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Get Organized!

I’m excited to say that those days are way behind me….I’m going to share some ideas that will help you get organized!! As with anything new, start with one idea try it and then another. Guaranteed you will reduce your stress level, you will be able to find what you are looking for, you’ll never miss another appointment or be charged because you missed it and others will admire your ability to be on time. And these are just a few benefits of getting organized.

The first thing I did was purchase a PDA (your very own Personal Digital Assistant). This nifty little device has a calendar that allows you to schedule all your appointments and important dates. They have options that let you schedule one time dates, every other week or every year. I put in reoccurring reminders, like physicals, birthdays and even the reminder to have the furnace serviced each year. Some of the higher end PDAs allow for wireless connection to the internet (for browsing and email), have built in MP3 players, store digital photos and double as mobile phones. I purchased the higher end PDA because I wanted to be able to connect to the internet without having to lug around my laptop. You really have to get one of these if you are serious about getting organized.

This device was great for me, but part of getting organized was making sure others in the household (my kids and husband) knew what was going on too. It didn’t make sense for us all to own a PDA so I purchased a monthly dry erase board and posted it on the refrigerator. This way each morning everyone can check the calendar for events that day or see what’s going on for the month. Getting organized is basically a matter of developing good habits. Organize your time, home and work space for more productive living.

The next thing I needed to do was organize my home office. Every home office should have a computer, basic desk, file cabinet, bookcase and supplies. Here’s a link to Office Depot where you can find everything you need to outfit your home office. (Tip: Save time, money and avoid the aggravation by shopping online.)

Here are some other basic tips that have helped me get organized:

• Go through your belongings. Examine what you have and how you store it. Throw out, sell or donate what you don’t use.

• Keep things you use frequently at arm’s length.

• Get storage boxes for items you use only occasionally.

• Keep important documents (passports, birth and marriage certificates, car and real estate deeds) in a safe box

• Purchase a storage unit for mail. Once bills are paid file them away

• Create an alphabetical file system. Include files for personal documents such as insurance policies and credit reports. Have one for finances such as bank statements and income tax papers. Another for home related documents such as warranties and manuals.

• Change the cycles on your bills so that they correspond to when you get paid. Then assign a day to consistently pay these bills. This way you avoid any late fees.

• Have the kids help with household chores. (I post this on the fridge too.)

• Put things back in their proper places (I am still trying to “train” my kids and husband to do this one.

If you want a more detailed list for the year I recommend getting Finally Free, Finally Organized Office edition or the Home edition. It is an amazing collection of 1,875 organizing tips, ideas and techniques to help you organize your office, your files, your schedule, your computer files and your email. You'll find clutter-control tips for your desk and time management systems to help you be more productive, without the need to work harder. You'll discover super ways to organize all of your paper and your projects. Catch up with your filing and your business reading once and for all. Ideas and systems to keep you motivated, and so much more!

Click Here for the Top 5 Organizational Resources