Organizing Tips To Help You Reduce Stress and Save Time and Money

TIP #1 - THE ORGANIZING PROCESS: You won't be able to get every area of your life organized in one day so don't frustrate yourself by trying! Work at a pace that is comfortable for you and remember that being organized is a life long, on-going process, not a permanently achieved state. You'll make it a lot easier on yourself and the others around you if you do.

TIP #2 - KITCHEN CLEAN UP: Clean up will be easier and faster if you keep the supplies you need and use regularly within easy reach of your clean up station - your sink, dishwasher and trash can.

TIP #3 - FRIG AND FREEZER LEFTOVERS: You can avoid having to guess what's in a container and/or how long it's been there by keeping a roll of masking tape and a black permanent marker in your kitchen. When you put leftovers away, place a piece of tape - which can easily be removed at clean up time - on the lid of the container and write the contents and date on it. If you tend to stack containers, write this information on a piece of tape and place the tape on the side of the container instead so you can see it more easily. If your leftovers go in a plastic bag, write the contents and date directly on the bag.

TIP #4 - SUPPLIES: Keep the knife sharpener near the cutlery, the copy paper near the printer, the wrapping paper with the ribbons and bows, the pencil sharpener near the pencils, the extra drill bits with the drill, etc.

TIP #5 - YOUR CLOTHES CLOSET: One way to organize your clothes is to arrange them by color from light to dark. This will help make it easier to find
the item you want.

TIP #6 - MAGAZINES: Instead of cluttering up your space with stacks of magazines, clip out the articles that interest you, staple the pages together and toss/recycle the rest of the magazine. Keep the articles neatly stored in an attractive basket or container near your favorite reading chair, beside your bed or any place else you like to read.

TIP #7 - PHONE MESSAGES: When leaving a phone message, be sure to let the person know the best time to get back to you. If you're including your telephone number, leave it at the beginning of the message and speak it slowly and clearly. Nothing is more annoying or time wasting than having to listen to a message over and over again - especially a long one - in an attempt to decipher or capture the phone number left at the very end of it. On your answering machine greeting and your voice mail, ask callers to let you know the best time to get back to them.