Organization Series

I have planned on doing a organization series over the summer. Since Bethany and Sean will be in traditional school next year and I will be going back to work after that I need to get the house organized to make the adjustment back to the working life.

I have read alot of organizational books and some things make sense, others just keep repeating the same thing just using different words in their 101 ways to organize. I thought the best way for me to write about it was to actually do what I was writing about. Since I am going to tell you all to make a list and put in a time table I am going to do the same. 

I haven't decided if I am going to put it on this exactly blog or make another address and link to this. But I will post it all as I am working. Those breaks that I will be taking will be writing breaks. Hope you all enjoy. 

Also since I am not going to let the kids have a totally school free summer I will be adding summer education things to this blog. Right now they are identifying all the states and where they are and their capitals. It has always amazed me that kids are not truly learning all this in school. The world might be smaller because of technology, but we are not helping by making the information they are putting out there on social networks incorrect. 

One of the main things all the books I have read said was to create a central command center. That is where everyone put information (weekly menus, to do list, and just simple reminders). I ordered one from Staples and it was really decent prices as it was on clearance.It should be here next week.

Other great idea is this expandable file folder the slides down. You can hang it on a wall or over a door. It will allow you to keep track of things that you haven't filed. Or it can become your monthly file. If it is work that needs to be worked on while you are waiting to pick up the kids you can just slide it back together and take with you (I will talk about a mobile office in the organization blog). There are several styles and again cheap as they are on clearance.

As soon as they all get here I will put them up and take a picture to post here. Then it is time to get busy on the cleaning and organizing.

Below are the links to the products that I have ordered. 

Note-it Style™ Home Organization Center

Staples® Cascading Horizontal Poly File, Check Size, Multicolor

Staples® Cascading Vertical Poly File, Letter Size, Multicolor

Staples® Cascading Horizontal Poly File, Letter Size, Black

Did you forget...... Laundry

Have you ever taken clothes out of the dryer, put them in a basket and it sit in a chair for a couple of days? Oh I have a ton of times. Rather than washing them again or even throwing them in the dryer that will not get the sit in wrinkles out here is an alternative. If you other clothes to wash, do that load and add the ones that are really wrinkled to the dryer. If you need that pair of pants and either don't want to iron or don't own an iron them get a towel (lint free) and get it damp, throw it in the dryer with the clothes. Just remember to take them out this time and hang them up.

And if you want them to smell fresh, see the post about the stinky laundry

Cure for Stinky Laundry

Have you ever forgotten a load of laundry in the washer for a day and then smell it? Oh I am guilty of this all the time and it is usually in the summer and you have to get those clothes out the minute they stop and in the dry or they will start to smell. This is a way to help if do forget.

1 cup dry lemon verbena
1 cup dry mint
2 cups cedar shavings

Mix all the ingredients together in a lidded container. Let set for about a week. Place a handful of the mixture in a small muslin bag.

Quick fix - Broken Strap

Have you ever had a purse or bag strap break? I had this happen to a bag that Michael and the kids got me last year for my birthday. It was a purse that could carry a small laptop or iPad. I loved this purse and all of a sudden the stitching came loose and it started the rip this piece of saving grace fabric. 

Needless to say I was a bit upset considering that it wasn't even a year old. I was just about ready to throw it away when I thought about it. This was a semi-expensive purse and that is crazy to just get rid of it. I could find a strap on another purse or bag that could detach with those clasp and just change out the strap when I was carrying that purse. 

That was a fix, but I didn't have a black purse that had the clasp on the strap. So walking in Walmart the other day I noticed all these pretty scarves that were marked down because it was not winter. These were light, long scarves that were more to put around your neck. Only about a foot and a half wide. I tied it to the metal loop my other strap was on and made a knot and presto a new strap for my purse.

Just adjust the strap to the length you want and it can still double as a scarf

Honey Meal Mask

I love different mask they are just a way to give myself a few minutes.

1 cup of water
1/2 cup dried chamomile*
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons oatmeal (instant)**

Heat the water and chamomile in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in honey and oatmeal. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Apply mask to your face in upward circular motion. Leave mask on for about 30 minutes  Peel off dried mask and rinse with warm water.

*You can use Lavender if you would like. Just use 2 tablespoons dried lavender.

**You can use the cook version just follow the directions

Simple Massage Oil

Simple Massage Oil

Who couldn't use a bit of this from time to time.

1 ounces almond oil

10 to 20 drops essential oil of your choice

Blend all the ingredients, and place in a dark, lidded bottle. 

Pour a little of the oil into the palms of your hands and rub into the skin. Be sure to keep it away from your eyes. 

Oils for all moods

Anger (to soothe)     Chamomile, ylang ylang

Anger (unexpressed)     Rosemary

Anxiety     Bergamot, citrus oils

Apathy     Patchouli

Depression     Clary sage, bergamot, jasmine

Insomnia     Marjoram, neroli

Lethary     Spruce, pine

Grief     Amber, ylang ylang, rose, marjoram

Loss/death     Cypress, ud, spikenard

Mental Stress     Basil, citrus oils, neroli

Calming     Sandalwood, lemongrass, lavender

Spring Digital Cleaning

When you start cleaning your house don't forget your electronic devices. Files on your computer is like that left over meatloaf in the back of the fridge, they need to be throw out. 

First you can start with pictures. Because computers are so good at crashing and with all the viruses you should remove all the photos you don't want to lose. Put them on a flash drive, CD, DVD or an SD card. Keep them labeled well so that you can get what you need when looking rather than going through all those pictures. It is a bit time consuming but it is better than losing all the pictures. 

There are other files that should be deleted. Depending on your virus protection you can do computer maintenance each month, week or even every day. 

Things to get rid of:

Temp Internet Files

Window Temporary Files

Internet history

Clear the cache on your internet browser

Start Up Manager

You should make sure that you have a good virus protector and if it does not come with a Tune Up program think about getting one to help with other files

Other things to get off your computer, all that music and videos. Invest in an external hard drive to store music just know that a virus can attack it and it can crash also. 

The music and videos will slow your computer down.

Remove programs you don't use. They just take up space you computer resources. There are several programs out there that can help or look it up on the internet for your Operating System (Windows XP, 7, etc.)

Just another cleaning project that you should think about. 

To do List

If you are like me you have a million and one things on a to do list. I have found that my to do list never gets completed before what is at the top gets added back to the bottom. If I make list that are based on time it makes it easier to get done.

Category of Time List:

1. Things to do today

• These are things that have to get done today. 
• Get dinner
• Wash dishes - assuming that you don't have enough to wait. 
• Mail payment

2. Things to do this week

• These are things that you don't have to do today just needs to get done this week
• Make out checks or online payment for bills due next week. You can even go as far as to set up a notice that will remind you when should be done online that will let you do it at say 8:45 pm that way it is not on your list but will get a reminder to complete. If it is something that will only take a few minutes (or even seconds) just make a reminder on the phone, computer, other device. 
• Give yourself time at least once a week, to read, relax, do nothing. schedule it into you week every week. If you make out a list of things you have for the week and put them in a certain day it makes a schedule of things to do even for each day. 

3. Things to do that has not time limit:

• These are things that you need to do sometime but don't have to be done today, tomorrow or even in the next week. But soon and things you don't want to forget. 
• This is basically a list of things you need to do but don't want to forget. Such as wash the car, wash the dog or clean out the fridge. 
• If you have things that need to be done on a certain date a month from now you can add to the list with a date so that you can add to the weekly then the daily list.

Yes what I am suggesting will take some time and practice but we make these list without even knowing it. We have sticky notes stuck to the computer, white boards, cork boards and things stuck to magnets. We have all these devices to make calls, check the internet and talk with each other, but we don't use them to their full potential. 

Record a message about things you need to do and remember to check the recorder

Make a few notes in an app for things to do. Yes, another to do list. 

After a while you will get the hang of these list. You will see that they get smaller each day. 

Remember to ask for help.

• You can ask your kids, husband, or even friends to help. They are in your corner and I am sure that you would help if they asked.

We all have a list it is a matter of how we get to it. If on your daily to do list there was twenty (20) things and you have just worked all day long that list is like another job that you don't get paid for and in most cases it is thankless. That is why these key list will help cut that list down and make it a checked off list.

You hear it is not what you have left of the list that you should think about it is what you got checked off that list. If you are not getting things done, ever, then you still have this list and it is not getting smaller. 

I have found a site on the web that will allow you to print different types of To Do List, you can find one there or create one yourself. 

To Do List

I hope this helps all you out there. I know it has started working for me. 

Rosemary and Lavender Scrub

If you like those expensive foot and hand scrubs but don't like the price make them at home.

2 cups salt (you can use just about any type of fine grain salt)
1/4 cup olive oil (you do not have to use extra virgin or substitute in grapeseed oil)
3 tbsp lavender
3 tbsp rosemary

Mix all dry ingredients together. Add oil a little at a time and mix well

You can use a food processor or grinder to chop the herbs up smaller. Add a bit of coloring for visual presentation. Put in a lidded jar and store in cool dry area

Cocktail Flea Dip

2 tbsp vodka or dry vermouth
1 3/4 pints water

1. In a 2 qt saucepan stir alcohol into water and bring to a boil
2. Remove from heat, cover pan and allow solution to steep 2 hours
3. Rub cooled solution into fur, rinse and comb

For larger dogs, double or triple recipe

Flea Begone Bandanna

1 cotton bandanna
1 small vital rose geranium essential oil
1 small vital lavender essential oil

1. Sprinkle several drops of each oil on the bandanna
2. Roll the bandanna and tie it loosely around your dog's neck
3. Launder the bandanna, retreat with oil when the scent fades

If your dog won't wear a bandanna, dab oil between it's shoulder blade where it can't be licked off.

If nothing else it will make your dog smell better. You can try to mix 2 drops oil mixture with 1 drop almond oil.

HealthCare Log

I have a Family Fact binder that I bought a few years ago and in there was Logs but they are dates with like 2006-2007 I didn't use it as much then as I do know. I kept the records in the folder but not all the information. So I decided to start making my own and posting them here for you all to have. This will help you keep all your bills, financial, and personal information all in one place.

Download it from here. Use the Download for Excel or you can just print from the Doc.

HealthCare Log

Organizer - Weekly Organizer with Menu

I am always trying to stay organized and will find one thing I like but wish it had another them to cut down on the paper. I found these and they seem to work. I use the Arc system from Staples so this makes it a bit easier to keep up with everything.

Use these printable to help you organize.

Printable Organizer

Editable Organizer