Swim Bag: Getting Out the Door Quickly

August 6, 2012 by Tracy

Prepacked to save time and energy

Spending many days at the water park, I found that keeping our swim bag packed saves time and energy. I designated a bag for the water park. This bag was received via a coupon at Staples early in the back-to-school season. The items kept within include:

5 Towels
2 Swim diapers
Container of wipes
2 diapers or slip-on/pull ups
Sunscreen in a pump
Bath toys for toddler in wading pool
Bag of goldfish or other non-chocolate snack
Water park mug, resulting in $2 refills

Then on the day we venture out to the water park, I will add the following items to our bag:

Kids’ filled water bottles
My wallet
My keys with our annual passes in height order😉

By having our water park bag packed and ready to go, I can quickly prepare for a day of fun in the sun. When we return, I wash our items and repack our bag for the next visit.

For often-visited attractions where you need to take the same items on each visit, consider packing a special bag designated for those visits. Our water park bag saves time and energy since all the items are kept in one place. Keep enjoying your summer, and happy organizing!

Question: Do you keep often-used items together?

Organizing: Finding Solutions at Home

July 30, 2012 by Tracy

Organization - finding a solution at home

Final Product!

Summer fun continues to fill my days. However, school is fast approaching, and my schedule is about to change.

With a second grader at school all day and a kindergartner going half day, I will shuttle back and forth with my toddler. Yikes!

Knowing my time at home will come in short spurts, I am working to get my home in shipshape. Concentrating on my downstairs, I cleaned top to bottom and focused on my eye-sore downstairs.

The Eye-sore

The Problem Area

Around Christmas in 2011, we purchased our first flat screen television to replace our small box television set downstairs. After moving our large mirror to our half bathroom and mounting our 40” television, we discovered that the cords were short and on opposite sides of the screen.

The short cords on the one side hook up to our VCR (yes, we still have one), DVD player, and Wii console. Needing to elevate our units, we choose a stack of totes as our temporary solution. Well, our temporary solution lasted for six months. Time got away from me.

Finding a Solution

Our media storage unit

As I checked each station downstairs to improve efficiency, I needed a solution to the blue totes. Not wanting to spend any money, I looked around our home for an option. As I scanned my downstairs, my eyes detected a possible solution in our media storage center.

Hopeful that all the cords would reach the outlets, I moved (read: unloaded and carried to new spot) and found success. Allowing the VCR, DVD, and Wii to sit on the mantel with the power strip resting on the media storage center brought a smile to my face.

The totes were returned to storage, and I loaded the items back onto the media storage center. Whew!

The Result

By moving our media storage center to create a workable space, I found a solution in using time wisely that fits our needs, looks nice, and required no purchase. 🙂

Before, During & After

Finding organizational solutions that complements your room may not cost you any money. Look at items around your home and view them in light of solving your solution. I passed over that media storage unit many times, but it worked.

As you prepare your home and children for a great school year, continue using time wisely while saving money, energy, and time. Happy organizing!

Question: What space needs attention in your home?

Organizing Loyalty Cards on Key Chain

July 9, 2012 by Tracy

The other day, I found myself wasting time trying to find a loyalty card attached to my key ring.

The card was smaller than some of the other cards, and I went through my cards twice before locating the correct one.

As I wasted time, I knew I needed to get these cards organized by size to help me find the one needed.

An Option for Organizing

For those of you with smart phones, you can scan your loyalty cards into an app that will save your barcode. When you need that card, you can scan it directly from your phone.

Since I am content with my normal, no-fuss cell phone to use for phone calls only, I do not have this option.

With the smart phone application, you will still want to keep your loyalty cards in the event that your battery dies or you forget your phone. If you add these cards to your key chain, then keeping them organized can save you time and energy when finding the one you need.

Start at the Beginning

When I would get a new loyalty card, I would just stick it on my key ring. With all different sized cards, I needed them arranged by height. To carry out this goal, I had to start over.

1. Took all the cards off the key chain.

2. Organized them by size based on the key ring hole.

3. Put often-used cards before rarely-touched cards that were the same size.

4. Placed the cards back on the key chain.

Ripple Effect

Once my loyalty cards hung in size order, I decided to rearrange my keys within the same order. I know . . . quirky, but my entire key ring in height order makes me happy. 🙂

I know some people (OK, most people) would not care, but it matters to me. In using time wisely, I organized my key chain to hold only what I need, in height order, for quickly selecting the requested card.

Before and After

My organized key chain has already helped me save time since I can see all the edges of the cards when finding my choice. As you purge, clean, and organize, small projects like organizing a key chain can save you energy while using time wisely. Happy organizing!

Question: What small project keeps you using time wisely?

Decluttering: 2012 Project Simplify – Finished

April 2, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Simple Mom

With the beautiful weather outside, our family spent many hours outdoors this week. After lunch each day, my older daughter and I spend time tending our garden and keeping the tomatoes, basil, and strawberries well-watered.

Since I have not begun switching my children’s clothes from winter to spring, I have no pictures to share on that front. But to present results from Project Simplify, I will share my before and after pictures of my bedroom transformation.

When I switched my children’s clothing from summer to winter, my room housed all the piles of clothing. In a phrase, it was a mess! However, after packing, labeling, and cleaning, Paul and I got our room back. Are you ready for the pictures? I’m warning you, it is a little scary. 🙂

Before

After

Now that our bedroom remains clean and organized, I’m about to switch the children’s clothing again. So, I might have a mess for a week, but I will get my room back . . . eventually. 😉 Happy organizing!

Question: Did you take part in your own Project Simplify? If so, what did you tackle?

Decluttering: Week 4 of Project Simplify – 2012

March 26, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Simple Mom

After a busy spring break, we partially returned to a normal schedule.

Between shopping, field trips, and bouts of allergies, we managed to keep our home picked up and relatively clean.

For Week #3’s Project Simplify task, I maintained our home this week. However, I found one area on which to concentrate.

Week #3: Closets, Countertops, and Drawers (oh my)

With most of my closets and drawers clutter-free, clean, and organized, I decided to tackle my kitchen countertops. During busy days, our kitchen counters become the dumping ground. The piles multiply at an alarming rate until the counters are full.

The amazing part is how quickly the transformation takes place. The counter will be neat and clean when I leave the kitchen, and then loaded with stuff on my next visit. As meal time approaches, the counter’s clutter must go. I have learned to schedule a few extra minutes before making dinner to tidy the kitchen.

Before After

Working within a clean and clutter-free environment keeps me using time wisely. Though I prefer that every item that enters our house gets put away immediately, I know that’s not going to happen. The toddler needs her diaper changed, my preschooler wants to play a Wii game, and my son requires a drink refill to quench his thirst. These events take precedence over putting the mail on my desk or the purchases away.

Though the organizing results of my week will not set off fireworks, the daily maintenance keeps my home in order without distracting me from my top priorities. If you participated in this Project Simplify task, then please leave a link to your results or post your pictures in the comments.

Week #4: Choose your own adventure—you pick your most-needed hot spot

With Weeks #1 – 3 complete, Project Simplify officially concludes with Week #4 – Choose your own adventure—you pick your most-needed hot spot. Find the worst area in your home and tackle it this week.

Though I may not finish, I need to organize our storage closet. If I finish switching my children’s clothing from winter to spring, then I will work on the closet. If I don’t succeed during this week, then I will continue in the week(s) that follow. Just making progress is moving forward. Happy organizing!

Question: What area will you address this week?

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