Monday, September 29, 2003
Preserving and Protecting Photographs
Are you one of those people, who have a TON of photos in old photo albums that have the sticky back and plastic cover? Well if you do, I suggest getting all of your photos out NOW and replacing the albums with new ones. The best kinds to purchase are photo pocket books.
This sight is a great one listing their recommendations of the following:
1. Natural enemies of Photographs
2. Small-format Photographs
3. Family Albums
4. Un-mounted Prints
5. Larger Photographs
6. Special Cases
7. Expert advice on preservation
Remember photographs are irreplaceable and priceless to the owner. They are a visual diary to your past. Many stores have great prices on photo albums that won’t cost you a fortune. If you need any help on putting the photos into photo albums, please refer to my earlier blog dated Wednesday, September 24th.
Are you one of those people, who have a TON of photos in old photo albums that have the sticky back and plastic cover? Well if you do, I suggest getting all of your photos out NOW and replacing the albums with new ones. The best kinds to purchase are photo pocket books.
This sight is a great one listing their recommendations of the following:
1. Natural enemies of Photographs
2. Small-format Photographs
3. Family Albums
4. Un-mounted Prints
5. Larger Photographs
6. Special Cases
7. Expert advice on preservation
Remember photographs are irreplaceable and priceless to the owner. They are a visual diary to your past. Many stores have great prices on photo albums that won’t cost you a fortune. If you need any help on putting the photos into photo albums, please refer to my earlier blog dated Wednesday, September 24th.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
10 Steps to Get Your Photos Organized
1. Go through house and find all of the photos in your house, boxes, tins, bags, undeveloped rolls, etc…
2. Do one roll or envelope at a time
3. Do a survey of your house to see if you have any organizing tools you were unaware of, for example, labels, archival photo albums, or blank sketch books that could be used for scrap booking, you need to determine what you want to do with your photos first to begin your project.
You have to think of organizational projects like you think of cooking. You need to plan everything out, from the ingredients to the materials to make it, like a bundt cake pan you need to make your recipe.
• For a photo album project, first organize your photos by date, they usually have them on the back of the photos OR by event, birthdays, dinner parties, etc… there are so many ways to organize them you can really have your pick
• If you don’t find all of the photos at first and are worried about order you can buy photo albums or scrap books that have add on pages you can insert later
• Figure out approximately how many photo albums or scrap books you need, (I have a great referral for scrap books, which I will provide at the end of this article.)
• Purchase the articles you need for the photos project, labels, books, pens, etc…
• Start placing the photos in albums, with a glass of something that soothes you, for me it would be a diet coke, for you perhaps a glass of wine.
• Have fun! Think of how nice it will be to go over old photos, know where they are, and not have to worry about them getting moldy, faded, or worse, lost.
• Here are some good websites that tell you more about preserving your photos…
http://www.maine.com/photos/tip.htm
http://www.uni.edu/petersog/icpctip5.html
http://www.photographymuseum.com/archival.html
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/membersGallery/archiving/caringForAlbums.shtml
4. Go shopping and look around for all of the organizing products there are out there
• this is the fun part, you get to look all over to find what photo holder suits your needs better. You could either by archival photo boxes, scrap books, or simple photo album
• be sure not to buy photo albums with magnetic pages, these can ruin photos, it not only fades the photo after time, but if you ever want to scan a photo later, it might not come free, it has happened to me!
5. determine which one suits your needs better
• be sure you get what will fit your personality, for example, if you are the type that will sit and stare at the photos all day and never get around to putting them away, (I am talking about the people who go to clean their rooms and find an old paper or book and end up spending the day reading that rather than getting the job done, it happens to the best of us!) if you do this, photo boxes with labels might be better for you.
6. Price shop – target, and Fred Meyer always have sales, you can also go on line to professional organizers websites who offer products and see what their prices are, sometimes after shipping and handling the items cost about as much as you would pay at a store, so be careful, especially if you are on a budget.
Here are a couple of web sites…
http://www.creativememories.com/home.asp
http://www.albumsource.com
http://www.dbphotoalbums.com/
http://www.pioneerphotoalbums.com/
• You could also go digital and scan all of your old photos onto a computer, if you are less a hands on person, and more of a computer person. Here are some great web sites on just that:
http://photos.yahoo.com/
http://www.picturetrail.com/
• There are cheaper ways to go about putting your photos onto a computer database or a disk
• Microsoft has a great program, called my pictures
• If you are going to scan, I suggest you purchase a scanner to save money, it gets expensive to do this service done at a photo store, even Walgreen’s adds up fast!
7. After purchasing the items required for the photos, set everything up on a card table
• Do not to use your kitchen table or dining room table, it tends to stay like this for months to be sure you have everything you need to get started, (remember the cooking analogy).
8. If you don’t finish it all in one day, clean up the clutter you have made you can even store it in a closet just put it away, otherwise it will add to your disorganization creating more stress, which makes you feel overwhelmed and then you are back to square one.
9. Some people need to take baby steps; this is ok, especially with a smaller sized project, such as photo albums, (in other words in takes up less space).
• This is supposed to be fun, if it helps do it in front of the TV with your favorite movie on, or play a soothing c.d.
10. If it doesn’t go smoothly, don’t despair! You can always call me for a free hour consultation over the phone.
Discuss
1. Go through house and find all of the photos in your house, boxes, tins, bags, undeveloped rolls, etc…
2. Do one roll or envelope at a time
3. Do a survey of your house to see if you have any organizing tools you were unaware of, for example, labels, archival photo albums, or blank sketch books that could be used for scrap booking, you need to determine what you want to do with your photos first to begin your project.
You have to think of organizational projects like you think of cooking. You need to plan everything out, from the ingredients to the materials to make it, like a bundt cake pan you need to make your recipe.
• For a photo album project, first organize your photos by date, they usually have them on the back of the photos OR by event, birthdays, dinner parties, etc… there are so many ways to organize them you can really have your pick
• If you don’t find all of the photos at first and are worried about order you can buy photo albums or scrap books that have add on pages you can insert later
• Figure out approximately how many photo albums or scrap books you need, (I have a great referral for scrap books, which I will provide at the end of this article.)
• Purchase the articles you need for the photos project, labels, books, pens, etc…
• Start placing the photos in albums, with a glass of something that soothes you, for me it would be a diet coke, for you perhaps a glass of wine.
• Have fun! Think of how nice it will be to go over old photos, know where they are, and not have to worry about them getting moldy, faded, or worse, lost.
• Here are some good websites that tell you more about preserving your photos…
http://www.maine.com/photos/tip.htm
http://www.uni.edu/petersog/icpctip5.html
http://www.photographymuseum.com/archival.html
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/membersGallery/archiving/caringForAlbums.shtml
4. Go shopping and look around for all of the organizing products there are out there
• this is the fun part, you get to look all over to find what photo holder suits your needs better. You could either by archival photo boxes, scrap books, or simple photo album
• be sure not to buy photo albums with magnetic pages, these can ruin photos, it not only fades the photo after time, but if you ever want to scan a photo later, it might not come free, it has happened to me!
5. determine which one suits your needs better
• be sure you get what will fit your personality, for example, if you are the type that will sit and stare at the photos all day and never get around to putting them away, (I am talking about the people who go to clean their rooms and find an old paper or book and end up spending the day reading that rather than getting the job done, it happens to the best of us!) if you do this, photo boxes with labels might be better for you.
6. Price shop – target, and Fred Meyer always have sales, you can also go on line to professional organizers websites who offer products and see what their prices are, sometimes after shipping and handling the items cost about as much as you would pay at a store, so be careful, especially if you are on a budget.
Here are a couple of web sites…
http://www.creativememories.com/home.asp
http://www.albumsource.com
http://www.dbphotoalbums.com/
http://www.pioneerphotoalbums.com/
• You could also go digital and scan all of your old photos onto a computer, if you are less a hands on person, and more of a computer person. Here are some great web sites on just that:
http://photos.yahoo.com/
http://www.picturetrail.com/
• There are cheaper ways to go about putting your photos onto a computer database or a disk
• Microsoft has a great program, called my pictures
• If you are going to scan, I suggest you purchase a scanner to save money, it gets expensive to do this service done at a photo store, even Walgreen’s adds up fast!
7. After purchasing the items required for the photos, set everything up on a card table
• Do not to use your kitchen table or dining room table, it tends to stay like this for months to be sure you have everything you need to get started, (remember the cooking analogy).
8. If you don’t finish it all in one day, clean up the clutter you have made you can even store it in a closet just put it away, otherwise it will add to your disorganization creating more stress, which makes you feel overwhelmed and then you are back to square one.
9. Some people need to take baby steps; this is ok, especially with a smaller sized project, such as photo albums, (in other words in takes up less space).
• This is supposed to be fun, if it helps do it in front of the TV with your favorite movie on, or play a soothing c.d.
10. If it doesn’t go smoothly, don’t despair! You can always call me for a free hour consultation over the phone.
Discuss
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Costco.com
Costco business is a great source for those who are organizing their office space at home or at work. The have a variety of organizational tools. Here is a list of just a few:
• Label makers
• Hanging file folders
• Manila envelopes
• Filing cabinets
• Mailing envelopes
• Ink jet cartridges
• Palm pilots
• Plastic drawer organizers
You can also order on line, instead of driving there. There prices are a lot less expensive than office supply stores.
Discuss
Costco business is a great source for those who are organizing their office space at home or at work. The have a variety of organizational tools. Here is a list of just a few:
• Label makers
• Hanging file folders
• Manila envelopes
• Filing cabinets
• Mailing envelopes
• Ink jet cartridges
• Palm pilots
• Plastic drawer organizers
You can also order on line, instead of driving there. There prices are a lot less expensive than office supply stores.
Discuss
Monday, September 22, 2003
Here are some notes from a talk I gave on professional organizers.
Who needs to get organized:
• Client 1 always has a beautiful house when guests come over. That's because thirty minutes before they arrive, she shoves everything into her closet and drawers, where she never can find it again.
• Client 2 keeps his calendar carefully and always knows when to leave the house. But he's perpetually late because he can't find his papers, his car keys, or clean underwear.
• Client 4 owns seven pairs of safety goggles. She buys a new one each time she goes to Home Depot, because she can't find the first six. Three months ago she found all the goggles she owned and put them in a new Goggles Drawer. As of today, she doesn't know she has a Goggles Drawer, let alone which one it is.
• If photographs were money, Client 5 would be broke, because he has no idea where any of his are. When he finds the three dusty boxes full of them, he spends five minutes sorting through them, before giving up and burying them in the closet again.
• Client 6 has two dozen boxes that she's quite sure have important things in them, but she couldn't tell you what they are, since she hasn't opened them since she moved three years ago.
• Most of my clients' friends think of them as well-organized, tidy individuals who are on top of their lives.
•
The greatest misconception about my line of business is that people with a messy desk need my services, while people with a clean desk don't.
• Hey, if you like putting your things in piles on the floor around your desk, and you have the room to do it, more power to you! You don't need me.
• The question is are you working at your best, and are you happy with the way you run your life.
The frustrations of being disorganized
1. Can’t find anything VERSUS all your projects take half as long, because you know where to find everything
2. Always rushing out the door ill prepared VERSUS feeling like you have lots of time in your day, since you can leave immediately for your appointments and know how long everything will take
3. Mood swings, irritability, feeling like you're just barely holding on to your life VERSUS feeling in control, confident, and secure that you know what, where, and who you're dealing with
4. Cannot plan for future finances and afraid of going shopping VERSUS knowing exactly where you stand financially and what you can afford to splurge on
5. cant even walk through your own office because of the piles of clutter VERSUS getting a charge out of walking in to your office because it's ready for you to start being productive
Developing a plan of action (after all of the sorting and tossing has been done, now your stuff needs a home)
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! The worst thing is the so-called "systems" that promise to work for everyone. What do you prefer:
• Write things down versus type them in
• Alphabetical versus sorted by subject versus sort by most-recently-used
• Put it away immediately versus at the end of the day versus hiring someone to come in weekly for an hour and take care of it
• That being said, here are some general tips I work by:
S – Sort through keepers and “tossers”
O - Organize into categories
R - Reassess your daily needs
T - Toss what you don’t need/use
S – Store it!
Who needs to get organized:
• Client 1 always has a beautiful house when guests come over. That's because thirty minutes before they arrive, she shoves everything into her closet and drawers, where she never can find it again.
• Client 2 keeps his calendar carefully and always knows when to leave the house. But he's perpetually late because he can't find his papers, his car keys, or clean underwear.
• Client 4 owns seven pairs of safety goggles. She buys a new one each time she goes to Home Depot, because she can't find the first six. Three months ago she found all the goggles she owned and put them in a new Goggles Drawer. As of today, she doesn't know she has a Goggles Drawer, let alone which one it is.
• If photographs were money, Client 5 would be broke, because he has no idea where any of his are. When he finds the three dusty boxes full of them, he spends five minutes sorting through them, before giving up and burying them in the closet again.
• Client 6 has two dozen boxes that she's quite sure have important things in them, but she couldn't tell you what they are, since she hasn't opened them since she moved three years ago.
• Most of my clients' friends think of them as well-organized, tidy individuals who are on top of their lives.
•
The greatest misconception about my line of business is that people with a messy desk need my services, while people with a clean desk don't.
• Hey, if you like putting your things in piles on the floor around your desk, and you have the room to do it, more power to you! You don't need me.
• The question is are you working at your best, and are you happy with the way you run your life.
The frustrations of being disorganized
1. Can’t find anything VERSUS all your projects take half as long, because you know where to find everything
2. Always rushing out the door ill prepared VERSUS feeling like you have lots of time in your day, since you can leave immediately for your appointments and know how long everything will take
3. Mood swings, irritability, feeling like you're just barely holding on to your life VERSUS feeling in control, confident, and secure that you know what, where, and who you're dealing with
4. Cannot plan for future finances and afraid of going shopping VERSUS knowing exactly where you stand financially and what you can afford to splurge on
5. cant even walk through your own office because of the piles of clutter VERSUS getting a charge out of walking in to your office because it's ready for you to start being productive
Developing a plan of action (after all of the sorting and tossing has been done, now your stuff needs a home)
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! The worst thing is the so-called "systems" that promise to work for everyone. What do you prefer:
• Write things down versus type them in
• Alphabetical versus sorted by subject versus sort by most-recently-used
• Put it away immediately versus at the end of the day versus hiring someone to come in weekly for an hour and take care of it
• That being said, here are some general tips I work by:
S – Sort through keepers and “tossers”
O - Organize into categories
R - Reassess your daily needs
T - Toss what you don’t need/use
S – Store it!
Guide to Donating Used Goods in King County, WA
Have you ever wondered where to donate used motor oil, old cans of latex paint or tires? This website has copious quantities of information for you. For example, if you go to this link: http://www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/house/paint.html
This particular link goes through the step by step process of:
• How to paint successfully.
• Where to dispose of the left over paint.
• How much to purchase
• Choosing the right paint
• Safety
With all of this valuable information, why not do it yourself?
Have you ever wondered where to donate used motor oil, old cans of latex paint or tires? This website has copious quantities of information for you. For example, if you go to this link: http://www.metrokc.gov/hazwaste/house/paint.html
This particular link goes through the step by step process of:
• How to paint successfully.
• Where to dispose of the left over paint.
• How much to purchase
• Choosing the right paint
• Safety
With all of this valuable information, why not do it yourself?
Friday, September 19, 2003
Dress for Success
Is your closet full of suits you no longer wear? If you have suits that you have out grown, or that you no longer wear, this is a great place to donate such items. They provide a chance for low-income women, to improve their lifestyles and become successful women. I ask you, what is a better gift than that?
Is your closet full of suits you no longer wear? If you have suits that you have out grown, or that you no longer wear, this is a great place to donate such items. They provide a chance for low-income women, to improve their lifestyles and become successful women. I ask you, what is a better gift than that?
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Tool Shuttle
This is a great store to find really stylish ways to organize your purse, travel and much more....
This is a great store to find really stylish ways to organize your purse, travel and much more....
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Freebie!
RealSimple
I've just become a big fan of Real Simple magazine. They have excellent organizing advice, useful reviews, and I admire their design sense. If you book five hours or more with me this week, I'll give you a free 1-year subscription at no charge!
RealSimple
I've just become a big fan of Real Simple magazine. They have excellent organizing advice, useful reviews, and I admire their design sense. If you book five hours or more with me this week, I'll give you a free 1-year subscription at no charge!
Thursday, September 11, 2003
