WELCOME
|
Each month in this newsletter
I share organizing tips to use in your home and office. Try some
projects by yourself or ask for help from my friendly professional team.
We have great ideas for improving the use of all sizes of spaces and helping you become more productive.
Happy Organizing,
Pierrette Ashcroft
|
|
Pierrette Ashcroft,
founder of getOrganizedDC, has more than 20 years of business experience
organizing events and providing innovative solutions in homes and
offices. She is committed to continuing her education and training to
best serve her client's organizing and productivity needs.
As
part of the inaugural class to receive credentials as a Certified
Professional Organizer, CPOÆ, Pierrette earned a top distinction in the
organizing industry.
In 2010 she completed her training to
become a Certified Productivity Coach. Through her Productivity Boot
Camp she is able to increase the productivity of busy professionals. Pierrette will clear your piles of paper, overloaded inbox and cluttered life so you can be more effective in your business and career.
To learn more, call or write for a free telephone consultation at: 202.537.9705 or Pierrette@getOrganizedDC.com. Or visit our Web site.
The
hardest part of organizing is developing an attractive plan. We are
happy to help you with any challenges, large or small. Expect efficient
and reliable service from our team, who promise to keep your personal
information confidential. Read what our clients are saying about us.
I
love what I do and my business thrives on referrals. Please keep me in
mind if you should hear of friends, family or colleagues who could
benefit from my organizational expertise or who would like to take their
productivity to a whole new level. I'm never too busy to help them get
organized. Thanks!
|
|
|
PAY YOUR BILLS WEEK
| | Tips to Make the Job a Little Less Difficult
 The third week in February is designated Pay Your Bills Week.
Not sure who thought that paying bills was something to celebrate but
it's a great excuse to create some systems that will make the process a
breeze.
To that end here are a few recommendations to make the process easier and maybe a little less painless.
Ideally you should set up an area to keep all your bills together. Use vertical storage
so that things don't get lost at the bottom of a pile. Keep a
convenient stash of supplies: letter opener, stamps, return address
labels, envelopes, pens, calculator, calendar, checks and deposit slips.
Set up a payment schedule. It could be twice a month, weekly or corresponding to your payday.
Write the due date on the area of the envelope where the stamp goes.
Pay online
- Nearly all bills can be paid online through your bank, account
withdrawal, or billed to credit card (use only if you pay in full each
month). This method also saves on postage.
Go paperless
- receive invoices online and save them as a .pdf file. It cuts down on
your paper clutter but it is still important that you back up your
files.
Budget plans are available for utilities
that fluctuate with seasons. They estimate your annual charges and
divide by 12 to calculate your monthly payment.
You can set up with most credit card companies to have them automatically deduct the minimum payment due if you haven't made a payment. This avoids the hefty late fee and a ding to your credit score.
If you use a tickler file system, it's a good method to remember to pay things on time.
File you bills after they are paid.
|
Share this newsletter with friends and family who will find it useful.
|
|
A SYSTEM TO STROKE YOUR MEMORY
|
| The Tickler File
 A tickler file is a system that prompts you to remember to do things on time.
Think of it is as a place to organize all the papers that are now in your to-do pile(s) and easily find what you need and complete tasks on time.
Ready made systems are available or you can make your own. Dedicate a file drawer or use a desktop file box to hold your folders. You'll need daily ones numbered 1 to 31 and 12 more for each month.
When you have something that needs to be done in the future,
it goes in the folder for the day you need to complete the task. File
the birthday card you want to mail on the 15th in the 15 folder. The
concert tickets you bought for March go in the March folder.
You
can also use a tickler file for bills, travel documents, invitations,
appointments, home maintenance reminders - anything you need to remember
to do.
Each day you must check the folder. It may be helpful to tie it to something you do daily such as check your email or make coffee.
At the beginning of a new month take all the items out of the monthly folder and place them in the correct daily folders.
Though a tickler file is a simple system it still requires that you put all your active and pending papers into it and just as important that you look at it every day.
It takes 3 to 4 weeks to establish a new habit so be patient with yourself and commit to using a tickler file for that long to see if it helps you accomplish your to-do list more effectively. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!
|
KITCHEN TIPS
|
| Is Your Pantry Organized?
 What's the point of having a pantry if you can't find what you are looking for?
Take an hour to purge your pantry of anything that has expired and create zones like a grocery store.
Think
of the aisle directories at your supermarket: breakfast, baking,
snacks, pasta and grains, canned goods, lunch, dinner, condiments, etc.
Grouping food by category will put an end to those frustrating searches that often occur at meal prep time.
Creating zones
will also make it simple to take a quick inventory before going on a
shopping trip and make it easier to put away your new groceries.
Along with arranging your food by type, easy access is key to an organized pantry.
Wire standing shelves
will create a second or even a third storage layer. Think vertically.
If the same sized boxes or cans are at the same level it is harder to
see what's in stock.
Use containers like handled baskets
to hold small items like snacks, oatmeal packets or coffee maker pods.
Access is much easier if you can take down the basket and it is less
likely things will get lost in the back.
A spice rack or kitchen wrap organizer mounted to the inside the pantry door frees up shelf space.
Taking the time to organize your pantry will reward you daily.
|
ORGANIZING SOLUTION
|
| Surfing in Comfort
Challenge:
Your lap heats up as you check your Facebook page and when typing at a desk or table top you may suffer from sore wrists and a crick in your neck.
Solution:The Brada laptop support from Ikea really improved my laptop experience. The angled support raises the screen to a more comfortable viewing angle - no more looking down, it's now at eye level. The tilt of the keyboard makes typing much more ergonomic. Until I started using the Brada I didn't realize what an issue this was for me. Elevating your laptop keeps it cooler and improves ventilation. This is better for the computer as well as the surface it rests on. It's a bargain at only $2.49. Yes, that's really the price!
Result: Stylish and simple design - the rolled front edge keeps your notebook in place.
Real value - it's a bargain alternative to an expensive monitor and separate keyboard.
Optimum viewing and typing comfort - you'll be more productive.
|
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
