Organizing for Moms

Has your wallet gone missing before? Did you instantly start questioning where you last saw it and what was in it? Driver's license, credit cards, medical cards, and heaven forbid your social security card? Did you remember every last bit of information contained inside it? Be proactive and get organized today!

#1 - Watch your purse and/or wallet at all times. Friends might think I'm OCD because of the number of times I look at my purse while we're sitting in a restaurant. Yes, I have my purse wrapped around my legs, squeezed tight between my feet, but you never know!

#2 - Organize it and simplify it! Group like cards together and limit the number of cards you carry. Do you need every store card? Most stores can look you up by phone number for a discount. And, NEVER carry your social security card on you.

#3 - Make photo copies of every card in your wallet, front and back. File away the copies. Hopefully you'll never need them. I suggest updating your files every 6 months as cards can change.

#4 - Put a duplicate of the copies on a thumb drive. This is key if you travel, especially overseas.

#5 - Put fraud alerts on your credit accounts so that if and when your wallet goes missing (which translates to stolen most of the time), your credit card companies alert you.

Has your wallet gone missing before? Did you instantly start questioning where you last saw it and what was in it? Driver's license, credit cards, medical cards, and heaven forbid your social security card? Did you remember every last bit of information contained inside it? Be proactive and get organized today!

#1 - Watch your purse and/or wallet at all times. Friends might think I'm OCD because of the number of times I look at my purse while we're sitting in a restaurant. Yes, I have my purse wrapped around my legs, squeezed tight between my feet, but you never know!

#2 - Organize it and simplify it! Group like cards together and limit the number of cards you carry. Do you need every store card? Most stores can look you up by phone number for a discount. And, NEVER carry your social security card on you.

#3 - Make photo copies of every card in your wallet, front and back. File away the copies. Hopefully you'll never need them. I suggest updating your files every 6 months as cards can change.

#4 - Put a duplicate of the copies on a thumb drive. This is key if you travel, especially overseas.

#5 - Put fraud alerts on your credit accounts so that if and when your wallet goes missing (which translates to stolen most of the time), your credit card companies alert you.

I think I'm ADD, but not officially diagnosed. If I have an hour to watch one of my favorite evening reality TV shows, I'm up at every commercial break. My husband tells me I need to sit down, relax (stop thinking and planning) and kick my feet up. "Do you ever stop moving? Turn the switch off (as he points to my head)." How can I possibly do that when I know there is laundry to keep rolling, toddler things to put away, dishes to get into the dishwasher, my to-do list to make, my car to load for the next day and emails, the blog and Twitter to check?

For most of you the time changed yesterday. We have Atomic clocks in our house. According to Wikipedia, atomic clocks "are the most accurate time and frequency standards known." We set everything else based on them. The downfall is when you live in Arizona. On Sunday, I was having a panic attack because I thought I was running an hour late. I'm never late. Unfortunately, the Atomic clock doesn't realize Arizona never falls back or springs forward. While it keeps the rest of the world organized, those of us in Arizona just need a standard clock. For the most current time, visit www.time.gov/. My time saver suggestion: always set your clocks 10 minutes fast. This gives you a little wiggle room throughout your day.

I recommend Nancy Nemitz's next office organizing class at MCC's Red Mountain Campus in Mesa, Arizona on April 13 and 20. Don't procrastinate or you'll miss this great information! Contact Nancy at 480-325-0994 for details.

My next bookmaking workshop for teachers is April 30 from 5 - 10 pm in Chandler, Arizona. For more information, email me for a flyer.

Provided by Nancy Nemitz of Create the Space Professional Organizing LLC

I don't know about you but when Will, my youngest son, leaves home, I'm doomed. I don't really care how most appliances and electronics work. I rely on my husband and children to figure it out. Except for complaining that they've told me how to do something a 'thousand times', it's worked out well.

I was daydreaming one day and pictured myself all alone wondering how to turn on the darn BBQ without blowing up the neighborhood. I thought, "No one is going to believe I don't know how to use it after all these years." Daydreaming about explosions, fish dying in my pond because the pump stopped working, and a green pool motivated me to do what I do best. Make up a how-to manual.

I titled mine: How Does It Work Around Here? A few of my category titles:

• What if the power goes out and it's 115 degrees outside
• Cooking outside without blowing up the neighborhood
• Watching a DVD using 3 remotes
• What if I want my computer screen to show up on the t.v.
• Keeping the air clean (changing filters)
• Lord, have mercy. What if the pool vac stops working

I feel better knowing if my husband leaves me for someone not nearly as wonderful and my children never call me, I can at least watch a movie, float in a clean pool sipping a cocktail, and have friends over for a BBQ.

"I'll do it later." Will you? Be honest with yourself. Tomorrow may never come. Think about who would be left with your stuff. Will they want to spend time sifting and sorting to figure out what's important and what's not? Will they have the time? Avoid burdening others by setting aside time everyday to tackle your projects. Not tomorrow, next week or next year. Now.

"I'll do it later." Will you? Be honest with yourself. Tomorrow may never come. Think about who would be left with your stuff. Will they want to spend time sifting and sorting to figure out what's important and what's not? Will they have the time? Avoid burdening others by setting aside time everyday to tackle your projects. Not tomorrow, next week or next year. Now.

"Tackling this has been such a block for me and it feels so good to finally be getting to it. I know I couldn't do it without you. You bring such a friendly, nonjudgemental attitude to all of this and I feel like I've known you for years (hope that will be true as friends too)." - a recent ideal client

Organizing should be about having fun! It's my job to listen, problem solve, motivate you, encourage you, put you at ease, make you smile (or laugh), bring positivity and creativity to the organizing process. My ideal client is not only easy going, open minded, and trusting of the process, they are dedicated, make the time for change, own it (whatever "it" is), have realistic expectations and do their homework (even if it's one item off the list). Are you my ideal client? If so, call me!