Get Organized: Downsizing Your Book Collection

If you love to read, I bet you've got a pretty nice stockpile of books. I'll go even further and say that I bet you only read 2-5 of those books on a regular basis, and the rest are just "dust collectors."

Am I right or am I right? :)

I just came across a wonderful charity that can help you downsize your library, opening up a little more space for something else! It's called Books for Soldiers.

Books for Soldiers connects those who have books to spare with deployed military troops in need of a little entertainment.

Having been in the military myself, I know firsthand that when deployed soldiers have free time, there's likely no internet, no TV, no phone. In other words, there's...

(1) nothing really to do, or

(2) if there happens to be "stuff to do and see" off-base, they may not be able to participate due to certain rules and regs or safety issues.

Books are a great way to help the guys and gals, who protect our freedom and our country, to pass the time. In addition, it's always nice to get mail when they're away from home, even if it's from total strangers.

The Books for Soldiers website explains, "After [the first Gulf War], we received many thank-you notes from soldiers who got one of our books. Unless it was time for them to fly back home, mail-call days were one of the most anticipated events of deployment."

The site goes on to say that "Regardless of why the military is deployed, the men and women of our armed services are there for us. They deserve our support and if we can make their deployment easier, then all the better."

So true!

For more information on this charity, see BooksForSoldiers.com - and btw, if you type it into your browser, there's no www with that!

Get Organized: P Is For PurseKeeper

This post is part of the "Organizers A to Z" series. Cool organizers you could live without, but why would you want to?!

Dust. Lint. Pet hair. Scratches. Dents. Spills. What do all these things have in common? They're enemies of your handbag!

Whether you have a teeny-tiny purse collection or one that would put Victoria Beckham's to shame, you need to have a good storage system in place to not only protect your purses from the elements but also to give you quick and easy access to each.

Until recently, most handbag containerizing was either...

(1) in cloth bags, which protect from dust but do nothing to protect the shape of the bag itself, or

(2) in boxes, which do a great job of safeguarding bags but have the tendency to take up a lot of space in your closet, epecially if you have tons of purses.

Enter the PurseKeeper! The PurseKeeper, designed by professional organizer Lisa Jacobs, is the all-around winner for purse storage in my book! Here's why:

- It protects. Tuck your purse away in the clear vinyl bag, so that it's shielded from the outside world.

- It supports. Each PurseKeeper comes equipped with an adjustable "stuffer" that you can place inside your purse so that it keeps its original shape.

- It gives you options. There are 3 sizes of PurseKeepers, so you can find the perfect fit for your bag.

- It's versatile. Use it to hold other accessories like scarves and belts, not just a handbag.

- It's see-through. Spot which purse you need in seconds.

- It's not intrusive. Unlike its boxy counterparts, a PurseKeeper takes up about the same amount of space as your handbag.

Seriously - what's not to love about it?!

How much? $14.99 - 29.99, depending on the size

Where? Buy online at Bed Bath and Beyond (they are available in some local BB & B stores as well)

Why? It's organizing outside-of-the-box!

How do you store your purses?

Get Organized: Man Calls 911 Over Messy Room

Kids often have mixed reactions when told to tidy up their room. One particular kid (Does a 28-year old man who still lives under his parents' roof qualify as such?) had a severely adverse reaction - he threw a plate of food across the kitchen table at his father.

In cases such as these, it's also true that parents have mixed reactions to their kids' reactions. At this point, the dad had had enough! He called 911.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to fight night...

In this corner we have: Bratty 28-year old

And in this corner we have: At his wits' end father

Yikes!

Not to worry though. In the end, the dad declined to press charges so as not to harm his son's political ambitions. And the son thanked his parents for letting him live in the house rent-free and promised to keep his room neat as a pin from now on.

Awww...don't you just love happy endings?!

Do you ever feel like calling 911 on your messy kids?

Looking for more? See: Ohio man calls 911 about son's messy room

Get Organized: Is a To-Do List...Sexy?

Apparently so. It was included as 1 of "The 10 Seduction Tools Every Woman Needs" by Glamour.com.

Specifically, it was grouped into:

A busy life full of friends, work, to-dos, ta-das...

So it's not a singular shout-out to the to-do list, but in a world where being balanced and organized is often associated with being boring, we'll take it!

What do you think -- do to-dos spice up your personality?

See more: The 10 Seduction Tools Every Woman Needs

A Get Organized Funny: The Perfect Country & Western Song

Or in other words:

The Top 10 Unorganized Things Your Momma Would NEVER Want You To Do...

10. Leave piles of laundry on your bedroom floor.

9. Avoid taking Fluffy for a walk because you can't find her leash.

8. Forget to buy your favorite snack at the store because you didn't make a grocery list.

7. Miss your favorite band's concert because you didn't budget wisely and couldn't afford to go.

6. Be late for work because you misplaced your keys.

5. Get a ticket from the cops because you were driving with expired tags.

4. Disappoint your boss because you couldn't find last month's TPS Report.

3. Miss your cousin's destination wedding in Paris because you lost your passport.

2. Accidentally toss your college transcripts that proved you did get one "A" in your life, even if it was just aerobics...

1. Misplace your naked baby photos!

Do you have disorganized tendencies that your friends and fam hate about you?

Note: Graphic courtesy of MS Office Online.

Get Organized: How To Remedy Gift-Giving Frustrations

Sometimes it's hard enough to remember what you ate for dinner yesterday, let alone remember what to buy grandma for her big 7-0.

To keep my gift-giving in order, I use a system that's worked well for me for several years now. So what's my secret? It includes a handful of Post-its and a pen.

Here are the details...

For close family and friends, keep a running list all year-round of potential gifts.

To do this:

- Invest in some large Post-it Notes (with lines).

- Remove as many note pages as needed to correspond with the number of people you want to include. Keep all the notes stuck together, as if they had never been removed from the original stack.

- On the very top of each Post-it, place a person's name from your list.

- Put the grouping of Post-its in the back of your planner or calendar.

- Each time you think about a gift for one of the people included, write it down under their name. Or if you hear one of them state that he/she really wishes they had this or that, jot it down.

When Christmas or a birthday rolls around, you'll never have to wonder about what to buy whom again. Not to mention how thoughtful you will seem!!! :)

Do you have any gift-giving strategies?

Do Guys Rely On Gals To Help Them Get Organized?

Most guys are closet slobs. Sure, there are dudes out there who know how to keep things neat and tidy, but they are few and far between!

It seems that when growing up, there's mom to keep 'em in line.

Vince Vaughn recalled how his mother used to straighten up after him. "[My mom] was big on cleaning stuff...when I got my first place I had pizza boxes and Coca-Cola bottles all over the place. I was like, 'Wow, this is weird because usually I put this down and tomorrow it's gone...'"

Then it seems that when they're all grown-up and find themselves in a relationship or married, men tend to rely on their better half to pick up where their moms left off.

Ikea announced in their “You Can’t Be Too Organized” survey that married men are 4x more likely to leave their pajamas on the floor in the morning compared to single men.

Could it be that your man doesn't pick up those PJs because he knows you will?

Hmmm...

Brian, a 24-year old, proved this point perfectly in Glamour Mag's recent feature "8 Things Guys Say They Hate About Women but Secretly Love."

He opined, “I would be bummed if my girlfriend stopped planning out our evenings several days in advance. It makes it easy for me because I don’t have to plan anything, but it is annoying sometimes how organized a person can be.”

2 phrases stick out here: "easy for me" and "I don't have to."

Call it stereotyping, call it crazy, call it what you will. But when given the choice - her or me - when it comes to organizing, males are likely to take the easy way out.

Who helps you get organized?

Looking for more? See: 8 Things Guys Say They Hate About Women but Secretly Love, Organizing Surveys

A Get Organized Funny: What's In Your Fridge?

This video from IKEA (only the greatest store EVER!) demonstrates the importance of detailed labels and thorough lists when it comes to safeguarding your stuff.

You see, when you get organized, you hold more power than you realize...

Do you have any organizing tricks up your sleeve?

Get Organized: O Is For The Overworked & Underpaid File Tote

This post is part of the "Organizers A to Z" series. Cool organizers you could live without, but why would you want to?!

O is for the Overworked and Underpaid File Tote.

Overworked and underpaid - aren't we all?

Until recently, I would have said: Heck, yeah!

But then I read a quote by Terrell Owens, the controversial wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills: I feel like football players are overworked and underpaid...

Alright Terrell, I have no doubt that you work hard. To play any pro sport, you have to sacrifice with the best of 'em. But underpaid? I hardly think 6.5 mil a year falls into that category!

If you really want a good example of overworked and underpaid, look to your nearest mom. Mommyhood is a 24-7 job, that's often times underrated and underappreciated. Not having kids myself, I'm constantly in awe of those who do - and manage to keep their families running like a well-oiled machine.

Which is why the Overworked and Underpaid File Tote is a great gift for Mother's Day! It may not be very sexy, but it's budget-friendly and it'll help mama get organized.

But most importantly, it'll show her - in a sassy way - that you know she does a lot for you everyday and that you don't ever thank her enough.

(And just so we're clear - I mean sassy as in "sassy cool" not "Don't get sassy with me!")

How much? $15.99

Where? Buy online at Perpetual Kid

Why? It's organizing with a little attitude.

What do your files say about you?

How To Get Organized Purses In 4 Steps

You see the phenomena everywhere you go: women frantically digging in their purses to find a ringing cell phone, a lipstick in hiding, or buried car keys.

If this description sounds familiar, then use these 4 steps to organize your handbags:

(1) Determine your purse type.

- Are you a Just One Jenny? If so, you always use the same bag.

- Are you a Multiple Mary? If so, you change bags often.

(2) Analyze the functionality of your purse.

- Is your bag too small for your needs? Too big?

- Is it hard for you to see items in your purse because the purse lining is dark?

- Is it in need of repair or replacement?

- Are there enough compartments to hold small or loose items?

>>>>>

Note: Use Steps #1 and #2 to help you reach a decision about keeping, replacing, or upgrading your purse.

If your current purse is sufficient to do the job right, then move on to Steps #3 and #4. If not, consider trading in your current handbag for a new, improved model.

>>>>>

(3) Overhaul your purse.

- Dump out the contents of the bag and wallet onto a flat surface.

- Set aside items that you need to carry with you at all times, such as wallet, cell phone, etc.

- Toss the trash.

- Weed through receipts and notes, only keeping the critical ones. File the keepers in an appropriate location such as a planner, address book, or folder.

- Group like items into piles and assess what size pocket or slot is necessary to hold each.

- Refill the wallet and bag. Make use of all zippered pockets and open slots available, allocating a spot for each item.

(4) Perform weekly maintenance on your purse, purging any unnecessary items.

For some fun, organized purse products, browse through Organized Purses on Squidoo.

How do you keep your handbags organized?

11 Considerations When Purging Clutter To Get Organized

You definitely want to clear out the clutter before you start organizing a room. Otherwise you'll be wasting time and energy on organizing items you don't need to worry about at all!

Ask yourself...

Do you wanna keep it?

- Should it stay in the room in question?

- Should it belong in another room?

- Should it be returned to someone?

Do you wanna toss it?

- Should it be recycled?

- Should it be shredded?

- Should it be donated?

- Should it be sold?

- Should it be trashed?

- Does it require a special method of disposal? (i.e. batteries, chemicals, large furniture items)

Separate the piles accordingly and then be sure to eliminate most, if not all, of the "toss" pile before you begin organizing a room.

And remember: De-cluttering is normally the biggest, most time-consuming step of all! So do a little bit at a time, so as not to get overwhelmed.

If you would like a worksheet to help you remove clutter from a room or your house, visit Printable To Do Lists and click on "Purging Unwanted Items." Instructions to fill out the worksheet are provided as well.

What are your purging rules of thumb?