Organizing and productivity

Apr 01

Tips for Organizing Your Cubicle Office Space

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Every weekday, like many people in the corporate world, you work in a cubicle. From the outside, these grey, politically correct drab walls might look bare and uninteresting, but from where you are, you know the importance of keeping things unique, simple, and your own. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Tip # 1: Remember That It’s all About You

At your job, it’s important to be efficient as possible. Therefore, it is important to keep the important things in easy reach. Do you spend the majority of your time on the phone, dealing with clients, or trying to create new ones? Make sure you have all their information in your computer contacts list. You may need a small corkboard on the cubicle wall near your phone with quick reference phone numbers or phone scripts. That way the information you need is easily accessible exactly when you need it – both on the computer and visually in front of you. Do you spend the majority of your time reviewing files, plans or paper documents? Make sure that you have enough desk space to spread out your files or plans and easily put them away when you are finished at the end of your day. Another great tip is to have a small whiteboard hanging on your cubicle wall with your tentative schedule or list of current projects. People will know at a glance what your latest project is, and if you have available time.

Tip # 2: Don’t Forget The Paperwork!

Chances are there will always be paperwork in the corporate world. Keeping your paper files organized can not only help you become more productive, it can also make your time at the office a little less stressful. It’s best to keep things simple. Start with four trays stacked on your desk or hanging on your wall divider. One for incoming material, one for material that is awaiting additional information, or is currently being worked on, one for out-going material, and one for filing or better yet, file papers right away and eliminate this tray altogether.

Tip #3: Add that Personal Touch

It’s important in the business world to be reminded exactly why you are working this hard. While over the top displays of personal items might be frowned upon, most work places have no problem with small, tasteful pictures or little trinkets to remind you of your family. Keep your desk clutter-free with lots of work surface to do your work efficiently!

Tip #4: Clear Out Those Boxes Under Your Desk!

We all know it’s easier to just toss things under the desk so no one can see all your stuff. Having piles of paper, boxes and binders under your desk can create undo stress because you know you should deal with it but don’t have time to right now. Keep the space under your desk free for extra leg room and peace of mind that you don’t have to deal with some random box of papers someday. We all know someday never comes.

These are just a few things that you can do to make your cubicle more habitable and user friendly. Give them a try!

Mar 31

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Organizing Your Family Room- Keeping Things Fun and Simple

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Home Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

Just about every parent has been there. It’s been a long day, and the last thing you want to see is your family room in total disarray. It can be exhausting, overwhelming, and yes, it can make you throw up your hands in frustration. One person can’t do everything alone. However, there are ways that you can convince your children to help you keep your family room somewhat organized. Make it fun.

Tip # 1: A Color per Child

If you have more than one child, you know how important it is to make sure that each one knows how unique and special they are. One of the easiest ways to do just that is to have different bins that is specially designated for each child – each one having their very own color. If the child has a specific place to put their toys and other treasured items, there is a chance that they’ll be more likely to place it there when they are finished using it with your encouragement. Make sure you let them truly make it their own – let them decorate it however they want.

Tip # 2: The Game’s Afoot

Of course, children will often surprise us in what they are willing to do, or not do. More often than not, picking up can turn into a boring chore. Why not try to make it fun? Turn it into a friendly competition. Perhaps a friendly race to get all the toys put away. Or if the family room is in a complete mess, perhaps a scavenger hunt is more applicable. If you get the entire family involved, chances are your messy family room will be cleaned up in no time. It’s up to you what the reward will be for the winner – but common ones might be the winner choosing what video to watch on TV, or perhaps they get to stay up ten minutes later at bedtime.

Tip # 3: Keep Your Entertainment Simple

Let’s face it—kids aren’t the only reason why your family room is often in chaos. The stacks of DVDs, video games, endless cords, and remotes also contribute to the problem. Remember the best way to stay organized is to keep things simple. Why not take the idea of having a bin for each of the child’s toys and extend it to your “toys” as well? Keep the items where you are most likely to use them. Maybe put a small basket on the table for the remotes. A media tower or small bookcase next to the DVD player can make it a lot easier to put them away when you’re done. As for the cords, simply take a cable velcro strap, a rubber band or buy a cable organizer to loop the like cords together. That way they won’t turn into trip hazards as easily. Take it one step further and label the cords so you know what they belong to.

These are just a few tips you can use to organize your family room. Try them out and tell me what you think!

Mar 25

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Take Control of The Dreaded Hall Closet!

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Closet Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

If you were to pick one area of your home that you know is completely disorganized, and that you have put off tackling, chances are it would be the dreaded hall closet. This small, cramped, and often over-used space is filled with any number of things – from bulky winter coats and boots to sporting equipment, a stroller, toys, to that quality wool coat that you got from your mother. The running joke in your house is that if that door is opened, an avalanche will occur. In public you laugh at the joke. In private you cringe at its truthfulness.

It’s time to take control of that hall closet. Here are some simple, easy and straight forward steps that you can do to get the job done.

Step # 1: Clear it out and Assess What You Have

Yes, the one thing you dread most of all is the first step to taking control. Open the door, step aside and let the avalanche commence. Once the bombardment is done, remove the rest of the stuff you stored there and take a look at what you have. How much of the material do you need? How many items can be stored somewhere else?

Now that you’ve determined what you want to go into the hall closet, take a look at the closet itself. Do you have the right amount of space? Take your tape measure and get the actual dimensions of your closet. In most cases you’ll be surprised at how much room you actually have. Remember that you can use the door, the floor, and the walls of your closet as storage space as well. Maximize every square inch as best you can.

Step #2: Assess What Your Need

If you hall closet is to be used primarily for outerwear and shoes, make sure you place the hanging rod in a position that will keep the coats off the floor. In some cases, use double-hanging rods on one side of the closet, shelves in the center, and another rod on the other side for longer coats. Shoes can be easily organized using shoe racks, or even a few dish drying racks with a rubber mat underneath. That way, if they come in wet and dirty, you’ll be able to allow them to drain and dry without damaging the floor. If your family insist on using the hall closet for their personal storage, simply hang a few baskets on the inside door, one per person. If you decide that you need additional shelving, remember to utilize the space above the hanging coats with one or two shelves. The choice is really yours.

Step # 3: Let Everyone Know About the New Hall Closet

Once everything is set up, it is important to let everyone know about the new closet and how it is used. This might seem like an unnecessary step, but believe me, taking a few minutes to explain things to your family can save a lot of headaches in the long run. Make sure they know what is to be kept in the closet, where the shelves are, what the bins are for if they have one and the reasoning behind everything. No more “I’ll just put it here for now!”