Four Steps to an organized CD/DVD collection

1.The first step is always the most difficult. As is often the case, gathering up CDs and DVDs from the car, under the bed and lying around the house, is how you get started. Keeping them in a central location is a key in getting your collection under control.

2. Next, you need to make sure the correct CDs are in the case. If you are missing a case or two, you can buy plain cases. Mark the case clearly, maybe type the title on the computer and print it out so it can be easily read. Then tape it, or use labels to attach it to the jewel case.

3. After the cases are checked and everything matches, the tough decisions must be made. Do you really need all of those CDs? Once you have seen a movie 27 times, is it necessary to keep the DVD? You can donate, sell or give away what you don’t need any more.

4. Once that is done, you are ready to organize. There are three major ways this can be done – with albums, racks or digitally. If a lot of the jewel cases are missing or broken, using albums might be your best bet. There are loose leaf binders with pages of plastic pockets in them. The best ones are sturdy and zip shut to protect the contents inside. This method does not take up a lot of space and can be stored in a bookshelf. If shelf space is limited and you have access to hanging file drawers, hanging CD/DVD sleeves work well in file cabinets.

To keep the collection user friendly, you might opt for using racks to organize your collection. If you pick this ergonomic method, the collection can alphabetized by artist for CDs and by title for DVDs. Some people would rather sort them by genre. You can put jazz CDs, rock CDs and movie soundtrack CDs in groups. With DVDs, sort them by comedy, horror, drama, etc. If you have a huge collection you may need more than one rack. If that is the case, you can use one rack for each genre. Hopefully, you have pared down the collection so it will fit in one rack.

The last way to organize the collection is to do it digitally. Copy everything onto your computer and make sure you back it up regularly so you don’t lose anything. If you have a very large collection, this will take a lot of time and might be more than the space on your computer. You could look into getting cloud storage to backup your files. If you have a small collection, it will be easier. Many people buy downloads and do not even have actual physical CDs or DVDs any more.

Now your collection should be just the way you like it. Be sure to put everything back in its case or binder after you use it or you will have a disorganized mess again soon.

Check out my Jewish Times article!

Pikesville Mom, Professional Organizer Offers Advice On How To Set Up A Homework Station

Controlling Crafts!

Crafts can take on a life of their own, especially when you are an artsy/creative type person.  Every scrap, swatch or button has limitless potential and for many people, it seems wise to hold on to it all because “You never know when it will come in handy.’  The consequence of this way of thinking is CLUTTER. 

There are a few things you can do to tame the crafts. Most importantly, beware of impulse buying. Before you step foot into a crafts store or department, plan ahead what you are going to buy. Resist great sales of the things you already have plenty of. So many people have unopened scrapbooking items, yarn, fabrics, kits and more....and due to space limitations, end up having to get rid of the excess in order to make a room functional again.  Try this on your next shopping trip – if there is a "too great to resist" product that you see, ask them to hold it for you for 24 hours. If you still want it in 24 hours, then you can return to the store. If you lose your craving to have it, then you can celebrate the extra gift of space you have given yourself.

Next, gather all of your crafts from all over your home and spread them out on the floor. Group like things together. For example, find all of your yarns and group them by color or texture. Get rid of the yarns that are either old, smelly or have insufficient quantities. Then, find a container to hold the yarns. Containers don’t have to be fancy. Ziploc flexible totes are a great new product in two sizes that works well for yarn.  If you have many knitting needles, take inventory of what you have. Write the sized needles you have on an index card and you can even carry it with you to help you not buy the same sized needles again for your next project.

If drawing or painting is your thing, gather everything together and put all of your brushes together, all of your paints together, all of your paper together and all of your miscellaneous painting tools together. If you have 8 of the same exact brush type, perhaps you can let a few go. If you have paper that is faded, crumpled or not something you use anymore, recycle it! If you have spiral pads with very old sketches, perhaps you’re willing to rip out the ones you love most and let the rest go or scan them.  

Plastic bins can be useful for various supplies. Bins of all sizes are available at local stores and if there are lids, you can stack 2-3 on top of each other to allow you to easily access them. Make sure you evaluate what you have before you purchase containers. You want to make sure your containers are the right size for the quantities you have.

There are lots of little supplies like beads, buttons, bangles and more that go along with crafting. Some toolboxes or fishing lure cases can be used to organize the smaller items. If all of your beads and buttons are in one spot, you will not waste precious time searching for them when you need them.

For people who craft, there may be project bags all over with projects in various stages of completion. Ideally, you should finish old projects before you start new ones, but that’s a real challenge for many people. You might want to assign a space for “unfinished projects” so they are at least tucked away and not taking up valuable floor or shelf space. If you have a project that has sat unfinished for more years than you can remember, it might be time to say farewell. Just close your eyes and let it go. Sometimes new space is more important than holding on to unfinished business.

If you have some knit or crochet projects that are halfway finished, either finish them or frog them. Frogging is a term used for when you un-knit or un-crochet a project because you… rrrrrrippp it, rrrrripppp it! If you know you will never finish it, or if it not turning out the way you had hoped, better to frog it and put the yarn away for another project later.

Paints, glue, glitter, markers and other artistic products can dry out, spill or otherwise make a mess if they tip over. Take inventory of what you have and if it is unfit for use, get rid of it.  You’ll also be able to see how many of each type of item you have which will help you in your quest to not overbuy the same items.

Location is another important thing to pay attention to when organizing. The rule of thumb here is to place the crafts that you use the most in the most convenient, easy to reach spaces. Items that are used periodically should be in farther away spots. You will be amazed at the time you will save in placing the more frequently used items in nearby spaces.

Crafting is a wonderful way to spend your spare time. Giving a personalized or homemade gift can be much more appreciated than something purchased from a store. But the supplies for your crafts should not overrun your home.  Keep them at bay in their own area, either in a room, closet or cabinet, depending on how much space you have for the items. It will be easier to find what you need when you know where everything is kept.

Successful Strategies for Starting the School Year

It is already August and the new school year looms overhead. There is no way avoid it. Just take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds and let it out slowly. Ready? 

It’s time to tackle jumping into the back to school madness. Many people put it off until the last minute. I don’t recommended it, because it will add stress to you and your whole family. The kids already have enough anxiety about starting the new school year. You do not want to add any more drama.

Setting up a plan of attack is critical. The school might send a list of suggested supplies, and that is a good starting point. You will undoubtedly have to add things to it and cross off items you already have. What can you salvage from last year? Pens, pencils, paper… And then there is the big money question – are there enough computers in your house? Will everyone be able to do their schoolwork with the number of computers available? 

You will need a notebook or folder for each child. Keeping the kids’ school assignments, class trip release forms and all other school-related papers should be in one location. You should also have a big calendar for everyone to use, coordinating all events. Kids can mark when they have tests, field trips and half days. You can add teacher conference appointments or anything else pertaining to the school year.

Some school supplies can be purchased online. It might save you time to do it that way. There are less distractions for the kids. However, if you are a “hands on” person, you probably want to go to the store, and you will save money on shipping.

One of the biggest chores is dealing with clothing. As kids are growing, last year’s clothes probably do not fit as well as they once did. And, your kids want to wear what all of the other kids are wearing. You should probably have the child try on some things, but go through the clothing and figure out what you have and what you need. Don’t forget shoes. Add everything to your list. Maybe a younger child can use some of the other child’s clothing. If no one can use the items and they are still in good shape, get together a donation for Goodwill, AmVets or another worthwhile charity.

The next chore is the backpack. Some backpacks look bigger than the kids toting them. Try to find an appropriately sized backpack that is big enough to accommodate everything your child will need. You can assign a certain section of the backpack for important papers and go through it each night to make sure you see all papers that are sent home. 

If you have little athletes, you will probably need a doctor’s visit. Medical forms need to be completed before they can play sports. You may need to update sports gear and clothing.

When there are less bathrooms than people – and that is usually the case – a shower schedule might need to be put into play. Some kids like to take a shower the night before, especially those who have a hard time getting up in the morning. 

One of the most difficult things to schedule is the morning exit strategy. If any of the children changed schools this year, it might throw off the last year’s morning routine. Who has to be at school at what time? Do they walk or take the bus? Does a parent drive them? Can you coordinate everyone’s schedule with your own work schedule? What about a carpool? 

After a week or so, this should get easier. You could even attempt a practice run before school starts. Try it during the normal school time so that you get an accurate view of the traffic.

Take the pressure off the whole family and try to complete the back to school chores as early as possible. You will feel like a giant weight has been lifted once you are finished. 

Tips for Timeliness

These days time can be even more valuable than money. Time is finite. There are only so many hours in a day and some of those should be allocated for sleeping. The ability to prioritize is so important, yet many of us struggle with deciding what has to be done verses what we wish we could do. It helps if we can think in terms of the here and now. What is most important for you to do today? What can you put off or simply not do today? 

Using your time wisely is something that can make your day go better. If you get overwhelmed, you might have to say no to some activities. Turning down fun things is not ideal. Saying no to people who you’d like to please is very difficult. If you learn how to prioritize and budget time more effectively, you can learn to make time for the things that are most important to you.

Multitasking is a wonderful thing, however, there are people who try to do too much at once and end up doing a poor job at everything. Tackling one job at a time can often be a better use of time. There was a time when I was proud to be a great multi-tasker. These days it feels more serene to focus on one activity at a time.

Another issue is overbooking and/or overpromising. Even with all the wonderful technological advances, it’s still difficult to be two places at the same time. When we over-commit, someone usually ends up disappointed or angry. Instead, teach yourself (or ask for help in learning how) to better estimate realistic, achievable daily goals. Make sure you assign enough time for each task on your list and remember to add time for travel and any necessary stops along the way.

Waiting in line is something that we have no control over and can eat up a substantial chunk of time. Try to do things like grocery shopping, buying gas, going to the bank and other chores when the businesses are not as crowded. Early mornings can be a good time for grocery shopping. Parking is easier. Lines are shorter. You might not feel like getting up early just to run errands, but you have to think about the reward. You’ll have more free time later in the day!

This might sound simple, but plan ahead. The bank might be on the way to the baseball field where you have to drop your son. Driving somewhere and back home repeatedly instead of doing everything in one trip, can waste time, gas and money. 

Think about what you need to do each day next week. Plan it out. You might say, “Wait a minute, planning out my week is going to take time!” But after you have it planned, you will use your time more efficiently and the planning will get easier week by week.

Most bills can be paid online. Several banks have both direct deposit and online banking. Going to the bank may soon become obsolete. You can digitally set up monthly payments to automatically come out of your account on a certain date. Using online banking features can save time writing out checks every month. Just make sure you keep track of what is going in and out of your account. Most banks have mobile versions of their websites too, making banking very convenient no matter where you are.

Time to get real… Admit that you waste time – everyone does it. Figure out what wastes your time and make an effort to do something constructive instead. Maybe instead of getting lost in Facebook, you can take 5 minutes and unsubscribe from a few junk e-mail lists.  While you are waiting for your daughter at the doctor’s office, you can read over some documents that came in the mail that you haven’t had time to read at home. 

Around the house, tackle the little jobs before they grow into a monster-sized job that will overwhelm you. Doing a load of laundry a couple nights a week instead of waiting until you run out of underwear makes the task seem less daunting. Cleaning the kitchen and bathroom more often will take less time than waiting until the crud has built up everywhere.

Make at least a small effort to improve your time management. If you feel like a big change is too much, remember that each journey starts with a single step. Start with one problem area like excess t.v. viewing, internet surfing, unnecessary phone chatting, wherever you want to start. Try to cut down on that one thing and you will see how much more time you have available to do the pleasurable things in life.

Easy Does It, Wins the Race

Did you ever notice that people seem to have so much to do these days? You ask someone how they are and they tell you “busy.” We all strive to get things done in life. It can be frustrating to spend more time spinning our wheels and less time actually doing things. You know you really want to get yourself and your life organized, but aren’t sure how to start.  

There are various tasks you want to do. It might be cleaning out the basement. Maybe it is organizing the kids’ closets. And the kitchen — it needs organizing too. Whatever it is, divide the task into smaller parts so the job doesn’t seem so intimidating. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Try setting small achievable goals that you can do in a short period of time. Spending 15 minutes and completing one task can result in a great feeling of accomplishment. Many times people set unrealistic goals and expectations which cause overwhelm and frustration before we even begin! 

The first objective is to figure out what your ultimate goal is. Once you know that, you are well on your way. Divide it into parts. You can simply make a list. A lot of people have great success just from putting ideas down on paper. Really break the task down into its smallest parts. The more parts you have, the easier each little job will be. If and when you get stuck, try to think about the next action you need to take to get closer to your goal. You will be clicking off your accomplishments almost effortlessly.

If you have no idea how to get started, you are certainly not alone. There is a lot of help out there for people trying to set goals and achieve them. Of course, Aim 4 Order can always show you the way. One of our goals is to help you achieve yours. There are also some websites, and even some smart phone apps, that can help.

Goals on Track is a phone app that can help you stay on course with your goals anywhere. The nice thing about this app is that it charts your progress as you go. Seeing results gives you encouragement to keep going to the next challenge. CAUTION -- if you are not able to quickly understand how to use the app, move on. The last thing you want to do is waste hours of time on the internet. OK?

Joe’s Goals is a program you can get for free. According to Joe, this system worked for him. You can list tasks and days of the week to do each task. This program includes “negative goals” or vices that detract from accomplishing objectives on your list. It’s kind of a fun way to get things done, and also see what stumbling blocks throw you off your game.

Google Docs is becoming a very popular way to store lots of documents. You can be anywhere with internet access, and get to your documents. By using spreadsheets in Google Docs, you can keep track of your goals and set them up however you want them. You can make a column of goals and set up a row for each day of the week. Next to each goal, place a check mark as they are completed in the column for that day. However, try not to let the software become something that keeps you from getting things accomplished. That defeats the purpose of it.

These programs might be a good way to make sense of things. On the other hand, your way might be more basic. You might make a list on a piece of paper and put a line through each one as you do it. The main idea is to get things done. Set your goals, divide them into smaller chunks and then go after them one by one.

Linens Away!

How to avoid a linen avalanche

It’s time to change bed linens and you go to the closet. When you open the door of your linen closet, will a pile of towels come tumbling out? If so, it’s probably time to clean and organize your closet.

Unfortunately, the first step in cleaning the closet is to completely empty it. Thoroughly clean each shelf. A 10% bleach to 90% water mixture will clean any mold and mildew while making the closet smell clean. Once it air dries, you can start to put things back inside. 

Organize linens and towels.

You can cover the shelves if you want to perk up the look of the closet. Non-acid paper can be used. An alternative is using rubbery shelf liner. It will keep stacks of linen from sliding around wooden closet shelves.

Generally, shelves can be moved closer together and you can even add some and make more surface area. If you decrease the amount of space between shelves, the stacks of linens will be shorter and less likely to topple over. If the shelves are not easily moved, you can put dividers between the stacks of towels and other linens. This will help keep them upright. You may even consider putting a towel rack or two on the back of the closet door so you can hang things there.

Some people use Space Bags, or other types of sealed bags with the air sucked out of them, to store winter blankets or other seasonal items. While using those bags compacts the contents, you will still need to leave a bit of space for them. If large comforters can find a home in a bedroom closet, you can clear out a lot more room for other linens.

Small items like travel size shampoos and soaps often end up scattered all over the closet. Add some clear bins, so you can see what is inside, to keep the little containers in one location.

If you decide to hang onto heirloom linens like tablecloths and cloth napkins, keep those items up higher in the closet. They are more difficult to clean so avoid putting them on the floor unless they are in sealed containers that will keep them from getting dirty. 

If there is space in the dining room, tablecloths may be stored there instead of the linen closet. You will now have easier access to them when you need to dress up the table and free up more space in the linen closet for sheets and towels.

Towels can be sorted by size or color, whatever works best for you. A good rule of thumb is to keep about two to three sets of sheets per bed and the same number of towel sets for each person in the house. Excess towels can make great rags or can be used for pets, donated or given away.

Have you ever located a fitted sheet and then spend the next 15 minutes sorting through everything looking for the matching flat sheet? You are not alone! Fold the sheets and put one inside the other, along with the pillowcases. Some people tuck all the sheets inside of the matching pillowcase. Finding the complete set will now be breeze.

Sometimes linen closets have a musty smell. An inexpensive little box of baking soda, changed on a monthly basis, can go a long way to help with closet odors. There are all kinds of air fresheners and potpourri products that will make any closet smell wonderful. Mothballs can keep insects at bay, but may transfer their odor to the linens. 

After you put everything back into the closet, it will smell great. Think about how easy it will be to find the towel you want or the fresh set of sheets. There may be a nice stack of things to donate or give away. On the surface it might not seem like a big deal, but in the end you will have a fantastic feeling of accomplishment.