I'm the worst Ten on Tuesday participant ever.
The irony that today's topic is Ten Ways to Be More Organized is not lost on me.
Stop laughing.
I'm the most organized person in my whole house!
Damned by faint praise.
1. Store things where you use them. Trash bags in the bottom of the trash bins. Knitting stuff in the bottom of the knitting bag. Tweezers in the car for quick eyebrow work at stoplights. (I got that from someone else -- she can 'fess up if she wants to.)
2. Write it down. I remember things better if I write them down. I'm a visual person and can remember lists if I see them but not if I think them or hear them.
3. Write it down on something you won't lose in case you can't remember what you wrote but only can see the general shape of the note in your head and the color of ink you used. Backs of hands work well for this purpose (you don't wash them as vigorously) and having things written on your hand when you're 48 (not 13) is a great conversation starter.
4. Everything has a place and can be put there without too much trouble. When I reach this mountain top, I'll let you know. The "without too much trouble" is the kicker. If I have to pull out a step ladder to put something away, it usually waits until Hubster/Tall Guy gets home from wherever the heck he's gone for the week.
5. Everyone only has one kind of sock and they're all different. Well, except for special occasions. And hand-knits not with standing. Hubster's dark socks are all alike, and his gym socks are different from Dear Son's. Mine are different from Dear Daughter's. Sorting socks is easy.
6. One kind of everything. As teens get fussier, this one is harder. We use one kind of shampoo and one kind of body soap and one kind of toothpaste. We use one kind of TP and one kind of cold medicine and one kind of lotion. It's all stored in one place so I know when we're low. I told them when they have their own houses and want to buy all that crazy stuff and clean around it, they're welcome to do so. Until then, it's all about me, baby.
7. Use the crock pot. Dinner is done and cleaned up after at 10 a.m.
8. I got this dry erase board at a holiday Favorite Things party and I kind of love it. I write down quickie, important things that have to happen in the next few days for each of us and prop it up on the microwave cabinet. Very visible, great for lunch money and homework reminders. Hubster's reminder/to do list right now says "sleep". He had a hard week last week.
9. Keep your calendar where you can get to it easily. For lots of folks this is on their cell phones, but I haven't' been able to make that work for me. My calendar is tacked up on the inside of my pantry door. Out of sight so as not to generate clutter, but easy to look at any time. It has a pocket for permission slips and appointment reminders. The squares are big so that everyone can write their stuff on it. Hubster would rather have me on a digital calendar so we could "sync up" I think, but I make him write his travels on the paper one. Even that doesn't always guarantee that I know where he is at any given time without looking.
10. Get up 15 minutes before you have to and have a cup of coffee and think. Plan your day, look at the calendar when no one is talking to you or grinding coffee beans or reaching for cereal.
Look at you! You're so organized you are posting a day ahead! Great list of ideas.
Posted by: Carole | January 10, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Ok I'm going to do this as well, except that you took like 8 of my ideas.
Posted by: Bridgett | January 10, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Oh and I am the tweezer girl.
Posted by: Bridgett | January 10, 2011 at 01:51 PM
My mantra is "In Order There Is Freedom" - and the codicil is an oldie we've all heard - "A place for everything, and everything in its place." I need to adopt your policy of 'one kind of everything,' but I'm the worst offender of that when it comes to shampoos and body washes. Great post.
Posted by: Charade | January 10, 2011 at 04:13 PM