 Will your pictures and keepsakes mean anything to the next generation? A lifetime goes into collecting images and keepsakes that take you back, to that special day, that once in a lifetime event, that person you could never forget. So why can these precious items that tell your history, that hold cherished memories, be lost in piles, water-damaged, folded up, scattered about, or have never made there way out of the envelope? And how can this happen while perfectly good, empty albums and scrapbooks lie about, having suffered the same fate? Who cares?! Getting them organized now is what really matters. Before its too late and these keepsakes, heirlooms and photos get left behind as the next generation doesn’t know the story and doesn’t understand the value. Getting organized in any area of life and work should not be about assigning blame or guilt to what hasn’t happened, it’s about taking action now and honoring your possessions and space for the present and for the future. So the question begs, how do I organize them? Here are 5 steps to help you: I call this my ‘ALBUM’ method! Arrange and Sort Gather some shoe boxes or other trays to sort in. Have a marker and note cards ready to make categorizing easy. Choose your categories based on dates, life stages, events, or people. You decide, just remember to think long term on what makes most sense for you and your family. If you can’t decide ultimate order now, that’s ok just take time to label the categories you come across well so putting in order later will be easy. Limit and Purge Toss the extra packaging, old flyers and old cardboard frames. Toss any unflattering, fuzzy or ‘too dark/too light’ shots. Redundant, duplicated, off centre and poorly framed shots can get tossed too, unless there is any potential to create a special effect when scrap booking a very special image. In which case do limit this, as in reality you’re not going to do this with every subject. Toss pictures taken for temporary needs or practice shots. Box it up safely Chip in and get good archival quality photo boxes that are acid free. ‘Neatly’ label the outside of each, and don’t mix up your categories. That ‘I’ll put it here for now’ mentality is what gets us cluttered in the first place. This stuff is either valuable and to be honored, or it’s not. Safely store negatives in envelopes with photos if possible. Upgrade when you have time When shopping for albums & frames consider your volume, the sizes and where in your home you will display them. Take the time to plan how much album space to allot to each category. Purge more as you go. Maintain your system Develop film or download images from digital cameras immediately. Limit the pictures you take, or keep. Don’t fall back into that ‘good enough for now’ habit. Update boxes routinely, monthly, bi yearly or yearly. Then sit back, enjoy your collection, invite family and friends to view them with you. Re-live all those great memories in style while making new ones to cherish along side them. Enjoy the peace of mind being organized brings and share the news on how grrrrreat it really feels. To learn more about organizing your home, your office and everything in between, get resourceful and check out the information and free gifts available on this site. You can also call or write today and I will be happy to discuss any organizing dilema you may be experiencing. Warmest Regards, Michelle Additional free resources: Archival Products - www.archival.com Collection Protection Supplies - http://www.bagsunlimited.com Specialty Options - http://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional/storage-boxes Instructions on the nitty-gritty of photo storage – http://www.ehow.com/how_4599899_best-way-store-photographs.html Tips on how to organize digital photos – http://smallnotebook.org/2008/05/20/how-to-organize-digital-photos-the-easy-way/ Add Comment Tax Time Tips by Tidy Tiger 03/07/2011
Time to get last year's tax documents processed. If the thought overwhelms you just follow this brief checklist and keep it simple.
Tips for the Distracted 12/30/2010
 Please enjoy these ideas gathered from 'The Disorganized Mind. Coaching your ADHD brian to take control of your time, tasks, and talents' by Nancy A. Ratey. Forward by John J. Ratey, co-author of 'Driven to Distraction' This truly informative and inspiring book has a lot of great insights and strategies to share. Today I would like to share some great strategies taken from Nancy's chapter on 'Time Mismanagement'. I encourage everyone to check this book out soon to learn more on time and task management and to share it with others. Hear the Passing of Time Try wearing a sports watch that is set to beep every hour. You can also use a PDA and consider the vibrating feature if you like a silent alarm instead. This technique will help you become more conscious of time and the length of an hour. Divide your day into 'Quadrants' Sometimes too much detailed schedule planning is not the answer. If you don't react well to detailed time management systems try dividing up your day into sections and then plug in a list of a few goals to acomplish in each. For example, these blocks could be 9-11, 11-2 and 2-5. See both the big and little pictures Keep a monthly and a weekly calendar. This way you will see the larger picture while still having a view of your more pressing weekly commintments.
& Reward yourself along the way! Don't know where to begin? 10/03/2010
 If you catch yourself saying 'I don't know where to start.' or 'I don't know what to do with any of this' try these 3 tips... 1. Spread things out a little so you are not stuck seeing the forest rather than the trees. 2. Start with items that you know what do with. Put them away immediately. 3. Pick items up one by one and force yourself to look at them. Once you have put away the items you know what to do with you may see categories emerging. If items don't have a home or don't fit in current location keep gathering them up in their 'like' groups. After you have your categories of stuff sorted out you will be in a better position to gauge what else can get tossed, donated or recycled, and where the keepers should be kept. Keeping Clutter Away for Good! 09/07/2010
1. Handle paper only once. And if that is not possible, at least try to move it one step closer to completion every time you do pick it up. 2. Make decisions now. Don’t put things down ‘for now’. Commit yourself to decide what to do with each piece of paper immediately. 3. Clear out your in-box for 15 minutes each day. Don’t turn your ‘in-box’, into a ‘procrastinator tray’. 4. Sort by Category. Mail and e-mail should be sorted into categories. Try sorting ‘by Priority’, ‘by Action’ or ‘by Date’ 5. Write notes in the right place. Numerous scraps of paper and notes will only serve to frustrate you. Choose one place to keep notes, and if they pertain to a client folder or project, put the notes in the proper file as soon as possible. 6. Get real about what you can read. Limit subscriptions, clip articles out if you want to keep it and recycle the rest of the periodical right away. Be realistic about how much you can actually read too. 7. Purge papers regularly. Twice a year purges will do wonders to keep the volume down. Take time to thin out files that contain unimportant notes, drafts and other non-essential information. 8. Keep file systems logical and easy to use. Creating a Dewey Decimal coded system or trying to develop some mythical ‘Perfect’ system is an urge you should resist. Top 6 Tips to Increase Productivity 04/27/2010
 1. Set time to work and avoid distractions. If you work from home set office hours and talk to any family about respecting this time. Allowing oneself to get distracted by household chores or passing conversations can really take a bite at productivity. 2. Prioritize your tasks and make a 'To Do" list everyday. Break your tasks down based on their Value and Deadline so you can easier gage what your top priorities are. As well as having this To-Do list, take time to schedule your tasks into the calendar or planner. Getting real about time and when you will do it makes it more likely that you will get it done on time. 3. Plan your week on Sunday. When making your plan for the week, try to group 'like' tasks together. If you have errands and tasks that can be grouped together you can save a lot of time. Take up to a 1/2 hour on Sunday to review on paper what your obligations are for the week ahead, this is one of the best organizing strategies. 4. Create filing systems (Paper and Electronic) that suit your needs. Everyone is a little different in they way the process information. When it comes to file systems, although for the most part they can be similar, there are lots of variations in setting them up. There are even choices to be made when it comes to what you keep as 'paper' and what you keep 'electronically.' Regardless of the system you use, it must be easy to maintain and allow you to find what you need quickly. 5. Dedicate space for your business. If you have an actual office, a converted closet, a spare bedroom or an office nook in the kitchen, the space needs to be dedicated to business. A place where you can work on your tasks and have what you need close at hand, avoiding distractions. 6. Become a student of Organization. If you don't already have a file or a 'favorites' folder on organizing, maybe now is a good time to start one. Read articles and books on time management and organization. Attend seminars, telecasts and try to get your hands on as much good material on this subject as you can. To ingrain the material into your subconscious you should go over the materials 6-8 times. Too busy or overwhelmed to get started? Call me and we can work together hands on getting you going in the right direction. 778-866-6942 SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST 03/23/2010
Spring is in the air, it’s time to clean up and make a little more room for happy to sunshine in and bring new life to your home. Don’t try to do it all in a day. Start in one area, finish, and then move on. Getting even just one small area done will have a great impact and leave you feeling like you accomplished something. The Kitchen ___ CLEAN OUT AND ORGANIZE REFRIGERATOR ___ CLEAN INSIDE OF AND UNDER STOVE ___ CLEAN MICROWAVE ___ CLEAN TOASTER OVEN ___ CLEAN AND ORGANIZE PANTRY ___ CLEAN AND ORGANIZE FREEZER ___ WIPE DOWN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF KITCHEN CUPBOARDS The Bedroom ___ WASH OR DRYCLEAN BEDSPREADS ___ ORGANIZE/PURGE MASTER BEDROOM CLOSET ___ ORGANIZE/PURGE CHILDREN'S CLOSETS ___ ORGANIZE/PURGE CHILDREN'S TOYS All Over ___ WIPE DOWN ALL DOORS; CLEAN DOOR HANDLES & MOLDINGS ___ WIPE OFF WINDOW SILLS ___ CLEAN INSIDE OF WINDOWS ___ WASH OR DRYCLEAN CURTAINS ___ DUST MINI-BLINDS ___ CLEAN SLIDING GLASS DOORS INSIDE AND OUT ___ REMOVE MARKS FROM WALLS; APPLY TOUCH UP PAINT ___ CLEAN WALL MOLDINGS ___ DUST CEILING FANS ___ DUST PICTURE FRAMES ___ DUST LAMP SHADES ___ STEAM CLEAN CARPETS ___ STEAM CLEAN FURNITURE ___ WASH OUT WASTEBASKETS ___ DUST ARTIFICIAL PLANTS ___ CHANGE BATTERIES IN SMOKE DETECTORS ___ ORGANIZE LINEN CLOSET ___ WIPE DOWN AND CLEAN UNDER WASHING MACHINE AND DRYER On the Outside ___ CLEAN UP FLOWER BEDS ___ FINISH RAKING LEAVES ___ PREPARE PLANTERS FOR PLANTING ___ CLEAN AND FILL WATER FOUNTAINS ___ STRAIGHTEN STORAGE SHED ___ HOSE DOWN PATIO ___ CLEAN PATIO FURNITURE ___ CLEAN WINDOWS ON OUTSIDE ___ INSPECT AND REPAIR WINDOW SCREENS ___ WASH OUT GARBAGE CANS ___ CLEAN BARBECUE |  CategoriesAll ArchivesJanuary 2012 |
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