Getting Organized F.A.S.T.: The Pep Talk you'll need this Spring

Nowadays people are all about getting things done in a snap! Speed dating, Go-gurt® and even express manicures shows that things people used to take time to enjoy are rushed and squeezed into schedules. Let's face it, we all are busy and our times are at a premium. As a professional organizer I often use the acronym F.A.S.T. But ironically it breaks organizing down not to make it as quick as possible but hopefully as long-lasting as possible. How efficient can you be if you're always looking for things? Being disorganized takes our precious time away. So let's break it down so that we can get into the process of being organized and maybe you can enjoy a regular manicure and maybe even a pedi.

F. - FOCUS

1. Turn off the T.V. -- Organizing is NOT cleaning. It really isn't a mindless activity, it involves your eyes and hands and yes, your brain. I tell clients to turn off the t.v. as it causes distraction from our thought process. But if you desire some fun while getting the job done, upbeat music can give you the energy boost you need to continue.

2. De-clutter/Pare Down -- Spring Cleaning is all about letting go and opening your arms to embrace space and let new and more wonderful things in your life. Do you really need a food processor, Magic Bullet, and a set of Ginsu knives? If you use all three often than perhaps you do. But if you can't justify keeping all of the similar items, consider donating one to a friend, family member or Goodwill and let it go to someone who will use it. Open that space and place in your life to something useful or beautiful.

3. One area at a time -- If you start with the idea in ONE Saturday you will organize and clean your WHOLE 3 bedroom home you are setting yourself up for failure. Many times we pull everything out the closets, drawers, and bins and find ourselves 4 hours later in a bigger mess than we began with and no energy left to finish or no plan of action of how to put everything back in an organized fashion. Focus on one space, one place. Organize a junk drawer in the kitchen then move on to under the sink in the bathroom. You'll be surprised how organizing one small space can make a huge difference in functionality and you will be able to carry your enthusiasm throughout the whole house without feeling overwhelmed. Remember to De-clutter/Pare down during this process.


A. - Action Plan

1. Goals - What areas really bug you or stump you the most? Sometimes it's best to start with these areas but write down (yes write it down) what you'd like the space to become or transform into. Often a mind map is a good place to start to let your creative juices flow and give yourself a road map to follow.

2. Make it real - Wouldn't we all want to island hop once a year in the Caribbean? *Raises hand* But either because of time or budget it's not realistic. When making your action plan be realistic about your time and your budget. Make the plan as simple as possible and then once you've accomplished that goal you can add all the bells and whistles later.

3. Get a timeline - If you want to de-clutter for instance, give yourself a date to sort out things you don't use any longer, and then a date to donate (or schedule a donation pick up). If you create an action plan without a deadline or a time in your calendar set aside, it's just a dream and not an action plan.

S. System & Sustainability

1. Make an "I-do-this-anyway" System - Sometimes it's better to create an organizing system around the habits we already have versus trying to create new habits. For instance, if you kick your shoes off at the front door, it may be best to create an organized place for your shoes at the front door rather than to feel like you will suddenly create a new habit of walking your shoes to the bedroom closet each day. This way you make your organizing system more sustainable and longer lasting.

2. Maintenance - All good processes require maintenance. Schedule time each week or day to maintain the systems you've created. Remember that organization is a process not a destination. It may take several tries and tweaks until you get it right, or perhaps you experience changes in life (new family member, a move, a new job) that dictate you change a system. It's okay, you're not a failure you just have to adjust and tweak a system until you find the one that works for the life you currently lead.

T. Training & Tools

1. My first tool of recommendation as a professional organizer is HIRE A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER! *smile* We keep up with the latest tools, gadgets, gizmos and organizing trends. We may even help you to see you don't need any gadgets but give you tried and true tips and tricks that could tweak how you do things but make a grand difference in your life. Organizers have foresight and the outside opinion that you may seek without the judgments and comments from the peanut gallery of family and friends.

2. Books and pictures - If you don't know what you want initially, it's great to peruse the library or Barnes & Nobles to look at books and magazines on homes organization. Once you've gotten an idea of what you want you may slowly get ideas of how to get there.



Like what you read and want to share on your blog or in print? No problem. Just make sure you make this statement at the end: Copyright 2012. Andrea Hancock is a Professional Organizer, Speaker and Owner Dexterous Organizing based in the Washington DC Metro Area. Dexterous Organizing not only provides hands-on organizing services but attempts to also enlighten the world with tips of staying dexterous, organized and efficient in a world that demands much on our time and resources. Contact Andrea at (703) 606-8968 or via e-mail andrea@dexterousorganizing.com if you'd like to learn more about how you can put the pieces of your life together with organization!

Keep Your Memories Safe!

What Not to Do: Memorabilia ruined

whatever's at the bottom of this box was molded and damaged

I was on an organizing job and I saw this reminder of what NOT to do when storing photos and other mementos.  Cardboard can get damaged! Water, mold, and animals can get in and take away your memories.  Use plastic bins and use storage means that keep things off the floor to help protect what's inside.

Style & Clothes Swap Event 5.5.2012

This isn't just a clothes swap where you bring your clothes and you swap with your stylish friends.

This is an educational and fun event filled with scores of Washington DC Metropolitan area residents who have de-cluttered their closets of some pretty awesome clothes that are soon to be your new fabulous treasures. De-clutter your closet and bring your unwanted or unworn digs and come home with something new to you!

Out with the old, in with the new...

No clothes to swap? No problem. Come see what someone else brought while you enjoy workshops like: "How to Organize Your Purse/Organize Your Life" and learn the basic steps to create an organized space.  Learn about how to look for clothes best suited for your fabulous body type and ways for the professional woman to look great on a budget.

Bring any season clothing (but we prefer Spring/Summer). Bring gently worn shoes & accessories...

Can't wait to see you DIVAS there!

There is limited space, so please register to attend.






 

 

Spring Cleaning with the Help of B Dexterous and College Hunks Hauling Junk!

Just wanted to let you know that B Dexterous is teaming up with College Hunks and Real Housewives of Northern VA to bring you an awesome deal.  First you have to enter to win!

 

Professional Organizer, Andrea Hancock, of B Dexterous, LLC will come to your home and give you a 90 minute assessment and full action plan ($150 value!)

 
- $150.00 'junk-bond' from College Hunks Hauling Junk. This coupon can be used to cover the 'minimum job' for FREE (they will pick up a few small items like a couch and some boxes - or you can apply it to a big job like cleaning out a garage or attic).

 

[phrase style="23.png"]
* contest ends 4/11 @ midnight. winner picked via random.org. giveaway package expires 30 days after contest ends.

Nickels & Dimes: Saving on Gas

So today in Northern Virginia gas was $4.05/gallon for regular. It's sad to think that in a few weeks or months I'd be WISHING that gas was $4.05/gallon again. But nonetheless that is today's gas price so we deal with it the best way we can.   Today despite the price being $4.05/gallon I actually spent about $3.70/gallon.  How did I do it?

Recently, I started to pay attention to Shell's promotion with Giant Food, a grocery store chain found in Maryland, DC, Virginia and Delaware.  If you shop at Giant and use your rewards card you get points.  For every dollar you spend, you get a point, for every 100 points you save $0.10/gallon on gas at Shell.  Don't laugh but it took me a while to understand this system and not let my precious points go unused.  Sometimes Giant even offers double or triple points on certain items and brands in the store or they feature "point boosts" coupons that give you up to 300 points just for spending a certain amount at one time (say $50) during a certain time frame. Using this system alone, I've gotten over 500 points and yes, I saved $0.50/gallon on my gas that day. This is huge!

Studies show that the average family of four spends $244 a week on groceries. If this is true most families can potentially save $0.20/gallon on gas each week.  Perhaps the strategist can wait until the end of the month (especially if the family uses public transportation to get to and from work and school) and save $0.90/gallon on gas...this is awesome right?  I even know of a family friend who pays attention to all the double point items and has saved $1.00/gallon.  My caution with this is: ONLY BUY THINGS YOU NEED. If you can perhaps stock up on paper towels and toilet paper that you store in the garage but if you don't drink coffee and you suddenly have a cabinet full of Folgers, than you aren't really saving money you are just reallocating money.  This program works great if you just paid attention and purchase things you'd buy anyway, you start to waste money if you purchase groceries that you don't use or let spoil for the save of "saving".

In my household of four, two of us have four legs so my husband and I don't spend $244 a week on groceries, that's more of a monthly budget for us. So I've found another way to boost my savings at Shell (sorry Exxon, Chevron and Liberty).  If you are on the social networking site FourSquare where you check-in using your smartphone to tell your friends where you are, give tips about the service or the surroundings, and get points for the amount and type of check-ins, you can also save money.  FourSquare has teamed up with American Express.  You can link or sync your AMEX card with your FourSquare account.  Some venues (and Shell is one of them) offer savings when you check in at their store and spend a certain amount and use your AMEX card.  Shell's offer is spend $25 and get $3. Cha-Ching!  And all I did was tell my peeps I was pumping gas, use my AMEX card and I gained another $3 in my pocket.

So today I used my Giant gas rewards and saved $0.10/gallon then I checked in at FourSquare and used my American Express card and I should have a credit of $3 on my bill at month end. So ultimately I saved ($4.05 - $0.10) x 11.66 gallons - $3.00 = about a $0.36/gallon savings!

Let's face it, gas is expensive we'll probably never see $2.00 gas again (remember when you gasped at $1.96/gallon HA!) BUT with a little forethought, FourSquare, and points planning you can smile a little knowing that you didn't pay $4.05/gallon...at least not today!

[socialshare style="hc" title="Share This Page" facebook="yes" twitter="yes" googleplus="yes" color="FAFAFA" bcolor="DDDDDD"]

Like what you read and want to share on your blog or in print? No problem. Just make sure you make this statement at the end:

Copyright 2012. Andrea Hancock is a Professional Organizer, Speaker and Owner of B Dexterous, LLC based in the Washington DC Metro Area. B Dexterous publishes “Use Your Hands”, a monthly e-zine used to stay in touch with clients and prospective clients but also to enlighten the world with tips of staying dexterous, organized and efficient in a world that demands much on our time and resources. Contact Andrea at (571) 232-8116 or via e-mail at andrea_hancock@bdexterous.com if you’d like to learn more about how you can put the pieces of your life together with organization!

Honored Memories

Memories Honored

 

My Great-Grandmother loved to knit. She knitted several outfits for me as a baby and for many of our family.  My mom was saving several outfits as keepsakes.  These are even more special as my great grandmother passed away April 2011.  Before she died, I was able to make this shadow box for my mom, (who loves butterflies) to honor the thoughtfulness of our Grandmother in a beautiful way.

If you can't let go of an item because of sentimental value, make sure you honor the item instead of saving it in obscure places where the item can deteriorate and not be appreciated.

B Dexterous Tips & Tricks: Archiving Personal Photos

Archiving Personal Photos

Organize your photos with consistent & descriptive file names

Challenge:Does it seem like your photos are all over the place your computer for digital photos?

Solution: Instead of thinking that people would LOVE to sit through all 450 pictures from your vacation in Cabo in 2009, decide which photos tell the story best and delete the rest.  Next give individual photos descriptive files names like Janeonbeach_Cabo2009.jpg.  Then create a folder for all the Cabo pictures like CABO 2009 which goes in your VACATIONS folder under MY PICTURES.  Make copies of the files "in the cloud" on a website, on your hard drive and on a thumb other larger portable hard drive.  For extreme measures send your drive to a friend living in a different location as physically far apart from you as practical.  This will keep photos safe if disaster strikes in one location.