small steps, big results

Just thinking about getting organizing can be overwhelming. If you start small and create a routine, you’ll be organized before you know it!

1) Don’t try to do too much at one time. Even if you spend just 15 minutes a day decluttering, you will make progress.

2) Once you have decluttered and decided what you are keeping, make sure everything has a place and is labeled, so there is no question where things go and where to find them.

3)  Resist the urge to keep things you don’t need. If you haven’t decluttered in a really long time you are bound to find some “treasures.” If you didn’t know you had it and weren’t missing it, chances are you don’t need it.

4) Keep away paper clutter. If you have no immediate need for it, pitch it. Act on papers as soon as you touch them. Decide whether to trash, recycle, shred, file, or review.

take control of your business bookkeeping in 2012

January marks the perfect time for small businesses to take control of bookkeeping and budgets. If put just a few systems in place now, you will find it easier to keep track of finances in the future.

Track Expenses. You don’t want to lose out on write-offs. As you get receipts for business expenses, write down on the back what the receipt is for, ie. networking meal, office supplies, etc. and then log into a computer program such as QuickBooks or Excel. Also, keep track of mileage with a mileage log.

Plan for major expenses. This will help you from overspending. Budget the money you will need for office upgrades, conferences, etc.

Pay Taxes. Note tax deadlines and plan ahead so you have the appropriate funds when it is time to pay your quarterly taxes.

gift wrap in a snap

Wrapping all of those gifts this holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful. Check out these supplies for making wrapping easy and fun.

A good pair of scissors and wrapping tape make presents look pretty.

Gift wrap paper storage box to store seasonal gift wrap to ensure it does not get damaged.

High-quality gift wrap that won’t tear easily.

Tissue paper, gift boxes and ribbon. No need to splurge on these year round wrapping goods.

Keeping all of these gift wrap essentials organized doesn’t have to take up a lot of room with a this gift wrap work station.

clear the clutter and give back this holiday season

Check out these organizations that are doing great things this holiday season!

Container Store’s One Warm Coat Drive
Collect coats to give to those in need, free of charge.

This holiday season, The Container Store is partnering with One Warm Coat — a national organization dedicated to meeting local needs by supporting coat drives.  During November and December, customers can drop off a gently used coat at any location. Find out which local organization your donated one warm coat will benefit.

http://standfor.containerstore.com/one-warm-coat/

Second Chance Toys
Rescuing and Recycling Plastic Toys for Children in Need

Second Chance Toys rescues unwanted plastic toys that are gently used and distributes them to children in need through local community organizations, while at the same time, helping the environment.

http://www.secondchancetoys.org/

Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

Sell your unwanted items on eBay and donate 10-100% of the final sale price to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. You’ll get a tax deduction and a credit on your basic eBay selling fees.

http://www.toysfortots.org/donate/ebay-instructions.asp

great garage

It is not uncommon for garages to become a catchall for miscellaneous items. Make the most of the space in your garage with these tips.

1) Clear the clutter. Keep the floor and stairway clear. Keep only the things you need and use.

2) Utilize wall space by installing adjustable shelves and hooks.

3) Create zones dedicated to different tasks such as gardening, car care and tools.

don’t let time fly by

Do you find that there is not enough time in the day to get everything done? Even if you make the time to do important tasks, if you are not properly managing your time, you will find that as time passes you are actually getting little work done. Here are three tips to better manage your time.

1)   Make appointments with yourself to do those important items on your to do list.

2)   Don’t allow any interruptions-that means no checking email and no answering the phone.

3)   Use a time management tool. My favorite is the Time Timer. Slide the red timer wheel to the number of minutes you want to measure. As time passes the red wheel will become less visible until it totally disappears, meaning your time is up. The red wheel allows you to visually see how much time is left, rather than just looking at the minutes remaining.

paper, paper & more paper

Are you holding on to too much paper? If you find yourself surrounded by piles of papers, check out these guidelines on what to keep and what to toss.

 

well-organized makeup

If you are constantly searching for your favorite lipstick or eye shadow in your overflowing stash of cosmetics, it’s time to make over your makeup collection. Here are four steps to getting your cosmetics organized.

1) Get rid of old cosmetics. If you can’t remember purchasing it or don’t remember that last time you wore it, it’s time for it to go.

2) Sort remaining items into two piles: items you use every day and special occasion makeup.

3) Keep the makeup you wear every day easily accessible and store special occasion makeup separately.

4) Store everyday  makeup in a clear cosmetics organizer, clear plastic drawers or even a cutlery tray, so you can see what you have and store special occasion makeup in a clear container.

imagine an organized garage

When organizing garages I often see them used as storage, rather than as a place to park cars. It is very easy to just throw things in the garage and let them pile up. Below are six tips on how to tackle organizing your garage.

1)   Declutter. Go through your garage and immediately get rid of anything you do not need or use. Any broken or expired items should be discarded.

2)   What do you want your garage to be used for?  Often garages contain bulk foods and beverages, household items, cleaning supplies, sporting goods, gardening items, tools, paint, holiday decorations and just extra stuff.  This is the time to figure out what you want to keep in your garage and what you want to store elsewhere.

3)   Decide what goes where. Now that you know what you are going to keep in your garage, set up zones so that like items are stored together.

4)   Chances are you are going to need to purchase some organizing products to truly maximize the space in your garage.  The idea is to keep things from piling up on the floor. Here are a few items to consider:

Cable-lifted Storage Rack

Tall Gear Locker
Bin Warehouse and Plastic Totes

Store n’ Slide Tool Rack

If you want to invest in a complete garage makeover, check out Monkey Bars.

5)   Label bins and shelves so the whole family knows where everything goes.

6)   Every six months reevaluate what is in your garage and keep only what you are using and get rid of those items you are not.

an organized office

I am often asked how my services can help businesses. Below are a few ways a professional organizer can help you run a more efficient business.

Time Management

Does it seem that there is never enough time in the day to get everything done? A professional organizer can work with you to select the best way to track your to do list and calendar, analyze your current processes, structure your day better, improve delegation and better manage email, interruptions and meetings.

Filing

Keeps your files up to date and makes sure you are keeping only what you need by implementing a simple and easy to maintain filing system.

Paperless

More and more companies are choosing to go paperless. A professional organizer can set up a system to efficiently organize and manage files electronically.

Assistants

Not all bosses know how to best utilize their assistants. By performing an assessment with both the boss and assistant a professional organizer can create a detailed job description for the assistant and provide training.

Space Design

Makes sense of your work area ensuring that you are using your space as efficiently as possible.

Save Money!

Chances are if your office is a mess, you don’t know what you actually own and end up buying things you already have. By organizing your inventory, you’ll know exactly what you have at all times.