| p>I admit it. I'm a pile maker. Piles in the closet, piles in | | | | family records to keep and I'm shredding everything |
| shelves, piles in cupboards, piles in the corner. I'm | | | | that is not in that list. |
| always digging through a pile somewhere looking for | | | | In the kitchen, I am designating part of a cupboard just |
| stuff. I was sitting down a couple days ago and | | | | for cookbooks & recipes. Also put my control |
| thinking about getting better organized. A couple times, | | | | journal in this cupboard. What is a Control Journal? Its a |
| I've gotten the right idea & I have a few little | | | | 3 ring binder for keeping track of chores, meal |
| plastic drawer carts for things like the kid's craft | | | | planners, grocery lists, supplies, and addresses of your |
| supplies. That works great. So I was thinking, how can I | | | | friends, families, doctors, vet, insurance agent, etc. Two |
| apply that to the rest of my "stuff?" | | | | good places for forms and checklists are the Yahoo |
| I sat down & started making categories for the | | | | Control Journal Group and the Flylady |
| things I saw in the piles. I realized that the bulk of the | | | | And then there is the physical activity stuff. I had |
| piles were all my stuff. I never thought of it this way | | | | designated a couple of shelves of a plastic bookshelf |
| before, but it turns out to be categories for my | | | | for my husband's hockey gear. But things don't stay on |
| interests. Child Development, Counseling, Zen Spiritual, | | | | it well and it takes up a lot of room when stuff is |
| Home Economics, Computer Games, Reading | | | | side-by-side. I was thinking about those little plastic |
| Education, Physical activities, Clothes & body care. | | | | drawer carts that worked so well for my craft |
| My husband's stuff consists of weights, hockey gear, | | | | supplies. I had some old empty file boxes and so I filled |
| books, computer gadgets and equipment and clothes. | | | | them up with things like iceskates, tennis rackets, balls, |
| Then we have kids stuff such as bedding, toys, | | | | & snow gear. 'Made my own drawers to put on |
| clothes. My husband's stuff and the kids' stuff all have | | | | the shelves - I don't put lids on them, letting things like a |
| places to go. I have designed our space for their stuff. | | | | tennis racket stick out. This could also work with plastic |
| Not mine. My stuff just gets piled in random obscure | | | | bins or baskets. And you could even label them so that |
| places that are left over. I give my interests and my | | | | if kids or spouses get into them, they know where to |
| stuff low importance. Wow. That was an eye opener. | | | | put stuff back. This was so convenient, I think I'm going |
| I have a lot of books and files. So I started looking at | | | | to get another one and do the same thing with tools. |
| which ones of my interests could go into filing cabinets. | | | | The one I saved for last is the one I was most |
| Child development is my preschool curriculum files, | | | | dreading: my clothes, jewelry, shoes, hair, skin and body |
| books and resources -that can definitely go in a filing | | | | care. Our bedroom has a tiny closet, so I used Fashion |
| cabinet grouped by topic. Counseling/Psych has a lot | | | | Mash to organize my clothes into outfits. I found that |
| of research files and books. That can go in a file | | | | some things I never wear because they just don't |
| drawer. Reading/Education is mostly all books, so that | | | | match anything and so they are going with stuff that |
| can go on a bookshelf together. Zen Spiritual is books, | | | | doesn't fit anymore to be donated. Since our closet is |
| papers & videos on Christianity, Reiki, Taoism, | | | | so little anything that can be folded like jeans, sweaters |
| & Feng Shui. That can go in a file drawer. | | | | and even some T-shirts are going in drawers and on a |
| Computer games I want to keep can go on the | | | | shelf. We have this old wicker trunk, so my shoes |
| bookshelf and my notes on computer games I'm | | | | went in it and now my cat enjoys sitting on it. |
| designing, can go into a file drawer. I'm keeping only | | | | And here is where yet another drawer cart came to |
| what I really need. Nice new books will go to the library, | | | | the rescue. One drawer has my hair stuff. A second |
| older stuff is going to the Salvation Army or the | | | | drawer has my jewelry. The third drawer has the skin |
| Goodwill thrift stores. | | | | care, deodorant and everything I use in the morning. |
| Home Economics is a big category for me. My craft | | | | The last drawer has my nighttime stuff, fingernail polish |
| supplies are decently organized in the drawer carts like | | | | and things I use less often. Makeup and most personal |
| I mentioned. However, I don't have a place for | | | | care products have a shelf life, so take the age of |
| scrapbooks, so I will have to plan bookshelf space for | | | | your products into consideration when you decide |
| those. Next are Finances. I used to have that nicely | | | | what to keep. |
| organized in a file cabinet, but we've moved since then | | | | I'm still working on some of it. I'd love to hear back on |
| & I never got started again. I found a good list of | | | | anyone else's organization tricks & tips! |