Finances

Office organizing goes beyond just paper. Having your finances in order is crucial to any individual and business. Start with a simple Excel spreadsheet. You can download your transactions from your bank account and credit card account online. Assign categories to each item, e.g.; meals, health, groceries. Then, you can sort items by month and/or by category to see where your money is going. Also, add in any income. This will give you an accurate idea of what your earning vs. what you are spending.

Sweaters

It’s cold here in Boston today. I wore a sweater for the first time this year. The trouble is, now that my sweaters have come out of the basement storage bin, I need to find space for them in my room. I personally prefer to put sweaters in a drawer, and have a bureau with deep drawers for that purpose. If you prefer to put sweaters on a shelf, try using shelf dividers to keep them from falling to one side. The Container Store has these available: http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?searchId=11085464&itemIndex=7&CATID=71921&PRODID=62786

My other favorite sweater storage shelving product is available at Target. These are great for bulky sweaters (one per shelf) or for putting two or three sweaters on a shelf. Again, these contain the sweaters and keep them from falling into each other.
http://www.target.com/24-Horizontal-Maple/dp/B0002I1NQA/qid=1193710074/ref=br_1_16/601-1885226-8551300?ie=UTF8&node=13814321&frombrowse=1&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=13814321&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=5

It's only paper...

People are territorial about their desks. Often times when I am organizing someone’s office, the last place they’ll let me touch is their desk (only after a certain level of trust has been established). That being the case, I often wonder what juicy bits of information await me on that forbidden surface. Alas, I am often disappointed to find nothing more than unopened mail, and piles of printed-out emails.

Approach your desk objectively; After all, it’s only paper. Start at one end and work your way across, putting papers into categories: to file, to do. Put all those extra paper clips and other office supplies away in a drawer or containers. File the papers away and wipe down the surface. Voila!...A clean desk.

Dealing with Mail

Make time everyday to open and read the mail to keep it from accumulating to the point of being overwhelming. It's easier to find five minutes in a day, then to have to put aside 30 or more minutes at the end of the week to play catch-up.
· Open mail in one mail center area with all your tools and supplies.
· Have a wastebasket and recycling bin near to toss the mail in as you open it.
· Make decisions as you open the mail.
Scan the contents of each piece and process it appropriately:
Immediately…
· Throw out all unwanted solicitations
· Throw out the outside of the envelope that comes with every bill
· Throw out the inserts that come with every bill
· Scan each catalog and if nothing interests you, recycle it.­
Take the remaining pieces and sort into the following categories:
· To Pay
· To Do
· To File
· To Read
posted on: 10/24/2007 8:

Storing Clothes for Winter

Fall is officially here! Sadly we must say goodbye to shorts and sandals and break out the bulky, itchy winter coats and sweaters. When storing your summer clothing, it is best to use clear plastic bins that are well sealed and labeled. Don't forget to add some cedar chips to keep those pesky clothing-eating critters at bay! To keep suits and dresses from getting wrinkled, store them on a clothing rack in fabric bags. During this process be sure to purge anything you haven't worn all season. Chances are you're not going to wear it next season either. Now, bundle up and enjoy the autumn air!

Summer is here!

Summer is officially here! That mean it's finally time to put away the bulky, itchy winter coats and sweaters and bring out the comfy shorts and colorful sundresses. When storing winter items, it is best to use clear plastic bins that are well sealed and labeled. Don't forget to add some cedar chips to keep those pesky clothing-eating critters at bay! To keep coats, suits, and dresses from getting wrinkled, store them on a clothing rack in fabric bags. During this process be sure to purge anything you haven't worn all season. Chances are you're not going to wear it next season either. Now, put on those sandals and have a great summer!

Paper and Tax Organizing Tips!

We have a special Newsletter this month. It is filled with tips and advice on getting your papers organized for tax season!

Please visit our newsletter at: www.organizingboston.com/taxnewsletter.html

Also, we are offering a special deal when you book a paper organizing session. Please contact me for more details: sarah@organizingboston.com

Happy Organizing!

Cleaning off your Desk

At the end of the day, take 10 minutes to put things on your desk back where they belong, file papers and write out your to-do list for the following day. When you walk into work the next morning, you will be greeted by a clean desk and a fresh start to your day. Try it once and see how it makes you feel the next day. I guarantee you'll breathe a sigh of relief. :-)

Bragging Rights

Last night a woman I am helping told me I was a "life saver, really". I asked if I could quote her. She said "sure". :-)

Even Organizers Get Tips, too!

My neighbor gave me a great organizing tip the other day....

If you have multiples of an item that are stored away, for example: tea, shampoo, deoderant, peanut butter, paper towels, etc... mark the one you are currently using with a marker. When you run out of that item, you will know what you have more on-hand. This will save you from buying items that you already have because they are out of sight and out of mind.

Thanks, Diane!

Organizing Tip of the Day!

A long weekend is upon us, that means three whole days for the kids to tear the house apart. Why not start getting them organized now? Incorporate clean-up time into play time. Make putting things away easy by having open bins and shelves with enough space for their toys and other items, so it will only take a minute or two to clean things up. More questions on organizing children? Please feel free to contact me at organzingboston@yahoo.com

Have a great weekend!

10 Holiday Storage Tips

1. Decorating Tool Kit
Putting together a holiday tool kit is a great timesaver from year to year. Simply stock any toolbox (or shoe box) with the following: ornament hooks, wire cutters, nylon line, narrow ribbon or cording, scissors, florists' wire, twist ties, wire ties, and spare holiday light bulbs. Place your holiday tool kit in a prominent location with other holiday decorations and next year you'll be ready to decorate with ease!
2. Keep Items Together
For a display you want to re-create each year, be sure to wrap and store every item in one place. For example, a display with candles, garland, and ornaments can be boxed together, making it a snap to arrange the following year.
3. Clearly Plastic
Clear plastic storage tubs are indispensable in getting holiday items organized. Separate decorating elements by room, color, or style -- whatever makes sense for you, then slip a large paper sign down inside the tub, positioning it so you can read it easily through the side of the bin. For example, you may want to designate one tub for candles, another for holiday ribbons and bows, and another for the mantel garland.
4. Trip the Light Fantastic
Take a few minutes to organize strings of holiday lights before storing them away. Wind them around a sheet of sturdy cardboard or tubing, or simply gather the string into your hand in sections and secure with a twist tie. Or look for storage products at a discount or organizing store. Place all of your light strings in a large clear storage bin where they'll be easy to find. However, if some strings are used for special decorations, such as a mantel garland or over the door, then mark and keep them along with the other things needed for that particular display -- extension cords, timers, step-on switches, and so on.
5. Ornament Tips
The size and shape of holiday ornaments will determine how to store these decorations. Flat items such as icicles, flat snowflakes, and wooden cutouts can be stacked between layers of tissue and stored in clear shoe boxes or labeled gift boxes.
Medium-sized ball ornaments may fit nicely back into their original boxes or in a special divided-tray ornament container available at discount and home centers. Large or unusually shaped items may require separate boxes and additional protection using tissue, foam, or bubble wrap.
6. Label, Label, Label
Marking items is a great way to help distinguish similar accessories when you pull them out from year to year. Have you cut artificial garlands to fit a stair railing, mantel, and sideboard? Hang a labeled tag from each section for easy identification. Or store them separately in clearly marked bags.
7. Think Reusable
Reusable decorations can save lots of time and effort. Collect pinecones or glass ornaments attached to wires that can be placed into centerpieces, wreaths, and garlands. Look for pretty garlands and holiday picks (such as artificial evergreen sprays) at craft stores.
Purchase bolts of wired ribbon and make bows, crimping a florists' wire around each one so they can be attached to candlesticks, chandeliers, wreaths, or doorknobs, as needed. Wired ribbon will allow you to fluff and rearrange the ribbon to make it hang just the way you'd like.
8. Make Way
Need a place to store holiday decorations? Now may be the time to consider new storage options for your basement or storeroom. New shelving, cupboards, and organizing bins may be just the thing to tame storage challenges.
Plan ahead for future purchases by leaving some empty space on shelves or by buying a few extra clear storage totes.
9. Jog Your Memory
Right after the holidays is the perfect time to organize for next year. Write down menus, decorating ideas, measurements, guest lists, or any other tidbits of information that may be useful in the future. Did you run short on punch cups, hit on a great menu, or put together a terrific mantel decoration? Make a note or take a picture of your creations.
10. Finally, Save a Bundle
After-Christmas markdowns may be the best way to save on storage boxes, holiday decorations, ornaments, and lights. If you have time, check out the inventory of your favorite stores a few days before Christmas to see if it's worth attending a post-holiday sale. Make a list of things you'd like to purchase so you can zero in on these things even if the store is crowded.
When you get home with your purchase, be sure to label, pack, and store these items in logical places, ready for future holiday seasons!