Organize For More Leisure

Who has not had their time and energy consumed by an organization or club? Let’s face it; many organizations are geared toward consuming every available hour that a person has to offer. Many organizations I encounter, from churches/religious groups, to charitable organizations, to volunteer groups, to clubs, most are kept running by a small number of persons who are extremely committed to the cause, and who work tirelessly to keep it going.

Observe most of the groups to which you belong and you discover a handful of people doing most of the work that keep the wheels turning. In the occasional sports club or leisure group I have been involved, it was one or no more than two people who kept the group corralled. If asked why members of the total group don't participate in the administration of the club, there unanimity: "I don't have time for the meetings."

What a delight it is to discover other models of doing business, to discover organizations that are designed for full involvement, but not consumption of its members.

This kind of organization is light on meetings and heavy on team delegation. Every once in awhile I come across this kind of group and there are keys to their effectiveness:

Lots of emphasis on team and small group responsibility- These groups put motivated people in charge of a task, give them support, and get out of the way. It makes for fewer meetings, and often more gets done. Small groups of three to four people tackling a specific task will almost always bring better results than a whole board or committee dealing with the issue.

Emphasize future programs and coming events vs. past happenings- Effective groups spend more time on planning the future, and less dissecting the past. There is always the need to evaluate, but the reason for evaluation is an improved future. Give me an organization focused on the future, and I will show you one that has great potential.

Do as much work by phone/email as possible- Many meetings can be pre-empted by the exchange of emails or phone call and coming to a group consensus without ever scheduling a time and place. Take advantage.

Set meeting end times and stick to them- It is amazing what can get done in a short amount of time when there is an expectation of an end time for a meeting.

Practice humor and joy as a part of meeting times- When you have to meet face to face, a meeting should be led with a sense of humor and with a light touch. People will come back to a joyful experience.

See if these hints might lead to more leisure in your life.

Mike Stanton-Rich is "The Leisure Guy." Armed with a Ph.D. in Leisure Studies and years studying stress and burnout, he writes regular articles and features about enhancing work and leisure. Catch his latest at: http://www.theleisureguy.com

Organize Your Garage For More Space

With every home having a garage, there comes another problem. Organization is a complex duty, but offers the home buyer a nice organized garage. Organizing your garage for more space can be accomplished in many ways. The incorporation of different methods can increase the space that you have always wanted. No more will you have to trip over that bicycle in the garage. These methods are:

1. Cabinets- These are the most expensive way to organize your garage, but it is the most stylish. If you have a good deal of things, then cabinets are an option that is needed. The cabinets offer a great deal more space than your shelves or racks can offer. With cabinets, you are able to separate sections of your belongings.

2. Shelves- For those who have little things to store, shelves are an inexpensive way to store your precious items without the clutter look of bins. Shelves offer room for other things. Since they mount on the wall, shelves offer for more space for things under the shelves. Shelves can offer many options of storage and organizational abilities.

3. Racks- These freestanding shelves are made to organize as cabinets except without the doors. Racks offer for layers of options to place your items on and have the chance of holding a good deal of weight. Racks are built to last through many years and won't crumble under pressure.

Whatever the choice you make, organizing your garage for more space is a very important task. With the many things you buy to help keep up with people, and then later not like the item you bought, there is plenty of need for organizing. Remember to always remember that organizing your garage for more space is always an important task and you will be one of the many who have already organized and are enjoying their extra space. Happy organizing!

Dr. Barry Lycka is president of LesTout.com, the number one source of internet guidance.

Organize Your Child For Summer Camp

Families know that it is summer camp time. Children look forward to this time and even parents look forward to it as a time when their children will develop new skills and make some new friends and just have some fun.
Whether your child goes away to camp or to a local camp, the "camp experience" involves great organization on the part of the camper and the family. It is so important that you get organized for your child ahead of time. Try our camp organization tips so your child will have a great summer.

When you register your child for camp - ask for the materials list. Many camps will mail it out as camp date gets closer, but most will provide it at your request earlier - which means you can get your shopping done earlier.

Labels in clothing are very important, especially for children attending a sleep-away camp. Add labels early - and remember if your child has a popular name and surname like Susan Smith to add their middle name too to avoid confusion.
Sending treats to sleep-away camp and day camp is a popular occurrence. Label snacks so campers know whose snacks are whose. Remember that many children today have peanut allergies - so don't select snacks with peanuts in them.

Your child for sleep-away camp will have a large trunk to put all of their items in. Remember to label the actual trunk, both inside and outside so everyone knows whose trunk it is.
Many children are tempted to bring valuable items like a charm bracelet, favorite teddy bear or electronic devices to camp. This is often unwise as these items can become lost or sometimes "borrowed" by overeager campers. Sometimes these items are also hard to label - like a teddy bear or a piece of jewelry.

Give your child pre-stamped stationary or postcards to write friends and family home while at sleep-away camp. Most sleep-away campers do have access to email. But many campers look forward to daily "mail call" and the best way to get mail is to send some of your own.

Mark Trumper is the president of MaverickLabel.Com, a company founded to meet the growing need for a label source utilizing the latest technologies blended with old fashioned quality and customer service. They specialize in custom label printing and have cheap stickers and custom window decals for summer needs.

You Can Organize!

Although some may think of organizing a home as a daunting, dreaded task, the end result provides an extremely rewarding satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment. It may feel overwhelming at first because the tendency is to see the job as a whole. It appears to be an unending chore to be put off at all costs. However, the mind must be set to take this task in steps. Conquering the worthwhile task of organizing can be achieved one step at a time with a positive attitude and the proper tools.

Most people think of cleaning as something that goes along with organizing a home. So, let’s explore cleaning for a moment. Your cleaners should be organized, too. Many people have an over-abundance of cleaners, which is simply not necessary. If you have several piece bottles of the same product, combine them.

If you have old cleaners and are unsure of their age and effectiveness, toss them out. Some cleaners are effective for several different jobs, which can reduce your spending and storage as well.

Some people prefer to keep all their cleaning supplies in one area. To save time, designate an area of each room or part of the house to the cleaners needed for that area. For example, place the kitchen cleaners in or near the kitchen. Should you have an upstairs area, it’s more efficient to place cleaners upstairs as well as keeping some downstairs. If you have a place for cleaners in each bathroom, it’s easier to keep some in each bathroom than to haul them all over the house while cleaning.

When you get ready to organize, make a list of rooms in order of priority. Work your way through the room by doing tasks in order of importance. Decide which area of your home can benefit the most or should have priority.

You may first prefer to organize the parts of your home that company will see. That would most likely be an entryway or living area. Your first step in organizing in any room would be to throw away unnecessary clutter. It may be helpful to toss useable items into a bag or box to give a special charity.

In any area, from cabinets to drawers to closets, you’ll want to give the most used items easier access. Use hard to reach areas for storing things you hardly ever need or won’t use but can’t bear to part with.

Do you own things that are broken that would be cheaper to replace? Do you have saved items that you meant to repair years ago? Now that you’re in the mood for organizing your home, it’s the perfect time to unburden yourself of this useless clutter.

Make organizing your home fun. Set up the potpourri burner and turn on the music that inspires you. Get your children involved. Turn the process into a game or challenge. Give rewards to yourself or your helpers for a job well done when you’re finished or for progress that was made.

About the Author: Kurien Abraham is the owner of DiscoverOrganization where you'll find easy solutions, ideas, and tools to help you get organized and simplify your life. Visit http://www.DiscoverOrganization.com for more information and sign up for a free Home Organizing Mini Course.

Organize Your Briefcase, Organize Your Work

With your on-the-go lifestyle, your briefcase becomes your second office. It therefore behooves you to organize it to facilitate easier retrieval of documents, orderly arrangement of your accessories, and good first impressions, too.

To Place or Replace?

You should regularly check the suitability of your briefcase. Check the interior for sufficient compartments and the presence of stains that can put your papers and electronic devices at risk. Examine the exterior for chipped and cracked components in the leather and the hardware. You can choose to either continue placing your things inside it or start replacing it, depending on your assessment.

To Place Front or Back?

You should establish a filing system. You can make a folder for each type of document you use in a normal working day - "Personal Files", Client A Files", "Business Files", or however you want your files to be labeled. Just so long as you have a filing system!

For easier retrieval, you can assign front compartments for files that will be used first on your calendar, with the back compartments for later use. Or you can file based on immediate need - front for urgent documents and back for background reading. Or file it any wish you wish, so long as you know how your system works.

To Color or Not to Color?

You might find it easier to files documents in colored folders or attach colored post-its. This way, you can easily distinguish files without riffling through the folders. However, this might not be for everyone as a multi-colored briefcase might send the wrong signals. Again, just so long as you have an organized filing system, you can opt for basic brown and white or all the rainbow's colors for your folders.

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place

You are no stranger to this adage. For your briefcase, always remember that the interior and exterior pockets serve a functional purpose, which you can actually use to keep your things organized and to keep you from losing them.

When you purchase a bag, look for one that has compartments for your electronic gadgets like cell phone, Black Berry, laptop, power cords and other high-tech toys. Also, you have to look for adequate compartments for your documents. If you have a filing system already established, look for a briefcase that will complement it.

Before dashing out from an appointment, you have to check if all the documents and gadgets are in their proper places. This way, you will avoid losing your things. Besides, it is better to be safe than sorry especially in this age of computer espionage.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness

Or orderliness, if you are not much for the religious connection. You have to schedule monthly clean-up and stock-up time for your on-the-go office. You should discard trash that tends to accumulate like paper, pens, and pencils and restock them, too. You should never run out of these writing implements as you never know when an important transaction needs signing or important information needs writing.

And should you find that organizing your briefcase is a tedious task you would rather not do, always remember that you will be the person who will most suffer for your own disorderliness.

A personalized business card holder and a silver business card case is a great addition to your briefcase. Find them all at ExecutiveGiftShoppe.com!