How to Organize Freezer, Closet, Kitchen Cabinets, Coupons, Pantry, Office, Garage...

Take a moment to check out what you can learn on this site.

1.  How to Organize a Freezer (Side by Side Refrigerator)

2.  How to Organize a Closet without Spending Much Money

3.  How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets

4.  How to Organize Coupons 101

5.  How to Organize a Garage

6.  How to Organize Your Office

7.  How to Organize the Pantry

8. How to Organize Anything in Your Home or Office

These popular concerns when it comes to home organizing can be easily dealt with with patience,commitment, and the desire to have a clean and easy to manage area.  When making room for your many items, remember there is always something that could be donated, sold, shared with others, or used later.  But the key is knowing what you like to do now and what you used to do, most things we rarely get back to doing when life is very busy and doesn't seem to be letting up. 

Make up in your mind to let go of the things that remind you of what life use to be and welcome the items that celebrate what life is now!  Create new memories and plenty of space for all your new stuff that hopefully you will use!

Nicholl McGuire

Teach Children to Organize - Tips on How to Organize Children’s Belongings

When it comes to training children on things like good hygiene, being polite, and caring for others, many parents are doing quite well. However when it comes to teaching children how to organize their things, some parents are dropping the ball. Educators, family members, friends, and strangers look upon these helpless children with pity, eye-rolls, or frustration. Poor Johnny or Jill is dropping items, can’t find things, and is having his or her share of fits because they just don’t know what to do with all their stuff.  So what to do?

1)  Start by getting organized yourself.  Then teach children how you keep up with your items.

2) Give a child a task to organize. From a bookshelf to a table top, show them not only how to organize, but why it is important.

3) Walk through their environment and point out the things they could organize better.

4) Reward the child for his or her effort.

5) Be consistent and remind him or her to stay organized everyday. Ask, “Did you put your items back after you used them?”  If they continuously forget, you will have to remove favorite items from area or other distractions until he or she improves.

6) Communicate what you are teaching your child to others so that they too will help your child learn good organizational skills.

Things to start teaching children to organize in their room and elsewhere:

1) Video games and accessories

2) School work

3) Clothes

4) Bedding

5) Small toys

6) Edibles in the kitchen

7)  Bathroom items

Once they have shown that they are doing well organizing their items, remember to reward them and encourage them to keep up the good work!

Nicholl McGuire is the owner and manager of this blog.

Organizing Tips and Resources Around the Web - list includes life, business, apps and photos

Life

40 Best Personal Organization Tools To Boost Your Productivity

10 Incredibly Smart Ideas To Get Your Life Organized In ...

How to Organize Your Life: 10 Habits of Really Organized ...

Gigaom | 5 Organizational Tools I Can't Work Without

Business

Business Organization Tools | Chron.com

Organizational Tools | Howtostudy.org - When you hit the ...

Photos

How to Organize Photos - Better Homes and Gardens

How Can I Organize Generations of Family Photos?

How to Organize and Print Years Worth of Photos

How to Organize Your Digital Photos: 10 Steps (with Pictures)

Apps

7 Creative Ways to Organize Your Mobile Apps - Mashable

5 Apps to Organize Your Life | HowStuffWorks

7 Online To Do Software & Organization Tools - thebalance.com

Other

10 Free Organizational Tools for Students and Teachers ...

Organization Tools and Products for Caregivers | AgingCare.com

Best magazines for organizing

Best Magazines for Home Organization | Personal Organizing

Clutter and Hoarding - How to Organize Your Cell Phone Numbers

Does your cell phone address book need organizing? Now's the time to make life more convenient for you by organizing your cell phone numbers. When you organize your phone numbers, and clearly list your contacts with the correct number, you make a better use of your time on the cell phone. Here are four simple ideas to get the job done.

1. Start out by developing a process. Decide whether you're going to create an address book with the contact last name first. Or, are you going to just list all of your contacts by first name and the first initial after the first name. A drawback to doing it this way is that you may have more than one person with the same name. Yet this could be a good way if you don't remember people's last names and you could still differentiate the listing by the last name or something like that.

So probably the most efficient and beneficial way to organize your cell phone address book is by putting the last name first and then the first name.

2. When you decide to "clean up" your cell phone address book, do this task when you're sitting in an undistracted place. That means either in your home or, if you're in your car, make sure that your car is parked and the engine is turned off. Too many people needlessly cause accidents by using their cell phone while they're driving. This can be very dangerous to you. So if you're going to take the time to clean up your address book, think about what you're doing. Decide to do this task in a way that is safe and effective for you.

3. An alternate way to organize your cell phone address book might be to include a specific ring tone for a specific number. However, in the printed version of the address book, you're still going to need to understand who's calling and who you are calling. For this reason, I believe the most effective thing that you can do is to organize your cell phone address book in alphabetical order with a last name first.

4. Whatever it takes for you to be able to quickly access the phone numbers in your cell phone address book, make it a priority to organize those names. In a hurry, you will feel glad that you knew how to quickly reach those people. In the long run, choosing to have an organized cell phone address book, you'll reduce stress and more efficiently be able to get a hold of the people that really matter to you.

The "Wandering Butterfly Clean Up Technique" is a wonderful way to make it easy to clean up. It is excellent to use when you don't feel like cleaning up, yet you get something done! To receive the free document, click here http://www.easykeytoclutter.com Many clutterers benefit from the gentle, easy and empowering process of hypnotherapy, especially with a hypnotherapist who specializes in clutter. Beverly E. Taylor, the "Clean Up Queen" is the only person in the world who has written a book using hypnosis to help people easily clean up clutter. She was the featured hypnotherapist on the TLC TV show, "Help! I'm a Hoarder."

How to Organize Mail

One thing that often gets overlooked when it comes to getting organized is postal mail. Although email has replaced snail mail for most communication there is still plenty of mail delivered daily by your postal carrier. People still like to keep that personal touch especially for birthdays and special occasions by sending cards or invitations. Most utility bills are still sent by post and of course there is still the old fashioned equivalent to spam known as junk mail.

Mail can quickly add up.

The mailman comes around at least five days a week just a few pieces of mail a day, if not dealt with immediately can soon become a mountain. If you set it aside to read at a different time you'll quickly have it scattered everywhere and that leads that feeling of overwhelm. If you put it in one place like your kitchen table it's not long before you have no place to even set a plate to eat. It happens that fast.

It's essential to have things archived and stored away.

Is this you? Then it's time to take control. Have a special place to put your mail as soon as it gets into your home. You don't need to file it right away but it's a good practice to do this at least once a week or else it will start to accumulate. Many people think it's okay to throw away bills but that isn't true. Credit card statements should be held onto for up to 7 years. All of your financial records are essential to prove that you aren't doing anything wrong or illegal. Another thing is that if a company says that you didn't pay a certain bill there is not way of proving that they are lying unless you have the paid bill to back you up. Many people trust the fact that the companies have a copy but they don't understand that you can get hurt if the company turns on you or if they lose the records. Don't think that they can't lose the records. Not every company is organized. You may have misconceptions about how long to hold on to bills.

Keep track of how much you are spending.

Another great thing about keeping your bills is to keep track of how much you are consuming. It's a fun goal to try to go down on your energy consumption. Learn to turn things off when you are not using them. Paying online offers you an added benefit of having the record easily accessible when you need it.

Keep the junk mail under control.

If you are going to enter the clearinghouse sweepstakes, fill it out the form, save the stub and send it off. Have a folder or transparent envelope to put these stubs. Sales fliers are really unnecessary unless you truly have your eye on something. If it's not a product that you normally buy, you probably won't use it this time either. If it's a freebie or a great deal, put it with your grocery list and use it next time you go to the store. Go through your coupons and throw away all of those that have expired. Don't hang on to too much "stuff" since it depletes your energy and takes your time.

What about cards and letters from friends?

If you're sentimental, put them in a box, name it "precious memories" and store it in a safe place. Don't forget to take this box out once in a while together with a friend or family member to reminisce and think about the great memories and fun times.

By taking these steps, you'll quickly reclaim lots of surrendered space from useless paper in your home.

By Ginger Myers

Here's a post where you can learn how to organize office files to have a happier and stress free life. You can also learn how to organize your homeschooling classroom furniture in creative ways.

Home Organization Tips - How to Organize Chores and Children

Getting organized enough to get children to do chores well can often seem more time consuming than helpful. Making the decision to do the chores yourself can appear to be the easiest road to follow but including your children in daily household management can help them develop self responsibility, give your child a sense of value in your home, create a team atmosphere and can develop good habits and organizing skills at an early age. Here are five strategies you can use to make children participating in chores a success in your home.

Work on doing one chore at a time well. Don't overload your child with a million things to do every day. Give them one chore a day and in the beginning help them until it is done well. When this chore becomes more of a habit, give them a second chore and let them have the space and time to do this chore well without any reminders. This is the beginning of developing independence, good habits and routines.

Make chores an opportunity to be social. Children love to help out and chat with their parents. In the beginning doing chores together can create a fun atmosphere that makes time fly as well as giving you the opportunity to model how to perform the task well. Little things like cleaning the kitchen while your child unloads the dishwasher and having a nice conversation can go a long way to making helping in the house a good experience.

Acknowledge their contribution. Let Dad know what they did and acknowledge how valuable their help is and how much you appreciate what they do. Praise is always valuable and your child will glow with pride. This supports those feelings of being included, of being important and being of value and creates a team feeling within your family.

Set your boundaries and get play and chores in balance. Removing children from the computer, T.V. or play to help out will always be difficult so timing is everything. When you plan a chore, make sure you are clear and communicate when it needs to be done. Examples are making beds before school; watering plants before play, no T.V. until rooms are picked up. Planning chores in the morning, just after school, before Saturday play or before they leave the house are times that can all work well.

Be consistent. Follow through and consistency are really important and getting yourself organized enough to choose what chores you need done, how you will model the task, what follow through may be needed and how you can support your child is critical and can save you a lot of frustration. Get clear on what chores are daily, weekly or monthly and follow through to make sure they are done.

Try these home organization tips so you can discover how to organize some help in your home and foster the seeds of good organizing habits, independence and team spirit in your children and your family.

Confused about home organization? Click here and go to http://www.declutterbefree.com and get started with your free special report.

Jane Alais is a professional organizer, the creator of Declutter Befree.com and the author of Get Organized-Get Happy A Step by Step Guide to Clear Clutter and Organize Success. She writes about strategies and solutions to declutter organize and energize your home and your life.

6 Ideas For Organizing Your Home With Plastic Containers

Because you can find them in such a wide variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and colors, plastic containers are some of the most useful tools for organizing, storing, and displaying items.

The industry already knows how useful plastic containers are in businesses like retail stores, restaurants, and hotels; however, do homeowners know how useful plastic containers are in their own homes?

Maybe you need a way to organize your child's small toys, or you're looking for art supply containers for your craft room. If you're a homeowner - or even a renter - looking for ideas on how to better organize your home, check out the descriptions listed below for using plastic containers to organize six areas of your home.

1. Kitchen

Plastic containers are excellent organizational tools and display fixtures for kitchens.

Homeowners can use traditional round, square, or hexagon containers of various sizes to hold frequently used items like keys, address books, and matchbooks, as well as handgrip containers to store food items like flour, sugar, and seasonings. These containers are also great for holding those little extras like plastic utensils, packets of salt, pepper, sugar, and condiments, and even hand wipes we often end up with after a trip to or delivery from a restaurant.

2. Home Office

Whether you work at home or need a quiet place dedicated to managing your bills or doing homework, you definitely want your home office to be organized.

Consider using plastic containers to organize, store, and display various home office tools like writing utensils, markers, and highlighters; extra ink cartridges for your computer printer; staples, paperclips, and tacks; and small Post-It notepads.

3. Work Areas

Work areas vary from home to home. You might have a storage shed dedicated to completing your home repair tasks, or you might use your attic, basement, or garage. Wherever your home's work area is, it's important to keep it well organized.

Plastic containers are great tools for organizing and storing small work items like nuts, screws, bolts, and nails. You can even use them to organize rolls of measuring tape, electrical tape, and painter's tape.

4. Craft Areas

Like your home's work area, your home's craft area - whether it you have a special room set aside for crafts or you have dedicated a corner of your living room to your sewing machine - containers lots of small items in need of organizing.

You can use plastic containers to organize and display craft items like spools of thread, small balls of yarn, and sewing and knitting needles; small containers of glitter and sequins; buttons; appliqués; paint and paint brushes; and small bottles of glue and glue sticks for glue guns.

5. Children's Rooms

Children's rooms are havens for small toys like building blocks, rogue game pieces and puzzle pieces, and figurines. You can use plastic containers to help organize these items, making it easy for you and your child to find them and store them after playing.

6. Rec Rooms

Each homeowner uses his or her home's "rec" room for various purposes. This might be the room where your family spends time together, or it might be the room where you manage the bills. Because plastic containers work so well as organizational, storage, and display tools, they'll also work well to organize, store, and display any kind of small item you have in your rec room!


By Terry Keenan

Candy Concepts, Inc. specializes in providing businesses with everything from a wide variety of candy containers to the bulk candy and novelty items to fill them with! Learn more about the kinds of bulk plastic containers you can use for your merchandise displays when you visit Candy Concepts, Inc.'s sister website, All Candy Containers.com.

Prepare Children for What You Want: Teach Them to Organize

On this site there are numerous entries on organizing stuff, and some writings about organizing people.  I felt the need to mention teaching children to get organized on this site, because I know how difficult it can be to manage them.  I have four myself, a past with working and teaching children, and years of experience reading and writing about subject matters related to parenting. 

When it comes to organizing children, you have to keep in mind the following:  they will not listen or catch on right away to what you want (most often to any instruction especially if they don't see any benefit,) they will want to find ways to manipulate you into giving in to their every whim, they are inconsistent, and most of all, they will play adults against one another so that their needs will be met and not yours.  Now with these points in mind, let's start organizing the children shall we.

Before you start planning time to teach children to organize, you might want to talk with others in the household.  You want them to be supportive.  Explain what the benefits are if the children will listen and follow-through with your instructions.  Maybe the garage needs cleaning or maybe the children are often late to school, whatever the issue, something or someone needs to get organized, so do express your concerns to the adult family members.

First, you will want to state your purpose for getting the children involved in your organizing task.  What exactly is it that you want to do?  Do you plan on moving, vacationing, taking them to grandma's house, or do you just want to get them organized in such a way that your household runs smoothly?  With each goal you set, you will have to tweak your schedules to meet your needs.

State the problem and give your children the solution.  You can use visual aids to help make your point or use past examples like, "Remember the last time we got ready to go to the restaurant and you couldn't find your shoes, and your brother took too long looking for his toy, so we ended up having to wait so long for our food?  Well this is why we need to change some things around here and get out the house sooner, okay?"

Let's say, bedtime is a problem and your goal is to get them in bed sooner.  You personally believe children need a consistent bedtime, but someone in the household doesn't care when they go to bed.  A tired child is a fussy and argumentative child.  Cite examples of this behavior that might have led to some strict discipline from your or someone in the household. State the benefits of why certain things must be done in the evening and in the morning to alleviate some of the late nights and irritable moods.  If you know there is a long trip ahead, school event, doctor's appointment, or something else, it would make sense to be sure the child is well-rested.  However, do not expect too much from your son or daughter if you have permitted him or her to stay up all night before a trip or event in the hopes that he or she will sleep at some point--that won't happen without a fight.  In a situation like this, you will have to manage time.  Scale back the typical late bedtime by 5 or 10 minutes each day until you reach the desired time.  Warn the child well in advance when it is time to go to bed.  Sometimes I use a clock with a warning bell when it is getting close to bed time.  The children are expected to start cleaning up.  Post a note to remind everyone when Jack or Jill is supposed to be in bed.  If you are going to be busy for any reason, remind the adult in your child's care to be sure Jack or Jill is in bed.  Plan baths/showers earlier as well as snack times.

Next, what tools will you need to accomplish your task?  Older children will work with you if they can see what you mean.  So note everything you plan to do in a simple way.  List steps, draw a grid, or create pictures.  Meet with the children and post your intentions.  Will this be a task done daily or on select days?  Note the days and times.  This way there is no question when he or she is supposed to help out. 

Third, introduce each task gradually.  Consider this, you wouldn't want someone dumping a bunch of instructions on your lap, while never taking the time to explain each one.  Work with your child.  Get him or her to show you what he or she has learned based on what you have said.  For example, you want an older child to help out more around the house.  So you provide the tools like cleaning products, a bucket, gloves and a rag, you let him or her see you use the tools first.  Then you watch your son or daughter for awhile until he or she does the task to your satisfaction.  Don't be so quick to walk away from your child without taking him or her through several trainings or more.  Compliment your child each time he or she gets better at performing each instruction.

Four, award exceptional efforts.  A child will most likely appreciate doing what you ask, even more, if you promise to do something nice for him or her and stick by what you say.

Lastly, introduce other things that will make the household or elsewhere look and feel more comfortable.  Continue to teach them on how to use certain tools.  Encourage them to watch you and others.  Share Internet videos of children their age doing similar things.  Show them what the end result of each task is supposed to look like.  For example, if you want a clean and organized bathroom, you will show them different items that help them sort and organize.  Arrange for a store visit and explain what each tool for your project does to further their understanding.

The following is a list of things that children can do to help with organizing your environment:

1.  Vacuum

2.  Dust

3.  Clean items ie. ) dishes, walls, doors, tables, windows, etc.

4.  Sort

5.  Place items on shelf units.

6.  Hold things steady while you build.

7.  Hang up items (older children).

8.  Pick up things.

9.  Suggest colors, patterns, prints, tools etc.

10.  Read material and watch videos for ideas.

Take what you have learned when it comes to organizing and share tips with your child.  Walk with him or her to each room of your household and outdoors and point out problem areas.  Get feedback from him or her.  Ask, "how might you organize this room?  What tools do you think we need?  Draw a plan and then share it with me."

Children can do many activities that can be beneficial to the household if only they are taught by someone who is willing to show them. With school breaks and seasonal vacations, these are prime opportunities to introduce something new to your children. When you teach children how to become organized, they will remember when they are older your tips.


Nicholl Mcguire is the author of When Mothers Cry.

How to Organize a Deep Freezer and/or Refrigerator Freezer

Having problems getting your refrigerator or deep freezer organized?  The following sites provide excellent tips!

How to Organize Deep Freezer with Cardboard Boxes



How to Organize Deep Freezer with Reuseable Bags



How to Organize Refrigerator Freezer



How to Fix Up Your Refrigerator Freezer

Teach Children to Organize as Soon as They are Old Enough to Walk

Children can organize.  Yet, some parents don't bother to teach children.  They prefer to manage every room in the house which is merely showing their offspring they can rely on them to clean up.  But what happens when parents are unable to manage the household?  The dirty dishes will remain in the sink.  Toys will stay in the center of the floor.  Shoes will be everywhere but where they are supposed to be.  When the home is in disarray to the point that adults can't even stand to live there, now someone is yelling, "Why aren't the kids cleaning up!?"  They weren't taught or they were but someone dropped the ball on maintaining the discipline.

So let's get children on track, shall we?

1.  Toys need a place.  So they will need to be sorted.  Use labels or stickers to show children where they belong.  When they are done playing, have them clean up.  No eating, drinking, praising, or fun stuff until they organize.   

2.  Be sure you and your partner are model citizens, kids will be watching.  In other words, practice what you preach.

3.  Place reminders near problem areas.  For instance, Johnny Doe has the tendency to take his shoes off somewhere he shouldn't, place a sign there to remind him until he gets it (if he doesn't know how to read, display a mean face pointing at him).  If the child still doesn't learn, hide his shoes and keep hiding shoes until he has none.  He'll learn.

4.  Tell children that if they organize something around the home without you having to tell them, they will get rewarded i.e.) toy store trip, arcade, mall, etc.

5.  Walk children through the residence like they are guests and remind them where everything goes.  Ask them what do they think about the way things are organized and do they have any suggestions.

6.  Find videos (like the ones on this blog) and show children how to organize various things.

7.  Inform visitors kindly about the way your home is organized and explain why you want them to help keep your place organized.  "Grandma, please don't clean up after them advise them to manage their messes...Don't leave these things out, place them here...Toys are not left all over the floor while the child is somewhere else..."

When making purchases for organizers for children, be sure they are:

1.  Stable and secure.
2.  Not too high.
3.  Smooth edges.
4.  Easy to manage--wheeled bins are great for children who have large, heavy toys.
5.  Colorful and fun.
6.  Transparent for small items.
7.  Few compartments.

Nicholl McGuire is the author of When Mothers Cry and other books.   

Time Management - Plan, Prioritize, And Organize Your Time More Efficiently

As many of us are painfully aware, time is a valuable but limited resource that we never seem to have enough of. In the increasingly hectic and fast-paced world in which we live, there is a pressing need to learn how to manage time as efficiently as possible. This article presents a brief overview of why you need to plan, prioritize, and organize your time more efficiently.

To develop good time management skills is to embark on a journey taken by many people in the past. This journey is simply following a path of proven principles that will help us gain control of our time. It is a journey that can begin only after a person realizes the need to use time more efficiently.

Your time can be capably managed by planning, prioritizing, organizing and knowing how to effectively deal with competing activities.

First, planning ahead is a key component to managing your time. Carefully look at every activity that you will need to do in the week ahead. Next, prioritize in ranking order the items that are most urgent or have a deadline for completion. Finally, Organize your activities by scheduling each one in your daily planner, calendar, or personal digital assistant (PDA).

By actually scheduling the things you need to do in your calendar, you have in effect reserved a block of time to do these things, and you will be more likely to get them done than if you had not scheduled them.

Time management is an art in itself that includes arranging, organizing, scheduling and budgeting time. This helps us become more productive and efficient at work, school, and all other activities.

When it comes to learning about how to manage time more effectively, you will find many self-help books, articles, and other written material on the topic of time management. In addition to written material, there are many time management classes, workshops and seminars specifically designed to equip people with time management tools. With a plethora of information available, there is really no good reason not to educate oneself in the fundamentals of time management.

In conclusion, we have seen that time management can be accomplished by planning, prioritizing, and organizing your activities. The list of people who can benefit from better time management is a long one, and includes students, teachers, factory workers, managers, business owners, artists, musicians, contractors, engineers, clergy, and countless others. The fact is, nearly everyone can benefit from learning the principles and techniques of how to be better stewards of time.

By: Jesse Whitehead

How to Get Organized for the Artist

How to Organize Your Workplace

Some artists have an issue with keeping everything organized. A way to solve this problem is to separate things into different spaces. All the work should be in a certain space and there should be a drafting table for the work to be completed on. There should also be a drafting chair to sit in and get comfortable while creating art. Art is something that is created and for most people getting creative requires a comfortable and organized workspace. Separating certain things into certain areas would really create a different space to work in.

The table where an artist created their art at should be used for one purpose and that is all. This purpose is to create art. If the drafting table is all cluttered with papers and things it is next to impossible to be creative and get work done. It does not take much effort to clean up the work area so there really is no excuse not to. A good drafting table that is clean and organized can make a huge difference. It is a much more efficient workspace. It is also much less stressful without the clutter and disorganization.

Having an organized drafting table is one thing that can be extremely helpful, but it is not the only thing. Having a comfortable, efficient drafting chair can make a difference. It may not seem like it would make a huge difference to have a chair with the drafting table, but it does. Without the chair the table would be pointless. The chair could create a feeling of limited stress, which can bring a feeling of relief. When this feeling is present working is much easier. The drafting chair does not have to be top of the line expensive it just has to get the job done.

There are many things that can be done to organize a place of work. The first thing to do is to get rid of any clutter around. This just eliminates the things in the space that are pointless and meaningless to the job that is being accomplished. When there is a clear area to work in, more can be accomplished in less time. It is a lot easier, less stressful, and much more efficient. It is not a hard task to complete if it is done the right way. There are also many ways that you can organize a space. It can be done in any way that is necessary to meet any particular expectations.

Organization can be the key to success. It is not something that is extremely difficult. If things are kept organized in a place of business than the potential of something going wrong is slim to none. The important key is to have certain spaces for certain things. For example having a drafting table and chair are used for drawing or anything else only. If the desk becomes used for other things it loses its general purpose and most of the time it is hard to restore it to how it used to be used.

Connor Sullivan usually buys his drafting tables online for his office. He also purchased drafting chairs online for the office as well. http://www.artsupply.com/alvin/tables/alvintables.htm

How To Organize Bedroom Closets

Whether you have a standard closet or walk in, organizing your bedroom closets can be easily accomplished. It gives me a great sense of pride to open my closet and have everything organized and accessible.

Even if you have a small closet there are techniques that you use so you are using all the space you have available to your organizing advantage.

Take everything out of the closet and measure length, width and depth. The worst thing is to buy a product and it does not your space or your needs. Decide if you need more shelving space or hanging space. Make a layout of your closet and space in your needs. Now that you have decided what you need and what you want you are ready to start organizing your closet.

The first step to organizing your bedroom closet is to get rid of the clothes that you do not wear. Yes, you may love it but do you wear it, is the garment your style, does it fit? If you have answered no to any of these, then it is time to donate the garment. Make piles as you go through your clothes, donate or throw away. I personally donate all my clothes to Good Will.

When you put your clothes back into the closet, organize them so it will be easier for you to find items that you need. Hang all long sleeve shirts together by color and all short sleeve shirts by color. The same for pants.

There are add on clothing bars you can add into your closet or closet rods so that you can hang your shirts on one row and your pants below...saves a ton of space. You could also install shelving that doubles as a shelf and rod together increasing your shelf and bar space.

And for us short people an easy reach closet hook is great, no more standing on a stool to get what you want from your closet. Utilizing the higher space in your closet will increase your usable area.

I know that you are with me when I say all those little things in the closet drive you crazy! Belts and Ties slipping off the hangers is the worst. Invest in an inexpensive non slip tie and belt holder and not only will your bedroom closet be more organized but will lessen your aggravation level.

I know that most of us women, have more than 1 handbag, some lots more. There are also great ways to organize your handbags and still keep your bedroom closet organized.

OK, so I admit it, I am a shoe addict! I love shoes, heels, wedges, sandals, sneakers I have them all and then some. Hmmm now where to store than all and keep them organized.

You could keep them in their original boxes but then you can't see what's in each one unless you label them or use clear shoe boxes.
Depending on your space limitations, there are many ways to keep your shoes neat, orderly, organized and easily accessible.

Another option is to utilize under your bed as storage. By storing your shoes or other items under your bed, you will be freeing up space in your closet. This is a great option if you have a small closet or limited space.

I just have to say a word about hangers, it's a thing with me. I actually have colored hangers, blue to one son, green to another, black to husband. Plastic hangers or wood hangers with no slip pads are great. There are so many different types of hangers it's actually surprising. Wood, Plastic, Tiered, Pants, Shirts and the list goes on.....

Tiered Shirt and Slack hangers will save space in your closet by not using so many hangers.

Ann Cohen is a mom, wife, friend and caterer who love babies, "green", decorating and holiday's. Being able to entertain and decorate on a budget is important today and loves finding that "great deal." To get some more tips on how to's, green, organizing and saving money tips check out Organize Your Bedroom Closets and browse her selection.

Ann Cohen is a mom, wife, friend and caterer who love babies, "green", decorating and holiday's. Being able to entertain and decorate on a budget is important today and loves finding that "great deal."

A Checklist of What You Might Want to Do Before Spring

The weather will get better one day soon and you will want to get out more during that time.  This is why it is always best to get indoor chores done before you get outdoors more frequently.  So here is a To-Do list that will help some of you who have yet to get started.

1.  Take a walk through your home and note messy areas, unorganized areas, and other places that haven't been touched in a long time.

2.  List what needs to go, then set up an appointment with the local thrift store to come and take away those bagged and boxed items.  You will need to share the list with the store, so they know what they are coming to get.  Be sure you get a receipt for your donations because these will come in handy when you start itemizing your taxes (under charitable donations) for next year.

3. Look for ways to organize things better.  If you have many little things, get necessary items to organize them.  Search "how to organize..." include what you need to organize.

4.  Enlist help only if you know the individuals will not try to get you to keep stuff.

5.  Visit Ebay, the local pawn shop, a children's boutique, bookstores, take out an ad, and sell some of the things you don't use.

6.  Remove large furniture away from walls, move boxes and shelves and examine your walls, baseboards and flooring.  Those of you who receive much snow and rain might have a problem festering that you don't know about.

7.  Check under cabinets?  Is it well organized or could items be better managed.  Also, check for signs of mold.

8.  Clean rugs, wipe walls, inside of windows, and remove any trace of molds using bleach.

9.  Dust off items especially things that hang from walls, vents, and items that sit low.

10.  Remove any food products and medicines that are expired.

Taking the time to get your household organized while making some money and helping others will make you feel good.  You will be so glad to have fun outdoors without the worry of how your residence might look or smell.  Be sure to check appliances like water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners, refrigerators and more. You can search the Internet on troubleshooting these items and how what sounds mean trouble for your home.  One other thing, be sure to get those indoor odors under control too--check for things online that might help.  Periodically, open windows and shut off heat.  

Nicholl McGuire shares wise tips about spiritually related issues on YouTube channel: nmenterprise7

How To Organize Your Inbox

As we all know our inboxes have turned into modern day filing systems – and just like in the ‘old’ days they can get chaotic and out of hand in no time. Attempts are made to control the unruly inboxes, but for the most part messages are swept into folders that act as catch alls for everything (unorganized amalgamations of incoherent mess – thank goodness for advanced find!).

Think of the benefits an organized, logical filing system would mean for you: referencing to emails that you’ve received, find and view attachments again, decrease your scrolling time, and if you ever need someone to go in and look for something, you will be able to point them in the right folder, rather than having them rummage through all your emails.

Now that you’re eager to change your unorganized inboxes, here are some tips to help you on your way.

Inbox: Your Inbox should be just that – an inbox, not a permanent storage folder by any means. Even if you have a ‘misc’ file off of your inbox, keep your inbox clean and tidy. If you receive emails on a subject that you’re in process of dealing with and you’re not ready to move them into a more permanent folder, create a ‘2do’ folder off of your inbox, from there group messages into subfolders.

This is a great way to keep organized and an easy reference to see what you have to do.

How to use it: When you receive an email for an ongoing or upcoming task, create a folder in your ‘2do’ folder with a name related to that task or client. Move the email into that folder, create a reminder or appointment if necessary, and —voilà!— you now have an organized inbox. When you receive more emails related to this task they can now go straight into the subfolder that you created. Once you have completed this task you can easily move all the contents to a permanent folder of your designation. The key is to keep on top of it and once you’re done with a subfolder in your ‘2do’ folder list, delete or move it. Keeping the folders after a task is over will hinder your organization and add to your electronic clutter.

This method will allow you to have an easy visual reference for work that has to be done, and even if some tasks are ‘back-shelved’ for the moment, you can still see them and keep them fresh in your mind. Once you are able to concentrate on the emails that are just coming in, you will be able to focus more on your business and less on your clutter.

Subfolders: Don’t be afraid to use subfolders, even subfolders in subfolders. Putting items into logical groups is a key to keeping your files organized.

How to use: For example – You may have a number of clients and a couple of different companies that you do work for, and each client/company will have multiple tasks, projects, instructions, etc. Under your Inbox, create a file for each company, under the company create a folder for each client, and under each client create folders for the number of different tasks that you perform.

Having a place to put messages as they come in is a key to staying on top of your tasks and messages. Inboxes have a way of getting large and overwhelming very quickly, putting these steps in place will help to control the unsightly messes and as a bonus keep you organized in the process.

To view a diagram of this method visit www.officeassit.ca/articles_OfficeAssistants_inbox.htm. Christina, owner of Online Office Assistants, offers professional administrative solutions to businesses and individuals. You can visit her website at http://www.officeassist.ca for more info.

How to Organize Your Wardrobe

A large majority of men rarely think of organizing their wardrobe. We all sort of cling to the old die hard "dig and find" method. Despite the fact that it takes longer to find anything, organizing that old closet just doesn't sit very high on the priority list. In fact, it often times makes it to the "I'll get to it some day", or the "I'll get around to it" lists. There is hope for us closet neglectors though, and surprisingly it's not rocket science. If the initial set-up is done right, it is fairly easy to develop a system that will make your life much easier.

Organizing your wardrobe in reality comes to personal choice. Whether you prefer your pants to be stored on the right or the left doesn't matter as long as you are creating a well thought-out system that is easy to keep up. Stick to the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Stupid Simple) method. If you have no idea where to start, then this article is right for you. Below are a few general tips on how to organize your wardrobe. Use the tips that work for you. Use them to customize a system that works best for you.

First, start by completely emptying the wardrobe top to bottom. Clean the storage area as is required. Chances are that clumps of dust have piled up over the years in the corners. Empty your wardrobe completely and use a vacuum to get rid of all that dust. Next, sort all the things out that you no longer wear. If you are a pack-rat, this might be quite difficult. If this is the case then follow this general rule of thump: If you haven't worn something for at least a year, give it, or throw it away.

Now that you have limited the amount of clothes, organizing them will be much easier. When organizing your wardrobe make sure to put the clothes that you most frequently wear in the most accessible area. Start by thinking about different clothes for different seasons. If it is summer, store all your winter clothes in a separate storage bin. Once again you have narrowed down the clothes to organize. Next, look at all smaller items such as socks and underwear. Sort through all the single socks, and put the ones together that still have a matching pair. All small pieces that are part of your daily attire should be stored away in an easy accessible drawer.

The remaining clothes should be sorted by function. Work clothes such as suits, shirts, and neckties should be stored separately from your casual clothes. Make sure you don't hang your suit jackets too tightly, and keep your neckties away from any sharp edges. Your dress pants should be hung to prevent wrinkles. If you have multiple suits, keep matching pants with each jacket.

Your shoes are best stored in an adjustable shoe shelf that you can place in the bottom of your closet. Just as with your clothes, sort your shoes by their function. Dress shoes should be on one side, and casual shoes on the other. Store your shoes toe-in first to allow easy access of a pair with one hand.

Hendrik Pohl is the owner and founder of Ties-necktie.com, an online retailer offering a wide range of quality handmade silk ties, as well as useful dress code tips for men, men's fashion advice, necktie knot instructions, and more.

How to Organize Coupons

You have finally jumped into the exciting world of coupons but now you do not know what to do with all of them. After clipping coupons from Sunday papers and printing coupons from the internet, a big pile of coupons will soon form. Putting all of them in a large envelope for safe keeping is a good way to put them away so they are not scattered everywhere, but you will find that it is too hard to find exactly what you are looking for. You will need a way to organize all your coupons so you can easily find them. You will also want to use something that will allow you to carry your coupons with you to the store. There are lots of different ways to do this but there is not a best way. One method of organizing may work for one person but not for another. Here are a few options to get you started.

1. Use a small expanding file folder that is sized for photos. You can organize your coupons by using broad categories such as baby, dairy, or pet. You can arrange these categories in alphabetical order or in the same order that you would pass each category in your grocery store. Many people find that they outgrow this method very quickly, especially if they get multiple Sunday coupon inserts each week.

2. Use an empty craft or fishing box. You can create your own dividers for categories out of index cards to organize your coupons. Using a box allows you to fit and carry more coupons.

3. Use a large binder with baseball card holders. For this method, you can buy binder dividers to separate your categories. This method is especially useful for people who get multiple inserts. Each coupon can have its own slot and all the multiple coupons can fit too.

Like I said before, each person will find that one method works better for them than others. A large binder is probably the easiest way to organize your coupons. You can put the binder in the seat of the cart and flip through the pages without having to fumble through a stack of coupons. However, this may not always be the best option. For example, people with babies probably will not be able to carry both their baby and a large binder/box into the store. In addition, the baby has to sit in the seat and there would not be room for a binder or box. For these people, a large expanding file folder that can fit into a purse would probably be more beneficial. Each person's situation and coupon experience will determine which method is best. Also remember, these are only a few options. There are many other ways you could organize your coupons, so get creative and find the best method for you.

By Brandi Yates

I am a stay at home mom of three children and I am always looking for ways to save money. Here you can find discount coupons and Coupon Organizers

How to Organize Your Life to Eliminate Stress and Worry

If you are not a very organized person, then you may realize that your disorganization can create a tremendous amount of stress in your life. If you take the time to get organized, you may notice that your level of stress goes down. Sometimes this can be just want you need in order to reduce the stress in your life. Stress can really take its toll on your body and your life. It can bring you down, and ultimately make you unhappy. If you want to look into reducing your stress level with some easy steps, then take the time to get uncluttered and organize your home.

The first thing that you should do is to make a to do list. If you have a list that you will follow when working on your things then you will be that much more likely to get everything done. Have you ever had a whole list of things in your head to get done, just to find out that you forgot to do a few of them? This is very common, especially if you do not make a written list. Writing things down will not only help you with your memory, but having them in writing will allow you to check them off as you go. This can be very effective when you are getting ready to get organized.

Once you have a list of the things that you need to do, then you need to add some priority to it. Remember what you need to do in order to get organized, and then take the steps to check them off one by one. If you have a long list, delegate certain things to do on certain days. If you do this, you are likely to find that you get everything done more quickly than you would sitting around looking at the list of things to do. Do not stress out over having a lot to get done, just start doing them one by one and only bite off as much as you can chew. This will give you a sense of accomplishment in the end.

If there are some things that may not be very important, then you should think about not doing them at all. While you may not want to think about things and then cancel them, it may be the best way to reduce your stress. Do not take on more than you can handle because that is the sure fire way to get stressed out. Remember that you do not always have to say yes to everyone. Practice telling people no if you do not feel like taking on another task.

Make a daily list each morning. This will help you when it comes to getting everything done in a timely manner. When you look back at the things that you are able to accomplish once you are organized, you will be that much more prepared to take on the day without the load of stress that you may have had before hand.

Herb enjoys learning how to become a more organized person. Please visit his website with information on outdoor floor lamps and tips on outdoor post lighting. http://www.outdoorfloorlamps.net/outdoor-post-lighting.html

Things to Think About Organizing this New Year

For some of you, you might have thought about all those wonderful things you want to do to better your mind, body and spirit, but what about your atmospheres ie.) livingroom, bedroom, office, etc.?  Here are some thoughts about organizing to help with your home or office space so you can be more productive this new year.

1.  Paper.  From receipts to magazines, every item should have a place that is easy to get to and out of view.  From hanging file folders to bins and binders, utilize what you already have before you buy more things to organize paper items.  Ask yourself, "How often will I need to get to these items?  Will I do anything with them if I should put them away out of view?"  Here's a thought things you know you will need, put them on a shelf or in a cabinet because you know you will be looking in those places for them.  But things you hope to get around to, organize them neatly in plain view and make a point to tend to them everyday.

2.  Food products and storage containers.  Some food items just don't get eaten because they aren't stored in containers or on shelves where people can see them.  Rearrange the fridge and the cabinets.  Do away with storage containers that don't let you see what is in them.  Find some space for the things you know everyone likes, but give away those items that have already proven they will never be used/eaten.  Note: when storing food items at the workplace, consider using storage containers.  This way rodents and insects will not have access to your goodies.

3.  Kitchen gadgets.  They come in handy when you need them, but when you don't, they are nothing more than space collectors.  Items you enjoy using store on a shelf unit or counter space that isn't used much.  Kitchen items that are only used once or twice a year store away in cabinets or plastic bins.

4.  Clothing and accessories.  How many ties, shoes, purses, shirts, jeans, and more do you need?  If you can answer this question then that's half the battle.  Sort items by season, size and color.  You will be surprised to see that some styles, colors, and other clothing items you have are in abundance to the point that you might never wear any of these items again.  When you find, for instance, you have far too many red shirts, size small and typically worn in the spring or summer, you might consider giving some of these items away especially when you know you haven't been a size small since the early 90s.  Consider organizers that make it easy for you to find what you need.  Shelf units, racks, closet hangers, and small plastic organizers can take the hassle out of organizing.  Drawer organizers can help with those items that can be tedious to find.

Once you start with sorting items in closets, cabinets and drawers, you will find it becomes less challenging to do other areas of your home.  Start with a room a week.  Have a trash bag ready, necessary organizers, and cleaning products.  You will find that as you begin moving things, you will find places that are dusty and in need of a good cleaning.  Enlist some help especially when you know you are the kind of person who doesn't like to throw away anything.  However, don't give your help a hard time because they aren't as close to your stuff as you are, remember your goal is to organize and clean your room not defend your stuff. 

As you begin to make progress organizing your home/apartment, you will hear those voices in your head that will tell you how you might need this one day or you will lose the weight so keep it, but the reality is that if you haven't used something or wore it in years, just because it feels like you will, most likely it isn't true.  Feelings lie.  When one is serious about using something and improving his or her life, he or she will not put off anything.  He or she will make the time to get things done.  Don't fight with yourself about keeping something, rather give items away to those who would get more out of them then you would.

The desire to organize is definitely a state of mind and one must be determined to stick to goals until they are accomplished.  Sure, there will be distractions, but one must keep focus.

Here's hoping your organizing and cleaning will be a success this year!  

Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and When Mothers Cry.

The Time Will Come that You Might Have to Do More than Organize Your Home

So easily distracted are we.  Concerned about organizing files, shoes, books, papers, and more.  Yet, when organizing really matters like: getting groups established, events created, and things done that truly matter to our existence, we take a deep sigh and hope someone else does them.

When one is given a problem to solve, most likely he or she will find the most simplest way to solve it without having to do much--pass the buck for starters.  But given the condition of our world lately with such dark ideologies often shoved down our throats, one can't help but feel a need to do something.  Consider our workplaces, schools, families, neighbors, churches, and more that are in need of a serious house-cleaning mentally, physically or spiritually.

So how might one tackle such daunting tasks when it comes to organizing people and events? 

Ask Questions

Most events are organized based on a simple question, why?  For example, why is this person/place/thing causing XYZ situation?  What might be done to make things right/better/different?  When the problem shows up in your department, household or elsewhere, your responsibility is to find answers to solve the why.  But far too many people rather look the other way.  Build relationships with people who feel the same way you do.  Start by creating an online community, blog, forum, post thoughts on popular social networking sites, distribute fliers offline or advertise to generate interest.

Cut Back on Unnecessary Distractions

Distracted by fashion, technological devices, foolish media stories, money, fame, celebrities, music, personal successes and failures, one doesn't sit quiet long enough to contemplate.  Unimportant things become all-too important, "I'm watching TV...I need to surf the Internet right now...I have to buy some accessories for my phone...I'm listening to my music, what do you want?"  Allow yourself some time to think!  Manipulators, liars, greedy, angry and selfish individuals would rather not give you any free time for yourself, because they innately know that if you start thinking too long about them and what they are doing, you will stop forking over your money, energy and time.  What better way to make the perfect mind-controlled slave out of you?  

Plan to Make Changes

When the need to make a difference in one's life or others arises in one's spirit, it is then that one should begin to plan a strategy that demonstrates passion, vision, longevity, and most of all solutions that promote higher good, benefits, an appreciation for fellow human beings.  Sound the alarm about the state of humanity!  Some people that might do well organizing aren't necessarily those who have a background doing just that with much money in their pockets, but people like the: retiree, mother, student, disabled, part-time worker, or unemployed individual.  These people have more time to think than most.  While baby is sleeping, mom might put off cleaning the house to think about how she can help other mothers.  A retiree might stop watching TV and eating long enough to walk through his home and find the kind of things that might help a group accomplish a common problem.  A disabled individual might record his thoughts for a better corporate structure for a popular company and send them off.  The ideas and deeds are endless, but you get the point.

Act on Your Thoughts and Enlist the Help of Others

Some just might answer the call to organize, but for how long?  After one's personal prayers have been answered (regarding a selfish need), he or she typically bails out from his or her calling to draw attention to a societal ill that may or may not directly impact him or her.  "Sorry, I have no time now that I am working...I started helping out the group in the past, but they didn't have any money to pay me so I stopped...I could have done more, but you know I have grandchildren who need things...I am so busy and I have my own children to be concerned about...I wish I could help but I have so much studying to do now that I am in college."  If one is open to receiving some help, he or she can pass the baton to those who have more time and energy on their hands to keep the protest/event/group/idea going.

Avoid the Temptation to Procrastinate or Give Up

Some may start to do well organizing people and events until someone or something cuts in on his or her race.  Now all things get put on hold.  You might be the one who started doing something, but never finished.  You may even feel like it's too late to do anything more.  Old plans can be tweaked, destroyed, rebuilt, or passed on to others who do have the energy to work them.  But whatever you do, don't stop doing whatever it is that you know inyour heart is what's right no matter what criticism you might receive from the haters. 

What event, group, protest, or other significant thing did you do in the past, recently or feel moved to do now?  What is the "why" that you need to answer?

The next time you feel an overwhelming emotion to do something to get someone or group to consider what they are or aren't doing to help others, answer the call!  Remind yourself to write the letter, make the phone call, get people to sign a petition, create the support group, organize the protest pass the torch, or whatever else you need to do to make a difference.

Once your own household is organized, the time will come to organize someone else's from the inside out, motivate yourself now to get ready to work!  Look around your world for a moment.  Good times don't last for long--take a stand, you are never too old, too young, or too poor. 

Nicholl McGuire is the author of the following books:
Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic https://www.createspace.com/3437273
When Mothers Cry https://www.createspace.com/3393499
Laboring to Love Myself https://www.createspace.com/3401526
Laboring to Love an Abusive Mate https://www.createspace.com/3332346
Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/904839
Spiritual Poems By Nicholl http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3113926