Tuesday Tip: Shop Your House Before You Hit the Stores

I heard a great reminder on The Nate Berkus Show this morning about shopping your house for items you can re-purpose before you hit the stores. And while I may not be able to DIY an old table into a design marvel (though I really wish I could), as an organizer, I couldn't agree more with this common-sense-but-we-could-all-use-a-reminder tip! Good organizing solutions are rarely complex or unique items - they are usually born from everyday containers, furniture or storage that just needed a little creativity and perhaps labeling :)

So the next time you have an organizing dilemma, which often involves finding a home for something that doesn't have one, take a look around your house, basement, and attic to see if you already have something that fits the bill. Since we're in the process of setting up our new home, I'm doing this almost daily. Just the other day, I re-purposed a simple Pier 1 basket that I've had for probably 10 years (and has always served some purpose in my office) into a perfect container for our cloth place mats and napkins. I used to keep them in a kitchen drawer, but storage space is super-limited in our new kitchen, so I decided I needed to relocate anything that didn't absolutely have to be in the kitchen. So the cloth items are now happily in the basket on a shelf right near our dining area - perfect!

Along the same lines, I was also reminded recently when looking at the Ikea Hackers site that when it comes to home furnishings and organizing solutions, things don't always have to be what they are intended to be. Just because it says it's a TV stand, doesn't mean you have to use it as one! Once again, my new house is challenging my organizational skills - we have almost no entry area, and even less entry storage. I have come to realize as an organizer that having a landing zone with proper storage for all the things that go in and out of your house everyday is key to maintaining overall household organization. I knew what I was looking for but couldn't find all the elements in a traditional entryway bench. So I am using an Ikea TV stand as the foundation of our landing zone, thanks to some ideas I saw on Ikea Hackers. I will also be adding a wall unit with baskets and a row of hooks to complete the storage options. The moral of the story is to get creative when you're looking for a solution and don't settle for something that doesn't meet your needs.

Is it a TV stand or a great entryway storage bench?!

Tuesday Tip: Get Your To-Do List To-Done

A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn confirmed what many of us already knew. That daily to-do list you make often doesn't get done! And your profession may have something to do with it. Check out this brief article summarizing the findings. Since completing to-do lists seems to be an elusive task, here are a couple of tips to help turn your to-do list into your to-done list!

• Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. For your daily list, instead of writing down everything you have to do from now until the end of time, decide what are the top 3-5 things you must do today. Being realistic in terms of how much you can actually get done in a day will help set you up for success.
• Limit distractions. Distractions including email, phone calls, meetings or impromptu chats with colleagues are likely one of the top barriers to getting that list done. Do what you need to do to limit these or other distractions. Close your door, set times to check email, or schedule meetings with co-workers rather than chatting non-stop.
• Stay focused. While multi-tasking was once considered a required skill for most professionals, focusing on one task at a time when possible actually enhances productivity. Changing from one task to another only wastes time since you're constantly shifting gears.

Test out one or more of these tips to see if you can conquer your to-do list!

Tuesday Tip: Don't Overload Your Plate!

If you checked out Friday's post, you'll know I talked about re-usable plates to help keep cookout clutter at bay. Well, today I'm happy to report that thanks to my wonderful family, I now have my very own set of Crate & Barrel marimekko melamine plates and even a tray to match for my birthday - yeah! Here they are...

But today I wanted to give a tip that involves a plate of a different kind...our 'plate' of life responsibilities. Most people I know always have over-flowing mental and physical to-do lists...usually it's a combination of life's must do's, should do's and want to do's. While this is ok and even good to some extent (to have ambition and things we want to get done), many times these over-flowing lists are a major source of what I call background stress. For me, it's that nagging feeling of never being 'done' and seeing a million projects everywhere I look. For the most part, the over-flowing lists and background stress are a product of having more on our plates that we can digest. And while it's common sense that we shouldn't overload our plates, it seems to happen all too easily in today's world!

So here's today's tip: If your plate is over-full, don't add anything new until what's already on there is under control! This means if you already feel like you're having trouble keeping up, don't jump into new activities, business ideas, committees, etc. I always have to remind myself that for most things in life, it's not now or never. Things can wait. If you really want to do them, you'll come back to them. This might even include delaying fun things like planning a big family trip if your background stress is keeping you from fully enjoying your want to do's. Does this mean you have to wait until you've got all of life's responsibilities completely under control? No, of course not! That would mean many of us would never get to the fun stuff. But if you're like me and you're bothered by too much 'background stress,' take a breather and hold off on adding more to your plate until you're feeling like you can handle it! Fair enough?

Tuesday Tip: Containing Toy Clutter

Toy storage is one of those great organizational challenges that comes along with having kids! Since toys are meant to be played with, they are often out and about. The key to keeping your house from looking like total toy chaos is quick & easy clean-up. For your family's designated play room or your kids' rooms, shelves or cubbies with easy access (i.e. lightweight, open top) baskets or bins are the backbone to a good toy storage system. Adding picture labels can help make clean up an easy 'all hands on deck' task!

But as a parent of an almost toddler, I know that keeping toys in just one room isn't necessarily practical, especially if you have little ones who need or want to stick close by. Keeping a small supply of toys in the rooms we spend the most time in (kitchen, living and bedroom) is key to keeping everyone happy and busy. But to keep these other rooms from being over-run with toys all day long, a quick clean-up strategy is a must for last minute guests or nightly tidying. What works in our house is a small basket or bin in each room for toys. You can't get much simpler than that - it takes about 30 seconds to gather scattered toys and toss them in! Of course this works best for small items without lots of parts - more complicated toys are better-stored in your designated play areas.

Let us know what works for toys in your house and be sure to check out our new Toy Storage Board on Pinterest for some great ideas!

Small Tubtrugs from LandofNod.com

Tuesday Tip: How to Cut Morning Chaos

Have you ever felt rushed and a bit crazed getting out the door on time with everything you need? I hope the answer is 'yes' - otherwise, you must be some kind of super-human and I'd like to meet you! While we all have our struggles with the morning rush, which definitely seem to be multiplied if you've got little ones to shuffle out the door with you, the good news is you can cut morning chaos with just a little prep work the night before. Here are some night-before tips that are guaranteed to make for a smoother, calmer, happier morning...ahhh:

• Pack your bags (work, daycare, school) the night before to avoid a last minute scramble or worse, leaving the house without the essentials.
  
• Prep meals and snacks to go the night before. Put non-perishables in lunch bags on the counter and gather any perishables in an easy-to-grab spot in the fridge. Put a sticky note on the front door to remind you to grab fridge items before you head out the door. 
• Prep, or at least decide, what's for breakfast the night before. Have grab and go items like yogurt smoothies, whole grain bagels or homemade trail mix on hand for extra busy mornings.
• Put what you can in the car the night before - think sports equipment, items to return, special projects. This will help avoid needing to make multiple trips back and forth in the morning because your hands are too full.

My advice, do this prep right after dinner before settling down for the evening :) Just 10 minutes of preparation the night before can save you a world of trouble in the morning, which will get your whole day started off on the right foot!

Tuesday Tip: Responsibly Recycle Your Electronics

Do you have old computers, cell phones, stereos and other electronics cluttering your home or office? This is one category of clutter that clients are often stuck on what to do with. The main reason is not knowing how to responsibly and securely get rid of them. Many of our household and office electronics contain personal data we don't want to just set free and we also have this sense that these 'hard' materials should be recycled but we don't know how, when and where. The good news is that there are companies that have dedicated themselves to solving these issues...both securely shredding your data and responsibly recycling the materials. One company we have come across in our travels is Metech Recycling. They conduct recycling collection events across the country, including several right here in the Boston area. In fact, there's one coming up this weekend in my hometown, Acton, MA!

Green Acton
Electronics Recycling Collection Event
Saturday, May 5, 2012
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Conant School
80 Taylor Road
Acton, MA 01720

Check out the Metech events calendar for more information and other events.

So take a huge step toward cleaning up your home and office by responsibly recycling your electronics today...or this weekend!

Tuesday Tip: Know What You Have

Have you ever been on the highway without toll money, run out of toilet paper or paper towels at home, or been out with your kids without snacks or diapers? Knowing what you have (and what you don't) is a huge part of being organized, in my opinion. In my former life, I definitely let myself get into a few pickles due to lack of systems and planning to keep on top of my household, car or personal inventory. 

Over the years, I've gradually developed better habits to keep on top these everyday necessities...like re-stocking the parking meter change in my car whenever I use it and writing items on my shopping list as soon as I notice they're running out. But as with most things organizing, being a parent has forced me to kick my organization to a new level. It's less ok, and definitely less bearable, to get into an 'inventory' pickle, such as running out of gas or cash or diapers with a little one!! So I do my best to not let my gas get below a quarter tank (and yes, I sound like my wonderful mother who taught me this a long time ago...I'm finally listening), to clean out and re-stock the diaper bag as soon as we get home from an outing, and other painless but majorly pain-saving inventory systems. 

My advice to myself and all of you...anytime you say or think, "that would stink if I ran out of or forgot to...", do something about it! Come up with a simple system to prevent an inventory failure. For household items, the easiest bet is to keep a running shopping list and add things you're running low on. I keep my list on my phone so I have it with me whenever I head to the store. For on the go tasks, the best practice is to take care of them as soon as you notice you're running low or keep a spare inventory somewhere that's accessible if a problem pops up. My all-time best example of this was the time I dropped my entire set of keys in a storm drain...yes, you read that correctly. Fortunately, I had a spare condo key in my bag (not in my condo where it wouldn't have been any use) and spare keys to the other important items (like my car) in my condo. Guess what my next to-do item was after the storm-drain incident? Get a new set of spare keys :)

Do you have a spare set when you need it?

Tuesday Tip: Hire a Baby to Help You Get Organized

Ok, so you may think I've lost my marbles with today's tip, but I swear there's also a point. Ever since our 10 month old starting crawling a few weeks ago, she has really helped kick our home organizing into high gear. To put it simply, everything must have a home (one of the cardinal rules of organizing)...even things we used to leave out. If it's out, it's fair game to her, but if it's put away, it's out of sight, out of mind!

Here are some good examples - shoes...in the closet; my bag...up on its hook; remote controls...in the remote caddy up on the TV stand. She has really forced us to make sure every little thing serves a purpose and has a home. If it doesn't meet those criteria, it's a hazard or at least a nuisance and has to go! Besides having a safe home for her, this has really helped streamline our cleaning up routine. I'm also finding that I need to vacuum more frequently with a mobile, food throwing baby, so having a place for everything, and everything in it's place has made it much simpler to whip out the vacuum for a quick cleaning...bonus!

So if you want an organizing boot camp for your space, think like a baby, or even better - borrow a baby! Look around for anything that's just lying around and figure out if and where it belongs to straighten up your space in no time.

Tuesday Tip: Simplify Spring Cleaning

Whether you're preparing for Passover, getting ready for Easter guests or just looking to bring that fresh and clean springtime feel into your home, it's time to get your spring cleaning on. Do yourself a favor this year and clear the clutter before you dive into cleaning. Removing items you don't use and love from your space will save you tons of time when it comes to wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and cleaning out cupboards and closets. The best part is you can do both tasks together - take everything out of a space, toss or set aside for donation any items you no longer want, and give the space a good cleaning before you put the 'keepers' back in. Keep the clutter at bay and you'll save tons of future cleaning time, which you can spend outside enjoying the weather. So give your home a little springtime TLC, open up those windows, and enjoy the season!

Tuesday Tip: Find Your Time

Today's Tuesday Tip comes from a fabulous survey conducted by Real Simple about how women spend their time and what we can do to reclaim some free time for ourselves. Check out the slide show for some eye-opening results. It's like they personally asked me the questions - I couldn't believe how the results fit me to a T. So today's tip is as much for me as it is for you:

Delegate household/family responsibilities and schedule free time for yourself!

I am extremely guilty of not doing either one of these very well, but I am trying to get better and hope many of you will too. Since becoming a mom almost 10 months ago, my life has been amazingly enriched by this new role and my wonderful little girl, but I also often feel like my life has become one long (read endless) to-do list of childcare and household chores. The days that I work here at Organizing Boston often feel like a break - ha, ha. That was one of the most interesting findings of the survey - for most of us, it's not our jobs that are causing our time woes...it's our homes and families, which isn't to say that we don't love them both. I think that's part of the problem. We care so much about our role in caring for our families and homes that we let them take over completely. I am slowly realizing that the household and family to-do lists are (or can be) endless, so the solution is not to wait to do something fun until all the chores are done. If my husband reads this, he'll say that he told me that a LONG time ago :) Two things busy women can do to make themselves happier (as the survey results prove) are to delegate, delegate, delegate and use your calendar for 'me time' appointments.

In order to practice what I preach, I just scheduled a yoga class for myself on Wednesday night. What will you do for yourself today?

Tuesday Tip: How to Tame Your Pantry

You know how sometimes a certain topic keeps popping up all over the place? Well, for me, lately that's been the question of how to organize your pantry (or pantry cabinets) so you know what's in there. Today's tip:

Use Smart Storage to Keep Track of Your Pantry Inventory

The problem with keeping track of pantry inventory is that anything that's not on the front lines of your shelves can't easily be seen. And you know what they say...out of sight, out of mind! This means crowded cabinets, expired foods, and nothing to make for dinner. Three simple storage solutions can help you solve the out of sight/out of mind problem:

1. Clear Bins - Let's face it, clear bins can help with just about any organizing problem. In the pantry, they can help group things together (and help them stay that way) and allow you to easily see what you have because you can slide the bin out to see what's in the back...most likely multiple cans of black beans.

2. Lazy Susan/Turntable - The beauty here is that there's no front or back - just turn it around for equal viewing of what's there. The downside is that you lose some space with the round design, but it can be a brilliant solution for items you need to pull out easily like cooking oils, salt, pepper, etc.

3. Tiered Spice/Can Shelves - These are great for spices and canned goods. You can see and reach what's behind the front row without shuffling everything around or worse, pulling everything out. It's like stadium seating for your spices! 

Here's a "before" pantry - it's not horrible, but it could definitely benefit from today's tip. Who knows what's up there behind the bread crumbs?! Stay tuned and I'll show you the after photo with product links!

Pantry: Before

 

Tuesday Tip: Start With a Clear Surface

We're adding a new feature, actually several, designed to help bring you useful and fun tips, products and thoughts to help with all your organizing challenges! We've also created new Topic headings on the blog to help you find what you're looking for quickly and easily. Hopefully you'll enjoy these changes! Check them out and let us know what you think. With that said, here's our first Tuesday Tip:

Start With a Clear Surface

Today's tip comes to you from our fearless leader, Sarah Buckwalter, who is working on organizing her tax paperwork today. Whether you're doing your own taxes or gathering info for your tax preparer, some level of paper/receipt organizing will likely be involved. Before you start this super fun task, take a few minutes to clear off the surface you'll be working on! If you have time, put things back where they belong*, if not, at least set everything aside. Organizing W2's, 1099's and expense receipts is challenging enough - a cluttered work surface can make it downright impossible.

*If you don't know where things belong, it's time to get rid of them or find them a home. This is of course something your favorite professional organizer can help you with!

Before: Not So Clear Surface

After: Oh So Clear and Ready for Taxes!