Make Over Your Garage

Do you use your garage as a dumping ground? Is it so stuffed with clutter that there is no longer room to park your car?


By setting up activity zones in your garage you will be able to free up space and find items quickly and easily. Some zones you may consider are Gardening, Sports, Workbench, Holiday Decorations, Automotive, Garbage and Recycling. This approach makes it easy for you to find things when you need them and put them back in the right place when you are done.
Cabinets, shelves, hanging hooks and bins will help you to get things up off the ground, safely stored and staying that way. Storing items in your zones is important in order to keep things clean and protected from the weather. You can find storage units made for the garage at many discount and speciality stores. And if you want to be the envy of the neighborhood, you can hire a garage storage company.

By following these tips, you can make the garage another room in your house that you can be proud of.

Conquering Closets

Closet space is something we never seem to have enough of. We can fill our closets to the brim very quickly, and then they become a black hole where items disappear, never to be found again. But organizing your closet can make a big difference in simplifying your life.
When organizing a closet keep in mind that the intended use of the space is storing clothes, nothing else. So take this time to clear out all the stuff that doesn't belong in the space.

The next task is to sort what is left into neat piles of similar items. As an example, gather all your pants, all your shirts, all your jackets, etc. Now you can see what you really have. Do you really need 10 pairs of black pants? Now is the time to be honest with yourself. If you love it, keep it. If it doesn't fit, is worn out, or is out of style, get rid of it.

The next move is to take a step back and look at what you have. Evaluate if the space you have is adequate for what you want to store. Storage systems such as a closet organizer, shoe racks, shelves, or bins may be needed to make the best use of the space.

When that task is accomplished, it is time to put everything into its new home. Storing all items of the same kind together will make it easier to find things in the future. Mission accomplished! Now enjoy your success as you dress with ease tomorrow morning.

Why Organize?

Did you spend any time today looking for something lost? Do you feel as though you never have time to sit down and relax? If this sounds familiar to you, it's time to get organized. Organizing is not going to bring about world peace. It's just going to make your day run more smoothly and maybe save you a little money too.
Organizing is taking what you have and using it in the most efficient manner. You should have things around you that you love and that serve a purpose.

Look around. Are there things you can see that are getting in your way and making it hard for you to function? Why not move them out of your way, way out of the way, like to the curb? Maybe without all that unnecessary clutter you can find what you've been missing and perhaps sit down and put your feet up.

Do you have items in your home that you love, but you are not honoring? Maybe there's a favorite piece of furniture that is covered with clutter? Challenge yourself to clear off that piece, use and enjoy it the way it was meant to be.

It is said that clutter is just unmade decisions. Start today to make some decisions about those things that are getting in your way.

Do you use your garage as a dumping ground? Is it so stuffed with clutter that there is no longer room to park your car?
By setting up activity zones in your garage you will be able to free up space and find items quickly and easily. Some zones you may consider are Gardening, Sports, Workbench, Holiday Decorations, Automotive, Garbage and Recycling. This approach makes it easy for you to find things when you need them and put them back in the right place when you are done.

Cabinets, shelves, hanging hooks and bins will help you to get things up off the ground, safely stored and staying that way. Storing items in your zones is important in order to keep things clean and protected from the weather. You can find storage units made for the garage at many discount and speciality stores. And if you want to be the envy of the neighborhood, you can hire a garage storage company.

By following these tips, you can make the garage another room in your house that you can be proud of.

From one of my organizing idols, Judith Kolberg.

Clutter Statistics
In December, 2009 the National Association of Professional Organizers (http://www.napo.net/) and Office Depot conducted a survey of over 1,023 office workers on the question of "What clutters your workspace?." Their response? 32% said food. Yikes! It's just another indication we are not taking our lunch breaks and instead working at our desks. The same number of respondents reported newspapers and magazines clutter their workspace (so much for virtual reading). 31% have coffee cups nearby (since when is that clutter?), and 28% report "personal hygiene products." Toothpaste? Combs? What could that mean? Hey, whatever it means, it's not a problem if people can get their work done. And that's the point. Disorganization in the form of lost time looking for items, tardiness, and missed deadlines are good reasons to clean up clutter, according to the survey. Get the complete results at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=140162&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1373477&highlight=

Thanks Judith

You've Got Mail

Do you know that we receive more mail in one day than our grandparents received in a month? These days, it seems as though the mail is an endless task.
The post office does a great job of delivering a pile of decisions to you everyday. On average, it takes ten minutes a day to sort through your mail and make those decisions. Should I keep this, can I throw away that? Do you have the time to ponder these questions for every piece of mail you carry in your home? Do yourself a favor and make helpful changes now.
Decide to toss the junk mail as fast as you can. Pretend those envelopes have been sitting in your oven all day, instead of your mailbox, ready to burn your fingers. Remember "stop, drop and roll". Use this lesson, 'stop' at the trash can or recycle bin, 'drop' the fliers, coupons and anything else that's junk, and 'roll' away with the important stuff. You should have much less in your hands to deal with.
Try this method with the mail that has piled up inside your home. Instead of ten minutes a day, try adding five more minutes to that time to make it fifteen minutes to help get through the backlog. Slowly your will see the pile decrease, until it is gone.

Loudoun County Household Hazardous Waste Schedule

Here is the 2010 schedule for Loudoun County Household Hazardous Waste Collection.

April 17 - Loudoun Valley High School, 3340 N. Maple Avenue, Purcellville
May 22 - River Bend Middle School, 46240 Algonkian Parkway, Sterling
June 26 - Stone Bridge High School, 43100 Hay Road, Ashburn
July 17 - Hertiage High School, 520 Evergreen Mill Road, Leesburg
September 11 - Harmony Intermediate School, 38174 West Colonial Highway, Hamilton
October 23 - Dominion Hogh School, 21326 Augusta Drive, Sterling
November 20 - Heritage High School, 520 Evergreen Mill Road, Leesburg

All events are from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm and are for Loudoun County residents only.
For more information contact the Department of Construction & Waste Management at 703-777-0187.

You can bring the following items to the collection events:
Ammonia, Art & Crafts Supplies, Batteries, Cleaches, Brake Fluid, Drain Cleaners, Engine & Radiator Fluches, Fertilizer, Fluorescent Bulbs,Floor & Deck Cleaners, Gasoline, Gas/Oil Mixes, Herbicides, Insect Sprays, Metal Polish, Moth Balls, Muriatic Acid, Oil-Based Paints, Oven Cleaner, Paint Thinner, Pesticides, Photo Chemicals, Pool Chemicals, Radiator Cleaners,Rechargeable Batteries, Rodent Killers, Rust Preservatives, Sealants, Solvents, Transmission Fluid, Wood Preservatives, Wood Strippers.

Do not bring:
Explosives, Gun Powder or Ammunition, Flares, Pesticides containing dioxin, Large Volumes of unknown materials, Motor Oil, Antifreeze, Lead-Acid or Car Batteries, Propane Tanks, Electronics and Business hazardous waste.

NBC4 Safe & Secure Community Shred Scheduled for March 27th

You need to shred personal documents in order to protect your indenty. NBC4 makes it easy for you to do a large volume of shredding fast and free. Check out the information below, from the NBC4 web site. The shredding event is one week from today. Make it a goal to sort through your paperwork and box it for shredding in the next week!

The next NBC4 Safe & Secure Community Shred is scheduled for Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8-11 a.m. at the Northern Virginia Community College Annandale campus.
You may bring up to five boxes of personal papers for shredding (no CDs or credit cards). It's the best way to protect your identity. And, it's good for the environment because all the paper we shred gets recycled!
To keep this event safe and secure for everyone, please DO NOT BRING these items: Batteries, Flammables, Combustibles, Electronic Equipment (Hard Drives), Media Materials (DVDs, CDs, Tapes), Binders, Hanging Files. Your cooperation will enable us to better serve everyone and allow Shred-It to recycle as much material as possible.
Thanks to our partners PNC Bank , Shred-It, Northern Virginia Community College, and Fairfax County Government for making this event possible -- FREE OF CHARGE!

A new idea in teaching kids to save

I recently learned about a new way to teach kids about the value of money and how to save.
It's called Kidsave and very representative of how your children see you dealing with money on a daily basis.

Riv from Sacred Spaces Home said "Just like checking an online banking account, it automatically deposits "virtual" allowance to each account, has interest that's accrued (for saving) and every time they want to withdraw, they give us a withdrawal slip and we give them the cash and withdraw "virtually". It not only teaches them how the "real" world works but also relieves us of the hassle to always have exact change or cash around."

Do you have too much stuff?

Julie Hall is correct! In her book, "The Boomer Burden - Dealing With Your Parent's Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff" she suspects you already know if you have too much stuff. Here are some of her indicators that I like best:

1. When you hang up a shirt in the closet, you have to push apart the other clothes to make space.
2. You can't see the floor of your closet.
3. At least one bedroom has been turned in a storage area.
4. You rent storage space.
5. There are more licensed vehicles than licensed drivers at our house.
6. You can't put our vehicles in the garage because you use it for storage.

Creating Your Best Life

I'm reading a great book right now. It's for anyone who wants to improve their life. It's called "Creating Your Best Life - The Ultimate Life List Guide" by Caroline Adams Miller. She really speaks to how you can take the steps to a better life. It will help me help my clients focus on what they want out of life. I am excited to be attending a speaking engagement of Caroline's later this month.

Estate Administration and Liquidation Class

I took a great class last weekend, called Estate Administration and Liquidation Class, given by Helen Long. Every professional organizer who is thinking about adding estate sales to their services should take this course. Helen offered us the experience of assessing a job and valuing objects. She also spoke on contracts, personnel, set up and advertising for a sale.

It's About a Level of Order

The Other Side of Organized
Finding Balance Between Chaos and Perfection
by Linda Samuels, CPO-CD

I recently read the book The Other Side of Organized by Linda Samuels, CPO-CD (http://www.theothersideoforganized.com/). I was totally sold on this book when I read the back cover, where Linda explains that organizing is “about finding a level of order that’s comfortable for you”.

Right on Linda! I have long believed that people are not born organized, but we are born with a certain level of comfort with order. Some people are comfortable in the chaos that clutter creates. They may be more creative and/or relaxed in this type of environment. Then there are some people who are more comfortable with less clutter and the order that being organized creates.

As life circumstances change, so might your ability to deal with your surroundings. That’s when working with a professional organizer can help get you back on track.

Play to Your Strengths

I am a pretty organized person. I like things that way. With organization being one of my strengths, I manage our household. My husband has average organizing skills. He does fine in the everyday, but is happy to delegate the household management to me because he realizes it one of my strong points.

There is one organizing task that he does far better than me. It is packing the car for a trip. I don’t know why. I am a very visual and space oriented person, so it amazes me that I can’t pack the trunk with the same ease that I can pack the dishwasher.

Packing the car is one task that I gladly delegate to him. I make sure everything makes it to the car, and then I step back and let him do his thing. It amazes me every time. He manages to get everything in with ease.

It’s nice to know that that responsibility is his and I don’t worry about it. That’s why I say, play to your strengths! Do what you are good at and delegate the things that frustrate you or trip you up. By delegating the packing of the trunk I can start a trip out feeling great and with all my stuff packed nicely in the trunk!

Time Management

We are all so busy that projects and chores stay on our To-Do Lists for days, maybe weeks, at a time. What are those tasks that never make it to the top of your list? Are they things that you don't want to do or don't know how to do? Where are they on your list of priorities? Be honest with yourself. Give yourself permission to delegate those To-Dos to someone else. Can you trade some chores? Maybe a friend would hem those pants for you in exchange for your driving her kids somewhere. Is there a fellow employee who would "trade" tasks with you to get those jobs done in a more enjoyable fashion?

By scheduling the items on your To-Do List on your calendar you are more likely to complete them. I think of it as a small promise to myself. Breakdown larger projects into smaller chores. Spread out those chores over several days, and in no time your will see progress.

Be conscious of time wasters like watching television, talking on the phone, and surfing the Internet. Try to limit yourself by setting a timer or by keeping an eye on the clock when doing these things.
Don't forget to schedule some time just for you, to learn something new, read a book, or just relax. We are so busy these days that scheduling downtime is a must.

Work at making small changes and be prepared to juggle things because time is always moving and so will your schedule.

Procrastination

I heard from fellow organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, these sobering statistics about procrastination.

• An average employee has 37 hours of uncompleted work on their desk.
• Executives spend 7.8 hours per week in meetings and 108 minutes daily reading and responding to emails.
•  An average employee spends 3 hours per week sorting through piles in their office.
• They also spent 6 weeks per year searching for lost documents (1 hour per day).

 Thanks Tara.

A Question of Priorities

This made me laugh!

 

 
It's from Arca Max Publishing.

Paper Shredding Event Coming Soon!

There will be a Paper Shredding Event at PC Recycler, Saturday, February 13, 2010, from 10am to 2 pm.

PCRecycler, Inc.
4005 Westfax Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151

Now is a great time of year to purge your files of unwanted and unneeded paper. In order to complete the task, remember to shred any items with personal information, including social security numbers and banking information. While sorting you may find that you have a lot more paper to shred than time to do it. There is a quick and easy answer.

PC Recycler has partnered with TrueShred to offer paper shredding drop-off. So, bring your medium sized boxes (Regular Bankers Box) of sensitive papers and for just $10 per box watch the shredding process while you wait.

Events are held the second Saturday of each month, rain or shine, from 10:00AM - 2:00PM. Events are held at PCRecycler, Inc., 4005 Westfax Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151. To learn more about electronics recycling, visit www.pcrecycler.net or you may call TrueShred at (888)750-TRUE.

PCRecycler, Inc. performs the following services for clients throughout the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area:

• Computer/Electronic Recycling
• Hard Drive Shredding (On-site or Off-site)
• Tape Shredding
• Degaussing
• Data Destruction to NSA standards

Sign Up for Updates & Tips
If you wish to receive email updates from PC Recycler or TrueShred sign up today!

SEVEN

From the January 2010 issue of Real Simple Magazine.

SEVEN

The maximum number of tasks that should be on a daily to-do list to avoid mental overflow, according to Seven: The Number for Happiness, Love, and Success. Author Jacqueline Leo discusses facets of the number seven with the likes of Dr. Mehmet Oz, restaurateur Danny Meyer, and Real Simple managing editor Kristin van Ogtrop.

Don't Miss the elfa Sale at the Container Store

If you need a new closet system, this is the time for action! The Container Store elfa sale is on is almost over. Through February 15th you can get 30% off elfa and 30% installation. That is a great sale for this great product.


The Container Store is the place to shop for all kinds of practical and unique organizing supplies.


This year they are offering something new - elfa demonstrations!
Check it out at your local store.

Quote to Consider

"Wealth consists not in having great possissions but in having few wants."

- Esther De Waal, Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict

Playin' Again at IKEA

IKEA Woodbridge and NAPO-WDC team up again this Saturday, January 23rd!

To celebrate GO Month (Get Organized Month) the Washington DC chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO-WDC) will be partnering with the IKEA in Woodbridge, Virginia to speak to the public about living a more organized life.

There will short seminars and tips on how to organize your closet, kitchens, office and kid's rooms. I'll be at IKEA along with my fellow chapter members to give advice about your 2010 organizing projects. The talks are at 11am and 1pm, for a half-hour each. Prizes will be awarded at each seminar.

GO Month 2010 Presented by NAPO-WDC

IKEA has all the tools you need to get it done...all under one roof!

Compromising Couples

Compromise is the name of the game when organizing couples. No two people are alike in their level of organization. You must communicate with each other your expectations and then meet in the middle.

The latest book I am reading, "Clutter Control, Useful Tips for getting Rid of the Mess", by Susan Wright, states the issues very well.

Compromise is in order when one or both partners are clutters. Usually each person has his or her own special problem - for example, the husband may be a collector while the wife can't organize her time.

First, each must respect the other spouse's right to live as he or she wants to. But it follows as a corollary that neither spouse has the right to inconvenience the other. These two principles must be kept in balance. One person's habits or preferences should not be allowed to disrupt the household or prevent another from living normally.

The Messy Desk Gone Wrong

From the Boston Herald.com comes the latest on the conflicting opinions of the messy desk people

vs. those of us who choose to live clutter free.

Pride in messy desk replaced with ‘sinking, drowning feeling’

It’s time to clean up my act

By Darren Garnick

For most of my professional career, I have been the proud poster boy for “A Perfect Mess,” the contrarian book that preaches the virtues of a cluttered work space . . . .

GO Month at IKEA

My Saturday experience at IKEA was great! I love talking about organization and how it can change your life. I spoke two times that day on kitchen organization.

It was a wonderful team building experience with my fellow NAPO-WDC chapter members.

NAPO-WDC will be at the IKEA in Woodbridge again on Saturday, January 23rd. I hope to see you there.

Unwanted Gift Cards

A client of mine told me about this internet service. You might want to check it out if you have unwanted gift cards from the holidays.

Plastic Jungle

How It Works

As the premier destination to sell, buy, exchange, and donate gift cards in a trusted environment, Plastic Jungle offers the simplest and safest way to save money at your favorite stores and turn unwanted gift cards into cash. All transactions are guaranteed, and we offer industry-leading features such as gift card replacement protection in case they are lost or damaged.

Shop for less at your favorite retailers, restaurants & more!

Gift cards on Plastic Jungle can be purchased at a discount, which means you can save up to 35% off your next shopping trip (that's on top of any store sales, coupons, or specials they might be running). And we offer FREE SHIPPING when you buy!

Cash in unwanted gift cards for up to 85% of the balance

List gift cards on Plastic Jungle, or cash in cards with a minimum balance of $25 directly with us for up to 85% of the verified card balance. You can also exchange your unwanted or partially used gift cards for purchasing power at stores like Amazon.com, or donate them for the benefit of your favorite nonprofit organization.

All Transactions are Guaranteed! Always Free Shipping!

Life Lessons

This is from Regina Brett, a 90 year old columnist for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland , Ohio:
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more....
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

GO Month at IKEA this Saturday

Are you ready to get organized? To celebrate GO Month (Get Organized Month) the Washington DC chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO-WDC) will be partnering with the IKEA in Woodbridge, Virginia to speak to the public about living a more organized life.
Join me on January 9th and 23rd for short seminars and tips on how to organize your closet, kitchens, office and kid's rooms. I'll be at IKEA along with my fellow chapter members to give advice about your 2010 organizing projects. I will be speaking at IKEA on the 9th, in the kitchen section. The talks are at 11am and 1pm, for a half-hour each. Prizes will be awarded at each seminar.

GO Month 2010 Presented by NAPO-WDC

IKEA has all the tools you need to get it done...all under one roof!

Recycling Event this Saturday

January 9th is the next recycling event at PC Recycler. It conveniently located in Chantilly, Virginia and it’s so quick an easy. If you have any electronic items to recycle or paper that needs shredding, put it in your car and drive over to PC Recycler this Saturday!

They will also be collecting for the WFCM Food Pantry at this event. Below, you will find a list of suggested dontations.

To visit PC Recycler’s web site for more information go to: PC Recycler

• Saturday, January 9, 2010 - 10:00am - 2:00pm
• Location of the event: 4005 Westfax Drive, Suite A, Chantilly, VA 20151
• Directions to the Event
• All types of electronics will be accepted - basically anything with a plug.
• Questions about what you can bring? Are there any fees? Please refer to our List of Acceptable Items.
• Paper Shredding---Available At This Event!

At WFCM basic necessities such as food and toiletries are scarce. Please assist us in aiding WFCM Food Pantry. In return for your charitable donation, we will discount your recycling and data destruction fees -- see more info about these fees

SUGGESTED DONATIONS

• Canned Vegetables
• Baby Food
• Beans
• Fruit Juice

An Organized Meeting

It's Monday morning and I have three meetings to attend today!

I’m ready! I have organized all my paperwork needed for each meeting and have made notes. The individuals who called the meetings have provided agendas, so I have an idea of what is expected of me and all the other participants at the appointed times.

If you are chairing a meeting, here are some techniques you can use to streamline a meeting:

1. Circulate your agenda ahead of time.
2. Invite only those who need to attend.
3. Keep to your agenda.
4. Always begin your meeting right on time.
5. Push for decisions.
6. Schedule wisely.
7. Take stock.

from Simplify Your Workday by Barbara Hemphill and Pamela Quinn Gibbard

Make a Decision

If you are sorting through a pile of stuff, notice if you are making decisions on each item. So often, I work with people who put things aside to “decide later”. That is just putting off the inevitable. There is a saying “clutter is just unmade decisions”. Although it may be hard to do, force yourself to make those decisions now.


In the book “Simplify Your Workday” by Barbara Hemphill and Pamela Quinn Gibbard, they say, “If in Doubt, Decide. Indecision is nearly always the worst mistake you can make. When tempted to postpone a decision, ask yourself: what will I know tomorrow that I don’t know today? If the answer is nothing, just make the best decision you can and move ahead. “

Quick Beginning of the Year Business Tasks

If you are recuperating from last night’s festivities and are looking for a small task to accomplish today? Try taking one small step towards tax time.
Do you keep a Vehicle Mileage book throughout the year? As a small business owner, I do. Now would be a great time to do the math and tabulate your mileage for the year. Ready, get out that pencil!

In order to compute that total miles traveled for the year, you must record your complete odometer reading at the beginning and end of the year. Then calculate the percentage of vehicle use for business purposes by using the equation:

Business Miles Traveled/Total Miles Traveled = Percentage Your Automobile was used for Business Purposes.