Welcome to "Organizing Blog Central" -- where we give organizers around the world a chance to share their experiences, advice, and opinions about getting organized. You'll find everything here -- inspiration, motivation, tips, product recommendations, and even a few challenges to your current belief system (you can't change without letting go of a few preconceptions!)
Come back daily, as we have a dozen different blogs a day every day of the week -- on topics like home and office organizing, paper and time management, organizing your kids, simplifying you life, getting your finances in order, travel, moving, and much more!
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. ...
We are all feeling the pinch of the economy and looking for ways to be able to have our cake and eat it too. There are several ways that we can save on expenses around our home, help the environment and relieve a lot of stress on our wallets.
Use table scraps to help fertilize your gardens (flower beds or vegetable gardens)
Stop using the dryer (except for emergencies) go back to line drying your clothes and sheets. They smell better and save on gas or electric.
Green clean your home; most cleaning agents have vinegar, ammonia, baking soda, borax, salt, lemon juice in them. Funny, those are the...
"Time is what we want most, but use worst."William Penn
Why is it that we have every intention to manage time, but it seems to manage us? Because we allow time to manage us. Time is never in charge, in fact, nothing is ever in charge of us. We choose how we think and act in every situation.
Can we begin to think differently about time?
Time is on my mind this week because I spend my summer time differently than any other time of the year. One of my favorite pastimes during the summer is sitting on my deck and enjoying my garden. I could literally sit for hours and let time drift away, unfortunately my schedule doesn't permit that. However, with the...
This summer started out way more hectic than I had anticipated. Usually my organizing business slows down a little due to the fact that half the people in Michigan own a cottage and are gone most of the summer. Not this summer, I am busier than ever. I at times find myself overwhelmed with handling the kids activities, keeping the household up and running and my own business responsibilities. All of these things require me to be in top form. On more that one occasion I have sat down at my computer or stood in the middle of my home with cleaning supplies and thought " Where the hell do I start now?" Sometimes I stew and worry and wallow in my own frustration. Well, as you know it gets me nowhere. My favorite saying (one of them) is...
As an amateur photographer, I think the digital camera is one
of the greatest inventions of our time. Gone are the days when we had to limit our picture-taking so we wouldn't run out of film or have to worry about
expensive processing fees! And isn't it great to be able to preview the pictures
you've taken, so you can try again if they don't turn out as you imagined? But
your digital camera is good for more than just beautiful
snapshots!
While planning an upcoming move, my sister and I used graph
paper to figure out the best placement of furniture in her new home (she didn't
care for the online floorplanner I'd recommended.)...
It's nice to be needed and respected as a confidante, but
when too many people stop by for advice and a friendly chat it can become
overwhelming. When this type of
visitation interrupts you so often that you never have more than ten minutes to
do your job, it's time to think through your day. It's not rude or unfriendly to set limits on
such visits – it's just being fair to "you" and might even help the other
person's use of their time. ...
This week, we're rounding out our discussion of digital helpers to keep
our To Do lists from overflowing our desks and flat surfaces with floozies.
Old-fashioned To Do lists, where you keep a running lists of tasks, are wonderful, provided that you:
a) keep your
list prioritized and updated; b) know
where to
find your list; and c) actually look at your list!
...
Half of 2008 is gone. Sorry. I don't mean to be a downer in relating on how fast time flies. But I do want to draw your attention to your household files.
Do you have a file system set up to handle your household's papers? Do you have a place to store receipts and tax-related documents? If not, I strongly urge you to do this. It will really help you in six months when it's time to gather paperwork to do your tax returns.
In my file drawer, I have a hanging file labeled "Tax Documents – Current Year". Here's where I place receipts of school/tuition expenses, tabs for my...
Skyline Bookcase, Levenger
If you love books, like I do, and live in a small space (like I do) , one of the big challenges you'll face is how to find room for storing all your books. The skyline bookcase from Levenger is one great option. In one square foot of floor space (6' tall) this bookcase can store up to 100 books on its nine shelves and it's slim footprint allows you to place it almost anywhere.
The spine bookcase from West Elm is another skinny possibility, with a base no wider than a large book. Almost 6 ' high it boasts 10 shelves, however you do need to store your books horizontally.
Slim bookshelves are not the only place to store books. Look for furnishings that can serve a dual function such as a headboard with built-in bookcase or a platform bed with shelves underneath. Consider a coffee table with space for storing oversized books or an end table with shelves. With the use of bookends, books can also be stored on top of kitchen cupboards or an armoire or a windowsill.
Of course before you start piling those books up, be sure that they are books you love, plan to read or refer to again, and/or would want to have available to loan to a friend. All the others should get passed on for someone else to read. A personal library should be personal -- just the books that you love, need, and read.
My best book storage solution in my small space is my library tote bag -- it allows me to bring in as many new books as I like without having to worry about long term storage and if I need them again, I know just where to find them in their online catalogue.
Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers! Take the day off and celebrate with a great read.
...
I love that song. I always think that summertime is going to be a
break. A break for me, for the kids, my husband, for everyone I guess.
It makes me think of that saying, "the best laid plans...". Summer is
never exactly a break. I guess we do get to sleep a little later than
normal and we are not rushing out the door to get to school and that
part is nice. But there is always something going on and somewhere to
be and something to get done. I guess that will never stop. ...
If you notice any problems with this site, please contact our webmaster.
And if you don't see what you need you are welcome to "ask the organizer" any question!
To see what people are saying about OnlineOrganizing.com, check out our visitor comments.
Half of 2008 is gone. Sorry. I don't mean to be a downer in relating on how fast time flies. But I do want to draw your attention to your household files.
Do you have a file system set up to handle your household's papers? Do you have a place to store receipts and tax-related documents? If not, I strongly urge you to do this. It will really help you in six months when it's time to gather paperwork to do your tax returns.
In my file drawer, I have a hanging file labeled "Tax Documents – Current Year". Here's where I place receipts of school/tuition expenses, tabs for my...
Skyline Bookcase, Levenger
If you love books, like I do, and live in a small space (like I do) , one of the big challenges you'll face is how to find room for storing all your books. The skyline bookcase from 
OnlineOrganizing.com is a service mark of Creative Solutions for Home and Office, LLC.
