Happiness is a De-Cluttered Home

Can small changes in your life really make you happier? After reading Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project, I believe the answer is yes!

For one year, Rubin sets out to read all she can about what makes people happy, and then test out several of the ideas as changes in her own life. Each month her changes focus on a theme, like friendship, work or marriage.

In January, the first month of her project, Rubin focuses on ways to boost her energy, and her changes include going to sleep earlier and exercising better. But she also adds organizing to her Jan plan…getting rid of the clutter that accumulated in the corners of her apartment, and also taking care of some long-overdue tasks.

Rubin guesses that creating “outer order…would bring inner peace” (p. 18) and that completing a nagging task would help clear her mental clutter. At the end of the January, after Rubin has cleared her clutter and To Do List, she shares, “I was astonished by the change of energy and satisfaction I got from creating order” (p. 37).

I love how she connects the idea of organizing to getting more energy. I’ve found the same to be true: crossing a critical project off my list or creating order out of chaos does create positive energy, and I tend to feel happier.

Can you use a new burst of energy in your life? Try 10 minutes a day of de-cluttering and tackling that nagging task and see how you feel.

For more on The Happiness Project, including online tools to start your own project, check out Gretchen Rubin’s blog.

Bag It!

Bags are an excellent and inexpensive organizing tool:

• Use different bags to designate different activities; for example, my daughter has a school backpack, ballet bag, ice skating bag, and swim bag.

• Bags can also help in other ways. We have a bag with stickers, paper, and small toys and games that we take in the car for short trips (when the DVD player seems like too much). I add things to this special "car bag" at random times so that when it comes out it holds some surprises. (This could be a good use for those small plastic toys from restaurants and birthday parties that seem to multiple in kids' rooms.)

• Many families keep a bag just for library books.

How do you use bags in your home? Be sure to label the bags or use different colors/designs to quickly tell them apart. Then you can grab and go!

This was first published in The Neat Sheet newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here.

Taking a Light Hearted Approach to Organizing

Another post by guest blogger, Janna Lufkin. Read her insightful take on being "too organized." (Is there such a thing?)

We hear a lot these days about “getting organized”. I saw the topic on many New Year’s resolution lists in January. It’s true, once you get yourself organized you quickly realize how much smoother your entire life runs.

However, I’ve seen the other end too – believe it or not, too organized! So much so that it makes it difficult to actually “live” in a home comfortably.

I think at one time, I fell into that category: a place for everything, everything in it’s place “QUICKLY” kind of approach worked best for me. But for my family? Maybe not so much.

For example, my daughter would come through the back door from a day at school, kick off her shoes, dump her backpack, lunch, etc. and be so excited to tell me about her day. I would listen (sort of) while whisking shoes into a bin, hanging up her backpack and cleaning out her lunch bag all in record time. In a flash, I had it done and would move onto my next task – usually dinner.

Fortunately, it occurred to me one day (hopefully not too late) that I was wasting valuable face time with her. I realized I was missing out on the big stuff – the important stuff - the stuff that really mattered.

We live in a relatively small home – a little less than 1900 sq.ft. and while it is ample space for three of us, in no time it can feel messy and disorganized if things don’t quickly migrate to their ‘homes’.

But how quick is to quick? Seconds from landing is probably too quick.

My solution: I learned to get things in order before I turned in for the night. I’d spend a few minutes, usually not more than 20 or 30, picking up, looking over schoolwork, making lunches, etc. Things were quieter then too and I found the time less stressful and even enjoyable. I knew that when I got up the next morning, things were organized and I could go about getting my day started quickly and easily.

Whether it’s getting your paperwork in order, getting your kids out the door in the mornings, grocery shopping, getting dinner on the table or cleaning up your house, take a step back and remember to actually “live” in your home. Your family will love you for it too.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

-Janna

A Valentine’s KISS = Keep It Super Simple

This month, enjoy time with your valentine…but why not also spend a little time getting organized for tax day on April 15th?

Preparing for taxes doesn’t have to be complicated, and often the simplest systems are the easiest to maintain. So this month, don’t forget another kind of KISS = Keep It Super Simple. Here are some KISS tips to help you organized before tax day:

• Gather all the tax documents arriving in your mail, like W-2s, bank and mortgage interest statements, into one folder. Keep the folder near where you open the mail and as soon as you get these important tax documents, drop them in.

• Collect all your receipts that may be used for deductions. I keep my personal deductions in a section of an accordion folder with my bills. I keep business deductions in a separate envelope in my office file cabinet. I have one client who uses clear plastic bags to organize her receipts, both personal and business. Throughout the year she finds a receipt, and puts it in the bag. It’s super simple, and it works!

• If you have to do the same preparation process for taxes each year, make a list of the steps. After several years of preparing my business taxes for my accountant, last year I finally made a checklist of what documents I needed to gather, what calculations I needed for my home office deductions, etc.  I know that using my checklist will save me time this year.

12 Months Organized a Quarter at a Time

Read about my cousin Janna's great system for staying on top of projects all year long.

January is National Get Organized month….but I’ll bet you have something that needs to be taken care of every month of the year. By splitting the year into quarters, you can rest assured that you will make every monthly deadline and do it with ease.

For the past 15 years I have made the bulk of my living as a photostylist and producer for catalogs, magazines and advertising campaigns. So come January I’m actually thinking April, May and June. By Valentine’s Day I’ll be gearing up for July and summer-themed shoots. Come spring, I’m working on the holidays and spend most of my summer thinking ‘Winter Wonderland’ and by fall, it’s spring colors and ideas that cover my desk. The sheer nature of the business requires not only lots of organization and coordination, it requires me to think at least 3 or 6 months or even a whole year ahead!

So, years ago I started to organize not only my work calendar this way but also my personal one. By thinking ahead to what needs to be done at least three months ahead assures me that I will be prepared.

Starting in January I’m thinking about the second quarter of the year, April, May and June. The big item for all of us is taxes! So, right after I’ve wrapped and stowed the last of the ornaments, I’m up to the office with that April 15 deadline at the top of my “to do” list.

Here’s how I begin to organize my year:  I start with the givens and put them at the top of my monthly list. Next, I add things that I want to accomplish by the end of every month, along with family obligations, vacations etc. And, like you I have my daily schedule. As a freelancer, it changes a lot so being flexible and prioritizing is key.

For example:

QUARTER 1:

January = April EASTER (4th), TAXES (15th)

• Organize, file and prepare for tax season
• Plus:
• Organize linen closet
• Clean out clothes closet
• Look for gifts for April birthdays (2)

February = May MOTHER’S DAY(9th), MEMORIAL DAY (31st)

• Find Mother’s Day gifts (3)
• Plus:
• Valentine’s Day dinner
• President’s Day Weekend
• Clean and organize kitchen pantry
• Buy May birthday cards/gifts (2)

March = June FATHER’S DAY (20th)

• Find Father’s Day gift
• Plus:
• Spring cleaning/ kitchen
• Buy June birthday gifts and cards (3)

QUARTER 2:

April = July INDEPENDENCE DAY

• Plus:
• 3 family birthdays (buy gifts)
• Clean and reorganize garage
• Garden clean-up

May = August BEACH VACATION!

• Make reservations
• Plus:
• 1 birthday (look for gift)
• Pick up daughter from college
• Plant containers and window boxes

June = September ANNUAL LABOR DAY RODEO

• Make reservations/buy tickets
• Plus:
• 2 birthdays (buy gifts)
• Garden!

You get the picture by now I’m sure. I’ll also add these items to accomplish monthly to my third and fourth quarters;

July: Think about back to school

August: Decide on and organize holiday make ahead gifts

September: Garden clean-up, organize shed

October: Organize for the upcoming holidays

November: Finish holiday shopping, work on cards

December:

• Week 1: Assemble “quick gifts”
• Week 2: Mail gifts and cards
• Weeks 3 – 4: Sit back, relax and enjoy

All too soon another year will be gone. If you adapt a quarterly calendar system and organize month-to-month by this time next year none of your “to-do” list will be undone.

-Janna

Make a Resolution to Back Up Your Data in 2010!

I had a really fun experience while visiting my mom over the holidays: we pulled out a number of old photo albums and I was able to show my daughter what Christmas was like when I was a little girl. As I was uploading my new holiday photos onto my computer, I wondered how she would be able to do this with her children someday. 

I love my digital camera and take a lot more pictures than I used to.  However, all of this convenience comes with some responsibility: you now need to make sure none of these memories are lost. I was reminded of the importance of this when my niece recently lost all of the photos from her first trip to Paris when the hard drive she had stored them on failed. Sadly, she did not have them backed up on any other device, so they were gone for good. In order to make sure your pictures (and other data) are safe and sound, you need a plan for data backup and recovery.

So in 2010, resolve to back up! To get started, here’s a guest post from Ian, my favorite “tech guy” (and husband).

The first step in creating a backup plan is making sure that it is painless. The more difficult it is to back up your data, the less likely you're going to do it consistently. Fortunately, there are many solutions available such as Time Machine if you have a Macintosh, or a Windows Home Server if you are backing up multiple Windows systems at home. Programs like these will automatically copy your data to another storage device (typically, another hard drive) automatically every night. They are pretty fool proof and you will be guarded against the possibility that the hard drive on your main system fails.

If you're doing something like this already, congratulations! You're doing much more than most, and this is a great first step towards guarding your digital life.  However, have you considered what would happen to your data in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a fire or a robbery?  Your photo albums aren't attractive items for thieves, but your laptop is. In our house, we've taken an additional step and have purchased an off-site backup service through a company named Mozy. For $4.95 per month, Mozy makes a complete backup of a single system's data every night while you're sleeping. Mozy also gives you the ability to recover any of the last 30 days worth of backups, so if you realize you deleted a file accidentally in the last month, you have the ability to recover it. Mozy also has a "try it before you buy it" policy, you can sign up for a free 2GB account to make sure you're comfortable with the service before trusting them with your backup. There are many other comparable services available, here is a link to a review of online storage services if you want to look at the other options available.

My backup plan really gives me piece of mind that I will be able to pass on my digital memories to my daughter. This year, resolve to back up your memories, and you’ll be able to enjoy them for years to come!

Ian Goodsell is a Senior Software Engineer by day, and tech guy for That’s Neat! Organizing by night. Check out his ramblings about technology and life at http://blog.iangoodsell.com/.

Time for a Toy Tune Up

This month is the perfect time for a tune up, a toy tune up that is! After the holidays it can be overwhelming to integrate the new toys into the mix. I try to take it slow, and put out the things my daughter really wants to play with right away. I put other items away for a snowy/rainy day, and then try to find a place for the rest. Inevitably this means some purging of old items, which is OK.

Last weekend my six-year old daughter and I purged her dress up clothes and purses, and her box of art supplies. I let her take the lead as my "client" and decide what she wanted to keep, what could be given away to another child, and what should head to the trash. She didn't get rid of a ton, but we worked together to clear room for some of the new special things. For example, her art table was a mess of old half-done projects and worn out supplies, so I said that if she wanted to use the new sticker maker and stack of coloring books she had to make some space.

It was also a good opportunity for me to see what items she really liked and what see didn't.  It is easy to forget that our kids' interest in their toys changes over time.

This may not work for all kids, but try to involve them in the process of what to keep and what to pass on/donate.

Set a timer for 20 minutes, pick one toy area, and see if a tune up helps you start the year off right!

Promises, Promises, Promises

Want to start the year off right? Enjoy this post by my cousin and guest blogger, Janna.

I promise if you adopt this simple, no-fail, multi-step program you will soon find yourself well on your way to a whole new…

Wow! Now that’s some promise.

How many ads with similar claims have we all recently heard? Ads that promise us a new body, a new job, a whole new whatever if only we would buy into their promises. And, why is it that this rash of similar messages always seem to crop up around the New Year?

Here’s my theory: these ads pray on our weaknesses. We all have them. And, right after the holidays many of us focus on these weaknesses and resolve to make significant changes. But why is it that our resolutions don’t seem to last? Personally I think it’s because we fail to understand that significant, positive changes are only successful if we adapt lifestyle changes. But to do this successfully, we must attack these tasks with know-how.

Well, I don’t know about you, but honestly the only one who would really know how to make changes for me – is me. And the only way they were going to work in my life is to work them into my life.

For me, to adapt real lifestyle changes, would mean organizing those changes and integrating them into my daily life. Hey, that’s what I’m good at – right?

Well, I decided to put it to the test.

For years I’d carried around an extra 25 to 30 pounds of weight. I’d lose some of it only to gain most of it back. It was one of my biggest hurdles. Then one day it hit me: I needed to organize a healthy lifestyle into my daily routine. Honestly, once I realized that’s all I had to do – apply what I’m good at to my problem – I could tackle it once and for all because it made sense to me.

First, I hired a professional trainer to get me started. Hiring a pro can often be the key to success in any situation. I made my appointments with her early in the mornings, that way I could work her into my day before my work day started. She gave me valuable information about nutrition, including how and what to eat and target percentages of fats, carbs and protein intakes for the day. She introduced me on to a great online program where I could input what I ate into a daily log that I keep on my computer. That’s easy - I’m in front of my laptop a good part of the day anyway.

But, the most valuable thing the trainer did for me was to tell me that I wouldn’t need her for long . We’d work together for a while (I met with her 2 days a week at first) and then she’d cut me loose.

Well she did her job – and I did mine. I hit the gym 4 – 5 times a week, still do. Early mornings work best for me. I gave myself a year to hit my new target weight but did it in 7 months. And not with a false promise but with common sense, good advice and a reasonable time line.

Since August I’ve kept it off and I plan to keep it off. And you know what? It’s easy. It’s easy for several of reasons: I adopted these changes into my everyday life; made lifestyle changes; and I did it because I applied something I’m good at – organizing - to my problem.

My point? Figure out how to organize the things you need and want to do into your daily life. The things you need to do will become second nature because you made needed lifestyle changes. And the things you want to do? They are your rewards for doing so.

BTW, I do have a 12-step (or rather – 12 month) process for you to ponder.

Stay tuned and Happy New Year!

-Janna

Get Organized in January!

Happy New Year! The National Association of Professional Organizers has deemed January national Get Organized month! What better time to make a fresh start and a plan to simplify, de-clutter and better enjoy life!

If getting organized is on your list this year, you aren’t alone. Once again in 2010, according to the Franklin Covey Resolution Survey, “get organized” is one of the top 10 resolutions.

Each January I take time to set goals and list what I want to accomplish in my business, and in other parts of my life (like what to tackle on the ever-growing household improvement list). Readers of my email newsletter, The Neat Sheet, may remember that last January I wrote about the importance of “resetting”—taking time to put things back in place or take care of regular tasks. My reset goal for 2009 was to set up a system to process and save my daughter’s artwork. While I improved in the processing of her artwork and projects, (i.e. saving vs. throwing out or sending to grandma) pretty quickly, it took me until last Fall to do the final sort of everything, and to find a good storage system. Once I accomplished this, I felt a great weight off my mind. And now saving and filing those masterpieces is super simple.

What about 2010? This year I want to focus on time: making better use of time to further my business goals, while also NOT forgetting to include time for myself.

I also plan to try and “sprint” to accomplish some personal and business projects that I’d love to get off my list this year. Taking a cure from my husband’s software development team, I’m going to “sprint” = focus on a specific goal for 2-3 weeks, then check in to see how I did. I’ll let you know how it goes.

I hope you will take time this January to set some goals to help you live a simpler, happier and more organized life in 2010. Best wishes!

Holiday Tips….2010??

Great post by guest blogger, Janna Lufkin. 

Yep, I’m already thinking about next year and nope, I didn’t roll out of bed at 4am December 26th to get to the post holiday sales by 5am. I can’t think of anything I’d rather not do! I think about December 2010 now, because I refuse to buy into the holiday hype and self-induced stresses many of us experience come the day after Thanksgiving.

But those old habits die hard. Often after the holiday hubbub is over, all we really want to do is ditch the tree, toss the lights in a box, stash the ornaments and slam the lid closed.

However, if you take a little time to organize your holiday collections, think about what you really need (should you have a burning desire to shop) and carefully put things away, come December 2010, you’ll have more time to enjoy the season and most importantly, each other.

Here are a few ideas to get you started…

• Ornaments: They add up don’t they? Many of them have special emotional meaning. But just as many come through ornament exchange parties, tied to the tops of treat plates, etc. My advice: hang onto the ones you and your family have special memories attached to; give away or donate the rest. When storing ornaments, wrap each in tissue (I’ve re-used the same tissue for years) and carefully pack them in a sturdy flip top box. Tip: If you have kids, wrap their special treasures in tissue and store inside their stockings. That way, next year when the kids are dying to decorate and help, you can hand them their stocking and keep them busy while you get the tree in the door.

• Lights: Roll each strand up like a ball of yarn starting with the female plug end and store in a sturdy flip top box. You’ll find that putting lights on your tree will be a lot easier by passing a ball of lights around the branches instead of a messy, tangled strand.

• Gift Wraps, Ribbons and Trims: I know, I know, there are some amazing deals out there. 50% – 75% off or more. Resist the urge. Instead, purge! Sort and store the wraps, cards and trims you have with your holiday decorations. Come 2010 if you need more paper, buy simple brown kraft paper and/or white butchers paper. It never goes out of style, can be used throughout the year, and it’s recyclable. With bits and pieces of the patterned wraps and ribbons you already have, plus a bit of creativity, you can have very simple yet stylish gifts under your tree.

• Gifts for next year: While it’s always a good idea to be on the lookout for special, meaningful holiday gifts, I’ve found shopping the sales right after the holidays may not yield that perfect gift. Often, by the time next year rolls around, tastes and interests shift and change and a good portion of the gifts I had purchased (because they were a good deal) are often not as relevant as they might have once been. Keep in mind that just because it was a good deal, doesn’t mean it’s the ideal gift.

That said, after-Christmas sales are a good time to pick up a few hostess gifts and small items to keep on hand for kids parties, etc. I store mine in a designated “gift drawer”. Whenever I need a quick something, I usually have it on hand.

December 2010 will sneak up fast. If you get organized now you’ll enjoy the season not stress about it.

-Janna

Holiday Help: Planning and Preparation Tips

Here are some of my favorite tips to help you have a more organized holiday.

• Holiday card list: Many families love to send an annual holiday card. Instead of going through your address book or saving envelope labels, create a list of recipients on your computer. The list can be a simple MS Excel spreadsheet of names and addresses. Alternatively, addresses can be input as a set of labels using the mail merge in MS Word. Keeping your card list electronically will save you time next year, and allows for easy edits in case someone’s address has changed.
• Gift list: Creating a list of gift recipients can help you stay organized and avoid  the last minute gift rush. Pick a date each year, such as the day after Thanksgiving or December 1st as the time to start working on your gift list. In addition to names and gift ideas, you may want to include a budget item next to each recipient. Ideally, create your list as a spreadsheet so you can easily update it. You can also keep a rolling tally of how much you have spent. With an electronic list you will have the template from year to year, and can also keep a list of what you give each year; this avoids the situation of giving Uncle Kevin the same tie or CD each year.
• Gift center: You bought the toy your child wanted when it was on sale in October, and a special gift for your mom during summer vacation, but where are they now? If you purchase gifts during the year, or can’t find gifts you know you bought, establish a dedicated “home” for gifts. Use a clear box, such as the Sterilite ClearView boxes as your gift center. Keep your gift center in a closet or attic, and each time you purchase a gift, add it to the box. When it’s time to think about holiday gifts, open the gift center and see what you have – you may discover that you already have gifts for several people on your list!
• Wrapping center: Wrapping gifts involves many different supplies such as wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, gift tags, tape, and scissors. Searching for these items or purchasing duplicates can waste time and money. Keep all needed supplies in a wrapping center – a box, bin, or wrapping paper holder, such as the Rubbermaid Wrap N’Craft. If you like to buy wrapping paper or bows on sale after the holidays, having a dedicated wrapping center can help you avoid purchasing three rolls of the same kind of paper, but not having any gift tags.
• Holiday recipes: Many families like to make special recipes for the holidays. In my family it’s gingerbread cookies, spiced nuts, and fruitcake. To easily find your holiday recipes each year, keep them in a dedicated spot: a colored folder, special section of your recipe file, or in clear sheet protectors in a binder. Keep the recipes in a place that makes sense to you: with your regular cookbooks, or with your holiday decorations for example. If you also make special food gifts each year, keep these recipes together in a separate file. If you find a recipe for a candy or cookies in a magazine in September that you’d like to make, cut or print the recipe out and place it in your file. When you're ready to get cooking, you'll be all set.

Stop and Smell The Roses

“Take time to stop and smell the roses” is an old adage, but one that was a poignant reminder for me today. It was a busy day, full of meetings and errands, and I was rushing home to move on to the next task before picking up my daughter from school.

I was feeling stressed and annoyed at all I still had left to do, but as I pulled into my driveway I noticed that our roses were blooming. Yes, roses blooming in December. In Boston.

We’ve had some warm weather lately, and the roses were open and beautiful. I went over to get a closer look and as I took a deep breath and smelled their sweet fragrance, I started to feel better and less stress.

Hmm, was the universe trying to tell me something? Maybe I needed to slow down a bit.

Although you may not have the opportunity to literally smell the roses like I did today, don’t forget to pause, take a breath, and notice the beautiful things in your life. It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday chaos, so this year, this weekend, remember to take some time out to slow down and enjoy what’s most important to you.

Happy (Organized) Holidays

Enjoy these holiday tips by my super-organized cousin, Janna Lufkin. Check out her great holiday products at Raw Materials Design. 

By the first week in December, I like to have a stockpile of small gifts packaged up and ready to go. I use them for hostess gifts as well as give them out when unexpected guests drop by. I pick an idea, and make them all ahead of time (often Thanksgiving weekend). I’ve got a jump on the holiday gift list and I'm ready for the season to begin.

This year I’m making homemade granola, packaged up in food safe bags then slipped into cute, inexpensive burlap bags. I’ll embellish the bags with a personalized gift tag and a sprig of fresh cedar from my yard. I stack my ready-to-go gifts in a container by my back door and grab one when I need it.

If you want to make some too, here’s what you will need:

• A recipe. Here’s the Better Homes and Gardens recipe site - they have a variety of great granola recipes
• Burlap bags and clear food safe bags
• Transparent tape or decorative stickers
• Gift tags (if you have time, make your own or have your kids help)
• Ribbon and fresh greenery

Here’s how to make them:

• Gather granola ingredients and make up as many batches as you think you’ll need
• Once granola has completely cooled, place at least two cups (more if you like) into a food safe bag and seal with tape or sticker
• Insert granola into a burlap bag (you could add the recipe if you like)
• Tie with twine or embellish with a colorful ribbon
• Tie on a tag and slip in some fresh greenery

It’s that easy.

A project done early gets you in the mood for the festivities ahead. It helps to eliminate some of the stress and it’s fun too.

The Art of Organizing Kids Artwork – Part III (DONE!)

My project is done: the artwork is sorted and stored!  Though I recycled a lot, I still have folders full of my daughter’s masterpieces: one folder for each year to date. In addition, I kept some 3D sculptures, and a great scrapbook put together by her pre-school. All are stored in a plastic bin to protect them from water and dirt. This will be my archive in the attic. I have a small basket in the kitchen to catch the new things as they come in. I'll recycle what I can, and when that basket is full, I'll put what I want to save in my attic archive. 

Actually, this project didn’t take as long as I had expected. Three or four nights after dinner working on it and I was done. The longest part was that it took me four weeks to feel comfortable enough to recycle the art that didn’t make the cut. Admittedly, I looked through the recycle bags a few more times before finally letting them go. I know that what I saved is really the “best” and that it is plenty for us to enjoy looking at in the future.

Inspired by Janna’s post, I pulled out some of the seasonal artwork to display at the holidays. 

I was surprised to find a pumpkin very similar to the one made by Janna’s daughter. Here are the pumpkins created by our daughters…about 15 years apart! 

Read Part I: A Professional Organizer Reveals her Mess  and Part II: Project in Process.

A Recipe for Success: Two 30-minute Kitchen Makeovers

These tips were originally published in The Neat Sheet newsletter (Nov/Dec 2008) from That’s Neat! Organizing.

1. The Fridge: November is national "Clean out your Fridge" month. This is nobody's favorite task, but it is important for several reasons: getting rid of expired foods can keep your family safe and healthy; knowing what is in your fridge can keep you from purchasing duplicate items and save money; and cleaning out your fridge and freezer will free up space for holiday cooking.

Get started following these easy steps:

• Gather supplies: gloves, sponge, cleaner, masking tape and marker for labeling items, and garbage bags
• Take everything off the shelves and out of the drawers in your fridge. Wipe clean each shelf and drawer.
• Pick up everything that you took out of the fridge; throw out any unidentifiable leftovers and expired foods.
• Group the remaining items into similar categories such as drinks, dairy, veggies, and leftovers.
• Put the items back in your fridge, keeping the groups together. Many fridges are designed to help with this by having drawers for meat, fruits, or veggies.
• Follow the same process with your fridge shelves, keeping things together like peanut butter and jelly or marinades and sauces. Adjust the fridge shelves if necessary. Also, use plastic bins or a lazy susan to keep small items from getting lost in the back of the fridge.   
• Now tackle the freezer using the same process. Take everything out, even food in the way back, and throw out anything that has been around for a year, or has a layer of permafrost. If you have food in containers, label each one before you put it back. Get into the habit of writing a description and the date on everything before it goes in the freezer. For two nights in the coming week, plan a meal using up foods in your freezer and fridge.

2. The Pantry: A well-stocked pantry is a must for cooking, but a well-organized pantry means you can actually find what you need quickly and easily (and help avoid those last-minute trips to the grocery store). Whether your pantry is a whole room or a few cabinets, try this quick fix.  

• Gather your supplies: sponge and cleaner, small plastic bins, garbage bags, paper and pen.
• Take everything out of your pantry and clean each shelf.
• Sort the items into categories such as baking, spices, canned vegetables, pasta, and cereal.
• For each category get rid of expired foods, items that are stale, and any empty containers. As you purge, make a shopping list of things you'll need to replace. 
• Put items back, keeping categories together. Place foods that you use often, such as cereal and snacks, within easy access. Place foods that you use less often (or don't want the kids to reach) on higher shelves.
• Use containers to keep small items together. Products such as Expand-a-Shelf can also help you find items in the back.
• Consider labeling sections of the pantry to make it easier to find and put away items. You may have a section for snacks, pasta, or cereals.

Enjoy your re-organized kitchen!

Who Knew? Time to Organize your Fridge & Freezer

Great tips for organizing your fridge and freezer from guest blogger, Janna Lufkin.

Whoopie! Did you know that November is National Clean out Your Fridge Month? Me either… until Elizabeth informed me that I was ahead of the game (I cleaned mine last month)! Seriously? A whole month dedicated to the discovery of the icky, the sticky, the gooey and the furry? Yep.

Stuffing the turkey takes on a whole new meaning when you’re trying to make room for it in your over-stuffed fridge, so November is the perfect time to tackle this task.

I not only cleaned out my fridge, I went ahead and did the freezer too. Might as well, right? And I did something I’ve been meaning to do for years, create a Freezer Inventory Log so I know what I have and when I bought it. Now, I go to my “log” before I make my weekly grocery list. Brilliant!

My freezer log started out as nothing fancy. A small, re-purposed three-ring binder. I added a couple of dividers (I have an old fridge/freezer in my garage too), then divided the binder into Inside and Outside categories.

Next, I made a list of the items in each freezer and divided it up alphabetically and by the types of foods and added the date it was purchased. Note: Keep a marker by your fridge/freezer and write the date purchased on the item.

The Freezer Inventory Log is as simple as this:

INSIDE
Date: October 2009

Baking:
1 pkg. Pie Crust (9/09)
1 pkg. Puff Pastry (7/09)

Bread/Crackers:
1 Baguette (10/09)
2 Wheat Sandwich Bread (10/09)

Fruit:
1 pkg. (1lb) strawberries (8/09)

Beef:
1 pkg. Flank Steak (7/09)
2 Skirt Steaks (7/09)

Pork:
1 Tenderloin (9/09)

and so on….

Oh, and another discovery…once I did my binder I quickly realized I could just keep the list on my computer desktop (remember I’m older than Elizabeth, I did not grow up with technology). It’s easily updated and right there for quick reference.

Honestly, for someone who is perceived as being “so organized”, this one task had slipped by me for years. I can’t tell you how much food we’ve managed to eat up in the past month. Diver scallops – yum!

-Janna

The Art of Organizing Kids Artwork – Part II (Project in Process)

My artwork organizing project isn’t complete yet, but I’m making progress. I’m nearly done with the sorting stage. (Did I mention that after my Part I post I found another box of my daughter’s artwork in the attic, and two more boxes of mementos I had saved in her closet?!)

Here’s my photo of everything sorted, with the “recycle” pile on the left, and the “save” on the right.

Sorting is hard work, and it took me a while. If any clients are reading this: I understand what you go through when you are sorting and purging. Whether it is kids’ creations, shoes, books, model trains or soccer balls…it can be tough to let go.

What helped me in this case was time: I was ready, and the time was right. I probably couldn’t have purged as much when my daughter was in Preschool or Pre-K, but now that she is bringing home Kindergarten creations, I realize I don’t have to save every “purple crayon” drawing as Janna says.

Keep the best, and toss the rest.

Still to come: my final sorting and storage system. Read Part III: Done here

MIssed Part I: A Professional Organizer Reveals her Mess? Read it here. 

Preserving Paper by guest blogger, Gabriela Burgman

I'm pleased to have a guest blogger today. Gabriela Burgman, a trained archivist and professional organizer, shares her secrets for preserving special papers. In future poststo our blog Gabriela will also share tips for preserving fabrics and photographs. Enjoy!     – Elizabeth

Often the paper in our lives is transitory. It comes into our homes bearing information we might need from never (junk mail) to forever (birth certificates). A majority of it will end up in the recycle bin. Some of it will end up in storage for awhile until someone else wants it or it loses value.

Today I want to share tips for storing paper that you want to preserve, from a few years to forever. When you begin thinking about storing paper ask yourself these questions:

• How long do I want to keep it?
• How valuable is this paper to me?
• How many other people are going to handle it besides me?

How Long? Time is the enemy of paper (besides heat, humidity, and the environment). Some papers are made to last longer than others. For example, newspapers are created with the intention that you are going to throw them out in a week. This is why they tend to yellow and become brittle in a short period of time.

Paper will last the longest when it is stored in dry environments (so it doesn’t mold or stick together). Paper likes cool environments. When it is too hot, the fibers become brittle. Paper also likes non acidic environments. Acid is already present in its make-up as well as the pollutants in the air. It will slowly break down the fibers in the paper. If the papers are surrounded by folders and boxes that also contain acid, then the deterioration just accelerates.

How valuable is this paper to me?  After reading about all the coddling paper needs to remain around for a long period of time, you need to ask yourself is it worth it? For example, you only need to keep tax papers for seven years just in case you get audited. Since these papers have a short term value, just invest in plastic boxes to protect them from water and critters. Don’t worry about storing those boxes in a garage or basement, where the temperature will likely fluctuate, speeding up the deterioration of the paper: the environment you keep your taxes in only needs to be good enough to protect them for seven years.

Documents you consider priceless, on the other hand, such as birth/wedding/death  certificates, special news clippings, baseball cards, and children's artwork, need a bigger investment in their care if you wish to preserve them.

To preserve these kinds of papers, make sure your container and folders have been "buffered" (aka "Acid Free"). Buffered is when "the addition of alkaline agents such as calcium or magnesium carbonate during the papermaking process [is added] in order to counteract the effect of acidic contamination."* You can purchased buffered boxes and folders. In fact, some archives even put blank sheets of buffered paper between each document in a folder to halt the spread of acid contamination. Another good practice is taking newspaper clippings and photocopying them onto buffered paper which will last far longer than newsprint.

How many other people are going to handle the paper? If you know certain items are going to be handled repeatedly, you may want to go so far as to put each document in polypropylene (chemically stable plastic) sleeves. If not, then storing them in buffered containers is good enough.

Storing papers. After you have all your documents properly stored in their containers, you need to place them in a safe place free from humidity and temperature fluctuations. Often, the best place for your containers is on a closet shelf. By having the containers off the ground, you avoid the possibility of damage by flood water. The rooms in your home tend to maintain a consistent temperature when compared to your attic, garage, or basement. A closet is usually closed off to direct sunlight and if you are storing clothing in these closets, you are already making sure that insects and humidity are not affecting the items being stored.

Resources. Here are my favorite resources for products mentioned to help preserve your special papers:

• Gaylord Brothers
• Hollinger Metal Edge
• Light Impressions
• University Products

If you would like to learn more, I highly suggest visiting the website for the Northeast Document Conservation Center.

*Pasted from <http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/glossaryoftermspage.action>

Gabriela Burgman, owner of Claiming Space professional organizing, holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a Masters Degree in Information Science from the University of Michigan.  She has worked in colleges and universities for six years as an archivist and a records manager, assisting academic offices, administrators, and retiring academics sort through their files for preservation or disposal.

The Art of Organizing Kids Artwork - Part I: A Professional Organizer Reveals Her Mess

I’ve written in The Neat Sheet and in this blog about how I need to get my daughter’s artwork, special creations, and mementos under control.  While I’ve purged as we went along I still have a lot saved…and it’s now spilling out from where it was piled in the attic hall into the guest room. Yes, even Professional Organizers have a dirty little secret project they need to deal with.

This has been one of those projects, and was nagging at me for months. So today I decided to start. Perhaps it was the cold medicine wearing off, or the fact that I had the whole house to myself for the afternoon, but I dove in.

I’m now in sorting and purging mode. See the mess I’ve made already? As I tell my clients, it often looks worse before it gets better. (NOTE: Several of the piles pictured are 6 inches high, and there are stacks of artwork in portfolios from the pre-school that need to be sorted and paired down. Oh, did I mention my mother is an artist who creates beautiful cards and illustrated letters for my daughter? These I want to keep…once I can dig them out.)

Later, after the sorting, I’ll work on the containers for the pieces I want to save. Thanks to Janna’s posts, I have more ideas.

Hopefully within the next month I’ll have my system set and can post the “After” picture.  Wish me luck, and stay tuned!

Part II: Project in Process

Part III: Done!

Clear the Costume Clutter

I’ve always loved Halloween, and as a kid my favorite part (next to the candy) was figuring out what I’d be. Some of my favorite costume creations were Little Bo Peep; a flapper from the 1920s using a dress from that era that was in the family; and a witch with layers and layers of black skirts which were castoffs from a local Shakespeare theater. My family tended to create costumes from things we had. Today there are many more options for purchasing ready-made costumes…but what to do with the costumes after the trick-or-treating?

First, reduce the single-use costume clutter by using what you already have to create an outfit. Recycle pretend-play clothes (fireman, princess, chef) or dance recital outfits into a costume. When Halloween is done, the costume pieces can go back to being dress up clothes.

If you have lots of old costumes taking up space (especially  valuable closet space) take the time to sort and purge. If you’ve taken pictures of your kids in the costumes as they’ve grown up (and most of us have), all the more reason to let some go.

As you sort, consider saving a few costumes that fall into these categories:

1. Costumes with special sentimental value (“her first costume”). Be sure to store these costumes in a labeled box or bin so you can find them later on. You may even want to use an archival box or tissue paper if you really want to preserve them. 

2. Costumes or accessories that your kids can still fit into or may play with. Keep these together in a special box or bin. Then take the box out on rainy/snowy days for dress up and pretend play. See what crazy combinations of costumes and accessories your children can come up with. The costumes might seem more magical after they have been out of sight for a while. Growing up, my family had a box like this in the attic and it was really fun when I could go up and and see what was in the “costume box.”   

For the costumes that you no longer want, donate them to a charity like Goodwill or The Salvation Army. You can also sell costumes to some consignment stores, or sell them yourself online.

Another idea is to hold a pre-Halloween costume swap with families who have kids of similar ages. This could become a yearly tradition…and even an excuse for a fun family party.

What ideas do you have for costumes after Halloween? Post a comment or send me an email. Happy trick-or-treating!