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Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,473
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How organized are you?

[ Edited ]

@threecees

 

Wow!!!! Now that is stocked up & organized!!!

 

Impressive🙂

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,702
Registered: ‎08-22-2013

I'm not as organized as I was when I worked, since retirement I don't feel the need to have " all my ducks in a row", so to speak. I still keep an appointment calendar and I make lists. I hate clutter so anything I don't use or wear goes out to be donated.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,427
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@LilacTree wrote:

I pay my bills as they come in.

 

Other than that, I am a disaster.


I love your honest response @LilacTree .....bless you and hope you are doing well!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,162
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Now that I'm an empty nester and right-sized into smaller place, I'm organized. Enjoyed reading your  responses. I always learn something here. 

 

Phrases that have helped me is -- follow through and everything has a place. Open mail, toss or set aside for payment. Don't miss trash days. Have a system for cleaning. I have weekend and midweek cleaning. Just finished my midweek cleaning. No dishes, cups or silverware sitting around. Laundry every other day and put away. Wash car once a week. Keep inside of car clean. Empty trash inside house routinely. Weekly windex on glass doors. It's just nice to keep it clean.

 

Go through clothes closets every 6 months and scale down / refresh wardrobe as needed. Streamline dresser and chest drawers. Toss those crummy towels. Toss unused nail polish and make up. Even cologne you don't use. Go through your linen closets and medicine cabinets and toss items.

 

Empty dishwasher and put away dishes when dry. Keep sink clear. Don't store kitchen items you don't use. How many cookbooks do you really use?  How many tablecloths are you storing that you never use?

 

I only have one area where I have knick knacks. It's my curio cabinet. Limit items that sit around table tops. That may be more of a personal choice than an organization issue.

 

Basically, follow through and every thing has a place. It's not easy, but worth it if you enjoy a clean space.

 

I also have monthly tasks. Because I work outside the home and lately have been busier with helping family, I pay someone to come in 3 hours a month and dust baseboards, crown molding, ceiling fan blades, vacuum steps and wood window blinds. This has been so helpful. Wish I had done it earlier.    

 

    

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." Henry David Thoreau
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,741
Registered: ‎09-22-2017

@sidsmom wrote:

All I see is a huge carbon footprint w/ all those paper towels

and plastic bottles. 


@sidsmom Don't look then. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,419
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How organized are you?

[ Edited ]

A place for everything and everything in its place.

I worked as a teacher for 30 years. Anyone can learn to be organized. I learned classroom order from friends and colleagues.  This can move to your life.

 

Here are two tips I learned over time. No wire hangers. I use thin laminated wood hangers. I found this batch on Amazon.

I use Google calendar for appointments. I  can print  out a copy. The calendar sends me a schedule everyday.

A third, I recycle all basic mail in 30 days.

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,672
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: How organized are you?

[ Edited ]

My method to being organized really isn't very hard to do.  When I use something it goes right back where it was before I used it.  I am also one of those people who believes in "a place for everything and everything in it's place."  I often told my children that if they put a blindfold on me I would find what I need because of the habit of putting things back in it's original place.  I also keep files in my desk drawer and can bring up anything I need quickly.

 

As for appointment dates, they are marked on a calendar in my handbag as well as the one on my desk.  It is amazing how much time you can save by being organized.  My daughter never knows where anything is because she is disorganized.  I watch her running in circles looking for things and shake my head, no wonder she is stressed to the max.  

The moving finger writes; And having writ, Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line Nor all your Tears Wash out a Word of it. Omar Khayam
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,010
Registered: ‎08-29-2010

"It is amazing how much time you can save by being organized.  My daughter never knows where anything is because she is disorganized."

                                                                           

 

 

 

While he was young, I tried to teach our son, "It is easier to keep up than to catch up."  

 

Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

@qualitygal 

 

Hi QualityGal!

 

I'm really organized.  In my case, I do believe it's genetic, as my mother was organized and now my daughter is really organized.  When DD was in a K-8 girl's school, she'd have classmates ask her to organize their lockers, which had to hold a lot of gear, books, folders, etc.  She did it all.  I used to tell her that she should charge them each $2.00.  LOL!

 

I got really ticked at a small group with which I sang for a number of years.  One evening we had a rehearsal at my house and someone made mention of one of our outfits and wanted to see it for some reason.  Said I'd be right back.  Took maybe 20-30 seconds, tops.  Everyone was surprised when I returned to the living room with the 3 piece outfit in hand.  "How did you find that so fast."  My answer, "My closet is organized by color."  Well, I should have kept my mouth shut.  I was called ****** and every nasty word in the book.  That night ended up being the beginning of the end of my time with that group.  Those women never recovered from what they called my "anality," and bullied me endessly - and I was 44 years old!  Petty, petty women!

 

But you know what?  It's just that I'm organized.  I'm not OCD.  I'm not manic about this, but I can find thing and so can my daughter.  The way I look at it is that it's one thing I don't have to fret about, so I have a low fret level  Before I retired, my brain was full and I was always exhausted 24/7.  If I wasn't organized by nature, don't know what I would have done.  And, I had to be organized at work as well;  Had well over 10,000 surgical instruments, 200 surgical trays, 1,000 disposables and so much more.

 

If you need a starting place:

1.  Determine groups of things requiring organization.

2.  Determine how much space you have available for said things.

3.  Get rid of anything you haven't touched or used in 18 months.

4.  Purchase inexpensive organizing helpers.  Doesn't have to come from the Container Store.

5.  Martha Stewart, BetterHomes, etc. have emails you can subscribe to which very occasionally have sections on this very subject.  This also includes creative ways to make this happen.

 

Good luck and have fun.

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,160
Registered: ‎10-04-2010

@sandy53 wrote:

I am a fanatic about my calendar and to-do list.  The best method for me is a planner about 5X8 inches that has both monthly and weekly formats.  I need it to fit in my purse. The one I am using now is from Blue Sky.  When open, the weekly pages have the calendar on the left side and a to-do list on the right.  I want it all in one place and this does it for me.  It also has pages for notes in the back and I keep lists there of books to read, etc.  

 

I thought I would be done with to-do lists when I retired, but quickly found that was not the case.  


Aha!  Another one. LOL.  Me too.