|
Blog: Discovering Your Core Values
 Simple Beginning Organizing Tips
Simple Beginning Organizing Tips
Organizing is an attitude. Before you even begin to organize your life and the physical clutter in it, you need to think like an organized person. Adopt the mentality. And remember, your life did not get in its current state overnight, nor will you correct it overnight. Be patient with yourself. Ask for help. And most importantly – make it FUN!
Here are a few basic and broad-ranged ideas for keeping your life organized:
Assign Homes
Every single item in your life should have a 'home'. As one Professional Organizer says, "Think about a fork. You know where to put a fork. Everyone knows where to put the fork, and find the fork." You don't leave a fork on the counter, in your car's backseat, or in the couch cushions. Every item should be like the fork. There should be no question as to where to find or return something. Label if needed.
Eliminate
Reduce paper, calls, and other time/resource consuming annoyances. Switch to electronic versions of newsletters, statements, and other communication. Get on No-Call Registries; check the Do Not Share box on any new sign-up, request to be removed from those that can still legally call/send things to you. Use a digital camera.
Automate
Automate all you can. Use Direct Deposit, BillPay through your bank or AutoPay through the company you're paying. Take the extra second to set up Auto-renew features, auto-recur features on bills, appointments, electronic reminders or emails.
Shop Smart
Begin at the beginning. Don't bring the clutter home in the first place. Think hard before making a purchase. One home does not need a Quesadilla maker, a double-sided waffle maker, and a George Foreman grill. Choose items that have multiple uses. And does it really have to be new? Frequent garage sales, re-use stores, and consignment stores.
Share
Co-op with friends, family, and neighbors. Rent seasonal items like lawn aerators and split with neighbors. Share/swap tools, books, kid and other clothes, baby items. Look into car-share, time-share, libraries, and baby-sitting co-ops. Barter services. Buy in bulk and swap items or whole meals. Trade toys, Halloween costumes. Go in on sports season tickets with a group.
Tips: Make a plan: say in one month's time you'll switch over to all electronic statements and payments. Next month automate all the payments. Get an accountability partner that you have to report in to. Track your spending. Know your finances and where you can save. Make the entire family part of the process and solutions!
Simplifying your life is no easy task. Start small. Do one thing at a time and eventually you will have hit all the areas of your life. However, maintenance is a MUST! If you don't maintain the areas, you will be right back where you started.
posted on: 2/23/2008 12:00:00 PM by Tami Gallagher
category: The Mental Side
Discovering Your Core Values: < Previous Post - Next Post >
Blog Central: < Previous Post - Next Post >
 Discuss This Post
There are no comments.
|
|
Discovering Your Core Values
by Tami Gallagher
View This Blog
 Subscribe To This Blog
About Tami:
Tami Gallagher is a Professional Organizer who specializes in Family Time Management. Her company does individual family consulting, workshops and presentations, and also provides community resources for families. Ms. Gallagher believes every family matters. She teaches families how to examine their core values and use them as a foundation in organizing their lives. Available on her website is The Family Core Organizer CD. This fun, practical, and easy to use tool is the ultimate planner and information keeper for your family. Everything you need – all in one location!
Tami's Website:
www.organizedtothecore.com
|
www.OnlineOrganizing.com is a service mark of Bradford, LLC.
