A.D.O.R.E – Getting Your Car Organised

I love that new car smell.

To me it smells of the expectation of the journeys that I will take in it, like a new house or a new outfit give you a buzz of excitement when you first buy them.

Sitting in the drivers seat – the plastic looking all shiny, black and gleaming, the seats totally mark free, and no mass of toys and clutter lurking wherever you look.

There is simply a sense of peace.

BUT – Lets face it – a few days into real living and for most people this scene fades and in its place is the car that we all know and love. That trusted friend to get you from A to B – along with the clutter, mess, dirt and toys!

I get that “new car” feeling every time my car has been cleaned – and always, ALWAYS vow to keep it that way. But life takes over every time.

My car is my organising Achilles heel.  Whatever I do, I don’t seem to be able to stay on top of it. If you’ve ever seen FRIENDS then you’ll relate that its like Monicas cupboard – the queen of being organised still had to have one space that held her mess – my car is mine.

Its not that I don’t try -

I have a rubbish bag to collect litter, but you can be guaranteed that children in the back of the car will drop things, or that you are eating/drinking on the run and things get dropped by you too.I have a handheld hoover – bought with the express intention that it would be so much more handy to quickly nip out and get the car clean each week – but even that rarely makes it out there – preferring to stay and be a source of fun for my inquisitive daughter!I have tried to put everything in the right compartments, but as I often go to clients homes and have lots of paperwork, samples and catalogues with me, things get left behind for the next journey just to add to it….

I have the best intentions in the world – after all – when I pull up to clients homes I want to show a professional side, which my home definitely does – but my car is my downfall completely.

I am sure you have somewhere in your home that isn’t working at its best for you at the moment – one place where it seems to be OK for you to leave messy occasionally. My aim from now on (I can’t say for next week, or next month as these timeframes never seem to come round – better to start from now!) is to keep on top of my car.

I have collected all the tips from various books, online, magazines etc… on this topic over the years, and hopefully these will make all the difference….. well, we’ll see!

Good luck with whatever you choose to organise from now on…. !

So – here goes!

Heres whats my car looks like today – OH THE EMBARRASSMENT!

        

All areas look like a bin bag has been emptied inside!. My daughter has lots of toys and has eaten when we’ve been driving so loads of crumbs and food have found a way into all the nooks and crannies of the seating and floor – my life seems to take over the front seat – and as for the boot – well thats just anything that makes its way there, usually never to be seen again. Not great when I open the boot ready to put the monthly food shop into it! ARRRRGGGHHHH…..

I will use my A.D.O.R.E method to try and make things easier….

I need my car to be clean and tidy at all times so that I look professional when at clients homes.

I also need to have space for suitcases regularly in the boot (as I use these to store catalogues and samples which I take to clients homes etc…)

I need to have all the usual items in the car at all times, but have systems in place to declutter regularly.

My daughter is often in the car with me for longer trips to family and friends, so I need to ensure she has everything she needs to hand.

I also listen to lots of CDs about time management, business, self help etc…, and my daughter has several CDs to listen to in the car also – so CD storage is key for us.

Right – So I need to take EVERYTHING out of the car and see exactly what I have – deciding what I need to keep in the car, what I need to keep but not in the car, and what is genuine rubbish.

Throw away all the rubbish, and reallocate the other things to their rightful places in the home – then I am left with just that which actually belongs in the car.

While the car is empty, this is the best time to give it a thorough clean inside and out (and a good chance to delegate this if you prefer! Valeting is always a good idea as a once off to really get the car thoroughly clean).

My main gripe is rubbish that accumulates – so

Keep a bag/box or whatever suits you best to keep rubbish in one place. Drinks bottles, food wrappers, car parking tickets, receipts etc…. then create a habit of emptying this everytime you get out of the car at home (this should be easy for me as I get out almost next to the bin!)

Then, storage (what and where) is second:-

Keep only what you need in your car. I am forever storing everything but the kitchen sink in my boot – it just adds up slowly – but I didn’t realise how much effect this has on your petrol useage, and with todays prices, we can’t fritter our money away like that anymore. Decluttering the car is the answer. You should only have the necessities (and also have them in the correct place in the car – its no good keeping a car park pass in the boot if you need to get our of the car every time you need it – better to keep it in the glove box). This is what I think is required in my car, and where I would like to put it:-Car Park PassesSunglasses for drivingMaps or Sat NavVehicle PaperworkHands Free ItemsCDs – One way of organising them would be a Sun Visor Organisor For Car Interior – which utilises the wasted space perfectly!)Breakdown company detailsPhone Charger (theres usually a cigarette lighter inside which you can use to charge it)Spare Change (for car park fees, toll roads etc…)Tissues / WipesPens and Small NotepadUmbrellaBlanketFirst Aid KitChange of ClothesBottles of water and snacks in case of breakdownOilWindscreen WashSpare TyreJackSnow Scraper (If winter then this will probably be in the glove box)TorchRaincoatSmall Spade (if winter – to move snow from road)Shopping bags (bags for life work well as they are sturdy enough for most shopping)

I have tried to keep enough space in my boot for a large food shop, or to buy larger items, or for suitcases for my work – that way I won’t get stressed when I have to cram things in!, I like the idea of having a small storage facility in the boot for items as well

Even her car seat has two drinks holders that pull out which are useful for drinks (!), and for small pots of snacks etc…

I chose a back of seat organiser as this would work best for our needs, we also regularly have more sitting in the back seat than just her, so a “middle of seats” organiser would get in the way a lot.

I chose an organiser that could house magazines and books easily as this would be what it was most used for (lots of organisers have different arrays of storage compartments so worth considering exactly what you want it for.

I have tried wherever possible to ensure that the items I am going to store in my car are hidden from view – so as not to attract thieves.

SO – this is what I am now left with…..

          

Better – I hope you agree!!! (and yes – got it valeted a bit!). I have added a small car bin under the drivers seat which will be handy to add any rubbish to as I go – and easy to empty into the bins in my drive when I get back (you can see them outside the drivers door if you look hard enough – no excuse!). In the centre picture you can see the CD storage in the car visor -handy and out of the way, and in the back seat my daughters toys are now off the floor and in storage that she can reach. All in all a great change that I am hoping I can keep up!

Schedule in your diary time when you will clean your car inside and out. Make it at least once a month, whether you do it yourself, delegate, or pay someone , it doesn’t matter – what matters is that it gets done. I love the fact that at my gym there is a valeting service right outside. This leaves no excuses and I started a couple of weeks ago to leave it with them while I went inside. Time management and multi tasking to perfection! The best thing is that they gave me a 50% off voucher for next time as well! No longer will a dirty and untidy car get me down.Keep your car well maintained. Services should be kept up to date (reminder in diary a couple of weeks before its due is a good idea), check lights are working, tyre pressure etc…. regularly. If you leave things until the last minute you may have to delay a long journey unnecessarily. Some garages offer service packs for MOTs and Servicing, and will pick your car up for you to save you hassle and time. These are worth considering. I started using mine when I had my daughter as it spread the cost over the year, there was no worries about waiting around the car when I needed to feed her, and I could pick a day when I didn’t need to use my car anyway so it really wasn’t noticed that it was gone.TIP – I also always try and tell someone where I am going, what route I am taking and when I am due to get back – so they don’t worry, and so that they can be more informed should I have any troubles or don’t return. Better to be safe.

Evaluating whether this system works should be easy – as it will stay clean and tidy the majority of the time. If it doesn’t then I need to ensure I stick to the 3 main habits I need to stick to (rubbish taken away often, car cleaned inside and out every month, storage space for everything).

I will report back!

Hope this method helps you to stay on top of your car. If you have any great storage ideas, or anything to add to my list of things to keep in the car, I would love to hear about them!

View the original article here

Do You Think Too Much? – Organising Your Thoughts and Ideas

Are you always thinking? Do you find it hard to switch off at the end of the day, and always find things to worry about?

My husband, a few years ago, bought me this book. Which was a sort of joke purchase, as I am definately a serial thinker in our family, but it is a good read!

I seem to always be starting up new conversations that seem totally unrelated to what we were talking about a moment before, and regularly have to reread paragraphs in books or relisten to a TV programme because my mind hasn’t switched off from the day.

I usually do at least 2 things at a time – and although this helps with managing my time and getting the most out of it, it leaves less and less space for relaxing with my thoughts and giving them some space too.

Very frustrating – but I am used to it now, and am beginning to take steps to try and minimise it so that I do get relaxing time as well (did I mention that massages are the best place to brainstorm your business – dear me – SWITCH OFF I SAID!!)

I am sure that a huge amount of you reading this will empathise with this.

Are you regularly:-

Waking up in the night because something has just come into your mind?Finding it hard to get off to sleep because your mind is racing?Always coming up with new ideas of things that need doing around the house, with the family, at work etc…?Always looking for the next challenge?

If any (or all!) of these sound like you, read on…

Theres nothing wrong with thinking lots, but there is something wrong if you aren’t able to utilise those thoughts into something tangible that will progress you towards your goals in life, or if they are making your life more stressful than necessary (who wants lack of sleep!?)

Thoughts and ideas are really important in life as they define you as a person, and are often the way you motivate yourself or challenge yourself.

If you have ever heard a successful person talking, you will realise that they are usually no different to yourself – the only difference is possibly that they have acted on their thoughts and not let them slip away. They have used the momentum to get them somewhere in life, and have worked out ways to harness their enthusiasm and drive.

EVERYONE has ideas. EVERYONE has a business idea that they would do “If only…..”, and everyone has thoughts racing round their heads – but most people don’t act on them.

I suggest a two fold attack!

Start with writing down all your ideas – as a sort of line in the sand – a place to start and a way to release some of the headspace currently being taken up. Once they are all written down then at least you know that they aren’t going to go anywhere, and you can come back to them when you have more time. They have freed up space in your head!

Then ensure that you always have a notepad and pen with you wherever you go. This is such a small change, but makes the world of difference when used correctly.

Write down any ideas, thoughts, details, notes etc… down as and when you think of them during the day (or night! – keep it beside your bed as well and then you can write it down and go back to sleep rather than be wary of forgetting in the morning), and then transfer them to the proper place either daily or weekly dependant on how busy you are and what your schedule allows.

For general Ideas, life thoughts, and wishes – add these to your NICE TO DO list. This way you can look into it more when you have time, but it isn’t clogging up your brain in the meantime, and you won’t forget about it going forward.For numbers and contacts – simply add to your address book and / or phoneFor items that really do need actioning (i.e. something that has woken you in the night because you have forgotten it needs doing by the next week) – they should be added to your TO DO list – or scheduled into your diary in the appropriate time frame.For items such as recipes, ideas for home decorating, family days out etc… add these to your Home File in the right sections – ready to pick up as and when you need to.

Which means that now all of your random thoughts are more organised immediately, and you can feel more free to concentrate on the here and now.

Every month get into the habit of looking over your NICE TO DOs – as some of these will start to become more urgent, and some will become redundant as time goes on. Its always good to do a declutter of these so you can see whats what, and are able to focus (just as you would your TO DO list).

And of course, as time goes on, there will be less and less coming into your head that is a panic thought, as you should be becoming more and more organised. What you will find is that your thoughts become more about what you want to do, what would be nice to achieve in life, and ideas for family/friends etc… which is altogether a nicer place to be don’t you think!

You are thinking that it would be amazing to start your own business one day. You aren’t ready to make that drastic change as yet, and aren’t even sure that it is a goal you want to pursue, but it does keep coming into your thoughts so you need to write it down and acknowledge it.

I suggest keeping these notes in your NICE TO DO lists – under – IDEAS! – One day you may find that you do want owning your own business to be a goal, and therefore you can look at your NICE TO DO list, see what thoughts you have had already, and then start adding steps to get there on your TO DO list (i.e. take a course, look into finances etc…)

At least then you have a head start and can see what you have been thinking down on paper.

Your friend or a family member has done something thats making you stressed. You have this on your mind a lot, and its causing you to lose sleep. Writing it down in your notepad will help to focus your mind on exactly what the issue is, and may give you clarity just doing that – it may also help you to realise a solution.

The next step would be to look at how you can resolve this issue as you have now identified it is taking up headspace – possibly talking to that person is required. Ask yourself what would be the worst that could happen, and if you are OK with that (its usually not as bad as your subconscious is making you think it is), then go for it.

You constantly have chatter in your head about everything and anything. Theres things you don’t want to forget, decisions about the family holiday this year, items to add to the shopping list, someone you need to get back to about an appointment change.

All of these are weighing you down. When you do a braindump and add these things to the proper places as shown above, you will feel much more able to move on and actually get things done.

I also try and focus my thoughts each night before bed, thinking about the day and whats gone well or not so well. Just being in touch more with how I am feeling does help to rationalise my thinking and paves the way for a better nights sleep.

Try using the acronym i have talked about before to see whether you have had a balanced day as well – as this can really help in terms of feeling more content.

The key is to identify what your thoughts are.

The action of writing them down can help you clarify them, and eventually action them – but whatever you end up doing with them, they won’t be taking up valuable head space any longer!

This will free you up to do more, and the more organised you get, the more organised your thoughts will become anyway!

View the original article here

Organising Makeup and Toiletries – Top 10 Tips

Open most bathroom cabinets and you will be forgiven for thinking you have entered your local pharmacy or supermarket – there are just so many products available to us now that it isn’t surprising to have more than you can use at any one time!

Whether it be a 3 for 2 offer, or a birthday/Christmas present – the ways we receive and bring makeup and toiletries into our home is never ending! So how do you go about organising everything, and indeed, using it all as well!

Here are my top 10 tips to get you started:-

I have lost count of the number of toiletry based gifts I have received over the years. It is a favourite gift for a woman definitely!

However, a lot of these products are either things I can’t use due to being for the wrong skin type, or things I won’t use as I just don’t have it as part of my skincare regime (anyone have time for foot scrub!?)

Break up the box sets and keep only the items that you will truly use. Anything else that you really think someone else would love, then pass it on to them – better that someone gets the benefit than it just to sit in your cupboard for months longer….

TIP – why not create your own set for a friend by wrapping up suitable products in thick see through cellophane, and tying with a beautiful ribbon – can make a great gift! (if you don’t want to see inside the package, then add a layer of coloured tissue on the inside – get creative!

Arrange your storage so you can easily see how many of each product you have, and therefore you will know when you are running low. I try and group like with like, so that I can see exactly how much shower gel (for example) I have. Its quite amazing how much you have of some things when you go through it like this!

Anything else – just get rid of it – its just clutter otherwise.

If you go to the gym or travel regularly, why not consider having a set of toiletries and makeup ready in your bags. This will save loads of time not having to transfer them over each time you need them, and also saves worrying about forgetting them (its bound to happen!)

Most chemists and places such as Boots sell travel sized bottles, and you can get quite a few samples of makeup if you shop around (or just buy 2 – makeup isn’t that large or heavy and you will no doubt use then up anyway!). Alternatively you would buy small bottles and pots and dispense small amounts of the products into them for a truly personalised set.

TIP – for the gym you may want to consider a chlorine specific shampoo for when you swim – as it will protect your hair. Having different products with you often comes in useful!

Why not have a makeup bag that has your daily makeup in, and your evening makeup in another bag – then you won’t have to keep rifling through EVERYTHING every morning to find what you need.

Of course – if you have loads of makeup, you may have to change the bag idea to drawers…….!

Your skin changes over the year – it can be quite dry over winter when heating is on, and a lot paler than in the summer. Therefore colours and possibly the products you use will change over the course of the seasons.

You may well also change your hair colour over the year too – a lot of women add more highlights in the summer months and tend to go a little darker in the winter. As such look at your makeup colours AND your hair products. Always make sure you are using the right products.

Also – as you grow older your natural colouring will also change – so colours that were right for you in your late teens / twenties may not work in your thirties for example.

Now, I’m not talking about whether you are still sporting a look from the 1980's (although lets hope not!), but instead, whether your makeup needs throwing away due to being out of date (just like food products)

You can usually find a little symbol on makeup that shows how many months a product should be OK for – with something like 12M or 18M inside it. I find that a permanent pen is a great asset to a makeup bag as you can write on the packaging for each product the date you opened the product and then it will be easy to keep track of when it needs changing.

For now – heres a quick checklist that shows the average times to keep items:-

Cream of compact foundation or blusher: 18 monthsConcealer and cream eyeshadows: 12-18 monthsPowder – Blusher, Eyeshadow and Bronzer: 2 yearsEyeliner: 2 years (liquid eye liner 3-6 months)Mascara: 3 monthsLipstick, Lip Liner and Lip Gloss: 2 yearsNail Varnish: 1 year

Try not to have loads of toiletries out in the bathroom – as you will end up using little bits of everything, it will look messy, and you will more often than not not use all that you have before you find you have to throw it away.

Have one bottle of each item you use daily on show (or in the cupboard!) – and make a pact with yourself not to start a new one until that ones all gone. This works really well for shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel etc….)

The only multiples that should be out are if you or your family members have different product needs.

Get your family into the habit of having a basket each for their toiletries – that they keep in their bedrooms.

The basket can be brought into the bathroom when required. This makes tidying up easy, and all family members can have their own sets which stops a lot of arguments!

For children a great idea is to use multi use products – such as shampoo and conditioner in one. It saves time, hassle and space!

Wipe your makeup containers with antibacterial wipes regularly to avoid any transfer of germs. you are likely to have brought out your makup bag and put it down in many different areas, and therefore it won’t hurt to keep it clean!

Keep makeup away from heat sources, and direct sunlight (perfume as well)

Don’t share makeup. Ever!

This really goes without saying for an organising post, but you are only saving money with product offers if you were going to buy it anyway.

If you use certain products regularly and then when you go shopping you find that they are on offer – then BUY! Buying in bulk in this way saves lots of time and money (see my stockpiling post for more details on this concept).

BUT – don’t buy just because an item is on sale. If you are not going to use it, or your family don’t like the product, then its a complete waste of time and money.

Products such as perfumes, branded items etc… are all really worth buying in the sale. I always try and save vouchers for bigger purchases so that they aren’t so much of a hit when they need to be bought! (OR I ask for perfume as a birthday/Christmas gift as its a lovely gift to buy for someone, and can be seen by the giver to be very personal, while it is still a very easy thing to buy when you are told what you like!)

Its a fine line, but worth it!

When organising your makeup and toiletries, think about what products you use and what suits you – and stick to buying those!. Store items together so you can see at a glance what you are running low of, and make everyone in the family responsible for their own items.

This way you will be able to enjoy the products you own, and get the most out of each one! Hopefully getting this part of your life organised will save you money AND time!

View the original article here

The Top 12 Time Wasters and How to Avoid Them!

I have spent time writing about ways to make the most of your time, and therefore it makes sense to focus this post on ways that can waste your time.

If you can clearly see where you are wasting your time, you can actually do something about it – rather than just carry on as you are and wonder where the days go.

Here are my Top 12 time wasters, I have known myself to lose hours to most of them, and its a weekly struggle to keep on track and try and avoid these pitfalls usingthe ideas I have talked about below – but I’m only human……..

I have really lost count of the number of hours I spend (yes, still now if I don’t watch myself!) trying to work out what would be best to do with that day, how to make the most of my time etc… – only to find that the day has passed and I’ve still got nothing done.

SO FRUSTRATING!

Your diary really should be your best friend when it comes to managing your time. I really get the most out of my day now that I use mine religiously.

Add in any unmovable appointments along with travel and prep time for each, then add in any errands or jobs you have to do that day. In any spare time you have you can then look at your TO DO list and work out the top priority for that day, and add it in.

If you do this simple task each evening ready for the following day then you should know exacly what you need to do and when.

These should all come with a warning – once you have signed into facebook, twitter, linkedin, your email, etc… then time will pass by double quick.

People often say to me that they hadn’t realised how long they spent on these things until they were asked to time how much of a day they spent on it – and most were horrified!

This is a YouTube video that has some amazing stats about social media – it really does blow your mind at how much its taking over – but is also a warning abot how much time you can spend daily on it!

Its impossible to not spend time on social media and email nowadays, but its important not to let it take over.

Spending a set time 2 or three times a day works best – usually first thing in the morning, at lunchtime, and last thing at night. Its also worth remembering that everyone can wait – and a few hours won’t hurt!

Your goals are what you will look back on and feel a sense of pride in if you have achieved them, but feel deflated it not. Therefore it makes sense that anything that takes you directly away from your goals are wasting your time.

Things such as hobbies that you don’t really enjoy anymore, groups that you area member of that have a lot of time comittment but don’t relate to your goals, friends who make you feel low when you are with them, and workingall the hours you have in a dead end job when you would rather start your own business.

Really look at how you spend your time, and what proportion of what you do is helping your towards your goals in life. You may be surprised at the results.

With those things that you really should drop, get out of them confidently and learn to say NO more to things that don’t help you.

There will of course be some things that you can’t avoid in life – but if you can manage things better then you will have more time to get to where you want to be in life, and ultimately this will make you happier.

I have clarified in the title that its not just TV thats a time waster. On the contrary there are some TV programmes that can be useful, relaxing, and entertaining.

What I am talking about is watching things just for the sake of it, flicking through the endless channels available and not really watching much of anything – or simply the hait of watching TV every night and not doing something else that would make you happier. All of the above are a complete waste of time.

One very easy way to do this is to invest in something like Sky Plus or a Virgin Media box. You can record programmes and series and watch them when you want to and not be dictated to by the schedule.

Another big bonus is that you can fast forward through the breaks, and you can watch more of what you want to watch at a time that suits you.

The other option is of course to simply limit how much TV you allow yourself each day, and see how much more you get done!

My biggest gripe of all are phones. They are about the only thing in this world that ring out and expect you answer it there and then, dropping whatever else you are doing, and sometimes waking you – often for no good reason other than someone trying to sell you something.

I simply have answer phones on my mobile and my landline – and only answer if I know who is calling, and I genuinely have the time – which is rare. Instead they will always leave a message, and I can get back to them when its a more suitable time.

This sounds quite cold, but I have been amazed at how much more productive I am. I run a business from home and am often called throughout the day by sales people, who are sometimes difficult to shake! Actual customers tend to email rather than phone, and those that do phone always leave a message as they assume I am busy with another client – so it does nobody any harm – and it does me a lot of good as I can focus on my work and then make calls at the end of the day when I am ready and in that mode.

Doorbells, children, friends, family, deliveries, phone calls, emails, etc… can all eat into your day and before you know it you haven’t got anything done AGAIN.

Now I’m not saying that you should ignore your children (unless its a tantrum of course!), and I am not saying your can avoid interruptions altogether (emergencies will crop up that need your undivided attention) – but you should be able to limit them as much as possible so you get what you need to done.

Try and keep yourself behind closed doors when you have work to do at home, and get someone to look after the children (can you get your partner to share childcare in the evenings for example).

What about doing your important tasks at times of the day when you are less likely to be interrupted?

Also, if you really can’t avoid interruptions, know this and schedule in time for them in your day – which means you won’t get so stressed and should hopefully still be able to get everything done that you wanted.

Have you ever been getting ready for an event and realised that you or your partner haven’t sorted a present/card/babysitter/taxi etc…? Lack of planning not only wastes time, but can really stress you out.

Simply getting more organised will help you stay on top of planning. Knowing where you are going and how to get there, knowing that you have the right clothing, whether you need to have a present etc…. – all these things take a lot less time when done on the right day along with everything else – rather than at the last minute in a rush

Keys are the most common thing that are lost in peoples homes – taking forever to find, and usually when you need to be out of the door and on your way somewhere.

Whether it be your wallet, an important letter, chequebook or a price of jewellery – its so frustrating and stressful when it can’t be found.

A place for everything and everything in its place

This can’t be said enough when you are organising yourself and your home. If you and all your family members are aware of where to put things, and then create new habits that ensure that they are put back each and every time they are used, then you WILL eliminate this time waster once and for all.

View the original article here

Why a MASTER TO DO LIST works best!

Most people tend to write a daily TO DO list – writing into it what is their top priority at the time of writing.

They write EVERYTHING they can think of to it – not prioritising or scheduling it at all.

Its usually a long list thats intimidating at best, and impossible at worst. It is basically setting people up for a fall as usually there will be loads left on it by the end of the day, and more added to the bottom.

The phrase “never ending TO DO list” springs to mind!

But there must be a better way of working, right?

Well – I am not here to say that this way is totally wrong, far from it. If it works for you, genuinely, then carry on. Getting organised is what works for you best to save you time and effort – so don’t fix it if it ain’t broke!

For the rest of you (and I’m betting there are a fair few who are still reading this with curiosity!) heres what I think is a better way of making sure you utilise your TO DO list so that you are running IT and not the other way round.

A daily TO DO list tends to be a reactive list – based on what has come up and is in your immediate area of concern for that time. It tends to forget about the tasks you need to do to reach your goals in life as they are not ones that absolutely need your attention at that minute, and as such you can feel very deflated at the end of the day.

You have worked hard, done lots, but achieved very little.

Sound familiar?

It makes for a “busy” person – but not necessarily an effective person. Its like always chasing your tail!

Being proactive rather than reactive is the name of the game when it comes to getting more organised.

You need to be fully aware of your time, and how much you need for the tasks that you already have scheduled for that day. Being realistic about how much “spare” time you have, and how long tasks really take is half of the battle.

Much better to get 2-3 crucial things done well each day than several insignificant tasks.

You also don’t want to be so busy that theres no room for manouvre (think of those unexpected things that ALWAYS crop up that suck your time from you each day)

The key is getting the balance right between not wasting your time and not getting stressed about things along the way.

What I use, and what serves me very well from both a homemaker and a “working for myself from home mum” view point is my MASTER TO DO list.

A master TO DO list is basically an ongoing list that is upkept daily, but not written out daily – that is kept inside your diary and works in tandem with it.

It has on it EVERYTHING you need to do, in every part of your life – on ONE list.

It tells you what priority things have, how long estimated time it will take to complete, and is broken down into manageable peices of work.

It is where you add anything that crops up on a daily basis TO DO, and where you go to fill in any time gaps in your day.

It will keep you focused, give you a great overview of where you are in all apsects of your life, and will really help manage your way towards your goals.

We all have different roles and responsibilities in life, and its important to understand what yours are. It will help you to see your life as a whole, and determine what you want and need to do in each area. They are very top level headings for now – which will be more detailed at a later stage – but its important to think general first so that you don’t miss anything!

Examples of such headings are as follows:-

HomeEach person in your home can have their own heading with things you need to do for each of themBusiness / WorkHobbiesClub MembershipsSocial

Each of these headings can be split up into projects- just as you would have several projects as an employee, so too you have projects within your home, and business. This helps to define areas of attention, and works just as well inside the home as inside work.

Some such projects would be as follows (taking the above list as the example):-

HomeMaintenanceDecorationCarGardenEach person in the householdSchool / Work things that need something done or made forLetters/ Cheques to sendUpcoming things to start researching (childrens schools, nurseries etc..)Business / WorkDifferent projects that you are working on – specific clients etc…Different services that you provide and what you need to do to drive each one forwardAdmin tasksNetworking and Marketing tasksAdvertising tasksFinancial tasksSocialHobbiesClub MembershipsCharity / Volunteer workAnything to research such as specific holidays, time away, new ideas etc…

Sound a lot doesn’t it?! But believe me that once you have your Master TO DO list sorted, then adding one at a time as you go through your weeks is quick and easy, and will actually save you time in the long run.

Add in each item in priority order, within each project. That way you will know the order in which to do things, and will be able to clearly see if things rely on other things to be done first if they are set out like this.

The other thing to note here is that when you put your TO DOs on the list, try and be as specific as possible – break tasks down into easy to achieve mini tasks – so that you can do that smaller thing in any spare time you have. This will make getting towards your goals a lot easier.

i.e. If you have a task such as “Book family holiday” on the list – then you should add mini tasks like – research locations, determine budget, book accomodation, look at things to do, write what we need to take, book time off work etc….. – each of these things in order are easy to progress, and less intimidating than that of “booking family holiday” – which you may leave until the last minute because of the time you think it will take. Its the same with most things – when you break them down they are more likely to get done. Once you have done each mini task in a project then you can take that whole project off the list – how satisfying!

So – you should have something that looks like this now:-

MASTER TO DO LIST

HomeDecorate Living roomChoose Living room curtains (3 hours)Choose Living room Paint colour (1 hour)Get decorator booked (10 mins)Clear room ready for decorating (2 hours)Buy TV unit (2 hours)Buy Rug (1 hour)BusinessCLIENT ONE Finish draft paperwork (1/2 day)Arrange meeting to discuss (5 mins)FinancesDo end of year books (1 day)Send through to Accountant when ready (5 mins)Marketing and AdvertisingResearch Google Adwords (2 hours)Look into getting leaflets printed (2 hours)

Etc………

If you also get into the habit of writing out your tasks and projects in priority order as well, then you always know what needs doing first when you have time

i.e. for the above example – on a day where I am working and I have no scheduled tasks for the day in my diary, then I can simply look at my master TO DO list and see that my first priority is CLIENT ONE – so I will work on my paperwork for that client first, get that done and move onto the next task. I can also see if I can make some quick wins on other items that only need a couple of minutes to complete – thus ticking off as much as possible during this time, and really making progress.

Anything that has a specific due date should be scheduled into your diary so that you ensure it gets done in time – but anything else that isn’t time specific can be added to your TO DO list ready for those times when you have a gap in the day.

Having everything in one place will make it so much easier to progress tasks, whatever you are doing.

As a “working for myself from home mum” I have several differents roles, and on certain days I work, other days I look after my daughter, so its handy to know that on a working day I can clearly see what needs to be done, and how urgent it is – so I can prioritise easily – with the knowledge that I will get to the goal if I work through the TO DO list properly.

All scheduled tasks in my diary take precedence of course, and then you can refer back to your TO DO list when you have gaps in your day – ticking them off as you do them.

Having one list, split into every project in each main part of your life, will help you stay in control of what you want to achieve. Whether you have this list electronically or on paper, you can easily see where you are heading – and one huge benefit is that as your priorities change, so too will your TO DO list – and you can update as you go – so you are always heading for the right thing! (some things over time will naturally become obsolete).

I like to keep my list in a Word document on my laptop, and print it off weekly so I can add  it to the front of my diary and write on it, tick things off and add things on the go (I still use a paper diary as I prefer it – but you could have everything on your smart phone if you prefer!)

You should now have a one stop shop to add in your TO DOs, and have them in an organised fashion, so you can easily see what needs doing next in any part of your life when you have some time to fill in your diary.

You don’t have to write out a TO DO list every day – as you will have scheduled tasks written in your diary as you go, and can therefore simply schedule your TO DOs from your TO DO list each day into that.

You now have control back over your never ending TO DO list – and it can feel much more manageable – and you will be able to easily see when things become redundant and be able to take them off the list.

Now what could be better than that!

View the original article here

Why you SHOULD build up stockpiles!

You may be asking why a blog that is all about organising and decluttering your home and life should now write a post about building up stockpiles – what could possibly be achieved by adding more to your home!

Well,  the term stockpiling tends to have a very negative association for anyone wanting to get more streamlined and organised – and rightly so in some cases.

Stockpiling brings up a vision of hoarding – piles upon piles of items that you have to tread carefully through whenever you move around your home.

But the reality can be VERY different.

Building up stockpiles is actually one of the key steps to getting organised – specifically in these areas:-

KitchenUtilityPaperwork and OfficeBathroomFinancesPresents/Cards

This post takes you through each of the key areas (mentioned above) in turn, and show how you can really make a huge difference by creating stockpiles in these areas, and lastly keep reading for my cautionary words near the end of the post – as with a lot of things in life, stockpiling has to be done with care!

The most important thing to remember here is that we are talking about systems that help you get and stay organised – and not simply building up more piles of clutter around the home. Theres a BIG difference! I can’t stress this enough.

If you tend to collect things and hoard, then you must be careful of using stockpiles as part of your organised life, but if you can set up the right systems and use stockpiles in carefully selected areas of your home, then you will really reap the benefits.

Lets go through each of the areas already listed above, and show you ways that each can benefit from stockpiling. My one golden rule for stockpiling is as follows:-

ONLY STOCKPILE THINGS THAT YOU USE REGULARLY AND THAT ARE BOUGHT WHEN ON SALE

The great thing about this method of stockpiling is that you know you have an ongoing need for all the items that you buy – you only buy them in bulk when they are on sale so you are saving money, and you have a good stock of them in your home so will never (with the best will in the world!) run out.

Example – I always need washing machine tablets and toilet rolls – and always will! – and these are expensive items that soon add up to hefty shopping bills each month. However, the brands I tend to use are regularly on sale in the supermarket so at this time I buy 2 or 3 (dependant on the deal and how much space I have in my storage areas for these things as I want them to not add any clutter to the house). If I always have a need for them then they won’t go to waste, and I am happy in the knowledge that they have cost me less overall then if I went out and did a standard shop for the same amount each week/month. Not only that, but it also saves me time at the shops trying to find a good deal at each and every visit!

I think a lot of us are natural stockpilers and will usually go for the items that are on offer, but sticking to the rule that you should only buy what you use regularly will also stop the sales minded among you buying up all the 2 for 1 offers on the shelf!

Remember – its only a bargain if you were going to be spending money on it anyway!!!!

The utility, if you are lucky enough to have one, is a great place to really maximise the storage and get your homes stock organised (I think of it like an offices stationery cupboard! – its the go to place when you run out of anything!)

Depending on how big the space is, you can simply stockpile utility types items (see list below) or you could start to use this room for stockpiling kitchen and bathroom items as well. Its really up to you as to how you set out your home – what works fo you is the right system in the end!

I will always advise people to have as much storage as possible in this room – floor to ceiling works really well – and can house everything!

Washing powder and Fabric ConditionerCleaning ProductsWipes, Dusters, SpongesBin Bags (and any other plastic bags!)BatteriesLight Bulbs

This stockpile could be anywhere – ideally I would have at least one of everything to hand in the room you need it, but in line with the organising staple “keep like with like” you may prefer to keep everything together.

I have a large built in cupboard in my bathroom for this purpose – everything is to hand and you can easily see when you are running low. Note – if you have small children just ensure that cleaning products are out of reach)

How many times have you gone to write a note to someone only to not be able to find a pen and paper to hand – REALLY frustrating! Keeping plenty of the following will help to alleviate that annoyance!

This is a less tangible thing in some ways, but equally valuable.

I fully am on board with having a present/wrapping area set up somewhere in the home as it really does make life so easy!

In its most basic form, this can be a drawer or a cupboard anywhere in your home. Its contents will have spare occasion cards, wrapping paper, notelets, sellotape, tags, stamps, brown paper, parcel tape and pens – and in its larger form will also have a selection of pre-bought presents for those instances that you need a present QUICKLY!

It is the GO TO place when you need to send a card, when someone unexpectedly turns up with a christmas gift etc…. – and its also the place that can save you many hours of errands to the shops to get presents and cards each time you need them.

And the best reason of all to have one is that it saves money as well – as you can easily stockpile items in this area.

January is the best time to stock up on Christmas items – as they are all in the sale. Make sure you buy what you will use, and get a great deal! Same goes for after easter, and regularly shops have sales on cards etc… so I find stocking up when this happens will pay itself in the long run!

Presents can be bought when there are deals on too – think 3 for 2 offers in Boots for example!, or again after christmas or an occasion of some kind. If you have a budget for you presents then doing it like this often means you get more for your money as well which is a bonus!

or two! – Firstly – don’t stockpile unless you have the storage for it – otherwise its just clutter!

Secondly – I don’t know whether you have seen a programme recently on TV about extreme couponing. Its a US based programme about people who make collecting and using coupons to pay for pretty much everything they need.

How great to be able to walk into a supermarket abd be so organised that you can fill 2 or 3 trolleys full of shopping and when its all totalled up at the till and your vouchers are taken off, you end up owing NOTHING!

Now – I said this was a word of caution – as, for these stockpiles to really add value to your home you need to be able to manage them easily and not let them take over – otherwise you may just find its ruling your life.

Keep this in mind and stockpiling I am sure will work well for you – I’d love to hear from you if you have any extra ideas, or have been able to put this into practise!

View the original article here

Top 10 Motivational Quotes

Getting organised can be a long and sometimes difficult process – but really is so worth it! I have added a post here of some of my favourite motivational quotes to keep you going.

Find one that really resonates with you and write it somewhere you can see it every day. It will really help give you that motivation to continue with what you are doing – and I hope that you end up with the organised house/life that you wanted!

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.

- Ralph Marston

You are only as successful as you let yourself be

- Unknown

– Norman Vincent Peale

Set your goals high and don’t stop til you get there

- Bo Jackson

If you can dream it you can do it

- Walt Disney

If you don’t design you own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone elses plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much

– Jim Rohn

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.

- Og Mandino

If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

- Dale Carnegie

Either you run the day or the day runs you.

- Jim Rohn

Here are a few motivational books! I always find that reading about things helps me to focus on what, why AND how I want to do things

View the original article here

June 2012 Organised!

June – this year its a time for two bank holidays, the diamond jubilee, warm days, and the start of summer!.

This month is a great time for socialising – from Barbeques to days spent outdoors with friends and family – what could be better!

I love the longest day which falls on the 21st June. It evokes a real feel good factor that the sun is out for the longest time – it makes you feel that you have more time in the day to get things done – and then theres still time to relax when its light!

Theres nothing nicer than being woken up by the sun feeling refreshed – being energised enough to get loads done, and then sitting outside at the end of the day enjoying the evening sun. Lets just hope that the gorgeous weather will continue from May! we’ve been a bit spoilt so far with temperatures up to 30 in some parts of the UK!

And don’t forget we have 2 bank holidays – a wonderful 4 day weekend where we can really relax and get ready for the summer – and just think, even if you spend 2 days doing chores that weekend you still have another 2 days – a full weekend in time – to spend enjoying yourself! I know I’ll be trying to get the most out of the days – what about you? (Tell me about your plans at www.facebook.com/organisemyhouse)

Make this month really count for you…..

Here is a print out diary which I use – works well as theres space for reminders, TO DOs and a diary with times in so you can see at a glance where you have free time (if any!)

JUNE 2012 DIARY PAGES

Also there is a handy checklist to get you in the habits of setting monthly goals, creating new habits, and basically being your backup for a more organised start to the month (I suggest printing it out and working through at the end of the previous month so that you are ready to go).

JUNE 2012

Summer has really started now – have you booked your holidays and days out yet? A handy hint is to check out some local hotels websites, they usually have local attractions on them and you’ll be surprised at how many you may not have been to as yet!Organise a BBQ with friends you haven’t seen for a whileMake the most of the sun and try and have at least 10 mins to yourself in it every day – make sure you have applied suncream first though!

If you work for yourself, ensure that you have worked out your working days over the school holidays – have you arranged for childcare as yet? Can you postpone some clients until September?Make the most of the warmer nights and days by trying some outdoor sports – tennis, bodyboarding, even just walking will all be fantastic at this time of year! It will also help you to stay in shape if you change your fitness routines at least every 6 weeks.LOVE the idea of a proper afternoon tea to celebrate the Jubilee – Emma Bridgewater have a fantastic array of memorabilia items that will be a great memory of the day – and this afternoon tea selection would work perfectly! EnjoyEat more salads and fruit – at this time of year its so easy – and quick to prepare gorgeous meals. A favourite with myself and my hubby is a salad with marinated meat – you can have such a variety that you could eat every evening meal like this! What about Cajun Chicken with Green Salad, Minted Lamb Steaks with couscous and roasted veg, or Salmon with spinach salad – I can go on but its actually dinner time when I’m writing this so I’ve been inspired and my tummys rumbling! Kitchen here I come…….

If you have any questions or comments please reply below and we’ll get back to you always. As ever, we love to hear from you!.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS feed, Like Us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter for the latest news and offers!

May - the month of May Day, Bank Holidays, Half Term, and (fingers crossed!) ...

April - the month of Easter, Spring really getting going, lighter nights - on ...

View the original article here