by The Organizer Lady dot com on December 28, 2008
More and more people are finding ways to work from home, either to replace a 9-to-5 job or to supplement the family’s income. One of the best things you can do to help improve your chances to succeed is to establish a home office. Not only is it a tax write-off (be sure to check with your accountant as to what you can and cannot deduct), but it is also a way to help stay organized and be more professional.
The type of business you are running will dictate the type of office you need. Will you be having clients meeting you in your office? Will it be your workspace? Will it be a multi-purpose room? For example, if you have a business based mainly on a computer and internet, then you won’t need as much space as you would for a craft production or product distribution business.
First, eliminate anything from the room that isn’t directly connected to your business (unless it is a multi-purpose room, such as a wall that serves as the family library). The fewer distractions you have, the better. It also helps reduce unnecessary clutter. Store things in boxes or move them to another room.
There are many nice filing systems - from the traditional filing cabinets, to hanging folders that can attach to the back of a door. Sort through all the papers in your office. Decide what you need to keep and what can be thrown away. When in doubt, set up another folder or box for things to look at again later. Once you establish a filing system, keep up with it on a daily basis. It is too easy to become overwhelmed if you don’t. Color-coded systems work nicely. One color for tax-deductible related items, another for invoices to clients, another expenses, etc. Then you simply place the papers or receipts in the appropriate color folder.
The workspace is often the most difficult to keep organized, but if you have a handle on the paperwork, it helps reduce one area of clutter. Make sure the workspace is large enough, and comfortable. Whether you have to sit or stand do to the work, make sure the surface is at the correct height. This will help reduce back strain and allow you to work for longer periods of time, thereby increasing your productivity.
There are many nice desk organizers that allow you to keep items close at hand but out of the way. If you only keep the items you need most often on the workspace, it will also reduce clutter. Keep the rest tucked away in storage units in your desk drawer, shelf or box. There are drawer organizers that can be customized to meet your needs.
If you use a computer, make sure you have enough space for the computer itself, the monitor, printer and any other hardware you may need, such as scanners and fax machines. Many companies produce multi-purpose units that combine those features into one machine, which takes up much less desk space.
Don’t forget to organize the computer itself. There are many organizational software programs that can help you track appointments, clients, and your work. By using these programs, you can keep on top of things and waste less time. Set up special folders in your documents folder, so you can file things away for easy retrieval. Databases and spreadsheets are also very helpful tools in tracking your inventory and other business related needs.
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by The Organizer Lady dot com on December 28, 2008
A challenge every family with children faces is keeping the kids’ bedrooms organized. Between toys, clothes and school things, it can seem impossible. However, there are ways to get the kids’ things organized and have fun at the same time. There are many styles of storage units available. Bright colors and cartoon characters from your child’s favorite show is sure to be a hit. By combining different units, you can have a place for everything.
There are many different styles of storage. There are the standard under-the-bed boxes, storage that can be hung on the wall or doors, or closet organizers. First, you need to decide what kind of storage will work best, not only for the amount of stuff in the room, but the age of the child as well. Once you decide what type of storage you need, let the kids help choose the style.
Once the new storage is purchased, this can be a time to rearrange the bedroom. Let the kids have a say in how they would like their room (within reason, of course). By being involved, it gives them a sense of ownership and makes them more likely to want to keep things nice.
To help your child get the dirty laundry organized, one of the simplest ways is to set up a basketball hoop above an open hamper. By attaching one to the wall above the hamper, clean up turns into a game. There are hoops that have suction cups, so you can attach it to any smooth wall and not damage it.
Many things that are designed for storage in a child’s room serve a dual purpose. There are desk and chair sets that have storage in the desk and the chair. There are also seats that have a cushion attached to the lid of a round barrel-like container. The container is perfect for stuffed animals or other large toys, and gives the child a comfy place to sit while reading or relaxing.
A cute storage unit is the collapsible bin. These are fabric bins built around a large spring that can collapse into a flat circle for easy storage. The bins are decorated to look like animals or people. Some have a lid for the head, which is attached at the back like a hinge with velcro at the front to keep them closed, while others (like an alligator) have an open mouth. The bin is the body and they have things like flippers, wings, paws and hands on the container to add details. They come a wide variety of styles in bright colors. There is sure to be one that any child will love. They are perfect for either dirty clothes or light toys.
Once you get the room organized, find creative ways to help the kids keep their rooms organized. If you have more than one child, maybe make it a contest to see who can keep their room the neatest for the longest. Let them earn points toward a special treat for every day they clean up their room without being asked. Find what works for your family and the work won’t be as hard.
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by The Organizer Lady dot com on December 28, 2008
As your children continue to get more toys with each passing birthday, Christmas and other special occasions, space becomes a premium, and clutter can begin to take over. So how do you keep it in check and still enjoy giving them new things? You have to balance “out with the old and in with the new”. If there are toys that are broken, or games and puzzles with missing pieces, they can probably be thrown away.
Why not set aside different times of year that you go through all of the toys and decide what needs to be given away? This can be a month or so before birthdays and Christmas. However, if you wait until after they get new things, they might be more willing to part with the older toys. It is important to talk to the children about it beforehand, if they are old enough to understand. Let them help decide which toys they might want to give away.
As the children go through their toys, let the younger siblings see if there is anything they’d like to keep from their older brothers or sisters, but if they do they have to give up something from their toys. Try to keep it even with how much the kids are getting rid of, as you don’t want them to feel like they are sacrificing more than the others.
If the weather is nice, you could even encourage your children to participate in a family yard sale. They get to keep the money for any of their things they sell. This takes a bit more thought and organization. First, they have to make sure that what they are selling is in good enough shape to sell, and that all the pieces are there.
One important thing to keep in mind, especially with the younger children, is to give them time to adjust to the idea of giving things away. Young children can often be generous with their things, but then later realize they gave away a “favorite” toy. Let them practice for a few days, or even weeks. Put the things away in a box where they can’t get them. If they realize they don’t miss the toys, then they should be ok with going ahead and getting rid of them.
It is also good to encourage sharing their blessings by donating some nicer toys and games they’ve outgrown. There are many charities that take gently used books, toys and games, including hospitals and shelters. This is a great way of not only reducing the clutter in your home, but also helping someone less fortunate.
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by The Organizer Lady dot com on December 27, 2008
When you’re the woman of the house, it’s often expected that you’re going to be the one primarily in charge of keeping the home clean and running smoothly. You may not be able to do everything, however, and really need to get the whole family to help you get organized.
Division of labor in the home is one topic that causes stress among families. The man of the house often feels that the house is the woman’s domain and therefore he shouldn’t have to help. And we know what happens when we ask the children to help with chores. You’d think we asked them to walk over broken glass or something equally sinister.
The problem with organizing the home and delegation of chores is that you may work away from the home as well. Even if you’re a stay-at-home mom, that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who does the work. If everyone made the clutter or the mess, it only makes sense that everyone in the family should help to organize and clean.
First, getting the whole family to help you get organized will take some effort. Be sure not to nag and coerce them into helping just to get to you stop nagging. They’ll only resent you for it. Ask them to help, giving them tasks they may find enjoyable, or at least not completely boring.
If you can get everyone to take care of their own messes, it will make your job easier. Have them put their own clothes in the hamper instead of leaving them on the floor, take their dishes to the sink when they’re done, and clean up anything they spill. Help them remember that you’re not a slave and that everyone in the family is expected to chip in with the chores.
When your children are younger, you may have to spend extra time teaching them how to clean and organize their own things. The effort, if they are receptive to learning, will be well worth it in the future. You won’t have to worry about their being able to take care of their own things, they will be less likely to lose them, and they’ll be better prepared to live on their own when the time comes.
Staying organized, at least as far as being where you’re supposed to be on time, will be easier if everyone knows how to read a calendar. Whenever the children bring home a paper with an important date to remember, transfer it to a family calendar. Color-code the calendar so everyone has their own color. You’ll all be able to look at the calendar and quickly see if you have something to do that day.
To help keep the home organized and running smoothly, you may have to get creative. Your goal is to help everyone learn personal responsibility even if that means being tough when someone doesn’t pitch in. Encourage each family member in a way that will appeal and you’re closer to getting the whole family to help you get organized and clean up the house.
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by The Organizer Lady dot com on December 27, 2008
It’s a pretty good chance that at one point or another you’ve forgotten an appointment, arrived at the wrong time, or even on the wrong day. You may have thought, right then and there, that you needed to organize your day by planning the night before.
One way to know what’s ahead is to have a large, central calendar that everyone in the family can put their appointments on. Color code the calendar by assigning each member a color and writing their appointments in that so they can easily see what they have coming up. When anyone in the family has something to add to the calendar, write it on there immediately with their color. This will also allow you to see what everyone in the family is scheduled for and lets you know if something has to be passed on because of a conflict.
Besides having a large, central calendar, you may also like to keep a smaller copy with you so you know when your family busy and when they are free. This will help you plan your day better, as well. Keep your small calendar up to date with any additions that are made.
Before you leave work, write down everything you can think of that needs to be done at work. What are your priorities for the day? Do you have work that must be completed in a certain period of time? Do you have any meetings or appointments that aren’t on your family calendar at home? Be sure to write everything down that you can think of so you can better plan your day, and maybe even your week, when you get home.
After your day is over, take a few minutes to look at your calendar and any notes you took while at work. If you can, do like activities at the same time in scheduled blocks. This will keep you focused and help you to not forget to do something important. Returning telephone calls, answering emails, and running office errands can all be done in blocks of time so you’re not jumping from one activity to another.
Don’t schedule every moment of your day. Leave room in your schedule for last minute interruptions, changes, or emergencies. If you have an appointment during the day, don’t forget to include the time it takes for you to travel to and from your appointment when scheduling your day. You also want to leave some time to spend on yourself each day or at least once a week.
Why do you want to organize your day by planning it the night before? There are several reasons for doing so: you’ll have a better idea of what to expect during the day, you can be proactive rather than reactive when something comes up, and knowing what to expect ahead of time will actually allow you to sleep better.
Finally, don’t kick yourself if you don’t accomplish everything you want to each day. Having your day planned makes it more likely you’ll be productive than if you hadn’t planned your day at all. You can organize your day by planning the night before in just a little bit of time, and the benefits will definitely be worth it.
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