Showing posts with label organisation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organisation. Show all posts
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Put The Fun Back Into Scrapbooking
This article from Aby Garvey in August 2007 struck a chord with me. "Suddenly, where once you had an enjoyable hobby you love, now you have DREAD". And why? Because I can't find anything, and I look at my piles of paper or embellishments, or ribbons or stamps, and think - what do I do now? "Scrapbook overwhelm is typically a symptom of too much STUFF getting in the way"
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Scrapbooks in Order: Organizing your scrap supplies
It must be the new year – the scrap blogs are awash with organisational tips.
I’m certainly up for re-organising my scrap supplies. My ribbons have overflowed their current storage and I either have to use up some of them (nooo!!!) or find a different way to store them. Plus I have so much stash I can’t use it effectively any more.
Here are some links to organising scrap supplies:
MM Blog: organizing your embellishments http://makingmemories.typepad.com/makingmemories/2008/01/organizing-yo-1.html
MM Blog: how do you stay organized – with 700 tips from readers in the comments!
http://makingmemories.typepad.com/makingmemories/2008/01/how-do-you-stay.html
How to Organize Your Scrapbook Room!
http://kadordea.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-organize-your-scrapbook-room.html
Ribbon storage
http://scrapbookobsession.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/scrapbook-organization-more-on-ribbon-storage/
You’re not alone…
http://scrapbookobsession.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/scrapbook-organization-my-spaceagain/
Free planner downloads from Creating Keepsakes
http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/mag/index.ihtml?issue=January+2008
General organisation tips
http://robindiniphotography.blogspot.com/2008/01/time-to-organize.html
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Inspirational scrapping spaces
So you're disorganised? Or maybe you're not but you'd like your scrapping space to look a bit more unusual or stylish. Here's some inspiration!
The one that gets people drooling (for all sorts of reasons!)
From the blog On Eagle's Wings - the Prima collector!
The Work Box - a scrap cupboard you can buy - very organised!Storage for Crafts - a shop that specialises in craft storage
Monday, July 9, 2007
Keeping track of those useful sites
You know the feeling... you know you saw that information, that layout, that sketch, but can you remember where it is?
Use your blog to keep track of these sites! Not only will you be able to find them again yourself, but you are also providing an inspirational service for your readers.
For example in this blog I know there are links to Matching Bazzill pages and an interactive colour picker widget.
The next thing to remember to do is to tag your posts appropriately so that you can find them again without having to look through every blog post.
Use your blog to keep track of these sites! Not only will you be able to find them again yourself, but you are also providing an inspirational service for your readers.
For example in this blog I know there are links to Matching Bazzill pages and an interactive colour picker widget.
The next thing to remember to do is to tag your posts appropriately so that you can find them again without having to look through every blog post.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Simplified scrapbooking
Ooh here's something I found interesting and useful!
How to organise yourself, scrapping-wise, by Aby Garvey. A link from the latest (July/August) Simple Scrapbooks on their website, of course!
I've got one or two of the Simple Scrapbooks books. There are definitely elements of the method that appeal!
How to organise yourself, scrapping-wise, by Aby Garvey. A link from the latest (July/August) Simple Scrapbooks on their website, of course!
I've got one or two of the Simple Scrapbooks books. There are definitely elements of the method that appeal!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Go scrap!
I have a day off today. Sort of. I work 4 days a week and fit some freelance and voluntary work into the other day plus spare time. I was overwhelmed so I thought that I would have an extra day off work this week to concentrate on some of my other projects. But it's nearly 11 am and all I've managed to do is have a bath...
So - I ask myself the question:
Most of my projects need loads of work doing on them - none of them are at that point where I can make a big breakthrough and feel that rush of success! I need some "two-minute" jobs that I've been procrastinating about...
I can recommend this question if you're ever at a loose end.
Tell me (via comment!) what would make today (whatever day you read this) a success for you? And then - did you accomplish it?
So - I ask myself the question:
"What can you do today
that at the end of the day
will allow you to sit back and say
'today was a really successful day'."
that at the end of the day
will allow you to sit back and say
'today was a really successful day'."
Most of my projects need loads of work doing on them - none of them are at that point where I can make a big breakthrough and feel that rush of success! I need some "two-minute" jobs that I've been procrastinating about...
- Relaxing is definitely on my list! So that's ticked off {sigh}
- Apply to renew my passport
- Put entries in all of my blogs (but NOT spend time on the forums!)
- Some housework is needed, but to get a success in shortest time... the bathroom...
I can recommend this question if you're ever at a loose end.
Tell me (via comment!) what would make today (whatever day you read this) a success for you? And then - did you accomplish it?
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Organisation!
I've already said I'm a perfectionist. I'm also an organisation freak. As someone who is chronically untidy and very much a pack rat, I am forever striving to be more organised, in my time management, in my housekeeping (oh my I hate housekeeping!), in my work life, in my various hobbies and interests and of course in my crafting.
This time, I tell myself, this time I will follow this organisational programme through until my house and life is perfect...
So I'm a bit addicted to organisation websites. Here are a couple of my favourites:
Remember the Milk
a web-based to do list and task organiser
Organized Scrapbooks
An American site with some good ideas for - well - organising scrapbooking of course!
Check out that fabby scraproom posted on May 22nd.
I'll keep more coming...
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Ali Edwards Ezine
I can't recommend this highly enough
Aezine
It touches how I often feel about my life, work and creativity.
Back at the beginning of the year she encouraged everyone to pick a word to be their theme/beacon for the year. "a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life."
My word for this year was
tranquillity
And more recently, she has been looking at work-life-creativity balance and shedding layers. That's what I need to do - shed layers. I need to realise that I WON'T ever use those anthropomorphic mole stickers - even if, as is likely, I do a LO on how much my son liked moles at one time. And there are other layers of my life that I need to shed - old hang-ups, hesitations, negative feelings and memories. I can only achieve tranquillity by junking the things that hold me back...
Time I did a bit more recrafting of my life by starting with the scissors and the rubbish bin!
Aezine
It touches how I often feel about my life, work and creativity.
Back at the beginning of the year she encouraged everyone to pick a word to be their theme/beacon for the year. "a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life."
My word for this year was
tranquillity
And more recently, she has been looking at work-life-creativity balance and shedding layers. That's what I need to do - shed layers. I need to realise that I WON'T ever use those anthropomorphic mole stickers - even if, as is likely, I do a LO on how much my son liked moles at one time. And there are other layers of my life that I need to shed - old hang-ups, hesitations, negative feelings and memories. I can only achieve tranquillity by junking the things that hold me back...
Time I did a bit more recrafting of my life by starting with the scissors and the rubbish bin!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Daily planning
As a busy scrapbooker, especially if you have lots of other calls on your time (you know - family, job, even housework!) then it can be a good idea to plan your day. I find I often rush rush rush around and then at the end of the day feel there's still too much to do and I haven't achieved anything - and I never have time to scrap.
So I created a daily planner that reflects my priorities. The idea is to get MORE out of EACH DAY.
So there's a central circle that represents me, and here's where I put one or two words that sum up my hopes or ideas for the day - or an inspiring word, phrase or quote that gives me a positive start.
Then the "rays" that come out from the circle are different sizes representing my priorities. A lot of space is given to HOME BLESSINGS - chores, and things one needs to do in the home or for oneself - pick up drycleaning, phone the dentist - your daily cleaning routine can go in here, too. WORK comes below - for the key tasks that I need to do today - phone that contact, finish that report. KIDS are in the bottom right hand corner - write letter to school, wash PE kit - they are separate from Home Blessings - I haven't thought where to put Husband!
At the top right - of key importance - there's ME TIME. That's not for mundane things like hair appointments but for things I enjoy and that pamper me (which may or may not also be mundane things like having a bath!). If you like clothes shopping it goes in here, if you don't, that's a home blessing. Scrapping time can definitely go in here.
Finally the two smallest rays are for personal goals - they are small because a goal will be a big thing with lots of tasks, and perhaps big things are best tackled a small bit at a time - this is where the one or two daily tasks go that will put me one step nearer to my goal. If my goal is to lose weight, then here the task might be "Take salad to work for lunch & nuts for snacks" or if the goal is to to take better pictures for my scrapbooks then my daily task might be "spend 10 minutes reading the camera manual about the settings". Short tasks that get me further toward my goals.
After about a week it works for me, and I would like to think that this tool would work for other people too. As a daily list, it can't be fully altered, it would take all my time just doing that! - but it does look attractive and thus makes me feel better than if it were a linear list. And I remind myself to do things for me and never stop being in pursuit of my goals.
If anyone wants the full Word file - feel free to get in touch and ask me.
Here's today's example:
I'm planning to keep all the planners in a file. Ticking off the jobs once done gives me a sense of satisfaction and I can see how I improve -over time - in my planning. Perhaps I need to become less ambitious about the number of jobs I can complete in a day!
Plus eventually - when I have time - I can look back over them to help me journal for a scrapbook page about my goals.
So I created a daily planner that reflects my priorities. The idea is to get MORE out of EACH DAY.
So there's a central circle that represents me, and here's where I put one or two words that sum up my hopes or ideas for the day - or an inspiring word, phrase or quote that gives me a positive start.
Then the "rays" that come out from the circle are different sizes representing my priorities. A lot of space is given to HOME BLESSINGS - chores, and things one needs to do in the home or for oneself - pick up drycleaning, phone the dentist - your daily cleaning routine can go in here, too. WORK comes below - for the key tasks that I need to do today - phone that contact, finish that report. KIDS are in the bottom right hand corner - write letter to school, wash PE kit - they are separate from Home Blessings - I haven't thought where to put Husband!
At the top right - of key importance - there's ME TIME. That's not for mundane things like hair appointments but for things I enjoy and that pamper me (which may or may not also be mundane things like having a bath!). If you like clothes shopping it goes in here, if you don't, that's a home blessing. Scrapping time can definitely go in here.
Finally the two smallest rays are for personal goals - they are small because a goal will be a big thing with lots of tasks, and perhaps big things are best tackled a small bit at a time - this is where the one or two daily tasks go that will put me one step nearer to my goal. If my goal is to lose weight, then here the task might be "Take salad to work for lunch & nuts for snacks" or if the goal is to to take better pictures for my scrapbooks then my daily task might be "spend 10 minutes reading the camera manual about the settings". Short tasks that get me further toward my goals.
After about a week it works for me, and I would like to think that this tool would work for other people too. As a daily list, it can't be fully altered, it would take all my time just doing that! - but it does look attractive and thus makes me feel better than if it were a linear list. And I remind myself to do things for me and never stop being in pursuit of my goals.
If anyone wants the full Word file - feel free to get in touch and ask me.
Here's today's example:
I'm planning to keep all the planners in a file. Ticking off the jobs once done gives me a sense of satisfaction and I can see how I improve -over time - in my planning. Perhaps I need to become less ambitious about the number of jobs I can complete in a day!
Plus eventually - when I have time - I can look back over them to help me journal for a scrapbook page about my goals.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Keeping your scrapping space in order
Here's a great ruleset for keeping things organised and efficient in your scrapping space - originally developed in the car industry in Japan I believe! You can see at once how it applies to scrap spaces though....
5S is a reference to five Japanese words that describe standardized cleanup:
Seiri (整理): tidiness, organization. Refers to the practice of sorting through all the tools, materials, etc., in the work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded. This leads to fewer hazards and less clutter to interfere with productive work.
Seiton (整頓): orderliness. Focuses on the need for an orderly workplace. Tools, equipment, and materials must be systematically arranged for the easiest and most efficient access. There must be a place for everything, and everything must be in its place.
Seiso (清掃): cleanliness. Indicates the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each work session, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place. (This sort of assumes you have a good spread of time to work in and are not doing 5 minutes here and there with other things going on too - multi-tasking is probably not efficient in this context!)
Seiketsu (清潔): standards. Allows for control and consistency. Basic housekeeping standards apply even in the scrap space. You know exactly what you need to do to tidy up, what your responsibilities are. House keeping duties are part of regular work routines.
Shitsuke (躾): sustaining discipline. Refers to maintaining standards and keeping your space in safe and efficient order day after day, year after year.
5S is a reference to five Japanese words that describe standardized cleanup:
Seiri (整理): tidiness, organization. Refers to the practice of sorting through all the tools, materials, etc., in the work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded. This leads to fewer hazards and less clutter to interfere with productive work.
Seiton (整頓): orderliness. Focuses on the need for an orderly workplace. Tools, equipment, and materials must be systematically arranged for the easiest and most efficient access. There must be a place for everything, and everything must be in its place.
Seiso (清掃): cleanliness. Indicates the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each work session, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place. (This sort of assumes you have a good spread of time to work in and are not doing 5 minutes here and there with other things going on too - multi-tasking is probably not efficient in this context!)
Seiketsu (清潔): standards. Allows for control and consistency. Basic housekeeping standards apply even in the scrap space. You know exactly what you need to do to tidy up, what your responsibilities are. House keeping duties are part of regular work routines.
Shitsuke (躾): sustaining discipline. Refers to maintaining standards and keeping your space in safe and efficient order day after day, year after year.
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