tip of the week (1/31/2010)

January 31 – February 6, 2010 this week’s "tip of the week" was sent from Mike from Grand Rapids, MI

Mike writes: “I lack space in my workshop, so I fasten glass jam jar lids to the underside of the shelves. The jars can be filled with nails, screws, nuts and bolts and just screwed up into the lids. I can see at a glance what's in each jar, no labels needed! My wife thinks they look pretty.”

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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 organizingg tips for every area of your life.

organizing challenge...taxes

It's the last weekend in January...and that means it is getting close to tax season!

Take a few hours this weekend to get all your tax paperwork in order. It will save you lots of time, stress, and money when you go to get your taxes done in the next few weeks.

Remember, the sooner you file your taxes, the sooner you get your refund!

a formula for eliminating clutter

A simple way to stay organized and create new habits is to become mindful of the things you add to your home and life. For each thing you add, decide to remove something old. So, if you add a new shirt to your closet, take out an old one. If you add an exercise class to your weekly schedule, subtract the equivalent amount of time from another activity such as web-surfing or watching T.V.

This strategy can also help you stay focused on achieving any goal – organizing, or otherwise. Instead of working on ten new habits at once, pick one new habit that moves your life forward, and find a competing old habit to subtract. For example, you could add the habit of drinking green tea in the morning, and eliminate your mid-morning Diet Coke habit. Or add the habit of spending fifteen minutes a day decluttering, and shed the habit of waiting to tackle your organizing projects in longer, more laborious sessions.

It all adds up to this simple formula for getting and staying organized:

1 new thing minus 1 old thing equals zero clutter added

Now that’s one equation that works for me!

Happy organizing!

clutter control workshop

If you’re looking for quick and simple ways to transform your home into an organized and supremely functional space, our Clutter Control workshop is for you!

In just 3 hours you’ll learn how to completely organize your home, making it easy to find and access everything inside! Say goodbye to jumbled piles of papers, clothes, and stuff and say hello to organized bliss!

The class is tonight so contact me immediately if you want to register!

tip of the week (1/24/2019)

January 24 – January 30, 2010 this week’s "tip of the week" was sent from Chuck from Lansing, MI

Chuck writes: “I travel a great deal, and don't have time to re-invent the wheel so to speak when packing a bag. So I have a series of lists that enable me to delegate packing to staff, friends and family if need be: a 2-day bag, a 4-day bag, a week-long bag, etc.

Some other useful traveling tips I use are:

1. Always carry plastic shopping bags. They are excellent for holding laundry, wrapping anything wet and keeping anything dry.
2. Always carry foam ear-plugs so you can sleep properly when traveling.
3. I keep a record of the serial, reference and registration numbers of all my insurance policies, bank accounts and personal and professional information in a single word document on my computer. At any time I can access it should emergencies or other needs arise.”

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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

keeping your new year's goals

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? If so, have you stuck to it for the last 3 weeks? That’s right, it’s been exactly 3 weeks since New Year’s Day and statistics show that nearly 80% of people “forget” all about their resolutions after 3 weeks! If you make up this 80%...don’t be too hard on yourself; it happens to the best of us! However, if you are serious about your New Year’s goals, look for ways to make it easier to succeed, and therefore achieve your resolutions. Here are some ideas:

If you resolved to eat more healthfully in 2010, collect simple, healthy recipes into a recipe binder or box. Pull out your recipes for meal ideas when you prepare your grocery list. You could also reorganize your pantry or refrigerator to keep the healthiest food options at eye level and in sight. And use clear containers for your healthy leftovers.

If you resolved to exercise more, it would help to reorganize your schedule to allocate a specific time for exercise. Then, lay out your exercise clothes at night to serve as a simple, visual reminder to follow through on your intentions.

If you resolved to get more organized this year, divide your projects into smaller, manageable segments. For example, instead of organizing your child’s entire bedroom at once, schedule mini sessions. Tackle one drawer or shelf each day.

The bottom line is this. Simple changes in how you organize things—your physical space, your time, or your approach to a large project—can make it easier to take action on your resolutions. And after all, the easier something is to do, the more likely you are to do it!

holiday decorations

It's that time of year; the holidays have come and gone...but your holiday decorations still linger throughout your home. Does this sound familiar?

It is nearly a month after Christmas and time to put your holiday decorations away! Schedule a few hours this week to put them away. And while you're at it, get rid of everything you didn't use this year!

fun ways to tackle your to-do list

Let's be honest, most days the last thing we want to-do is tackle our To-Do list. We can think of so many other things we'd rather do, but I promise, there are ways to make tackling that To-Do list a bit more fun.

1. Schedule a fun break on your To Do List: Why should the To-Do list consist of nothing but one chore after another? Have some fun with your fun break.

2. Set it to music: Have a lot of chores to do around the house on your to-do list? Turn on the tunes, crank up the volume and watch the time fly by.

3. Compete--with yourself: It sounds crazy, but there's something about beating the clock that appeals to the child in each of us.

4. Rally the troops and enlist support: We don’t have to accomplish each and every task ourselves. Why not rally the troops to help you on those items that don't require your personal attention. It's always more fun to work alongside someone else

5. Swap with a friend: Get together with a friend and swap to-do lists for a day. Maybe you can't swap all of your tasks but it's very likely that you can swap some. You do some of hers and she can do some of yours. It's always easier to do someone else's stuff than our own. Use that to your (and your friend's) advantage.

Try out a few of these suggestions and see how quickly you can get through your to-do list today!

tip of the week (1/17/2010)

January 17 – January 23, 2010 this week’s "tip of the week" was sent from Renee from Holland, MI

Renee writes: “To keep school, scouts and sports information, etc. together, I use a loose leaf binder with tabs--one for each child. When I receive a paper I need to keep, I use a 3-hole punch and place it in the binder in the appropriate section.

After I started this method, I didn't lose things on the fridge or accidentally throw something away or forget something special.

In addition, I belong to several organizations and use this binder system concept for keeping my information together.”

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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 organizingg tips for every area of your life.

maximize the space in your bedroom

Are you looking for more space in your bedroom? Try looking under your bed (you might be surprised at what you find!)

I am usually not an advocate of storing anything under the bed, and I personally do not store anything under my bed...but if you are looking for more usable space, it might just be the way to go.

Consider purchasing shallow tubs (available at Target, Walmart, Meijer, etc.) to store out of season clothes and shoes, extra blankets and linens, wrapping paper, craft supplies, books, etc. Just make sure you are not storing things that you use on a regular basis...it's not the most convenient storage location!

hardworking storage solutions

If you are looking for more space to store your stuff, you might want to check out the website below. Get your creative juices flowing and use items you already have around your home. Who says organizing can't be fun and inexpensive!

Hardworking Storage Solutions in Charming Displays

draw a line in the sand

Over the past few months, there have been a couple of times when something in me snapped, and I just knew it was time to draw that proverbial line in the sand. It was a turning point where I simply said, “From here on in I want something different.”

One of these critical moments happened when I was putting my Christmas decorations away. Previously, I stored the decorations in our basement under our stairs. I was never happy with this storage place and always seemed to get frustrated any time I had to mess with the “junk under the stairs”. So this year, as I was pushing and shoving, trying to fit my 3 tubs of decorations in their designated spots, I decided right then and there that I was done storing things under the stairs. I went to Lowe’s and purchased some sturdy shelving units and clear tubs and now have a nicely organized (and easy to access) storage area…doesn't it look great!! Best of all, I no longer store anything under the stairs!

Another critical moment happened when I dropped off a bunch of plastic bags to be recycled. Sure…I was recycling them, but I wasn’t satisfied with the time, space, and energy that my use of plastic bags was causing for me and for the planet at large. So, I decided I was done using plastic bags and made the $1.00 investment for reusable shopping bags.

While I am extremely happy with the results, I know that my basement will require continual maintenance to stay organized, and I need to remind myself to bring my reusable bags into the store each time, but I have taken the first step to change my habits…I drew my line in the sand!.

Now, in case you are confused, this tip isn’t designed to advocate the use of recycled bags or to tell you to clean your basement this week. Instead, this tip is designed to help you live an organized and clutter-free life. So, my question for you is this:
Is it time to draw a line in the sand about clutter? Are you ready to decide that, from this point forward, you no longer want clutter in your life?

Remember, the day you declare your intention and the day you realize it are two different days. But you can’t realize a clutter-free and organized life until you declare that this is what you want. So, are you ready to draw your line in the sand?

If you are ready to live a clutter-free life, sign up for my Quick & Simple Clutter Control Class!

clean, tidy, organized car

We all know that between kids, shopping, work and gym, it is often a challenge to keep the car nice and clean. It doesn't have to be an impossible task if you put some or all of these ideas into practice.

Here are a few things I do to keep my car clean, tidy, and organized.

Clean:

1. I don't allow anybody to smoke in my car.
2. I try not to eat in my car…or at least not any messy foods.
3. I have some wet wipes and napkins in my cubby-hole to wipe up any spills or to clean my dash/steering wheel.
4. I keep fabric softener sheets under my car seat. The smell permeates the whole car and makes it smell lovely.

Tidy:

1. I keep some plastic bags in my cubby-hole so that I can throw away food, bits of paper, etc. This bag leaves my car every weekend or once it's full, whichever comes first.
2. I also have a plastic bag for my umbrella. There is nothing worse than wet-car smell from horrible, wet umbrellas.
3. In the trunk of my car, a box with a few blankets and my fabric shopping bags. The box can also be used to contain items that I don’t want rolling around in the trunk.

Organized:

1. I have a notebook and pen in the car to write down any ideas or thoughts I have while driving, running errands or waiting in traffic…mostly do I don't forget things.
2. I also like keeping a magazine in the car. When I'm kept waiting somewhere, I can use the time constructively to catch up on my reading.
3. If you have children, you might want to keep a bag or bin of activities, books, etc. in the back seat to keep them occupied.

tip of the week (1/10/2010)

January 10 – January 16, 2010 this week’s "tip of the week" was sent from Marge from Grand Rapids, MI

Marge writes: “I needed to organize my menu, grocery list and coupons in a place with easy access, and not on the refrigerator. I asked my husband to put a magnet on the back of the kitchen cupboard door. He bought a strip of metal and screwed it to the inside of the door, using small screws so they wouldn't poke through to the front.

Now I use a pad of paper with a glued magnetic strip on the top for the grocery list. The pad of paper easily gets pulled off, written on, and then put back on the metal strip.

A magnetic pinch clip is used for the menu, which I prepare weekly before going to the grocery store. I also use a smaller magnetic clip for any coupons I can use.”

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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.

paper, paper, paper

Do you feel like you are drowning in paper? It is the start of a New Year, you can start fresh and get your paper under control. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

• Make a decision with each piece of paperwork that goes through your hands. Do not put papers into a pile and say you will deal with it later. Decide to do something with it right away and take some sort of action whether it is to read it, pay it, file it, do it or toss it.
• As part of your daily schedule, set aside a certain amount of time to process paperwork. Open and sort mail every day. Immediately recycle anything you do not need. Handle all important documents in one designated area. Divide the papers into main categories of action, such as 'Read,' 'Pay,' 'File' or 'Do.'
• It is common to file papers that are never going to be looked at again. Before you file anything, ask yourself one question, 'Do I really need to keep this document?'
• If you have a large amount of paper piled up, you do not have to tackle it all at once. Do it in sections taking baby steps. Once you start and continue to work on your piles, you will see results. It just takes that first step. Once you have the paper pile ups banished, regularly manage and act on all paperwork to maintain order. Make it a habit--then it will become second nature.

what is your theme this year?

Whether you set goals or not, why don’t you come up with a theme for 2010?

A theme can help clarify what’s important to you and filter out unimportant activities and time commitments.

Let’s give you an example:

Your theme for the New Year might be “SIMPLIFY”.

If this is your theme, then you should make it a priority to eliminate (or at least reduce) all the unnecessary activities that are causing you stress, worry, etc. Now, I say “unnecessary” because, as you know, there are lots of activities that may cause you stress, but you still have to do them…like work, raising your children, etc. The idea here would be to get rid of anything you don’t absolutely have to do. Delegate chore and obligations to others; take a break from a few of your committees, and spend some time decluttering and simplifying your surroundings (yes, I had to throw that one in!)

Another theme might be to “GET HEALTHIER.”

Obviously, this would involve changing your eating habits, incorporating some form of physical activity into your weekly routine, finding more time for relaxation, etc.

There are so many “themes” you could have this year; it could be business, family, spiritual, personal, etc. The possibilities are endless; however, make sure you only pick ONE this year. Save the rest for future years. Or, you could have a large theme with smaller themes each month. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you have this theme in front of you so you remember that this is important you.

For more organizing and goal-setting ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com

reenergize your life

The New Year offers you an ideal opportunity to start anew. You have a blank calendar and, in essence, a fresh canvas for your life. What will you fill yours with? Below are a few simple ideas designed to inspire you to refresh and reenergize your life in the year ahead. Please don't try to accomplish them all today, this week, or even this month. Pick out one or two that interest you and work on them for a while. Then come back and work on a few more. The important thing is that you are making progress and creating a better, more enjoyable life for yourself and your family.

1. Reflect: Start by taking a look back on the past year (or if you’re feeling really motivated, the past decade). What were the high points for you? How about the lows? Both the highs and the lows offer opportunities to learn and grow. So take a look back, tuck the good stuff away in your pocket, and then draft a short list of simple changes you can make to refresh your life in the New Year.

2. Renegotiate your goals: If you set any goals or New Year’s resolutions last year, take another look at them. Which ones did you keep, which ones did your neglect, and which ones do you still want to pursue or make progress on?

3. Reprioritize your to-do list: With your renegotiated goals in mind, reprioritize your to-do list. Put at the top of your list those projects that move you closer to your new goals, and move the less important tasks to the bottom of your list.

4. Release: anything that is getting in the way of your goals. Let go of any negative self-talk or self-doubt that is tripping you up or weakening your confidence. For example, if you say, “I’m so disorganized”, replace that message with, “I’m learning to be organized!” In doing so, you clear the mental pathway for your success.

5. Reorganize: Let go of physical clutter that is getting in the way of creating the life you want. Let go of useless objects and items that represent past memories and life events that no longer fit where you’re headed now. Eliminating clutter energizes your physical space, and in the process reenergizes your spirit.

6. Reschedule: As you transfer dates and appointments into your new calendar, reschedule your days to allocate a block of time for yourself. Use this time to make progress on your goals, get in a bit of exercise, or to simply relax and reenergize.

7. Renegotiate your obligations: Use your blank calendar as an opportunity to take stock of your current obligations. Which appointments and events are you excited about, and which ones feel like drudgery? Give yourself permission to let yourself go of anything that isn’t working for you, is no longer necessary, or no longer makes you happy.

8. Replace: an unhealthy habit with one new, healthier habit. Identify just one thing you habitually do that doesn’t serve you or is inconsistent with your goals. By focusing on just one habit, and replacing it with a new more productive habit, you set yourself up for success.

9. Resolve: to be kinder and gentler with yourself in 2010. Be the sort of friend to yourself that you would like to have in others. Pay less attention to your weaknesses and pay more attention to your strengths.

10. Remember: to do one thing at a time. Go easy on yourself, be courageous, and allow yourself to create a life that fills your heart with joy.

tip of the week (1/3/2010)

January 3 – January 9, 2010: this week’s "tip of the week" was sent from Annie from Downers Grove, IL

Annie writes: “At the beginning of a new year, I always go through all my clothes and shoes to get rid of the ones I no longer wear. To help me “remember” which items I wear and which ones I don’t, I use the method described below.
Lightly place a piece of tape on the clothing article or shoe in an obvious place. When you wear it, remove the tape. At the end of the season, anything that still has tape on it gets tossed out or donated to charity.

This is a surefire way to see what clothes and/or shoes you no longer wear.”
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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.

set your new year's "goals"

As you enter into the New Year, have you thought about what your goals are for 2010? What are the things you want to accomplish this year? I don't want to talk about your resolutions because I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions but I absolutely DO believe in goal-setting. So, what's the difference, and why is one better than the other?

New Year's Resolutions are spur-of-the-moment decisions that are usually broken within the first two weeks of January and, in 90% of cases, by the end of January. We can't expect to be able to make major life and behavioral changes for the entire year at the stroke of Midnight on New Year's Eve. It's just not logical. Enthusiasm will keep us going for a couple of weeks but then what?

On the contrary, goals are more thought-out; more planned, and have multiple steps to eventually achieve a desired end result.

Why do you think all the gyms are chocked full at the moment? Everybody's said their “resolution” is to lose weight and get in shape this year. However, I’m guessing that not many of them took any time to sit down and write a plan of how much weight they wanted to lose and what steps they were going to take to lose that amount of weight.

Check out all the cars at the gym this week and then do it again in a month's time…I'm sure you will see a difference!

So how do you go about setting some goals for yourself this year? Here’s how:

1. Make them VERY specific: Instead of saying, "I want to organize my entire house,” say "I want to organize the cupboards in my master bath by February 28.”

2. Have an action plan: It's very important to have a flexible action plan so you know how you're going to get from where you are to where you want to be…and so that you can adjust it according to life.

3. Review regularly: Glance at your goals daily and review them on a weekly basis so that you can make appropriate adjustments. A real easy way to do this is to stick the page up in your refrigerator or above your desk.

4. Focus on one MAJOR goal at a time: If one of your major goals is to get your life organized, then just maintain the other areas while you're working getting organized. If you try to focus on too many goals at once, you will burn out and nothing will get done!

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

happy new year

Happy New Year... and Happy "new decade"!!

A new year means a fresh new start. Forget about what happened in 2009 and start focusing on what you want to happen in 2010. Write down your goals for this upcoming year...or even the upcoming decade and read them every day. I've found that if you tell yourself something long enough, it will eventually come to be!