Just had a great workout and was looking at what things  I still need to accomplish.  One is replying to my family what I will be bringing for our Thanksgiving feast!  I had hosted this holiday for the last 5 years.  It was really fun to have family over to eat, relax, chat and play games.  Our day usually lasted from noon until 11PM.  What a fun day!

Well due to my pending divorce and the sale of our big home, I am not hosting this year.  But  I still have so much to be thankful for!  My dad and stepmom decided to host it this year so all I need to do is bring a dish and enjoy the day.   But it still takes some organizing and coordinating.

Decide on the dish I want to bring, what to wear, cards to send to family that are out of town, can my kids make it also to their grandparents.  No matter how big or small your celebration is there are still things to organize.

What will your Thanksgiving be like?  What do you still need to do?  Are you going to shop on black Friday?  What list do you need to write out to make that productive?  Take a few minutes to make a Thanksgiving weekend list with a timeline.  Timeline meaning when do you need to do what so you are not frazzled or stressed out.  This will keep you feeling calm and in control.

I wish you the happiest most relaxed and enjoyable Thanksgiving ever!  Oh – don’t forget about your gratitude list – all the things big and small that you are thankful for

Enjoy!

Diane Konrath                        www.organized-transformations.com

One great message I heard recently that I wanted to share with you is:

The more you let yourself NOT follow through, the more it affects your self worth & self esteem.

That makes total sense.  We all feel better when we follow through.  Do what we say we will do.  Accomplish goals that we have set for ourselves.  Even putting things back where they belong so they do not become clutter!  When we follow through and feel in control our self esteem soars.

When we let ourselves get lazy we feel horrible.  We naturally thrive on completion and accomplishment yet we allow ourselves to not follow through on many things.  My hope is that reading this will take you to a new place.  Help you to be conscious and catch yourself when your not doing what you should do.  We expect certain things of others, we should definately have expectations for ourselves as well.  That’s what I call raising your standards.

I promise if you raise your standards of what you allow yourself to do (like not sitting on the couch when you should be getting even 20 min. of exercise), you will feel amazing.  The more you do it the better you will feel.

Another great quote I heard recently from Joyce Meyer was “No self control brings about a miserable life”.   Having self control keeps you on your happiest path and will also raise your self esteem.  There are many ways we can get out of control… spending, eating, slacking off on our follow through etc.   and it happens quickly.  Don’t let it happen to you.

That is also how people can stay better organized is with follow through and using the systems they have to stay organized.  No follow through means everything breaks down.  It’s always harder to catch up when you don’t follow through than if you just do it right from the start.

I hope this has inspired you!  Here is one last quote from Joyce to take with you on this subject -

“Raise your standards and avoid temptation”.

Enjoy

Diane Konrath                                         www.organized-transformations.com

I have a good example of this first hand.  I was taking a shower and you know how that is, you get in the warm water and a million thoughts start bouncing around in your head.  Well I couldn’t remember if I had rinsed out the conditioner from my hair!  It’s part of a routine.  Wash my hair, rinse and put conditioner on, rinse.  Well without paying attention or consciously performing the acts, I didn’t know if I had rinsed it out or not.  That opened my eyes again as I hope it does  your.

The more we do unconsciously the less we enjoy the moment.   The less aware we are the more disorganized we become.  Give your self cues to keep you aware and in the moment.  Notice what you are doing and why.  Notice when you can’t find something and stop to ask “why can’t I find this item” ?  Where should I always put it so it makes sense to me and I can find it in the future.

If you find yourself paying late fees because you aren’t keeping up with your bill paying, take the time to realize you need a system to prevent that in the future.  Putting in time, effort and awareness will prevent disorganization in the future.  This in turn will continually improve and simplify your life.  Being conscious and aware keeps you in control of your life and it’s a heck of a lot more fun than being like a robot who can’t remember if they rinsed their hair!  Enjoy your new awareness.  I’d love to hear what you noticed this week and what you did about it.

Diane Konrath

Copyright © 2011 by Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

Most people you talk to would say the same thing.  They set goals at the beginning of the year and are excited about a fresh start.  But they find themselves in the same place year after year.  Time flies by and they haven’t achieved many of their goals, if any.  Is that you?

Well it doesn’t have to be.  Remember if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.  NO WHERE… It’s time to stop the insanity and make things happen in your life.  You are the one in control and you are the only one who can make things different.  Also be sure you set personal and career goals.  If we only focus on our job or career, our personal life suffers.

Here are a few things to ask yourself.

1.  Do I actually schedule time to work on my goals?  Bingo – you need focused time to make them happen.

2.  Do I review my goals on a weekly basis to track where I’m at?  If not, you fall off the track and don’t even know it!  Reviewing is the only way to get yourself back on track or see if you need to make a little shift somewhere.

3.  Do I know what’s really important to me?  What is my why for wanting to achieve those goals.  Putting some emotion and heart into the goals makes them come to life.

4.  Do I want this year to be different?  Am I committed to making things happen this year?  Am I in the drivers seat of my life – or just a passenger going where others want me to go?

It’s your life.  We have no guarantees on how long we will live; so live life on your terms!  Make this year different.  Make this year amazing!  Only you can do that.  I’m ready are you?

Rock your life in 2011

Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

First, do you know how to use all the features of your e-mail account?  Few people actually take the time to learn.  Most people know the bare minimum and suffer needlessly.  You can organize your e-mail from the start by giving rules to certain incoming e-mail.  Depending on your service you can color code e-mail, set it up to go directly into a specific folder etc.  Make that a priority in the new year.  See what features your e-mail account has and learn them.  If you don’t like what you see, you may want to start a new e-mail elsewhere.  Learning how to properly use your e-mail accounts will give you the power back.  It is totally worth your time.

Secondly look at who you have e-mails coming from.  It’s easy to get on so many lists because you are excited to get information on what interests you.  But now is the time to be honest.  Are you really reading it all?  Do you know enough on that topic that the information is now redundant?  Determine your favorites that always deliver valuable information.  Who should you unsubscribe from?   We seem to unconsciously continue to delete, delete, delete.   Instead of always deleting their e-mail, take the time to unsubscribe.     You will be so happy you did.

As they say, systematize and organize!  A little time learning now will be priceless.   Here is a cute video from G-mail with some tips     http://bit.ly/bC9HwZ Enjoy!

Diane Konrath   www.organized-transformations.com

Copyright © 2010 by Diane Konrath

Well lets start with a statistic.  We only look at 20 % of what we file.  That includes even important papers!  So before you do anything, it’s time to be honest.  The things you tear out of magazines, do you really ever look at them again?  Is it out of sight out of mind?  If you do, that’s fine.  But the real point is to be honest.

Look at what you tear out.  What categories do you have?  What is your reason for wanting to keep these pages?  Do you find you have several articles that say the same thing?  You need to first gather all the loose pages you have torn out – I mean all of them.  We never know really how much we have until it is all together.  Now set a date with yourself of quiet time to spend sorting and reviewing what you have.  If you already have some in folders, look at them too.  This will refresh your memory of what you have and haven’t looked at.  Decide if you think you want to make folders for what is important, or do you want to make a binder with category/divider pages.  Have supplies ready before your first sorting day.

As you sort ask yourself the following questions:

Why do I want this?  What does this information do for me?  Can I google it anytime I want and get the information on line?  Is it worth my time to file this?  Will I really use this in the future?

Based on those answers make categories and start sorting what you truly feel you want to keep.  Be sure what you are keeping you label or categorize clearly.  Pick a  designated place to keep the folders or binder so it is handy to access in the future.  Set rules and guidelines for handling magazine pages from now on.  Decide what you will allow yourself to tear out and why.  Be sure you file them immediately so you do not find your self piling again.  But please give yourself a limit.  We all need limits for many things in life.

Lastly an important thing to think about is, when will you look at what you’ve filed?  If you keep articles on such topics as health or exercise, plan time even once a month to review the folders.  Put this information to good use to improve your life, or stop tearing and filing.  Monitor yourself and make sure to be honest.  Is it worth your time?

Keep the control!

Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

I love to read just like you do.  But I have also found myself getting too many magazines for the amount of time I actually have to read.  Or I decide I have several books I want to read instead and have no time left over for magazines.   The good news is I have made myself throw away renewal notices for magazines I was not reading.   I have also canceled subscriptions instead of letting it run out.  It’s time to take control and make decisions.  To me reading is a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend time.  Don’t let reading start feeling like work.

Here are a few tips to help:

1.  Unsubscribe to any magazine you find you are not enjoying.  Some have too much advertising.  Some are great but just way too big!  They actually put in too much content.  Whatever the reason, it’s ok to cancel it.

2.  Until you are sure you really want to subscribe, purchase the magazine for a few months from your local store.  It costs a bit more per issue, but then you can take it for a test run first.

3.  Let the old go, don’t let it become a backlog of HAVE TO READ.  That is a terrible feeling.  If you find it difficult, give yourself a deadline to quickly browse through the old magazines.  Once the deadline is here, you have to recycle what you didn’t get to.  Give yourself a break and just say oh well, they must not have been that interesting.  You have a life to live.

4.  Don’t overload yourself with too many subscriptions at once.  Even if you are trying to help with a child’s school fundraiser.  It’s ok to say no.

5.  Contain your magazines in a magazine holder bit.ly/bHuPtA .  This helps set your limit.  They can also enhance your decor and keep them from becoming a just another pile.

I hope this has helped you see you are not alone.  I also hope this has given you permission to deal with your magazines in a new way.  Later in the month we will address what to do with all those pages you tear out of your magazines.  Another good/bad habit we have.  Is this you?   Can you relate?

Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

But first, you need to have a specific home for the school or office supplies.  Keeping everything together is key.  That is what will  save you time and money.  Everyone in the house needs to know where this is.  Mine happens to be in a hall linen closet.  One whole shelf just for supplies.  There is a clear bin which houses erasers, tape, glue, pens and pencils.  One stack is notebooks and loose leaf paper, another is folders, report covers and tabbed page dividers.  My family knows where to go when they need something (without having to ask me). They also know where things go at the end of the school year when they bring home the unused supplies.  We also keep a notebook with an inventory listing on the shelf.  This lets us know quickly how many notebooks we have etc.  and when I’m shopping I can see what we do or  do not need.

You should do the same for your office supplies whether it’s a business, home office or home based business.  There needs to be a space designated for all office supplies.  This saves you time when you need something and also helps prevent buying things that aren’t needed.   Or buying things just because you can’t find them.  This is truly the best time of year to stock up on things you use often.  When they have the back to school sales everything seems to be much less costly than later in the year.  My daughter who is now in her 2nd year of college, loves the 5 star 5 subject notebooks.  She even liked them in high school.   I remember buying one at the start of the school year for say $3.50.  Second semester when she wanted a new one they were around $8.00!  It was an eye opener.  I find having a place for supplies, stocking up during the sale time is the way to go.  Later in the year I am not running around trying to get things and paying a lot more.  Now my family just goes to the supply shelf and helps themselves.

Life is good and so much easier when you take the time to get organized.   Please post any additional questions you might have.  I’d love to help you have an easy and organized school year (or organized business).

Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

We are productive before going on vacation, but then there is the other side.  The part of us that starts freaking out about packing, making lists etc.  Well a few weeks ago I did as I preach.  I made my computer list for packing.  Yes!  It was just for a long weekend but I did it.  I learned during packing that I had to tweak the list a bit, but that’s ok.  I now have my basic over night packing list.  I then did a “save as” up north list.  I added to the basic list everything I also take when I go up north to the cottage.  What a time saver!  No more stopping to make a list, which we do every time we go away… and then forget things because our list is always different.

What other lists do you need?  Do you like to go camping or hunting?  Make your “basic list”, do a save as “camping” and add everything you take when you go camping.  You can do the same for your hunting list or ski trip list.  You get the idea.

We will be going away again soon to visit family out of town and my packing will be easy thanks to my packing list on the computer.  All I need to do is print & pack!  I hope you’ll do the same thing and be sure to let the family know where it is saved on the computer.  That way you can call home and say print our list – we are going away tonight.  Be spontaneous – imagine that!

Don’t forget to enjoy the rest of summer.  It’s flying by as usal.  What adventures will you take yet this summer?  I’d love to hear about them.

Diane Konrath

www.organized-transformations.com

First thing to do is get some paper.  I prefer a fun notebook.  Now sit down with a cup of tea or a glass of wine and make a list.  This list will be everything you’d like to do with your beautiful summer.  You can even separate it into one page tasks and one page fun.  Tasks would be anything you need to do in the yard or around the house.  Fun of course is fun!  Camping, barbecues, walks in the morning, bike rides, going to festivals.  List everything. 

Next you will need your calendar.  Now, slot time in your calendar for those things on your list.  The only way we will accomplish the tasks and have the fun is to schedule time in our calendar.  Please do yourself a favor this year and follow through on this. 

I have already enjoyed the start of summer by sitting on my patio with the waterfall early in the morning, going for walks and doing some business writing outside on the patio.  My wish for you is to enjoy every minute you can this summer.  Even if it’s 20 minutes outside, make it happen.  You are worth it and summer is short!  I promise you won’t regret it.  In fact you may even thank me for putting you through this exercise.   I’d love to hear what summer plans you have scheduled.

Diane Konrath

262-271-0099      www.organized-transformations.com