By Jacquie Ross of CastAway the Clutter! 

Have your efforts to get organized failed?  Has procrastination become such a bad habit that it sabotages your efforts to get organized?  Procrastination can easily become a habit and can be a hard habit to break.  However, with some honest self-assessment and an organized and attainable plan of action, you can improve your efforts to be more organized and stop procrastination forever.

Many people who procrastinate are so used to functioning this way, they don’t even recognize it as procrastination.  Procrastination comes in many forms.  Here are a few clues that you may be procrastinating:

1. You’ve been talking about decluttering and organizing your guest room for several months now.
2. You’ve been avoiding decluttering your guest room because you don’t really want to do it, so you make excuses by doing other “busy work” instead.
3. You feel overwhelmed by the task and don’t know where to start, so you do nothing.
4. You have tried to declutter and organize your guest room in the past, but always find a way to finish early, leaving the project unfinished with no specific plan to continue the job on another day.

How do you kick the procrastination habit?  Begin by taking that overwhelming guest room and breaking it down into smaller parts that feel less overwhelming.  Then allocate a certain amount of time to work in the room; and when the time is up, you’re finished for the day.

Be accountable to someone else about improving your procrastination habits.  Tell them about the room you want to organize and when you’d like it cleared out and clutter-free.  They can help you to set deadlines and also check in with you from time to time to see if you’re making progress.  This will most likely create a commitment on your part to fulfill the expectations they've set for you.

As you work on your procrastination habits, you will probably begin to notice that you procrastinate in other areas of your life too.  This can affect your overall productivity, so it’s a good idea to sit down and map out a plan to manage your time more effectively.  When a deadline is approaching, be sure to give yourself enough time each day to work on the project so it doesn't sneak up on you at the last minute. 

When you are close to reaching your organization goal, reward yourself for good behavior.  Don't wait until you've accomplished the end goal, but reward yourself for your successes along the way. 

By making a commitment to avoid procrastinating, you'll soon be well on your way to getting those organizing projects done.  You will also discover that you will feel more relaxed, more productive and less stressed! 

© 2012 Jacquie Ross, CastAway the Clutter.  All Rights Reserved.

Jacquie Ross is a professional organizer, life and family coach and award winning owner of CastAway the Clutter! A busy mom expert, Jacquie works with moms, families and busy professionals to clear their clutter, manage their time and run their households more effectively.

By Trish Walsh of Conquer Clutter 

As we begin the new year, many people have added "get organized" to their list of goals. The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) has designated the month of January as National Get Organized Month, or "GO Month." With this in mind, I've outlined below some things to consider as you interview Professional Organizers to help with your organizing projects and clutter. 

1. Look for an organizer who will respect your confidentiality and is non-judgmental – someone willing to listen to your needs and goals, and work with you to get there.
2. Patience. The organizing process can be physically and mentally overwhelming. It’s important to find an organizer who will work at your pace.
3. Is the organizer an active member of NAPO or the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD)? Not only do these professional organizations offer relevant continuing education classes and seminars, affiliation shows commitment to the field.
4. Ask about the organizer’s area of expertise. For example, some organizers specialize in clients with ADD or ADHD, seniors, or students. Others specialize in wardrobes and closets, or paper management and file systems.
5. What services does the organizer offer? Will he or she remove donations and trash, or simply coordinate removal? Does the organizer offer a shopping service for supplies and materials? Is there a fee for the additional services?
6. What are the organizer’s fees? Is it hourly or by-the-project? Is there a minimum number of hours required per booking? Does the organizer charge for cancelled appointments? What forms of payment does the organizer accept?
7. Does the organizer carry liability insurance? This is particularly important if your project involves packing and unpacking or a move.

Lastly, the NAPO website defines a professional organizer as someone who uses tested principles and expertise to enhance the lives of clients. By designing custom organizing systems and teaching organizing skills, they help individuals and businesses take control of their surroundings, their time, their paper piles, their lives!

Armed with this information, you are now prepared to find a Professional Organizer that best meets your needs.

© 2012 Trish Walsh, Conquer Clutter.  All Rights Reserved.

Trish is a writer, speaker and owner of Conquer Clutter. She holds a Certificate of Study in Chronic Disorganization from ICD and is a Golden Circle member of NAPO. She offers personal, non-judgmental assistance to empower homeowners and small businesses to reclaim their space and gain a more ordered life.

by Jacquie Ross of CastAway the Clutter!

After a long summer break, most children are bored and ready to go back to school, especially when it’s time for back to school shopping.  However, before you leave for your back to school shopping spree, you’ll need to get organized, so that you can have the best experience possible.  First and foremost, you’ll want to set a budget, and let your children know that you have one.  This will teach them a lesson in responsibility and they are less likely to be disappointed when they can’t have anything they want!

Here are 8 tips to help you to plan a successful back to school shopping trip:

1. Before you begin your back to school shopping spree, go through your child’s closet and thoroughly de-clutter and organize.  Donate clothes and shoes that they are no longer wearing.
2. Take inventory of the remainder of clothes which can be worn during the school year.  This avoids wasting time shopping for clothes that they don’t need.
3. Make a list of essential and basic clothing that they will need during the school year.  For instance, underwear, socks, t-shirts or sweat shirts, shoes, boots, raincoats, hats, gloves and scarves. Figure out approximately how many of each item they will need, and consider stocking up on extras to use later in the year.
4. Keep in mind that you may not just be shopping for their day-to-day wear; you may also have to plan ahead for their after-school activity clothes too. Take into account what after-school activities they will be participating in and plan accordingly.
5. Check the school’s dress codes so that you have up to date information before you go shopping for back to school. Otherwise, you may run the risk of ending up with a wardrobe full of clothes that your child can only wear on weekends.
6. Check out back to school sales flyers and see if you can get a few things you need on sale. You may also want to check for deals online, and also take advantage of online coupon codes.
7. Before you leave for your shopping trip, make an agreement with your child that they can pick out one or two outfits that they like.  This will make the trip a little more fun for them.  Of course, you’ll also need to remind them of your budget.
8. During your shopping trip, you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes, shop smart, take advantage of sales and try to mix and match separates as much as possible.

Finally, if your state has a Tax Free Shopping Week, take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity and plan the majority of your shopping during this week.  By planning and organizing your back to school shopping trip, you’ll feel more in control, less stressed and are less likely to overspend.

© 2011 Jacquie Ross, CastAway the Clutter!  All Rights Reserved.

Jacquie Ross is a professional organizer, life and family coach and award winning owner of CastAway the Clutter! A busy mom expert, Jacquie works with moms, families and busy professionals to clear their clutter, manage their time and run their households more effectively.  Learn more about her organizing and coaching services at www.CastAwaytheClutter.com.

by Barbara Boone of Productivity Solutions

 

Everyone loves to go on vacation. You can feel the excitement and anticipation as the day draws closer. Is some of that excitement disguised as anxiety over getting everything ready in time? How can you avoid that anxiety? Here are some suggestions that you just might want to try.

• Use a packing list. You may also customize your own list. Making one ahead of time and printing out copies for future use is valuable because you create the list in a time of peace and calm.
• Lay out your suitcase(s) ahead of time in a room that has little traffic and low usage. How far ahead of time depends on you, your comfort level, and usage of the room for the suitcases. I generally lay mine out a week ahead of the vacation in my guest bedroom. I do this because I can calmly place things in the suitcase as I think of them. The first items I put into the suitcase are the staples of a vacation: pajamas, underwear, socks or hosiery. These of course are extra things that I am not currently using.
• Think through your itinerary. Are you going to be doing any unusual activities that require some special clothing or equipment? If you can, put these items in or just near the suitcase so that you don’t forget them.
• If you can plan your outfits ahead of time, do so. I put the tops and bottoms of outfits that I want to take with me in the room with the suitcase. As the departure day gets closer, I pair up the outfits and see if I want to add or subtract anything.
• If you have your outfits laid out, decide what accessories you want to take with you such as jewelry. Planning ahead ensures that you won’t forget that favorite necklace that matches your blue dress.
• Pack enough medications for your trip. It is always a good idea to include some extras in case you get delayed. I put mine in ahead of time so that I won’t forget them.
• If traveling by plane, plan on how you will get to the airport. Make sure you have a back-up plan if things change.
• If traveling by car, have your mechanic look over the car for routine maintenance.
• Have all of your travel documents collected together in a container. This will make it easier to find them when you need them. I use a plastic badge holder with a loop to put over my head for my security information when traveling by plane. I can easily show them to the security people while I am holding my suitcase or purse.
• Give your travel information to a close friend or family member. This tip is for your safety as well as the comfort of your family and friends.
• If packing more than one bag, think about putting like items together. For instance, all shoes in the same place. If you are traveling to the beach and need to pack a beach bag, that can be done ahead of time. Make sure to include sunscreen, towels, flip-flops, bathing suits, sunglasses, and reading material.

As the departure day gets closer, do the following:

• Stop the mail/newspaper. This is a security precaution so that your home doesn’t look like you are on vacation from the outside.
• Check animal boarding info if applicable.
• Water plants or have someone come and do it for you.
• Check your thermostat if you want to put it in vacation mode or turn it off completely.
• Turn off the icemaker in the refrigerator so that it doesn’t overflow while you are away.
• Tell close neighbors so that they can keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior.
• Leave a light on somewhere in the house so that it appears that people are home.

If you follow these easy suggestions, you will feel more at peace when you leave the house and you will enjoy your vacation much more.

© 2011 Barbara Boone, Productivity Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

Barbara Boone is a professional organizer and productivity consultant for small businesses. She specializes in paper management and file set-up to help business owners save time, money and space in order to be more productive in their offices. She is also a speaker for small groups and a published author.