Organized

I just got back home from a MOPS meeting and it was all about organization and the home office and it got me all warm and fuzzy-feeling inside.  I just get so excited about having things organized and "in their place."  It was good stuff.  Everyone had some great organization ideas, so I thought I'd share a few of them here:
 

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Problem:
papers, mail, bills, receipts, etc.  The "STACKS"

Suggested Solutions:

• The 2-minute rule (If it can be taken care of in less than two minutes, do it immediately)
• Have appropriate disposal bins handy where you read your mail (trash, recycle, shred)
• Use a by-date separator to know when to pay certain bills
• Have an "inbox" and go through it daily (or weekly)

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Problem:

Scheduling, calendars

 

Solution Suggestions:

•  Family Calendar with room for each family member's activities for the week.
• White board calendar in the kitchen
• Sync up your PDAs, Outlook Calendars, etc.
• Keep a perpetual birthday, anniversary calendar

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Problem:

To-do lists that are way too long

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Keep a long-term (this month/year) and short-term (today/this week) to-do list
• Categorize your to-dos.  A work-related to-do, a home related to-do, a kid-related to-do, etc.
• Make a next-action list (Ben got this from the book Getting Things Done.  It has a fantastic system that we use occasionally...not religiously)

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Problem:

Toys everywhere!

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Each kid gets a bin and they're allowed to put as many of whatever toys they want to have in the bin, but the lid MUST close.  All other toys are stored in bins in the basement/garage/etc.  Every month or so you give them the option to go "shopping" for a new round of toys.   (Alison gets total credit for this idea--which btw my MOPS group thought this was genious!)
• Buckets with photo labels of the contents. 
• Toy "check out" and "return" policy from shelves.  Can only have 3 items checked out at once before they need to be put away. (I don't actually know anyone who does this, but it might be an interesting experiment to see if kids are willing to go along with it...)

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Problem:

Kids' schoolwork and artwork 

 

Solution Suggestions:

• Boxes, folders or bins divided by school year.  Label with child's name, year, teacher's name.
• Portfolio divided by year
• Hang recent creations from clips on a curtain rod to create your own kid's art gallery
• Go back 2-3 years later when you aren't so emotionally attached to *every* art piece and quiz and purge, keeping the best and most special.

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Funny story:  Tom (Ben's dad) asked me once to make him a top 10 list of how to stay organized.  Immediately I looked for some paper and a pen and came up with a list of 6 things and handed it to him.  He always jokes that #1) he was shocked that I did it instantly, and #2) that I only needed 6 "rules".  Proof of my tendency towards efficiency I guess.  I'll try to remember them here, but he may need to correct me if he still has the original list:

 

1.  A place for everything and everything in its place.
2. If it can be done quickly, do it immediately.
3. Clean out your closets/desk/etc. every 6 months.  If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it, you probably don't need it.
4. Put things away every night before you go to bed. 

Darn...i can only come up with 4 now....does that mean I'm getting more efficient and organized?  Or just tired and sloppy now that I've got a kid?

 

I'll leave you with a photo of my favorite room of our house...my office.