Friday Favorite: Clutter Free Gifts

Are you wracking your brain trying to think of creative gift ideas for everyone on your list? In the spirit of living lean and reducing excess, how about giving clutter free gifts? Here are some suggestions for gifts that you can give with thought and meaning, without the clutter:

• Find a charity that is a favorite of the receiver, or something they're fond of and donate to that Charity in their name.

• Give acts of service. Are you good on the computer, running errands, babysitting? Offer your time as your gift.

• Like to cook? Offer a nice meal with all the details.

• Does the person on your list have a hobby? Look into classes they can take and offer the class as a gift.

• Plan an outing or trip to take together. Rather than exchanging gifts, you can spend time (the most precious gift) with each other.
  

• Need to get organized? Of course sending a Chaos To Order professional organizer is the ultimate gift (we may be a little bias :-)

10 Ways Label Makers Can Help Keep Your Office Organized

A good labeler in the office can help keep you organized in many ways. Having a labeler handy at your desk and ready to print labels on command can help you be more productive and efficient. Here are some ideas to keep you labeled and organized:

1. Label hanging files and manilla file folders. The key to maintaining a good filing system is having well-labeled folders categorized.
2. Print Postage. If you ship from your office, some labelers, like the Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo, have postage labels ready to go. It's compact and makes shipping a breeze!
3. Label Cabinets. Label the outside of filing cabinets to save time opening drawers and having to search many different places.
4. Label Storage Boxes. Labeling storage boxes properly with the contents is essential for easy storage and retrieval.
5. Keep Supplies Labeled. If your supply closet has many users, organize supplies in containers with labels making it easier to find and replenish.
6. Create Name Badges. Create easy name badges for meetings or visitors.
7. Create Quick Address Labels. I love that the Dymo labeler has two label spools. You can always keep address labels handy and use the other spool for other office labeling needs. It can print one label or many, quickly and easily.
8. Label equipment. Label your phone or fax machine with brief instructions and speed dial numbers.
9. Label Cords. Wrap a label around cords to keep them identifiable whether behind your desk or in a storage bin.
10. Label CD/DVD's. Label blank CD's asap. It's a big time waster to have to play them in order to know what is on them.
    

Having a labeler handy at your desk can make tedious tasks less tiresome, ultimately helping you have a more productive and organized day.

This is a sponsored post by Dymo. I was given the Dymo 450 Twin Turbo and asked to write a post about ways this product can help you get organized in the office.

Friday Favorite: 3M Command Small Cord Clips

Karen's Friday Favorite is 3M Command Small Cord Clips. This week many people are in the midst of putting up Holiday decor, these clips are great for use in the house hanging up Christmas lights. Karen uses them for putting up lights on windows, doorways and even the perimeter of the ceiling. The best thing about them is that when the Holidays are over, they remove cleanly, leaving no marks on the wall! All of the Command brand hooks are great because of the ability to hang up and take down without any damage to the walls. Karen loves the Small Cord Clips because they make lights easy to hang and keep them nice and straight. These hooks are also great for organizing all the cords behind desks or entertainment centers. You can find them here on Amazon or at your local Walgreens or Target.

Holiday Decorating Tip: Pack it Up!

This past weekend we put up our Christmas decor. I think this year is the earliest I've ever had the tree and all the decorations up! Many thanks to my husband for leading the cause. He was ready to hang lights, put up the tree and do it all. I was along for the ride and happy that he had the motivation and muscle to get it done. As we were decorating, I was reminded to share with our readers how important it is to remember that when putting out all of your Holiday decorations, it's good to put away your every day knickknacks. So…when you've emptied a Holiday box, you need to then fill it with what was out, and put it back in your storage area. This way you avoid over-cluttering your space, because during the Holidays chaos can lurk in every corner.

10 Ways Using a Label Maker Can Save Time In the Office

I was asked to review the DYMO LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo and found some great ways this gadget can help you work more efficiently. Here are some ways the LabelWriter can save you time in the office:

1. The Dymo LabelWriter prints file folder labels (9/16 x 3 7/16) and hanging file labels (9/16 x 2) so you can stay ahead of the paper deluge that clutters your desk.
2. If you use information from 3 Ring Binders, clearly label the spines to find frequently used information in a flash. Lots of labels to print -- no worries, it has thermal printing so there is no expensive toner and ink to purchase!
3. Create professional looking name badges for meetings or visitors. Print individually or up to 71 labels per minute!
4. Use this labeler right at your desk for printing postage, quick and easy. No running across the office or extra costs involved. It connects to your computer, easy software (PC & Mac) installed, type and print.
5. Don't waste time putting blank CD's/DVD's into the computer to check what's on them, rather, create CD labels promptly with all the information you need right on the label.
6. Is your storage area a maze? Purchase plastic stacking containers and label them with details of the contents. No more searching for days in a cluttered space.
7. Scouring that pile of cords for the right connection? Wrap a label around cords with the name of the gadget they connect to.
8. A well marked label on your printer with specific operational instructions will save all the users time and aggravation.
9. Are there numbers you repeatedly fax to? Place labels with frequently dialed numbers right on the front of the fax machine.
10. The Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo installs as an Add-in for Quickbooks, making payroll a snap.

The Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo is a little work horse. I'm used to using a battery powered labeler that I type into. I loved the software and the ease of use. Thumbs up for the Dymo LabelWriter 450 Twin Turbo!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Dymo. I was asked to blog about ways this product can help you save time in the office. I was compensated and given the Dymo 450 Twin Turbo to evaluate.

Baking this Week? This Friday Favorite is a Must Have in the Kitchen

With Thanksgiving less than one week away, today's Friday Favorite is a must have in the kitchen. I love the Click-Clack 4.5 quart canister to perfectly keep a 5lb. bag of flour. If you have flour on your shelf and it's not housed in a container, the thin paper packaging can easily tear, leak and create a mess.

I'm not a big fan of keeping cereals, pasta and other foods in containers, but this one I really like. Containerizing packaged foods can be a hassle. The container often takes up more space than necessary and you still need to keep then keep the original box for whatever extras didn't fit. But for the purpose of keeping the entire bag of flour in the container, the Click-Clack is terrific. The 4.5 quart square canister is a perfect fit (avoid round containers, they take up too much space). You can find the Click Clack canister at The Container Store (I couldn't find the link to this exact one, but I bought mine at the store), or on Amazon.com. Here's to an organized and efficient kitchen with no flour mess -- Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday Favorite...iPhone

My personal Friday Favorite is without a doubt, the iPhone. Although the list of new and creative apps are never ending, there are some very basic applications that are an important part of my own daily routine. Here are the top ten reasons why I love my iPhone:

1. iCal helps keep my entire family on schedule with frequent reminders to upcoming events.
   
2. Mobile Me keeps all contacts and calendars perfectly synced with my computer.
3. Alarm clock not only wakes me every day, but the timer keeps me on task for many things.
4. Weather always gives me my morning update so I'll be prepared for the day.
5. Social Media tools allow me to post my daily organizing tips and status updates on the go.
6. I love having family photos handy to take and share with great quality.
   
7. I rely heavily on Maps because I'm navigationally challenged.
   
8. Games keep my kids occupied when we're out and waiting on something.
9. The Find My iPhone app helps find my lost treasure on GPS or by signal to the couch!
10. Did I mention it's also my phone--hello!