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Newsletter Archives
December 2009
Wrapping It Up
November 2009
Prepare the Pantry
October 2009
Costumes & Decorations
September 2009
Enough
August 2009
Help for the Home Office
July 2009
Getting Crafty
June 2009
A Better Bedroom
May 2009
Eco Organizing
April 2009
Getting Ready to Garden
March 2009
The Path To Clutter
February 2009
Easing Into Downsizing
January 2009
Organizing For Renovation
December 2008
Organizing For Next Year
November 2008
More Of My Favorite Organizing Tools
October 2008
Making Life Easier
September 2008
Clearing The Closet
August 2008
How To Let Go Of Stuff
July 2008
Managing Medical Records
June 2008
Road Trip Organizing
May 2008
Collections Instead of Clutter
April 2008
Getting Ready for Tax Time
March 2008
Where to Begin
February 2008
When You Want to Help
January 2008
Top Ten Causes of Disorganization
December 2007
Organize for Air Travel
November 2007
Organize for Small Spaces
October 2007
When Life Happens, Reorganize
September 2007
Bathroom Organizing
August 2007
Paper Organizing
July 2007
Uncluttered Kids' Rooms
June 2007
Top Ten Organizing Tools
May 2007
Grapple The Garage
April 2007
Managing Your Time
March 2007
Spring Organizing
February 2007
Help for Caregivers of Aging Parents
January 2007
National Get Organized Month
December 2006
Year End Organizing
November 2006
Give Thanks for Being Organized
October 2006
Holiday Kitchen Organization
September 2006
In Case of a Weather Emergency - Organize!
August 2006
Back to School Organizing
July 2006
Declare your Independence from Summer Clutter
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ORGANIZING TIPS OF THE MONTH: DECEMBER 2009
Wrapping It Up
It’s the end of another year. Make it a good ending by being organized. You will save yourself frustration and really have a Happy New Year.
And what better gift than a certificate for organizing? Contact me for details.
- “Me First” Box: Have a bin for the decorations and holiday items you need to use first—holiday wrap, greeting cards, advent calendar, and lights. Label it boldly with “First Box.”
- Get a Start on your Calendar: Note birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates to remember on your new calendar. Use sticky notes on the months to remind you of annual exams, tax deadlines, and membership renewals. Use your computer and cell phone calendars for electronic reminders.
- What Works, What Doesn’t: After holiday events, document the successes and misses. Make notes of great recipes, activities, and scheduling that worked well. Also note the losers so you won’t repeat the mistakes.
- Simplify: Moan...every women’s magazine trumpets the word “Simplify.” Before you say, “Yes, but...,” sit down and really think about your holiday celebrations. Have you been expanding decorations, gifts, and recipes every year? Try to revisit a simpler time that was joyful. It is OK to leave some decorations packed and adjust gift expectations. A more relaxed you is the best gift.
- Pass It On Now: A corollary to Tip #4. If you are spending days decorating your home and the process is a burden, consider letting family members and friends choose from decorations you no longer want to use. Assign different colored sticky dots to each person and let them take turns choosing items. Of course, you may end up storing things for your children until they have homes of their own, but at least things are boxed and put away. Donate items not selected.
- Purge the Paper: Paper is the universal source of clutter. Sort and conquer your paper mountains—magazines, newspapers, photos, school papers, household files. Take one category at a time and go through each and every piece. Shred personal information. Recycle where possible. Check www.bankrate.com and ask your accountant for guidance on how long to keep household papers.
- Edit Email: If you have a massive number of emails in your in-box, it is time to take control of them. They are visual and mind clutter. Use the Delete button freely. Take a quick scan and delete all forwarded jokes, cute photos, and chain letters. Delete all emails from sources you don’t recognize or have offensive subject lines. Delete retail emails after you print coupons you need. Delete charity solicitations unless you are ready to give right now. What you have left should be personal emails that require a response or emails from organization that require action. Some computer programs allow you to drag an email over to your calendar so all the information is there on the date you need it.
- Control the Coats: Often we add new coats and jackets to our closets without removing the old ones. There is always a need in the community for useable coats in the winter. Gather all the coats in your household, keep those you need, and then donate the rest.
- Pamper the Plants: It is a good time of year to assess the health of your indoor plants. Rinse dust off the leaves. Trim dead stems. Replace expired plants with something fresh and vibrant.
- Make a Change: Rearrange your bookshelves, move a couple of pieces of furniture, swap out a framed photo.
Do something to make you look at your home with new vision. You will be surprised how small changes can encourage you to organize. Sneaky but effective.
©Cheryl Harrell, 2009 All Rights Reserved
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