neat-tips

A quick space-saver in the kitchen

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:55:26 +0100

To save drawer space, hang your oven mitts in a hook inside a cabinet door near the oven, and hang your aprons on the pantry door or a wall hook.

These are very nifty from the online shop: http://www.neatfreakshop.co.za/pORG-0063/Door-Hook.aspx

Invest in appropriate, functional furniture

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:14:30 +0100

Home offices need a clear work area. You need to have enough space for computer and other related equipment. You also need to ensure that you have enough work space - writing, reading and filing.

Make sure that your office furniture provides ample space for work and storage.

Make signs to indicate your availibility

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:32:30 +0100

As a work-at-homer, I struggle with keeping the kids at bay. They often disturb me so before school started this year, I made some laminated signs that made it very clear if I was available or not.
Red = Do not disturb (NOT AVAILABLE)
Orange = Do not enter (KNOCK FIRST)
Green = You may enter (AVAILABLE)

Now I am simply placing these signs on my door so that my availability is not in dispute! It certainly has made things easier.

p.s. you can also do these signs and put it on the back of your laptop so that people walking in and out of your office aren't constantly disturbing you.

Invest in a proper support system

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:19:26 +0100

Join forces with co-workers who can cover for you and vice versa when family conflicts arise. At home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to pitch in with child care or household responsibilities when you need to work overtime, travel or even when you just need a break!

Remember - as Barney says, "Sharing is caring".

Big decisions go first

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:57:55 +0100

Almost every client I have ever helped struggles with letting certain items go. I usually try to start off with items that aren't that difficult or the bigger items - like the large piano sitting in the corner that nobody plays but they feel 'bad' to get rid of.

Once these decisions are out of the way clearing out your clutter will seem much easier.

The ultimate sock-loss solution

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:49:08 +0100

If you are not all that fussed about the same old socks (and can bare to part with the mickey mouse ones) then a great solution is to buy loads of black and white socks. That way, you have one draw for each colour. When they've been washed, they just get dumped into the right coloured sock draw and voila.

No more missing socks.

Plan wisely to save your energy

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:46:06 +0100

With the demands of our busy lives, sometimes it truly is difficult to find routine and schedule our activities. What might help is chosing just one aspect of your life to start with. For example, plan routines for those VERY demanding and stressful times of the day like getting the family ready for school and work, or preparing the family meal.

If everything happens exactly the same way during that time of the day, it might lessen your stress levels.

Organise your cords & discs

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:33:22 +0100

We all have loads of CD installation discs and cords that go with equipment in our home. Often, these end up wherever they happen to fall so when we need them, they have ‘disappeared’. A simple way to organize these is to use Ziploc bags.

Place the installation CD and the user manual and any cords that came with the item, into the Ziploc bag (one big enough to store everything). Then write the serial number of the equipment on the bag as well as what the item is e.g. HP ColourSmart printer. Then place all these equipment packs into a large container in the office.

This keeps everything neatly together and accessible for when you need it!
P.S. Every now and again, go through the box and throw out packs for equipment that you no longer have.

Waste not want not

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:09:16 +0100

If you find a lot of old materials in your craft room that are in good condition but you know you won't use them, get rid of them. You don't have to throw them away - instead you could donate them to a charity that collects art supplies for children going to school for the first time. There are also community art programmes that might benefit from them.

Doing this will bring even more joy to the pleasure of creating beautiful things (and you will have gained back some space to do what you love).

Cutlery tray to the rescue

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:03:47 +0100

So often that space in the front entrance becomes the dumping ground for everything, resulting in some serious frustration.

An easy solution to organizing this space is to use one of those cutlery trays that you find in your kitchen drawers (or a fancy wicker one if aesthetics are important to you). This gives you a functional storage solution: use one divider for keys, one for electronics such as your cellphone, the other for wallets and yet another for sunglasses (or whatever you need them for).

Make nice cardboard labels that you can stick on the front of each divider. Easy and affordable!