Let me give it to you straight-

If you haven’t read it by now, you are probably never going to read it. So let it go!

It’s time to start fresh and have a plan for all the reading you intend to do this year.

First, set some boundaries. How many articles, books, magazines will you let pile up to read before you actually get to reading them? Determine what is manageable. I have no more than 2 books in line to be read after I finish the book I’m currently reading. There are certainly lots more I want to read but I just keep a book list instead of buying more books and magazines to have stacked by my reading chair. (I am even moving to more ebooks now that I have my iPad.) Boundaries can also be set for the number of magazines you subscribe to. Take a look at the number of subscriptions you have now and if many of those have gone unread last year then cut back your subscriptions by 50% as a starting point.

Decide how you will contain your reading materials. Some ways to do this are with magazine holders, baskets, or dedicating a shelf on a bookcase or side table for things you plan to read next. Having a specific place that contains your reading materials is also another way to set a boundary. If the reading materials start to exceed the designated space, then some need to be purged. No guilt, just follow your own boundaries…

Avoid printing out articles or emails you find on the Internet; it’s a waste of our resources. Bookmark it and come back to it when you do have time to read it. For newsletters and random sheets of paper you have accumulated to read, create a portable ”To Read” folder.  Take it with you and sneak in some reading while waiting at the doctor’s office, while parked and waiting for kids to get out of school, while getting a pedicure or, my favorite, while sitting in the airport waiting for a flight.

If you really want to get some reading done, plan for it. Set aside time daily or weekly to read. If you are not doing this already, you may need to schedule actual time in your calendar until it becomes a habit. It’s perfectly fine to have an appointment with yourself, you know! Speaking of habits, it’s also a good idea to go through and purge your reading piles quarterly. Things that seemed like a “must read” look a whole lot different after 3 months has gone by! Re-evaluate and purge the reading materials regularly, you’ll feel so much better!

The benefits of Planner Pad:

• Monthly view
• 2 pages weekly view
• Different sizes calendars to choose from
• Space for roles, tasks, and appointments
• Room on the weekly pages to capture bits of information
• Designed to make all aspects of your life funnel into each week, in one place

Click here to See the Planner Pad video

I was interviewed by the House Whisperer at KHSL and this segment aired today! It’s all about being organized and staying organized.  

Check out the video where I talk about computer (laptop) organization as well as how to organize your coupons.  Plus lots more!

These are just some of the cool products I carry with Clever Container.  On January 1st, more than 20 new products will be released so check that website again soon!

5 Tips for a More Organized Year:

• Create a written plan for each area you want to organize

• Use ONE calendar

• Make a weekly appointment with yourself to plan the upcoming weeks

• Spend 15 minutes a day putting things away around the house/office

• Review tomorrow the night before

“So many things to do, places to go, people to see…

How do I even have time to stay organized?!”

You’re busy, you wear many hats, I get that.  Even though I LOVE to organize, you probably don’t.  Being and staying organized is truly a balancing act. After all, it can’t all be about organization; there are other things to enjoy about your life and family. That’s why I coach many clients to help them find the balance between living life and keeping up the organization systems they/we have put into place.  Having an organized life is possible if you remember these 3 points. READ MORE

Here’s a video of how I use my vintage luggage to store and organize my things. Enjoy!

I am linking to:

I recently discovered Pinterest. It’s a place where you can save visual ideas online. It really helps to spark creativity, let me tell ya! I love looking at other pinboards for ideas and things that make me laugh. In fact, that’s why I am posting today. Below, for your visual enjoyment, are some not-so-ordinary ideas for organizing things. May it help you to think outside your box! READ MORE

Have you ever started an organizing project, but got distracted when you walked out of the room?

Have you set aside a Saturday to organize a room or the garage only to find something better to do?

Have you wanted to get something organized but every time you thought about tackling it, you cringed and looked for a distraction?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions then you have, at some point in time, procrastinated. And I have too! I realize that organizing is not as fun as going to the movies, having dinner with a friend or learning to salsa dance, but in order to have the freedom to do such things we need organization to be a part of our lives. Being organized helps us to manage our time and resources better. I READ MORE

Enjoy this guest post from fellow organizer, Ramona Creel. I could not have said it better myself!

Staying Organized Once School Lets Out

by Ramona Creel

School will be letting out soon for the summer and the kids will be home all day. That means re-arranging your schedule to accommodate summer camps and trips to the pool and family vacations –- it also means that your children will be having friends over and tearing your house up while you’re at work! How on earth will you stay organized once the wild rumpus begins? READ MORE

If you are an entrepreneur, a sales person, or even the soccer team mom it's often necessary to have an office-on-the-go.  It's easy to do with this file tote.

This file tote comes with 5 hanging files but a few more can be added if needed.  Here are five ideas on how to use this tote for your day-to-day needs.

Business:  Keep all the client files here for today's appointments. Have the blank forms you commonly use in a file. Keep small product samples in a file.  Have your business expense form and your receipts in a file. Carry thank you notes and postage for writing quick follow up READ MORE

In this video, I share how I managed all the paperwork for my daughter’s special education from 18 months to 19 years of age. This video is also helpful if you are caring for an aging parent or someone with many medical issues. Please share your comments below. I would love to hear how you have tried keeping important papers like this in order.