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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,163
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

Would you like to share some tips on how you keep yourself organized, if you need to?  Do you have a method with your to-do list?  I'd love to know about your organization plan.  I know I use a calendar a lot to keep track of things, sort of my to-do list now.

Want to share?

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 117
Registered: ‎03-07-2019

If I am not using something I give it away. Vietnam Veterans makes a regular stop at my door.

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,195
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

I wish I were better organized!  I hope you get a lot of tips here because I need more!

 

Since retiring I have been really trying to be more organized, something which I was really terrible at while working.

 

For one thing --- daily mail.  I used to let it pile up.  Now, I try to attend to it as soon as it comes in.  Toss advertisements immediately.  I do keep coupons for restaurants, etc. but instead of just throwing them around here and there I have a hanging organizer on the door going down to my basement and I put them in there.  I no longer hang on to catalogs forever the way I used to. After perusing, if there is one I think I want to order something from, I will mark the front and put it in my t.v. room storage cabinet.  Magazines -- immediately upon reading, I cut out anthing I want to save and put in an appropriate folder and toss them,

 

As far as other paper items, I now have plastic folders --- labeled --- for most things and a special drawer for them all.  I still have a small catch-all drawer for tossing in papers until I have a chance to sort them and put them in appropriate folders.  I do this about once a week.

 

As far as appointments and to-do things, I am not high tech at all as a lot of people are.  I rely solely on paper.  I have a small purse sized organizer calendar that I buy at the dollar store that I keep my appointments in. 

 

You can also buy larger ones at dollar store which give you more room to write things in which I keep in my kitchen drawer.  I write things down such as birthdays and other important items.

 

I'm not sure what other types of organizational tips you wanted.  

 

Regarding books --- I was a hoarder.  Kept them after reading -- don't know why!  I went through them all and donated them to the Good Will store.  Now, after I have read about 6, I take them to the little tiny free libraries which are scattered about the neighborhood.  

 

Regarding other items which I don't need or want any more, I keep a large bag in the basement.  Each time I have an item I immediately place it in there.  Anything -- clothing, shoes, household items.  After filling a couple of bags, DH calls AM Vets and they come and pick the bags up.  

 

I have decided that I would like a combo chalk board and note center for the kitchen and am now in the process of looking for one.  That way I can jote down things which I want to do or things which need my attention.

 

Hope these things are a little bit helpful!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,163
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

A dry erase board at the dollar store................saw that this a.m. on t.v., might be an idea.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,889
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

I'm extremely organized.  I really think I could do it for a living.


Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,144
Registered: ‎09-14-2010

Well I will just say ... some things are very organized and other things aren’t.

(I can usually find just about anything ....... well most of the time anyhow...)

 

Happy Organizing!

 

 

-Texas Hill Country-
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,261
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

I'm pretty organized, but not a fanatic about it.   I try to work on it daily, keeping things uncluttered, which is also good for my peace of mind.  We hate clutter.  But sometimes things get really busy and I can't stay on top of things the way I would like.  I think we do a pretty good job of keeping things pretty neat, uncluttered an orangized.  

I have dedicated places for things, and put things away when I'm done.  If something doesn't have a place and a pile starts to happen.....   like MAIL,  then I'll try to get to it on the weekend.   

A few times a year I really take a look at what I've "collected" and decide whether I really need it or not....   even if it's put away.  I also will rearrange things to make more room for things that I want/need,  so that everything is neatly put away and not just thrown into a cabinet, drawer or closet.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,294
Registered: ‎11-03-2018

I'm extremely organized.  If I don't have a place for it, I don't buy it.

 

When I open a drawer or a closet, I want to see and know what's exactly there.  I don't want to dig through stuff to find anything.  

 

I don't keep junk out on the counters and tables.  It gets put away right away.  If I see papers or mail piling up on my desk, it makes me very annoyed.  I try not to let those things get out of hand.

 

Laundry and clothes tend to get out of hand at my house.  Not letting it pile up and putting away as soon as I can helps.  

 

The Container Store knows me by name.  LOL

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,979
Registered: ‎05-18-2017

Re: How organized are you?

[ Edited ]

I would say I'm organized in the clothing area.  Clothing that hasn't been worn for a year or two, I donate to Goodwill.  I try to go through my clothes twice a year.

 

Same for shoes.  I don't keep tons of shoes.  If they aren't being used, they go to Goodwill.

 

I can't see the point of keeping clothing or shoes that will never be used.   It takes up closet space.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 226
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

I would like to think that I'm organized, but I'm not.  Most people think that I am extremely well organized, but I have to keep at it a little every day.  I have 4 children and 10 grandchildren and have always felt like I was scrambling to keep from being buried under my life.  I have found my greatest encouragement and source of helpful hints to be a website.  It's FLyLady.net.

 

I am 66 years old and have been "trying" to stay organized since I was first married 48 years ago.  I have tried everything from daily lists to card files.  At different seasons in my life, different methods have been more effective.  Fly Lady is more a way of thinking followed by actions.  Overall, I look at everything differently and try to accomplish certain daily things and follow the monthly tasks and habits.  This is not overwhelming and helps motivate me to stay on top of everything. 

 

I know that Fly Lady works for me because I went through a year of chemo for breast cancer and managed to keep my life going and keep things done around the house.  One thing that really helped was the principle that anything can be accomplished 15 minutes at a time.  I have a digital kitchen timer that fits in my pocket that I set for fifteen minutes.  I stop when it goes off and come back later for 15 more minutes.  I never seem to get overwhelmed and  accomplish a lot more.  There is a lot of psychology about being disorganized.  Once I understood why I'm this way,  I stopped feeling guilty and started doing things that work for me.  There are a lot of us who need a little direction and motivation. This works!!!  I hope that someone else is helped by Fly Lady.