Honestly, it’s so awesome to NOT have to wonder at 5pm what to make for dinner (and let’s face it, at that time it’s either pasta or take out).

However, I do struggle with this because I LOVE to eat yet the rest of my family are picky eaters. Plus I need a recipe to make everything so that takes extra time to look through my cookbooks or online cooking sites.

BUT…I’m done with excuses! With the help of Laura from the Organizing Junkie I am determined to get this part of my life organized – especially since school ends in 2 days.

Monday – pancakes & scrambled eggs
Tuesday – hamburgers & hot dogs with baked beans & roasted potatoes
Wednesday – last day of school – homemade mac & cheese (kids’ favorite)
Thursday – dinner at Grandma & Grandpa’s
Friday – chicken breast sandwich on sour dough bread with cheese & sundried tomatoes
Saturday – dinner out for hubby’s birthday
Sunday – spaghetti with turkey meatballs

Pretty awesome that I get 2 nights off from cooking! Didn’t even realize until I wrote it all down.

If you’d like to join the fun of Menu Plan Monday, click here for the details & to add your site to Laura’s page.

A few weeks ago I had both my email inboxes well under 10 each. I can’t remember how low they both got, but it was probably 5 or under. It was AWESOME! I have two gmail accounts and I forward all my emails to these accounts. I came off of a very productive month of February and hit March by getting that inbox down. It was so easy to open my email and figure out exactly what needed attention. But somehow in the last 2 weeks it’s back to somewhat out of control. Not fully, but it’s not in a manageable state.

Thankfully Tishia Lee posted how awesome her inbox count was on her status. Yes, my first thought did include a swear word and I possibly even had to rewrite my first comment so it didn’t sound snarky instead of funny like I meant it. Then it hit me that this was possibly a direct correlation of how my last week of working has gone. I’ve let it overwhelm me.

Since I use gmail I dove in and cleaned up. I’m not down to where I want to be, but I started at 8:30pm and I really didn’t want to stay up too late working on it. How’d I work on getting a grip on it all?

1. UNSUBSCRIBE! This is always one of the first things I do when I notice my inbox is starting to add up. If there is an email list I recognize I don’t open regularly before deleting or hasn’t peaked an action from me in a while then I click the unsubscribe button.

2. Label and Archive. This is a major one for me and one I battle with. Of course it’s easy for me to label things that are directly site related, but I’ve had one of my gmail accounts for so many years that I worry about putting emails into labels and not coming back to them. If you have a suggestion for that I’d love to hear it.

3. DELETE! This one is such a hard one and I wish I didn’t take weeks to come to the decision that I am not going to act on an email. Typically these will be emails from a company that I’m an affiliate for and I mean to put up a post about the special or the new product. I need to set up a better system of adding a quick post (whole other story) or deleting quicker. I’m working hard at deleting emails about new products I really would like to buy. Needed products are purchased immediately, wants seem to end up holing up in my inbox.

These are my tops for instantly downsizing your email inbox. Sure they can be basic and things that you already have in place. But if you have over 20 emails in your inbox regularly then you are procrastinating on them. I know I’ve signed up for a few ecourses recently and have gotten overwhelmed now that I’m behind. Once it clicked in my head that my email was getting out of control, it dawned on me that this is a direct correlation to a week that I felt overwhelmed. I know that this month is going to finish strong because I’ve caught this much quicker than normal. I’m trying to burrow out from it and I’m on the way now. I have to prepare for spring break next week and much less time online!

photo © 2006 noricum | more info (via: Wylio)

1) Manage your time. First and foremost, if the task seems overwhelming, set a timer and limit yourself to just 15 minutes of decluttering at a time. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in just 15 minutes. I use this tip for all housecleaning when I find I’m ignoring major tasks.

2) Put up or give up. Clear your desktop and put back only what you use every day. Store everything else in drawers, on shelves, or in your supply closet. If you never or seldom use something, get rid of it. Give it away to someone who could make good use of it. Put anything that doesn’t belong on your desk in a pile. When the timer goes off, put all of those things away in their proper places.

3) No more “misc.” Don’t keep a “miscellaneous” file. Sort papers into files labeled specifically for the action needed. For example, keep a file for bills to pay, receipts to enter, papers to shred, etc. Anything that cannot be filed this way is not important enough to keep. Maintain virtual folders (and subfolders) the same way.

4) Organize your drawers. Arrange like items in each drawer. For example, put all of your office supplies in one drawer, stationery and notepads in another. That way, you won’t waste a lot of time searching for a pen when on the phone or looking for printer paper just before a deadline.

5) Clean out your virtual inbox. Declutter your virtual desk by deleting old emails that require no further action on your part. To store email you need to save, create a folder for it on your hard drive. Do not print emails unless you absolutely have to.

6) Use simple organizational tools. Bundle related papers together with clips, use trays for current papers or files (labeled “next week,” “this week,” etc.), and keep pens in a cup.

7) Take a moment. Whenever you have a lull in the day, take a moment to trash or shred old paperwork you don’t need anymore.

End the day clean. At the end of each day, before you step away from your desk, clear it off and put everything away in its proper place. Wipe off your desk with a cleaner or just plain water.

Now that your desk is clean, you can get down to business! A clutter-free desk makes for a clutter-free mind.

I’ve been so guilty of this lately. I got into this horrid mindset that I didn’t want to miss anything. Can’t miss out on the latest and greatest so-and-so released. YES, I CAN!

This isn’t close to the first time I’ve had to do major inbox weeding. I won’t kid myself that it will be the last. The realization always hits when I take time away from the computer. When checking emails after a couple of days and there are hundreds to sort through. Out of all of them I may possibly want to glance at 20-30. Out of those 20-30 (depending on any launches or projects I have going) I may actually need to respond to 10.

I just had to sign up for these lists to stay in the know. Yet, I find myself not opening them. Ding, ding, it’s unsubscribe time. Especially right now as I streamline a ton and vow not to spend more. If I don’t get the email with the new product or service then I’m not tempted to buy it. Temptation gone.

Now here’s the kicker. If a product launched and I will really benefit from it, then odds are it will be there a few months down the road as well. The price may not be introductory low anymore, but I’m not afraid to send an email and ask about any specials they may have. By waiting I’m also in a position to pay that higher price and not worry about it. I’ll be ready to use the product or service immediately and not have it sit on my computer as well. Many times I’ll find that I don’t actually need the product I thought I had to have. So waiting a few months can save me wasted money as well. If the product is as great as the emails would have claimed, then I’ll hear about it from my networking groups and won’t have to worry about not being on the newsletter list.

The inbox took a drastic hit on Sunday and I hope all the lists will be ok without me. lol I may be back if I miss the contact or you just might entice me to sign up again. But taking the time to delete so many unopened emails each day is a mental drag. It doesn’t matter that it only takes a minute to go through them all. It stinks to check emails and have to many that are a waste of time. I’m not done getting rid of lists by any means. But over the next month I will click the unsubscribe link on many emails instead of just deleting them.

Now to focus on checking my email only a few times a day. This will be a much more difficult task. lol

When it comes to computers, it can be difficult to keep your information safe from potential hackers and other dangers. That’s why it’s important to have a quality antivirus program. But, contrary to what many computer salesmen tell you, you don’t have to pay a lot to get a virus protection program that works. In fact, some of the better programs are free or require less than $20 for a 6-month license. If you just want to get a more expensive software program just in case, you can always run it and a free or inexpensive program as well.

In addition to protecting yourself against viruses, you also need to keep out other threats that virus checkers may or may not cover. There are several good spyware programs that are free and effective. A good rule of thumb is to look up the product and what it protects against. If you’re not already protected, it’s probably a good idea to buy or download the program.

I personally use the free version of AVG and have since 2008 on my laptop that is used daily and most of each day. It was recommended to me by many of my techy friends and I can’t beat free. Norton and I had issues with upgrades messing up browsers and not letting me online for days at a time. So I always recommend using free trials before paying for a service and definitely ask around for what others using similar software programs and same browsers use.

In addition to keeping information safe while it’s on your computer, it’s also important to keep it safe while sending it. If you’re sending confidential information or requesting it from someone, always be sure to use a safe, proven encryption program to protect the data from getting into the wrong hands.

Hackers aren’t the only danger to your electronic files, however. While it may be less devastating than having the information stolen, losing it to a computer failure or natural disaster can be very harmful as well. Be sure to back up your information and keep it somewhere safe. Just remember if you protect by keeping information on a separate drive or CD, etc, it could still be destroyed in a fire or flood if it’s in the same place as your computer.

While you hear a lot about people losing important information and documents from their computer, paper documents can still be lost or stolen just as easily. It’s just as important to protect these as it is your computer. To protect against thieves, you can get a safe or other locked storage device. What you get depends on what information you have and what you are able to spend.

While a safe may be great for keeping your documents out of the hands of other people, it may or may not be secure in case of fire, flood, or other disasters. That’s why it’s important to get a safe that is, or find another way to protect documents. There are containers that can do this for you that are relatively inexpensive, or you can back up the information securely online.

Remember that no matter what you do, there is no 100% sure way to keep private information private, but you can take major steps to protect it.

I have been successfully working from home for over 20 years. During that time, I had to quickly learn how to multi-task and manage my time. A common question I am often asked is… “Shelly, how do you find the time to work on your home business and still get your household chores done?”

What I have found is if I stick to a routine and a schedule, I can get my business work, household cleaning chores and cooking done. What has worked for me, might not work for you…but here is how I accomplish my tasks.

Morning Routine – When I get up in the morning, I make and feed my family breakfast and get them ready for school and work. Once they are out the door, I turn on my computer and head to the shower. After I get myself cleaned up for the day, I start a load of wash and unload/load my dishwasher.

I then sit down to have my breakfast while reading and responding to email inquiries. Once that task is completed, I will unload my wash and place it into the dryer…if necessary, start another wash load.

I will spend the next hour working on my business tasks. After one hour, I will do some cleaning up around the house and spend an hour completing those tasks.

Lunchtime/Afternoon Routine – I will prepare lunch and feed my family or myself, and clean up the lunch dishes. I then schedule in another 90 minutes of working time. Once that time is up, I will do another hour of household tasks before doing another 60 to 90 minutes of business tasks.

Evening Routine – I will start dinner and while dinner is cooking, do any household tasks that I didn’t get completed during the day. I will then serve dinner to my family and clean up the dinner dishes. I schedule in 2 hours of family time (homework help, spending time with spouse, etc.)

Night Time Routine – Once I have the children in bed and my spouse is relaxing for the evening, I will spend another 30 to 40 minutes finishing up any business tasks for the day.

As you can see, I have a routine.

You need to sit down and come up with a business game plan and set it into action. Try to stick to your plan as much as possible. Once you have a routine in place, you will find that you can take care of your business, your household and yes…your family.

Shelly Hill has been successfully working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly believes that having a daily working and home life routine is essential for business success. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com for free business tips and information or at http://my.tupperware.com/Ravish30

Check out spring plungers

Here are some quick and easy tips:

#1 – Keep the air flowing. One thing you don’t want is stale air in your creative space. Regularly open windows at either end of your office space to allow a clear path of air to flow through at all times. It’s important to keep the air flowing even during the winter months. You don’t have to open your windows very much to get a good flow of air – a little will do.

#2 – Keep the office green. Plants do a lot more than look attractive. Having plants in your office space will help reduce the static energy in the air. This is energy that comes off computers, telephones and other electrical outlets. Green leafy plants will help reduce the amount of toxins in the air and help you breath easier.

Stay away from spiky or thorny plants as this is said to stop the positive energy flow in the Feng Shui of your space.

#3 – Keep things natural. The more natural materials you can use in your office space the better. Opt for natural wood, stone and paints where possible. The key is to reduce as many toxins as possible in your office. Go for simple renewably sourced products. When decorating, opt for a “greener” eco-friendly paint that doesn’t release toxins into the air.

#4 – De-clutter often. The less cluttered your environment, the better the overall energy flow. Keep your office space tidy and neat. If you don’t need something, find a good home for it. A clutter-free office space may also help you think clearer and more creatively.

#5 – Add feel-good items. Feel-good items like favorite sculptures, art and wind chimes will all contribute to the positive mood of your space. Add these sparingly without cluttering your space for a feel-good vibe.

#6 – Balance your color scheme. Colors can set a mood instantly. Blues, greens and yellows (yellow in moderation) can create a creative, airy, light mood – perfect for offices. Reds and oranges are fiery and may be a little too bright for most office spaces. Having said that, if you’re in a very dynamic, creative type business this may just be the color scheme for you.

Take a little time to look into colors to see which make you feel good and will create the mood you’re after.

Creating a healthy office space doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s simply about creating a more relaxing, happy, energetic space. When you walk into your office and instantly feel good you know you’ve achieved just that.

Once you have gotten rid of all the garbage and unnecessary files on your computer, you are now ready to actually start organizing them into a system that works for you. Not everyone is going to have the same system, but there are some basic principles that should be followed when organizing computer files.

Make the necessary folders for your documents, pictures, and other files. Making folders on your computer makes it a lot easier to quickly find what you are needing on your computer. If you want to check what your earnings looked like last quarter for your home business, you would go to folder named “ Earnings.” When naming your folders, be sure to keep them simple and not complicated as they should be short and concise titles.

When placing your documents and files into your folders, be sure that the names of them specific and you can tell what they are from the name. Don’t have files named 123temp.doc even though that may be the file name when you downloaded the file. Instead rename files so that at a quick glance you can tell what they are. If you have a spreadsheet for a client’s invoices, a good title would be “Client’s Name Invoices Year.” This specifically tells you what the file is but yet it is short and to the point.

Once you have organized your computer files, be sure to keep up with the organization. This means if you make or download any new files, be sure that it is saved in the appropriate place. If you don’t have an appropriate folder set up yet, be sure to set one up for it. This will save you a lot of stress and time when it comes time to find any files or documents on your computer.

Are you a small business owner who’s trying desperately to stay on top of all your tasks? Like many people, you probably thought that once you started your own business, you would enjoy less time at work. You probably never imagined that after a few months, you would have more work than you could handle. Well, if you’re like most other small business owners, you wear many hats and must be great at what you do, even the less appealing tasks. So now you must decide how to best organize your business to maximize your efficiency so you can go back to enjoying having a life instead of working all the time.

It goes without saying that in order to stay on top of all the projects that are coming in to keep your customers happy, it’s wise to start a system that works for you to keep it all organized. If you are a post-it note person, you probably prefer to write everything down, so it’s best for you to get an agenda to write things down in. Also, do your best to keep your office neat and paperwork filed into clearly labeled folders. If you are comfortable with using a computer, there are some terrific tools like Microsoft Outlook you can use to track tasks, set calendar and meeting reminders and keep notes for timely follow-up. The key is finding something you are comfortable with and that you will use consistently to keep important things organized. Personally, I use a small agenda that I keep with me at all times to jot notes in, then an online calendar and spreadsheet for all my projects so that I know what’s going on at a glance from anywhere I happen to be.

Finding your system is key to organizing and using your time wisely. This helps you get things done more efficiently and opens up more time for the things you’d rather be doing.

Once you have gotten rid of all the garbage and unnecessary files on your computer, you are now ready to actually start organizing them into a system that works for you. Not everyone is going to have the same system, but there are some basic principles that should be followed when organizing computer files.

Make the necessary folders for your documents, pictures, and other files. Making folders on your computer makes it a lot easier to quickly find what you are needing on your computer. If you want to check what your earnings looked like last quarter for your home business, you would go to folder named “ Earnings.” When naming your folders, be sure to keep them simple and not complicated as they should be short and concise titles.

When placing your documents and files into your folders, be sure that the names of them specific and you can tell what they are from the name. Don’t have files named 123temp.doc even though that may be the file name when you downloaded the file. Instead rename files so that at a quick glance you can tell what they are. If you have a spreadsheet for a client’s invoices, a good title would be “Client’s Name Invoices Year.” This specifically tells you what the file is but yet it is short and to the point.

Once you have organized your computer files, be sure to keep up with the organization. This means if you make or download any new files, be sure that it is saved in the appropriate place. If you don’t have an appropriate folder set up yet, be sure to set one up for it. This will save you a lot of stress and time when it comes time to find any files or documents on your computer.