This needs to be an interactive post. Like, all you people who read and never make comments...its your moment. (BTW I know you are there because I added you, so don't try to hide from me)
The issue at hand is deep cleaning. I got home and I just got the bug. (Not what Noelle had, but the bug to clean). The problem is I organize often, and dejunk often, but I end up disliking my methods of organization. (Especially when it is not clear to certain people who live in my house who have ....different...ideas of organization).
So, here are the topics. Tell me what you do. Give me ideas....or come and help me clean. Thanks!
1. Electronics. Why can't every little gadget have the same charger? I have been putting them in zip lock backs labeled, but I need an easy why to store it after that. Do you keep them all together? Keep them near where you use it? Why is the right charger always missing when I need it?
2. Office stuff. Notice that my two hardest areas to clean are kind of Jason's forte to mess up. :) Bless his little heart. I think its hardest because I don't really know what everything is so the way I put it together isn't his. C.D.'s? Papers?
3. Oie. I hate organizing bills, important documents, receipts...really anything paper. I've been married almost three years so I have 2006-2008. What can I throw away? Can I throw away old pay stubs of places I no longer work? Can I consolidate old bank records where we no longer bank? What methods have you found that work the best to get your paper crap from the mailbox to the right folder. (My method is currently a pile on the washer, to a pile on the microwave, to a pile in the office, to a pile....its called procrastination organization. Doesn't work at all!
Oh, and Jason's big joke about my organization has to do with the file boxes I put things in. If he can't find, say a hat, he dramatically goes to the file box and looks under H. Ha ha Jason. Just because I can't find things once I organize them doesn't mean I am not a good organizer...right?
4. CD's. Do you people keep cases anymore?
5. Kids clothing. Just tell me how to do it.
6. Medicine. I get really fierce sometimes and want my medicine cabinet organized. (Boy since Noelle I could open a pharmacy!) Honestly, there is a lot of stuff I wish I could throw away. Someone please give me permission to get rid of the mysterious HIS and HERS vitamins we got as a wedding gift. Oh, and then what am I to do about the super tonic I had to take when I was "cleansing myself" of Tuberculosis evidence? It was expensive, but if I remember right--taking too many drops could cause an imbalance. (In what I don't know!)Then I have vitamins. Lots of vitamins, and I don't have a clue as to what they do.
7. Craft stuff. I don't really scrapbook anymore, and I haven't sewed much lately but I have lots of STUFF. If things aren't organized I can't be creative. I just can't.
Ok. Give me ideas. I am patiently waiting. (And I won't write until I get some advice because I am standing to write this since I have the a pile of mail junk to be shredded on my chair.
Oi.
7 comments:
And now...from the organizer of the century! Advice! I'll take the TB drops (someone we know might need them and they are good for five years). The vitamins should be used (use it up...wear it out...make it do or do without.) Noelle's medicine probably has some dates of use on the bottles and since it is expensive don't throw away the good stuff. CD's...I would love to know if you have some of mine whose cases are empty (like my classical CD's?) I would keep the cases but I am of course an old school organizer. As far as papers go...leave that one up to the "experts" which doesn't include me! Good luck!
1. Ever heard of iGo? I love them.
2. Dave and I have the same problem. Love you sweetie!
3. I finally bought a filing cabinet, lots of manilla folders, and some hanging files. Things are better.
4. I'm wondering the same thing.
5. I have them all in bins and up in the spare-room closet. Works for me.
6. Check expiration dates on vitamins. I say chuck the ones that are expired. And throw away anything else that is expired or you don't know what you take it for.
7. I'm no help on this one. My craft stuff is a disaster.
I've never been friends with electronic things. They like to bite me. i just keep the chargers in one pile and whenever i need something i just pull on one end. If it's the wrong one i take another try. (Sorry, i only have three chargers so this careless system works)
Mom keeps all the papers and i don't think her system differs from yours much. She just keeps them all in one pile in a special box.
CD cases: i'd keep them if i had them :) I have tones of CDs but not enough foldres for them. I'm going to buy new ones next week i think...
As far as you can guess, i have no children but in my naive imagination i would have a special closet for their clothes where i would keep them in the order which i would have if they were mine.
Have problems with organizing meidicine stuff? You should talk to my mom. Shortly, she'd say to keep only the most important things.
Things for craft! :D I love everything that's for craft! That's why it's the only place in my desk which has order through all the year(the rest gets out of the mess in summer when there's no school). Craft is magic, that's why i make the locker with the stuff look like a beautiful magical place. I even keep my magic-8-ball and magic coin slider(thanks to Jesse, a very useful thing it is, you know)there. That's mostly because i haven't found another place for them. Just imagine you're a fairy. :)
Have fun!
Love you!
Lindsey, you should come over, we should talk.
Oh and a couple of quick things. Throw your bank statements away once you've balance the accounts. Your bank is required by law to keep records of your accounts, you are not. If you need a statement later you can request it. Also, toss your bills once you verified that they are paid, or better yet, do it online without the paper. You only need to keep receipts for things that affect your taxes, such as a donation to a non-profit or a medical bill.
Don't just toss your medicine, call around and find a pharmacy that will dispose of it properly for you. There are trace amounts of medicines in our water supply and leeching into ground water, trace but still enough to affect people. Oh,and then tell me when you find one, cause I've got some medicine I need to get rid of (he, he). Oh and we send paper that needs to be shredded to work with Jamie, apparently they can shred it there and earn money for something for recycling it.
I didn't mean for his to be so long. Seriously though come over some time and we'll talk more.
Electronics--I keep all the odds and ends in a small rubbermaid bin in the office, on a shelf.
Papers? filing cabinet--but I make it easy for myself, I have an inbox on my computer desk where I put stuff I need to file, and after the stack gets big enough(a month or so) I file for about ten minutes, ta daaa!
We just threw out all our CD cases--just over Christmas. I'm not looking to put them back in their cases and selling them anytime soon, so the cases were just clutter.
Kids clothes--I have Alora's in space saver bags by age "0-6 months" etc., and I did it by how much would fit in the bag, and then labeled it. Shoes and stuff I put in another little rubbermaid bin.
Thank goodness I keep medical statements--we JUST got a statement in the mail today saying that we owe $1200 for an appointment at a location I've never visited, at a date BEFORE I switched insurance companies, for a pregnancy I didn't have. I have proof of my first appointment/everything because I kept statements. grrrrrrr. I'd better get it resolved tomorrow.
wait til your birthday, then tell your hubby that you have a to do list of things you'd like him to do for you on your special day. print out your post and hand it to him... haha. just kidding. i really have no organizational skills or advice!!
i checked out a book from the library by don aslet. it's called.....hmm. clutter's last stand. it helps put things into perspective - things that you really want to keep and things you don't. i'm a major tosser - and need to get in gear in the garage and start tossing. we've got no CD cases and are happy with that decision even 2 yrs after the fact.
baby clothes are tricky because if you keep them too long they get age stains and the elastic breaks upon re-entry...if you have another girl in two years, cool, but i say keep only your very favorites and pass on the rest. we had bins labelled with the size on the outside.
we don't keep statements - we pay them and get rid of the evidence. we only keep tax records. and tithing settlement records.
i got rid of some medicine a bit ago - that stuff expires. arlynda's post makes me wonder what we just added to a land fill though - everyone should be feeling much more relaxed when our motrin and percocet hit their glass of water, i suppose. it is expensive, but when she gets sick again, they'll give her a new dose and maybe it's a completely different kind. ?
i'll tell you what, though, when you pass on your things, even things you wonder if you should keep or not...things work out. i had ZERO baby stuff after jane - when she grew out of it, we passed it along, EVERYTHING. about three weeks ago, with the impending birth of girl #4, we've received pass a longs too, bassinet, car seats, clothing, diapers, literally EVERYthing we need for a baby (all this without a shower!) - the Lord takes care of you, promise!
okay - i get the award for the longest blog comment post!
also, check out flylady.net - she's got some good tips!
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