Summer Giveaway: Let’s Organize Stuff

Liz says on August 19th, 2008 at 12:50 pm

I use spring-loaded curtain rods and homemade curtains to hide bookshelves that contain things other than books until I can get more attractive storage options like matching boxes for photos, electronic equipment, pet supplies, and other oddities that are in my living room.

Doug says on August 19th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

I always find one of the hardest things to do is find suitable filing cabinets. I live in a downtown and don’t have the luxury of a spare bedroom, so I found ways to incorporate my organization into my living room, and turned two low-lying space takers into a beautiful TV stand and entertainment center for my flat panel TV. No one has noticed them yet, but they are easily accessible, stylish, and completely feng shui.

jenny says on August 19th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

i keep knick knacks in clear shoe organizers so all those funky little things that have no place but are used often are not a part of normal clutter.

gS49 says on August 19th, 2008 at 12:56 pm

Organized home? What’s that?

My best suggestion is to section the house by purpose and keep the relevant mess in the right section. This comes naturally when putting the bed in the bedroom, but where do you keep the bedlinens and extra pillows? Near the bed makes the most sense; but near the laundry (for quick putting-away) works also.

Most of all, be consistent.

gS49

Tassia says on August 19th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Labels! It’s amazing how much quicker I can put things away when I don’t have to stop and remember what’s in each box. It even helps on shelves.

Kate says on August 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

I use the launchpad technique. Our mudroom/laundry room (though small) has 1 coat hook per child, and a large cubby for backpacks. It also holds a box of hats, gloves, and scarves in cold weather. The kids know that this room is where coats and backpacks must live. It keeps clutter under control and makes mornings much easier, too.

Nuruddeen Lewis says on August 19th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

This may not be a ‘lifeHACK’ per se, but it is definitely a habit that could change your life. It is simple, yet difficult. It requires full control over one’s laziness. It is to put stuff back when you finish with it. Everything should have its own place, so always put stuff where it belongs. When you finish eating a bowl of cereal, wash it, dry it, and put it back on the shelf. The little time spent doing these things will save you from spending your entire weekend doing them. Don’t be lazy, put stuff where it belongs.

Jeff says on August 19th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

If you cook much and have limited kitchen cabinet space, storing your spices on a horizontally adjustable “stadium seating” insert. Using this platform, you can have spices four rows deep in the cabinet and still easily find your spices.

Allan says on August 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

I bought a set of graphic-print shopping totes and placed one in each room of the house. If piles start forming anywhere in (old magazines, things brought from another room, books, wrapping paper), I put it into the bag and deposit it in the room where I will soon sort through it. The bags are like inboxes for bulky stuff.

Robert says on August 19th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

I store a set of trash bags IN the trashcan, under the current trash bag.

I make sure to re-use the small plastic bags from chain stores (Target, Safeway, etc.) for the small trash cans (bathroom, bedroom, etc.) and store a few under the trash bag lining the trashcan.

This way, I can empty the trash whenever I see it full, and have a new trash bag right there to prevent excuses (”I don’t know if I have any replacement bags”, “I can’t get to the replacement bag easily”, etc.)

Steve Moyer says on August 19th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

When you pack your clothes for travel, take half of them back out … you won’t wear them anyway. Then use a smaller suitcase and save your back when you carry your luggage onto the aircraft.

Norris says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Get started. Somewhere. Something. Waiting for the perfect moment…. is my own Achilles heel.
Do something!!!!

Kenneth says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Buy a scanner and a shredder and keep them next to each other Whatever paper (other than tax records, checks, other negotiable instruments etc.) that come into the house (whether carried in or delivered by mail) is to be opened and read in front of the scanner and shredder. After reading that piece of paper it goes into either one or the other.

David Wright says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

I open every piece of mail as soon as I open it. If it doesn’t require any follow-up on my part, I pitch it or file it. If it requires a follow-up at some point (e.g., bills, personal letters) I set it aside in my desk organizer. This keeps junk mail from piling up alongside my important mail, and it makes sure that I know WHEN the action-required mail needs to be acted upon.

David says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:27 pm

Not really for organizing your home, but for the events that go on there, my wife and I share a Google calendar with each other and also our day-care providers and close family. This has done wonders for aligning everyone’s schedules so that we can have family time, child care, grandparents know about the kids events, etc…

Aaron says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

I have learned from experience that you can not lose by using behind the door shoe holders…you save so much floor space that can be used to store bins and boxes

Bashar says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:35 pm

I call all my billing companies and make sure I receive bills at the same time each month - all due on the same day, so that I don’t have to wonder if I’m missing anything. This way, you minimize having to sift through mail and pay each bill at different times of the month. Saves a lot of time, and it’s easier to do in 1 sitting than 10 over the month.

michael kastler says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

Two quick ones:
1st - as dumb as it sounds … run the dishwasher more frequently! If you wait until it’s loaded to max not only do you never seem to get clear (at least not with 3 kids), but it doesn’t run as efficiently or get the dishes clean. Newer washers are far better at using appropriate amounts of water based on how much is in the bin too, so don’t worry overly much about green concerns.

2nd - when I or my wife have been reluctant to get rid of sentimental clothing that no longer fits or fashionable and etc. what we’ve started doing to take the sting out of giving these away is to take pictures. Either of us wearing the clothes or having them spread out so that they can be seen. We’ve got a couple of virtual albums in picasa with these, and it’s amazing how much nostalgia there can be in some of these clothing pieces.

Katherine says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

When things get messy, I clean just one room a day. It’s so much more manageable to think about de-cluttering one little area each day, as opposed to having to go through the whole house. Also, I prioritize having a clean desk/office over having a clean bedroom. I figure it’s most important to have my work stuff neatly organized and filed.

Paul says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

We have a few wicker boxes kept near the sofa where borrowed or rented books and movies go. When we get books from the library we keep them there and we have a separate box for movies we rent. We keep the library cards and movie rental cards in the boxes as well so we are forced to check the boxes before we go rent/borrow more stuff.

Jeremy says on August 19th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

I turned my walk-in closet into my office to hide my computer, printer, external hard drive and all the cords. My apartment is much less cluttered

Brenden says on August 19th, 2008 at 4:01 pm

Something my fiance makes us do, which has helped a lot in the kitchen. Is just to wash or put all the dirty pots and pans in the dishwasher right after dinner. No going off into the other room to relax after a big meal like I used to.

It makes the kitchen so much nicer and there’s no dishes sitting there for days if I conveniently “forget” to do the dishes later that night.

christian247 says on August 19th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

Having expectations for each household member, but nothing concrete: using a launchpad or “drop zone” that is individualized to the person. For one this is a wall hook, mantle shelf & small cork board. For another this is a 3 gal. size wicker basket residing on the floor beside his chair. Yet another uses a small hall closet outfitted with behind door storage, low shelves and a dry erase board. The priority for us is that you choose what you use and then USE IT!

Chris says on August 19th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Pick out 1 thing in each room that is the focal point for clutter and make that you focus. In our bedroom, it is the bed. I started making it my first goal of the day to make the bed. After that it is harder for your spouse (and you) to add clutter to it by laying dirty clothes, mail, etc. on it. In the kitchen it is the sink. It’s very hard to put the first dirty dish in so it usually gets rinsed and put in the dishwasher.

Sly from Slyvisions dot Com says on August 19th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

When a room is really messy, I start by cleaning something really small, somewhere. Then as I do this, I just keep finding other things by it to clean and fix. This usually happens until I end up cleaning the whole room (or the whole house).

Carolyn Wilman says on August 19th, 2008 at 5:22 pm

This may sound simple, but just stay on top of it. If you do a little every day, even as little as 15 min of picking and tidying up, you will find you don’t have 8 hours of cleaning to do on Saturday.

mel says on August 19th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

Best way to keep stuff organized is to have less stuff. I have few storages spaces so I have to pay attention and decide do I really want this item around? Involves about 2 trips to the Goodwill store a year to get rid of stuffs I don’t really want/need.

OngoingDebacle says on August 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

Color coding–bathtowels, toothbrushes, water bottles, laundry hampers, note holders, calendars. Everyone has their own color so when I see it, I know who’s it is. No more washing 15 towels a week for a family of 4. No more arguments over who’s water bottle is in the driveway. Or confusion over toothbrushes. Everyone knows!

Linda F says on August 19th, 2008 at 6:41 pm

I keep my house cleaner by keeping things in the mini van! Examples: sunglasses for myself and the 3 kids and 2 kinds of sunblock (we don’t need them in the house-we need them when we go places!); an umbrella; those environmentally friendly canvas bags for shopping; the umbrella stroller; a picnic blanket; a frisbee; and the large toys we take to the community pool.

KathyHowe says on August 19th, 2008 at 6:47 pm

I read all mail out in the garage while standing next to the recycle bin. So much of what I receive never even needs to come into the house. The stuff that does is either shredded or paid/filed/responded to immediately.

James says on August 19th, 2008 at 7:34 pm

I have a Neat Receipts scanner to scan all of my receipts and recycle the paper receipts. The digital copies are good for most returns and the IRS. If for some reason I am not scanning a receipt for something that has a warranty, or I otherwise feel like it, I tape the receipt to the bottom of the appliance or gadget, so it is there in case I need it for warranty repair/replacement.

Kam A says on August 19th, 2008 at 7:38 pm

I use an accordian organizer to sort all of my children’s construction paper by color so it is easy to find what color we are looking for when doing a project.

Carolyn says on August 19th, 2008 at 9:27 pm

I use bed risers to lift the bed and stuff things under the bed. I also use the vacuum bags that squeeze the air out of bags and gives you a nice flat package.

klz says on August 19th, 2008 at 9:45 pm

No matter how bad it gets, just keep working on your clutter. My spouse and I have been chipping away at the excess for several months. We did not get this disorganized overnight, and it won’t get re-organized, reduced,and recycled overnight. It’s all about the baby steps.

Luke says on August 19th, 2008 at 11:09 pm

For the bathroom, I’ve found that keeping all my items(soaps, razors, dental products, etc) in drawers instead of on the counter (as i usually have things) keeps my items more organized and the counter clean (save time on not having to clean as often).

Bon Temps says on August 20th, 2008 at 2:00 am

I make it a rule to donate at least one item from my home any time I bring in a new purchase.

Ryan says on August 20th, 2008 at 2:22 am

I have problem with attachment. I often get to a point when I don’t have a place to put new things because my shelves are cluttered with nicknack that I got as gifts or bought during a time I wanted to dress up the place. So I would say to avoid buying things you’ll get too attached too; and as for gifts, keep only the really important and valuables ones and put them somewhere safe. If they’re valuable to you maybe keeping them out somewhere were they can get damages (or discovered/digested by your pet) isn’t the best idea anyway.

Angelina says on August 20th, 2008 at 3:41 am

I use pushpins in a small corkboard to hang my jewelry. I can vary how far the pins are from each other, and from the bottom of the board to accommodate the different pieces of jewelry. On the top of the cork board, I tack up a piece of fabric with lots of holes (like.. embroidery fabric) to hang earrings off of. =) makes for good impromptu, and cheap storage for my oodles and oodles of jewelry.

Rabbit says on August 20th, 2008 at 4:18 am

I think the best way to deal with clutter is just keep on top of it. Deal with mail as it comes in, run a dust cloth over things in that room when watching TV. Clean up the dishes instead of letting them pile up. Actually use the hamper. If things don’t hit the floor, table, surface, you have less to pick up later. It just makes it easier to deal with small bits at a time than look at the mountain later and think of God I just can’t deal with ALL that now.

ProductivityScience says on August 20th, 2008 at 6:56 am

I pack all my not often used things to the boxes and get them to the roof. If I need something, I go to the roof and take it. Things used rarely do no take place inside home at all.

Charlie says on August 20th, 2008 at 7:11 am

I try and purge the obvious clutter regularly. And then I play the one in, two out rule. This is kind of the slow and steady method of decluttering. If I buy a new t-shirt, two must go. New book? Donate two. Etc. Obviously, there is a cut off point for this or you will have nothing left, but trust me, for most folks, it takes a good couple years to get there.

Elizabeth M. says on August 20th, 2008 at 8:42 am

I keep a basket by the stairs and when I find something that needs to find its way back home upstairs I put it in the basket. Every few days I take the basket upstairs and distribute its contents to the appropriate homes then I put the basket back by the stairs for the next collection.

Tracy says on August 20th, 2008 at 8:48 am

The best thing I’ve learned is to not do any recreational shopping. If I don’t bring it in the house in the first place, I don’t need to think about organizing it!

April says on August 20th, 2008 at 9:11 am

Not sure if this really counts but i’ll give it a shot!!!
Get a box fill it with stuff your wishy washy about stuff you sort of want but don’t want to display or needs fixing ect.. put it in the box. tape the box up, put a date from 1 year from the day you taped it! after 1 year if the tape wasn’t removed don’t remove it and go through it again. just donated it or something!
if you haven’t even opened that box in a year you don’t really need it!

Sam Klein says on August 20th, 2008 at 9:33 am

I mounted a whiteboard on the wall of my garage. I list things to do, appointments, upcoming birthdays etc. and I see it every time I get in my car to back up and when I pull in. I recently added a shelf to put stuff I don’t want to forget.

Eugenia says on August 20th, 2008 at 9:33 am

This is a carryover from living in a small dormitory room. I really try to take advantage of space under things - space under beds, under counters, under other objects, behind objects, etc. It’s amazing how small the quantity of truly necessary “stuff” is, in contrast with the value of space and mind.

Shari says on August 20th, 2008 at 10:05 am

i use an over the door shoe organizer to hold miscellaneous items that i need frequently but are very cluttering like office supplies (including extras), to keep track of my extra checks, hold receipts for 30 days (in the event of a return, it’s handy, don’t have to search) and the like. i always have a couple of extra pockets and use it for anything i want to keep track of and don’t have a regular spot for. works great for our family and it’s always the first place we look for something when someone says: “where did i put…?”

Groovymarlin says on August 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am

When acquiring boxes or storage containers for your home, don’t be limited by the labeling. See containers in terms of their potential, not their “official” intended use! For example, in the kitchen department, they sell longish open bins that are designed to hold ice cubes in your freezer, but these bins are also the perfect size to:
- Hold cellphone accessories on a shelf
- Hold labeling supplies in the back of a file drawer
- Hold extra soaps or samples on the end of a linen closet shelf

I’ve used them for these purposes and more! They just seem to be a very convenient size for hiding and storing small items without taking up a lot of space.

jason says on August 20th, 2008 at 12:14 pm

i do the dropoff points things for my gym bag, laptop bag, keys, wallet, etc. to help speed up my exit in the morning. i also try to spend 10-15 minutes after i get home to pick up anything that’s out of place (coffee cup, clothes, remote controls, etc.).

steve flattem says on August 20th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

as you go through your mail, open bills and keep them together with a chip clip, immediately throw the envelope and mail spam in the recycle bin

all bills are together and the recycles are handled only once

Meryl K. Evans says on August 20th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

* I take care of mail right away: Trash, file, act, or delegate to hubby. Email works similarly.

* I use shoeboxes for printed photos (yes, we still have ‘em) and put the whole batch in order with the date on the outside. Any that I want to put in albums, I take out and move them into the albums.

* I leave stuff on my desk that I need to take care of as soon as I can. Since I like my desk clean, it motivates me.

Amy says on August 20th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

I store jewelry in those clear plastic sorters on a hanger (many times they are sold for traveling or for hanging over the shower head for soaps etc. I know Avon sells them specifically for jewelry too) and hang it in my closet. I have one for earrings, one for necklaces, one for bracelets etc. So when I am getting dressed I can pull out the -earrings- hanger and have a quick look at everything all at once without having to root to find matching pairs etc. It also saves floor/counter space of having a jewelry box.

Patty says on August 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

To keep mail and papers under control, I use a tickle file. I try to deal with items immediately but those that must wait get filed. Then I check my file each morning while drinking my coffee so I know what must be dealt with that day.

Shelle says on August 20th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

We have a rack by the door for keys and hang them there every day so we don’t lose them.

Luke L says on August 20th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

There are a few ways to keep things decluttered.
1. The landing strip at the entrance, along with a paper shredder and a letter opener greet me. This way I can have a drop off point for everything, and a secure disposal spot nearbye.

2. I have a combo Printer Scanner, and use the scanner feature more then the printer. I am foolishly attempting the paperless home http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02.....ref=slogin and have credit card, bills and other subscriptions emailed to me rather then mailed.

3. Auto-payments: no bills, no stamps, no trips to the post office
4. CutePDF Printer. If I want to save a document, screenshot, or web page, I can print to PDF and not have a stack of papers that I’ll only go over once or twice, also works great for sending documents to people, since everyone (99%) of computer users have Adobe or a alternative PDF viewer. You can’t say that about Word documents.
5. repeat. I go through my things and dispose of what I thought I needed at one time, but don’t need now. This way you don’t end up with a stack of old receipts or documents that were at one time valid. This again is where a digital scanner or camera come in handy for archival purposes.
6. BACKUP. This is key in a digital world. a Drobo (or other Raid Device), Internet backup sites and off site backup help protect your important docs

Michele Pineda says on August 20th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

Our entryway used to consist of a pile of boots and shoes flung everywhere…I finally got adventurous one day and threw out the old ones that were just plain nasty, the ones that were too small I passed on to friends or as donations and then bought some organizers with little cubbies in them. The shoes are off the floor (no tripping on them!) and the whole area is cleaned up and looks much neater!

Luciano says on August 20th, 2008 at 7:48 pm

Never store a paper business card. As soon as one comes in, put it in my inbox to later in the day type it in my PIM. This is time-consuming if you have many business cards — that’s why you should process them regularly.

Katie says on August 20th, 2008 at 11:44 pm

I clear everything out and start from scratch putting things away. Then I can clear out all the little clutter that accumulates over time.

Jason says on August 20th, 2008 at 11:48 pm

Grab a good looking shoebox. Cut a slot in it. Put all your receipts in there when you get home. Empty the bottom half periodically. Remember to keep your important receipts filed somewhere safe.

AGC says on August 21st, 2008 at 11:05 am

I started leaving a stack of magazines near the bathroom…since that’s where they get read anyway.

TechieBird says on August 21st, 2008 at 11:49 am

Three for the price of one:

Ornaments, nicknacks, etc… people buy you some gift from their travels or on your birthday or whatever and you want to (or sometimes feel obliged to) put it on show, but after you’ve walked past it 100 times and dusted it 20 times you’re probably not even looking at it any more. So every time you get a new nicknack you want to display, pick two to retire. Pack them away nicely in a box to put in your “long term storage” place, and while you’re there, find one favourite piece you retired ages ago and would like to display again, and one piece you haven’t missed to find a better home for. Any time you rearrange a room or have a spring-clean, do a major audit of what’s on show and swap items out from your storage. You now have the same number of things on display, and in storage but hopefully will enjoy more of them more often!

And for that big “things have got so bad I can’t find my sofa” clear-out. (OK, maybe not *that* bad but you know you’re getting close.) What I did was photograph every corner of every room that needed clearing up and gave each space a number and a time estimate. (Sock drawer, 20 minutes. Kitchen junk drawer, 1 hour. Magazine rack under the coffee table, 5 mins.) Put the list in your favourite list organiser software, and next time you have 10 minutes to spare, look for the item that takes 10 minutes. If you have a whole evening and feel particularly virtuous, go for bigger stuff and reward yourself when you’re done.

Oh, and unless you live in an area with virtually zero crime, it’s a bad idea to keep keys (especially car keys), and other valuables. where they’re visible from the front door. There are numerous scams where people will try to get you to leave them waiting on the doorstep (with the door unlocked) while you go and ‘check’ something for them, so they can grab your stuff and run for it. I’m not saying leave your keys at the opposite end of the house - just not visible from the doorstep.

Cindy says on August 21st, 2008 at 12:55 pm

If you never put an object down over a smaller object - like a newspaper on top of your keys, you’ll lose fewer things.

Laura Warner says on August 21st, 2008 at 6:54 pm

I have a “collection” of milk crates left over from college. I have repurposed them in my entry-way under a child-height coat rack as shoe buckets for my children. They each get one in the color of their choice. Not the most aesthetically pleasing but VERY functional. From sneakers to flip-flops to sport cleats the crates hold them all and the holes of the crates allow the dirt/crumbs to fall through to the floor. Now when I vaccuum I only have to move 2 crates over instead of 20 pairs of shoes.

dai says on August 21st, 2008 at 7:31 pm

(not to contest):
yea, i can see… a lot of ladies do comment. I had read about that in your post some time back. Hmm.. and the giveaway is targeted for ladies.
Nice!

Paula says on August 22nd, 2008 at 2:53 am

Some folks have mentioned always putting things away as a good technique. True, but I have found that the key to this strategy is to find where the right “away” is - if my family doesn’t find putting something in its proper place convenient, it just doesn’t happen. To figure this out, I look to see where things like cell phones, wallets, magazines, etc. just seem to end up on a regular basis, then I create an appropriate home as close as I can to that spot. Even if the stuff doesn’t get put away (sigh), it’s easy for me to do it!

Sandy says on August 22nd, 2008 at 9:27 am

For those who always forget something when leaving their house, this would be a great organizing tip! You should put your phone, ipod, pda, etc. by the door to charge for easy grab. Also, put a pretty round bow or a nail for your key(s), that way, you won’t be looking for it last minute. Also, you could put some small cash just in case! That’s all, for those who always are in a rush and forget to take something!

Sunchicka says on August 22nd, 2008 at 4:08 pm

Boxes, boxes. I am a huge box fan. If I can’t throw it away, it goes in a box.

FrugalNYC says on August 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm

I use a coat hanger right by my entrance door. This is multipurpose, since - can hang bags, coats, umbrellas, keychains, and anything that will fit. Nothing gets lost since its used daily. I also have a shoe rack right under that, to keep all shoes off the floor and decrease clutter.

Nichole says on August 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 am

The best thing I have ever done was to put my shoes in a clear rolling under-bed box. I used to keep my shoes in the original boxes to keep the dust off. Then I had to start stacking the boxes. Then it got to where I either (1) stopped wearing the shoes on the bottom of the stack, or (2) simply didn’t put my shoes away. Then one day, I took the extra bed linens out of the under-bed box and put the shoes I wear the most in there - a test run. This one little trick has been a life-saver for me. No more piles of shoes by the front door and no more piles of shoes in my room!

Sue says on August 23rd, 2008 at 7:12 pm

Don’t make piles of anything, ever. Once a pile starts it begins to create a life of its own. It takes less time to deal with whatever you’re tempted to pile (mail, laundry, groceries, to-do lists, recycled things for charity, etc).

spn says on August 23rd, 2008 at 11:04 pm

On the bathroom counter, I have a plastic “box” or “bin” that holds daily use toiletries. When it’s time to clean, it’s easy to pick up the bin and all its contents to clean the counter.

Layne says on August 24th, 2008 at 3:15 am

One of my favorite tricks for keeping computer and charging chords organized and out of sight is using a tall bookcase (or desk with overhanging shelves) to house all of my gadgets and their accompanying chords/hardware. The trick lies in the shelves: certain bookcases allow for shelves that are adjustable by pulling them out and away from the back of the bookcase. Thus, pulling them out just slightly allows unsightly chords and the like to drift between shelves and stay in the background. I keep my laptop and speakers on one shelf, my printer, camera, and phone on another, and my mixer and lamp on yet another. I use one power strip located on one shelf to plug them all in to.
I recently got such a bookshelf for my own room and it works great.

Doc says on August 24th, 2008 at 11:02 am

I have been working very hard to reduce the amount of stuff that enters our lives at home: junkmail, spam, unnecessary purchases, things we don’t use anymore, etc. I am trying to pare things down without depriving anyone of what they enjoy. Less Stuff = Less Clutter.

Jon says on August 24th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

Every member of the family has to have an inbox. Saturday morning before we do anything we have to clean it out and put things away. Find that this keeps things from getting out of hand during the week.

Lorie says on August 24th, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Organize things where you use them. If you usually drop your keys on the kitchen counter, put the keyhook in the cupboard above your counter. Don’t put it by the door if that isn’t where you are used to putting your keys. Same rule applies to everything else. If you always drop your mail on the little table in the foyer, hide a garbage can under that table so you can ditch the junk mail first thing.

Angela M. says on August 26th, 2008 at 11:04 am

I use ScanSoft PaperPort’s software to scan in bank/credit card statements/etc. I think I might need. This gets rid of a lot of paper mess, plus the resulting PDFs are more convenient to refer to if I do need them.