I remember a lecture in college in which my professor talked about "putting the big rocks in first." This concept has been around for a while, and I am not sure who said it first. (I can't even remember which professor told me!) But, I do remember the concept very well. Basically, it is the idea of having a certain amount of space (or time) (in your life). If your space (or life) gets filled with the little things (pebbles) first, there won't be space for the larger, more important things. However, if you put the larger rocks in first, the smaller rocks will fall in the blank spaces. And, it can even keep going with smaller items. Sand could fill in the even smaller spaces. Water could then flow through the areas left.
This concept can be applied to all areas of your life. The big rocks could be things like your job, your family, your religion, your health, your community, etc. The smaller rocks could be things that seem important when you are in the thick of them, but when you step back, you realize that they are not necessarily as important. They could be your kid's 5 different extra-curricular activities, volunteering for every function at your church or school, trying to keep up with the Jones's.
This concept can also be applied to organizing, on a couple of different levels. First, people tend to get bogged down in the small things (pebbles) when they try to get organized. They need to step back and get the big picture. What are the boulders, or big rocks? What are their goals? What is keeping them from getting organized, or staying organized? Deciding where that one paper clip, or singular shoe goes is a pebble, and should be dealt with after getting the big rocks figured out.
Secondly, on a more physical level, when starting to organize a space. Start big! Get everything out, sort, toss, and then start bringing things back in starting with the large items. Then, bring in the smaller items.
Also, getting your home organized makes space in your life for those big rocks, and may even show that you have room in your life for the smaller rocks.
That college lecture was a long time ago, but it obviously meant something to me. (Trust me, I remember very few things from the lectures!) So, I hope you remember to start with the Big Rocks!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Healthy Living and Organization
Most people who know me, know that healthy living is important to me. I am not usually a preacher of this, but I try to lead by example. I make sure my family has healthy, balanced meals. I believe exercise and playing outdoors is an important part of staying well and youthful. Adequate sleep for me and my family has always been enforced.
You are probably now wondering what this has to do with organizing. Well, in my opinion, being organized helps me to incorporate these things into my life. Planning our meals for the week, allows me to put together my grocery list and purchase everything I need for the week, and eliminates multiple trips to the store. Knowing ahead of time what we are having for dinner helps eliminate the last minute fast-food meals or unbalanced thrown together meals.
Coordinating our family calendar lets us know who has practice and games when, so as not to miss anything. But, it also show us when we are starting to over-book. Kids need down time as much (or more!) than adults. Having free time to play with their friends in the neighborhood is just as important as piano lessons, football practice, and cub scouts.
Keeping our house and schedules organized, gives us the ability to relax in the evenings, and get to bed on time. We are not stressed over not being able to find the football jersey, water bottles, permission slips, or the homework that is due tomorrow. We can rest easy, and be ready for the next eventful day.
You are probably now wondering what this has to do with organizing. Well, in my opinion, being organized helps me to incorporate these things into my life. Planning our meals for the week, allows me to put together my grocery list and purchase everything I need for the week, and eliminates multiple trips to the store. Knowing ahead of time what we are having for dinner helps eliminate the last minute fast-food meals or unbalanced thrown together meals.
Coordinating our family calendar lets us know who has practice and games when, so as not to miss anything. But, it also show us when we are starting to over-book. Kids need down time as much (or more!) than adults. Having free time to play with their friends in the neighborhood is just as important as piano lessons, football practice, and cub scouts.
Keeping our house and schedules organized, gives us the ability to relax in the evenings, and get to bed on time. We are not stressed over not being able to find the football jersey, water bottles, permission slips, or the homework that is due tomorrow. We can rest easy, and be ready for the next eventful day.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Paper, paper, everywhere!
Oh my goodness! School has started back again, and my only question is: When are schools going to go paperless?! Wow! Everyday my boys bring home papers. Yes, most of it is school work, but there are also newsletters, sign-up sheets, notifications, artwork, etc.
But, seriously, I know most of this stuff is necessary for my kids to learn, and I am all for it. The key to all this is managing the paper once it gets home. I read everything that comes home with my boys. I want to see how they did on all of their work at school, monitor their progress, and make sure they are doing well. Do I need to keep every piece of school work that they bring home. NO! Once I have looked at it, reviewed it with them, and am sure that there is no follow-up work required with it, it goes straight into the recycle bin.
Do I need to hang every 100 or A that they get on the fridge? NO! I praise them for their hard work, they get a high-five and a hug, and it still goes in the recycle bin. If it is a project that they worked especially hard on, we will keep it around for a week or so to show off to friends and grandparents, but then it goes away. I know this sounds harsh, but it is necessary. If I kept every piece of paper, or even just the ones with good grades, every piece of artwork, etc., my house would be overwhelmed with paper. I would rather teach my kids now that just because we don't have the piece of paper, doesn't mean that they didn't earn that grade, and that we aren't still proud of them. We have the memory, it will be reflected on their report cards (which we DO keep!).
I do keep a box of special pieces that my kids have done at school. But, the criteria for me keeping them is that they have to be unique, they have to mean something to my kids, and that they show their personality in them.
As far as the other paper that comes home from school (i.e. the newsletters, notifications, etc.), I read the information, put any pertinent dates on the family calendar, write any additional information ("bring watermelon slices to class party") on the white board next to the calendar, enter any e-mail addresses or phone numbers into my contacts on my phone, and then recycle the piece of paper. I admit, I used to put all these different pieces of paper on the fridge for reference, but then they get lost or buried behind the more recent ones. The only papers that are on the fridge now are ones that need to be signed and returned to the school.
I was only kidding about schools going paperless. I still love paper and pencils, new school supplies, pencil boxes, notebooks, etc. But, as a parent whose counter top can get covered in paper in a matter of days, I wonder how far off we are from kids doing their work on netbooks, and it being e-mailed to us! It will probably happen sooner than we think. (And, honestly, I will be a little sad).
But, seriously, I know most of this stuff is necessary for my kids to learn, and I am all for it. The key to all this is managing the paper once it gets home. I read everything that comes home with my boys. I want to see how they did on all of their work at school, monitor their progress, and make sure they are doing well. Do I need to keep every piece of school work that they bring home. NO! Once I have looked at it, reviewed it with them, and am sure that there is no follow-up work required with it, it goes straight into the recycle bin.
Do I need to hang every 100 or A that they get on the fridge? NO! I praise them for their hard work, they get a high-five and a hug, and it still goes in the recycle bin. If it is a project that they worked especially hard on, we will keep it around for a week or so to show off to friends and grandparents, but then it goes away. I know this sounds harsh, but it is necessary. If I kept every piece of paper, or even just the ones with good grades, every piece of artwork, etc., my house would be overwhelmed with paper. I would rather teach my kids now that just because we don't have the piece of paper, doesn't mean that they didn't earn that grade, and that we aren't still proud of them. We have the memory, it will be reflected on their report cards (which we DO keep!).
I do keep a box of special pieces that my kids have done at school. But, the criteria for me keeping them is that they have to be unique, they have to mean something to my kids, and that they show their personality in them.
As far as the other paper that comes home from school (i.e. the newsletters, notifications, etc.), I read the information, put any pertinent dates on the family calendar, write any additional information ("bring watermelon slices to class party") on the white board next to the calendar, enter any e-mail addresses or phone numbers into my contacts on my phone, and then recycle the piece of paper. I admit, I used to put all these different pieces of paper on the fridge for reference, but then they get lost or buried behind the more recent ones. The only papers that are on the fridge now are ones that need to be signed and returned to the school.
I was only kidding about schools going paperless. I still love paper and pencils, new school supplies, pencil boxes, notebooks, etc. But, as a parent whose counter top can get covered in paper in a matter of days, I wonder how far off we are from kids doing their work on netbooks, and it being e-mailed to us! It will probably happen sooner than we think. (And, honestly, I will be a little sad).
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Fresh Eyes
Do you walk past the same pile of stuff every day and not even notice it? Has it been there so long that it has just become part of the landscape? Do you not even know what it on the bottom of the pile? You are not alone. Everyone does it.
Today, I decided to re-organize my older son's room. (Side note: It seems that the older they get, the smaller the pieces of their toys get, but the quantity increases.) On the top shelf of his bookcase, he likes to showcase his Lego masterpieces. I like this idea, and encourage him to be proud of the ones he makes on his own (and not the pre-designed kits). However, besides the Lego inventions, there have always been some pictures of my son. Some of him when he was a newborn, some with his different grandparents, and others of him just growing up. They were all in different types of frames. They have always been there. It was visually cluttered. It bothered me, yet it has been like that for years.
Well, today was the day to change that. I went and bought several inexpensive frames (I mean cheap! $1.50-$2.00 at Target!) They are all the same. They came in different sizes to fit the different pictures, but visually they are all the same. I grouped them in an appealing layout and hung them all on the wall. Now, it looks like a single collage of pictures. One piece of art, instead of random, mis-matched pictures that just seemed to take up too much space, not only on the shelf, but in my mind when looking at his room.
It took so little time to make a significant difference in the appearance of his room. Why did I wait so long to do it? I don't know. Probably because in the grand scheme of things, it is a low priority as far as all the things I have to do in a day. But, standing back and looking at it, I really feel like I accomplished something significant today. And, I am pretty sure that my son will love it, and actually LOOK at the pictures now, instead of walking right past them, as we have all done for so long.
Today, I decided to re-organize my older son's room. (Side note: It seems that the older they get, the smaller the pieces of their toys get, but the quantity increases.) On the top shelf of his bookcase, he likes to showcase his Lego masterpieces. I like this idea, and encourage him to be proud of the ones he makes on his own (and not the pre-designed kits). However, besides the Lego inventions, there have always been some pictures of my son. Some of him when he was a newborn, some with his different grandparents, and others of him just growing up. They were all in different types of frames. They have always been there. It was visually cluttered. It bothered me, yet it has been like that for years.
Well, today was the day to change that. I went and bought several inexpensive frames (I mean cheap! $1.50-$2.00 at Target!) They are all the same. They came in different sizes to fit the different pictures, but visually they are all the same. I grouped them in an appealing layout and hung them all on the wall. Now, it looks like a single collage of pictures. One piece of art, instead of random, mis-matched pictures that just seemed to take up too much space, not only on the shelf, but in my mind when looking at his room.
It took so little time to make a significant difference in the appearance of his room. Why did I wait so long to do it? I don't know. Probably because in the grand scheme of things, it is a low priority as far as all the things I have to do in a day. But, standing back and looking at it, I really feel like I accomplished something significant today. And, I am pretty sure that my son will love it, and actually LOOK at the pictures now, instead of walking right past them, as we have all done for so long.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Vacation!!
So, my family and I are getting ready to go on our annual vacation to the beach. I can't wait! I love sitting on the beach, playing in the water, reading magazines I would never read except when on the beach ( I won't name names, but you know the kind of trash I am talking about!), people watching, and eating fresh seafood!
There is, however, A LOT of work that goes into getting us all there with all the stuff that we need. Not only is it me, my husband and kids going. My mother, my father-in-law, and his wife are also going with us. My husband's job in this trip is to drive us there. My job is. . well, everything else.
I, of course, start with a list. I first do a quick jot down of all the things that come to mind that we will need. Sunscreen is always the first thing, being a red-head, and having a red-headed son! Beach towels, beach toys, etc. Naturally, my mind thinks of all the fun things that we will be doing while we are there. So, those things get on the list first. But, then, reality will come back to me. We won't spend every minute of every day at the beach. We will need to eat, we will need to wear clothes other than swimsuits at times, we will sleep, ride in the car for hours to get there and back, we will need to entertain the kids in the evening, or when it rains (as it poured down rain and flooded last time we were there!). All these other things need to be thought of, so I can plan for them and pack for them.
So, my list gets broken down into compartments: food, clothing, entertainment, beach, etc.
Then, I will try to think out what we will be doing each day for each of these groups. From experience, it is always the little things that end up bothering us the most. Like, when our condo had a coffee maker, but no coffee filters! Now, we have a small stash of coffee filters of different sizes (since we never know what kind of coffee maker there is) that we take with us.
When it gets close to the day we will leave, I will start gathering all the items in one place. This helps me see the things, and will often remind me of other things that we will need, or that I might need to go buy. It also shows me whether or not it will all fit in our car (Thank goodness for large SUV's!!)
When we start the actual packing, I try to think of the order that we will need things, and then pack it with the items that need to be accessible within reach, or on top in the suitcases. I make sure that there are books, games, snacks, and water, within reach for the boys in the car.
When we finally get to our condo, and everything is unloaded from the car, I quickly put everything in its place. The clothes in the dressers, the food in the kitchen, the shampoo in the shower, etc. I want our condo to feel like home. I don't want to have to search through suitcases the whole time we are there. And, as soon as the condo is prepared . . . I AM ON VACATION!
Break out the flip flops, swimsuits, and margaritas!
There is, however, A LOT of work that goes into getting us all there with all the stuff that we need. Not only is it me, my husband and kids going. My mother, my father-in-law, and his wife are also going with us. My husband's job in this trip is to drive us there. My job is. . well, everything else.
I, of course, start with a list. I first do a quick jot down of all the things that come to mind that we will need. Sunscreen is always the first thing, being a red-head, and having a red-headed son! Beach towels, beach toys, etc. Naturally, my mind thinks of all the fun things that we will be doing while we are there. So, those things get on the list first. But, then, reality will come back to me. We won't spend every minute of every day at the beach. We will need to eat, we will need to wear clothes other than swimsuits at times, we will sleep, ride in the car for hours to get there and back, we will need to entertain the kids in the evening, or when it rains (as it poured down rain and flooded last time we were there!). All these other things need to be thought of, so I can plan for them and pack for them.
So, my list gets broken down into compartments: food, clothing, entertainment, beach, etc.
Then, I will try to think out what we will be doing each day for each of these groups. From experience, it is always the little things that end up bothering us the most. Like, when our condo had a coffee maker, but no coffee filters! Now, we have a small stash of coffee filters of different sizes (since we never know what kind of coffee maker there is) that we take with us.
When it gets close to the day we will leave, I will start gathering all the items in one place. This helps me see the things, and will often remind me of other things that we will need, or that I might need to go buy. It also shows me whether or not it will all fit in our car (Thank goodness for large SUV's!!)
When we start the actual packing, I try to think of the order that we will need things, and then pack it with the items that need to be accessible within reach, or on top in the suitcases. I make sure that there are books, games, snacks, and water, within reach for the boys in the car.
When we finally get to our condo, and everything is unloaded from the car, I quickly put everything in its place. The clothes in the dressers, the food in the kitchen, the shampoo in the shower, etc. I want our condo to feel like home. I don't want to have to search through suitcases the whole time we are there. And, as soon as the condo is prepared . . . I AM ON VACATION!
Break out the flip flops, swimsuits, and margaritas!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
I recently went to the annual NAPO conference and expo. It was a wonderful experience. There were so many inspirational people there. One was Tim Sanders, our keynote speaker. He spoke of making better connections with people. That we should "Multiply the Value" of these relationships. That people should be better off for knowing us.
His speech definitely made me think of how I can make the world a better place.
As a mother, I make it my goal in life to help my children become excellent, productive, loving adults. By showing them how to help themselves and others, they will, in turn, make the world a better place by not being a burden on society, but make positive changes to it.
As a professional organizer, it is my passion to help people tame the chaos in their lives that keep them from starting, focusing on, and/or completing the important works that they need and want to do for the world. It is so hard to concentrate on the big picture when you are buried under clutter, or can't find your important papers, or even your keys to get you out the door on time! Bringing peace and harmony to people's lives, in my opinion, is important work. It may not directly feed the hungry, provide employment to those in need, or stop wars from starting, but I think it does make a positive change on people's lives.
As a person, I pride myself on my integrity. People who know me, know that I will always tell them the truth. I stand by my word, no matter what. I also assume the best in people. Not to the point of naivity, but to the point that I want to think that most people are good at their core. That they are not malicious, but truly want the right thing (even though I may not agree with them on how to get there).
Everyone can make a difference in the world, whether it be small or large. You can read Tim Sanders' tweets on Twitter: @sanderssays
His speech definitely made me think of how I can make the world a better place.
As a mother, I make it my goal in life to help my children become excellent, productive, loving adults. By showing them how to help themselves and others, they will, in turn, make the world a better place by not being a burden on society, but make positive changes to it.
As a professional organizer, it is my passion to help people tame the chaos in their lives that keep them from starting, focusing on, and/or completing the important works that they need and want to do for the world. It is so hard to concentrate on the big picture when you are buried under clutter, or can't find your important papers, or even your keys to get you out the door on time! Bringing peace and harmony to people's lives, in my opinion, is important work. It may not directly feed the hungry, provide employment to those in need, or stop wars from starting, but I think it does make a positive change on people's lives.
As a person, I pride myself on my integrity. People who know me, know that I will always tell them the truth. I stand by my word, no matter what. I also assume the best in people. Not to the point of naivity, but to the point that I want to think that most people are good at their core. That they are not malicious, but truly want the right thing (even though I may not agree with them on how to get there).
Everyone can make a difference in the world, whether it be small or large. You can read Tim Sanders' tweets on Twitter: @sanderssays
Friday, April 16, 2010
The scary places under the bathroom sink!
Is the cabinet under your bathroom sink a dark scary place? Does stuff fall out every time you open the door? Do you have no idea what is under there? Has stuff been lost in there?
Here are some tips to make that cabinet usable again. It is a great storage space if used properly.
1. Take everything out.
2. Clean the cabinet (and the items you pull out). No one wants to pull out a roll of toilet paper that has dust bunnies or dirt on it! Yuck!
3. If the bottom of the cabinet is nasty (i.e. spilled shampoo that won't come up, warped plywood from a leak 10 years ago), put down a nice liner. If you use a light colored liner, it keeps the space in there from looking so dark and scary. Liners are also easier to wipe clean than the particle board that is typically in there.
4. Throw away any items that are past their prime or will never be used. There is no point in holding on to a half-empty (or half-full, however you look at things) bottle of lotion that you don't like and that you will not use. Let it go.
5. Group the rest of the items into categories that work for you (i.e. hair products, lotions, first aid products, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc.) Remember that the items in this cabinet should only be things to be used in the bathroom.
6. Try to contain the categories in baskets or bins. I really like the "itso" bins from Target. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. They also have straight sides and bottoms. Baskets look nice, but a lot of times, things like shampoo bottles, will tip over because the bottoms are not flat. I also prefer the plastic bins for this space since there is always the potential for water to get in there, and baskets would definitely get damaged by this. (Save the baskets for dry areas!)
7. In the containers, put the most used items in the front, where you can reach them easily.
8. If space is limited, get some wire shelves that fit in there. This will almost double your space!
Now that things are grouped together and contained, you will know where they are, and know how much you have. This should keep you from duplicating items, or running out of items when you need them!
Don't be afraid of the cabinet under the sink! Use it to its full potential!
Here are some tips to make that cabinet usable again. It is a great storage space if used properly.
1. Take everything out.
2. Clean the cabinet (and the items you pull out). No one wants to pull out a roll of toilet paper that has dust bunnies or dirt on it! Yuck!
3. If the bottom of the cabinet is nasty (i.e. spilled shampoo that won't come up, warped plywood from a leak 10 years ago), put down a nice liner. If you use a light colored liner, it keeps the space in there from looking so dark and scary. Liners are also easier to wipe clean than the particle board that is typically in there.
4. Throw away any items that are past their prime or will never be used. There is no point in holding on to a half-empty (or half-full, however you look at things) bottle of lotion that you don't like and that you will not use. Let it go.
5. Group the rest of the items into categories that work for you (i.e. hair products, lotions, first aid products, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc.) Remember that the items in this cabinet should only be things to be used in the bathroom.
6. Try to contain the categories in baskets or bins. I really like the "itso" bins from Target. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. They also have straight sides and bottoms. Baskets look nice, but a lot of times, things like shampoo bottles, will tip over because the bottoms are not flat. I also prefer the plastic bins for this space since there is always the potential for water to get in there, and baskets would definitely get damaged by this. (Save the baskets for dry areas!)
7. In the containers, put the most used items in the front, where you can reach them easily.
8. If space is limited, get some wire shelves that fit in there. This will almost double your space!
Now that things are grouped together and contained, you will know where they are, and know how much you have. This should keep you from duplicating items, or running out of items when you need them!
Don't be afraid of the cabinet under the sink! Use it to its full potential!
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