No Junk Drawers Allowed

A word on junk drawers...NO. None. Zip. Don't.

And now I'll tell you why. When you have spaces that hold no specific function, the items contained within have no specific identity. There are no parameters or rules for what goes in or what doesn't. Not only do you not know what is contained there, but, because there is the possibility that anything could be in there, you have to check that spot if you're looking for something and cannot find it. Junk drawers then become the random mixture of unrelated objects.

"No", you say, "their common element is that they're junk!" Sorry, I reject that. Just like I advise clients not to label things 'miscellaneous' -- it is just another way not to organize something. You are not allowed to organize items by their disorganization!

But seriously, what do you do with that drawer in your kitchen or bin in your basement that is full of odds and ends?

1. Dump it out. Take everything out so it is all visible and the drawer is empty.


2. Take a look at the clean, empty drawer/bin. Nice, huh? Can you imagine something else that could go in there that you have always wanted storage for?


3. Ok, back to the stuff. First, throw away anything you want/need to toss.


4. Look at what's left. Any duplicates that you can get rid of?


5. Look at what's left. Group like items together -- i.e. tools together, office supplies together, etc.


6. Look at the groups. How many need to stay in that room or accessible on that floor of your house? Is there a similar group somewhere else that they can join?


7. If you have decided that the remaining items must return to the original drawer/bin (review #2 again), think about getting a drawer divider or organizer that corrals the items.


8. Change the name of the 'junk' drawer to one that better suits the now-organized drawer, such as 'utility' drawer or 'office supplies'.

Great Organizing Book

I recently finished reading a book that gave tips and strategies for people with ADD -- it was great and very helpful. If this applies to you, or you want some no-nonsense organizing suggestions, check out Organizing Solutions for People with Attention Deficit Disorder. The best part of the book was that the ideas can be applied to anyone and make good organizing sense.

I especially loved the logical approach of the author's ideas. She suggests that the best systems are the ones that are most efficient, the simplest and easiest to maintain. The goal cannot always be beauty, it must be practicality. She also points out that while good storage is important, cutting back on your stuff is more effective and efficient because you don't have to manage so much. Bottomline -- reduce the number of items you have, whether it be pots, spoons or towels.

Another suggestion the book makes (which I utilize and advise with clients often) is to make things accessible: use open shelving, use clear tubs with no lids, avoid stacking and remove packaging. The author talks about the "one in/one out" rule you can use with magazines, and how you should only keep 5 pieces of Tupperware in your inventory. While she's hardcore about minimalism, I agreed with the down-to-earth, no sugar-coating approach!

No Time for Time Management

I have a quote that I LOVE about time management: "Those who make the worse use of their time are the first to complainof its shortness." -- Jean De La Bruyere. The essence of the quotation is that we complain a lot about not having time to do this or that, and I think that is an overused excuse. Yes, I said it. I know I won't be popular for having done so, but I think it is true.

When friends or clients tell me that they don't have time for a specific activity, I suggest it is that might be because what they want or need to do is a priority, and other things go on the back burner. Yes, there are some things we cannot avoid, but maybe there are alternatives -- think grocery delivery instead of going yourself; saying no to invitations or long-term commitments; scheduling 'family time' with strict no-planning-other-activities adherence.

I bet you, that if we analyzed our day, I could find 1/2 hour for you to read a magazine, make a phone call, or listen to your iPod. Sometimes it takes creativity or changing the way you normally do something.

If your weekend seems to be the only time for leisure activities, here are some time management suggestions:

• Attend only one big event per weekend day
• Honor naptime/rest time
• Build more chores into the week
• Outsource whenever possible
• Set aside unscheduled family time
• Be more selective about social obligations
• Cut down your kids’ weekend activities or commitments (i.e. sports)
• Avoid daylong projects
• Leave work at work

Avoid these time-wasters:

· Attempting to do more than you can handle
· Trying to do everything yourself
· Scheduling activities so that you have too little time to do it all, or too much time on your hands · Jumping from one thing to the next without getting one thing done fully
· Not using commuting or traveling time wisely
· Trying to be perfect – no one is

Ultimately, you DO have control over what you choose to do!

Quickie Tip!

I learned this tip the hard way. The other day I was on the computer looking at a folder of 22 files (handouts I use for clients and classes). While I have a printed-out version of each handout, I thought it would be helpful to have a print-out of just the list of the files; in other words, I wanted a list of the contents of the folder. That way, at a glance, I could look at all the handout topics on one piece of paper without looking at the computer.

I tried to highlight, copy and paste the list to no avail, then searched online for some help. Apparently many PC users had the same question, and all I got was some "command>"/DOS gobbledy-gook that I didn't understand (plus my husband told me in no uncertain terms that I was not to mess with the inner workings of the computer).

After about a half an hour, when I was determined that this should be able to be done, I adapted a trick I read about online. Go to your folder and have the items viewed in details or list format. Hit "Alt" and "Print Screen/SysRq" at the same time. Open up a blank Word document and hit Paste. You'll get a snapshot of the window (what you actually see on the screen), and print it out. I did this for a few folders where I had a lot of items, and wrote in caps at the top what the category was. Just thought I'd share!