Organize your HOME OFFICE!

Do you use your home office to run a full-time business from your home?  Is it used for a quiet place to catch up on work outside of your normal workplace?  Is it used for a side business or part-time business?  Maybe you use your home office for all of the above.  However it is used, you should have it set up so that you are able to function efficiently while you are there.

In order to be productive in your home office, you should have a clutter-free work surface in which to work.  You should be able to locate important papers quickly, and not be distracted by piles of paper.  Therefore, you need a good filing system.

Setting up a Filing System:

Determine a filing system that will work best for your specific needs.  You can set up your filing alphabetically, numerically, by client, or by subject matter.  It depends on what you have the most of.  You can also use a combination of these (i.e., one for personal financial information and one for your business).

Determine how much storage you need.  Do you need a two-drawer filing cabinet, four, or maybe more?  It is a good idea to make sure you have room to grow.  It is also helpful to have a designated place for “current” work, items that need attention right away.  This should be placed near your work area, where it is visible, so that you can stay on top of incoming bills, urgent “to do” items, or current projects.

Purchase colored hanging files for clarity and recognition.  For example, you could use blue for financial information, yellow for client files, red for marketing, etc.  These, of course, come with labels you can either print out from your computer, or hand write.  I like the colored file folders too, that fit inside the hanging files, but you can use manila ones just as well.

You might want to invest in a good label maker like the Brother PT-1280, so that your file labels are uniform and legible. You can find the one shown below at Staples.com

Other Home Office Tips:

– Keep your personal files separate from your business files.

– Keep a current listing of all of your important personal financial information/files where your family can access it when needed.  Take a look at my October Monthly Organizing Focus for a great way to keep your personal information organized for your family.

– If you don’t already have one, invest in a good storage/shelving unit, similar to the ones shown in the picture above.  It allows additional space for storage, books and other office needs.  The two above have drawers below the shelving area as well, which provide more organizing space, keeping the desk work area uncluttered.

– Consider paying your bills online to reduce additional paperwork.

– Keep copies of all of those important tax receipts on your computer by using a digital scanner.  See neatco.com for information on how it works.

– Make a conscious effort to let go of paper and other items in your home office that you are no longer using or have a need for.

When your home office is organized and uncluttered, you will be able to focus on specific work items with more ease.  You will be able to accomplish much more in a shorter amount of time and this will help eliminate stress too!

 

ORGANIZE YOUR FAMILY’S SUMMER ROAD TRIP!

A little bit of planning before your family’s summer road trip can make your drive a lot more fun and entertaining for your kids and for you too.  Below are some fun ideas to include in your next road adventure:

1. Wrap a variety of small, inexpensive gifts for each of your kids and place in a bag.  Let each child choose one item every hour or two (depending on the length of your trip).  Include items like hand-held car games (bob it, wheel of fortune, etc.), a new box of colored pencils with a color book, a library book, maze books, a listening cd (music or adventure story), puzzles, mad libs, brain quest, etc.

2. Pack a cooler with healthy snacks and cool drinks for everyone.

3. Read or listen to a mystery or classic adventure that the whole family will enjoy.  Listen/read in 15 minute sections throughout your trip to break it up.

4. Take time to stop frequently at landmarks or scenic spots.  It is good for everyone to stretch, walk and let off some energy.

5. Sing silly songs with your family (There was an old lady….or b i n g o….or bushel and a peck).  You can find music cd’s for silly car songs online or where children’s music is sold.

6. Include the whole family and play fun car games like the Suitcase game (details found online at www.kidscamping.com/games/car-games.

7. Purchase a disposable camera for each of your children so that they can take their own pictures of their road trip and put them in an album when they return home.

Sure, you can always put in an age appropriate movie to pass the time, but your family will most likely remember the other fun things you planned for your summer road trip, instead of the movie.

Happy travelling!

See how VIRTUAL ORGANIZING can help you!

What is it?  Virtual Organizing allows an individual, family or office assistance in organizing a specific room or space through emails and/or phone calls.  Using pictures via email enhances this great organizing tool.

How can it benefit you? Virtual Organizing allows YOU to:

– Set the time frame for your organizing project;

– Work at your own pace;

– Have a less invasive approach to organizing your personal belongings;

– Save some money by not having a “hands-on” organizer working right beside you,  which usually takes a longer amount of time.

You will receive organizing suggestions, creative ideas and product storage advice for your specific needs.  You can receive detailed organizing strategies for your closets, or whole room organizing makeovers to help control clutter.  You will receive helpful tips to help you keep that space organized and managed on a continual basis.

How it works:  Set up a specific block of time, based on your schedule, in increments of 1/2 hour, 1 hour, or more if needed.  You can schedule a block of time once a week, or once a day for as long as it takes you to get your space under control and organized.  Goals are set each week to help you keep on track with step-by-step directions.

There really is a way to get out of all of that clutter!

Call or email to receive more information about this new and exciting way to Organize IT….One Room At A Time.

573-289-5797

Organizeit1roomatatime@hotmail.com

ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS!

Yes, this can be an overwhelming project, if you have not kept up with your photographs throughout the years, but don’t let that stop you from getting started.

Your photographs are a valuable family heritage to be treasured and PRESERVED by you and your loved ones not only for now, but for years to come.  If you keep putting it off, your piles of photos will only grow larger and more overwhelming.

Where To Begin:

1. Prepare a working space for your project.

Set up a work table that is out of the way of normal, day-to-day traffic and company.  Your work space should be a place where you can come and go without having to put everything away when you are not working on your project.  It can be in a corner of your basement or work room….a place where it is OK to have a “work in progress”.  This will make it easier for you to work in small increments of time throughout your day/week whenever you may have some spare minutes.

2. Gather ALL of your printed photos that have not yet been organized in a photo storage box, photo album or scrapbook.  Don’t forget all of those loose photos scattered in drawers, as well as the photos that are still in their photo sleeves from the printer.

3. Arrange your printed photographs by year, event (Christmas 2008, 2006 Cruise, Aubrey’s 16th Birthday, etc.), or by individual (Pictures of Grammy).  This will allow you to break up your pictures and work with them in sections.

4. Begin organizing your most recent photographs and work backwards through the years. Begin small by working on your photo organization 15-30 minutes at a time. If you have more time within a given week, the faster your project will progress.

5. Take the time to sift through each photo and discard the photos that are blurry, or are not of importance to you and your family.  It really is OK to discard photos that are of poor quality, unidentifiable people, or photos that are not of value to you.  Think about what your children/grandchildren would like to see when they are older.

6. Once you have organized your photographs by year or event, etc. you can:

– Display your pictures in “photo safe” albums or sleeves;

– Creatively arrange your photos in scrapbooks;

– Store your photographs in a “photo safe” storage box; or

– Scan your photographs to a digital format and share online or on a cd.

Storage

If you are not placing your photos in an album, store each year, special occasion, etc. in a photo storage box made especially for photographs and label accordingly.  Shoe boxes are definitely not a “photo safe” product.

When organizing your photos in an album, make sure the album is lignin and acid-free.  The terms “archival” and “photo safe” are not regulated and therefore pretty much meaningless.  To be absolutely sure your photo storage products are safe, they need to pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT).  This test basically predicts potentially harmful interactions between your photos and the storage materials.  You can find PAT tested storage products at an archival supply company such as Gaylords and Light Impressions.

Avoid keeping your photos in attics, damp basements, laundry rooms and bathrooms, as the heat and humidity will cause mold and damage them.

DIGITAL

If you have digital pictures on your computer, it is vital that you have a “back-up” on a separate cd and label specifically by year/event.

Keep in mind that computer hardware and software become obsolete about every five years and that cd’s/dvd’s have a lifespan of less than 50 years.  So, eventually you will have to upgrade your digital keepsakes.

 Something Fun

I came across a company that will convert old photos, negative, slides and film/video into digital format.  In about a week, they will convert your photos, etc. onto a digital file where you can easily share your photos with others.

http://www.scandigital.com/affiliate/159/index.php?page=1

FOCUS

Photograph organizing is a process that will definitely take some time.  Keep in mind the end result and focus on small sections at a time, so that you are not too overwhelmed.  The time and energy spent organizing your pictures will be a legacy of love to your family and loved ones that will be treasured for years to come.

ORGANIZE Your Linen Closet!

Your linen closet can tell a lot about you and your family.

The right shelving is the key element in organizing your linen closet and keeping it organized.  Floor to ceiling shelving makes great use of your closet space.  If you do not have built-in shelving in your linen closet, below are some great shelving suggestions:

Simplyorganize.com

Once you have adequate shelving in place, remove everything from your linen closet and sort through the items dividing them by what you use and what you don’t use. The only items that should be in your linen closet are the sheets, towels and blankets that you actually use.

The Shelving Store

Ikea.com 

Organize your sheets and pillow cases either by size or by bedroom.  For easy access, towels and wash cloths should be organized by size, as well as by color.

Your visiting guests should be able to open your linen closet and find exactly what they need, without any embarrassment on your part.

Keep bathroom toiletries on a separate shelf, although a better option is to place these items in each bathroom for easier access.  Always keep extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and other toiletries available for your house guests to make them feel welcome and comfortable.

Lowes.com

If you do not have adequate space in your linen closet for blankets and comforters, one option is to place them in under-the-bed storage.  This will also give you additional space in your linen closet for everyday items.