bunch of blogs: Personal Finance

Spending more time finding the can opener, a favorite pair of shoes or the most recent electrical bill only means one thing – YOU HAVE A DISORGANIZED HOME! Wasting time just to find things you need for your everyday routine causes a lot of stress when there is a solution to avoid it.
What people fail to realize is that organized homes save them more time, money and lessen their stress. It can be a very fulfilling and satisfying achievement.
If this problem of disorganization is already facing you straight in the eye, you may have to do something to straighten your house and your life as well.
1. Set goals when you are starting to get organized. This is more effective than doing things all at the same time and continuing the next day. Do one area at a time. If you did not finish on time, have a storage place for things you took out from their original place and clear the new space where you plan to put them.
2. Small steps are more fulfilling and easy to accomplish. Do not try to aim big when you are fully aware of your busy schedule. Do things that will likely give you less stress and not really disrupt your everyday schedule.
3. Set a deadline. Clutter starts giving you problems if you keep on storing things for purposes that in the long run are not served anyway. If you want to keep things be sure to set time limits for them and if the reason for keeping them does not come through then do not hesitate to use, give or throw them away.
4. Store items only if they have realistic purposes. Such as in clothes, do not wait for your weight to drop just so you can keep your jeans and other dresses. The chance that this will not happen is high. Having realistic goals will save you more money because you can easily identify what you need and buy those items only.
5. If you are starting to get organized, be sure that you are focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Do things one day at a time.
6. As you go along with your organizing, you will encounter items that you are unsure of - whether to give it away or keep it. What you can do is have separate storage containers for each of the classified items like those you are unsure of, sentimental items given to you that you still want to keep and those that may need to be repaired whenever it is convenient for you to do so.
Remember, having an organized home makes life much easier for you.

Some people just do not want to admit it, but they probably have loads of stuff in their garage that they hardly ever use. According to some reports, most people use just 20% of the things placed in the garage.
The remaining 80%? They are left hanging somewhere or scattered in different directions so that one could almost imagine that the place is already being lived in by different beast-like creatures.
The problem with most people who have cluttered garages, is that they tend to keep things for various reasons, sentimental or otherwise. However, one should realize that it is still important to clear some space in their garage.
They just don’t know it but they could make something good out of the extra spaces they have in their garage. So for people who want to clear their spaces in the garage, here is a list of some tips that they can use in order to control the clutter in the area.
Toys
1. The garage is usually the most favorite place of moms and dads in keeping their children’s old toys. There’s nothing wrong with it as long as they know how to keep them in their appropriate place in the garage.
2. Parents should keep in mind that it would be better to give away the toys that their children have outgrown instead of stacking them in the garage.
3. It is best to throw away unwanted stuffed toys that collect dust and may cause allergies. Broken toys should never stay for good in the garage.
Storage Bins
1. It’s best to keep small items such as nails, screws, etc. in storage bins or containers. If there is no extra space for these storage bins, one good solution is to screw the lids or attach them using super glue underneath the shelf.
Shelves
1. Focus on balance.
Stack large items horizontally and place them on alternating sides of the shelves for symmetry. Place the rounded items like old bicycle tires or round plastic lids in between to offset the hard lines of the large items.
2. Allow breathing room.
Fill up the spaces on the shelves but try to provide some space in between objects to give it a little breathing room.
The bottom line is that people should know that the garage is a part of the house and not a warehouse. Hence, its appearance will also reflect the personality of the occupant.

1. Find time to have fun. Always remember that it is important to find time for yourself. Make some engagements for yourself and make the most out of them. You have to cherish the free schedules that you have allotted for yourself. You can go out with your family and enjoy every moment spent with them.
2. Do not think too much of things that you think are difficult to accomplish. Make yourself relax and set your mind in a comfortable mood. You might be pressured and stressed if you think a lot of the hard items rather than thinking of finishing them. You can start doing the hard items first on your list. The other tasks will then follow much easier than the first one.
3. You can make notes to set an organized time. You may always bring with you your notebook and pen so that you can take down the important ideas or engagements that may pass in your mind. These can help you remember the things you may want to do, instead of realizing it later or you may even forget it along the way.
4. Do things once. An item must be handled only once. You can read the file and you may review it again to someone else. It is important that you understand the file so that you do not have to get back on it again. If you are done, there is no need to include it anymore in the many piles of papers that are on your table.
5. Telephone calls may just consume time if there are unnecessary things that are being brought up in your conversation. You may limit the time by directly pointing out the issues that are to be discussed.
6. Be systematic. Most of the time, you use so much of your time finding a particular thing. Sometimes you tend to forget the other things that you need to accomplish for that day because your time was focused on searching for things. You may create a system that is applicable and effective in your daily tasks. Use it for your own good; you may just realize that there are more times that you can have a rest.
7. Do things that make you happy and feel life’s most precious times. Enjoy walking around in your garden with your kids. You may go to the mall and watch a movie, or you may even play your favorite sport. It is important in one’s life to allot some time for yourself. Think of it as a prize to the pressures and stress you get from work.

Life has many ironies. Just take the garage for example.
The garage is often considered as the biggest part of the house, and yet, it is the most disorganized portion. Maybe because its owners felt like they could put everything in the garage and keep the other areas clean and tidy.
The problem is, the garage is placed in that part of the house where most visitors would likely see it first.
Therefore, for those people who want to organize their garage because they know that they can no longer hide the monstrous condition of the place, here are some simple tips for organizing it. With these tips, one could surely be on his or her way to displaying it or even accepting visitors in the garage.
1. Clean it up!
The most important part in organizing a garage is cleaning. To do this, the homeowner must remove all the big things that are in disarray in the garage.
Try to sort out things. In this way, an individual can clearly identify which things are no longer needed and which are still important or useful.
2. Repair wall cracks.
In order to project an organized look, wall cracks should also be repaired. There are instances where some shelves or hanging cabinets might give in due to weak foundations or support.
Besides, wall cracks are unsightly displays in a garage. It will only make the clutter more unbearable.
3. Use some hooks.
It is best to hang items that just take up huge portions of the floor area. Things like rakes, shovels, lawn chairs, sleds, bikes, etc. should be kept hanging. It is best to use some sturdy hooks to do the job.
4. Items due for repairs should be repaired…NOW!
Things that are due for repairs should no longer stay in the garage for another week. The best thing to do is to put them in the car and bring them to the repair shop. Pronto!
5. People should learn how to give away gadgets that they cannot decide to keep or toss. Let someone else get good use out of it.
6. Throw out the obsolete. In fact, things that no longer have any use are those that clutter the garage the most.
Keep in mind that clutter is all about indecision. So, if a person does not know what to do with his or her things that are kept in the garage, it’s high time they make decisions and get the garage well organized.

For most people, the hardest thing in life is to get organized.
Imagine not finding a magazine article you want to share with your friend, recipes you want to try, a leisure book you want to read for a long time and even your sexy red top you want to wear to surprise your husband on your anniversary. Then, as you go along rummaging your house for all these things you trip on your son’s toy car. At work, you have three papers due for deadline, stacks of papers that need to be filed and falling sticky notes all over your work area. End result – LIFE IS A TOTAL MESS!
People fail to realize that getting organized has benefits that will last them a lifetime like a peaceful and happier lifestyle.
They made up excuses like lack of time to organize, cannot afford it and admitting that he is a naturally disorganized person. But what they do not know is that these excuses are results of their own disorganization.
Time is not a setback to keeping an organized life. You do not need to do big, unrealistic tasks to get started. Try organizing one area of your life at a time. Small steps are more realistic to accomplish. Most of all try to find some help from your loved ones.
Emptying your wallet is not a necessity in organizing your life. Try rummaging through your stuff and sure enough you will find organizers and storage bins that you were not able to use. Recycle those and use it. If it’s the holiday season or your birthday is coming, ask for organizational items for presents.
Lastly, do not think that you are a naturally disorganized person. What you need may be just a simple workable calendar system for your appointments, trying out more organizational ideas you have in mind and to be yourself. Try these and experience the feeling of freedom and having more time for other activities.
If you have overcome all these excuses then these tips may be the best organizing tips that will help you maintain order in your life:
• Do things on time so it does not pile up. What you can do today, do it. Be realistic rather than idealistic.
• Prioritize things you need to do now and the things that you can do with more time.
• Maintain a busy but orderly schedule with the help of planners and calendars. Do not allow yourself to be idle.
• Avoid unnecessary interruptions.
• Take time to work on your bills and taxes. Doing these will save you future problems.
• Clean your clutter from your workplace and home.

Do you feel like you’re almost drowned by various bills and notices? Here are some tips for you to organize your bills, letters, and other notices as well.
- When you are removing your mail from the mailbox, first look quickly through the mail and from your scan you can identify the items that you do not need to see or you did not ask for, such as bulk mail or advertising brochures. Throw these things out immediately.
- If you keep catalogs, you will soon lose that valuable storage space. That is, you should keep only the pages containing the prospective items that you want. Save also the order form as well as the catalog’s back cover. The rest, trash it.
- When you receive your bills, throw away the outer envelope as well as other junk inside the envelope, saving only the actual bill that you need and the envelope for payment. Place all your bills in an envelope like a manila envelope and file using a punch-up file. Upon placing the bills in your manila envelope, you have to write yourself a little note to remind you that you have to pay this or that certain bill. Place that small note in the “Payday” folder or in some other appropriate folder. Ensure that you allow for some mailing time.
Punch-up files are good in storing information that is time sensitive, such as bills, airline tickets, birthday cards, and mail that has invitations.
- Materials or files that you usually need or access should be placed in folders that are clearly labeled. If this works for you, you can categorize your files or bills based on the month you received them (12 folders for 12 months) or if you get larger files, you can divide the folders per week.
- If you are going on an air travel three months from now and have bought airline tickets early, place them in the folder of the appropriate month.
- At every month’s end, you have to remove everything out of the folder for next month. File all items in your appropriate folder.
- Check the punch-up file every morning. This can be positioned atop a drawer. But if you want to see the punch-up file in closer view so that you won’t forget it, put the punch-up file near your counter or desk.

Do you feel that everywhere in your office or home, you see nothing but paper? Here are some simple tips in helping keep the paper you have whether in your office or home organized.
1. Keep a trash can or pail right next to the mail box. Tear up or throw away mail that is not important, such as advertising that you did not ask for as well as other papers that you do not want or need. If it is a document that is not necessary and is not pressing, then it is a document that you should not keep. You don’t want all that junk mail. Treat it like junk and throw it away.
2. Avoid piling up the papers. Give a time every day for going through all the documents you have and eliminate things that you do not need or that do not require your immediate attention. This may include newspapers and magazines which you can store for future reading and recycling. You should remember however to take them out from time to time and not stack them for too long of a time, like a month or even a year.
3. Select a day in your week for paying bills and answering letters. Instead of postponing replies, try answering them, send your thank you notes, and pay the necessary bills on a specific day. This way, you would not need to answer mail or pay bills every day. That way, you save more time for doing your daily tasks and you have no reason putting off one job from one day to the other because you are too busy answering your emails.
4. If you cannot cope with reading all of your newspapers and magazines, it might be better if you limit your subscriptions for newspapers and magazines to a smaller number. This is important, especially if you want to remove much of the clutter from your home or office. Ask yourself how much time do you really have for reading all of your subscriptions? Cutting down on subscriptions does not mean that you would never be able to read your newspaper or magazine of choice. If you are free at some point, you can pick a copy of your favorite magazine or publication from a newsstand or a bookstore.
5. Don’t allow clutter to get you discouraged. Remember that you can’t do everything in just one day. Start with something small and be happy about it.

Do you feel that every time you have to open your pantry to look for something, it takes you so much time to do? Or for all this time you thought you’ve used all your supplies of mustard and upon cleaning your pantry, you see that you still have five unopened jars of mustard left with their expiration dates lapsed five months ago?
For many homes, disorganized pantries are quite a bit of a nuisance. Preparing meals for your family seems to take longer because you can’t find some of the items you need for cooking that are stored in the pantry.
Organizing the pantry in your house can help you save time, space, and money. Here are five simple ways to help in getting the job done.
1. First, you might want to utilize helper shelves. Helper shelves makes the storage space in the pantry that you have bigger, as well as displaying the items more visibly and clearly, allowing you easier access to these items. Help shelves are available in various heights and widths. Generally they are adjustable and are available in various specialty stores or retailer shops.
2. Group similar food items in one place in your pantry. Grouping different food items and products by content or by brand can make your life easier in finding them. For instance, you can put all the condiments in one section of your pantry, the snack foods in another, and the breakfast cereals on their own shelf.
3. Keep the pantry orderly and neat. Containers should have identifiable labels and boxes should line up orderly. This way, you can see all the contents of your pantry in just a few seconds, making it easier and simpler for you to find things when you need them.
4. You should conduct a regular inventory. Before going to the store or supermarket, check your pantry first to see if you need to re-stock any items.
5. Rotate the food items in your pantry. How often have you discovered boxes or cans buried deeply on the shelves that are unused or unopened? Or that you have to remove them because they were buried so long that the contents have become spoiled or past their expiration dates? Whether you stack them or line the items up, it is crucial for you to rotate these items.
Follow these easy rules and you would be guaranteed to save time, space, and money.

Does your office look like it has never been cleaned or organized for ages and ages? Do you feel embarrassed when someone goes into your office and sees all the clutter and mess there? Do not worry. Here are some tips to help you clean your office, making it organized and clean, not to mention pleasant to look at.
1. Your desk drawers should be cleaned. Take out the unnecessary and outdated files. Free up more storage space.
2. The top of your desk should be cleared off. Wipe off the surface with a damp towel and a cleaner. You probably have forgotten how clean your desk used to be and would be surprised to see it is now clean and orderly.
3. On your desktop, delete all unnecessary items. Keep only the most essential items such as the computer, the phone, or the fax.
4. If this works for you, try creating “in” and “out” boxes for all the persons you have been working with.
5. Do a short quick list of the things that you will be doing every day at your office, preferably, on or near your desk.
6. Your mail could be sorted into “To-Read,” “To-Answer,” “To-File,” or “To-Contact.”
7. Use containers for organizing paper clips, office supplies, and pens.
8. Using trays or desktop organizers for arranging the papers across the desk is helpful.
9. There should be a separate office drawer for personal items and miscellaneous paperwork, among others.
10. If you have many dated files, use similar storage boxes. Label them if you want for easier access when you need the files in the future.
11. Buy magazine boxes for storing publications like magazines, booklets, or catalogs that you intend to keep.
12. Create a file for magazine articles or scan them into your computer.
13. Your system for filing should be simple, manageable, and easy.
14. Your files should be color-coded, making it faster and easier for you to find files.
15. Folders should not be overstuffed. It may take you longer to find something informative in the folders.
16. Do not overload your filing drawers. It will take you more time to access information in your drawers.
17. Larger files should be divided into smaller subfolders.
18. Remove files in your workspace except the files you are working on in order to avoid distractions in your work.

You may think that it is an easy task to organize a kitchen. You may realize that it can also be difficult to do tasks in the kitchen if it is not organized. You must set steps and routines for you to follow and have an easy time working in your kitchen.
Here are some pointers that you may use in organizing your kitchen:
1. You must keep your kitchen clean for you to work conveniently and free from any time consuming activities before you cook. Discard any items that you will not use and place them in a place where you can locate them easier when the time comes that you will need their use.
2. If there are medicines, spices, or food that have already met their expiration, you can put them in the trash or discard those things immediately.
3. Store cooking utensils, pots, and pans in an area near to where the stove is placed. You can congest the cooking materials for you to have more space in cooking.
4. If there are large materials and cooking utensils that are seldom used in the kitchen, you may want to remove them and place them in a cupboard. There are even appliances that are not used in your everyday cooking. You may consider adding to your kitchen an appliance barn. This can store your juicers, toasters, blenders, and other appliances on the countertop with order and arrangement.
5. Place the silverwares and dishes close to your dining area. It can be accessible for you to get these items when you are about to eat. You may need silverware holders and racks to have more space.
6. You have to be aware of the materials or tools that are reachable by your children such as knives, cleaning chemicals, and alcohol. Keep them in high places where they cannot be reached.
7. You may use a bulletin board or the refrigerator to stick or hang reminders and schedules. These can help you to have an enjoyable and organized time in the kitchen. Designate spots for your mail and bills and check them out everyday.
8. Always keep you refrigerator clean and neat both inside and outside. If you see mystery foods, discard them at once. Sometimes there are unknown items that are placed in the refrigerator.
9. If you are through with the kitchen, you must check everything before you leave the kitchen. Do not forget to turn off the lights and the ceiling fan and everything that you used with electricity. The key to an organized kitchen is maintenance.