organize

Organizing the Organization

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Wherever you look, wherever you are in the material world, in retail shops, online, and just looking around at the dining room table clutter (but that might just be me), the world is telling you to declutter and organize your stuff, from kitchenware to linen closets to offices to the stuff on top of the sofa (again, that might just be me). And amidst the clutter shaming, they tell you that they have just the right tools for you to organize not only your stuff, but the stuff your stuff goes into – organizing the organization.

Deals to Look For

I don’t know if this is still true, but the best deal on bins is at Target after Halloween. They have orange and black bins (that no one wants) for ridiculously cheap prices – less than $5 for a big bin.

Another great deal to know about is Back to School Shopping has the best deals the week after Fourth of July. Watch the ads, especially Staples. One other note, since the recession (2008), there has been almost no restocking. When they run out, it’s gone. That holds true for most things, not just back to school.

If you’re looking for a television, wait until the weeks before the Super Bowl.

Most importantly, only get what you’ll use in the next three months. You don’t need enough laundry detergent (despite what the ad says) to last through the apocalypse or Zombie invasion. The exception to this is toilet paper. After the pandemic, we always have a large package of toilet paper in reserve, so we never run out.

Where Do You Put that Stuff?

I have bins, baskets, folders, bags for this, bags for that, and what worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. It doesn’t help that I have organization envy to go along with my stationery/office supply envy. Awareness is the first step, and since my kids no longer have back to school supply shopping (everything is done on computers and laptops and Chromebooks), I’ve have been slowly going through withdrawal and mourning those days when I would spend hours (yes, hours) walking up and down each aisle in the school supply sections of Target and Walmart, and yes, even Walgreens and CVS, not to mention Staples, searching for the perfect notepad, the calendar that would get me through the year despite my proclivity to find a “better” one, a “prettier” one, one that was perfect for now, so I changed and added, and rewrote all of the information.

I finally broke myself of this financial-draining and self-defeating habit a few years ago with my calendar/planner. I used to have two (or more): One for my personal/family plans, one for my writing plans, and sometimes one for my lesson plans as a teacher, and none of the twain shall meet. At that time, however, I realized that I never used the weekly section for family plans. I might have repeated what was already on the month, but I never looked at it. That was when I decided to combine my two main calendars: family plans on the monthly section, blog plans on the weekly section, the current week tabbed with a magnetic bookmark. I’ve done this for awhile now, and it works very well. When I see a new planner that I’m drawn to, whether it’s the style, color, or organizational advantages, I walk away. I have a planner through December 31, and I am not spending money on another one. Maybe I can get that one next year. And yes, I save them all in a box in case I want to look back on blog posts even though I know I never will.

I am trying to whittle down the things I have and use to be more consistent and less wasteful. I know that as a writer, I will never run out of notebooks, journals, pens, and the like, and don’t get me started on printing, photocopies, and handouts. Although, I am in the process of reducing all of that.

This year, apart from my computer files and external hard drive, I have three main organizational items that I use regularly. They’re great for at home, they’re great for travel. Two were gifts from my husband, one for my birthday and one for Christmas: a document holder and a folio (both pictured below). I mean, I know that psychologically they make me feel more professional and think that I’ve got my act together, but still.

So…what are the main things you need for organizing your stuff.

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Election Connection – 2022 Mid-Terms

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I know we’ve been saying this is the most consequential election for the last three elections, and each time it’s been true. If you watched even a small amount of the disgusting, racist display put on by the Republicans during Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court, you can see there is a disconnect with the American majority and an appalling lack of morals and integrity. There is not one Republican member of the Judiciary Committee who is exempt from this. I will have more on this subject in next week’s Election Connection.

Today is a call to arms.

We need to be prepared for voter suppression and illegal and legal tactics that keep people from voting.

Vote Save America is out with their Mid-Term Madness. Go here and sign up for your region. There is an action to be taken by anyone, no matter how small or how large.

Work locally and be vigilent.

We need to keep the House and the Senate. If Republicans take over the Senate, it’s over for us. We need a solid supermajority so we don’t have to rely on the whims of two Senators getting their money from out of their states and against our interests.

Democracy is literally at stake, and we all need to do our parts

UFYH – A Site to Help Organize and Clean Your Habitat

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UFYH stands for Unfuck Your Habitat. It’s a great place for real solutions to real problems of all sizes and clutter levels using real talk. This is your warning for language as you can see by the site’s name.

Some quick links, but visit the site yourself to get the most out of it.

About UFYH – as it says in this about section, this Tumblr (and related app for $.99) is for motivation, support, and accountability.
Welcome Packet

One good start is what the blogger calls a 20/10. Twenty minutes cleaning/ten minute break.

Start with small chunks and you’ll be on your way.

Good luck to getting your life (and stuff) more organized and less cluttered.

First Look

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First Look is a new page that I’m introducing for the New Year. I have tried in the last year to maintain a weekly theme that I write on or gather information about.

Every Sunday night or Monday morning, First Look will premiere as a page with the theme’s name, a writing prompt, question or suggestion, a photograph, and a quotation relating to the theme.

My first First Look is Get Organized. Click the link to visit the page. I will set up a way for feedback or you may use the email address in my FAQ (which will be completed next week).

Thank you everyone for your support as I grow as a writer.

kb

Quotations to Motivate your Organization and Organizing

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The secret to getting ahead is getting started.

– Mark Twain

Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor – it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.

– Peter Walsh

Being organized isn’t about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a different person; it’s about living the way you want to live, but better.

– Andrew Mellon

Recs – Organization Helpers

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Some of my favorite organization helpers, both on and offline:

Unfuck Your Habitat – obvious language warning. Great hints, tips, and motivation

The January issues of pretty much any and every women’s magazine on the newsstand, especially Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and Martha Stewart Living. Those for will probably have a special organizing issue for the first two months of the year.

Day Planners/Schedule Keepers: I prefer Mead, which can be found at Target and Franklin Covey. Check online (Pinterest) for specialty downloadable ones.

List Apps: 2Do is what I’m currently using and I am very happy with it.

Note Apps: Notes and Sticky Notes are both very good.

Save/Read Later: Pocket(Read it Later)

Organizing your Notes/Note-taking: Evernote is the best there is, and can be synched between mobile devices, tablets, computers, and anyone’s computer through an internet browser. Don’t forget to sign out when you’re finished. Evernote also does what Pocket does and can be used for checklists.