80/20 rule
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Thursday’s Carrot: Best New Year’s Resolution? A ‘Stop Doing’ List
by Hollie on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 | 1 comment
We all have ever growing to-do lists. We add items to them and check them off as they are completed. It’s great to know what you need or have to do, but what about all those things we do that we shouldn’t be? The things we do every day that kill our productivity. That’s what ... [read more] -
The Buttoned Up Way: Get More Organized By Doing Less by Using the 80/20 Rule!
by Sarah on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 | 1 comment
For most of us, the thought of 'getting organized' can be a bit overwhelming. Where should I start? What needs to be done? What does being organized really mean anyway? In the face of an endless list of tasks, many of us end up paralyzed by organizational anxiety — overloaded before we even begin! But in ... [read more] -
Photographer Todd Smith Shares A Special Black Friday Offer for Our Readers
by Sarah on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 | No Comments
Time is our most precious commodity, especially during the holiday season when it somehow magically evaporates. A few extra evening parties, a few extra work deadlines, a few extra places to drive the kids and suddenly life is overwhelming. On top of that, you've got to figure out what kinds of presents to ... [read more] -
Organizing a Thanksgiving Feast When Time & Money Are Short
by Sarah on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 | 2 comments
Even if money and time are tight, you can have a wonderfully rich and full Thanksgiving. All it takes is a little organization and some willingness to let go of the need to do everything. Sarah on “Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth” “My mom is an incredible entertainer. She can cook ... [read more] -
Organize a Fall Tag Sale
by Sarah on Monday, September 21st, 2009 | 2 comments
Shifting wardrobes from spring and summer to fall and winter clothes is the perfect opportunity to streamline. As a general rule of thumb, we wear a very small percentage of the clothes we have in our closets, some people put the figure as low as 10-20%. So as you swap out filmy fabrics for ... [read more] -
What You Write Down Gets Done
by Sarah on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 | No Comments
It's funny how scribbling a few things down on a sticky note will make you feel more organized. It's as if just making a simple list is that first little step to getting things in order. But then look at that, you're so disorganized, you lose your list. Or you have four separate lists going ... [read more] -
Taming the Closets
by Sarah on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 | 1 comment
In some of our past columns we have posted that, despite the hype, pristine closets are not necessarily a fundamental requirement for getting buttoned up. Our point is not that straightening out your closets is a waste of time, but rather, given the typical juggling act of daily life, there are often other, more basic tasks ... [read more] -
Everything (Almost) In Its Place
by Sarah on Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 | No Comments
It was 8:00am on a clear February morning in 2004 when the seed of an idea that would transform our lives took root. We were meeting in the big corporate cafeteria of the building where Alicia worked, lamenting the fact that it had taken us a ridiculous amount of time - three long months of schedule ... [read more] -
Spring Organizing: Take a Home Inventory!
by Sarah on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 | No Comments
Staying on top of all of your valuables is a difficult task. With hurricane, tornado and fire season coming up, however, it's a good time to take stock of exactly what you have in your home. Itemizing valuables isn't necessarily on the top of anyone's 'To Do' list, but when something unexpected happens, such as a ... [read more] -
Establishing Organizational Habits
by Sarah on Thursday, September 20th, 2007 | No Comments
Resting easy once you've done a 'deep clean' and gotten really organized only leads to the return of the mess that had you feeling so frenzied in the first place. The best way to combat the ebb and flow of organizational chaos is to establish some simple habits that will keep things stable without feeling like ... [read more]
