Advice
Welcome to our advice section. Every week I answer new questions submitted
by readers on Organizing, Image, Fashion and Event Planning.
You can read my "AddSPACE To Your Life!" column every week
in San Diego's “The Coast News" or read the archived columns
below.
E-mail your questions to advice@addspacetoyourlife.com
3.11.05
Make Organize Your Office Day come true for
youMarch 12th is National Organize Your Home Office Day
Get to it, you can do it!
Start with an empty trash can, a pen, file folders, labels and the
other organizational products to suit your needs.
Clear the space you want to organize (the desk surface, the drawers,
etc.). Then make a big pile of all the paper.
Even though you might feel overwhelmed at this point, start sorting.
Evaluate each item, categorize it and put it away (back into a marked
file, in a desk drawer, organizer, etc.), throwing out as much as
possible.
If you devote the necessary time, your office can be cleared. If possible,
enlist the help of a partner; someone who can help you keep going.
Organization is a skill that can be learned. The most difficult part
is breaking your lifelong bad habits (like letting your “in
box” pile up). To get better organized, start with one small
step. Once you see the benefits in one part of your life, you'll be
motivated to continue.
Dear
Kathi,
I have just graduated from college and would like to organize my life
and my finances. I still live at home but want to move out as soon
as possible and also to buy a good used car. I have several odd jobs
but none of them pay a lot of money. I also take dance classes and
want to continue with them. How do I figure out how to make all of
this work and save money towards getting out of the house?
Juliana, Encinitas
Juliana,
We all have the same amount of hours in the week. Decide how many
hours you are available for work. Add up the hours that you currently
work and how much revenue you produce. Break down the pay for each
job. This will help you decide later in this process if each job matches
your goals.
Make a list of what you wish to accomplish financially and note the
time frame. For instance, maybe your goal is to purchase a used car
in three months and spend approximately $2500. You want to move into
your own apartment within six months. Factor in the average monthly
rent for the area you wish to move to and your apartment deposit (usually
2 months rent). Consider moving in with a roommate to reduce your
costs. Your moving startup costs will be the sum of these 3 factors.
Take this number and divide it by the number of months built into
your plan.
This exercise will provide a clear picture of how much money you need
to save to reach your goals.
Determine if you will make the amount of money in your proposed timeline.
Analyze each job’s weekly hourly commitment and the pay you
receive. Does each job provide the hourly rate you need to meet your
goals? If the numbers don’t add up, you have several options.
Reframe your timeline and extend the goal completion date. Switch
your workload to jobs that will provide more income for the same amount
of hours. Increase the amount of hours you will work every week. Save
more money by cutting back on expenditures that aren’t part
of your larger goal.
Once you have purchased your car and saved the deposit for your new
apartment, you will need to set another plan into action. This plan
will include a budget that covers all of your expenses once you are
on your own. You need to factor food, gasoline, insurance, utilities
and all other monthly expenses. Before you move, you will need a secured
work schedule that can handle all of these monthly expenses.
You are well on your way to reaching your goals by simply going through
with this process. A clearly defined goal is much more likely to be
achieved than an unplanned daydream. Good luck Juliana. Write again
when you are ready to organize your new apartment
Kathi is a professional organizer, image consultant and event planner
based in San Diego California.
Please
submit your questions to:
advice@addspacetoyourlife.com
.
San Diego Professional Organizer
