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Gentle Reminders: Organizing

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    Paperwork

    Organize manuals, warranties, insurance policies, and receipts for appliances, electronics, and other major purchases. Place the paperwork for each piece in a labeled folder, and arrange in an accordion file. If you've saved a product's packaging (in case you'll have to return or exchange it), tape a note to the box indicating the date the warranty or insurance expires. This way you can easily tell when to recycle or discard the packaging.
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    Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

    Organize your recyclables. Set out individual containers for glass, metal, paper, and plastic articles, and make sure that each bin is clearly labeled to eliminate any confusion.
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    Safety First

    Do a safety check every six months. When you turn the clocks back at the end of daylight-saving time, test household alarms, and schedule a fire drill for your family. Also be sure exterior lights are working and no bulbs are burned out. This is important for security.
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    Fire Safety

    Make certain your home is not at risk for an electrical fire. Check outlets and light-switch faceplates -- if they are hot or discolored, call a professional for an electrical-system inspection. Also, call an electrician if lights dim or flicker often, circuit breakers trip or fuses blow frequently, or buzzing noises come from the outlets.
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    Cataloguing

    Organize magazines and catalogs: Stack a few current issues on the coffee table, or set them in a basket next to a reading chair. If you keep old issues for reference, arrange them in plastic or cardboard holders, and place them on bookshelves. Keep catalogs in a bin by your desk, and throw away old copies as new ones arrive.
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    Phone Numbers

    Update your emergency phone list. It should include contact information for local police and fire departments, the poison control center, doctors and veterinarians, family, and neighbors. Laminate the list, and post it near the phone. You should also program the numbers into your cell phone.
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    Paperwork Solution

    Get your household paperwork in order. Rather than let stacks of mail accumulate, for instance, you can create a system that helps you sort and organize everything as soon as it arrives. Try this easy trick in your kitchen or over a desk: Hang a pot-lid holder on the wall, and use it as a mail sorted, grouping items according to recipient or by action needed -- read, respond to, and so on.
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    Take Inventory

    Conduct a household inventory and catalog all valuables. This will help you file a claim with your insurance company should any of these items be stolen or damaged in a fire or a natural disaster. Photograph jewelry, electronics, and the like; store the pictures, along with any relevant records (such as receipts, appraisals, or certificates) in a fire-proof safe or a safe-deposit box. Review insurance policies to make sure your coverage is sufficient.
  • Photo: Johnny Miller
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    Tag Sale

    Organize a tag sale. Clean out your closets, basement, and garage. Sort and price items you no longer need. Choose a weekend to hold the sale, and post signs. (Check local ordinances to see if a permit is required for the sale.) Invite neighbors to join in, as larger inventories attract more customers.
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    From the Ground Up

    Clean and organize bookshelves. Dust shelves, and sort books by subject, so you can quickly find what you're seeking.
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    Back it Up

    Invest in backup software for your home computer, so if your system ever goes down, all won't be lost. Set it to back up files with each use. Do a full system backup each month.
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    Mail Solution

    Mail causing clutter? Set up a station with boxes designated for bills, filing, correspondence to answer, magazines and catalogs, and recyclables. Sort the mail as soon as you bring it inside.
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    Address Books

    Update your mailing list and address book (electronic or paper), adding new friends and changing information for those who have relocated.
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    Medical Records

    Before your annual physical exam, compile your treatment history. This should detail any allergies and include your emergency contacts.
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  • WendiP
    7 Jan, 2012

    I have mail slots like this but labeled. Everyday when I get the mail I immediately sort - husband's mail, bills, my mail to read "later," tax related, and a few other subjects. I put the mail I have received that I want my husband to look at in his "slot." I also have a slot for personal mail that needs a response.

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  • craftyfingers
    20 May, 2009

    Lovely! Thanks for the gentle reminder to stay organzied!

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