Getting Your Home (and Home Office) Organized

Making a daily "to do" list-Otherwise, you risk hopping from project to project and finishing none of them.

Delegate!-Create a job or task chart to let your family know whose turn it is to do what and by when.

If you have children, assign each child a permanent spot near the door for belongings they need every day for school or camp.

Create "in" and "out" boxes for your family. Have your kids place notices, letters, etc. that need your signature in the "in" box; they can retrieve them from the "out" box when you're done. Or you can do an errand box-Place a big basket (or something similar) next to your front door for library books or DVDs that need to be returned. That way, hopefully you'll be able to run all your errands in one trip.

Make mornings easier by planning ahead-For example, get your family to lay out their clothes the night before.

Alphabetize or color-code everything possible-from the spice rack to your bookshelves.

For A Home Office

Set a time limit for each job when compiling a list of things to do. Why? Because you're more likely to meet a fixed deadline than a vague one (how true!).

Take time to eat lunch away from your desk-Rather than causing you to lose time, a break is valuable because it's refreshing and will actually make your afternoon more productive.

Divide your tasks into three categories: Musts, Needs and Wants. Try to complete everything in the first two categories, then move on to the third only if you have the time and energy.

Clear off your desk (or work table, etc.) at day's end-Studies show that the average worker wastes three hours every week searching for things among desktop clutter.

Don't procrastinate-Try breaking large projects into smaller chunks. Doing this allows you to see immediate results, which will or should motivate you to continue.

Discover your best"prime time"-Some people are at their mental peak in the morning, while others get their boost in the afternoon. Still others are "night owls." By scheduling important activities during your peak hours, you'll get more done in less time.