Organizing and productivity

Apr 08

Ways to Help Your Teenager Get Organized

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Home Organizing, Time Management No Comments

The teenage years can be challenging – no doubt about that. How to help your teenager get organized for school, college or university requires asking questions and considering what works for them, what doesn’t work, when their high energy cycles are and understanding how they work best. For some teens dealing with all the change that are being thrown at them can be difficult, and if they don’t have the skills needed to keep things organized, they can get overwhelmed pretty quickly. If you’re a parent and looking to help your older child navigate the chaotic world, here are a few things that you can do.

It is important to remember that the teenage years is a time of discovery, self-growth and realization. In other words, your teen will push you away and will most likely refuse any help that you offer. It’s the nature of the beast. Just like you did, they are trying to figure out who they are, and what their place is in the world.

Be An Example for Getting Organized

Instead of telling them how to organize their busy schedule, as a parent you need to set an example and some basic boundaries. Make sure they know what is expected of them, and the consequences of their actions. Then take a step back and allow them to get things done in their own way. One example is to give your child a list of chores that need to be done by a certain day each week. Let him or her know that if the chores are not done in a timely manner, than something they enjoy will become temporarily unavailable – such as a particular video game, or access to the internet. Then take the difficult step of stepping back and allowing them to organize their time and efforts as they see fit. Could it end disastrously? Yes. Could things go undone? Of course they could. The important thing is to allow your teen to face the consequences of their action or lack thereof.

Create a Schedule

Of course, your teen is still watching you and seeing what you do even while they are pushing you away. Therefore it’s important to set a good example. Make a schedule, make it known, and keep to your deadlines. If you miss one – make sure there are consequences to your actions, one that your teenager can see and understand. For example, if one of your projects was to cut the grass by Friday and Sunday rolls around and the grass is still waist high, tell your teen to take your golf clubs. There will be no golfing for you until the grass it cut.

Every so often, your teen may ask for help, or accept an offer for help. Once you’ve gotten over your fainting spell, make sure you approach the situation practically and without blame. Again, give suggestions – things such as having a specific place on their desk for homework, or scheduling an hour each day for piano practice. The important thing here is to allow them to create their own techniques, to let them find what works best for them.

Apr 01

Love0

Tips for Organizing Your Cubicle Office Space

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Every weekday, like many people in the corporate world, you work in a cubicle. From the outside, these grey, politically correct drab walls might look bare and uninteresting, but from where you are, you know the importance of keeping things unique, simple, and your own. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Tip # 1: Remember That It’s all About You

At your job, it’s important to be efficient as possible. Therefore, it is important to keep the important things in easy reach. Do you spend the majority of your time on the phone, dealing with clients, or trying to create new ones? Make sure you have all their information in your computer contacts list. You may need a small corkboard on the cubicle wall near your phone with quick reference phone numbers or phone scripts. That way the information you need is easily accessible exactly when you need it – both on the computer and visually in front of you. Do you spend the majority of your time reviewing files, plans or paper documents? Make sure that you have enough desk space to spread out your files or plans and easily put them away when you are finished at the end of your day. Another great tip is to have a small whiteboard hanging on your cubicle wall with your tentative schedule or list of current projects. People will know at a glance what your latest project is, and if you have available time.

Tip # 2: Don’t Forget The Paperwork!

Chances are there will always be paperwork in the corporate world. Keeping your paper files organized can not only help you become more productive, it can also make your time at the office a little less stressful. It’s best to keep things simple. Start with four trays stacked on your desk or hanging on your wall divider. One for incoming material, one for material that is awaiting additional information, or is currently being worked on, one for out-going material, and one for filing or better yet, file papers right away and eliminate this tray altogether.

Tip #3: Add that Personal Touch

It’s important in the business world to be reminded exactly why you are working this hard. While over the top displays of personal items might be frowned upon, most work places have no problem with small, tasteful pictures or little trinkets to remind you of your family. Keep your desk clutter-free with lots of work surface to do your work efficiently!

Tip #4: Clear Out Those Boxes Under Your Desk!

We all know it’s easier to just toss things under the desk so no one can see all your stuff. Having piles of paper, boxes and binders under your desk can create undo stress because you know you should deal with it but don’t have time to right now. Keep the space under your desk free for extra leg room and peace of mind that you don’t have to deal with some random box of papers someday. We all know someday never comes.

These are just a few things that you can do to make your cubicle more habitable and user friendly. Give them a try!

Mar 31

Love0

Organizing Your Family Room- Keeping Things Fun and Simple

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Home Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Just about every parent has been there. It’s been a long day, and the last thing you want to see is your family room in total disarray. It can be exhausting, overwhelming, and yes, it can make you throw up your hands in frustration. One person can’t do everything alone. However, there are ways that you can convince your children to help you keep your family room somewhat organized. Make it fun.

Tip # 1: A Color per Child

If you have more than one child, you know how important it is to make sure that each one knows how unique and special they are. One of the easiest ways to do just that is to have different bins that is specially designated for each child – each one having their very own color. If the child has a specific place to put their toys and other treasured items, there is a chance that they’ll be more likely to place it there when they are finished using it with your encouragement. Make sure you let them truly make it their own – let them decorate it however they want.

Tip # 2: The Game’s Afoot

Of course, children will often surprise us in what they are willing to do, or not do. More often than not, picking up can turn into a boring chore. Why not try to make it fun? Turn it into a friendly competition. Perhaps a friendly race to get all the toys put away. Or if the family room is in a complete mess, perhaps a scavenger hunt is more applicable. If you get the entire family involved, chances are your messy family room will be cleaned up in no time. It’s up to you what the reward will be for the winner – but common ones might be the winner choosing what video to watch on TV, or perhaps they get to stay up ten minutes later at bedtime.

Tip # 3: Keep Your Entertainment Simple

Let’s face it—kids aren’t the only reason why your family room is often in chaos. The stacks of DVDs, video games, endless cords, and remotes also contribute to the problem. Remember the best way to stay organized is to keep things simple. Why not take the idea of having a bin for each of the child’s toys and extend it to your “toys” as well? Keep the items where you are most likely to use them. Maybe put a small basket on the table for the remotes. A media tower or small bookcase next to the DVD player can make it a lot easier to put them away when you’re done. As for the cords, simply take a cable velcro strap, a rubber band or buy a cable organizer to loop the like cords together. That way they won’t turn into trip hazards as easily. Take it one step further and label the cords so you know what they belong to.

These are just a few tips you can use to organize your family room. Try them out and tell me what you think!