Are You Getting Jewelry for Valentine's Day?

By Audrey Cupo

Many of us get jewelry on Valentine’s Day from our sweetheart. Are you? How many pieces do you have now? Are they organized? If not, there are various ways you can sort it all out to make it easier to find what you want, when you want it.

You can sort your jewelry by putting all types together

. You can keep all your rings in one place, all your necklaces in another place, bracelets somewhere else. You can use various jewelry boxes or decorative containers for this purpose.

You can sort your jewelry by putting them together in sets                                   

. For example, your onyx necklace, ring and bracelet can all be stored together in one box.

You can store your jewelry by color groups

. You can keep all silver together (avoids tarnishing), your gold jewelry together, or even reds, blues or greens, depending on your collection.

When you are trying to decide which is the best option for you, you need to determine how you would look for your jewelry: by type, sets or color. Then, empty all your current containers and re-organize it by the category you have selected.

Where do you want to keep your jewelry? There are various options available.

You can use your dresser top

. Select either beautiful boxes, necklace trees, earring screens or a jewelry box. Just don’t clutter up the surface with too many options. When selecting a jewelry box, look closely at it’s features. If you have lots of necklaces, you want to make sure it has a hanging system. If you have rings, you want to make sure there is a section for the rings to fit into. If you want to separate out your earrings by silver and gold, etc., you want to make sure it has drawers to hold the amount of pieces you have. Then, select a wooden jewelry box that complements your furniture.

You can use your dresser drawers

. If you are using dresser drawers, select fabric or velvet covered dividers to keep it all organized and easily accessible. The stackable velvet trays provide many options, depending on your needs and can take up much less room.

You can use your closet

The other option to consider is your closet. You can use a door mounted clear shoe divider to divide up your larger pieces, such as costume jewelry. You can use a wall mounted jewelry organizer. If you have room, you can put a jewelry armoire either in the closet or in the main bedroom area to store your various pieces.

The options are endless but organization is key to keeping everything in good condition and easily accessible.

If this task is too overwhelming, consult with a professional organizer to help you out.

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About Audrey Cupo

Audrey Cupo is a full-time Professional Organizer and sole proprietor of A BETTER SPACE based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs get organized with her in-home services and her U Can Do It product line. To sign up for her free monthly newsletter "Organizing News You Can Use" or get a free "Room-By-Room Organizing Checklist", go to http://www.4abetterspace.com/.

Organize Your Life in 3 Weeks

We could all stand a more organized life.  Beverly Coggins has a wonderful plan to get you going.  Check it out!

To celebrate the new year, I'd like to announce my new "Organize Your Life in 3 Weeks" series.

These products were created for the organizationally overwhelmed - an email sent to you each day for three weeks, breaking down the task at hand into bite-sized pieces.

These new products include:

~  Rethink Your Life in 3 Weeks
~  Declutter Any Room in 3 Weeks
~  Organize Your Kitchen in 3 Weeks.

More products will be added regularly.

January is a great time to get organized! Let us help you take the first step to get your life organized now!

For more information, visit Bev's site at;  www.OrganizeYourLifein3Weeks.com

SET GOALS THIS YEAR AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT

by Audrey Cupo
http://www.4abetterspace.com/

Everyone has good intentions when it comes to setting goals but not everyone is successful in reaching those goals. One of the main reasons is that many people loose their motivation early on because the goals they wish to achieve seem impossible. They start off with great intentions and then lose their momentum.

　1. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH:

The problem might be that you don’t have a PLAN of action. You need a plan. And what better time to begin creating that plan to achieve those goals than the New Year! It is the perfect time to think about what your goals are for the coming year. Whether they are large or small, a good plan is a must.

    2. SPILL IT:

First, sit down with a pad of paper and just begin by writing down ALL those goals you would like to achieve in the coming year. It doesn’t matter whether they are large or small, they should be included. They can be such things as organizing the garage, take the car for inspection, register for a class at the local college, take your seasonal clothes to the dry cleaner, plan your parents 50th wedding anniversary party, schedule an appointment with the dentist, start an exercise regimen, etc. Anything and EVERYTHING you can think of that you would like to achieve in the coming year should be included on this general list.

    3. FIGURE OUT YOUR TIME FRAME:

Next, you need to divide these goals into CATEGORIES -- those that can be achieved in one day and those that are larger in size and will require more of your time. Transfer the goals you have written down onto a list of daily, weekly and monthly goals. In order to do this, I suggest creating an Action List. Go down the general list you have already created and mark a "D" for daily, "W" for weekly and "M" for monthly in the left margin.

    4. SHORT TERM:

The goals or tasks that need to be done in a day go on the DAILY list. They should be reviewed at least twice a day to keep them up-to-date. Cross off the tasks as they are completed -- once in the morning to focus on what lies ahead and once in the evening to review accomplishments and lay the groundwork for the next day. Add new items as needed.

    5. MID-RANGE:

Next, write down tasks that need to be done by the end of the WEEK. The Weekly List should be reviewed once a day. Cross off the tasks as they are completed. The goal is to be able to move the tasks one by one from the Weekly List to the Daily List to be handled.

    6. LONG-TERM:

Then, write down the tasks that need to be done by the end of the MONTH. The Monthly List should be reviewed weekly. This list is reserved for larger projects that will take some time to accomplish, such as organizing your photographs, selecting new furniture for a room in your home, researching insurance policies or investment options. Create a List for each month of the year and as these tasks come up, place them on one of the monthly lists. Break down each large task into SMALLER tasks. If you need to organize the garage, for example, set aside time to tackle one portion of the garage at a time. Smaller portions of the large goal are more manageable and you will not feel so overwhelmed and will be able to more easily reach your ultimate goal. You will be able to focus on your sense of accomplishment on reaching the smaller goals and you will ultimately complete the entire task.

    7. DON'T OVERLOAD:

You will find that the size of your daily list or weekly list will vary depending on how many tasks need to be completed. It is important to set goals for yourself that are REASONABLE enough to handle in one day, one week or one month. Be realistic as to what can be accomplished within a given period of time.

    8. GIVE IT AWAY:

Don’t forget to write down tasks that you need to DELEGATE to someone else to handle. Don’t be afraid to delegate! You only have so much time in a day and if you take on too much, you will not get anything accomplished. It is much more productive to learn the art of delegation. Make use of your friends, spouse, kids, parents; whoever can handle the task at hand. This will free up your time to do other things.

    9. FITTING IT IN:

Finally, don’t forget to make the time to TACKLE the Lists. Keeping a list is one thing, but you need to do the tasks, as well! It is an ongoing process which changes every day. By keeping your Action List in a central location, i.e. a notebook, calendar or digital assistant provides easy access. Get in the habit of checking it and revising it often. SCHEDULE in the time you need to work on your to-do list items and then just do it! Remember, keep it simple!

    10. GETTING MORE DONE:

If your overall goal is to just be more PRODUCTIVE, this is the best way to achieve that goal. By breaking them down into manageable categories you will stay motivated to follow through.

Good luck!
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About Audrey Cupo

Audrey Cupo is a full-time Professional Organizer and sole proprietor of A BETTER SPACE based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs get organized with her in-home services and her U Can Do It product line. To sign up for her free monthly newsletter "Organizing News You Can Use" or get a free "Room-By-Room Organizing Checklist" go to http://www.4abetterspace.com/