Category Archives: Organizing

March 2013 Holidays and Special Events

Posted on March 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

This coming Sunday is Daylight Savings day. The only way I can remember which way to change the clock is by the little saying I learned as a kid. “Spring forward, Fall backwards”.

So I’ll move the clock forward on Sunday and lose an hour of sleep. Bummer! But on the bright side, it also means that it stays light later in the evenings. That makes it easier to walk my dog after dinner. Which means that maybe I’ll get more exercise to burn off those extra winter pounds that have accumulated on my body. At least that’s what I’m planning!

Anyway, below are listed the dates and links to most of the major holidays and events for the month of March. In future posts I’ll talk more about the organizing and planning options regarding specific events. Please feel free to share any tips you may have in the comment section below. Thanks.

Special Announcement: I have started a new blog. Many of you are already subscribed to both this blog and the “Cut Clutter With Scissors” newsletter. Instead of the newsletter I now have a blog by that name. It will focus entirely on decluttering.

This “Organizing By The Month” blog will be a more general blog on organizing and planning. I may even include some favorite recipes and craft ideas for some of the holidays.

Be sure to check out the new “Cut Clutter With Scissors” blog. It is a separate sign-up from this blog but you also get the “22 Tips On Organizing and Decluttering Your Home and Life” eBook for free. Let me know what your think.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

Special Days

March 10, (Sunday) Daylight Savings Day

http://www.holidaysmart.com/z_daylightsavingstime.htm

March 17, (Sunday) St. Patrick’s Day

http://www.st-patricks-day.com/

http://holidays.kaboose.com/patrick-history.html

March 25, (Monday) Passover Begins

http://www.aish.com/h/pes/

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/default_cdo/jewish/Passover.htm

March 31, (Sunday) Easter

http://holidays.kaboose.com/easter/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/easter/package/index.html

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/easter/

Monthly Events

National Craft Month

http://crafts.kaboose.com/index.html

http://www.kidsturncentral.com/crafts/craftmonth.htm

American Red Cross Month

http://www.redcross.org/news-events

National Nutrition Month

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=12728

http://www.wellbeing.wsu.edu/special-programs-and-events/national-nutrition-month.aspx

Special Weeks

Poison Prevention Week, March 17-23

http://www.poisonprevention.org/faq.htm

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Posted in Calendar, Family Fun, Holidays, Organizing, Planning

January Monthly Goals–Not Met Yet!

Posted on January 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

Wow, it’s hard to believe the month of January is almost over. Where did it go?

Each year I start out with great intentions yet somehow time gets away from me. This year I decided to try something different to help keep me on track. I wrote out a monthly plan of goals I want to work on.

I know I won’t meet January’s goals. Of course that could be because I didn’t write them down until the middle of the month. Oh well, there’s still four days left to work on them! Continue reading →

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Posted in Calendar, Organizing, Paper Clutter, Planning, Taxes

Organize by Containerizing Small Items

Posted on January 23, 2013 | 2 Comments

If your New Year’s resolution to organize your home has already been sidetrack, don’t give up. You may need to shrink down your approach.

Try starting with a small project. Sometimes containerizing a small mess will help you feel like you’re back on track. It can motivate you to organize more areas.

A container can corral small items so the area looks cleaner and is more efficient for you. I did that today using a small container I bought at Target for $1.00.

Here is what this area looked like before. Continue reading →

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Posted in Clutter, Decluttering, home office, Organizing

Does Your “To Do List” Have Tasks or Opportunities On It?

Posted on January 7, 2013 | 2 Comments

Lately I’ve read several books (see below) about negative thoughts versus positive thoughts. Many times we don’t even realize how negative we can be.

Every day I write out a “to do” list on a white board. I tend to lose focus through out the day and this list helps bring me back to the tasks I wanted to accomplish that day.

But the problem is I rarely finish everything. Continue reading →

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Posted in Organizing, Planning, Simplicity

Are Your Holiday Greeting Cards Addressed and Ready to Mail?

Posted on December 4, 2012 | Leave a comment

I pulled out my greeting card list to get started with addressing the cards. Wow! I didn’t realize it was such a mess.

Addresses were scratched out. New ones written to the side. My niece got married. A new last name plus a husband’s name were added. A few names are scratched off because either they passed away or I no longer wish to send them cards.

It’s time to update my list on the computer and print out a new copy. I set this list up many years ago. It has been a great organizer when tackling the task of sending out greeting cards.

It’s set up in such a way that I can make sure the Hanukkah cards are mailed on time. Hanukkah starts this Saturday, December 8. Once those are done I’ll start on the Christmas cards.

This list is also set up in a way where if I run short on time it’s easy to prioritize who I want to send cards to and who will be left out this year.

Below is an excerpt from the holiday tip eBook on how to create the greeting card system I use.

Take a few minutes to set your list up today. You’ll then be well on your way to getting those greeting cards out on time.

Holiday Greeting Card System – Tip #12

From the eBook “Tips To Simplify And Organize Your Holidays”

Step 1: Write out the names of people you want to send cards to.

The first step is to look at your address/phone book and write out all the names and of the people you want to send cards to this year. Be selective. You don’t have to send to everyone. Write these on a separate piece of paper or type them into your computer. Don’t worry about the addresses now; you’ll work on those in the next step.

If you already have a list from last year then just add any new names or scratch off any you don’t want to send cards to anymore. Remember, you don’t have to send cards to everyone. Now review each name and decide if you can cross off a few more.

Step 2: Divide into sub-lists. Update addresses.

This step will take a little time to set up depending on how many people you have on your list. But the time is well spent by helping simplify the task of sending out greeting cards this year and many years to come.

1. Label a separate sheet of paper with the categories listed below. You can also do this on the computer at this time or after you have completed the handwritten copy.

Family
Friends
Co-workers/Business acquaintances
Neighbors
Others (mail person, hairdresser, school teacher, etc.)

2. Now write the name of each person/family you want to send a card to under the appropriate category. Do not add the addresses yet. You are just dividing the names right now.

3. Once all the names are listed in their categories you will want to mark next to the name which kind of card you want to send. A Christmas card, a Hanukkah card, or a Seasons Greeting card. A generic Seasons Greeting card can be sent to most people if you aren’t sure about their religion.

4. Now you can make your final list with the addresses included. You’ll do this by making a separate list for each group and each kind of card you are sending. For example:

Friends – Christmas
Friends – Hanukkah
Friends – Season Greetings

Customize for the people on your list. Several categories can go on the same page if you only have a few people in each. You might want to include first names of the family members on this list. This will help if you like to personalize the inside of the cards.

This is now your master list. It will help you prioritize who’ll you’ll sent cards to if you don’t have enough time to get to them all. If you want you can even list the names in each category in order of importance. You may want your sister who lives out of town on the top of the list and your 2nd cousin you rarely talk to, on the bottom of the list.

If you didn’t put it on the computer yet now would be a good time. It will be a lot easier to update the copy on the computer before printing it off each year. Step 4 explains how to make the list portable and why.

Step 3: Buying your cards.

Your master list will help you determine what kind and how many cards you’ll need to buy.

1. If you have cards left over from last year be sure to check them out before shopping.

2. Look at your categories and determine how many of each kind of card you will need.

3. Subtract the number of left over cards you can use in each category and this will give you the minimum number of cards to purchase.

4. Try to find boxes that are close to the number you need with maybe a few extra. You really don’t want to store boxes of unused cards each year.

Step 4: Addressing the envelopes.

1. To make it easy to keep track of which ones you’ve addressed and to make it portable, you can put the printed sheets in plastic page protectors. Check off each name with a dry erase marker once the envelope is completed. When you’re completely done with addressing the envelopes you can take a damp tissue to wipe off the marks.

2. Start with the most important category for you and work from there. Family, friends, co-workers, etc.

3. Sign the cards at this time and put them inside the envelopes. Don’t seal the envelopes now because you may want to insert a newsletter, photo, or write a personalize note right before mailing them.

4. If you make the sheets portable (see number 1) then it’s easy to take the addresses, cards, and envelopes with you while waiting for your child’s dance lesson, music lesson, etc. to be done. You can also address them while watching TV in the evenings.

Step 5: Insert a newsletter, photo, etc.

This is where you will insert a newsletter, photo, or personal note.

Step 6: Stamp and mail envelopes.

Stamp the envelopes and mail them at the proper time. Here is a list of suggested dates the United States Postal System puts out for the latest days to mail cards and packages.

Dec. 4 Military mail destined for Iraq or Afghanistan
Dec. 11 Military mail to other international destinations
Dec. 15 Parcel Post
Dec. 20 First Class Mail
Dec. 20 Priority Mail
Dec. 22 Express Mail

Dec. 17 is the busiest mailing day of the year. Buy your stamps now and plan on mailing your cards and packages before that date.

If you found the above tip helpful you can find 24 more tips in the eBook “Tips To Simplify And Organize Your Holidays”. It’s only $2.99 and is available for your PC (PDF), Kindle (Amazon), or Nook (Barnes & Noble).

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Posted in Calendar, Holidays, Organizing, Planning, Simplicity

I Felt Like A Fraud

Posted on November 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

Have you ever felt like a fraud? When someone compliments you do you feel like you deserve it? Or do you feel like you’re keeping a great big secret from everyone? Are you always fearful that they will find out you’re not as good as they think you are?

This is what happened to me recently. The other day I was visiting my mother-in-law (MIL) at the rehab center she is in. She fell down her stairs on Halloween night (some trick!). Fortunately nothing was broken. She is just badly bruised and stiff.

Anyway, her niece (my husband’s cousin) was visiting at the same time. We were talking about some of little things I do to help stay organized. One was keeping track of how much water I drink during the day. I have a quart bottle that is filled with water in the morning. I put a rubber band around the middle of it. When I fill the bottle for the second quart of the day the rubber band is moved to the top of the container. That way I know if I’m on the first 4 cups of water or the second 4 cups.

I also printed out labels for my MIL to put on her belongings such as lotion, shampoo, books, make-up bag, etc. I learned to do this when my mother had her stroke 2 1/2 years ago and was in rehab for several months. When things are labeled it discourages people from walking off with them and also makes it easier to identify what is hers.

Anyway, my cousin complimented me on how organized I was. Considering that I write a blog and website about organization I should have been thrilled with the compliment. Yet, inside I felt like a fraud. All I could think about was how I had a large stack of papers on my desk that needed filing. Then a picture of my sock and underwear drawer flashed across my eyes. It is a total mess. I’d picked up some clothes for my MIL when she went to the rehab center and noticed how neat and uncluttered her drawers were. It didn’t matter that she had 6 drawers to put her clothes in and I only have 3. I still felt like a fraud.

Life happens, but sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves. I’ve had several rough life changing events over the past 4 1/2 years. They are legitimate excuses for not keeping my home as decluttered or organized as I would like. Yet I still feel guilty about sharing my tips and lessons on organizing when I’ve struggled so much with it lately.

I know I’m expecting way too much from myself. I’m sure there have been times that you have felt this way also.

The point is life has it’s rough spots. And when it gets rough there are plenty of lessons to be learned. We need to look for them. We need to learn the wisdom they offer us. We need to use this wisdom to improve our lives. Then we need to pass this wisdom on to others so they can benefit from the lessons.

During the course of our lives we will get knocked off our track many times. Sometimes we accidentally throw ourselves off our own track. But we need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off. Then we need to figure out what to do to either get back on our track or figure out how to navigate the new track that life has put us on at this point in time.

I know this post has been rambling on but I want to pass on the wisdom I’m learning from this. I’m practicing on not being so hard on myself.

When we feel like a fraud we’re expecting ourselves to be perfect, a standard no one can reach. We’re focusing on what we haven’t gotten done instead of what we have already accomplished. When someone compliments us they are obviously seeing something we’ve done that is good.

Maybe it’s time to see what they are seeing!

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

The eBook “Tips To Simplify And Organize Your Holidays” is filled with 25 tips that can help you reduce the stress of the holiday season. You’ll learn how to manage your spending and gift buying. This eBook is available for your PC, Kindle, or Nook.

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Posted in Decluttering, Graditude, Organizing

Halloween Tips 3 – 9

Posted on October 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

Last week I posted the first two Halloween tips on this blog. I know not everyone has Facebook and Twitter so here are the tips I have posted on those sites over the past week.

All these tips come from the eBook “How To Have A Safe, Fun, And Decluttered Halloween”. There are dozens of more tips in the eBook plus it goes into more details on many of the tips below.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding these tips please leave a comment below. Thanks.

Halloween Tip (3): Homemade decorations can help use up many of those left-over craft and sewing materials you already have on hand. Fabric or soft material items can usually be stored flat which takes up a lot less storage room. Time to get creative!

Halloween Tip (4): Extend your Halloween/Fall decorating by layering the decorations. Add black bats or pumpkin cut-outs to an autumn wreath on your front door. After Halloween replace the cut-outs with Turkey or other Thanksgiving/Fall ones on the wreath.

Halloween Tip (5): Strings of Halloween lights can help provide more light to your front yard making it safer for trick-or-treaters. Make sure the wires aren’t in a place where they can be tripped on.

Halloween Tip (6): Homemade costumes are one of a kind. You don’t even have to know how to sew to create some of them. Many times you can use materials/items you already have. Check out the ideas at this site. http://familyfun.go.com/halloween-kids-costumes/all-halloween-costumes/1/a/

Halloween Tip (7): Halloween make-up is easy to use to create all kinds of costumes/masks. It’s best to buy new and fresh products each year. Leftover make-up can breed bacteria after being stored for a long time.

Halloween Tip (8): Use battery operated tea lights inside pumpkins where ever a real flame could cause a fire hazard. This is especially important on the front porch where trick-or-treaters will be.

Halloween Tip (9): Safety pins or duct tape work well for last minute hemming and other alterations of costumes.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

For a lot more tips on Halloween you’ll want to get this eBook “How To Have A Fun, Safe, and Decluttered Halloween”. It’s only $2.99 and is available for your PC(PDF), the Kindle, or the Nook.

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Posted in Calendar, Crafts, Family Fun, Holidays, Organizing, Planning

Halloween Tips

Posted on October 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

I wanted to let you know that I’ve started posting a Halloween tip each day on the Facebook page and Twitter. Since not everyone has an account with these I’m also going put the tips on a blog post. However, I’m only going to do it once a week because I don’t want to fill your inbox (if you’re a subscriber) with so many emails.

All these tips are from the eBook “How To Have A Fun, Safe, And Decluttered Halloween”. Of course the eBook has a whole lot more tips to help make the holiday a better one. If you want to purchase it you can click on the book here, on the sidebar to your right, or at the end of the post.

Here are the first two tips I’ve already posted on Facebook and Twitter.

Halloween Tip 1: Before buying new decorations or costumes think about how and where you will store them for the next 11 months.

Halloween Tip 2: Real pumpkins don’t require storage. You get to create a new face each year by cutting it out or painting it. After Halloween it goes in the compost pile or trash.

If you have any tips on Halloween you would like to share please let me know in the comment section of this blog, on the Facebook page, or Twitter. Thanks.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Posted in Calendar, Holidays, Organizing

10 Time Wasters

Posted on October 4, 2012 | Leave a comment

We all waste time on things that really aren’t that important to us. Then we complain that we don’t have enough time to get those important things done.

Here are ten things that you may be doing that are wasting some of your time. Being aware of and admitting your guilty of some of them will help you make better decisions. That puts you in control of you own time.

1. Things: It isn’t what we have that makes us happy. It is what we enjoy that makes us happy. Don’t spend time collecting/buying things just because you think more is better.

2. Not saying no: Never make a decision on the spur of the moment. Say; “I’ll have to think about it and call you back.” This puts you in control.

3. Unmade decisions: Narrow your choices to help solve a problem.

4. Not interrupting: Learn to interrupt without being rude. Just say “excuse me, but I really must go.”

5. Television: Choose carefully, giving thought to how you might spend the time in a more rewarding way.

6. Lack of planning: Better and more realistic planning saves time and aggravation. Written plans make it easier to stay on track.

7. Clutter: It takes a lot of time to find what you need or want when you have to dig through clutter. A place for everything and everything in its place.

8. Ignoring maintenance: Fix things now when the problem is small. It’s not going to fix itself.

9. Idle waiting: Carry a pen, stamps, address book, greeting cards, and paper for lists or notes. Write out your schedule for tomorrow or address greeting cards.

10. Agonizing about the future: Plan for the future but be flexible. Enjoy each day and always look for the silver lining. It’s there for you to find.

Do you have other time wasters you’re guilty of? How have you solved them? Please let me know in the comment section below. Thanks.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Posted in Organizing, Planning

October is the Month for Halloween

Posted on October 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

The store shelves are filled with Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy. They are so tempting to buy.

Although it’s only the 2nd day of the month Halloween will be here before you know it!

I have listed below a couple of articles I wrote with tips on the safety of decorations and children’s costumes. We want our children (and us adults) to have fun and not injuries on Halloween.

Halloween Safety Tips For Children’s Costumes

Halloween Decorating Safety Tips