Organizing & DIY Link Party – Week 6

Link Up Your Posts!

I wanted to share some organizing ideas I found on the Better Homes & Gardens Blog

This is your typical plastic door shoe holder used for kitchen gadget storage.  They have it labeled nicely and secured it well at the top.  Check out that tiny trap door at the bottom! What’s up with that? Is it for a small dog, cat or a friendly mouse? lol

 

This mobile office could really come in handy for someone without an actual office in their home.  It could easily slide into a closet or the corner of a room.  It could also be transformed easily for a dinner party (change out the pencil/pen cups and put silverware cups in it’s place).

 

I always love these message centers.  Using the inside of your cabinet doors.  The key is to make sure you have the space to close the door. Especially where they have the sticky note holders, you would have that much less room for storage inside the cabinet.  Not an issue with the chalkboard section.  You can also use some metal as an insert and have a magnetic board. But it can still prove to be a very useful solution for many.

Share your DIY, crafts, decorating, organizing projects!

You can find the link for my button on my top “Buttons” Tab. (right now I only have the Organizing Mission Monday button, so it is fine to continue to grab that) 
1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or crafts or decorating are WONDERFUL!
4) No sales pitches or web sites.
5) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

I also have a Pinterest Link party on Fridays!! Be sure to check them out! Favorite Pin Friday!

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s on this post please Click here 
This party will be open until Feb 12, 2012 at 11:59pm

Pin It

Organizing an Office System

Plan a System so Your Office Will Flow Smoothly

Organizing any office, you have to consider the flow.  How will the office function the smoothest?  If you do not have any kind of plan, you will be wasting precious time and get frustrated. Why? Because you will be having to jump up to get things, or looking for things that should be right within hands reach. 

Let me show you a pictures from an  office that didn’t work.

Here is one that I was evaluated for a client.

Plan Office Zones

1) Plan your office in Zones
From where seated at your desk you should have zones.  The zones determine what you use daily, weekly and maybe monthly.

Zone A – The area right around your seat.  You use these things daily and should be within easy reach (scissors, stapler, pens/pencils, paper, file drawer that you access daily)

Zone B – Area just outside of Zone A.  Not too far away, maybe  along reach or turning your desk chair around to reach the copier or extra ream of paper.

Zone C – Items you don’t use nearly as frequently. Supplies, extra pencils, staples for stapler, files that you don’t access daily.

2) Clean out and sort your office

Decide what you use in the office. No kids games, no sewing projects, no basketballs (you get the picture)
Decide if you like it, use it and need it – if so.. keep it  If not decide if it should go into another room, be donated or thrown away.

3) Plan out what you are going to use in your office for storage and where it will go
I suggest planning it on graph paper. Measure and make sure things will fit the way you want them.

4) Put your office back together again after cleaning it well.

The After picture

Just a little bit of good planning can make an office very functional.

This was written as a guest post for Daze of Adventure last January.

 

Organizing Mission Monday Link Party – Week 33

Back Up Your Computer!!

Do you do it?  If your computer crashed or stopped working, would everything on it be saved?

Is it one of those things that you have on your “forever do list”?  It is something you “intend” to do, but just haven’t gotten around to it?

Then do it!!

I have a good friend who just had her computer zapped in an electric storm, someone else who lost her computer on a trip.  Everything was gone.  No back ups!
Imagine losing all your pictures, all your paperwork you have saved. Everything!

I don’t back my computer up everyday. I should… I know. It is as simple as plugging it in when I go to bed and hitting a button.

But I do always back it up before I leave on a trip or take it into the Apple Store.  Thank goodness I did that last week.  I backed it up and went into the Apple Store.  I needed a new hard drive. When I got it back the next day it was back to square one, none of my data was on it.  But I plugged in my external hard drive and reloaded everything that had previously been on there.  (phew)

I am looking to get some of my pictures off of my computer. I hate to do it, because I am constantly going to them looking for one for a post, or that someone wants a copy of – but I have over 100g of memory being used on my pictures.

It will also be good if I do back my pictures up to an internet site. Then if I am on another computer, I can still access my pictures.

How do you back your computer up? How often do you do it?

Link up to My Linky Party

What is happening in your life this week? But as always you can link up any organizing or cleaning or DIY post to my link party.

You can find the link for my button and also my “Proud to Be Featured Button” on my top “Buttons” Tab.

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning or DIY or decorating
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.
7) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Looking for other link parties? I have a whole list of them. Thumbnail via day above and keep scrolling down to find a more extensive text lists by day on my link party list. If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple. If You Are On A Reader and Want to View All the Great Link Up’s Please Click Here.
This link party is open until next Sunday evening

Organizing Mission Monday Link Party – Week 13

It’s Almost Spring! How is Your Spring Cleaning Coming?

I have tacked a few projects myself that I will be sharing posts later with you.  I have so many more lined up, it is just a matter of making the time to do them.  I bet that sounds familiar doesn’t it?   But I am adding the decorating component into my spring cleaning this year.

I am going to be working on my medicine cabinet tomorrow!  So start thinking about how you want to clean yours out!

Featured Bloggers This Week!

Mel from Mama Buzz and Real Heart Prints – Closet & Movie Cabinet

Mel took her closet from this:

BEFORE:

To This!

AFTER

See what all she did by visiting her at Real Heart Prints !  You can also see how she added a shoe mirror onto her door to check out those shoes before you walk out the door.  Then you can get the bonus of seeing her organized movie cabinet also.

Jo from Creative Collage -  Master Bedroom Closet Makeover

I’m am so impressed with this!  Check it out.

Jo’s master bedroom closet:

BEFORE

Here is her after, but keep in mind, Jo did all of this herself!  She didn’t have a company come in and install it, she didn’t buy it pre-made and install it… she made it ALL herself!

AFTER

Didn’t she do an awesome job?   She goes through the tutorial of how she did it on her blog, so be sure to check out The Creative Collage.

Bianca from Walnut Avenue – Office Makeover

Bianca took her office from this:

BEFORE

She had an inspiration picture that you can see on her blog post, but she knew the look she wanted in her office. She said in her post that she isn’t finished with the entire office, but look at the cool arrangement that she has made so far.

AFTER

She has really made great use of shelves for her office! I love them.  Be sure to stop by and read her post about her office on her blog Walnut Avenue!

Be sure to stop by both of my featured bloggers today and give them some “comment love”

For those of you who were featured this week, please pick up your button (code below the button) for your blog!

<center><a href=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/featured-mission-monday-1.jpg “/></a></center><br/>

Link up to my Link Party

Link up any organizing or cleaning post to my link party!!

But this week I encourage you to start working on your medicine cabinets!  I will be having a blog post tomorrow on how I did that, so be watching!!

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Rules

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog

2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)

3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it

4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning

5) No sales pitches or web sites.

6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.

8) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Be sure to check out my list of link parties

If you have a link party.. please link it up! Underneath the daily buttons there is a list of text links I have compiled too! (Many more there!)

If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple.

This will be open until Sunday March 27th.

I LOVE your comments!!

Label Those Cables!

Labeling all those Cables Can help You to Keep Them Organized

We can make life so much less complicated by just a few little things. Take for instance labeling all those cables and electrical cords we have all over the place!

I have used several different methods.  One that I have used for a long time are these little clips that clip onto the cord and then you write on the label.

But there have been 2 problems with this method of labeling.  The biggest problem I had was that they would come unclipped. The second problem is that the sticker falls off, like this one did (and was stuck back on)

The other tried and true method is using a sticky label. This works well and is cheap.  The problem is that it does get ragged and eventually will tear.

I was relabeling my cords when I was organizing and decided instead of the sticker labels like in the photo directly above I would use a labeler (just to show my readers how sophisticated I am! LOL )

So I cut off all the new labels that I made (like in the very top photo) and made nice printed ones with my label maker.  I used red tape, mainly because I don’t use it for much and I didn’t want to waste my white tape on this.

There.. doesn’t that look nice? I won’t go into what a pain it was to try and line up the tape so that both sides meet… and how you have to put a bunch of spaces before and after the wording so that the words are out showing.. and not wrapped around the cord, so that you can’t read it.  I also won’t mention unsticking and resticking it to try and not have wrinkles in it .. because it just looks so nice!

Here is one before I took off the white label.  I wish I had just left the white labels on.  You know why?

Because within a couple of hours… look at what happened to my nice labels! They are ALL coming unstuck!! Are you kidding me?  I used a lot of that tape (which isn’t cheap I might add)  Arrgghhh…

Since I was working with the duct tape by now (after I did this project) I decided to make labels out of the bright duct tape.

That label isn’t going any place!  It is easy to write on… sticks well and easy to read. I think it would take years before it would tear off!

In conclusion:

Label your cords to make life easier
Don’t use a labeler
Make life easy – buy a roll of bright duct tape. You will have all the cord labels you will ever need and you won’t have to worry about it tearing off or falling off.

Feel free to link up or just visit my Organizing Mission Monday Link Party!

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I LOVE your comments!!

More Solutions for Cable and Cord Clutter

From Toilet Paper Rolls and Duct Tape to Binder Clips – Four Solutions to Organize Your Cords and Cables

All those cables! Yuck!

I recently reorganized my office and I’m amazed myself how much electricity I have going on in this room!  Two lamps, a desk top, a lap top, modem, wireless router, external hard drive, printer, pencil sharpener (as she looks around the office to see what else is plugged in) shredder, clock radio and of course my electric blanket!  I know… it sounds like oodles doesn’t it?  It is, but I’m sure not unlike many of your offices.

So obviously I have a lot of cords.  I got discussed yesterday when I pulled out my chair to clean and saw a pile of cords. I’m thinking… ok I am an organizer, I need to do something to organize this mess.

I am going to give you five solutions that may help you organize your mess. None of them are very expensive and one of them can use your creative juices!

Solution #1 – Cable Organizer from The Container Store

I purchased this cable organizer from The Container Store over a year ago and had never put it to use. So… I got it out and decided to try it out.

You open it up by pulling back on the rubber edges and wrap your cord around it. There are different sizes, this was one of the larger ones. I am using an extension cord on this and it fits fine. I don’t think I’d be able to fit anymore though.

See how it wraps around. If you are only using one cord and need some extra length I don’t think it would be hard to unwind at all. If you were to get several cords in there, it might get a little messy. (picturing a skein of yarn)

You then just fold down the edge and your done!

Then it looks like this

You can find this at The Container Store and it runs around $15, so if you need very many it can be a pricey option. I have seen other ones also called the turtle that are basically the same idea, I don’t think they look as cool as this though.

Solution #2 Using Binder Clips To Help Organize Cables

This is not my original idea, I have seen it in several places and I have no idea who originally posted or came up with the idea. They all use this same picture from this post. That solution does not work for me.  I have a huge thick desk and a binder clip would not clip on the back edge like that.   I took these pictures showing another possible way you could use this down lower on a desk to keep it hidden, although I still like the other solution better. (I’m thinking on the back of the desk)

Problems with this solution – You can’t have a plug end that is bigger than the opening of the binder clip.

Then if you have a thick desk like me… it won’t work.   But I do think it is a neat way to have your cords accessible. It doesn’t really organize the underneath mess though.

Solution #3 – Command Strip by 3M

I have been using these 3M Command strips for a couple of years now and I love them.  These are attached to the leg of my desk right by my chair. I have my computer cable, Seagate external hard drive back up cable and my 2nd monitor screen cable right at hand. I don’t have to go searching on the floor to find them when I need them.

Here is another picture of them from a little further away.  Ideally I should have positioned them on the back of the desk leg so they wouldn’t be so visible.  But, it is no problem to take them off and put another adhesive strip on the back and reuse them. I have also used them along my desk top to keep cords along an edge.

Solution #5 Using Empty Toilet Paper Rolls and Duct Tape to create Sleeves and organizing cubbies

You can see my  post from yesterday called Organizing Cords and Cables that I did showing how to make both of these projects.

Cable sleeve

Cord Connector Cubbies

The 2nd project I used empty toilet paper rolls and duct tape was to make organizational cubbies for my connector cords.

Feel free to link up or just visit my Organizing Mission Monday Link Party!

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I LOVE your comments!! You can leave them here or from my tab at the top.

Organizing Cables & Cords!

Using  Toilet Paper Rolls & Duct Tape To Organize Your Cables and Cords!

I got this idea from a post that House on Ashwell Lane posted on my Organizing Mission Monday link party a few weeks back. I thought it was great. This was more of a variation of that idea. (but my 2nd solution is just about the same thing as hers) I’m not sure if this was her idea, or if she saw it somewhere else. But after I saw it, I started saving my empty toilet paper rolls. I also bought some duct tape in fun colors.

Solution #1  Creating Sleeves for organizing the electrical cord clutter.

I covered the toilet paper rolls with the duct tape. Since my office accent colors are lime green and hot pink I thought that was a natural choice. But I also liked the black and white and thought I might need something a little more calm.

I started with the pink duct tape.  It took 3 wraps around. I could have cut it width wise to fit and do closer to 2 1/2 times, and then I wouldn’t have had the over lap. It’s up to you.

Take the cord and wind it up so it is a little longer than the size of the roll.

Take the toilet paper roll and thread the plug through the roll first, and then work the bulk of the cord slowly in.

I realized as I put this extension cord through, that had I not used duct tape around the roll, it would have split.

There you go! I think that looks cute!

Next I covered a green one. That cord was not as large and I knew the cord would end up falling out. Hmmm…what to do?

I used a piece of tape to cover the ends.

Do that on both ends and then you don’t have to worry about the cord falling out.

My next one was the black and white one. I ended up using this one more as a pass through with a couple of bigger cables. I think I would rather have a paper towel roll… oh.. or even a wrapping paper roll for this (options are endless! LOL) but it gives you the idea. I did wrap up one of the smaller cords extra bulk into it.

So this is what the cords look like behind my chair now. I also labeled them for easy identification.

I also used the black and white on the other side of the room where it is more open and visible.

Solution #2 – Organizing Your connector and charging cords

Here is another idea and this one is really more the post that House on Ashwell Lane did. This was my original intent for saving the toilet paper rolls, because I wanted to figure out something for my camera connectors.

I covered four more rolls (saving toilet paper rolls in a household of seven doesn’t take real long..lol) and then had to figure out how to attach them together. I did not want to put them down in a box. I wanted to use them on my shelf and have the openings pointing out towards me, not up in the air.

I used the green tape to tape them together. Looks a little goofy… but its fun. (actually reminds me of sticks of dynamite from the Road Runner cartoon or something.)

But I still wasn’t satisfied. It was just sitting loose on the shelf and even though the four rolls were attached to each other, I knew that each time I pulled a cable connector in or our I would have to hang onto the rolls. So I decided to stabilize them in a basket.

Now I am back to having to reach down in and the shelf I want these on is up above my head. So….

I’m making progress, but still need some more stabilization. I tried and two more rolls would fit right in the empty spaces.

I didn’t end up attaching the extra two, there was no need to. I had cleaning clothes for my camera and computer and they worked in here perfectly!

It works for me! Obviously I can add to it if I need to. How is that for a low cost fun organizing project?

What do you think?  Like it.. think it is craaazzyy…. or are you going to start saving your toilet paper rolls (don’t save them if you aren’t going to do the project thought….or you will just end up with a bunch of toilet paper clutter!)

Feel free to link up or just visit my Organizing Mission Monday Link Party!

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I LOVE your comments!! You can leave them here or from my tab at the top.

I’m linking this post to:

(I went back to text links because I had such a hard time getting the buttons to link up nicely, and they were driving me crazy! Althought I loved using them)

A Bowl Full of Lemons
Sassy Sites
Tip Junkie
The Shabby Nest
I’m an Organizing Junkie
Belle Before and After
Thrifty Decor Chick
Beyond The Picket Fence
Handy Man Crafty Woman

Organizing Mission Monday – Week 10

How has your organizing been going this week?   How about those offices?

I am basically finished with the offices, but I did have a few more posts this week on organizing electrical cords. I suppose that could fall under offices… but we have electrical cords everywhere – so, let’s just be done with offices. I’m ready to move on…what about you?  lol

Featured Bloggers For This Week

Jen from Simply Living: Organized Work Space

I really like this magnetic board that Jen made.  I was actually looking at something like this when I was at Ikea. The magnets I did buy when I was there, and I held off buying the magnetic board thinking I could find a piece of metal and could do something with it for less money.  After that I see Jen’s post! lol  So perfect.

She used fabric to cover the the white board she got at Ikea, and used those fun magnetics that I also bought.

You can see all of Jen’s post with a tutorial on how she made her magnetic board on her blog Simply Living.

DaNita from Delightful Order on her Desk Makeover

It is amazing the difference a coat of paint and a rug can make to a room!  Great vision DaNita, I love it!

I thought it looked pretty good already…. but DaNita had other thoughts.  (Ok..notice the cord from the computer. They drilled a hole in the desk and another one through the back to keep it hidden! I’ve been working on organizing cords this week… maybe that is why I noticed that.)

Doesn’t that look great?  You can see the rest of the blog post on her blog Delightful Order. If you keep looking around her awesome blog, you will see the finished office/craft room!

Georgette from Pink Calaveras with Free Storage Shelf Makeover

This is such a cute shelf that Georgette made over.  She found it on her base where her hubby is stationed in the Air Force. She said he didn’t see the potential  in it, but she did. Here is the “before”

Then after she worked her magic on it… here is the “after”

It almost looks like it is attached to the wall behind it. I think it looks great!  Check out the rest of her post on her blog Pink Calaveras.

For those of you who were featured this week, please pick up your button (code below the button) for your blog!

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Link up to my Link Party

Link up any organizing or cleaning post to my link party!!

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Rules

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Please Link back to my blog with my button or link (link just above underneath my button)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning
5) No sales pitches or web sites.
6) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog.
8) Feel free to link up more than 1 post.

Be sure to check out my list of link parties! If you have a link party.. please link it up! Underneath the daily buttons there is a list of text links I have compiled too! (Many more there!)

If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple.
I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

This will be open until Saturday night Feb. 26th.
I LOVE your comments!!

Guest Post

10 Ways To Organise & Store Printed Receipts

by James Adams

Despite our ever increasing cyber and virtual worlds, it seems that printed, hardcopy items will still always be with us. As much as we loathe the paper mess and paper chase, especially when it comes to printed receipts, it’s just a necessary evil we have to accept. We require them for business reimbursement and for record keeping when it comes to proper accounting for tax purposes. Here are 10 ways to organise and store our printed receipts.

#1. Assort and collect your receipts by their very purpose. Use separate manilla file folders for each category. Put all your restaurant receipts in one file, all your gas receipts in another, all your travel receipts in a third, and all your other shopping related receipts in a fourth. This way, at the drop of a hat, you can quickly locate any subject-specific receipt.

#2. Organise your domestic and foreign receipts separately. You might be taxed differently on these. For travel purposes, for example, have two subfolders: one for domestic flights, cabs, rental cars, gasoline and repairs, and a second for all foreign travel expenses. You will easily be able to differentiate them this way.

#3. Store your receipts by the specific amounts on the tab. A good suggestion is to have one file folder allotted to all receipts under $50 and another for every receipt over $50. You can further subcategorise them by, for example, domestic travel under $50, and domestic travel over $50. Or by flights under $100 and for those over $100. This way you’ll know which are your biggest tax write offs right up front. You’ll be prepared by utilising this method and you’ll be able to pluck each one right out of it’s respective folder.

#4. Organise everything chronologically. Have separate physical files organised by each week or by the month. Pick coloured files for easier recognition. You can select blue for January, red for February, and so on. Simply label each file by month as well for ultra fast chronological recognition.

#5. Use Shoebox.com  to do organise them for you. Since the old shoebox method is not very organised, a company came out with a virtual shoebox. Shoebox.com will allow you to mail them all your receipts in a postage paid envelope. They will then scan and organise all your receipts in any organisational category you desire, Plans start as low as $9.95 per month.

#6. Scan your receipts and store as PDFs. If you have a quality scanner, you can easily scan all your printed receipts into easy to read PDF format for organisational purposes. One top scanner that’s out there is Fujutsu’s ScanSnap. For around $399.95, software included, you can own a state of the art scanner that scans black and white pages at the fast rate of 18 pages per minute. Go to ScanSnap.com for more information. Make sure you immediately name your files the moment you store it. You can easily get into the habit of scanning 40-50 receipts a day for a most effective and efficient organisational approach.

#7. Make sure all your receipts are in one place. Don’t have them scattered all over the place, such as some in your wallet, some on the back seat, some in your suit pockets, others in your desk draw, and so on. Using just one separate file folder or even just an old shoebox is a good start if you’re not in the habit yet of being very organised with your printed receipts.

#8. Keep a fixed routine vis-a-vis how often you organise your receipts. Most organised people perform this task quite frequently, say once a week, on the same day each week, such as a Friday. If you let it stretch too far without any organisational effort and muscle thrown in, you’ll quickly grow overwhelmed, and you’ll probably throw your hands up in the air in frustration and stop trying at all. So stay regular with this.

#9. Use a simple spreadsheet program to help keep track of receipts. The one that comes with your MS Office suite is perfectly fine, such as PowerPoint. Such a free program will allow you to enter information such as date, amount, place, category, and purpose. It can make all the difference in the world, and help your organisational efforts get up and running.

#10. Try a simple filing cabinet. Get a sturdy. locking one with the hanging files and the colour-coded, alphabetised tabs. The best way to go here is to organise alphabetically either by category purpose or geographical place. It’s fast and easy, and you should drop your receipts into each respective file as often as you receive them. Don’t let them pile up.

As you can see, organising your printed receipts is not such an arduous, overwhelming process, after all. Get started today, and feel that peace of mind that comes with being on top of things.

James Adams reviews products for Cartridge Save, the top store in the UK specialising Cheap Ink Refills. James has written articles including this one on 25 of the Best Home Office Mac Set Ups

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Organize Your Store Receipts

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in. If you aren’t sure how to link up to a link party, be sure to stop by and read my link party tutorial

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

Photo by Sandy Jenney

Organize with Wall Units

Organize with Style

I just think these wall unit cubby’s look so nice.  You can use them in so many different ways.  I want to show you a couple different examples.

Wall Unit in a PlayRoom at Jamie’s House

This is a wall unit in my husbands niece’s house. She has five children of her own and babysits several others while most of hers are at school.

She has all the little toys stored in the canvas bins.  I am pretty sure she told me the units were not from Ikea.  There are two of the cubby units on either side of a tall book shelf.  But it works great for her space and needs.

Wall Unit in a Spare Bedroom for Crafts at Barb’s House

I had one of my readers send this picture to me several weeks ago.  Barb has the Ikea Expedit in her spare bedroom.  It is the 4×4 size with the 2×4 extension on it she said.  She has used several of the drawer units and it works great for her crafts.

Organizing in an Office At Sandy’s House

Most of you have seen the Ikea Expedit unit I recently bought and put up in my office. (I know… you’ve seen it a bunch.. but I’m just going to show what I did with a few of the cubby units)

I already had the hot pink and lime green theme going in my office.  For right now I’m sticking with it, until another color combination hits me.  I did purchase 3 of the Ikea clear drawers. They are really a light purple and after configuring them several different ways, I settled on them doing down the center.

I use my canvas cubby’s along the bottom.  I have my books across the top shelf.  I have them organized by category

I have my organizing books in three of the cubby’s.  I then have some books on blogging and photography in another section.

I’m personally not a fan of laying some of the books horizontally and some vertically.  To me that looks messy.  I know it is a “style” and many love it, and that is fine. But I find it hard to access the books when you have to pull them out from other each other. I also feel like it takes up more space.

The one thing I like about the size of these cubbys is that they are taller than the ones I have from Target. My taller books can fit just fine in here.

I also purchased the 4 way divider unit for the cubby from Ikea.  It was how I was able to make the smaller units by my chair for the little baskets and my bill area.

Then of course I have my “drink” area for my water or coffee.  Since I am sitting right there in my recliner working, I wanted some place to put my water.

Do you have any Wall Units in your home that help you out?  I would love for you to show and tell!!

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Organize Your Wall Unit

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in. If you aren’t sure how to link up to a link party, be sure to stop by and read my link party tutorial

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

Guest Post

Tips for Organizing Your Computer Files

by Bailey Harris

If you save a lot of different documents, pictures, bookmarks, and other items on your computer, things can quickly become a mess. Before you know it, you can’t find what you’re looking for and by the time you do, you’re not interested in taking even more time to organize files and folders.

To avoid this sort of insanity, it is a good idea to take a few minutes each month to fix things that may have gotten out of hand. The following tips will help you get your computer files organized.

Internet Favorites

I love to cruise the web and frequently save sites in my “Favorites” folder. The result is a list of websites that is way too long to navigate.

I decided to fix the issue by creating a folder for each site category. I placed writing sites in one folder, education blogs in another, and writing research in a third. For ease of use, I left the sites that I use for work each day at the top of the list.

You can do the same thing by bringing up your Internet browser and then hitting Ctrl+I. (You need to hold both keys down at the same time.) Then, click on the arrow next to the “Add to Favorites” text on the top left of your screen. You will see a drop down menu with the option “Organize Favorites.” Choose this option. Another menu will come up, allowing you to create folders. Give your folder a descriptive name and then drag and drop your designated sites into the folder.

I also deleted all of the “Favorites” that I no longer use. When I finished, my Favorites list was much shorter and way easier to navigate.

Other Computer Files

My other computer files were also in disarray. Although I had several folders inside my “Documents” folder, I did not have enough, and as a result, my documents were terribly out of order.

To fix the problem, I created additional folders and sorted each document into an appropriate category. Now when I look for something, I don’t have to scroll through a long list of items or rely on the search feature to help me find my stuff.

You can so the same by entering the folder you need to organize and clicking on the “Organize” text on the top left of your screen. You will see a drop down menu with the option “New Folder.” Choose this option. A new folder will automatically be created. All you have to do is name it and drag and drop your documents into the correct place.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes for the Area Rug Store, a retail site that sells brand name area rugs.

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Organize Your computer files!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

HOW To Organize Your Files – Mission: Office

Files Revisited!

I did a post on organizing your files in a general sense. But I wanted to go a little deeper with you. I have had some people ask me specifics on how I set up my files.

Files can be our Friends

But for them to be our friends, they have to be organized well enough so that you can find what you are looking for.

With that being said… there is no one way that is “the way” to organize your files.

There are many recommended methods, but it all comes down to what works for the person who has to use the files… right?

I am going to recommend to you what I do.  If it works for you.. awesome!  If you want to alter it a bit to work for you.. awesome!  The point is to have some files that can function the way you need them to.

Some people file

Do you need to make labels from a label maker?  Absolutely not!  Does it look nice?  Sure…. but does it work to write it on the little pieces of paper that come with your files.  Heck yes! That is what I used until this “re-do”.  It worked fine, it just didn’t look as pretty.

I showed you what my files looked like before and after I reorganized them last month.  This is the “before”

This is how I organized them.  I had 4 drawers, but only used 3 of them.

Drawer 1:  Family / Personal Files

1) Bank – Monthly Statement (you can also have just online version) and receipts (only need to keep until you check your statements)
2) Bills Paid – statements after I pay bills ( some I shred right away after they are pd. Most I keep until the end of the year and then sort & shred)
3) Cable Bill -  Also includes Internet and sometimes phone
4) Car Insurance – Until next quarter/bi annual or annual statement comes
5) Cars & Repairs – As longs as you own that car
6) Christmas – I keep a copy of addresses I use for cards each year. Also a copy of each Christmas letter I write each year
7) Credit Cards – If I have important information about any card I might have.
8) Dogs – Shot records, adoption records
9) Flexible Spending – Copy of forms we need to send in information
10) Home Maintenance
11) Home Owner Insurance
12) Home Owner Association information
13) House Bill Sheet – My own record of when I pay my bills each month (old copy)
14) Life Insurance
15) Medical insurance

16) Nursing – I’m a nurse, so all my CEU’s, resume, certificates.
17) Store Receipts  – Only on things that are returnable – clothes, gifts (can get rid of after return period is over – but I do at the end of the year)
18) Taxes – receipts and info for just the present year
19) Verizon – cell phone carrier

Drawer#2 – My Business Information

I keep files for:

1) Each company I am doing work for
2) NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers)
3) Taxes
4) Trademark/Copyright/Vendor or Legal information and documentation
5) Client file
6) Income/Expense Records
7) Blog information

(This drawer I do in alphabetical order according to the part of my business it relates to – Social Media vs my Organizing Business)

Drawer #3 – My Kids Files

This drawer is my files for my boys and myself.  Dave also had started a file for his kids in his desk. Instead of having 2 separate files in 2 separate places, we consolidated. His kids are in his files, my boys are in my files.  Works for both of us.

Please keep -  A Copy of your Children Up To Date Immunization Records and kind and dose of any medication they are on in their files! (working at a pediatrician’s office you can’t imagine how many parents have no idea of what their children immunizations or medication and doses are.  If you have a Home Organizing Notebook you could keep it there also.

I also have a place for some of those pictures we all get. School photos, sports etc. Not snapshots from our cameras.

File Cabinet #2

Owner Manuals and Warranties

I have these divided into:

1) Appliances – Large
2) Appliances – Small
3) Cameras
4) Computer Equipment
5) Dell and Mini Laptops
6) Hunting
7) Kids Stuff
8) Outdoor Equipment

For us this hits about everything we need it for.  These folders are very customizable for your family and what you need to file.  Just keep the categories narrow enough to know where to look, but broad enough to not have a separate file for each manual

I have a 4 drawer file cabinet also in this office.  3 of the drawers are being used for other things, but one of them has files in it.  I didn’t have enough purple file folders and a zillion of the ugly old green ones, so I used these in this drawer.

Tips

1) Place your tabs on the front part of your file folder, not the back. It is easier to pull the tab forward to open the folder
2) Place your tabs all in the same slots – it keeps them in a row and actually makes them easier to see. (I used to space them out thinking it would be easier to see.  I redid these files, and they are easier because your eye is focusing in one row, it isn’t scanning back and forth looking for a label
3) Be consistent. Use either all label maker labels, or hand printed labels
4) Keep your writing bold and easy to read.. and brief

Important Files Tips

Please keep important original documents in a band deposit box or a fire proof safe. Such as passports,  social security cards, birth, marriage, divorce, or death certificates etc…
If you would like copies of them in a Home Organization Notebook (I still don’t recommend SS cards be kept there) then please make copies of them for that. These are records that you do not need routinely and if heaven forbid there were a fire, to replace these documents would be very painstaking.

What to Keep?

Do you have to save every little thing?  Nope!
Am I going to tell you exactly what you need to save?  Nope again… and unless it is your tax accountant that know your states laws…. don’t hold it to gospel.   Each state varies.  But I will give you some guidelines that I got off of the Good Housekeeping Site . I originally found this link from awesome Professional Organizer & friend Monica Ricci’s blog post.

1) Tax Records – 7 years
2) Investment Records – As long as you own them, and then another 7 years.
3) Bank Statements – 1 month (until you have verified your statement matches your records. Unless they have tax information on them)
4) Retirement Plans – 1 year   (Roth IRA until you retire)
5) Credit Card Statements – Shred immediately after you have verify they are accurate
6) Paychecks – 1 year (or until you have verified accuracy)
7) Bill – 1 Year
8) W-2 – Until you retire

Now… I’ll tell you a few of my personal thoughts.
I went through  a divorce  in 2000 – I learned that I had to have all kinds of bills, payments etc that went back 2 years when dealing with spousal and child support.  Not that I would ever say to think that way and save that way. But… if you are in the process of a divorce, or you still have children home and might have to deal with a change in spousal support – you might want to make sure you have access to a record of what your bills are. Or save 1 or 2 statements of each bill, paystub etc…. from the beginning /ending of each year. Just to have something for at least 2 years back.

You can get statements online, but if it is further back than what they allow.. you will pay a fee to get them.

A good investment might be a scanner set up for your receipts such as a Fujitsu Scan Snap or Neat Receipts .  I plan to get one of these for my Mac myself, so I’ll let you know for sure when and if I do.

Disclosure: The links for the scanners are not affiliate links.

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Organize Your File Drawer!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I’m linking this post to:

Password Directory – Mission: Office

Where Do You Keep Your Passwords?

In your head?  Do you keep them on the computer?  Yep… I tried it once, until my computer got a virus and I lost the list because I didn’t have it backed up. I’ve learned.

I know there are secure sites that you can keep them.  I haven’t tried that yet. Trust issue I guess.  I know that if I was backing up my computer every night instead of every week.. I wouldn’t have to worry.

But.. I keep them written down, the old fashion way I suppose.  In a notebook.

Any notebook will do. This is one that I had made up through Avery for a review. I love it, and thought it would be fun to use.  I used to have it in a plain pink notebook, but the binder clip was slipping, so I just changed to this one.

I don’t do anything fancy.  I used a protective sleeve for the first few pages just for protection

On the back of the main sheet I have my blogger “will” as such.  Have you thought of that?  If something happens to you, who knows how to get into your sites and let your friends know or shut them down if need be?  My husband wouldn’t have a clue, nor would he care as he said. He said the last thing on his mind if something happened to me would be worrying about my blogs.

I have at least gotten through to him where the information is, and who he can contact in order for them to help take care of any accounts, blogs etc.. that need to be seen to.

I did not go out and buy anything when I made up my password directory.

What I did need:
1) notebook
2) paper
3) dividers
4) computer/printer

I didn’t have enough dividers, so I made my own.  I just got colored paper, and used a sticky tab for the letters.

I did this about 2 years ago and they are still working great.  Of course dividers would be ideal, but I want to let you know that simple works!
I also like to reinforce the edges of the papers.   I didn’t have to do it on all of them, but I did it on the most frequently used pages.
So you have the notebook set up.  What I did next was to create an excel form.  Nothing fancy or flowery (not that  I don’t love that stuff, but I just don’t think about it when I am making up a form for myself)

I save this and make copies to use in each letter of the alphabet.

Here is how I set it up.  On the far left the date – so anytime I add an entry, I date it. I write down the html for the site, not just the site name.

I then write down what email I use. I have a personal and a work email.  I also write down the user name if there is one for the site.

Then in the next column I write the password.  Be sure to write if things are capital or there are spaces. A zero might look more like a letter “O”. So be careful when you write them out.
The last column I wrote because I have 3 blogs. But I will sometimes just write notes in this space.

That is it.  I write any new password down, I write new sites I join, I write anything that I might need to remember having to do with getting onto or into a site.

I have heard some people say that they just keep it all in their heads.  If they are able to do that, wonderful.  But.. what happens if something should happen to that head and it can’t remember things anymore?  #just sayin!

I keep my password directory near my chair for easy access.  I do not announce it to my kids, nor do I have the front of my notebook labeled. It isn’t something that everyone should know or have access to (other than my husband)

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Make a Password Directory!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

Organizing Income and Expenses – Mission: Office

Owning A Business It Is Important To Keep Track Of The  Income & Expenses

Tax time creeps up fast and if you haven’t been keeping track of what is coming in and what is going out monthly, then you will have one big job at the end of the year!

It doesn’t have to be hard.
Here is a very simple method that can help to keep things straight and distressed at tax time.

I used two cheap plastic trays and labeled one “Expenses” and the other one “Income”

They fit in the white cubby unit I have beside my chair, but you don’t have to have them in there of course.

I then get 24 manila folders and label them Jan – December “Income” and Jan – Dec. “Expenses” with the year.  It doesn’t have to be labeled fancy or with a labeler.  A sharper might have been better than just an ink pen like I used though. I wrote OWS for Organize with Sandy, the month, year and either expenses or income on each one.
I then take all but the present month and put them in a file folder in my file.  Yes.. they are all empty at this point.

I place the present month on the appropriate tray. (you can see that in the pic above with the trays)  Now… you could just stop there and grab that envelop every time you have a receipt or a payment come in. But .. we all know the easier it is to access.. the better success rate we have in doing it. Right?

So I made these two folders.

I put the folders in the trays on top of the envelops.

Each time a payment comes in or I have a receipt, I just slip it in the folder.  When it sits there.. they are just slightly opened and it makes it nice and easy.

The tray below I use to place anything else that I need to file in my business files.

At the end of the month, I make sure that I take all the info and put it into my spreadsheet online.

I made a simple spreadsheet in excel. I make the template and each month I can bring it up, add in month at the top and fill it out. There are a couple of expenses that are the same each month, I added those in so I wouldn’t forget, such as hosting payment and phone expenses.

It really only takes a short amount of time (depending on the amount you have coming in or going out each month), but shouldn’t tae you more than 1/2 hour each month.

Then put those receipts in the given manila folder for that month. Done!

Tip: I leave the month previously out also. It seems there is always some stray receipts in your purse etc.. that will need to go in the previous month.  It just makes it easier if the envelop is right there rather than walking across a room and opening up the file drawer to get it.

So for March, I would do my March expenses, place income in the income envelop and the same for expenses.  I would then take my “January” file folder (that should have gotten any strays in it during Feb.) and file it in the drawer.  I would then take out the previously prepared March Income and March Expense envelop and place those on top of Febuary… and under the colorful file folders. Ready to go.

Simple – nothing fancy – nothing complicated – You can do it kind of thing!

There are of course Many ways to accomplish this.  Here is a way I tried at first, but it didn’t’ work for me.  I was going to use a “drop in” method.  I think this would be a great way to do it too. Nice and easy.  It didn’t work for me because I had them in a cubby unit by my chair. I had to pull it out to put full size sheets in. Just too cumbersome to flow easy in my office.  But I think it would work great if it sat on top of a desk.

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Reorganize Your Income & Expenses!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

Organizing The Bills – Mission: Office

Bills are like Laundry – Never Ending and they cause us stress

We all have to pay the bills (yucky poo) and keeping good credit while doing so is important.

If your bills aren’t organized, they will get out of hand. Then you end up with late payments and a mess on your credit score.  I had a client that as we cleaned off her kitchen counters and island (where she did her bills) along with a couple other rooms in the house.. we found no less than a dozen credit cards (I bet it was closer to 2 dozen.. no lie) that had her name on it.. and just needed to be activated.  I saw her one afternoon pick up one of the cards still stuck to the paper and use it to pay a bill that was late.  I felt bad for her. Her bills and financial situation were so “cluttered” .. and had become something that was totally out of control for her.

I am not going to tell you how to manage your money.  But I will put out my piece of advice – if you use credit cards… pay them off in full each month.

What I will do is show you the system I use for paying my bills.  There are a zillion different ways.  I would love to see your system! So be sure to write a post and show us… so we can help others.  Then link it up.

The bills come in and I put sort them like I showed you in my Mail – Mission Office post. I reorganized my one mail slot to have a little more order than I did in my other post. (I’m still adjusting in my new office… there are lots of little tweeks that I am making)

The top left is where my bills go after I have sorted out the mail and these are things that have to be paid.  The bottom basket is everything (other than envelops) that I need to get my bills done.

I brought up this little mail sorter from the basement and it fit in this cubby perfect.  It took me from this:

To this: Looks much nicer doesn’t it?  I hadn’t figured out what I was going to use when I took the first picture.

I separate – on the left are bills that haven’t been opened.
The first slot of the sorter are bills that need to be paid
In the middle slot I now have our payment book for the car and my bill payment sheets
In the last slot I have a few things that I need to keep close at hand when paying bills.

It is just a little metal sorter that I have had for years.
I keep track of my bills and what I have paid by hand.  I make up a “bill pay” sheet each year, or just copy last years as I did this year (even forgot to change the year a the top – but it is just for me to see, or my hubby…so no need for glamor)

I keep it right in with my bills, so I can always look to see what I have paid and what I still need to pay for the month.

I put the months across the top and the bills that we pay down the side. As I pay it, I write in the date I pd and the amount I paid.

I know this could all be done online, but there are some things I still just like to hold in my hand.  I like having it there with my bills, easy to see, hubby can see anytime.  I actually have two of them.  The tan one is all my regular home bills.  Then I have one with purple spaces on it, it is my bills for my business and some other finances.

I use a combination of actually paying the bills.  I do mostly online bill pay.  I have a few automated each month that are always the same.  It makes it nice to be able to go in and check the payment, write in the amount, pick the date you want it paid… and be done.  Be sure to always document your confirmation numbers though.

There are always some bills that aren’t in the system (usually medical) that I don’t want to set up an account for. I just pay them by check. (Aren’t my M&M checks cute? Love them)

Here is the process I use when paying my bills:

1) Bills come into house – sorted
2) Pay twice a month
3) Pay online – all regular bills
4) Pay by check any others that have to go out
5) Document confirmation # or Ck # on the bill stubs
6) Document payments on my bill sheet
7) Put bill stubs in my “to be filed” bin.
8) Stamp up my bills going by mail and send them off

I also have everything close at hand to get bills ready to go out the door.  The basket on lower left below my bills has everything I need other than the envelops to get the bills out the door if they go by mail.

I have a calculator, return address labels, stamps, stamper for checks (for deposit only for my business) and staple remover.

I have my envelops in the drawer right beside my office chair.  It is easy to get to them.  Two different sizes, I always get the envelops that you can’t see through. If I end up with others, I give them to the kids to use for lunch money, etc.
Tip: Tear off the lids to the boxes for easy access.

That is my process – I hope it can be of help. But I would love to hear yours.. share it to help others with what system might be best for them!

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Show me your Bill Paying Process!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

Organizing the Paper Clutter – Mission: Office

Those Papers Coming Into The House – They are  never ending!

I discussed my mail system here, but I wanted to go into more detail with you today on how I handle the rest of the paper trail.

Over the next week I am going to go over how to handle in more detail, so be sure to follow along!

1) Bills
2) Files and how to Organize Them
3) Daily paper file or “Command Center”
4) Receipts /Income and how to handle that for a home business
5) Password Directory

Mail Comes in from the Mail Box or School Papers

You can see my post on “mail” here.

1) One Central Location For Mail

Have just one central location that the mail is to be places when it comes into your house. Make sure each family member that might bring mail into the house has 1 place to put it. That way it isn’t left on the kitchen counter one day, dining room table another, couch – underneath the newspaper another day.. you get the point.

2) Sort It

Separate out your spouse’s mail  or if you have another person in the household that routinely gets mail and have a specific spot that you place that when you sort it from the main “mail hot spot”

A) Bills To Be Paid

B) To Do

This will go into your Daily Files  or “command file center”. School conferences, appointments, things you have to follow up on.

C) To File

Papers that you need to keep. There are no “pending actions” to be taken on these papers.

D) Junk Mail – To be Shredded

You can see my post on shredders here.

If you have a specific plan for your paper trail, it will make it run much more smoothly. If you don’t have a plan, things will get lost, be late, appointments missed and life will be a bit more chaotic.

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Track your Paper Trail!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

Organizing Your Paper Command Center – Mission: Office

How Do You Deal with All the Daily Papers?

I have my daily paper command center, but it needed a bit of an overhaul now that I have my new office set up.

I have tried several different solutions for paper command centers.  Several I have used because I have reviewed them.  You can see them at the end of this post.

I use this Paper command file to deal with daily papers coming in.  This is not for my bills.  This is not for all the drawings that Johnnie and Suzie bring home from school.  (I only keep 1 or 2 of those and they go into the file drawer in their folders) This is for all those papers that you need to follow up on, do immediately or need to reference quickly.

For the other papers

But I have a cubby by my chair in my office that I have plans to put my paper command center.  So I had to have a system that would fit and also would be easy to file papers in.

I went down to my basement where I have some organizing supplies that I have used in the past or plan to use.  Here I found the back plastic filer that has drop in separate file hangers.  These all fit into a file box, but I’m not using it that way now.

I got it all cleaned up.

I also cleaned the individual files boxes that fit down in. Each one of these has a specific function

1) Home

2) Business

3) Medical

I went through each file and decluttered it.  I made the following decisions when I sorted

1) Keep

2) File

3) Toss (recycle)

Then I made new labels using my label maker.  I’m not one who makes labels for every little thing in my house, I’m not teasing when I say the label maker tape can get expensive – but I do think it really makes the file tabs look awesome!

I color coded the labels.  Blue is for home.  Yellow is for work.  Green is for Medical / expenses for step kids

I already had everything, but didn’t have enough of the same color file folders to do them all purple, or red etc.  I did have enough to do the ugly old green..and I had to use those in the last section.. but I at least got to use the purple ones up front where I’ll see them.

I do suggest that you put the file tabs on the front part of the file folder.  I also suggest that you put them all lined up in a row. It is easier to see them lined up rather than darting all back and forth if they are spaced out.

Here is how I broke them down.  Of course we all have different needs and priorities in our homes, so more than likely my system won’t be your system.

This is my Family section of my Paper Command Center

Keep in mind these are not for long term paper storage. That would be the file cabinet.  This is for

1) Home Business – anything pertinent to the home, but not designated to a specific person.

2) I grouped the triplets together because most of what they get pertains to school or karate and it is all the same anyway

3) Each other family member has their own file, including Dave and I

Now for the medical.  For me this includes insurance, dealing with 2 ex’s and the kids medical and other expenses that have to be split.

The last folders are the ones I use most often. They will go in the front of my command center.  It is for my business.

In the very front I have a “To Do” folder.  This is the place that I will put papers that have immediate need.  This is not for bills (that is in a separate location that I will go over in another post). Then I have broken down the areas of my business that I need.  This might include for you

1) To Do

2) Projects

3) Banking

4) Specific projects might get their own folder

5) Income/Expenses (mine are separate, I’ll show you in another post)

Then each of these 3 separate drop in sections fit down in the main one.

I place the “home section” in the back.  The “medical” section in the middle and the “business section” up front – so it looks like this when it is complete.

Then it fits right beside my chair where I can have instant access to it.

I just pull it out a bit and can slip papers in very easily.

So what do I do with all those other papers that need to be filed and go into the file drawers?  Like receipts for bills that were paid, or that special paper that Johnnie or Suzie brought home that I don’t have time to run over to my file drawer and file right now.

Those go into my general file bin that I will sort and file at the end of each month.  At my old desk set up it was a stackable plastic tray.   So I just put them right down below in this pink cubby.

From this pink bin.. they go straight to my file cabinet.

Just to refresh your memory:

Paper Command Center “Before”

Paper Command Center “After”

Here are a few other Paper Command centers that I have reviewed in the past and that might work better for you.  Remember, none of us are the same, we have different needs and we have different systems that might work better for us than others.  Don’t ever think you have to fit into a cookie cutter mold and do something exactly like someone else.

One of these other systems that I have reviewed in the past might work better for you.

The “In Place System” by Peter Walsh

The PileSmart® Desktop Organizer Tray by Pendaflex

You might also like the Smead File System

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Show me your Paper Command File!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

Organizing Mission Monday – Mission: Office Week 8

This Week We’re Working On Paper!

This week on Organizing Mission Monday I am going to be concentrating on all that Paper clutter we have to constantly deal with.

But here is a list of the Mission: Office posts that I have done so far:

1) Your Files
2) Your Mail System
3) The Shredder
4) Pen & Pencil Clean Out
5) Organizing Your Desk Drawer
6) My Office – Before
7) My Office – After
8) Shelf Organizing
9) Organizing Sales from Home
10) Office Chair

Please visit my Featured Bloggers for this Week:

Featured bloggers please pick up the “Proud To Be Featured On Organizing Mission Monday” button

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Talking Dollars and Cents – 52 Weeks of Organizing Challenge

Alexandra tackles her files!  Now she is ready for her taxes! lol

My Chaotic Home – Home Management Binder

Patty did a great job making a Home management binder.  I love her her page that she made up for who she does this for.

A Tall Drink of Water – Office Makeover … well, sort of

Rachel reorganized her office in her bedroom.  Working with a small space is really hard to do.  Check out how she lined her drawers and made her space look great.

Thank you featured bloggers.. don’t forget to pick up your button above!

Link up to my Link Party

Rules- Just a couple basic ones. Your link doesn’t have to be office related, just organizing… but I will be looking for the office related on this Office Mission for my Featured Bloggers.

This link party is continuous for the Mission: Office series. It is open until Feb. 24, 2011.  Feel free to add more links as long as they are to the specific post and organizing related.

<center><a href=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/blog” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.organizewithsandy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/mission-monday-1.jpg “/></a></center><br/>

1) Link to your specific post – not your blog
2) Link back to my blog with my button or link (cuz it’s just linky nice)
3) I’d love if you’d follow me on google and/or FB. The google is new and I’m trying to build it
4) Blog post related to Organizing or Cleaning
5) Family friendly
6) No sales pitches or web sites.
7) If I feature you I will use one or more of your pictures with a link back to your blog!

Be sure to check out my list of link parties! If you have a link party.. please link it up! Underneath the daily buttons there is a list of links I have compiled of link parties.

If you are confused how my Organizing Missions link party is set… check out the agenda here.

If you aren’t sure how to link up… see my link party tutorial here. It is simple.

This is a continuous link party until the 24th of Feb! Feel free to link up other posts, even if you have already left a post.

Office Chair – Mission: Office

My Office Chair is Unconventional

I set up my new office with a recliner – for me to use! It isn’t just to decorate the office. Working long hours on the computer I need to keep my feet up.

I wasn’t using the office much at all. I was sitting in the family room on the couch to work. But of course I didn’t have everything I need for it to flow as smoothly as I would like.

I decided pretty spur of the moment that I wanted to over haul the office…. I sat down and worked out a plan on paper. Moved out the 2nd desk, a file cabinet and a tall bookshelf.  Then went to Ikea and bought the wall unit.   Now I can sit in my “command center” and work and have my feet up.

I’ll take you on a tour:

If you have seen my other blog posts, you will realize that I have a strange set up.  When I decided what I was doing, I had my husband bring back the recliner from our farm. I used to have it in my living room, but when Dave and his kids moved in, the small living room needed to become our dining room. So there was no place for the chair.. until now.   I know it looks cramped in there, and like I said.. this isn’t for “looks” or to keep up with the “Jones”  this is purely for functionality.

Here is the other view.  I have a 2nd computer screen that my laptop hooks up to, so I can work on 2 screens.  My external hard drive is there.  I have my organizing business file trays in the corner.

See my magnetic strips that I mounted on the side of the desk?
Aren’t those fun?  I had them on the wall, but with this set up I needed to move them.
Here is the computer monitor that I attach to my laptop. I LOVE being able to use this now.  I never had it set up before… it is awesome!

Now.. I am going to sit in the chair and show you what I see from this view.
I love being able to sit and look out the front window!!

If I look to the right.. I can see out the french doors to what is happening by the front door.

If I look to the left, I have the Ikea Wall unit right there.  I have everything where I can get to it.  I have changed some things up, but that is all part of learning what works and being flexible.

I also mentioned to you that my husband bought me an electric throw blanket for Christmas?  The one in the picture isn’t it, I use that for some back support on this chair – but the electric one I keep in the storage bench under the window.

So I can sit in my chair, looking out the window at the snow, working…. with my electric blanket keeping me warm. I also wear my “blogging gloves” as the kids call them. My hands get cold when I’m working in the winter.  Can it get better than that?

Yeah… I like my new office set up. Can you tell?  Offices don’t have to be by the book. It is ok to think out of the box.  It is ok to not have the office that every Good Housekeeping magazine would want to feature.  What is important… is that it works for you.

You need to have a system that fits your needs.  Ergonomics is important.   Everyone is different.  I don’t think you’d find too many people that would want my set up. But I love it!

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Show Me Your Office Chair!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

Organizing Sales from Home – Mission: Office

Sell things out of your home online?

I do, many of you know I sell pouchees and Card Cubby’s out of my home. I did not invent them (yeah.. I wish), they are both products that I have found that I love and wanted to be able to share with others.

If you do sell something out of your home at craft fairs or directly online, you need a place to store them and a system when someone puts in an order for them.

Since I had a 2nd 4×2 shelf cubby units to use, I decided to move it  to on top of my file cabinet. It is out of the way, doesn’t take up valuable floor space and I think looks kind of cute.

This is the other part of my set up. This is directly across from where the pouchees are.

When I get an order I have a pretty simple routine that I follow.

Step 1: Print out order

I print out the order as I see it (so I don’t forget it in a stream of other emails)  I have a lap top and even if I’m not hooked up to my printer – I hit to print and it stores it until I plug in.

Step 2: Pick out the pouchees or Card Cubby’s that were ordered.

I like to keep the sorted by color – these are some of the cotton pouchees

I also keep them organized by style – these are some of the Outback collection

And I keep the Card Cubby’s in their own section.

Step 3: Get a padded envelope to mail

I can use a small one if it is only one of the items. If any more than that I use the bigger size.

Step 4: Pick up the Copy of the order, the packing slip and the shipping label that were printed.

Put those with the order and envelope.

Step 5: Prepare the order to be shipped.

I have this little unit ready to go with everything I need to get my order out the door.

I have my pens and a couple sharpies in the little cute buckets

Tape and stapler (even though I have a tape and stapler for the kids and also one by my chair….. it is all about convenience  and placement.  It is so much easier not to have to jump up and down to do something you do frequently.

I have my labels that I use on the cards with my reorder information on it.

I also have packing tape, scissors and a staple remover close at hand.

I got these cute little tins with another little unit I have. They work great for my business cards and also the shipping confirmations.

If I can’t get to an order right away, I will still make sure I have that item in stock and pull it and set it here so that I don’t over sell a certain item.

Step 6: Document the sale to keep track of your income.

I have used a receipt book in the past, and realized I was duplicating my efforts. (I will still use it for private sales not online or craft shows if I do any this year) This year I am taking the paypal order form and filing it in my “income” folder.  I document them each month in my spreadsheet. More about that on another post.

Step 7: Mail

I try my best to get the orders out either the same day they are ordered or the very next day. Of course that can’t always happen, but I know when I order something I don’t like to wait.. so I do my best to not have my customer wait.

Watch for my pouchee and Card Cubby post coming soon on how to organize your purse.  You can also see a good testimonial on the pouchee from Toni of A Bowl Full of Lemons. She has been really pleased with the pouchee that I gave her. She gave me some pointers on photoshop in exchange.

Just so you know… I have restocked my pouchee supply and lowered my price!  You can find them in my pouchee and Card Cubby Store

Your Mission if you chose to take it is: Organize Your Home Sales System!

Link up Your Office Mission Post

You can find the linky by clicking on the button above or going to my Organizing Mission Link Party. Feel free to keep linking up your different office projects that you accomplish during this Office Mission. I am ok with also linking up organizing projects that aren’t office related. This link will be up until Feb. 24 so you will have time to add your office projects in.

I would love it if you could vote for my blog! You can vote up to once per day. Just click the button. Thank you!

I am linking this post to:

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