Home Organization Tips

Getting organized for the new year

[1]I keep a ridiculous number of lists: movies I want to see, books I
want to read, groceries I need to buy, recipes I want to try, things
I have to do, letters I should write, gifts I wish to give, music I
want to have my son hear, my lofty someday goals. These lists are
handwritten --- I tried to keep them digitally but kept writing
things down on sticky notes and then sticking the notes to my iPhone.
A key component of being organized is knowing yourself, and I'm a
handwritten list maker.

At the start of every year, I get a new notebook [2] and copy the
lists from the old notebook into the new. I grab a big cup of coffee,
light a fire in the fireplace, and curl up under a warm blanket with
the notebook and a good pen. I recopy the lists for a few reasons:

* My notebook gets beaten up during the year and I'm ready for a new
notebook every 12 months.

* The copying process is a tradition I really enjoy.

* When going through the lists, I can change my preferences, reorder
my lists, and eliminate things I did/saw/tried that I forgot to
cross off over the course of the year.

* The old lists become recordings of my life over the past year.
Since I don't keep a diary, this is the closest thing I have.

Obviously, the lists also help keep me organized.

What traditions do you complete at the end of the year or start of the
new year that help to keep you organized? How do you enjoy these
traditions? Do you keep lists? Share your organizing traditions in the
comments.

*Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's _Unclutter Your Life in One
Week [3]_ from Amazon.com [4] today.*

Links:
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[1] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000STK2WO/unclutterer-20/
[2] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000STK2WO/unclutterer-20/
[3] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143915046X/unclutterer-rss-20/
[4] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=unclutterer-20&path=subst/home/home.html

Sitter information forms

When you leave your home, you may have a babysitter, pet-sitter, or
house-sitter watch over your children, pets, or things. Completing an
information sheet with important contact and vital data can keep you
and the sitter organized and ready for anything.

You can print and fill out these forms exactly as they are, or use
them as inspiration for creating your own.

Babysitter:

* The U.S. Government [1]

* Chica and Jo [2]

* American Red Cross [3]

* MicroSoft Office template [4]

Pet-sitter:

* MicroSoft Office template [5]

* Hewlitt-Packard template [6]

House-sitter:

* DocStoc [7]

* MicroSoft Office template [8]

*Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's _Unclutter Your Life in One
Week [9]_ from Amazon.com [10] today.*

Links:
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[1] http://homeorganizationtips.info/www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/mom-to-be-tools/babysitter-information-form.pdf
[2] http://www.chicaandjo.com/2008/07/23/downloadable-babysitters-guide/
[3] http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/education/Babysitting/FamInfoCard.pdf
[4] http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT010256685.aspx?CTT=3#ai:TC010077949|
[5] http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/pet-care-instructions-TC006091278.aspx
[6] http://www.hp.com/hho/hp_create/media/downloads/Pet_sitting_form.pdf
[7] http://www.docstoc.com/docs/272202/House-Sitting-Instruction-Form-Template
[8] http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/house-sitting-instructions-TC006090439.aspx
[9] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143915046X/unclutterer-rss-20/
[10] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=unclutterer-20&path=subst/home/home.html

Workspace of the Week: Wonderful workspace

Pack rats in fiction: Through the Looking Glass

Five stress-reducing strategies for the holidays

December is one of the most stressful times of year. If you don't
watch out, you could end up crying and in a terrible mess of anxiety.
Here are five things you can do now to reduce the clutter and stress
at the holidays:

* *Make a list.* Whether it's a grocery list, gift shopping list, or
list of things you need to do --- write it down. Once it's out of
your head and onto a sheet of paper, you'll stop cluttering up
your mind with the items and stressing out about trying to
remember it all.

* *Check it twice ...* or as often as you need. Once you've made
your lists, be sure to review them and/or bring them along with
you. A list isn't good to you if you don't have it when you need
it, where you need it. A to-do list should be reviewed regularly,
until all items are completed.

* *Find out what's naughty.* Walk around your home and/or office
with a laundry basket or box and pick up any items that are out of
place, and then put them away. Do you have a used glass on your
desk that should be returned to the kitchen? Do you have shoes in
the middle of the living room floor that belong in your closet?
Reduce the stress caused by visual clutter by putting everything
back in its place.

* *Find out what's nice.* Take time each day to enjoy some down
time. If you meditate, meditate. If you do yoga, do yoga. If you
simply want to sit and drink your coffee in silence for 10 or 15
minutes, do that. Give your brain some much needed time off each
day during this busy season.

* *Get ready to travel out of town.* If you're traveling or even if
you're staying put, now is the time to confirm all of your
reservations --- travel, hotel, dinner, movie --- or those of your
guests. The less you leave up in the air, the less you'll worry
about your plans between now and then. RSVP to parties, find out
what you're supposed to bring to holiday dinners, or even learn
which friends are coming into town you'll want to see while
they're visiting their relatives. Get everything on the calendar
and be ready for as much as you can.

*Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's _Unclutter Your Life in One
Week [1]_ from Amazon.com [2] today.*

Links:
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[1] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143915046X/unclutterer-rss-20/
[2] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=unclutterer-20&path=subst/home/home.html

A year ago on Unclutterer

!! 2009 !!

2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts for kids [1]
In our seventh installment of Unclutterer's 2009 Holiday Gift Giving
Guide [2] we're discussing gifts for children. Unitasker Wednesday:
USB Pet Rock [3]
The wonderful people at ThinkGeek.com have brought us what can only be
described as THE most amazing unitasker ever found. Not only does it
waste energy and use up one of your USB ports, but it also does
absolutely nothing! The USB Pet Rock [4]. An author's minimalist home
of the future [5]
In 1952, _Popular Mechanics_ magazine ran an article about science
fiction author
Robert Heinlein [6]'s then-new 1,150-square-foot minimalist home.
Titled "A House To Make Life Easy [7]," the article written by Thomas
E. Stimson, Jr., explores the "house that's called extreme today but
may become conventional before the 20th century has run its course."
2009 Gift Giving Guide: Gifts the Unclutterers are giving [8]
In our eighth installment of Unclutterer's 2009 Holiday Gift Giving
Guide [9] we're discussing gifts the Unclutterer team members are
giving this holiday season.

*Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's _Unclutter Your Life in One
Week [10]_ from Amazon.com [11] today.*

Links:
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[1] http://unclutterer.com/2009/12/02/2009-gift-giving-guide-gifts-for-kids/
[2] http://unclutterer.com/2009-holiday-gift-giving-guide/
[3] http://unclutterer.com/2009/12/02/unitasker-wednesday-usb-pet-rock/
[4] http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/c208/zoom/
[5] http://unclutterer.com/2009/12/03/an-authors-minimalist-home-of-the-future/
[6] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000APVWZW/unclutterer-20/
[7] http://books.google.com/books?id=XNwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA65&dq=popular+mechanics+heinlein&lr=&as_pt=MAGAZINES&rview=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false
[8] http://unclutterer.com/2009/12/03/2009-gift-giving-guide-gifts-the-unclutterers-are-giving/
[9] http://unclutterer.com/2009-holiday-gift-giving-guide/
[10] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143915046X/unclutterer-rss-20/
[11] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=unclutterer-20&path=subst/home/home.html

Workspace of the Week: Wherever you wander

Holiday season perfect time to sell or donate items

Does your son have a Thomas Train set he ignores? Is your daughter's
Radio Flyer wagon gathering dust in the garage? Are you storing golf
clubs you never use? Do you have a formal gown you wore once and don't
plan to wear again?

All of these lightly used items --- and thousands of others --- are in
high demand on Craigslist and eBay right now. Buyers are looking to
save a few dollars, and sellers are hoping to make a little money.
With the economy sloshing around in stagnant water, there is increased
activity on resale sites during the holiday season.

If you're interested in selling your things on Craigslist [1] or eBay
[2], I highly recommend checking out the extremely thorough article
"Sell It Now --- how to make hundreds of dollars in 37 minutes [3]" by
Ramit Sethi. The article is targeted toward eBay, but works just as
well for Craigslist. It's especially helpful if you haven't ever sold
anything on a site like this.

If you aren't interested in taking the time and energy to sell your
lightly used items, now is also a great time to donate them to
charity. Remember, charities aren't dumping grounds for used stuff, so
only consider donating goods that are still in excellent condition.
Also, give your local charity a call before making a donation to
confirm they have a need for your specific items.

*Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland's _Unclutter Your Life in One
Week [4]_ from Amazon.com [5] today.*

Links:
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[1] http://homeorganizationtips.info/http//craigslist.org/
[2] http://ebay.com
[3] http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/earn-money-on-ebay/
[4] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/143915046X/unclutterer-rss-20/
[5] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=unclutterer-20&path=subst/home/home.html