Coordinating Your Busy Family’s Schedule

If you have a busy family that seems to be traveling in different directions constantly, you know how challenging it can be to coordinate everyone’s schedules. Between projects and deadlines at the office, meetings with your children’s teachers, after school activities like soccer practice and troop meetings, not to mention the household chores, it can be a confusing task. 

But if each family member is committed and communicates effectively, the task of creating a combined family schedule is a manageable one for you. The first step is to commit to weekly family meetings. Make it essential that each family member is there so that the schedule can be discussed and organized. This should also double as a great opportunity to schedule quality family time together, so make sure it’s held at a time when everyone is able to attend. 

Next, design a schedule that can be easily accessed by all family members, so that everyone knows where everyone else should be at any given time. This can be done by designing one yourself using materials such as poster board, markers, pushpins and index cards that can be pinned to the schedule, allowing for changes that can occur from week to week. 

It could also be designed on your family computer and saved onto the desktop, so each family member can readily access it and make changes if necessary. Have family members get into the habit of indicating on the schedule specific addresses or contact telephone numbers if the activity is new or changes from week to week. 

Be sure that care providers for your children such as grandparents and babysitters are familiar with your scheduling system and know how to use it. Again, with a commitment from each family member and open lines of communication, the family schedule can be a useful tool for everyone.

Turn Your Junk Drawer Into Your Neat Drawer

We’re probably all guilty of having at least one junk drawer somewhere in our house. This is the drawer that started out as a helpful drawer that kept all the handy items in one place like tape, pens, buttons, safety pins, and so forth in one central location, but turned into the drawer where other things manage to accumulate when people don’t know where they go or don’t feel like taking the time to put them away properly. Get this drawer (or drawers) back into useful mode again by using a few simple steps to bring things back under control. 

First of all, in order to clean it out, you’ve got to empty it out. Remove everything. Place a piece of paper or tea towel down to protect your countertop or table surface. You may want to make sure all items are placed on this protected surface. Once the items are out of the drawer, they need to be sorted. 

Group all similar items together, and if you can’t determine what something is or if it’s needed after consulting with others in your family, you may decide to get rid of it. If there are things in this drawer that belong in another location, be sure they are put away promptly. You can clean the drawer completely and wipe dry. Afterwards, you may want to lay a fresh drawer liner or contact paper inside. 

The next trick is devising a simple, workable organized system that everyone in the family can use. Ice cube trays, small boxes or even 35-mm empty film containers work well to store small things in. If you cannot see into it to determine its contents, make sure it’s clearly labeled. 

Most importantly, encourage your family to keep the drawer organized and neat. If it’s properly maintained, there should be no need to shuffle through the drawer looking for things, creating an even bigger mess to clean out yet again in a few months. 

How To Begin The Process Of Decluttering Your House

First, take a good look around your home. Find out the things that you and your family have been storing for quite awhile. You might find a number of things scattered or stored here and there that you forgot you even owned. The picture often times results in a cluttered house. Check out the list below of why you may decide to donate or sell some items as part of your overall decluttering plan.

It is the wrong color or wrong size 

It has been outgrown either physically or emotionally 

It is not flattering 

It is outdated 

It is damaged or broken 

It is never used 

It has no useful purpose 

It is too good or nice to use

It was a gift, but you may not have a use for it

You may want to have a donate box/bag where you can store things that you do not use anymore and decide if you definitely want to part with those items. This way you may be relieved of the accumulated pile of clothes that you don’t actually wear. Most importantly, you will also contribute to the charity for those who do need these unused things. You will feel good.

Also, you can begin to make a good routine habit of just using fifteen minutes each day to tidy up the arrangements of your desk, shelf, tabletops, and countertops. Hopefully, you will enjoy starting on your journey of living an organized lifestyle, along with a feeling of peaceful calm that we need the most in our increasingly stressful lives. 

Goals and Habits for Keeping an Organized House

Is your main goal to have a clean house? It may be. With hectic lives, busy work schedules, and kids, many Americans find themselves living somewhat in a mess. Although most homes are “clean,” others may be cluttered. Is yours one of them? If so, don’t only make the resolution to clean your house, but turn it into a reality. For tips on how to do so, please continue reading on.

So, have you made your resolution to keep a clean house? If so, one of the first things you want to do is write it down. Verbal resolutions are often pushed to the back of the mind and forgotten about. Don’t let this happen. Write down your goals and place them in a prominent location, such on your desk. That written note can serve as your motivation. Each time you see it, you will be reminded of your goal.

After writing down your goals/plans to have a clean house, you need to share it with others. This is important as you may not want be solely responsible for a clean house. Do you have a spouse, a live-in partner, or children? They can possibly help too, if appropriate. Talk to your children about keeping their toys picked up, your husband about putting dirty clothes in the hamper, or your spouse about keeping the dishwasher or laundry loads. When all home occupants are onboard, it will be easier for you to achieve your goal of having a clean house.

After deciding on this resolution and sharing it with your family, you may be ready to get started with cleaning. But, wait! You should first do a few things. For starters, it is important to know that a clean house is nice, but it will not last. Old habits are hard to break. That is why it is important to discuss your plans with your family. Do your children leave their toys lying around? Encourage them to put them away afterwards, and so forth. You too, need to make important changes. What are your weakness? Do you let dishes pile up in the sink? Do you toss dirty clothes on the floor? Make the change.

As previously stated, many Americas actually have clean houses. For some, an unclean house is more than dirt and grime. Too much clutter can translate into an unclean and possibly unsafe home. To reduce clutter and make it easier to keep a clean and organized home, examine tools available for sale. For example, there are a number of closet organizers for sale. There are storage shelves designed for sheds and garages, and so forth. Whether you need to organize under your kitchen sink, a playroom, or the bathroom, you should be able to find a tool to help you get started.

So, why should you buy organizational tools? Because they make it easier to break old habits. If you or someone in your family is known for kicking off shoes wherever, buy a shoe organizer. There are small shelves available for sale, as well as hanging shoe organizers with pouches. If you are concerned with costs, look for items that are on sale or wait and save money. Most individuals mistakenly believe they need to meet their resolution as soon as possible. Can’t afford to buy a closet organizer until next month? So what? At least you are taking steps to have a clean and organized home.

Although most disorganized homes are due to clutter, and a good cleaning routine is always helpful. In fact, you should do both, declutter and clean. When organizing a hallway closet, take all items out. Dust the closet and then quickly vacuum the floor. Before putting items back inside of the closet, look at their usage. Donate, sell, or appropriately anything your family no longer needs. When you combine cleanliness with organization, you are not only going to make your long-term goals a reality, but a lifelong habit.

Creating an Efficient Filing System

Keeping physical copies of paperwork organized can be overwhelming. Heaps of files can build up in no time, especially if your business operates using physical copies. But, if you can keep your filing system structured and organized, all of this paperwork can be dealt with using little time and effort. Here are some tips for making your filing system organized and efficient.

Keep Things Simple

Having a cluttered or confusing filing system will only discourage you from using it on a regular basis. Keep things simple and easy to understand, so it doesn’t end up a failed project. Assess what important documents you want to keep, and appropriately discard or shred any junk mail that you absolutely have no use for. Not only will it be easier for you to find what you’re searching for, but you will also have more room to save your important files.

Label Your Files

Part of creating a file system that works for you is to label your files in a way that you can easily understand. There are specially designed folders that have tabs to write a brief description of the folder’s contents. For example, if you’re someone who saves receipts, you might have a folder titled “Receipts.” You may want to include sub-folders inside your “Receipts” folder and title the sub-folders based on the year it was received or the store that it came from. It’s important to have a filing system that appeals to you so it encourages a habit of using it.

Invest in a Filing Cabinet

You need a place where you can keep your files safe and organized. A filing cabinet stores a lot of paperwork in a way that allows it to be accessed efficiently. Every folder is kept upright in the cabinet, so you can go through them and pull documents out of them without removing them from the filing system. This stops you from disturbing your entire filing system if you have to go hunting for a missing document. Filing cabinets also tend to be sturdy and secure, so hopefully they’ll keep your important paperwork safe from damage. Some even have locking drawers, in the case that privacy is an issue.

Create a Directory

Creating a rough list of the contents of a filing cabinet drawer or group of folders makes it much easier for you to find what you need. This list can either be handwritten or created on a computer and printed out.

Be Persistent

No matter what kind of filing system you put into place, it won’t do any good if things don’t stay organized. As you add new documents to your filing system, make sure they end up in their proper place. Avoid allowing loose papers to pile up and resist the temptation to simply stuff something where it will fit. Yes, it takes a bit of discipline, but with a bit of practice, you can keep your filing system clean and efficient.

With the right tools and planning, you can complete the daunting task of sorting out your paperwork in a snap. By using clearly labeled and documented folders to separate your documents, it makes it very easy to find a place for everything. Your filing cabinet will be streamlined and efficient in no time.

Organizing Your Mindset

One popular definition of mindset is "a disposition, attitude or mood." That being said, it makes sense that clearing your mind of mental clutter goes a long way in helping you get more organized. Let's face it - when you're not clear-headed, it's very difficult to practice organizational skills. Keep reading to find out more about organizing your mindset. There is no reason to put it off for another day.

Write Down Your Feelings

One of the best ways to clear your mind of mental clutter is to take the time to write down your feelings. You can either do this in a journal that you keep, or a piece of paper that you throw away once you're finished. Recent studies indicate that jotting down negative thoughts really does help to clear your mind and make you feel better.

Meditate

More and more stressed-out individuals are using meditation to clear the mental clutter. When life is hectic, do you ever feel as though you're having a non-stop conversation (with yourself) in your head? Meditation allows you to focus on a single thing, which in turn helps to corral your thoughts when they start to wonder.

Listen to Music While You Exercise

An Ohio State University study recently discovered that when someone exercises with music, it activates the area in the brain that deals with a higher level of mental function. Participants who had the advantage of listening to music did better on fluency tests than those who did not.

Take a Nap

Taking a nap, even a short one, goes a long way in clearing up mental fatigue. Believe it or not, taking a ten-minute nap helps to increase both productivity and alertness. Getting a good night's sleep is all the better. So, the next time you're feeling mentally overwhelmed, chances are that taking a short nap will help you to be more organized for the rest of the day.

Spend Time with a Pet

For most people, pets aren't just animals - they're beloved members of the family. Spending time with your favorite pet usually elevates your mood and makes it easier to get through the day. In the event that you don't have a pet, take a few minutes to watch one of the thousands of cute pet videos on the internet. You'll get a dose of cuteness without any strings attached.

Do you have a better idea in regard to some of the ways to organize your mindset? Great! Taking advantage of some of these tips should help you get more organized overall. You'll soon see that this is beneficial to both your work and personal lives. Even if you're currently the most disorganized person you know, it's not impossible to change... with a little help from your mindset. Why not get started today?

Enjoy a Happier Life as a Minimalist

We have seen how adopting a more minimalist lifestyle has helped some people to:

• Save some money
• Be more productive
• Help the environment
• Create a MUCH more beautiful home
• Support the lifestyle that really made them happy

All of the above are pretty impressive causes. And no matter what kind of person you are, simply reducing the clutter in your home and changing the way you think about your purchases may help you to be a more fulfilled person. Your ultimate goal of this lifestyle shift may actually be to make you happier. When you become more minimal, you may possibly become happier.

How Minimalism Leads to Happiness

There are at least two ways that minimalism can lead to happiness: direct and indirect. We’re going to look at how you can use minimalism to really transform your mindset and your approach to your belongings, but we will come to that in a moment. In the meantime, what we’re interested in is some of the direct consequences of minimalism and how that makes you happier. We’ve touched on these things already but to recap, going minimal may help you to:

Save Time

If you have far less clutter in your home, that means you have less tidying to do. You’ve introduced simple systems to help you keep the house clean and you are less demanding on yourself. All this means that you can now come home and actually relax in a calm and beautiful environment. It’s impossible to overstate just what a positive impact this can have on your life or how much of a change this makes.

Reduce Stress

Minimalism may help you to live a less expensive lifestyle. You may start coming home from work and not bringing extra stress home with you. That could make you a better friend, a better partner and a better parent.

What about job satisfaction you ask? Well, perhaps you need to stop looking at your work as a way to achieve your satisfaction. What about gaining satisfaction from your own projects instead? How about writing an amazing novel, getting into incredible shape, or going on amazing travels? What about setting up a highly rewarding side business? Or working online?

Meanwhile, you also have less work to do around the house and possibly fewer financial strains. The less you realize you need, the more relaxed and fun life becomes again!

Increase Freedom

Less stress and fewer physical ties means more freedom. When you have more space in your home, you have more freedom even just to move around in that space! Freedom is such a fundamental part of the human experience and absolutely essential to our happiness!

Going Deeper

But that happiness goes much deeper. Because what minimalism is really about is knowing that you have everything you need to be happy right here, right now. On the other hand, if you always feel you want more and if you’re always pushing toward that next thing, then you’ll find you never really stop to enjoy the things you already have.

Put a stop to this by developing a gratitude attitude. A good way to do this is to spend some time taking stock of everything you have and everything you’re grateful for, for just five minutes. This might mean writing those things down in a notepad, or it can mean running through them mentally. Try to think of different things each night. And there is so much to be grateful for.

You can be grateful for the fact you are hopefully in good health. You can be grateful for the fact that you have people who love you. And you can be grateful for the fact that you have a roof over your head. Another tip is to make sure you schedule time to enjoy the things you own and the space you have. Better yet, make sure that you are truly enjoying the things that you are doing as well.

You could have a list of things that you can do for an evening and this can be an eclectic range of things from going stargazing in your own garden, writing in your blog, watching your favorite movie, or doing a project at home with the kids. Whatever the case, try to be creative when writing this list and to think about all the different ways that you can use the space you already have to have fun.

Look at objects you have around you and try to think of the new and exciting ways you could have fun with them or do something worthwhile or fulfilling. Try to rediscover that child’s sense of wonder in your own home. But what’s more, is that you then need to take the time to really reflect on what you’re doing and how fortunate you are. This is called being ‘present’ or being ‘mindful’ and it is currently a very big topic in psychology.

It essentially means that instead of letting your mind wonder to work and to all the things you’re stressed about right now, you’re instead going to stop and reflect on what you’re doing and how much fun you’re having. When you’re sitting in your sunporch or outdoor deck, take a moment to think how great it is to be able to see the stars outside. 

Tonight, think about how comfortable you are in your bed and about how much you’re looking forward to eating that good breakfast tomorrow. Learn that it really doesn’t matter what you have. What matters is your perception of the things you have. What matters is your appreciation of those things. You create value in the way you engage with the world and your belongings and in doing this, you bring value into your own life.