The 12 Step Program for the Surface Abuser

I love this desk, family work center. But what a desk CAN look like

The 12 Step Program for the Surface Abuser.

1) Admit that you have a problem.

2) Ask for help with your Surface Abuse problem. (Professional organizers are everywhere!)

3) Remove ALL surfaces in your home.  (Only kidding!)

4) Realize that this will take on going maintenance to maintain.

5) Visualize what you would LIKE this space to look like.

6) Start the process with one surface.

7) Get a black trash bag for trash and a White trash bag for donate.

8) Begin the Sorting process. Clear everything off your counter and clean it first.

9) Realize that clearing your counter will lead to some organizing in other areas of your house. (this is a Good thing)

10) Decide what to do with all the papers and clutter.

11) Plan daily to clear  off anything that might have accumulated in this “hot spot” zone and place it in the folders or cubbies you created.

12) Be sure to take before and after pictures so help remind yourself how you want to keep your new clear counter.

Disclosure: The above picture is not from my home (I WISH!) It was from a Parade of Homes model that boasted like the best family organizing center ever!!  But you can find these products at The Pottery Barn.

Organizing a New You! …but how do I start?

Organizing a New You….So what does that mean?   Organize your home, organize your schedule, your kids, your life? Does it seem like the impossible?  It can be done! But be careful not to bite off more than you can chew and end up in “it is too overwhelming and I don’t think I can do it” land.

Here is how to start.

Planning

1) Sit down with a pad of paper, pen, calendar and cup of coffee in a relaxed atmosphere.

2) Make a list of all the things you would like to organize.

3) Now number them in order of importance. (at least the top three areas that drive you the most CRAZY)

4) Put a date beside those top 3 of when you would like to have them completed by.

5) Block out at time on your calendar to start #1 on the list.

Supplies

Do not go out and buy a bunch of things to organize with. Until you know what you are going to end up with after your “sort” you don’t know what you will need. (unless you want to purchase some clear storage bins..but if you do be sure you have shelves to store them on and measure to be sure they will fit.

1) Black trash bags – trash

2) White trash bags – Donate  (separate colors so you don’t throw out your donate items in the trash)

3) Labels for boxes or bins (masking tape & sharpie marker will be fine)

4) Boxes for storage (my favorite are clear bins)

Sort

Make 5 signs for each of the piles you are going to make while sorting. Then for each item only give yourself 5-10 seconds to make your decision (no time to wander down memory lane). Be tough if you want to reclaim your space.

1) Keep – Love it, Use it, Can’t live without it.

2) Donate – Others would put to better use, doesn’t fit, don’t like it, don’t use it (use the white trash bags)

3) Storage – Holiday decorations, speciality items you use (camping, skiing)

4) Move – Items that need to be kept but don’t belong in this space.

5) Trash – Broken, un-donatable. Try to recycle if possible. Use the Black trash bag.

Tips

*It will seem messier before it gets better. Don’t get discouraged and keep going.

*This takes time, don’t think you will get an entire room done in 2 hours. Start with a small area.

* Once you have sorted your items you are ready to reorganize them in an orderly way.

Organizing to Traveling

I have started my traveling this year….in a big way.  So I really have been organizing to travel!  I just went to Austin, TX to be a judge for the Genesis Today Bloggers Immersion. I got to help pick one of the 5 finalist for the Genesis of a Great Idea Contest.  Debba Haupert won by the way from Girlfriendology.com

I leave on Wednesday to go to Nashville for the BlissDom conference. I am going to see my boys who live there on Wednesday and go to the conference the next day. I will be driving there. I flew to TX.

I come back from there on a Sunday and leave again on Wednesday for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference. I will be flying there also.

Here are a few tips that I have used to make getting ready to go easier.

1) Make a packing list.  Ok..I always do this. But I took it a step further and have it on my computer now. So I just have to print it out and tweek it for each trip.  It has all the items that I am always worried I will forget…like the phone, computer, camera chargers and sync cables, business cards.  I have a section on it for things to take on board the plane.

2) You can also make another list like the above for things to do before you leave.  Cooking meals for the family, make a copy of your itinerary for your husband or wife, leave insurance card and schedule for kids activities.

3) If possible use a little larger suitcase to go with, so you will have room if you get things on your trip to bring home.

4) Pack a base color of clothes and use accessories to change your look to reduce clothing. Scarves are great accessories (I am just learning how to use them myself)

5) Be sure all your electronic items are charged before you leave.

Organize Your Family with Cozi

Here is a Free solution that can help you keep your family organized, yourself organized and so much more!  This is a simple site to use and can do so much for you.

You can create a page that you can keep your family updated with pictures of the kids and events.

You can make a grocery list and have it texted to your phone or you can even call and get it verbally!

Your whole family can use and be a part of the family calendar

There are dinner ideas

There is a place for lists (To Do’s)

There are all kinds of ideas and solutions for helping you to organize.  Why use it? Here are a few reasons why.

There have been many reviews done on COZI…don’t believe me? Check these out!

Five Simple Steps to Help Organize Your Christmas Morning Craziness

Paper everywhere….boxes with pieces and parts laying half opened…dog’s wearing bows that got stuck to their fur? Sound like a typical Christmas morning at your house?
So how many Christmas days have you NOT had to try and find something in the trash that probably got thrown out?
Either that card with money from Aunt Ethel or the back of the new toy that Jimmy got. You KNOW it here somewhere but, now it is gone.

There are a few things that might help you cut down on some of the craziness Christmas morning.

1) Get several black trash bags. Station them around the room so that everyone has access to one for their trash. Immediately after opening their gift, have them throw just the paper away.

2) Have one place each person places their opened gifts near them.

3) If you know that your family members are getting gift cards or cash, then have a large colored envelop that they can place their gift cards or money in that has their name on it. You can pass those out after they receive their first one.

4) Have one central bag if you keep the ribbons and bows to recycle. The kids can have fun tossing the bows your way.

5) You can also use white trash bags and have them out in case someone wants to open a new toy that has many pieces and parts. They can put the extra pieces in the bag if the box gets torn apart too much to use. Then make sure that all trash throwing adults KNOW that white trash bags DO NOT go in the trash.

Try these methods and see if your Christmas morning can go a little smoother with clean up being much quicker.

BedZak Bedside Organizer Winner!

Barabara from Barbara Beat won the BedZak organizer!!

You can still order one for yourself if your not Barbara from Barbara’s Beat!  Just go to BedZak.com and order one.

Unpacking the Christmas decorations – Scary or not?

Does your decorations look anything like this?  So many things, just a mess!   It makes you think …..”It is just too much to get out and put away, I don’t really need to decorate.”  Those are the years that you may either have too much clutter, too many commitments going on or you know what a mess it was last year when you put it away and you don’t want to open that box!

Just like you can have too much clutter in the rest of your house – you have have clutter in your decoration supplies too.

Think about it:
Do all your lights work?
Do you use everything that is packed up?
Are there things each year that you don’t really want to put up anymore?
Do you have broken or ragged looking ornaments or decorations that you just can’t throw out?

The solution is simple (but not so easy) You need to sort through and declutter your holiday decorations.
Follow the same steps for any sorting. As you unpack your supplies evaluate (quickly) each item.

1) Keep – You love it, you use and decorate with it, it works and is not broken
2) Donate - It works and looks good, you just don’t like it, or can’t use it now.
3) Pitch – It’s broken or not fit to donate. (recycle if possible)

Remember, if there is something you haven’t used or can’t use….why keep it in a box all the time?  That isn’t honoring the memory. You can take a picture of it to have, then give that space it takes up to one of your other decorations.

Organize for Black Friday Shopping

Check out my Whrrl Story for some great deals. Also go to My Black Friday Deals and check out what others are finding for you.

Love me that Card Cubby!

I love the Card Cubby!! I have been using it close to a year now and think….wow, this is another product that I wish I thought of. (same with the pouchee..wish I came up with that one!)

I use mine for all my “cards”: discount cards, gift cards, library cards, insurance cards and special coupons..either free things or like 20% off Kohls card. I do not use it for all my coupons.
I also have one for business cards. So when I go to conferences I pull the other one out of my purse and throw in my business Card Cubby.
Pair this with the pouchee and you have one very organized purse.

I actually had 2 girls come up to me at the Type A Mom Conference and ask to see in my purse. They wanted to see if I really was organized. I was a little nervous wondering if I was going to pass the test (I am certainly not perfect and I can be known to throw something in my purse in a hurry when stressed!) But I did pass their test..{phew}. It basically looked just like this, except I have the brown croc card cubby now and my fall purse is that cool yellow gold color.

Full disclosure: I am an affiliate for the card cubby and I sell the pouchee (but I wouldn’t do either if I didn’t think these were the coolest purse organizing tools ever…duh!)

Laundry Room Organizing

I tour of my laundry room.  You can really add a lot of space to your laundry rooms. Look up…look at any wall space that may be available.  Even if you have a closet for your washer and dryer..look at the space above them. There may be one shelf, but could you add a couple of shelves above or below?

Dress up your laundry room with fun colors!! Its a easy, inexpensive and can make your laundry room feel a little cheerier to go into!

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