I just heard about this great new product from Post-it® called the Post-it® Pocket.

Of course, they have an adhesive back and they are repositionable and tear-resistant. Great for using on vertical spaces like walls and doors, etc. and they come in handy on the inside of binders and folders, too. Post-it® Pockets are available in 3 sizes: 9 in. X 12 in.; 5 1/2 in. X 9 in.; and 4 in. X 9 in. I can’t wait to come up with more creative uses for them…how about inside hanging folders for receipts?

I haven’t seen them in stores yet but their website says you can purchase them at your local Target or Office Depot and online at 3M.com.

I’d love to hear your ideas on creative uses for the Post-it® Pockets, please leave a comment…

Overwhelmingly, paper is at the top of the list of struggles for my clients and readers so I wanted to share a few ‘baby steps’ to help you get started on tackling your paper clutter:

1.  Tackle the mail as soon as you bring it into the house.  This means getting rid of the outer envelopes and inserts that come with bills, any obvious junk mail and sort/file the rest into action and reference categories.  You can check out this previous post for more info on eliminating junk mail.

2.  Set up a ‘bill paying’ center.  Designate an area/container to place your bills once you have opened them. It may also help to designate a bill paying day or days…find something that works for you.  If you feel you only need to pay bills once a month, choose a day and try to stick to it.  You may feel that every 2 weeks works better for you.  Try asking your spouse/significant other to help you remember your designated bill paying day (but only if you feel that would help you remember- not cause you to be resentful )

3.  Be more selective about the paper you keep- Here are some questions you can ask yourself when dealing with the decision, remember it only helps you to keep it if you can retrieve it when you need it!

- Is it expired (or soon to be)?

- Can you reference the information quickly and easily elsewhere?   These days, the internet is a great reference tool. Or more importantly, ARE YOU more likely to reference it elsewhere?  It isn’t really necessary to file the paper if you are more likely to go online to search for the info.

- Can you condense the paper clutter?  If you have collected a brochure or other literature, can you transfer the pertinent information (web address, name, phone #, etc.) to a small notepad dedicated to that purpose and throw out the remaining paper?  I use a Circa journal-sized notebook that I carry in my purse, for small reminders, phone numbers and reference information (like window measurements, etc. I even tape swatches into my notebook so I have them when I am out shopping).

- Do you really need it?  Be realistic and ask yourself – am I really going to read this article/magazine/catalog?  If you decide to keep it, dedicate yourself to following through and then toss the item when you are done.  (This will also help you determine if it is worth your time to keep those papers the next time.)

Of course, these are just some basic steps and there is much more to an effective paper management system.  But it’s a start…Check back soon for more on tackling your paper clutter- especially since tax season is fast approaching!

“Mom, where’s my spelling notebook?”
“Dad, you didn’t sign my field trip permission slip and I missed it!”
“Mom, I have a book report due tomorrow and I can’t find my book.”

Does any of this sound familiar?  Are you already frustrated by the morning chaos of the back-to-school routine (or lack thereof) just thinking about it?  The truth is that organization is a culmination of learned skills.  If we don’t teach our children those skills or exhibit them ourselves, we can’t expect them to be organized.  But there are simple steps that we can take in order to build organizational systems and skills for the whole family.  Here are my 9 organizing ‘lessons’ for back to school:

Make Peace with the Paper
Designate a basket or bin for all papers including rosters, permission slips, long term homework assignments and other school related papers that parents may need to reference.

Corral the Family Calendar
Use one and only one calendar to post all of the family events to avoid confusion.  There are quite a few calendars on the market that allow a row for each member of the family for every day and make it easy to view at a glance.  You can try using color-coded markers instead if you don’t mind the extra step.

Hold a Family Council Meeting
Have a weekly family meeting and involve your children.  Review the family calendar, appointments and events over the next 7 days and identify any tasks necessary to prepare i.e. sign permission slips, wash the soccer uniform, make carpool arrangements, start studying for the math test on Friday, etc.  This will help you (and your family) prepare for these events and it will teach your children the skills necessary to become organized adults.

Establish an Evening Routine
If bedtime has been designated at 8:30pm, have your kids change into their pajamas, brush their teeth, wash their face and hands or bathe, etc. starting 15-30 minutes earlier…and be consistent.  This will also help them create healthier sleeping habits by winding down ahead of time.

Layout School Clothes
Pick out school clothes the night before.  By doing this, you will avoid (or at least minimize) last minute rushes around the house for your child’s missing ‘Dora’ sneaker or another matching (unwrinkled) shirt for them to wear because the one they had on was stained.  If you can’t do this every night, do it once every few nights or once a week.  It’s not always important to know which outfit if for which day.  It will make getting dressed in the morning quicker and easier by having to choose one of 5 prepared outfits.

Purge Book Bags Daily
Clean out your child’s’ book bag every evening.  If they are five years of age or older they can assist or you can supervise the process.  Remove and dispose of leftover lunches or snacks, other trash, sign and replace any necessary paperwork, books or materials.  This can also be a method of taking general inventory of what should be there.  The sooner an item is identified as missing the easier it can be to get it back.

Create Sport/Activities Packs
Use different colored/types of duffle bags or backpacks for equipment for sports or other activities.  For example, if your daughter participates in dance lessons and soccer, designate one bag for cleats, shin guards, extra practice uniform, etc. and the other for dance shoes, tights and leotards.  This will make life easier when it is time to run out the door and will eliminate or minimize missing or lost equipment if they have a home and are not constantly being shifted around.

Set the Stage
Establish a ‘staging area’.  If possible, establish an area in your home near the morning exit where book bags, cleats, sports equipment, etc. can be kept for the next day.  The fewer steps involved in getting out the door in the morning the more efficient and on time it will be.

After-school Schedule
Write or type up an after-school schedule for each child so they know what is expected of them and post it on the ‘family’ board.  i.e. Snack  3:30pm-3:45pm; Homework   3:45pm-4:45pm, etc.

I could go on but instead I’d love to hear some of your greatest tips for back to school whether it’s for grade school, high school, your college freshman or the adult going back to school!

I just got back from a visit to one of my favorite stores- Levenger and thought I would share my love for their great products. If you have never heard of nor seen any of their great products they describe their product offerings as “tools for serious readers”. And while that may be true, I don’t think it does them justice.

Case in point, check out their entire line of Circa- a ’scheduling and notetaking system’. It’s a serious system that is so much more than that. Circa has the three-ring binder beat hands down!  It is made up of small discs that serve as the binding and pages that you can easily move around and transfer between notebooks. They come in a variety of sizes including letter, junior, compact, 3X5 and PDA. You get to choose from a wide variety of quality paper that comes in ruled, grid, annotation, agenda, address, project planner, things to do, etc. Plus there a ton of fun accessories that are extremely functional as well like colored tab & pocket dividers, plastic & zipper pockets, photo sleeves. What I love about this line is that it is entirely configurable or customizable for you…and you are never tied to your current setup. You have the ability to add, edit, purge, transfer information, page styles and accessories between notebooks (given that the notebook you are adding to is the same size or larger as the item you would like to add).

If you are overwhelmed by the choices and are not sure what you would use (as I was) you can start small with a Circa Starter Kit. Or even better, purchase the Circa Simply Irresistible Sampling kit for $40- it comes with a ton of stuff AND a $40 gift card!

Do you have any favorite products from Levenger and/or the Circa line?

These days we are always on the go and eating on the go also tends to pack on the extra pounds. Not to mention the saturated fats, artificial sweeteners and preservatives…

Well…I was reading a blog post written by fellow PO Aby Garvey on Organizing Your Car Travels and she asked about divided food storage.  I was out shopping a day earlier and came across divided food storage containers so I thought I would just check it out when I went back to the supermarket the next day. It turned out that the container I saw only had two compartments, not the 3 she highlighted.

Needless to say I am always looking for a better solution and came across the Fit & Fresh website highlighting a plethora of products dedicated to the preparation, storage and transportation of all foods that are fresh (and portioned).

Preparation
They offer the Smart PortionTM Prep Center which consists of a cutting board with integrated food scale and removable side measuring cup.

Storage
The Smart PortionTM Prep & Pack Tray allows you to do your food prep for the week while controlling portion sizes and then helps to organize your refrigerator by keeping all of the food in one place for easy access.

Transport
Here is where they go all out:

• The Breakfast Chiller holds dry cereal, a folding spoon, container for milk or yogurt, removable ice ring and cold storage cup.
• The Salad Shaker includes a knife & fork stored in the lid, dressing dispenser, ice pack and of course, a salad bowl.

• Their Lunch on the Go container contains 2 side containers inside for snacks, a removable ice pack and a large compartment to hold the 2 ’side cars’ and a sandwich or entree…and the cover doubles as a plate.

• The Deluxe Lunch Chiller has room for storing your utensils and napkin, a removable ice ring, small portion container and main course container.

and the list goes on…

The icing on the cake is that these containers come in bright, fun colors and all Fit & Fresh products meet FDA regulations for food grade plastic and are easy to clean, freezer, microwave (except for the ice packs) and top rack dishwasher safe. See if your local grocer or retailer carries the Fit & Fresh line.

While I am not big on promoting products as the organizing solution, these great food storage products are fun and functional. They can help make preparing and organizing lunch on the go a little easier and much more interesting, which will make your advanced lunch prep more likely to happen. My hubby always says that the only system that works for you is the one you will use. (OK, he really says that the only diet or workout that works for you is the one you’ll follow- but you get my drift, right?)