The most common organizing problem I hear is some variation of this: I need to get organized, simplify my life and clear the *?$^#* clutter. But all I can spare is 5 minutes a day. Help! So I set about creating a program to help meet this need. Here’s what I’ve come up with. Organize […]
Author Archives: Michele | Get Organized Gal
Hoarders Season 2 starts in the US this week, so I thought it timely to revisit a couple of recent hoarding articles. If you have mild but unhelpful hoarding tendencies, you might identify the excuses that keep your life cluttered in this post: Hoarding: 7 Lies That Keep You Caught In Clutter If you […]
Last week the Wall Street Journal test-drove three time-management systems: Getting Things Done The Pomodoro Technique Franklin Covey’s Focus. The article concluded, unsurprisingly, that each technique had benefits and drawbacks. More interesting though, was author Sue Shellenbarger’s insights from focusing on time-management techniques. She found: An overlong to-do list was a set-up for failure To […]
Wow – we’re at the halfway point of 52 Organizing Missions! We’ve covered a lot of ground and made some major strides in decluttering, simplifying and getting organized. This week is a good time to pause and reflect on your achievements over the course of the program. And enjoy a little reward. Get Organized Mission […]
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Happy Thanksgiving To All My American Friends And Readers! I’d like to offer you a little gift that seems just right for a day of giving thanks. It’s an interactive Gratitude Journal Template: a downloadable, single-page PDF for listing all the things you’re grateful for – or at least 40 of them. The cool thing […]
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Use This Grocery List Template To Get Organized For Thanksgiving Doing your grocery shopping for Thanksgiving? Use this list to keep track of the items you need, by category. You can type into it and save it to your computer, or print out and write. Either way it’s re-usable. It’s available in my Holiday Planners […]
Organizing guru, Oprah regular, and fellow Australian Peter Walsh has some good advice for organizationally-challenged teens – and their parents. In a recent Good Morning America article (from which I’ve taken *these quotes) he countered some of the common excuses that lead to adolescent organizing angst. If your teen says: Peter replies*: But my stuff’s […]
There’s a report this week about a depressed woman losing her health benefits because of some happy snaps on Facebook. There are many similar stories, including an MI6 chief’s blown cover and a sickie faker busted by Facebook. How do you avoid this kind of conflict? There are two main ways. 1. Censor your online […]
Welcome to Mission#25 of our 52 Get organized Missions. Procrastination is a pain. Not only does it stop you from getting things done, it also drains your energy and leaves you feeling bad about yourself. No doubt you’ve been super motivated by last week’s mission Get Organized Mission #24: Create A Chore Chart. So […]
What are your goals? Do you spend lots of time reading or learning about weight loss, starting a business, or getting your finances sorted, but never make any progress? Information as Procrastination Could you be using information as a form of procrastination – a way to trick yourself into thinking you’re doing something productive? Some […]
Time to give your fridge a mini detox? Spend 5 minutes removing expired condiments, sprouting fruit and vegetables, and other noxious former foodstuffs from your fridge. Give the shelves a quick wipe down. Low on any refrigerated items? Pop them on your list. Now doesn’t that feel fresher? 🙂 This was a popular Today’s […]
Welcome to Mission #24 of our 52 Get Organized Missions. One of the secrets to personal organization is to do a little every day. Unless you actually enjoy cleaning, filing and organizing (I sure don’t!), it’s more enjoyable and effective to focus on daily or weekly chores than massive, exhausting sprees. So this week we’ll […]
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Hi there Mission-mates! I’d like to: Let you know about a cool new tool to help with 52 Organizing Missions Tell you about an opportunity to win awesome prizes Ask you what you think. 1. NEW: Set The Get-Organized Timer If you’re looking for a little extra motivation to get you moving, I’ve got […]
Welcome to Mission #23 of our 52 Get Organized Missions. Good relationships have many health and longevity benefits, yet we rarely consider how we can improve our friendships. This week, over the next 3 steps and 30 minutes, that’s exactly what we’ll do. If you’ve completed the previous mission Get Organized Mission #22: Organize Your […]
You might find it easy to apply SMART goal principles to your life goals or other personal goals, like losing weight or getting better grades.
But what about changing habits – can SMART goal setting apply there, too?
In today’s class *puts on teacherly glasses* we’re going to turn a desired habit change into a SMART goal.
Does self-help become shelf-help for you? Here’s a trick to better use what you read: As you read, have a notebook & pen beside you. When you find something to do or remember, make a note. Transfer actions to your schedule with a due date. Share ideas to remember – email or call a […]
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Design Your Life is Here! For some time I’ve been busy preparing the Design Your Life program for you. I’m very excited that it’s now open! This comprehensive, 12-month self-improvement e-program delivers ongoing structure, motivation and accountability for taking action on the things you want in life. It’s based on the popular Life & Goal […]
This week we turn to the bathroom. Follow these 3 simple steps and you’ll have your own little spa in your home.
Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
Family organization is made easier with the right tools.
The blog Wise Bread has put together some helpful resources for organizing the family, covering
Money Management for Kids and Their Parents –
With a family budget spreadsheet
According to a recent Scientific American article, a number of studies suggest our feelings are strengthened, perhaps even stimulated, by the faces we make.
Don’t Frown, Be Happy
In one study, frown-impaired Botox injectees felt happier than people who were free to frown. And the botoxers didn’t feel any more attractive, in case you’re thinking that would account for their mood lift.