Organized versus Creative

Here's something you frequently hear people say. "I'm too creative to get organized. If I get organized, I won't be spontaneous."

Why on earth do we think organization and creativity are completely opposite? Are organized people dull? Absolutely not. Yet, somehow we all picture the organized woman in a modest blue suit and white blouse, quietly getting everything done without ever being noticed.

I think authors are probably the most creative people in the world, but they would never get a novel finished if they weren't organized. Just picture John Grisham always coming up with these great story lines, yet never being organized enough to write them down on paper. No best sellers for him!

Let's get our act together. This can open the door to some much creativity you won't believe it.

Cleaning Products

As part of my organizing efforts, I've also been doing a lot of cleaning. There are a few cleaning products I've come to love.

• Clorox Lemon Scent Bleach: There's absolutely nothing like bleach for getting rid of bathroom mold, but that bleach smell can literally make you sick. Apparently the lemon bleach has been around for a while, but somehow I missed it. It's my new go-to bathroom cleaner.
• Fantastic: I previously used a product called Greased Lightening on my kitchen cabinets. Fantastic works even better. Grease and grime gone in an instant.
• Oxi-Clean Carpet Cleaner: It even works on very old stains. You may have to repeat the steps a few times, but it does this job better than anything else. And believe me, I've tried everything else!
• Zep Hardwood Floor Cleaner: You can find this at Home Depot. It's awesome for cleaning hardwood floors.
• And last, but far from least -- make-up remover wipes. Yes, indeed. A few weeks ago when our daughter left for college, she took some lipstick and wrote a sweet note to her father on his bathroom mirror. I put off cleaning it because of several past experiences where I rubbed and rubbed with windex. Then I read about make-up remover. I took just one and the lipstick came off like a charm!

Organized Finances

With the current financial crisis in this country, everybody is looking for ways to understand their own financial situation a little better. Here are a few ways to organize your financial world.

• Actually write down all your debt. As Dr. Phil says, "you can't change what you don't acknowledge."
• Keep a list of your expenses for one month. Track every penny you spend. You'll be surprised.
• Make getting an emergency fund a priority. Most money experts having at least three months living expense money squirreled away.
• Start to pay off debt. Most financial planners advocate paying off the credit cards with the highest interest rate first. Dave Ramsey, the "debt snowball" guru recommends paying off the small debts first to get a psychological high from getting rid of some bills. Either way can work; pick one and do it.
• If you just can't meet the bills, call your creditors and explain your situation. Most people are willing to work with you if you show you honestly want to do the right thing. The absolute worst thing you can do is ignore the bills.

Too Much Paper

By now, we're supposed to be living in a paperless society. At least, that's what I've heard. Look around; there's paper everywhere.

We have a great scanner, and I'm thinking about scanning every single piece of paper we need to keep and put on a CD. Wow! That would free up some much space in my home.

I'm one of those people who doesn't keep every scrap of paper, and I still feel like it's out of control. Who knows what its like for those of you who can't bear to throw anything out!

Any special tricks you've got to corral all the paper in life?

Write it Down

I keep a notebook in my purse that lists what I need to do and where I need to go and what I need to buy. I find it so easy to forget a couple of things, and it really relieves my stress just to write it down. Then I know it doesn't have to stay in my head.

I like to hand write things -- maybe because I'm a writer. You might want to keep it in your Blackberry. Or, if you're the auditory kind, you can record your list of things not to forget.

Find a system that works for you. Then use it religiously. It will cut your mental stress in half!

The In-Box

I really love "Getting Things Done," written by productivity guru David Allen. Although I do think he gets a little carried away with some of his suggestions, on the whole, you can take away some great organizing ideas.

What's helped me the most is his use of the in-box. He suggests we should put all our stuff -- mail, ideas written on note cards, appointment reminders, notes to our self to do something -- in the in-box. And for the last year, that's what I've done. It gives me a totally relaxed feeling because I know everything is in that box (actually basket for me). No more piles everywhere.

But here's the catch. You have to go through the in-box on a regular basis. Otherwise, it will do you no good,. The stuff will just sit there, and you'll take no actions. I try to do it once a week; sometimes it's every two weeks. It's a habit you have to make happen. But once you start doing this, you'll feel a lot more relaxed.

Home Projects

I hate -- absolutely hate -- that the downstairs of our home is so unorganized right now. We are refinishing our hardwood floors, and we just have to live in a mess while we do it.

It's difficult to stay organized during home projects. These are the times when you just have to let go of some preconceived notions of renovation projects. They always take longer and cost more than you expect. And the temptation is to let other parts of your home go to pieces at the same time. Don't give in. Keep up your organizational efforts in the rest of your home. Then it won't take forever, once the project is finished, to get back to normal.

Organized for Fun

Next time you entertain a large group, skip the chaos that often happens with parties. Get organized for fun!

If your guests will have coats, designate a bedroom to handle them all. And have a friend stationed by the door to greet guests, and tell them where to take their wraps.

Don’t create bottlenecks. Instead, create food and drink sections around your house. Have the drinks in one room, the main course in another and desserts in a third room.

When you roam around during the party picking up dirty glasses and silverware, don’t dump it all in your sink where it just looks messy. Have a designated dumping spot out of sight, such as a large dishpan in your laundry room.

Have music, by all means, but don’t turn it so loud your guests can’t hear each other talk. And as the evening progresses, change it from fast to slow to signal that your party isn’t going to last all night.

Books

We have mountains of books at our house. I love to read, fiction and non-fiction, and I always have a book going. Plus, I will re-read my favorite books over and over.

My husband has all those psychology books he uses in his practice. Shelves of them, stacks of them -- they're everywhere.

So a few weeks ago, I decided I had to take control. We have a study with lots of shelves, and then we have a couple of bookcases scattered around the house. I'm slowly trying to categorize them all, which will make finding the one you want a lot easier.

Maybe I should alphabetize. My mother always did that.

Or is that over the top?

Kitchen Tips

Keeping on top of your kitchen can be time consuming. Here are some tips to help you keep it all in order!

Keep a slice of bread in your brown sugar to keep it from hardening.

Wrap clean lettuce in paper towels and place in a gallon-size freezer bag. It will stay fresh for days.

You can decrease the amount of vegetable oil in a recipe by substituting applesauce for at least half the amount of oil.

When browning hamburger for tacos or spaghetti sauce, use a pastry blender to break it up into small pieces.

Get more juice out of fresh lemons by rolling them on your countertop.

When you drain canned fruit, save the juice and use it in place of water or milk in muffin recipes.

Keep a “running list” on your frig door. Every time you see you need an item, note it on the list.

And speaking of grocery lists, save time at the supermarket by listing your needed items in the order they come in the store.

Chop all your onions and peppers at one time. Then keep them in sandwich bags for use all week.
Make your menus for each week. You’ll save time and money.

Delegate It!

Did you know there’s a word called “delegate?” I don’t think I knew it existed for years. Apparently, I believed I was the only one who could do anything!

It really is okay to delegate. There are always people looking for ways to make extra money. Maybe a high school student can run errands for you in the afternoons. There might be a stay-at-home mom who would be glad to get your groceries at the same time she shops for hers. If your children are old enough, there are many things they can do around the house, and earn a little pocket money at the same time.

You may be saying,”I don’t have the money.” But think about what your time is worth, too. Getting some of the other stuff of life off your plate will free you up to be more creative, happier and a lot more likely to increase your own earning potential. Don’t be careless with your money, but don’t spend a dollar to save a dime.

Personal chefs can be quite reasonable. Those places where you pick up frozen meals are increasingly more popular. If you really can’t spare the cash, find another Mom you can trade off days with; you watch her kids and yours one afternoon, and she watches them all another. Look into online banking. Online shopping is a great time-saver. You shop at midnight in your pj’s. What could be better?

Think creatively, and delegate!

Get Control of Spending

You’d like to pay your bills – if you could find them. Or maybe you just need to find the money. This post isn’t about getting organized to pay bills on time. It’s about having the money to pay them.

Somebody famous once said, “I’ve been poor, and I’ve been rich. Richer is better.” There’s no doubt we need money to make it on our own. But it seems as if many Americans have gotten used to spending more than they have. It’s way to easy to charge everything and just pay the minimum amount due each month. There’s a day of reckoning, however, and it’s nothing new. Simply, the interest charges on credit cards are exorbitant. Don’t charge what you can’t pay off every month.

There are many ways to get control of your spending. You may need to close those credit card accounts, hard as it may be. Keep a list of every single penny you spend. Talk to your spouse about both of your spending habits. Money is the number one thing couples fight about. Check out online resources. Debtors Anonymous has a website that can help. Take a look at Dave Ramsey’s debt site. It’s controversial, but many people swear by it. Your church may have a financial planning class. The point is, there are plenty of resources out there to help you. Don’t stick your head in the sand about your finances.

Laundry Tips

Do you do all the laundry once a week? Or maybe you prefer throwing in a load every day? No matter how hard we work, the laundry is one of those chores that never seems to end. And of course, that's because it doesn't!

There are ways to make this never ending chore easier. If you work outside the home, trying putting in a load every morning before you leave. Then when you get home, immediately toss the wet clothes in the dryer. Put them away before you go to bed.

If you have room in your laundry room, install a closet rod so you can hang up clothes when they come out of the dryer. When our twins were still at home, I had a rolling cart with a shelf for each of them. I hung up shirts, good pants and dresses, but everything else when on their respective shelf. It was their responsibility to put it away, not mine.

Socks, socks, socks. Yes, I know, the laundry monster eats a lot of them, but for the ones he doesn't want, keep a basket near the dryer. Throw all the socks in their when they come out of the dryer. Then you can sort them while watching television.

Constantly Edit Your Stuff

We've had a houseboat for the last six years, and it's been a wonderful way to spend our hot Southern weekends. We just sold it, and while we're ready for something else, spending a lot of time on a boat has certainly taught me to religiously edit our stuff. Every inch of space is important on a boat, and I've learned to carry this over to our home. William Morris, the founder of the Arts and Crafts furniture era, said everything is our home should be either useful or beautiful. I can add another category: sentimental. I just don't let myself get too carried away with the sentimental stuff. So, next time you're debating whether or not to keep something or let it go, ask yourself if it's useful or beautiful or maybe sentimental. If the answer is no, keep that item moving.