Sticking to Your New Years Resolutions: Ten Tips for a More Organized Life

1. A calendar is an essential organizing tool ? start the year with one that works for you! And whether you use a paper or electronic version, using Post-it® notes as reminders will help you "stick" to your resolutions.

2. Identify a specific goal for getting or keeping in shape ? 10 minutes a day (yes, professional trainers say a small amount of time can make a big difference!) or three times a week. Share your commitment with someone else ? a professional trainer or a friend -- that also wants to exercise more.

3. Take steps to make it easier to eat healthy. Keep a shopping list of healthy food, and make sure there is always good food easily available. Whenever possible, go to restaurants that specialize in healthy food, but when you can't, order a baked potato instead of French fries. If you eat junk food for lunch, forgive yourself, and plan a healthy dinner.

4. Design a yearly plan for spending time with family and friends. Booking airline travel well in advance will save money and ensure your commitment to your plan. Plan a once-a-month event with friends. Keep a Post-it® Note list in your calendar or on your computer of the potential invitees.

5. Plan a yearly budget. Learning to controlling the way you spend your money is a lifetime investment. If you're not sure how, check out your local college for a continuing education or start reading on the subject. The longer you wait to learn, the more difficult it will be.

6. Make a commitment to volunteer your services to an organization that makes other people's lives better. One evening or Saturday a month won't take a lot of time out of your life, but can make a big difference to someone else. Make it a family activity.

7. To minimize the stress of daily family life, and make it easier to put things away when company is coming, put all like things together ? e.g., photos, bills, love letters and give- always ? and label them boldly. Post-it® provides a variety of colorful options. Store items according to where and how often you will use them.

8. Keep only those things that you know to be useful, think to be beautiful, or love. Put a box in an easily accessible place in your closet -- with the lid off, so you don't pile other things on top of it. Label it "Give Away" and donate the things you don't use to someone who needs them.

9. Establish an effective filing system at home and at work. File information according to how you will use it, not where you got it. Always keep Post-it® Notes handy, and jot down key words for filing papers as you accumulate them. This will save filing time later. Keep a File Index (a list of the names of your files) handy, so you won't make a file for "car" when you already have "auto."

10. Don't expect perfection from yourself in carrying out your New Year's resolutions. Remember you are in this for the long run. Use Post-it® notes to remind yourself of your commitments, and have the best year ever!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

---

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar... Read More

Simple Ideas to Conquer Paper Clutter

Are stacks of papers, mail, newspapers, and growing "to do"... Read More

Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter

Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More

New Business? Changing Careers? Youve Got a Whole New Ball Game

When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More

Is Your To Do List The Problem?

You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More

Clear Your Clutter and Free Your Life

Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make... Read More

50 Ideas to Organize Your Home

"Organize" is a familiar word heard on many of today's... Read More

Three Effortless Ways to Win the Paperwork Battle

Buried under mountains of paperwork from your company? Do the... Read More

Four Easy Steps to An Organized Closet

The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to... Read More

Are You A Collector?

Collections are the outward manifestation of a deeply-felt principle or... Read More

Technology...The Culprit and the Tool

Technology has given us the tools to reduce routine tasking,... Read More

Letting Go of Clutter In Your Office

Some people would say I'm the last person in the... Read More

Ending The Morning Madness

Back-to-school time ? what does that mean to you? For... Read More

Saving Memories Without Losing Your Mind

The summer is flying by for Cindy and her family.... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Organise Your Computer Files

Everytime Mary had to find a file on her computer,... Read More

Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually

How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More

Addiction to Clutter

Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a... Read More

9 Simple Strategies for Home Organization

Home organization means being able to find your stuff when... Read More

10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter-Free- Now!

1. THE LOVE IT OR LOSE IT PRINCIPLE: Every item... Read More

The Top 10 Habits of Organized People

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have... Read More

Have an Ugly Day

"Do something every day that you don't want to-do; this... Read More

35 Santity Savers - Get More Productive

Use these 35 sanity savers this year to help you... Read More

Simplify Your Life! No Really...Simplify Your Life!

We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More

Declutter for Sucess

Finish each day and be done with it. You have... Read More

The Psychology of Being Organized

Individuals who are organized in their personal lives most generally... Read More

Clutter is Postponed Decisions?

Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More

Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle

I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More

Files vs Piles

I recently read an article that had some interesting but... Read More

Spring Cleaning: Mission Garage Organization

Spring is here and the garage door is open. This... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database

What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More

The Organized Move: Unpacking with a Plan

(This is the third in a series of three articles... Read More

Don?t Be A Clutter Victim

There are 3 kinds of clutter: Inner (between our ears);... Read More

Without a Plan, You?re Doomed to Failure

"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am... Read More