New Address

JoEllen

This blog will now be moved to a new address.  For the four of you (yes, just four) who have already subscribed to this blog:  if you still want to subscribe, then you will need to go to The Organizing 4 U Blog and resubscribe.  My apologies for the extra time this is taking….you probably have many more important things to do….but it will take just a few seconds.  The new blog will still have the same posts, but will lose the comments that were made (sorry Jane and Janet).

This was originally intended to be an Organizing 4 U Blog; however, when it was created, I used my name instead of the business name for the address.  I will be the first to admit that I am still learning a lot about blogs and social media.

Enough said…….JoEllen

Open up A Box

This weekend I found a link about someone buying a house, and discovering boxes of comic books worth $1,000,000.  Can you imagine?  This past summer there was story about Andy Warhol creating mini “time capsules” in 610 boxes. 

Many of us have boxes of ‘stuff’.  Do you ever wonder, or even remember, what you have packed away in all of those boxes in your attic, basement and/or spare room?  Some of those boxes may be from the last move, or maybe even the time before that.  Or maybe they are boxes that contain all the paper and ‘stuff’ that was cluttering up your home before company arrived.  Or maybe they contain those items that you thought ‘would be worth something someday.’  Well, they certainly are not worth anything packed away in a box…especially if you can’t even remember you have it.

Take some time and start opening up boxes to see what you can find.  I suspect you will find items that you cannot believe you saved and also some great memories.  If you are lucky…..maybe you will locate something you have been searching for, some money or items to sell and bring you some money.

Muffy and I would love to hear what you find!

Thanks for reading,

JoEllen

Putting Time on Your Side

Do you ever feel that there just isn’t enough time to get everything done?  Do you ever wish that you had two or three days to work on just one or two projects?  You really do have that time available if you just schedule it and make it happen.

 

We often begin our talks by asking how many people spend 10 to 30 minutes a day looking for lost things.  Now, 30 minutes does seem excessive on a daily basis.  On the other hand, wasting 10 minutes a day may not seem like a lot of time…until you start doing the math.  That 10 minutes translates to 61 hours a year; a full 2 1/2 days!  By the same formula 15 minutes ends up as 3.8 days, and the 30 minutes is almost 7 days.

 

Start by setting aside small amounts of time on a regular basis to focus on one project.  While you may be able to make headway on some of those projects in 10 to 30 minute spurts, they often require a bit more time and focus.  If that is the case then set aside one, two or three hours a week of dedicated time; whatever works best for you.  During that time, stay focused by eliminating interruptions and distractions.  Try setting a timer for a short work session or determine ahead of time you will not answer any phone calls – these are both great ways to stay on task!.  Also remember that you won’t complete the project in one or two sessions, but you will be that much closer to completion.  
 

Have some photos that need to be organized?  Still trying to catch up on all the reading you have set aside?  What about all of those emails?  Schedule some time, put it on your calendar and slowly get through it.

Thanks for reading,

JoEllen