RE-Organizing My Life - The To-Do List

After solving my calendar and issues with Google, I next needed to come up with a good To-Do list program. Since my calendar and contact list is in Google, it would be nice to have my TO-Do lists there as well.


I didn't see a note or TO-Do list application when I browsed around, so I did a search.  While searching, I came across an interesting article - Getting Things Done with Google Notebook.   The article is based on a book by David Allen. I haven't read the book and am not up to speed with the principals, but the article and links inspired me and I'm using some of the concepts as I reorganize.  This article also mentions using the tool - Google Notebook.  Unfortunately, that tool is not out there anymore.  Google now has TASKS built into their email.

TASKS is on the left sidebar in Google Mail.  When you click on it, a list will pop up. I didn't take screen shots as I initially set up my lists, but it's super easy.

When TASKS is on, it is either neatly minimized in the bottom right corner of the email window as in the above example, OR open as in the example below.

The above list is my list of errands to run.  I finished off a couple of those today.  I need to put a check by the box and click on ACTIONS. Then I can clear the completed tasks.

I have already created a number of lists.

Clicking on the little button circled in red in the above screen shot brings up all the lists created so far.  I loosely based the name of some of these on the suggestions in the Getting Things Done article.  I'm not sure if I'll keep those headings or not.

Another nice feature - you can add notes about the items in your list.  The notes can be pretty long, too.  The example below is a fairly short note.

So far, I like the change to Google Calendar and Google Tasks.  I have a new phone with Internet access and am trying to learn how to use it so I can access my calendar, address book (contact list) and task list on the go.  I ended up getting a Droid X phone.  I am already seeing lots of uses for it, even more than I anticipated. 

I haven't had a great deal of time to complete my organization system transition.  I've had lots going on.  Besides holiday preparations, I also went to another fun auction this weekend.  I bought a hutch.  The price was good, but it needs some TLC.  I've already gathered my inspiration photos and while I was out this afternoon, I picked up some paint.  You can bet I'll be posting about this makeover.  So, check back soon!

RE-Organizing My Life - The Calendar

I am changing how I organize my life... as in moving to a new calendar/datebook/TO-Do list, etc.  I have used a Palm Handspring PDA for years.  Over a decade.  When I first jumped on board, I was ahead of the curve and using up to date technology.  Now, I am waaaaaaaaaaayyyyy behind.  My PDA is no longer supported.  Worse than that, it will no longer sync with my computer.  I only use my desktop version and the handheld (which works, but doesn't sync) is a big, heavy, never up-to-date address book that I don't even bother to carry around anymore.  It's time for a change! 

I love technology, but not so much that I insist on having the latest and greatest gadgets.  I still don't have a laptop. Gasp! I want one but I can't quite justify it yet.  I don't text on my cell phone, though I can see plenty of benefits to that if only I could get my DH to text.  I don't have internet access on my cell phone, though as part of my new system, that is about to change. 

Moving all of my info to a new system is proving to be time consuming. I can't export all the years of info into Outlook or Google Calendars or Yahoo Calendars. I've tried.  I've researched.  I am not buying a special program that only half works for a one time use.  I have admitted defeat.  I am starting over - copying and pasting one event after another.  After plenty of moaning and groaning, I am almost through with the calendar part of my new system.

I briefly considered going back to paper.  I have read a number of articles that make a case for going back to simpler means of organizing. The articles sound so peaceful and serene. But then I thought about it. (Moan)   It would be sooo cumbersome.  I have several pretty notebooks in several different sizes from the days when I used organizer notebooks - mostly in teaching.  I had different sizes because I never could settle on which size was the most practical.  See?  Even then, I was never happy with that system.  Plus, I like to type.  I hate to write.  I don't even like my handwriting anymore.

I need a calendar that I can access on my desktop computer and have access to when I'm out and about.  I looked into a few options and decided to use Google calendar. The switch is not going to be cheap.  Google Calendar is free, but ---  I'll need a new cell phone and a more expensive phone plan.  That's more irritating to me than the hours of inputting info. 

Google Calendars is nice.  The multiple calendars option in Google Calendars is my favorite feature.  It allows me to color code events. The colors are very easy to change. I do love color - it's easier to see what you're looking for!  I have 5 calendars set up now. I'll bet I end up with more.   I am using these multiple calendars as my categories, which is great!

Google has more calendars you can add.  You cannot edit these - they are set up for you.

I added a US Holidays calendar, which meant I would never have to type in any of those myself.  I also added a Weather calendar, which adds a small unobtrusive square to each day.  If you roll your mouse over the square, you can see a brief forecast.  If you click on it, you get a few more details.  It's fast and easy.  After checking the weather for tomorrow, I am a little more hopeful that it might not rain when I go to the auction tomorrow night. There are bunches of other calendars to choose from.  If you are a sports fan, you might want to add a team schedule.

It's very simple to see the events from all the calendars at once or only show one or two.    I really did like being able to isolate the calendars to see just one type of event.  If I were a big card sender, it would be easy to show just my purple calendar events (which I named Special Days) and see only the birthdays and anniversaries and things I might want to send a card for.  If you have kids at home, you could set up calendars for their schedule to keep up with sports and lessons and so forth.

With multiple calendars, I can share a calendar with someone else if I want.  For instance, I created one calendar for Bargain Hunting.  I set it up to show in green (the color of money).  I am entering auctions, estate sales and so on in that color.  Then, I can share just that calendar with my bargain hunting friends.  

The screenshot above is a partial view. I haven't finished adding everything in, but you can get the general idea of how the color coding looks. The highlighted events with white fonts are ones that I've set as all day.  The unhighlighted events in colored fonts have specific times set.  All are color coordinated to go with the calendar assigned to them.


Other than the hassle of transferring every blasted thing on my schedule over, this calendar system looks pretty decent.  Since I'm changing my phone system to include internet, I will be able to access the calendar easily from anywhere Verizon can be accessed.  BTW - That can you hear me now? commercial infuriates me, because at our house, the answer is still no.  But if I'm at home, I'll access the calendar from my computer. If the internet goes down, then I'm in trouble. 

The calendar is easy to use. There are a number of simple features, most are similar to what's available in other calendar systems.

You can look at the calendar in different views - The four day view is nice - it allows you to see what's coming up soon.  The agenda view is a list format.  I usually don't like a list format, but I must say, in Google calendars, it's nicer than expected.

When I enter an event, there are lots of options for quickly fine-tuning.  For instance, when inputting my nephew's birthday, I set it to repeat every year.  There's a pop up choice that allows me to choose which calendar that event will be part of.  I made this event part of my Special Days calendar.  Note:  There is a special calendar that allows you to show all the special days from your Google Mail contacts.  If you have birthdays listed there, they can show up instantly.  I decided not to use that option because I want my calendar to show the year of birth.  I like to see if it's a milestone birthday - sweet 16, magic 21, the big 5-0, etc.  I couldn't get that to show up with the contacts feature.


This post wasn't about decorating or re-doing a piece of furniture or cooking or making something creative.  Still, I hope someone finds it helpful.

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Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!

We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair,  RE-upholster, 
RE-furbish, RE-finish, RE-purpose,  and of course, we love to RE-lax! 

This party celebrates the RE-'s in our lives! 

Take a look at these other wonderful link parties for more clever ideas.  

I'm linking this post with them!

• Sunday Scoop at I Heart Naptime 
• It's a HodgePodge Friday at It's a HodgePodge Life
• Inspiration Friday at  Southern in My Heart

Fabric Organization

Heaven help me.  My fabric stash is a complete mess.  It's in my attic (which is like a big room, but without heating and air).  I have been hoping to find more shelving to finish up this area.  Last year, I came across plenty of wire shelves for next to nothing at yard sales that I used in other parts of the attic.  

I felt sure I'd come across plenty more.  But no.......  I guess no one out there is redoing their closets.  I may have to break down and purchase some at full price.  I can't make myself do it.  I know as soon as I did, I'd find a pile for nothing at the next yard sale.

And while I wait, my fabric stash seems to get messier and messier.  I rationalized that there was no sense spending a lot of time organizing it until the shelves were in.  No sense in doing it twice.  Forget that.  I cannot stand it.  I have got to tidy up.  

But first, as always, I need some inspiration.  After looking at some of the great examples below, I am really excited to get started!

Folded fabric can look quite neat. - as seen on Sew Mama Sew

It's easy to see what you have on open shelves. - as seen on Webshots

There's a great video on Tipnut showing a super easy way to fold fabric!

Fabric can be grouped by color - as seen on Happy Zombie

A shoe organizer is a great way to organize small bits of fabric - as seen on SweetJessie

Fabric can be rolled as seen on Craftzine - the cute label wrappers are available for download!

Fabric can be stored in see-through bins - great article on Sew4Home

Wire drawer systems work, too! - as seen on Sew Mama Sew

Folded around Foamboard - as seen on The Little Green Bean

Folded around cardboard - as seen on Fireflies and Jellybeans

Folded around Acid-free Comic Book Boards as seen on Feathered Fibers

It can be stored in a fabulous hutch (oh, I wish!) - as seen on Fabric Shopper Online

It can be placed in drawers - as seen on Badlands Quilts

How cute is this?  - as seen on vgkchick's Flickr page

I would need a lot of suitcases to do this! - as seen on Day to Day

Storing in Bins as seen on Tranquility Spot

Neat, easy to see, wrapped to same height... what's not to love?  as seen on Craftster

Last, but not least... 

Creative Daisy was brave enough to show how messy organizing can be.  I love this!

Click the link to see the transformation!

While thinking about RE-organizing my fabric, this is as good a time as any to announce my new party. The Porch and Garden party is ending at the end of the month.

The new party (starting November 1st) will be called the RE- party. 

It's to celebrate the RE-'s in our lives.  

RE-doing, RE-furbishing, RE-organizing.  

There's are tons of RE- things we do.  

Click here for more info. 

Meanwhile, be sure to check out the OCTOBER Porch and Garden Party. 
It's the last one for 2010 and will be open all month!

I'm linking up with the following parties:

• Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lane
• Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog
• Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
• We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado 
• Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse 

Chalk It Up to Hoosier Fever

I almost called this post Hoosier Mama - to sound like Who's Your Mama.   I can entertain myself for hours with silly things like this.  But, I'll try to show a little self control and get on with the post - a small, but wonderful improvement to one of my Hoosiers.

I painted the cabinet doors with chalkboard paint.  It was cheap.  It was fast.  It was easy. 

This brilliant idea has been around a while and it's caught on because it's really useful.  Most women are list-makers and note-writers because they juggle more than they can handle.  When you add hormone issues and/or lack of sleep, those lists and notes may be all that stands between you and complete chaos. 

I have little notes all over and I try to organize them.  I have a reputation for being organized, but I think maybe I'm losing my touch.  I can't seem to get a good system for all my notes.  I'm going to give chalkboards a go.  I'd like to add chalkboard surfaces in several key areas.  This is my first.

I used painters tape, which turned out to be a mistake.  The paint leaked even though I thought I'd been careful to smooth it down around the edges. Luckily, I was able to easily scrape the paint leaks off with a knife.

The Hoosier doors before were some type of stained particle board.  I guess that was someone's idea of a makeover.  It wasn't very attractive.  The bottom doors are still stained.  I'd love to cover them up as well, but I think chalkboard paint down low would be overkill.

 I put three coats of chalkboard paint on each door.  Once I took the painters tape off, the door color seemed a bit harsh. 

one door in the process of being conditioned

The directions on the can said to wait three days before using it.  That was the hardest part of the whole project.  Finally, today I conditioned the board for use - you just lay a piece of chalk on its side and rub all over the door.  Erase and then it's ready to use.  Once the doors were conditioned, the color is more of a charcoal gray and looks much better.

The Hoosier was moved to the nook in my foyer several days back during part of the Furniture Shuffle.  It had been in the pantry.  I am now using it as a station for organizing and pricing things for my booth.  I like that the foyer now has a purpose other than a pass-through area.

Here's a view inside the main organizing area - where I get things listed and priced.  Please pardon the wallpaper.  It's at least 15 years old and I thought it was nice at the time.  It's days are numbered.   The metal counter slides out when you need more room - very convenient.

I need chalkboards in at least 3 other places - the office, the kitchen and the loft (my project area).  I already know how I'm going to make that happen in my loft.  I think it will be fabulous, but I'm not even giving a hint about it yet.

Want more chalkboard inspiration?  Check out this chalkboard party at The Stories of A to Z.

Take a look at this post from My Repurposed Life showing how to make your own chalkboard paint.  She made a chalkboard out of a chair bottom!

It's So Very Cheri made a menu chalkboard that's fabulous.

Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties  -

Idid a lot of partying today!!!

Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking
Spotlight Yourself at It's So Very Cheri 
Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
100 Ideas Under $100 at Beyond the Picket Fence
Strut your Stuff at Fireflies and Jelly Beans
Hooking Up With HOH at House of Hepworths
Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville   

Shuffling Furniture

I spent all day Thursday shuffling 3 large pieces of furniture.  These are probably the 3 largest pieces of storage furniture in the house.  All three were loaded.  What a job!

The hutch went from the family room (where it shouldn't have been in the first place) to the pantry.  The Hoosier that was in the pantry went to the foyer nook.  The wardrobe that was in the foyer nook went to the family room.  All of these pieces function better and look better in their new spots.  It will take lots of tweaking and organizing to make each piece function and look right and in its new location.

The most important piece to get right was the hutch.  It's now holding lots of kitchen items.  I tried to gussy it up so that it can do it's job with as much flair as possible.

Here's the hutch in it's new home.  The cat in the photo is Dolly, who tries to spend most of her waking hours in the kitchen in case there's a treat to be had.

Before

This photo shows how pantry from before - when the Hoosier was there.  I'll show the Hoosier in it's new location soon.  I'm doing a small, but fun update.  It'll be ready soon.

Did you notice the sunflowers?  I bought some the other day for our wreath and this is what I did with the other bunch.  They look rather nice in my white yard sale pitcher.

There are a couple more details worth pointing out.  The hutch looked too white once everything was in place so I put a long piece of green Duck shelf liner on the top.  It's a fabulous green and adds a nice punch of color.

The Tonka truck is from my husband's collection.  I like to put tiny pumpkins in it around October, so I went ahead and put it on the shelf. 

The only money spent on this new setup was for the super cheap, on sale sunflowers.

I have a feeling that I'll tweak the hutch display often for seasonal and/or holiday looks.  I've already made a few changes since taking this photo.  And let me just say that I am not bowled over by the basket arrangement. I need to ponder this for awhile.

Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties:

Flaunt it Fridays at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge
Fab Friday at Frugal and Fabulous Design
Home and Family Fridays at Home is Where My Story Begins
Friday Make Mine Beautiful at It's a Blog Party ~ decorating ideas
It's a HodgePodge Friday at It's a HodgePodge Life
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Frugal Friday at Shabby Nest
I'm Lovin' It Fridays at Tidy Mom

Cork Shelf & Drawer Liners

Some of my projects don't turn out as I hope the first time around.  My kitchen drawers are a prime example.

First I lined them with the Rubbermaid rubber-y liner.  I found it in red and it was beautiful.  As long as we didn't open and close the drawers.  It doesn't stay in place.  I could have secured it down with hot glue or double sided tape, but I didn't want to.

Next, I made a dish drain cloth, which didn't look all that great as a dish drainer, but fit almost perfectly in a drawer and gave me a happy feeling every time I looked at it.

The mat is lined with terrycloth, which is nice. The fabric is a little busy for a drawer, but it's vintage from my grandmother.  This would have worked pretty well if it had been the exact size of the drawer.  The width was fine, but the front to back measurement was a bit off - not quite long enough.  I have to tug and pull it back to the front on a regular basis.  Not as often as with the Rubbermaid liner, but enough to annoy me. 

Yesterday, I installed option 3 - cork.  Cork is cushiony, absorbent and naturally resistant to mold and mildew.

My dear hubby ended up with some extra cork from some job in the past.  I had hoped to make a bulletin board out of something cool, but the size wasn't right and the cork has a few tears and creases.  But I'm having no trouble finding good pieces for shelves and liners.

I have finished one shelf and two drawers and am very pleased.

The main reason I decided to use cork was because last week as I was moving some coffee cups, I noticed a mildew-y area under one of the cups.  If I take the cups straight out of the dishwasher and put them away, they may not be completely dry.  Putting them right on a shelf is not a good idea.  ...unless the liner works well with moisture.  ...like cork.    I figure my glasses shelf would need the same protection.  I especially like the sound muffling properties of the cork.  The glasses don't clink as you set them in place.

Next, on to the drawers.  I started with the two that most annoy me.

My gadget drawer is looking good.  

I am going to make a minor change in this drawer.  I'm going to remove the large organizer on the left.  As much as I love organizers and bins, I think this drawer would function better without it.

Also, note - if you decide to use cork to line drawers or shelves, don't bother with adhesive backed cork which would likely be a mess to take back out in the future.  The plain cork will lie flat on it's own.  If it's been in a roll, it may need a day or two of being weighted down, but it will end up totally flat.

I will have to live with my cork liners for awhile before making a true judgment.  I did a bit of Googling on the subject and found random comments here and there where people had used cork to line their drawers for years and loved them.  Stay tuned for a few years and I'll let you know!

Don't forget to link to my latest Weekend Porch and Garden Party!

I have joined the following link parties:
Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
Spotlight Yourself at It's So Very Cheri
Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
Creative Share Wednesday at Trendy Treehouse ~ crafts, recipes, decor, gift ideas and more
Works for Me Wednesday at We Are That Family

I'll join these parties once they are posted:
Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
Be Inspired at Room to Inspire - not every week  
Idea Sharin' Wednesday at Women Who Do It All  
 

A Pleasant Place to Paint

I have slowly been working on organizing my attic space.  A good part of my upstairs is unfinished.  I call it my attic, but I guess that's not really accurate since there is actual attic space above.  This unfinished space was a major part of the house design and it's a part of my house that I really feel fortunate to have.

Last week I decided that my organization plan for this area was flawed.  I spend many mornings at my paint station.  I have a million (that's only a slight exaggeration) things waiting to be painted.  The first flaw - I had the station set up on the east side.  That's the first side to get hot in the summer.  I have a large bank of windows on each side. The sun was actually coming in too strong early in the morning and I could be blinded by the light if I stood in the wrong spot.  The other flaw - the east side has a beam sticking up from the floor - it was just waiting for me to trip over it while holding a bucket of paint.  I've been told that this beam could be trimmed to floor height without compromising the structure, but I would prefer not to tamper with it.

Once I decided I needed to make a change, I couldn't concentrate on anything else til it was done.  Since it is unfinished space, I could only work comfortably til about 11am on the 90 degree days we've been having lately.  It ended up taking about 3 days to make the change.

I sure am happy with the new location and new setup.

Here's the view looking towards the west side windows.  In this picture you can see that I have a ceiling fan.  There are actually 3 ceiling fans in this unfinished space. Love it!!!

You can also see that I put down some carpet squares.  I had them.  They weren't being used.  Now I have a cushy floor to stand on.  I don't know why I put down the drop cloth.  I really don't care if the squares get messed up.  If I had an analyst, I would ask him/her.  I'm sure it has some deep seated meaning.

Here's a view opposite the windows.  You can see I'm starting to put up shelves on the walls I covered with sheets (to cover up exposed fiberglass) last month.  I have more fans set up.  They come in handy when I prime - my current primer is a bit smelly and I want those fumes out as fast as possible. 

I love this space.  I love having a spot where it's OK to make a big mess.  There's no need to clean it up so it can be used for something else.  I can keep a steady stream of projects underway.

Another major bonus for this space is that it's the one area of our house that is pet free.  I love our babies, but if I tried to paint with any of them around, it could would end in disaster.

Most of all, I love how I feel in the space.  Early in morning, the windows are open and breezes are usually wafting through. I can hear nature sounds just outside.  Painting is slow and methodical and I'm finding it's almost like meditating.   It's such a pleasant way to start my day.

I have linked to these parties:
Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville
Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Get Your Craft on Thursday at Life as Lori
It's Party Time at Pony Tails and Fish Scales