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Get Organized: It’s about time

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This 5-part series may inspire you to organize and simplify your home. It’s a new year and a fresh opportunity to clean up, clean out and develop ways of storing and managing your stuff

Week 4 – It’s about time

Have you ever sat down at the end of a day and wondered where the time went? Perhaps you did not accomplish what you had hoped to do and that’s a frustrating feeling. A few simple ways to organize your time may be helpful.

Use a monthly planner. These inexpensive books can be found at Dollarama. There is a double page for each month. At the beginning of the new month jot down any appointments, commitments or birthdays.

Keep a running shopping list. Anytime you runout of something or are getting low, jot it down either on paper or on Notes on your cell phone. Use the method that best suits you.

Keep a birthday book with names and birth dates so that you won’t forget anybody. This can be done on paper or electronically. This saves your time later when you have to ask when someone’s birthday is (again!) or forget completely and need to send a belated Birthday message.

If you send real cards and some of us still do, buy a lot of them at once. Your time is too valuable to run out to the store every time you need a card. Perhaps pick up an assortment of cards for adults and children and buy stamps in books or even a roll. Going to the Post Office to buy 1 stamp is not a good use of your time. Canadian postage stamps have a P on them which means permanent.  If the price goes up then that stamp you purchased is still fine, no extra will be charged.

In the morning make a list of 3 goals. If you write down 10 things you will likely not achieve that and it will be discouraging. Cross them off as you complete your 3 chosen tasks.

Plan meals for the week. Then make a shopping list based on your meal plan after checking what you have in the house. One trip to the grocery store is a better way to use your time than multiple trips there.  Also, it is safer during COVID to minimize your trips to the store.

Establish routines. Do all your morning chores right away, such as taking medication, brushing teeth, making the bed, opening the curtains …. any of the mundane things that need to be done.  Get them over with early in the day.

If you work outside the home, prepare some of your things the night before. Set the breakfast table, choose your clothes and lay them out, make your lunch and because your car keys are in the bowl near the door already (Everything in Its Place – Week 2) you will be ready to head out the door.

   Hoping that you found at least one helpful hint that you can use in this 5-part series!

Week 1Declutter

Week 2A Place for Everything

Week 3Purge the Paper

Week 4Learn to Love Your Laundry

Week 5 It’s About Time