Organizing

The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to clean out those closets, but don’t wait for January — now is the time. Exciting this task is not, but by devoting a couple of afternoons this month you can reduce unnecessary search time and you may even find some extra storage in the process.

Most people have heard of the 80/20 rule — that individuals wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. Everyone’s closet would be beautiful and orderly if it only contained 20% of its original contents. Don’t worry! I am not suggesting you unload those limited-wear pieces, but I do propose some sorting and storage principles be put in place in those freshly organized closets.

1. Organizing the DVD Collection

The first thing to consider when you decided to organise your collection is the system that you are going to use. This could include any of the following:

• Alphabetical
• Date of Release
• Genre
• Director
• Main Star

The main thing thing to consider when deciding on how you’re going to organise your collection is how it will be stored. If you’re putting them in boxes then it may be better to organise by Genre rather than Alphabetically, if you’re using slotted shelves then sorting Alphabetically could be a pain as you’d have to move each DVD down a notch if you buy a new one starting with “A”.

I’ve been using to-do lists both at work and at home for the past few years now. And while I couldn’t complain about my overall performance, there was always something not right about the way I’d used them, yet I couldn’t tell what exactly it was.

Just a few weeks ago I’ve finally realised what had been troubling me for so long: my to-do lists! What you’re about to read may seem obvious and simple enough, but trust me: I really wish someone had explained to me this reason of my daily frustration a long time ago! So here it is: my own to-do lists revolution!

Nearly every kitchen I’ve ever been in has this dilemma in common. What is the best way to store cooking herbs & spices? There is no simple answer of course. If there were, there would be no dilemma! The thing is every cook has a different approach. Some buy fresh herbs, some buy frequently used spices in large bulk bags. Some buy a wide variety of spices, some just a few. But in spite of all the different needs, here are a few tips that will help everyone organize and store their spices to save time.

I’ve spoken to quite a few people over the years who say they have very nice clothes they love but the don’t wear them anymore.

But my question is this: If you value something so much…then don’t you think you should be wearing it?

The reality is we are a society who likes to accumulate and, dating back to the Great Depression, we tend to keep everything we believe has monetary value when, in reality, it really doesn’t.

For example, a pretty dress or a nice suit you bought ten years ago went for what can be considered a lot of money.

The office looks like a stock room, lines of shelves full of dusty manuals, guides, and reports. The desk doesn’t look better either. There are piles of documents and memos around the computer, reminders stuck all over the monitor.

Does that sound familiar?

Yes. And of course everybody has heard about how efficient and effective your office is when it is properly organized, a clear desk clears your mind, that an organized by the book workstation eliminates the sentiment of being overwhelmed and stressed.

“Organize” is a familiar word heard on many of today’s popular decorating shows. Every family has its struggles with some type of clutter whether it is stacks of papers or a cluttered and cramped bathroom. In fact, the National Association of Professional Organizers reports that 80% of what we keep we never use, we wear 20% of the clothes we own while the other 80% hangs there just in case, and 25% of adults say they pay bills late because they lost them.

If you have stacks of papers, frazzled mornings, or lost car keys, use the following ideas to help you organize your family and home.

Have you ever thought about working with professional organizer to get your home and life together, but hesitated because you are nervous about what it will be like? Here are 10 tips on what you should be able to expect. Use these tips to help you interview and choose the right professional organizer for you!

Each professional organizer has their own style, so use this only as a guide to help you interview potential professional organizers.

No one should live in constant fear of a disaster. Thankfully, chances are very good you’ll never experience one. But unfortunately, the reality is that disasters such as hurricanes, floods, fires, and terrorist acts are not as unlikely as they used to be. So being at least reasonably prepared for an emergency or disaster is a smart idea.

How often do you find yourself asking “Am I even a little closer today to my goal than yesterday?”

For those of you who may not know who Ray Kroc is, he’s the guy who took McDonald’s from a little hamburger stand to the most successful restaurant chain in the world. He’s long since passed away yet the systems that he set up still thrive and dominate today. He developed and improved on systems of training, making the food, presentation, franchising, and advertising that made a moderately successful joint into a global phenomenon. Systems and persistence.