This weekend I went to the armoire that Hubster and I share and could not find a t-shirt. The drawers were a mess; the shelves had clothes bunched up all over the place. I decided right then and there to clean it up.
Despite being worried that it was going to take longer, it really only took 15 minutes. I didn’t really give myself a lot of time to ponder over whether to keep things or not. If it was ripped, stained, un-matchable or just plain “done”, it was gone.
I started with the undies and sock drawers as those are generally the easiest. I got rid of a few socks that had holes or didn’t have a mate and obviously any undies that were past their prime.
Then I sorted out the pjs, grouping them together in one place. I did get rid of a couple of things here as well.
Then, t-shirts. Right now, because we have an enormous closet (filled more with stuff than clothes), most of the shirts we wear daily, i.e. the long sleeve ones, are hanging up in our closet because our pants are there and it’s just easier to get dressed there. Surprisingly, I have to say that with everything hanging up, it’s much easier to see what we have and what needs to go or what we need to get. Once the seasons change, we’ll likely move things around.
Anyway, back to the t-shirts. The shirts were lumped and bunched all over the shelves and it was hard to tell what was actually in there. I pulled each one out, inspected it and either folded it or tossed it. I tossed a bunch of Hubster’s shirts and some of mine as well. I tend to go through shirts pretty quickly because I’m always painting with the kids or cooking and get some gunk on it that won’t come out.
Once I was done with that, it was time to put everything back in the armoire and really, it all went back together quickly.
I’ve been working pretty hard this past year to keep things cleaned out – or at least weeded down. I’m not even close to being a fashionista so I don’t keep up with a lot of trends etc, so I really don’t have whole lot. I know that I’ll wear about the same 4 shirts over and over until they’re worn out, which happens about every 4 months or so. So, I just buy 1 or 2 shirts as I need them and try to toss them out or move them to the rag pile when they’re toasted. I haven’t done this in a while, so it was time. I keep a bag or box for Goodwill in all of our closets and when we decide that something doesn’t fit (this is especially important with the girls) or we’re done with it, I just toss it in the box. My policy is that if I wouldn’t give it to a friend, then I toss it out. Meaning, if it’s just too stained or worn and I wouldn’t give it to my best friend, then, I put it in the rag bag rather than donate it to Goodwill.
Once the seasons change, before I move anything over, I’ll go through the closet and check over all the winter clothes before I put them away and toss what needs to be done and will do the same for the spring stuff coming out. That way I’ll know what we’re going to need and can keep an eye out for sales.
So, if you have a lot of clothes and it seems overwhelming, start with one drawer. Put a box or bag in your room to hold anything you’re passing on. When you’re putting things back in the drawer or closet, think about how you’re going to reach for it and group it together so it makes finding things easier. Then do another drawer the next day or, work on a section of your closet. Be honest about what you really wear or will wear. If it’s past its’ prime, doesn’t fit or you don’t like it any more, don’t feel guilty. Pass it on.
And if you’re really lucky and get a big chunk of time, then go whole hog and really get it done. Get some boxes or bags and start shocking yourself with how much crap you really have.
Well, what are you waiting for? Go! Sort! Organize! Toss! Then dress in something really nice you just found at the back of your closet and feel GREAT all day.
I’ll talk about kids clothes another time because, at least in our house with 2 girls, is a whole other ball of wax.
Showing posts with label Trouble Spot Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trouble Spot Tuesday. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Trouble Spot Tuesday: Fridge, Pantry and... MEAL PLANNING
I hate meal planning. Or rather, I should say I hate the process of meal planning. It’s my LEAST favorite household job (other than rinsing out poopy cloth diapers. Wierd that I consider those 2 equally opposite tasks, equally distasteful). It seems very tedious to me and I hate having to balance it all out and try to figure out what everyone would like to eat. The family is of little help. Hubster says "You know I'm good for anything" and Mouse says "Hotdogs! Mac and cheese! MacDonalds!"
However, I LIKE the result of knowing exactly what we’re having for dinner. I like to check the menu, take out the meat the day before, not have to rush and know how I need to plan the day so that dinner is ready on time. And I don’t mind cooking or grocery shopping. But by the amount of carrying on I do before actually sitting down and making the plan, you’d think that I was going for a root canal with an anal probe chaser.
I used to plan a month of meals at a time, but since we moved, with all the craziness that entailed along with holidays and the like, I haven’t made myself get organized enough to sit down and get to it. However, we’re getting back on track, so no more procrastinating (but I did sulk a bit).
This was a 2 day, 2 stage process for me. On the first day, I took an inventory while I cleaned things out. I started with the fridge. I threw out a bunch of stuff, wiped all the shelves down and grouped together “like” items: salad dressings, condiments, drinks, yogurts, etc. I’ve regained a bunch of my useable sized plastic containers and got rid of some interesting almost science experiments.
Then I hit the freezer. I’ve hit a boat load of meat sales in the last few weeks and we do not need meat for a long time. Especially, chicken. Good grief. Anyway, I took stock of what we had, and again, grouped like items together, meats, frozen veggies, breakfast stuff, Hubster’s meals and wiped things down. Last night we had a pasta fagioli leftover I made a while ago to use it up and realized it didnt' really carry over so well. Note to self: make less of that next time.
Next was the pantry. We are blessed to have 2 great pantry spaces. One is used for storing crafts, the crockpot/breadmachine/etc, cleaners etc. The other is for food. Again I grouped like things together: bin of potatoes/onions, water and juice bottles on the floor (and 9, yes, 9 LARGE cans of pea soup from home – we really like pea soup around here); snack items on the lower shelf where the kids could reach them; a shelf for breakfast/lunch foods; another for pasta/rice/cooking oil and pickles/extra condiments; another for baking and other staples; and then the goody basket (with Mama's chocolate stash and all the other treats that are better left out of sight out of mind for little ones. Shhh) and coffee on the top shelf. This system was already in place but needed some tidying up. Mouse’s class is having a pretend grocery store next week so this was a good opportunity for me to empty out some boxes and clean out some containers to pass onto the school.
Once I had an idea of what I had on hand, I whined, stomped around, made a coffee, threw a little tantrum and procrastinated some more. Then the next day, I sulked for a while (because I’m really mature that way) and then finally sat my ass down with a pen, paper and favorite cook books to make up the meal plan. My goal was to plan enough dinners to take us to the end of January, primarily using the food and staples we had on hand.
To start, I made a list of all the days we needed meals for and made a note beside each day if there were any plans that would need special attention: school functions, board meetings, classes, movie nights etc. Then I made a list of all the meals we could have with the food we had on hand using recipes and meal ideas that I know we like. I kept a running grocery list for any items I knew I’d need to round things out.
Then, I determined which meals were most appropriate for each night, trying to balance things out so we weren't eating chicken EVERY night (though we could) and factoring in leftover nights.
After I had things figured out, I tidied up my list and transferred the meal plans over to my calendar (which has a handy spot for it right beside the weekly view). Then, Mouse and I headed out to Walmart to grocery shop with a very short list.
Here’s what I ended up with:
12 Mushroom risotto with Italian sausage and veggies (the risotto turned out sooo well. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow! And the Italian sausage is from home – Thanks Dad!- we inhaled it. YUM)
13 Taco soup done in crock pot (board meeting)
14 Beef fajitas (Pilates evening class)
15 Turkey pot pie and brownies (make double to give to a friend recovering from surgery)
16 Nachos with leftover taco soup and leftover velveeta cheese from killer mac/cheese (movie night)
17 Baked Pork chops, mashed potatoes and veggies
18 Chicken stir fry with rice
19 Hunter chicken (roasted chicken with peppers, tomatoes, onions)
20 Spagetti and salad (help at school in evening) (make extra sauce to use next week for chicken parm)
21 Chicken quesadillas (with leftover chicken from 19th) (Pilates evening class)
22 Leftovers or soup (anyone for Pea soup?)
23 Breakfast for dinner – pancakes or waffles (movie night)
24 Tuna pasta salad
25 Baked bbq chicken legs, roasted potato wedgies, veggies (make extra potatoes)
26 Frittata with leftovers from previous night
27 Pork chops and rice pilaf
28 Turkey soup (in freezer) and salad (participate in class = fried by noon! Pilates class)
29 Chicken parmesan and salad
30 Leftovers or pizza (we’re making pizzas at school for fundraising this day).
For groceries, I did a bit of stocking up on a few things I was out of, but generally I didn’t need much. Sour cream, pie crusts (because I’m lazy that way), chicken stock, a bit of fruit, bread, canned tomatoes, beans. Nor, will I need much other than fresh produce or milk for the next few weeks.
I do like to keep some staples on hand so that even if something happens and the meal plan falls through, at least I can put something together. And, if we decide to swap things around, it’s not really a problem either. It’s also easier for me to stay on budget if I have a plan and know what I already have in the cupboards.
I don’t plan lunches or breakfasts because these are often hit or miss with us. Especially breakfasts. Breakfasts for Hubster and I are pretty standard: toast, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt/fruit, waffles, pancakes etc. Hubster takes his lunch pretty much every day – either a Smart Ones/Lean Cuisine or leftovers and I’ll often have salad and a baked sweet potato or leftovers or soup. The kids, well, you never know with them.
So despite my griping and crabbing, I feel a sense of peace having things sorted out and planned for the next few weeks. I won’t have that ” 5 pm OHMYGOD what the hell am I going to make for dinner” freak out as I bang frozen meat on the counter. (clunk, clunk) And it keeps us eating healthier as well.
Cooking Light magazine has done a nice and simple article this month on doing this exact process but with significantly less whining and a lot more information as to what kinds of staples to have on hand. I personally wont’ tell you all of that, because well, I don’t have time and I figure you’ll know better than I what your family will eat and what you need to make those meals. Chipolte peppers might be as important to you as say, pea soup is at our house.
So, what are you waiting for? You know you need to clean out the fridge and the pantry. Go. GO. GO! And then, grab a coffee and something yummy to ease the torture, I recommend chocolate personally, and plan at LEAST week of meals based on what you have right now. It’s ok, you can curse me as you’re doing it, but you’ll thank me later. *wink*
However, I LIKE the result of knowing exactly what we’re having for dinner. I like to check the menu, take out the meat the day before, not have to rush and know how I need to plan the day so that dinner is ready on time. And I don’t mind cooking or grocery shopping. But by the amount of carrying on I do before actually sitting down and making the plan, you’d think that I was going for a root canal with an anal probe chaser.
I used to plan a month of meals at a time, but since we moved, with all the craziness that entailed along with holidays and the like, I haven’t made myself get organized enough to sit down and get to it. However, we’re getting back on track, so no more procrastinating (but I did sulk a bit).
This was a 2 day, 2 stage process for me. On the first day, I took an inventory while I cleaned things out. I started with the fridge. I threw out a bunch of stuff, wiped all the shelves down and grouped together “like” items: salad dressings, condiments, drinks, yogurts, etc. I’ve regained a bunch of my useable sized plastic containers and got rid of some interesting almost science experiments.
Then I hit the freezer. I’ve hit a boat load of meat sales in the last few weeks and we do not need meat for a long time. Especially, chicken. Good grief. Anyway, I took stock of what we had, and again, grouped like items together, meats, frozen veggies, breakfast stuff, Hubster’s meals and wiped things down. Last night we had a pasta fagioli leftover I made a while ago to use it up and realized it didnt' really carry over so well. Note to self: make less of that next time.
Next was the pantry. We are blessed to have 2 great pantry spaces. One is used for storing crafts, the crockpot/breadmachine/etc, cleaners etc. The other is for food. Again I grouped like things together: bin of potatoes/onions, water and juice bottles on the floor (and 9, yes, 9 LARGE cans of pea soup from home – we really like pea soup around here); snack items on the lower shelf where the kids could reach them; a shelf for breakfast/lunch foods; another for pasta/rice/cooking oil and pickles/extra condiments; another for baking and other staples; and then the goody basket (with Mama's chocolate stash and all the other treats that are better left out of sight out of mind for little ones. Shhh) and coffee on the top shelf. This system was already in place but needed some tidying up. Mouse’s class is having a pretend grocery store next week so this was a good opportunity for me to empty out some boxes and clean out some containers to pass onto the school.
Once I had an idea of what I had on hand, I whined, stomped around, made a coffee, threw a little tantrum and procrastinated some more. Then the next day, I sulked for a while (because I’m really mature that way) and then finally sat my ass down with a pen, paper and favorite cook books to make up the meal plan. My goal was to plan enough dinners to take us to the end of January, primarily using the food and staples we had on hand.
To start, I made a list of all the days we needed meals for and made a note beside each day if there were any plans that would need special attention: school functions, board meetings, classes, movie nights etc. Then I made a list of all the meals we could have with the food we had on hand using recipes and meal ideas that I know we like. I kept a running grocery list for any items I knew I’d need to round things out.
Then, I determined which meals were most appropriate for each night, trying to balance things out so we weren't eating chicken EVERY night (though we could) and factoring in leftover nights.
After I had things figured out, I tidied up my list and transferred the meal plans over to my calendar (which has a handy spot for it right beside the weekly view). Then, Mouse and I headed out to Walmart to grocery shop with a very short list.
Here’s what I ended up with:
12 Mushroom risotto with Italian sausage and veggies (the risotto turned out sooo well. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow! And the Italian sausage is from home – Thanks Dad!- we inhaled it. YUM)
13 Taco soup done in crock pot (board meeting)
14 Beef fajitas (Pilates evening class)
15 Turkey pot pie and brownies (make double to give to a friend recovering from surgery)
16 Nachos with leftover taco soup and leftover velveeta cheese from killer mac/cheese (movie night)
17 Baked Pork chops, mashed potatoes and veggies
18 Chicken stir fry with rice
19 Hunter chicken (roasted chicken with peppers, tomatoes, onions)
20 Spagetti and salad (help at school in evening) (make extra sauce to use next week for chicken parm)
21 Chicken quesadillas (with leftover chicken from 19th) (Pilates evening class)
22 Leftovers or soup (anyone for Pea soup?)
23 Breakfast for dinner – pancakes or waffles (movie night)
24 Tuna pasta salad
25 Baked bbq chicken legs, roasted potato wedgies, veggies (make extra potatoes)
26 Frittata with leftovers from previous night
27 Pork chops and rice pilaf
28 Turkey soup (in freezer) and salad (participate in class = fried by noon! Pilates class)
29 Chicken parmesan and salad
30 Leftovers or pizza (we’re making pizzas at school for fundraising this day).
For groceries, I did a bit of stocking up on a few things I was out of, but generally I didn’t need much. Sour cream, pie crusts (because I’m lazy that way), chicken stock, a bit of fruit, bread, canned tomatoes, beans. Nor, will I need much other than fresh produce or milk for the next few weeks.
I do like to keep some staples on hand so that even if something happens and the meal plan falls through, at least I can put something together. And, if we decide to swap things around, it’s not really a problem either. It’s also easier for me to stay on budget if I have a plan and know what I already have in the cupboards.
I don’t plan lunches or breakfasts because these are often hit or miss with us. Especially breakfasts. Breakfasts for Hubster and I are pretty standard: toast, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt/fruit, waffles, pancakes etc. Hubster takes his lunch pretty much every day – either a Smart Ones/Lean Cuisine or leftovers and I’ll often have salad and a baked sweet potato or leftovers or soup. The kids, well, you never know with them.
So despite my griping and crabbing, I feel a sense of peace having things sorted out and planned for the next few weeks. I won’t have that ” 5 pm OHMYGOD what the hell am I going to make for dinner” freak out as I bang frozen meat on the counter. (clunk, clunk) And it keeps us eating healthier as well.
Cooking Light magazine has done a nice and simple article this month on doing this exact process but with significantly less whining and a lot more information as to what kinds of staples to have on hand. I personally wont’ tell you all of that, because well, I don’t have time and I figure you’ll know better than I what your family will eat and what you need to make those meals. Chipolte peppers might be as important to you as say, pea soup is at our house.
So, what are you waiting for? You know you need to clean out the fridge and the pantry. Go. GO. GO! And then, grab a coffee and something yummy to ease the torture, I recommend chocolate personally, and plan at LEAST week of meals based on what you have right now. It’s ok, you can curse me as you’re doing it, but you’ll thank me later. *wink*
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Trouble Spot Tuesday: Address Book
Well, I warned you last week that I’m working on my address book this week.
It’s taken me all week to get it together – seriously. I combed through old email, gathered up scraps of paper and ripped off return addresses from envelopes. I pulled out an old address book that I’ve had, um, just about forever. I also had about 20 business cards – dentists, realtors, doctors, etc.
Then I attempted to be happy with Microsoft’s contacts, but well, I couldn’t find my happy place with it.
So I pulled out my old Treo, which actually barely works, but I love the address book that comes with the software. It’s easy, simple and straight forward. And then I loaded that baby up. I had a copy of some addresses on the Palm One Treo program that is loaded on Hubster’s computer so I imported it onto mine and did a lot of updating. I categorized everything by friends/family/playgroup/business/school.
It’s great that it’s all in one place and having it set up on my machine it makes it easy to update as well. I don’t know why it took me this long to do this, other than sheer laziness. And hopefully I won't have to ask my Mum for my grandfather's address for the 20th time.
So, get your stuff together, treat yourself to a new address book or program, get all your bits and pieces together and get it done. You know you want to.
As an update to the Calendar version, I was in Target the other day WITH my calendar WITH the little list tab on the side, and another woman yelled across 2 aisles – “HEY! I have the SAME calendar! Don’t you LOVE IT!?” Then she proceeded to tell me that she has her kids completely color coordinated in the calendar and out of the calendar (laundry baskets, hangers etc). Which is a good idea, but well, probably more than I really wanted to know.
AND… I’ve gotten about 95% of the birthday cards I needed to get for this year and all of the kids gifts.
My Mum would be proud – I’m “accomplishing” things. *wink*
It’s taken me all week to get it together – seriously. I combed through old email, gathered up scraps of paper and ripped off return addresses from envelopes. I pulled out an old address book that I’ve had, um, just about forever. I also had about 20 business cards – dentists, realtors, doctors, etc.
Then I attempted to be happy with Microsoft’s contacts, but well, I couldn’t find my happy place with it.
So I pulled out my old Treo, which actually barely works, but I love the address book that comes with the software. It’s easy, simple and straight forward. And then I loaded that baby up. I had a copy of some addresses on the Palm One Treo program that is loaded on Hubster’s computer so I imported it onto mine and did a lot of updating. I categorized everything by friends/family/playgroup/business/school.
It’s great that it’s all in one place and having it set up on my machine it makes it easy to update as well. I don’t know why it took me this long to do this, other than sheer laziness. And hopefully I won't have to ask my Mum for my grandfather's address for the 20th time.
So, get your stuff together, treat yourself to a new address book or program, get all your bits and pieces together and get it done. You know you want to.
As an update to the Calendar version, I was in Target the other day WITH my calendar WITH the little list tab on the side, and another woman yelled across 2 aisles – “HEY! I have the SAME calendar! Don’t you LOVE IT!?” Then she proceeded to tell me that she has her kids completely color coordinated in the calendar and out of the calendar (laundry baskets, hangers etc). Which is a good idea, but well, probably more than I really wanted to know.
AND… I’ve gotten about 95% of the birthday cards I needed to get for this year and all of the kids gifts.
My Mum would be proud – I’m “accomplishing” things. *wink*
Monday, December 29, 2008
Trouble Spot Tuesday Calendar
Since the end of 2008 is within spitting distance, it’s now time to think about 2009. Scary, I know. What the hell happened??? Where did this entire year GO? I have no idea. Regardless, it’s coming and for me, getting ready for the New Year involves setting up my calendar.
Pretty much every year someone gives me a calendar for Christmas – a paper one. This year I got to choose which one I wanted (thanks Mum) and chose a small spiral bound one. I like that I can bring it with me if I need it, but it has lots of space for me to have a monthly view, and weekly list. It also has space for a “To Do” list and grocery/meal plans. It’s awesome. I refer to my calendar a lot – like at least a few times a day so it’s important for it to be accurate and accessible as without it I’m toast.
I have YEARS, decades, worth of calendars saved. There’s lots of good information in there. It’s like my life in date form. I make notes about appointments, when we’ve had visits from friends and family, gone on vacations, got news about new babies being born, made phone calls, done classes, etc. The list goes on. I love looking back on all of those notations and reminiscing.
Every year, I sit down and transfer over all the birthdays anniversaries, pay days, appointments, meetings, holidays, etc. I love seeing the whole year fresh and ready before me and I feel connected to all the people who are on my calendar. However, remember to INCREASE ages by 1 year when you write them down or you will have nieces who are perpetually 4 and 6 years old (but they are not and kids in real life like you to know how old they are. Exactly.*Note to self, verify this information). Don’t forget to include your own birthday and maybe write down your age, because if you’re like me, you forget.
I’ve also made a list of all the birthday cards and gifts I need to get. I’m thinking that I’ll go out this week, while there are still toys/gifts on sale, and pick up a few and buy all the birthday cards I’ll need for the year. And then address them and have them ready to go. I’ve put a note on my calendar just over a week ahead to mail the appropriate card. That sounds like overkill to some degree, but I wish I could tell you the number of times I’ve remembered at the last minute that I need a card for someone and have to rush out to get one or scramble to put one together here at home. Hmm… maybe I’ll make some cards this year as well.
Ok, so I don’t have the cards organized yet, BUT my calendar is READY.
Now, if you’re into electronic calendars –there are lots of good ones out there I’m sure, but I can’t make any recommendations because they really don’t work for me so I don’t have a lot of experience here. I like my calendars to be tangible. I know there are some that have functions to email or message you when birthdays etc are coming up. If that works for you, go ahead and find one. No really – go. NOW. And let me know what you find because I’d be interested in this information.
And with the calendar being up to date, the sad neglect of my address book (uh, those scraps of paper shoved in an address book and emails saved from 1995 – yeah, they constitute my address book) has become apparent. So get ready, because we’re going to work on that next week.
Pretty much every year someone gives me a calendar for Christmas – a paper one. This year I got to choose which one I wanted (thanks Mum) and chose a small spiral bound one. I like that I can bring it with me if I need it, but it has lots of space for me to have a monthly view, and weekly list. It also has space for a “To Do” list and grocery/meal plans. It’s awesome. I refer to my calendar a lot – like at least a few times a day so it’s important for it to be accurate and accessible as without it I’m toast.
I have YEARS, decades, worth of calendars saved. There’s lots of good information in there. It’s like my life in date form. I make notes about appointments, when we’ve had visits from friends and family, gone on vacations, got news about new babies being born, made phone calls, done classes, etc. The list goes on. I love looking back on all of those notations and reminiscing.
Every year, I sit down and transfer over all the birthdays anniversaries, pay days, appointments, meetings, holidays, etc. I love seeing the whole year fresh and ready before me and I feel connected to all the people who are on my calendar. However, remember to INCREASE ages by 1 year when you write them down or you will have nieces who are perpetually 4 and 6 years old (but they are not and kids in real life like you to know how old they are. Exactly.*Note to self, verify this information). Don’t forget to include your own birthday and maybe write down your age, because if you’re like me, you forget.
I’ve also made a list of all the birthday cards and gifts I need to get. I’m thinking that I’ll go out this week, while there are still toys/gifts on sale, and pick up a few and buy all the birthday cards I’ll need for the year. And then address them and have them ready to go. I’ve put a note on my calendar just over a week ahead to mail the appropriate card. That sounds like overkill to some degree, but I wish I could tell you the number of times I’ve remembered at the last minute that I need a card for someone and have to rush out to get one or scramble to put one together here at home. Hmm… maybe I’ll make some cards this year as well.
Ok, so I don’t have the cards organized yet, BUT my calendar is READY.
Now, if you’re into electronic calendars –there are lots of good ones out there I’m sure, but I can’t make any recommendations because they really don’t work for me so I don’t have a lot of experience here. I like my calendars to be tangible. I know there are some that have functions to email or message you when birthdays etc are coming up. If that works for you, go ahead and find one. No really – go. NOW. And let me know what you find because I’d be interested in this information.
And with the calendar being up to date, the sad neglect of my address book (uh, those scraps of paper shoved in an address book and emails saved from 1995 – yeah, they constitute my address book) has become apparent. So get ready, because we’re going to work on that next week.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Trouble Spot Tuesday: Command Central
It’s a curse and a blessing to have a desk space in the kitchen. It was a big selling feature for me when we bought our house this fall. I would have an easily accessible place for the files I access daily (bills, etc), my laptop, cook books, calendar, etc. I call this area Command Central.
The downfall is that this area becomes the repository for ALL the junk in the house. And being the pit/pile people that we are, papers, crafts, bills, broken toys, meat containers (don’t ask), camera, cell phones, cords etc all get piled up so high you can’t find a damn thing without the whole mess falling on the floor. Usually I have to shove a pile of junk out of the way on each side of my computer so I can put my coffee down on one side and actually USE the mouse on the other. And I lose things. Important things.
And, it’s not like I can close a door on this area and pretend it doesn’t exist. It’s in the middle of my kitchen, which is the middle of my house. Fully exposed for ALL to see.
The downfall is that this area becomes the repository for ALL the junk in the house. And being the pit/pile people that we are, papers, crafts, bills, broken toys, meat containers (don’t ask), camera, cell phones, cords etc all get piled up so high you can’t find a damn thing without the whole mess falling on the floor. Usually I have to shove a pile of junk out of the way on each side of my computer so I can put my coffee down on one side and actually USE the mouse on the other. And I lose things. Important things.
And, it’s not like I can close a door on this area and pretend it doesn’t exist. It’s in the middle of my kitchen, which is the middle of my house. Fully exposed for ALL to see.
So in the past, I’ve just shoved things in drawers, bins, contains, cupboards and considered it out of sight; out of mind. Until I really need something and tear the whole thing apart to find a phone number written on a sticky note that is “somewhere’. Yeah, um, it wasn’t really working.
So with Christmas and guests coming, it was time to get this mess not only cleaned up, but actually organized in a way that that made sense, and more to the point, in a way that I could maintain.
I was reluctant to start this job because I knew it was going to take a long time. I started at 8 on Saturday night and didn’t finish until 11:30. Yes, it took THAT long.
The Problems:
So with Christmas and guests coming, it was time to get this mess not only cleaned up, but actually organized in a way that that made sense, and more to the point, in a way that I could maintain.
I was reluctant to start this job because I knew it was going to take a long time. I started at 8 on Saturday night and didn’t finish until 11:30. Yes, it took THAT long.
The Problems:
Too many junk drawers with too much junk
Files and papers all over the place and not organized with no set “place” for them
Piles/groups of “things” without a specified home
Too much clutter on the desk
Too lazy to put things away properly
The Process:
Files and papers all over the place and not organized with no set “place” for them
Piles/groups of “things” without a specified home
Too much clutter on the desk
Too lazy to put things away properly
The Process:
I was not allowed to buy anything for this project. I had to use what I had.
First, things first, I sat down and made a list of all the things that needed to be in Command Central. Anything else had to find a home elsewhere. Then I made “zones” – homes for everything. I looked at my space and decided what I needed to be most accessible and then sorted out all the stuff into groups.
I had:
Cords/chargers
Stationary (cards, envelopes, etc)
Cookbooks/cooking magazines
Computer disks/books
Tools
Files
School binders/information
Printer paper
Bills/receipts/budget info
Batteries
Actual “junk” that needed to be kept
Office supplies (pens, markers, scissors, tape, stapler, paper clips etc)
A pile of broken toys and things that needed to be fixed
Note books and “Lists”
Once I sorted everything out, I decided that everything needed a “home”; a place where it belonged and needed to live when not in use. Another goal was to have as little on the desk as possible. I’m learning that clutter breeds clutter. The more you have the more it “grows” –making little “clutter babies” when you’re not looking.
First, things first, I sat down and made a list of all the things that needed to be in Command Central. Anything else had to find a home elsewhere. Then I made “zones” – homes for everything. I looked at my space and decided what I needed to be most accessible and then sorted out all the stuff into groups.
I had:
Cords/chargers
Stationary (cards, envelopes, etc)
Cookbooks/cooking magazines
Computer disks/books
Tools
Files
School binders/information
Printer paper
Bills/receipts/budget info
Batteries
Actual “junk” that needed to be kept
Office supplies (pens, markers, scissors, tape, stapler, paper clips etc)
A pile of broken toys and things that needed to be fixed
Note books and “Lists”
Once I sorted everything out, I decided that everything needed a “home”; a place where it belonged and needed to live when not in use. Another goal was to have as little on the desk as possible. I’m learning that clutter breeds clutter. The more you have the more it “grows” –making little “clutter babies” when you’re not looking.
I had some kitchen drawer organizers that I wasn’t using and after hacking at a few with an exacto-knife and hammer (yes, I still have all my fingers) I was able to cut them to the right size to fit in the drawers.
I designated one drawer as an “office supply” drawer. I used a tiered kitchen drawer organizer with a sliding top level to hold tacks, extra pens, scissors, tape, paper clips etc. That’s ALL that’s in there. I had a bunch of small Tupperware containers half filled with mixed up screws, tacks, paperclips, screw heads and the like. I took the time to clean them out, threw a bunch of junk out, and sorted it, again, into groups. These are all neatly separated into compartments so I can see what I have and everything has a place where it belongs.
Another drawer became the stationary/cords drawer. I used a small standing file holder to hold my envelopes. I used one drawer from the small drawer unit that was on my desk to hold any note cards I had. A small basket was perfect to hold the cords and chargers for the camera, cell phones, etc. I also had room to tuck in the phone book. I had extra phone books; too many, in fact. I recycled a few duplicates and put the extras upstairs in the office. I don’t use them often, so they could be considered “archive” material.
The long, skinny drawer became the “junk” type drawer. I was able to use a drawer spice organizer that didn’t work in another drawer for this. I had to hack a big chunk of this off (because it was cheap and poorly designed and there was a lot of wasted space) to get it to fit. At one end of the drawer, I used this organizer. It has 4 “compartments”. 1 was for stamps, another for small tools (multi-head screwdriver, allen key, pliers), another for small electronics (usb keys etc) and the last was for just for small junky things – which we all have but must be contained and limited. I have extra outlet covers here and some shelf supports for the cupboards etc. I used a small Tupperware container for sticky notes. The girls had taken almost all of them apart, but I didn’t want to throw them out, so they were no longer a nice neat cube, nor were they as easy to store. The other end of the drawer was for my disks and computer manual etc.
Onto the cupboards! The cookbooks largely went untouched as they were already together in one spot and I used some magazine boxes I already had to hold the magazines. I also used this area to store some other household books I have – a cleaning book, a health reference book and I set up a magazine box to hold any articles/papers/paint chips etc for decorating ideas. I LABELLED these boxes so that I can see immediately what’s in them.
The big double door cupboard, was a bit of an issue for me to get sorted out. I already had a small, portable hanging file box, and that worked well, when I actually PUT the papers in it. So, I sorted through the paper, got the files in the order I wanted and we were good. A magazine box holds my receipts and budget book. I was able to get the first shelf, which holds my “need on a daily basis” stuff sorted out in a way that I had room to put my small printer in there. I HATED looking at it on my desk and it took up too much room. From the shelf, I’m able to just drop the cables down and plug it in to use it. I have a spot on the other shelves for printer paper and extra note books. Another magazine box on the top shelf is designated for appliance, furnace manuals etc. And the top shelf also holds the binders for Mouse’s school.
On the desk, there is very little. The phone, my laptop, a cup for pens and one magazine box to hold things that must be dealt with immediately. I put a little sticky note on the front with a short “to do” list. As things are finished, they are taken out of this box and marked off the list. I have a note book in here that that has running lists – groceries, to buy lists, that sort of thing. I also have my calendar on the desk as I usually refer to it several times a day.
At the end of this, I got the glue out and actually fixed a bunch of the broken stuff. I glued the head back on Joseph from our Nativity scene, repaired the broken doll house furniture and ahem, tossed a few things that were not worth fixing.
The Result:
The result is that I have a really workable space that doesn’t look like a bomb went off on it. We had company tonight and despite having done this project a few days ago, needed to do almost nothing in order to make it company-presentable.
Yesterday a bill came in and I paid it right away, then, put the bill in the appropriate folder. I also needed my check book and was able to find it immediately without scrambling through a tangle of junk. AND, I put it away immediately where it belonged, instead of sitting it on the desk to be dealt with later. I didn’t feel annoyed because I couldn’t get to the files, or overwhelmed because I didn’t know where to put things and I didn’t feel like being “lazy” was an excuse.
I also have space to spare. I have one completely empty drawer and room on my shelves.
A big part of this process was really thinking this through – I had to decide what I really needed in this area, how I access it, how to set it up so that everything has a home, and then I needed to think about how I can retrain my brain to actually PUT things back. I know, to many people, all of this seems really basic and you’re wondering why I’m so stupid. While I certainly have my less than stellar intellectual moments, this kind of “logical flow” work isn’t second nature to me. I have to THINK about it. I have to live in the trenches for a while before I can figure out the smoothest way for things to run. When I’m slapping things together in a half-assed way because it “works” for now and because I’m feeling too pressured by the rest of my life to follow through, and feeling overwhelmed by the thought of dealing with the whole thing, it often bites me in the behind. It becomes too complicated, too messy and impossible to maintain. And then it’s a big job to sort it all out.
While these systems that I’m setting up ARE working, it’s not just because they exist. They’re working because I’m training myself to use them. Its’ work and I do still have to think about it before I do it and continually remind the rest of the family to follow through as well. I’m hoping that as everyone sees how much more smoothly things are running, it’ll become second nature to just do it this way. While no one else might get a thing out of trouble spot Tuesdays, I’m feeling like I can take one task at a time, focus on it and get it done. It feels really good to start having things simplified and WORKING!
Highly Embarrassing Before Shots.
The Desk Area: Believe it or not, this got worse before it got better. Way, way worse.
More annoying little junk collectors that hide the things you can never find again. Yes, those are folded up stockings on there.
I designated one drawer as an “office supply” drawer. I used a tiered kitchen drawer organizer with a sliding top level to hold tacks, extra pens, scissors, tape, paper clips etc. That’s ALL that’s in there. I had a bunch of small Tupperware containers half filled with mixed up screws, tacks, paperclips, screw heads and the like. I took the time to clean them out, threw a bunch of junk out, and sorted it, again, into groups. These are all neatly separated into compartments so I can see what I have and everything has a place where it belongs.
Another drawer became the stationary/cords drawer. I used a small standing file holder to hold my envelopes. I used one drawer from the small drawer unit that was on my desk to hold any note cards I had. A small basket was perfect to hold the cords and chargers for the camera, cell phones, etc. I also had room to tuck in the phone book. I had extra phone books; too many, in fact. I recycled a few duplicates and put the extras upstairs in the office. I don’t use them often, so they could be considered “archive” material.
The long, skinny drawer became the “junk” type drawer. I was able to use a drawer spice organizer that didn’t work in another drawer for this. I had to hack a big chunk of this off (because it was cheap and poorly designed and there was a lot of wasted space) to get it to fit. At one end of the drawer, I used this organizer. It has 4 “compartments”. 1 was for stamps, another for small tools (multi-head screwdriver, allen key, pliers), another for small electronics (usb keys etc) and the last was for just for small junky things – which we all have but must be contained and limited. I have extra outlet covers here and some shelf supports for the cupboards etc. I used a small Tupperware container for sticky notes. The girls had taken almost all of them apart, but I didn’t want to throw them out, so they were no longer a nice neat cube, nor were they as easy to store. The other end of the drawer was for my disks and computer manual etc.
Onto the cupboards! The cookbooks largely went untouched as they were already together in one spot and I used some magazine boxes I already had to hold the magazines. I also used this area to store some other household books I have – a cleaning book, a health reference book and I set up a magazine box to hold any articles/papers/paint chips etc for decorating ideas. I LABELLED these boxes so that I can see immediately what’s in them.
The big double door cupboard, was a bit of an issue for me to get sorted out. I already had a small, portable hanging file box, and that worked well, when I actually PUT the papers in it. So, I sorted through the paper, got the files in the order I wanted and we were good. A magazine box holds my receipts and budget book. I was able to get the first shelf, which holds my “need on a daily basis” stuff sorted out in a way that I had room to put my small printer in there. I HATED looking at it on my desk and it took up too much room. From the shelf, I’m able to just drop the cables down and plug it in to use it. I have a spot on the other shelves for printer paper and extra note books. Another magazine box on the top shelf is designated for appliance, furnace manuals etc. And the top shelf also holds the binders for Mouse’s school.
On the desk, there is very little. The phone, my laptop, a cup for pens and one magazine box to hold things that must be dealt with immediately. I put a little sticky note on the front with a short “to do” list. As things are finished, they are taken out of this box and marked off the list. I have a note book in here that that has running lists – groceries, to buy lists, that sort of thing. I also have my calendar on the desk as I usually refer to it several times a day.
At the end of this, I got the glue out and actually fixed a bunch of the broken stuff. I glued the head back on Joseph from our Nativity scene, repaired the broken doll house furniture and ahem, tossed a few things that were not worth fixing.
The Result:
The result is that I have a really workable space that doesn’t look like a bomb went off on it. We had company tonight and despite having done this project a few days ago, needed to do almost nothing in order to make it company-presentable.
Yesterday a bill came in and I paid it right away, then, put the bill in the appropriate folder. I also needed my check book and was able to find it immediately without scrambling through a tangle of junk. AND, I put it away immediately where it belonged, instead of sitting it on the desk to be dealt with later. I didn’t feel annoyed because I couldn’t get to the files, or overwhelmed because I didn’t know where to put things and I didn’t feel like being “lazy” was an excuse.
I also have space to spare. I have one completely empty drawer and room on my shelves.
A big part of this process was really thinking this through – I had to decide what I really needed in this area, how I access it, how to set it up so that everything has a home, and then I needed to think about how I can retrain my brain to actually PUT things back. I know, to many people, all of this seems really basic and you’re wondering why I’m so stupid. While I certainly have my less than stellar intellectual moments, this kind of “logical flow” work isn’t second nature to me. I have to THINK about it. I have to live in the trenches for a while before I can figure out the smoothest way for things to run. When I’m slapping things together in a half-assed way because it “works” for now and because I’m feeling too pressured by the rest of my life to follow through, and feeling overwhelmed by the thought of dealing with the whole thing, it often bites me in the behind. It becomes too complicated, too messy and impossible to maintain. And then it’s a big job to sort it all out.
While these systems that I’m setting up ARE working, it’s not just because they exist. They’re working because I’m training myself to use them. Its’ work and I do still have to think about it before I do it and continually remind the rest of the family to follow through as well. I’m hoping that as everyone sees how much more smoothly things are running, it’ll become second nature to just do it this way. While no one else might get a thing out of trouble spot Tuesdays, I’m feeling like I can take one task at a time, focus on it and get it done. It feels really good to start having things simplified and WORKING!
Highly Embarrassing Before Shots.
The Desk Area: Believe it or not, this got worse before it got better. Way, way worse.
More annoying little junk collectors that hide the things you can never find again. Yes, those are folded up stockings on there.
The double door cupboard, in all it's glory. Oy.
This was the result a few days later after I tried to find Mouse's bird watching chart for school, 2 minutes before we had to be out the door. I literally tore the desk apart trying to find it. It was buried in a bunch of bills and junk paper.
The Happily Ever After: (insert choir singing here...)
The "Junk" drawer:
The Cords/Stationary Drawer:
The Office Supply Drawer:
The Cupboard:
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Trouble Spot Tuesday: The Office Edition
Ok, so remember when I wrote this… Note where I said that I would have the office sorted out by December 13. Review. Discuss amongst yourselves. I’ll wait.
Well, I actually did it and finished on the 13th. I wasn’t able to manage 30 minutes a day, but instead took 2 weekends. Not the WHOLE weekend, but a good part of 2 afternoons. It really was a mess. Having just moved, sold a house, then bought a new house with all the related paperwork and accumulated junk that accompanies those things, we had a lot of paper to sort out.
I moved my files from the old metal 2 drawer file cabinet to a larger 3 drawer file cabinet. Everything is organized by drawer and labeled so I can find it. I have a hard time throwing things away, especially paperwork, because I keep convincing myself that ONE DAY the “identity” police are going to come and want to know if I had insurance on my 1989 Mercury Topaz back in 1996. Stupid, I know.
However, I’m very proud that I was able to produce, what is now affectionately known as Mount Shredmore. And, funnily enough, this is not the first time this year I’ve produced a huge pile for shredding. This is about the 3rd or 4th time. Scary, I know. I do shred all receipts and any mail that comes with our name on it (esp. credit card offers etc), so it’s not ALL old filing.
I’m planning one evening this week to get out “old shreddy” (actually, this is “new” shreddy because I wore old shreddy out) and work my way through Mount Shredmore. I have to do it when the kids aren’t awake because they are fascinated by it and I can’t stop my overactive imagination from panicking and picturing their adorable little fingers turning into pulp.
So, I kept one bill from each of the utilities and insurance from our old house – and have done the same for any place that we’ve ever lived, just to have it as a record. Obviously I have all of our tax returns and assorted documentation. I have sorted receipts and manuals for any big purchases or electronics. I keep almost all the receipts and manuals for any baby/kid gear have because I know a lot of these things can be passed on or sold and I like to include the manuals as well. We also kept medical information, new and old mortgage papers, insurance information, etc. The basics really.
Hubster sorted out a bunch of his electronics and computer stuff (he’s IT, he can’t help himself from hording) and actually got rid of a bunch of stuff. Stunning, I know. We cleaned out the cds and condensed them down to one storage case that is divided by drivers/backups/programs. Hubster also hung some his pictures. It looks like a REAL office.
I sorted out the book shelf and cleaned the closet up as well. Hubster sort of rearranged things on his desk a bit and growled at me, like a dog protecting his dinner bowl, when I tried to tidy his desk up further. We don’t always work well together, but he’s very protective of his desk. Fortunately, I don’t need to use his computer much anymore now that I have my own so I choose not to fuss too much about the desk area. The whole point of this the office is that it is meant to be his “man space”. However, to a small degree it is a shared space, so I can keep the part that I need to use tidy.
The result is that we can find our respective things, generally things are out of boxes; except for those that belong in boxes, we can see the floor and there isn’t an inch thick layer of dust on everything.
It feels good to have actually accomplished something I set out to do and my Mum, whom I’m sure nodded and said “Mmm,hmmm, yeah. Like THAT will get happen” when I said I was going to get the office done before they arrived, (she knows me well) will be stunned by its’ orderliness on Sunday. That’s if the germies that are threatening to take over our house don’t knock her out at the front door.
I do feel positive that I can maintain this area. This is more like the “archive” area, a place where I store files I don’t need access to very often.
Before Photos. (I know, you think we're total slobs)
After Photos:
Closet After: note the bulging file box of paper to be shredded aka: Mount Shredmore
The bookshelf all pretty like.
In my kitchen, I have a desk area that is another filing area that I need to work on. It’s considered my “Command Central” or rather, should be called my “Disaster Zone” right now. However, I need to think about this area more and because it’s a separate space, it’s going to be another Trouble Spot Tuesday post – or two. If you have any tips on how you deal with YOUR daily paper and “stuff” influx, please SHARE.
Update on the Recycling version of Trouble Spot Tuesday: this system is working VERY well for us. We had our first recycling pickup last Tuesday and taking the trash/recycling out to the curb was so easy. 2 trips and we were done. Despite Hubster pulling my leg and putting paper in the plastics/glass bin and me giving him the 4th degree about the new system, even he’s been good about putting it away.
A big part of the success of the system is my own drive to MAKE myself (and anyone else) take the recycling to the appropriate spot. I MAKE myself open the door to the garage to throw the papers in the bin, rather than just pile it up on the counter in the laundry room to take out “later”. I’m trying to beat down the “pit and pile” person and retrain myself to be more efficient.
Well, I actually did it and finished on the 13th. I wasn’t able to manage 30 minutes a day, but instead took 2 weekends. Not the WHOLE weekend, but a good part of 2 afternoons. It really was a mess. Having just moved, sold a house, then bought a new house with all the related paperwork and accumulated junk that accompanies those things, we had a lot of paper to sort out.
I moved my files from the old metal 2 drawer file cabinet to a larger 3 drawer file cabinet. Everything is organized by drawer and labeled so I can find it. I have a hard time throwing things away, especially paperwork, because I keep convincing myself that ONE DAY the “identity” police are going to come and want to know if I had insurance on my 1989 Mercury Topaz back in 1996. Stupid, I know.
However, I’m very proud that I was able to produce, what is now affectionately known as Mount Shredmore. And, funnily enough, this is not the first time this year I’ve produced a huge pile for shredding. This is about the 3rd or 4th time. Scary, I know. I do shred all receipts and any mail that comes with our name on it (esp. credit card offers etc), so it’s not ALL old filing.
I’m planning one evening this week to get out “old shreddy” (actually, this is “new” shreddy because I wore old shreddy out) and work my way through Mount Shredmore. I have to do it when the kids aren’t awake because they are fascinated by it and I can’t stop my overactive imagination from panicking and picturing their adorable little fingers turning into pulp.
So, I kept one bill from each of the utilities and insurance from our old house – and have done the same for any place that we’ve ever lived, just to have it as a record. Obviously I have all of our tax returns and assorted documentation. I have sorted receipts and manuals for any big purchases or electronics. I keep almost all the receipts and manuals for any baby/kid gear have because I know a lot of these things can be passed on or sold and I like to include the manuals as well. We also kept medical information, new and old mortgage papers, insurance information, etc. The basics really.
Hubster sorted out a bunch of his electronics and computer stuff (he’s IT, he can’t help himself from hording) and actually got rid of a bunch of stuff. Stunning, I know. We cleaned out the cds and condensed them down to one storage case that is divided by drivers/backups/programs. Hubster also hung some his pictures. It looks like a REAL office.
I sorted out the book shelf and cleaned the closet up as well. Hubster sort of rearranged things on his desk a bit and growled at me, like a dog protecting his dinner bowl, when I tried to tidy his desk up further. We don’t always work well together, but he’s very protective of his desk. Fortunately, I don’t need to use his computer much anymore now that I have my own so I choose not to fuss too much about the desk area. The whole point of this the office is that it is meant to be his “man space”. However, to a small degree it is a shared space, so I can keep the part that I need to use tidy.
The result is that we can find our respective things, generally things are out of boxes; except for those that belong in boxes, we can see the floor and there isn’t an inch thick layer of dust on everything.
It feels good to have actually accomplished something I set out to do and my Mum, whom I’m sure nodded and said “Mmm,hmmm, yeah. Like THAT will get happen” when I said I was going to get the office done before they arrived, (she knows me well) will be stunned by its’ orderliness on Sunday. That’s if the germies that are threatening to take over our house don’t knock her out at the front door.
I do feel positive that I can maintain this area. This is more like the “archive” area, a place where I store files I don’t need access to very often.
Before Photos. (I know, you think we're total slobs)
After Photos:
Closet After: note the bulging file box of paper to be shredded aka: Mount Shredmore
The bookshelf all pretty like.
In my kitchen, I have a desk area that is another filing area that I need to work on. It’s considered my “Command Central” or rather, should be called my “Disaster Zone” right now. However, I need to think about this area more and because it’s a separate space, it’s going to be another Trouble Spot Tuesday post – or two. If you have any tips on how you deal with YOUR daily paper and “stuff” influx, please SHARE.
Update on the Recycling version of Trouble Spot Tuesday: this system is working VERY well for us. We had our first recycling pickup last Tuesday and taking the trash/recycling out to the curb was so easy. 2 trips and we were done. Despite Hubster pulling my leg and putting paper in the plastics/glass bin and me giving him the 4th degree about the new system, even he’s been good about putting it away.
A big part of the success of the system is my own drive to MAKE myself (and anyone else) take the recycling to the appropriate spot. I MAKE myself open the door to the garage to throw the papers in the bin, rather than just pile it up on the counter in the laundry room to take out “later”. I’m trying to beat down the “pit and pile” person and retrain myself to be more efficient.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Trouble Spot Tuesday
Computer Backups:
There’s nothing like that sinking feeling of seeing your computer crash and wondering what the hell you’ve lost. Important documents? Precious photos? Years worth of email? Yikes.
I had a laptop stolen earlier this year (long story, another post) and fortunately I didn’t have much on it, however, there were some files on it that I’m still missing and wishing I had backed up somewhere. ANYWHERE.
Since I just ran my backup today, I thought that it was a good time, probably PAST time to remind you to backup the files on your computer too. You’d think that having worked in IT for so long I’d do this more often, but I don’t. And I should. And I will.
I employ 2 methods:
1) I use Norton’s 360 backup feature and backup my files every 1-2 weeks to an external backup drive that I connect to my laptop with a USB cable. Very simple, very easy. It basically does it for me.
2) Every few months, I burn cds/dvds of all of my photos, which believe it or not, considering how scattered I usually am about stuff like this, are organized in a very simple way in folders: Photos/Year/Month/Any Special Events. This has made it so easy to find the photos I want and it makes it simple for me to know the approximate dates of the photos as well. I can usually fit a couple of months per cd/dvd, depending on how many photos I’ve taken.
There are many options available and if you’re computer was purchased within the last few years, it likely already has backup software on it, so unless you do some really complicated stuff, (and if you do, you’re likely skipping this post, so uh yeah…) that should make it pretty simple. You can also purchase backup software at any electronics retail store and most of the major antivirus software companies sell bundles that include backup protection as well.
External media is becoming very affordable as well. Large external hard drives (like 200-300 Gig) are right around the $100-150 range. What’s nice about the external hard drive is that not only does it offer plenty of space for the average user, but you can also connect these hard drives to just about any other computer which is a good thing when your computer has taken the big toast and you’re stranded.
Failing that, take some time and burn your photos, documents, address books and email to cd or dvd. Label them well and store them somewhere safe.
How often do you need to run your backups? Well, that depends on how much you store on your computer. If you’re adding pictures or have a lot of documents or email, then at least weekly, if not daily. If you’re an occasional user who doesn’t really store a lot on your computer, every few weeks or once a month might be enough.
Take the time and do it soon. Like maybe now. Consider it an investment to protect those items that you won’t realize how much you miss until they’re gone.
There’s nothing like that sinking feeling of seeing your computer crash and wondering what the hell you’ve lost. Important documents? Precious photos? Years worth of email? Yikes.
I had a laptop stolen earlier this year (long story, another post) and fortunately I didn’t have much on it, however, there were some files on it that I’m still missing and wishing I had backed up somewhere. ANYWHERE.
Since I just ran my backup today, I thought that it was a good time, probably PAST time to remind you to backup the files on your computer too. You’d think that having worked in IT for so long I’d do this more often, but I don’t. And I should. And I will.
I employ 2 methods:
1) I use Norton’s 360 backup feature and backup my files every 1-2 weeks to an external backup drive that I connect to my laptop with a USB cable. Very simple, very easy. It basically does it for me.
2) Every few months, I burn cds/dvds of all of my photos, which believe it or not, considering how scattered I usually am about stuff like this, are organized in a very simple way in folders: Photos/Year/Month/Any Special Events. This has made it so easy to find the photos I want and it makes it simple for me to know the approximate dates of the photos as well. I can usually fit a couple of months per cd/dvd, depending on how many photos I’ve taken.
There are many options available and if you’re computer was purchased within the last few years, it likely already has backup software on it, so unless you do some really complicated stuff, (and if you do, you’re likely skipping this post, so uh yeah…) that should make it pretty simple. You can also purchase backup software at any electronics retail store and most of the major antivirus software companies sell bundles that include backup protection as well.
External media is becoming very affordable as well. Large external hard drives (like 200-300 Gig) are right around the $100-150 range. What’s nice about the external hard drive is that not only does it offer plenty of space for the average user, but you can also connect these hard drives to just about any other computer which is a good thing when your computer has taken the big toast and you’re stranded.
Failing that, take some time and burn your photos, documents, address books and email to cd or dvd. Label them well and store them somewhere safe.
How often do you need to run your backups? Well, that depends on how much you store on your computer. If you’re adding pictures or have a lot of documents or email, then at least weekly, if not daily. If you’re an occasional user who doesn’t really store a lot on your computer, every few weeks or once a month might be enough.
Take the time and do it soon. Like maybe now. Consider it an investment to protect those items that you won’t realize how much you miss until they’re gone.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Trouble Spot Tuesday
What is “Trouble Spot Tuesday”? We’ve all got trouble spots in our houses/minds/bodies that we need to work on. Since, I’m trying to be proactive about getting my act together so that our lives flow more smoothly, I thought – why not dedicate a day to working it out? I’ll take some time to think about the things aren’t working and try to figure out a better way of making it work. I’ll share my current “project”, include photos if appropriate and tips/tricks. This won’t necessarily be household things, it could be a thought process, an exercise or stretch, or … well, ANYTHING that’s not really ‘working’. (Ack! I just heard Dr. Phil in my head saying “Howz that workin’ fer ya?”)
Sometimes it will just be a matter of reorganizing things in a way that says “Hey, dummy, why didn’t you do THAT 2 months ago”? Or maybe it will be something I have to practice and work harder on.
You may not have the same issues that I do, but maybe you’ll get some ideas for your own trouble spots. Of course – feel free to submit any “Trouble Spot” areas you have or tips/tricks/ideas for things that have worked for you!
Today's Trouble Spot:
The Recycling Area
I think recycling is really important and try very hard to recycle as much as possible. However, finding a system that is simple AND useful as well as having enough capacity for all that “stuff” is difficult.
Our recycling is picked up every other week, so usually by the second week we are OVERFLOWING with recycling.
Our laundry room connects our garage to our kitchen. It’s the bottleneck stop for the recycling because we’re too lazy to trek every little piece of recycling out to the garage where we keep our recycling and trash in bins. Until now, I’ve just dumped any recycling into a slim white trash bin in the laundry room, then when it’s full, or well, OVERfull , I emptied the cans/bottles/plastics into a blue recycle bin and the newspapers/cardboard into paper grocery bags. Then we trip over the paper grocery bags in the garage for 2 weeks. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
When I see photo below (which is what happens when the kids get into the recycling) I know it’s time to find a better solution.
So I thought about it and realized that this problem is three-fold. 1) The bin inside is not big enough to hold the recycling and neither are the outside bins. 2) I still have to separate everything out once I empty the inside bin to the garage bins, so I’m essentially handling things twice. 3) We do not have a convenient place to store the plastic grocery bags that we take back to the store for recycling. (Yes, we do often use the reusable shopping bags, but sometimes we still get plastic ones)
We also have to factor in that I’m (we’re) all pretty lazy and don’t like things to be really complicated (remember we are pit and pile people, here) AND we have a limited budget right now, so we have to get creative and think “outside the recycling box” to use what we already have.
The solution, once I looked at the FLOW of this, was pretty simple. I have a large extra trash bin in the garage. We don’t use it regularly for trash – sometimes just overflow. Most of the time we can fit our trash into one large wheeled bin. I decided to move this big bin to a spot right beside the garage entry door to the house to hold the cardboard and papers.
At first I had the white tall garbage bin still inside the laundry room to hold the cans/bottles and plastics. Then I thought… well, I still have to empty THAT. I wonder if the bigger blue bin (it’s capacity is usually just right for this stuff) would fit in the same spot ? And it DOES.
Then, I remembered that I had a plastic Ikea bag holder cage thing in another closet that really wasn’t in a convenient place for me, so I put up a “Command Hook” (I love those things!) in the laundry room beside the recycle bin to put the bags in. I hung it low because the dryer hose connects right there so it’s dead space anyway. I like that it’s low and it’s not so “in your face” but it’s handy because the bags are right there for me to grab if I need one or to take to the store for recycling.
So! Not only do I only have to handle things ONCE, but also moving it out to the curb should be much easier as well – just a simple shot out the garage to the curb. It’s not exactly “pretty” but it seems like a pretty simple fix to a messy problem.
I’ve been using this new “system” for just over a day and so far it seems to be working really well. We’ll see in a week how we’re all doing.
The Result:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)