Organizing Habits
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Organizing Decorations
If you’re like me, you like decorating for the holidays. It gets me in the holiday spirit, and I enjoy adding sparkle and cheer to my home. However, taking those decorations down, packing them up, and storing them until next year is an entirely different story. That part of the process always seems like such an unwelcoming chore. So, I’ve done my best to simplify the process and make it as painless as possible.
The first suggestion is to have a designated location in your basement, attic, garage, or other storage area, for the holiday decorations to live undisturbed until next year. This prevents them from just being shoved anywhere, everywhere, or wherever they’ll fit. My designated location is on plastic storage shelves in my basement.
The second suggestion is to use clear bins and large easy to read labels. This allows you to easily spot what is stored inside and where it belongs. I print large color coded labels, and tape them to the inside of the clear bin. This allows me to easily read the label because of the large size, and to easily recognize the holiday because of the label color. It also prevents the label from falling off, fading, curling, or becoming illegible. I place two labels in the bin on opposite sides, so that no matter how the bin is placed on the shelf, I can view the label.
The third suggestion is to store holiday decorations in layers with bubble wrap in between each layer. This is much faster than wrapping each individual decoration. It works best if you put decorations that are similar in width in the same layer. Also, place plush and soft decorations in between wooden and breakable decorations, and only store fragile or collectible decorations in their original boxes.
The fourth suggestion is to store holiday decorations based on where they are placed inside or outside the house. For example I have bins of Christmas decorations for each room in my house. This way I can easily decorate one room at a time, and pack up one room at a time. It helps me streamline the processes.
The fifth suggestion is to keep all decoration accessories in the perspective holiday bins. I keep the extension cord, the light timer, extra light bulbs, tree ornament hooks, and the tree skirt in the same bin as the tree ornaments. This way I’m not searching for these items when it’s time to decorate each year.
I understand that putting away holiday decorations can be a drag, but I hope these suggestions will help prevent procrastination.
©January 2015 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
Proud member of NAPO
Recycling Boxes
Keep boxes at least until you’ve opened the items, used them, and established that they work to your satisfaction. Then get rid of the box. If you’re not ready to do so, break the box down and store it flat for 6 months, then after 6 months get rid of the box.
Clutter Free Gift Ideas
Do you like giving and receiving gifts? It can be fun, meaningful, and heartwarming. Unfortunately, it can also make our home feel like it’s bursting at the seams with toys, clothes, and electronics. After the gift giving season is over do you dread having to make room for all that stuff? Do you detest having to shift things around, box things up, move things to the basement, or get rid of things, just to fit comfortably in your home once again? Would it be nice if you could avoid all that? I have 25 organizer friendly gift ideas that concentrate on giving and receiving consumables and experiences, not stuff. Therefore, you won’t have to struggle with all that stuff, you can just make plans with family and friends and enjoy.
25 Organizer Friendly, Clutter Free Gift Ideas
- A cultural experience to a play, performance, or theater
- An adventure or fun family outing
- Activities, clubs, classes, or lessons
- A day pass, membership or special program at a zoo or aquarium
- A useful automobile related gift like car washing or detailing
- A helpful housework booster
- Tickets to a sporting event
- Movie passes or movie night
- Salon treatment or spa day
- Gifts of time or a financial contribution
- Food in one form or another
- Donation to charity in recipient’s name
- Fitness Membership or classes
- Books or music for electronic devices
- Tickets to a concert or musical performance
- Involvement in nature clubs, groups or organizations
- Shopping for charity
- Membership or passes to a museum
- Gifts of your time and memories
- Small acts of kindness
- Volunteering at a local food bank, homeless shelter, hospital, etc.
- A small dose of nature like cut flowers, floral arrangements, or live wreath
- Assistance for necessities to homeless, seniors, or anyone in need
- Count your blessings and share them with friends and family
- Gift certificate for my services
If you have other clutter free gift ideas please share them with me.
Proud member of NAPO
Happy Holidays from the Helpful Organizer, Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®
©December 2014 Janine Cavanaugh, CPO® All Rights Reserved
Organizing Medical Papers
In preparation for visiting a new doctor last week, I realized that my medical papers were not organized in a manner that was suitable to my needs. They were mostly organized in chronological order of doctor visits, and I wanted them organized by subject, and then, in chronological order of doctor visits. So, I gave myself the project of organizing my medical papers.
The tools I used were a hanging file, a file folder, 8 sheets of paper, 8 tabs, a highlighter, and a black marker. I first sorted all my medical papers into subject categories. I choose 8 different categories that made sense to me as I was sorting my papers. The 8 subject categories I used were general information, yearly physicals, mammograms, doctor visits, eyes, and 3 categories for specific ailments I have. Your medical categories may be slightly or completely different. That is understandable. Personalization is encouraged.
Here is a list of the types of papers I have in each subject category:
General information – primary care doctor contact information, office hours and locations, medical insurance documents
Yearly physicals – medical history records, physical exam results, lab results, appointment reminders
Mammograms – test results, appointment reminders, literature on subject
Doctor visits – test results, appointment receipts, insurance explanation of benefits
Eyes – appointment receipts, exam results, prescriptions, eye glass receipts
Specific ailments – test results, appointment receipts, diagnoses, prescriptions, literature on subject
I used the highlighter to mark the date and subject on specific papers. I used the tabs and paper to create dividers for each of my 8 subjects. I used the marker to write the subjects on the tabs. I placed all the tabs on the upper left hand side of the paper (horizontal) so they would fit into the file folder and be easier to read. It’s much easier to scan one area for the subject tab, then have to scan staggered tabs, especially since we read from left to right. I reduced as many papers as I could before reassembling my medical file. I shreded 56 papers that I felt comfortable discarding.
The project took me about an hour to complete. Since all of my papers were in one file folder and in a semi organized state, I was able to complete the project in a relativity short amount of time, but if you’re going to organize your medial papers and they’re in disarray you will need to give yourself more time to complete your project. You will also realize as you sort your medical papers that your subject categories will be specific to you. That is ideal. Each and everyone of us needs to find a way of organizing that is personally suitable to our individual needs.
© December 2014 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer All rights reserved
Proud member of NAPO
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