Have you ever had a pile of papers that defied being labeled? Or perhaps you’re worried that if you do file that important piece of paper, you’ll never find it again in your cavernous filing system. Yet some people seem to be able to put their hands on any piece of paper they are looking for within seconds. What are their secrets for labeling files?
Create one overall system and stick to it. If you forget what categories you have in your filing system, create an index so you can scan the index to file and find items.
Email–a blessing and a curse. It’s a wonderful way to reach someone without having to play phone tag. It’s a wonderful way to deliver necessary information. And it’s also an easy way for other people to send you the information they want to send you. Work reports that don’t actually pertain to your work. Marketing from a store that you bought one thing from 3 years ago and you might go back to one day. Reply-alls from well-meaning individuals in a group email. And spam! Managing it all can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you stay on top of your email.
Limit what comes in
It’s so easy to sign up for interesting and useful newsletters and subscriptions. Set up a separate email address for your newsletters and subscriptions that you can check on your schedule, not theirs. Be judicious about who you give your primary email address to. Use a spam service that automatically reduces the amount of spam you have coming into your inbox.
Congratulations! You’ve decluttered, packed, and moved. Now it’s time to put everything in its place in your new home. Here are four things I keep in mind I unpack with someone. Unpacking will be a breeze if you…
Have a staging area for boxes to arrive
Set aside an area for boxes to go when you and your movers (if you have them) arrive at your new home. That way everything is in a central place, and can be divided up into the right room from one location.
You’ve decluttered, you’ve packed, and now it’s moving day! Here are three things to keep in mind to make the day go smoothly.
1: Priorities
The top two things you want on the day of your move are: something to eat, and somewhere to sleep by the end of the day.
Something to eat: Make a food plan for the day of. Do you want to cook the first night in your new kitchen? Do you want to order pizza and relax at the end of the day? There’s no wrong answer, just make sure that you know what your plan is before the day comes, so you’re not scrambling to figure out what’s for dinner.
Somewhere to sleep: Plan in advance to get your bed set up and made by the end of the day. Moving is stressful, and a good night’s rest at the end of your move day is a great gift you can give yourself.
When you’re looking at everything you own, packing can seem like a big task. I always recommend breaking up big jobs into smaller jobs to decrease stress and boost confidence, but I have some special tips to help you pack effectively for your move!
Pack to where you’re going
It can be tempting to box up each room in your current home as it is, but it’s likely your new home will have a different layout, with a different arrangement of rooms. Pack items together that will go in your new rooms, and it will be much easier to direct movers, and to unpack when you settle in.
Moving is one of the top five stressors in life, along with losing a loved one, divorce, major illness or injury, and job loss. If you’re facing a move, you may be feeling anxious or stressed—but there are many ways to take the edge off, so you can move more peacefully and productively!
If you keep all your dairy together, all your vegetables together, your condiments, bread, and so on, you’ll be able to see at a glance how much of what type of food you have. It’ll also be easier for everyone to put things back when each kind of food has a designated area, so you can organize your fridge as you go. Use drawers, shelves, and tubs to group like items together.
Meal planning is a useful tool for reducing stress in the kitchen. Choosing what to eat ahead of time makes mealtime a breeze, frees up space in the kitchen, and can save you money! Here are some great reasons to plan your meals.
There are lots of kitchen organization products on the market, from pull-out cabinet drawers, to canisters, to shelving—but what should you buy? The answer depends on several factors.
Don’t buy what you don’t need!
Before you buy something to help organize your kitchen, ask yourself these questions:
Organizing your kitchen doesn’t have to be stressful! If you break the process into manageable pieces, you can start with confidence. When we organize a kitchen, we start with the acronym I CARE: Identify, Categorize, Assign Homes, Relationships, and Ease of Maintenance.
