you just don‘t have the time or you can’t get it scheduled, having someone come in and help you with it means you’ll get it done.

How does it work?

It starts with a phone conversation. Typically a professional organizer talks at length with the client to get an idea of what’s going on in her life. Most of the time people call because they’re under stress: there’s some life change going on, or they just can’t take the chaos anymore. Then you set up an appointment, and the organizer comes to the person’s office or home for a tour of the space they want to organize. You talk about a game plan and get started.

How long does it take?

It depends on how quick a decision-maker the client is. Professional organizers help you move along. We’re not going to sit there and look at the box of pictures. That’s part of the benefit—we keep you on task and help you to prioritize what really needs to get done right now. We focus on what’s driving you the craziest. And we help you examine why you’re keeping things and how to let go of items that you don’t love or want. But we’re not going to say that you have to throw everything out. People are afraid of that, too. We help you find the treasures both emotionally and physically.

What does it cost?

Organizers charge anywhere from $50-$250 an hour. Business organizing usually is double the cost of residential organizing.

Should people expect to go out and buy new storage systems?

It depends on the organizer and the client. Many people have all types of organizing and storage devices; they just aren’t using them. Sometimes organizers can see things in a different way and get better use from storage that clients already have.

What should you look for in a professional organizer?

I would recommend finding somebody through the National Association of Professional Organizers (www. napo.net). NAPO members have a code of ethics and ongoing education.

Look for someone you have a good rapport with. You can get a feel for the person on the phone. Just as you want to go to a hairdresser you feel comfortable with, you need to have a comfort level with a professional organizer. The things we’re going through are very personal. (Of course, everything is confidential.)

A good professional organizer will tailor his or her system to you. We work with clients to figure out what works best for them. We don’t just set up a system and leave. We talk, we tweak, we do it together.

How do people feel about the results?

People are always happy in the end, even if they cry during the process. (One client actually did cry, but it was a good thing because she was letting go of something that was a burden to her.) But everyone’s happy because they’ve accomplished something.

So if you’re tired of dealing with the mess, consider hiring a professional organizer to restore your home or office to a place that works.

About The Author

Carol Weeg writes and edits Finding Our Way: Wit and Wisdom for Women, the newsletter for thinking women in midlife. Carol inspires women to explore their lives today—from work, to relationships, to dealing with perimenopause and menopause (is it hot in here?). Visit Carol Weeg on the Web at www.findingourway.com to download a free sample copy of Finding Our Way.

Technorati Tags: clutter free living, clutter removal, home organizing

I really like Heather Eyena's answer, and I will add that a lot of times, the answer to chaos is psychological.

There are a lot of methods to clearing out. Keep sell toss, and all that. But if you have ever watched those shows on TV, like Clean Sweep, you know that often times people get emotional about their stuff. And we hang on to things for really deep reasons, even if they aren't rational. So knowing HOW to clean out the chaos is just half of the answer, then you have to decide if you are willing to do it.

Often times, our STUFF has way way way too much power. And yet it IS just stuff. You just have to remember that clutter is a THIEF. It robs you of ALL your resources...time, energy, money, peace. Takes longer to clean and find things, things get damaged being stored improperly, have to replace lost or broken...and in terms of peace it is a psychological hassle to look at mess (even if the things IN the mess are a comfort to us.)

Looking at clutter from a financial perspective it may be an eye opener to realize just how much of a thief it is. If you are an accumulator of one thing, like books, you may just be an accumulator of other things, like movies or clothes. For every object you bring into your home you have to store, maintain, and otherwise deal with it. If you are an accumulator across the board, by changing your ways, you just may be able to downsize the amount of house you need. That may mean you can move into a nicer, smaller house, or into a better neighborhood...or not have to remodel to get more storage space. That sounds like THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS saved or better spent to me.

Related, for everything you own, you had to WORK for that thing (or maintain a relationship that resulted in it being given to you). If you translate the monetary value of your possessions or a new purchase, into HOURS worked at YOUR current rate of pay, and the way you feel doing your job/the amount of effort it takes to DO your job, how much did they cost you? A 10 dollar shirt may mean you have to work an hour to earn it...you may have to deal with 15 cranky customers or co workers, put away 4 pallets of store inventory, change 8 tires, configure 1 computer, risk your life in public service as a police officer or a paramedic, teach one math class, sow half a field of soybeans, or wipe 25 snotty noses. Whatever it is you do for a living, most people believe they work HARD for their money and that there are some aspects of their jobs that they do NOT enjoy at all, even if they are fairly passionately in love with their work.

Thinking about the value of your services to earn the money to buy things that add to your own unhappiness makes clutter seem pretty ridiculous. Kind of ironic that when we see something we want to buy...that we often tell ourselves we DESERVE to own it, we feel like we are treating ourselves TO it. I say most of us do NOT deserve that!

Another big psychological barrier with clutter is self-esteem. LOTS of people gravitate to chaos not because they enjoy it, but they do find it strangely comfortable and familiar. And some even feel like they don't deserve to live in a beautiful, smoothly running home. They may also invite chaos into their lives to have that crutch...an excuse why they aren't as successful, that nagging voice in the back of your head that says, what if my life was still problematic even after I did my BEST to solve those problems? (Best not to find out.)

SO methods aside, you have to be in the right mindset to bust clutter, otherwise no matter what you do, it is going to replenish itself.

Luci.Calanor: Luci Year 32

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Technorati Tags: conquer clutter, declutter my house, home office organize

Steps To Organize Your Home Office
 by: Nishanth Reddy

Follow the lead of a well-organized home office. Using the checklist below, incorporate many of the organizing tips found on the list. You will have both a professional and efficient home office.

ORGANIZE YOUR BOOKKEEPING

• Prepare and send invoices to clients

• Enter monthly transactions into bookkeeping software

• Reconcile bank, credit card, and other account statements

• Send reminders for paying bills on their due dates

• Write and prepare checks to be signed to pay bills

ORGANIZE YOUR DESKTOP PUBLISHING

• Design and print brochures and business cards

• Create flyers, price lists, and other marketing documents

• Lay out, printing, and mailing regular client newsletters

• Prepare professional-looking certificates for seminar participants

• Print labels using company logos or clip art

ORGANIZE YOUR DATABASE MANAGEMENT

• Enter business card data into a database

• Send an introductory letter to new prospect leads

• Send scheduled marketing pieces to clients and prospects

• Track marketing efforts and summarize the results in a report

• Send regular follow-ups, reminders, and communications to clients

• Call people for missing contact information

• Send fax and email broadcasts

ORGANIZE YOUR TELEPHONE AND FAX SERVICES

• Receive telephone calls while a client is out of town

• Forward important messages that require immediate attention

• Retrieve voice messages and responding to routine requests

• Receive and handle faxes while a client is out of town

ORGANIZE YOUR TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES

• Type letters and memos from tape or handwritten notes

• Type legal transcripts from cassette tape

• Type medical reports from tape or handwritten notes

ORGANIZE YOUR WORD PROCESSING

• Type handwritten notes from a meeting or seminar

• Type letters, printing on stationery, addressing, and mailing

• Proofread, edit, and check spelling / grammar

• Lay out larger documents

ORGANIZE YOUR MARKETING SERVICES

• Send out the appropriate sales brochures for inquiries

• Create and mail a customer feedback questionnaire

• Track the responses to this questionnaire

• Summarize the responses and suggestions in a report

ORGANIZE YOUR INTERNET SERVICES

• Maintain a newsletter subscription database

• Post announcements and newsletter issues to the list

• Perform an internet search for an item or piece of information

• Edit or upload new information to a website

ORGANIZE YOUR MAIL AND EMAIL SERVICES

• Retrieve email and mail, sort, and get rid of junk

• Respond to routine email requests

• Forward items of importance to the client for attention

• Track and forward urgent issues while client is out of town

• Prepare packages and mail out products as orders arrive

ORGANIZE YOUR RESEARCH

• Research potential locations for an upcoming seminar

• Find which locations have the appropriate dates available

• Find which can accommodate the size and type of event

• Research the services available (decorating, food, entertainment)

• Obtain written quotes and specifications from each location

• Monitor periodicals and clip articles of interest

• Visit the library to copy specific articles

ORGANIZE YOUR PERSONNEL SERVICES

• Send reminders for annual performance reviews

• Prepare or update resumes and introduction letters

• Review resumes and summarize each in a short biography

• Sort resumes for a job according to pre-arranged criteria

ORGANIZE YOUR PRESENTATIONS

• Prepare PowerPoint slides from sketches of diagrams and charts

• Send questionnaires to seminar participants before the talk

• Track completed questionnaires and call non-responders

• Summarize the questionnaire results in a report

ORGANIZE YOUR SECRETARIAL SERVICES

• Confirm upcoming appointments

• Schedule or reschedule appointments

• Get directions for a meeting or appointment

• Store back-up computer tapes for safekeeping

• Track birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates

• Send out the appropriate cards or gifts for special events

• Manage lists of necessary office supplies and ordering refills

• Coordinate air travel, car rental, and hotel reservations

Summary:

Taking control and being organized requires commitment - your commitment - to try something new and to break old bad habits. By being in control of your work day, you'll be more confident about yourself and your career.

About The Author

Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of popular self help blog. Visit his website for more information on how to get organized, goal setting, motivation, self help, self-improvement and personal growth. http://www.selfhelpzone.com

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Have a great day!

My computer desk is kind of large, but it is also a collector of everything essential and nonessential to computing! Is there some way to make simple little desk organizers out of things like cardboard, etc? (I actually do mean something kinda corny like that! When I was younger I had this cool little pen, pencil, eraser, etc organizer made out of paper towel tubes cut in small portions and glued on a piece of cardboard)

So, I basically need something or some way of organizing my desk mess ASAP and preferably without buying anything.

Technorati Tags: clutter organizer, declutter office, declutter organize

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ive been in your shoes more than once!start in one small area and do it little by little with alot of breaks,and dont start another area until you finish that area!the part that overwhelms people is jumping from one thing to another and before you know it your already worn out without seeing any progress!so if you do one small area at a time you will see what youve done and feel better about what you are doing!hope this helps!god bless ya!

Technorati Tags: clutter clearing, home organizing, house clutter