Top 10 Time Saving Tips

For those of you who, like me, have had to learn to be organised, here are my Top Ten Time Saving Tips:

1. Have your stuff where it gets used. Have the cd’s next to cd player, keep magazines next to your favourite reading chair. Store the washing up stuff under the sink and keep the iron in the ironing basket.


2. Keep all like stuff together. Make up & nail polish can be stored in the bathroom in their own containers. Have all your shoes stored in the same place. If you have a family & don’t want them mixed up together, store them in the same way say in the wardobe on a shoe hanger or basket. Have all your linen in one spot.


3. Collect & sort your mail daily. Get into a routine with mail & you’ll find it won’t accumulate in piles everywhere. Always sort your mail next to the paper recycling box so you can trash immediately.


4. Have a ‘To Go’ container by the front door. Put an attractive container in an easily accessible place near the front door. Each time you come across a library book, or something that needs to be returned to a friend place it in your ‘To Go’ basket.


5. Group like chores together. If you’re doing the ironing, do all of it at the same time. You only have to get the ironing board out once instead of several times a week. Peeling veggies? Peel all of them then it’s only one lot of clean up. This tip will save you hours!


6. Plan your meals a week at a time. No more going to the cupboard to find you don’t have the ingredients for dinner. Remember to include school lunches, breakfasts, snacks & drinks. It’s very useful if you happen to be late home, there’s no slipping into a quick fix take away.


7. Shop once a week. Now you know what your meals will be for a week you only need to make the shopping trip once! Use the meal plan to write a list of ingredients. It may take a bit of getting used to at first. Keep a list handy that you can add to as you think of things you run out of them such as toilet cleaner, paper towels etc.


8. Write ALL your appointments on the calendar as soon as they are made. Keep a pen (that works) just for the calendar. You can get some great accessories that will ’stick’ the pen to the calendar!


9. Keep your calendar next to the phone. This way when the dinner invitations are called through you can make a note immediately. You can also see at a glance whether you’re available… No more double bookings.


10. Get a calendar! If you don’t already have one you NEED one! Just one central one where ALL of your information is stored. For families I find a paper one with columns for every family member invaluable. If paper doesn’t appeal to you there are plenty of electronic alternatives but everybody must have easy access to it (except the dog!) or it won’t work.

When I visit a client for the first time pretty much all of these tips come up! I had to learn the hard way as being organised didn’t come naturally! Please have the benefits of my mistakes and experience!

Oh man... It's Christmas in 16 days!

Alrighty, just 16 kid free days before the school holidays start here in Oz. Are you ready? I know, it's shocking, but we have to be on top of it before it knocks us sideways!

We really need to remember the reason for the season..... Jesus, peace, goodwill (eating twice our own body weight in high fat, high sugar foods - or is that just me?) So whatever you do keep the reason clearly in mind and do everything out of love for others!

How often do we get so wrapped up (scuse the pun) in being busy that we forget to stop & enjoy. Why? Mostly because we haven't spent time making plans so it's easy to be sidetracked.

Here are a few quick tips to get you on track:

1. Clear the Clutter.
If you have visitors staying with you, start organising the space that they will be sleeping in. If you need to declutter start now!

2. Write your lists.
Make a list of who is coming, who you need to buy presents for and what they like to eat.

3. Be prepared.
Go shopping before the end of November using the list from point 2. Of course only buy non perishable food at this point and be sure to hide it 'good & proper' away from grubby little (& big) fingers!

4. Family Time.
Think about how you will spend your time during the holidays and what you would like to remember in years to come! What will you do on the day? Do you have kids to keep occupied? Are there old folk who need their hands held? Make some notes while you think about it, it will give you more time on the day.

5. Delegate.
Instead of getting hot & bothered with all YOU have to do, delegate. Turn chores into fun (or family traditions)! One of the favourite bits of Christmas for our daughter is when all the ladies in our family get together the night before and peel veggies! Of course we start out being efficient and organised but it soon disintegrates into story telling and peels (scuse the second pun) of laughter.

Clutter, you're NOT the worst!

When prospective clients call I often hear 'but you haven't seen anything like this, I bet mine's the worst'. As an experienced organiser I can honestly say that I don't know if yours IS the worst but I can pretty much guarantee that there'll be 3 things I will find with the 'seasoned' clutterer.

1. The clutter. This is the stuff that's causing the disorganisation and usually consist of all kinds of paper; little & big pieces,X-rays and silly shaped sticky notes, important pieces such as passports, notes written envelopes and (I quote) 'things I am going to read but haven't had time to'. Please don't think I am writing with judgement as, so far, I haven't met anyone who was more disorganised than I used to be! Clutter isn't just about paper piles, it can be about piles of toys, crockery, or linen.

2. The Containers. The stuff that will help with the clutter, it consists of all types of things that are 'guaranteed' to get you organised. Containers from very reputable home organising shops, bought in good faith but now blocking hallways, garages, bedrooms and offices! These include, my favourite, paper trays that you can label and stack one on top of the other. The trouble is you still need to learn how to use them if the task of organising does not come naturally to you. All types of containers but none of them are being utilised because my client has no idea where to start and the task is now bigger and more overwhelming because of the backlog of c o n t a i n e r s!

3. The Self Help Books. These will help teach you how to use the stuff that will help with the clutter that you had originally! There are some brilliant books on how to get organised and I ALWAYS recommend 'Organsing from the Inside Out' by Julie Morgenstern. Her book comes second only to the Bible in my opinion. These piles of self help book piles are the ones that give me the giggles. Once I get the giggles my clients will usually join in either out of sheer relief that they have actually shown someone their deepest well kept secret or they actually start to see the funny side. Why do we laugh? Well the books end up in piles, in front of or on top of the containers that were placed beside the piles of the original clutter!

Now, it's not that I'm saying you're predictable, but...