Organize My Life In 10 Short Days!

If your New Year's resolution has to do with getting organized, The Budget Diet has a plan for you!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a fairy waved her wand, & our lives were organized?

I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but it's just not going to happen!

So, The Budget Diet girl would like to offer you the next best thing…I'll help you organize your life in 10 short days, so you can save time and money!

Save Time and Money – Organize My Life in 10 Short Days

Day 1:
Family Notebook: Create a notebook with a divider for each school or organization that your children are involved in. This is a great “one stop shop” for phone lists, schedules and rosters for those many activities! Use the back pocket to keep invitations or flyers for upcoming events. Use the front pocket for school directories. Keep the notebook in the drawer with your phone books and make sure your family knows where this important “resource” is!

Day 2:
Calendar Clutch: Keep a calendar or planner with you at all times and make sure your children know where it is, so they can check it! This will save you the time of having to tell someone, “I'll check my calendar and get back with you.” I'm an old-fashioned paper calendar in the purse kind of girl, but digital calendars are great. Use what works for you, but the important part is: use it! Use it to plan ahead, use it to make your to-do list, use it to save time and money!

Day 3:
Mail Mess: When mail or school papers arrive use this rule and avoid piles: do it, dump it or delegate it. Example: bills go in the bill paying file, write down dates from school flyers on your calendar, put the junk mail in the recycler.

Day 4:
E-Junk: Speaking of junk mail, in this internet era we are always giving out our e-mail address which seems to generate more and more junk in our inbox. Solution #1: Get another email account and use this one exclusively when ordering online. You'll only need to check this e-mail for purchase confirmations or an e-coupon they may send. Solution #2: If you use AOL, Yahoo or Gmail there's a quick and easy way to put a stop to junk email. Sign up for Unsubscriber (it's free and takes less than 1 minute), then simply move unwanted messages to your unsubscribe folder and Unsubscriber takes care of the rest. Wasn't that satisfying?

Day 5:
De-clutter and stop telemarketers!
– Stop junk mail (free): http://www.DMAchoice.org
– Stop credit card offers (free): http://www.OptOutPrescreen.com
– Stop catalogs (free): http://www.CatalogChoice.org
– Stop telemarketers – register your phone number and cell phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry and enjoy the peace and quiet (free): www.DoNotCall.gov

Day 6:
Medical Forms: Get your child's physical done every year around their birthday instead of rushing to make an appointment right before the school or camp form is due. As long as a child has had a physical within the year, you can drop off any form, and the doctor will sign it.

Day 7:
Plan ahead: It's the beginning of the month, time to check the calendar for birthdays, anniversaries or other events that you might need to buy a gift for.

Day 8:
Great Ideas: Start idea files or Pinterest Boards and whenever you see a great idea…to the file or Pinterest Board it goes! Then when you're ready to start a project you'll have an instant resource. Suggested idea files:
– Decorating
– Halloween
– Christmas
– Birthday Party Ideas
– Gift Ideas
– Travel
– Recipes

Day 9:
Artwork overload: look for inexpensive frames on sale at Michael's (usually $5) and decorate a hallway or a laundry room with your child's artwork. Of course, this will be a gallery with rotating artwork!

Day 10:
Clean Out: Make a plan to tackle 1 room, closet or bookshelf each month (or week) and make 4 piles: throw out, recycle, donate, sell. Remember, if you haven't used it or worn it in the past year…it's time to get rid of it! Get the entire family involved and use the money you make for a family vacation! Places to sell: garage sale, ebay, consignment shop, craigslist, Half Price books,

Remember:
Time is money, so organize your life & save time and money!

What are you waiting for…get organized TODAY, or feel free to wait until the New Year!

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Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos

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In full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links to help support The Budget Diet girl! My advice will always be unbiased and free, but free won’t pay the bills! Thanks!