Holiday Organization

The holidays are amongst us...whether you want them to be or not! Getting organized will help reduce your stress this holiday season. Take some time to sit down and make a list of tasks that need to be completed in the next 2 months. Schedule them out in an attainable amount of time and enjoy the season! And if you are looking for a great gift idea, give the gift of organization. Inquire with area on gift certificates, organizing gifts, etc. for loved ones this holiday season!

Tips For Electronic Organization

Clutter doesn't only come in the form of tangibles.  Your computer can get get cluttered too.  Do you have a hard time finding email, pictures or programs?  Tackling your computer clutter will increase your efficiency.  

E-Mail:

Set up folders and after reading the email, decide if it needs to be saved and place it in the appropriate folder.  I place emails that need follow up in a separate folder (if I am not immediately replying), to not clutter my inbox.  It is easier to organize as you read and will save you time in the future.  It also helps you keep track of things you need to reply to.  

Pictures:

Many of us have hundreds, if not thousands of photos on our computer.  The easiest way to find the photos that you need, is to organize them.  Make sure you name each picture and place them in their proper folder.  For instance, you take a trip to Cabo San Lucas.  Name the folder Cabo 2009 and each picture can be named Cabo1, Cabo2, etc.  Organizing your photos as you upload them onto your computer is the best way to keep your photos organized.  I also recommend sizing them for emails, printing, etc. as you upload them to your computer.

Music:  

Using a program such as iTunes will help you keep your music organized by artist, genre, album, etc.  

3rd Party Applications:

If you are like me, I enjoy a clean desktop.  I also enjoy 3rd party applications.  I use a folder named "Downloads" where I place all of my 3rd party applications to easily find.  

Don't let the computer clutter slow you down.  Take an afternoon and organize your computer.  Not only will you increase your productivity and save time, you will probably find many things you can delete and your computer will run faster.  

Organization is Overwhelming!

The overwhelming feeling of disorganization can be easier than the overwhelming feeling of getting organized.  Don't let the stress of the work deter you from the benefits.  Some tips to ease the discomfort:

1.  Take on one room at a time.

2.  Take on one task at a time.  (i.e.  dresser drawers)

3.  Set aside hours and not days.

4.  Make a list prior to tackling your task.  

5.  Always have an end goal in mind.  

Following these simple steps will help reduce the stress of organization.  Once you complete one project, the satisfaction of your results will motivate you to reach your goals.  If you are unsure of where to start or how to start, a professional organizer is a great resource.  Contact area today for a free consultation!

Top 5 Signs You Have Too Much Stuff

1.  You buy things and never take them out of the bag.

2.  You buy duplicates not realizing you already had it at home.

3.  You can’t find a place to put it.

4.  You don’t know where to find what you need.

5.  You rent a storage unit.

If you find any of these things true, you may want to start looking into getting organized.  area specializes in eliminating your “too much stuff” list.  If you are uncertain how to get organized, contact a professional organizer to help you eliminate the unnecessary and reap the rewards of organization.

Organizing Quotes

Here are a few area's favorite organizing quotes:

1.  For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. (Unknown)

2.  Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.  (A.A. Milne)

3.  Designers can create normalcy out of chaos; they can clearly communicate ideas through the organizing and manipulating of words and pictures.  (Jeffrey Veen)

 4.“Don't agonize, organize.  (Florynce R. Kennedy)

5.  Once you have a clear picture of your priorities- that is values, goals, and high leverage activities- organize around them.  (Stephen Covey)

6.   The trouble with organizing a thing is that pretty soon folks get to paying more attention to the organization than to what they're organized for.  (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

7.  There can be no one best way of organizing a business.  (Joanne Woodward)

8.  Organize your life around your dreams - and watch them come true.  (Unknown)

iPhone and Organization

If there is one thing I have purchased that brings me joy every day, it would be my iPhone.  I love iPhone so much that iPhone is named "Warner".  Wherever I go, Warner goes.  Warner has proven to be much more than a social fad, music player and phone.  With Apples, app store and the plethora of applications, organization is made simple.  Here are a few applications (including the Apple apps that come with the phone) that help make my life simpler.

1.  Contacts-A duplicate application, that can be found in the phone application, syncs seamlessly with your address book.  Contacts allows you to enter ANY information about your friends, colleagues, clients or new acquaintances.  Whether you add the information from your phone or your computer, iTunes will transfer the information to the other. 

 

2.  iCal-I use iCal as my sole home calendar.  I have all of my reminders set up on the computer, which syncs to iPhone and notifies me even if I am away from the computer, when I have a pending appointment, bill, etc.  I personally believe keeping an electronic calendar is not only imperative to staying on top of things, but it's also smart.  Whether you add the information from your phone or your computer, the iTunes will transfer the information to the other.  

3.  Springnote-This web based tool offers an iPhone application, that allows you to view documents, calendars, notes, and many other things.  I specifically use Springnote to securely hold passwords, logins, bank account numbers, and random notes to myself.  It is essentially an online journal that can be used as a group or on your own.  If you own a small business, Springnote can be a tool to share documents with your employees.  Whether you add the information from your phone or your computer, the iTunes will transfer the information to the other.  

The list could go on and on.  Throughout my 2 years of iPhone ownership, I have downloaded many applications and webapps and I have found that iPhone has made the greatest impact to my organizing success.  There are many PDA phones out there, but I have not found one that compares to iPhone ingenuity, design and productivity.  

I think it's time for a little one on one with Warner.

Getting Organized AND Staying Organized

There is no excuse for disorganization.  NONE!  Do not use your children, your work, or your busy social calendar as an excuse for not being organized.  The fact of the matter is that you are disorganized b/c you do not know how to be organized...or you are just plain lazy! 

In order to get organized you will need to devote some time to cleaning, purging, and rearranging.  Take on one tasks at a time.  For example, tackle your kitchen, then your bedroom, then your closet, etc.  until each room of your house is organized.  It's great to set up a plan before starting this project.  Focus on what your intended outcome will be and always remember why you are wanting to get organized.  

Getting organized is only half the battle.  Staying organized is the crucial process to your organizational plan.  The more you pick up after yourself, put the dishes away, etc. the easier it is to maintain an organized space.  If I use a dish, I put the dish in the dishwasher as soon as I am done.  I do not place it in the sink, to then have to spend an extra few minutes to load the dishwasher after the sink is full.  I use the hamper to hold dirty laundry.  It saves me from having to spend those extra few minutes of picking up dirty laundry and putting it in the hamper when it comes time to do laundry.  

The key to staying organized is to keep your eye on the prize and know that by taking 10 seconds now to put something away saves you the 3 minutes later of collecting everything to put away at once.  It also keeps your space looking clean, neat and organized.  

area's professional organizing service offers "Stay Organized" to all of our clients, making it that much easier to continue an organized lifestyle.  

Green Resources (Earth Day 2009)

One of area's missions is to be a "green" company, with little to no carbon footprint.  One of our services is green organization, helping our clients reduce their carbon footprint and bring awareness to their environmental impact.  This week's blog is dedicated to providing you with valuable resources to help you GO GREEN!  Remember, Earth Day is April 22, 2009.  

The following are area's favorite Green Resources.  Calculate your carbon footprint and learn so much more!  We are proud to share them with you.

• www.epa.gov
  
• www.greenmaven.com
  
• www.livinggreenresources.com
  
• www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator
  
• www.earthday.net
  
• www.home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/energy-efficiency/how-to-conserve-energy-at-home.htm
  
• www.powerscorecard.org/reduce_energy.cfm
  
• www.cleanair-coolplanet.org
  
• www.carbonfund.org
  
• www.thinkgreen.com

New Room-No Money!

How many times do you walk into your space, whether it be your living room, bedroom or den, and wish you could have a fresh look but you just don't have the money or budget to make it happen?  The experts at area give the following tips for designing a new space at no cost!

1.  TRADING PLACES

-Take decorative items from various rooms throughout your home and move them from room to room or even from table to table.  Sometimes you will find that they look better in your new area than where you intended them to be. 

2.  REARRANGE

-The most labor intensive with the most dramatic results is done through rearranging your furniture.  It's always best to have an idea of what you would like the room to look like.  You may even think of a different layout once you start putting your pieces in their place.  Depending on what you want to be the final outcome (more space, better flow, more modern look, etc.) it may take a few tries to get what you want.

3.  REPURPOSE

-Repurpose means using something for any reason other than its intended purpose.  I have found that old filing cabinets  (2 drawer) work great for night stands and by taking a tall 4 drawer filing cabinet, laying it on it's back and placing different sized blocks of wood behind each drawer (so when trying to push the drawer shut, it stops) makes a great sofa table or coffee table not to mention a conversation piece.  Repurposing eliminates throwing it away and thus is a "green" alternative in home organization.

With an open mind, some creative juices and a little bit of time, you can make your same home look like an updated, new place for absolutely no cost!

Overcoming Procrastination

Perhaps the biggest obstacle we all face when it comes to getting organized is procrastination.  It's very easy to put something off that you dread doing.  How do we stop procrastinating?  The answer is not as easy as "just do it".  Unfortunately, procrastination is often inherent in most of us.  The best thing you can do is take baby steps.  Trust me, I was not always an organized person.  Ask my mother about my closets as a child!  

When it comes to organization, procrastination is the number 1 reason people who want to be organized, aren't.  I suggest you begin by operating under a simple manufacturing process called FIFO (First In First Out).  The idea of operating under FIFO is that you take things on as they come and not wait until a later time.  

Take your mail for example.  Many people get the mail, sort through what they want or don't want and then leave it on the table or in a basket.  Instead of doing this, tackle your mail as you get it.  File the bills away (although I highly recommend tracking your bills paperlessly), discard unwanted junk mail immediately and handle mail of an urgent matter on the spot.  What takes a few minutes each day will save you hours of wondering where that piece of mail you are looking for went and eliminates the possibility of it being discarded with the junk mail.  

Another example of the FIFO system in action, is laundry.  When undressing, discard your dirty clothes in the hamper, not the floor.  This saves you time when it comes to doing the laundry, from having to gather everything up.  One step further would be to have 2 hampers (1 for colors and 1 for whites).  This takes away your pre-laundry sort time.  After finishing each load, put your clothes away, vs. leaving them in the dryer or piling them up in your "clean pile".  This eliminates the need for extra ironing thus saving you time when getting ready.  

While some people find these things to be "no brainers", not everyone operates under the same principles.  An organized life is honestly a less stressed life.  If you don't know where to start or you just need help in getting things organized, hiring a professional organizing service can save you time, energy, and teach you valuable lessons to keep you organized.  The best way to overcome procrastination is through habit.  Once you get that "organized high" you won't want to come down and it will motivate you to continue an organized life.

Until next time, keep organizing!

5 Benefits of Organization

1.  Reduces your stress level.

2.  Allows more time to be spent doing things you want to do and with whom you want to do them with.

3.  Find things faster.

4.  Increases productivity.

5.  Saves you money.

For more information about organization, visit www.areaorganization.com

5 Tips to Green Organization

Green is in.  Green is good.  Unfortunately everyone does not see the need or benefits to participate in the green movement.  Here are a few simple ideas to reduce your carbon foot print while getting organized.

1.  Go paperless.

-Start by setting up automatic payments with your bill providers.  Many of them give you the option to stop receiving paper statements.  This not only reduces the clutter that mail brings into your home, but also saves you time.  You no longer have to take an afternoon out of your busy schedule to sit down and pay bills.  You also save money on checks and stamps!  

2.  Go wireless.

-The less cords you have running around makes your area look clean and organized  and at the same time, when used wirelessly, you are using less power to operate small home electronics.  

3.  Move to the digital age.  

-Paper planners are helpful and I am not recommending that you give up on them. I too use a paper planner.  Lists should never be underestimated!  You can however downsize that 500 page Franklin Covey by using your computer's address book to maintain your contacts and your computer's calendar application to keep track of things.  If you own a Smartphone (Blackberry, iPhone, etc.) you can sync these things to your phone and have them with you at all times.  

4.  Upgrade your lighting to energy efficient bulbs.

-This is probably the most obvious way to help reduce your energy bill, but it also helps you stay on task in a home office environment.  Proper lighting affects your attentiveness and ability to stay on task.  Energy efficient bulbs come in many different light patterns and are more efficient the longer you keep them on which makes them perfect when used in a home office.  

5.  Organize your recycling.  

-The most obvious thing you can do to help the environment is recycle.  However, there are a few things you can purchase to keep your recycled goods organized while the items are awaiting pick up or re-use.  For example, plastic bags (if you must have them) can be reused as lunch bags, small garbage can liners and to collect trash in  your car.  Purchase an under the counter bag organizer (The Container Store has them) to hold the bags until they are used.  Glass, Plastic, Paper and other recyclable goods can be kept neatly in recycling bins.  Many home systems are available that fit neatly in your kitchen and can be hidden away in cabinets.

Organization has many benefits.  Thankfully, you can get organized while also keeping our planet beautiful for many generations to come.

5 Steps to an Organized Closet

If you are like me, which you probably aren't, you are a die hard neat freak!  Although my clothes closet stays consistently organized, I often find myself completely revamping the layout every few months.

area recommends a simple 5 step process to ensure your closet stays in tip top organized shape! 

1.  Take everything out of the closet and start with a clean slate.  This process will also help you determine what things you don't need and you can donate the extra clothing to the charity of your choice.

2.  Start by placing items of likeness together back into the closet.  For example, place all of your work shirts together, work pants, t-shirts, etc.  For me, I do not use a dresser and hang all of my t-shirts up.  I go the extra step and organize my shirts by color.  

3.  Once your clothing is put into your closet, use a shoe organizer to place your shoes in.  I purchased 2 cheap shoe organizers that hang on the clothes bar and holds 10 pairs of shoes each.  This opens up floor space and ads a streamlined look to your closet.  

4.  Purchase a large hanging organizing unit ($6.99 at IKEA) to place your socks, under shirts and under garments in.   For an even more clean look, purchase the extra baskets that fit into the oversized slots to conceal the items.  You can find these items on IKEA's website using the keyword SKUBB.

5.  If you have extra items that you keep in the closet, you now have shelving and floor space free to use.  I highly recommend placing the items in some kind of container and mark the outside of the container so you know what contents are inside.  Ideally, your clothes closet is only for clothes!

With your organized closet, you save time finding your next outfit and make room for the new season's fashions and the best part?  If you have none of the items used in this blog, you can buy everything for under $30.  Plus, this may eliminate the need for a dresser, thus freeing up extra space in your bedroom.  

Check out http://www.areaorganization.com for more information on how to get organized in your home or office.

Blogging with area.

Welcome to area's first blog!  Thank you for joining us on our blogging adventure.  Through this blog, area aims to provide you with organizing ideas to help you increase your green awareness and be on top of today's trends in organization.  2009 is the year to get organized.  

Check back every Sunday for a new blog!