Websites that Help You Get and Stay Organized and in Control

Now that you're getting the knack for organizing your home and your life, maybe you find yourself in need of a little extra inspiration, some fresh ideas, or maybe would just like to connect with like-minded people like yourself. There are many different websites out there that provide a wealth of information, ideas and tips, as well as provide a place where people can go and share their own ideas, mistakes, and offer support to one another. A few of the most popular home organization websites are listed next.

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Visit FLYlady.net for tips on how to conquer the clutter in your life and how to overcome the CHAOS factor, which stands for Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome. This group teaches you how to use an organizational journal and encourages you to shine your kitchen sink often. Followers are often referred to as FLYbabies, and the group is currently over 300,000 members strong. Visit this site at www.flylady.net.
Large comprehensive websites such as www.ivillage.com, www.msn.com, and www.yahoo.com all have a wealth of articles and advice available for you on many different topics to help your home and life run more smoothly. There are other groups out there that you can sign up for online to become a member of to chat with people, or there are various message boards available that you can post ideas, tips and suggestions on for other readers.
If you're looking for websites that offer ingenious organizational and time-saving products, there are plenty of them to be found on the internet. Lillan Vernon, Harriet Carter, Rubbermaid and Kitchen-Plus.com all offer innovative and unique ideas for your home, office and car.
Various newsgroups and e-mail newsletters abound on the internet. Take some time and find a few of them that you have found to be useful, and subscribe to them so you're always sure to get the latest time-saving tips and organizational ideas.

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Turn your Junk Drawer into your Neat Drawer

We're probably all guilty of having at least one junk drawer somewhere in our house. This is the drawer that started out as a helpful drawer that kept all the handy items in one place like tape, tacks, buttons, safety pins, and so forth in one central location, but turned into the drawer where other things manage to accumulate when people don't know where they go or don't feel like taking the time to put them away properly. Get this drawer (or drawers) back into useful mode again by using a few simple steps to bring things back under control.

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First of all, in order to clean it out, you've got to empty it out. Remove everything. Place a piece of paper or tea towel down to protect your countertop or table surface, and literally dump the drawer on top if possible. Otherwise make sure all items are placed on this protected surface.
Once it's out of the drawer, it needs to be sorted. Group all similar items together, and if you can't determine what something is or if it's needed after consulting with others in your family, get rid of it. If there are things in this drawer belong in another location, be sure they are put away promptly. Clean the drawer completely and wipe dry. Afterwards, lay a fresh drawer liner or contact paper inside.
The next trick is devising a simple, workable organized system that everyone in the family can use. Ice cube trays, egg cartons, small boxes or even 35-mm film containers work well to store small things in. If you cannot see into it to determine its contents, make sure it's clearly labeled. Small plastic sandwich bags are ideal for organizing and storing rubber bands, thread, and string. If you store glues or other adhesives in this drawer, make sure they have lids that are secured. It might also be a good idea to get into the habit of storing them inside a plastic storage bag in order to avoid a mess down the road should the lid become unsecured in the shuffle or is not properly tightened after use.
Most importantly, encourage your family to keep the drawer organized and neat. If it's properly maintained, there should be no need to shuffle through the drawer looking for things, creating an even bigger mess to clean out yet again in a few months.

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Think Green when you Clean

We all want to do our part in ensuring our environment stays as safe and healthy as possible for our children and future generations to come. Many people don't stop to think how their household cleaners can affect the environment, and how toxic they can make the immediate environment of your home.

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With some careful forethought, planning and effort, your home can be cleaned safely and effectively, sparing the environment, your home, family and pets from toxic chemicals and fumes.
Most people firmly believe that surfaces in their homes must be disinfected on a continual basis to prevent illness and the spread of disease. But the truth is most areas of your home don't need to be disinfected to prevent the spread of germs. This includes your bathroom. Mild detergents, hot water, and some elbow grease can generally do the trick.
The exception to this rule is the kitchen. Anything involved in food preparation should be completely scrubbed down and disinfected with each use. This includes food preparation surfaces, utensils, cleaning clothes, and sponges.
When shopping for cleaning products, pay special attention to those with the words poison or danger on the label. These words indicate the highest level of hazard, under federal law. Products labeled with the words caution or warning can present a moderate hazard and should be regarded with care. Always read labels and follow the directions.
Never mix cleaning products, such as those containing chlorine with those containing ammonia.
Consider using products such as vinegar, baking soda, and mild detergent when cleaning your home. If you have questions about how to properly dispose of toxic household cleaning chemicals, contact your local health department or county sanitation office for advice and assistance. Most areas provide a household hazardous waste collection site for residents to properly dispose of such items.

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To Keep or not to Keep, that is the Question

There are many great reasons for having a yard sale. Some people have yard sales before they move so they don't have to pack and ship belongings they aren't using. Sometimes they are updating the look of their home and sell their old belongings to make money and room for the new ones. Sometimes your children just grow like weeds and rapidly outgrow both their clothes and their toys.

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It could also simply be the desire to purge all those items you've held onto for so long, thinking you'd find a use for them but never did. No matter what your reason, having a yard sale is a relatively easy goal to achieve and requires just a few hours of preparation and a few more hours actually selling your wares. You'll reap both financial and emotional rewards from it.
Decide on a date for your yard sale, then get to work surveying the items you have. When you're going through your house deciding what to sell, you'll have to be brutally honest with yourself. If you haven't used it, don't like it, don't see yourself using it or don't know of anyone personally who could benefit from it, then it's a yard sale item. Sort through every dresser and kitchen drawer, every clothes and linen closet, every cupboard and toy box you have in your house. Don't forget your basement, attic, pantry, entertainment center, buffet and outdoor tool shed as well. If an item belongs to a family member, don't make the decision for them. Get their input before placing an item in your yard sale box. Regardless of the time it takes to sort through all your items, make the commitment to stick with it and remind yourself on a continual basis the monetary profit and emotional relief you'll feel once your clutter has been cleared from your home.
Once the sale is over, make another commitment to yourself not to bring the unsold items back into your home. Make arrangements with your local rescue mission or charity thrift store to donate the items. Most will be happy to make arrangements to pick up large donations as well as provide you with a tax receipt reflecting your generous donation.
Once it's all said and done, you'll have some extra pocket change, and can breathe an emotional sigh of relief that the clutter that's been weighing you down for so long has been purged from your home. Renew your commitment to remain organized and to combat the clutter demon on a continual basis.

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Storage and Organization Products that Will not Break the Bank

We've all set a New Year's resolution to be better organized. On second glance though, it can be a daunting task when you try to factor in all the necessary tools you'll need to purchase in order to gain control over the clutter in your home. However, you don't have to break the bank in order to organize your life and tame the clutter beast. If you look around your house, you may even find some ingenious storage and organization tools right under your nose.

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You need to assess your organizational needs before you go shopping. If your office area is creating chaos in your life, consider investing in a filing cabinet or portable file boxes and a box of hanging file folders and develop a workable filing system for yourself. You can probably even find unused coffee cups for pen and pencil storage, and small baskets or boxes that would neatly tuck inside a desk drawer and hold paperclips, pushpins or rubber bands in your home. If your closet is giving you fits, a second closet rod or shoe or sweater organizer can easily be added to consolidate clothing items and put them within easy reach. Your favorite discount or home store has a large selection of storage bins, drawers, baskets, boxes, and bags available at affordable prices. And though they aren't necessary when you begin your organization product, having durable products that are up to the task of being sorted through, moved and repurposed are smart investments.
But probably the best organizational tool you can invest in is a calendar. It can be in planner form, or a desk or wall calendar, as long as it's easily accessible and has plenty of room for you to schedule your organizational projects and household tasks. Make a commitment to maintaining your organized areas on a regular basis, and you'll probably free up time to tackle others around your house or office.

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Smart Grocery Shopping Strategies

Grocery shopping is a chore most of us dread. It can be especially frustrating once you get home and realize you forgot to get an item or you neglected to give the clerk your coupon for that great buy one get one for free deal. You organize every other aspect of your life, so focus that organizational discipline towards your grocery shopping efforts as well.

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Start by planning your shopping trips. In order to make a list of what you'll need for meals that week, you'll also need to get into the habit of planning your meals out each week. Choose a day of the week to do your shopping and stick to it. If you do your grocery shopping on Wednesdays when the ads break, be sure your menu planning is completed on Tuesday. Once you've completed your menu, you can construct your shopping list.
It's also important to take a current inventory of your pantry and cupboards, and add any staples that are running low. It's easy to forget that you used the last can of mushroom soup in that new recipe you tried, so make sure you have a couple of other cans on hand when you make it again.
Keep a shopping list posted to your bulletin board or refrigerator, and be sure each family member knows where it is located. That way they can easily add an item to the list that is almost gone or request a favorite item on the next trip.
There are printable grocery shopping lists on the internet, but you might want to consider devising one of your own and saving it on your computer so it can easily be printed each week. Leave room on your list to flag yourself about which items are listed for sale and which ones you have coupons for. Make sure your coupons are organized and in order and that you have a copy of the current ad in case there are any discrepancies once you get there. Come armed with calculator in hand to avoid suffering from sticker shock at the checkout register.

  

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Setting up a Home Office on a Shoestring Budget

Working from home is becoming a more popular option with many in today's workforce. Whether you telecommute or have abandoned the rat race in favor of setting up your own home business, or just simply need a place to land to take care of the bill paying and the home organization chores, a home office has become a necessary space in many homes.

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Whether you set up a corner office in your kitchen, designate a guest room to double as your office, or set up a location in your basement, it's crucial that your home office include all the elements that contribute to your productivity, efficiency and overall success.
But setting up a home office doesn't have to break your bank account. Very few of us can afford the luxury of having a professional organizer devise an office system for us. Don't despair; there are many creative ways to devise your space .
Maybe you are able to have a separate room for your office. If so, that's great. You'll have lots of elbow room. But if you don't, there's lots of ways to utilize the space you can carve out for one. Whatever space you choose, make sure it's a space that can be dedicated to your office, and doesn't double as an arts and crafts table for your kids or a workbench for your spouse's do-it-yourself projects on the weekends.
Take a look at your space and see what you can do easily and inexpensively to spruce it up and make it conducive to working from home. Sometimes just a fresh coat of paint, some strategically hung pictures or some simple stencil work can brighten up an otherwise dreary corner.
Next, look around your house to see what furnishings you already have. If there's a small unused table that could double as a desk, use it. You've probably got a comfortable chair in your dining room that could work fine as an office chair. Look around your home for some useable pieces that can be brought together successfully to create a comfortable and relaxing home office environment.
You may also already have book shelves, bins, baskets, boxes and a filing cabinet that could also be incorporated into your office. If you don't already have office supplies available, visit your favorite office supply or discount store and stock up on a few needed items and get your space organized and ready to roll.

 

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Set Reminders to Yourself to do Your Chores and Find More Time As a Result

It's been said through the ages that all work and no play made Jack a dull boy. But Jack knew that there was a time for play, and that was after the work was done. By setting priorities and goals for ourselves when it comes to our household chores and making a dedicated commitment to meet those goals, we also benefit from reduced stress levels and increased free time to pursue those things we like to do, or do nothing at all should we choose.

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Write down all the things that need to be done in order of their importance. The greater the importance of the task, the higher it goes on the list. Put your distractions in their place, which is at the very bottom of the list, after all your chores have been successfully completed.
Don't look at a big task as a big task. Break it up into smaller more manageable segments. Commit to completing it a segment at a time. If needed make an outline before and as you accomplish each part of the outline, check it off.
Pretty soon you'll have a crossed-off outline and one large project effectively and efficiently completed. This works especially well to tackle the chores we're dreading the most. We can easily handle an unpleasant task if we know it's for a short time and in small doses. Have all your materials and supplies ready before you begin. Use a daily schedule and have it with you all the time. If needed, post reminders to yourself in conspicuous spots, and commit to others verbally that you'll complete the project. But most importantly, commit to yourself that you'll complete the project. Celebrate, pat yourself on the back, smile, and let yourself enjoy the completion of even the smallest of tasks. Don't minimize your efforts; recognize even the smallest accomplishment.

  

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Put the Brakes on the Junk Mail Express

We've all seen how stuffed our mailboxes are each day with junk mail. Advertisements, coupon books, postcards, brochures and the like break the backs of our local postal delivery people each day across the nation. Each year, junk mail costs the environment approximately 80 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water. It also costs about $450 million each year to have it hauled off, incinerated or recycled.

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On average that means that about 34 pounds of junk mail is produced each year for every man, woman, and child in the United States. And if you factor into this equation that each person will spend approximately eight months out of our lives dealing with junk mail, and you have a huge sum of wasted time, money, and valuable resources. But you shouldn't feel powerless to stop it. There are steps you can take to tame the junk mail beast.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), the largest list broker in the US, sells your name and address to those wanting to target you for their product. Contact them directly with a postcard that contains the date, your name and address, and sign it. Be sure to include all variations of your name, and your maiden name if you've recently married. Instruct them to remove your name from their mailing lists. Send the postcard to:
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512
Tel: 1- 212-768-7277
www.dmaconsumers.org
Be careful when you do submit your name and address to anyone, as you can become part of their mailing list which might be sold at a later date, putting you right back at square one. If you're filling out a form such as a warranty, subscription, raffle, customer info card, credit card application, membership for an organization, be sure to instruct them not to sell, rent or trade your name or address. Remember to do this every time you're giving your contact information to a sales representative or customer service associate when you purchase something.
And when you receive an unwanted publication in the mail, immediately contact the toll-free number listed on the publication and request to be removed from their mailing list. Businesses and organizations are glad to hear from you if you're not interested in receiving their materials because it saves them advertising revenue.

 

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Planning and Organizing a Successful Yard Sale

A well-organized and well-planned yard sale is more appealing and makes it easier for shoppers to see what you have for sale. After you've sorted through your belongings and decided what you're going to place in your yard sale, take a moment to sit down and think through how you want to organize your items. Categorize your items, as it demonstrates your hard work and forethought in planning your sale.

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Keep a close eye on things throughout the course of the day, as you'll need to resort and re-categorize your things as your items sell. You can sort things into boxes when you're doing your initial sorting and purging. Grocery, liquor and discount stores always have plenty of empty freight boxes, and they're usually free for the taking. Make sure you gather several sizes to accommodate different items.
Take a box with you and survey your house and your belongings, place your unwanted items in the box until it's full. Select a central location or room in your house to coordinate your sale items. Continue with this process until you've sorted through all your belongings in both your home and garage. Be sure to go through places like your drawers, closets, sheds, cupboards and your pantry. Don't forget your attic or basement as well.  After you've gathered all your sale items, sort them into categories to group them into for your sale. This can be done either by category or price. Periodically during your sale, move items that haven't sold to another table or re-locate them on the same table. However, don't do this during times when you have lots of traffic. If you notice certain categories of items are not selling as well as others, you might want to adjust your prices accordingly or move them closer to the entrance to your sale so they are more visible to those who drive by to see what goodies you have to offer. After your sale is over, don't take the items back in your house. Contact your local rescue mission or charity thrift store and make arrangements to donate your items. Most places will be happy to arrange a pickup time to come by and haul your things away, and will give you a receipt you can use for a tax write-off.

 

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Plan and Budget for a Successful Party

You want to plan a great party, but you don't want to break the bank to do it. Don't worry. The most successful parties are well planned, not the most expensive.

You probably remember a great party you attended at one time or another. Though they are great place to glean ideas, don't try to duplicate a party you've already attended. You want your party to be remembered for the fun and the festivities, not because it was just like someone else's.

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First, set a reasonable budget and stick to it. Ask your friends to help in the planning process. Perhaps your friend who's a great artist can help you design some affordable and creative invitations. Maybe another friend has an incredible music collection or karaoke system. Borrow and barter with your friends and family members as much as possible to keep your costs down. Another good tip when you plan a birthday party on a budget is to limit the amount you will have to spend on food. This is easily accomplished with careful planning and thought. Choose to have your party at a time of day when people have already eaten, such as shortly after lunchtime. That way you'll only have to provide simple snacks. Plan on making most of the food yourself to keep the costs down.
To create a good mix, and keep a birthday party on budget, use your imagination and make substitutions where possible. Choose a theme for your party, but don't spend your entire budget on decorating. Focus on a couple of key elements and accent with simple items such as balloons and streamers.
The most important part is to have fun. With some fresh ideas and careful planning and organization, you can stay within your budget yet throw a party that all the attendees will enjoy and remember for a long time to come.

  

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Organizing your Child's Bedroom Can Be Fun

If you have a child, you know how easily their bedrooms can get out of control. Toys strewn about, clothes out of drawers, books on the floor; it can almost be a hazard sometimes just to enter. But getting your child's room organized can be rewarding and fun, especially if your child is actively involved in the process.

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Never attempt it without their permission, input and most importantly their active participation. Don't surprise your child and go ahead and organize their room for them. Just as you expect your privacy and possessions to be respected, so should theirs. Teach your child as soon as possible the importance of keeping their room tidy and orderly, so they'll have a strong appreciation for neatness and order as they grow. With a little patience and cooperation, even the youngest can be taught this habit early on, simply by learning how to put toys and other belongings like books and art supplies away after use. When organizing your child's room, make sure it's fun and creative, so they are interested in maintaining it. And as we all know, children grow and change rapidly, so their rooms should have the room to grow with them. Make sure your organizational method has room to grow and change as well. And above all, make sure you get their ideas about what they think will work the best for them. Make sure that all their favorites are well within reach and easy to put away. Place things that they use on an infrequent basis on the top shelves in their closet, and devise a workable system for hanging and organizing clothes and grouping favorite outfits together. When it comes time to put laundry away, ask if they need your help, but try to give them the space when possible to do it themselves, and it will grow into a good habit as they grow older. Hanging storage closet systems are ideal for kids. They are bright and colorful and are able to contain closet items in a way that enhances visibility for a child. Designed with roomy pockets they hold an array of shoes, toys, and clothes, and hang over any standard closet rod. Their front openings make it simple and quick for any child to use.
Also consider a desk with drawers or other filing system for your child's school work, art work, awards, report cards, and other papers. There are many brightly-colored and durable storage bins, desks and organizers available for your child's room, so take them shopping with you so you can both select the best option. And most importantly, keep your room neat and organized, and maintain it on a daily basis. Don't expect your child to maintain a nice, tidy room if you're not doing the same. The best teacher is your example.

  

 

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Organizing and Planning a Successful Family Vacation

Planning a successful family vacation can be tricky when you're trying to work around your family member's busy schedules. Coordinating requested time off from work with school vacations and summertime activities can be a daunting task. Get your family actively involved in the vacation planning process.

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Everyone wants a trip to remember, and by obtaining input from each family member as to what they enjoy, what they'd like to do and where they'd like to go, it can be successfully planned. Your children may surprise you with some of things they suggest to do on vacation. Once you've got your plan mapped out, keep your kids involved by putting them in charge of at least one aspect of the trip. They may be good with landmarks and direction. If that's the case, have them be your navigator. Maybe they love to take pictures and would love to be the official vacation photographer. You'll feel less overwhelmed by everything that needs to be covered during the trip, and they'll feel a great sense of accomplishment in tackling their assigned project.
It's highly unlikely that your time or monetary budget will allow you to do every single thing that everyone wants to do on the trip. Work together to narrow the list, and place those things that everyone would like to do toward the top.
After the location, time frame, and activities have been settled, it's time to make the to do list. Figure out what clothes need to be packed, which neighbor or friend is going to check your mail and water your houseplants, and what bills need to be paid prior to your leaving. Put your children in charge of figuring out things like how much dog food you need to bring along for a vacation that will last for ten days, and make them responsible for locating their swim trunks, travel games, favorite books and music CDs.
With a little forethought and some careful planning, you can have the family vacation of a lifetime and live to tell the tale.

 

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Organize your Move and Reduce your Stress

Moving can be a very stressful and nerve-wracking experience. But with some careful planning and by thinking ahead a little, you can make the process go a bit smoother. Create a simple record keeping system. Whether it's computer-generated or hand written, be very specific when recording things on this list.

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You'll probably need many more boxes thank you think, and having enough boxes will make your life easier. If you go through a moving company, keep in mind that any boxes you purchase but don't use can be returned for a credit or refund. Have at least ten boxes set aside to use for last minute items on moving day, such as bedding, clothing, and cleaning supplies. You'll need strong plastic packing tape to close up the boxes securely. Use unprinted newsprint or packing paper or bubble wrap to wrap and cushion household good. Again, you'll need lots more supplies than you think, so get extra. Moving companies will be happy to deliver boxes ahead of your moving day.
Designate a color for each room in the new home, such as yellow for kitchen, orange for dining room and so forth. Apply colored stickers on the box near the box number. In your new home, place a matching sticker on the door to each room. This is a simple way for the movers to know where to put everything when they arrive.
Insist on keeping things together when you or the movers are packing boxes. Keep bookends with books, light bulbs with lamps, and extension cords with appliances. Small, loose parts can be attached to the item they belong to with tape or placed in small envelopes -- to keep picture hooks with pictures, shelf brackets with a bookcase, a special wrench and bolts with the wall unit.
Anything you can pack ahead will save you time on moving day. If it's summer, get your winter clothes out of the way. If you must clean your old place after moving out, put together a kit of basic cleaning supplies and rags. Moving companies will not move cleaning chemicals, so plan to transport those with you in your vehicle or give them to a neighbor or friend.

   

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