Lil' notebook

Posted at 11:22 AM, Wednesday, October 1, 2008 in Fun and Questions

Recently, I went over to Miss Emily Roses' blog and found this fantastic craft idea; this notebook works well for everything and anything, she claims, and, being the organizing geek and notebook freak that I am, I couldn't resist making this cool project!

The instructions for this notebook can be found at:

http://www.simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/index.php/2008/09/08/notebook-easy-to-make-easy-to-use/

(her pictures are heaps better than mine are!)

Just previous to making this book, I was using a small notebook I had been given for Christmas one year that I wasn't using.  I wrote (and now do with this book) simply everything that came to my mind.  I am eternally attached to lists!  I make lists of lists of lists, if I'm desprate!

Avoid stress at all costs, that's my motto!

I highly reccomend carrying around with you a small notebook everywhere you go for when that brainstorm comes pouring down.  I've met lots of children's authors, and when you ask them, 'where do you get so many ideas for your stories?' he will reply, 'Oh, I always carry a little notebook around with me for when I see something interesting or a story coming along, so I don't forget it.  Why don't you try it?'  Why don't you?  You'd be surprised how much it helps you!

Jess

PS: How are those cards coming along?  I had my birthday over the weekend, so I haven't had a whole lot of time to do them, but hopefully, I'll get some done before the week is out!

Top Ten Tips for Organizing, Blitzing and Cleaning

Posted at 02:12 PM, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 in Fun and Questions

Top ten tips for Organizing

1. Have a place for everything.  If everything has a place, then things will be where you want it when you want it.
2. Store like items together.  Keep as much of one ‘sort’ of item together.  Try keeping all different coloured papers together, drawing or painting supplies in the same box, and school books in one place.  We have a drawer for all our coloured paper, and shelves for hot, cool and neutral coloured card.
3. Put things back where they belong.  That means 24/7, day in, day out, whenever and where ever, you deal with whatever you were doing and put it back! You’d be surprised how much space you’ll obtain!
4. Don’t get bogged down with the details.  When you organize, be thorough, but don’t become obsessed with all that little ‘stuff’.
5. If you don’t like it, don’t keep it.  Simple.
6. If you do like it, keep it!  Duh.
7. Stay focused. If you are putting away the nine meter square pile of stuff in your room, don’t decide to sort your clothes in colour-code now.  You can do that after your room is in order!
8. Don’t bite of more than you can chew.  If organizing your cupboard, under the bed, and all the boxes in one day is too much for you, then don’t do it!  Decide that for every day for the week, you will sort out one area.
9. Use containers to help out.  I find using a washing basket is a great help when doing a big clean, either in my room, cleaning craft supplies, or blitzing the living area and family room.  When cleaning a cupboard, I like to use boxes or plastic baskets to store it all, instead of it being loose.  I love the idea of plastic containers after plastic containers, stacked up upon one another, but reality is you can use any sort of box; be creative!

And last but not least…

10. Be yourself!  Don’t organize from the outside in, find a system from the inside out!  If you a really short, don’t store your Bible on the tipity-top of your bedroom cupboard!  When I was about seven, I had a little whistle I loved.  One day I sat in the middle of my bedroom floor, closed my eyes, and, outstreaching my arm, threw it in the bin, telling myself, “I don’t really need it, I don’t really need it!” I was trying to get rid of stuff so I’d be organized (an unnecessary job, if I may say so myself), but I was trying to force THE way of organizing into myself, and as a result, lost a cool toy.  There is more than one way to organize, and getting rid of stuff doesn’t necessarily counts as one of them.

Jess

Did you know that...

Posted at 03:48 PM, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 in Fun and Questions

 
On average we experience one interruption every 8 minutes or approximately 6-7 per hour. in an 8-hour day , that totals around 50 - 60 interruptions in the day. The average interruption takes approximately 5 minute. (Some take several hours or days; others may only take a few seconds.) If you are receiving 50 interruptions in the day and each takes 5 minutes, that totals 250 minutes, or just over 4 hours out of 8, or about 50% of the workday.

Americans spend 9 million hours each year looking for things.

A piece of paper is moved at least 8 times before it is tossed or filed.

The use of office paper has tripled since the birth of the computer.

Statistics have shown that 80% of all papers filed are never looked at again and 50% of all filed material going to storage has no retention value and should have been destroyed.  Secretaries have estimated that 20% of their time is spent on filing and retrieving.  That is equivalent to one work day each week. 

The average American receives 49,060 pieces of mail in their lifetime; one third of it is junk mail.

For every hour spent in the planning phase, three to four hours are saved during the execution stage.  Save yourself time by being proactive.

**Jaw drop**
 

How do your areas look on average?  Don’t worry, it’s ‘human, but disorder is our greatest enemy’.  Solider, we can’t let our enemy get to our strong point, but it will, if we let it gnaw at our weak points.  Strengthen the fence, would you, and do it quickly, efficiently and systematically, no matter the cost – 'an hour saved is an hour earned.' 

We can't afford to be disorganized, for we can't do anything the best when we let into temptation and don't fulfill the responsibility given us.  God chose us to be stewards of this world, and I do not want to let him down!

Jess

Preventing Unmuddledness!

Posted at 04:50 PM, Friday, May 30, 2008 in Fun and Questions

“Organization is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” A.A Milne

Think about it!

Jess

Tag for Aunt Minnie McGranahan

Posted at 10:44 AM, Wednesday, February 27, 2008 in Fun and Questions

This is a tag/questionnaire about your life with Aunt Minnie in mind.  You might want to read the previous post before you ‘fill’ this out.  You might want to copy and paste this onto word, and click ‘return’ in between every question.  It would be great if you could also comment to me if you take this quiz.  Pray as well; think about this and think about any other questions that may come to mind: take the time!  Be descriptive; use more than ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’ whenever you can!

 
What are some things that you do that takes up a lot of your time?  Is it creative?  Is it a time-waster?  Is it helpful?  Is it spending your time wisely?  Do you have a choice whether you do it or not?  Are you showing a good balance of what you do?

 
Are you happy with yourself?  Could you boldly stand up and proclaim: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”?  Can you focus on others more than yourself?

 
What about your system - do you have a way of getting what you want done, when you want it done – or is everything a mess?  Are you organized enough that you can be flexible with change of plans, or helping others?  Does your system involve God?  Does it line up with your family’s plans?

 
Can you keep the peace – that should be much more important than outward appearances?  “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  Displaying the fruit of the Spirit should always come first.

 
 Love Jessica