Posts tagged as:

clutter control

Organized for Good

by Michaeline on July 31, 2010

Here are a few tips for getting organized for good. These tips can be used in specific areas of the house or anywhere:

O – One in, one out. Use this rule to limit your stuff. If you bring something new in, something old must go.
R – Routines are crucial. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedules for organizing, cleaning and maintaining will keep you clutter-free.
G – Get help. Enlist your family to stop chaos. If needed, get the help of a friend or professional organizer.
A – Assign a place for everything and put everything in its place. Store things where there are used so it is easier to put them away.
N – Note it. Create a book with critical information in one place. This is where schedulers, phone numbers, invitations and other important information can be found.
I – Institute a system for actions like paying bills, filing and follow up actions. Placing paper in action files can corral paper clutter and stop your piles from growing.
Z – Zip things into bags (mesh or plastic depending on the items). You can do this for lost items, the dry cleaning or small items.
E – Evaluate what is and isn’t working for you. Take a few minutes to identify one or two area of your home that are clutter and ask yourself what’s working or not and brainstorm some solutions.

Using these “organizing” tips can help tame chaos and keep you clutter-free. I would love to hear a tip or two from you.

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Does Buying in Bulk Cost You More?

by Michaeline on July 24, 2010

Just because you can buy 20 pounds of chicken at a time or a 64 pack of paper towels, should you? Does it make sense for you to buy in bulk?

Buying in bulk can make sense, but keep these questions in mind:

• Do you the storage space for it?
• Will you use it within the next (you pick the time frame)?
• Is it the right size for your needs? A quart can of tomato paste, really?
• Will it end up costing your more in waste when you throw out an expired item?

I think that buying in bulk makes sense for some, just go with a plan and don’t impulse buy and you should be okay.

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What’s the Best Way to Organize Recipes?

July 17, 2010

As I was organizing and sorting my magazines (I was a little behind), I came across a great article in January 2010 issue of Prevention magazine that shared several ideas from authors, readers and staff about what works for them. Personally, I use two binders. One is small with page protector sheets that hold my [...]

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Organize Your Coupons

July 10, 2010

I had the pleasure of recently conducting a clutter seminar at a local library. The question of organizing coupons came up. The audience participated in brainstorming some ideas for coupon organization: • Organize by category or expiration date. Use a small accordion file labeled 1 -12 and placing the coupons in the respective tab (7 [...]

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Organizing Your Children: Chore Charts

June 26, 2010

Yes. Children should have fun because they grow up fast yet it is also important for our children to share and learn responsibility. Chores play an important role in keeping your home organized and running smoothly. There are chores that are age appropriate even for toddlers. Chores include children in family activities while teaching them [...]

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Easy Organizing Tips for Your Child’s Room

June 19, 2010

Do you constantly battle to get your child to clean their room? Do you wonder if you will ever see the floor in your lifetime? Organizational Expert Julie Morgenstern shared five tips for helping to organize your child’s room in the June 2, 2009 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. It really does make sense to [...]

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More on Teaching Your Children About Organization

June 12, 2010

I came across a great article on the Stacks and Stacks website that shares six rules that will help create order and teach your children how to organize. Children who have clean and organized rooms will get ready in the morning faster since there will be less chaos and confusion in their room. They will [...]

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Getting Your Children to Help You Stay Organized

June 5, 2010

With summer close and school almost done for the year wouldn’t it be great to have help from your family to keep the house organized and clutter-free this summer. But how do you engage your children in helping you clean up? In the May 1, 2010 Women’s Day magazine article: “Ready, set, get organized” Arianne [...]

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Stylish Storage: A Way to Stay Clutter-free

May 22, 2010

Having chic clutter cures are a great way to get motivated to clear clutter and keep it away. If I haven’t convenience you yet or if a reminder is needed…having a clear, fresh space will let you breathe easier, feel calmer and provide you with free space to allow new things in. By using boxes, [...]

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Financially Fit Paper Records

May 15, 2010

With tax season now over, if you haven’t already done so, it is time to get your tax records in order. Yahoo has a great article on what paper records to keep or toss. Here are some other tips for handling paper clutter: Set up a system now for collecting 2010 receipts and tax documents [...]

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