by Megan Spears

Recently, I was reading an article in the newspaper about Internet addiction and it’s affects on personal interaction and relationships. Between social networks and generic Internet surfing, a person can spend hours of each day on their computers, in addition to their workload. And lets not forget to add the texting piece to this equation. If you really sat down and thought about it….

“How much time does social Internet usage take from your day? “

I think it’s important to spend time doing various social networking, Internet activities… but how do you set the limits? Especially as a small business owner? Another important fact is that when you are trying to do too many things at once, are you really giving each task your full attention? Here are three great ways you can dial in the amount of time you are spending on these various tasks…

1. I encourage most of my clients who spend lots of time on the computer to actually track for one week how much time they are spending on the Internet.  It’s an eye opening experience when you actually start tracking how much time you are spending online. It’s even better when you track how much time goes to each type of usage. Don’t fool yourself… it’s not 15 minutes a day!

2. After looking at how much time you are currently spending, determine what a good limit should be for each day or week. Once you have a reasonable amount, use a timer or set an alarm on your computer to remind you when it’s time to stop. When you set that reasonable boundary, it becomes easier to live within your means and enjoy the time you are spending on each type of task.

3. If you are struggling with limitations and/or struggle with making decisions on where to spend your time, use a quick tools that will help you manage multiple networks or services for you in one action. For example, services like HootSuite is a fantastic service that will allow you to manage multiple Facebook pages and/or profiles, Twitter or other networks in one application. This way, you can update a status once or twice a week once, versus five different times once or twice a week.

The key is to really decide what your priorities are and understand that multi-tasking isn’t always a good thing. It’s also important to be dedicating time to various Internet activities… However… proceed with caution. When you start to feel that draw that you might be missing out or you need to quickly check what people are saying on Facebook… you might  want to stop yourself and consider how important that is right now.

Do you have a back up system in place for your computer? If you have ever had the misfortune of a fried hard drive, you probably know the importance of having some sort of back up in place. Recently, we have been reaching the maximum capacity for data on our home computer, laptop and back up hard drive. We’ve had to do a lot of shifting of data and have come to the conclusion that it’s time to upgrade the back up system.

Sometime in early 2003, we lost everything on our computer. Our PC was only about a year old and we couldn’t believe the hard drive failed. The worst part about that event was that it was right after my first child was born. Every picture, every financial transaction… E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G… gone. When my tech guy tried to recover the files, all he could come up with was one tiny scrap of data from Quicken from 1993. From that point on, we made a point to install a back up plan. Something to protect us from that awful feeling of loosing everything.

It’s amazing how quickly you can fill up a hard drive with various pictures, videos and the many documents created for both business and personal life. We have been looking into either buying a new computer or an additional back up external hard drive and after may online searches and trips to the computer store, we finally bought a new 2 terabyte hard drive. I always think that it’s important to weigh all your options when making this type of upgrade.

Recently, I was reading a great article in Family Circle on having a back up plan and the author has some really good data on what’s type of plans are out there. Be informed and see what your options are! Here are a few highlights…

Virtual Services – Online Services: A remote, online, or managed backup service is a service that provides users with a system for backing up and storing computer files. Online backup providers are companies that provide this type of service (courtesy of wikipedia)

• Annual expense, typically cost $50-$100 per year.
• Need to have high speed internet to support these services.
• You can schedule back ups or do them manually, it depends on what your needs might be.
• Files will be stored off site and can be a challenge to retrieve.
• Installation and re-installation can be a hassle.
• Various Services: Carbonite - Backblaze – Memeo – Norton – Mozy

External Hardware/Drives:A disk enclosure (aka hard drive) is essentially a specialized chassis designed to hold and power disk drives while providing a mechanism to allow them to communicate to one or more separate computers (courtesy of wikipedia).

• One time cost, typically $50-$200
• Plugs into a USB and you can download or copy as needed.
• Back up multiple PCs onto one drive.
• Easy to use and store.
• Back ups are done manually.

Important Tips

• Create a schedule or reminder for your back ups so you are consistent.
• Test your systems regularly so you can ensure your information is getting recorded properly.
• Create additional back ups that can be stored off site, in case of fire or flood.
• Duplicates never hurt anyone! Burn a disc or use a thumb drive.

There is no worse feeling in the world than when you can’t find your keys. I can only remember a couple of instances in my life when I have lost my keys.

Once when I was in college it was close to almost a week before they resurfaced. I contribute that mostly to the fact that my roommate borrowed them to head down to the laundry and mine were right on my table. She grabbed them as she headed out the door. When she returned, I was in our suite-mates room watching a movie and she “said” she put them back on the dresser. We tore the room upside down looking for them and as I mentioned, it was about a week before they turned up.

Another time, I was heading out the door with my very new baby to go to a doctor’s appointment. We were running a bit late already and I couldn’t find my keys. I remember the frantic state I was in running back and forth, searching all the usual places to not find my keys. Who would have thought that checking my pocket would be the place they would turn up. Mommy brain… what can I say.

Those moments in life can be stressful and extremely annoying. Here are three sure-fire ways to never loose your keys again!

1. Use a key ring that will be easily identifiable. If you typically loose your keys in your purse or on the counter, use a key ring that will stand out from everything else. Something colorful or shiny might help to catch your eye when you are looking to head out the door.

2. Use a 3M hook to hang the keys by the door (or where you set your purse). I love 3M products and their Command Strips are one of the best products out there. If you need multiple hooks in multiple spots – - hang them up. They will not damage your walls and they are perfect for hanging your keys by the door, in the kitchen or mud room. It will make your life easier to just hang them up as you walk in the door.

3. Create a habit that feels good for you. It’s always important to pay attention to your habits. What do you do as you walk in the door? Do you drop your purse and/or bag on the floor, in the kitchen, at your desk? Do you come in the front door or through the garage? If you see what habits you have it will make “modifying” your habits a little easier when trying to find the best place to put your keys.

Sometimes the littlest things can make the biggest difference!

Over the past few weeks we have had a terrible cold circulating around our house. After fighting it off for days the cold has now gotten the best of me.  My motivation is at about 25% and it’s in my best interest to try and  rest and make myself well.

Here is my dilemma…I have a PTO meeting tonight that I can’t miss, company coming tomorrow and a house that needs to be clean. I have two client appointments this week and a workshop presentation tomorrow.

Life doesn’t stop when you  are sick, so how do we get things done while we are trying to make our self well?

It’s simple, prioritize. Take the time to look at what you have to get done and start shifting your priorities to get through your down days. Here are four simple steps to help you get that done:

1. Examine your to-do’s.When faced with a crisis situation that requires you to examine your workload, it’s important to be able to differentiate what is important, what is critical and what can get put on the back burner. Setting priorities will help you get the critical things done and the rest can wait until you are back to 100%!

2. Put YOU first! As a mom it’s so easy to put ”us” on the bottom of the list (or sometimes, not even on the list). When you aren’t feeling well and things seem to be stacking up against you, you have to let go of the “stuff” and put you first! If you don’t make yourself a priority, you won’t get better and then you will be sick longer.

Know your time. Rest is priority and knowing you need to block time for resting is the hardest thing to do. That’s why examining what you “really” need to do will allow you to put a few things on the back burner. For me, I have to focus on what I can do now, today. I had originally planned to get some future projects started today, but that’s just going to have to wait.

Delegate. If you have toddlers home with you (as I do today), let them help and/or pick up some of the slack for you! For instance, I always forget to drink more water when I am sick, so today, my 5 year old is in charge of making sure mom’s water glass is full at all times. He is helping me get better and taking one thing off my things to do!

I hate being sick. It ranks up there with a dental appointment or taking the kids in for shots, but we all have to deal with it, the important thing is to just make the best of it.  Here’s to better days!

I love to make lists.

Lists of every kind… to-do’s, grocery, places to go or books to read.  I don’t think there is a list out there I haven’t made. Lists can be one of the most helpful tools in TRACKING activities or things that need to be done. I start each day creating my to-do’s and working my way down the list… As I complete each task, crossing off the completed items is  (*sigh*) the best reward.

The benefits of list making can allow you to relieve your mind of all those things swirling around up inside. Making that list can….

• …allow you to empty your mind of information so that you won’t stress about “trying to remember” tasks or activities.

• …allow you to better prioritization tasks or activities by looking at a complete list to determine what needs to be done when.

• …feel the reward of the completed tasks and see your accomplishments.

• …have better control over your time and tasks better with a completed list.

Lists can be a helpful tool in business planning or tracking of goals. Personally, I find that a pencil and paper to be the most effective way to keep track of my lists, but I have to say… have you ever checked out they list managers online. I was surprised to see just how many online list tools there are available online.

We all have different ways of tracking our to-do’s, so here are some of my favorite “list” websites that are FREE… tadalist.com or springpadit.com or evernote.com or rememberthemilk.com or todoist.com.

What is your favorite kind of list… how do you track it?

I love to teach people about time management. It’s always so fun to show people how the way we manage our time not only effects our organization, but it really effects our overall productivity. I have been teaching a regular class on time management for the last few years and it’s always so neat to see that light bulb click on in my students eyes when they find that one nugget that they can take home and implement into their own life.

When we have a good understanding of “our time,” it becomes easier to getting things done and ultimately enjoy life!  Here are a few nuggets that I would like to share with you on how you can improve your time management! Enjoy!

1. Put your priorities and goals first everyday.

2. Centralize your tasks and calendar all in one place.

3. Start and end your day looking at your planner or schedule.

4. Make time to manage your schedule each and every day!

5. Include transition time in every task or event.

6. Set deadlines and due dates with every task.

7. Build in time for those “non-working” events (aka Facebook, the internet or TV time).

8. Use reminders, automatic alerts, post-it notes — whatever it takes to help trigger your mind.

9. Try to respond to the “quick” things as they come in.

10. Create a command center for incoming and outgoing work, paper or action items.

11. Being on time shows respect for others and in turn they will respect you!

12. Create templates for things you do regularly (shopping lists, emails, travel etc.)

13. Delegation! If you can get help… TAKE IT!

14. If you are overwhelmed with junk mail – ask to be removed!

15. Try saying “No” so that eventually you can say “Yes”!

Some people say that being organized is “something you are born with.” I say pish-posh! We all have the ability to be organized, it’s just about finding your inner organizer and seeing what will work for you.  With this new year you have the chance to give yourself a break and take the time to get yourself organized. Focus on one area per month, by the end of the year you will be sitting pretty and dare I say, organized!

January (1): Taxes. Taxes. Taxes.
Get started now! Pull your paperwork and start sorting, don’t wait until April 15th. If you self-file order your Turbo Tax. If you use an accountant, make the phone call and get the ball rolling! Be proactive instead of reactive!

February (2) Opt-Out!
Now is the time to take stock of what’s coming in your mailbox. If you are getting too much junk mail, get signed on to the Opt-Out! By taking the time to opt-out, you will find your mailbox a little emptier!

March (3) Home Office Makeover!
Your taxes are done, your mail box only has the important stuff in it and now is the time to clean the office. Take some time once a day or once a week to give it a good over haul. Sort through your files, clear off all surfaces and maybe even rearrange your desk!

April (4) Get Outside!
You’ve been cooped up for months, now it’s time to get outside. Check all you outdoor needs and garden supplies to make sure you are stocked for Spring. Toss out anything that is broken or damaged from the cold winter months. Spruce up your patio with a nice crocus plant, they always make me smile.

May (5) Clean Out the Car
Taking care of your automobile space is just as important as it is to take care of your household space. Give it a good washing and vacuum out the inside. Be sure to include a trash bag or can, and any essentials you may need for the summer months; sunscreen, a hat or sunglasses! Be prepared to be spontaneous!

June (6) Kitchen Klean
The kitchen is the most used space in your home. Take some time to sort through your dishes, cabinets and pantry. Get rid of any outdated food or cookware you don’t use. Make sure that all your essential items are within arms reach while your cooking and it’s good to wipe down the insides of drawers and cabinets.

July (7) Linens Galore!
Summer is a great time to pull out the linen closet! There is nothing better than line dried sheet! Make sure you have complete sets of your sheets and they are in good shape, as well as check through all your medications. Outdated medication can be hazourdous to your health and here are great tips for disposal.

August (8) Book Review
If you are a book lover like me, it’s always a good idea to wipe down the shelves every now and then. If the shelves are double stacked it might be worth a peek to see if there are any that you can live without or maybe swap.

September (9) Take a break!
You have been working hard. Take the month off!

October (10) Closet Craze!
We are coming into the winter months and you are probably switching into a winter wardrobe! Take the time to sort through any items you may want to donate. Organizations are looking for the warmer cloths this time of year so it’s a great time to take stock.

November (11) How do I decorate?
Pulling out the holiday decorations is always exciting. If you are like me, you might find that forgot how you decorated the mantel. An easy way to keep it all organized is with a photograph. Pack away your decorations by room or by space, along with a photo to help you remember how you created your masterpiece!

December (12) Get your Goal ON!
Let’s face it, you are a WAHM. You have a super full plate! It’s hard to stay on track. Each year it’s so nice to sit down and take stock of the blessings over the year and set some goals for the coming year, for you and your business!

Being organized is about setting limitations and living within them. If we take the time to manage our lives, we will find ourselves to be… organized!

Do you set new years resolutions? It’s hard to believe that 2010 is here upon us. This past year has just flown by (everyone seems to say that these days).  I have never been much of a resolution maker… I always seem to peter out before the crocuses peek out of the ground.

Personally, I am more of a goal setter. It seems more realistic to set a goal and work towards it. I like to sit down early on in the year, think about what I have accomplished and plan out what I want for myself, my business, my family in the new year.

As a small business owner, taking the time to plan out your goals requires some planning and thought but can be well worth the time and effort invested. You may find yourself, as I do at the end of each year, with completed (or very close to completed) goals.

Here is how you can get your goals and have a plan:

1. Schedule an appointment with yourself. Block out at least 6 hours.

2. Gather all your completed to-do lists, planners, client files and your business plan and really any other pertinents information that would relate to what you have completed and/or accomplished in the previous year.

3. Review. Review. Review. Take the time to evaluate what you have done and document it.

4. Do a brain dump of your hopes and dreams.

5. Pick 3-4 for business and 3-4 personal goals from your brain dump.

6. Map out how you will get each goal completed within the next 12 months.

By taking the time to establish what you want for your business and your personal life, you have a clear plan of how to get where you want your business to be!

by Megan Spears

Laundry is a never ending job.

If you have a big family (or even a small one), the laundry room will always be one of the most used rooms in your home. The other problem with a laundry room is that it can be a breading ground for clutter and anything random (like a secret hiding spot).

Here are five simple steps to avoid the clutter and keep your laundry room in order.

1. Keep the surfaces clear. As tempting as it may be, keep your surfaces clear. Always. You need the surface area for folding, so stacking things on top of the washer or dryer only makes it harder for you to complete you task. Because the laundry room is an open space to “hide” those random things we don’t have a home for, or don’t know what to do with, it’s important to make the time to clear off surface areas and put things away just as you would make the time to clear any other surfaces in your home.

2. Go vertical. Vertical space is an unknown organizational tool that is commonly overlooked in most spaces. Use hooks for hanging brooms or mops, shelves for laundry soap or cleaning supplies, and any cabinets for larger storage items. Sometimes a small investment of shelving can make the biggest difference in keeping surfaces clear and/or utilizing a small space to it’s maximum capacity.

3. Laundry room is for laundry. As much as I know it’s easy to make the laundry room a multipurpose room (or space), try to keep it to managing less rather than more. As I mentioned, this is one of the most used spaces in your home so it’s imperative to keep it organized!

4. Install a rod for hanging items. This is one of the best $9.99 investments you can make in a laundry room. By using a simple tension rode in the door jam or between a cabinet and a wall, having a hanging rod can make a ton of difference in processing your laundry!  In addition to making your job easier, you have a place to hang all those unused hangers!

5. Create a schedule. Because laundry can really “pile up” literally and figuratively, it’s important to keep on top of it! If it’s specific days of the week or once a month, create a schedule for yourself that will help you stay on top of the mountain. Not only will that allow you plan ahead, but it’s an important element of good time management!

Sometimes it just takes a few simple changes in a space in your home to make all the difference in keeping an active room organized. Although I do laundry twice each week, I am almost assured at least three days of being laundry free!

by Megan Spears

grat * i * tude \grat’i tood’, -tyood\

n: the quality or feeling of being thankful < She showed her gratitude for her husband’s romantic gesture by letting him watch ESPN all afternoon. > The quality of being thankful or grateful – Syn. Thanks, Thankfulness, Appreciation, Gratefulness.

This is the dictionary.com definition of gratitude. For some reason, we spend quite a bit of time talking about what we are grateful around Thanksgiving, but why should we limit our gratitude to just one day (or month) of  the year.

Last year, I read a great article in Real Simple on this very subject of Gratitude that I really enjoyed and love to share with people who need that extra boost of motivation (or reminder) of why it’s important to be grateful.

Oprah talks frequently of living a life of gratitude and that not enough people do it. We get so wrapped up in our own drama or chaos that we forget about being grateful or thankful for all that we have. America is of course the the land of excess…

How does it happen that we loose track of our priorities? Getting back to what really is important is what I have feel this time of year is all about. Knowing what defines you and what you can truly express gratitude for!

I am grateful for….

…Gods grace and the many blessings we have had this past year.

… Our family and especially for my husband and all that he has done for our us!

… Our good health and how the kids have managed to dodge a few cold bullets recently.

And finally… Our freedom, that each day I can make choices for myself and my children. That I have the opportunity to experience all these things that I am grateful for!

What are you grateful for?

So, the big day is officially three weeks away. I have just cracked my cookbooks and started preparing for the big day. We usually celebrate Thanksgiving at our house because Christmas is reserved for my mother in law. I am really wanting some good yummy food to last us all weekend so I really want to start planning today.

Planning for a big event such as Thanksgiving can be really helpful in allowing you to ensure everything is done and you can enjoy your day of gratitude!

Here are my preparation ideas for assuring that the day is a complete success (along with some yummy leftovers):

1. Meal Preparation
   1. pick menu items assuring that we have lots of everything and won’t be too much work on the big day
   2. talk to my guests about what they are wanting to bring
2. Shopping
   1. make my shopping lists for the meal and centerpiece items needed
   2. try and pick up the dry items on my next grocery trip
   3. plan a day this coming week to get to the craft store
3. Table Centerpieces
   1. pick a project for the kids to do for the table
   2. plan something that is simple from my saved project idea books
4. Entertainment
   1. find a good holiday movie to watch (get it in the Netflix queue)
5. House Cleaning
   1. self explanatory

The nice thing about starting the process today… just means less to do at the last minute! Happy holdiays!

Creating an efficient closet space is a challenge, even for me. It seems like closet spaces come in all shapes and sizes anymore, so it can be difficult to decide what really belongs inside.

About a week ago, we had our first freeze. It got down to 28 degrees and I just wanted a nice warm sweater to wear. As I searched through my closet to find something warm, I realized that my closet was a mess. It’s a pretty big space and I was starting to just toss things that clearly didn’t belong inside. NOTE TO SELF:  having more space in your closet doesn’t mean you need to fill it with stuff.

I was quickly reminded of that it’s time to switch out the summer and winter cloths in my closet. Here is what I did….

The first thing I did was take out all the “unrelated items.” Things like seasonal coats, and miscellaneous bags, hidden gifts were removed and put in a storage closet elsewhere.  They just didn’t belong in that closet space with my everyday cloths.

The second thing I did was rotate out my summer and winter cloths. As I was taking out all my summer stuff, I did a quick “once over” to make sure that everything was still in good shape and will be wearable for next season. A few items went into the donation box (that sits on the top shelf of my closet), while all the other items were put away in my seasonal closet (which is a smaller storage closet in my bedroom that we keep seasonal storage).

Finally, I did a quick check on all the other related items in my closet space. Things like scarves, belts, sweaters, pants and shoes also should be checked to make sure they are still in good presentable shape. I was able to get rid of a few handbags that were looking a little beat up and then reorganize them on the top shelf. I sorted through my shoes and managed to get rid of a few pairs of heels that I know I will never wear again.

When it was all said and done, it took me about an hour to re-organize my entire closet space and I even came up with a good size box of things to donate. A few recommendations for your closet clean up:

1. Have a designated area in your closet for empty hangers, it makes for a quick grab on laundry day.
2. Have a donation box, bag or bin in your closet ready so when you need to discard unwanted items, you can just toss inside.
3. Don’t forget to use vertical wall space for things like scarves, belts or handbags.

Re-organizing your closet is a great thing to do at the beginning or end of each season and when done regularly, can be a quick job!

by Megan Spears

Organizing your electronic files is sometimes harder to do than paper files. We don’t see the actual document so we often forget what’s there.  The nice thing is that when your electronic files are organized you can find what you are looking for it will ultimately save you time and money! Creating an organized system for your electronic files can be an easy as 1-2-3.

1. Start with your Folders.

When you are creating your “folders” in your My Documents (for example), you  a similar system to how you would organize your paper files. Think of each folder as a file drawer or maybe a drop file.  When you have a similar folder system to your paper system, you will simplify the process and decrease the amount of time spent searching for files or documents on your computer.

2.  Naming your Documents.

Creating a system (or as my husband likes to say a “method to my madness”) that will help you efficiently track your documents, it becomes a lot easier to see what documents you have and where they belong. If it’s by TYPE, DATE or CLIENT/VENDOR, find a system that will help you better code your documents.

Personally, I track most of my documents by date. I often update and recreate forms or paperwork into newer versions so for me, dated items allows me to know which is most recent version.  For Example: 09_2009_Terms_Conditions would be one example of the most recent version of my Terms and Conditions.

3. Maintenance and Clean Up

***HINT*** The process of cleaning out your computer files is just as important as cleaning out your paper files. Even computer’s get overstuffed and unorganized so scheduling annual maintenance for file clean up will help you control the amount of memory you are using, and ultimately help in de-cluttering your files and folders to again, help the searching process and/or order of your computer filing.

Annual maintenance on my PC is just as much fun as my annual paper file purge. I enjoy getting down and dirty with my the process of PURGING!!! Getting rid of unnecessary documents, organize my information and streamline my information so that I can better serve my clients!

by Megan Spears

We need to come up with a new name for what most people call a junk drawer. Maybe something like “the nitty-gritty drawer” or “the drawer that holds things without a true home drawer”… something a little more meaningful than a junk drawer.

If you ask anyone if they have a junk drawer, almost immediately they will say… “yes of course, doesn’t everyone?” A place to be the catch all of everything small and important. Essential items that we can’t live without, but that don’t really have a specific home.

My junk drawer sits at my desk, top drawer and it holds my cell phone charger, miscellaneous business cards that need to be filed, chapstick, sunglasses, glasses screwdriver, and a few random broken items that need to be replaced, repaired or tossed.

Early on in my relationship with my husband he would behave unusually strange when I would tell him to clean out his junk drawer because it wouldn’t shut. He thought that no matter what, it should never be purged, cleaned or cleared. His drawer sat in the bathroom next to the sink  so that as he changed from his work cloths, he could empty out his pockets into… the junk drawer.

About three years ago when the boys were into opening bottles of this and that, we had a little mishap that spilled on the counter and leaked into daddy’s “open” junk drawer.  I didn’t see that I had much of a choice, the mess had to be cleaned up.

As I cleaned out the drawer, pulling out paper after paper… I realized that the content of his junk drawer wasn’t at all what I thought it would have contained, it was a place to leave his trash. I thought this was so weird. Why would you put paper trash in a drawer when the garbage can sat two feet from the drawer.

I found receipts, envelopes from old cards (some of the cards too), wrappers… lots of wrappers, old ticket stubs to concerts from years past, shaving gear from razors long gone, pens, pencils, highlighters (all of which didn’t work), old medical supplies from a fingers injury 5 years prior, cologne that he will never wear and so on…

I was intrigued. I had to look up the word junk. Websters defines junk as anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash. I had no idea he could take the junk drawer so literally.

So, tell me, tell me, tell me… what’s in your junk drawer?

by Megan Spears

Did you know that the month of September is Emergency Preparedness Month?

Just a few weeks ago, just three short miles away a forest fire started. It was heading in the opposite direction as our house (thank God!), but it raised many questions from my kids….  “what do we do mom if the fire comes to our house?”

Thankfully, to the help of hundreds of fire fighters, the fire was contained in about a week and there was only a few homes affected. If you have watched the news or picked up a paper within the last few weeks you know that over 250 square miles are burning in the Los Angles area. Sadly, this fire has devastated the people of the LA area. The fire has killed two firefighters, injured 11 others and destroyed 78 homes, two commercial buildings and dozens of outbuildings(*). Did I mention that we are on the cusp of hurricane season. Disaster happens. That’s real!

After September 11th, the US Department of Homeland Security sponsored National Emergency Preparedness Month. Being prepared for an emergency doesn’t have to be a big investment or involve tons of planning. It might just mean having things organized at home so that you can grab and go within a short window of time, or just creating a plan of action.

The key is to just stop and think about being prepared and what you would need. Here are some great resources to start getting things in order for you and your family!

Ready America. This is by far the most informative website on being prepared for a any type of disaster! If you need to prepare your home, kids or business… Prepare. Plan. Be informed!

American Red Cross. Sharing tips and helpful hints on how to prepare yourself and your family for an emergency.

FEMA. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be the ones who can help after disaster has hit. Learn how to be prepared and what you can expect after a disaster.

Portland Oregon Office of Emergency Management. I live near Portland and I have this site bookmarked on my pc. It’s good to see if your local city has a specific office for emergency management. There, you can find out what your local area will be able to do for you to help you be prepared!

Take the time to think about what you would do to be prepared!

(*) Associated Press

By Megan Spears

Here we are again back to school. In past weeks, I have read tons of articles and blog posts on how to get organized and prepared for back to school.  In my opinion, the key to being organized for back to school is getting a handle on the family schedule.

It truly is amazing how much information we moms and dads have to keep track of each day. It can be overwhelming and almost enough to make you question your sanity.  When you have multiple schedules and various activities, the days of using a cute puppy wall calendar are long gone. Start today…  toss out that cute puppy dog wall calendar, it’s just not helping your situation. You need to have a planner that will include multiple people and multiple events and enough room to track it all.

STEP ONE: determine if you like paper versus electronic. There are so many options these days that you need to really determine how best your family will be able to process the information. If you have teenagers with mobile technology, maybe an electronic planner (with alarm reminders) will work best. Services like COZI or Google have electronic calendars that will allow you to track multiple people and multiple events. Did I mention that both of these services are FREE? Products like Outlook that integrate with your computer can be helpful also and easy to manage from your desktop but can be costly.

If you are a paper gal maybe a refrigerator wall planner or a purse size planner would be best. I love paper, so this is where I thrive! Planners like MomsAgenda, BusyBodyBooks or Franklin Covey all provide detailed planners for either the refrigerator or your purse. Each planner has space for every member of the family with space to document multiple tasks for that person. In addition to tracking activities each week, there is space to track to-do lists and project notes.

The key is to determine what will work best for your family!

STEP TWO: implementation! You can purchase a planner and hang it on the wall, but if you don’t take the time to implement it, it just won’t work. Often, the breakdown in family schedules happen because we haven’t taken the time to manage it. Spend just a few minutes at the beginning and end of each day to get a handle on your schedule.

by Megan Spears, CWAHM Columnist

My husband and I are getting ready to celebrate our eight year anniversary this month. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. He truly brings out the best in me and we each bring a certian balance to our relationship.

When we started dating the one thing that I had to come to terms with was that my dear husband really lacked in his organizational skills, especially in the garage. He is what some might call a “gear head”.  A man with many tools. All his life he has had a passion for cars and fixing things that are broken. I realized early on in our relationship that that the garage space was just always going to be a mess and disorganized.

Over the years, he would (for me) go through and clean out his garage space, but in the end things were really still just a mess. Drawers were full of random tools in no specific order and frequently the shelves were littered with trash, boxes, and a few random supplies in between. When friends would come over I was embarrassed to let them see the space and mortified at how sloppy it looked.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, we love the outdoors. When we would be packing our things for a camping trip and he would ask me, “Do you know where the thingamajiggy is?” Like I would be able to find anything in the garage let alone know where something was.

“No, honey, the garage isn’t my space to keep organized.” I would reply, knowing he knew exactly what I was thinking.

As frustrating it was for me, I had to come to terms with his methods, no matter how much it would drive me crazy. When I finally embraced that he is the way he is, and I love him for that, I found myself feeling less irritated and more willing to just concentrate on myself, rather than him. Our relationship of course got better (because I wasn’t nagging him all the time) and slowly, over time, I started to see the transformation in him and his methods of organization.

He started to take more pride in his space and when given the proper tools (organizational containers and supplies), he took the time to start getting things in order.I never once told him to do it, he took that initiative all on his own. Really, our garage is quite beautiful now and really organized. I am so proud of how much he has changed and thrilled that he did it all on his own.

Often, in a relationships, whether it’s two spouses or a parent and child, we try to control or dictate how someone else should be organized. Really we all have different ways of seeing and processing our stuff, so why do we feel that it’s our job to make people do things the way we want them to? A good friend of my told me once that when you find yourself trying to control someone else, stop what you doing and give that to the Lord. It’s his job, not ours!

Maybe sometimes we just need that reminder that God is in control, not us. Before you know it, your garage might look like mine!

I always tell my clients that when we face a challenge it’s important to stop struggling and ask for help.

So here I am, I need your help.

About three or four years ago, I started writing down various bible verses into a notebook. Mostly they were verses I cam across during bible study that would strike a cord or somehow remind me of how God works in my life each day.

The notebook I used was part of my planner that goes with me everywhere. It was so nice having my quick dose of the Word of God when I need it (or when I don’t have my bible on hand). For months, I would document each verse into a list in hopes to improve my memorization and get to know the bible better.

Now, many years later I am overwhelmed with pages and pages of verses… I enjoy going back and reading them when I am stuck in traffic or have a few minutes before an appointment.

Then, a few weeks ago, my planner fell apart. I was really bummed but it was going to happen eventually. As I was transferring all my data information into my new planner, I realized I don’t really have a space in my new planner to track my verses.

I was thinking about just getting a small notebook to carry around just for my verse, but I got to thinking I would ask you…  if you write down verses, how do you track and organize them?

I am interested… please share!

by Megan Spears

I was looking back at some of my older blog posts I had to got a good laugh at one that talked about my addiction to magazines. There is just something about them that appeals to me, the smell of the pages and all those pretty pictures just excites me.

A few years back I could say without hesitation that I personally was subscribing to over 20 magazines each month… Crazy, I know! It didn’t help that my mom and mother-in-law contributed to my passion for colorful pages.  When I am reading a freshly cracked magazine I can get lost in the pages for hours. It’s my time, do you know what I mean?

When I tell people that I have this “relationship” with glossy pages, they always ask… “How do you read them all?”

Here’s how…

*I take one with me when I head out for the day.
*During sport seasons it’s especially nice to them on hand while my DH watches the game,  I too can be entertained.
*I especially like to have one on hand when the kids are in school and I am in the pick up line
*If I have an appointment I take one with just in case I have an extra couple of minutes to flip the pages.

…you get the idea.

Now, two years later I have paired down that 20+ magazines a month to just 11. I mostly use them for research and keeping up to date on the latest and greatest tools and products.

The key with magazines is to know your limits. Here are my top five tips to manage your magazines.

1. Keep what you love! Usually with all but maybe 5-6 magazines I tear out the pages/articles or research items and toss the magazine when I am done. If it’s something I am keeping for reference I will file it away.

2. Takem’ with you! I usually take at least one magazine as I am walking out the door. Most of the time I am waiting for the kids… at an appointment a few minutes early and it’s great to have one with me to kill that extra time.

3. Have one spot for magazines. Have a small spot (file slot, mail bin) where magazines go so that it gives you a space to manage. It will keep you on task…

4. If you like keeping magazines.. set a limit! We don’t need to keep them forever… set some boundaries for yourself.

5. If your not reading them, it’s simple. Stop subscribing. The only way to make the piles stop growing is to stop them from coming.

You might be amazed at how much you can enjoy the summer issue of your favorite magazine when it’s actually summer. There is nothing worse than reading about something six months after the fact. Like anything, it just takes time to get your arms around it… the key is to just start!

Depending on your personal style clutter comes in many forms. I have never been much of a collector and I am ruthless when it comes to paper coming into the house. It has taken me many years to perfect the art of clearing the clutter. Don’t be discouraged keeping the clutter to a minimum takes work but it totally possible. For some, clutter can come in many forms and can (really) take over your space in your home or office. Here are my top 7 tips for getting rid of the clutter.

1. Discard immediately. Don’t let the “rubbish” stay too long. Check your mail, paperwork, or schoolwork right away and discard the rubbish, don’t let it pile up. Discard what you can immediately and make the shredding or recycling process easy with accessible receptacles.

2. It’s OK to let go. Accept that we can’t keep everything, especially those things that we JUST DON’T LIKE. If you get some lotion that doesn’t suit you, it’s okay to let it go. Re-gifting isn’t a bad thing!

3. Break it down. Big tasks can be overwhelming for anyone. Break it down into small more manageable tasks. Before you know the big tasks don’t seem so big anymore.

4. Take five (5). Five minutes can go a long way. Wipe the counter, check your email, sort laundry just give yourself five minutes. If you struggle with staying on track, I encourage egg times to stay on track!

5. Perfection is unattainable. We need to accept that we will never be perfect, and that is okay. Creating the perfect room, the perfect piece of art, the prefect letter will just never be possible. We set ourselves up for failure right off the bat by trying to be perfect and sometimes okay is good enough.

6. Find a worthy donation resource. Often people struggle with the idea of giving their things away. If you find a worthy resource for your donations, it might become easier to part with those unwanted items we keep shuffling around.

7. Examine your routine. Sometimes we can make the biggest change when we look at how we spend our time. Document out your activities to see where there is extra time and make a list of what needs to get done. It becomes easier to see how we spend our time once we know exactly what needs to be done.

To better control the clutter it may only take one change in your day. How you manage your time or the way you process your paper is just a habit changing action. The important thing is to examine what you are doing and be willing to make a change to see that clutter disappear!