Organizational Tips & Other Tidbits

Easy steps to organizing your yard work

2009-03-28T10:36:00.006-06:00

Ah, Spring! How good it is to get out in the fresh air again, to feel the warm gentle breeze. Even the birds are happy. You can hear it in their bright and chipper songs.

Gone are all the thoughts of "I am getting so tired of this yard work, the mowing, the trimming, the raking." Winter is kind to us that way. It helps us forget what we didn't like, and it feels good to get out and back at it, at least in the beginning.

The grass is beginning to green up. But there is a layer of "crud" on top, the winter's droppings, the accumulation of leftover leaves, twigs, plus the dirt and gravel from the snow plows. It is best to get that top layer off so the grass can see the sun and to save your lawn mower blade.

Yes, it's time for yard work. So how can we organize our yard work to get it done most effectively and efficiently?

Consider the timing for early yard clean-up. It is easy to put off the yard work until another day, or week, or month. But there are things to consider before putting it off too long.
- Consider pre-emergent applications. If you do your own fertilizing, consider whether or not you will apply a pre-emergent for crab grass and other weeds. Decide when you need to make this application, sometime in early Spring before those weeds start to grow. Or if you have a lawn service, be aware of their schedule for pre-emergent. Here in the midwest, it is usually about mid-April. Why is this important? Because you don't shouldn't do any heavy raking or thatching after the pre-emergent is applied. The pre-emergent puts down a barrier that keeps weed seeds from sprouting. Heavy raking or thatching will break up that barrier and allow the weeds to grow through. So early Spring, before pre-emergent application, is the time to do the clean-up yardwork. Keep that in mind as you plan your yardwork so you get it done before it is too late.
- Know your local laws. Keep in mind the local laws when it comes to disposing of yard waste. In our city, we cannot put leaves and grass clippings in the regular containers that our trash service picks up between April 1 and December 1. We have the option of getting specially marked containers whose contents get hauled to a community compost heap, or we can haul leaves there ourselves during the forbidden dates. Be aware of what you can do legally, and plan accordingly. Get your early clean-up work done before those no-leaves laws go into affect. Better yet, if you have the room, create your own compost heap! We have a garden where we can put our grass clippings during the Summer. It helps keep the weeds down between rows, and helps keep the ground moist so we don't have to water as much.
Work in sections. A while back, I sat out on my deck on one of those extra-early warm Spring afternoons. A neighbor a couple of yards over was out raking his lawn. I watched as he worked across the entire strecth of his yard. Then he would turn around and work back the other directon. When he finished his back-and-forth raking, he had the entire back yard raked. That's a lot of work, raking the entire pile of leaves and dead grass across the entire stretch of the yard.
- Divide the yard up into sections. I divide our yard into sections, four in the front, four in the back, and a single section on each side of our house. Then I rake those sections one at a time, starting from the outside and working toward the middle. I rake around the edges of a 1/4 section, which is almost a square, raking everything to the middle of this section. Then I move to another 1/4 section and repeat. When I'm done, I have four piles, one in the center of each section. And I didn't have to rake any of the leaves all the way across the yard. There is also a sense of accomplishment when I see a section done. Psychologically, it is easier than doing the entire yard at once.
- Move the trash container to the piles. When my neighbor finally finished raking across his entire yard, he started picking up the leaves with his rake and carrying them all the way across the yard up to the back of his house where his trash container was sitting. On each trip, he was leaving a small trail of debris that fell off the rake as he went, because he piled it as high as he could to save on the number of trips he would have to make. His trash container has wheels. It would have been much easier to move the trash container down to the leaves. When I get my four sections raked into four piles in the middle, I just bring the trash container to each pile. That saves a lot of extra work compared to what my neighbor was doing. And if you get tired of raking when you get one or two sections done, you can bring the trash container over and pick up one or two piles and give your back a little break. Then you can get back at it, and before long, you are done. I am always amazed at how little time it takes. The job seems much bigger before I start.
A few miscellaneous items.
- Wear gloves. There have been times I've worn blisters on my hands while raking leaves. When I get done, I wonder why I didn't wear gloves. Be sure to think about that before the blisters come.
- Watch the sun. In early Spring, it is easy to think the sun isn't hot enough to do any harm. But keep in mind we have been inside all Winter. Our Summer tan is gone. Wear a hat, and some sun-tan lotion or long sleeves to prevent an early Spring sunburn. You will enjoy the fruits of your yard-work labors much more if you aren't hurting from a sunburn.
- Don't over do it. It is easy to get out in the fresh air and over work our bodies the first time. Take a break from time to time to give the muscles a chance to relax. If you have a huge yard, you might want to tackle it over a couple of days. A slight ache in the muscles reminds us we worked hard, and doesn't feel too bad. But there is no reason to kill our backs when there is another day coming to finish the task. It will be easier to sleep at night if we haven't over worked our bodies.

Now that you have your yard clean-up work plan in mind, you can get at it. Then when you are finished, you can sit back and enjoy the coming of Spring, and be the envy of your neighbors because you are already done. Then, all that is left is to keep it looking nice throughout the Summer. Enjoy your yard work!

If you lived at AOL

2009-03-12T09:41:00.003-06:00

I don't know where this originated, so my apologies to the author. I ran across it at Laugh and Lift a good source for daily inspiration and humor. I thought it was worth sharing.

If America Online was a City...

1) You'd live in a place where no two people had the same name.

2) You'd only pay $21.95 a month to live there, but half the time you tried to leave your house, the door would be stuck.

3) Once you got outside, even if you were in a hurry, you'd be assaulted by slimy little door-to-door sales creeps offering you great AOL deals for only $399.99.

4) The commute to work is just a double-click away, but every time you try to leave your driveway, the flow of traffic knocks you back into your yard.

5) 48 hours after moving in, your mailbox would be overflowing with special offers, promotions and discounts from www.junkmail.com.

6) The local post office would tell your mother you're not a known resident.

7) The local post office won't forward your mail to you when you move.

8) If you saw a crime and called 911, they'd reply a week later with a form letter saying how you "really are important to us."

9) Every time you went shopping, you'd be kicked out of the store by a bouncer screaming, "WE'RE SORRY, THIS STORE IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE."

10) Whenever you traveled to other cities, people would see your license tag and laugh at you, behind your back.

11) You'd occasionally be sent home during your day by another bouncer telling you that the city has performed an illegal operation.

12) You'd not have any idea who your neighbors are, and most new arrivals would move in at night, stuff everyone's mailbox with garbage, and vacate before sun-up.

13) The administration would build a huge, state of the art park, and allow the kids to play there free, then suddenly start demanding money.

14) Upon waking every morning, a voice from above would shout, "HEY! YOU! YOU WANT AN AOL VISA, DON'T YOU?" To which you say, "No." The voice then replies, "OK, I'LL ASK YOU AGAIN TOMORROW."

Again, the source was Laugh and Lift.

Governmentium - good for a laugh!

2009-02-24T08:54:00.004-06:00

I received this in an email. My apologies to the author, since I don't know who it is. It might provide a chuckle about the organization of a certain entity - I'll let you read it. I don't want to give away the plot!!!

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult

Organized Tennis Instruction

2009-01-29T13:21:00.006-06:00

I really enjoy tennis, both playing and watching, but especially playing. There is something about competing that I like, and it is great exercise. I didn't start playing until I was about 30 years old, and I mostly taught myself at the beginning. So I learned a lot of bad habits which I have had to try to get rid of in order to improve my game.

Over the years, I have turned to people who really know how to play the game for tennis tips and instruction. Even after all these years, there are still things I can learn. Recently I was pointed to WebTennis.net produced by Brent Abel. He has tenis tips, intsructions videos, and a lot of tennis helps.

I signed up for his FREE doubles strategy tips. The instructions are very helpful, concise, and easy to put into practice. As a result, my game has really picked up and I am enjoying the game even more!

Brent Abel has been a tennis teaching professional for the past 35 years. His instructional tips can help you:

understand the simple yet essential keys to footwork.
develop the necessary mental skills for practice and competition.
reap the benefits of becoming more focused on court positioning.
get fitter, and greatly reduce the risk of tennis elbow, rotator cuff, and other tennis related injuries.
enjoy this great game for your lifetime, and just plain have more FUN with your tennis.

I have been very please with his instructional website at WebTennis.net. He can show you how to:

Dramatically improve any or all of your tennis strokes...
- serve
- one-handed backhand groundstroke
- forehand groundstroke
- two-handed backhand groundstroke
- forehand and backhand volleys
- returns of serve for singles & doubles
- overhead
- lob
- drop shot

Brent also publishes a complimentary weekly video tips newsletter that can be an additional learning tool for you. It is free to subscribe, so you have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain! Just follow this link: WebTennis.net.

Organize your debt and live debt free!

2009-01-20T18:10:00.005-06:00

One of the major problems facing many people during these rough economic times is a debt-load that seems almost unmanageable. The bills pile up. Income goes down. Jobs are lost. How in the world can we manage our debts in times like these?

A good solution is NetDebt - Online Solutions.

NetDebt has revolutionized the debt industry by creating the nation's only completely online enrollment solution. There is no need for embarrassing and time consuming "counseling" sessions that make up the other debt programs. Everything that you need to know, the answers to all your questions, and easy enrollment in the program are provided right online. However, if you need help, there are always live reps standing by, just in case you need them.

The best part is you can do all this from the comfort and privacy of your home or office. To see how NetDebt - Online Solutions can help you, simply answer a few quick questions to see how much they can save you.

One satisfied customer from Ohio writes: "Thanks to NetDebt, I was able to complete their on-line debt settlement solution within minutes. Not only did they help me save time and money but more importantly they reduced my credit card debt by almost 50% and I am now completely debt free."

See what NetDebt can do for you. Check out their site today!

How to get (stay) organized for 2009 (Part 1 - Organizing can save money))

2009-01-17T21:29:00.008-06:00

Here it is, not even a month into the new year, and already the New Year's resolutions are falling by the wayside. Is that because making resolutions is not good, or because our resolutions are out of line, or made on the spur of the moment?

Absolutely not! For the most part, our resolutions are made in good faith. We tend to replay the past year in our minds toward the end of the year and our New Year's resolutions grow out of our dissatisfaction or uneasiness with the year that is about to end. We want to do better this year, to make a fresh start, or improve in a few areas. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, we are to be commended for making those resolutions or goals for the coming year. The desire to improve or change things for the better is fantastic! So, to begin with, congratulate yourself for making those resolutions.

Now, on to the topic at hand. If you've made any resolutions about getting organized during the New Year, that is a great resolution and one well worth the effort to keep. And keeping that resolution can actually save you some money during the year which will help as you wait out the financial crises. Yes, here are a couple of ways decluttering your home can actually save you money!

Avoid late fees. Standolyn Robertson, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers in Massaschussetts says, "People want to feel more on top of things - all of a sudden a finance charge is a big deal." A year or so ago, when the credit card bill came in, it didn't hurt so much to just toss it on the pile of bills waiting to be paid and forget about it for a while. A late fee wasn't going to kill you. Today, a late fee can do a lot more damage. "People have the money but they can't seem to get the stamp and checkbook and bill all on the same desk at the same time and out the door," Roberston says. Being organized can help avoid those late fees.

So, determine to pay the credit card bill, or any others that might incur a late fee, as soon as they come in. If you are used to paying bills at the end of your pay cycle, switch to paying them at the beginning of the pay cycle. That will prevent the "too much month at the end of the money" syndrome to which many people fall prey. And you will never have to worry about a late fee because you lost the bill, or forgot to pay it, and you will be saving money!

Declutter first, then buy storage. A second way you can save some money with organizing is by decluttering first, then deciding what kind of storage you need. I've heard people say, "I am going to be cleaning out a closet this week. I have to go out and buy some storage bins first." So they head off to the department store and spend money on file cabinets or fancy plactic storage bins only to find out they didn't really need them. Since they have all that storage space, they might as well fill it up. So the decluttering isn't as effective as it could have been. Things that might have been tossed will get saved because they have the room after buying all those new storage items.

So, declutter first, then determine what you need for storage. You probably already have storage containers or boxes around that would work. And thereby you will be saving some more money which can be put to better use!

Declutter the kitchen. Another way to save money is to declutter your kitchen. If your kitchen is a mess and you can't find room on the counter to prepare your meals, you will be more likely to go out to eat. It is just simpler that way. But it is also much more costly. You can save a lot of money by eating at home most of the time. Save eating out for a special treat and you will enjoy it much more. Save it for celebrating things, like getting a room organized! So you might begin your organizing for the year with the kitchen. Most clutter in the kitchen is a result of two things.

Things just were not put away after being used, or were not washed yet and cannot be put away. That is easily solved - wash them and put them away.
Things are in the kitchen that do not belong there. That is also easily solved - put them where they belong. Avoid the temptation to just move the pile to another room. Rather, put everything where it belongs, otherwise you'll have to do it later which multiplies the work rather than helping it.

There, now you have a decluttered kitchen, and you will enjoy the experience of cooking more, that is after you go out to eat to celebrate getting the kitchen organized.

With a little effort to keep that New Year's resolution to get organized, you can save yourself some money this year. Give it a try. Those dollars will add up. And when the economic crisis has passed, you will be in better shape financially because you are not wasting as much money. Congratulations. Time to go out to eat and celebrate!

3 steps to decluttering

2008-11-25T18:08:00.004-06:00

All of us have those spaces that are just too cluttered - places that could look much better, or be more work-effecient if they just were not so cluttered up. Here are three steps to solve that problem.

If it doesn't belong there, don't put it there in the first place! This is a preventive measure. These places wouldn't be so cluttered if we didn't put things there that don't even belong there. So when you get home from work, or shopping, or picking up the kids, or unpacking that new toy or gadget, or working at the desk or table, put things where they belong right away. Then you won't be building up clutter that you'll have to deal with later. The best clutter is clutter that never happened.
If it doesn't belong there, move it! When you are sifting through a pile of clutter looking for something important, move the things that don't belong there. Or when you are walking past the cluttered spot and you see something that doesn't belong there, pick it up and take it with you to where it belongs. Don't just add it to some other clutter. Move one piece at at time to where it belongs, and eventually you will have all the clutter moved. The best clutter is clutter that never happened. The second best clutter is clutter that is no longer there.
When it's not there, keep it not there! This is somewhat similar to # 1. Now that you have an uncluttered place, keep it that way. It is much easier to keep it uncluttered than to have to take a lot of time uncluttering it again later. You won't have those frustrating times searching through a pile of clutter looking for something you need, because everything will be in its place. If there isn't a place for something, create a place. Everything belongs somewhere. If it doesn't, throw it out. The best clutter is clutter that never happened. The second best clutter is clutter that is no longer there. The third best clutter is clutter that doesn't reappear!

So there you have it, three easy steps to decluttering. What better way to get yourself into the holiday spirit than to give your mind some peace with a non-cluttered home, office, workspace, car, or wherever you spend your time.

By the way, children don't count as clutter! You can't throw them out! But you can teach them at appropriate times and ages how to help you with decluttering. Then you won't be alone in your decluttering dilema.

UPS - saving your computers, monitors, and data

2008-10-16T13:39:00.017-06:00

Uninterruptible Power Supplies, more commonly known as UPS Backups or UPS Battery Backups, can be very important pieces of hardware to have with your computer system. In the event of a power surge, spike, sag, brownout or other power abnormality, a UPS battery backup will keep your computer system up and running. And if the power stays off for too long, a "Smart-UPS" system will shut down the computer system in an intelligent and orderly manner, thereby saving your most recent unsaved data from certain loss. An example of this is the APC Smart-UPS.

There are three types of UPS devices:

Off-line/Standby UPS: remains idle until a power failure occurs, and then switches from utility power to its own power source, almost instantaneously. (the "almost" can be a problem as I will discuss shortly.)
Line-interactive UPS: similar in operation to a Standby UPS, but with the addition of a multi-tap variable-voltage autotransformer. This type of UPS is able to tolerate continuous undervoltage and overvoltage surges without consuming the limited reserve battery power. It instead compensates by auto-selecting different power taps on the autotransformer.
On-line: continuously powers the protected load from its energy reserves stored in a lead–acid battery or flywheel, while simultaneously replenishing the reserves from the AC power. It also provides protection against all common power problems.

Are any of these styles better than the others? A recent discussion about UPS Battery Backups with Brian Mark, the CTO of ToolBarn.com led to an important observation, the value of the on-line style of UPS. ToolBarn's building has had some momentary power sags lately causing some of their computers to go down. However, some of their computers in the same offices were not affected. Upon investigating the commonalities between those that went down and those that didn't, he discovered that they were using two types of UPS devices, and those that stayed up were using the on-line type. Those using the off-line style were victims of the "almost" instantaneous switch over. It took just long enough for that "almost instaneous" switch over that a "power sag" was still occurring causing their computers to blink off, and blowing out some of their monitors.

So from their experience, it would seem that the best type of UPS Battery Backup is the on-line type, which continuously uses the battery while keeping it charged. That way, if there is a power sag, you are still on full power.

Here are some examples if you would like to look into a UPS Battery Backup System:

American Power Conversion Back-UPS RS Battery Backup System Includes Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) to preserve battery life and maximize runtime. Just $146.24.

APC Smart-UPS: Includes PowerChute management software for servers and workstations. $150,000 Connected Equipment Warranty. Just $319.99.

Ultra ULT31502 with AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation) : Line Interactive UPS. $125,000 guarantee against damage to your connected equipment while the 1000 VA is in use. Just $119.98.

CyberPower CPS1500AVRT with AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation): Up to 170 minutes protection ideal for mid-level to upper level computer systems. $500,000 Connected Equipment Warranty. Just $179.99.

You can see more UPS Battery Backups at UPS Battery Backups or Power Supplies.

The various types of UPS Battery Backups are are discussed in more depth at Wikipedia.

The Vicious Cycle

2008-10-12T16:31:00.004-06:00

I can't buy anything because my credit cards are maxed out. My credit cards are maxed out because I don't have any money. I don't have any money because my retirement account is gone. My retirement account is gone because the stock market tanked. The stock market tanked because the mortgage companies went bankrupt. The mortgage companies went bankrupt because morons are running them. Morons are running them ... well, I don't know why morons are running them. Can anyone explain that?

Work that will never get done

2008-09-27T09:10:00.005-06:00

A recent Blondie comic strip was quite funny from the organizational skills point of view. Dagwood is explaining that he is dividing his workload. He says, "The first pile is for this week, the second pile is for next week, and the third pile will probably never get done."

I wouldn't recommend this method for explaining your organizational skills to your boss, but I think it is worth sharing just from the humor standpoint.

Visit the Blondie site for more smiles and chuckles.

Learn to adapt - The egg timer quit

2008-09-26T08:46:00.003-06:00

I have never been known as someone who brushes his teeth well. My parents taught me to brush in circles, but I didn't do that well. At least my childhood dentist always said, "You are not brushing good!" when I had a bunch of cavities at my checkups. Later a dentist taught me to brush straight back and forth. Then I heard we should be brushing at least two minutes. So I timed myself and that seemed like a long time. Obviously I wasn't brushing very long before that. But my dentist says now my teeth and gums are looking a lot better.

At my wife's latest checkup, they told her to brush at least three minutes, and gave her two egg timers to use, one for her, one for me. So I have upped my brushing to three minutes, and sometimes even go a little beyond the egg timer limit.

Then one night, the egg timer quit. It got stuck about 2/3 of the way through it's only and very important job of timing. I've never heard of an egg timer quitting before. But I adapted. Obviously I'm not still in there brushing my teeth!

This may be a somewhat silly way of pointing out that we have to learn to adapt. When we are doing our organizing, something may just not be working, so we have to adapt. Try something different. Change tactics. Think of something new.

So let's say I'm working at my computer desk and I notice a pile of "important" things is getting a little too big. It's the place where I keep those things I want to check before filing, or some figures I want to add to one of my many statistical spreadsheets.

The "pile" is part of my organizational process. I don't want things laying all over, so I keep them neatly on one pile where they won't get lost. Apparently that's not working if I think my pile is getting too big. So I have to adapt, try something new. I remind myself that I shouldn't deal with something more than once. "Organize by dealing with it once!" was the title of my very first post on this blog. So either I've forgotten that great piece of advice, or I need to adapt it a little more to make it work, or perhaps try something different. It's not that my organizational efforts are all bad. I just need to adapt a little.

So if you find something in your organizational process is not working quite right, don't be afraid to change it. Adapt. The problem is not that your organizational efforts aren't good, they may just need tweaking once in a while.

Organized online marketing techniques

2008-08-02T19:51:00.003-06:00

If you are a beginner to online marketing and would like to build an online business, I have some good news for you. Or if you have already started an online business, but would like to learn some techniques that would help your business grow, I also have great news for you.

The people at 30 Day Challenge have organized a series of videos which will be presented over a period of 30 days to teach you from beginning to end how to develop an online business. And some really great news, there is no charge and no cost to use these principles. Set up your business for FREE!

They have some fantastic tools that you can use as a participant in the 30 Day Challenge, such as the Market Samurai, a keyword research tool that is just being released and promises great results. It is available for all challenge participants to use FREE. And that is just by day 2.

You can still get in on this great training program. Just sign up FREE at 30 Day Challenge, watch the videos at your convenience, and learn and grow your business. It's that simple!

Join me in the 30 Day Challenge.

Organized weed timming

2008-07-02T10:40:00.005-06:00

Black & Decker has organized my weed trimming with the Black & Decker CST1000 12V Cordless 9" Automatic Feed Trimmer/Edger.

I used to have get out my 100' extension cord - spend a few minutes untangling it even though I had carefully wound it up to hang on the wall the last time I used it - plug it into my weed eater - do part of the yard - pound it on the ground trying to get more string out - unwind the electrical cord from around the trees - do some more of the yard - pull it through the garage so I could do the front of the yard - unplug it - wind up the cord to hang it back on the wall.

Now I just take my cordless trimmer off the wall - trim the weeds - hang it back on the wall. It is so simple. I can even take it to our garden plot across town and trim weeds there.

There are many nice features in addition to the cordless convenience. There is no pounding it on the ground to advance the string. It has an AFS (Automatic Feed Spool) which senses when more string is needed and advances it automatically.

There is also a flip down guide for precise trimming. And this trimmer also serves as an edger with Groom N' Edge technology. A simple push of a button and the entire head swivels 180 degrees to turn the trimmer into a very usable edger for along the sidewalks, driveway, and street.

It comes with a handy charger wall mount for storage. When it is fully charged, it goes into a trickle mode so it is always charged and ready to go when I'm ready. And the charge lasts long enough to do my entire lawn and edge the driveway and along the street with power to spare.

My only complaint is the picture on the box. The picture on the front looks like a surf board. Every time I used it, I wished I was at the beach instead of heading out to mow my lawn. When I finally threw the box away, all problems were solved.

I now trim and edge each time I mow. It is a joy, instead of a hassle to be avoided. I highly recommend getting a Black & Decker CST1000 for yourself. The price is very reasonable. It lists for $72.00. Toolbarn.com offers it at a special price - just $49.99 while supplies last.

3 tips for organizing your garage

2008-06-05T21:29:00.005-06:00

Getting your garage organized like this one pictured from Wall Control can seem like a huge project. While it may take a little time, the benefits are well worth it. According to AllExperts, a well-organized and made-over garage can increase the value of a home by $2,000 to $10,000.

That being said, according to Hints for Homeowners , a recent Gladiator GarageWorks consumer survey found that nearly one-quarter (22 percent) of consumers characterize their garage as a "don't wan to go in there" space. While many said their garage is "clean cut and simple," the survey revealed that 32 percent of consumers today can't get their car into the garage.“Many garages are chaotic piles of seasonal tools, gadgets and equipment that are often left on the floor or force-fit into mismatched organizational solutions. In fact, company research shows that the top drivers for purchasing organizational products for the garage are wanting a more organized look and getting things off the floor. We feel creating the right plan and products to meet many lifestyles makes all the difference in addressing this need,” said garage organization expert Lou Ann Schafer.

So here are three tips shared by Gladiator GarageWorks.

One Size Does Not Fit All: Bins are not an organizational solution for everyone. Instead, identify your lifestyle needs and then embark on an organizational plan. Are you a golfer, gardener, bike rider? Specifically tailored storage solutions will help you manage these interests.
Identify Zones: The garage can serve many purposes. Lay the space out like you would a room inside your house. Is there room for the car? What storage solutions can be hung on the wall to free up floor space? A sample garage blueprint tool can be found on the Gladiator brand Web site.
The Garage Is For Everyone: Once considered the guy’s domain, the garage is increasingly becoming a shared family space. Take all parties’ interests and needs into consideration when organizing and get them involved. This can include the integration of specific solutions, such as ball caddies, bike hooks and mobile, modular cabinets.

Using these tips can turn that "don't want to go in there" space into a well-organized impressive place you won't mind showing off to the neighbors, that is, unless you are afraid they will just be coming over to borrow your tools!

Organize with Deep Storage

2008-05-17T09:39:00.003-06:00

This image from Clutter Control Freak Blog shows a good way to hide away some things that you won't be using for a while. This can be referred to as "deep storage," meaning you put the stuff away where you can't see it - in the garage, under the bed, an attic, or in a rented storage space.

There are times deep storage is good, and times it is not. Jennifer gives some ideas on deep storage in her blog post "The Case Against Deep Storage." She believes that some items that belong in deep storage are holiday decorations (as long as there aren't boxes and boxes of the stuff), seasonal bedding, small boxes of sentimental stuff, and items you are saving for you children, such as significant baby outfits, cards, a few choice toys, etc.

She also has some good items that do not belong in deep storage. For example, the bread machine or blender. She says, "Come on now; if you don't use the bread machine when it's on the counter, are you really going to pull it out of deep storage?"

Another no-no for deep storage is knick knack collections. Some people keep several collections and swap them out a few times a year. That sounds like a lot of wasted time. Show off one or two favorites collections in your home, or one per room, and get rid of the rest.

Other candidates for bad deep storage - photos (you're heirs will never know who is in those 50 year-old photos!), things to repair (you'll never mend the clothes or fix the broken frame), extra bathroom items like Q-tips, shampoo, etc. Buying in bulk can be good at times, but it can sure clutter up the place.

Another possible good use of deep storage would be children's art supplies, or adult craft supplies. When you find a good deal on them, buy them and keep them in deep storage.

The point is, use deep storage wisely. It can be a good thing, but it can also be a major source of deep clutter. If you'll never use it, why keep it?

Organize for your future

2008-05-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

On April 3, 2008, Vicorp Restaurants Inc., the owner of the Village Inn and Bakers Square family-style restaurant chains, filed for bankruptcy protection in Wilmington, Delaware,. They cited rising food and labor costs and lower consumer spending, filing for Chapter 11 reorganization, according to the Denver Post.

The unfortunate outcome was that 56 Village Inn restaurants were closed throughout the country, and 1,750 full-and part-time employees were fired. The employees at our local Village Inn are now fearing for their jobs, which adds a lot of stress to their lives.

There are some important life-lessons to be learned here.

Don't leave all your eggs in one basket. Village Inn did not seem to be the kind of restaurant that would have financial trouble. If they can, then a lot of other businesses could end up in the same situation. I'm not trying to add stress to your life. I'm simply saying, if there are things you could be doing to be ready in the event your employer ran into difficult times, you should be doing those things now. That should include having some savings to get by for a while. Don't wait until you get to work one day and hear, "By the way, we're closing. You're fired." That has happened at several businesses in our community in the last year or so.
Think ahead. One local employee is wondering if she should go back to school. She said it would be hard, especially with four children. Besides, she would have to get her GED first. My question is, what is she waiting for? Why hasn't she worked on getting her GED a long time ago if she thinks that is something she might need in the future? There is no reason to wait until you don't have a job before starting to work toward your future.
Don't count on your employer to be nice. Those days are long gone. Be the best employee you can be, but don't think your employer will be nice if push comes to shove. When finances are involved, business don't care. You could be out without any notice. That's what they mean by an "At will employer." They can fire you "at will."
Follow your dreams. It would be really sad to work for 35 - 40 years doing something you don't really like, then retire and say, "I wish I had done something else with my life." If there is time, chase your dream. Do what you can to work toward doing what you want to do.

I'm not trying to scare anyone. I just think this situation with Village Inn shows that it is wise to not count on things staying the same. Plan ahead, be ready for anything, and follow your dreams. Hopefully you will not have to fall back on this advice, but it could save a lot of headaches down the road if you are ready.

Five Tips for Following

2008-04-30T09:29:00.004-06:00

I am not a "natural" leader. I am much better at the behind-the-scenes stuff. I am great at getting things organized once someone else has come up with the idea and has brought me on board. But I'm not the "idea person." I need a leader for that.

Many times we just sit back and criticize our leaders/bosses because we don't think they are doing the job right. We wouldn't necessarily want to be in their position, but still we talk behind their backs. Or perhaps we are envious of their position, and secretly think we should have their job.

Well, there are better things to do with our strengths while we follow or work our way up to the leadership position. For those of you who find yourselves in any of the above situations, here are some helpful tips for "following-the-leader," excerpts from The Enlightened Manager Blog.

Balance out the leader's strengths. If you work for a highly directive leader, one way to balance their strengths would be to ask good questions and strive to create a balance of advocacy and inquiry in the group. Or if your leader is a big picture thinker, you might contribute some of the detail-oriented bits that the team needs, to create a well rounded approach to issues.
Observe and learn. Learning from your own mistakes and triumphs is powerful. Learning from the mistakes and triumphs of others can be even better. Rather than sitting and making judgments of the leader, use your follower time to make observations about the whole team.
Boost your Leader Up. Leading teams can be tough, so when you see your leader making a good point or trying to lead a necessary but difficult conversation, offer your support both verbally and with your body language.
Practice your Challenging Skills. Challenging the group might include sentences that start "I'd like us to look at this from another angle..." or "I think there is something we are overlooking...." or even "I'm worried that we're making a mistake."
Relax a little. For those of you in leadership roles, it can be draining at times. When you are in situations when you are a regular-ole-participant, kick your feet up a bit (at least mentally) and enjoy a brief respite from the demands of leadership. Strive to be the employee that you would like to have on your team.

I hope these tips are helpful for you. Perhaps they can make your following a little less stressful. We can all use that. And hopefully you can have a little better opinion of your leader/boss because leaders need a lot of good followers to get their jobs done. Be a good follower. That way, if you someday do become the leader, you will have built a good reputation and will have some loyal followers of your own!

Organize by reusing old things

2008-04-08T08:23:00.004-06:00

Sometimes when we are ready to get organized, get rid of clutter, or clean things up, we think we need to buy something new to get the job done - a new storage container, for example. However, as Deniece Schofield points out, "One way people can cut down on clutter and organize themselves better is to find new uses for things they already have sitting around the home."

That makes sense. If we're trying to get rid of clutter, then using some of that clutter to help us out will already help the cause. She says, "I always recommend that before you shop for anything to get organized, you should look around to see if there’s anything else you can use. When you’re really pressed for space, you have to think creatively."

In other words, find new uses for things you already have. That saves time and money. So when you are looking around at things that seem to be clutter, think about how else they might be used. Be creative. It could even be fun thinking of new ways to use old things! Just make sure you don't fall into the trap of thinking now you have to save everything in case you might be able to find some new use for it some day. That is the definition of clutter for most of us!

Organizing your Office

2008-04-04T08:35:00.004-06:00

Your office can be the place where you spend the majority of your time away from home. If your office is cluttered and disorganized, it can therefore easily be a major source of the frustration and stress you take home from the office (and dare I say it, take it out on the family!) Therefore any time spent getting your office organized is time well spent to reduce some stress, not to mention improved efficiency. I don't think anyone could be efficient in an office that looks like the one in the picture. If that is how your office looks, you really need to read the rest of this post.

Craig J. Vom Lehn shares some good tips in his "How to become successful!" blog in an article entitled Ten Ways to Get Rid of Office Clutter. Here is his list, then I will highlight one I think is especially important.

Assess your space. Is there a place to store non-priority files, extra office supplies, etc?
Take immediate action. Decide daily which item you no longer need and get rid of it.
On Friday, go through your desk ten minutes before work ends and throw away things that you know are just idle clutter.
Organize and systemize. Organize paperwork, reports, etc. into files that are filed by a system of priorities.
Remove personal clutter.
De-clutter your computer. (See my previous post Organize your computer's desktop)
Clear floor space. This will create a perception of more space (and people won't trip over things!)
Don't become a dumping ground. (I'll highlight this one in a bit later.)
Learn from others. Visit other de-cluttered offices to pick up tips for yourself. Notice how they use desk and floor space efficiently.
Keep it clean! Keep office furniture dusted, trash bins empty, throw food stuffs some place outside of your office (do you really like those lingering nasty smells?)

By utilizing these organizational tips, you will boost your job productivity. And that is a good thing!

Now to # 8. Don't become a dumping ground. Here is Craig's explanation. "When you're working on a project with others, let one of them become that place where all project-related documents are kept. If a co-worker wants to leave a stack of papers for you to review, offer instead to visit your co-worker's office to review them there. This also presents an opportunity to take a break away from your office."

The break away from your own office is good. It gives you a chance to stretch, to get your mind off of your current tasks for a bit, to let your mind flow freely while you walk to the other office (that's when solutions to problems often present themselves), gives your legs a little exercise, and gives you a change of scenery.

Keeping the "stack of papers" in your co-worker's office also keeps that clutter out of your office. Plus you don't have that stack of papers staring you in the face reminding you that you have to look at them sometime (stress building from the ground up). That way you can schedule yourself a time when you want to look them over and do them at your own pace, rather than because those papers were staring you down until you finally gave in. Don't underestimate the power of a stack of papers!

You can check out the full article for a little more explanation to all these points. Also, see my previous post Organize by dealing with it once!

So there you have it - a way to help keep your office decluttered, your stress level a little lower, and your efficiency a little higher. Wow. Aren't you glad you read this?

Organize your Motivating

2008-03-20T07:52:00.002-06:00

An article on motivational tips says research shows that "motivated employees work harder, smarter and more productively; apply more of themselves to a particular job, persevere stronger through tough odds, exhibit more passion towards their job and are more adamant about meeting goals and pursuing targets."

Since that is the case, getting organized about motivating employees is a good thing on which to spend a little time. The most important thing, I would say, is "plan to motivate." Some people are natural motivators. The rest of us have to work at it, think about it, keep it in mind, be aware it is something we need to do, plan to do it, and then figure out how to do it.

It will pay huge benefits if we can motivate people to do what they are supposed to do. Think about those employees who are just there to get the paycheck. If they can be motivated to do what they are getting paid for, everyone will benefit!

Here are the key inspiration pointers from a team at Bayt.com.

Start early: Motivating an employee starts as early as the interview period. (I guess that means we shouldn't hire someone thinking "someday I am going to have to motivate this person." Start the motivating right away!)
Communicate openly: Keep "open-doors" of communication going, being sure everyone knows the goals, strategies, and directions of the company. (That means you have to know where you are going. If you don't, then you better begin with motivating yourself!)
Diversify the work: vary the workload, give some peripheral tasks or projects to keep the work more interesting and challenging.
Delegate responsibility: give encouragement by giving more responsibility to others. Show them you trust them. (If you don't, I guess you'll have to do it yourself!)
Challenge: set the bar high, give people leeway to take calculated risks.
Listen and learn: ask for feedback from employees on their expectations and plans. (Don't forget to respond and act on good suggestions.)
Train: provide development programs that nurture your staff and build their skills.
Give feedback: regular constructive feedback is very important. Have face-to-face meetings, not to criticize, but to guide, assist, mentor, and coach.
Recognize and reward: be creative about devising ways to recognize and reward creative thinking, superlative performance, innovation, and loyalty to the company.
Be fair: being unfair can really hurt your motivational efforts. Make sure employees are competing on a level playing field with equal opportunities for progress and advancement.

There you have it. Now you are motivated to motivate, encouraged to encourage, and inspired to inspire! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and motivate!

Organizing your Spring Cleaning

2008-03-17T10:02:00.003-06:00

I hear a lot of people talking about Spring cleaning. I'm not sure why there is no Fall cleaning, or Winter cleaning, or Summer cleaning. Spring seems to get a bad wrap when it comes to cleaning.

Lisa Lelas gives some good tips for organizing Spring cleaning. Some of those tips can work well for other projects as well.

Her first tip is to get a jump-start on the cleaning. That way, when the weather gets nice, you can be outside if you want, rather than think you need to be inside cleaning.

Next she suggests beginning with an organizational plan, like a one room a week system to work on over the next six weeks or so. I like that tip. That breaks the project down into smaller parts. If you start out thinking about the entire job, it can seem quite overwhelming. By breaking it down into smaller parts, you can celebrate the success of each small step. You can get done with room one, and then celebrate the success instead of thinking, "I only have one done. How will I ever get finished?" I'm all for celebrating any chance you get. My wife and I like to use "celebrating" as an excuse to go out to eat. We can think of a lot of things to celebrate if we really try!

Lisa goes on to share tips on washing windows, getting a jump-start on the inside while the weather is still cooler, and then moving to the outside when the weather warms up. She also shares her "best recipe" for sparkling clean windows, using vinegar, ammonia, starch and warm water.

She goes on with a another good tip about using different colored wash clothes/sponges for different jobs to prevent cross contamination. And did you ever consider using Alka Seltzer tablets for easy toilet bowl cleaing? I wish I had known that when I worked in the restaurant industry. Those toilet bowls could get pretty nasty, and we were only allowed to use corporately-approved chemicals. I think Alka Seltzer tablets might have worked well.

If you are ready to tackle Spring cleaning, you might want to read her full post to get all her tips. It is worth the read.

Organize your garden

2008-03-11T17:36:00.005-06:00

Grow your gardening skills at RDstore.com! Get 10% off our gardening book collection. Enter BLOOM at checkout through 4-30-08.

The Reader's Digest Store has some great helps for organizing your garden and gardening skills this Spring. Here are some of the titles available.

The Weekend Gardner: 50 problem-solving and beauty enhancing projects tailored for time-pressed gardeners. Retail Price: $19.95, now just $12.95. You save 35%!

Scotts Lawns: This comprehensive guide offers all Scott's sccrets to success in easy-to-follow steps. Retail price: $19.95, now just $11.99. You save 40%!

Ideas for your Garden: Over 300 photographs and illustrations, plus detailed descriptions, show how to transform a plot into a beautiful garden. Retail price: $19.95, now just $18.49. You save 7%!

The Gardener's Book Box: Plan, plant, cultivate and decorate the perfect garden with inspirational guidance on everything from preparing the soil to painting garden furniture. Retail price: $30.00, now just $16.98. You save 43%!

Flower Gardening: This practical guide has detailed plans containing new flower species and trends in flower gardening. A practical guide to creating colorful gardens in every yard. Retail price: $32.95, now just $21.49. You save 35%.

Dream Backyards: Enjoy any one of over 30 projects that are practical, attractive, and will enhance your outdoor areas. Retail price: $26.95, now just $17.75. You save 34%!

Step-by-Step Yard & Garden Basics: A stunning, gardening guide with more than 80 step-by-step projects and 200 timesaving tips for the garden novice or seasoned pro. Retail price: $24.95, now just $15.98. You save 36%!

Year-Round Containers, Baskets and Boxes: This book shows, step-by-step, how to grow over 60 favorite planting schemes, incorporating tried and tested plants into a wide variety of pots, tubs, hanging baskets and window boxes. Retail price: $24.95, now just $14.49. You save 42%!

Country Garden Planner: Discover 19 unique creations by gardeners in pastoral, city, and small-town settings across the country. Retail price: 34.95, now just $18.48. You save 61%!

Beginner's Guide to Gardening: Become an expert gardener with this comprehensive reference. Retail price: $32.95, now just $25.36. You save 20%!

1001 Hints & Tips for Your Garden: This best-selling book is an indispensable A-Z guide to easier and more effective gardening. Retail price: $19.95, now just $13.49. You save 32%!

1,519 All-Natural All-Amazing Gardening Secrets: Find lots of secrets form the experts in this handy new guide. Your price: $26.96.

Vegetable Gardening: From planting to picking - the complete guide to creating a bountiful garden. Retail price: $32.95, now just $21.75. You save 34%!

These plus many more. Check them out!

Organize your computer's desktop

2008-03-09T21:59:00.005-06:00

Does your desktop need organizing? I'm talking about your computer's desktop, the screen that first comes up when you start up your computer, or log on. If your desktop looks like the one of the right, it needs to be organized. I think this one is much too cluttered. It would be hard to find anything on this desktop.

Think of your computer's desktop as a desk plus a filing cabinet. The items you want to get at very quickly, or that you use regularly, you will want to leave on your computer desktop. The other items you want to put in your computer's file cabinet. So before you begin to declutter your desktop, take a little time to make a quick list of what you want to get at quickly (shows on your desktop), and what you want to file away (won't show on your desktop).

Now armed with your list, you can create some folders. Right click on a blank space on your computer's desktop. From the context menu, create and name your new folders.

When creating and naming your desktop folders, keep these tips in mind:

Plan out your folders before you start. You don't want too many, or too few. Think about what general topics you have that you could put in a folder.
Give them specific names. Instead of just naming a folder "Documents", decide what kind of documents you are going to put in that folder. Then give it that name, like "Investments".
Create subfolders if you need to. In a folder called "Photos" you may have a folder called "Vacations" If you have a lot of vacation photos, you may want to create more subfolders and name them accordingly, like "Vacation 08," or "Florida Vacation."
Name your folders so they make sense for what you are putting in them so you can easily find what you are looking for when you need it. You don't want to waste valuable time searching for something that should be easy to find.

If you find you still have a lot of files or shortcuts that don't fit into a specific category, but you use them frequently, do what I do. Create a folder called "Frequently used" and place your shortcuts in that folder. That way they are very handy, but are not cluttering up your computer's desktop.

Now that you have your folders created, simply drag and drop items into them. If your desktop was really cluttered before, this step should clear it off quite a bit. It probably won't like quite like this one. It doesn't have any desktop folders yet. But you should at least be able to see the background when you are done, as compared to the first picture above where any background would be lost in the clutter.

Now that your desktop is organized, be sure to keep it that way. When you have new documents, shortcuts, or items that appear on your desktop, put them where they should be right away. If they don't need to be on your desktop, put them in the folders hidden from your desktop. Then you'll always be able to find what you need, and your desktop won't get cluttered up again.

Organizational tip - two goals

2008-03-04T15:36:00.004-06:00

There are really only two goals that need to be kept in mind when we are trying to get organized. It is really quite basic. If we stick with the fundamentals, the ABCs, we will discover that being organized is not all that difficult. In fact, since there are only two goals, all we need is A and B. We don't even need the C. Do you see how simple it is?

Two Goals: (the end results we want from our organizational efforts)

To get things done when we want them done, by the time they are due.
To be able to find things when we need them.

If we are accomplishing those two goals, then we must be basically organized. Otherwise, it wouldn't be happening. In that case, congratulate yourself, celebrate a bit, and keep up the good work!

On the other hand, if we are consistently late on projects, either to meet our own personal time table or to meet a due-date set by someone else, then we need to work on that area.

Fundamentals for staying on course:
Break the project down into smaller bits and pieces. Set a time table for those smaller steps. That will be our measuring stick to see if we are on target. If we are getting behind, we know we have to step it up or we won't get done on time. If we fall still farther behind, we need to analyze the project a bit. What is wrong? Is the time table unrealistic? Or are we wasting time because we are not organized? By eliminating wasted time we should be able to catch up, providing the time table is realistic.

Or is the problem that we can't find things when we need them? That can account for a lot of our wasted time - looking for things. That can get very frustrating, especially if that is keeping us from getting a project done on time.

Fundamentals for finding things:
Get in the habit of finding a place for everything, and then always putting things back in that same place. Do it no matter what. Take that extra few seconds to put it where it should be.

That can begin with something as simple as the things we take out of our pockets at night. I have a little two-layered tray on my nightstand. When I empty my pockets, I put everything in a certain spot on that tray - my cell phone, my wallet, my chap stick and eye drops, and my comb. Those things are not really that important to keep in a certain order, but by forming that habit, I can carry it over into other areas and do it there as well. If I get lazy in one area, it is easy to get lazy in other areas also. Then I am beginning to lose the battle.

By sticking to the fundamentals, we will get things done on time and we will be able to find things when we need them. We will have accomplished our two main goals!

Organize like cutting hair

2008-02-16T19:06:00.003-06:00

Organizing is a lot like cutting hair. I got my last haircut 17 weeks ago. I had it buzzed off for last summer. Then when it got cold this winter, I decided to let it grow out again. During those 17 weeks, I trimmed it up off of my ears several times, and my wife shaved my neck in back so it didn't look like I hadn't had a hair cut in forever. But it was getting a little shaggy looking, so today I broke down and got it cut again.

So, last summer I started out having my hair "organized" so to speak. It took some maintenance during those weeks, some ongoing "organization" to keep it up. But in the meantime I didn't worry about it too much. A little trim here and there and I was set for a while again.

When you get organized, a lot of the organization will take care of itself. You don't have to redo it every day. Just a little touch-up here and there will keep you all caught up.

However, there are some hairs that need more than the occasional trim. I don't have a beard or mustache, so I shave every day. I'm not one of those who look good with 3-day stubble. I tried growing a mustache many years ago. After several weeks, it was just starting to look okay. Then I got a cold with a runny nose, and that took care of that. I haven't had a mustache since.

To keep up with my facial hair "organization," I shave every day. Likewise, some of our organizing tasks take daily upkeep. They don't necessarily take a lot of time, like shaving just takes a few minutes. But it sure keeps things looking better.

So you need to look over your organizational tasks and decide which can get by with a little touch up now and then, and which need daily attention. Your email inbox may be able to go a week or two, or it may need daily attention. You have to decide how you can best keep up. The kitchen probably needs daily touch up or it becomes a burden you don't even want to look at. In that case you will feel better about yourself and your kitchen if you do the several times daily touch up. You will feel better about your office when you come to work tomorrow if you take just a couple of minutes to straighten up before you leave work today. Your garden will look better if you do the daily organizational task of weeding during the hot summer days. You will be able to find your tools easier next time if you take a moment to reorganize them when you are finished with a task.

I could wait to shave every few days, but then it becomes a much bigger chore. And I look better (well, at least not as bad). It is worth the effort. Your daily, weekly, or monthly organizational efforts will be worthwhile as well. Just keep at it!