Your Organized Home

Organizing While You Are There

2010-07-20T07:00:00-05:00

Opportunities exist each day to either clear away a small amount of clutter or maintain an existing space. Taking these small opportunities to organize a little at a time reduces the need to spend hours later “getting organized.” I call it organizing “While You Are There.”

The easiest way to see how this works is with files. No one likes to clean out an entire drawer full of files (myself included), but it doesn’t hurt much to clean out one or two. The next time you pull out a file, look through the entire file. Shred or discard any duplicate, outdated, or no longer relevant information. If you have more time, tackle a few of the surrounding files. This should only take five minutes or so.

The idea is to clear out items that are not used, liked, or needed as you naturally come in contact with them. Follow me through the office and house to see how this works:

• office desk drawers – What supplies do you regularly use? Discard or donate what you don’t. Store the rest in a separate box.

• book shelves – Do the titles on the shelf reflect your current interests and lifestyle? Donate a few books (especially those old college textbooks!).

• kitchen drawers and cabinets - Are you holding onto unused cooking and baking items or food? Donate what you can to your favorite charity.

• junk / utility drawer - Can any items be better used in another room or stored with other like items? Put them there.

• family / living room – Old magazines? Outgrown or broken toys or games? Recycle and donate. No one misses what isn’t used.

• linen closet – Mismatched or old towels? Keep the best. Toss, donate, or store a few as rags in the garage.

• bedroom – Items (like paperwork and kids’ toys) that are not conducive to sleep and relaxation should be returned to their proper homes.

• closet – There’s a reason you, your spouse, or your child hasn’t worn X, Y, or Z. Donate it to someone who will.

• bathroom – Do you really use all those toiletries?

Remember, the idea is to clear out unused or unneeded items while you are already there. Does this take a lot of extra time? No, the time is already there. You just haven’t noticed it yet.

You have a few minutes when you are:

o waiting (in the car, in a line, or for _______ to get ready)

o taking a break between tasks

o looking for something

o putting something away (especially a new item)

This week look around. Is there a small area or two that you could organize while you are there? Do you have a few extra moments to look through that drawer or cabinet? You’d be surprised what a difference small steps over time can make in your home and office.

Take some time this month to clear out a few spaces while you are there. You’ll be glad you did.

© Renee Ursem, 2010

Take the Junk out of Junk Mail!

2010-07-13T07:10:00-05:00

Most of us are overwhelmed by the amount of mail we receive every day. It’s credit card offers, catalogs, flyer's, magazines, bills, charities asking for donations, and much much more. It is unbelievable, not just think of the amount of paper is wasted to produce all this junk! So, think green and help to reduce the amount of mail you receive every day by following these two simple steps outlined below.

First, go to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) consumer’s website www.dmachoice.org and register. At this website you can choose not to receive mail offers from companies one at a time. You can stop credit offers, catalogs, magazine offers and other mail offers. You can stop them one company at a time or all mail from all companies with one click.

Secondly, opt out of mailings of credit card offers directly by calling
1-888-5-OPT-OUT or go to www.optoutprescreen.com to have your name removed from the list of the major credit organizations. Have your name removed for two years or forever.

That's all it takes two simple steps to help you take the junk out of junk mail! So, what are you waiting for? Start reducing your incoming mail today!

Helping Others Get Organized

2010-07-06T07:56:00-05:00

People often ask how to get their kids, spouse, friend, roommate, or parent organized. They are often frustrated by others’ clutter and may have given “helpful” advice: “If you would just get organized…” The less organized person’s response (if they had one) would sound something like this: “If I knew how to get organized, I would have done so already!”

So how do we help the less-organized people in our lives? The following techniques are designed to help you (or someone you know) begin to get organized:

• Be a good example, and don’t preach. If you want someone else to be more organized, you have to walk the talk. Mention the benefits you’ve experienced (finding things quickly, less stress) without making judgments.

• See it from their perspective. If working with a child, get down at his or her level and take a look. When working with another adult, look at the space as if you were them. They are probably overwhelmed. Have compassion (and refrain from comments).

• Start small. A drawer, a shelf, a section of floor. Or take a short amount of time, 20 min. or less.

• Be a facilitator, not a drill sergeant. Ask them questions: Do you still like this? Do you still use this? Help them to let go of broken, unused, or unneeded items. Remember, it is their stuff. Respect their answers and limits.

• Put like items together in piles. If there are duplicates, keep the best; toss or donate the rest.

• Create zones for similar items. Your piles will tell you what zones are needed. Kids may have zones for different types of toys or different sports.

• Contain like items effectively. Small containers are best for lots of smaller things. Save large containers for a few bulky items. Watch out for open baskets and bins. People tend to dump lots of little items in them.

• Place containers where they make sense to the person, not you. Regularly used items should be placed at their eye level within easy reach.

• Remove barriers to easy access. Children don’t put their toys away (and husbands may dump their pockets out on the dresser) because there is no “home” for their items. Keep the path to drawers, cupboards, shelves, and closets clear.

• Agree on a reasonable standard of order. What specifically can each of you live with? Can the bills be in the proper folder without being in date order? As long as clean clothes are in the drawers, do they need to be folded? Remember, you have to start somewhere.

• Make it a process, not an event. Reluctant organizers need time to develop organizing habits, which are often new to them. It takes 3 weeks to 3 months to form a new habit. Help them repeat the steps on a regular basis until they can do it on their own. Let them see you put your things away, and be honest with your struggles as well.

• Celebrate success, however small. Less organized people need lots of encouragement. Make it a game if you are working with children. My 3-year-old daughter gets to pick her own story if she beats me at putting toys away. Teenagers and adults love hearing praise (even if they don’t admit it).

• Get professional (or at least outside) help if needed. Many clients have said that friends and family members have offered to help, but they have declined. Sometimes people feel more comfortable with someone they don’t know who can be objective and won’t judge or comment.

• Hang in there. Organizing is a set of skills that can be learned. Like any new skill, it takes time. Don’t give up too early.

This month, support someone in your life who is struggling with organization. Listen and see if they want help. Encourage them to get started. If nothing else, be a good role model. Remember, we are all in this together.

© Renee Ursem, 2010

How to organize your closet

2010-06-29T07:27:00-05:00

Is your closet overstuffed with clothes but you still can’t find anything to wear? Or, is your closet being used as storage room and filled with everything but clothes?

I will share the steps you need to take to take control of you closet and get it organized. You don't want to miss this!

First, envision what you want your closet to look like, keep that vision clear in your mind when you clear it out and get it organized.

Start by removing everything in your closet that is not clothes, shoes, purses or accessories. Evaluate these items and ask yourself: Do these items belong here? Is there a better place for them in the house?

Then start with the clothes. Take out all of your clothes from your closet and start sorting them into piles of like items (i.e. all your pants together, all your shirts together and so on). Sort them either on the bed or on the floor. Sorting your clothes will make it easier to see what you have duplicates of and what you don’t wear anymore.

When done sorting, go through all items (touch items once then make a decision, this saves you time) and keep only clothes that:
• You love
• Fit you well now
• Make you feel good when you wear them

Remember you wear 20 percent of your clothes 80 percent of the time! That means there are a lot of clothes that are either never worn or worn so rarely that you would hardly notice if they disappeared. Clothes you don’t like or does not fit you can be donated, given to a friend or sold. Make sure only to donate clothes that are in good shape otherwise they are of no use to the charity.

When you are done sorting and decided on which clothes to keep, use the same concept with your shoes, purses, accessories and other clothing related items you might have in your closet.

When you are done you should have an empty closet! Start assigning a home for all items you decided to keep. When hanging clothes back into the closet you can either group them by type (pants, long sleeved shirts, short sleeved shirts and so on), by color or by category (business clothes, casual clothes, work out clothes and so on). Make sure you organize them in a way that makes sense to you!

If needed use containers, try to use containers you already have to instead of purchasing new ones. Containers can be used to organize socks, accessories and other items.

That’s all it takes to organize a closet! When you are all done with your newly organized closet, please remember that you need to maintain it or otherwise it will go back to the way it was. Make sure you put things back where they belong and make it an evening ritual always to hang your clothes.

Get started with organizing your closet!

Do you have too much stuff?

2010-06-22T07:42:00-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I helped out at my children’s school with the yearly garage sale. At the garage sale we sell stuff that parents and others donated to the school. It’s a great event, but seeing all the donations was overwhelming. Why so much stuff and where does it all coming from?

We accumulate stuff so fast and easily. We don’t take the time to think our purchases through. That’s why we end up with so much stuff in our lives. I will here give you five tips that might help you reduce stuff coming into your life.

1. Before buying something stop and think; will I use this product or am I just buying it because it’s a great deal? You need to be 100 percent sure, otherwise put it back and walk away! If you find this difficult, impose a time delay for any purchases. Wait 24 hours before buying it, this will give you enough time to make sure you truly want or need the product.

2. Before going to buy something, put together a plan of what you want to purchase, this even goes for grocery shopping. By having a list together and sticking with the list you won’t buy “unnecessary” stuff.

3. If you receive a gift that you know you will never use, tell the person who gave you the gift that you really appreciate the thought but it you don’t think you will be using it. Kindly ask them for the receipt and offer to exchange it for something else. By you doing the exchange it will be less of a hassle for the giver and you can pick out something you truly want. Honesty does pay off.

4. When purchasing a gift for someone, make sure it is something that person wants or needs. Otherwise you will only add to that person’s unwanted stuff. Just think of all the useless stuff you received from others!

5. Its just stuff! It’s not important! Make sure to value things truly important in life such as people! Your family and friends that’s what matters!

Reducing the amount of stuff in our lives will also help to live more green, the less stuff we purchase the less need to be produced. So, think green and reduce stuff coming in to your life!

Just One New Habit

2010-06-15T08:17:00-05:00

Each year brings the possibility of change. Even though we can make changes at any point in the year, each January we start out the year with a list of good intentions.

Yet, months later, most of our well-laid plans for change have been set aside. We try to make too many big changes in a short amount of time. We get a good start, life interrupts, and we throw up our hands: “I give up! I just can’t __________!”

Instead of taking on a huge self-improvement program, develop just one of the following habits to become more organized:

• Deal with mail each day. Whether it’s email or snail mail, at least 50% of it is junk. Open the mail, toss the envelopes and inserts, and move the important information to the appropriate place. Don’t make a shredding pile; shred as you go. With email, delete things you know you won’t read. Better yet, opt out of subscriptions and mailing lists. Mail is a task if you take care of it daily. Don’t make it a project.

• At the end of the day, make sure your toys are put away. Don’t start the day with a mess. Your brain (whether consciously or unconsciously) slows down because clutter is overwhelming. It’s okay to make messes during the day (you should see my office!), but things need to be put away by the end of each day.

• Never leave a room empty-handed. Put things away throughout the day. When going to the kitchen for a (healthy!) snack, put that receipt in your office. On the way to the car, drop the used magazines in the recycling bin. Teach your kids to do this. It will make clean-up easier later.

• Don’t put empty milk cartons back in the refrigerator. Like the careless teenager, we come across things we no longer like, need, or use, and we just put them back! This year designate a bag or box for donation. The next time you try on the pants that have never fit right, let them go. You won’t miss them. This principle also works in the kitchen (food and cooking items), office (pens, outdated supplies), and children’s rooms (toys, clothes, craft/sports items). When the bag is full, take it to your favorite charity.

• A few nice things are better than a whole house (or office) full of “just okay.” Quality is always better than quantity. Let go of the décor that doesn’t reflect who you are or the appliances you never use. Donate the books you don’t read (or the video tapes). Surround yourself only with items you truly like (or love) and use.

• Flat surfaces are not for storage. Yes, I know you think you need to leave it out to remember it, but does that really work? Usually people end up piling more things around the item, ignoring it. Leaving items out does not get tasks accomplished. Note the task in your planner, then put the item in a place that makes sense. Flat surfaces are areas for work, places to display a few special items, or simply places to rest your eyes. Stop piling things there.

So, are you ready to be more organized this year? Develop one of these habits for the next few weeks. Once it becomes a habit, add another. Remember, you are learning a new skill, so expect it to take some time. It will get easier. Celebrate your successes, and let me know how things are going. I’d love to cheer you on.

Get organized this year with one new habit. You’ll be glad you did.

© Renee Ursem, 2010

Organized Packing for a Family Vacation

2010-06-10T07:59:00-05:00

Traveling with a family is always an adventure. Whether you are driving or flying, there are a few tips that can help make the packing less stressful and the trip more enjoyable for everyone.

Make a list of what each child needs to pack.

Give the kids the list and a grocery bag to put their stuff in. Then you can place their bags directly into your suitcase (after a quick mom check, of course). The bags help give division to all the stuff, especially small things like socks and underwear. Upon arrival at your destination, the kids can each pull out their bag and put it in their spot.

Give each of the kids one backpack to take with their travel "entertainment".

All kids, ages 4 and up, can be responsible for packing their own backpack (although feel free to make a few suggestions). If you are flying, it is important to also make them responsible for carrying their own backpack. This frees you up for more important things. This also works well for driving trips. It keeps the kids from over packing and reduces the clutter in the car.

Let the kids have a few snacks in their backpack.

I like to give them a couple of snacks with a time span in mind. I will then let them know when they get more, for example, " These are your snacks for the morning. I have more for you for after lunch." This gives the kids responsibility for managing their food and it helps reduce the excessive eating because of boredom. Sometimes, one of my kids will eat a snack before we are out of the neighborhood. It is pretty funny...until they get hungry later. They do eventually learn if you are consistent. My favorite thing about this is that it takes me out of the food loop. I don't have to hear these follow words "Mom, I'm hungry", "Mom, can I have...", "Mom , will you pass the..."

Ziplocs

Ziplock bags come in handy if your kids are packing a collection of small things, like Hot Wheels or Littlest Pet Shop, in their backpacks.

If you want to be really organized, you can have the kids make a list of what they put in their backpack.

This list can be helpful when you are leaving a destination. My kids always tend to be scrambling to find their stuff and it seems like they always leave something behind.

If you're driving, try to limit the movies.

They do help pass the time but remember we have a beautiful country that the kids will never see if they are always watching a movie.

Bring maps and stop at the visitor centers along the way.

The kids can explore all the brochures and learn about the area, even if you're just passing through. Try to make time to enjoy the simple things along the journey. Sometimes those are the best memories your kids will have of your trip. A couple of years ago, we had a long layover in an airport that had people conveyors. The airport wasn't crowded so we made up a game and had fun racing on the conveyors. My kids still talk about the fun they had at that airport. Such a simple thing.

I know some of you are thinking, "Did she really say one backpack per child? She must be kidding." I am serious. You do not need to pack so that every minute of time is filled with something. Kids get a lot out of traveling, and one of the things is learning how to entertain themselves when they are bored. It is also pretty fun to listen to the kids and the great family conversations that start up in the car.

Have great family trip this summer. Remember to be safe and make time to have fun along the way.

Summer Vacation...Reduce the Stress and Have Some Fun.

2010-06-08T04:49:00-05:00

Today was the last day of school for my kids. Summer break has officially begun! Some parents see this as great family fun time while others dread this time of the year. How about you? There are a few tricks that can help make this time of the year fun for all.

Now is a great time to make a family summer "to-do" list.

Our family makes one that is posted on the fridge and we mark things off as we do them. This list can include anything the kids want to do this summer like camping, visit Grandma, go to the library, go on a trip, have a play date with friends, swim at the pool, etc. Now along with these items, my kids always like to come up with some over the top ideas. I think "go to Hawaii" has been on our list for the last 2 years, although I am not sure if they put it there or if I did. So we approach this list with the knowledge that not all the "to-do" items are feasible. You can make some substitutions, for example instead of making the trip to Hawaii, you could have a little luau in your back yard. Sounds like a close second to me!

Turn off the electronics!!

I have tried many methods of limiting TV and computer time during summer break. I have found the easiest for my family has been to just have a set schedule for electronic time. My kids get to have TV before 10 AM and after 7 PM (which is when the Disney channel movie begins). This just keeps it simple for me. I will occasionally make exceptions like on the night of a family WII tournament or a rainy day when they can't play outside.

Make a list of things that the kids need to do before you do anything fun for the day.

I have to admit that the neighborhood pool has been a great thing for my family. It is the carrot I dangle in front of my children everyday. I have a list of things that the kids need to do before we go to the pool. The list changes day to day but it usually includes these basic chores:

fold and put away all laundry
empty and load the dishwasher
pick up the living areas
pick up bedrooms

Last but not least, have a plan for what you are going to do when the kids start fighting...which you know they will.

My first strategy is to remove the argument from my hearing range. My kids don't usually like this because they would much prefer I jump in and solve the argument, but oh well, they'll work it out. If this doesn't work then I like to send the arguers to a place where they can practice working together and getting along...that place is usually one of our bathrooms which they will get to clean while finishing their argument. This always makes me smile, because I like havng clean bathrooms. It is also most effective if you do not give a warning!!

So, have a little fun this summer.

Summer is my favorite time of the year because we always have a list of fun things we want to do and...my house is always clean!! Let us know what your tricks are to make summer fun for your family?

I started getting myself organized, now what do I do with the items I want to let go of? - Part 2

2010-06-03T07:00:00-05:00

In "I started getting myself organized, now what do I do with the items I want to let go of? - Part 1", I talked about there are three main choices to do with items you want to let go of. They are:

1. Sell them
2. Give away / Donate them
3. Trash them

In "Part 1" I covered "Sell them" and now I will be covering the other two options "Give away / Donate them" and "Trash them".

Give away / Donate them

Give away - to a friend, family member or someone you know would want your items. Marie’s tip – make sure that the person that receives the items really wants or needs it, otherwise you are just creating clutter for them. Make sure they know they can say ‘no’ and if they don’t like it they don’t need to keep it.

Donate – donate your items to a charity. Do a good deed and help a charity out, lots of them need help right now. Marie’s tip – find a charity that you feel very passionate about and find out what they need, knowing that your items you no longer need will be useful to a charity helps in the process of letting go. When my clients are ready to let go of their items and don’t have a favorite charity, I help a number of charities by matching those items with the charities needs and donate accordingly.

Trash them

Be honest, would you buy your items at a consignment store or from someone’s driveway? If your answer is ‘no’ or if your items have seen better days then don’t bother trying to sell it and please don’t give them to a charity. Donating unusable items to a charity only increase their sorting time and costs. Try to recycle and reuse as much as possible, but sometimes there are no other options than to trash them.

Now, I have given you some great ideas on what to do with your items you are ready to let go of, but if you still are not sure of what to let go of or how to get to that letting go point, then maybe it’s time to give a professional organizer a call!

I started getting myself organized, now what do I do with the items I want to let go of? - Part 1

2010-06-01T07:00:00-05:00

I recently received several questions from people about what to do with the items they want to let go of. To answer these questions, I wanted to devote time to provide you with information to help you get rid of the thing you are ready to let go of.

First, congratulations on deciding to let go of some of your processions, great job! Here are your main choices:

1. Sell them
2. Give away / Donate them
3. Trash them

I will go through each one of these and give you some great information on what you can do.

Sell them

If you want to sell your items you have several options. I divide them into two categories; do it yourself or have someone do it for you.

If you want to do it yourself you have the following options:

Garage Sale – hold a garage sale to sell your items. A successful garage sale requires much preparation. The success of a garage sale is fully depending on how many people you get to come to it. Marie’s tip – I only recommend having a garage sale if there are many items you want to sell. To be successful, try to do it together with your neighbors as a neighborhood garage sale; the bigger the garage sale, the more people it will attract. Also, make sure the sale is held on a driveway close to a major road, that way people just driving by can see it, get interested and stop. Another important tip; make sure to clean your items before the garage sale. People don’t want to buy dirty items. Take the extra time to wipe off everything beforehand it will help you sell more items.

EBay – put up your items for sale at EBay. You will reach people everywhere using EBay. There is a fee to use EBay so make sure that you will make enough money on the transaction to at least cover the fee. Marie’s tip – Before listing something on EBay check if anything similar is for sale and what it is selling for. For instance, if you have a book you want to sell and the same book is selling for $0.75 it may not be worth your time to try to sell it.

Craigslist – list your items for sale on Craigslist. It’s free, easy to use and you can add photos to your listings as well. Marie’s tip – Craigslist sorts items based on date submitted, so it’s very important to use words in the title that will attract people and describes your item clearly.

If you want someone else to do it for you (will take less time but you will make less money as well) you have the following options:

EBay resell stores – these stores will post your items on EBay for you. They do charge a commission and decide how to price your items. Marie’s tip – use these services for big ticket items that you don’t want to list yourself. These stores normally don’t take items with low selling prices.

Consignment stores – there are many consignment stores for clothes, toys and household goods. Consignment stores charge a commission on your items they sell. Make sure to pick up your items that haven’t sold before the due date or the consignment store takes ownership of them. Marie’s tip – use consignment stores when you have a number of smaller value items to get rid of, such as children’s clothes or toys. Also, there are consignment stores that specialize in high end items and they might have an easier time selling these items that you would on your own.

Hire someone – hire someone to list your items on EBay or Craigslist. Marie’s tip – Get a teenager who wants to earn some extra cash to help you out by taking photos of the items and enter them on the website. Make sure you review everything before posting it though.

Stay tuned for Part 2 where I will cover "Give Away / Donate them" and "Trash them".

Organize Your Kitchen

2010-05-25T14:55:24-05:00

Your kitchen is usually the center of your home; that’s where you cook, eat, entertain, have kids do home work and much more. It is important to make sure there is enough room to perform all these activities.

I will share three important tips that will help you take control and get your kitchen organized.

1. Use the kitchen triangle

The triangular area you can create from your sink to your refrigerator and from the refrigerator to your stove is the most valuable space of your kitchen. Within triangle you should keep all the items you use on a daily basis for food preparation and cooking. Do not keep your holiday items there, this area is for the items you use daily. The exception might be the top shelf of your cabinets which you might not be able to reach without using a step stool, but that is the only exception.

My suggest is start clearing from the triangle area the items that you are not using on a daily basis and move other items you use regularly that are elsewhere in the kitchen into the triangle. By doing this you will have everything you need on hand in your triangle area to do your food preparation and cooking.

2. Take advantage of unused storage space

There is usually so much unused storage space in kitchens. Here are a few examples on how you can use your space more effectively:

Use the cupboard doors or the back of the kitchen door for extra storage. There are organizers that you can attach to the doors that will hold anything from lids to spices.

Make sure to adjust the shelves in the cupboards to eliminate dead space between them. Consider purchasing extra shelves from your local hardware store or use shelf helpers. This allows you to make the most of the space you have.

And of course, go through your items and get rid of things not used the last six months. Keep only items you need and use. Some of the most unused items we have in kitchen are (based on Peter Walsh in “It’s all too much” – great book by the way); fondue pot, bread-making machine, ice cream machine, propane torch, cookie press, banana ripening rack, apple corer, pizza cutter and especially anything costing $19.99 on late-night television! How many of these items do you have collecting dust in your kitchen??

3. Use organizing products
My favorite organizing products that I use in organizing kitchens all the time are:

Vertical racks - Use vertical racks for storing big flat items such as baking sheets, bigger plates, cutting boards. By storing these items vertically, they take up less are easier to get to.

Lazy Susan’s – Use Lazy Susan's in pantries, in cabinets, on counters, on the kitchen table, in the refrigerator, you can use them anywhere. Lazy Susan’s are great and come in many different sizes and material so it’s easy to find one that suits you.

Use these organizing tips to help you organize your kitchen. And as always if you need help in the process, a Professional Organizer can help!

Home Filing So You (and Others) Can Find it Again

2010-04-14T10:37:55-05:00

Yesterday I received a reader question in reference to my action fling Video:

"This is the first of SEVERAL videos, books, articles and blogs I have read that actually addressed how to house the ACTIVE files, and not just a storage/filing system. Thanks so much. I do however, have a question that arose after seeing the action You Tube video: I understand that your major client is usually a business; but I have four kids and I have never been able to effectively file their papers, incoming or outgoing, active versus archived in a way that is functional for anyone except myself. The main thrust of my system is a file system PER KID, and then to break that into their sport, school, extracurricular stuff. It works but as I said, its workings are known only to me - which as I recently discovered through a 2 week bout of mono, is very INefficient. Can you tell me if this PER KID approach is the best or should I do it per activity, per grade....I know you understand my dilemma. Thanks in advance. --Lori" (Florida USA)

The challenges we face as moms with paperwork are similar to that of a business! I’m a mom of 2 boys and have a dog that generates paper too. As managers of our home, we have a number of options for filing away the paper that comes into the house.

Any time that you have more than one person accessing a filing system, you run the risk of the system not making sense to at least one person. The words you use – that make total sense to you – may not be the first words that come to mind to the person that is looking through your files. In fact, this is common.

Use an Index

The trick to any good filing system is the use of a searchable index.   Think back to your high school year book. I can go to the yearbook and look up my name and find the specific pages that I'm referenced without having to look through the entire book. You can do the same thing with your filing.

Ways to Create a Filing Index

Use a program like MS Word or Excel (or equivalent) and type out your index. For example, if you have David's 3rd grade paperwork in a file called "David" your index may look like this:

ITEM LOCATION FILE NAME
3rd grade papers Office top file drawer David
David's school work Office top file drawer David
ISAT test results     Office top file drawer David
School papers for david   Office top file drawer David

You get the idea. You make different alphabetized listings all referencing the same file so that different people can look it up in the way that makes the most sense to them.  Of course, your index would have more than that one file listed, so the document could be quite big. You can have a printed copy for reference, or do a search in your electronic document. The biggest challenge here is that if you change a physical file, you will need to go to multiple locations to update your index.

Pre-made filing systems that have a built-in index can also be a good choice (if the index they created makes sense to you.) They systems come with directions that tell you where to put different papers.  You reference the guides to file and find your information. You can find some great pre-made systems at Organized A to Z.

My favorite solution, and the one that we use in our home, is Paper Tiger. You can get a f'ree trial and an audio lesson I created to try it out if you go to www.FindInFiveSeconds.com.

The software makes it really easy to index your files and it does not matter how you or anyone else thinks about filing. You'll be able to find what you need quickly. Here is a screen shot of my Paper Tiger for David's 3rd grade papers (below). I typed "3rd" into the find feature (see upper left of image) and clicked enter. The software looks for any entry that matches what I type in the search and displays it below. In this case, there is only one file that matches and that is the file I was looking for.

Location = Where the file is and what the file is named. So in this case, we have a file drawer cabinet called "Calahan Family" and everyone knows where it is in our home. The file name is "52." Since everyone in our family can count, it is easy to locate file #52.

Item Name = A bit more descriptive of what is in the file.

Keywords = Think like you are doing a google search. You put all of the different ways that you might think of a file in this field. The software can search on any of it.

Let me show you a few other screen captures so you get the idea of how this particular tool works. Let me start by saying that while I love my husband, we have never agreed on a "right" way to file things. The tab headings that I would come up with are completely different than the ones he would come up with.

In a traditional A-B-C filing system, our car insurance papers would be filed under "I" for Insurance-Auto. Or at least, that is what makes sense to me. My husband, on the other hand, might change on any given day. Might be under "A" for Auto. Might be under "C" for Car. Might be under "H" for Honda or Hanlin (the name of our insurance agent). Well, you get the idea. None of his thoughts are wrong, they are just different from mine. All of that is fixed in our Paper Tiger tool.

He can type in his words and I can type in mine and we are both sent to the same file - #56.

We can also print out a file index to reference right at the files if we don't want to go to the computer.

Conclusion

As you can tell, I love the filing solution that works for our household. However, I don't believe in one-size-fits all either. The real trick if you have a filing system that more than one person needs to access is that they either think exactly alike (and if that happens let me know!) or create a system that has an index of some form.

Comment and Share!

What works for you? I'd love to hear your candid thoughts on this post or how you manage the papers in your home. Like what you have read? Please click the share buttons below and let others know.

To your success!

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Have You Seen TLC's New Hoarding: Buried Alive Show? Watch with us!

2010-03-25T12:08:26-05:00

TLC recently began airing a series called "Hoarding: Buried Alive" and I'd like you to consider watching episode #3 with me.

Hoarding affects millions of people, including individuals with hoarding behavior or tendencies, family members who fear for their loved one’s health and safety, neighbors and public officials. Multiple generations can be impacted by an individual that struggles with hoarding.

Shows such as this one are creating a greater awareness of hoarding behaviors as well as some of the strategies used to work with people who hoard.

While I have been watching the episodes since the airing began on March 14 of this year (and really like the way they share such a sensitive topic), I'm especially interested in the one coming up. You see, we were honored that the TLC series selected our very own Ellen Hankes CPO-CD (certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization) as one of their experts. On Sunday evening, March 28th, TLC television will air a show that was filmed in Omaha, Nebraska. Hoarding: Buried Alive features Mary as she works to address her extreme volume of personal belongings. Ellen served as the consulting Professional Organizer for the show.

Today I'll tell you a bit more about the show and also where you can get more information on hoarding and chronic disorganization.

Hoarding behavior typically has two aspects: that of acquiring and saving of items with little or no value coupled with extreme difficulty in discarding these items.

The Show

Their site describes the show:

"Hoarding: Buried Alive goes inside the homes of extreme hoarders to explore the psychology behind their compulsion to accumulate & store large quantities of nonessential things. Each episode tells the stories of hoarders struggling with behavior that has made every day existence unbearable for both them & their loved ones. With the help of expert therapists & organizers, the hoarders will attempt to unlock the key to their obsessions in hope of reclaiming their lives."

On the Hoarding: Buried Alive TV Listings, TLC describes the episode in this way:

"Extreme hoarder Mary Thompson is in denial while Anne Thomas fears she's passing down her compulsion to son Brendan. For decades they've had trouble discarding their belongings but will they finally gain clarity and get the help they so desperately need?"

You can find follow-up blog postings here: Hoarding: Buried Alive - Blog Follow up - While the blog is new, there are already some great posts that talk about how the featured individuals are doing as well as some general information on hoarding.

More information about the show is available at Hoarding: Buried Alive TV Show Details. While Ellen and I will be seeing the episode for the first time at the same time everyone else views it, I promise you it will be interesting! Let me know what your reaction is to the show if you are able to see it.

Wonder if You are a Hoarder?

We get contacted on a fairly regular basis from individuals or family members of individuals stating that they "fear" they are a hoarder. Take our Chronic Disorganization Self-Assessment to get a perspective on your clutter. If you take the self-assessment, you may be eligible for a 30 minute strategy session with Ellen.

Comment and Share!

Have you seen other shows on Hoarding? Have you experienced a struggle with hoarding in your life? Share it here by leaving a comment.

To your success!

Related Posts

What is Chronic Disorganization?

Cluttered houses are dangerous and risk lives

Chronic Disorganization - What Causes It?

Chronic Disorganization - Possible Symptom of a Medical Condition

Specializing in Chronic Disorganization is Not Easy, But Ellen Did It - Ellen Hankes Earns CPO-CD Designation!

Is my brain making me buy things I don't need?

Do you have ADD? Are You a Messie? Here are Two Great Groups

Bins & Containers are not Always the Answer

Hoarding & Dear Abby

Chronic Disorganization - Possible Symptom of a Medical Condition

BOOK: Second Sight - Awaken Your Intuition & Stay Positive & Brave (launch specials)

2010-03-04T08:12:10-06:00

Do you trust your intuition? I have found that many of my clients do not. Often, when we work together I learn that they had very good ideas on how to organize their life, but did not trust their own instinct. If you think that is you, then you'll want to check out the book I summarize below.

We are far more than we allow ourselves to be.
“Second Sight” helps you understand this.
~ Louise Hay

My talented and daring colleague Judith Orloff MD - a UCLA psychiatrist, intuitive healer, and New York Times best-selling author - is a pioneer who bridges mainstream medicine with intuition, energy medicine, and spirituality.

Dr. Orloff celebrates the exciting launch of her new book "Second Sight: An Intuitive Psychiatrist Tells Her Extraordinary Story and Shows You How To Tap Your Own Inner Wisdom." She has written the story of her exile between two worlds--intuition and mainstream medicine--SECOND SIGHT reveals Dr. Orloff's journey from an intuitive child, alone with confusing abilities, to an esteemed psychiatrist who comes out of the "intuitive closet" to defy medical taboos. She also teaches you empowering, practical techniques to awaken your own intuitive powers to transform your health and life! (This is the new Three Rivers Press edition.)

Today Dr. Orloff is treating you to an incredible one-time book-launch offer with a special "Act On A Hunch" gift collection from herself and friends.
Purchase the book and receive your special gifts at:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/second-sight-promotion/

In this book you'll discover how to:
~ Use intuition to "read" yourself and others
~ Open to the magic of synchronicities and déjà vu
~ Use intuition to heal yourself
~ Cultivate intuitive empathy without absorbing people's negativity and stress

If you'd like to be more intuitive and get beyond your intellect's limitations go here to purchase the book and claim FREE gifts:
http://www.drjudithorloff.com/second-sight-promotion/

What things do you do to listen to your intuition?

To your success!

Stephanie

Disclaimer -- I am not getting paid to write this post and I will not make any money if you click on the links above. I am one of the participants in the giveaway that Dr. Orloff is providing.

Resource Center: 36 Organizing Blogs for your Time, Office, Home and Life

2010-03-04T07:48:02-06:00

I have a number of colleagues that write about all different areas of organizing. Today, I thought I'd share some of them. Scroll through the list and pick a couple to check out!

Your Business, Office and Time

http://www.productiveandorganized.net -- Read about how to make the most of your time, thoughts, information and space. Learn to live your best life by making room for what is the most important in your life. by Stephanie Calahan

http://www.thepapertiger.com/blog/ -- Learn about how to get your life and office organized and be more productive as well as the benefits of using The Paper Tiger software for document management and filing system needs. by the Monticello Corporation and multiple Paper Tiger Productivity Experts

http://www.meggin.com/articles/ - Articles being productive in your office to being productive when you’re traveling and much more. by Meggin McIntosh

http://www.ElizabethHagenInspires.com -- Read about getting organized, building great self-esteem and confidence. by Elizabeth Hagen

http://www.quietspacing.com/blog/ --QuietSpacing™ — The Faster, Easier, and Smarter Way to Increase Productivity by Paul Burton

http://www.yourlifeinorder.com/blog -- Are you a professional women? Then stop here to learn how you can create your very own “healthy, wealthy, and organized” lifestyle – balance, organization and healthy living all rolled into one! by Robin Stephens

http://dalyorganizing.com/?page_id=121 -- 'Shortcuts to Simple.' Read about making work and life easier and simpler, ie Simplicity, Time Management, Energy Management, Reducing stress by using organizing tools, and Focus on what is most important, etc. by Ellen Daly

http://www.WhoIsLaura.com -- Blog about Home-Based Business Success Tips, Organization and Time Management by Laura Aridgides, Ph.D.

http://www.simplicated.com/Blog/ -- Blog about organizing business and efficiency based on the people she meets and great books read. by Tracy Campbell
http://decidetobeorganized.com/ -- Offers tips and advice to the general public on how to be more organized, and to organizers and other entrepreneurs on how to take their businesses to the next level. by Lisa Montanaro

Your Life and Home

http://www.ellenhankes.com -- Do you struggle with chronic disorganization in your home and office? Then this blog is for you. by Ellen Hankes

http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog -- Organize with Sandy provides tips and tricks to organize your home and your life. She also shares her life experiences managing and organizing a large family.

http://www.productiveandorganizedhome.com -- Organize every room in your home and every minute of your life. by Calahan Solutions, Inc. and many selected industry bloggers.

http://www.greenappleorganising.com.au/blog -- Blog about organizing your time and home and being green. by Adele Blair

http://www.takecontrolorganizing.com/blog/ -- TCO blogs about organizing tips, suggestions, product reviews, inspiration, and anything else that may be going on that's worth talking about!! by Nikki Kinzer

http://www.Elaineshannon.com -- Organizing expert, Empress of Inspiration and Work at Home mom Elaine shannon helps you take charge and get rid of what’s holding you back. by Elaine Shannon

http://www.Kimberlyeagles.com -- Professional Organizer and Work at home mom Kimberly Eagles helps you to regain control of your space and time through Organizing tips, tricks and answering readers questions. by Kim Eagles

http://www.Organizingconnection.com/blog -- Connect with resources and information to help you get organized and join the weekly water cooler chat about what is happening in the organizing community and around the world. by Elaine Shannon and Kim Eagles

http://www.theprofessionalorganizer.com/blog -- Concentrating on organizing for those that are the creative "right brain" type of person. by Allison Carter

http://nancyorganizes.blogspot.com/ -- This blog is about local (Hawaii) opportunities for people to get organized (i.e. shredding days, etc.) and about tips on how to get organized yourself. by Nancy Nino

http://www.healingorganization.com/cleanblog/ -- Learn ways to incorporate "green" into your life and into your organizing. by Julie Seibert

http://lurleneanderson.wordpress.com/ -- Learn about creating space and harmony in your world. by Lurlene Anderson

http://carriethru.com/index.php/resources-and-articles/ -- You’ll find articles and videos about decluttering, time and task management, procrastination and getting things done. by Carrie Greene, ACC

http://www.ClearSimpleInspiration.com -- Tips, Ideas & Solutions for Living Your Best Life! by Heidi DeCoux

http://organizedinnovations.wordpress.com/ -- Read a tip of the week which is an effective, easy to implement organizing concept or product that people can implement right away. Short, simple, to the point and easy to do now. by Stacey Anderson

http://www.examiner.com/x-21168-Baltimore-Organized-Families-Examiner -- Organized Families helps busy moms and dads to be more organized and manage their homes more efficiently. In addition to interviewing experts, Jacquie shares her organizational tips on decluttering, scheduling, time management, budgeting, simple living, meal planning, organization products and services, and much more.

http://www.clutterstop.blogspot.com -- ADHD, hoarding, time management issues, how to get past overwhelm, and then I even write about fun stuff like seminars that I go to, or concerts, or trips I've taken, or even a dessert that I've found that is too delicious for words. by Sheila G. McCurdy

http://openspacesfengshui.com/blog -- Blog about all things Feng Shui, from practical tips and advice, to quirky examples of Feng Shui good and bad, to an in-depth look at its principles and techniques. by Ann Bingley Gallops

http://lelahwithanh.blogspot.com -- Blog about organizing books, products, concepts and offer tips and tools. by Lelah Baker-Rabe

http://www.addspacetoyourlife.com/category/blog/ -- Blog about organizing tactics and strategies as well as wardrobe/ image tips. by Kathi Burns

http://www.gracebrooke.com/?page_id=840 -- Blog about efficiency, office organization, home organization, organizing products, and organizing children. by Grace Brooke

http://downshiftingpos.blogspot.com/ -- Blog about helpful tips, lists, ideas and reference material to help you get organized and simplify your life. by Margarita Ibbott

http://tinyurl.com/theorganizedwoman -- The Organized Woman Show is to offer tips and tools for creating the life you want. by Vicki Winterton

http://blog.harmoniouslifedesigns.com/ -- Organizing, De-Cluttering and Space Design for Home and Garden by Maureen Nuccitelli

Stages in Life and Life Changes

http://www.organizenh.com/wordpress -- Read about mid and later life transitions and how organizing supports you throughout. by Sue West

http://orderuporganizing.tumblr.com -- Posts are geared toward young professionals and consist of organizing tips, techniques, and topics mainly focused on the kitchen. I also regularly feature individual young professionals and share their feelings on organizing and meal planning. by Jill Marie Hively

Do you have a blog that you love? Tell me about it!