Coat racks and hooks are great for keeping jackets and outerwear in a central location – and not cluttering benches and the backs of chairs. Both function well, come in a variety of styles, and can also be used for keys, umbrellas, hats, scarves.
Here’s how to decide which one will work best for you.
Large Area. Use a coat rack when you have ample space at the entry way. Be sure that you place it in a location that you will not bump into it, and yet still have easy access.
Small Area. Use coat hooks when space is limited. They have a smaller foot print and allow you to quickly put away jackets and bulky sweaters.
I used to have a clutter graveyard. It was located in my home office. Whenever I didn’t want to deal with something – a box, paper, mail, anything – I would shove it in my office until I could get to it. Surprised? You shouldn’t be – pro organizers are busy just like everyone else and and sometimes get caught up with life. The difference between us and the average person is that we have weapons in our arsenal. We use specific strategies to get righted again, and because we have those tools, our spaces tend not to remain cluttered for very long.
This really is the key to banishing the clutter graveyard. Use a strategy, tip, or trick to get back on track when life throws the kitchen sink at you. That means finding the the right set of activities that work for you, your personality, and learning style.
You should also consider:
• Purpose of Your Space. Will your dining room function as a traditional eating space or will it double as a home office or child’s play area? Figure out the way you want to use the room before buying furniture, containers, or gadgets.
• Less is More. If you want to build your graveyard, just keep adding stuff to it. If you want a more streamlined space, keep only the things you need in that space. You may need to see your favorite photo on the wall but do you really need 4 file cabinets? Keep the items that you must have to function optimally and pitch the extraneous stuff.
• Find Your Personal Best. Pick the right solutions for you and make a plan for success. Test out a strategy you’ve read in a book or take the advice of a professional organizer. Then, try it on for size for 3-4 weeks. When you succeed, stretch a bit more and try top yourself. Sounds odd, I know, but sometimes it helps to have a mini-competition with yourself. After succeeding with 10 minutes/day on organizing and/or productive activities, try it for 15 minutes/day. Push yourself to achieve a little more than the best you can give.
• Kiss the Clutter Graveyard Goodbye. The last time I gave a friend or family member a goodbye kiss, they were standing right in front or me. It’s easy to do the same with the clutter graveyard. Take a “before” picture and post it somewhere you can see it. Use it to remind you of your commitment to keep the dead, stagnant feeling – and look – of the graveyard as far away as possible.
“Managing two mental tasks at once reduces the brainpower available for either task.”
Read More:
The Awful Truth Behind Multitasking · Avery Articles
Get More Information
- Study: Multitaskers actually worse at processing information than non-multitaskers (crunchgear.com)
- The Myth of Multitasking (sitepoint.com)
- Multitasking Muddles Brains, Even When the Computer Is Off (wired.com)
Do you find yourself waiting until the last minute to complete tasks and projects? Today’s guest post can help! Check out Stephanie Calahan’s tips on how to “put off” those procrastination tendencies.
“I can’t help it! I was born to procrastinate.” That was the statement I heard when talking with a new client about a week ago.
So I asked her, “Are you happy with your procrastination? Does it serve you well?“
“No!” she exclaimed. “That is why I called you. I’m missing important deadlines and my co-workers and family are fed up with me.“
Do these statements resonate with you? If so, then keep reading. You can overcome procrastination if you learn a few simple secrets. Sometimes procrastination (putting an activity off until a later date) is necessary — like when a higher priority item comes up that you have to work on. However, if procrastination becomes a habit, trouble often follows. Start by understanding that there is nothing genetically or inherently wrong with you. So far, scientists have not found a procrastination gene! That is good news because it means it is a habit you can kick.
Why do we procrastinate?
There are a number of reasons we procrastinate. Let’s go over a few and how you can overcome them.
1. Not understanding your priorities will have you spinning in circles
Do you know if you are working on the right things? Do you find yourself jumping from one project to another? Often we procrastinate because we waiver on what we should be focusing on. One day it is one project and then the next day a different “bright shiny object” comes into view and we switch off to that. We are so busy jumping from project to project that we never really complete any of them.
Try This Instead: Earlier this year, I did a Twitter poll and asked my followers what their biggest challenges were with productivity. Setting priorities and working on the right things came up #1. So, I reached out to over 40 colleagues and asked them to give me their favorite priority setting tips. You can get the special report at no cost here: Get Your Special Report: Priority Setting – Working on the Right Things. Check it out and gain a solid understanding of where you should be spending your time.
2. Perfection is the enemy of progress
No one is perfect and the desire to be perfect will derail your progress – you loose the focus to be successful. Don’t get me wrong. Having a detailed focus and an attitude for a “job well done” is excellent. However, there is a line we should draw when things are “good enough” to be tried. When you spend too much time on a particular task, it never gets completed and other activities suffer too. Taking action is better than not taking action. If you take action you get feedback and know where you can alter for improvements. For example, if you wait until you have a perfect plan for working out and eating right, you will never lose the weight you want to lose. If you don’t lose the weight, you may experience greater health issues.
Try This Instead: Use the 80/20 rule. Be “good” for 80 percent of the time. The logic: If you follow the new exercising/eating plan 80 percent of the time, then you’re 80 percent closer to your goal than the previous day! (The glass half-full focus.)
Remember – life is full of imperfection. Yes, it is important to give your best to achieve the possible best. But, not everything has to be perfect to produce the best outcome. Imperfection is better than perfection if something is actually getting accomplished!
3. Fear of failure only frustrates
This one ties closely to the item above. Taking action means making a change and possibly failing. Most of us don’t like change. In fact, most of us are terrified of change either consciously or unconsciously. “Failure is not an option” is a phrase we have heard all too often. But then, if we never tried, how would we know whether our effort has paid off or not, right? Exactly! Fear can be good when it helps us think though alternatives to a difficult problem. However, frequently we take it too far and this is where procrastination comes in.
Try This Instead: “Its Not Change it is an Experiment” – I love this concept. By thinking of your project as an experiment, you can get past your analysis paralysis and get your projects live. Then, as you learn things, you can make modifications. Now, go take action and let me know how it goes!
4. Understand the real time it takes to do tasks
We often put things off because we think something will take longer than it really will. “I just don’t have time!”
Try These Instead:
- Play Procrastination Attack! Beat the Clock. Pick a time frame – let’s say 15 minutes – where you know you can focus on a task and get as much done as you can in that timeframe. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish!
- Sit in a chair and do nothing. Sit still —- very still! Do not read. Do not listen to music. Do not watch T.V. Do not talk to anyone. Do not do anything! Just sit very still and do nothing. After about 10 or 15 minutes, you will get very uneasy. You will start to be aware of each precious minute passing you by while your goals are not being accomplished. Before you know it, your motivation will be reactivated and you’ll be off and running!
The Final Word
When dealing with procrastination it’s important to realize the difference between a rational decision to postpone a task and an irrational one with no rhyme or reason. Most people get confused between these two and then they procrastinate. You can easily end procrastination when you see that in most cases your decision to postpone an important task carries no logic at all.
Whether it is writing a chapter in a ‘how to’ book, cleaning your kitchen, or doing a blog post, you should try to do something each day. This is action. These small actions will bring big results overtime. Acknowledge your feelings. Even if you’re afraid of putting yourself out there, it doesn’t mean you have to allow these feelings to take over. Just allow them to be there and focus on what you have to do. This is powerful if you learn to use it.
What do you do to beat procrastination? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips!
About the Author
Who could you be if your story was no longer holding you down? Stephanie LH Calahan works with intelligent, highly motivated, busy entrepreneurs, executives, producers and other professionals to teach them how to do more with their time, space and information. She believes that life is meant to be lived and that fabulous vision combined with practical systems can make that happen very quickly. As the creator of a number of programs, she focuses on helping you identify solutions for the way you think and work. She and her team of experts at Calahan Solutions, Inc. help you maximize every hour and every dollar you invest in your business and life. She frequently delivers transformative presentations and workshops to kick start massive business success through systems and simplification. You don’t have to do it our way, because we help you find your way!™ Contact Stephanie at 309-826-5263 or support[at]calahansolutions[dot]com.
On day 13 of Get Organized Month, we’re focusing on the Home Office. Whether you’re a small business owner or a homeowner, it’s not unusual for the home office to get filled up with clutter. Does this sound like you?
“It’s supposed to be my home office, but it’s more of a storage room.”
“I haven’t filed anything in a while and I have piles of paper everywhere.”
If you can relate to either of those two statements, it’s time to give your home office a shot in the arm. Here are some things to consider:
• Divide and Conquer. It’s time to draw the line in the sand. Decide what will live in your office and what will get the boot. Separate items by category – paper, books, office supplies, etc. and find a permanent location for those items to live. Don’t forget – do a little bit every day and get your friends and family to help out when possible.
• Make a Uni-purpose Room. Do only your work related tasks in this room. Keep out clothing, shoes, toys, exercise equipment, etc. If your children need to use your office, they can do homework or a specific “work” task. Decide ahead of time what those activities will be and be sure they have enough supplies/materials.
• Be a Dymo. Be a dynamo with your Dymo! Use labels to remind you where things live. This will encourage you to put them back where they belong and help your children to do the same, too.
• Make a Splash. This might not be the first thing you think of when you decide to organize your office, but the room should feel good to you. The color on the walls, the look and feel or your chair, the art on the wall – it all matters. Add a splash of your favorite color or try hints of blue. Did you know that people in blue rooms tend to be more productive?
Ok, now G.O.
Get Your Own Dymo
Do you have a catalog obstacle course in your home or office? If you find it hard to let go of catalogs because you haven’t read them yet, you are not alone. The good news is that you can stop them from hitting your doorstep altogether with Catalog Choice.
Sign up with this service and they will contact the catalog providers on your behalf to stop the ones you really don’t want from being delivered. It couldn’t be easier to do – just three easy steps – so stop navigating that obstacle course and get your home and office back.
Photo Credit: Google Images
Do you have a hoarder in your life? Perhaps you have a neighbor who’s a hoarder? According to msnbc.com, “an estimated 2 million people in the U.S. suffer from compulsive hoarding.” With such a high number, it should come as no surprise that you might have a hoarder living in your area.
Recently, a woman in my neighborhood, Marilee White, decided to share her story with Lindsey Mastis, a WUSA9 journalist. Though this must have been very difficult for her to do, it was an opportunity for her to get the help that she needs. I have known Marilee for two years and am proud of this step she’s taking to get out from under the clutter. This, of course, will not happen overnight. Clearing the clutter can be a slow process and will likely need the involvement of a therapist. It will also require more professional organizers. I will be calling on my NAPO-WDC members to help Marilee and WUSA9 will likely check in on her throughout the year.
To get more information about Marilee, watch the WUSA9 profile below, and tell us your about experience with a hoarder in your family or neighborhood.
“If you do your spring cleaning in January, guess what you don’t have to do in the spring?” ~Michael Scott (character played by Steve Carell) [The Office · "The Secret" · 2006]
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- Fact Friday: Managing Your Attention (dallisonlee.com/blog)
Today’s guest blogger and Professional Home Stager, Alice Chan, shares some tips on how to organize the selling of your home and make the process go more smoothly.
The mere thought of preparing for a move is enough to send most people over the edge, let alone actually preparing it to sell. Keep in mind that these two events go hand-in-hand and the more you invest in the process upfront, the easier the entire experience will be.
While you are preparing your home to sell, you’ll begin the editing and packing process which will be extremely helpful when you finally physically move. This is when having an organized schedule and a game plan will be your best friend.
Let’s talk about how to manage this process.
- Get a notepad and pen and walk through your entire home, inside & out, and make a list of the following for each space/room – repairs needed, upgrades needed, what can be packed up, or sometimes what may be easier is to indicate what can stay and know that everything else should be packed up.
- Evaluate the list and determine what you can and will do yourself and what needs to be outsourced (i.e. painting or handyman work)
- Get a calendar and map out your schedule. For best results, use a year-at-a-glance type calendar where you can see the entire month. Start with your target market date and work backwards. For example, if your target market date is say the first Saturday of next month, that means you should have your home staged by the Thursday before, which means the housecleaner should come the Wednesday before, etc. You keep moving backwards and attach a date to everything that needs to be completed and schedule appointments with the appropriate vendors accordingly. This will do a couple of things for you. It will help you see whether or not you’re being realistic about your time frame, whether or not it’s realistic for you to do all the work yourself, and it helps you stay on track to get everything done on time.
The important thing is to take it one step at a time and before you know it, you’re ready to show off your hard work, sell your house and do the happy dance all the way to your new home.
About the Author
Alice T. Chan is the Home Buyer Attraction Expert and creator of the Home Buyer Attraction System. As a Professional Home Stager, Alice helps Real Estate Professionals and Home Sellers create irresistible, market ready homes that sell. Her Do-It-Yourself Home Buyer Attraction System was created to empower home sellers to stage their own homes so they STAND OUT from the crowd and make buyers STOP and TAKE NOTICE! For FREE tips and resources on how to get your home ready to sell, visit Alice at http://AliceTChan.com. You can also find Alice on Twitter and Facebook or send her an email – info [at] alicetchan [dot] com.
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It’s only day six of Get Organized Month and life is still happening. Though your children may be back at school, you’re also back at work with all – or more – of your usual responsibilities. When life goes back to normal after the holidays, it’s easy to slip into “I’ll do it later” mode.
Whether your goals are to eat healthier, manage your time better, or have a less cluttered home/office/car, staying motivated can be a challenge. A certain pro organizer can relate as her home office is typically on her “to do” list…but more on that later.
Here are a few things you can do to keep the momentum going.
• Jump to Conclusions. First, think about what end result you want to achieve. What will success look like when it happens? Will your desk be clear at the end of each day? Will you fit into your high school cheerleading uniform? Will you get your car in the garage? Burn your “success picture” in your mind and hang on to it. Put it on your bathroom mirror or fridge door, anywhere you’ll see it regularly.
• Be Stingy. While you might have many goals on your list, it’s impossible to achieve them all at once. So, be frugal with the number tasks that you’re going to focus on – and with the amount of time each one deserves. Pick one (or two) things you want to work on each day and be realistic with how long it will take to tackle them.
• Become a Poet. Keep a rhyme or jingle in your head, a tune that makes you happy and keeps you going. Though you may also need a swig of coffee or an energy drink, a little jingle before you start working on your goals – and during – will likely put you in the right frame of mind to keep up with your task.
• Get “Appy.” Your app might be a spiral bound notebook or a digital notebook like Evernote. It really doesn’t matter, though, what you use, as long a you use it. Apps will help you keep track of your successes and alert you to small changes you may need to make. If you have a smartphone, take advantage of the myriad of productivity programs out there.
Ok, now G.O.
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