January 12- Organize Your Totally Out of Control Time and Organizing for Graduating High School Seniors 7 p.m. Lorraine presents techniques on time management to Young Men's Service League as well as ways to help graduating seniors thrive as they head to college at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Flower Mound.

Get organized with these great ideas and products 

Did you know that Lorraine Brock produces a blog each month called the Everything Organized Blog? It is featured on the North Texas Kids website and is all about organizing your home, family, business, and life.

This month Lorraine shared her annual top 10 organizing tools that are favorites of her and her GO team. We hope you will check it out and leave a comment.
 

Do you struggle with time management? Many of us do too. This month we asked one of our organizers, Sarah Jacobson, for help with time management since it is one of her strengths. Here is what she advises:

Time management is a skill that can be learned with discipline and the determination to make a change. It can be hard, but the reward of reduced stress is worth it!

Papers come into your house daily, even if you strive for a paperless office. Daily mail, financial documents, receipts, notes from school, and other items all need to be processed and sent to their proper place. Without a system, you will quickly drown in paperwork and be unable to find what you need. Here are two of Lorraine's favorite systems for organizing paperwork.

FileSolutions Home Filing System is designed for long term storage of household papers, such as insurance policies, automobile titles, and passports. This product comes with a how-to book, an index for knowing where to file particular items, and color-coded labels for file folders that you purchase separately. An afternoon spent putting this system in place will pay off later in time saved looking for important items when you need them.

The second paper management system, the tickler file, is designed to manage papers that you need to keep for the short term, such as invitations, bills to be paid, or tickets to an event. This file consists of one file for each day of the month (31 days) plus one file for each of the 12 months of the year. Keep these 43 files in a desktop hanging file box on your kitchen countertop or home office, where you will see and use it regularly. Here you will put all the random pieces of paper that you need to keep track of but do not want cluttering your countertop.

As paper comes in daily, you will process it by acting on it, putting it in the tickler file folder to be acted on later, or recycling it if it is of no use to you. Remember that some papers will have several action steps, so you will need to plan accordingly as you file these. For example, a wedding invitation might require you to RSVP, make a hotel reservation, and then purchase a gift. Be sure to schedule these actions on your calendar. The invitation and travel plans would be put in the tickler file for the month of the wedding instead of being piled on the countertop. When that month comes, you will move the invitation and itinerary to the day of the month you will need it. Check the tickler file daily to see what needs to be acted upon. This system will keep you organized and your countertop clutter-free.

Many of us resolve to get fit at the start of a new year. Here are a few tips to help you stay organized as you work toward better health.

Designate a place to store workout clothing. It should be easily accessible so looking for your running shorts will not kill your motivation to get moving. One bin or drawer in the closet may be enough to hold it all, or you may have more gear that can be subdivided into drawer organizers for easy retrieval.

If you use light weights, bands, or other small gear, you may want to store them out of sight in a sturdy lidded basket or tote when not in use. Bands can also be kept on an over the door rack, along with jump ropes or jackets.

Stay organized as you chart your progress. MyFitnessPal is a surprisingly easy free app to keep track of the food you actually eat and the calories you burn. Once you set it up, just a few simple clicks will update your daily log of food eaten and exercise completed. 

One final tip is to be sure to schedule your workout time in your planner. If you do not do this critical step, you will find that exercise soon gets pushed out of your day and forgotten. With just a little organization, you can make healthy changes to your lifestyle.

Now that Christmas is over, it is time to put all the decorations back in storage. As you do, work to get organized so that putting it all back on display next year will be a breeze.

First, take pictures of your décor before you pack it away so that you will not have to remember how to set it up. File these pictures in your Christmas binder for easy reference.

Second, plan to store the decorations by room. Entry hall decorations including nativity, lights, and other décor, would go in one bin. The playroom's Christmas tree and accompanying items would go in another. Some rooms may have multiple bins separated by category, such as stairwell decorations or mantle items. Set up is more efficient if all items needed for a room are stored in one place and you don't have to search in various boxes for the right garland or length of lights. Even extension cords should be stored with their appropriate decorations to make it as streamlined as possible next year.

If you have snowglobes, vintage items, or candles, be sure not to store these items in an attic, garage, or other place that will get too hot in the summertime. Find a place inside the house to safely store them and make note in your Christmas binder so you will not forget.

You can repurpose old boxes or purchase new plastic bins made just for Christmas storage, such as a segmented ornament box, a wreath box, or reels to hold lights. These are available now in home improvement stores and discount department stores.

Third, label each box. The most reliable way is to mark the outside with a permanent marker as taped-on labels tend to fall off after a year or two of storage. Also, some people like to label the box with a number and make a list of what is kept in box #1, box #2, etc., rather than using worded labels. The advantage of numbering is that you can change the contents without having to change the label. Keep the list of what is in each box with your Christmas binder and be sure to make any updates if you later change the contents.

Fourth, make note of what has to be replenished or done differently next year due to damage or change in your home or theme. Do you have to buy more ornament hooks or replace a worn out strand of lights? It will be hard to remember by next December and you may even be able to catch these items on clearance after the holidays. By making a list now, you will be prepared for next year. Add a note in your tickler file November folder to look for pre-Christmas sales next year.

Finally, if you feel overwhelmed or just do not have the time to pack up Christmas, Get Organized! is here to help. Call us to set up a time to come take everything down and pack it safely for storage. With just a little effort now, you will make decorating for Christmas easier and more organized next year.

Are you looking for a way to cut cable costs but still watch your favorite shows? Sling TV may be for you. For as little as $20 a month, you can watch live TV, including many cable shows, movies, and ESPN on any device. It is easy to install the app yourself, without the need for a technician to come to your house. No contract and easy cancellation make it an inexpensive option for watching television.