Rubbermaid - Adventures in Organization

I'm Midnight Plum; You're Very Berry Kiss

I don't know about you, but I have a stack of keys that would make the maintenance man at the Empire State Building blush. Professional Organizer Beth Ziegler posted an awesome tip on how to keep keys organized on her blog Bneato last month that was picked up by Lifehacker.

 

[Image from Lifehacker]

Give your keys a nice shiny coat of nail polish to tell which belongs to which door, lock, or mystery trunk. If you have a particularly old key, you might try cleaning it with nail polish first. It'll take off any oil or grime that's on it and help the polish stick better.

Sidenote... Beth Ziegler = awesome. She writes for the equally awesome Apartment Therapy and I've added her RSS feed to my list (though I had a hard time deciding if I should file her under organization or cool design...hmmm).

Organizing Doesn't Have to Be Beautiful - Lessons from the Office

Every year, we make a calendar for Rubbermaid.com.  We try to put some thought behind the times of year when people will most like to know about which products and tips, as it relates to seasons / holidays where they make the most sense.

The project sat on my desk in folders for at least 3 weeks, as I wasn't able to really get "inspired" to work on it since I knew it would make a huge mess of my desk and I would need to complete it from start to finish.  I kept putting it off since I never had more than an hour at a time and I didn't want to get started, only to have to pack it up.

However, with pressure of an imminent deadline, I got an idea to work on it continually by pinning the different themes to different areas of my cubicle.  Below is a photo of the process.

Only Erin could understand my logic, and I got a lot of strange looks, but the result was an organized system where we could then re-arrange and brainstorm ideas in half hour increments.  I was able to finish everything in a few days.

Through this I learned that organizing doesn't necessarily always need to be beautiful.  Sometimes, just setting up a functional system can help you get your thoughts organized.  Additionally, sometimes you have to get a little messy to get things finally in order.  I am proud to report that we got our calendar figured out, and since, the "crazy wall" has come down and the content is now categorized in a binder. However, without this exercise it wouldn't have happened.  So my advice is: don't be afraid to make a mess!

Using a Old Shutter to Organize

One of my favorite organization tools that I use in my home office would have to be my shutters.  I found them at the Metrolina Antique Show in Charlotte.  They were 2 for $5, and were originally navy until I spray painted them white to match my office.

They are great for keeping important references close-by my desk without creating holes in my wall.   Additinally, they allow me to maximize 6 feet of vertical space and are easily moveable around the room.

On one, I have:
-frequently used coupons for restaurants / activities that I need to remind myself I have (or I will forget to use them)
-inspiration - things to be grateful for, favorite quotes/inspirational photos
-upcoming events clipped from Charlotte Observer and other magazines

On the other, I have used Stick and Store baskets to hang on the grooves in the shutter and I organize plans for upcoming travel.

What other uses do you have for old things?