Get Organized to Live a Better Life

Handy tip to organize Salad Dressing, Sour Cream and other Delectable Dips

2008-06-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

“It is sort of like a food condom”

You know the scene. You’ve made a great salad to take to work, now you simply need some of your favorite salad dressing to top it with. Or, perhaps you have a leftover enchilada or burrito that you wish to plaster with sour cream. Problem is you don’t want to wilt your salad by putting the dressing on at the start of the day nor would you want to plaster your enchilada with sour cream only to be warmed in the microwave. Here is a handy tip that works with what you already have on hand. Simply place your food in your container as you ordinarily would. Then instead of closing the lid and searching for the tiny container to hold your dressing or sour cream follow these simple steps. You’ll maximize your dressing, simplify cleanup, and never have to search for those tiny containers again.

1. Place Container

2. Place Food

3. Place Plastic Wrap

4. Place Salad Dressing or Sour Cream

5. Remove Spoon (should be obvious, huh?)

6. Seal Plastic Wrap

7. Seal Container and GO!

Seattle Trash Talk – Food Scraps get Organized

2007-11-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

Recycling is more the norm around here as compared to other parts of the country. And now, food scraps are no exception since most non dairy or meat food products can go into the yard waste bin for composting. I’m not sure if this is better for the environment or how it would be, but it is convenient for our household by keeping the garbage can from filling up so quickly.

When we learned of food scraps being able to go into yard waste, we didn’t immediately run down to the store to purchase a $50 counter top compost bin. Something seems wrong with that idea especially when you factor in having to purchase liners and periodically replace the charcoal filter. We opted for a more frugal approach. We simply purchased a small attractive bin from Cost Plus World Market that would fit into our kitchen décor – it may actually be a small garbage can; a large canister would work as well. We made sure (or got lucky – I cannot remember) that the bin would accommodate the fruit and vegetable bags from the grocery store. Those sacks by the way are not recyclable so if your going to use them when buying fruits and vegetables then you may as well reuse them to line your food scrap bin. Of course when you dump the scraps most of the time you end up throwing away the bag. Not too green but at least you put them to extra use before you toss them.

The solution was inexpensive, fits the décor, and since the bin fills quickly enough it doesn’t become odorific. We also dump our used coffee grounds in this bin as well so they probably serve as compost incense. As you can see from the photo we also now have a place to put all those neat little stickers that come on the fruit we purchase.

The 5 Minute Rule and Procrastination

2007-08-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

We have all been there, looking at the task or item that has gone unattended, sometimes for years. Amazingly, most of the things we put off can be started in earnest or even completed entirely within 5 minutes. Here are some things that can be tackled in 5 minutes. You no doubt have your own experiences to add.

In 5 minutes you can…

Call a friend

Make a grocery list

Review your to-do list

Pet your cat

Play with your dog

Outline your next vacation

Make a date

Clear the dishwasher

Put a load of laundry on

Floss your teeth

Sort you mail

Smooch your partner

Sew a button

Make a menu for the week

Update your calendar

Clear clutter from any room

Fold laundry and put away

Change your ring tone

Tidy your refrigerator

Read an article

Water your plants

Walk a short distance in the fresh air

Breath deeply and deliberately

Shower

Trim your fingernails long before they really need it

Plant a seed

Write a poem

Sing a song

Transplant an orchid into a beautiful pot

Sweep the floors

Rather than spending time running in place, taking no action to resolve anything, get going, take action! Take 5 minutes to put things in their place, make the phone call that is nagging you, check your calendar to stay on top of things, etc. 5 minutes spent wisely here and there and pretty soon you have accomplished much. As a very wise women, my wife, once told me “A lot can happen in a little while.”

Make Grocery Shopping a Snap by Employing This Simple Rule – USE IT UP, WRITE IT DOWN!

2007-04-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Eat Food? Buy Groceries? Suffer from Time Poverty?

Me too! – Here is a refrigerator trick to make shopping a snap.

You need only invest seconds to gain minutes, a pretty good return on your investment.

Here is how it works. At our house when we use up the last of a food item we immediately write down the item on a paper pad that is magnetized to the side of the refrigerator. We have a pen that sits alongside the tablet so it literally take less time to add an item to the list than it does to throw away or recycle the empty container of sour cream or whatever was consumed. If we pack the last banana for lunch, we immediately write it down on the fridge pad. If we didn’t like something and we’re unlikely to repurchase we don’t bother writing it down. But, for food, kitty litter, light bulbs and whatever else we use up – we write down.

This little trick saves us time preparing to go to the store and eliminates forgetting items once at the store. It also enables us to grab the list at any moment for an impromptu trip to the store. We’ll even walk to the neighborhood store to pick up a few items that are more prone to carrying, leaving the larger items for our next driving trip to Costco.

There are several ways you can get started with your improved grocery listing. The bottom line is you need an accessible pad and pen. Maybe this sits on your fridge as mine does. Maybe yours sits on a desk nearby. The point is you have a pad available, then you use it as you deplete items from your refrigerator or pantry, making life a little bit easier.

Here is a photo of my fridge pad with a very handy floppy magnetic pen. The pad was something I picked up at Hallmark and the pen is an item they have at Storables, near the cash register at my store. Lame that they don’t have a web site where you can purchase. You could also glue a magnet on whatever pad you like or use a magnetic clip to hold the pad or pen. There are many ways to accomplish the same thing.

Whether you buy a pad or make one out of stuff laying around the house, the point is to do something. I promise you will save time, make your next trip to the grocery store a bit easier and make living a little bit better.

The Great Give Away! Benefit Yourself and Benefit Others.

2007-02-20T19:52:00.000-08:00

I did some early spring cleaning this weekend and got rid of many things. Like many others that were affected by the recent windstorm that ripped through Seattle, I had a tree that was damaged. Though the 120+ year old Cedar didn’t tumble completely, what remained standing did so precariously, to where we had to have a tree service bring it down. We split the remaining firewood between 4 different parties who were happy to have it for wood carving, a bonfire, home heating, and sure heating during the next power outage. They all benefited and we cleared our driveway of the wood pile shown below.

That was the weekend, today, I donated to the Salvation Army, a Queen size mattress and box spring, rechargeable drill and flashlight, emergency radio, fleece jacket, wool sweater, puzzle, and a computer. I immediately benefited as I saw the stuff get hauled to the truck. Both in terms of having less stuff accumulating in my household but also knowing that the stuff I donated (all in good condition) is going to be sold with the proceeds to fund drug rehabilitation programs. This is a case where Everybody Wins!

Aside from the tax benefits of donating to non-profit organizations, it feels good to get rid of stuff that you are no longer using. You get a cleaner household and others get stuff that is perfectly useful for their situation. If you don’t need the tax benefit you can always donate to a neighbor, friend, etc.

If you are profit minded, for the higher value items, you can always use Ebay but that is the subject for another blog post.

Look for events as opportunities to rid your household of unused stuff while benefiting others. If you have your house remodeled, give away the unused lumber and materials. Many cities now have online material exchanges and you can even donate the material to stores like the RE Store for the tax benefit or even for IN-STORE credit. After all, you are not the only one with cool stuff you are getting rid of.

Next time you buy something as an upgrade or replacement think of the destination for the item that you’ll replace. For example, if you get a new backpack, give the old one to a boy scout that is getting started. For the unused stroller find an expectant parent.

Instead of adding to the landfill, fill someone else’s heart with the items they need in order to complete a project, go on a hike, or even get a good nights sleep.

Organize your Time and Optimize Your Life through Calendaring.

2007-01-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

Funny thing about time, it passes you by whether you use it wisely or not. Since none of us mortal beings have unlimited time on this planet, we should all consider how we spend it. I am spending time writing this blog whereas you have decided to spend time reading it. Whether you are a student, a worker, retired, or the leader of the free world, you need to organize your time to optimize your life. Calendars are just such a tool to help you optimize. Here are the many types of calendars that I use along with their intended purpose. You may have others.House Calendar
Each year I subscribe to Martha Stewart magazine, I receive a calendar that has mini reminders throughout. While not every suggestion applies to me, many are relevant and I take the opportunity to fill out the calendar with all things home. A typical entry might be inspect windows or have dinner party, or change fire alarm batteries. Oh yeah – note to self add “filing” to the house calendar. Martha’s calendar is available online.

Travel Calendar
I do a fair amount of travel for my work and I sometimes wish to combine these business trips with personal vacations. To avoid calendar collisions I make sure that I have lined up the calendar with all planned work trips as well as vacations. If you typical carry over to the next year too many vacation hours at work then you need better planning around a travel calendar. I create a laminated sheet (easier to hang on the wall, less inclined to get tossed) that I give to my wife and work colleagues to make my planned trips visible. At a glance we all know if an impromptu trip can be accommodated in the schedule.
Budget Calendar
Like most households we have income and we have expenses. Also, like most people we care about paying bills on time, keeping track of expenses, and not letting things fall through the cracks. After using many versions of Quicken, and Microsoft Money we decided that we needed something more simple and reliable. We built an excel budget calendar model that allows us to gain control over our finances and see anything at a glance.

The workbook is a collection of worksheets (tabs) for each month. Each tab is a month and has columns for name of bill, date due, amount, amount paid, and check number. Income is tracked in another table including expense reimbursement, rebates, etc. There is a separate table for unscheduled expenses e.g. trips to the grocery store, tree removal, the vet, etc. Columns in this table include date, item, amount, and check number (could be debit card expense instead of check number). We roll all of the months into a summary worksheet so you can see all months at a glance along with trending. Since the data exists in Excel we can also create charts to help us visualize.
If you are interested in leveraging our template email me and I’ll send you a blank copy.

Other Calendars
You might also put together an exercise or workout calendar that includes walks, hikes and other exercise events. Projects can reside on the home calendar but you may decide that a separate project or craft calendar is in order. Meal calendars are also useful to keep your health and pantry in order. This also helps to keep foods from going to spoil. You will most likely benefit from having multiple calendars both on print, hanging on your wall and also online in your computer.

No matter which calendars you decide to use, you will benefit by getting more done in your life. By calendaring, fewer things will fall through the cracks and you will find yourself with more time than you thought you had. You’ll be able to fit in the cup of coffee with a friend, lunch with Mom or a date with that special person. Your projects will be under control, as will your finances, meals, and health. Good luck and let me know of your calendaring successes.

Travel List - 10 Travel Tips To Help You Make The Most Of Your Trip Whether You Are Traveling On Business Or For Pleasure

2006-11-27T22:49:00.000-08:00

We are more connected today than at any other time in history. Many of us have friends or family in other parts of the country or even in other parts of the world. We travel to visit friends and family. We also travel to visit customers, partners, and to conduct business in other parts of the world. With all of this travel we may as well make sure that our trips are the best possible experiences. The following short list of 10 items will keep you organized on you next trip and help you make the most of your travel experience.

Print your travel itinerary in the order you will need it – flight, car, hotel, parking, etc.– put this in a dedicated folder that you can quickly access in your carryon and when you jump into a cab or go to rent a car or check in to a hotel.
Bring your travel numbers, frequent flyer info, hotel rewards cards, membership cards, etc. If you don’t wish to bring the cards, make a spreadsheet with the numbers and bring that instead.
Bring your cell phone AND charger.
Bring a prepaid calling card – your cell phone may not work everywhere, especially deep within the hotel you may be staying at. The calling card will also save you some dough.
Bring enough cash, 2 credit cards and your drivers license and/or passport. Also, bring coins if you will rent a car and pass through tolls. The exact change will save you time otherwise wasted in lines.
Bring your expired license and tuck away in your luggage. In the remote chance you misplace your current license or passport, you’ll still be able to get home.
Build a schedule that allows you time to get from home to the parking lot, from the parking lot to the airport, from the airport through security, then time to get a bite or cup of coffee with plenty of time to read a magazine at the gate prior to boarding. Remember, arrive early to read a magazine or arrive late and read a book – it’s your choice. Pad the schedule unless you have a history of perfectly predicting traffic patterns. If you do have this history please leave your phone number in a comment on this post. I’m sure we would all like to speak with you.
Bring a PAD and pen. See the related article comparing PDAs and PADs. On your trip when you realize you forgot something (this will happen) write it on the last page of the PAD. The next time you travel consult this list before you leave to improve your next trip. Examples of things you are likely to forget include sunglasses, lip balm, camera, charger, medicine, ear plugs, sandwich or snack for plane, you get the idea.
Pack bottles of water, fruit, and other snacks in your luggage for late night snacks in the hotel room or while driving.
Print restaurant names and reviews and other things to do that are close to where you will be staying. Do some research ahead of time to note hours and days of operation. If you are traveling on business take a side trip to see something of interest in the city you are visiting. Get a fast map or other local map of the area you are visiting. Make the most of the trip while you are there.

Follow these 10 tips to make the most of your trip whether you are traveling for business, pleasure, or both. Too many people go on a trip then later regret not seeing something or doing something that they wish they had. Avoid the need to take the same vacation twice. Plan ahead and make the most of the places you visit – the first time. Happy and Safe Travels.

Bonus Tip - Bring the addresses of a few close friends or family. Send a post card while you are away. It will tickle your loved ones.

Graffiti Syndrome Seen in a Neighborhood Near You

2006-11-19T01:17:00.000-08:00

In an Atlantic Monthly article in 1982, New York City sociologists created the term “Broken Window Syndrome". They realized that a single broken window pane in an industrial area, left untreated, quickly escalated into additional broken windows, graffiti, and increased vandalism. They realized that by fixing the broken window pane quickly, they prevented any such decline.

Much like the Broken Window Syndrome happens outside the home, Graffiti Syndrome occurs inside. Left unchecked you, or family members, may contribute to Graffiti Syndrome sending your home on a disastrous downward spiral to cluttersville.

The signs are obvious when studied by qualified messologists but to the novice may go completely undetected. It usually starts with a pair of shoes left out, then some mail piles up, add to that a laundry basket, workout gear, book, blanket, another pair of shoes, etc. The problem becomes exponentially worse with each contributing member of the family.

Be especially aware of the suitcase left out after a trip. You may recall the scene from Everyone Loves Raymond in which Ray Romano and Debra fought over who was going to put away the suitcase left out after Ray returned from his trip. Ray escalated the motivation for Debra to put it away by placing limburger cheese inside the suitcase. To Ray’s dismay, this did not work. This is a hilarious episode from the 7th season.

Even if a Ray doesn’t live in your house, you may be an offender yourself. Just as Graffiti Syndrome is the downward spiral of messiness, there is an upward track that you can jump aboard as well. When you come back from a trip, unpack right away and put items in their place.

Here is an easy acronym as a way to remember how to conquer Graffiti Syndrome no matter what stage it's in.

S - spread the word to household members that graffiti will not be tolerated.
M - move offending items, as you leave a room take something to put away.
A - act quickly, as though you’re swatting a mosquito buzzing your ear
C - consider using a taser or pepper spray on offenders
K - keep vigilant

This should help you SMACK some sense into you or others and keep Graffiti Syndrome from taking hold in your home. Remember SMACK!

Organized Tribbles Wish Dog Not Super Human Are

2006-11-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

If you’re like most people you go through bouts of getting organized but overall you feel less organized than you’d like. This is completely normal and part of being human. Some may argue that extremely organized people, those who seem to get everywhere on time or recall the whereabouts of anything, are Super Human. You know of these people but chances are unless you’re Martha Stewart, or Bree Van De Kamp on Desperate Housewives, you’re not one of them.

Did you know that the average person buys more books each year than they read? They accumulate books with the great intention of digesting all of them. But, many of these books sit on shelves, the original excitement for reading them fading, as fresh books cover them. The cycle continues and one day you purchase a book you already own.

Have you ever bought the same book twice? Have you forgotten to whom you loaned a CD or DVD? Chances are… you have. If you are like most people you are reading this and thinking, “Yeah – that sounds like me, but what can I do? There are not enough hours in the day. The task of getting organized is too daunting.”

Here are a few secrets of the well organized:
Secret #1: Getting organized is a process not an event. It takes 30 days to form a habit so include getting organized into your daily routine. After 30 days, it becomes second nature. You probably have other wellformed habits like a morning cup of coffee, checking your email, or watching your favorite television show. Now, build a daily routine to support Getting Organized.

Secret #2: Find your inspiration. Like most people you may need someone or something to get you started. This could be a professional organizer, a life event, an inspiring television show like TLC’s Clean Sweep, or even a trip to IKEA. Whatever works for you, find your inspiration and use it.

Secret #3: Sometimes you have to slow down in order to speed up. No matter how much money each of us may have we all have the same amount of time every day. We all suffer from time poverty but investing time into getting organized can pay big dividends. Spend the time organizing your garage, pantry, or bookshelves and you’ll better be able to find what you want when you need it.

Most likely, these ideas do not sound strange to you. Some people embrace them wholeheartedly, while others agree with them but still don’t take action. You have the power to move from thought to action. The benefits of being organized are obvious. Beyond not buying the same book or movie twice, you can reduce your stress and reinvest time you would otherwise spend looking for things.

What will you do with the time you save? How about spending time with family and friends, writing a letter, reading a book, walking with a friend, listening to music, or sipping a warm drink. Now that is a prescription to be a Super Human.

Here is one inspiration that can help you in the process of Getting Organized. Check out the Flic Scanner Media Organizer for yourself or a disorganized loved one. Use it to organize your Music, Movies, and Books. This is the gateway to greater organization and to becoming Super Human. Learn more at Flic Scanner Media Organizer.

You can also read about it here:
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Comparison between Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and Paper Analog Device (PAD)

2006-11-12T11:50:00.001-08:00

As promised in my list comment, I said I would post a comparison between two high tech gadgets, namely, the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and a Paper Analog Device (PAD).

Let the attribute comparison begin...

Boot time
PDA - Much less than a laptop but certainly not instantaneous.
PAD - About 2 blinks of the eye. Maybe a 3rd blink to access a specific page.

Battery Life
PDA - Varies but can be recharged daily with docking station.
PAD - Indefinite life; requires minimal human power to flip pages.

Stylus Replacement
PDA - Replacement cost is about $10 for a 3-pack at most office superstores, that is, provided they carry your style.
PAD - Compatible with all Pens, Pencils, Crayons or other writing devices. PAD accommodates any color writing device. Writing devices widely available from stores, junk drawers, craft boxes, children, etc. May use lipliner in a pinch.

Cost to Replace Device
PDA - $199 and up.
PDA - About $1

Likelihood of Return
PDA - If you lose your PDA, chances are you won’t see it again.
PAD - No transferable value to others if lost – if lose your PAD it will probably be returned especially if you write your phone number in the inside front cover.

Size
PDA - Handheld but still a bit big for your shirt pocket.
PAD - Fits in hand and can easily be concealed in your shirt pocket.

Ability to Double as a Phone
PDA - Yes, increasingly these devices are phone capable.
PAD - Not very useful as a phone but you can definitely throw it at somebody to get their attention.

Ability to Annoy Others
PDA - Very likely especially with audio or phone ringer turned up in meeting, restaurants, or other public places.
PAD - Doesn’t ring or have audio output but pages may make a crinkling sounds when flipped rapidly which could irritate dogs or those with senstive hearing.

Ability to Survive an Electromagnetic Pulse
PDA - Very unlikely since an EMP will wipe out all elecronic devices.
PAD - Will easily survive an EMP since it contains no electronic components.

Ability to Play Music
PDA - Many PDAs now can play music files, some even have FM tuners.
PAD - Unable to play music files but useful for writing down song lyrics or music that your interested in purchasing. You can also make a modified thumb kazoo or you can run the pages rapidly across your thumb. The latter has the advantage that you can create an animation to accompany the sound - think of this as a poor man's music video. It is worth rementioning that this music video would survive an EMP.

I currently carry a

Palm Treo 650 as my PDA phone and a Square Deal Marble Memo Book as my PAD.

Here are a couple of tips if you use a Paper Analog Device (PAD).
PAD tip #1: Shrink a 1 page calendar and paste it to the 1st page of your PAD.
PAD tip #2: Date each page and keep your daily todo list there. Update it throughout the day.
PAD tip #3: If you get a great idea or inspiration write it down immediately in your PAD.

Here Is A Nifty Garage Gadget To Get Your Stuff Up Off The Floor

2006-11-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

A few years ago my wife and I visited the Seattle Home Show and were introduced to the concept of shelving that could be placed above the garage door. What – gain more space that is currently unutilized! This sounded like a good idea. However, we were not to thrilled with the high price tag that came along with these storage systems. We were looking for something a bit more Simple and Affordable. We turned to the web and did a bit of research, finally settling on the HyLoft Overhead Storage System. Regrettably we were unaware that Amazon sold these and purchased elsewhere at a higher price. This product has helped our family to get organized and live a better life.

We now store coolers, lawn chairs, bins full of BBQ and out of season holiday stuff, and sporting goods above our garage in what was previously empty space.

These did take a bit of time to install but they didn’t require any special tools or knowledge. They blend right in and free up loads of floor space.

I recommend the HyLoft OverHead Storage System to take back your garage!

Use it to store whatever you like and free up your cluttered garage. Heck – you may even be able to park your car inside again.

The $5 Rule – At Rates This High, Can You Afford to be a MessMonster?

2006-11-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

We’re all guilty of leaving papers lying around. You’re pressed for time, you don’t quite have the perfect place to stow them, so you place them in a pile, to be dealt with later.

Hopefully, you do deal with them later but, if you are like many people you move these papers several times over the course of time.

Here is a self reinforcing method to clear your clutter, prevent paper buildup, and stop the paper parade. It is called the $5 Rule and here is how it works.

Each time you move a piece of paper to a new location affix a $5 bill to it.

Here’s an example:
Let’s say you receive a piece of mail that you intend to “read” later so you set it on the counter. Later that evening, you move the paper to the living room to make room on the counter for meal preparation. The paper sits unread in the living room for the next several days then is whisked away to a drawer because visitors are arriving.

Your visitors arrive and subsequently leave.

The paper, meanwhile, is now a resident of the drawer, stowed away with other drawerly items such as random keys, paperclips, pens, and tape. Weeks later you dive into the drawer to retrieve a paperclip and rediscover the paper that you had intended to read from weeks before. You place the paper back in the living room with the refreshed intention of reading it. Either of two scenarios play out at this point.

Scenario 1 - you actually read it then recycle it, shred it or otherwise properly dispose of it.
Scenario 2 - you continue the paper parade, adding clutter and stress to your environment.

Let’s see how much Scenario 1 would have cost you if you affixed $5 to the paper each time you moved it.
Paper placed on counter (the first one is free)
Paper moved from counter to living room +$5
Paper moved from living room to drawer +$5
Paper from drawer back to living room +$5

If you read the paper at this point your messiness has needlessly cost you $15.

Scenario 2 – if you continued the paper parade, you may be into your paper $100’s of dollars.

This is crazy - at these rates you can’t afford to be a MessMonster. Whether your parade involves papers, shoes, clothing, or anything else competing for space in your environment, you can get this under control with this simple $5 rule.

If attaching a Lincoln to your paper is a bit of a stretch, then affix a mini Post-it note and mark $5 on it each time you move the item. You will reach the same conclusion either way.

You cannot afford to be a MessMonster!

You may also want to read a related post on this blog - Sift Your Mail

Use TiVo to Get Organized and Save Time

2006-11-03T23:07:00.000-08:00

It is hard to remember life before TiVo just as it is hard to remember life before Google, Cell Phones, and Television. Add Toilet Paper to the list if you go back far enough.

I use TiVo to keep organized and live a better life.

I have my usual shows that I watch, of course fast forwarding through the commericals - well, most of the commercials. I have to admit some commercials are definately worth watching and I find myself going back to watch them. You know the commericals, the Capital One neanderthals and the numerous commericals now involving Monkeys or the Creepy "Burger" King.

In addition to my usual shows (yes I have a few that I watch), I also use the WishList feature to Search on (Actor, Category, or Keyword). This is slick and saves me time. In fact, unlike other clutter around the home or things that pile up in the junk drawer, TiVo automatically deletes unwatched programs after they stack up for too long. This makes room for new programs to be recorded. By the way this is a useful rule for items coming into the house - what will you get rid of to make space for the new item. It is probably work mentioning that you can keep shows from being deleted by using the "Keep Until I Delete" feature if you really must delay watching a program.

If you don't have a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) you should check them out (TiVo or a competitor). They are definately time savers and allow you to watch your television programs in blocks of time that are convenient to you.

Oh yeah - did I mention the 8 second rewind feature. Who among us has not been interrupted by a friend, child, phone call, or doorbell while watching TV. Pause and 8 second rewind allows to to go back or pause live television so that you can temporarily divert your attention. The 8 second rewind feature is also cool if you didn't quite hear what an actor or actress just said. I swear this must have been the inspiration for the movie Click where Adam Sandler has a remote control device for life. TiVo for life would be really cool. Heck, I'd take the 8 second rewind feature alone or maybe the pause feature.

There are other cool features but I'll let TiVo tell you about those.

Go For a Walk to Clear Your Clutter

2006-10-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a tip to build Getting Organized into your daily routine.

Like most people I don't have a tremendous amount of time to exercise. I do value exercise both for the health benefit but also to clear my mind. My goal is to walk daily and hike at least once monthly.

By walking daily you build a habit that supports Getting Organized.

If you are lucky enough to live in a walking neighborhood then you make your walk a "destination walk". This is where you walk with a purpose. For example, you go to Bartells to purchase something to help you get organized. Alternatively, break up your weekly menu requirements into smaller shopping trips suitable for a walk to the store. Pick up a few items to cover you for a day or two. Destination walks are productive and reinforcing since they have the added benefit of rewarding you for your walk. The next time you take your car on a short excursion to the grocery store, or to rent a movie, etc., think about walking there instead.

Thinking about walking beyond the pure exercise benefits will have you revisiting your menu, planning on which movie you will watch, how you will reorganize the garage, etc. Remember, it takes 30 days to form a habit. Walking daily is easy to add to the other daily habits you've formed like the morning cup of coffee, checking your email, or watching your favorite television show. After 30 days don't be surprised to find your walking time to be some of your most productive time towards clearing your clutter. Also, walking increases your energy level preparing you to combat the tasks at hand.

Idea! Start a walking calendar and mark the days that you walk. Use an existing calendar or download one from Excel Templates in Microsoft Office or use your favorite search engine to find one; there are plenty of calendars available for free online.

Mix it up and share your walk with a child, a neighbor, a friend, a parent, or dog.

Making a Menu to Save Time and Money

2006-10-22T00:27:00.000-07:00

I received my weekly circulars from Safeway and QFC this weekend. Each week I make a menu by juggling what I have in my refrigerator, freezer, and pantry with what I'm likely to purchase at Costco, Safeway or QFC.

By having a menu in place each week I save time and money. I consume what I eat and eat healthier in the process. Gone are the days when I throw out limp carrots.

Having a menu in place allows me to plan ahead and cook a bit extra for dinner to carry over for the freezer or for lunch. In fact, sometimes I will cook extra then FoodSaver it to create future meals and lunches. It doesn't any longer to cook lasagna for 10 as opposed to 2.

My weekly menu always includes lunches. I really dislike having to leave during the workday to find food. This seems a waste of time not to mention energy given that I am not within practical walking distance to food.

I may have an advantage here because I enjoy cooking but I think this works for anybody that values their time and money. It simply costs less in time and money to plan your meals ahead. This definately is a tip that you can work into your daily routine to help Get Organized.

So remember:

Make a Weekly Menu (I write mine on a chalkboard on the refrigerator)
Know What's for Dinner each Day
Take your Lunch to Work

Bonus - Cook extra for the freezer and check out a FoodSaver if you don't already have one.

The FoodSaver home vacuum packaging system was selected as one of "Oprah's Favorite Things" in December 2003.

Extra Tip - Place your FoodSaver where you will see it often and make it a habit to use it.

Sift Your Mail

2006-10-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is an area that I still struggle with. Intellectually I know that our household has way more GoesInTa (in terms of mail) than what we can effectively read. The net effect here is that mail tends to stack up whether it is the political advertisements and the latest voters pamphlet, that of course I need to keep so my wife and I can be informed voters or it is a coupon for a restaurant that we were planning to visit.

Here is a simple solution that requires you be brutally honest when dealing with papers.

RULE: Sift through the mail immediately after retrieving it.
The key is to place different types of mail in their respective categories.
These are mine; yours may be different.

Bills to be Paid
Things to Read Later (magazines and such)
Circulars and short term reading (things with immediate impact)
Coupons and offers
To be filed (statements, etc. that don't need to hang around)
Recycle (you do recycle, don't you?)
Shred (sensitive items)
Garbage (you know - the 101st AOL tin with CD)

You need to have receptacles for the other categories similar to having a Garbage Can. You wouldn't live without a garbage can so why live without a place to put your "To Be Filed". (We bought cool storage boxes from Storables and keep them on our staircase). The only exception to this is a cool decorative wine box we use for coupons and offers.

Secret #2: Find your inspiration.

2006-10-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

Like most people you may need someone or something to get you started on the path of Getting Organized. This could be a professional organizer, a life event, an inspiring television show like TLC’s Clean Sweep, or even a trip to IKEA. Whatever works for you, find your inspiration and use it.

Lists are Great but What About Spontaneity

2006-10-21T01:18:00.000-07:00

I'm a list guy. I always have a list of things to do. Unfortunately, my to do list is often, OK, always larger than the time I have available to complete the tasks on it. There are simply not enough hours in the day. Yeah - I know. Your reading this thinking, "Yeah, and you have time to write this blog."

Anyhow, I was going about getting my list done today and kept coming up against a messy bookshelf. At one time this bookshelf was very neat but it has long since eroded into a less than organized collection of books, papers, and trophies. On the edge of this particular bookshelf I had been collecting trade show badges. Unfortunately, one day a couple of months ago the whole pile of ganged together badges came crashing to the floor. It seemed that simply looping the next badge over the previous was not a scalable option. At the time of the crash I was out of ideas so I left the badges to lay on the floor, that is, until today.

My wife had the brilliant idea of hanging a chain from the ceiling in the corner of the same room - the home office. This placement was even better than the edge of the bookshelf because we live in an older home and certainly don't have a surplus of space. The chain is especially a good idea because the badges either all have clips or lanyards both of which are easily attached to the chain. The mess on the floor is gone, the badges are neatly stored vertically along the chain in an otherwise unused corner, and now the rest of the bookshelf is clean as well.

I became a bit distracted from my list that I created this morning but I sure feel great about being sponteneous enough to solve the problem at the time the solution presented itself. I really think that sometimes you have to stop trying to solve a problem, let it settle, let your subconscious go to work on it then wammo! At some point you are inspired and have an Aha moment. It is usually sudden, requiring you to act spontaneously. In fact Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, and others often tabled problems they faced, took naps or "slept on it" knowing that sleeping didn't mean avoidance, it meant reducing conscious distractions. We probably have a more opportunity to become distracted than in their time. Hmmm - I wonder what Ben or Albert would have to say about Lists and Spontaneity.