10 Sure-Fire "National Get Organized Week" Tips!

  1. THE CRITICAL SIX: To make a production line more efficient, you eliminate wasted motion and save minutes here and there. To make your days more organized and effective, you need do only 2 major things: 1) Determine what's important, and 2) Stay on track. How? Make a daily list of 6 high-value projects and tackle them in the order of their importance. It's been said a million times before, but are YOU doing it?

  2. QUESTION YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS: Continually ask yourself, "How can I improve what I’m now doing? How can I do it better? Faster? Easier? More cost-effectively?" Look at your current processes with fresh eyes...like a "Martian" would see it. Ask yourself, "Why does he/she do it that way?" Keep in mind that most everything you're doing today will one day be improved upon. How can you make those changes today?

  3. BOX O' RETURNS: Before you forget to return something that didn't work, fit, or taste quite right, drop it in a box marked "Returns." Before you go shopping, check the box to see if there’s anything to be returned to the store you’re visiting.

  4. SAFEGUARD IT! Where's your: life insurance policy...birth certificate...real estate deed...homeowners insurance policy...passport...marriage certificate...and other important papers? Dig them out of your drawer and put them in a low-cost bank safe deposit box. You'll enjoy the added peace of mind and the convenience of knowing where they are, and never again "stress out" when they're needed.

  5. STORE IT! Buy large plastic containers for seasonal items such as holiday decorations, wrapping paper, seasonal clothing, and sports equipment and store them out of sight, making more room for things you need now! Day-Timers webstore carries many attractive storage solutions, including our NEW collection of decorator storage cases for everything from magazines to laundry...mail to toys...school projects to stationery - and more - in an array of eye-catching materials, textures, colors, and patterns!

  6. NEED SERVICE? NO PROBLEM! Don't bury appliance-related papers in drawers! Instead, put all receipts, warranties, and instruction manuals in one place. Should you ever need service, you'll have everything at your fingertips.

  7. BE BOSS OF YOUR BILLS! Make an appointment with yourself in your Day-Timer planner and pay all bills on a fixed date each month. Sign up for online banking and set up automatic payments for recurring bills of fixed amounts.

  8. ASK THE EXPERTS! Did you know that some people make organizing a life's study? It's true! And many are members of NAPO, the 20-year-old National Association of Professional Organizers. You can gain decades of experience by skimming their books in just minutes a day! How much more organized would your life be if you implemented one new proven-effective organizing idea once a week? You could turn your entire life around in just a few months! Go to your favorite online bookstore and search the word "organizing" and discover an explosion of new ideas! Learn more at: napo.net

  9. ORGANIZE YOUR SLEEP? Save time and frustration by folding all your matching sheets and all but one pillowcase. Put everything into that remaining pillowcase and store that on your shelf. Next time you make your bed, simply grab one "pillow pack" and you're set!

  10. CREATE A "MASTER LIFE SCHEDULE" The granddaddy of them all! Using your Day-Timer monthly calendar, assign repetitive projects and tasks to specific days and hours. Block out your hours at work, since they're usually less flexible. Then, assign times for tasks. For example, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5:30-6:15 is reserved for exercise. Saturdays 1:00-3:00 PM is for cleaning. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 is for working on your project. The beauty of this idea is that you're scheduled to exercise, you don't worry about cleaning because you know that it will get done at its scheduled time! Likewise, when you're vacuuming, you're not concerned about progress on your project because that too is scheduled and will be handled accordingly! This one idea has the power to dramatically change your life!

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