How to Cheat at Organizing

I hope you all had a great and organized weekend!!!

When it comes to tackling clutter, its okay to “cheat” or take shortcuts. Instead of worrying about being a perfectionist, try for simple, real-life solutions that work for you.

Jeff Bredenber, author of How to Cheat at Organizing came up with 4 ways to make organizing a little easier…

***I like to call them the 4 S’s***

• Strip: Pull everything out of the cluttered storage area, pantry and closet so you can assess what you have.
• Scrap: From foods you never eat to clothes you never wear, throw away the stuff that is "no longer good, no longer relevant to your here-and-now life,”
• Sort: Put like things with like. "Cluster them together into easily understood groupings," he says.
• Store: Return items back into their appropriate storage areas using proper storage bins and boxes.

This is another great way of tackling your drawers, cupboards, closets, and more.

***On Wednesday find out how to tackle your garage!!!***

FILES

Okay, do you have papers scattered around your house in different piles, waiting to be placed somewhere???

If you answered yes then begin by gathering up your documents. Pull out stray files, grab the latest round of bills, and empty that kitchen or office drawer, stuffed with papers you've been meaning to get to for years, then sort everything into ten piles:

• Monthly Bills (utilities, etc.)
• Bank Statements
• Pay Stubs
• Investment Statements (pension updates, 401(k) statements, brokerage and fund statements, and so forth)
• Tax Returns and Supporting Docs
• Policy Documents and Deeds (insurance policies (health, dental, life, home deeds, car title…)
• Warranties and User Manuals
• Forever Docs (things like marriage license, will, birth certificate, social security cards.)
• Receipts (for 3 months back)
• Medical and Dental records and receipts.

Next, create a folder for each type of document and add new papers as they come in. Then create folders within the folders: Take ongoing bills, for example. Store all water bills in one folder, electricity bills in another, phone bills in a third, and so on. If possible, keep all folders in a fireproof, water-resistant file cabinet or box; if not, a shelf or drawer will do.

I don’t have a filing cabinet, so I just use my armoire in my living room, and just one of those crates to hang my folders on for now!! Whatever works for you…It is just important to make a home for your paper, so you don’t have them staring you in the face everyday.

HOMEWORK: find all your water bills and make a special folder for them. Then have a great and ORGANIZED weekend!!!

Reduce your paper clutter

5 Things that can reduce your paper clutter

1. Get off all mailing lists.
2. Open all your mail by your “ROUND FILING CABINET.”
3. Tell companies not to sell your address.
4. Only order magazines you read.
5. Consolidate your credit cards.


***Put 1-2 hours in your schedule a week to eliminate clutter. Always evaluate, categorize, file and throw out papers.***


On Friday Learn about what files you need to put your papers in their proper homes!!

Do you have paper clutter??

When people enter my home they always ask…WHERE ARE ALL YOUR STACK OF PAPERS????

I always tell them, I ONLY KEEP WHAT I HAVE TO!!!!

***While you are going through mail or your kids school work or through other papers, ask yourself…Did I ask for this information?***

• Is this the only place the information is available? Or can I get it online?
• What is the worst thing that could happen if I trashed this paper?
• Are my kids going to be crushed if I throw this away? I tell my kids they can hang it up on the fridge for 1 week, then it goes in the “round filing cabinet.” (I know all of you think I am heartless because I have come to love my round filing cabinet!) Tell your kids they can keep 5-10 papers or projects a year, then file them in their “special boxes.” Each of my kiddos have there very own SPECIAL BOX!! If the project is to big for the box, take a picture of them holding it, and then file it in there special box!
• Only keep and cut out the coupons from the mail that you are going to use, then find a home for all coupons. Make sure you discard all coupons that are expired.

***Come back Wednesday and learn 5 things that will reduce your paper clutter.***

ZONES

ALWAYS HAVE IN MIND TO REARRANGE YOUR ROOMS FURNITURE TO CREATE 3 TO 5 ZONES. FOR EXAMPLE, SLEEPING, COMPUTING, READING, PLAYING, ETC. USE THE FORMULA…SPACE
S…SORT P…PURGE A…ASSIGN C…CONTAINERIZE E…EQUALIZE.
TO HELP IN CREATING YOUR ZONES.

For example in my teenager’s room, she has a sleeping zone, a homework zone, a music zone, and a dressing zone. For her, it is everything she needs. Everything in her room has a HOME so if she gets something out she knows exactly were it goes!!

In my bedroom we have a sleeping zone, a reading zone and a workout zone. It all functions and everything has a HOME.

In the playroom, we have a sitting zone, T.V. zone, play-kitchen zone, and a game zone. We also have one side of the closet filled with water and wheat storage. (Food storage zone.)

***The goal is getting your rooms to function well…if you try one way and it doesn’t work, keep trying until it functions best for your family!***

This weekend your homework is to rearrange one thing in your house to get it to function better…even if it’s just a drawer!!!

Have a great weekend…and HAPPY ORGANIZING!!!!

SPACE

ALWAYS ANALYZE YOUR MESS BEFORE YOU ATTACK! ORGANIZING ISN’T ABOUT HOW A SPACE LOOKS BUT HOW A SPACE FUNCTIONS. USE THIS FORMULA…SPACE

S…SORT

P…PURGE

A…ASSIGN

C…CONTAINERIZE

E…EQUALIZE.

Back in 2002 I saw Julie Morgenstern on a talk show and she used this formula…I love it and have used it ever since.

Julie's Organizing Formula

• Sort: Identify what's important to you, and group similar items.
• Purge: Decide what you can live without and get rid of it (e.g. donations, sales, storage, and garbage).
• Assign: Decide where the items you keep will go. Remember, make it logical, accessible and safe.
• Containerize: Make sure they're sturdy, easy to handle, the right size, and that they look good. The art of containerizing is to do it last, not first.
• Equalize: Spend 15 minutes a day to maintain what you've done.

The last step is very important you MUST keep up on maintaining what you have accomplished.
On Friday I will give you some great tips on how to ZONE your rooms to make them function!!!

Do you have a clutter problem???

Good Monday morning to all…I hope this weekend you were able to find homes for some things in your house!!! Today I want you all to take this clutter quiz, I found online, to see if you have a clutter problem. On Wednesday I will give you some ideas to help tackle your “SPACE.”

1. Do you feel overwhelmed when thinking about your clutter?
2. Have you tried to “clean up” or “organize” yourself repeatedly, with no lasting results?
3. Are you ashamed to have anyone come to your home?
4. Do you feel more confused in your home than in the outside world?
5. Do you find yourself buying more of everything because, “you never know when you will run out?”
6. Do you have multiple copies of books, software, clothing or any other items because you couldn't’t find what you already owned when you needed it?
7. Has your spouse or partner expressed dismay about the way you live?
8. Do you flit from one task to another, feeling like you never get anything done?
9. Do you find that you concentrate better in noisy situations?
10. Do you find yourself getting distracted easily?
11. Do you feel like, “What’s the use, it will just get messed up again,” when you begin to de-clutter?
12. Do you hold onto broken items because “they might come in handy someday,” or “I’m going to fix them someday?”
13. Do you feel more “lack” than prosperity in your life?
14. Do you find it hard to decide what is worth keeping and what is not?

If you answered 4 or more questions with a "YES" you may be disorganized so stay tuned for Wednesday's post on how to organize a "SPACE!!"