Making Time Count
Time is precious. We only get 24 hours each day and
if not budgeted properly, we end up in the red at the
end of the week. Eliminate these time-wasters and
end your week with spare time to do what you want
to do instead of what you have to do.
Limit TV. According to Bates USA Media, we
spend 30 hours a week watching television. Let
television be your reward for having completed a de-
cluttering session, running errands to drop off
recyclables, or organizing your desk.
Avoid Postponed Decisions. Decide now
rather than later. Letting the 'laters' stack up takes
more time. If it takes less than 5 minutes, tackle the
application or phone call now. Put things away now
instead of in a pile to tackle later. Decide to toss
now instead of later.
Assign Homes for Everything. Looking
for 'lost' items is a time killer. If you spend 60
minutes a day looking for things, at the end of a year
you will lose 32 eight-hour days. Make sure
everything has a home and it's always living there.
You'd never leave your children or pets at the park
because it took too long to take them home. When
things are 'at home' you can find anything and
everything in 30 seconds or less.
With a little practice and planning you can save hours
each week that can be spent on hobbies, relaxing,
and enjoying your life.
Create more time in your life with help from
Quick Links...
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Dear Kathie,
Conquering clutter is not about the ability to get
organized. Conquering clutter is about the ability to
let it go. This month as you let go – donating,
recycling and dumping stuff you do not love, use, or
need -- get organized and avoid time wasters that
keep you from living the magic of your life.
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Bill's Books
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So many books. So little time. Bill's love of books
has resulted in overflowing shelves, piles on most
surfaces, and stacks on the floor. He will never get
around to reading them all. And yet letting go of
books is a problem for Bill. How does he decide what
to do with all these books?
- Separate the fiction from the non-fiction. Make a
list of non-fiction subjects.
- Separate all the fiction into 'already read' and 'not
read yet' piles. Review the 'already read' and keep
only favorites that you will read again or have
significant value. Review the 'not read yet' carefully
and keep only those that have immediate appeal.
- Organize the 'not read yet' books together so
that when you're ready for your next good read, you
know exactly where to head.
- Separate the non-fiction into subject categories:
leadership, finance, self-help, inspiration, home
decorating and repair, etc. Once again, review each
category and keep only the favorites of which you
will refer to frequently. Remember the 80/20 rule.
You'll only use 20% of the books 80% of the time.
Use on-line and libraries if reference is needed.
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Get Organized the Feng Shui Way
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Being organized ties into the natural flow, harmony,
and balance of nature. When your home is organized
so is your life. The better organized you are, the
better chance you have for your intentions to
become results.
- Is everything working? When things
aren't
working in your life – job, relationships, health,
finances – things usually aren't working in your
home. Replace light bulbs and batteries, tighten
hinges on doors, oil squeaky parts, repair or replace
broken appliances. Create positive chi flow. When
everything's flowing as it should, your ability to be
organized will flow too.
- Is your home neat and tidy? Making your
bed,
doing the dishes, and hanging up your clothes every
day creates a sense of order in your home. Like
nature's seasons, tides, sunrise and sunset, order in
your home encourages order in your life.
- Is your information accessible? Create
files,
folders, or envelopes for projects. If you're traveling
or organizing a party, start a folder or envelope
immediately and keep all relevant information there.
The maps and correspondence or the caterer and
RSVP messages all have an organized, accessible
home. Exchange chaos for harmony in every area of
your life. When the event has passed successfully,
discard or shred information and create space for
new opportunities.
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Success Stories
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“Kathie has helped me reorganize my work space in
my home office. She has quite a knack for figuring
out where things such as office supplies can go in a
sensible manner, making optimum use of available
space. Most significantly, she gave me a suggested
order for my hundreds of files. Previously, all three
drawers in my large filing cabinet were organized only
by alphabet. She came up with a much broader
concept which works quite well. Organization is key,
and Kathie knows how to advise folks how to get
there. She knows how to help folks organize their
clutter/chaos (too many papers scattered in too
many places) into order.”
–Tom, Denver
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MONTHLY RESOURCE
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Register for May 11 class: ORGANIZING YOUR
HOME at Arapahoe Community College. You
can organize your home and get rid of the chaos that
causes stress and takes up your time. No matter
how disorgnaized you've been, you can learn to get
organized in 6 simple steps. Discuss home filing
systems that will effectively manage your household.
Review resources and easy ways to immediately
organize rooms and spaces all over your house.
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