Aug 20

Organizing – One of Life’s Goals – Part 1

By Sherry Borsheim Inspiration, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Okay, so it’s time for some real life organization.

Not the most fun job in the world, although some people really relish it and throw themselves into the process with a joy that leaves the rest of us bewildered.

However, whether you like organizing or not, be it your office, your closet, your garage or your life’s to-do list, it is admittedly easier to find whatever you need when everything has been neatly put into compartments or specific sections.

First thing you have to do is to focus on the end result.

What is it you want to achieve? Do you want to know where all your office paperwork is so that when called to a meeting you can have everything put together in seconds, do you want to be able to quickly put together whatever it is you want to wear without having to embark on a hunting expedition, do you want to know where your tools are so the home project you want to work on does not take longer than it should?

Imagine how easy it would be if everything were exactly in the same place all the time. Imagine how much time you would save, not to mention the decrease in frustration.

Look at organizing the same way you would as mapping out your life’s goals.

Then just as you would plan your goals, plan the organization of whatever aspect is most pertinent to you in the moment. You do it one step at a time. In either case, you would not want to overwhelm yourself with taking on too much at once.

Once you get it in your mind that it is a process not requiring a tornado like effort, write down what you visualize as the end result and the step-by-step process to get there.

It will make things that much easier AND it will make sense!

Part 2 is just around the corner – so start here and come back for more in a few days.

Aug 16

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Before and After School Checklists

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

back to school routine

Making a list and checking it twice starts at Back to School!

Last post we released on Back To School Planning was a bit of on introduction on Back To School. The goal was to help busy, hard working parents like yourself get a head start on the year to increase productivity and decrease stress.

We’ve since had quite a bit of feedback on that post which really brought a lot of inspiration to us for future content. So to continue this thought process and follow through with some of our previous promises, we thought we we get into something a little more specific.

The before and after school routine. Some might think it’s easy to set and keep a routine in the mornings – but with an entrepreneur super mom on our team (Cijaye DePradine) we know that it only LOOKS easy unless you are really on top of your game.

The number one secret to success according to Cijaye is making lists! She lives by them. Not just because she has a high functioning A.D.D. but she also has two school aged children and a business to run from the break of dawn onwards.

Without lists — everything can be a distraction! So, as we said last time….

Don’t forget the little things – make checklists NOW

If you take inventory of all the little things you really do need to do to start your day properly – it will be that much easier to make them a part of your routine. And it’s always a great first step to make checklists for them so that they don’t become routinely chaotic for everyone. For example:

The daily before school schedule may consist of all the dress and hygiene tasks that are an absolute in everyone’s daily lives, but don’t forget to schedule breakfast (it’s the most important meal of the day) even if it’s a glass of OJ or water and some fresh cut fruit or bagels — breakfast is critical. Along with breakfast you and your child might need to take medications or vitamins.

Have a reminder list and doing this together as a team ensures that everyone is doing it. PLUS it gives you extra quality time together as a family.

Lastly but certainly not least, a “double check” rule should be in order daily as well. This “double check” rule ensures that each and every morning your child takes a look at his or her agenda, books, binders and bag to ensure that they have everything they need for the day. Kids tend to carry more of what they don’t need and less of what they do.

They are often quite forgetful as well. If they are forced to double check every morning – they will be more on the ball than anyone can hope for, I promise.

TIP: Make a reminder list for this in the evenings so that they know exactly what to look for in the mornings.

The after school schedule is definitely different. In many homes – the children are HUNGRY as soon as they walk in the door. If you hire an in-home nanny or sitter for this time, you might want to ask them to prepare light snacks/meals for the kids that will be ready upon their return.

If you don’t have a sitter and your children are not of age to do this on their own – it might be important to schedule yourself to step in here. If your child is of age, having a list to remind them which meals are acceptable after school and which are not may be helpful. (Afterall you don’t want your children eating a triple dose of sugar filled cereal mid afternoon – let alone any other time of day).

This way everyone simply goes on about their days and stays focused. Also, although some parents do not believe in chores, many do and in those homes, chores and homework are always a top priority. The challenge is putting them in order. Which comes first in your home is going to be up to you. But do make sure you schedule the time for each. It is important.

Finally if your children have after school sports or activities – make plans for this too. If you must arrange another carpool or two – do that. If it’s all on you – that’s okay – but just make sure you set your OWN schedule to make room for this. Your children will need to get their uniforms, dressy clothes or costumes on. They may need their water bottles filled and they will always need some sort of healthy snack in them before they go (if not dinner).

A good rule of thumb is to give yourself at least 1.5 hours between the end of your work and the beginning of sports to make it all run smoothly.

Of course this is just a small list of the many things you can do to keep your daily routine in check – but it’s all important. If you run a home business it’s VITAL.

Aug 09

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Conquering Office Clutter

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Home Office Organization, Organizing Paper Files, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Feeling overwhelmed by increasing clutter?

Oh Clutter…. So quickly it builds up. So often it distracts. So difficult it is to get rid of. It is a rampant problem in our paper driven economy. It can be found in just about any office.

Why is clutter such a problem? For starters, just consider the mounds of paper that pass through the average office. The sheer quantity is overwhelming! Secondly, if what’s on the paper is not immediately applicable, it goes into the ‘later’ pile. The problem is that so often ‘later’ never comes. Thirdly, there are the papers that for one reason or another need to be kept and cannot be disposed of. And lastly, there are the piles that people want to keep for sentimental reasons. They might need it someday, or it would just be a shame to toss.

Knowing how to deal with and avoid office clutter is an important aspect of office management if an efficient business wants to be run. Here are a few tips to help you tackle your clutter:

Clear your desk.

Make room to work. Trying to work amongst clutter is anything but efficient and will only cause frustration and stress, and it slows down progress. In effect, having your desk piled high just makes more work. Having a clear desk area is calming and promotes quality and satisfying work.

Use paper trays.

They come in all shapes, colors and sizes. For those papers that you need to have on your desk, give them a home, one that is need and tidy. You are more likely to keep things organized if you have some equipment that makes it simple. Which leads me to my next point.

Implement an easy filing system.

The trays will work great so long as they get emptied periodically. Create a simple system that works for you. It doesn’t have to be fancy. So long as it is easy, efficient and tidy, it will work.

Date things to create deadlines.

You are more likely to deal with papers if they have a defined due date. Cycle through papers frequently and deal with those whose due dates are approaching. Resist the temptation to procrastinate. De-cluttering takes discipline.

Lastly, tidy your work area at the end of each day.

It is a simple task that often gets ignored when you’re rushing out of the office. It only takes a minute or two, and it will give you a jump start on the next day. There is a no more discouraging way to start day than coming in to a cluttered mess.

The steps are simple and quick. The results will be invaluable. Life at work is so much simpler when you’ve conquered the clutter!

Happy DeCluttering BizOrganizing family.