Get Organized - I Can Help!

When the going gets tough...get organized!

2009-01-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

It seems that we are in for some tough times, and I would like to share with you my "Top Five Tips" for dealing with them.

1) Everyone knows the KISS principle. I have changed it to mean "Keep It Simple Systems". Systems can make or break our ability to accomplish our goals or not.

Do you or someone you know, have goals that include cleaning up messes at home or the office?When we have messes, they inhibit our ability to move forward because they keep us stuck in the mess. When we get organized, we are free to move forward toward our goals. Simple systems make that possible.

2) Make goals for yourself. Write them down, share them with someone, make them measurable, and realistic. When we do this we become accountable to ourselves and others and we are more likely to follow through on the goals. One of my goals for this year is to drink a liter of water per day. I know two is better, and I know myself, it just won't happen. Sounds simple, but it isn't for me.

3)Ask for help. Many of us have a 'Lone Wolf' mentality. We think we have to do it all ourselves. When we begin to delegate, we free up our ability to be more productive, creative and efficient.

4) Let go. For many people this is a real tough one. When we hold onto things or ideas that are counter-productive, we essentially make ourselves prisoner to that thing or idea. 'It' controls us.
We help people let go of things that are keeping them stuck so they can move forward again.

5) Have Faith. Believe in a power greater than yourself, in yourself and others. It is easy to be negative and complain. It takes work to remain positive in difficult times. Protect your confidence by staying connected to your higher power and people that believe in you and your goals.

Organizing Garages

2008-06-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Does your garage look like a tornado ripped through it? Well, you're not alone. Most garages today don't do what they were designed to do - hold cars! Garages have become what I call the "dead zone" - a place to dump everything and anything that people don't want to deal with. Sound familiar? There is an easy way to tackle the garage this summer without losing your shirt (unless it's hot) or your peace of mind. Here's how to do it, step by step.

Remember it is a PROCESS NOT AN EVENT! It's going to take some time.
1) Start with having the right tools for the job - garbage bags, boxes or cans, recycle bags & boxes, thick black marker, label maker, packing and/or duct tape, broom or shop vac, empty vehicle

Now you may wonder about this eclectic list, but it will soon make sense. The list above is what you need to begin the first phase of organizing your garage - the clean out. You have to go through all of the items in the garage and decide if you want, use or need it. This is where the boxes or bags come in handy. Use bags for soft or lighter items (clothing, toys etc) and boxes for hard or sharp edged items (books, equipment etc) that you do not want. Paper and cardboard can go in recycle bags or boxes based on weight.

2) Put the "keep" items to one side of the garage and label the box or bag. Keep "like" items together (balls, toys) and different apart (gardening and car supplies). Put the unwanted items to the other side. This is when you can use the black marker, save using the label maker for the permanent label on the container.

3) Depending on the amount and type of unwanted items that are left from the clean out, you can either, recycle, donate, consign, throw out or hold a garage sale. Each one of the options has more or less work associated with it.
The simplest and least time consuming is to load up your empty vehicle and take it to a donation centre of your choosing. Look in your local yellow pages for a centre near you. Some of them will even give you a charitable receipt for income tax purposes.
If you choose to consign it, be prepared to either take a photo of the items and send it to them or have them come to see it. Consignment shops are picky about what they choose to sell. They often have restrictions such as dry cleaned clothes only, no damaged furniture etc. This process takes longer to complete.
Holding a garage sale consumes the most time and effort, as you have to sort, price, display and work the event. At the end of it though, you might have some extra spending money.

4) Now it's time to clean the garage. Use the broom and dust pan first, to get up the big stuff and then use the shop vac to vacuum the entire floor area. Make sure to vacuum ceiling corners and walls for spider webs and dust bunnies. If you want, you can even power wash the floor.

5) Now you need to see what is left from the clean out and decide how to "contain" it. I suggest wherever possible to use wall and ceiling space instead of floor space. It would be nice to get your car in again. At this phase you might have to spend some money to purchase garage organizing products.

Shelving is neccessary. Buy shelves that are deep and sturdy to hold plastic containers that can be stacked and labeled (now you can use the label maker). Remember to put "like" items together and "different" apart. Shelving should be braced to the wall for safety.

Use the walls to put up all gardening tools, bikes, shovels, ski & golf equipment etc. Use the ceiling for off-season storage. There are many companies that specialize in garage organizing products.

When this all done, enjoy driving into your organized garage!

Summer Organizing

2008-06-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Summer can be a challenging time to get or stay organized.
This can be a time when your home or office turn into "hurricane alley" because you and your family are out of your usual routines with school out and holiday time.

Here are my "Top 5 Tips" for starting or maintaining any organizing projects you might want to tackle.

1) Paper Management - choose a permanent place to handle your paper. Be sure to have a paper recycling bin and garbage can handy. Use the "F.A.T" method when handling all paper-File, Act or Toss. Spend more time "tossing" paper into the recycle bin.

2) Tackle one space at a time and finish it. Don't begin another project until the first is done.

3) Make a regular appointment (ex. once a week for 1 hour) with yourself on your calendar and keep it.

4) Remember that organizing is a process, not an event.

5) The goal of organizing is to be able to "find what you want, when you want it".
The average person spends 45 minutes a day looking for things (keys, info, glasses etc.) which translates into six weeks a year in wasted and frustrated time!!!

When you're done, sit back and enjoy the benefits of your labour.

About Liz Manore

2008-05-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth (Liz) Manore is a Professional Home and Office Organizer. She helped pioneer the Organizing Industry in the Greater Toronto area through the formation of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC). She is the Founder and President of The Company of Organizers Inc. - a company she created in 1993(formerly Wilful Units) to organize Corporations, Small Offices, Home Offices and Residences.
As an innately organized person, Liz brings this unique ability and expertise to all of her work. She understands the necessity for being organized in all areas of life. She has seen the cost and effects of disorganization in her clients' homes and offices with the loss of productivity, efficiency, and enjoyment.