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Our newsletters are published quarterly in April, August and December.
We are happy to provide the past few newsletters below, just in case you wish to
preview an issue, or if for some reason you did not receive your current issue.
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Back
Greetings!
Welcome to the Fall edition of the Pea Organizing Services Newsletter! We hope this information will be helpful as you organize your home, office and life. If you have an organizing question that is not answered in this newsletter, please feel free to contact me. Thanks for subscribing and have a peaceful, organized Fall.
Kristin White del Rosso
Keeping "ORDER" In Your Office
If you are among the 25 percent of workers who save things in piles rather than in files, it's time to reclaim your desk and create a more functional work environment. Remember, the desk is a place to do work. Period.
Here are some steps to help you create and maintain a functional workspace. Just remember this simple acronym -- ORDER (organize, retrieve, designate, empty and reorganize).
ORGANIZE: Put everything you need to reach on your preferred side. For example, if you are left handed, put all pens, calculator and writing equipment on the left side.
REMOVE: Remove items that you do not use everyday, such as planner/calendar inserts and office supplies. Keep out only the items you need the most often such as the phone, stapler, pens and your organizer or PalmPilot®.
DESIGNATE: Place items that you use together in logical zones. For example, keep a pen and pad by the phone for messages. Put disks and computer manuals near the computer.
EMPTY: Keep the center area clear to use as your work/writing space. If you need access to multiple files, keep them handy with a desk file organizer and put them back as you move onto the next project.
REORGANIZE: Take a few minutes at the end of each day to clear your work space and tidy your desk so it provides a welcome and efficient start the next day.
Garage Makeover
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, 50 percent of homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized place in the house and a place the entire family uses regularly.
We tend to use the garage as a dumping space for everything from yard supplies to sports equipment to boxes of items without other "homes." Once you start doing that, without really planning your space, you can end up with an indoor junkyard attached to your house. And your car ends up exposed to all of nature's harsh elements.
Here are 10 helpful tips to finally get your garage back.
- Pull everything out and categorize it before you organize it.
- When in doubt, get rid of it.
- Organize items by type such as sports, yard and car supplies. Make a plan of how you will group these items in the garage. For example, keep the sports equipment most accessible if that is used most often. Devise a plan that works best for your family and needs.
- Organize items so that they are visually clear. If you can see it, you can find it.
- Plan the proper space for your car, including opening all the car doors.
- Make use of vertical space on the walls and ceiling. Try to avoid storing anything on the floor. If possible, mount cabinets a few inches off the floor.
- Using a combination of hanging hooks, open shelving and closed cabinets often works well to store the different types of items that a garage holds.
- Use containers to keep all loose items from spreading out. Clear plastic tubs are great to contain and still see what you have.
- Put everything away after you use it and it will remain neat and organized.
- Always consider your safety when organizing the garage. For example, don't store flammable materials in glass containers and keep all sharp tools and gardening products out of a child's reach.
There are all sorts or unique and attractive garage organizing products on the market today to fit many price ranges. So pick a pretty weekend and give you car the home it deserves!
Back to School Organization Tips
As the summer season winds down and the beginning of the school year nears, it is especially important to get organized. This is a great opportunity to clean out your child's room and closet. Create a list of clothing and shoe needs, including sizes, for the school year.
Designate a "homework" area and set it up with supplies and a calendar. Be sure to create ample storage space for supplies and backpacks.
Ensure that your child has completed any summer reading or other homework preparation assignments. Map out your transportation plan whether it's via school bus or car pool. Know what school supplies are needed and shop in advance for a proper backpack and other items
During the week, start putting your child on the sleeping schedule he/she uses during the school year. This will help make the transition to waking up early and getting a proper night's sleep much easier on everyone.
Dates to Remember
- August: Get Organized for Back to School
- August 24: POS will be speaking to the Bowater Women's Club
- September: ADD/ADHD Month
- September 7: Senate Declares Sept 7 ADD Awareness Day
- October: National Clean Out Your Files Month
- November: National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Month
- November 15: America Recycles Day
Especially for Our Chronically Disorganized and ADD Clients
You can get organized! Remember that transformation is a process. Decide what you want to change, then draw a timeline. Break down the process into steps that will allow you to integrate what you learn as you move forward.
Visit the NSGCD website
Quotes to Ponder
"The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man." - Euripides
"If winter is slumber and spring is birth, and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection. It's a time of year when the leaves are down and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone. Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another year and it's time to reflect on what's come before." - Mitchell Burgess, Northern Exposure
"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify." - Henry David Thoreau
Recommended Reading
"Organizing from the Inside Out for Teenagers: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Room, Your Time, and Your Life" by Julie Morgenstern
"ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life" by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau
"Home Organizing Workbook: Clearing Your Clutter, Step-By-Step" by Meryl Starr
"Time Management: Increase Your Personal Productivity And Effectiveness" (Harvard Business Essentials) by Harvard Business School Press
POS News and Notes
(April 11, 2005) Linda Ward, a Certified Interior Designer has joined Pea Organizing Services, Inc. as Certified Interior Designer & Professional Organizing Consultant with responsibility for design and redesign services, residential and home office organizing services and home staging for homeowners preparing for sale of their residence. Prior to joining Pea Organizing Services, Ward managed interior design for Innovative Interiors, Duke Power and Odell Associates.
(June 2005) Pea Organizing Services and Garage Detail teamed up for a special Father's Day promotion to reorganize cluttered garages. The promotion was a great success and clients were thrilled with the results. Client Mary McClain wrote this note:
"Thank you so much for the fabulous job you did on our garage! Mark was so thrilled and so surprised. In fact, he said, "Holy guacamole!" when he entered the garage (after taking 30 minutes to open the weed eater mind you - the kids and I were dying with anticipation!) He was inspired yesterday (Father's Day, mind you) to go out there and arrange his tools just the way he wants them. He actually is planning projects now whereas before, he just dreaded the thought of even venturing out into the garage to find the proper tools! And now, I am totally inspired to get the rest of my house organized just like the garage! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will definitely recommend you highly to my friends!"
(July 7, 2005) Pea Organizing Consultant Mary Jo Murphy had a healthy baby boy, Seamus Joseph Murphy, born on July 7th. We wish her and her baby the very best and look forward to her return to work later this fall.
Special Note - The Butterfly Bin
Help others 'fly' again. The Butterfly Bin, located at 2920 N. Tryon St., is a clearinghouse for items in good shape but no longer needed by their owners. Many people need help due to extreme loss, recent relocation, or a need to "start-over." You can donate leftovers from a yard sale, remodeling or even from reorganizing your home. All items and financial contributions are tax deductible. Please call 704-562- 8637 or email Kristin@thepea.com to schedule an appointment to drop off items you no longer need, but others might, or to offer a financial contribution. We thank you so much for your contributions!
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