Glass storage containers image: sxc.hu

Do you often wonder what’s in the boxes and other containers in your office, work room, storage area or even your shop?  Have you spent considerable time sorting through non see-through containers for items you want. 

Even when the containers are marked, you don’t see at first glance what’s in there.

What about, whenever possible, using see-through plastic jars, and bins, glass containers and even wire baskets so you can quickly determine what’s at your fingertips.  Also, as you look around your work area and have your supplies where you can see them, you might gain inspiration.

Do you use see-through containers for much of your storage?

Post from: My Organized Biz

So how do you decide what to use? There are binders, magazine files, stacking trays, vertical desktop organizers, file cabinets, shoe boxes, regular boxes.

First, you need to look at your needs. What types of items do you plan to store? For how long?

What items do you have on hand? Will they work for your storage needs? Just because a magazine file is made for magazines doesn’t mean you have to use it that way. I use some of mine to store paper and printer supplies because they fit nicely on the shelf above my desk.

I use a small, upright stacker for stamps and address labels. You could use yours for bills that need to be paid. What about binders? You can use them for long-term storage or items that you refer to frequently. Or both.

File boxes are generally suited to longer-term storage, since they’re not as easy to access as other types of storage. Evaluate how often you need to retrieve things and where you’ll store them.

The key is to adapt items to suit your style. There’s nothing wrong with changing things up and inventing a new way of using your storage. What items have you adapted from their original use? Do you only use something for its “designated” use? How do you decide which items to use, and for what?

Image: Newscom

Post from: My Organized Biz

The filers use lots of folders to categorize and file away their email. I can remember doing this in Outlook. You see, Outlook’s search function is terrible. So I would file by project or department or whatever seemed appropriate at the time.

Unfortunately, when it came to finding those emails, it wasn’t always easy to remember where I filed it. Was it by project A? Or department B? Or did I put it in the folder where I stored all of Boss’s emails?

It wasn’t a great system, but it was all I could do in Outlook.

Until I became a finder. What changed me to a finder? A couple of things. One was the advent of Google desktop. It radically changed how I found email. But so did inbox zero. With inbox zero I simplified everything. Since my folder system was so complicated, I couldn’t remember where I filed things anyway. Six or seven years’ of email will do that to you. (Why did I keep it that long? I worked for a state institution and I had to keep things relating to educational records.)

So I went to just 5 folders. And with searches via desktop, it didn’t really matter if I had those 5 folders or not. As long as I could remember a portion of the email conversation and even who sent it, I could find it. Sometimes it took refining the search a couple of times. But I always found what I needed.

Now I definitely subscribe to the finder way of retrieving email. Although I still do some filing by project just to make my searches (now I use spotlight on my mac) a bit shorter.

So which one are you? Why? And have you thought about trying an alternative?

[Image: sxc.hu]

Post from: My Organized Biz

Yet you don’t necessarily want to leave it lying on your desktop either. It could get covered up. Things could get knocked out of the file. Or something spilled on it.

You could try stackable trays, but they’re not always the best for storing hot files. If you toss in two or three, you still have to shuffle through to find what you need. What works then? Try an upright file, something that holds your files vertically so you can see the folder label. I like a step file, one that stacks folders just like a set of stairs. I can see the labels on all of the files and quickly grab what I need.

It doesn’t take up a huge amount of space, I can see things at a glance, and I can drop something in the file without stopping to dig through and find it. And it keeps my desk much neater than it would be with a pile of files on the corner. In fact, I had one in my old office and probably need a new one. Right now I have stackable clear trays, but they are just gathering clutter. The only one that really works is the top tray, because I can see what’s in it.

What do you do to keep your hot files easily accessible?

Image: Newscom

Post from: My Organized Biz

I forgot how dependent I was on those notebooks. I took a regular notebook with me everywhere. Sometimes it was spiral bound. Other times it was a composition notebook. It didn’t matter, as long as it had plenty of lined pages.

And I used it as my memory. I took notes as I met with people. During phone calls. When I wanted to remember something. For to do lists. Project notes. If I needed to capture ideas for later. Or to brainstorm. Everyone I worked with got used to seeing me with a notebook. And after meetings where we had no official minutes, colleagues would sometimes come back to me (weeks later, even) to clarify what was said in the meeting.

For me, it was indispensable. I had so many meetings, things to do, and thoughts running through my head that there was no way I could remember all of them.

And when I needed to refer back to things, it was easy. I put tabs on pages that I knew I’d need to refer back to. So I could just flip back to the area I needed.

Not all of your solutions have to be high tech. Sometimes the simplest things can work the best for you.

Of course, you don’t have to carry a full-size spiral notebook. A small one will do, too. Whatever you feel comfortable with. Give it a try for a few weeks. Instead of using scraps of paper or post-its, all of which can get lost, try a notebook. Jot down thoughts, ideas, reminders, whatever you think you’ll need.

If you write down appointments or phone numbers, don’t forget to transfer them to your calendar or address book. You’ll still need to process the information you capture, but at least you have something to process!

What works for you? Notebook? PDA? Wireless device? Photographic memory?

Image: M.O.B. archives

Post from: My Organized Biz

(myorganizedbiz.com) – So we talk a lot about the virtues of a clean or uncluttered desk. How a nice, clean desk will help you be more productive, help you find things more quickly, polish your car, and shine your shoes. Okay, maybe not the last two.

But do you really need a clean desk? Can a desk have a lot of ’stuff’ on it, neatly organized into categories?

I’m wondering what ways people work best. For some, it’s a minimalist desk: computer, phone, notepad. For others, it’s a desk with tons of pictures and knick knacks. Or maybe everything from a project close at hand.

I don’t mean a desk that’s piled high with papers, hopelessly jumbled together. I’m thinking of a desk that has lots of things, but they’re neatly arranged, categorized, and fairly easy to get to/ go through. If you can’t find anything on your desk, then it’s time to clear it off or organize it.

But what may be clutter to some is just comfortable or familiar to you. So what works for you? Do you forget about things in drawers? Does open storage space seem too cluttered to you?

I’m curious about how you keep your desk when you’re doing your best work. What type of desk tops work for you?

Post from: My Organized Biz

(www.myorganizedbiz.com) – One of my desk drawers is rapidly becoming a junk drawer. Oh, it didn’t start out that way, but over time it has become a sort of catch-all for the things I don’t know what to do with.

The drawer contains a bunch of cords that I know I need for various electronic devices. Software for my laptop and desktop. Extra sharpies. My iPod shuffle. Extra earphones. Battery chargers. There may even be some other items lurking under the mess.

So this week, I’m going to conquer this drawer. I plan to empty it completely and start over. First, I’m going to determine if I need everything in there. If I don’t need it, it’ll either go in the donation pile or the trash.

Second, I’m going to organize all of those cords. I’m going to fold the cords, put a rubber band on them, and label them so I know what they go to. It should make the drawer neater and easier to close.

Third, I’ll arrange the rest of the items in the drawer neatly so I’ll be able to find things later. The software is already stacked nicely, so I just need to see if there’s anything that I’m no longer using. So they will probably go back in pretty much the same way.

Finally, I’ll try to keep it that way. I will take some before and after pictures to remind myself of how good it looks when it’s nice and neat. Once it’s properly organized, it’s so much easier to work to keep it that way.

What projects are you working on this week? How’s it going? Are you losing speed, or needing some motivation or encouragement? Let us cheer you on!

Post from: My Organized Biz

I’ve been frustrated with this for a long time, needing 2 or 3 power strips when I should only need one. But not too long ago, I discovered a pretty darn-near perfect solution to this mess: the PowerSquid.

The PowerSquid Outlet Multiplier takes away the normal power strip and instead gives you five flexible outlets connected together. Brilliant! No more trying to squeeze your printer, scanner, cellphone, speaker, and other plugs onto one strip. I love this idea!
And now you can also get the PowerSquid Surge as well. It’s perfect for plugging in sensitive computer components, your stereo, or anything you don’t want damaged in a power surge or outage.

I originally stumbled across these at Think Geek, but I think they’re slowly making their way into other stores as well.

Images from Think Geek

Post from: My Organized Biz

Honestly, I think that may be a little bit of overkill. Unless you have a lot of filing cabinets, is this really necessary? Most of us have one or two – maybe even three – file drawers of stuff. Can you remember what’s in each of them, generally? I can.

Additionally, I file my business files in alphabetical order. At most, I would only need an indicator of which parts of the alphabet are in a certain drawer. I try to keep as many electronic files as possible. So for paper, I don’t have a lot and can mostly remember what goes where.

In this case, I tend to go for simplicity. I think a table of contents is more effort than I’m willing to extend, even if it’s just a small thing. The content of my files change, too, and I don’t want to keep updating a table of contents. As long as I label my file folders, I think I’m all right.

So tell me, is this something you would want to use? Does it make sense, or is it overkill for you?

Image: Newscom

Post from: My Organized Biz

A fellow freelancer found out the hard way when her new MacBook had a catastrophic disk failure and she lost all of her data. Since she’s a writer, she not only lost all of her writing, but her billing data, invoices, contracts, and e-mails.

All gone.

Not only does that put a big crimp in your data, it puts a big crimp in your business. Imagine spending the better part of a day or two (or more!) trying to recreate all of those files you have on your computer. Can you find all of your receipts? What if you scanned them in and then shredded the paper? How will you recover?

If you regularly back up your data, you’ll just restore and maybe lose a few days of data, and move along. But if you don’t, you could put your business in a world of hurt. Think of all the things you keep on your computer. Address books, calendars, web site bookmarks, even music. Would you be able to find everything again? Many of us wouldn’t be able to, not right away.

Doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

Take some time this week (the sooner the better) and plan how you’ll back up your computer. Every Sunday night? That’s a good start. If you can take something like Apple’s Time Capsule that can do it automatically, that’s even better.

For many businesses, the data they produce is of utmost importance. Make sure you protect your assets. Trust me, you don’t want the panic-inducing alternative.

Image: Image*After

Post from: My Organized Biz