Tuesday's Tips - Getting Organized

Whew - it's Tuesday again and here I am after dinner just getting to my tips of the week.

Ironically they cover the topic of organization. Hmmm.

Really, I do my best to be organized and tidy. When things are in order it makes life a bit easier.

Today I spent a good part of the day putting away my "everyday" decorations and replacing them with fall and Halloween decorations. Carson stayed home from school today due to waking up with his eyes swollen shut and full of eye boogers. Poor guy looks part Chinese. He was my helper and had as much fun as a sick kid can have while staying home from school.

So, today I thought I'd bring you a few tips to help you get organized.

1) If you have kids in elementary school and even preschool I bet you clip box tops and save Campbell soup labels. A great way to collect and store them is to tape either an envelope or a sandwich baggy to the inside of one of your cabinets. Once you clip the box top just put it in the envelope and you don't have to go digging through drawers to find that envelope.

2) What to do with all the papers and projects your kids bring home from school? I have found that it's good to limit yourself to saving a select amount. And to help you accomplish that goal, I suggest purchasing an expandable legal size folder (I've found them at Wal-Mart) and only keep what will fit inside. Within this folder I keep a separate folder for specific notes from the teacher or things I may need to refer back to during the school year. It really works out great. You can add the child's name, teacher and school year to the outside for a nice keepsake which is easy to store.

3) I have begun taking a lot more pictures since I've had a digital camera. I no longer print my pictures, but have a slide show set up on my computer as my screen saver. My kids have spent countless hours sitting in front of the computer looking at the pictures as they pop up. Such great entertainment. And it's great for when company comes over as well.

4) Another suggestion for pictures is storage. It would be such a horrible loss if your computer crashed and you lost all your valuable family pictures. That is why I religiously save them every month to a CD. After I have burned that months pictures to a CD, I also upload them to an online picture store, such as Snapfish or Photobucket. You can opt to share your pictures with anyone from your address book via this option. And from these picture sharing websites your guests can choose to print or just view your photos. It's such a win-win situation.

5) Do you ever forget a family member or friends birthday? Shame on you! Well now you don't have to worry. Birthday Alarm is an awesome online birthday reminder website that emails you your important family and friends upcoming birthdays. It is an easy to use site - really give it a try. Your family and friends will be so happy that you remembered their special day.

6) Are you a coupon clipper? Have you ever been out at a store or restaurant and wished you had that certain coupon that you clipped? I have found that keeping a separate zipper pouch in my purse with my coupons has really worked well. This way the coupons aren't loose in my wallet and they are easily accessible when I need them.

7) What to do with all the cards and notes that are meaningful to you? Here's another time where it's good to limit yourself. I have found that a plastic shoebox is just the right size to keep your special notes and cards in. You can label the outside when it's full with the years that the contents include.

8) Each year after our family has received numerous Christmas cards I am always torn as to what I should do with the cards. I hate to throw them out, but keeping them doesn't seem practical. The solution? Turn them into next year's gift tags. I cut the front with a fancy pair of scissors which leave a pretty edge and then I attach them to gifts which saves the cost of purchasing gift tags. They are more personal and just add a nice touch to a Christmas gift. (Can you believe I am even talking about Christmas already? It's not even Halloween!)

9) But now that I've mentioned Christmas..........Are you getting your lists ready? Another fantastic website to help you manage all those lists is The Things I Want. It's a free site that helps you list items for upcoming occasions whether it be a birthday, wedding, or Christmas list. And it's so easy to use. Try it out - you won't be disappointed.

10) I am a huge garage sale junkie. Whether it's shopping at them or having my own. I love me a garage sale. Holla! So, how do I prepare for my sales? Easy I tell you. No really. I have heard how people fret over having a sale, but I find it to be so much fun and rewarding. The best way is having a working bin or tote in a designated area, such as a closet. Label the outside of the bin "garage sale items" and place items in it as decide you no longer want them. Even better yet, place pre-printed price tags on top and before you place the item in the tote give it a price label and your that much more organized for the big sale day.

Once again I hope you have gained at least one good tip to get you on your way to a more organized lifestyle. What is a great organizing tip that you can't live without? I'd love to hear from you. You can never be too organized!