Organizing Paperwork

Posts Tagged ‘home organizing’

You want to be more organized but where do you start? Here are a few organizing tips to implement today to get you on the road to a more organized life.

*What about a gift that you received but do not love? Well, after you say thank you, you are the new owner, and it is your choice to do with it as you choose. The giver of the gift would want it to be used which means that you could “re-gift” or just give it to someone who will love it and make use of it. Don’t let it add to your stress by becoming a “clutter” item—an organizing tip to use on a daily basis!

*What about items that belong to family members that have been left for you to care for and store? This might be a child who has moved out or another family member who has simply asked you to store something on a temporary basis. Since your home is not a storage facility, set a date with the person to get the items or send you money to have them shipped to them. After that date you can (without guilt) take the items to charity where they will really be used.

*What about those items that at one time interested you? Remember, our tastes and interests change with age, time and experiences. A basic organizing tip is to live in the present and buy and keep only those things that interest you at the current time.

*What about all of those books that won’t fit on the shelves? Box some of them up and store them away. Make a note in your daily planner a few months ahead to remind yourself to rotate the books. It will seem as though you have a new collection of books!

*What about all of the photographs you want to display? To keep your tabletops from becoming cluttered with photo frames, an organizing tip is to hang photographs on the wall in attractive arrangements which will free up space on the tabletops and make them look less cluttered.

*What about the magazines and newspapers that clutter the living room? An organizing tip for any home is to use a small basket near the couch to store your current reading material as well as the TV guide. The TV remote can also be placed in the basket when not in use.

These organizing tips will help you start the process of getting your life organized and are just a few of the endless suggestions that will help you accomplish that goal.

By: Lynn Cressy

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Technorati Tags: home organizing, organizing, organizing process, professional organizer

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.” The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and everyday while we walk back, you water them”.

“For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

We each have our own ways to organize that is unique to us. One friend told me she only has two bibs for her child. They are plastic and she washes them off after he eats so she doesn’t need more bibs as this works great for her.

Another friend has over 15 cloth bibs. She washes and folds them to put in the drawer. She is happy with this system. Both of these are different yet both systems are individual based on personality and needs. My friend with all the bibs has a zillion hot pads. My other friend has opted for the silicone ones that don’t take up a lot of space and are heat resistance and she only needs two. Like the saying says, “different strokes for different folks”, and both are solutions for their organization needs.

Some people are perfectly happy with the towels and linens to be in the closet while others want the towels folded in one stack, the wash cloths in another place. For some people it doesn’t bother them to search for the size of the sheet they need every time they change the bed and for others it drives them batty to have to search.

For those who like to keep their sheets positioned so they know the size without searching try this tip. Label the shelf with the size of sheet that goes there. Place both sheets and pillowcase inside the other matching pillowcase. This keeps a set together and saves time and frustration of looking not only for the size but going one place for the sheets and another for the pillowcase.

Sometimes the amount of space we have dictates what we can and cannot have in our homes. For those with a limited amount of space there are collapsible measuring cups and measuring spoons. For someone else they need a plastic shoe box to put all of their measuring cups.

organizing is a matter of personal taste and doing it one way does not make another way incorrect or wrong. Adopt a system that works for you.

Marilyn Bohn’s Bio
Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for over two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

By: Marilyn Bohn

Technorati Tags: closet organizing, home organizing, kitchen design, organizing tips

If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, a disorganized or small space can be very difficult to work in. If your kitchen is on the smaller side, and shelf space is limited, it becomes very important to choose your kitchen gadgets and equipment wisely and treat them with care. When it comes to space-saving in the kitchen, it is important to think of a way to store your items that will best benefit you in the space you are given. First, choose items that can do double or even triple duty with multiple functions. Secondly, choose items that can help you maximize the space you have available for storage.

Multi-functional Items:

Cooking equipment items can sometimes become a little pricy when you have to get a product for every function in the kitchen. A multi-functional item is a great investment for those of you who love to cook and be in your kitchen. These multi-functional items are great to have around and will effectively save you a lot of storage space and can fit into most budgets.

The 3-in-1 Griddle serves as three appliances in one. With interchangeable cooking places, you can quickly switch between a griddle, waffle iron, and sandwich griller. This machine enables you to save a large amount of storage space since you will only need to find space for one machine instead of three! The best part about this item is that it is just $59.95. You will be saving plenty of money by choosing the multi-functional option instead of buying all three appliances separately. For around the same price, you can choose the Total Chef 4-in-1 Grill, which is smaller but includes the same features as the 3-in-1 griddle as well as a grill.

The Butcher Block Bin is a combination of everything great that you are looking for in your kitchen. This product provides you with extra storage space as well as a designated area for food preparation. For $149.95, you can add a completely portable, extra cabinet to your kitchen. By moving the butcher block anywhere around your kitchen, you can take full advantage of all of its great features such as a towel-holders, storage shelves, and a large interior space which can hold pantry items on one side and a trash bin on the other.

Items that Maximize Storage Space:

Making good use of cupboard space is usually a primary concern if your kitchen has limited storage. If you suffer from a smaller kitchen with limited space, below are a few inexpensive ways to help you make the most of the storage space that you do have.

• Plate Cradles:
Plate Cradles are great for storing dinner and salad plates. Plate cradle’s enable you to store plates in an upright position, letting you get the most out of your cabinet space. This gives you a bit of extra space for other items. These cradles are also great for when you have a buffet at your home and need more space on the buffet table for food that plates would normally take up. These are definitely a bargain, too, at just $9.95 for the smaller size and $12.95 for the large.

• Lid Maid Organizer:
The Lid Maid Organizer is used to regain the cupboard space being used by pot or plastic lids. The lids are stored vertically in a handy organizer that slides in and out of your cabinet, making retrieval easy. At just $12.95, this is an easy and inexpensive way of reclaiming some much-needed space in your cabinet.

• Stackable Organizing Bins:
Making use of vertical space is easily one of the best ways to maximize storage room in your kitchen. Stackable organizing bins are an extremely effective and stylish way to do this. For just $12.95 you can choose fantastic clear plastic organizers that stack easily to store all food items and condiments. Perfect for pantries, cabinets, and even the refrigerator, these inexpensive organizers are one of the best organizing and space-saving items you will ever find!

• Expanding Step Shelves:
Expanding step shelves are perfect for storing cans, jars, boxes and condiments. These tiered shelves are expandable, enabling you to fit into almost any size cabinet. The useful three-tiered shelf means that smaller items will never get lost again. At $12.95 to $17.95 per shelf, you will definitely want more than one.

• Tiered Corner Shelf :
With a tiered corner shelf, you can turn any bench-top corner into an easily-accessible home for condiments and other small kitchen items. Normally, that corner in your home is an awkward space where nothing really fits well, and often the only thing that collects there is dust. This fantastic two-tier shelf, made from attractive hardwood, can hold all of those little items that you use frequently but just do not have a proper home for. The shelf can hold items such as oils, vinegars, cookbooks, salt and pepper, and anything else that needs a permanent home. At just $19.95 this product is an absolute bargain, and at that price they can be perfect for the bathroom and other areas of the home too.

• Double Tier Produce Basket:
Buying a double tier produce basket is one more easy and inexpensive way to maximize your bench space. By choosing a wire design, your produce will stay fresher for longer thanks to good air circulation. Pick up a chrome double tier produce basket for just $19.95. They are absolutely perfect for the pantry as well as the bench and countertop, so you may decide to more than one!

By: Arianna Jordan3

Technorati Tags: home organizing, kitchen organizers, office organizing, organizing solutions

Organizing a garage efficiently can be a difficult task when not handled well. Maintaining that organization on a daily basis, however, can be even more challenging. There are many ways to create an effective system that will work for you, but doing so may take some hard-work and dedication. There are a few sure fire steps to take when it comes to getting your garage cleaned out and organized.

The first and most challenging stage of garage reorganization is planning. From there, one needs to begin the process of clearing out the garage completely. The third step is to put it all back together again in an organized and easily accessible way. These three simple steps can help you get your garage in an orderly fashion. Within each of these larger steps, however, there are a few smaller precautions that should also be taken care of.

Planning is the most important phase of garage reorganization. A plan can almost always fail without the proper preparation. There are many things that can go wrong when cleaning out your garage, but a good plan can expose unpredicted problems before they ruin the rest of your work. The first stage of planning should be to take an inventory. Knowing what you have, what you need, and what you can get rid of is very essential.

The second stage of planning is to thoroughly investigate the given space in your garage. It is important to ask yourself what open space is not being used best. People often tend to ignore all of the open space above the garage door, and leave it empty. Try to also think about how you are using your walls. If you have a lot of empty wall space, it can be used to hang your items in an organized, neat fashion. After taking proper inventory and evaluating your space, you are then ready to enter the third and usually most fun stage of planning: purchasing important items.

Investing in useful organizational items for your garage can have an extremely positive affect on your space. A well designed, color coded recycling center in the corner of your garage can save you space all over your home as well as the headache from a more elaborate recycling system. Many of the better home-recycling containers can come on wheeled caddies, making them easy to transport out to the curb on trash day.

Pegboards are another great organizational item that you should consider investing in. They are the key to making your unused wall space flourish. Not only can pegs perfectly cater to hanging up all of your gardening tools and other such devices, they can also easily be used to add extra shelving. There is also an endless array of racks to hold everything from fishing rods and reels to golf clubs, bicycles and other sports equipment above your doors. The space above your door is especially useful for seasonal items, as you will likely not need to reach up there too often. With proper inventory, evaluation of space, and purchasing of goods, planning your new organizational scheme can be fun and easy.

The second step to proper garage organization is to clear out the entire space. This process has two primary stages. The first is to get everything out. It is important to have your garage completely emptied of materials before undergoing any serious reorganization. Installing your new organizational tools requires space that can be achieved easily if the garage is empty. Seeing the full space will allow you to get a better vision of how you want it to look when you have finished. This will help you see any potential flaws in your plan, and begin finding a solution before everything is back in its place.

Getting everything out also encourages the second stage, cleaning. Cleaning out your garage is important, even if you only use it for outdoor storage. Spraying much of the space down with a hose is a great start. It is also important to make sure you get at all of the cobwebs, the dust, and the debris before you try to add new items. It is important to clean off the individual items in your garage before you put them back in their proper places. It is easy to clean when the items are out of the garage, and you do not have to move around them. Take advantage of this time with the garage empty and use it to give your items a clean shine. Once you have done this, you are ready to take on the third and final step of the process.

There are a few important rules of thumb to keep in mind when it comes to putting your garage back together again. The first to consider is effective movement. Make sure that you leave good lanes for you and your family to move around in throughout your garage space. If you have to work hard to put an item away, it usually is not long before you end up letting the system go and leaving the garage a mess once again. When it comes to the tangible process of what to put back in when, it is a good idea to start with the larger items. Getting these in place will allow you to better see your space limitations within the new scheme, and will help you troubleshoot. From there work your way from the back up, remembering to leave space for easy movement.

By following the three simple steps of planning, taking apart and putting back together your garage, it is simple for anybody to turn this space into a well organized part of their home. While it may take some patience and hard work, when all is done the rewards are plentiful.

By: Nick Kakolowski2

Technorati Tags: garage organization, garage organizers, garage storage, home organizing

Being organized is the key to doing it all. When you are organized, you are ready for anything that may come your way. Learning how to be the best that you can and be ready for things when they happen is one way of being organized. You should explore your options and think about what you need to do to better yourself and be more organized for life.

There are different steps that you can take to better prepare for you for work, home and school. You have to get yourself organized so that you are able to keep everyone else organized as well. It is going to make things easier in the end when you think about it. You can be ready for anything and this will help you keep on schedule and keep your family moving along in the right direction too.

When you are looking for tips to keep you organized, you will want to make sure that you are reading up on the topic. There are different articles that will help you maintain the goals that you are looking to keep. It is going to be better for you so that you are able to stay on the right path. There are different ideas that you can apply to your everyday life and in the extreme situations so that you are able to keep on track of where you are supposed to be and what you are supposed to.

It is not going to happen overnight. Being organized is something that you defiantly have to learn and it will take a little while to get on the right path. You will find it hard at first to keep up with the things that you want to do so that you are organized and ready for anything. You will want to also make sure that you are doing all that you can to kick the old habits out of your system. When you are able to let them go, you will find it easier to bring the new organization skills into play. This will be something that can be frustrating at first, but once you learn it, you will find it easier to make it work in your situation.

There are so many helpful things out there on the market today that can help you with your organization skills. You may find that there are different things that you can pick up for cheap prices that will make your organization a lot easier to keep up with. You will be able to put papers, pens, letters, and even books in a certain area all together so that they are not being messed up or getting lost. This will be a big help for you when you are really busy and looking for something important.

In addition, you can use the filing system. Everyone is going to have a different method of filing. You need to make sure that you are putting everything where it needs to be so that you are keeping it all straight. Having a place for every file and every paper is going to make it easier to find when you need it. You will not have to run all over looking for the items that you need because they will be all right there where you need them.

Once you learn the organization skills that you want, you will find it easier to talk better and be more proficient with the things that you are doing on a regular basis. You need to make sure that you are organized with everything that you are doing so that you can make life easier for you and for others too.

By: Michelle L. Green

Technorati Tags: home organizing, organizing, organizing process, professional organizer

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

By: Nishanth Reddy

Technorati Tags: garage organize, home organizing, organized home office, professional organizer

While “green” and organizing may sound unrelated, promoting green consciousness is a natural extension of the organizing process. Professional organizers enter homes and businesses on a regular basis, and armed with proper knowledge, a professional organizer can assist clients in becoming more Earth-friendly. As the Chair of my Town’s Earth Day Clean Sweep for the past five years, I am well aware of the importance of reducing and recycling, and relish the opportunity to influence clients and the general public in this regard.

What can you do to get better organized in a “green-friendly” way? Here are some tips.

• Think Before You Buy – Try to transform your buying habits so that you are not accumulating too many items in the first place. Most of the environmental damage is done in the manufacturing stage, so the less consumerism, the better. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produced 254.1 million tons of household trash in the year 2007 alone. In 2008, however, as a result of the economic recession and the resulting decrease in disposable incomes, landfills reported a 30% decline in waste levels.
• Pay bills Online – According to Javelin Strategy & Research, 53% of Americans currently use online banking services, rising to an estimated 67% by 2012. The report also estimates that Americans could prevent the logging of 16.5 million trees every year if all Americans switched from paper bills to Internet banking.
• Repurpose and Reuse – Consider repurposing or reusing existing items in creative ways to avoid buying more and to give new life to forgotten items that are just taking up space.
• Recycle – Throughout the sorting, purging, and organizing process, think of the benefits of recycling. Often times, a person is unaware of the recycling guidelines in his or her particular area, or whether a particular item can be recycled at all. For a list of lesser-known recycling programs, visit the Donation and Recycling Resources page of my website.  Get educated so you can stop adding to landfills and recycle more. Consider setting up an organized recycling center in your home or business to make it as easy as possible to recycle.
• Donate – Remember, recycling includes donating items that you no longer love, need, or use often to those who could truly put those items to good use. Adopt a charity, or even a particular family to donate to (check out www.TangibleKarma.com). If you just want to unload items for free, consider giving them away on Freecycle (www.Freecycle.org). Think “green” when organizing. You will not only be able to reduce your clutter and find things more easily, you will be helping the Earth in the process.

Author: Lisa Montanaro

Technorati Tags: home organizing, organizing, organizing process, professional organizer

Take a Tour of Your Home – De-clutter to Show Its Spaciousness

Moving is one of the top stressors in our lives; now is the time for expert support from your Broker/Realtor, Stager and Certified Professional Organizer.

Take an objective person with you to assess your home from a buyer’s standpoint.

Figure out what makes the room seem full or cluttered.

Come up with a game plan.

Decide what to Keep, Toss, Give Away or Sell

Start with a room you use often. You’ll notice the differences because you’re in the room frequently. This helps you stay motivated.

Any items you haven’t used in 6-12 months? Can you donate, resell or recycle?

If you haven’t used it in a year, do you really need it? Can you borrow or repurchase?

Who else might appreciate the item? Family? Friend?

Will you need the item while your house is on the market? That’s a keep-but-store decision.

Reorganize to Release the Clutter

1. Holiday gatherings: An opportune time to pass along the tradition (and dishes)!

2. Clear out clutter-attractors — armoires, desks, hutches. Sort and reorganize. These are magnets for clutter. Shelves and drawers can seem cluttered if not organized. Group together similar items in organizers, baskets or bins.

3. Closets: Decide on a purpose for each closet. Weed/reorganize based on purpose.

4. Photos, family items, collections: Save your favorites. Memory boxes can honor memories and limit how much you can save.

5. Pictures/paintings: Clear walls and tabletops make a room feel spacious.

6. Attics: “Someday” is today! Weed out and store while your house is on the market.

Picture your rooms with nothing in them. See how large the rooms seem? Now visually start putting things back in the room. The point here is to allow you to live more simply … and for potential buyers to see how much space is truly there for all their “stuff.”

Author: Sue West

Technorati Tags: clutter organizer, home organizing, organizing home office, professional organizer

What factors drive companies to outsource their IT needs? One of the most common is also one of the most obvious: to reduce costs. Cost effective solutions become top priority for organizations, especially during an economic recession. There are also other factors that come into play, which in the end, all contribute to the reduction of costs, as well as risk.

Outsourcing also can help an organization transition into new technologies. Information Technology outsourcers are able to provide access to more experience and more current knowledge of advancing and relevant technologies. Usually, small to mid-size businesses lack the depth and necessary resources to handle all of the required solutions that come in the way of IT. In turn, many companies have turned to outsourcers to help them implement their web presence, ERP systems, intranet and knowledge management systems, and client/server systems.

By bringing in outside expertise, upper management can focus less attention on IT operations and more on the core activities of their business. MIS department personnel usually manage the relationships with outsourcers and are ultimately responsible for the outcome of the IT services.

An outsourcer can also offer IT personnel an environment more geared towards the IT worker that a typical company cannot afford to build. For example, a typical programmer would have responsibility for one application within a company, but for multiple applications or projects at an outsourcer. It becomes the outsourcer’s to find, train and retain the highly marketable IT talent. This relieves an employer of the headaches of costly investments in continuous training. This also eliminates the issues of hiring and retaining a staff that can easily change jobs to move to a different company.

Author: John Ferrughelli

Technorati Tags: closet organizing, home organizing, organizing services, organizing tips