Keeping the Car Organized

John Gruen - www.realsimple.com

Between road trips to visit family, shopping, and the overall busyness that comes along with the holidays, does it sometimes feel like you spend more time in your car than in your living room? It's important to treat your car as an extension of your living space. The goal, of course, is to keep that space as organized as the rest of your home...or more organized! Having a place for helpful items in the car means that you can cut down on time preparing to get out the door, have a more pleasant trip with fewer inconveniences, and your car will stay neater since you've planned a home for everything.

The car essentially has 3 distinct areas:

The cockpit - The driver's space is the most important space in the car, right? Everything that needs to be accessed should be within easy reach. Distracted driving is a very serious issue so safety should always be the first priority. The ability to find what you need when it is safe to do so will minimize distractions. I keep the following items in a storage spot inside my car's driver side door.

• Hand sanitizer. I use it every time I get into my car. I assume I've ALWAYS touched something germy when in public. Overkill? Maybe...but it seems to work to keep me healthy.
• Mechanical pencil and paper. For all of those times you need to grab a phone number, jot down an address, or heaven forbid, share your insurance information with another driver, it's essential to have these around.. I find that pens dry out easily in the car, and traditional pencils break. Mechanical pencils seem to hang around longer.
• Extra straws and napkins. Sure, it may be healthier to avoid the drive-thru, but the drive-thru is often a fact of life. Another fact of life is that they will typically forget some key piece of your order there. Missing food aside, I'm certainly not going to turn around for a missing straw or napkin. I keep spares clean in a resealable storage bag.
• Spare change. This is a given in most cars, but establish a place for it. In my car, change goes in the ashtray, but most vehicles have a spot designated for change. As the change container fills up, keep just a few quarters and bring the rest with you into a store with a coin machine, like Coinstar. Most coin machines don't charge a fee if you receive a gift card as "payment" for the change you put in. It's a great service, and a way to keep the coin situation from getting out of control.

The passenger cabin -  I always think of the front seat as "first class", back seat as "coach", way back as "economy".  Perhaps that's because my family treats it this way.  The amenities vary according to seating class.

• Snacks. Keep non-perishable, non-melting snacks handy. You may argue that snacks in the car aren't a necessity, but at some point you will be rushing and tired and stressed and in traffic and someone in the car will be ravenous. At that point, snacks will seem more necessary than gasoline. A resealable plastic bag in a pocket behind the seat or in the door works well.
• Trash receptacle. If you're going to eat in the car, you need a trash receptacle. Actually, you need a trash receptacle no matter what. I have a fancy, yet inexpensive, little trash bin that attaches to the back of my passenger seat. Driver and passengers can all reach it. A more basic trash solution is a plastic shopping bag. The key is to make sure it's secured and doesn't create it's own mess as it rolls around the car. Another interesting option is to use a dry food storage container, lined with a plastic bag. It stays clean and covered.
• Cleaning supplies. Waiting in the car seems to be an inevitable part of my day, whether it's waiting to pick up one of the kids or waiting for my next client. It make sense to have something to do while waiting in the car, and yes, I clean my windows and car interior while I wait. Window cleaner wipes are a wonderful invention to not only keep the insides of windows clean, but also remove dust and mysterious stickiness from the interior. Cleaning supplies also come in handy for situations that, well, require clean up.

The cargo area - You have to leave room for actual cargo, of course, but these are the items currently in my trunk:

• Extra rain ponchos in a resealable plastic bag
• Small, basic tools in a plastic shoe box
• Reusable grocery bags (all folded and stacked inside one)
• A large towel (for wet and muddy dog/messy kids)
• A small first aid kit
• Depending on the season, I also keep sunscreen, bug spray, and sports equipment contained in bins or boxes. Focus on making things easily removable so you can reconfigure and make space easily.

Car storage spaces vary widely from vehicle to vehicle. Some have tons of little nooks and crannies to stash stuff. My car is bare bones minimum, but it still works pretty well for me. The goal here is to identify what you should keep in the car, find the most likely space in terms of what can be reached from where, and then use bags and containers to keep everything under control. Treat your car like your home...Whenever you have any time at all - even if it's just a minute - use it to pick up trash, put things away in their proper place, and straighten up. Many more ideas can be found on my "organizing the car" board on Pinterest.

Did I miss anything? What else do you keep in the car?








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Figuring Out Where to Start

There's a common phenomenon that takes place in our homes. We stop seeing our surroundings. Much like I lived with an unpainted door for more than a year without actually noticing the unpainted door, people live with all kinds of unfinished projects. They simply become part of the surroundings and disappear. So, too, does the pile in the corner, the clutter on the desk, the collection of coats hanging from every possible hook, "stuff" that you don't see on a daily basis. It magically disappears. Unfortunately, it's only invisible to us, the owners of the stuff, and it's often the first thing that visitors will see. When I work with clients they often seem surprised when I want to tackle the piles in the corners (Where did that come from?!) ... and almost everyone has piles in the corners. If you don't, chances are good you're not looking for advice here. 

It can feel overwhelming to know where to start organizing and improving your space. You know you need to start small, but how do you figure out where to start? The good news is that it doesn't take a professional to figure out what needs to be tackled first. Take a picture of your space right now. Take a quick look at that picture, preferably on the computer screen, where it's bigger. What's the first thing that grabs your attention? That should be the first thing you tackle. If your eye is drawn to something in the room, others will be drawn to the same thing. Then take a good long look at that picture. Does the room look balanced? Does it look like there is too much of something? Or not enough? Try to look at your space objectively and think about what would make you like it more. Then take action. It's that easy. Maybe it will lead to asking for help from a professional organizer, handyman, or decorator, but not necessarily. Many projects are much simpler than that.

Taking a picture of an area gives you a better perspective on what needs to be addressed. It allows you to "see" your room more clearly. Just like a candid photo can sometimes shock you into action (I can't possibly look like that! That's it...back to the gym!), your room's candid photo may also inspire you to take on mini-improvement projects. It often goes beyond organizing and into decorating, but it's really all about improving your space. Just take it one step at a time.

The best part? Taking your own "after" picture and giving yourself a pat on the back. Success!

Another Opportunity For a New Year's Resolution

Another new year, another opportunity for a New Year's resolution.

Getting organized is on the "top ten" lists of New Year's resolutions every year for a very good reason. Many of us aren't as organized as we wish we were. 2013 can be the year that changes. If getting organized is on your list of resolutions, here's how to make sure you're successful.

1. Make a plan - It's overwhelming to try to tackle everything at once. Make a list of what areas of your home you'd like to organize so you can see the entire big picture. You may find that there are areas that you're actually satisfied with. Perhaps your closets are fine, but your garage needs work. Do you want to organize your paperwork this year? Do you want your closets in order? Keep in mind that, like getting in shape, getting organized is a lifestyle change. New habits need to be formed. For each of the areas on your plan, take "before" pictures, no matter how small the project is. That means even if you're working on a junk drawer, take a picture before you start. You don't need to show anyone the picture, but it serves as a reminder of all of your progress. Once we get going on an organizing project, we often forget what it looked like before. You'll have to trust me on this one.

2. Create mini-goals - Instead of getting your entire life in order, set smaller goals to start. Don't worry about getting the entire office under control, just start with a desk drawer. If you tackle a desk drawer every week, you'll have an organized desk in less than a month. Yes, that may seem like a long time to clean a desk, but it's manageable to work in small chunks, and in the end, it's a clean desk! If you're working on a closet, start by just going through your sweaters one day, shoes the next, etc. If it's paperwork you're going after, start with just one file folder. Baby steps... and every step counts. The key here is to complete the entire step. Don't place items somewhere "for now", do it for good!  Unsure what to keep and what to toss? This article may be helpful: http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/paper-records-what-to-toss-what-to-keep.html

3. Set limits  - If organizing projects stress you out, set a timer and limit how much you work on organizing projects.You have an entire year to work it out. It doesn't have to be done in a day. If the timer goes off and you're in the zone, by all means keep going, but give yourself permission to stop when it rings. It's far less intimidating when you consider that you can probably easily sort clutter for 30 minutes, or 15, or even 5. Any amount of effort gets you closer to your goal.


Of course, in the end, don't forget to take "after" pictures and give yourself a pat on the back. This is going to be the Year of Organization!

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Meeting Your Organizing Goals: A Little Help Never Hurts

Getting organized is on just about every top 10 New Year resolution list I've looked at. It's right up there with getting fit and losing weight. Unfortunately, it's also one that often goes by the wayside as the year progresses, but it certainly doesn't need to!  I have heard people comment that hiring a professional organizer is something they wouldn't do because they know how to organize. "It's not rocket science."  And that's true. It's not. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't use help. You can know all about HOW to clean, but that doesn't mean you have the time or the inclination to do it on your own.

To meet fitness goals, many people hire personal trainers. To lose weight, they join diet/nutrition support groups.   A personal trainer provides ideas, motivation and tips to ensure every move brings you closer to your goal. They (well, the good ones) are  non-judgmental with just enough butt-kicking to get you in gear. They keep you from quitting when you just feel like grabbing a snack or a nap (or both!).  They help you stay focused. You may know how to exercise, but wouldn't necessarily work as hard or efficiently if you were on your own. The same is true of diet/nutrition support groups.  They take what you know and add to it.  They offer support and accountability. Professional organizers can provide just the right amount of help to meet that goal of an organized life. Professional organizers can often save you time and sometimes money. Save money? Yes, you might just find money in that clutter.  It could literally be actual cash money, or gift cards, in the piles, but there are other ways.  You will find you're not re-buying items you already own, but just couldn't find.  Bills can be paid on time without late fees because you have a system. Items that need to be returned to the store can be found and refunded. You get the idea.

This can be the year you meet your organizational goals - declutter, use a space better, reinvent a space, get on top of paperwork.  I can't guarantee you won't sweat...maybe you'll get fit and lose weight at the same time! Well, one thing at a time...

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