9/3/11

Saturday Spotlight

Today we are featuring a blog post from one of our blogs, Organizing Hope.



Are you overwhelmed by a drawer in your desk or bathroom? Is there a kitchen cabinet that is overflowing? Here are some simple steps to getting it organized fast.

Decide if you need to. Not every drawer or cabinet in your house has to be organized. Unless you love neatness--not because of guilt but because you truly enjoy having things in place--it may be better to spend your time on areas that you see or use more often. If it will bring you joy and peace to organize it, then do it!

Get a container. You'll need a container large enough to act as a temporary "staging area" for the items in that space. (This may becoming your organizing container for a lot of your projects around the house. If you are creative, feel free to decorate it!)

Empty the space. It's very difficult to organize a cluttered space. Starting with an empty area makes it much easier to make decisions. Think about how often you wish you could just start over in a new house. This is why.

Use a timer or item goal. Decide how long, or how many items, you will make decisions about, then stop. You may decide to work on the drawer for five minutes. Or you may think, "I'll make decisions about five items from this cabinet." Part of the drain of organizing is the mental energy needed to make decisions such as "I may need this someday."

Sort items, applying one of the following four actions: give away, throw away, hide away, put away. (A "Hide Away" box is a collection of items from all your organizing that will allow you defer decision making that bogs you down. You can deal with THAT container at another time.)

Stop when the goal is reached. If your timer goes off, and you only have a little more to go, decide if you want to. If not, keep the container in a handy place and work on it another five minutes later. You'll be surprised how much you can organize in five-minute increments.

Reward yourself. Do one small, (preferably healthy) thing to celebrate this accomplishment. It may feel like "I didn't do much," but by doing something, you have made progress. And remember, getting organized is about progress, not perfection.

9/2/11

Friday Funny - The Winner...

Although we didn't have any players, here is a caption for this photo:


"Honey, I know we don't have a dog, but the sale price on the dog food was just irresistible!"

9/1/11

Shop at Amazon...Please?


Shopping at Amazon helps HOPE Unlimited! Simply go to http://www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com/links.html and click on the Amazon link there. Or, use our handy box to the right on this blog. Then, all your purchases give us a commission, helping to fund all the free content we provide daily and weekly while only costing you and extra click or two. Tell your friends!

THANK YOU!





8/31/11

Out of Print Books




Looking for an out of print book? If you don't have success at Amazon.com,* try www.bookfinder.com where some 80,000 booksellers can help. (GH)

*If you link from here you will first go to HOPE's link page and then you can click to Amazon. Any purchase made will help HOPE.

8/30/11

To Do Lists


To-do lists can relieve stress (as long as you don't have too many of them scattered all over the place.) Researchers say stress levels rise when we try to remember meetings, appointments, and tasks to do. Jotting down items we don't want to forget reduces pressure; checking off jobs gives added satisfaction. Keep your to-do list simple, perhaps all in one place or in the location approrpriate to the tasks (i.e. a task list for work doesn't have to be carried home, and vice versa.)  (GH/BB)

8/29/11

Stand Up and Sit Up Straight!



Boost your energy by improving your posture. Sitting and standing tall and straight increases the flow of oxygen in your body. Cells use oxygen to make energy; help them keep you at your best. (GH)

8/28/11

Sabbath Sunday



Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, 
that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: 
that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you. - John 15:16 KJV