Back to Basics - Why you need a 4 Section System

  What better place to start than at the beginning.  The key to being organized is having a system that is easy to use, easy to remember and easy to stick with.  Think about your system  as a foundation – it’s the thing that gives stability, ensures longevity, and provides security.  Many of us have started an organization task based on a specific storage container or space without ever considering a “system” for organizing.  In these situations what we’re actually is doing is “storing” or “containerizing”, we’re not actually organizing.  To be organized you must;  Function within a formal structure (a system), leave nothing out (take into consideration all the parts, pieces and uses)  be efficient in arrangement and function.

or·gan·ized:

1. Functioning within a formal structure

2. Formed into a structured or coherent whole.

3. Methodical and efficient in arrangement or function.

   Since my goal with this email format is to keep the information short, easy to read and understand in small pieces, today I’m only going to tackle the first part of the definition – “Functioning within a Formal Structure”. 

  The formal structure we use for organizing our craft supplies is called the 4 Section System; a simple name for a very formal structure.  Don’t be afraid - formal doesn’t mean difficult.  In fact, in this circumstance the formality of the system makes things very simple.

Think of organizing your supplies into these 4 major categories:

1. Alphabets, Numbers and Punctuation Marks
2. Themes and Sentiments A-Z
3. The Calendar Year
4. The Rainbow

 These are large categories that will encompass a huge variety of products and ideas but at the same time they are very simple, which makes it very easy for your brain to connect to them.  Let’s talk a minute about how the brain works.  Your brain stores information by the spider web method, which means that one thing connects to another thing (or maybe several other things) to get you the information you need.

As an example – you walk by a restaurant and smell something delicious.  Your brain spider webs around trying to define that smell: you remember it from being a kid – you remember your mom putting big dollops of sour cream in it -  Ah… Beef Stroganoff!  You may or may not realize the route your brain has taken to get you to the answer, you just know you’ve got the answer.  After reading this, and maybe listening to me harp on you about “thinking about thinking”, you may become far more aware of what your brain is doing - and that’s a good thing.  Thinking requires practice just like playing the piano or doing algebra.  People who play the piano, do algebra, or speak French reach a certain level of expertise when all of those things become very natural to them.  They do it without thought – it’s a “thoughtless” exercise.  Most of us who don’t play the piano, speak French or do algebra think that these people are amazing as they are. But there’s another level of pianists, French linguists, and mathematicians who consciously “think” about their skills.  These people are constantly improving their systems through the process of “thought.”

 If we organize by what comes without thinking, we tend to “containerize” rather than “organize.”  This is what happens when we just put things in a box on the shelf without “thinking” about:

How will I remember what’s in this box?

How will I get things out of the box?

How easy will it be to put things back in the box?

How easy will it be to direct someone else to the box?

How easy will it be to take the things that are in the box to a crop or class?

Etc., Etc.

 Do these questions seem overwhelming and exhausting? When you have a good system in place that addresses them, they’re answered without being asked because you’ve already thought about them.

That is the beautiful thing about the 4 Section System:  the questions are answered.  So let’s talk about each section in detail and address some of the common and not-so-common questions that come up.

Section 1 – Alphabets, numbers and punctuation marks

  This is the place to sort, organize and store all of your alphabet stuff that isn’t theme or sentiment specific.  It doesn’t matter what type of product it is, if it’s alpha numeric and not theme specific you’re going to find a way to store it (or a representation of it) in this section.

  Because this section is about letters and words, I think about it as a whole – anything that relates to non-specific letters and words.  This means things like Journaling Templates or Title Templates, Journaling Stamps, etc. are also going to be represented in this section.  If you’ve got Titletopia from Creative Memories, this is the section where it belongs.

  Common questions:

  Should I group my alphabets by color in this section?  No, group your alphas by size.  This will make it easy to find the size you need quickly and easily.  It will really help when you’re trying to spell something out, but the particular color you want doesn’t have all of the letters you need.  Having your alphas grouped by size will make it easy to see that you’ve got the same font in a different color.

  Should I separate my chipboard type letters and put all of the “a’s, b’s, c’s together? Yes and No. I prefer to keep my chipboard type letters together by type and size - again, that makes it easier to know what I’ve got in that particular size category.  With that said, I will separate abc, def, ghi, etc. - into individual pockets. 

  Section 2 – Themes and Sentiments A-Z

  Baby, Birthday, Camping, Family, Graduation, Outdoors, Retirement…..All of these categories belong in your second section.  The categories are based on what YOU scrap/craft about – everyone’s will be different.  Put them in alphabetical order so they are easy to find, easy to use, easy to put away, and easy to add new items!  Are you seeing a pattern – EASY is important when things are easy we get them done

Common Question:

  Should I combine my cardmaking, mixed media and scrapbooking supplies all in one system? – YES!!!! All of these things can be used in all of these crafts.  No matter what type of craft you are doing, you are always working with a particular idea in mind.  If you’re making a birthday page, a birthday card, a birthday gift bag, or a birthday canvas – you’re going to find all of the supplies for that particular project in one place – Birthday.

 Section 3 – The Calendar Year

  January, February, March…Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall… you can use either or a mix of both in The Calendar Year Section. Grouping products together by month or season is really helpful when it comes to maximizing your use of seasonal products. 

Common Question:

  Why do I need a Calendar Year Section?  Why can’t I just put Halloween under “H”, Thanksgiving under “T” and Autumn under “A” (or Fall under “F”) – then I could eliminate this whole section? 

  In order to get the most use out of your supplies, it’s important to keep things together that could be used together.  If you separate Halloween from Fall and Thanksgiving, you’ll have to look in multiple places to find things like leaves and pumpkins that could work on any of those pages or projects.

 

Section 4 – The Rainbow

  ROY G. BIV and then some.  This section is the perfect place to store everything from Eyelets to Flowers.  This is where you’ll store anything that doesn’t fit into one of the first 3 sections.  These things will get grouped together by color - YIKES!  Does the idea of storing your flowers in the same container as your glitter, and your ribbons in the same container as your bottle caps, give you hives or make you nauseous?  I’m here to tell you nothing horrible will happen when you let your embellishments mingle.  In fact, you’ll be delighted with the outcome.    There are 3 really great things that happen when you store your embellishments by color.

1.     You can find what you’re looking for so much more quickly.  Need a blue brad? Flip to the Blue section and Bam – there it is.

2.     You’ll use more of your products, but you’ll also use more of your knowledge.  Look back through your scrapbooks, cards or other projects.  You’ll find that your projects reflect the most recent technique or product type you’ve learned to use.  They reflect whatever is easiest to grab on your workspace, which is usually the newest thing. Have you ever heard Jerry Seinfeld talk about the stages of garbage? Well, there are stages of craft supplies too.

3.     Lastly, you’ll become a better designer.  Instead of thinking this page needs a “blue brad” you’ll begin to think differently – “This page needs something blue and textured.”  Flipping to the blue section will inspire you to use more in different ways.

Common Questions:

  Who is ROY G. BIV?  Roy is an acronym that represents the colors of the rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. 

  What about other colors?  You will definitely need more colors in your Rainbow section than the basic Rainbow colors.  Most likely you’ll want to add Black, White, Browns/Neutrals, and Metallics.

Finding the Will Power to get Organized

Being organized, Getting organized, and Staying organized, have so much to do with finding time and motivation.  In the hectic world we live in extra time is very difficult to come by and staying energized at the end of a busy day for an organization task can be less than motivating.

   If you’ve taken any of my online classes or you’ve come to see me speak live, you know I’m constantly talking about your brain and the power it wields in your organization process.

  Since we just concluded the first “Get OrganizedChallenge” of the year, I thought this would be a good time to share with you my latest, greatest find in motivation;  The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal, Ph. D.

  This book does an excellent job explaining how willpower works and the importance of not only “will” power, but also the importance of “want” power, and “won’t” power.  It’s always easier to follow through on something when you have better understanding and this book was an eye-opener.

 The Willpower Instinct uses humor, history, and entertaining anecdotes to explain what is happening in your mind that either aides or impedes your success.

  One of the best parts of the book are the “Experiments” at the end of each chapter. These small tasks give you the step-by-step instructions for putting your new knowledge to work.  I initially purchased this book on Audible so I could listen while I was walking.  After completing the listening I purchased the hard copy so I would have continued and easy access to the “experiments.”

  What would I recommend for you?  If you have a hard time finding time to read, I would certainly recommend the Audible Version.  It’s better to at least “hear” the information than it is to buy the book and have it collect dust on your nightstand.  Truthfully I do this regularly; listen on Audible and then buy the book.  It’s kind of a good “test” for me.  If I listen and then continually go back to try and find the “to-do” part of a book, I know I’ll use it, so I’m okay with buying the hard copy.  I usually visit the Half Price Books Store in Tacoma before buy a brand new copy.  You can of course purchase new and used editions on Amazon.
  Thanks so much for stopping by today!
  Tif

Tiny Tasks, Big Results - Preparing for Unwrapping

  Okay, I know, many of us haven't even wrapped our gifts yet and I'm already writing about unwrapping.  I was going to save this post until closer to Christmas, but all around me people are having early celebrations as friends and family get ready to head off on holiday vacations, pack up to move, or prepare for a military deployment. 
  If you're hosting the holiday, you'll be the one that misses out on the joy of unwrapping it you're constantly having to jump up and get things. 
   Make the Unwrapping event a little easier by preparing a tray of "tools" that can slide under the couch.  You can do this at any time - as long as you don't have small children around. If you do have small children, create the tray, but stash it somewhere else until after the kids are in bed on Christmas Eve.  During the Unwrap, you can pull the tray out and have easy access to anything you need.
My little tool tray includes:

1. A pair of scissors for cutting through ribbon.
2. A pen and note pad - for keeping track of who gave what to whom
3. A garbage bag or 2 - keeping the wrapping under control helps to insure that things don't get lost and/or thrown away by mistake.
4. A box cutter - for getting through those "clam shell" type packages.
5. A pair of wire cutters - So many things are packaged using zip ties or twist ties, this make getting toys out of their packaging quick and easy.
6. One reuseable shopping bag for each family member.  This provides and easy place for everyone to corral their small items together.  It also makes it much easier for everyone to haul their stuff into their rooms at the end of the day.

  How do you handle the "madness" that can often accompany unwrapping? 
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
  

Tiny Task, Big Results - Haul Away Day

Earlier in this series of posts I suggested that you place a few empty boxes around your home.  These boxes were for donations to the local Goodwill Store, or Toy Rescue Mission. 
Today is the day to pack up those boxes and haul them off to their designated home.

 It's just that simple.  Grab the boxes, grab your family and head out the door.  After the drop has been made treat yourself to a coffee or hot chocolate at your favorite coffe spot. Make this an annual holiday tradition and you'll help control clutter in your home all year long.
 Simple.
 Thanks for stopping by today!
Tif

Tiny Tasks, Big Results - Day 15

 2 EASY steps to keeping your home looking great.

  Whether you have guests that come for a week or that come for a couple of hours, more people translates to more mess.  Set aside a few minutes each day to power through a whole house pick up and then "Put on a Windex shine. 

  Step 1: Get a large basket or tote with a handle(s), start at your front door and weave a path through every room in your home.  In each room toss whatever doesn't belong there into the basket.  As you move through the house take things out of the basket and put them back where they belong.  You'll be amazed at how quickly you can tidy up when you have a "path" that you follow.  I love the big tote from Thiry-One.  The handles are big enough to throw over your shoulder; it holds lots of "stuff"; and it squishes down totally flat for easy storage.  If you're unfamiliar with Thrity-One ask a girlfriend, everyone knows someone that sells Thirty-One.  This tote is GREAT in the back of your car too, it's the perfect place to put all those slippery plastic grocery bags.

  Step 2: Grab a bottle of Windex Multi-Surface and a roll of paper towels.  A quick spray and wipe of kitchen and bathroom counters, faucets and sinks, glass top tables, and any other hard surface will give your home a fast face lift.  You can even use it for a quick wipe down of light switches, doors, and windows.  You'll be amazed at how much better everything looks "smudge free."  This was a trick my mom taught me when I moved into my first apartment.  That was nearly 3 decades ago and I haven't stopped using it.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit with me today.
Tiffany

Tiny Tasks, Big Results, Holiday Organization Tip, Day 14

Get the Wrap Station Ready!
  You’ve started your shopping.  Presumably you’ve got your list going so you know exactly what you purchased and who you’ll be giving it to.  If you’re like me, wrapping gifts starts out being a joyful idea that rapidly declines into a major holiday chore.  Get a jump on wrapping this season by setting up a “wrapping station” somewhere in your home.  Mine is in my bedroom.  It’s a very simple station that consists of an “under the bed” tote. There are two keys to a successful wrapping station.
1. It has to be easy to take out, easy to put away.  This is really important if you want to be able to wrap a gift or two when you’ve got a spare few minutes.  EASY is really important.  If you have to drag everything out and put everything away you’re less likely to maximize that time.
2. The supplies in the tote have to be easy to access.   
The under the bed tote and a couple of smaller shoe boxes unlock both of these keys. 
The tote has wheels on one end.  I can easily pull it out when I’m ready to wrap.  The lid splits in half, so I can just fold back half or remove the whole thing.  Truthfully during the heavy wrapping season I usually put the tote back under my bed half open. 
   Use one of the shoe boxes to corral ribbon, bows, scissors, pens, and tape.  Try to teach yourself to drop the scissors, tape and pen back into the box as you’re wrapping.  That way you won’t be digging under wrapping scraps looking for them.  Use the second shoe box for “tag control.” 

What’s not in this picture? The other end of the tote.  Obviously the wrapping paper rolls fill the whole side, but hidden from view in the end next to the “tag” box is a neatly stacked pile of gift bags and tissue paper.  Everything has it's own place.  There are plenty of choices, but not too many.  Easy to access and Easy to put away.  One added bonus. If you want to take the "wrapping station" somewhere else in your house to wrap gifts, it's easy to move around.
  Do you have a good tip or trick for organizing your wrapping supplies? If so, I'd love to hear from you!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Tif

Tiny Tasks, Big Results - Day 13, Christmas Card Organization

Organizing Christmas Cards from years past – and this year too.
What to do with Christmas Cards at the end of the season, hmmm....it's always an emotional decision.  We hate to throw them away, but what can be done with them?

Here's a fast, 
simple idea:
Tie them in bundles with beautiful ribbons and pack them away with your other holiday decorations.  Each year set the bundles around your home, on coffee tables, end tables, mantle pieces etc.  They'll make beautiful decorations and mementos all in one.
  Add a tag to the bundle that has the year on one side. On the other side of the tag write a note inviting friends and family to untie the bundle and read the cards.  Who knows, Christmas Card reading might just turn into an annual tradition.
  Do you have a great idea for Christmas Cards? I'd love to hear about it. 

 Thanks for stopping in to chat!

  Tiffany