Interview: Managing Wires
July 15, 2008
We interviewed a number of bloggers about how they manage the wires in their office setup. Wireless technology was the most frequently mentioned solution, but there are a bunch of other great ideas as well.
Organization interview question: What is your best tip for managing the multitude of wires in a typical computer setup? (182)
Use a good computer desk or table along with zip ties to keep everything out of sight
John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)
I’ve also had good luck with using double sided velcro for this purpose. Another thing that seems to work well is using black electrician’s tape to tape up cables that are longer than what you need.
I use as many wireless devices as possible; I hate wires on the work surface. I use bluetooth mice, keyboards, and headsets. The wires I cant eliminate are neatly coiled and grouped with velcro or cable ties
Mark Nassal from Stress Free Productivity 101 (rss)
My wireless mouse and keyboard probably done more to clear the wires off my desk than anything else.
Besides eliminating the wires through bluetooth devices, the best thing to do is to have them all clustered together behind the monitor and out of sight. The visual and physical distraction of all of those cords drain at your focus. In a pinch, I use trash ties and rubber bands to keep all of the wires together, and I position my laptop so that the wires immediately take a run behind the TV
Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)
Charlie is making an important point here. You can change your layout to minimize the amount of wires that are visible. I once had an office where my desk was positioned next to a closet. It was easy to hid things because I put a lot of my equipment (printer, network hub, etc.) in the closet. This cut down on visual clutter because I only had a few wires running out to my desk.
Bundle them together with Velcro straps. I also try not to unfurl them any longer than they need to be in order to reach from the computer to wherever the connected item is on my desk
Damian Bariexca from Apace of Change (rss)
Sometimes investing in the proper length cords is the best thing you can do. Short of that keeping the excess wrapped up tightly and out of site makes things much easier to manage.
I keep all my tech tools–scanner, printer, shredder, charger, etc.–in an armoire. A surge protector powers them all and plugs into the wall behind the armoire. Taming wires is hard, but keeping them behind closed doors is easy
Eva Holtz from College Admissions Secrets (rss)
This is a good idea if you have the furniture to do it. A closet works as well.
Try and keep less wiring around the computer. Go for a wireless keyboard and mouse and if you attach any extra peripheral for a particular purpose then do remeber to detach it later. More wires you have, the more clutter it will create
Another vote for wireless. Keeping equipment that is only used infrequently off your desk is a great idea. I have a sheet fed scanner and a flatbed scanner. Since I only use the flatbed occasionally I leave it put up and only pull it out when necessary.
Another tip is to buy equipment that uses minimal wires. For example, my flat bed scanner is powered off USB, so there is no additional power cord. My ScanSnap requires USB and a power brick. USB probably isn’t strong enough to power the ScanSnap, but it sure would be nice to have a single cable.
Most cords come with a twistie tie or rubber band, so I just pull out only what is necessary and put the tie back on. But for the most people I would recommend just do whatever to get them tucked and not worry about
Ryan Cole from Practical Productivity (rss)
This helps, but you still end up with a mass of wires that can get tangled. Just getting them out of sight works well if you don’t redo your desk very often.
Honestly, I just plug it all in and chuck the wires behind the desk where I don’t have to think about them ;
Joel Falconer from JoelFalconer.com (rss)
Out of sight. Out of mind. 
I have a glass desk so there isn’t really anywhere to hide things behind the desk.
I have so many electronics and move things around so much that I just keep them off my desk and out of sight when I’m sitting at computer. I keep them safe from the cats, and I keep the outlets handy to me.
I don’t waste time trying to overly manage them or make them look good because I change things around a lot. For cable that we run throughout the house we use a staple gun to keep it attached to door ways and baseboards
Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)
If your cords are thin enough, you can sometimes stuff them under the baseboard on carpeted rooms. Best Buy has an almost paper thin phone cable that works very well for this. If I could just find a thin network cable I’d be set.
The only cord in my computer setup is the power cord. I have a MacBook and I wirelessly connect to my printer, NAS, stereo speakers, and phone headset. I don’t use a mouse. And, I have a virtual Windows installation, so instead of three machines I use one. On the other side of the room where the printer and NAS live, I have their wires bundled with velcro ties and labeled at both ends
Erin Doland from Unclutterer (rss)
I have done this before and I really like it, but I find I end up with very bad ergonomics and my wrists start to hurt. Also I’m kind of addicted to my 30 inch monitor. If the ergonomics don’t bother you this can be an ideal way to keep things tidy–especially if you can keep your equipment in a closet or other piece of furniture.
The best way to answer this is to look at my article 5 Ways to Reduce Cord Clutter.
LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)
LJ’s article has 5 methods for dealing with cords.
By best suggestion is to eliminate as many of them as possible. Go wireless! You can get a wireless version of just about anything today. Of course, many of us use wireless networks, but there are also wireless mice, wireless print servers, and wireless keyboards. Why mess with the tangles and ugliness of cables? I say throwing them out is the only way to manage them.
Jeff Nickles from My Super-Charged Life (rss)
The wireless print server is something many people overlook. Usually the best place for your printer isn’t directly on your desk anyway, but many people keep it there so they don’t have to run wires all over the place. My printer isn’t wireless, but it does have a network connection. I keep it on top of a storage cabinet plugged into my wireless router.
Get a desk that has a back all the way to the floor
Honestly though, the only answer I can think of is to go wireless wherever possible. Other than that, I’ve had some success with rubber bands and zip-ties.
This is a very good idea, but if you live somewhere dusty, you’ll have to find a way to keep it clean. I’m still partial to my metal frame, glass top desk so I can’t use Sam’s method.
I disconnect what I don’t use (scanner, Wacom tablet, webcam and more) and store them away. I hide the rest of the wires.
Soon it’ll be different, when I buy my iMac with wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, connecting to my wireless internet, integrated webcam, integrated drive, integrated everything. What wires? Maybe one to a USB hub far away, so I can connect stuff that doesn’t have wireless technology
Lodewijk van den Broek from How to be an Original (rss)
Keeping things put away helps a lot. This is another reason it can be very useful to have a closet or some type of storage area where you can put everything.
Setting up a Home Office
July 9, 2008
Here are some articles with tips and ideas for getting started with setting up your home office.
- How to Set Up Your Home Office - Beverly Block
Working from home is the latest trend. The environment has a direct or indirect relationship with the output of your work. This article helps you to set up the right backdrop for your home office. The entire process involved in setting up home office is given in 5 simple steps. - Seven Rules in Setting Up Your Home Office - Jenny Fulbright
This article is about giving importance to productivity and creating a balance with life. 7 important steps that covers all the aspects in setting up a home office and yet not getting interrupted by noticeable distractions. Each and every step is elaborate and does not allow the reader to overlook trivial facts. Thereby, creating harmony between two faces of life – Office and Home. - Get a Home Office Set Up on a Shoestring - Coral Nafie
The place of work motivates you to become productive. Coral, an interior designer, has taken into account all the details that would help the reader design the work space from home. This article provides tips on maintaining the cost while creating a comfortable yet professional home office. - How to Set-up a Home Office - Linda Novey-White
The 5 “P” logic is very well communicated to the readers. The distractions involved while starting home office cannot be assumed in the first place. This article throws light to all events that can make you unsuccessful, should you have your office set up at home. In addition, the basic decisive factors, one has to keep in mind while establishing home office is also highlighted. - Home Office: Identifying Your Needs - Marjan Zemljic
Not very elaborate, but the article speaks, in general, about the requirements of setting up a home office. It’s more of sharing thoughts with the reader who would just be thinking of a home office. Reasons of having office space at home, locating the right place, furniture to be used, are all cited in this article.
Interview: Managing Physical Media
June 30, 2008
What is your single most important tip for keeping your books, magazines, software and other physical media organized? (549)
The key to keeping your physical media organized is to have as little as possible. Only keep the absolute essentials and either trash or convert to a digital file what you want to keep.
For example, I don’t purchase any fiction books– the library is perfect for that. I only keep books that I will either read again or reference in the future.
CD’s and DVD’s are easy to convert to digital files and centralize on an external hard drive (be sure to back it up!)
Basically, if you drastically reduce the amount of physical media in your life the problem of organizing it will resolve itself.
Sam’s answer was the highest rated from this question. Using the library is something I often overlook. I have converted almost all of my CDs to digital and I now store them in a large box in a barn.
Purge! You can’t organize clutter…and clutter is stuff that you don’t use or love.
If you haven’t read a magazine in three months, throw it (and consider your total amount of subscriptions).
If you clean out your computer, purge the software.
Give yourself permission to never read the stacks of books that have piled up and get rid of them. If you decide you really want to read it in the future, you can get it from the library or buy it again.
LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)
With the second most popular answer, LJ encourages us to get rid of stuff we don’t need. With the cost of books being so low (especially getting things used on Amazon) it can make sense to get rid of something and just buy it again when it is needed.
My secret trick to keeping physical media organized is to have as little of it as possible.
I don’t buy books very often–I check them out from the library, so I don’t have to worry about storing books. I used to get a number of magazines, but this year I unsubscribed from all of them. I’ve kept my old magazines (they’re on a shelf in my closet), and I still enjoy looking through them sometimes, but I don’t have to deal with a constant influx of reading material.
Just streamlining possessions really helps cut down on clutter.
Sharon Sarmiento from eSoup
A related tip is to only buy something when you are going to use it immediately. If a book looks interesting, but you won’t have time to read it right away, just write the title down and keep it in a list of things to read later. When you have time to read it you can purchase or borrow the book.
Get the digital versions if possible. If they are not available, using magazine holders and having lots of book cases are what works for me.
Oh and… when in doubt… throw it out…
John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)
I don’t mind digital versions of magazines, newspapers, and fiction on my Sony Reader, but I tend to want hard copy of books that I might use again or loan to someone else. On bookshelves, I bought a bunch of folding wooden bookshelves when they were on sale for half price. They fold up so they are easy to move and they are real wood (not particle board) so they tend to outlast other shelves.
Digitize it. If you can get it in a digital format, you’re off to the races.
If you can’t, the traditional old bookshelf or filing cabinets are a great start, as long don’t give yourself too much room to expand. This sounds counter-intuitive, but if there’s a space, something will fill it, and you’ll end up with more clutter. Having just enough room to contain your essential physical media without much room for growth forces you to get as much done or acquired digitally as you can.
http://www.joelfalconer.com from Joel Falconer (rss)
If you have a bookshelf with extra space, consider putting a plant or picture in the extra space. You can remove it when you need the room, but it will help keep you from just throwing something else in the space because it is empty.
I think the best way you can keep your books and magazines organized is by arranging them according to topics and subjects and then keeping them in order of their priority. Like , if you read any particular book or magazine frequently, keep it on top of the pack or in front portion of the shelf. This way you won’t need to disturb the pile of books when you want that particualr book.
The same goes with softwares and physical media. Here you may also consider sticking small labels onto them which can help you identify them easily when you need them.
Topical organization for books is a great idea. If you have a house with bookshelves in various places you can arrange topics based on location. Cooking books near the kitchen. Business books near the office. Picture books near the den.
For me, my biggest struggle with physical media is the sheer amount of information contained in the books I read that needs to be used in my blog. I use sticky notes and mark pages with the info I want. When finished reading a book, I record all those notes into a spreadsheet.
Later, when I’m creating a blog post and I’m trying to remember where I read something, I search the spreadsheet, locate the page number, and have the full reference in front of me. It has saved me tons of time.
Jason from World Fitness Network (rss)
Jason has a great method for keeping track of information. I’ve heard some other people say that they read a book with a voice recorder handy and note the page number and any thoughts they have as they go. They then send the audio file off to have it transcribed.
The biggest tip would relate to books. I like reading books a lot, but don’t have a lot of space, so I check books out of the library. I take notes on the books I read online, so I can refer back to them later.
Anne from Writers Cabal Blog(rss)
Another vote for making better use of the library.
Don’t have too much of it! Set limits on how much of this stuff you have and then it’s easy to organize.
Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)
Getting rid of things that you don’t need any more can be very valuable. That book on photoshop might be worth $7 now, but will be worth nothing in two years. Selling the extra items on Amazon helps move things out and gives you some cash as well
Forget about alphabetizing. It can drive an obsessive person crazy, and alienate everyone in your home and office. If you have an extensive collection of “things”, I would recommend software called “Paper Tiger.” It’s an all-inclusive product with multiple licenses where you just place your media/books/magazines in a row, enter the location and place a number on the item. When you are looking for something, you simply check the program. Our company has implemented it for a Sony design library and a Natural Foods Bakery accounting office. Does away with the need to alphabetize and you can check things in/out which works well for architectural and interior design firms with extensive collections of drawings and samples. http://thepapertiger.com/
John Trosko from OrganizingLA Blog (rss)
I haven’t ever used The Paper Tiger, but the idea sounds interesting. Unfortunately all I can find is a PC version.
Purge your media! I use the library and SimplyAudiobooks.com as much as possible, taking notes and then returning the books in order to keep clutter to a minimum.
Eva Holtz from College Admissions Secrets (rss)
I use to use Audible back when they had a really good subscription plan. I could get all the books I could listen to for about $20 per month. This worked great until they changed their plans.
I use a relatively unconventional method. I have 3 stacks (literal stacks) of books. If it’s on or under my nightstand, it needs to be read. That is my primary stack. If it’s something that I’ve read and I think it has great information that I think I will reference frequently, it’s in a stack nearest my desk. The third stack are those books that don’t fit on my bookshelf
Nathan Snell from The Technopian(rss)
This is a new method I haven’t heard of. I’m afraid my stack of things to read would topple.
Wireless Card Reader
June 12, 2008
I have been attempting to move everything possible to wireless. There is only so much you can do to route wires to keep them from looking sloppy. Getting rid of the wires entirely is ideal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my new printer (HP 2605dtn) has a memory card reader that shows up on as a network drive in OS X. I can stick in a card and then pull it down to my computer over my Wifi network. So there is one less device and wire I have to keep on (or near) my desktop.
Interview: Getting Organized
June 5, 2008
As part of our interview questions on organization we asked people what tip they would share with someone looking for a single way to better their organization skills. Then Productivity501 readers were asked to vote for their favorite answers. The results below are organized based on the results of the voting. (You can still vote on answers to other questions.)
What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to someone looking to better organize his or her life?
Start by reducing clutter and getting clear about your priorities. It’s a lot easier said than done, but it’s true. Disorganization starts with indecision caused by your own conflicting needs, values, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs - then it shows up all over your home or office!
Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)
Ariane answer received the most votes for this question. She makes an interesting point here. The process of getting rid of clutter is really about clarifying your values and determining what is important to you.
Declutter. If you don’t love it or use it, get rid of it. Let’s face it - grandmother’s lace tablecloths may be important, but if you have been storing them in paper bags in the garage for the last five years, they are not important enough for you to take care of. Things like that need to go.
Once you have decluttered, you can set about getting organized.
LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)
LJ’s answer can in with the second most votes. I think everyone can identify to something like “grandmother’s lace tablecloths” that are being stored somewhere. It is easy to forget that every thing we acquire requires some type of maintenance. It is a good idea to look at stuff in terms of how much of an investment they are going to require over time.
One thing that helped me reduce clutter is to keep one box of mementos from the past. If the box is full I have to get rid of something before I can add something new.
Act now. Don’t put off anything. Don’t say, “Oh, I’ll get to that tomorrow.” Because something else will happen tomorrow that will cause you to put it off again.
Oh, and set goals. They are important.
Michael Morton from Marketing Monster (rss)
Making at least a little progress every day is valuable. Michael’s suggestion to set goals is particularly useful if you set things in small enough chunks that you can get something done each day–even if it seems small the cumulative benefit and momentum is very valuable.
Eliminate, eliminate, eliminate.
Reduce your possessions, commitments, and obligations to the true essentials. It’s much easier to organize when you have already eliminated the bulk of your extra stuff– both physical and mental.
It is a great feeling to use that thing you’ve been saving for five years, but you have to be honest with yourself and get rid of anything that there isn’t a very high probability that you will use.
Choose one gadget (digital or analog) for keeping track of your responsibilties, and make sure that everything ends up there. I use a Moleskine pocket datebook, one page a day, with extra pages and a manila envelope in the back for sundry items.
Michael Leddy from Orange Crate Art (rss)
I recommend the Franklin Covey training–at least the way it was done in the mid 90s. Their system of keeping track of everything was very valuable to me.
One sentence: Everything in its place.
This is what I like about the toolkit my brother gave me a few years ago. Each item has a specific place. It is much easier to keep it organized than my old toolbox where everything is just thrown in randomly. It is also easier to put tools up because they go in a specific spot.
My most important peice of advice for someone wanting to organize is to take a few minutes in the morning to visualize your day. Visualize the positive feelings when you do things, especially at important crossroad events throught the day. Such as wanting to check your calendar in the morning as if you might discover a treasure, making that grocery list with a smile because its perfect, remembering to get the groceries before you pass the exit and feeling awesome because you did, and enjoying organizing your desk like its a high performance machine.
Ryan Cole from Practical Productivity (rss)
Taking pleasure in your organization tasks is good advice. I think it is easier once you get to a certain level of organization to be happy about maintaining it.
Set long and short term written goals. Once that is done start using a daily planning sheet. Keep it where you work (desk etc) and write things down. You can download a free printable version on my blog.
John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)
I have recently started taking a single piece of blank paper and using it to write my important tasks for the day. John has some interesting forms on his site that will help you with planning if need a place to start.
Rest is the basis for activity. If you are rested mentally and physically, you will think more clearly and, as a result, behave in a more organized and intelligent manner.
Going to bed before 10 PM has a miraculously good effect on the next day’s productivity. More things will get done with less effort thereby leaving more time to enjoy and, of course, more time to rest.
When you try it, you will be amazed at how much your luck seems to improve. Being well rested mentally and physically is a major key to being successful.
And if you want to take your rest to an even deeper level, I would heartily recommend the practice of Transcendental Meditation (www.tm.org). I’ve been doing it for 40 years and have loved every minute of it.
Fred Gratzon from The Lazy Way to Success
Most people are sleep deprived. The Promise of Sleep really changed how a view the need to get rest. The biggest change in my sleep patterns has come from having a 1 year old who gets up at 5:30 each morning. This has forced me to go to bed earlier and I’ve been happy with the results.
De-clutter. I’ve been a huge pack rat my entire life, and it’s only in the last 2 or 3 years that I’ve been able to tell myself, “No, you really never will use that ever again.” Throw out anything you don’t need and scan important paper documents to PDF. In both my personal and professional lives, I’ve found that eliminating excess material makes it so much easier to focus on tasks at hand, and I’ve been much more productive and efficient for it.
Damian Bariexca from Apace of Change (rss)
Even if you occasionally throw out something you need and have to repurchase it in the future, you will usually be better off simply by having less stuff.
By simplifying your life - work on putting order into your working and home environment. Each area in your home should serve a specific function, cutting down on unnecessary clutter means you have less to organise. By assigning items a specific place you make sure that you know where things are when you need them, cutting down on wasted time and making life easier, leaving you time to focus on achieving your goals.
Grace Smith from Postscript5 | Freelance Web Design
It takes a great deal of effort to keep things simple and most people aren’t willing to invest the time and money into simplifying.
It is important to breakdown the task of organizing down to small pieces. Start with one aspect, work on it a little bit a time. Otherwise it will seem like an unsurmountable task and you may not pursue it.
Rolando from macNwinblog (rss)
I think it can also be valuable to divide your tasks into initial organizing and maintenance organizing. I may only need to reorganize my office once a year if I do some basic tasks each day to keep things in an organized state.
Write it down!
GTD Wannabe from GTD Wannabe (rss)
I would say write it down and be willing to purge items. Just because you wrote something down doesn’t mean it is really worth doing. But getting stuff out of your head and onto paper is very valuable.
I am a disciple of David Allen’s Getting Things Done. It really does works! If you are waking up during the night, stress all day long, juggling all your tasks in your head, then GTD is for you. It will help you get your life back and increase your productivity.
M Nassal from Stress Free Productivity 101 (rss)
My personal feeling is that GTD can encourage you to do less important tasks because you don’t automatically forget the less important items. I would rather have 3 important things to do each day than 100 trivial items. Overall, I like the methodology as long as it is approached in a way that gives you the flexibility to change things to meet your needs.
Find your life purpose. Your life purpose is the central point of organizing your life. It’s useless to do things the right way if you do the wrong things.
Donald Latumahina from Life Optimizer (rss)
This gets back to the idea that you can’t really organize until you’ve defined your values.
If you’re not that organized, ask for help. I’m not an organized person, but I’m constantly asking others how they do it. Not all of their advice will work for you, but it’s certainly better than going it alone.
Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)
At the same time, it is important to make sure you look for things that work for you that no one else would ever suggest. Look for advice, but don’t let the way other people do things keep you from discovering what works best for you.
Get an axe, and start chopping up your life. If you aren’t organized, you won’t be organized until you let go of all the crap and clutter and extra responsibilites that aren’t getting you anywhere.
Don’t bother trying to organize your life until you have removed every last bit of clutter from your life. If it moves, remove it.
If, in a month’s time, you’re disorganized again, it could be one of two things:
- You skipped that step, or you didn’t declutter enough; you might be holding onto things too tightly that could be easily axed.
- You need to work on your self-disclipine abilities. No point trying to organize if you have no self-discipline first.
http://www.joelfalconer.com from Joel Falconer (rss)
Getting rid of things (physical items as well as activities) can be extremely painful, but very vital if you want to move to a state where you can keep things organized.
Eliminate all activities that don’t help you achieve your life goals one way or another.
Lodewijk van den Broek from How to be an Original (rss)
Once again this comes down to clarifying your values before you can really know what to keep and what to jettison.
Read Unclutterer.com, of course!
Erin Doland from Unclutterer (rss)
This answer is kind of cheating, but I agree. Erin’s site has a bunch of great tips on getting organized.
Paperless Office
June 3, 2008
These links and summaries about going paperless were compiled by my assistant in India. (In an upcoming article I’ll be talking about what it is like to work with a virtual assistant.)
- 6 tips for a ‘paperless’ office - Joseph Anthony
People get greater return on their hardware, software and technology investments while they partially get rid of the paper clutter. The author focuses on 6 basic things that one has to remember while moving to a paperless office. The reader gets the pointers to remember while shifting to a paperless home or business office; he is also familiarized with the benefits. - Acrobat to a Paperless Office - Julie Starr
This article focuses on the benefits of technology for moving to a paperless office. In comparison to any other software, author vouches for Acrobat. The wide range of built-in capabilities would enable the user to add annotations, track reviews, merge multiple PDF files, or add custom headers and footers. Illustrative examples are given to familiarize the reader with the various acrobat options available. The benefit of using acrobat is huge in comparison to the shortcomings pointed out by the author. - The Concept of the paperless office (d,a,n) - Maricon Williams
The article brings to light the motive of different authors in having a paperless office. While we foresee an office without paper, the benefits involved cannot be overlooked. The author discusses on three advantage involved in having paperless office but at the same time also alerts the reader of the risk involved. The author’s viewpoint is also featured along with the opinion of many authors on this subject. - Rethinking Paperless: Efficient Alternatives For The Not-So-Paperless Office - Bill Brikiatis
While one desires to set up an office with less paper or paperless, few questions are bound to attack. The author has presented his viewpoint on this subject in the form of question and answer. From the feasibility of the idea to cite an example of a firm, which has successfully moved to become paperless has been mentioned in this article. Opinion on usage of apt tool is shared by the author that can minimize the paper-clutter and thereby enhance service efficiency. - The real paperless office - Joe Kissell
You might be lost when you are asked to aim for paperless office. This article acts as a guide to help you set it up with more ease. Based on personal experience, the author lists the steps involved in having an organized office with less paper. The reader gets enlightened on selecting the right hardware, software with appropriate configurations and the best suited process.
Tips for Car Travel
June 2, 2008
As the summer months approach, I wanted to share some simple tips for traveling by car. We do a lot of travel and these are some of the tips we’ve found that make our lives easier on the road.
- Driving into the Light
When I was younger I could drive through the night without a problem. Now I find that I get very tired driving past about 10:30pm. Tired enough that it isn’t safe. By leaving early in the morning I can drive into the day light. I am much more alert getting up at 2 am and driving until 5 pm than leaving at 10 am and driving until 1 am the next day. - Podcasts
On a long trip I can make the hours fly by listening to technology podcasts. I feel better traveling when I’m getting my transportation and learning something as well. I always make sure to have more podcasts available than what I need. That way if one is boring I can just skip to another. I’ve also found that short podcasts are annoying for travel. A bunch of 2 to 4 minute podcasts will start to wear on you because you spend more time on intro and outro music/announcements than actual content. - Books on Tape/CD
Your local library can be a great place to provide edutainment for your next trip. I’ve covered a number of books that I haven’t had time to read while driving on long trips. - GPS
My GPS has really changed how we take trips. It is much more convenient to know that you’ll get off the highway to eat at a particular restaurant in 20 miles than to scour the signs trying to find a place acceptable to eat or get gas. My biggest complaint is that some of our favorite restuarants tend to move and go out of business so the GPS data isn’t up to date. The GPS also lets us get more on a single tank of gas. Since we know where the next gas station is, we can go further before filling back up. On a long trip through rural areas this can cut the number of gas stops by 30% to 40%. - Highway Patrol Numbers
If you are traveling during bad weather. It can be a good idea to jot down the highway patrol numbers before leaving. Many states have a number you can call that will tell you what the road conditions are like. If the weather gets really bad, this can mean the difference between being stuck somewhere on the road and being stuck in a hotel on the edge of where the weather is really bad. - Prepare for the Worst
Keeping a simple first-aid kit, some water, and some food in the vehicle takes a minimal amount of effort. These supplies could help you avoid an inconvenient stop or could potentially save your life. Other supplies like gloves and an extra jacket are good for traveling through colder areas. - Can you change a tire? Are you sure?
It is important that you are able to change a tire on your car. If you don’t know how, ask someone to show you. Even if you do know how to change a tire, make sure you know how on your car. I had a Volkswagen that we purchased used. We were on a trip and had a flat. That is when we discovered that the special adapter that was necessary to take of the locking wheel nut was missing. A service station was finally able to get it off, but we wasted a lot of time trying to deal with this oversight. - Vehicle Maintenance
Make sure your vehicle is getting regular maintenance. Changing the oil and getting regular tuneups can make your car last longer and improve the gas mileage. Most vehicles have some type of regular maintenance schedule for checking out all the types of things that the manufacture knows can go wrong. This can range from checking and changing the timing belt to inspecting the door hinge and sunroof drains. A few hundred dollars spent on preventative maintenance is much better than a few hundred spent on fixing an issue while you are trying to drive across the country. - Check out your car
This closely related to vehicle maintenance. Take the time to notice your car. Do the brake and tail lights work correctly? Does the oil look ok? Do the tires look like they have enough air? (Edit: Pointed out in the comments, you really need to measure them. Looks can be deceiving.) Do the gauges register normal readings? Does the engine sound normal? Catching a problem when it is small can save a lot on repair expenses and can prevent an inconvenient break down on a trip. - Overnight Bag
Packing a single bag that has everything you need should you stop at a hotel will make things much simpler. If you plan to make a long trip in a single day, the overnight bag will give you the option of not unloading your vehicle if you get in late and want to go straight to bed. If you end up staying in a hotel along the way, it is much easier to have a single bag on top instead of digging through multiple suitcases just to find your toothbrush and a clean change of clothes. - Ration the Toys
If you travel with a small child, rationing toys can be a good way to keep them happy. Instead of just giving them a bunch of toys and heading off, divide their toys into several different collections. Give them one collection to play with and when they get bored with that, put it away and give them a different collection. This works particularly well if you use toys that they haven’t seen for awhile. With our daughter we have a few toys that are just used on long trips. We put them up the rest of the time to maintain as much novelty as possible on trips. - Chargers
Make sure you have a way to keep your cell phone and any other important items charged. We use a power inverter that will let us keep a laptop or phones charged even if we don’t have an auto adapter for it. This way we can take the charges we need to use on wall outlets at our destination and use them to keep things charged in the car as well. - Prepare Your Cell Phone
Having the numbers preprogrammed for your favorite hotel chains and their frequent guest programs will save you time if you have to make an unexpected overnight stop. Programing the numbers for your destination can be very useful if you can’t find it once you get to the right city. - Take care of your Eyes
A good pair of sunglasses can be worth the investment. A recent period of extended driving caused my eyes to get sore and out of focus. I replaced my sunglasses with a higher quality pair and my eyes haven’t bothered me since. Also consider keeping a bottle of eye drops in the car in case your eyes get dry, dusty or tired.
Proper Length Cables
May 23, 2008
Quick Tip: A lot of the wiring nightmares you see are caused by cables that are the wrong length. replacing your cables with ones that are exactly the right size can really help clean things up. If you can’t find the right sized cable, use black electricians tape to hold the excess.
Interview: Cause of Disorganization
May 14, 2008
What is the single biggest mistake you see people make that causes disorganization?
Not following simple daily routines and systems. It is really easy to spiral into disorganization and chaos in any area of life. Success all comes back to basically two things: systems or routines that make sense for our life and our goals, and daily discipline to maintain them. If routines and systems are optional, there will be way too many days we end up not following them. As soon as we even start thinking about not sticking to our simple routines, we begin to spiral into disorganization.
Melissa Michaels from The Inspired Room (rss)
It tends to be the little things that are done consistently that make the biggest difference. It is a silly example, but think of someone brushing their teeth. Someone who brushes their teeth for 2 minutes everyday will come out ahead of someone who brushes for 5 hours every two years.
People have a tendency to buy a book, watch a TV show, or try to implement a system that is the latest craze without taking into consideration their own organizing style. Not every system is for every person. Each individual is unique in their thinking, in their circumstances, in the way they organize. To think that you can buy a book and immediately have the end all organizing solution is essentially setting yourself up for failure. In the end, you get frustrated, you give up, and you create the mindset of “hopelessly disorganized”. Take it one step at a time and don’t try to organize your entire life in one fail swoop. Keep it as simple as setting up the routine of putting the dishes in the dishwasher after you use it and not piling them up on the counter. Once you have that mastered, move onto the next step.
Suzanne Babb from Let’s Talk Organizing (rss)
I think that some people enjoy looking for solutions more than implementing solutions.
Not using quality organizing tools and OVERSTUFFING the tools they do have! Also, having TO FILE and TO shred piles is a big problem. See my article on the “10 Most Common Filing Mistakes“.
Ariane Benefit from Neat and Simple Living (rss)
This reminds me of a conversation I had years ago. I was explaining to a friend that I hated camping. I didn’t like waking up in the morning with everything wet on the sides of the tent or trying to cook stuff over an old grill. My friend said, “You just haven’t been camping with the right equipment.” I think it is easy to concentrate to much on having the right stuff to get organized, but if you find something that works, you might as well invest in something that is a joy to use. The $20 file cabinet from Wal-mart, probably doesn’t fit into the category of “high quality” and “joy to use”.
A lot of people have piles of paperwork on their desk, because they’re afraid that if they put it away, they’ll forget to do whatever it is they’re supposed to do with that piece of paper. But what ends up happening is they have so much on their desk that the important stuff gets buried and they end up forgetting about it anyway, or wasting time looking for it.
Janet Barclay from From the Desk of Janet Barclay
I know I sometimes leave something on my desk because it is “important”. Once there are more than 3 items on my desk the idea of it being “important” kind of goes away because there is simply too many things for them all to be high priority.
Unrealistic expectations about what “organized” means. “Organized” simply means you can find what you need in five minutes or less. I see people strive for “perfection” like impeccably clean countertops, overly categorized filing systems and complicated routines. If you can’t keep those things up long term, you’ll slip back into old habits, feel badly and disorganizations starts all over again. Not a fun cycle, and unfortunately a lot of people fall victim to it.
Brandie Kajino from The Home Office Organizer
This is a good point. People often look at how someone else is organized and decide that is what they need to do. While it can be a good idea to look at others methods, it is important to define something that works for you. Your friend may have an impeccable home office because they spend 13 hours a day at work and there is no time to mess anything up. The home office you use to run a business may look more like some place that is getting constant use–and that isn’t a bad thing.
Procrastination Prevention Course - Now Live!
March 27, 2008
Previously I announced that we were testing the Procrastination Prevention Course. I took the feedback from the testing group and made some changes. The course is now live.
If you have trouble with procrastination, you need to go through this course. It is designed to give you some simple strategies for preventing procrastination. Each day you get a short email with a simple assignment to help you practice breaking the procrastination habit.
The funny thing about a procrastination course is that the people who most need it are the ones most likely to put it off. If you are reading this and thinking “Maybe I’ll do that some day” I strongly recommend that you sign up for it right now. Don’t procrastinate on learning not to procrastinate.
The course is designed to take as little of your time as possible. It will only take you 45 to 90 seconds to read the daily email. The goal is to get you focusing on forming good habits in completing your daily tasks. You can sign up using the form below or from the courses page.
If you are reading this in an email or in a feed reader and you don’t see the form above, please visit the site directly to sign up. If you know anyone who is struggling with procrastination, please forward this information along to them.
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