Evernote

Okay, I have to admit it: despite the buzz around Evernote and despite the fact that I downloaded it a looooong time ago, I still don't get all the potential of the system yet. Maybe because I can't use it with my cell phone (I have a terrible phone camera... can you believe it?? LOL). Maybe because I already use vi.sualize.us for images. Maybe because I don't like the design (the 2 windows in the desktop feature are not really practical, the reading windows is too small to my taste). Don't know why, but I don't use it fully yet. I don't get defeated that easily, though, and since many of my organisation-gurus are 100% convinced, I will give it another try, and even a couple more if needed.

Did you try Evernote? What did you think? Any tips or advice to enjoy it more?

Green

Green is definitely not a color I like... unless it's about being green! Here are some changes I made recently:

• Replace all old lightbulbs by energy-saving ones (a bit more expensive to buy, but they use 6 times less energy and last 10 times longer!)
• Replace all the chemical cleaning products by green ones: white vinegar, organic laundry products, etc.
• We changed our heating system last year and the new one uses 25% less fuel!
• I buy organic products when I can (eggs, milk, fruits and veggies if they are not too expensive, vine) and local as much as possible.
  
• I got my "compost box" back from the basement and now we collect our compostable wastes, like vegetables and fruits scraps. I then add all that to the big compost that my inlaws have in the garden... and then it helps MIL grow delicious fruits and veggies again! The circle of life!

Those are simple and cheap ideas (well, except for the heating system change!) that are not difficult to put into action. They are not "big" things but when you add everything up, I hope it makes a difference!

What do you do to make your life greener? Any idea that I could do too?

Image from freefoto.com

A very interesting blog post about money

As you might know considering my 2009 goals, I'm trying to get my finances under control, starting by getting educated about the topic. One great (and free!) way to do so is to get informations on the terrific blogs that exist across the internet. I recently discover, through a "Daily Links" post at Get Rich Slowly (great blog, worth the RSS subscribing!), this terrific post by Plonkee Money. Have a look and let me know what you think. It was a true aha! moment to me!!

Beating procrastination

Okay, I know I'm not the most appropriate person to talk about beating procrastination. But it's maybe exactly because I'm one of the worst procrastinator ever that I can share what helps me fight this VERY bad habit... kind of "the insider" point of view, you know? LOL

Anyway, here's how I motivate myself to do some unattractive task: I remind myself how long it actually takes. I usually procrastinate because I imagine that it will take a loooooong time, much longer than what it actually takes. So I set my mind, do the job and track how long it actually takes, which is usually not that bad! For example, I used to hate cleaning the cat's litter. I once realized that it barely takes 15 minutes, more likely 10 minutes maximum. Let's be honest, the task is still unpleasant and I doubt I will ever think it's fun, but at least I now know that it won't be unpleasant for more than 15 minutes. What a relief! And what a motivation to see my kitty all happy to pee in a brand new litter ;-) Yeah, I know, it's all about finding the right motivator, uh? LOL

A terrific site about organisation

Today I have a great site to share: OnlineOrganizing.com. Every time I browse it, I find new treasures to help me get organized. They have a great "blog channel" and fabulous tips. They also have lots of organizing products if you need to buy something, but even without that the free stuff is worth several visits on this site!

When being a robot is good...

Sometimes, acting like a robot is good. No, I'm not only talking about some old fashion dance moves here... LOL (And I won't show you!!! ROFLOL) For chores the robot-like approach is great. I mean, if you stay a thinking human being, with things you like and other that you dislike, there are some tasks that will never get accomplished. It's sometimes necessary to "unplug" your brain, if you know what I mean, and just do it! I don't know about you, but if I'd have to wait until I "feel like" cleaning the toilet... uh, oh, that wouldn't be pretty! So when I have to do it, I just try to stop thinking and let my body work "by itself", without involving my brain in the job. It's not needed anyway! LOL

I know it's easier to say it than to do it, so here are some tips to help you:

• put your favorite music on and focus your thoughts on the music.
• listen to an audio book
• chat with someone, either face to face or on the phone
• tell your shopping list / menus to someone that can write it down for you (I love to do that with DBF). Extra bonus: 2 brains are better than one and the other person might think to something that you'd have forgotten otherwise!
  

Please share if you have other tips for helping get those booooooring tasks done, I'd love to know what you do!!

Getting prepared

Okay, even though I don't think I could ever need it (and even less wish I'd ever do!), I've read with attention the US governemental site about getting prepared for emergencies ready.gov. There are lots of interesting infos and, if... er, I mean WHEN I will be organized enough to take care of those extras, I'll refer to it. That's not on my top priorities list (I first want to have my kitchen and home office under control, for example!) but afterwards, it's gonna be a great resource. And you never know when you'll have to leave your home in emergency!!

Handy Shopper

Okay, this is a Tip Tuesday for all you PDA users out there. Come on, I know you're there!! LOL

I've come accross a great freeware for PDA: HandyShopper. Here's a site about it, and you can download it almost everywhere.

This software was created to make shopping lists, but it's much more than that! I use it for packing lists as well (and I should have use it when I packed to come home last holidays: I forgot a sweater at my mom's home!), but my favorite use is for FLYing: I put my routines in there, as if every part of the routine was an item on my shopping list, and I cross off everything that is completed. It's sooooo useful! You can even find examples of routines on the web.

That's it for today! Take care!!

Hold me accountable

Here are my goals for the end of my vacation (I go back to work on Januray 5th):

• clean up my home office (I've taken before pix but I'll post those only when I'm done... I'm too ashamed of this room right now!),
• decide of my 2009 goals and make plans to reach them,
• clean the remodeled room (previously a garage, soon-to-be a living room) and help DBF put the floor (and take before / after pix),
• get slowly back to a "normal" sleep routine = get to bed by 10:30 and get up around 6:30

I'll soon be back to let you know how I'm doing!

BTW, this will be my "Tips Tuesdays" post: don't make "resolutions", make goals. And, more important, make plans on how to reach them. SparkPeople has great articles about goal setting. I especially like this one, entitled "Do's and Don'ts of Goal Setting". Have a look!

Organizing - Where on earth do I start?

Well, this works for organizing as for any other project that seem too overwhelming... This is a tip from Marcia Francois, hope it will help you get started!

First of all, relax and take a deep breath :-)

1. Start with the area of your home or life that bothers you the most.
If you can't bear to choose clothes every morning because your wardrobe is too cluttered, then that's probably a good place to start.

2. Decide what you want to have happen in that space.
Do you only want clothes in your wardrobe, or do you want shoes and handbags in there too?

3. Declutter.
You can't organise clutter. Get rid of everything that shouldn't be there. Some things need to move to other rooms and some need to move right out of your house!

4. Organise what's left according to your personality.
Not everybody is a minimalist. Some of us need to surround ourselves with our treasures and that's okay. Your system works as long as you can find what you're looking for relatively quickly (within a minute).

5. Maintain.
Last but not least, do a quick, 5-minute maintenance session in each major space every week so that your space remains organised.

Marcia Francois is a time management and organising coach who empowers small business owners and other busy professionals who want to make the most of their time. You'll get simple, practical organising and time management secrets to help you work less and enjoy life more! Visit http://takechargesolutions.org for your free Organising Success Pack.

30 seconds rule

Here's a great tip from Sandra Felton aka The Organizer Lady: "If it takes 30 seconds or less to do it, do it now!" This can apply to many different little jobs that, when added one after the other, make a great difference in how the house look: putting a dirty plate in the dishwasher, putting things back to where they belong after using them, picking up an item that fell down (or that my lovely cat pushed down the table when playing with it! LOL), etc.

Here's the explanation of this rule by Sandra Felton herself: "Sometimes when I mention that if something takes 30 seconds or less to do that we should determine not to put it off, people object. "If I start doing everything that takes thirty seconds, I will work myself to a nub." And that is true. So let's limit how we apply it. The thirty second rule needs to be applied in two ways only. The first place we should apply it is with what happens in the future. The second place we should apply the thirty second rule is with those that are high priority needs."

I will focus on that today. Do you have any example of 30 seconds jobs that would help you have a more organized and neat home?