Top 12: Get Organized!

1. Mail! We all know how the paper piles up! When you pick up your mail, immediately look through it. Throw out all ripped envelopes and junk mail. (Cut or shred your name and any important personal information.)

2. Have one spot to put your bills so you can pay them all at once. Have the bill portion you need to send back to the company and envelope the only items together. Tip: Keep address lables and stamps with bills.

3. Children's school work. I have three elementary students. That means triple the paperwork! When it comes to information, I get three copies of the same thing! The homework my husband and I look through immediately and put it in the recycle bin. The artwork we want to save I have three separate boxes for each child that is labeled. (Saving for future scrap booking.)

The school information papers that only have print on one side I put in a drawer for the kids to use as scrap paper to draw on, play games and do their artwork.

4. Digital camera photos. When the function you are at is over, immediately download and copy your photos to a disc. Label the disc or case. It sounds so simple but it is one thing I continuously fail at! Now I am stuck for hours downloading photos and making a list to label the disc when done to transfer it onto the disc. More work plus it is slowing down my laptop computer.

5. To organize jewelry an armoire works well, although I still have many casual fun pieces that cannot fit in it. I have a plastic case with many small drawers to keep things in sets. Men use them in garages to organize nails, screws, bolts, etc. Not the most beautiful looking item hanging on the wall, but handy and cheap! On the television show "Rachel Ray" a woman used ice cube trays to keep her jewelry organized and put them in her dresser drawer.

6. Once a week use a cobweb tool and dust your rooms for day one.

7. Twice a week vacuum and sweep all rooms, unless more is needed from pets or young children. Use carpet powder or a fragrant oil on a cotton ball (vacuum up cotton ball) and smell the freshness in your home!

8. Bathrooms clean twice a week on a separate day from numbers 6 & 7. If you have glass doors on your bathtub/shower after cleaning, rinse well. Take a clean cloth and saturate with lemon oil. Wipe on glass and watch your door sparkle!

9. Dishes every day and wipe down countertops moving all items and appliances once a week. If a white countertop use bleach to brighten up and get any stains off.

10. Laundry I like to do a few times a week so I am not stuck folding on a Saturday and putting it away for what seems like an eternity! Stain tip: If you have a stain on a white item, dampen stain and take a Q-tip with bleach on and over the wet stain rub. It will vanish! No bleach mark as long as you dampened it first!

11. Do one thing extra a week such as clean light fixtures or wash kitchen cabinets. Tip: Murphy's Oil smells wonderful and leaves your cabinets looking beautiful.

12. It's easier to rip one room apart and go for it when spring cleaning. Cobwebs, wash walls if you wish, windows, dust, vacuum furniture, around the baseboards and floor. Also, wash door(s) and baseboards. Plus, when you finish one room it will feel like you really accomplished something.

When done I like to treat myself to fresh flowers. If not in your budget light a candle and relax to enjoy your accomplishment.

I used to have my own small housecleaning business. Some of these tips I used for my clients. You should have a manageable house if you follow these twelve easy tips. No one wants to spend their entire day off cleaning. No stress if you have company coming over and need to do a complete overhaul! Make it fun! Listen to your favorite music or tv show. Before you know it you are done!