Tag Archives: Everyday Organizing Tips

“Stuck in the Mud!”

Posted on October 20, 2010 by in Getting Started, Home Organizing, Productivity

Do you ever feel like you are a pair of boots stuck in the mud? You need to take a step forward but as hard as you try, you just can’t… You are stuck in the mud!

I know many of my clients have felt this way, especially prior to working with a Professional Organizer.  They get stuck, almost to a point where it paralyzes them.  The beginning steps to any kind of change or challenge can be shocking to our systems.  We don’t know what to do first or second, so what do we end up doing?… Nothing!

Recently I had the feeling of getting stuck in my mud!  I am working on an upcoming project for TCO.  It’s a “Big” project! Soon, you will hear more about it…

For now, let me just tell you the little reminder I needed, to get back on track and out of the mud!

As in any major project you may be working on either for work or life, it takes organization to clearly know what steps need to be taken to complete the project.  A large project can suddenly get very overwhelming, very quickly.  You start looking at all the little pieces that need to be completed, all the details that need to be attended too, you may even start to doubt yourself.  Why am I doing this again?  Is it worth it?  Have you ever found yourself asking these questions?

When I was getting stuck, I called a friend… If you have ever listened to any of the podcasts, you know my friend… Pete!  I told Pete, I had come into my office to work, I actually had some quiet time with no interruptions.  But when I got here, I had no idea what I was going to do… Even though I had a million things to do!  I didn’t know where to start.

He simply reminded me of something I say to my clients all of the time.  Start Small.  I know this is not a new concept, I say it all the time.. But sometimes we all need to be reminded of even the most simple tips!  Start Small.  If you try to do it all, you won’t do anything.  If you break it down into simple steps, you’ll get each step completed and eventually you will get where you are going!

I am now looking at my “Big” Project in not so much of a “Big” way now… I am breaking the project into pieces that can I manage.  The key is taking each piece one by one, finish a piece and then move on to the next.

I hope you will find the same peace I did in this simple tip…

Start Small!

Happy Organizing!

Courage!

Posted on October 13, 2010 by in Getting Started

Have you ever not started something, because you didn’t know how?

Or maybe you were scared to try something new?

When we set goals for ourselves, often times these goals are something different than we have ever done before.  There is a risk of the unknown….We are not sure if it’s worth the hard work, dedication, time and effort it takes to accomplish these goals.

One day, I was looking at my facebook updates, and I read an update from an old friend, who just finished running a marathon.  She had lots of people congratulating her and cheering her on for this huge accomplished she just finished!  Wow, 26 + miles… truly amazing!

In her response she says, “The Miracle is not that I finished, it is that I had the Courage to START!”

What a true lesson to be learned here!  She started, she never gave up, and she did it!  She accomplished a life long dream.  Something to check off the bucket list…

What about other kind of goals, the goal to get more organized or to live a healthier lifestyle.  Do these goals take courage?

What does courage mean? The dictionary states it the ability to do something that frightens one.  Strength in the face of pain or grief.

To answer my question, yes, they take courage! Whenever you “start” something new, you have to have courage.  It’s facing the unknown ahead of us, and hoping you are doing the right thing.  Whether you are training for a marathon or deciding to live a more organized lifestyle, you must have courage to start!

Thank you my dear friend, for reminding us, it takes courage and it can be done!

Happy Organizing!


Do Your Best!

Posted on October 11, 2010 by in Getting Started, Home Organizing

My son goes to a great school!  I love the teachers and I love the values they are teaching our kids… They have a saying… Do your best! Turn in your best work.  Make the best choice.

When I ask my son, what does your best mean? He says… Better Every Single Time! I love this!  As adults we sometimes forget what we can learn from our children, we forget what we can learn from the values they have posted in their hallways.

Better Every Single Time, what does this mean to you? Do you try to do better every single time you are trying something new or different?

You are reading an organizing blog for organizing tips, and my tip to you is: To remember when you are in the process of “getting organized”, you are making a commitment, you are changing what you have done in the past.  You are changing your daily habits and making different choices.  “Getting organized” is not a one time event! It’s a lifestyle, which requires attention every single day.

Organization is not about perfection or always having a clean home. It’s about freedom. It’s about doing better every single time!

Happy Organizing!

Tasks vs. Goals – What’s on your “To Do” List?

Posted on September 30, 2010 by in Office Organizing, Productivity, Time Management

How many of you have a “To Do” list a mile long? When writing it you become very ambitious, thinking, maybe, just maybe you will actually get it all done… But you don’t!

I am guilty!  I do this and I find I do this often!

I’ll get a free day to get some things done around the house, and all the sudden I have a list of 10 things to do, but by lunch time I am tired and only half, if that is done!

Does this sound familiar to anyone?  I really hope it’s not just me!

Time goes by fast, no doubt, and things usually take longer than you expect.  I get interrupted a lot!  I have 2 kids and remember our new puppy?  He takes up a lot of time too!  Potty breaks are a constant around the clock event right now!

In the last week, I signed up for the free trial of OmniFocus.  OmniFocus is a great product, there will probably be a blog post about in the future.  My point for this post is to talk about a revelation I learned as I was watching one of the tutorials.

Is your “To Do” list filled with tasks or goals? If it’s filled with goals, it’s actually going to be almost impossible to get your to do, done!  It becomes unreachable! Uh… I never really thought about it before.

Goals are what we want to achieve, the end result, but they do not clarify the how to do it part… That’s where the tasks come in.  To reach your goal, break it down into tasks. It will certainly make your “To Do” list more organized and hopefully more productive!  We can all tackle something big in small chunks, but to tackle it all at once can be extremely overwhelming!

I am a work in progress, but with this new awareness, I hope to be more effective!

I hope it helps you too!

Happy Organizing!

Mind Mapping!

Posted on September 28, 2010 by in Getting Started, Office Organizing, Productivity

Do you have a lot on your mind? I do!

Between work, clients, family, and home, there is a lot to be done!  It’s not always easy to capture everything in your head.  Yes, “to do” lists certainly help and can effectively organize the tasks for the day, but what about for the whole project you are working on? Are you able to capture your thoughts and ideas effectively with a list?

Have you ever considered Mind Mapping?

What is Mind Mapping?

Mind Mapping is a creative way in putting your ideas, thoughts, and concepts onto paper.  It is a visual thinking tool which helps you organize your thoughts and processes. Mind Mapping is a great alternative to the traditional “to do” list. It’s a closer representation of how your brain actually works.  It’s creative and it’s fun! If you are finding your traditional “to do” is not working well, I highly suggest you try this method in capturing and organizing your thoughts!

You can use mind maps for many reasons. It’s not just limited to project planning.  Say you are having a difficult decision to make, use a mind map to capture your ideas and thoughts, the pros and the cons.  You are planning a trip, this is a great way to capture what needs to be done, what you want to do, and the basic planning of the trip.

There are so many uses and reasons why you may use a mind map.  The options are unlimited and the complexity of each map is up to you!

How does Mind Mapping work?

It’s actually very simple.  You start in the middle of a blank page and write the project or central idea you are developing.  From the edges of the circle you draw lines for your subtopics.  Your subtopics may have branches leading off them too.  Again, it can be as complex or simple as you need it be.

To get started in Mind Mapping, you can just use a simple piece of paper.

I just recently started to explore the different Mind Maps available for your computer, iPhone and iPad. I have been using some of the trials to get a feel of what I like best. Google, “Mind Maps“, and you will be surprised of all the different options!  You can dress up the mind maps to be very colorful or if you prefer, very simple.

I suggest you try a couple and get the one that feels right to you… I just recently bought the iThoughts version for the iPad and iPhone, and I have been really happy with it!

If you are already using mind maps, let us know what you like and recommend! We are always wanting to hear feedback from others!

Happy Organizing!