Friday, August 24, 2012
Mastering Kitchen Organizing
By
Juliana Montgomery
The kitchen is one of those areas that is often the most
difficult to organize. I do not know about you but in my house all sorts
of things end up in the kitchen. And a lot of the time it is not things
that really belong there. Things like school projects, art projects,
mail, toys, paperwork. You name it, it has probably ended up in my
kitchen at one point. Between that and the dishes that can pile up in no
time, it can really end up being a mess.
So how do you master kitchen organizing so that everything and anything does not end up in your kitchen? One simple rule at my house is that anything that does not belong in the kitchen gets removed by the end of the day. So while all sorts of oddities may end up in your kitchen throughout the day, by the end of each day, they are gone. And not only does this go for others in my home, but I also hold myself to this standard. So any mail on the counter gets put (hopefully) where it belongs in my office.
Then there is the problem of all of those dishes that can pile up during the day. My rule on this one is that all dishes get cleaned up after a meal. Everyone brings their plate to the counter and then all dishes get washed or put in the dishwasher. So that one person is not always doing all of the cooking or all of the cleaning, alternating chores in the kitchen is a good way to go. Setup a kitchen organizing schedule that has each chore and then has the person assigned to that chore.
So how do you master kitchen organizing so that everything and anything does not end up in your kitchen? One simple rule at my house is that anything that does not belong in the kitchen gets removed by the end of the day. So while all sorts of oddities may end up in your kitchen throughout the day, by the end of each day, they are gone. And not only does this go for others in my home, but I also hold myself to this standard. So any mail on the counter gets put (hopefully) where it belongs in my office.
Then there is the problem of all of those dishes that can pile up during the day. My rule on this one is that all dishes get cleaned up after a meal. Everyone brings their plate to the counter and then all dishes get washed or put in the dishwasher. So that one person is not always doing all of the cooking or all of the cleaning, alternating chores in the kitchen is a good way to go. Setup a kitchen organizing schedule that has each chore and then has the person assigned to that chore.
Keeping to a set daily schedule and having set rules for your kitchen can help you master kitchen organizing
and keep your kitchen neat and clean. Having each person responsible
for their own things and alternating common chores help to keep things
equal as well. Need more help? You can find it for free at http://www.yourhomeisorganized.com/KitchenOrganization.htm
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juliana_Montgomery
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Troubles With Creating an Organized Home?
By
Juliana Montgomery
Realizing the problem is the initial step to assisting you in
producing an organized home once more. What occurred that made your home
disorganized? Was it stress or many commitments in your life? If you
wish to break the pattern, you must know what happened to prompt it. If
you discover that the problem is tension at home or at work, recognize
that this is a problem for you and work on ways to ensure it does not
occur again. It is especially vital to identify the difficulty if you go
on having the identical troubles in keeping yourself organized.
One system you can utilize is to enter down everything that you ought to do in a day or in a week to maintain an organized home. A vital part of this is ensuring that you see the listing on a daily basis so situate it in an area which you will see every day. By doing this you have a daily reminder of what you must do. Being unorganized can at times add to tension so work on making these jobs a priority in your schedule. It might help to place your daily or weekly organization jobs into whatever planning practice you make use of to ensure that you regard your organization jobs similar to appointments.
When your entire house has turned into a heap of clutter, it is critical to choose a room to start in. When you are struggling with a lot of chaos, feelings of aggravation can make it seem like there is no purpose in even beginning. This is the precise reason why you should start in one space. Make sure that you make at least a general idea of how to fix the area. But maintain your target on that space until it is finished. Then go on to the next area you should tackle to make an organized home. Focusing your labors on one place at a time can help in keeping you working on single tasks rather than the entire house.
Feeling like you have failed is not uncommon when you have setbacks in establishing an organized home. It can look like you simply can not do it. When this occurs, it would be easy to toss in the towel and just stop trying. Don't drop into this trap. The trick is to know that you can change the habits and behaviors that led to this. Believe in your capability and see this as a chance to grow rather than reflecting on it as failure. As with any parts of life, you should learn from this and move on.
Look for flaws in your organization planning. It could be that whatever practice you are utilizing to maintain an organized home fell apart somewhere along the way. This could be because your life altered in some way or it might just be that the technique you have is no longer effective for you. When this takes place you simply need to go back to the drawing board and develop a new plan. You may have to choose alternate days of the week to organize or different times of day. If you do not have a plan at all, now is the time to create one. Making organizing part of your daily or weekly schedule is important to ensuring that your house does not become out of control.
One system you can utilize is to enter down everything that you ought to do in a day or in a week to maintain an organized home. A vital part of this is ensuring that you see the listing on a daily basis so situate it in an area which you will see every day. By doing this you have a daily reminder of what you must do. Being unorganized can at times add to tension so work on making these jobs a priority in your schedule. It might help to place your daily or weekly organization jobs into whatever planning practice you make use of to ensure that you regard your organization jobs similar to appointments.
When your entire house has turned into a heap of clutter, it is critical to choose a room to start in. When you are struggling with a lot of chaos, feelings of aggravation can make it seem like there is no purpose in even beginning. This is the precise reason why you should start in one space. Make sure that you make at least a general idea of how to fix the area. But maintain your target on that space until it is finished. Then go on to the next area you should tackle to make an organized home. Focusing your labors on one place at a time can help in keeping you working on single tasks rather than the entire house.
Feeling like you have failed is not uncommon when you have setbacks in establishing an organized home. It can look like you simply can not do it. When this occurs, it would be easy to toss in the towel and just stop trying. Don't drop into this trap. The trick is to know that you can change the habits and behaviors that led to this. Believe in your capability and see this as a chance to grow rather than reflecting on it as failure. As with any parts of life, you should learn from this and move on.
Look for flaws in your organization planning. It could be that whatever practice you are utilizing to maintain an organized home fell apart somewhere along the way. This could be because your life altered in some way or it might just be that the technique you have is no longer effective for you. When this takes place you simply need to go back to the drawing board and develop a new plan. You may have to choose alternate days of the week to organize or different times of day. If you do not have a plan at all, now is the time to create one. Making organizing part of your daily or weekly schedule is important to ensuring that your house does not become out of control.
Deem a obstacle in your path to making an organized home
as a chance to re-evaluate. So these same problems do not recur,
reflect on how you can do things in a different way in the future. Visit
http://www.YourHomeIsOrganized.com for additional ideas.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juliana_MontgomeryWednesday, August 8, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
10 Clutter Solutions
By
Linda Samuels
Clutter can infiltrate all areas of our lives or just a corner.
We can be comfortable with our clutter or completely overwhelmed by it.
Are you looking to make some changes? Below are some of the most common
areas that clutter collects and some simple strategies to manage them.
1. Paper Clutter - Be honest. Do you have to keep as many papers? If released, could you easily replace them IF you needed to? Statistics show that we only retrieve 20% of the papers we file.
2. Clothing Clutter - Be ruthless. Clothing clutter management begins with asking good questions. Does it fit? Do I feel fabulous wearing it? Does it look good on me? When was the last time I wore it? Can it be donated, consigned or given to a friend?
3. Toy Clutter - Less is easier. How many trucks, dolls, super heroes, balls or magic wands are enough? Less toys means easier maintenance, better organization, and less overwhelm for you and the kids.
4. Electronic Clutter - Establish boundaries. With 24/7 potential access and availability, setting limits about how much electronic noise you allow during the day is essential. Protect yourself and your time by turning off beeps, taking "tech-less" hours, and minimizing the sources of digital input.
5. Mind Clutter - Release thoughts. Our minds can feel as cluttered as our spaces. Too much activity "upstairs" can make us lose focus and feel frazzled. Try a brain download by transferring thoughts onto paper, computer or voice recorder.
6. Calendar Clutter - Evaluate schedule. The "too busy" syndrome is often a function of saying, "yes" without considering how that affects our stress level. If you're overwhelmed by overscheduled days, consider these questions: What is on my "yes" list that I can convert to a "no?" What can be delegated? How much downtime do I need or want in a day?
7. Gift Clutter - Move on. Receiving gifts that we don't like, want, or have room for is another source of clutter. You do not have to keep them. Let go. Remove the guilt and the clutter by permitting those gifts to move on. Exchange, donate, or re-gift.
8. Handbag Clutter - Quick sort. An assortment of things collects in our handbags from empty wrappers to expired ticket stubs to receipts that need to be filed. Take 5 minutes at night to do a quick clutter check. Remove all items that are expired, no longer useful, or belong elsewhere.
9. Space Clutter - Reclaim control. Excess clutter can cause stress. It's no fun to hunt for hidden items, trip over paper stacks, or negotiate through overflowing closets. Pick one area to begin organizing and de-cluttering. Determine use for that area. Re-route items elsewhere that don't belong. Be ruthless about remaining contents. Release what isn't useful, you no longer want, or has overstayed its welcome.
10. Someday Clutter - Don't postpone. Keeping things because you "might" need them someday are a source of clutter accumulation. When you hear yourself uttering the "someday" phrase, ask these questions: Is it worth the space? Is it worth the mental energy? Is it likely I'll actually need or use it? Is my focus on "someday" preventing me from fully living and enjoying now?
Taking action and working on just one of the cluttered areas can greatly reduce your stress and restore some balance. What area is calling your attention? What is your next step?
1. Paper Clutter - Be honest. Do you have to keep as many papers? If released, could you easily replace them IF you needed to? Statistics show that we only retrieve 20% of the papers we file.
2. Clothing Clutter - Be ruthless. Clothing clutter management begins with asking good questions. Does it fit? Do I feel fabulous wearing it? Does it look good on me? When was the last time I wore it? Can it be donated, consigned or given to a friend?
3. Toy Clutter - Less is easier. How many trucks, dolls, super heroes, balls or magic wands are enough? Less toys means easier maintenance, better organization, and less overwhelm for you and the kids.
4. Electronic Clutter - Establish boundaries. With 24/7 potential access and availability, setting limits about how much electronic noise you allow during the day is essential. Protect yourself and your time by turning off beeps, taking "tech-less" hours, and minimizing the sources of digital input.
5. Mind Clutter - Release thoughts. Our minds can feel as cluttered as our spaces. Too much activity "upstairs" can make us lose focus and feel frazzled. Try a brain download by transferring thoughts onto paper, computer or voice recorder.
6. Calendar Clutter - Evaluate schedule. The "too busy" syndrome is often a function of saying, "yes" without considering how that affects our stress level. If you're overwhelmed by overscheduled days, consider these questions: What is on my "yes" list that I can convert to a "no?" What can be delegated? How much downtime do I need or want in a day?
7. Gift Clutter - Move on. Receiving gifts that we don't like, want, or have room for is another source of clutter. You do not have to keep them. Let go. Remove the guilt and the clutter by permitting those gifts to move on. Exchange, donate, or re-gift.
8. Handbag Clutter - Quick sort. An assortment of things collects in our handbags from empty wrappers to expired ticket stubs to receipts that need to be filed. Take 5 minutes at night to do a quick clutter check. Remove all items that are expired, no longer useful, or belong elsewhere.
9. Space Clutter - Reclaim control. Excess clutter can cause stress. It's no fun to hunt for hidden items, trip over paper stacks, or negotiate through overflowing closets. Pick one area to begin organizing and de-cluttering. Determine use for that area. Re-route items elsewhere that don't belong. Be ruthless about remaining contents. Release what isn't useful, you no longer want, or has overstayed its welcome.
10. Someday Clutter - Don't postpone. Keeping things because you "might" need them someday are a source of clutter accumulation. When you hear yourself uttering the "someday" phrase, ask these questions: Is it worth the space? Is it worth the mental energy? Is it likely I'll actually need or use it? Is my focus on "someday" preventing me from fully living and enjoying now?
Taking action and working on just one of the cluttered areas can greatly reduce your stress and restore some balance. What area is calling your attention? What is your next step?
Compassionate, enthusiastic professional organizer and coach, Linda Samuels, CPO-CD invites you to visit http://www.ohsoorganized.com to sign up for your free monthly e-newsletter with bonus "Organizing Tip 101" series.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Samuels
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