Home Office or Workspace Organization

I found a great way of describing the stages of orderly workflow, in an article by Cynthia Kyriazis. Wanted to share...

STAGE 1: STACK Stack it, collect it, gather it…the idea is the same. As incoming information that comes into your office, take it and put it ONE place. This includes faxes, overnight mail, things people bring you, items you print off your computer and don’t forget those notes you bring back into the office after a meeting. Just learn to put them in one place.

STAGE 2: SORT Sorting is the basis of all time management programs. When you sort your time, you put it in your calendar or appointment book (i.e. from 1-2:00 you have a meeting with Dan). Well, you also sort paper. You take it out of where you have stacked it and you begin to determine what to do with it. The secret is to not pick it up and put it back in the stack -- that just wastes your time. When you pick it up, be prepared to make a DECISION to move it forward to it’s next logical ACTION.

STAGE 3: ORGANIZE IT Someone asked me what the difference was between sorting and organizing. Sorting helps you DETERMINE next actions. Organizing is STORING the paper in a way that helps you retrieve it quickly, reducing the stress and complications involved when you don’t have a system or infrastructure.

STEP 4: PRIORITIZE This has to do with time management. Once you have practiced the first 3 stages of workflow, prioritizing is what you do next. You determine which actions are most IMPORTANT and plan your actions from there. Without priorities we are busy...but not necessarily PRODUCTIVE.

STAGE 5: TAKE ACTION / IMPLEMENTATION. That’s what it’s all about. If we’ve worked through the first 4 stages, this is the one that makes it all happen.

Excerpted from OnlineOrganizing.com

Organizing Questions

I was looking at the National Assn of Professional Organizers' website tonight and saw some FAQs and answers I wanted to share...feel free to email your 'burning questions' about organizing!

• How long does it take to get organized? Organization is a process, not a state achieved in one day. Think about it as “being organized” or “staying organized,” not “getting organized.” An organizing system can be set up in a few days. After that, the challenge is to continuously maintain it and work on it one day at a time. The good news is, once you learn good systems, habits, and tools, change becomes easier, as does bouncing back from an unexpected detour or period of feeling overwhelmed.


• How can I make better use of my time? Time management is a misleading term, since we cannot manage time. We can only manage ourselves. The best we can do is make decisions about the priorities in our lives, have our own personal and professional goals, and align our activities to reach these goals. Review how you are spending your time and make adjustments according to your goals and priorities.


• How can I cut down on paper in my life? Sincerely question whether you need to keep each piece of paper that comes into your life. Make a habit of tossing unnecessary papers (shredding those that contain personal or financial information); scanning documents and storing them electronically when possible; canceling subscriptions to unread publications; and getting yourself removed from mailing lists. One effective way to reduce paper is to create a records retention schedule that specifies how long documents such as tax forms, bills, and financial statements should be kept.

Source: NAPO website

Organizing a Small Bathroom

No one wants a small bathroom. Those with large bathrooms indulge in them, and those with small bathrooms, bang their elbows, curse excessively, and dream of fat tubs with lots of bubbles and ample floor space. Though we might dream of big bathrooms, the truth of the matter is that sometimes we just can't afford a bathroom the size of our bedroom, especially if you're renting an apartment.

First of all, consider how to get rid of the clutter or to hide it in the bathrooms. Some not so clever bathroom designers at one time thought they could maximize a small bathroom's usage by including a closet near the bathroom for extra space. Unfortunately, many individuals find these to be adequate storage but poor in their placement as they have to walk out of the bathroom to get whatever makeup, hair gel, or shaver they might need.

To maximize your space, consider some of the great space savers that exist today. At the top of the list is the medicine cabinet. This isn't a new idea, but it works great to keep unwanted clutter off the sink. Try to find a recessed one. This will give you even more space and lessen the chances of you nailing your shoulder on it and knocking it off the wall every time you turn around. A medicine cabinet has the potential to literally wipe your vanity clean of the makeup, combs, brushes, and other accessories that we deem necessary for daily survival.

Above the toilet storage units can save you a real headache as well. If you've got the wall space, look for the cabinets with long legs that straddle the toilet and hold up either shelves, cabinets, or both. Again, these little devices have the potential to make your bathroom clutter free.
If little hands and feet also use your bathroom and like to clutter it up with their floating boats and rubber duckies, purchase a small plastic bin for each child's clutter. Then make sure that the clutter goes with the child and does not stay in the bathroom. You can put their shampoo, conditioner, and toys in it to keep their goodies out of the bathroom when they are not using them.

Small bathrooms are a reality, and we shouldn't make them a source of our frustration. Instead, we just need to reevaluate how we can best utilize the space and count our blessings in the process. After all, the less bathroom you have, the less bathroom you must clean.

Article Source: http://www.organizingarticles.com

Words of Wisdom

Once you have a clear picture of your priorities -- that is, values, goals, and high leverage activities -- organize around them.

-Stephen Covey

Spring Organizing For Your Garage

Yes, this is the time of year to get all of the dust out of the garage and clean up the mess you made all winter long. Get organized for spring chores, get all of the tools and equipment ready, and hunt down all of the 'lost' winter fix-it tools.

1. Plan of attack - Set aside 2 consecutive days for organizing your garage. One day for tearing it apart and putting it back together and the next day for organizing wall space.You will need to take everything out, boxes, bikes, lawnmowers, snow blowers etc.
   
2. Dump and declutter - "Just in case" is not a sufficient reason to keep all the items in your garage. Decluttering is just as important in this space as any other in your home. Also, take this opportunity to clean your garage, sweeping out bugs, dirt and more!


3. Once you have made decisions about what you are keeping, define categories for storage. Categories for your garage might be outdoor toys, hardware, tools, gardening, and automotive. Once you have created your categories, put things that you use the most in easy access and things that are 'sometime' things can go up higher. Don't forget you have storage room above the overhead doors that can be used for long flat things. Use wall and ceiling space to maximize your area. Put up shelves to put boxes on and label them so you can 'look and find' electrical, hardware, peg hooks, etc. However, keep as much as you can off the floor.
   
4. Organizing bins, storage containers, etc. - When purchasing organizing products for your garage, retail stores have wonderful and inexpensive products, look in every department for things to use. A piece of pipe is good for hanging things on and very sturdy and unbendable. Garage items can be very heavy and need extra support, you might want to add extra supports or make them out of wood. Metal shelving units are popular, but don't forget to use the wall space at the top of the wall. Shelving can go up here, be out of the way and is great for those things you only use once or twice a year. Sturdy plastic containers with lids that seal are an excellent way to keep bugs and dirt away.

Label everything you have in containers for easy searching. Being able to actually use your garage and find everything without wasting time hunting for it are rewards for your hard labor.
Article Source: http://www.organizingarticles.com