Clean up with organization in the laundry room

Laundry is one of those chores that seems to materialize out of thin air.  No matter how often you wash clothes there always seems to be more dirty clothes.  A well stocked and organized laundry room can make wash day a whole lot smoother.

• Keep detergent, softener and dryer sheets as close to the washer and dryer as possible.  A shelf or cupboard above them at a arms reach.
• Place a trash can next to the dryer for easy disposal of lint, dryer sheets and junk from pockets.
• Put laundry baskets anywhere dirty clothes accumulate such as the bathroom or bedroom.  If you have several people in the house you can get laundry sorters so that dirty laundry can be sorted as it is taken off so that you can do a load every time one of the sections is full.
• Start by washing the bulkiest items first since they will be easy to fold and reduce the laundry quickly.
• Fold items in a way that makes them fit well in the drawers or on the shelves that you use.  Often people keep folding clothes and towels the way they always have rather than adapting their folding techniques to the containers.
• Keep empty hangers in the laundry room if you hang many of your clothes so that you can hang them up as they come out of the dryer and reduce the need for ironing.

Organizing anytime, anywhere

Organizing can happen anywhere, anytime.  While you won't be able to organize your underwear drawer while you are sitting at a red light you certainly can take a few seconds to pick up the lunch wrappers sitting in the passenger's seat and put them in a bag to toss at your destination.  If you begin to think about organizing as a process that is always happening, you will see how it can fit in to all areas of your life.

You do not have to begin organizing yourself by tossing everything and starting over.  Organizing is about making small conscious decisions about the things we keep around us.  Over time the small decisions make it easier to automatically know how you will handle something.

For instance, you may not like that your kitchen counter is full of stuff.  If you begin by deciding that you want a clean counter and consciously thinking about each item that you add to the counter, it is likely that eventually the counter will be clean continuously.  However, many people sweep the counter clean, shove everything in a drawer or cupboard without thinking about where anything went.  In a few days a whole new batch of stuff is cluttered on the counter.

Instead, before you add something to the counter, ask yourself, "does this belong here?"  Are you putting it on the counter to remember to do something with it?  Will you pick it up and put it away later?  Will it take less than a minute to put it away, why not do it now?

You can also try using the time it takes to heat something, like tea, in the microwave to de-clutter the counter.  Choose a category and pick up those items.  Maybe there is junk mail all over the counter.  Choose the pieces that you aren't going to read or act on and toss them out.  You can do this with any item on the counter and repeat the process until all that is left are the items that you want on the counter.

Be careful, organizing can be come addictive.  Once you organize one area you will want to organize others.  Be addicted to your positive change.

Is your task list working for you?

We all have a list of things that need to be done but we don't have to use the same method to keep track of them.  What's your favorite way to capture and complete tasks?  Here are a few you may want try.

• Pencil and paper - Most of us are familiar with this variety of list making.  It's low tech and easy.  It never crashes or needs to be backed up but for many of us it just doesn't work.  As you cross items the list becomes messy and you have to carry it everywhere.
• Stickie notes - They are easy to use and handy but get out of hand quick if they are not kept under control.  Try to corral them in a folder or on a piece of paper rather than all over your desk. Judith Kolberg describes this method in her book Conquering Chronic Disorganization.  This is one of my favorites since it is tactile while being flexible.  The stickies allow you to move them around and categorize them however you wish.
• PDA, smartphone or cellphone - Use the memo, calendar or task feature on your phone so that your to do items are always with you.  This is especially helpful when you remember a to do item when you are away from your desk.
• Electronic calendar - The electronic calendar is my new best friend, especially one that lives in the "cloud."  It can be synced with your portable device and accessed from any internet connection.  Corrections and changes are immediate from any place you access the calendar.  Tasks can be added to the task list or scheduled on the calendar.
• Timeline - Map tasks out on a timeline in the order that the need to be done so that an important step isn't forgotten.  
• Planner Pad - This is a to do list and calendar in one that helps you prioritize and schedule tasks for maximum effectiveness.  You can find them on the internet for purchase.
• Monthly and weekly desk calendars - Theses are a great choice for folks that are usually at a desk or prefer to handwrite items.  You can see a block of time and plug into it the things that need to be done.

If the method that you are currently using isn't working for you try a different one.  Many times we beat ourselves up for not making the system work when we are really using the wrong system for us.  Think about what you do and seems natural to you when picking a system.  For example, if you are always out of the office and hate carrying a bunch of stuff then a bulky planner may not be for you especially if you are always leaving it at the office.