If you’re thinking about cleaning out the garage this summer you’re not alone. I’ve got some helpful tips for you, as well as some ideas for how to organize the stuff you want to sell as you go, to keep it really efficient and as quick and painless as possible. The mantra “touch it once” applies in garages too!
I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity this month. Multi-tasking has been on my mind; I am not a fan.
Multi-tasking, to me, means doing two activities at the same time, or alternating between them in short succession, back and forth, back and forth.
In fact, the other day I took a phone call while cooking dinner and talking to my 14-year-old son. Sound familiar? I bet it does. No one got my full attention, and dinner took longer. I’m sure my son didn’t feel heard, either.
I tend to multi-task in the office too. Sometimes it works; most of the time it doesn’t.
Two pertinent questions to ask before you multi-task: Will multi-tasking actually save me time here? Or will it divide my focus and cause my work to suffer?
Do you see why I am not a fan? Like you, I’ve gotten myself stressed out by multi-tasking when I shouldn’t have.
There may be other options that work for multi-tasking, but to me it is not worth it.
“Stop multi-tasking. No, seriously—stop. Switching from task to task quickly does not work. In fact, changing tasks more than 10 times in a day makes you dumber than being stoned. When you’re stoned, your IQ drops by five points. When you multitask, it drops by an average of 10 points, 15 for men, five for women (yes, men are three times as bad at multitasking than women).”
This is from an interview with Tony Wong, a project management black belt whose client list includes Toyota, Honda, and Disney, to name a few. He’s an expert in keeping people on task. (From blogger Ilya Pozin.)
I’ve encouraged my time coaching clients not to multi-task, because it makes everything take longer and it divides your focus, meaning you do crappy work on three jobs at a time instead of great work on one job.
Here’s an example of an author multi-tasking and actually WASTING time instead of saving it.
“Yesterday, I tried to edit some chapters, submit a Bookbub ad, and update my profile in Draft2digital. I jumped around for an extra hour, and my Bookbub ad ended up timing out, so I had to do it over again today. That was a good hour wasted.” ~ Frank Morin
Yes, that’s my husband, who is a writer, and a programmer. He’s an Indie author, so he not only writes the books, he markets them as well.
Another example from a Mom, we’ll call her Tammy: On a weekday, 2 of her sisters had come over with their children, so they had 10 kids at her house. Tammy was multi-tasking by making muffins and feeding the kids lunch when her son reminded her he needed a ride to orchestra. After preparing lunch for the adults, she resumed muffin making and chatted with her sisters. As she was mixing more batter, she got a phone call from her son. He had been waiting for 30 minutes to be picked up! She said, “I felt so bad for forgetting him!”
There’s the crux–multi-tasking distracts us, which leads to forgetting some of the most important people in our lives. That in turn leads to guilt, especially for parents. Remember, next time you’re tempted to multi-task while with your family, see how relationships deepen when you give them your full focus.
Next time you are inclined to multi-task, ask yourself a few questions: Will it actually save me time? Is one of these tasks mindless or repetitive? And if the answer to one of those questions is no, resist the urge to multi-task!
Resources:
@Ilyaneversleeps
Are you sick and tired of hearing about goals?
Well, as humans the urge to set goals and improve will not go away. See this picture of me at the top of the mountain? Did me and my family get there without effort?
No, we had to get up early, pack all the ski equipment, pack the food, drive 2 hours to get to the hill, survive a hawk dive bombing our windshield, then put all the gear on, pay for the lift ticket and finally get on the chair lift to the top.
And once we’re at the top comes the fun part—We get to ski down, with muscles burning!
If you are sick and tired of failing at your goals, you are not alone. Statistics show that most people have abandoned their New Year’s goals or resolutions by mid-January. That is a depressing thought! But what about the people that stick with their goals? How do they do it?
Those who are clear about what they want to accomplish and are SPECIFIC about the details will generally win the day. Our vision that Saturday: spend a day skiing at Mt. Shasta.
Another example: if I say, I want to spend less money this year, is that specific enough? No, you need to create a realistic budget and pick an amount you’d like to save each month.
What stands between you and your goal? For us, the obstacle to getting to Shasta ski hill was the cracked windshield.
If you don’t know how to create a budget, that’s an obstacle or a hurdle to jump over. You’re in unfamiliar territory and you need a guide. Find an expert to help you. A financial planner, your banker, or a friend or associate who is good at budgeting can show you how.
Identify the resources you already have, and then what resources you need. Our resources for skiing were the truck we used to drive to the hill and the time and money spent.
For the goal of saving money, you might need to spend a small amount of money in order to save a larger amount in the long run. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Behind every organized person or result, there is a system in place for everything to run smoothly. For goals, this is a plan with steps in place. Once I do A, then I’ll do B. And once I have the hang of B, I will move to step C. Does that make sense to you? Using the ski trip example: first pick a date, then pack gear, drive, pay and finally ski. Think of a process with logical steps, culminating in reaching the top step, your GOAL!
By the way, what are you going to do with the money you saved? Think of a fun reward to spend part of your savings on. What would motivate you to save? Personally, I love vacations, and it is worth it to me NOT to have the latest fashions in order to travel. It’s all a matter of priorities.
Just keep on truckin’! When you’re in the HABIT of following a budget and saving money, all you have to do is maintain that mindset for your success.
Motivate yourself with inspirational quotes, checking your savings balance. Or think about what you’re saving for: that great vacation or new house–it will keep you on target to reach your goal!
You see, keeping a goal is not impossible. With commitment, some time and the apropos resources, you CAN set reasonable goals and successfully reach that summit!
RESOURCES:
Did you know getting organized can actually SAVE you money? Click on this link to learn how.https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2016/01/organizing-save-money/
Help for mindset: Read Mindset by Carol Dweck.
Help for habits: The power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.
I find the earlier I start preparing for the holidays, the more I enjoy the season. Since I’m a Christian, I’ll concentrate on the Christmas holiday. Whatever your religious faith, December is a busy time of year and most people around you vibrate with stress.
If you follow the following tips to simplify the holidays, your stress will be reduced and the holidays will be more fun! Remember a little bit of planning goes a long way.
Try and set aside 30 minutes at the end of November. Then brainstorm all the things you have to do or want to do before the big holiday. This can usually be done in one sitting. Then look at your list, cross off a few of your most dreaded tasks, especially time-consuming ones. If it absolutely HAS to be done, it doesn’t mean you have to be the one to do it (the tips will explain). To make it easier next year, save your list on your computer and file it under a folder named CHRISTMAS. You’ll thank yourself later!
This is our family’s Christmas Jar. All year we save our coins in a cute jar with a nutcracker lid. In December, we count the coins and find a local family in need to give it to. We put the jar and the book The Christmas Jar by Jason F. Wright on their doorstep, knock and run. Most of the time we add a turkey or a ham for their dinner and a family gift like a game we enjoy. It’s the best feeling.
The kids really love this tradition. I love it because it helps them develop compassion, generosity, and realize how blessed they are.
Just for you: See how many things you can cross off your list with my Simplify the Holidays guide, a free gift! This guide lists Grants Pass and Medford, Oregon resources for outsourcing holiday decorations, lights, gift-wrapping, Sendout Card services, and more! https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/simplify-holidays/
For some Christmas budgeting help: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2015/11/tis-season-spend-wisely/
And for some helpful holiday tips and a fun Organizer’s 12 days of Christmas poem: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2017/12/12-days-christmas-tips/
Can 
you believe it is almost September? It’s almost that time again, for kids, teens and college students to go back to school. If the thought of shopping for school supplies and clothing fills you with dread, I’ve got some pointers to save time and energy.
In the past, I have visited several stores to get the best deals for the long list of school supplies. I don’t do that anymore. It takes too much time. But I think it makes sense to find out which store has the lowest prices on the bulk of things you need, and purchase there.
One way I’ve found to make the back to school easier is to start preparing several weeks early. Of course, being an organizer, I encourage you to take some inventory first. And that means LISTS!
Hello! I’m Emily Morin, I’m writing these pantry organizing tips for my Mom. She’s had me clean and organize our pantry several times, so I know the how-to pretty well. Follow these quick pantry organizing ideas, and your shelves will be shining with glory in no time! And you’ll be able to find what you need quickly and easily with much less wasted food.
I hope these quick pantry organizing ideas help you next time you purge and organize your pantry!
~ Emily Morin 🙂
“Your kids are like a well-oiled machine!” Michelle Wilber.
Our sitter told me this after Frank and I came back from a multi-day trip. Apparently, after dinner, our kids got up, did the dishes and put the food away. They cleaned the bathrooms and their rooms on Saturday, as was our routine. This impressed her so much, but honestly I hadn’t thought much of it before then. Doesn’t every family pitch in work together? They should, at least this is what I believe. And it works.
So, I’d like to give some tips for how we’ve gotten to this point in our home.
Pitching in is expected in our home. My mother delegated work to me when I was young on our small farm in Maine, and I do the same with my kids. Some of my jobs included weeding the garden, mopping the wood floors, and cleaning bathrooms.
Her philosophy went something like this: I am not a slave. All joking aside, why shouldn’t kids work to make their home a more inviting place? The Mom and Dad cannot do it all.
I have a friend who was an example of trying to do all the work. She never sat down. I remember visiting her once, and I think she was able to sit down all of 5 minutes in a 2 –hour period. That’s just crazy!
I read some great ideas for making housework fun when the kids were smaller. One idea that works great for competitive families; Have a housework Olympics, and see how fast (and how well) you can complete the Saturday jobs!! The fastest, most complete cleaners win. (Mom inspects each job site.)
This includes SHOWING them how to do it first. Some easy jobs for younger children include emptying the dishwasher and cleaning toilets (we use a non-toxic cleaner, NOT bleach).
“If you are willing to spend the time with children to train them, to show them how to clean or stack wood, they will come to enjoy it. When the kids are young, they want to be like Mommy and Daddy. They see us doing dishes or using the vacuum, and they want to try it. Let them! Show them how to do simple jobs when their interest is piqued.” From the blog 10 Tips for better Family Time. https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time
Patience is required for training. They are not going to get it perfect, and it will not be up to your standards. Just remember their coordination and level of detail is not the same as yours!
Teach them to take pride in a sparkling-clean sink and spicket. Point out how good it looks when it’s clean.
I firmly believe that teaching children to work bolsters their confidence and self-esteem. They see they can do a job, do it well, and make a difference in the way their home looks and functions. This method is more effective than constant compliments.
As my organizing mentor Porter Knight used to say in one of her speeches: lower the bar. Set your expectations lower than you would for an older teen or adult.
Porter had her sons clean the bathrooms. Were they perfect? No. But they were the best her 11-yr old son could do, so it was good enough. Don’t be too picky of they will be discouraged and not want to help next time.
Instead, praise each child’s effort and bite your tongue!
Note: I didn’t say PRAISE; I said encourage. First off, don’t be patronizing if they are older, be sincere and find something you liked about their work. If something needs to be re-done, use the sandwich technique.
I liked how you ——, could you scrub the orange ring by the sink drain a bit more? I am sure you can do it if you put a little more time in.
But if you sense they are not giving it their full effort or doing their best, definitely ask them to try again. If they still aren’t’getting it, see if they understand what you asked them to do, and provide some more patient training.
Don’t bribe them, but definitely give them a reward or incentive. I have some special chocolate truffles I give the teens when they complete jobs they dislike. They also get paid each month for the work they do, but an immediate reward is quite effective. Everybody in my house likes chocolate. One time we motivated the kids for a big job of spreading mulch on all the flower beds by telling them we’d go to DQ afterward. My kids will do almost anything for ice cream!
When our kids were young, we lived in Vermont and heard about an amazing parenting program. It is called Parenting On Track by Vicki Hoefle. She insists you can still train teens to work.
“They might whine and complain for the first few minutes, but sit them down and explain:
“Your father and I have done you a disservice. We have been doing everything for you up until now. But if we continue like this, you won’t know what to do when you get on your own in __ years. It’s time to learn how to ______ and ______ so you aren’t helpless when you get your first apartment/ go to college/ get married.
Plus, is it really OK for the Mom or even both parents to do the lion’s share of work in the home? Parents today have less time than ever. It’s important to get the kids involved in keeping the home clean, the family fed, and the yard maintained. It’s the way life works. I don’t know any employers who would react well to the statement: “I’ve never done that, can you do it for me?” (from an earlier blog 10 Tips for Better Family Time.) https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time
Vicki also has a great list of things kids need to be able to do on their own by the time they are 18. One night, when we went through that list with our kids, we realized one of our daughters had never mowed the lawn! We soon started training her to do that. She was on board.
Also, one great thing about having older children who know how to work is: they can train their younger sibs to do certain jobs (if they have the right temperament and the two kids get along well). Otherwise, you may need to train the younger kids to make it a positive experience.
This is true for many things in parenting. If a child really doesn’t want to do a job, compromise and assign them a different job whenever possible. If it is something they have to do, like cleaning their room, find out what the issue is. Sometimes they may have no idea where to start, like many of my organizing clients. Just helping them with some ideas or talking about it can stave off a grumpy attitude.
For example, my daughter Kate loves to polish wood. So she washes the cabinets with soapy water, then dries and polishes the kitchen cabinets with orange oil. Kate takes great pride in doing this job well and seeing the wood gleam when she is done. Some well-earned recognition from me goes a long way, too!
I discovered my daughter Emily likes dusting. This is a job I hate, so when I realized she liked it, she became my main duster! I got her a feather duster, which is fun, and she happily dusts furniture, bookshelves, etc.
Kyle likes to vacuum the stairs, and Jacob loves to clean the pool and do yardwork as long as he has company. We all have our strengths. Of course, my favorite job is organizing drawers, cabinets, the pantry and clearing off counters. J
The best advice I can give: start where you are. If your kids are older and you need help, start training them to do work they are suited to. If they are young, see what they are interested in helping you with, and let them (with supervision). This is a great investment in their future. You will never regret teaching your kids to work. They will contribute to your home, family AND become productive, independent adults.
Resources for parents:
Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Kline and Jim Fay
Blog: www.efficientspacesco.com/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time
http://monicaswanson.com/category/parenting-and-family/
The right side of the garage, full of tripping hazards.
The left side of the cluttered garage.
It’s that time of year again, when people get the urge to organize their garage. The weather cooperates and it’s easy to get to the dump or the recycling centers. I’ve been working in garages for years. There’s one I am particularly proud of.
The man I worked for, Steve, did not care if his house was organized; he spent most of his retirement time in his garage. Junk and projects had piled up and he was in a pickle, so he called me in.
Soon, we had everything sorted—literally! Metal went to the trailer to get hauled away, all his small tools had a home, and he could now get to his large tools without tripping or having to move a bunch of other large tools which were in the way.
This organized Garage brought to you by Efficient Spaces organizing!
See how easy it is to get to the large tools now.
If the entire garage is full and there is not enough room to move, it is time to call me, by the way.
For example, small power tools like drills and sanders can go into a box, or onto the top of a workbench until you find a “home” for them.
Last summer, I moved an elderly man who, I bet, never made a trip to the hazardous waste drop-offs in his life. This made it MUCH harder for us to clean out his garage. Luckily, I had organized an office in a local paint shop, Drake’s Paints, and the owner let me drop off all of the old latex paints and stains. They disposed of them properly.
Tip: You can dispose of latex paint yourself. If there is a little paint left in the can, put some kitty litter in to absorb the moisture, then dump that into the trash. Use the sun to dry out the inside of the can, and throw it away.
Chances are you still have a lot of stuff left. Now it’s time to figure out where it all goes. That is one of my specialties! If you are DIYer, though, just make sure it is clear to everyone in the house where the new spot for everything is. Some “homes” are going to be the same because wherever you stored the gardening supplies really worked well.
I don’t know if under-labeling is possible when dealing with teenagers. . . or forgetful adults . . . .
And speaking of teenagers: Involve every able-bodied member of the household in the cleanup. It will help them feel invested and less likely to “junk” it up again.
Most of us use our garage to store the things we don’t want to keep in our house, right? Just don’t let it become the dumping ground!
A little bit of maintenance every season change is a great idea, and will save you from doing a HUGE clean-out later.
Not a helper to chop veggies or a sous chef—I’m talking organizational help. Looking for kitchen ideas? You’re not alone. In the past couple weeks, several friends have mentioned their kitchen needs work. Well, that’s what I DO, so I’m here to help in the kitchen. Think about the issues in your kitchen. What piles up, and where? Are your cabinets crammed with precarious stacks of bowls, pots and pans, and airtight containers?
Many people have a small kitchen that doesn’t seem to have enough storage. Apartments, starter homes, and older homes tend to have small kitchens with woefully inadequate cabinet space. In my very first kitchen, I could barely open the oven without hitting our small table! At that time, I did not have many dishes or tools, so it wasn’t an issue.
When I moved into my current house, I had the opposite challenge: too many cabinets. Imagine! After I unpacked my entire kitchen, I discovered I still had a double cabinet standing empty on the fringes. This is a good ‘problem’ to have. I ended up putting clear containers for the kids’ school keepers and art there.
With either situation, here is the best solution: establish a ‘home’ for everything in your kitchen.
If your stuff is overflowing with dishes, tools and appliances, it’s time to purge. Here is some advice.
Do you use this? Is it really worth the space it’s using up? Is there an appliance you keep because you USED to us it, or one received as a wedding gift and feel guilty giving it away? Let it GO!
Take them out of the kitchen. Put them into the garage or, better yet, the trunk of the car to get donated. Place them as close to their ultimate destination as possible.
Put all the small lids (ex.: canning jar lids) together in a small drawer or container. All airtight food containers go together. I store lids in a separate drawer, contained by a few clear boxes to make them easy to find.
Mixing bowls, and even glass 13×9 pans can be stacked with a rubbery mat to keep them from chipping.
Look at my Pinterest page for creative ideas here. It’s much easier to retrieve platters which are standing up and separated by dowels or a partition. https://www.pinterest.com/jennyrossomorin/kitchen-organizing-ideas/
Sixth: A ceiling-mounted pot rack will hold a multitude of pots and pans!I used one in Vermont, and I loved it. If you need more storage space, look around. Is there an empty bit of wall to install a few hooks?
Many people install small baskets inside cabinet doors to hold spices or essential oils. If you don’t want to drill into your cabinets, try sticky hooks. They are very strong and easily removable.
I hope these kitchen ideas help you!
Liked this post? Please share it on your social media of choice! Copy and paste this to share: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/blog/
As always, if you need more help, check out my book on Amazon: Get Organized Quick. It has a chapter on keeping counters clear. With over 100 tips on organizing, it is a goldmine of ideas!
Click here for my book: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Organized-Quick-Minutes-Organize-ebook/dp/B01KKY30TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524229138&sr=8-1&keywords=get+organized+quick
Resources:
https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/kitchen/8-ways-to-make-a-small-kitchen-sizzle. Photo credit for galley kitchen image.
Pot rack image courtesy Bed Bath and Beyond.
Have you thought about downsizing? Say you have a 3,000-square foot home with 3 bedrooms and it’s just the two of you rattling around in there. Or, you are the son or daughter of such a couple. Either you or your parents are in the 70s with good health and are still pretty active. Now is the perfect time to start ‘downsizing in place’.
Are you one of those people who likes to plan ahead, or do you wait until things happen to you? The former is called being proactive, the latter is reactive. As Steven R Covey so aptly put it:
The time will come, sooner than you think, when you will have to make some decisions. Is it time to move yourself or your parents into a smaller home or even a retirement community? And when that time comes, will help be needed? Are you willing to spend every weekend purging 20 to 30 years’ worth of belongings? And if you are separated from your parents by distance, how is this even to be accomplished?
Now is the time to ask yourself these questions, start to plan, and start to downsize in place. Do not procrastinate!
The first step, even before contacting a real estate agent, is to contact a professional organizer or senior move manager. The good ones will be members of NAPO or SMM. I am a member of NAPO, the National Association of Professional Organizers.
A professional organizer trained in move management can help you handle every aspect of the move, from the estate sale to deciding what furniture will fit in the new, smaller residence. Most organizers will even draw you up a floor plan, showing you how it all fits together, and see to all the little details you haven’t even considered yet. It’s truly a smart ‘MOVE’ to engage an expert in this complicated and stressful time. Having someone guide you through the process and take care of the details brings great peace of mind.
Also, find a way for grandkids to get involved, especially younger grandkids who are in junior high or early high school. My son Jacob was assigned a ‘heritage project’ to interview his oldest living relative, my grandmother, for a middle school project. She has had a really interesting life. (She still dyed her hair blonde well into her 70s.) My Grandmom and Jacob really connected. It was a blessing for them both. Which brings me to #6:
These are all great ideas, and my challenge to you is: pick one of the actions I mentioned in this blog and do it THIS WEEK! Be proactive, like the productivity guru says! It really will pay off.
Resources: Steven R Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. www.brainyquote.com/authors/stephen_covey
https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/services/downsizing/
https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2014/08/stress-moving/
https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2017/09/good-advice-letting-downsize/
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