Organizing tips 2008

Organizing
Tips
2008

January- When organizing kitchens, I run across expired food and spices
so old that they no longer add zest to any recipe. Take sometime this
month to go through your cupboards and toss expired spices and dry
goods (they are not good forever) and organize by type, fruits, soups,
pasta, etc. If spices no longer smell wonderful when you open the bottle,
chances are they will add little to your cooking. Look through the utensil
drawer. Two of each kind of gadget is plenty. Vacuum out the crumbs.
Make a list of items you need to replace.

Organizing tips from 2007
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February-If you manage to keep your papers organized and filed, Good for
you! Remember you must also sort through files occasionally and purge what
is no longer needed or relevant. If you save your paycheck stubs from last
year, you can toss them when you get your W-2 (which will be kept with your
2007 taxes). Toss out owner's manual for products you no longer own. Pitch
car maintanance reciepts for previously owned cars. You get the idea. So,
fire up that shredder and make room for 2008 paperwork and keep your desk
top free.

March- Save money and time by creating a master grocery list on your computer.
Divide it into sections based on the sequence of aisles at your local store, for example, if
you first shop dairy, then baking, then produce, etc. List the items you use in each
category. Print a list and post it on the refrigerator, then mark the items that you need to
purchase on your next trip. This sequencing will wisk you through the store and save
you from backtracking There are many version of grocery lists online to get you started
like www.keepandshare.com . There is even a bizarre website that archives lost grocery
lists at www.grocerylists.org

April- When you car that costs thousands of dollars in out in the
elements and your garage is full of magazines, old furniture, paint from
the previous owner and leavesand grass dust bunnies, it is time to clean
it out. Get help. Pull everything our into the driveway and sort in to
keep, toss and donate. If it has duct tape on it-toss it. Layers of grime-
toss it. Use shelving-either wall mounted or free standing, but adjustable
height is best so odd shaped items will fit. Sort what is kept by function
such as lawn care, car care, tools, and sports. Sweep out the dust and
drive the car in!

May- A client of mine gets credit for this tip. Start now to clear your name from
catalog lists before the holidays. This may take awhile to get the final results.
Gather the catalogs from those piles around your house if you have them, so you
can enter the customer number (the is helpful but not required.) Simply go to
www.catalogchoice.org Enter your information and select the catalogs you
would prefer not to receive. It really is that easy. Save the environment, and cut
the clutter.

June- I'm still trying to reduce your paper piles this month. After all, paperwork is
the number one cause of clutter for my clients. There are two websites you can visit
to reduce your mail clutter. The first is for all those pre-approved credit offers that we
have to shred. Go to www.optoutprescreen.com . The other site is to opt out of
direct mailings www.dmachoice.org Click on "Remove my name from those Lists" .
Less mail coming in means less piles to sort later!

melanie@neatstreak.com
614-975-8655

July- Travel time is here. Keep your toiletries bag packed all the time along with
an index card in a ziploc bag. On the index card, list all the essentials you need to
get ready each day starting at the top of your head- shampoo, contact solutions,
make up remover and so on. Before each trip, check the volume in each bottle and
add as needed. You can also make a master list for other travel needs on your
computer and print before each trip as a checklist.

August- I just found a great tip for all those extra long cords. Use a pony tail
clasp as seen on the right to bungee the cords to the appropriate length. This is
great for travel too. I used them to manage my phone and mp3 charger cords in
my carrry-on. These can be purchased inexpensively at drug stores and
anywhere you can buy Goody hair supplies

September- Are phone books piling up on your porch, and taking up lots of real estate in
your office shelves, or kitchen cupboards. Please note: You are under no obligation to keep
all of them! Feel free to toss them in the recycling bin. Toss all previous years and books
from places you no longer live. Choose one of the two competing brands of books and
maybe one of the local suburbs books and pitch the rest. Your computer has many on-line
resources to find phone numbers and addresses of people and businesses.

October- This is a tip I reiterate every year because so many of my clients have
struggles with paperwork. It's Emergency Preparedness Month... Do you have a
plan? Organizing your family's documents can help you rebuild your life after a
disaster. Keeping all birth certificates, social security cards, insurance information,
and a photocopy of the contents of your wallet in one place so you can grab them all
at once in case of a disaster and provide information to get back on your feet is well
worth the time it takes to gather them in one place. You can use a firebox, or ziploc
bags, but having them together is the key.

November -Here in the Midwest, we have seasonal wardrobes with everything
from tank tops to turtlenecks. If your closet has little space consider using a tote
box to give you more room in your drawers. Boxes can be stored under the bed, in
guest closets, or basements. As always label the box. Choose wisely when putting
clothes away. Toss clothes that are stained (check underarms too), missing
buttons, snagged, and faded. Donate those that shrunk, didn't fit well, or
unflattering. Flip flops and sandals can be tucked in this box too. Next spring, you
will know what you need to replace to look your best.

December- When we unload our dishwasher, we don't have to think about where
we will put this plate or this fork. Each group of items has a "home" and we always
put them there. Using this idea, create homes for those things that always make
you wonder-"what do I do with this". Photo prints always go in the photobox
labelled with this year so they are tossed in the cabinet, the drawer, or other place
to get buried by other homeless items. More stuff than place to store? You know
what to do. Bless others and keep only what you truly need and can comfortably
store.