tip of the week (5/31/2009)

May 31 – June 6, 2009 this weeks "tip of the week" was sent from Me, Andrea Dekker from Grandville, MI

My Tip: "PUT THINGS AWAY ASAP… Every single item in your home should have a home of its own. If it doesn’t, it will invariably end up on the floor or crammed under the bed. Once you find a place for everything, it is imperative to make sure that everything is in that place at the end of each day. As soon as you’re finished using something, put it away that very second. Don’t throw it in your bedroom, thinking you’ll do it later. Procrastination is often the greatest cause of clutter and a mess.”

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Do you have an organizing or time management tip that you would like to share? Click here and your tip could be the next one featured in our newsletter, our blog or on our website! For more organizing tips, check out www.andreadekker.com. It is full of great organizing tips for every area of your life.

new uses for old things

I love finding new ways to use existing items in my home. It forces me to be more creative and it saves me money because I don't need to go out and buy whatever I need.

One item I can find lots of use for are trays. You can use food trays, decorative trays, office trays, or even just a large picture frame. If you don’t have any trays…keep looking…I’m guessing you have some buried in the basement! If not, you can easily find something that would work at a thrift store for a buck or two.

The great thing about using trays is that everything looks neat and organized b/c it is grouped together…but you can still have stuff sitting out and visible!

So, how can you organize with trays? Let me show you how:

The office

· Use trays as in-out containers for bills, receipts, and documents that are coming in or going out. You can stack them and label them so you know where every paper goes

· Use trays to coral mugs of pens, pencils, paper clips and other office supplies

· Use separate trays for different projects and/or clients you are working on/with

In the kitchen

· Use for recipe books, menu plans, grocery lists, coupons, etc.

· Use one tray for each family member to sort mail, homework, and other personalized notes, etc.

· Keep one by the phone with pen, paper, messages and an address/phone book

· Use a decorative tray to hold bottles of oils and spices for easy access and to save cabinet space

In your craft area

· Trays work beautifully for keeping different colored paper and project boards neat, tidy and organized.

· Have a tray for each of your (or your children’s) “in-progress” projects

· Display your craft supplies on a decorative tray for easy access and an organized feel

There are lots of additional uses for trays…feel free to share any of yours with me…these are just a few to get your started!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

how to "start small"

I’m a huge advocate of “Starting Small” and only biting off as much as you can chew...but sometimes it is so difficult to look at a huge organizing project (several months and years of disorganization) and know where to start. It feels overwhelming…even to professionals!!

The difference is that professionals bite the bullet and get started (that’s what we are paid to do!) and when it’s your own house, it’s a lot easier to just “put it off until later” does this sound familiar?

So where should you start?

My advice would be first to pick a SMALL area in your home or office that bothers you the most. This could be under your bed, in your closet, a kitchen or bathroom drawer…something that will only take a hour or so to see significant results.

Second, focus only on that one place. If you go through the room, picking up stuff here and there, then you'll feel like you're not getting anything done. Organize until you can see the desktop, or the kitchen counter, or a small section of the floor, and then move on to the area right next to it. This way, you will see results more quickly…which will be encouragement to continue.

Finally, when your small area is organized, it might not seem like a big deal compare to the projects that are still before you…but make it a priority to maintain that small spot while you continue to work on additional areas around your home and/or office. If you get in the habit of maintaining your one small area…you will eliminate the need to come back and start all over again.

Before you know it, your space will be neat and organized! Get started today!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

how long does it take?

Next time you’re procrastinating on a task like going through the mail, decluttering the kitchen counter, or unpacking from a trip, ask yourself “how long will it really take?” Usually, the things we put off take a lot less time than we imagine they will. The more you dread a task, the bigger it becomes in your mind.

Pull out a timer, do the job, and see how long it really takes. You’ll probably be surprised at how much quicker the chore went than you thought! Plus, next time you’re faced with this same task, you’ll be more likely to dive right in and do it.

What are you putting off? Go grab a timer and do it now! See how great it feels to mark that task off your to-do list, and take note of how little time it actually takes to get done!

simplicity and serenity: you deserve them!

When our lives are cluttered and chaotic, serenity often escapes us. But each of us should be living simplified and serene lives. By removing the clutter from your home and your schedule, you are much more likely to reach simplicity and serenity. If we are honest with ourselves, when we have schedules and homes that are packed to the max with stuff, all we feel is frenzied and confused, not serene.

Begin to remove the extraneous stuff and take steps that get you closer to simplified and serene.

banish clutter, help others

Are you having a difficult time getting rid of unneeded items around your home? Maybe it will help to think of it as your way of helping others who you may not even know.

When you are at the point of letting go of your clutter, try donating items to the following types of organizations: women's shelters, homeless shelters, children's groups at churches, preschools and day cares--even church youth groups, women's ministries and nursing homes.

Items like toiletries, clothing and bedding would be greatly appreciated at shelters. Items like craft supplies would be appreciated by preschools, day cares, nursing homes and church groups. Knowing you are helping others can alleviate a lot of unnecessary guilt and help you to feel better about clearing your clutter.

For more organizing ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Have a relaxing time with family and friends.

tip of the week (5/24/2009)

May 24 -- May 30, 2009 this weeks "tip of the week" was sent from Pat from Hudsonville, MI

Pat writes: " When empty, I take cute tissue boxes and cut off the tops leaving a half inch rim on the top side (this adds stability and strength to the box). They make wonderful disposable trash cubbies for my van.

When full, I deposit them in total into the trash at home or at my local gas station while the gas is pumping.”

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Do you have an organizing or time management tip that you would like to share? Click here and your tip could be the next one featured in our newsletter, our blog or on our website! For more organizing tips, check out www.andreadekker.com. It is full of great organizing tips for every area of your life.

keep your children organized!

It's that time of year again...the time where all mothers are going crazying thinking of what they are going to do with their children once school is out!!

How can we keep them occupied and save our sanity at the same time??

Here's a great idea from Real Simple Magazine:

Every week, have your kids reach into a jar to pick a household chore. Each job yields a different amount of money, depending on the degree of difficulty.

They can pull out multiple chores if they want additional income...but for that week, they should be responsible to complete whatever chores they pull out. (example: dust, vacuum, dishes, mow the lawn, fold laundry, etc.)

They keep their stashes piggy banks and it is theirs to save, spend, or donate as they choose... but hopeful they will get some guidance from parents!!

Good news: the chores are done and your kids have something to keep them busy and out of your hair for a few moments!

parkinson's law...

Have you heard of Parkinson's Law? Well, Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion.

What does that mean?

It means that if you allow one hour to clean your office, it'll take one hour to get it clean. It also means that if you allow just 20 minutes to clean your office, it'll take just 20 minutes to get it done. Or if it does take you longer to do it, it will be just a fraction longer than the allowed time.

Either way, you still SAVE time.

On a recent to trip, the “free parking” that I have become accustom to in my suburban setting was full! I had to actually pay for parking!!

Fortunately I was able to find a spot (without parallel parking!) however it had exorbitant rates per 15 minutes! I had several errands to run but I was determined to only use 30 minutes. So, I parked, got out of my car and was in and out of every place I needed to go in record time.

And yes, I got everything don in just 30 minutes!

Now if I'd had free parking, it probably would have taken me upwards of 90 minutes to run the same errands because I would have browsed more, been more indecisive and probably even stopped to chat with people along the way.

Not that any of those things are bad…but they do tend to waste a lot of time.

For the next week, I'm going to challenge you to apply Parkinson's Law in 3 ways.

1. If you have internet, set a timer and reduce the amount of time you spend browsing.

2. If you usually take two hours to clean your house, set a timer and only allow one hour.

3. If you usually take one hour to sort through all the paper in your house, take just 30 minutes.

Are you up for the challenge?

taking action

As with any change we create in our life, action is the key. You simply have to *do* something different to *create* something different. You can talk about getting organized, having a garage sale, starting a volunteer position, doing a yard project...but I guarantee none of it will happen unless you take action!

However, taking action can often be scary because we don't want to fail. Well, think of it this way, if you want to get organized but never take action...you will be much further behind than if you start organizing and then have a set back. At least you will have accomplished something and probably learned a lot along the way! Same goes for everything else you are putting off.

Taking action doesn’t have to be complicated. Once you have defined what you want (Getting organized), pick a first goal (organize the pantry). Next, identify a single action that will move you in the direction of your goal (Setting aside a 1-hour block of time). Then, do it! Repeat the process of identifying an action and doing it, over and over and over again, until your goal is achieved!

It's that simple! And for more simple organizing ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

user names and passwords

My experiences have shown me that almost every website I visit, whether to get information or to pay a bill, requires you to sign in and create a password. Some sites require different things--a number in the password or only a certain amount of letters. It is difficult to keep it all straight!

At the beginning of 2009, I bought a new insert for my daily planner (something that you should all have by now!) and it had pages in the back for addresses and phone numbers. I gave me an idea...and now, for every site that I sign in to and create sign in information, I place the information in my address book.

For example, I go to ABC site. I file this in the A section and place my user name and password information under the title. Also I am able to put other info as well. For instance, if it's a bill, I can add the phone number as well as any other information that might be helpful at a later time.

Since some of this information is very sensitive, you will want to be careful where you use this book...and don't simply leave it lying around...but at least you know that you will always have the user names and passwords you need when you need them.

Just one more reason to go out and buy a planner!

organizing your finances

If you are going to be organized in any one aspect of your life, the number one most important place to be organized would be your finances. Not being organized in your finances can literally cost you money, jeopardize your credit score.

1) Keep all of your financial records and files together in one place….period.

2) Set yourself a schedule to pay bills and stick to it. Pick a time that is convenient for you and when you can have some peace and quiet without being interrupted. You may want to change all your due dates to a specific part of the month…yes you can really do this and it saves you tons of time because you pay all the bills at one time.

3) Balance your checking accounts regularly. Also, get in the habit of checking your online account balance often…to keep you in the loop and help prevent any fraudulent charges.

4) Use direct deposit to save on trips to the bank and gas money.

5) Consolidate all your unneeded accounts into your main account(s). Even if there are minor fees associated with closing the accounts, it will be worth it not to have the hassle of keeping track of those accounts, statements, etc.

6) Have a current will. Tragedies do happen. Don't leave your loved ones with no idea of how to sort out family finances in the event you're unable to. Share with them the company names, phone numbers, website addresses, account numbers, usernames and passwords.

The bottom line for organizing your finances is to develop a plan that works for you. Everyone's situations are different and what works for one person or family may not work at all for someone else. A computer software program might be the thing for you or maybe good old-fashioned pencil and paper.

When you find a system that works, be consistent. To say it again, this is the one area of your life in which you can't afford to be disorganized. The great part is that just a few steps and some motivation will have you on the road to organizing your finances!

For more organizing information, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

make your own rules!

I often hear people comment on various organizing rules they’ve read somewhere. “Keep just five things on your desk at a time.” Or, “Donate anything you haven’t worn in the past year.” While these rules are designed to simplify the act of getting organized, there’s just one problem: they don’t always work for everyone and every situation!

The trick is to figure out what works for you and create your own rules. Right now on my desk, for example, I have over 15 items—clearly I’m breaking someone’s rule! Yet I feel inspired and productive, and not at all distracted. I know that everything I need to get my work done is within arm’s reach. And that works for me! 15 items on your desk may be too distracting or crowded for you, but five items may feel so stark and barren that it makes you nervous.

When you hear an organizing rule that sounds useful to you—try it! Take note of how you feel, what works for you, and what doesn’t. Then, create your own rules—those that work for you!

For more organizing tips,visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

tip of the week (5/17/2009)

May 17 -- May 23, 2009 this weeks "tip of the week" was sent from Lisa from Long Island, NY

Lisa writes: "I write the name of each of our electronic devices on a resealable plastic bag. Into that bag goes all the accessories that came with the item. For example, one bag is labeled 'digital camera' and in it are the manuals, wires, extra battery, extra memory card, etc. All of these baggies go into one dedicated box in our office and I always know where to look for what I need."

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Do you have an organizing or time management tip that you would like to share? Click here and your tip could be the next one featured in our newsletter, our blog or on our website! For more organizing tips, check out www.andreadekker.com. It is full of great organizing tips for every area of your life.

organize your childrens' papers for good

Check out this article from Real Simple Magazine...it offers some great tips on how to organize your childrens' papers...which is one subject I get a TON of questions about...especially this time of year when they are coming home with all their artwork and projects for the year!! You can read it below or you can click here to view this article and others.

Loose-leaf binders in Lauri and Douglas's office hold schoolwork and drawings, organized by year, for each child. "My kids are prolific artists," says Lauri. "But when I walk into my office and there are stacks of papers, my urge is to chuck what's not brand-new. Having this system right next to my desk enforces discipline, so I make myself put things away. Later I go through the books with the kids and say, 'Do you want to keep this?' “A felicitous by-product of the system: The children can grab one of the binders themselves and instantly access work from last month―or last year―and celebrate the progress they've made. "It's nice to get perspective and feel proud of how much you've learned and achieved."

Binders: Staples carries simple vinyl binders similar to those shown here ($8.50 each, staples.com). Find more elegant linen-covered designs ($19 to $22 each, binderfinder.com).

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

quickly organize your office

Did you know that 60% of people are visual (I am too!) so clutter and "stuff" strewn all over the place will drive a lot of people nuts! Not only will a cluttered and disorganized space dive you nuts, it will also make it very difficult to be productive.

So, if you would like to transform your office space into an uncluttered, super-productive space, here is how you can do it!

1. Back up your files:

Do NOT open your email before you start or you'll get sidetracked! DO put a recurring reminder in Outlook to do this on a monthly basis, or more frequently than that.

Now, while your computer is backing up...

2. Clean off your desk:

Put all items belonging in another room in the plastic basket. Don't go to the actual room to put away - you don't want to get sidetracked!

Throw any trash and put all your little notes inside a single notebook (you do have ONE desk notebook, don't you?) and set it to one side.

If you don't use the item on a DAILY basis, it shouldn't be on your desk. By the same token, if you use something every day, make a place for it within arm's reach.

3. Sort out the paper:

Take out the desk notebook with all the little notes. Write down all those bits and pieces - your Internet provider's helpline, website addresses, etc.

Throw away all the junk mail and paper you don't need and put all the filing in ONE pile - you can do this in front of the TV later!

Now doesn't that feel better? A neat and organized office!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

a great reason to clear the clutter

How long does it take you to clean your house? When you have lots of stuff around, it takes lots longer to clean and dust. Now I don't know about you , but anything that reduces housework is a good thing in my mind!

So start donating that extra stuff and clearing the clutter in your home and you'll find it much quicker and easier to clean your house--leaving you free to do much more fun stuff!

For more organizing ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

how much time does your clutter claim?

Do you wish you had more time to do fun things with the family?

One of the things we often fail to take into account is the amount of time our clutter claims. The more stuff we have, the more we have to maintain, clean, take care of, etc. When you get rid of the clutter, you have more free time to enjoy with your family and friends.

Just something to keep in mind as the summer months approach and you will want to spend more time with your family. Clear out the clutter now and have more time for family, friends and fun activities later!

get rid of your guilt and your clutter

Are you hanging on to piles and piles of stuff for no better reason than guilt? There are good reasons to hang on to stuff, but guilt is definitely not one of them! Make it a goal to let go of your guilt along with your clutter!

1. But I Can't Throw It Away: Many times we are unable to let go of clutter because we feel guilty about throwing things away. Letting go doesn't necessarily mean throwing away. Here are just 2 options available: Have a yard sale or donate to a charity.

If you have a yard sale, you will be able to recoup some of your cost. You will never recover full value, but some is better than none. If you donate to a charity, someone else can benefit from your generosity, plus you are able to take a tax deduction for charitable donations. If you elect to have a yard sale, schedule a truck from a charity to pick up what doesn't sell.

2. But I Spent Money On It! Are you held back by guilt because you spent money on something--even if you are getting no value from it? In this case, you are feeling needless guilt. Once the money is spent, it's gone. The best thing you can do is to let go of the needless guilt along with the unneeded clutter.

3. But it was a gift!! Whatever the gift is--it very likely was given to you without strings. Once given, the recipient gets to decide whether or not to keep it. If it is something you truly don't love and won't use, re-gift it (just be careful not to re-gift it to the original gifter), donate it, sell it, give it away, or toss it. You could also exchange it for something you do love and will use.

4. But It Has Sentimental Value! Are you hanging on to Great Aunt Agnes' item just because it was hers? Donating the item does not eliminate the memories you have of the person who gave it to you. Take a picture of the item. You will always have your memories regardless of whether you have the item, and looking at a picture will evoke the memories just as well as looking at the item itself, without the clutter.

These are just a few of the responses I hear from my clients on a weekly basis! Do they sound familiar to you??

Make it a goal this week to get rid of your guilt and your clutter!

For more organizing ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

when to buy containers

When it comes time to get organized, is your first step a trip to your favorite store to pick up storage bins? If so, and if you haven’t always been satisfied with your organizing efforts, tuck this tip into your back pocket:

Declutter first... Buy containers second.

Here’s why: When you declutter you let go of things you no longer use, need, or love. This gives you a better feel for which items need to be stored and where to store them, leading to smarter container selection – and happier end results!

And remember: don't keep it unless you love it, need it, can't easily replace it, and it loves you back!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

tip of the week (5/10/2009)

Happy Mother's Day!

May 10 -- May 16, 2009 this weeks "tip of the week" was sent from Shannon from Greenboro, NC

Shannon writes: "Weekly grocery shopping used to be a chore, but recently I've been going with my mom, my sister or my friends and we make it a 'Girl's Night Out.' After we tuck our kids in bed, we kiss our hubbies goodbye, and ride together to the supermarket. We have a grand time talking, laughing and getting our weekly shopping done in the process."

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Do you have an organizing or time management tip that you would like to share? Click here and your tip could be the next one featured in our newsletter, our blog or on our website! For more organizing tips, check out www.andreadekker.com. It is full of great organizing tips for every area of your life.

play to your strengths

There is a little-known secret that, once understood, will absolutely change the way you run your life. That secret is using your natural energy cycles, or playing to your strengths. When you work with your energy cycles instead of against them, you save time because you do things faster, with more clarity and with greater focus.

With the busyness of Spring upon us, we can't afford to waste any time...so quick, grab a piece of paper and answer these four questions…

1. Are you a night owl or an early bird?
If you're an early bird like me, then plan your life so that you start the day off with your to-do list in hand ready to work…and make sure you don’t have a lot of work to do after 9:00 pm!! If you are a night owl, plan to start your day slowly and work into your routine.

2. When do you do your best creative work?
I don't know if the real creative types will agree with me but I think that any form of writing uses the creative side of our brains.

If I try to “be creative” at the end of the day, it takes me FOREVER! When I leave the project and do it early in the morning, the ideas flow easier and the quality is just better.

3. When do you do your best logical/ reasoning work?
This involves things like budgeting, playing with spreadsheets working with numbers, etc. Figure this out and as best as you can, try and schedule these kinds of tasks when that side of your brain is awake and kicking!

4. When do you prefer to exercise?
Um, never ;) Okay, let me rephrase: if you had to exercise, when would be the best time for you? This usually works the same as number 1 but if you find that if you're stuck, lacking motivation or just feeling overwhelmed, you might want to add in some exercise to jump-start yourself.

This week's coaching challenge
a. Pick a task you've been procrastinating on.
b. After you've identified the type of task, work on it at a different time of day.
c. Get it done

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

utilize your vertical space

Some closets have way too much vertical space between shelves making it hard to utilize; everything just ends up being in a big pile. Then, when you need something from the bottom of the pile, you pull and everything else comes with it.

A solution to this problem is to use shoe shelf organizers and placing them on the closet shelf. These shelves typically have about 5-6 inches height between the shelves, which eliminates all that wasted vertical space…and the landslide of stuff when you pull from the bottom!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekekr.com

eliminate the morning rush

Whether you are married or single, have children or no children, getting ready in the morning can be very challenging to say the least. Putting a little routine into the day can make all the difference in turning a chaotic morning into one that is calm, smooth and more streamlined.

1. Prepare lunches; pack your purse, briefcase, backpack, duffel bag, etc; and plan out your wardrobe the night before!

2. Coordinate bathroom schedules with the people you live with.

3. Consider getting a low-maintenance haircut. Did you ever time yourself to see how long it takes you to do your hair in the morning?

4. Invest in a coffee maker with an automatic timer. Set out your insulated travel mug near the coffee maker so you are ready to take a cup of coffee on the road with you.

5. If you have young children, use the morning television programs strategically. Save a favorite program as a reward for when clothes are on, breakfast has been eaten and all of their things are ready to go.

6. Wake up earlier. This may not be something you want to do, but it doesn't have to be much earlier, say 15 minutes. To make up the difference, consider going to bed a little earlier as well. Remember that getting a good night's sleep is very important in helping to give you that good start to your day.

Put these tips into practice and you might even start to look forward to the morning rush…or maybe not…but at least you will have less stress!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: http://www.andreadekker.com/

short-term paper clutter

A common form of paper clutter is caused by short-term projects. Since you know these papers will only be around for a short period of time, and you’ll be accessing them frequently, putting them away can seem like too much trouble.

Guess what? It’s not!

Establishing a spot for project paperwork will help prevent paper clutter from piling up on your counter tops and other flat surfaces. If using a folder with a label feels too permanent for your short-term projects, create temporary labels using sticky notes or erasable labels. Corral your project files into a portable file basket or box.

All that’s left to do then is say “goodbye, paper clutter,” and get busy taking care of those projects!

enlist accountability

A lot of people have been telling me that the nice weather is making it very difficult for them to want to get organized...does this sound like you?

If you are having trouble getting started, you might want to try to enlist the accountability (and help)of a friend, neighbor, family member or coworker!

Pick 2 dates that works for both of you and decide where you are going to start. The first date, you can focus on one person's house...then the second date, you go to the other person's house. You will have so much fun chatting and enjoying each other's company that you might just forget about the organizing projects in front of you. Also, it will help to have someone else to keep you on track if you decide to take a trip down memory lane!

One other idea, if you both have children, you could send all the children to the house that is not being organized and that will eliminate lots of potential distractions!

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

4 solutions to e-clutter

My number ONE decluttering tip is one in, one out. I use this principle with clothes, with kitchen utensils and I use the exact same principles to keep my inbox, digital photos, PDF and other documents under control. Here are some other tips to eliminate electronic clutter (e-clutter):

1. Make time daily to delete emails. My goal is to have less than 10 e-mails in my inbox (and I get a lot of e-mail)… so I go through my inbox, sent items, folders, etc. every couple of days.

2. Choose photos as you download them When you download photos from your digital camera, choose the best ones there and then and delete the rest.

3. Declutter downloads regularly If you download checklists, forms, recipes and e-books regularly (like most of us do), set aside some time to regularly go through your folders to delete the ones you no longer find useful.

4. Have a maintenance plan Make a date with yourself for 15 minutes every week (starting this week) to eliminate your electronic clutter.

If you put these four steps into place, you'll be able to say good-bye to your e-clutter for good!

tip of the week (5/3/2009)

May 3 -- May 9, 2009
this weeks "tip of the week" was sent from Kate in Loveland, OH

Kate writes: “I have checkbook registers for each one of my children (they are too young to have bank accounts). When they help out around the house, we enter a certain amount into their register. They are able to keep track of their funds by adding what they've earned and subtracting what they spend.

If they need money, they just ask me and I will give it to them. However, they have to subtract what they borrow from their register.

It teaches them how to save and there is a math lesson in every transaction."

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Do you have an organizing or time management tip that you would like to share? Click here and your tip could be the next one featured in our newsletter, our blog or on our website! For more organizing tips, check out www.andreadekker.com. It is full of great organizing tips for every area of your life.

3 teeny-tiny steps to get organized

Enormous, impossible, insurmountable… Is that how you view organization? Take a new teeny-tiny view on getting organized - and conquer an enormous and impossible feat.

For some reason, so many people equate getting organized with achieving an enormous and impossible feat; something that only some lucky people are capable of having. But in reality, just a few small organizing tips--a few little, teeny- tiny tips, applied with a positive attitude, can help you be more organized today, than you were yesterday.

a) My first teeny-tiny tip is to assign a home for the items that are strewn about. With one sheet of paper, a pen, and a half hour of time and you can list an appropriate home for most of the items that are cluttering your space.

b) Second, Once the items are put back in their places, get in the habit of putting them back immediately after you are finished using them. (this is the hard part!)

c) Third, designate a 'Pick-Up Time' every night. Basically, for 15 minutes each family member should join in and pick up any item out of place, and return it to it's assigned home.

I know it sounds simple…but that’s because it really is! Keep thinking “start small” because many teeny-tiny steps will add up to lots of organization!

For more organizing tips visit my website: www.andreadekker.com