Think outside the list!

I myself am a big fan of lists. Sometimes I just don't have the time to write everything down, especially if I am in a hurry. Here is a little trick I use to help shortcut the process. I place an item strategically as a visual reminder of a task that needs to be completed. For example, recently, I needed to remind myself to make a jello salad for a picnic. After I did the grocery shopping, I put the boxes of jello on my kitchen table. Other examples of times where I use objects as cues are putting the slips for dry cleaning, postal reminders, etc. in a visible area of my car. This also saves me gas because I don't have to run home to get the slips before completing my errand.

One important thing to keep in mind is to be careful not to overuse this trick or you might find yourself creating clutter instead of reminders.

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Survey...In need of feedback regarding what characteristics of websites attract attention.

Hi everyone!

I am currently taking a survey for a web design class I am enrolled in. I am looking for feedback in regards to what characteristics of websites attract your attention the most. Here are examples of questions to fuel your thought.

Is it the format? If so, what do you like about how it is organized?

How about the way content is written?

Do you feel that the use of graphics helps or hinders your ability to interact with the website?

Do you prefer websites with multiple pages or do you like content to be arranged on one page?

What features do you feel are most important for website authors to include on their pages?


Any feedback is highly appreciated! Thank you!

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Make A Rainy Day an Organizing Day!

It's summer in Rochester and there is no shortage of rain! I can almost hear the litany of children's voices singing the "I'm Bored Blues". Rainy days are perfect for organizing! Organizing is like a puzzle! I know there are some of you who are doubting that your children would be interested in organizing. What I can tell you is that most of the time when I am organizing, the children always want to help. Many times, we uncover a favorite item that was believed to be "lost" but was merely underneath a pile of clutter.

With a few supplies and a little creativity, you can keep your children engaged for hours! Here are some suggestions on how to create "kid friendly" organizing tasks:

Start with areas that have items the kids will use. Such areas might be the basement or garage where sports equipment, pool supplies, and toys are often stored. Summer is the perfect time to take an inventory of what you have on hand so that you are prepared for all those barbeques and sleepovers. It is also a good time to set unwanted items aside for garage sales. You can use the proceeds towards a fun summer activity!

Provide an ample supply of different sized storage containers and shelf space. This can be a little painful if you have shelves that are already full. Nonetheless, you will need to clear them. Start with one section so it doesn't seem overwhelming. I am known to literally "dump" everything on the floor and start from scratch. It lets you survey the array of items that need to be organized. It's like opening a new jigsaw puzzle!

Use that rain water! Set some of those dirty garage or basement items out in the rain to help wash them off. While the rain might not get all that grime, at least you are putting it to good use. Keep a garden hose handy for additional rinsing.

Have snacks and beverages handy. Organizing involves physical activity, so people tend to get hungry and thirsty. While you are at it, put some good music on! Before you know it, everybody is having fun and by then, maybe the rain will be gone!



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When Family Members Sabotage Your Organizational Efforts

A common question that I am asked by my clients is what can they do to get their spouse and/or kids to become more organized. Other family members can often unintentionally sabotage our efforts at organizing. My thoughts on this subject can just about be summed up with the phrase "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't force him to drink". Therefore, we need to provide incentive for those "horses" (i.e. family members) to "drink the water". Here are some suggestions I give to my clients:


Create routines! As behavioral scientists have proven, humans can learn by watching others. Routines give something tangible for other family members to follow. If for example, you do grocery shopping faithfully on a particular day of the week (with limited trips in between), family members are more likely to let you know what they need before you go to the store. By letting the natural consequence occur (of possibly having to do without a favorite food or item for the week), the routine becomes even more powerful.


Create areas for each family member to store personal items! This is very important. If you designate places for each person to keep items, they will be less likely to leave them just anywhere. If a particular family member is having trouble finding space for their items, help them problem solve. Providing a solution is a positive way to avoid conflict started simply by nagging. Less time having to organize means more time to do fun things so hopefully the behavior will be self-reinforcing. If not, issue small rewards from time to time such as taking the kids out for ice cream when they pick up after themselves.

Designate clutter-free and "clutter appropriate" zones. I will say that I am using the words "clutter appropriate" loosely. What you want to do is designate some places in the household were some clutter can be tolerated. A good example is a play room. I do encourage my clients to work with their children on creating routines for picking up toys regularly so things don't get out of hand. What you don't want is for so many toys to be out at once that you can't see the floor. The same principle would apply for a garage or basement.

Good organization doesn't have to be perfect! Having everything look perfect is not the goal. What you do want is for areas in your home to be functional. You also want to be able to find things easily and reduce your stress level. Remember that those famous organization gurus that are on TV and in magazines have access to a staff!

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Coming out of the closet! Closet organizing basics.

When I see those ads in magazines for custom made closet organizing systems, I start to drool like a Pavlovian dog. Everything seems to fit so neatly and perfectly! Closet systems are wonderful, don't get me wrong, but they are not "self-organizing" (if only!). You can get your closet organized and maintain it that way with a few simple rules.

Divide clothing by type of item. Put like items together. For example, put all pants in one place, dresses in another, and so on. Next, colorize them within their groups. Put lighter colored items on the left and the darker colors on the right. I start with whites, followed by creams, beiges, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds, purples, blues, greens, browns, grays and blacks. Colorizing is what a lot of retail clothing stores do to give their clothing stock a neater appearance.

Keep clothing for all four seasons in your closet. I find it much easier to keep all my clothes in one place. It is a lot easier than switching it out every couple of months. Just follow the rule above, keeping like items together. If you don't have room to fit your entire wardrobe in your closet, then this is a cue that maybe you have too much or the existing space isn't being utilized efficiently.

Clear out clothing that isn't worn on a regular basis. I can't tell you how important this is! A lot of people get attached to clothing that they haven't worn in years! If you are having a hard time letting go of an item, try taking a picture of it. A photo takes up a lot less space. The Goodwill has the "one year rule": if you haven't worn it in a year, then it is time to get rid of it. I have a special corner in my closet where I set aside clothing to donate. When the pile gets about a foot high, I take it to the Goodwill. You can even get a receipt so you can deduct it on your tax return!

Corral those accessories! Try to keep accessories in one area of your closet. I like to hang all my belts on hangers. As for purses and other bags, I store these on a shelf. If you don't have shelves in your closet, you can use hooks. Also try consolidating space by storing the smaller bags within the larger ones. Shoes are sometimes difficult to organize. I line these up neatly on the closet floor.

Consider purchasing some organizational units for your closet. There are several inexpensive options available at http://www.spacesavers.com/. One product on their website that I thought would be particularly handy is their children's weekly clothing organizer that allows you to plan and store a whole week's worth of clothing for your child! Check it out at the following link:http://www.spacesavers.com/we.html

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The 411 On Being Prepared for A 911.

A few months ago, my husband and I woke up to the smell of something burning. Fortunately it was not a fire: the control board on the furnace had malfunctioned. I couldn't help but wonder what if it had been an actual fire. Of course my initial thoughts were that I would make sure everyone got out safely. But then I thought about whether I would be able to grab my purse or other important items. What would I do if I lost my license, credit cards, or even my medications? This set me on a mission to be as prepared as I could should an emergency arise. So I started gathering all my important papers and items I would need and put them in a fireproof safe. What you put in your emergency kit will depend on your situation. Here is what I put in mine:

All original identification papers. I made a photocopy of my license as this is one case where the original needs to be handy at any given moment. I put originals of our passports, marriage license and birth certificates in the safe and made photocopies to keep in my filing cabinet.

Photocopies of all credit card accounts. I made sure to copy both the back and front of the cards as most now have a security code that is needed for transactions. The back also contains important customer service phone numbers.

A list of bank account numbers. In addition, I put a few blank checks in the safe just in case I needed to access money. I figured that in the event that I had no ID or ATM card, I could write a check to a family member so I could get cash in an emergency.

Photocopies of important insurance papers. I included both life insurance and home insurance.

A few days worth of medications for all family members. I figured doing this would help reduce stress in the event of an emergency as it would likely take a few days to obtain replacements. Emergencies are stressful enough without the added burden of medical complications. Other papers I included were original health care proxy forms, extra medical insurance ID cards I had on hand and medication lists for both my husband, myself and my dog (don't forget your pets!).

A few important lists. One list was of family contacts. I usually program frequently used phone numbers directly into my cell phone and know I would have a hard time remembering them off the top of my head. I also included a list of all my computer accounts and passwords.

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Take Note!....A Time Saving Study Tip.

It's official! I am a college student again! Being an older adult learner, I was a little unsure of how I would adjust to my new schedule and develop good study habits. Always the organizer, I put myself on a mission to find ways in which I could use my time most efficiently. Here is one study tip I have found to be particularly useful.

As I read through my assigned material, I keep a blank stack of index cards handy. When I come across a term or an important point in the reading, I write it down. That way, when it comes time for me to review the chapter or study for an upcoming test, the cards are all ready! They are also quite portable. I can stick them in my purse and pull them out to look through when I am waiting in line at the bank or during other situations when I find myself with "down time". When the stack of cards gets thick, I store them in a shoebox (separate ones for each course) with dividers for the different books and chapters.

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