Organizing Your Digital Life – Part I

Just like the physical items in your home, having an organizational strategy for your digital life can increase productivity and peace-of-mind. Your email inbox, music library, and computer desktop can quickly get out of control, so it’s important to take the extra time to develop a process and system around organizing your data.

Computers: The number one piece of advice I can give any client when it comes to the content on your devices is to use your inbox, home-screen and desktop only for the items you need to access that day or regularly. Consider keeping your desktop clean by only leaving your itunes shortcut, email inbox and gym class schedule on it, for example. Everything else goes in well-labeled folders or secondary screens for easy access. The same goes for your email inbox where well-labeled folders are the key to a clear mind and a clear plan of action for each day. In other words, your inbox should double as the day’s to-do list. If it’s in the inbox, you need to respond or take action on the item that day.

Smart Phones and Tablets: Most smart phones have a homescreen with a menu of apps that pops up every time you turn on the phone. This is the screen where you should house your calendar, email accounts, texts, alarm clock, notes, calculator and any other information you access several times each day. Group together your entertainment apps, including all social media and web platforms like twitter, facebook, pinterest, weather, fandango, etc. on another screen. For financial accounts that you don’t use daily, group them together a layer or two under the most important screens. You can organize your tablets in a similar way. For traditional Kindle, try the archiving feature to get the books you’ve already read out of your main view.

Music library: If you’re like me, your iTunes can get a little out of control with songs you’ve gathered along the way that weren’t named correctly. Most of us have thousands of songs which could take a lifetime just to rename consistently, so I often recommend editing just 5 mis-named songs per day (and if you have the extra time, do 10). By the end of the year, you’ll have a consistent library that is easily searchable for those moments when you MUST hear that song you love.

Each of these recommendations will take a bit of your time to organize, but it really is in your best organizational interest to take that time and get your electronic life in order. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break each technological arena down by month – by the end of the year, you’ll have your electronic life in order and a few organizational resolutions, resolved!

Good luck, and enjoy!
-TWOW

Prepping For Your Child’s Summer Break

If you’re like many parents that work full-time, your children’s summer break probably requires a lot of planning and organization. Although it’s still roughly three months away, it’s important to begin making arrangements now in order to meet enrollment deadlines and guarantee space.

To prepare for the impending break, first determine if your children will require full-time, part-time, or ad hoc child-care resources. Depending on the age of your children these resources could range from nannies to sleep-away camp. Once you decide which type of resource you will utilize, you can then begin research on your various options. We have included below a list of great websites to help with your process.

Summer Camps:

Local Kids Sports, Arts, & Educational Classes:

Summer Daycare Options:

When selecting your child’s summer plans, be sure to factor in frequency, location, time, age, child’s mental preparedness, and cost. Once you have chosen the best fit, mark on your calendar the deadlines for registration, deposit, and other requirements to ensure they don’t pass you by. Once the official requirements are met, you can begin preparation by making a checklist items or other things they may require (sports equipment, sleeping bags, art supplies, etc.). We also love this free, printable checklist for summer camp packing from Organize.com.

For those with children in their teens or early adult years, you can also assist with their summer plans, such as internships and part-time jobs. As with camps, these often fill up early, so it’s best to start the search now. We recommend collaborating with your older child on a strategy for identifying opportunities, developing necessary application documents, and conducting the actual search/interview process. Below are a couple of excellent resources for part-time job and internship searches.

Part-Time Jobs:

Collegiate Internships:

No matter your specific plans for your children’s summer break, just remember that early preparation and organization is key.

- TWOW Team

Organizing Children’s Artwork

Parents often ask how best to manage the ever-growing collection of artwork created by their children. While in parent’s eyes, every finger-painting is a masterpiece worth keeping for a lifetime, not everyone has the storage space to accommodate. The below list contains ideas for storage, organization, and alternative methods of preserving the manifestation of kids artistic talents.

  • STORAGE BOX: I often recommend that clients purchase one artwork box per child for the school year. When artwork comes home, determine which pieces are especially good and save them in the box. At the end of the school year, review the final collection and select several (3-5) pieces to keep permanently. Scan or photograph the rest before recycling.
  • SCANNING/PHOTOGRAPHING: Digitize your child’s artwork using a scanner for space-free preservation. Scanned art can then be digitally enjoyed as your computer’s screensaver or background image, in a Facebook album, or shared with relatives via email. Use computer files to categorize the artwork by grade-level or year. 3-D art can be photographed instead of scanned.
  • FRAMED DISPLAY: Use a DynamicFrame to give the masterpieces a proper display, while storing additional art behind the primary piece.
  • GIFT: With this strategy, you can gift artwork to extended family members so that they too have something to put on their fridge other great idea is to get balloon sculpting Singapore for the little ones. Invite the kids to include a special piece that they previously created each time you send a birthday present or holiday card.
  • REPURPOSE: There are many ways in which to re-purpose artwork so that you can keep the memory of the creation while eliminating the need for excess paper storage. Once a piece is digitized you can use the images to create personalized stamps, coffee mugs, artbooks, or a Pop Art canvas print from PhotoWOW.com.

Enjoy preserving your children’s treasures!

-TWOW

Organizing Your Home Library

One of the most powerful symbols of accomplishment in our lives is the books that we’ve read and the library we’ve built. Most of the people I work with view their literary collection as the physical manifestation of their intellectual lives and experience. It is deeply important to them. At the same time many of my clients struggle to keep this collection organized and manageable over time. Many of you can relate and are probably faced with the question:  how can I possibly part with any of my books? If you have the space, you don’t necessarily have to purge, but there are steps you can take to keep your collection organized, compact and visually appealing.

If you do find yourself in a position to purge your collection, it is important to recognize that this can be a highly emotional task. Take your time and set aside an hour or two on your weekend when you can have peace and quiet to evaluate what books are ready to leave your home.

In our condo my husband and I have two large Ikea bookshelves with doors for books.  I use these two bookcases as the guide for how many books are appropriate for our house.  Once we begin growing outside these bounds my husband and I know it is time to reassess what we have.  I recommend the same idea to clients all the time.

Identify the bookcases or locations that you will be storing or displaying your books and use this as a guide to the volume of books you will be keeping.

Start with a quick scan of all of your books.  There are usually a few things in everyone’s collection that they can pick out right away that can be donated and appreciated by someone else. Pull these and bag or box them immediately.

Next go through and select your absolute keeps. Set your timer and work in 15 minute chunks placing these books on the shelf.

Home Library organized by colorI personally like to organize by subject on my shelves: business, fashion, literature, mystery novels, travel books, etc.  Clients typically choose this simple method but some people find alphabetizing to make the most sense.

Books have been used by creative and design loving people for decades as décor.  So for clients who value creativity and whimsy over ease of identification I can embrace your desire to make a display out of your treasures – go ahead and sort by color if you must! It really can look stunning in a living room but take my word for it – the search for a specific book can take an epically long time!

Finally, you will need to go through your question mark items and make decisions.  This is the tough part for most clients and sometimes even for me. You likely have gift books in this pile as well as books you always intend to get to but never have. If you are tight on space, let them go.  If the idea of the book is more appealing to you than the time it will take to read, let it go.

As an organizer I’m always going to advocate for donation over selling things.  It’s simpler, you can take a tax write off and quickly remove items for your home.  You can make a little money back and feel good about sending these valuables to a new home where the can be loved twice over by another reader by selling on Amazon. Reserve a shelf for these books and track them in a spreadsheet with the price you’re asking. Keep a small set of padded envelopes, tape and address labels, and set aside time on your Saturday morning to take sold books to the post office each week.

Stand back and take in your beautifully organized books!

Happy Reading from TWOW!

Stuck in a Rut

As 2012 is in full swing, I’ve encountered many new clients who are ready to make the switch from disorganized to organized. I admire this choice, as it often takes great courage and resolve to change one’s lifestyle. A common theme I’ve noticed with people who believe they are disorganized is what I like to call stuck-in-a-rut syndrome. This syndrome usually takes the form of little items that need to be dealt with taking over large portions of our lives. The good news is that with a few simple actions, we can move beyond the small things that are keeping us from achieving our organizational goals.

I’ll give you an example of something that I see over and over again and have even experienced myself. You may be able to relate to the situation where you have many articles of clothing in need of mending, tailoring or dry cleaning but instead of taking them to be fixed, they begin to pile up on a piece of furniture in your bedroom, laundry room or spare room. The sight of this mess leads you to take a little less care in keeping that room organized and over time, more and more piles form of dirty clothes, mail, items to be donated, etc. Before you know it, you’re stuck in a disorganized rut. Sometimes, the mess begins to spread to the rest of your house – the sight of items in need of action becomes the norm.

Another example could be that you have a piece of furniture in a room of your home that needs to be repaired and is unusable until it is fixed. Slowly, you use the room less because it is no longer a comfortable place to spend time. It becomes a haven for all the other things in need of repair in your life. Sound familiar?

It is so easy for disorganization to creep into our lives, but implementing short and simple routines in your week for clothing and home maintenance can make a big difference in making sure your home remains your sanctuary.

For clients in this situation, I like to recommend a bi-weekly routine of errands, calls and actions. Pick a small amount of time on a day of your week or weekend that is conducive to completing a few tasks. For example, on Mondays, I like to stop by Starbucks on my way to a standing client appointment. There is a dry cleaner a few doors down, so I bring a few items every other Monday that need special cleaning attention and I pick up the items I’d dropped off the last Monday I was there. If you have a Saturday morning manicure routine, take your items that need tailoring with you and stop by on the way to your appointment. If Wednesday evenings are the nights your husband steps out with the guys, take a few moments of that precious time to research furniture repair businesses in your area and give them a call during lunch the following day. In other words, find the pockets of time in your week where you’ve already established routines and work in just one or two of these to-dos. A mini-alteration to your day like this can chip away at the piles, and slowly pull you out of the rut. Notice I’m not suggesting that you take a whole day of your weekend to take care of every single pile in every single room – that is not realistic, nor is it sustainable for a busy and aspiring well-organized person.

Small changes can afford lasting results. Think about what’s holding you in a rut and consider what small actions could start to pull you out. Let go of the rut by taking control of your time and your space in short but sweet bursts of time and routine. You’ll be surprised how the growing freedom you’ll feel will fuel more energy towards an organized day and lifestyle!

Good luck!
-TWOW

Getting Ready for Spring: A Checklist

Spring is just around the corner. In order to help you prepare your home for the change in season, we’ve created the below checklist. Take care of these items now and you’ll be able to enjoy the warm weather without having to worry about last minute To-Do’s. And remember, residential cleaners Brisbane North is always here to help!

 

Inside:

  • Closet Changeover: Swap out prime closet positioning of seasonal winter items (sweaters, jackets, scarfs, etc.) for light-weight Spring clothing (shorts, skirts, bathing suits, etc.). While you’re at it, don’t forget about a shoe rotation (boots for flip flops, etc.). For a complete How-To Closet Changeover guide, check out this post.
  • Mattress Rotation: Ensure maximum lifespan by rotating per manufacturer guidelines.
  • Storage: Rotate winter items from main closets to the basement or attic. Replace with items used frequently during the Spring (sports equipment, pool toys, etc.).
  • Linen Changeover: Swap out heavy linens for light-weight options. After washing, store linens in air-tight containers to protect from moths and dirt.
  • Air Conditioners & Ceiling Fans: Remove and clean filters for AC units. If your air conditioner needs more thorough maintenance, contact Gilbert AZ HVAC maintenance for routine procedures and cleaning of your air conditioning. Clean and rotate ceiling fan blades down (if unit allows) for optimum cool air delivery.
  • Household Safety Device Checks: Conduct quarterly check of smoke and carbon monoxide monitor batteries.  
  • Clean windows: Clean windows inside and out. Replace or repair broken screens prior to bug season.  According to aussieoutdoor.com.au/blinds-shop-near-me/, the proper blinds can help reduce the amount of cleaning required.
  • Purging & Organizing: Take the seasonal opportunity to review and donate/trash items that are no longer used. Organize remaining items for optimum storage and access.
  • Expiration Dates: Conduct a sweep of your pantry, fridge, medicine cabinet, and makeup drawer. Discard any items that have passed their expiration dates.
  • Closed Spaces: Inspect basement and attic for mold and pests that may have taken up residence during the winter months.
  • Infrequent Cleaning: Conduct a thorough Spring clean of your home, including spaces and items that don’t usually make the list. These may include vacuuming under the furniture, professional cleaning of rugs & carpets, washing of blinds & curtains, deep cleaning of appliances and wiping down of walls, ceiling corners, and baseboards. Carpet cleaning Sacramento provides you with the finest carpet care.

(Source: Ready Set Maids Houston cleaning service).
Outside: 

    • Roof: Inspect for winter damage. Have a professional conduct repairs where needed.
    • Grills: Inspect, clean, and condition BBQ’s and grills prior to first use. Secure a fresh propane tank, if necessary.
    • Prune, Mulch, & Plant: Prune dead branches and foliage, trim overgrown plants, and prepare the garden for planting by putting down a layer of mulch.
    • Gutters: Inspect gutters and clear debris where necessary. Pay special attention to the elbow corners where debris most often gets stuck. If gutter requires some repair work, contact Gettysburg gutter repair from Gettysburg Gutter Advantage.
    • Pool: Schedule an appointment for your pool maintenance firm to de-winterize the pool. Then secure a regular cleaning appointment with them for the warm months.
    • Patio Furniture/Outdoor Decorations: Remove from storage, assess for damage/wear, clean, and display.

For a more specific assistance contact Fort Collins septic tank pumping specialists.

Reassess Your Resolutions

It’s the end of February! Time to reassess your New Year’s resolutions.

We ran a feature in our most recent newsletter about planning your goals for 2012.  We wanted to help you plan in a way that will set you up for success over the course of the year.  The end of February is the perfect time to evaluate what is and isn’t working and make positive adjustments to our goals! These adjustments can help get you back on track to achieving your organizational goals without abandoning them altogether.

I recommend taking just 30 minutes of quiet time during a weekend when you’re more likely to feel calm, rather than during the week when you may already be anxious due to work and home duties. In that half hour, pick out the resolutions that are completely off track. Are they relevant to where you are in your life anymore? If not, it’s okay to remove them from the list completely. Let them go. If the goal is still one you’d like to achieve, leave it on the list.

Remember to be realistic in how much time it will take to reach this goal and give yourself a little more time beyond that to get there. Reset your deadline and remember to work backward in setting your milestones. Check that newsletter for a crash course in doing this.

What else? Check back in with your buddy! Let her know that you’ve reassessed your resolutions and the goals you’d like to achieve have changed a bit, but you’ll still need her support in getting there. Set weekly check-ins with each other.

This is your year to reach your goals with diligence. At the same time, be gentle on yourself by performing a resolution reassessment every so often. Readjusting your 2012 to-do list will set you up for continued success over the rest of the year. Priorities change, and so should your goals!

Here’s to 2012, again!

-TWOW

Organizing for Tax Season

Tax season can be daunting. While the Well-Organized Woman can’t make your filings any less complicated or get you more money back, we can bring some organization to the process. Follow our tips and this year’s tax season will be a breeze.

Record Keeping & Organization:

The best thing you can do to prepare for tax season is to keep organized throughout the year. There are two methods of document storage, low-tech and high-tech. For the low-tech person, who likes to keep physical copies of all records, there are many storage options. Typical hanging files, document storage boxes, and accordion folders work great. Those who are comfortable with technology or are limited in storage space may prefer to utilize a document scanner and digital storage system to store their files. No matter the method, the key to organization is to ensure that all tax-related documents are stored in categorized files. This will help you or your tax preparation professional easily fill out the forms and identify all possible deductions. Check out some of our favorite storage options below.

Low Tech Storage Options:

Plastic Document Storage Boxes

Locking Steel Security File Box

Expanding Accordion File Folder

High Tech Storage Options:

Neat Digital Filing System & Scanner

SentrySafe Fire-safe, Waterproof Data Storage Chest

 

 

 

 

Necessary Tax Documents:
This list contains categories of typical documents necessary for filing taxes. These categories can also serve as excellent file labels for document storage.

  • Income: W-2, K-1, 1099-SSA, Retirement distributions (1099-R), trust fund documents, inheritance documents
  • Self Employment: Records of income (1099-MISC) and expenses (vehicle, supplies, home office, utilities, technology, tools, etc.)
  • Investments: 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, and 1099-B forms
  • Healthcare: Medical, dental, and alternative treatment cost receipts, prescription drug costs, healthcare supplies cost receipts, etc.
  • Personal & Family: Alimony forms, proof of jury duty pay, childcare receipts, etc.
  • Education: Student loan interest forms (1098-E), undergraduate textbook receipts, tuition costs (1098-T), etc.
  • Charitable Deductions: Receipts obtained from 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charities
  • Business: Union dues, travel expenses, moving expenses, entertainment, uniform costs, etc.
  • Vehicle: Registration fee receipts, business-related car expenses including gas, insurance, and maintenance, etc.
  • Real Estate: Rental property income, home repair costs, mortgage interest forms (1098)
  • Gambling, Lottery, & Miscellaneous Earnings Documents
  • Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Documents

As always, The Well-Organized Woman team is available to assist in getting you organized for 2011 taxes or to set up a system for managing this year’s documents.

On the Go: Our Favorite Organizational Apps

In keeping with our recent theme of organizational resolutions for the New Year, let’s spend a little time going mobile! That’s right, your mobile devices and computers are great resources for helping you achieve your goals in the time management, organizational and financial arenas – on the go. Here are the best WOW-approved apps for keeping your life organized, no matter where you are in your day!

EverNote: Let’s face it, it’s tough keeping track of everything you need to do and remember in your life. That’s why I LOVE Evernote.com and its mobile app. The majority of my day is spent out of the house and at appointments. Working is therapeutic for me –  I often do a lot of my best thinking during this time – which means I’m always coming up with ideas and to-dos for my own life. It can be tough to organize these goals, but with the Evernote app, I can easily whip out my phone and record such things as the books I’d like to read, movies I’d like to watch, articles I’d like to write, recipes I’d like to cook, webpages I’d like to revisit and new organizational tools I’d like to try. But what if I can’t remember the note once I need it? Well, there’s a tool for that, of course! Evernote has a search function that allows me to use keywords to reference the note or list I’d created for myself earlier that day or even two weeks ago. It syncs with my other devices, and I can even share notes with friends and employees. This app is my organizational lifesaver, and I recommend it to most of my clients.

Mint: Ever feel like you have so many accounts in so many places and no way to organize them? Fear not!  Mint.com does it for you in a safe, secure and mobile environment. Your Mint app connects and tracks information from each of your checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, loans and retirement funds. At any point in time, I can pull up my mint.com profile and see how much money is in each my financial accounts, all in one place. But what I love most about this app is the goal-setting function. You can set goals for paying off credit card and loan balances or saving for big purchases, on a self-determined timeline. The app shows you how much you need to pay or save each month to reach your goal. We all need a little help to reach our financial goals, and mint.com provides the encouragement and accountability you need to achieve an organized financial year.

PageOnce: Pageonce.com is a wonderful app that helps you organize your finances AND pay your bills online, from one place. Like mint.com, you can view each and every account in your financial life, safely and securely, and you can pay your bills on time from your smartphone with the touch of a button. Pageonce.com will also send you alerts and reminders when you have a bill due, which helps avoid late fees. You can even choose which account you’d like to use to pay that bill. I appreciate this function, as I can’t always remember every single log-in and password when I’m on the move and in between appointments. As a bonus feature, Pageonce will also import updates from other online accounts, such as travel, shopping, social networks, event management sites, and email. If you’re a busy woman, the Pageonce app keeps your online life organized and respects your time management goals – WOW!

Dinner Spinner: Whenever I decide to cook a meal that is unfamiliar to me and my kitchen, I head straight to allrecipes.com for ideas that are quick and easy. I love to cook, but I’m also very busy, and so are my clients. Not only do I find what I’m looking for, but allrecipes.com also points me to variations on the theme in the event that the first recipe I find isn’t the right one for me and my family. Dinner Spinner is the mobile app for allrecipes.com, and it is compatible with both the iPhone and Android platforms. With this app, I can browse recipes, bookmark my favorites, share recipes with friends and create a shopping list. Cooking dinner at home helps me save money, a goal I set for my family every year. Being able to organize my meals on the go is just the icing on the cake!

 

Grocery Gadgets: Another app that saves me money and time on my way to the grocery store is Grocery Gadgets. It allows me to organize my grocery lists, recipes and coupons for free, on my phone. The app even syncs with every device in my household, which keeps my kitchen life managed, no matter where I am. With Grocery Gadgets, I can create my list, see the prices and search for offers online – talk about organized! The part I love the most about this app is that I can check the items off when I’ve bought them – putting the check in check-list is most gratifying for a Well-organized Woman!

 

If you are a mobile woman who is on the go all of the time, give any of these apps a try. You’ll be an organized, domestic and financial goddess in no time! Enjoy!

-TWOW

10 Tools to Keep Your New Year Organized

Happy New Year! I hope that your holidays were relaxing and organized. So many of my clients have such tremendous energy towards getting organized in the new year, and the momentum is truly inspiring! As the month of January gets underway, though, it is time for all of us to face the music in getting to our goals. I thought I’d take a moment to share 10 tools that can help you fulfill your resolutions in 2012 and beyond. I use each of them in my own day-to-day life, and I often encourage my clients to use those that are right for their organizational styles, as well. Read on to set yourself up for success!

1. Slow Cooker: Cooking at home is a great way to save a significant amount of money, as well as to eat healthier meals – two goals that are on most resolution lists every year. But often we find ourselves just too exhausted when we get home to prepare a full dinner, especially in the cold winter months when it gets dark earlier in the evening. A slow cooker is an age-old solution to this problem and requires a small amount of prep time. You can even prepare the contents of the next day’s meal the night before while you’re watching TV, rather than the moment you get home. In fact, I love to marinate my meats and veggies in the pot overnight (in the fridge) and simply pop it in the heating unit before I leave for the day’s activities. I like this model by Hamilton Beach because it has a timer option that switches to “Warm” mode when it’s completed its cooking cycle. Nothing feels and smells better than coming home to an already home-cooked, warm and hearty meal after a long day working!

2. Grid Organizer: The GRID-IT Cocoon Organizer is one of my favorite portable and storable organizational products. I recommend it to my clients and often give it as a gift at the holidays. Not only is it perfect for travelling in your carry-on or your purse, it’s also perfect for organizing small things around the house like earphones, cell phones, etc.

3. Purse Perfector: Chances are you’ve heard me go on and on about the wonders of the Purse Perfector, and there’s a reason! As we mentioned in our past post, Power to the Purse: How to Keep Your Handbag Organized, the Purse Perfector is a removable pouch with several pockets to hold all of your handbag must-haves. Not only will you know where things are in your purse when you need them, but you’ll be able to change handbags easily by simply moving the Purse Perfector over to tomorrow’s bag. A clean and de-cluttered handbag brings you one step closer to an organized New Year.

4. Closet Shelf Unit: Recently, I re-organized my own closet at home, and I put in this shelving unit from ClosetMaid Cubeicals to hold non-hangables. I recommend this 9-cube organizer to almost every client to organize any room in the house – from playrooms to home offices – but I have been particularly happy with it as a closet unit. City living can mean limited space for storing items like socks, under garments, t-shirts and exercise clothes. You can find it at target.com, and it is usually on sale about once a month. Give this unit a try to keep your closet and your clothing looking their best!

5. Cable Cord Holder: Sometimes it’s the little things, like hundreds of electronics cables tangled under your desk or plugged into your wall, that can make your home seem completely messy and cluttered. I stumbled upon Blue Lounge’s CableBox and CableBox Mini last year and have since used them in my own home. What a difference! The bright colors add a little pop to my home office, and all cords are nicely streamlined and hidden.

6. Winter Sales: New Years resolutions aren’t just about the beginning of the year. I also like to think ahead to the last half of the year and what I’d like to accomplish. Winter sales are a great way to stock up on gifts, wrapping paper, holiday cards and decorations at extremely discounted prices. Try target.com or momastore.org. Come next holiday season, you’ll already have new materials to work with and you won’t have to spend a small fortune to prepare!

7. Labeler: My go-to organizational accessory is the Dymo LetraTag labeler. I use it every single day with all clients and in my own home. Labeling drawers and compartments, folders and office supplies, boxes and storage bins, etc. is a key to successfully organizing and staying that way. The label serves as a reminder of what goes where, and you’ll be less likely to let things sit out or go in the wrong spot when you see them.

8. Mail Processing System: Mail has a tendency to pile up in many of my clients’ homes. Not only does this look messy but it can also lead to missed bill payments. To solve this problem, I encourage people to keep a table top file in an obvious place to sort your mail. Keep one similar to the picture below on your front table or the surface where you always drop your bag and keys when you walk in the door. The sorter is the first thing you’ll see, so it encourages you to open your mail right away and sort it according to the actions you need to take with each.

9. Night and Morning Routine: One tool you can’t buy is time. But I can at least give you a few tips for how to get more of it on your side! I have found over time that a morning wake-up routine and an evening wind-down routine keep my mind calm, organized and ready for a productive day or a restful night. At night, I like to prepare myself for the day ahead, followed by a little me-time-down-time. I’ll look at my agenda and set out my clothing and make-up for the next day. I’ll then take a little time to read before heading to bed. Then in the morning, I can easily get ready and spend time with my coffee with a clear head and organized intentions.

10. Lug Bag: I’ve had a Lug tote for a few years now, and I simply love it as a carryall for carrying my clothing and shoes to the gym. This durable bag has a compartment for your shoes in the bottom of the tote that keeps them away from your clothes and has a breathable mesh cover. The main compartment has enough space to hold your clothing and iPod, and side pockets hold your water bottle and a snack! If one of your resolutions is to spend more time being active, this tote helps you do so with style and ease.

10 new tools is a lot to add to your daily life but integrating two or three into the mix at a slow but sure pace can really improve your chances for lasting organizational success this year. I go into greater detail on a few of these items on my latest TV segment with Shaunya Chavis and Kimberly Kennedy of The Chat Room… Good luck and happy organizing!

-TWOW

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