Also, keep a file index and always check the index before creating a new file, so you avoid making duplicates. Sort, file and purge electronic information regularly. Create a filing system for your electronic documents that mirrors the one you have for paper. Keep a written record of what you've delegated, and follow up so nothing falls through the cracks.ġ1. Maintain responsibility for your projects.
And be clear about the response you need when sending a message to a colleague-they can then provide a full response, even if they don't reach you directly.ġ0. Jot down an agenda before making a phone call, so you don't forget important points. Think before giving your email address or cell phone number to everyone incoming information may be easier to manage if it all goes through one form of communication.ĩ. Gain more desk space by mounting your keyboard underneath and raising your computer monitor with a monitor arm.Ĩ. Keep only supplies you need daily on your desktop. Then you can shred and toss out the papers. Consider scanning papers you want to keep-including everything from household records to old college papers-and keep them on a disk. Designate a specific spot for bills, and pay them consistently by tracking the due dates on your calendar.Ħ. "If you do have to stack up the mail, have a set time each week when you will sit down and go through it," Barnette says. Donate your surplus to a local shelter or to your church's clothing closet.ĥ.
Go through your closet at least twice each year, and take out anything you haven't worn in the past year or no longer need. Also gather anything you'll need to take with you in the morning, and put it in a spot near the door.Ĥ. Each evening, decide what you'll wear the next day, and press it if needed. Gather frequently used papers such as phone lists and take-out menus in a three-ring binder.ģ. Evaluate whether to keep receiving magazines you never have time to read, or consider rotating subscriptions. Open the mail over the garbage and throw out junk mail right then. "People waste so much time looking for lost or misplaced items."Ģ.
"Have a specific place that you put your keys or the mail or your child's backpack," says Judy Barnette, a professional organizer in Franklin, Tenn. Find a place for everything. Start small, maybe with one junk drawer, but find a place for everything you have. It’s so simple but so hard to keep up with unless it’s a conscious decision.1. Keep this in mind this summer and I bet you and your family will appreciate taking that little step to put things away.
Practice One Task to Keep Your Home Clutter Free – it’s so simple but it can feel so difficult! Take it out, and put it away. The Perfect Picnic Bag – I love having a handful of picnic-ready supplies all packed up and ready to go, it makes it so simple to get out the door!Īrt + School Supply Caddy – I usually put this together before school starts but we swap out some of the supplies for summer art projects and it works great! S’mores Caddy – My kiddos love putting our s’mores caddy together every summer, this makes for a great Saturday evening at the fire pit. Put together a couple totes, bags, or bins that will simplify some of your favorite summer activities – here are our favorites: This works great for grabbing something if we’re doing an impromptu outing, going to the pool, or if the kids just need a quick bite to eat. I keep lots of fresh fruit and veggies washed and ready for snacking but we also have some snacks at the ready in the pantry as well. I put this together a month or so ago and my kids have pulled it out almost every day of summer break.
Put together a boredom busting bucket or basket – perfect for rainy days, quiet time, and just relaxing.
Need a little direction when it comes to cleaning with kids? I’ve written quite a bit on the subject – go here to get started with age-appropriate tasks that kids can tackle right along with you! I detail kids closets in the post but you can apply the techniques and steps to your own closets and drawers. Get the kids involved and do a quick clean of closets following this simple method for organizing and maintaining them. If you’re looking to put together a homekeeping binder this summer (a great way to get organized), I recommend my Homekeeping Foundations Kit or joining Homekeeping Society. If you haven’t grabbed it yet, grab it and fill in some important items for the summer. Use a calendar – I shared this free printable of Summer 2016 at-a-glance calendar last month. With schedules calming down it’s nice to have a little structure in place and these methods successfully meet those needs.
Is summer in full swing in your house? I’ve already fielded quite a few questions about organizing with kids this summer so I thought it would be a perfect time to share a couple things that work for us or things that we’re implementing right now. JSimple Ideas to Organize the Family for Summer