Just have to share this!

Isn't this the cutest hamper??

Maybe it makes laundry more fun...probably not--but it's still cute!

Busy Bee is Back!

Hi all,
Sorry I've taken such an extended vacation from blogging. To be honest, I started to feel like I was spending too much of my free time on the computer and my neck was telling me "no more!" I hope you'll forgive me! Spring is finally here in full force and I have been working on some great organizing projects in the last few weeks. Some with clients and some of my own. Saturday I cleared out some paint cans and some other "junk" from my own basement because our town home association arranged for The Junk Army to pick up junk in our development. It was such a great thing! They don't take flammable stuff (paint thinner etc.) but they do take latex paint which was nice. I just kept the paint colors we have used in the past few years and tossed a bunch that was here when we moved in three years ago. It felt great! I also recently rearranged and reorganized my little tool/garden shed a few weeks ago. I was reminded that it only takes about 20 minutes in a space like a basement, garage or shed to make a huge difference. So my advice is don't put those areas off because you think you have to do it all at once and that it will take hours of blood sweat and tears. Take 20 minutes and just get busy--and if you are working outside like I have been, watch out for the bees! Seriously, I know the experts are saying there aren't as many bees anymore--I think they must all be hanging out at my place!

What to Keep, What to Toss?

Do you absolutely dread paperwork and filing? When it comes to paper it can be hard to know what you need to keep, how long to keep it and what you can part with and most of us keep way more paper than we really need to. Not having a clear idea of what you actually need to keep can make you afraid to toss anything. It quickly piles up, fills up file drawers and becomes overwhelming especially if you don't have some basic guidelines and a schedule for paring down and keeping it in check.

I like to use tax time each year (just after I file) to do a major weed out paperwork that I know I no longer need. As a professional organizer I have researched and used various guidelines to help my clients (and myself) take control of paper piles and overstuffed files. I ran across a set of guidelines on The Container's Store's webite that is short, sweet and to the point. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines so check with your financial advisor if you have questions about your particular situation especially if it's complicated.

And if all else fails use colorful folders to make filing more exciting!

Choosing a PDA

To answer Amy's question on my last post, there are many electronic options for staying organized. I happen to use the TREO. I know other who like the Blackberry. There are other options now like the iPhone which seem very cool. You could research options for weeks, I'm sure. With that said, I'll give you some specific information based on my own experience with my TREO and then you can start to look at specific options that will work for your needs and price range.

Before I converted from paper and pencil planners to a handheld PDA (I was absolutely convinced at one time that paper and pencil was the only way to keep my life organized), I had spent some time using an organizing software program called AnyTime Organizer. Looking back I realize that this computer program is what eased me into planning with a computer and taught me that I could, in fact, keep of track of my life in this computerized format. Big step! I really loved the AnyTime Organizer. It was simple and easy to use. I could type in and check off my to do items. It even had this option where you could post little "sticky notes" on your desktop as reminders which was fun. I loved being able to copy and paste information from emails (directions to places, times, event details etc.). It was great. However, before long I realized I had to actually be sitting in front of my computer for maximum benefit. Not so great. Soon it started to irritate me that I could not take it with me when I left the house because it made scheduling very difficult. I tried printing out pages to take with me places but it just did not make any sense to have to go to all that trouble to keep everything current. So at that point I started to really want to have my AnyTime Organizer capabilities with me all the time, especially when I left the house.

That Christmas I got my TREO and things changed dramatically in this aspect of my planning my life. I got the TREO 700P Smartphone (about $600 now--ours came with a $200 rebate which helped) because my husband had one and we could "beam" (share) contacts and calendaring information in seconds--very cool! I chose the Palm software to go with it because we were both familiar with Palm Desktop software from having used a Palm Pilot "back in the day" when PDA choices were more limited. With the TREO I now had my phone, calendar, to-do list, agenda, memo pad for note taking, contacts, camera (good enough for basic use), music (fun!) and the option of getting online all in the palm of my hand. I even uploaded books, like the scriptures onto my memory card. It was amazing to have it all in one place and with me whenever I needed it! I can't tell you what a difference it made for me.

Now that I have raved about the TREO I would encourage any of you who are interested in buying a PDA to research your options and make your decisions based on your own personal circumstances. Like me, you might have a family member who already uses one type of PDA and you might want to get the same kind to make communication and use easier and even to shorten the learning curve. You may want something more lightweight--the TREO is a little thicker than other choices, I believe. You may base your decision on price or software/application familiarity. With all the choices out there to consider I would advise you to go to a store and actually look at, hold and play around with the ones you're interested in. I chose the TREO because I like the way it felt in my hand and because there there was an individual button to push for each letter. I didn't have to learn any new languages to use it! :) You will also want to base your decision on the types of applications the PDA comes with (to do list and calendar for sure!). See the above list for the ones on the TREO that I think a useful PDA should have. And above all use common sense. Think about what you want out of a PDA and ask others who use them for their input. And just to be clear, it's well worth the extra time, effort and money to transition from paper to a PDA to have everything you need to plan your life at your fingertips.

Shopping for a Planner?

In the last issue of Organize Magazine there was an ad for this planner created by professional organizer Julie Morgenstern and sold through Franklin Covey. Julie Morgenstern wrote the book Organizing from the Inside Out. Many of the people I work with already use or have need of planners and are just not interested in using a PDA. As a result, I am always on the lookout for a planner that fits the bill for an easy to use yet comprehensive planning tool. This planner has a clean-cut, sophisticated layout and looks very user friendly. It's daily pages have just what you need to organize your day. There's a nice two page spread with space for you to write your appointments in for the day and a whole page for daily tasks (a.k.a to do list). If your planner's just not cutting it or you're sick of all the separate lists you have going and you have no central place to keep track of your life, you really should check out this planner or take a look at this fantastic selection. I have to admitt--if I wasn't in love with my Treo I would get one of these cool planners. Once I saw all these cute planners I was actually tempted to go back to paper for a brief moment!

Maximizing Closet Space

This closet rod doubler is such a great space maximizer in a clothing closet. It's length is adjustable and it fits on smaller closet rods (like mine). I just love how it gave me twice the hanging space in my own closet. I was able to hang things that used to be taking up space on my shelf and I was able to use the previously underutilized space on the floor. Take a look! I was trying to squeeze a lot of those hanging clothes you see onto one rod--wasn't working!

Start the New Year By Simplify Your Mail

Are You Tired of Junk Mail?

If you dislike junk mail as much as I do and agonize over how much wasted paper is sent through the mail each and every day, you'll be interested in the following information I ran across while reading the recent Get Organized Now newsletter. "To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, write to:

Mail Preference Service DMA
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008

Include your name and address and a request to be removed from any list. And finally, stop the pre-approved credit card offers by calling Trans Union at 1-888-567-8688. They have options to remove your name for two years or permanently. They share data with Experian and Equifax so you won't have to call them to make the same request."

Happy New Year!

A Closet Makeover

With the changing seasons (and especially after the holidays) you may be spending more time than usual standing in front of your closet trying to figure out how to make it all fit. At one time my sister, Tiffany, felt the same way. Then we got her clothes organized by using some great shelving and some space saving configurations.

The Problem:

• Tiff loves jeans and sweaters (and clothes in general!) but that wasn't her biggest problem. The main problem was the way she was storing them. She had lots of sweaters that were difficult for her to get to because they were piled sky high on the top shelf and she's not super tall. Her jeans were impossible to get to because they were folded over each other on pants hangers with multiple rods. As you can see above, the floor space was underutilized as it was just a dumping ground for shoes and boots. She also had shoes in an over the door organizer (not shown) that rounded out her collection. The hangers were so tight she could barely squeeze anything in when it came time to hang things. Basically, getting dressed was not only a physical workout but an exercise in patience for Tiffany.

BEFORE

The Sort & Purge:

• First, we pulled all the clothes out and sorted them into categories ("like with like"). Then Tiff went through each item and purged anything that she did not wear, that was not flattering and that did not fit. I was so proud of all the clothes that she bagged up to donate. She has good taste in clothes and they were still in great shape so someone was going to love them!

Assigning Homes:

• Second, we decided what items from her closet would remain in her closet and what types of clothes would store better in her dresser drawers. This gave us more space in her closet to have some breathing room and make things more accessible.

Preparation and Planning:

• Next, we measured her closet and counted how many pairs of jeans and pairs of shoes she had so we could buy the appropriate organizers. Then we went shopping! We decided to go with some Closet Maid shelving from the local Kmart (also found at Lowes (see link) and Target). Since we had our measurements and numbers in hand, in less than an hour we had what we needed to go home and finish the job.

The Solution:

• Last, we put all her jeans in a vertical shelving unit placed in the middle of the closet where it could be accessed easily. I thought of it as a "Jean Tower." We then configured the shoe shelves in the best way to make use of the floor space. We stacked them right up under the short hanging items and left space in the far right area of the closet for her few long hanging items. Stacking the sweaters on the top shelf was much easier this time around because we had fewer of them to stack. If we had wanted to go the extra mile we could have bought shelf dividers (can also be found at The Container Store ) for the top shelves to keep the stacks in order. We also used a belt hanger for all her belts to hang on individual hooks which was much better than the one she was using before.

AFTER

Isn't it beautiful?! The best part of this closet system was that two months later my sister moved our of her apartment and into her first home. She was able to take everything with her and set up her new closet in almost the exact same way!

• I'd love to hear your closet makeover stories. You can even email me some before and after pictures and I'll post them.

To Purge or Not to Purge...

When evaluating items ask yourself the following questions. Even better--invite a friend over to do the asking!

1. Do I like it?
2. Do I use it?
3. Do I need it?
4. Do I want it?
5. Do I have room for it?
6. If I didn’t have it, would I think I needed it?
7. What is the worst thing that could happen if I got rid of this?

Honestly use these as guidelines and you'll be on your way to a more clutter-free life!

Turn a Stack of Photos Into a Book!

I happened upon a company today that makes books out of your digital or physical photos. You send them a stack of same size photos and they bind them into a cool little book and mail it back to you. As far as I can tell, it looks like it costs $30 and up. This is a really neat gift idea and would also be a great thing to do with collections of special photos that haven't yet made their way into albums.

Go to Togetherbook.com and check it out if your photos are begging for some attention.