Peace of Mind Organizing

December tiny projects challenge: Day 1

13 December 2021

During the lockdown in 2020, I did three tiny projects challenges and blogged about them. These were small organizing projects I could complete in about 30 minutes or less that I did for five days in a row. It was a great way to keep busy and I loved the results. I realized I didn’t do any in 2021, so I thought I would wrap up the year with another five-day tiny projects challenge. Feel free to join me in on challenging yourself to complete one small organizing project a day!

Day 1: Organizing my lettering pens

I love pens. And I love doing hand lettering. The combination of those two loves has led to quite a collection. I primarily do my lettering in the living room, on a clipboard while watching TV or, if I’m doing something that requires more concentration, at the dining room table. So the bulk of my pens (the ones that aren’t on my office desk) are stored in the living room.

A couple of years ago, I blogged about how I organize my lettering pens. In short, I organized them by type of pen and I used a Linus 9-inch divided turntable to store them, divided between GODIS drinking glasses from IKEA and Yoplait Oui yogurt jars. But my pen collection swiftly outgrew the turntable and the categories got a little squishy.

Here are a couple of before pictures:

So yesterday I decided to reorganize the pens. Originally, I thought I would just refresh the categories, but then I realized that when I was looking for a pen, I was often looking for a particular color. So on a lark, I decided to organize them by color. I know from clothes closets that organizing by color can be really attractive and beneficial. I figured it was worth a try for my pens, with the reassurance that I could always go back to organizing by type.

It was a simple process. I started by plucking out all the blue pens. There were too many for one container, so I sorted them by hue, with the purplish-blue pens on one end of the spectrum and the greenish-blue pens on the other and the true blue pens in the middle. I put them into three containers and moved on to the next color.

The whole project took just 40 minutes. Here are the after pictures:

So much prettier! Time will tell how functional organizing by color will be. (I’ll try to remember to report back.) I did keep four types of pen together, in a mix of colors (because function is more important than aesthetics to me): the Mildliner highlighter pens I use all the time, the metallic gen pens I’m currently using to write in holiday cards, some paint pens, and some dual-tipped brush pens that were much taller than the others.

In an effort to keep the session tiny, I did not test all the pens. But that’s an easy project for another day and it will doubtless allow me to trim my collection.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s tiny project!

15 years of blogging

9 December 2021

I just realized that last month this blog turned 15 years old. That feels like a milestone to be proud of.

I started my Peace of Mind Organizing blog on November 10, 2006 with a post called What is organized?.

In the 15 years since, I’ve published 1532 posts (including my Worth Repeating posts, where I revisit favorite posts). I try to blog twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays), though that doesn’t happen every week. It’s usually more like five or six a month.

Writing a blog is a lot of work—particularly if you dedicate yourself to posting regularly. But for me it’s been well worth the effort. This blog has helped me and my business in so many ways. Here are a few:

• It helps my search rankings, which puts me in front of prospective clients
• It lets clients and prospective clients get to know me and understand that I’m not perfect
• It also lets clients and prospective clients know that despite my imperfection, I have expertise
• It’s allowed me to connect with people and companies throughout the world
• It’s given me a lens through which to look at the world
• It’s helped record my personal history so I don’t have to rely on my memory (in a way, it’s a very public journal)

One thing I like about blogging, over relying on social media channels to reach prospective clients, is that a blog is less ephemeral. Past social media posts are harder to find. Now I have a 15-year library all in one place that anyone can search or browse. I also prefer the spaciousness of blogging that social media doesn’t permit. I can use as many words as I want.

I like blogging so much that in 2012 I started a second blog, Organize Your Family History, which marries my passion for organizing with my passion for genealogy research. I try to post there twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays). I love that blog as well.

Blogging regularly takes discipline. But it’s also something that can easily become a habit. I don’t pre-write (or even pre-plan) my posts. I just decide what to write each morning. I include blogging as a daily task on my Trello task management board, just in case I need a reminder. And I also keep a Trello board of blog post ideas.

After 15 years and more than 1500 posts it can feel challenging to come up with fresh ideas. (Thus this post borrows a lot of its words from a post I wrote a year ago on the blog’s birthday.) If you have topics you would like to see me cover on the blog, please share them in the comments!

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

Worth repeating: Letting holiday cards be easy

29 November 2021

I wrote this blog post a couple of years ago and when I read it again today, I was pleased to see that literally nothing has changed. Minted has made holiday cards so easy for me that I did exactly the same thing this year as I did last year and the year before that. Since it’s working so well for me, I thought I’d share again. The picture is the one we used for this year’s personal postcard.

I don’t celebrate Christmas, so December is a very easy month for me. I give few gifts so I don’t have to worry about shopping. And I don’t decorate at all.

But I do enjoy sending holiday cards. I actually always send out New Year’s cards because I like that they’re secular and they take away a little of the time pressure. I send two sets: One for Peace of Mind Organizing clients and colleagues and one for personal friends. (The personal set almost always sports a picture of our beautiful standard poodle, Bix, on the front.) Over the years I’ve been simplifying and making the process of sending out cards easier and easier.

How do I keep it simple? My secret weapon is Minted.com. I’ve been ordering from them for years and don’t even consider taking my business elsewhere.

As I detailed last year, here’s why I love Minted:

• They offer beautiful cards (both photo and non-photo) designed by independent artists who win design competitions for the privilege of being included.
• They offer addressing of the envelopes at no additional cost, in a design that complements the card. This is a huge time saver and looks great.
• The quality of the card stock is excellent and they offer a number of options (like printed return addresses, “skinny wrap” return address labels, printed card backs and envelope liners) to snazz it up. You can customize both the front and back (or inside) of the cards.
• They offer flat, as well as folded, cards. And they also offer postcards.

This year, I picked out my design, then edited last year’s address list. I removed a few people and added some more. Then I ordered stamps from the postal service’s website. The whole thing took an hour or so, partly because I didn’t let myself agonize over the decision. There are many beautiful designed from which to choose, but I went with the first one that caught my fancy.

For our personal cards, we opted for a postcard. Minted allows you to upload the photo so you can see how it looks with various designs. Genius! It was an easy choice this year and my husband Barry was enthusiastic about it. I chose to leave the back of the postcard blank, so I’m jotting a brief message and hand addressing the cards. We saved money because postcards are less expensive to print and the postage is less. (That’s a picture of this year’s postcard at the top of this post.)

My business holiday cards come pre-addressed, but I do write a personal message on each. (I opted for the flat cards that go in envelopes.) I ordered 125 business cards and 65 personal postcards. I’ve been writing a dozen cards and six postcards each evening. That’s easy and pleasant and will be done in four days.

I love sending out holiday cards, but if you don’t I encourage you to take that particular task off your list. As a card enthusiast, I always enjoy receiving cards but I don’t notice if someone doesn’t send me one. I’d be willing to bet that no one will hold it against you if you choose not to send cards! (And as an aside, you have my permission to let go of the cards you receive either right when they come in or after the holidays are over.)

But if you do enjoy sending holiday cards, you might look into ways that you can make it easier, like ordering online and having the addresses printed on your cards. Minted makes that easy. (By the way, that’s an affiliate link; if you use it I get a small commission that doesn’t affect your price.) Always look for promotions at the top of the screen. Right now there’s a Cyber Monday coupon code that will save you 25% but it expires December 2, 2021 at 9 am PST.

Holiday cards don’t have to be a burden!

Expressing gratitude this Thanksgiving

25 November 2021

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What’s not to love about setting aside a day to give thanks?

While it’s a blissfully stress-free day for me (I don’t have to do anything but eat and enjoy the company of my friends-who-are-family), I know Thanksgiving can be stressful for some. And it’s the launch day for a potentially stressful holiday season.

Here’s what I want to suggest: Take some quiet time today and make a list of things you’re thankful for. We’ve been through a lot in the last couple of years and amidst the challenges and sorrows there are silver linings. Can you identify a few?

Reflecting on your blessings can help you reduce stress. And science shows that it makes you happier. “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships,” according to a Harvard health newsletter article on happiness research.

There’s no better time than now to take a quiet moment and reflect on all you have to be grateful. I hope you’ll take a few moments on November 25 (whether or not you’re in the U.S. celebrating Thanksgiving) and do just that.

Happy Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for you.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Paper vs electronic task management

22 November 2021

I made the switch from paper to electronic task management many years ago. I love that my tasks are always with me on my phone and that I can add to them with ease. As I blogged about last year, I created a Daily Task Management Trello board that was working really for me.

But then I started creeping back toward paper and pen. Since I’ve taken up hand lettering as a hobby, I enjoy hand writing things more and I enjoy looking at my handwriting. I find when I’m working at my desk (which is when I’m mostly using my task list) that it’s handy to have a paper list by my keyboard, rather than having switch to another program on my computer.

I turned off the automation for daily tasks in my Trello board, but I still use my Trello board for capturing tasks. I create a new hand-written task list every day, in consultation with my Trello list, either first thing in the morning or the night before.

A couple of weeks ago when we were recording our episode on Gamification for the Getting to Good Enough podcast, my co-host Shannon Wilkinson reminded me about To-Do List Bingo. I used to use this method regularly (and blogged about it quite a bit). But I had completely forgotten about it!

So I immediately started creating a hand-written Bingo board for my daily tasks. I have found it so effective and motivating. It takes a few minutes to create the board, which I don’t mind at all. I create it in the Rhodia Dotpad top-bound A5 spiral notebook where for the last six weeks or so I’ve been trying to capture everything I write down in chronological order (rather than on scraps of paper).

I use Mildliner dual-tip brush markers to create the grid and check off completed boxes (I switch up the colors every day for the fun of it) and a black Pixma Micron 01 Fineliner to write the tasks in the squares. If I need to change the contents of a square, I use Post-It® cover-up tape. If I want to highlight a task that’s especially important, I outline that box in a different Mildliner color. As the photo above reveals, it might look a bit messy but I prefer to think of it as beautifully imperfect.

This hybrid paper/electronic method is working well for me (for the moment anyway). It has the elements I look for in a system:

• I can add new tasks on the fly (in Trello)
• It motivates me to do tasks (who doesn’t want to get a Bingo?)
• I’m creating a new task list each day, which has me evaluating my daily tasks
• I can easily indicate the most important tasks
• I get satisfaction at the end of the day

Anything that helps me plow through tasks when I am at my desk is great. My Daily Task Management Trello board worked really well for me for a year a half but I’m okay with stepping away from it for awhile since it has stopped motivating me.

If you struggle with task management, I encourage you to find a way to make it fun! Perhaps a Bingo board is worth a try.

New mailing list for new + aspiring professional organizers!

18 November 2021

I’m very excited to announce my new newsletter for organizers in the early stages of their business and those contemplating starting an organizing business. I know there are so many questions that come up at the beginning of this remarkable journey, and I’d love for you join my New Organizer Insights mailing list. When you first sign up, I’ll send you a series of six daily emails, the first of which has a link to my free guide, Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting an Organizing Business. Then, every couple of weeks, I’ll be sending you a short email with insights and tips written especially for new and aspiring organizers.

It’s free and easy to sign up for my organizers mailing list! You can unsubscribe any time.

If you’d like to go more in-depth right away, you may also want to check out my New Organizer Bundle, which includes five guides that go into much more depth than my newsletter will. See what’s in the Bundle.

I’m really excited at the opportunity to share of the insights I’ve gleaned from 16 years as a professional organizer. If this appeals to you, I hope you’ll sign up! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.

Changing up holiday gifts this year

8 November 2021

I’m a big proponent of letting the holidays be easier by planning ahead. This year it’s more important than ever to plan ahead for holiday gift giving. That’s because supply-chain issues might make last-minute shopping even more stress-inducing than usual if the items you want to buy are not available. Plus, the postal service is slowing down delivery so you’ll need to get packages in the mail extra early.

So if you haven’t already, I encourage you to give some thought to what you want to give the people on your list and then buy the gifts now. If that doesn’t feel great, I have a radical idea.

Consider not giving gifts to everybody.

Take a look at the adults on your list. Are there any people you could propose not exchanging gifts with this year? It doesn’t have to be a permanent arrangement. You could use the weird time we’re in as an excuse to give it a try. (And if you’re like me, you’ll stick with it.)

If it feels too difficult to suggest no gifts, maybe you could propose sharing an experience with someone on your list, rather than exchanging physical gifts. A walk in the park together, for example. Or a long phone or Zoom call. Or play an online game together. (I’ve been playing online Scattergories with dear friends every week for a year and a half and it’s been amazing.) Another option, of course, would be to give a donation in the gift-recipient’s name to charity they support.

The 2021 holiday season has the potential to be extra stressful for last-minute shoppers. But it doesn’t have to be. Here’s my advice:

• Buy your gifts now or
• Decide not to buy gifts at all

To me, that feels so much easier. I exchange gifts with very few people and I have such an easy holiday season. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to give it a try!

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash