The Art of Labeling

Even in this digital world of computers and the Internet, a household's paperwork can get out of control. When this happens, bills, receipts and statements can get easily misplaced, misfiled or worse-lost. Recently I've been helping a client streamline her household paperwork. She actually has a really good filing system, but gets frustrated in the stacks of "to dos" and ends up procrastinating.


To help her stay on target, I created an Action Plan that breaks up her paperwork project into small more manageable tasks. So far so good! My client is more motivated than ever to tackle those piles of paper and has already completed several of the tasks. Yippee!

To make filing fun and creative, I often suggest a stylish label. Having files labeled is a must and saves loads of time when trying to retrieve paperwork at a later date. Paper Source has a great selection of beautiful labels that can be used for lableing just about anything - gifts, books/notebooks, shelves and storage boxes.

At See Jane Work, I found handy reusable Clip-On Label Holders. These spring lock clips easily attach to binders, notebooks and file boxes. I will be purchasing some of these beauties! In addition, the online store has self-adhesive label sets that include 52 assorted labels in four different designs - all packaged in a re-sealable vinyl zip pouch. Love the cute dot pattern - above right.

Label makers rock! I've had a Brother P-Touch label maker for years and love it. One of my good friend's used to tease me about it, until she got one for herself. It's incredibly easy-to-use and great for labeling just about anything. I have used it to label items such as cameras, mobile phones and kid's water bottles.

There are many label makers out there and they can get a bit pricey. I like this PT-1280 home & office label maker by Brother because it is a very affordable at $39 and feature-packed. It can print laminated labels up to ½” wide and up to two lines. In addition, this hand-held device has six auto formats, five framing options and nine type styles. It also has three type sizes which automatically adjust the text size according to the tape width. A fabulous features is the “Favorite Keys,” which allow you to save and print your favorite labels in seconds. The PT-1280 also uses the new “super narrow” (3.5mm) black on white non-laminated tape for labeling CD spines. It can be purchased at most office supply stores or online at Image Supply.

Tacking household paperwork may not be fun, but it can be done in style!

*images from See Jane Work, Paper Source and Image Supply

Making Progress and Organizing All That Paper the Pretty Way

Still procrastinating? May be your need to “be perfect” is getting in the way. Don’t seek perfection (hey, nobody’s perfect right?), but aspire for advancement or growth. So, Step Five in overcoming procrastination is to Aim for Progress.

Speaking of progress, I have been tackling the vertical piles of paper on my desk this week and have decided to store some in magazine holders. Yep, they’re not just for magazines anymore. They do a terrific job of hiding papers, keeping your horizontal surfaces clear and control how much you can store before having to purge. Here are some very stylish magazine holders that would dress-up any office.

Aren't these magazine holders above by Thomas Paul beauties! They come in such yummy colors and amusing vintage prints.

Classic white. How could you go wrong? These white magazine boxes above are covered in laminated paper and can be found at See Jane Work.

This Motorp magazine holder above is made of palm leaves and is found at Ikea. Looks great and inexpensive too.

Love this earth-friendly bamboo magazine holder by John Lewis. So simple and timeless.

For a cost-effective magazine holder that could be easily customized to your decor, check out this do-it-yourself version on Kaboose.

Schedule It and Organizing a Bookshelf by Color

Are you having difficulties finding the time to get organized? That project you’ve been complaining about won’t get done unless you set aside the time.

Step four in overcoming procrastination is to Schedule It. Determine how much you can do or tolerate at a given time. Typically, a project is broken up into smaller 5-30 minute tasks. Be careful to not push yourself too far or you might end up frustrated or jaded. Set dates and times for completing each small task and place it on your calendar, blackberry or iPhone.

For example ,if you are organizing a bookshelf, one of your tasks may be to arrange the books by subject, size, author or the most interesting, by color.

Here are simple steps to organize a bookshelf by color:

1. Remove all books and clear off your shelf
2. Sort all books by color and create “color” piles
3. Arrange books on the shelf by hue (follow the rainbow… red into orange, orange into yellow, etc.)

Love this playful room above by Chotda. For more inspiration, check out the Rainbow of Books Flickr Group.

The photos above and below were taken by me at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2009 house. I love how the designer of "His Sitting Room" kept the bookshelves simple in all black and white.

Organizing a bookshelf by color certainly brings interest to the room, but has its drawbacks. Where's that stinkin' book? In addition to color, my books are organized by subject and shelf (novels, reference/fiction, cookbooks, art/coffee table). Each shelf is organized individually by color instead of the whole bookshelf. My shelves look great and this way I can actually find the book I'm looking for easily. See what works best for your lifestyle and home.

And don’t forget… Schedule it!

Stop Procrastinating and Garage Organization Steps

It’s easy to get buried in a large task like organizing the garage and it's something most of my clients dread. Step Three in overcoming procrastination is to Take Baby Steps. Instead of having tasks that may take hours to complete, break it up into smaller tasks. To avoid getting overwhelmed each task should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. For example, if your project is to organize the garage it may take several days and your task list may look something like this:

1. Categorize the items in your garage (recycling, tools/paint, sporting equipment, automotive, holiday decorations, etc.) – 30 minutes

2. Group the contents in the garage (include donate or trash groupings) – 30 minutes

3. Order special trash and donation pick-ups – 10-15 minutes

4. Leave out items for trash and donation – 10-15 minutes

5. Determine the best layout for your garage (hire professional if needed) – 30 minutes

6. Buy appropriate size bins, boxes, cabinets, etc. and labels – 30 minutes

7. Put items in appropriate storage bin or box (label each) – 30 minutes (break up into multiple tasks if over 30 minutes)

8. Install cabinets (hire professional if needed) – 30 minutes (break up into multiple tasks if over 30 minutes)

9. Install shelves (hire professional if needed) – 30 minutes (break up into multiple tasks if over 30 minutes)

10. Sweep garage floor – 15 minutes

11. Relocate items to their new location in the garage – 30 minutes

*images by Real Simple

Focus: Step Two

Simply defined, procrastination is when an individual delays completing tasks intentionally. We have all avoided organizing the garage, closet or pantry. The first step in overcoming procrastination is to Take Action.

But, taking action is not enough if you get sidetracked and never finish the task at hand. Step Two in overcoming procrastination is to Be Focused. For instance, I think everyone at one time or another has gotten distracted while opening the mail. It’s easy to start reading a magazine article, pay a late bill or answer that phone call. But, soon you find that pile of mail gets out-of-control and so does your procrastination. Complete opening your mail in one sitting. Don’t stray off course…

Stay focused on the task at hand. You will be more efficient in the long run.

Stop Procrastinating and Get Organized: Step One

OK, OK... I am a professional organizer & designer and I confess, I have been procrastinating too. I've been thinking about starting this blog for months and have been waiting for the "perfect" time to start. Well, there is no perfect time friends. The time is now. Let's get going and simplify our homes and lives.

The first question my clients ask is, "Where and how do I begin?" I always answer with this question back, "What in your home is causing you the most pain and discomfort?" That is where we typically begin. For my last client, it was her cluttered bedroom. Step by step we created an action plan that outlined simple "tasks" for her to complete to reach her goal of making her room a peaceful, clutter-free retreat.

Many times the biggest hurdle in getting organized is procrastinating. Here is the first step in stopping procrastination...

Take Action
Plan your mission and keep it simple. Just select the one project you must get done to feel productive. It may be going through that pile of mail, purging old shoes from your closet, or organizing the utensil drawer. Keep it simple and choose a manageable item you can complete in 5-15 minutes. Break the day up into a series of "sessions" for other tasks and balance the time spent planning with time spent doing. Don't over think it and take too much time planning ~ this too can cause procrastination. Once complete, review your progress, pat yourself on the back (or reward yourself with a nice glass of vino) and plan your tasks for the next day. I find my clients get more and more motivated as they complete tasks.

Stay tuned for Step Two...