Organizing Quick Tips for Families

Carolyn speaking to MOMS of Northville

On Monday, May 21, 2012 I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to the MOMS of Northville group at Northville, Michigan's First United Methodist Church. 


This was my second time speaking to this group and it was great to be asked to return! I shared my "Organizing Quick Tips for Families". 


While family life can be stressful, with a little planning you can organize your days for maximum fun. Here are my five simple tips to help your family stay on track:


1) Cherish Routines and Rituals
Simple routines and rituals will keep you organized and happy. 


2) Less is More
When it comes to your household space, the less you have the less you have to maintain.


3) Planning is Doing
Using a calendar or simple notebook to plan your time keeps the household running smoothly. 


4) Get Help When You Need It
Help can come from a family member, friend or paid expert, such as an organizer. 


5) Enjoy the Journey
Getting and staying organized is a process, not an event. Enjoy the ride!


Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Looking for a speaker for your women's group? Contact Carolyn to learn more!

Organizing Tips for Quilters

On Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Piece-Makers quilting group from St. Andrew's Church in Dexter, Michigan will be hosting their 9th Annual Quilt Show. 

In honor of the Piece-Makers, who create quilts for sick children at the University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, I am sharing five simple tips to keep quilters organized. Even if you do not quilt, these organizing tips can be applied to other hobbies. 

5 Simple Tips to Keep Quilters Organized:

You enjoy your craft, but wish you had more time to quilt! Being organized can help you spend more time on quilting and less time searching for things you know you have, but cannot find.

1)    Keep the Quilting Stuff Separate

You will know what you have if you keep all of your supplies in one place, even if you do not have a separate room for quilting.

2)    Buy Only What You Need

Organizing starts in the store! Remember it’s not a bargain if you do not need it and will not use it.

3)    Donate What You Do Not Need

If you haven’t followed tip #2 in the past, you are forgiven. There are many great non-profit organizations that can use your excess supplies.

4)    Make a “Date” For Quilting

Set aside a regular time to work on your quilting projects. You can even make an appointment with yourself in your calendar.

5)    Put it Away When You are Not Working On It

This is particularly important if you do not have a separate room for quilting. Put things away with your next quilting “date” in mind. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. For more organizing tips and a free gift sign up for Carolyn's monthly e-newsletter, "Your Simply Organized Life". 

Cut Electronic Clutter

In the March edition of "Your Simply Organized Life" I shared a bit more about my New Year's Resolution to keep my e-mail in-boxes near zero. 

Electronic clutter, particularly e-mail, is very much like paper in that it just keeps coming at us.

Here are some super simple tips to organize your electronic files:

1) Automate Backups

Let's face it...stuff happens. Backing up your electronic files is the first step in getting organized electronically. Most people are not very good about backing up their files regularly, so buy lunch for your favorite techie (or hire a computer service company) and have them set up automated backup. This can be done with an external hard drive or a cloud solution such as CrashPlan or Carbonite. 

2) Set Up Electronic File Folders

Although search features have come a long way, I still recommend setting up electronic file folders that mirror your paper file folders (assuming those are in good order, if not, I can help). The vast majority of us need file folders in our e-mail program as well as on the drive where we keep other electronic files. For digital photos, set up file folders based on how the photos will be used (i.e. by subject or time). 

3) Delete Early and Often

While a ton of files on your computer is not exactly like a cluttered desk, the key issue in both cases is retrievability. The only reason to keep anything (electronic or otherwise) is to be able to somehow use it or refer to it in the future. The more you let go of, the easier it will be to find what you really need. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. For more organizing tips and Carolyn's free "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" report, sign up for the April 2012 edition of "Your Simply Organized Life".