DONATION ORGANIZATION

Spring cleaning is back!

When deciding what to keep for next year and deciding what to throw away as garbage…think twice!

Instead of throwing away items that someone else could use, donate them!

Find a box that is lying around your home, or buy one from a store or ask for one at your local grocery store and start putting items of question in the box. Continue to do this through your spring cleaning process and before you know it you will have items to drop off at your local charity or donation center.  

You can also make a list of them items you are placing in your box to make the tax deduction process more organized. The more detailed you are when preparing your donation items the easier it will be to drop the box off and simpler it will be to submit for taxes this upcoming year.

Someone will appreciate your gifts!

 

ORGANIZE YOUR TRASH

Trash can be very overwhelming, especially when you are cleaning out an entire home or a garage. Whatever situation you are in make sure that you organize your trash.

Whether it is 4 to 40 bags of trash you can find order.

Use items that you are throwing away as trash for trash as this will save you money in trash bags and boxes. It will also save you space in your garbage can as most garbage cans can only hold 4 trash bags maximum.

In a situation where you are throwing away an excessive amount of trash, organized piles of trash will change the mind set of your garbage workers completely.

TAX TIME= FREE TIME

It is that time of the year, where all of your receipts, bills, and papers you have been saving are actually used…TAX TIME!

Now that tax season is almost over take all of the paper work you actually used to prepare your taxes and set it aside. Take the rest of the piles of paper and make note of what you didn't use to prepare your taxes. Don’t save these items next year. In fact make sure you save yourself time throughout the year by knowing what to keep, what to shred and what to scan. If you have an accountant or work with an accountant for tax time then ask them what they would like you to save for them each year and make a home for all of the documents that will be going to your accountant. The easier you make their job the less they may charge you.

Save trees, save time and save yourself the energy of filing meaningless paper work around your home or office by enrolling in online billing and electronic receipt of your statements. Set up email folders in your email client for these bills and receipts for referencing.

Also, the IRS has now approved scanned copies of receipts for auditing purposes so take the time and start to save yourself space in your home and office by scanning all important receipts that have meaning to you and get rid of the paper cluttering your life. Keep only receipts for items that are under warranty, have significant value such as purchases over $1000.00 or purchases that require original proof of purchase for a return or exchange. You can find this out by asking merchants or by looking on the back of your receipts!

DIGITAL HOUSEKEEPING

In the digital age it is important to keep your computer files such as your music, documents and pictures backed up.

Besides your internal, everyday hard drive which comes standard in your computer, make sure you have an additional external hard drive that is large enough to store all of these important documents and then some, as your music and picture collection will always be growing. This external hard drive should always be housekeeping!

For you Mac users make sure that you have something along the lines of a Time Capsule which will image (backup) your computer daily. For PC users we recommend a Western Digital Drive that comes with WD Backup, which is a simple to use program that will give you complete control over the items you want backed up.

Stay on top of your digital life and make sure your computer is cleaned and organized just like your home.

 

CREATING A GIFT GIVING HOLIDAY LIST

Now that the holidays are over, but still fresh on your mind, it is a good time to create a document for the generous tips and gifts you may have given to staff and people who are helpful in your life.

Create a new computer document, title it HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING 2009 and then start your list.

Your list should have peoples first and last names, as well as the amount of money or the gift you gave. This way when next year comes around you aren’t trying to remember the gift you gave the previous year or how much to give next year. This also will give you the freedom to give a little more if appropriate or a little less if you desire.

Save the document in your documents folder in the same folder you would keep a scanned copy of your rental agreement and any other information that is pertinent to your living space or home.

Enjoy giving next year without stress because you will be prepared for years to come with your master list.

STORING HOLIDAY ITEMS

If you are struggling to find any or all of your holiday decorations you won’t be next year.

Create a small box, a shoe box will do, for ornaments, stockings, menorahs and any holiday items you use to liven up your home. Label this box anything you like from HOLIDAY ITEMS, DECEMBER JOY, ORNAMENTS, (you get the idea) and store it in the upper region of your coat closet or storage space.

Remember these boxes or box should be kept out of reach as you will only be using them once a year. You can take it to the O.C.D. Experience level and create an itemized list of the contents in the box and keep it on your computer for easy access.

Next year enjoy the holidays without stress because you will be able to find all of your decorations with ease.

P.A.R.T.
Pack your items for next year
Acknowledge where they are
Rest them for the holiday to come
Treat yourself to a vacation.

Happy new year from the O.C.D. Experience.

ORGANIZING YOUR PURSE & WALLET

The holidays are here so make sure your wallet is clear.

Get rid of old receipts from your purse or wallet to make room for those new holiday gift receipts.

File away the ones that are important enough for possible returns and exchanges as this will make returns more efficient as you'll never be wondering...

Where did I put that receipt?

 

CREATING HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS

Is it time to add new memories to your ornament collection?

This year create your own! Go out to the store and buy inexpensive, arts and crafts materials such as cedar blocks, permanent markers, holiday decorations and combine them with a personal touch such as a picture, message or magazine clipping of your choice.

You can even go as far as arranging an ornament making party where people make ornaments for one another to share for the holiday season.

Each year you will be reminded of the people in your life because of the ornaments hanging in your home during the holidays.

 

BATHROOM ORGANIZATION

Guests will soon arrive and don’t think they won’t be judging the details of your home!

Ensure that common areas such as the bathrooms are rid of nearly empty shower bottles and grimy bars of soap.

The best solution is to purchase new bottles of less expensive shampoo and conditioner to utilize when your guests are in town. Additionally, the choice of liquid body wash is more sanitary than bar soap when you have multiple guests coming in and out of your home. Strive to maintain only 3 bottles in your bath/shower: shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

This is also the time to replace that worn out toothbrush!

 

HALLOWEEN STORAGE & ORGANIZATION

B.O.O.!

Buy, Organize and Optimize….

When the parties are over and the holidays end make sure you have a place to store and preserve those special costumes and decorations you worked so hard to find and buy.

And because we are all going green you can reuse or recreate your costume next year. For Halloween, keep all the expensive makeup or costume pieces you’ve purchased and find a container that you can label and tuck away until the spooky season rolls around again.

Enjoy Halloween, play safe and indulge that sweet tooth!

 

ORGANIZING YOUR EMAIL INBOX

Your EMAIL INBOX should be a place where your emails come into and leave as fast as possible.

If there is an email in your inbox the only reason it should be there is because it hasn’t been looked at yet or you have yet to deal with it in the manner you've decided. Make a disciplined habit of filing your emails from your inbox into designated saved folders and file anything and everything you desire as long as those specific emails have been taken care of and completed.

Having an inbox that has very little emails in it will be a rewarding and fulfilling experience every time you turn your computer on. Keep the inbox contents to a minimum and make sure to be constantly creating new folders as your business and personal life grows and changes.

 

MAKE THAT BED!

An old wives tale states..."Your house is clean when your dishes are done and your bed is made."

Now that your dish rack has been eliminated and your dishes are put away, as soon as you slip out of bed in the morning, take 2 minutes to straighten your covers and place your pillows against the headboard..

Making your bed is the easiest and quickest way to eliminate disorganization atop the largest focal point in the most tranquil room of your home

 

WALLET ORGANIZATION
An organized wallet is the sign of someone who treats money with respect.

Take a few minutes on a Sunday night, before you start your week, and go through your wallet or purse to shred any unnecessary items including receipts.

Keep only the necessities so every time you open your wallet you will feel in control of your handheld finances.

 

OWNING YOUR OWN BEACH
Your own stretch of sand…

Summer is here and we are ready to soak up the sunshine and warm weather! Before you pack that little beach bag with oversized towels, take a look in your linen closet and grab an old flat sheet you don’t use very often anymore. The uglier and more colorful…the better!

When you reach the beach , stake your beach front property claim with your new Beach Sheet! The sheet minimizes the volume of items in your beach bag, gives you more usable space than just towels in the sand, and if you have little ones, the sheet is easy for them to spot in case they have to run back up to grab their shovel or juice box from the cooler.

 

ELIMINATE THAT DIRTY DISH RACK
An organized kitchen is as easy as rinse and store…

A quick and easy way to keep a tidy kitchen is to toss that dish rack! Whether it is a cute wooden fold out or the big plastic utility bin…they take up a tremendous amount of counter space and dishes are not meant to have a rest stop between the sink and the cabinet.

When you use a glass or a plate, take the extra moment to dry them thoroughly with a clean, cloth dish towel and place your items right back in the cabinet for storage.

Your counter and mind will be instantly clutter free!

 

SPRING CLEANING TIPS
Spring is here so let your mind clear...It is time for spring cleaning! Here are a few steps to making the summer kick off to a relaxing start.

When bringing the lighter clothes to the front of the closet or drawers really take a look at the sweaters and long sleeve shirts you didn't wear during the winter. Will you ever really wear them again?

Get rid of boxes of items purchased or gifted from the holidays that do not have an extended warranty. No you are not going to need these boxes again.

Have a cool and comfortable swim suit ready...summer is almost here!

All love from the O.C.D. Experience!

 

VALENTINE'S DAY FUN
Valentine's Day is right around the corner...while we are all watching our funds or pinching our pennies what is a better way to show love than:

TOGETHER, sorting each other's underwear drawer.

If it' got a hole it's got to go!

If you swear you're gonna find the missing sock from 4 months ago in the next load of laundry...congratulations, you've found a new dust rag.

For your Valentine you could slip in a new set of sexy lingerie to replace the old.

Also, adding a candle to the room with a scent that you both enjoy could be a great way to enhance the mood of relaxing and cleaning.

Happy Valentine's Day from the O.C.D. Experience.