Expanding Into Summer, Expanding Into Time

As summer continues to keep us entertained, we find it is more difficult to get things accomplished. We often find that the more time we have on our hands the less likely we are to be able to check things off our to-do list. Although it seems backwards, it is an absolutely true statement. If you find you have lots of time on your hands lately, here are a few techniques on how to have fun and still get things done this summer and beyond.

Pick Three. Choose three things you want to get done each day. It is a small, manageable number that allows you to stay focused, feel accomplished when you get them done and still have time for fun.

Rise and Shine. You will be more successful at accomplishing items on your to-do list if you stay focused on your tasks in the morning and knock them out early. The more time that ticks away in the day, the less likely you are to start or finish them.

Reward Yourself. Plan your day by choosing something fun to do after you complete your three tasks. Hopefully the idea of that fun activity will continue to spur you on to finish the three task items.

Schedule an Appointment. If you find you are still procrastinating on an important item on your list try scheduling the task on your calendar. Most people take doctor's appointment seriously on their calendars and make sure they show up. Create an appointment for that need-to-do task and show up to get it done.

Go to Work. Another technique is to plan work days and fun days. Decide which days will be your work days and spend that day checking things off your list. The next day can dedicated to fun with no guilt that you still have things to do. Ahh!

Remember time is like your waistline. It can continually expand or you can work to maintain it. Try these tips for helping you balance your tasks and fun this summer. If you need help getting a start on your task list, call Jill Weaver at 843-521-7099 or see our website at www.organizebeaufort.com to get started today.

Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime!

Summer is here, the temperatures are in the 90's and the sun is shining daily. Hopefully you have some fun plans this summer including summer camps, beaching, boating, trips and vacations. Regardless of your plans this summer, all of this activity requires organizing as you pack and unpack throughout the summer. Here are three tips to keep you organized while the good times roll.

Don't over pack. Most people over pack when heading out of town by 30%. Lighten your load this summer by bringing less with you. Set everything out that you think you want to pack. Then take another look at the stack and remove at least three items. Another way to lighten the load is the be smart about the items you bring and find items that can work double duty when on the road. Remember that we are trying to avoid the idea of bringing something "just in case".

Use plastic. Plastic dry cleaning bags can help you to keep items from getting wrinkled while in transit. It is also good to bring a plastic trash bag to use as a dirty clothes bag while traveling. It helps you to keep the clean and dirty clothes separate as well as creates an easy way to pull out your dirty clothes when you get home.

Unpack right away. When the fun is done and you have returned home relaxed and exhausted that is just one important task to accomplish, unpack. If you grab your dirty clothes from your travel bag and return your personal items to their home, you will have mostly unpacked in a matter of minutes. Unpacking is a dreaded task by many but if you are able to unload your bag and store the luggage right away, your transition home will be that much smoother and you will be able to find everything when you need it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer enjoying the beautiful weather, and visiting family and friends. With these three steps, you can stay organized while traveling and upon returning home. If you need help creating an organized travel life, call Jill Weaver at 843-521-7099 or see our website at www.organizebeaufort.com to get started today.

The Three Bad Words in Organizing

As I continually study the art of organizing and time management it occurred to me that there are three words that work against us when organizing. They are commonly used words that most people would not think twice about using. To me these words represent lost documents, tasks never getting completed and hanging onto clutter. If you are striving for an organized life, look for these words in your work and life and try to eliminate them for good.

Miscellaneous often creeps into many filing systems. This file holds....well...miscellaneous. This title ends up being a dumping ground for indecision. Instead, while sorting your items and papers I suggest creating a category for "I don't know yet". At the end of your organizing project you then go back and make the decisions as to where those items or papers will live. By deciding now you can avoid the black hole of the miscellaneous category and be able to find your papers when you need them.

Later is found when we talk about trying to get things done. "I'll attend to that later", "I'll put that away later","I'll make that decision later". Later is another word for delayed decision making. It also is the root cause for piles, missed deadlines and disorganization. By making these decisions today, you can live a simpler, more organized life.

Just in Case is often whispered in our closets and garages. "I'll hold onto this just in case I need it". Remember that holding onto items 'just in case' costs you time, money and storage real estate. One year is a good mark to determine if a 'just in case' item is worth keeping. Ultimately, you have to decide if your time and storage space are worth holding onto that 'just in case' item.

For those who are striving for an organized life, I suggest trying to work these words out of your vocabulary. You will be able to find things easier, get things done more efficiently and have less clutter. If you need a coach to help you create an organized life, call Jill Weaver at 843-521-7099 or www.organizebeaufort.com to get started today.

HELP! The Greatest 4-Letter Word You Know

Lately I have been having a lot of conversations with my clients about the importance of having people help you get things done. We all hesitate to ask for help or take people up on their offers to help. If done right, hiring people or delegating responsibilities can be the best thing you could ever do for yourself. Here is the right way to ask for HELP: Hire people or services to help you get things done in your work and personal life. It is impossible to get it all done by yourself. Not only do you want to hire people to lessen the load, you also want to hire people or services that are experts in their fields. Experts, like myself, help you figure out the best way to get something completed with the right resources, in a shorter amount of time and done the right way. Services that make your life simpler and easier to manage are professional organizers, bookkeepers, administrative help, landscapers, personal trainers, cleaning services, and child care, among others. Explain what you want them to do and what you expect the outcome to be. If you are fortunate to have someone at home or in the office that can assist you on completing tasks, first say yes and then prepare yourself to train them. The best way to make this work for you is to tell those who are helping how, when, where and most importantly why so they get a complete understanding of what you expect. Take the time to teach them what you know and share your expertise; and then let it go. If you train the right person the right way, you will find new found freedom that will benefit you, your business and your time. Let go of what you are not good at doing or don't like. If you are managing a home, a small business or a corporate giant, you probably find that you are doing more and more on your own these days. To successfully delegate or hire services, you have to select the right tasks. Determine what tasks are most important for you to complete and what are you the best at doing and pass on the rest. Plan how you are going to use your new-found time. So now that you have chosen the right person, trained them on how to do the job and delegated those things you don't like, it is time to decide how you are going to use your time. Don't be shy, asking for HELP is one of the best tools you can use to get your time and life organized. Isn't it time you hired an expert to get the job done right the first time? Call Jill Weaver at 843-521-7099 or www.organizebeaufort.com to get started today.

Get Relief by Decluttering

I'm an organized person but I, like everyone, likes nice things and things that make me feel nice. I recently kicked an addiction and I wanted to share it with you. I found myself at this time last year with almost 12 bottles of lotion. I found whenever I was out shopping I would pick another bottle of lotion. One would smell nice, one would feel good and another would have a great package. Slowly I amassed a collection of 12 different kinds of lotions, and sometimes I would have two of each.

One day I found myself searching for a lotion and was completely overwhelmed by my choices. Did I want the Vanilla Sugar, Orange Ginger or Lavender today? I am a fan of variety but this was too much and it was taking up almost half of my bathroom storage. At that point I vowed to not buy another lotion until I was down to three choices. It took me a year to use up my collection. Throughout the year I found myself tempted by additional lotion choices I found out and about. With my goal in mind, I was able to stick it out and I did not purchase any new lotions last year.

The true joy was when I completed a bottle and was able to throw it away. As the bottles diminished I was better able to see my choices, it was easier to decide between a few and I was proud of my resolve. Now that I have decluttered my lotion collection I find that I am much happier and I vow that I will never return to the mass buying of lotions again. My bathroom storage is so much easier to handle. Now I can see everything I have and I can access it quickly when I want to use it.

Being an organizer and a lotion addict I understand how easy it is accumulate lots of things. It simply starts with one good scent and its over. I urge you to find your addiction and break the cycle today. You will feel relief from the having large quantities and you will find that you will always have what you need when you need it.

Don’t Let Tax Season Get You Down, Get Organized!

It is tax season again and with it comes an onslaught of paperwork and organizing. Don’t pay late fees this year; take these five steps to get your tax paperwork ready for your accountant, tax service or tax filing system.

1. Create a home for your tax documents and receipts. If you haven’t already designated a folder, a box or container for your 2010 documents, find something that can corral your papers. January 31st was the deadline for tax documents to be mailed so they will continue to come in from the past tax season.

2. Gathering all the papers from the last year can be overwhelming. Start working on one category at a time. First find or print your bank statements, then credit card statements and continue on through all of your needed paperwork. Next go through and highlight any purchases that qualify as a deduction for the past year and sort your receipts by category if they aren’t already. Take each day to tackle one tax related task.

3. If you have many medical deductions this year, there is usually a lot of paperwork that comes along with it. Match up your receipts and Explanation of Benefits (EOB) so you have a clear picture of your expenditures and deductions. Sometimes it helps to create a worksheet of your expenses to get a clear picture of the costs incurred.

4. If you are using a computerized money manager like QuickBooks, take the time to enter in all of your receipts and expenses so that it is up-to-date through December 2010. You don’t want to miss any deductions this year.

5. Give yourself a leg up on 2011 taxes now by designating a spot that will hold all of your tax documents for next year. Try labeling folders using the general categories: medical, donations and Taxes 2011 to capture everything else for the year. You can add any other categories that pertain to your tax picture. This initial sort will save you a lot of time next year.

Don’t let tax season hold you hostage this spring. Start now by getting organized for the current year and get set-up for success for next year. You will find that the tax season doesn’t have to be daunting and you will be less likely to miss any deductions that you are owed.

Are you an expert? If not, hire one!

The New Year is here and hopefully you have set your goals for the next few months. If done well, goal setting can be a very powerful tool that helps you to achieve your dreams. Unfortunately, only 46% of people who set New Year's Resolutions will be successful. As you review your goal list, consider if hiring a professional would help you to successfully achieve your goals this year.

Recently, I have been told that most people feel as though they can organize themselves. I fully encourage people who can get organized on their own to go for it! Being organized allows you freedom, saves you time and simply makes life easier. For those of you who are still trying it on your own, how is it working for you? Did you clean off your desk only to find it back in the same condition three weeks later? Has a year passed and you find that the paper piles are still crowding your workspace? Do you have areas in your home or office that you still cannot use? Finally, is it time to call a professional?

I understand there are a lot of areas in our lives that we feel like we can do ourselves and in some cases that is true. But how well was the task completed? Did you do the task with all the resources available to you? Do you even know what resources are available to you? Did the task get completed in the shortest amount of time possible? Hiring experts in their fields allows you to know you are getting the job done right the first time, the results will last you longer and it will save you a tremendous amount of time. And after all, time is money.

When hiring a professional organizer, you get someone who is educated and trained in organizing and time management. You will learn techniques, tricks and discover the right tools to help you not only get organized but stay organized over time. Most of my clients average only 4.7 hours of my services. When I follow up with them they report they have remained organized, continue to use the systems that we designed for them and that they are more effective and efficient. Save yourself time, get long-term results and finally cross off the task 'get organized' from your list by hiring an organizing expert.