Spring, smhing!

I thought it was spring. Look what I woke up to this morning.





I can't even see my little yellow buttercups anymore. Can you believe it was in the upper 60's on Friday and this morning snow and lots of it?

I think I will just have a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy some knitting.

I will continue our organizing secrets tomorrow with secret #5.

God bless you!
Debbie

Getting organized - Secret 4

All I can say is getting organized takes time.

4. Make a decision and act on it.

Do you have a stack of mail sitting on your table, counter top or at the point of entry you’re your home? I do. Is that stack of clutter growing daily? That stack of mail is a result of the fact that I didn’t want to deal with the mail when I had it in my hand so I dumped it. Now I have more mail to deal with than if I had just made a decision, acted on it, and moved on to my next task for the day. Most of the clutter in our lives is directly related to the fact that we put off making a decision until later. If we want to get organized and stay organized we will have to make decisions, act on them and move on.

Let’s tackle the mail and paper clutter we have in our homes and offices. Are you ready?

We need to set up an inbox for all of our papers. Paper could be mail, phone messages, notes that we wrote to ourselves and laid down somewhere (we aren’t doing that anymore, because we are not collecting our thoughts in our notebook.) etc. You might like to have an inbox close to your point of entry and possibly another inbox in your home office if that suits your needs, but one at the point of entry should be enough.

Once you have your inbox in place you will want to put all of your incoming paper in that box. Then once a day, it will only take about 10 minutes, go through the inbox and do something with each piece of mail and/or paper. Make a decision. Pick up the top item in your inbox. Does this need to be filed? File it. Does this need to be thrown away? Toss it in the trash. Can someone else handle this task? Delegate it. Does this paper require you to take action? Put it on your to-do list in your planner, or do it now. Is this a bill? Write a check to be mailed and place it in the out portion of your box to be taken with you to the PO when you run errands, or pay the bill online now. Does it need to be shredded? Shred it. Continue this process until the inbox is empty. Make a decision, act on it NOW, not later, and move on.

Whew!!! I got it done. I feel better already! How about you?

Adding a contact me gadget....

I learned how to add a gadget to allow others to contact you. This is what I did if you are interested in adding a contact button to your blogspot blot.

From the dashboard choose the layout option.
Click Add a Gadget
Choose Picture
Type in your title. (example: contact me by e-mail)
In the Link box type: mailto:youre.mailaddress@wherever.com
Load your chosen image and save.

Back to your layout page you will be able to move your gadget where you want it and save. This will allow others to send you an e-mail from your blog.

Geting organized - Secret 3

3. Write it down! NOW not later!!!

You know what they say; The faintest ink is better than the best memory. I have CRS. You know I Can’t Remember Stuff. Sometimes it is important stuff too! I bet you forget stuff too. Come on, admit it. No one will know. SO, rather than trying to keep that list going in your head without getting lost in your brains massive storage cabinet, write it down. I keep a notebook by the bed and as I think of things; ideas I want to remember, things that need to be done around the house, in the office, or just in my life in general, where I am putting something that is important and will need again in a few days, etc., write everything down in the little book for remembering.

Another thing I do to write it down is: I have a laminated grocery list that I use so when I or hubby take the last or next to last of something from the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer, we mark that item for purchase. I keep the grocery checklist on the side of the refrigerator so it is handy and I keep the dry erase marker on top of the fridge. Everyone in the house knows that if it is not on the list, it won’t be in the house come grocery day. Let your family know it is there and they will use it too.

Side note: I have tried to figure out how to insert a document here for you, but I just can't get it figured out, so.... if you would like a copy of our grocery list leave a comment and I will send one to you via e-mail if I can easily determine your e-mail address when I click on you. It is a word document and can be easily edited to add or delete items that you use or don't use in your home. OR you can shoot me an e-mail by clicking the e-mail button on the right side of this blog.

Get a calendar and place it somewhere you can see it every morning. Maybe you want your calendar in your kitchen, or on your desktop. It is okay to duplicate a calendar in more than one place. Track important dates (birthdays, dental visits, Dr. visits, your kid’s activities, important events) on all your calendars. Look at your calendar each morning before and during your planning time so you don’t forget or miss anything important on that day.

Tomorrow will be Secret 4 for getting organized.

Back to getting organized...

When we last spoke about getting organized and staying organized, not counting a small mention of it yesterday in my blog, the last thing I said was, "Don’t be upset if you don’t finish, there is always tomorrow and the reward of being organized will be worth it!"

So if you got started and are like me I can just hear it now...

Uh oh, now I have a new pile of “stuff”!! Get rid of it. You need to do something with it now. Do one of the following: sell it, throw it away, donate it to a worthy charity, or give it to someone who will love it and use it.

Ok. I hear you saying but I really just can’t bring myself to get rid of insert your temptation item here. Ask yourself some questions when you are reducing/de-cluttering. Do I really need this? Have I used it in the past 6 months? Will I need it in the next 6 months? Do I really love it? Does this item add to my life in some way? Do I know someone who could really use this and would love to have it? Will I miss it if I don’t have it anymore? Did I really even know I had this?

If you still cannot bear to part with the item, put it in one box or storage bin. One is all you get. Label the bin with every item that is in it, date the list, and store the bin in the garage, the attic, the basement or somewhere out of the way. In six months, when you haven't needed any of it, out it goes. Sell it, donate it, throw it away or give it to someone who will love and use it.

I personally will have a yard sale and make a little extra cash. I will donate everything that does not sell to a goodwill shop in the area. You can do the same, or if you don’t want to go to the bother of a yard sale just donate your items to a goodwill shop in your area and be done with it. Most will come to your home and pick up the items you are donating. It can be a nice tax deduction too.

When my house is clutter free, I will treat myself to some nice yarn - uh... I mean… uh… - treat myself to something nice that will not bring the clutter back in our home. I have worked hard to get it out and I want things to stay organized.

I mentioned that we also need to reduce in our scheduling as well. Are you asking, How am I going to reduce in my schedule? If you are like me your schedule is cram packed each day and could use some de-cluttering. We can start by getting rid of all the extras.

I hear you asking and exclaiming, What are extras? I don't have any extras?

Yes, you have extras, and so do I. Extras are activities that you are not all that gung-ho about but do anyway. Extras can also be people that drain your time and energy. Extras can be some of your children’s activities that they are really not that interested in. Take a minute to think about how much simpler and less stressful your life would be without the energy drainers and only participating in 2 or 3 extra activities rather than 8 or 9. You will not be so pressed for time if you can reduce your schedule and you will get more out of the activities you really enjoy and want to participate in.

After you drop the extras, it is time to work on the daily to do task list we discussed in the planning secret. Take a few minutes to make a list of everything you want to accomplish (if you have not already done this). Prioritize that list and incorporate it into your 6 most important tasks each day, until all the tasks in your list have been accomplished. Yes, the list will most likely grow, and some things that seem important now, may fall off your list, because they are not really important in the big scheme of things.

We can all do 6 most important things each day. Prioritize the most important list each morning before beginning your day. Schedule tasks so that you are making the most of your time. Combine like tasks. Make all your phone calls during one block of time. Do all your filing in one block of time. Pay all of your bills at the same time (maybe twice a month). Run all your errands and shop at the same time. This will help you stay focused and make the best use of your time.

Tomorrow we, really I guess it will just be me here typing to me again, but oh well... Tomorrow we will discuss secret #3 and it will be a short post compared to most of my ramblings.

Organizing- not so much- Knitting -- that's more like it!

Can I just say I think I know how you are feeling, if you are trying to get organized? Work!!! This is really a lot of work!! At least for me, getting organized is not fun, (and I am all about having fun) while you are working to get organized, but after you are organized in an area, it is very fulfilling!!!

I rewarded me with a little knitting time and now I am going to reward you, if you are interested in knitting. with a FREE pattern for a knit dish cloth.

(insert shameless plug here) --> I am listing some sets of 100% cotton cloths on my Etsy site today. SO... If you don't knit and want to try these cloths you can come shop with me. Let me know in the comments you read about them in my blog, and I will include 1 additional knit cloth at no additional charge to you. (think to self... "that was a smooth shameless plug for your knitting shop on Etsy")

I absolutely love hand knit wash cloths! I do not use anything else. They are perfect for the kitchen and the bathroom. I love to use these 100% cotton hand knit cloths for several purposes; dishes, counter tops, stove top, etc, because it scrubs and cleans without scratching the surfaces. I also use these to wash my face, because it scrubs but is not abrasive.

Enough rambling. On to the knitting. Pictures first...



I like to use 100% cotton when I am knitting up these cloths. for the multi colored cloth, I used little bits that I had leftover from other projects and I really like that cloth the best. I am going to use this during the month of April it reminds me of Easter and spring.

This is really very easy to knit and can be completed in about an hour. The finished cloth measures approximately 8X8. I used size 7 US needles and as always for cloths, worsted weight 100% cotton.
It is after all just a wash cloth so gauge is not really that important, but the gauge for this cloth is: 4 sts X 6 rows = 1 inch

Cast on 33 stitches
Every row until piece measures approximately 8 inches: K1, P1, across to last stitch, K1
Bind off loosely. Weave in ends. Voila!!

See... I told you this was easy, and quick. It is really mindless. You can knit these up give them as gifts, use them yourself or sell them. I did think up this particular pattern ans write it down so I do own the copyright, but I mean really. Anyone could think up this simple little cloth pattern and I wanted to share with my followers and reading friends.

Have fun and enjoy!!

More organizing tips/secrets tomorrow.

Me: Well... Did you get it all organized?

Reply from Me to Me: Are you crazy? Oh, yes you are! You are talking to yourself and even answering questions. Good grief!! Oh well.

No, I didn't get it all organized, but I do have my planner and I am writing things down. I have a list of errands that I have to run today and I know what my next few days are going to be spent doing.

I am excited that I am off to a good start!!

Me: What is the next secret. Remember you said you would keep sharing.

Reply from Me to Me: Ok. Here is today's secret to getting organized and staying organized. This is a long post, but I think it is worth the time and effort it will take to read and implement.

2. Reduce and de-clutter!

Let’s start with our “stuff”. I know what you are thinking, because I am thinking the same thing. Get rid of my stuff? Are you nuts? I can’t live without my stuff!! I say, if you are like me, you don’t even know you have half of the things you are holding on to. Yep, we could go out, spend a small fortune on storage bins, sort it, label it, and shove it all back in the closets, under the beds, in the garage, or rent a storage unit to hold our treasures, but really... What have we accomplished if we take that approach? We still have bins full of things we don’t need, won’t ever use, and will forget about as soon as the bins are stacked and out of site.

Reducing and de-cluttering is a very important first step on the journey to getting organized and staying organized. It will be easier to reduce and de-clutter if we divide and conquer. There is no way we can de-clutter in a day, what it took years to collect. It is going to take time, effort and energy to get rid of our clutter. Take it a step at a time. Conquer one room at a time. Stay in that room until you are done. No! said with exaggeration. I don’t mean you have to work on that room for a continuous 120 hours until it is complete. Just work for your designated time each day in one room until that room is clutter free. Take time to celebrate after each area is de-cluttered. I like to reward me for a good job. It makes me ready for the next job and the reward for accomplishing the task at hand.

I am dividing my home up like this:

Master bedroom closet
Master Bedroom
Master Bath
Main living area
Kitchen
Dining Room

You get the idea…

NO! You don’t have to go out and buy a lot of “storage” supplies. Be creative and use things you have on hand. For instance, you could use the storage containers you already have on hand for some of the items you plan to keep. You could put like items in an old shoebox, label the box with its contents and store it in a closet. You could use an old chipped coffee cup as a pen and pencil holder.

How do I reduce? Start somewhere, anywhere; just pick a place to start and start. Whether it is your closet, a drawer in the kitchen, a storage bin, a pile of mail on the kitchen counter, or whatever is lying around that you are tired of tripping over every day, take everything out of the closet, drawer, storage bin, etc. (including your schedule), AND only put back the things that you really use. Chances are if it is in a bin covered in dust and you are shocked at what you find, we don’t really need it. Let it go.

For the sake of an example I am going to start in my closet. Oh boy!! What a mess. I have enough clothes and shoes for… well; let’s just say I have a LOT! So, I am going to reduce! Just for fun, (it’s not really for fun ‘cause it’s a big fat mess and I don’t’ have room for more clothes or shoes) I have over 100 pairs of shoes. No, I don’t wear them all, (and you don’t either) so reduce today!

Now that I am ready to start, cleaning out the closet it seems really overwhelming. That’s why I have not done it before now. What am I going to do? Am I going to abandon my resolve to get organized? NO!! I am going to divide the task of cleaning the closet into smaller bites. This is an elephant to me, so I need to eat it one bite at a time. I am going to divide the closet into manageable tasks.

My shoes
Hubby’s shoes
My clothes
Hubby’s clothes
Shelved items

That seems more manageable to me. Now I am really ready to start getting organized.
In my planning stage I determined that I am willing to devote one hour each day to the getting organized process. Tomorrow I am going to start on my closet. I plan to get up at 7AM and work from 7:30AM-8:30AM on the closet. At 7:30AM I will set a timer for one hour and work like mad to accomplish all that I can to reduce items in my closet. I will start by removing all the shoes from the closet and only keep the 10 pair that I love and wear. Yes only 10 pair. We are reducing. Now, I don’t need to go out and buy a new shoe organizer!! The next day I will tackle the clothes in the same manner. Maybe the next day I need to tackle the shelved items in the closet, or my husband’s area of the closet.

No matter where you choose to start remember to take it one day at a time. Slow and steady wins the race. Determine the time you are willing to devote to the task, set your timer and work like a crazy woman to get as much done in the allotted time as you can. Don’t be upset if you don’t finish, there is always tomorrow and the reward of being organized will be worth it!

More tomorrow... or maybe it will have to wait until Tuesday of next week, cause I am not going to hit the closet until Monday. (I have a lot of prior obligations this weekend.) I will try to remember to take pictures.

Secrets that will help you get organized and stay organized!

We all love a good secret. You want to know the secret?

Well… there aren’t really any secrets. Just some habits that we need to form over the next few days, well, okay, maybe it will take the next few months. My point is we can get organized and stay organized. We just need to apply these habits to each area of our lives in order to get organized and stay organized.

SO… if you are living in clutter and disarray, and feeling overwhelmed, let’s get started today by developing a few habits that will help us get organized and stay organized in every area of our lives!

Remember!! We need to start by doing a little at a time. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, of course! Don’t try to do it all at once. If we try to do it in a weekend we will probably continue to feel overwhelmed and give up. We need to work a little each day until it is second nature to us and then we won’t have to work at it, it will just come naturally. We are going to start by setting aside 30 minutes to one hour each day for organizing.

Don’t forget this may take some of us months. Are you ready? I am!!

Today's post will be the first of several posts on getting organized. Please leave comments and let's support each other.

Here we go:
1. Research and Plan

It is important to know where you are going and how you are going to get there. I bet someone has been where you are and can give you some insight. The internet has a world of information (not all good, but none the less it is there). I hope that this blog of mine about getting organized will contain all the information you will need, but after all I am human, and may not have thought of everything.

Plan ahead. Planning ahead will save you time, frustration, and stress in the long haul. Think about what you really want when you are “organized”, what you might need, any issues that you think may come up, things that you already know will hinder you so you can proactively work around those things, etc.

Make a list of everything you can think of that needs to be done in order for you to be organized.

Make a decision - determine how much time you can devote to getting organized each day. Set aside the time and tackle the task. Some time set aside to get organized is better than no time.

Purchase a day planner to help you stay on schedule.

Plan daily and stick to the plan.

I like to plan each morning while I have a cup of coffee, or tea. Having a planner works hand in hand with reducing and de-cluttering your schedule, which is under secret 2? Set aside time to plan your day each morning. While you are planning your day read back through the things you wrote down yesterday and incorporate your thoughts, ideas, and needs into your daily plan, your calendar, and most important list so you don’t forget. Incorporate your to-dos into your daily tasks list.

Don’t try to do more than 6 most important tasks. If you try to do more than 6 most important tasks you are setting yourself up for failure. More times than not, trying to incorporate more than 6 most important tasks cannot be accomplished in a day and will only frustrate your efforts.

Prioritize your tasks from most important to least important. Try not to beat yourself up for not completing a task today. Move all your uncompleted tasks from today's list to tomorrow's list and start the process anew. You will find that some things you thought were important today aren’t really that important to you after all because they keep getting moved until tomorrow. If you keep moving a task forward, it is one of two reasons. You are procrastinating, because you don’t want to do it yourself, you don’t know how to do it, or you are overwhelmed by that particular task. OR you it is not really as important to you as you originally thought and that particular task may fall off of your 6 most important tasks and move to your to do someday list.

Delegate. Yes, we are wonder women, but we can’t do everything and stay organized. When we delegate we achieve more than we could on our own. Delegate some of your daily tasks to family members or hire someone to complete tasks that you cannot or do not want to do yourself. Just a little note to self… may not want to “delegate” to hubby… maybe we could work together on getting some things done rather than me just “delegating” to him.

Follow through on your to do list. Why go to the effort of making a list if you are not going to complete the tasks. Don’t procrastinate. Remove or ignore as many distractions as possible. Dive in and get it done. You will be glad you did.


This gives us something to think about and a starting point. I will post secret 2 in a day or two.

Hello!! Anyone home?

Me: I'm here. I just made coffee. Would you like a cup?

Reply from Me to Me: I would love a cup, thanks!

I have my organizational thoughts with me and I thought I would share.

Me: Please do!

March already?

Me: Hello!! How are you doing?

Reply from Me to Me: You know that you are going insane when you answer yourself, but oh well… I am doing well. I can’t believe we are 3 days into March already. This year is really flying by for me.

Me: What have you been up to?

Reply from Me to Me: I have been knitting and working on writing my secrets to getting organized and staying organized.

Me: You didn’t make but one post in February, so I thought maybe you had disappeared or something was majorly wrong.

Reply from Me to Me: No, nothing wrong here, just living life, knitting, and being distracted by those things. I will make an effort to post more than once in March. I really did mean to post more in February.

Me: Can I see some of the things you were knitting?

Reply from Me to Me: Sure, I’d love to show you. I have pictures. The items have been placed in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnitRDie if you are interested and want to take a look. I completed the design of two items and posted patterns for those two items. I have some ideas in my head and hope to work on getting them on paper as easy to follow instructions. Remind me to keep you updated on the progress. HEY!! Let me know what you think about these pictures and hand knit items they contain. I would love to know what you think and what you think I should add to the shop.











Me: Love the work!! I hope it is okay for me to say that since we are one and the same. Well... I have to have a conversation and this is the only way I know to do that, since we are most likely the only one reading this blog.

Oh!! You mentioned secrets to getting organized…

Reply from Me to Me: Yes!! I have my thoughts written down and I should be able to begin sharing the secrets with you this week.

Me: Great!!! Don’t forget, I am waiting here with baited breath to see the secrets. It is lonely here so please come back soon. I want to see if any of the secrets for getting organized and staying organized will work for me (us).