Monthly Organizing Tips

MAY 2013

Always open your mail over the trash or recycling bin. Immediately discard junk mail, outer envelopes, etc. This simple step will reduce clutter!

APRIL 2013

Magazine Files are great for more than just magazines. Use them to store extra supplies like paper or notebooks, in the kitchen for recipes or on the bookshelf to keep odd sized books and pamphlets orderly.

MARCH 2013

Depending on where you live, a significant percentage of you and/or your family's life could be spent in the car. At times you may even ask yourself why you bought the big fancy house and the little sports car; it should have been the other way around. Make the most of your travel time by taking some time to organize your car. An open top bin is a great way to contain car clutter. Use bins for sports equipment, emergency supplies like paper towels and a first aid kit or coloring books, videos or children's books to keep your kids entertained on road trips.

FEBRUARY 2013

Clean-out your desk drawers this month. Sort the drawer contents into three categories: trash, donate and keep. Trash any broken supplies, donate excess supplies and keep only what you need. Get an organizer tray for your supply drawer and neatly put back what you will use on a daily or weekly basis. Any supplies you need, but won't use daily or weekly belong in a storage cabinet, not your desk drawer.

JANUARY 2013

Not all projects fit in a standard file folder. Remodel projects or wedding and vacation plans are perfect examples of projects that are difficult to file. These types of projects often include things like fabric swatches, paint chips or travel guides. Try using a Document Box or Project Envelopes instead of traditional files.

DECEMBER 2012

Stick to one notebook. Whether it's meeting notes or task lists if it's all in one place you are more likely to find it. To separate personal and work use sticky tabs to divide your notebook. Take that idea one step further by creating a section for tasks for work, tasks for home, personal notes and business notes.

NOVEMBER 2012

Use color to organize. Green for bills (think money), blue for to-do and brown for to-file. You won't need to label, the color says it all. You can also use color to organize your kids. If you have multiple children of the same sex assign each their own color. You'll always know who didn't brush their teeth or who left their towel on the floor.

OCTOBER 2012

Use color to organize. Green for bills (think money), blue for to-do and brown for to-file. You won't need to label, the color says it all. You can also use color to organize your kids. If you have multiple children of the same sex assign each their own color. You'll always know who didn't brush their teeth or who left their towel on the floor.

SEPTEMBER 2012

While you are working it can be cumbersome to type out a label every time you create a new file. Instead use sticky notes to mark folders that need a tab. When you notice several sticky notes in your file drawer take a few minutes to type them out on a label template, load the sheet in the printer and print them out.

AUGUST 2012

Create printed lists rather than rewriting the same items down each time you visit the store or pack for a trip. Print out several copies of your lists. For travel, keep the extra lists in your suitcase so you can find them when you go to pack. For groceries, keep the list in the kitchen and highlight the items you need as you run out.

JULY 2012

Organize your financial records this month. Use an Instant Office Financial Organizer or create your own dedicated files for tax-related receipts, incoming bills and tax forms or correspondence. Make sure the file location is convenient so documents can go from mailbox to file without a layover on the kitchen counter. For receipts that are tax related, but must also be kept for warranty purposes, make two copies before you file the receipt. Attach one copy to the manual and put one copy in your Financial Organizer or tax-related receipts file. It seems like more work now, but you will appreciate the convenience at tax time.

JUNE 2012

Conquer contact clutter. From loose business cards and numbers written on scraps of paper, to the contacts in your email or phone that you no longer recognize. If you prefer to hold onto business cards rather than entering them into your contact software then use a traditional business card holder or create one with a binder, clear business card holder sheets and dividers. Sort in a way that makes sense, i.e. maintenance and repairs, vendors, restaurants, etc. Next tackle your phone and email contacts. Move any unrecognizable contacts into a separate folder. If you still don't recognize them by month's end then delete the folder and contents. Lastly, input and toss those scraps of paper.

MAY 2012

Labeling can be the most annoying step in the process of getting organized. It's the last step and as such is easily overlooked or put off until another time. Take the time this month to get labeling. Use sticky notes or page flags to mark items that need to be labeled, then write out a list on paper. Print labels using your computer or a label maker. Labels make it easier for your family, coworkers, even yourself to follow the organizing plan you have already set in place.

APRIL 2012

Set a goal this month to organize your projects and tasks. Take 10 minutes each day to work toward a system. Use the Instant Office Project Organizer, Letter Trays, a File Box with File Folders or Project Envelopes to bring some order to your desktop. Don't get overwhelmed by adding printed labels, just get the paperwork sorted and worry about labeling later.

MARCH 2012

Stop what you are doing and review your schedule for the next month. Can you reschedule or cancel appointments or commitments to free up time or use your time more efficiently? Did you schedule time to work-out? Time for yourself? The reality is it takes time to make time so take some time now and get control of your schedule.

FEBRUARY 2012

Get in the habit of Friday Clean-Up. Spend a half-hour tidying your desk, putting away files, creating new files, and throwing or recycling as much as possible. You'll be surprised by the difference a half-hour can make.

JANUARY 2012

Create an All-Out-Of list and hang it in a spot that your entire office or household can use. Divide it by your major shopping spots, i.e. grocery store, discount warehouse, mall, etc. Be sure to make a note whenever you run out of something, from ketchup to paper clips. This habit will save time, money and frustration.

DECEMBER 2011

Focus on organizing your computer this month. Spend just 10 minutes a day (set a timer) to get your hard drive and email inbox in order.

NOVEMBER 2011

Building a good habit takes time, about 30 days to be exact. Don't try to build good organizational habits overnight. Tackle one problem at a time and give yourself 30 days to learn that good habit.