Carrie and Danielle - Latest Comments in What are your best organizational tips?

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Paper Shredders — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:10:03 -0000

This is great advice! The last line really hits home. I try to clean my computer desk with my computer on. A new email comes in and…there goes my attention!

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

fabuleuxparis — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:29:24 -0000

I am by no means a great organizer, but I try. I think what helps me most is to have some semblance of a routine. IE: wake up at certain time, have lunch at certain time, etc.
Also, since I am totally NOT a morning person, I do some things the night before like laying out my clothes and showering. And it works. A few weeks ago, I had not layed my outfit and accessories out the night before, so I left the house wearing 2 different shoes! (blushes)
It was a harsh reminder to stick to my routines and habits. LOL!

Fashionable Fun.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Alison — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:24:54 -0000

Stake out the extremes. Being disorganized isn't great, but life actually gets more complicated when you pay too close attention and become obsessive.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

K. — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:57:19 -0000

I write my master To-Do list on a dry-erase board. I'm not sure why this helps over writing it down on a regular piece of paper, but it does for me! I sit down with my coffee at the beginning of every week and write down my goals and intentions and I plan out my week's To-Dos. I also use the Lifestyle Map from Style Statement as a list template and write down something under each area for the week that I want to do, reflect upon, accomplish, etc. I also used IWantSandy.com to create text reminders and appointment reminders as prompts through my day to keep me on track, but now that the service is ending, I'm going to have to find something new!

Also, I have to say that I am a huge fan of the Entrepreneurial Time Management System's ideas of Focus Days, Buffer Days and Free Days. Danielle, I think you linked to it a few weeks ago -- I started implementing it in my own life and I have to say, I can really see a transformation! So thank you!

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Lori_from_Texas — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:07:34 -0000

wow! and thank you.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Linda Fitzgerald — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:37:18 -0000

Oh, I thought of something!! The mail never gets any further than the kitchen counter where I go through it immediately before I do anything else. I open it then separate into the following piles:
-recycle bin (flyers, envelopes without our names, etc.)
-to be filed in'bills to be pd.' folder
-to be shredded (anything with our name & address on it, credit card cheques, etc.)
Our shredder is located on another floor in the office/studio and I'm considering buying a second one to keep close to where the sorting takes place.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Alison — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:45:18 -0000

That time share idea of yours is very practical! I think its a great idea: Not many people know where their time really goes.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

LeeAnne — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:32:36 -0000

Ahhh organization - my constant quest to organize our stuff and our time. Here's some things that have helped me:

1- I keep my earrings in icecube trays in my drawer. One pair per 'cube'. Helps me see them easily & at a glance. (Make sure the trays are white and not opaque; makes it easier to see your earrings).

2- I keep a major to do list with 'categories' so I don't forget to focus on things like sensuality, health etc.

3- For my overall business plan, all my strategic tasks are on an excel list so I can sort them by goal, timeline etc. If you haven't discovered excel lists try them- they are fantastic and easy.

4- I keep empty bins around the house and regularly fill them with stuff to donate to Value Village (clothes I don't absolutely love, toys the kids don't play with)

5- after way too many frustrating mornings looking for the kids' library books, I tucked a simple cardboard file box out of the way in the dining room. Library books and only library books go in there now.

6- organizing, sorting, systematizing relaxes me and makes me feel on top of the world. One of my kids is the same but my husband nor my other kid is not. I've tried to take the time to teach them, after my husband pointed out it doesn't come naturally to them. Spent an afternoon digging out my son's bedroom which was actually kind of fun when we found places for all his stuff and when I realized that being able to display some of his collections was important to him, we saved the best for last. Bought a great IKEA display unit off craig's list and which he filled it with glee!

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

ChaseLisbeth — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:27:33 -0000

He's such a genius, right? I was really glad to see your post, since the Getting Things Done approach has been a godsend to me. Getting things out of your head, having an empty inbox - I just have so much less *mental* clutter when I stay on top of things GTD-style.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

shannon — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:42:22 -0000

At work I have recently started writing my "to do list" for work on flip chart paper & putting them up on my wall (thankfully I can do this in calligraphic italic lettering, so it looks good too)- It has been amazing to see how this affects everyone...staff and board members alike have seen an item and offered to help, or get it done and I have had far fewer interruptions...maybe because everyone can see what's on my plate, and that I'm taking care of, or intending to take care of. I put up new sheets every Monday with little carry over from the week before. Of course a large wall calendar also keeps us all on schedule with everyone's appointments. At home I have a full blackboard wall where I (we ) can write lists and draw sketches, intentions, ideas and messages..I love it! A tip I got a long time ago was to aim to handle every document once,...maybe not always possible, but it keeps things from piling up. I dislike piles of anything so when I have one I spend the time to go through and deal with everything in the pile; whether it gets filed, thrown out or dealt with. I used to find that I have more ideas than I can realistically act upon so I found a job that allows me to give away or develop my ideas for other people....that seems to help with the creative clutter.... a kind of inspired delegation.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Rick_Juliusson — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:48:03 -0000

I've got two Things-to-do lists. Having one big one was just too intimidating, and nothing ever seemed to get crossed off. Now, one is the huge, never-ending list that i keep adding onto. But the other is a short, manageable list for the week. And even that little list is divided into small/urgent tasks and bigger picture/creative tasks. So at the end of each week I hopefully have checked off a majority of the items - items that were high priority - and am able to add on a few more from the big list.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Natasha_L — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:52:34 -0000

One in, one out.
Finding and keeping a place for everything.
Saying no or getting rid of things that aren't useful or meaningful.
Making a habit of sorting through and purging - a little each day or each week goes a long way. This applies to the desk and email Inbox at work (daily), the home office (weekly), etc.
It seems to all come down to making decisions and I find it's like a muscle the more you use it, the stronger and easier it becomes.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

MoJo — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:14:11 -0000

A pen in every purse/bag. Blackberry calendar alerts and notes. One notebook/pad/journal that everything goes into until I can sort it...kind of like the 'meeting minutes' of my life. Post-it notes. A filing cabinet at home with everything organized into files. I am insanely organized - it's like breathing to me. My issue has been more about being a little less structured and a little more go-with-the-flow....

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Tabitha — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:30:55 -0000

Don't work for a micro managing boss.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Suzyn — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:29:58 -0000

Finally reading David Allen's Getting Things Done was a revelation for me. I'm still on a steep learning curve in terms of actually implementing his ideas, but I can see that it's going to help a lot.

My best tip, which is echoed in Allen's book, is this: get it out of your head. Get stuff down on paper, whether it's a sticky issue with your mom in your journal, or the list of 5 things to buy at the hardware store on the back of an envelope, get it on paper, so you can stop using brain energy to keep track of it.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

kim — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:52:26 -0000

I try to keep this old saying in mind; a place for everything and everything in it's place.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

JulieG — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:33:26 -0000

What works for me is to have one -- and only one -- planner/organizer. This used to be an actual paper organizer, but for the last two years it has been on my computer. I find that if I know where to go to see all the stuff I've got planned, it helps me to not forget anything.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Kellye — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:32:55 -0000

As far as organization goes, I also glean a lot of tips from Unclutterer, but my biggest is to be early. Everywhere. At least by ten minutes. Although I usually aim for a half-hour early. Worst case scenario, I have forgotten my purse (or something equally important) and have to go back to the house, in which case being early keeps me from being late. Best case scenario, I have a few precious moments of "chill out" time while I wait to meditate, make a list, listen to some music, or take a few notes.

Lists are God's gift to the unorganized.

Oh yeah, and take your coffee black. It will simplify your life.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Lori_from_Texas — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:24:03 -0000

IMy work tip is to make a 3 ring binder with dividers at the beginning of each project to keep everything associated with it in one place. Then, when the project rolls around again, I can take out that notebook and have a head start. A tip for home: I got a 3 tiered wire fruit basket, and hung it from the ceiling in my closet for organizing socks. It saves drawer space. (Thanks to Real Simple.) Can't wait to hear tips from everyone else, I'm perpetually seeking organization!

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Eleni — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:19:05 -0000

As each person is different, I can give the following tip. For one week keep a "time share". Basically what this is, you write down throughout the day, all the things you have done and how much time it took (even lunch breaks). For example: phone call with client X - 15 min. After a week, you can see where you spent (or wasted) most of your time and how your various actions affected your daily schedule.
Another tip (which helps me) is writing down what I have to do for the day. And sometimes say no to unnecessary phone calls or meetings in order to keep track of my daily schedule.
And finally have files and make sure you file everything properly. Avoid files named "General" because 90% of your papers will end up there.

Re: What are your best organizational tips?

Storyeller — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:36:35 -0000

I schedule in my exercise as though it were an appointment with a client. I plan my menu for the week so I don't buy excess food that rots, I know what I'm cooking for dinner and this keeps me nourished, fit and clear headed. if i don't organize my body, everything else goes to hell, eventually.