Cozi Blog

Create A Bill Paying System

Do you misplace bills or miss payment due dates? Do you have a stack of paid bills but aren’t sure what to do with them? A bill paying system gives you a way to find, pay and file your bills simply and quickly.

Unpaid bills need a home so they are easy to find when it’s time to pay them.

Personally, I like to keep an action file that is organized by the category of action such as “to pay,” “to read,” and “to follow-up.” I like the action file because I like doing similar activities together.

Some people like the tickler file system that is based on forty-three files (1-31 for each day in the current month plus one file for each month). Bills and anything else that need to be processed on a particular date are filed under the appropriate day. Items for future months are filed under the appropriate month. Some people like how the tickler file creates a daily agenda.

Regardless of how unpaid bills are filed, allow sufficient processing time.

Payments need to be mailed seven to ten days prior to the due date to avoid late charges. Allow three to four days for processing when making online payments. Record the date to pay bills in your calendar, and use this date to file the bills if you are using the tickler file. I like to limit my bill paying to a couple of days during the month because the routine provides me with a certain amount of financial predictability.  The dates chosen for the bill paying routine allow sufficient time for the payments to be received and processed.

Schedule bill paying in your planner.

Bill paying is a rather mundane task and it’s easy to put it off or forget about it. Scheduling provides the time to get it done and a certain amount of importance.

The last step of the process is filing the paid bills.

File the bills as soon as you are finished so you avoid making two tasks out of one. Using a month system to file paid bills is fast and easy. Bills paid in September are filed in September. In a year, just take out the old bills and shred them before filing the new bills. However, if your bills are tax-deductable you will need to file them with all of your tax-deductions for the year and keep them for seven years after filing taxes– or for the length of time your tax preparer recommends.

Organized bill paying involves providing a home for the paid and unpaid bills plus scheduling the bill paying. Once organized, you may find you never pay a late fee again. It’s like money in the bank!

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

Clear Spaces owner Denise Lee merges seven years of social service experience and seventeen years experience in Information Technology to bring you effective and personal organizing solutions for the home, the small business and the student. The Clear Spaces approach is holistic -- empowering you to live the life you want to live.

Solutions to Three Clutter Problems

Magazine Clutter

Toss magazines older than 3 months. A new one will always come next month. If you never get a chance to read them, consider not renewing them. Instead of keeping the entire magazine, tear out articles you want to read, decorating ideas, items you wish to purchase, etc., and place them in reading, or “idea” folders that you can access later. If you must keep the magazines, such as cooking magazines for the recipes, put them in a magazine holder in a location that is easily accessible in the kitchen. 

Clothing Clutter

Can’t remember the last time you wore an article of clothing? Turn all of your hangers in the opposite direction of the way you normally hang up your clothes. After you wear the item, hang it back up the normal direction. After 3-6 months you will have a good idea of what you are not wearing. It may be time to eliminate a few of those pieces and let someone else get some use from them.

Empty Boxes Clutter

One of the biggest space wasters in the garage are empty boxes – that are being kept, because you might need them “someday.” After a while the boxes will become dusty and could start to smell and then you will not want to use it anyway. You can always get another box and free up that space for something you really need to keep! If you are keeping the boxes purely for the information on the side, such as computer information, you may want to cut that section off and file it with your warranties, unless you think you may need to return the computer in the original box.

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

 

Laura Leist, CPO, is a speaker, productivity consultant and the best-selling author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home & Life. She founded the Seattle-based organizing services firm Eliminate Chaos in 2000 and is the President of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). Laura is a frequent guest on TV, radio and has been published in several national newspapers and magazines.

Copyright Eliminate Chaos. Reprinted with permission.

7 Organizing Myths Debunked

When it comes to organizing, there are many different reasons people say it’s just not for them. However, the reasons stem from misconceptions about what it means to be organized. Let’s take a look at the seven most common organizing myths and the truth behind them.

1. Organizing is only for type-a people.

One of the most common misconceptions people have about organizing is that it’s something only high-strung, type-a people do. While it’s true that it might come more naturally, or even be fun, for those of us who fit that description, getting organized is a valuable tool for anyone. Not only does it allow you to be more efficient and more productive, but it also saves you time and money.

2. Organizing takes too much time.

Of course, some of you might be wondering how an activity that takes so much time can actually save you time. In reality, getting–and staying–organized doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Depending on the current state of your home, it can be overwhelming to figure out where you should even start. The answer is to start with one small room or area at a time. Investing an hour to organize your pantry, or an afternoon to sort through your kids’ toys pays off when you don’t waste minutes every day looking for certain ingredients or a half-hour trying to find the pieces to a specific game your children want to play.

3. Getting organized is frustrating.

Getting organized can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be. I recommend a three-step method to organizing that starts with pulling everything out of the room or area you’re tackling. Next, sort everything into three piles: keep, throw away, give away. Then start putting things away that you’re going to keep, thinking about what you need to be able to access, what you use most often, and what will work best for you. Start with a small area so you don’t become overwhelmed, and put as much in the throw away or give away piles as you can. The less stuff you have, the less frustrating it will be!

4. Organizing has to be expensive.

I’ll admit that I sometimes drool over all of the home organizing accessories and doodads that are available these days, all to make organizing easier and prettier. But the truth is there are plenty of ways to organize that don’t cost anything, and if you’ve got a creative streak, you can still make them just as pretty. Be creative and think outside of the box about things you can repurpose or recycle in your quest to get organized.

5. Once you organize your home, it just stays that way.

In many ways, this myth can be the most discouraging of them all. If you’ve ever spent a weekend organizing, only to look back three months later and find everything in shambles once again, you know what I mean! For other people, the idea of having to organize again and again in order to keep your home in order just takes you back to myths number one and two and reinforces that organizing isn’t for you. But the important part of this principle is not that you have to invest hours upon hours in organizing each week. Once you have a system in place, take just a couple of minutes each day or each week to either put things away, throw them away or give them away so that your system isn’t overwhelmed by stuff.

6. A good organizing system will work for anyone.

I have a lot of admiration for women like the Flylady and Lorie Marrero, the creator of ClutterDiet. They’ve motivated so many people to get on top of their household duties and get organized. However, the reality is that most people who follow these systems end up tweaking them to work best for their own life, and you have to know that in advance, or you can easily become discouraged by your inability to follow the system down to the tiniest detail. We all have different priorities, responsibilities and lifestyles, and if your organizational systems don't reflect these differences, chances are that they won’t last.

7. There is a right way and a wrong way to organize.

The thing I stress most often to people is that there is no right and wrong way to organize. The right way to organize for your family is the way that works for you! Dorothy at Urban Servant, who is a mother of 10 beautiful children, recently shared her laundry method, which perfectly illustrates this principle.

“I don’t fold anyone’s laundry but daddy’s. We have shelving with 12 laundry baskets in three rows, and I can toss clean items into anyone’s bin without too much effort. I sort a large load in about 3 minutes and move on to the next thing. Of course that means we don’t own anything that wrinkles or needs much special care, but I don’t miss them.

This is a perfect example and one that I’ve used in the past myself. You should not feel guilty if the way you do laundry is to simply sort the clean clothes into separate baskets and call it a day. I’m a little too type-a for that system, and because it would drive me nuts, it’s not the right system for me. But if it’s the system that works for you, then stop feeling guilty about it and consider yourself organized!

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

Mandi Ehman is mom to four spunky little girls. She believes that organizing only lasts if you do it your way – to fit your needs, your preferences and your lifestyle. She shares organizing and time management tips at Organizing Your Way and tips for simplifying and beautifying your home at Simple Nest.

7 Unusual Scheduling Tips to Save Your Time & Sanity

Beyond simply writing things on your calendar, here are seven great ways to optimize your scheduling that you may not have heard before:

1. For phone meetings, always establish who is calling whom at the appointed time, and on which number. If this is not clear, you can waste 5-10 minutes of your meeting time each waiting for the other person to call! And with so many phone numbers that we all have now (home, work, cell, conference line), it may not be readily apparent which number to use. I write the title of my appointments based on which person is doing the calling. If I am supposed to call, I write "Call Larry- cell." If Larry is supposed to call me, I write "Larry calling."
2. If you have established a day with someone but have not yet finalized a time, make sure you still put it on your calendar during the time slot that is mostly likely going to occur. Use the prefix "Time TBD" ("To Be Determined") to title the appointment. Otherwise, two things might happen: (1) you might not remember to reserve the time for that person and something else takes its place, or (2) you might not realize the time was never confirmed and show up at the wrong time. Example: "Let's have lunch on Friday." Is it 11:30, 12:00, 12:30...? Put the appointment in for 11:30-1:30, "Time TBD-Lunch with Sally." Then when she confirms and you set a time, change the appointment to its confirmed and correct time slot.
3. If you have set the meeting date and time and not the place, you can write "Place TBD" in the title of the appointment to remind you. Sometimes you want to choose a lunch place the day before, or you don't know which meeting room will be available. This can trigger you to figure that out and notify the other person, instead of looking at it and scratching your head wondering if you had set the place or not!
4. If someone is in a different time zone, OVERCOMMUNICATE about the time zones when scheduling with them. Never assume the person knows where you live and will figure it out for themselves, even if he or she really is aware of your location. Always state the time in both places when confirming. Example: "I'll call you on your cell phone at 2:30 Central, 3:30 Eastern."
5. If you have only a couple of possible dates and nothing has been finalized yet, put the appointment(s) on your calendar anyway with the prefix "TENT" for "tentative" in the title. You may want to remember that the "big cheese" customer might be calling you on either this day or that day, especially when other demands are being considered for those days.
6. Remember to schedule everything on your calendar that might possibly be relevant to other appointments. For example, if you work in a home office, you will want to write down on your calendar the range of time that the exterminator is supposed to arrive so you'll remember to be home during that time to let him into the house. You can still schedule phone meetings and tasks on top of it, but you need to know not to be gone.
7. Remember transitional time between appointments. Whether you're driving from one appointment to the next or you need time to prepare, change clothing, or just breathe for a minute, make sure you schedule that time in appropriately. You can use the prefix "TRANS" for transitional time if that is helpful. This is particularly useful if you have an assistant who might be scheduling for you and doesn't understand where everything is being done or what your exact needs are going to be.

If you calendar electronically, use the notes field of your appointment to paste in all relevant details such as questions to ask the person, driving directions, numbers to call, ideas for the meeting, and other information. There are so many ways to be more efficient with your time by just being smarter with the tools you already use. Do you have anything to add? Share in the comments!

Certified Professional Organizer Lorie Marrero is the creator of ClutterDiet.com, an innovative program allowing anyone to get expert help at an affordable price. She is also the author of The Clutter Diet: The Skinny on Organizing Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life. Her organizing books and products are sold online and in stores nationwide. Lorie has been a spokesperson for Brother label makers and FedEx Office, and she is a sought-after expert for national media such as CNBC, Good Housekeeping, WGN News and Woman's Day.

7 Steps to Writing a Thank You Note

When someone takes the time to give you a gift, you should take the time to show your appreciation by putting pen to paper. A handwritten note conveys something that a card, a call or an e-mail just can’t. The most important thing is that it's written. Note that most of these thank you card steps can be adapted for your littlest letter writers as well.

1. Start with pretty paper. Note cards are easy to find and allow you to keep it short. A gracious thank you doesn’t need to be a lengthy letter.
2. Greet the giver. Dear Aunt Helen/Grandma/Miss Brown is fine.
3. Say thanks. Name the item that you received.
4. Show enthusiasm and discuss how the gift will be used. For example, if your gift was a book, you might write something such as, “I’ll enjoy the novel on my vacation next month.”
5. Show interest in the giver. State that you look forward to seeing the person soon or can’t wait to catch up on his or her life.
6. Say thanks again. Really. It never gets old.
7. Sign off. Use “love” if appropriate; for something more formal, “regards” or “sincerely” works well.

It’s nice if you can write your thank you notes within the week. But during the busy holidays, within the month is acceptable.

MakingLifeBetter provides tips and smart strategies to help you feel good, look good, and get more out of life.

10 Ideas for Frugal (and Beautiful) Art

Having plain walls in your home might qualify as "simple," but it doesn't necessarily equal beautiful. And while I'm all for simplifying my home, having art on the walls is an easy way to add beauty and interest, and it doesn't have to be expensive at all!

Let's look at 10 ideas for inexpensive but beautiful art that your family will love:

1. Framed photos.

Having pictures of your children, friends and extended family on your walls is a great way to not only decorate but also celebrate the people you love. I'm partial towards black and white photos, but the type of photo you choose is not important. Choose pictures you love, and you can't go wrong!

2. Children's artwork.

Frame your children's artwork and hang it on the wall. Not only will they be proud to see their work displayed, but their simple and colorful art will add a splash of beauty to any room.

3. Repaint an existing piece.

A couple of months ago, Meredith from Like Merchant Ships shared the story of the worst Craigslist purchase she ever made – a large gaudy painting that she realized immediately would not be suitable for her husband's office like she had originally thought. Eventually, she came up with this idea to repaint it – or more specifically, let her four-year-old paint it – and the end result was a painting that they were happy to hang in their home.

4. Putty and paint a piece of plywood.

My husband has made a lot of the art in our home using this method. He simply takes a piece of wood, cuts it to the right size for the space and spreads thick layers of putty over it in a 3-D pattern or design (such as crisscross strokes.) Once it's dry, he paints it, and the result is always beautiful.

5. Use artist canvas and make your own paintings.

Along those same lines, you could simply buy and paint your own canvases. Use one large canvas or several smaller ones grouped together. The best part is you can choose colors that you know will complement your decor without having to search for a picture or painting that fits.

6. Frame pictures from calendars or picture books.

Another very inexpensive option (especially if you wait until the end of the year to purchase the calendars) is to buy a calendar or picture book with illustrations or photos that you love and that fit your decor. Dust covers from children's books would be great to frame as well.

7. Hang a rug or blanket.

Art doesn't have to mean paintings or photos, of course. Try hanging a rug or blanket on a large wall to bring warmth and coziness into a room. Whether it's a matching crib quilt in a nursery or a vintage rug, textiles will add beauty and interest to your walls.

8. Ask travel agencies or movie theaters for old posters and maps.

If you're decorating a den, a school room, a theater room or some other themed room, using large posters and maps is a great way to add interesting and unique art to the walls. Just remember that you may have to be patient as you wait to find the perfect one!

9. Paint a mural on the wall.

Even if you don't consider yourself exceptionally talented, painting a wall mural is a fun project that can transform a room. The two most common methods for painting a wall mural are to either use a transparent outline and a projector to trace the design on the wall or to use the grid method to paint the mural section-by-section.

10. Check thrift shops.

Of course, if you really want "real" art, you can always keep your eye out in thrift shops and at yard sales for a piece that fits your decor as well. The key to decorating simply is to have patience as you search for the right pieces!

 

Mandi Ehman is mom to four spunky little girls. She believes that organizing only lasts if you do it your way – to fit your needs, your preferences and your lifestyle. She shares organizing and time management tips at Organizing Your Way and tips for simplifying and beautifying your home at Simple Nest.

Organize for Disaster Preparation

September is “Disaster Preparedness Month.” Make disaster preparation a priority this month. Work on this project with the entire family. Be sure that your important papers are organized and that you know where they are and how you can access them quickly, such as insurance documents, important phone numbers, copies of credit cards, driver’s licenses, medical records, etc.

 

Laura Leist, CPO, is a speaker, productivity consultant and the best-selling author of Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home & Life. She founded the Seattle-based organizing services firm Eliminate Chaos in 2000 and is the President of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). Laura is a frequent guest on TV, radio and has been published in several national newspapers and magazines.

(c) Eliminate Chaos, reprinted with permission

Morning Zoom: 10 Habits to Start the Day Right

Are you always running late in the morning? Adopt a few organizing and time management strategies to help start your day in good time.

The night before: Check the next day’s agenda at night and do as much as you can to prepare for the day.

• Pack what is needed for the next day in the backpack or briefcase and put the bag by the door.
• Choose an outfit and make sure it is in a wearable state. You may be spared a wardrobe malfunction in the morning.
• Pack the lunchboxes and put them ready-to-go in the fridge. Consider getting a coffee maker with a timer. Waking up to a brewed pot of coffee is wonderfully motivating.

Eliminate distractions. Focus on getting ready and eliminate anything that prevents you from leaving on time and in good spirits.

• Don’t answer the phone. If you are concerned that the message will have immediate impact on your day, check voice mail before you leave.
• The computer and the TV are notorious for holding people’s attention hostage. Turn the TV off and get the news from the radio.
• If checking email is a must then use a timer by the computer to keep the session brief. Actually, use a timer with any activity to prevent time from slipping away.
• Checklists are also useful for keeping you focused. A checklist posted on the door at eye level will help you remember what you need to take and what needs to be done to secure your house.

Simplify. Make things as easy as possible, and develop a morning routine that gets you and your family ready while leaving the home in a reasonable state.

• Put things away when you are finished with them. If you feel too rushed to put things away, then wake up ten minutes earlier.
• Collect fast and nutritious breakfast items together in one spot. Skipping breakfast is not a time saver. Your plummeting blood sugar will interfere with your work.
• Streamline the morning shower by gathering the personal care items you use daily into one basket.

The morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Starting the day in a calm and prepared manner will empower you for the rest of the day.

Clear Spaces owner Denise Lee merges seven years of social service experience and seventeen years experience in Information Technology to bring you effective and personal organizing solutions for the home, the small business and the student. The Clear Spaces approach is holistic -- empowering you to live the life you want to live.

School Morning Checklist

SchoolFamily.com helps parents help their kids succeed in school. SchoolFamily.com provides expert insight, information, and resources for parents of school-age children in grades K-12.

Make school mornings easier with a weekly sheet to list your child's chores and needed items. Some common A.M. tasks are listed and you can customize it to suit your family.

School Morning Checklist - Get Ready for School

• Wake Up Cheerfully
• Make Your Bed
• Wash Your Face
• Get Dressed
• Morning Meal/Clear Dishes
• Clean Teeth/Fix Hairdo
• Collect Homework
• Collect Lunch or Lunch Money
• Put On Shoes and Jacket
• Say "Have a Good Day" to Loved Ones

Download the complete School Morning Checklist

Manage all your lists and access them from anywhere with Cozi's customizable lists.

Night Before School Checklist

SchoolFamily.com helps parents help their kids succeed in school. SchoolFamily.com provides expert insight, information, and resources for parents of school-age children in grades K-12.

Make school mornings easier by getting organized the night before. The complete chart allows you to list your child's nighttime chores.

• Pick Out Tomorrow's Outfit
• Make Lunch
• Gather Homework
• Clean Up and Put Things Away
• Put On Pajamas for Bedtime
• Clean Teeth and Drink Water
• Download the Night Before School Checklist

Download the complete Night Before School Checklist.