Tag Archive for: de-clutter

Clutter Aerobics

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timerHave you ever heard the term clutter aerobics?  Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?  For some, I’m sure the term evokes two of their least favorite things, clutter and aerobics.  For me, it evokes a desire to crank Katy Perry on iTunes and take action.  Clutter aerobics is when you set the timer for 20 minutes and zoom around and de-clutter.  This is an inventive way to get two benefits from one activity.  As you de-clutter, you’re also getting an aerobic workout by zooming around.  The idea is to work quickly and without interruption for 20 minutes daily or at least 3 times a week.   This schedule will allow you to keep the clutter at bay and get your heart pumping, to Katy Perry, if you so choose.

Your de-clutter activities may include, putting items back where they belong, picking up items from the floor, shredding and recycling as many papers as you can, taking care of dirty and clean dishes, removing items from the kitchen counter and finding a home for them, taking care of dirty and clean clothes, picking up items from the front and back entryway, clearing off the desk, finding a place for everything that has collected on the bathroom counter tops, and clearing the kitchen and dining room tables.

One way to really make progress is to schedule your clutter aerobics on your weekly calendar.  Make a list of the de-cluttering activities you’ll work on each day or week.  The more clutter aerobics you do, the more progress you’ll make, the less cluttered your home will be.  Isn’t that worth pursuing?  Another way to really make progress is to get the whole family involved.  You may have to change your music choice to One Direction, but that’s not so bad.
©  November 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All Rights Reserved

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tiny house key

Daily Organizing

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DoorUpon returning home from getting my hair cut, I realized how many little things I organized.  I can name 10 steps I took:

  1.   Hung up my keys
  2.   Hung up my coat
  3.   Put my gloves and hat away
  4.   Took of my boots and put them on the mat
  5.   Put my pocketbook away
  6.   Took my check book out of my pocketbook and put it back where it belongs
  7.   Put my book away (I brought a book to read at the hairdressers.)
  8.   Wrote my next hair appointment in my datebook
  9.   Tossed the hair appointment notice
  10.   Collected the mail and put it in it’s “to sort” location (I won’t go into the steps I took to process the mail.  That’s a whole other blog entry.)

So, are you asking why I’m discussing the details of my return-home-routine?  The small habits and routines we do on a daily basis help us keep our belongings, information, and environment organized.  Without my routines, there is a greater chance of misplacing things, of appointments getting missed, and of items getting lost.  Having a home for my keys, pocketbook, checkbook, etc. is the first step to creating order, but unless I take the time, each time I return home, to actually put them there, the order doesn’t last.  It works the same for my next hair appointment.  Having a datebook for me to write in my next appointment is the first step to creating order.  The follow up steps are to write my appointments in the datebook, and to reference it daily, so I won’t miss appointments.  Therefore, I’d like to wager that if you’re willing to preform daily organizing habits and routines upon returning home, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an organizing success.

 

© February 2014, Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All Rights Reserved

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Ketchup & White Out

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ketchup_bottle_2white-out-bottleIt’s February and 2014 is in full swing.  Is it getting a bit busy with commitments, activities, projects, obligations and responsibilities?  Is your calendar overstuffed?  Do you have too many obligations and not enough time to get it all done?  I have a suggestion, leave space for ketchup and white out on your calendar.

Ketchup = time on your calendar to catch up
White out = time on your calendar that is intentionally whited out with no appointments or obligations

This is a helpful tool that reminds us that it’s important to purposefully  leave open pockets of time on our calendar, because this provides us with time to catch up to the fast pace of life.  By leaving blank time on our calendar, we give ourselves time to pause, breath, reflect, and organize.  Who doesn’t need that?

 

© February 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All rights reserved

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file

Simple Organizing Solutions

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fileReceiving a thank you note in the mail is pleasant.  It’s even more pleasant when you’re being thanked for something you didn’t realize would make an impact on the other person.  This happened to me when I offered a simple organizing solution to a Realtor I had met at a networking event.  She asked me if I had any ideas how she could keep all her real estate forms portable and organized.  I suggested a portable accordion file.    The next thing I know, I’m reading a very sincere thank you note that makes me smile.   It just goes to show you, sometimes the simplest organizing solutions are the best solutions.  In this case, find a good home for paper and things.
Here are a few more simple organizing solutions that I’ve offered to my clients:

  1.  Standing a baby bath tub on end, so it took up less room in the closet where it was stored.  Be creative and unconventional with your personal organizing solutions.
  2.  Moving a daily used utensil drawer up to the second spot instead of the third drawer down.  Make it easy on yourself to do daily tasks.
  3.  Asking a spouse to pay some of the monthly bills in order to spend less time on the task.  Delegate and ask for help when you can.
  4.  Tossing the brown, brittle, dead flowers in the vase on the dresser even if they were your wedding bouquet.  Evoke cherished memories with happy thoughts, not objects.
  5.  When you’ve finished knitting, put your knitting project back in the bag.  Getting in the habit of putting things back in the places we’ve assigned them to go fosters organization.

© September 2013 Janine Cavanaugh, CPO® All Rights Reserved

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Clearing the Clutter

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kitchen cabinetWho likes to hunt?  I’m talking, in your own closets, pantry, cupboards and drawers?  Are these areas unorganized and filled with random stuff?  Is what you need, want, and use mixed in with a bunch of items you don’t need, don’t want, and don’t use?  Having to sift and hunt every time you’re looking for an item is a waste of time, not to mention stressful and frustrating.  Organizing these areas can help.  Organizing these areas can start with 3 important actions, separating, discarding, and removing.
Action #1 – Separating:
Separate what you need from what you don’t need.
Separate what you want from what you don’t want.
Separate what you use from what you don’t use.
Action #2 – Discarding:
Discard as much as you can from the don’t need, don’t want, don’t use piles.
Any remaining items should be given away or donated.
Action #3 – Removing:
Remove what you’re not CURRENTLY using from the need, want and use piles.
Now put the remainder of items back into your space in an organized way based on frequency of use.  Viola, no more hunting.

I understand this process is sometimes not as easy as it sounds, and that it is helpful to have assistance.  If you’d like my assistance, please email me to set up a complimentary consultation.  Another option is to attend one of my class on the subject.

© September 2013 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All rights reserved.

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