Sometimes we just don't have enough space for another garbage can/shredder. But you still want to organize that incoming paperwork everyday like the daily mail. So, get through those papers everyday by tossing the junk mail and shredding the other paper that might have personal information like account numbers. If you don't have a lot of space try a handheld shredder you hold over the trash.
Check out Innodesk handheld shredder that cuts 3 folded sheets of paper including the envelope. Its so small you can then store the in a drawer.

Do you have a drawer full of take out menus? How about duplicate menus? Its time organize that junk drawer and say goodbye to every menu in the city. Check out Grubhub.com and find restaurants that deliver to your address. Just type in your address and Grubhub.com gives you a list of restaurants, menus and reviews!
Traveling next week and need your delivery fix? Go to Grubhub.com and find out what restaurants are still open and who can deliver late night to your hotel.

When was the last time you went through that box of electronic parts and cords? If everything in your home is working, everyone has their phone and ipod charger what is happening with that box of miscellaneous wires etc? Time to take stock, get rid of all the unnecessary items and organize those electronics!
If you find 5 pieces of a digital camera put them all in a plastic Ziploc bag and write "digital camera", same goes for the cell phone accessories like car charger, ear buds and usb cord. If you can separate the electronics from the computer stuff that would be great! But if you don't have extra room, keep them all in the same storage bin.

We are all busy these days, its no secret and we have a million things to do. Plus we also want to save time and money. Make sure you organize your work, food and fun essentials to help you get through the week.

#1 Work - Don't get stuck without a full printer cartridge just before you have to print 50 pages of a presentation in color. As soon as you printer tells you your running low on ink, order a replacement online and have it shipped. You will be happy to have it when needed. You can also stock up at office supply stores like office max.

#2 Food - Online grocery shopping is the best time saver around! You can set up your delivery date and time, its saves all of your shopping lists and you can shop by price. We don't have to spend the time shopping, driving to and from the store, packing and unpacking the car. I can shop in 5 minutes and its done!

#3 Fun - Subscribe to online movie rental like Netflicks - Put as many movies as you wish on your list and you don't have to get stuck without a movie for the weekday or weekend. When a new movie comes out to the theater add it to the list. Sometimes we forgot to see them at the theater and before you know it its on video.

Groceries are getting pretty pricey these days so save a little money by eating what is in season. For a list of fruits and veggies check out the Food Networks guide to seasonal fruits and veggies
Before you head to the grocery store, get organized in your kitchen by making a list of everything in your pantry so you know what staples you have on hand and what needs to be replaced. This can be a big money and time saver.
With your list of seasonal fruits and veggies along with your staples on hand check out the food network, allrecipes or epicurious websites for recipes.

Happy Earth Day everyone! I looks like whole foods is giving you a discount if you bring your own grocery bags! You will get 5 cents back for every bag you use from home. If you don't have have a bag they do have paper on hand. They are selling recycled bags made from recycled plastic bottles for just 99 cents.
So go ahead and organize those closets for spring and pull out any bags that are easy to carry groceries in and use these instead of getting the plastic bags that make a mess of your cabinets then just get thrown away.

Here are a few more tips for your Spring Organizing.

• Freshen up for spring. Dump the cinnamon sticks and potpourri and replace with spring flowers like a potted Hyacinth.

• Don’t forget to replace the filters in your air conditioning units

• If you didn't change the batteries in your smoke detector at daylight savings time, do it now.

Spring is finally here! Here are a few recommendations on getting started on your spring organizing

Closets

1. Change out your wardrobe – Put away your heavier fabrics such as velvets, heavy wool, and winter coats to make room for spring and summer clothing - BUT It still gets cold in Chicago, so keep one warm jacket handy until Memorial Day.

2. Before storing clothes - go through items and purge any that did not get much use the last season.

3. Toss out mate less gloves and socks.

• Storage Tip: Clean clothes before storing - dirty clothes are more likely to get moth damage or become permanently stained.

• Storage Tip: Use plastic bins to make it easy to see the contents and space bags are a great way to get more into a little space.

• Storage Tip: As you sort through clothes, make a note of items you’ll need for next winter, such as gloves or a jacket. Then use the list to hit end-of-season sales. If you can’t find what you need, slip the list in with your stored clothes, so you’ll know what to look for next year.

Did you help the environment on March 29th by turning off your lights for Earth Hour? Millions of people turned off their lights in major cities to help movement against global warming.
21 hundred corporations joined the movement. 2.2 million people turned off their lights for one hour resulting in a 10.2% energy reduction. This is compared to taking 48,000 cars off the road. We did it in Chicago and it was quite a site to see buildings such as the John Hancock and Tribune building turned off for 1 hour. It was easier than we thought!

During these times of economic uncertainty its important to use what you already have to its fullest potential. Organize your current wardrobe to find the hidden wardrobe, clothes you haven't worn in a long time. Maybe you lost that 5 pounds and now you can wear those skinny jeans instead of running out to buy new. Take a few items to a Tailor for alterations instead of getting rid of. You want to get the most out of your current wardrobe.
Sometimes we get tired of out things we've had for a long time like a car. Before considering buying a new car and taking on a new payment. Rediscover those things that made you fall in love with it.
Maybe just getting your car detailed and enjoyed your nice clean car or taking to the shop spending a few hundred dollars fixing instead of taking on a new and higher payment.
Sometimes we buy new computers because our computers get slow.
Its possible they just need to me cleaned of old information and reformatted. We can find it works fine for our needs as long as we unclutter the hard drive.
I hope some of these ideas help you in enjoy some of the things that already exist in your life without spending more money.

One of the most common items I find when organizing is unused gift cards. Its really important to keep these cards in a safe place where you can find them when you need them. You Also want to make sure you use them before the expiration date.
So grab those cards, make a list of each card, domination and expiration date. Next, figure out the best time to use them. For instance do you have a special occasion coming up? Use that $50 spa gift. How about a birthday party? Use the bookstore gift certificate to purchase a that new bestseller. So get creative with those cards but most importantly use them! The person who gave you the gift certificate had good intentions and they want you to enjoy their gift!

Have you ever ordered a magazine subscription? It's fun to get that fresh copy of all the latest and the greatest your favorite mag offers each month. But what happens after your sign up? You sign up in January for a one year subscription, six months later you start receiving renewal invoices with a 20% discount for 2 years! What do you do? Do you keep the invoice? Throw it away? But what a deal...or not? Wait didn't you just pay for the subscription? Is it already expired? Who knows? What about that other mystery invoice from another magazine you may or may not have received in the past? Did you just get another invoice from them as well? Sometimes it can be hard to figure out which magazine you paid for, which subscriptions are running out and which ones you even want to renew and when?

Organizing tip - Renew all subscriptions for magazines, memberships and clubs at the same time each year. Record this information in your calender and the date it will run out. Set a reminder 2 months before the expiration date so you have time to renew. To make it even easier on yourself list your account number and phone number to call.

Let go of any clothes that have stains, rips or are beyond repair.

Let go of clothes that don't reflect your current lifestyle. If you used to work in a corporate office and now work from home, think about getting rid of the suits.

If you can't remember the last time you wore an item...time to let it go.

And finally get rid of the clothes that don't fit, or don't look good on you. You really need to love they way your clothes make you look and feel

Storage Tip: Keep the sentimental clothes like your collage sweater outside your immediate closet space.

Tip: You should never feel bad about getting rid of clothes because you are really helping out people by donating to your favorite charity you may also get a tax deduction.

You should plan on going through your closets every season.

Many of the products and foods we bring into our homes carry an expiration date of some manner. Some are suggestions like "freshest by", "best if used by" or "best before". These terms are generally guidelines for getting the most out of the product. A box of crackers might have a "best if used by" date that would indicate the crackers might not be as crisp if eaten after the date, however they would still be edible. However an "expiration date" is a completely different kind of date that tells us not to use the product after such a date. Expiration dates are typically reserved for perishables that may not be safe for consumption after the date.

In general most people know about expiration dates for perishable items such as raw meats and dairy products. But many other items found in the grocery store also carry expiration dates and have some kind of shelf life that we should be aware of. For instance batteries can lose their effectiveness after sitting too long or if not stored properly. The same goes for sunblock and many medications.

For this reason it is important to routinely go through cabinets, cupboards, drawers and pantries to check expiration dates. It won't do you any good to discover your cough medicine expired 6 months ago at 11pm when you are desperately trying to get some sleep. It is better to throw away expired items before you need them and give yourself plenty of time to go to the store and replenish your supplies.

Some general tips concerning expiration dates:

• When in doubt, throw it out.
• Medications can lose effectiveness after the expiration date. To help manage the medicine cabinet, write expiration dates on the bottle cap. Writing the date will make it more noticeable when glancing through the cabinet.
• Although the ramifications are not as severe, the same applies to herbs. After time they become stale or lose potency. Stale herbs can turn a great recipe into a mediocre one, so try the same technique and write the expiration dates on the containers. Then before going to the store, a quick glance should uncover any items that need to be replaced.
• Your grocery store manager understands the importance of making sure that the oldest items sell before the newest items. That is why they rotate stock and are constantly bringing items from the back of the shelf to the front. You should do the same. When putting away canned goods bring the items from the back forward and place the newest items towards the back. This will help prevent the back of your cupboards from being a storage locker for 5 year old soup cans.
• Be careful of "sell by" dates. The grocery store often stores foods at lower temperatures than our home refrigerators. So items may last a little longer in the store than at home. For instance most butchers and grocers store meat at 30 degrees, while the majority of home refrigerators are 40 degrees, making the shelf life of meat significantly less at home than at the grocery store. Meat should only be stored for 2 days in a home refrigerator.

Today's post is the final step in making organization a part of your daily routine

#3 Create an inspiration guidebook

Most people simply write a list of resolutions and some simply verbalize it. But getting organized is about developing new habits and making it a part of your daily routine. Create a visual picture of where you want to be by creating a collage with pictures and inspiring words. Incorporate your organization plan into it and then hang it somewhere you can see it everyday top inspire you – kitchen, office, near the medicine chest. The activity of creating your inspiration guidebook will reinforce your plan in additions to helping you maintain your daily routine.

Yesterday I posted step 1 of getting organized. Here is the 2nd step to help make organization a part of your daily routine.

#2 Make a plan.
Let’s say you’d like to have more balance in your life and spend more time with your children. So start brainstorming ideas on how you can achieve that. Look for ways to trim wasted time or do things more efficiently. Start with Larger concepts, such as stop wasting time looking for misplaced items, then drill down with specific steps to help achieve that goal. For example, you could determine a specific place to put away your keys as soon as you walk in the door and resolve to do it each and every day. Keep going until you have a plan.

Did you host a holiday party this year? Then you already know the getting your home ready for guests, preparing food and trying to time it all just right so you can enjoy the evening with your guests can be hard work. This year we hosted dinner for eight and my goal was to have everything ready before my guests arrived. Everything went well except for a few things I would have had done differently. I’m making my list for next years party.
Here are a few tips:

1. Keep your shopping receipts from the grocery store and indicate which items you purchased for the dinner or party.
2. Make notes on quantities used in recipes, appetizer treys etc. My shopping receipt shows the size so it’s easy for me to note “used 4 oz” from the 16oz package of mushrooms. Now I have the notes for next year and I will buy a smaller amount. I hate wasting food and with leftovers and during the holidays your refrigerator gets packed.
3. Make notes if you didn’t purchase enough of one item so you don’t have to run out to the store in the middle of your food preparations.
4. Indicate items that were a big hit so you are sure to purchase again next year.
5. Indicate items that nobody ate, drank or you overbought. This year I bought egg nog and forgot to put out so it sat in the fridge. One guest likes a particular cola so I made sure I had this on hand. This year he chose a different drink so I had an extra 2 liter. Next year I will buy 1 can of cola. We had too many crackers and they didn’t fit on the cheese trey. They were never opened so they too will not make the list next year.
6. I store my lists, and receipts in an envelope and pack with my holiday decorations. If you have the time scan and copy to your computer.



I hope these tips help you in your next holiday party.

Are you still finding loose change everywhere around your home? Did you find a container to hold all of your change? Well, if you have been filling up your container and haven’t had a chance to drop if off at the bank or coin machine give it to a good cause. Bring the container full of change to your local shopping center and give it to your Salvation Army Red Kettle. Volunteers are outside ringing the bell of hope and would be thrilled to have you pour all of your loose change in the kettle.

A couple weeks ago I began decorating for the holidays and stumbled upon 8 gigantic pasta bowls. We stopped using these supersized bowls and now they were taking up way too much prime real estate in the cabinet. So, I stuck them in a bag and lined them up by the door for the next donation run.
As it turned out my husband’s holiday work party was the next day and they were having a gift exchange called the “white elephant”. This is where you give a gift that is gently used. He was trying to figure out what to give and I said bring those pasta bowls! He was a little hesitant because he thought nobody would want these bowls. He also had to carry them on the bus and walk 3 blocks to work. I convinced him to take them for the exchange and it turned out the recipient absolutely LOVED them! It’s a great feeling to give away something that does not work with your lifestyle any longer. We enjoyed them for a time but things change and were no longer needed them. We said goodbye to large pasta bowls. It doesn’t mean we’ve given up pasta, it just means we’ve of an opted for smaller bowls that also double as soup bowls.

Yesterday I wrote about avoiding fridge restock if you are planning on going out of town for the holidays. This brings me to another important task that I think everyone should do before the holidays.
Donate unused items in your home that you know you will never use! Give these items you intended on using but just never got around to it. Now you can give them to someone in need during the holidays that otherwise may not even receive a gift.
This can be done by putting items from your cabinets, closets, drawers and pantry.
For instance – do you have a pair of brand new slippers that you will never wear and maybe a pair of pajamas and a robe? Put them all together in a box, dig out some wrapping paper or the gift bags you have been storing (birthday is just fine) wrap them up and drop off at a woman’s shelter or retirement home. If you want to take it a step further, add a few travel sized toiletries or perfumes and a new hand towel.
You can do this for anyone! Make another box some other useful things like coupons for a free gift, fun snack foods, a book, crossword puzzles or stationary and stamps. The sky’s the limit on this plan and wow is ever practical!


So go shopping in your own home and start packing up those items!

Are you going away for the Thanksgiving holiday? Do some home organizing before you head out of town and don’t buy anymore food that will rot in your fridge while you are away.
Finish eating the food you already purchased. Go through your cabinets and see what ingredients you have on hand to whip up a simple pasta, rice or bean dish. Add fresh tomatoes or veggies that are just hanging around in the fridge. If you have extra food that you know will not get eaten take to the local food pantry or give to a neighbor who is hosting the feast. Everybody wins here!

Have you tried texting? I think texting is the way to communicate these days. For one you can have a private conversation without disturbing others. This keeps your phone etiquette in check. If you are in a noisy place and can't talk then texting is the way to go.
Another great advantage of texting is you can ask a question without getting into a long conversation when you do not have time.
Give it a try!

As a professional organizer I am always in search of fast easy ways to do everyday tasks. Here are a few tips for buying groceries quickly without spending too much time or money in the store.


#1 Bring a shopping list and categorize according to the isles of the store.


#2 Have a snack before you shop to avoid filling the cart with food you don't need.


#3 Categorize your pantry items and other groceries in the check out line for bagging, it will make unpacking so much easier.


Have a great day!


Karli

During a A trip to the Nature Museum in Chicago we saw an exhibit showing some of the possible critters lurking in our homes.
Some of the most common are moth larvae that like to feed on
clothing, carpet or upholstery. If you start to notice little holes in you sweaters that may be a sign they have moved in. The best way to keep them out of your clothing and other fibers is to pack them away with cedar chips or lavender.
Another culprit was the mice in the basement. Just a reminder about dusting off those holiday decorations before you store them in the basement. Make sure you do not have any food or crumbs on them because the mice will move into their new Christmas tee box apartment where you have provided them food and shelter.

If you want to try getting organized this fall sign up for HGTV's Get Organized Fall 2007. It is 8 weeks and 4 steps for organizing your life. Get help with time management, plus organizing tips, quizzes, a message board and the latest products. You will sign up for the email newsletter that will start in August.

Click here to sign up.

Ten Ways to Help Your Child Get Organized - FamilyEducation.com I found a short article that provides 10 tips on how to help your kids get organized. I like that the article talks about helping your child to have a set place and time for doing homework. This helps provide structure to your childs daily schedule and sets them up for success. Check out how to help your child get organized on familyeducation.com

Here's an easy bag system to sort and purge. When starting a home organizing project, whether it is small like a drawer or big like a whole room, set up a bag system for items that need to "go away."
Purchase 2 different colored bags - if possible get the new "flex" bags. Use the white bags for "Donate" and black bags for "Garbage."
I like using black bags for garbage, because I can't see the items anymore and there's less temptation to "rescue" items.
Using different color and size bags can make the job "visually" easier to sort. In addition, it makes an easy exit strategy when it's time to transport the bags to the garbage, charities, friends, cleaners or whatever category you create.
When separating items for donations try to keep items separated as much as possible by weight light weight vs. heavy weight items and don't over stuff the bags.
And don't forget this is a great opportunity to clean out your supply of paper bags with handles or the plastic grocery bags. If you're passing along clothing or items to family or friends, think of using the gift bags or the fancy handle bags from department stores. It will seem more like a gift and less like a hand me down.

Have a great day! Karli

Routine Home organizing tasks to get your home Organized With Style.

The biggest secret to home organizing is routine. Make a schedule for routine tasks such as cleaning, paying bills and doing the dishes. Your schedule should include the 5 following categories. For each category I have included examples to get you started with creating your own home organizing schedule. Try them out and feel free to provide feedback for what worked and what did not.

Daily Organizing Tasks
Guarantee your success in daily tasks by establishing times so that you and your family are clear when tasks are to be done.

• Dishes - Do the dishes or load the dish washer each evening after dinner. If you use a dishwasher, unload it in the morning before breakfast so that the kitchen is ready for the next meal.
• Sorting Mail - Don't let the mail pile up. Set a time and a place to go through the mail each day. Have a garbage can close by to throw the junk away. Create a filing system to organize bills, statements and other correspondence so important items don't get lost in piles of envelopes.

Weekly Organizing Tasks

• Cleaning the Car - Cars are one of the most expensive items a family purchases. Treat it like you would your home so that it lasts and so the time you spend in the car is not sullied by fast food wrappers, empty bottles and old newspapers. Pick a time like Sunday mornings to spend even just 15 minutes cleaning out the car, organizing loose change for the toll roads and filing loose papers where they belong.
• Organizing the Pantry or Refrigerator - It is typical to go grocery shopping every week, but few families spend time taking inventory before going to the grocery store. Taking just ten minutes to organize the refrigerator and/or pantry can save time and money. Taking inventory every week will help accurately determine what items you have, what items you do not and what items you are running out of making your shopping list accurate and your time in the grocery isles focused on finding deals rather than trying to remember what you need.

Monthly Organizing Tasks

• Balance the checkbook - Take time each month to review your bank accounts, credit cards and bills. Make a note if you are reaching your financial goals and determine if you are on track or if changes in your spending are necessary.
• Organize the garage - Many families let the garage get out of control and then try to reclaim it in a single day. It is better to set aside an hour each month to straighten up the garage and throw away unneeded items. This way you get to enjoy a clean garage everyday instead of only one week after your yearly garage makeover.

Seasonal Organizing Tasks

• Wardrobe check - Spend a few hours at the change of each season to send seasonal clothes to storage or the cleaners. Try on everything in question and donate items that don't fit your body or your style. Make room for the new seasons fashions.
• Kitchen Cabinets - Take time each season to organize kitchen cabinets and drawers. Because the kitchen gets so much use items can easily get misplaced. If your cabinets and drawers are stuffed and you need to make space try placing items in a large box. As you need the items take them out of the box and place them in their proper place in a cabinet or drawer when finished. At the end of the season take note of what is still in the box. The left over items are the best candidates for donating to charity since they were seldom used.

Yearly Organizing Tasks

• Taxes and files - End each tax season with an organizing session. Throw out records more than seven years old, purge files that are no longer needed like expired car insurance statements and manuals for items you no longer own.
• Home Organizing - Take time each year to do a complete home overhaul. Go through every room and identify what works and what does not. Decide what is meaningful or useful and what is clutter and purge the clutter.

New Year
Here I am at the start of a new year -- it’s "clean slate time," – a fresh start. Like many people, New Year’s Day has me thinking about what I’d like to accomplish in the next 365 days. Some of my goals are similar to most folks, lose some weight, get fit, get a handle on my finances. Others are more idiosyncratic – such as finally getting past Level 2 in French. However, getting organized is not one of goals, though I’m a natural slob. Maybe it’s because I’m suspicious that if I give up my messiness, I’ll also give up some of my creativity and spontaneity.

So then what am I doing blogging on a site dedicated to getting organized? What drew me to working with Karli is her philosophy that organizing is not about being perfect. It’s a tool to help accomplish bigger goals. That resonated with me. I’ll never have a home where everything is always in its place, but I can do without the frustration of wondering around our two-bedroom, two-bath home for 20 minutes looking for my keys. None of my friends have ever said or will ever say, I just love Irene, she’s sooo organized. But I know they like it when I remember birthdays and special occasions. I don’t have to be organized to get on a treadmill, but I do have to make the time to get to the gym.

So that’s what organization means to me. It’s a way to achieve important things, like taking care of my family, and being a good friend, and contributing to the community. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Double Duty Bedrooms

Many people have guest bedrooms that double as home offices. Here are some tips to keep the office part functional, while maintaining the bedroom comfort for guests.

1. Flat screen LCD monitors can do double duty as a computer monitor and a television. Many offer a switch so that you can plug the cable and monitor cord into the screen and switch between them. Or tv cards are available for many computers that not only allow you to feed the tv signal through your computer, but also allows you to split the screen so you can watch tv while you work. In addition, most tv cards come with a program that works like TIVO, allowing you to record your favorite shows right to your computer hard drive.

2. Daybeds are a nice way to to provide sleeping space and a comfortable place to read. But dont underestimate Murphy beds or sleeper sofas. Advances in technology and manufacturing have eliminated that uncomfortable bar that we all identify sofa beds with, and Murphy beds have made a big come back by using advanced materials such as carbon fiber. These new materials make them lighter and increase the design possibilities.

3. Opt for shelving units that close up so when guests stay you can hide your work behind closed doors.

I hope these simple tips help you arrange your guest bedroom/office so that you can create a productive and comfortable space.

Take care.

Organizing Your Music

The days of CD racks are coming to an end. They are being replaced by iPods and other mp3 players that can put entire music libraries in the palm of your hand. Take it wherever you like, listen to your library in the car, at the gym, at home and at work. And by jumping into the world of mp3 you also get to free up all that space now designated for CDs. The process is simple. There are many software packages and devices available to make the jump with. I recommend iTunes software (it's free) and an iPod (not so free, but worth it). Prices for an iPod range from $99 for the shuffle which holds a half gig to $399 for the whopping 60 gig storage with video capabilities. A rough guide is that each gig holds about 250 songs or 25 albums. But don't worry about getting an iPod that can hold your entire library, your computer can do that for you, and you can easily rotate the contents of your iPod at will. Getting your music into your computer is made simple by iTunes. Once the software is installed all you have to do is put your CDs into the computer and push a button. Really! It is that easy. The software will do the rest. It will go online and download the CD information such as song names and album names, and it will copy the songs onto your hard drive. Once your CDs are in your computer, pack them up and put them in storage.