Green Organizing Tips by Ideas in Bloom

Silly Things People Save....Part II

2008-04-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well, this one is sort of a logical progression from the boxes mentioned in the previous post. The next silly thing being saved is...bags. Paper grocery bags, plastic grocery bags, shopping bags, gift bags, tote bags, etc. Most households have enough bags to last 5 to 10 years!

As with boxes, keep only what you will use. If you reuse gift bags, by all means, keep some on hand so you don't have to buy more. I am a big proponent of reusing things like this.

As far as grocery bags and shopping bags go, keep a few on hand as needed. Most grocery stores have a recycling bin at their entrance where you can return the bags at your next shopping trip. Better yet, use washable canvas bags that can be reused for each grocery trip.

Tote bags are a big pet peeve of mine. They seem to just multiply like rabbits in our homes. We get them on trips, at work, at conventions and shows and other places where they are given to us as free promotional items. If you can find a use for them, such as using them in place of plastic grocery bags, great. Otherwise, send them to a thrift store or charity. These bags are often kept on hand "just in case"; just in case my other 25 tote bags that don't advertise for some embarrassing prescription medication are all out of commission!

Some Silly Things.....Part I

2008-03-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, first of all, let me apologize for being a slacker with the blog this past month. It was a busy month for me and the blog fell victim to my schedule!

In the spirit of spring cleaning, I thought I'd talk about some of the things that I often see people very attached to and that I also have found to have little to no value in holding on too.

Cardboard boxes seem to be high on the list of silly things people save. Shipping boxes, boxes that electronics come in, gift boxes, etc. All these boxes might come in handy someday, right? Or perhaps you are saving the boxes so that if you move years from now, you can put things back in their original packing materials (as if your computer would know the difference!).

A few thoughts here about the plethora of boxes in your garages, attics, basements, and closets. Boxes take up a lot of space. In non-temperature controlled climates, the cardboard gets subjected to extremes in temperature and can become brittle, which makes it weak and unable to hold heavy loads for shipping or moving. Insects and rodents love paper and cardboard. Damp paper can get moldy, which can cause respiratory issues and allergies.

Save boxes for electronics until the return and/or warranty period has expired. After that, there is not a valid reason to save the boxes. If you move, you can always find boxes. Every day, there are loads of them being offered for free on sites like Freecycle and Craig's List. Rather than letting your boxes rot in your attic, recycle them while they are still useful by offering them to someone who needs them now.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

2008-03-19T16:58:00.001-07:00

Organizing systems, when designed properly, should make things easier for you. If you are having trouble finding papers, putting together an outfit in your closet, or getting your car into your garage, you likely could benefit from an improvement to your current processes.

That being said, an overly complex system can actually be cumbersome and time-consuming, which can easily lead you to abandon the new system and revert back to your old ways. An ideal system is one that allows you to accomplish your goal of finding a paper or assembling an outfit with less problems and in less time that it previously took.

A professional organizer can work with you to find out your specific needs and goals. From there, they can design a system that will be personalized to get you the results YOU need. Ultimately, you will have a smarter way of doing things that makes your life easier on a daily basis.

Cut Down on Grocery Bag Clutter

2008-02-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

I was in Target recently and saw that they now have disposable shopping bags for sale. The bags are Target red in color and they zip up into a little pouch shape when not in use. They are made of a fairly sturdy woven fabric material. The bags were relatively inexpensive, only 99 cents per bag.

Using bags like this is not only good for the environment, it also cuts down on the sheer clutter of having all those paper and plastic grocery bags coming into your home. That being said, if you need to keep a small supply of bags available in your home, don't feel quilty about getting a few of them to have on hand. Just be certain not to stockpile them.

Many grocery stores also offer the reusable bags as well. Look for bags that are roomy enough to hold bulky items, but not so big that they will be hard to carry when full. They should have sturdy handles and be able to be washed as needed. Some of them have a coating that helps make them more water resistant, which is helpful when toting things into your house in the rain.

When using reusable shopping bags, the key is to remember to bring them along with you to the store. It is helpful to develop a regular routine for this purpose. For example, after you unload your groceries from the bags, you may want to get into the habit of immediately returning the bags to your car.

Playing "Catch Up"

2008-02-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

I have had a respiratory infection all week that forced me to have to clear just about everything on my schedule, setting me back on some activities that I had really hoped to get done. Even a planned break from the daily grind, like a vacation, can also throw us into a tailspin when we return to "normal" functioning.

To more easily get back on track, I try to categorize my backed-up tasks based or priority. I list everything I need and want to do. Next to each item, I indicate if the task is Urgent (U) or Important (I). Important might be paying a stack of bills, and a bill that is due this week may be both Urgent and Important. Returning phone calls might have a sense of urgency, but those calls which are most important will take priority.

I also will indiciate if the tasks is external - meaning I have to leave my home or office to complete it. This way, when I am out, I can easily look at my list and see if there are additional errands I can take care of. I do the Important and Urgent first, the Important next, and then the Urgent. Things that are neither urgent or important can wait until I get all caught up.

When you feel overwhelmed with all you have to get done, using a simple system like this can help you to quickly develop a game plan to get things back in order.

Realistic Expectations

2008-02-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

I love watching the organizing shows on TV. However, as a Professional Organizer, I worry that the shows can sometimes create unrealistic expectations for potential organizing clients. The TV shows can appear to completely transform an entire house in just 30 or 60 mintues.

In reality, these shows have huge crews working behind the scenes, not just one organizer. And even with these crews, the work may take days or weeks to complete, but is edited to appear as if it the projects were completed more quickly.

The other pitfall to these programs is that since the organizing is done "all at once", there is an illusion that once the house is completed, order has been restored forever. There is little to no discussion of establishing new, ongoing systems and habits to maintain this blissful environment.

A Professional Organizer wants their clients to have that same wonderful reaction as the TV organizing clients; however, the reality is that this comes in a series of smaller accomplishments as the client learns to gain control over their stuff and the space in their home or office.

Looking at Things in a New Light

2008-02-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

When we think about getting organized, for many of us, our thoughts immediately drift to containers. Boxes, bins, totes, and folders to store paper, collectibles, photographs, and other memorabilia. However, many of the items in our homes that are sitting around unused can be easily repurposed, saving us money as well as a trip to the store.

Here's an example from my own home. I needed a way to store my earrings, the kind that are on the wires (not the posts). In a box or drawer, they always seemed to get quite tangled. I saw some nice earring organizing products in catalogs and online, but did not want to spend the money. I considered a plastic fishing tackle box, which was affordable, but I'm not a big fan of bringing a lot of plastic storage into my home, except in outdoor spaces. I wanted something more natural.

While going thru some decorative items I had not used in a while, I came across a wrought iron candle holder. It had a heavy iron base, with round iron loops around a central post. A glass votive cup sat in each of these circular areas. One of the glass holders was cracked, enough that I would not use the piece again. As I was removing the glass cups and wrapping them up to take the Goodwill, I realized the remaining metal piece would make a wonderful storage and display unit for my earrings.

By looking at this item in a new way, I solved the organizing issue with my earrings without spending a dime. The broken glass was recycled, the good glass was donated to be reused by someone else, and the iron piece was repurposed. No landfills or wallets were harmed by this organizing project!

It's a Silly Little THING!

2008-02-11T17:52:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I was watching an organizing show on one of the cable stations. A young couple was moving in together and had more stuff than space. The young man was reluctant to get rid of anything, but seemed especially attached to a ceramic monkey figure that also functioned as an incense burner. It was a not a very attractive piece, nor was it very valuable. I'm sure that to people viewing the show, this guy seemed ridiculous for being so attached to this odd item.

But let's face it, we all have our own ceramic monkey incense burner. Maybe yours is a buddha cigarette lighter. Or a "hello kitty" pencil case. Or a vintage Welcome Back Kotter pillowcase, featuring John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino. (Sad to say, this last item was one I formerly owned. Oh, and did I mention it was SATIN??)

The problem comes in when our homes get filled with these items, and then there is no where to put actual useful things, like the 40 rolls of paper towels we seem to go through because we have an elderly beagle with kidney troubles. (Some more insight into my life for my loyal readers!)

It is fine to hold onto a limited number of these items, but we often keep them not because we particularly love, or even like, the item, but rather because of a memory of a person or place that we associate with the item. If that is the case (or pillowcase, in my case!) then take a picture of the item and then LET IT GO! The memory can still live on without the item being physically present. And your friends won't wonder why you have that silly, tacky monkey!

Examining Patterns and Places

2008-02-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

For most of us, we tend to do things in a routine way. For example, we tend to use the same entrance in and out of our homes. For me, I pass through my kitchen into the utility/laundry room, and then go out the door into the garage. When I come back in, I tend to set any large packages or items in the utility room, and then place smaller things like mail on my kitchen counter.

We tend to develop these routines without thinking all that much about them. In trying to get a handle on clutter and get more organized, we need to actively revisit how we move through our spaces. Sort of "retrace our steps", so to speak. Once we do this, we may find that simple adjustments to our routines can help streamline things. For example, if you come in the door and immediately proceed to the left to your living room, where you wind up taking off your coat and leaving it there. Instead, you might turn to your right, and go to the coat closet first. This simple adjustment can make a big change, especially if everyone in your household does it.

Also, examine where clutter tends to come into the house and where it tends to linger. Let's say mail comes into your kitchen, and ultimately really belongs in your home office, but never seems to make its way there. This means there is a routine that is missing. Adding a basket to put the mail into might be a first step in establishing a routine. Placing the basket in a location that you can easily grab it on the way to your office is another step to take.

By asking yourself what you are currently doing and asking why it is not working, you will be able to better focus on new routines that will better serve your organizing goals.

Scheduling Ideas

2008-02-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Managing our time is a challenge that many of us face on a daily basis. Conventional wisdom on the subject of time management usually tells us to figure out what we need to do and make sure to put all tasks and activities into our weekly or daily planners.

While that advice certainly appears to hold true; in reality, it does not always seem to work out for us. For example, a salesperson may block out several hours in the morning to make phone calls to leads, only to reach voicemails. When the clients call back, it might be when training time was on the salesperson's schedule. Taking the call then means having to reschedule training into an already jam-packed schedule.

A better way to fine-tune your schedule to truly ensure you maximize your time is to really think not just about getting things into your planner, but to get them in there at a time that will bring the best results. Let's say the salesperson I mentioned above sells insurance for both residential and commercial clients. It may make more sense, instead of trying to reach all clients in the morning, to reach business clients in the morning, but to reach residential clients in the early evening.

Bascially, this approach not only gets our activities onto our schedules, but takes into account outside factors that could impact our execution of these tasks. This can take a bit of trial and error, but getting into the habit of looking at how to optimize your schedule planning will really pay off for you in terms of your overall productivity.

Nothing to Feel Bad About

2008-02-04T09:58:00.000-08:00

When I go into a client's space for the first time, they often tell me that they feel a little uncomfortable or even very embarrassed by the clutter in their home or office. Many people immediately assume that their house is "the worst one" or "the messiest one". There is perhaps a bit of shame and guilt over having let clutter build up to the point that outside assistance is needed.

However, there really is no need to feel funny about hiring a professional organizer. If you think about it, many people hire cleaning services to clean their homes, nannies to watch their children, and landscapers to mow the lawn. As well, we hire plumbers, electricians, hairdressers, and auto mechanics to help us with the things we either don't have time for, or choose to not spend our limited time doing.

Organizing is a newer option for homeowners to add to their list of outside service providers, and that may be why it is not as readily accepted as a "normal" service. In today's world, time really is a precious commodity and it is often a neccessity as much as a nicety to have assistance with an array of household tasks and responsibilites.

A good organizer can work with you to make positive changes and implement systems that will make handling your belongings, paperwork, and daily life a bit easier. Just as a cleaning service can remove dirt and dust, and a landscaper can cut overgrown grass and shrubs, a professional organizer can help clear clutter and chaos!

Tax Time Tip

2008-01-31T18:43:00.000-08:00

Many people have just received their W-2s during this last week of January. To make things easier when you fill out your tax forms, start a special file or folder for all tax related paperwork and statements that you are getting in the mail now.

Having a distinct location for these tax-related papers will make them easier to find and access between now and April 15th. If you have an accountant or tax preparer that assists you with your taxes, you may want to schedule an appointment now, so that you have more choice and control over the date or time of the meeting. As tax day nears, it may be hard to get an appointment that will work with your schedule.

Think Twice about Online Statements

2008-01-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick tip today. If you need to have printed copies of bank or credit card statements, or utility bills, it may actually be quicker to just continue receiving them in paper format rather than signing up to receive them electronically.

From a time standpoint, when you get the statement in the mail, you have what you need. If you get the info via e-mail, you may not be near a printer at that moment, and will have to remind yourself to be sure to print out a copy.

This can actually be more environmentally friendly, as the mailed statement is typically on smaller paper than the standard 8 1/2 by 11 printer paper and the mailed copies are generally two-sided, which not all printers can automatically do.

Of course, if you don't need to retain a printed record of a bill or statement, the electronic method is still your best bet!

Save Time by Optimizing Storage

2008-01-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

In order to save time, it is typically a good idea to stock up on frequently used household items. Laundry detergent, dish soap, paper towels, bath tissue, shampoo, and toothpaste are some examples of things that people often need to have on hand, yet frequently run out of. Making sure to purchase a 30, 60, 90, or 120 day supply of these items can you time by cutting down last-minute trips to the store. As well, buying these items in larger quantities can usually save you some money.

A word of caution here - you don't want to buy more of these products than you will use in a reasonable amount of time, let's say a couple of months. If you overbuy, the items are just going to take up valuable cupboard space that could best be utilized for another purpose.

Likewise, if your storage space is limited, you will need to make choices about how best to use the space. A small bathroom cupboard could hold three months supply of bath tissue, but then you'd have no room for all of your other bathroom essentials. In this case, stocking up with several months' supplies may actually be causing clutter and storage issues.

A professional organizer can work with you to maximize your existing storage space and develop systems to manage household inventory levels of the items you want and need to have on hand.

An Easier Way to Use Debit Gift Cards

2008-01-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

Over the past two holiday seasons, I had received a few Visa gift cards. This initially seemed like a wonderful gift, and much better than a particular store gift card in that I could use it anywhere. However, I realized that these credit card debit style gift cards are a bit tricky to use.

For most standard gift cards, you would go to the store, shop, then when they ring you up, you would give the cashier your gift card. If the total due was less than the card balance, so be it. If the amount due was more than the card balance, the card balance would be deducted, then the remainder of the purchase could be paid for with cash, check, debit card, or credit card.

With the Visa debit cards, they work the same way only if the purchase price is less than or equal to the card balance. If the balance is lower than the purchase price, the card will decline. That means you have to figure out beforehand that you have, for example, $36.71 left on your card, and the purchase is $45.29, so you could tell the cashier that you need to first write a check or give cash for whatever that difference is; if you can figure it out, and if the cashier can even put a partial portion on some other method of payment.

To avoid these issues when I received another Visa debit card, I used it to purchase a gift card at the grocery store where I usually shop. This made it alot easier to spend the money and not be left with an odd balance that was hard to use up. You could also split the amount on the original debit gift card, let's say it was $50, and get a $20 grocery card and a $30 Target card. You can decide what works best for you. In any event, this method with save you time and frustration and will also keep you from wasting the remaining balance on the credit card style gift card.

Organized for Dinnertime

2008-01-27T16:07:00.000-08:00

For busy two-income couples and families, getting dinner on the table every night can be a real challenge. A little organization and planning can go a long way in making mealtimes easier on everyone.

This is something I have practical, personal experience with. My husband and I often have unpredictable schedules and erratic commute times. I would arrive home, cook a nice meal, and then he might get stuck having to grab a bite at the office. It was frustrating to spend time cooking to wind up having the food go to waste.

I got sick of throwing uneaten food away, try as we might to make meals out of leftovers. We then went to the opposite extreme, where I did not want to even do much grocery shopping, in order to avoid the waste. Of course, when we arrived home from work hungry and tired, the cupboard was bare and we had to go out to grab a bite to eat.

What we finally came up with was a rough listing of meals that we rotate during the week based on our schedules. One night we might have a big chef salad, another night is a grocery store rotisserie chicken picked up on the way home from work. For nights where our schedule may be unpredictable, we might have frozen meals like Lean Cuisines on hand to have with a small salad. Soup and sandwiches is another time-saving option. We typically also work in a trip to a nearby, inexpensive local restaurant or two.

This makes it a great deal easier to grocery shop, but still gives some measure of flexibility as there is no set-in-stone, specific menu. As well, it helps with grocery budgeting as well as controlling dining out expenses, since we generally know beforehand both where and what we will be eating. This mealtime organizing tip should save you both money and time.

An Interesting Question....

2008-01-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was at a professional women's networking meeting. Someone asked me what I do and I told them I was a professional organizer. They then asked me if I worked with "stuff" or with time management. My response was that I do both. After the conversation was over, though, I started thinking more about her question. It sort of seemed odd to me that someone would think that "stuff" and "time" were two distinct things.

Sure, there can be neat, organized people who may not manage their time very well. They run late, over-schedule themselves, and the like. When I go into a home or office and see clutter and piles of paper, or "stuff", I immediately start thinking of questions to ask them about how they spend their time.

The rationale here is that most clutter results from delayed decision-making. What should I do with this thing? Should I keep it? If so, where? A file cabinet? A drawer? In the house? Which room? When we don't have an immediate answer, the item sits there. And sits there.

Many attempts at organizing fail due to simply trying to temporarily clear out the stuff and the clutter, but not digging deeper and finding out where the time management system has failed to provide the bandwidth to deal with all these papers and items on an ongoing basis so that it becomes a routine part of our lives.

Quickly Revisit the Organizing Resolution

2008-01-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

You resolved that 2008 was going to be the year you finally got organized. January is almost over and you have not done much of anything to get started with this goal. You are feeling like a failure, and that it is too late to even bother trying at this point.

Well, actually, it is not too late. Yesterday's commitment to start getting organized tomorrow is here today! I have mentioned in several posts that it can really be quite overwhelming to try to tackle months or years or decades of accumulated clutter. I also advised that it is best to break large projects down into smaller more manageable tasks.

Another great thing to get yourself back on track and committed to your goal is to do a "quick-fix", which is just a very speedy mini-task related to you organizing and de-cluttering goals. A great example would be to grab the pencil cup on your desk and test the two dozen pens in there and dispose of the ones that no longer write. Take out ONE file folder from a file cabinet and weed out any outdated, unwanted items.

These very quick mini-tasks may not seem like much, but you will be surprised how doing just one small thing like this may motivate you to move forward and do the rest of the file cabinet. If your resolution has stalled, this can be a great way to kick-start your organizing projects.

Make Office Recycling Easy

2008-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

Our best intentions to recycle can go awry if we don't have a plan in place. In home offices, where space is often an issue, people typically may have one trash can. However, since the office is where a great deal of paper is processed, it makes sense to have a "trash station".

As most of the trash in the office is paper, a good sized trash can for paper to be recycled should be central to this system. In addition, if personal or financial documents need to be disposed of, a shredder should be added to the area. If you are shredding a large amount of paperwork, or shredding even small amounts fairly frequently, it may be best to have the shredder on its own trash bin.

It is also important to have a small container or bin for any items that might not be candidates for recycling, in order to have a place to dispose of them without having to mix them in with the papers and/or to leave them strewn about your workspace.

When trash day comes, it will be easy to gather up the recycling materials. You will have the satisfaction of knowing you are doing your part to help the environment and keeping your own space neat and tidy as well. Setting up a trash station is quick, inexpensive, and a great way to quickly make a difference in your home or office.

Collector's Clutter

2008-01-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

Collections can quickly overrun a space, giving it a cluttered appearance. Collectors who may consider contacting a professional organizer are often worried that the organizer will want them to get rid of their collectibles. In actualality, the organizer can work with the collector to determine how to best store and display a collection in order to highlight it as part of a room's decor.

Many times, a collector will have their collections scattered all over a room or throughout the entire home. By grouping collectibles in one location within a room, it really places emphasis on the collection whille at the same time reducing the visual clutter around the room.

For very large collections, it is sometimes best to have a central grouping of the very best pieces which can then be supplemented with a few additional pieces from the remaining collection. Any additional pieces can be rotated in and out of the display as needed or on a seasonal basis, and safely stored away in an accesbile location.

Getting organized is not about getting rid of the things you cherish. Instead, organizing your space can allow you to focus on the antiques, collectibles, and items you enjoy the most!

Fail to be Perfectly Organized

2008-01-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Setting up and maintaining a workable filing system can often be a hard project to jump into. The longer we wait to get started, the more the paper piles up, until we are faced with a mountain of clutter. We want to get organized and to be able to find that important document at a moment's notice, but we get stuck.

One of the biggest problems we often create for ourselves, often without even being aware of it, is that we want to be "perfectly" organized. For example, we might have a bill from the doctor's office and we can't decide if it should be filed as a medical document or as a financial document. We don't want to put the paper in the wrong place, so we put it nowhere.

This can be very self-defeating, but can be easily remedied. We need to remember that filing systems we create are used as a guideline to help us organize. Therefore, there is no perfect or correct categories, just the categories that work best for you at this point in your life.

If you can't decide which category to put a piece of paper in, just make a temporary decision - put it in one of the categories that makes sense, and remind yourself that you can change it later if need be. It is still better to have a medical bill in EITHER your medical or financial file than in a big unsorted pile where it will be nearly impossible to find it.

Shred It for Safety

2008-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

In January, many people begin to organize and sort through the previous year's paperwork. Depending on your personal and business accounting needs, you may be getting ready to dispose of financial statements or other business documentation from several years back. This is a good habit to get into, as it frees up space and keeps your home or office from becoming overrun with paper.

However, it is important to dispose of this paperwork safely. While a trash can is a great everyday organizing tool; for sensitive financial information, a shredder is really your best bet. There are shredders available to handle anything from small to large volumes of document shredding.

With identity theft on the rise, taking precautions with your personal information is really a must nowadays. While taking the time to shred your documents may take a bit longer than simply tossing them in the trash, it is definitely time well spent.

I mentioned in previous posts that I have personally been attempting to greatly reduce the amount of paper in my life for both environmental and space-saving reasons. Even with these efforts, I was able to fill a majority of a huge lawn and garden refuse bag with shredded paper. A standard household can likely fill about two such bags.

Happy Shredding!

Getting There with Baby Steps

2008-01-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

It can be quite overwhelming to begin on your resolution to get organized. It seems as if everywhere you turn, clutter abounds! Piles of paperwork, crammed closets, packed cabinets, and overflowing drawers lurk all over the house. When looking at the "big picture", organizing can indeed seem difficult.

To overcome this, it is really best to take baby steps by breaking down the project of "getting organized" into smaller tasks. Rather than thinking about the whole house, select one room to work on. Continue to drill down to smaller areas - instead of the bedroom, think about the closet and the dresser. Perhaps you could start just by organizing your sock drawer, pairing up the socks, discarding socks with no mates or those with holes or stains.

By creating manageable tasks for yourself, you set yourself up for a win-win situation. You are moving along with your goal of getting organized, and you are also getting a feeling of accomplishment with each small area you tackle. This, in turn, should serve to keep you motivated to continue.

Organizing often entails sorting through many years, or even decades, of accumulated belongings and clutter. It is not realistic to think you can totally revamp an entire house in just a few hours. It is very comparable to losing weight - you can't expect to lose 30 pounds all at once; rather, you have to keep at it and you will see the pounds go down gradually each week. Taking small steps towards your goal will eventually have the payoff you are looking for.

Coupon Clutter

2008-01-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of coupons. I get the Sunday paper each week and spend time clipping coupons. On an average weekly trip to the grocery store, I can easily save $5, if not more, by using coupons. That quickly adds up to over a $250 savings per year.

Aside from the manufacturer's coupons in the Sunday paper, many department stores have money saving coupons in their weekly circulars. As well, many schools have fundraisers selling local coupon books with savings for local restaurants and stores. Local junk mail often includes ValPak and other regional advertising catalogs that have clip-n-save offers.

It can be easy to collect a large number of coupons. However, it can soon become cumbersome to find a coupon you need if you have to sort through dozens or hundreds of them. You can spend 20 minutes digging into your coupon pile only to find that the offer expired a week ago.

To avoid this, try to be realistic about which coupons you will use. If you use a certain brand of hand lotion and don't typically deviate from that brand, it may not make sense to keep coupons for other brands. As well, if you have three bottles of lotion stored away, enough to last for several months, you may not need to clip the coupon that expires this month.

Coupons can be sorted by expiration date and/or by type (restaurant, pets, food, cleaning, health & beauty). If there are products you buy weekly or monthly, on a regular basis, you may want to keep those coupons filed separately so you can easily find them.

If you really don't want to throw coupons out, give them away to friends and family. If you don't have a baby, your friend may like to have the diaper and baby food coupons. I have even seen people offer themed batches of coupons on sites such as Craig's List or Freecycle.

Coupons can be a great way to save money. Avoiding coupon clutter can also save you time!

Organizing Fact and Fiction

2008-01-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

There are many professional organizing rules and methodologies that people read about in books and articles. Often, it can seem that many of these guidelines appear contradictory to one another. For example, a common organizing principle is to store items nearest to where they are used; while another is to store similar items together.

When applying these principles to actual organizing situations, you will want to take several factors into consideration. Among these are the storage capabilities of the different rooms and areas within your home or workspace, as well as frequency of use of items.

While the "like items together" concept may seem to dictate that all household paper goods be stored together, it may not make practical sense. Instead, paper towels may be best kept in the laundry room, napkins in the kitchen, and bath tissue in the bathrooms; this is where these items are used. That being said, if your household goes through a large amount of paper goods, perhaps the kitchen and bathrooms lack the storage capacity to hold a big supply of these items. Therefore, maybe all overflow paper products would be stored in the laundry or utility room if that is where the most space exists.

Another example is kitchen and dining related items. While it may be logical for all dishes to be stored together, it may make more sense to have everyday dishes in the kitchen and the fancy china in the dining room. And holiday dishes might not be stored with other dishes at all; if storage space in the kitchen or dining room is limited during the rest of the year, it may make more sense to think of holiday china as a "holiday" item and store it away with the rest of your holiday decor.

It can indeed be confusing to determine how best to apply tried and true organizing ideas to your own unique storage and space planning challenges. There may be some trial and error involved as you mix and match the best plans for your situation. A professional organizer can aide you in this process; they have worked with a variety of clients and are able to quickly assess problems in order to provide effective resolution through a careful blending of techniques.

The Ongoing Effort to be Paperless

2008-01-10T07:49:00.001-08:00

A few years ago, I decided to really make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of paper coming into my home and office and also to reduce the amount of paper I store. Although we rely on computers and email, there is still a huge amount of paper that comes into our lives. That being said, I have found a few things to be helpful in reducing the paper influx.

Receiving bills electronically and paying them electronically has made a big dent in the amount of paper that comes in on a monthly basis. Receiving bank and investment statements in paperless format also helps. Taking steps to have my name removed from junk mail marketing lists, limiting magazine subscriptions to what I will actually read, and reducing our newspaper subscription from daily to just the weekend editions has also cut down on the paper pileup.

In conjunction with trying to reduce the paper I use and receive, I have also really made a commitment to recycling paper when I am through with it. While I had not been so good about recycling cans and bottles, mostly because of problems with insects being attracted to food remnants in my garage recycling bin, I have found it to be quite easy to recycle any and all paper products that have not had contact with food or moisture. I was actually quite surprised to find that even after taking so many steps to reduce the paper I brought into the house, I am filling up a recycling bin just about every other week, and this is not including newspapers.

Overall, I have found it is not really feasible for most people to be paperless, but we can be paper-less!

The January Container Trap

2008-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

This time of year, all the big discount stores and home improvement stores feature organizing and storage products in their catalogs and circulars. For people who have made a resolution to get more organized this year, these products promise to help them meet these organizing goals. However, the reality is that in most cases, you really need to go through all your belongings first, weeding out things that are no longer useful or meaningful, and then sorting the items that are left.

Once you have sorted out items by type and/or placed them in the areas of your home or office where they will be used and stored, then you can assess what types of storage containers or other organizing products may be useful.

I have gone into so many homes to find the homeowner bewildered as to why they are still living in disarray after spending hundreds of dollars on baskets, bins, containers, and shelving units. Really, it comes down to "putting the cart before the horse", or in this case, putting the plastic tote before the clutter.

A professional organizer can help you to effectively assess your belongings and storage needs. Since most of us want our homes to have decorative appeal, the organizer can assist in selecting proper storage solutions that will prevent your living spaces from looking like storage lockers.

Paper or Plastic?

2008-01-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

In this age of heightened environmental awareness, the choices we make daily can have a great impact. Sometimes, it is hard to know the right thing to do. I am in Raleigh, NC, which currently has severe drought conditions. There are water usage restrictions in place. While I normally try to curtail use of paper products in favor of reusable cloth items, I worry if that is the right thing to do at this time. Are paper napkins and paper towels going to the landfill better than running a load of wash for cloth napkins and old rags that are used for cleaning?

Ultimately, I think the answer lies in trying to make more conscious decisions about these issues. If you use paper products, try not to be wasteful or excessive. And organization comes into play here, too. While you may not want to wash tomato sauce stained cloth napkins and cleaning product saturated rags with your nice clothes, you can wash these items with your bed and bath linens rather than as a separate load.

Organizing your life is about streamlining items and activities to make your daily tasks smoother and easier. And while disposable products can make things easier on the surface, you need to balance that ease of use against your feelings and beliefs about how best to conserve resources. It may turn out that the time, gas, and storage space needed for month's supply of convenient, disposable paper towels is actually a greater drain than having a supply of reusable cloth rags.

Oh, and in case you were wondering about which is better - paper or plastic? The answer is neither. The best thing is to use reusable cloth bags for your shopping.

Use It or Lose It

2008-01-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

January is a great month to use up things around the house. In the kitchen, try to use up the leftover holiday food before it goes bad. Making creative meals from the leftovers will save you money and free up space in the pantry and fridge. In the bathroom, make January the month to use up all the sample size products you accumulated throughout the previous year. The fancy lotion and perfume you received LAST Christmas and decided to save for "special" occasions? Go ahead and use it now before the scent is lost.

If you come across items you will not use, donate them to a suitable charity. Many food pantries and shelters need non-perishable food items this time of year. Unwanted toiletries are often welcome at retirement homes and women's shelters.

Other unwanted gifts can also be donated. In January, I usually have an annual "regifting" party - I invite my girlfriends over for an afternoon and we wrap up the unwanted gifts and have an exchange drawing. We all typically wind up with a gift we have more use for, rather than letting unwanted items languish as clutter in the back of our closets.

A New Year, A New Focus

2008-01-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

My post earlier today was inspired by my initial hopes to give this blog a facelift starting on January 1st. However, the cold and flu season had some other ideas for me. So my new year is starting a few days late, but better late than never.
Having spent the last few months moving towards going paperless in my home and home office, and continuing to be interested in enviromental concerns, I am going to focus on incorporating green prinicples into my life and into my work with my clients. I will be sharing some of the things I have been working on over the past months to that end in hopes that information will be useful to you.

Avoid "Black & White" Thinking

2008-01-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of a new year, we typically make resolutions to get more organized, lose weight, etc. But we give up these resolutions early on when we slip up and do something that goes against these lofty goals we have set for ourselves. The main problem here is black and white thinking, which has us approaching our resolutions in an all or nothing manner. If we are dieting, and we eat a cookie, we have failed. If we are trying to get organized, and the closet is a disaster, there is no point in trying. However, if you take a less severe approach to moving towards your goals, you can get there, one step at a time, even if some of the steps may be backwards. Two steps back and three steps forward is still making progress. Remind yourself of your goals and recommit yourself to them and you will see gradual changes.

Your Better Half....

2007-10-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you think I am going to write about your spouse? Not quite. They say you spend the first 40 years of your life trying to get stuff, and the last forty years trying to get rid of stuff. Seems like a lot of time and energy (not to mention money!) that we put into that first half, just to undo what we have done. Sure, as we enter young adulthood and have careers and homes and weddings and kids, it is natural to accumulate things. We should be certain that we are bringing into our homes things that are useful and meaningful to us at that point in our life. And more importantly, we should be sure to do a periodic tune-up of our belongings and weed out what may no longer be working for us. Otherwise, our "second half" will leave us drowning in a sea of clutter!

A great quick tip as we head into the holiday season: with the influx of gifts, decor, and "stuff" soon to make its way into our homes, now is a great time to do some "spring cleaning". Spring cleaning in the fall.

Out with Packaging!

2007-07-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

When you purchase a new item, dispose of the packaging material that came with it. For example, tubes of toothpaste can be stored out of their boxes, in a basket. Boxes from electronic items or small appliances should be stored flat and saved just until the return or warranty period ends. In the kitchen, packets of dry soup mixes and seasonings can be stored in clear plastic bins. Eliminating packaging saves space. It also cuts down on insects, as they are attracted to the glues in the boxes. In moist or humid areas, damp paper packaging can also retain odors.

What "Organized" Means

2007-04-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

"Organized" means different things to different people. Some people prefer a very sparse decor, with few objects out on surfaces. For others, that would be disconcerting and they prefer to be surrounded by things they love and enjoy. When your possesions begin to overwhelm your life instead of enriching you, it may be time to organize. Getting organized does not mean getting rid of everything you own. It may involve some paring down, but more importantly, it is storing and arranging things in a way that adds to your life rather than causing constant stress.

Another use for....

2007-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

I received a few wine racks as wedding and/or housewarming gifts, but I really didn't have a use for them. Instead, I turned one into a magazine rack in the den and another into a towel rack in the guest bath. The racks make an nice decorative accent, I didn't let the gifts "go to waste", and I didn't have to spend a dime to organize my towels and magazines.

Just Do It!

2006-10-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

How many things are on your to-do list right now? This could be your written list or just the one in your head. How many of these tasks are making a repeat performance day-after-day? Sometimes, a task seems overwhelming and we cannot seem to find the time or energy to devote to getting it done. If you think about it, instead, we are spending our time and energy putting it off and putting it back on the list. Do it now and you won't have to spend any more time or guilt over not having it finished.

The Proximity Rule

2006-07-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Keep things where they will be used. If you take the dog for a walk and always go out the back door, storing the leash in the coat closet by the front door is probably not the best idea. Think about some of the clutter around your home and determine if these objects are in violation of the proximity rule. How would making a few storage assignment changes work in your benefit? Give it a try!

Another recycling idea

2006-04-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, I finally persuaded my husband to part with many, many 3-ring binders full of 8 1/2 x 11 papers with outdated work information. I ran some of the paper through the shredder - it makes great packing material. You want to be careful not to save too much of this stuff - saying "someday, this will be great packing material". If you have a use for it NOW or in the very near future, great. Otherwise, it may be best to discard it. But this is a great way to de-clutter, recycle, and save money all at once.

Recycling idea

2006-01-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Those shiny paper print ads and circulars from the Sunday paper can be useful as packing material. Just crumple them up into a box around the item you are shipping. The crumpled paper is fairly lightweight and the shiny paper does not rub off on hands the way the regular newprint pages do.

Organized for Emergencies

2005-10-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

After watching all the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, I feel it is important to touch on preparedness for emergencies. Be sure to keep important documents, contact numbers, and other vital information in a place where it can all be quickly accessed if need be. Be sure to have backup copies stored in a separate location. In the event that you will need to evacuate your home, be sure to have a plan and all needed supplies. If you have pets, be sure to make arrangements for their safety as well - vet records, rabies tags, and medications will be crucial to have on hand if you need to transport an animal to another location. There are a number of websites that offer more detailed information on these subjects.

A Tip about TV Decorating Tips

2005-09-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind that on many of the home decorating shows on TV, the designers are working to present a particular concept. Based on that fact, the details of their designs may not be practical for everyday use. These shows do provide a great source for inspiring decor ideas; just be sure that any ideas you decide to implement will fit with how you really live in and use your space.

A Sentimental Journey

2005-08-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

We often hold on to things because they are "sentimental" to us. The outfit we wore on our first date, the books from college, the wedding gifts, drawings from our children. Every item that you have come into contact with has been a part of your life; storage and space limitations will not allow us to keep every item. Being organized does not mean getting rid of everything. Keep what is truly meaningful, valuable, or useful to you. If space is a problem, and a sentimental item is not being used, you can photograph it to preserve the memory and then pass the item on.

Welcome!

2005-06-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ideas in Bloom blog site. Ideas for organizing and decorating your home and workspace will be provided here for your use....