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Project Organization
by
Pamela Kramer
Woman's Day, June 21, 2005
If you're like me,
your spare time comes m small slices: 30 minutes
during the wash cycle, 40 minutes while the chicken
bakes. So why not get organized while you're waiting
for other things to happen? Most of these projects
can be done m 30 minutes or less. A few minutes
here, a few minutes there, and you can kiss the
chaos goodbye.
Never Forget Again
Create a to-do basket. Put a pretty basket or bowl
in a prominent location, such as the kitchen
counter. When you come across an item that requires
action-a battery that needs to be replaced, a key
that needs to be duplicated or a button that needs
to be sewn on-toss it in your to-do basket. "It's
easier than writing up a list," says Rosemarie
Jaszka of Clifton, New Jersey, who looks through her
basket on Saturday mornings. "I prioritize the tasks
and plan my errands for the day."
Book your great ideas.
Use a three-ring binder to keep track of articles
that you want to refer back to or photos of cute
haircuts you might want to try, says Linda
Koopersmith, author of The Beverly Hills Organizer's
Home Organizing Bible: A Pro's Answers to Your
Organizing Prayers. Use dividers with tabs to create
sections for 1 health, travel and decorating, and
put clippings in plastic sheet covers.
Make a pantry
checklist. On your computer, type up a master list
of items you like to keep on hand, such as pasta,
chicken stock and diced tomatoes, and post it near
your pantry. Next to each item make slash marks to
indicate the number you have in stock. When you use
an item, make a hatch mark through one slash,
forming an X. "Before you go shopping, check the
list to see what you do and don't need to buy," says
Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor of
OrganizedHome.com, where you can find a free
printable pantry checklist.
Start a gift list. Don't let those great gift ideas
slip away. In a small notebook, create a page or
section for each person you frequently purchase
gifts for. Note the person's sizes, favorite colors,
clothing preferences, hobbies and interests. Keep
the log with you on your forays to the mall or
around town, so you can jot down ideas when they
come to you. And don't forget to keep a wish list
for yourself, in case someone wants an idea for you!
Clear the Clutter
Set up a portable office. Corral household papers in
a file box with a latched lid and handle so you can
use it in any room, and stash it out of sight when
you don't need it. Label folders for papers you use
on a regular basis, such as unpaid bills, phone
lists, team schedules and school information. "It's
like a mini headquarters for your home," says Mary
Carlomagno, owner of Order in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Put a small plastic supply box inside that contains
your checkbook, address labels, stamps, pens, a
calculator and a small stapler.
Clear out your in-box.
Create a to-do folder for e-mails that require
action Stock and several folders for messages that
you want to keep. " Avoid creating categories that
are so narrow you only have one or two e-mails in
each folder," says Valerie Warren, owner of
Streamline Solutions Consulting in Portland, Oregon.
File the e-mails you need and delete the rest.
Unsubscribe to e-mail newsletters and advertisements
that you don't want to receive.
Stop hunting for instructions. Clearly label the
pockets of an accordion style file with the name of
each room in your home. Put the instruction and care
manuals for appliances and equipment in the
appropriate pockets. When you buy a new telephone or
mower, staple the receipt to the instruction manual
and file it in the appropriate slot. If you sell or
donate an item, include the paperwork for the new
owner.
Be Ready for Anything
Change a $50. In a safe spot, stash a few ones and
fives so you have the correct amount on hand for
babysitters, allowance and lunch money. "Sometimes I
dip into my stash when I'm going to dinner with
friends so when it comes to splitting the bill, I'll
have the right amount," says Debbie Abrams Kaplan of
Foster City, California. Hide a $20 in your glove
compartment for an emergency, and keep a handful of
quarters in a change purse so you can feed a parking
meter or put air in your tires.
Give your purse a
makeover. Use small, different-color pouches to keep
like items together. "Having things in pouches
makes it easier to switch handbags," says Lorie
Marrero, owner of Living Order in Austin, Texas. Use
one pouch for personal essentials (lip balm, nail
file, dental floss), another for office items (paper
and pen, calculator) and a third for shopping items
(coupons, frequent-shopper cards). Designate
compartments for items you use often, such as your
wallet, cell phone and keys.
Stock a medicine kit.
Sort through, medicines and first aid supplies, and
discard items that have expired or are no longer
needed. Organize what's left in a three-drawer
plastic storage box. Make sure you have on hand a
pain reliever, cough syrup, decongestant,
antihistamine, antibiotic ointment, wound
disinfectant, calamine lotion and bandages. If not,
add them to your shopping list. "You don't want to
have to run to the store when someone gets sick or
hurt," says Ewer. Store the box in a cabinet with a
childproof latch.
Find It Faster
Color-code your closet. Separate items by category,
such as dresses, slacks and tops. Then organize each
section by color, from lightest to darkest. "It's so
much easier to reach in your closet and find the
black pants or white blouse you're looking for,"
says Christina Lari, president of Open Doors New
York, a lifestyle and concierge service. As you
organize, donate to charity any items that are worn,
outdated or no longer fit.
Get a handle on those shoes. Tired of searching for
that pair of sexy sling-backs you bought last year?
Use your digital camera to take a picture of every
pair of shoes. Then print the photos and tape them
to the ends of the corresponding shoeboxes, suggests
Lari. Or store shoes in clear plastic shoeboxes.
Group according to season or style, and stack with
the photos facing out. "This way you can see what
you have without going through 10 or 15 boxes," she
says.
Put cosmetics in order. Round up your various
compacts and tubes, and toss out any products that
are broken, old or out of style. Put any items that
you need to replace on your shopping list. Arrange
what's left in a three-drawer plastic box: eye
makeup in the top drawer, cheek and face products in
the middle, and lipstick in the bottom, suggests
Sandra Felton, author of Smart Organizing: Simple
Strategies for Bringing Order to Your Home. Arrange
nail polish on a revolving tray.
1-MINUTE ORGANIZERS
Really busy? These
tasks can be accomplished in one minute or less.
* Stash a supply of
small trash bags and a roll of paper towels in your
car.
* Put an envelope in
your purse to hold receipts in case you need to make
a return.
* Hang a pen or pencil next to your calendar so one
is always there when you need it.
* Keep a small plastic cup in your laundry room for
loose buttons, coins and safety pins.
* Use a permanent
marker to write on your scissors “kitchen” or “Mom’s
office.”
* Put a pretty box or
dish next to your bed for your nail file, hand cream
and rings.
PACK RAT NO MORE
These are the four excuses we often use to avoid
parting with clutter, says professional organizer
Lorie Marrero. Here's how to send them packing for
good:
What you tell yourself: “I might need it someday.”
What to say instead: “I haven’t used it in years.
If I need it again, I can always buy or borrow
another one.”
What you tell yourself: “I paid good money for
it.” What to say instead: “If I keep it but don’t
use it, it is still being wasted. Better to give it
to someone who will use it.”
What you tell yourself: “It is still perfectly
useful.” What to say instead: “It may be useful,
but it’s not useful to me, and it is taking up time
and space in my life.”
What your tell yourself: “It was a lovely gift.”
What to say instead: “It was a lovely gift, but now
it’s time to send it out into the world for someone
else to enjoy.”
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