Free call for those wanting a saner, simpler life

Mark this date and time down - you do NOT want to miss this call.

As you know, I don't do free calls very often but this Thursday, I'm collaborating with Beth Dargis, Simplicity Coach extraordinaire, from My Simpler Life.

5 steps to a saner, simpler life

Thursday 29th January from 11am to 12pm EST (that's 6 - 7pm South African time).

Go to this link to sign up

(if you can't make it live, don't worry - we'll send the recording to all those who signed up within an hour of the call ending)

8 things that simplify my life

My friend, Megan, tagged me for this meme nearly two weeks ago!

Hopefully better late than never?

1. Planner
I love my planner. This year it's pink so it feels even prettier. It lives with me so is the major reason I can organise and simplify my life.

2. Digital camera
My camera lives in my bag so I'm always ready to take pictures like this and this.

3. Timer
My love for the kitchen timer is well-documented on this blog. It keeps me focussed and on track when I'm on the computer.

4. Spiral-bound notebook on my desk
I write everything in my desk notebook when I'm working on the computer. I start each day on a new page (literally) so it's easy to check back if I need to find a password, etc. I recently created.

5. Cell phone
I love my current cell phone. I take pictures with it (when I'm lazy to do the whole camera thing), sync my appointments and of course, send occasional SMS/ text messages and phone.

6. Aweber
I can NOT stop raving enough about Aweber. I use it to manage my autoresponder when people sign up to my newsletter full of free organising tips, it sends out my ecourses and also sends out all my client stuff so I don't have to remember to do anything but add the lead.

7. Skype
I use Skype for all international calls and for most of my client calls. It's cheap and I bought a service so if my clients want the call

8. My desk folder
I have a folder on my desk with a page where I write down when I make sales, my things to delegate list, my teleconferencing phone numbers, etc. Everything I need on a daily basis right at my fingertips.

So, Megan, those are the 8 things that simplify my life. Once I started listing them, I realised I could go on and on because once I find something that works, I keep doing it.

And now, I get to have some fun.

I'm going to tag the Simplicity Queen herself, Beth Dargis, the absolutely gorgeous Eva Wallace at Clutter Control Freak (have you seen her hair?!) and The Goddess of All Things Beautiful, Suzanne Babb (did I get that right, Suzanne?)

Free Spring Simplicity call

Beth Dargis, my accountability partner, is hosting a FREE Spring Simplicity call.

Beth is an expert at helping to make your crazy life saner and simpler!

Date: Thursday 10 April
Time: 8PM EST
Where to go: http://www.MySimplerLife.com/springcall.htm

If you can’t make the call, you can still register and you'll get the recording.

But do try to be on the call live so you can get some spot coaching with Beth.

I can't wait to hear Beth's voice because even though we've been friends for about 18 months, we have never spoken!!!

Organising your spouse and kids

Many of you write to me to tell me that it's really hard getting and staying organised because of your spouse and kids.

I get it - I really do!

And if more people were to open up, we'd probably find that most couples have different organising styles.

This is how you can live harmoniously:

Recognise that everybody's different
When you get that your husband and kids don't think like you and you accept it, you become more tolerant of them, and of the way they organise their lives.

Don't complicate things
The easier your systems, the happier everyone will be to co-operate.

Why have a 5-step system for the laundry when you can just let everyone toss their dirty clothes in the laundry basket in their rooms?

Let them have their space
Everyone deserves to have space where they can just be themselves. I'm not only talking about their rooms.

In our study, which we both use, I have 8 of the 10 shelves beautifully organised with my business, personal and our household stuff. The other 2 shelves are Dion's personal (messy) things.

I don't want to see that mess so as long as the doors to the cupboard are closed, I'm happy. And as long as Dion has his things his way, he's happy. See? Now I personally can't understand how he can find anything there but I respect his space :)

Communicate
When you're getting frustrated, communicate your needs.

Dion knows that it drives me stark raving crazy when I wake up and there's stuff lying around the house. I like waking up to an uncluttered house the way I left it. But see he wakes up before I do so there's opportunity to mess it all up. Now that he knows how I feel though, he restricts his morning wanderings to only one room and I'm still happy ;)


Occasionally, Dion indulges the crazy organiser in me because he knows I want to get at his stuff.

this is his snack basket before

and this is after

Listen to this podcast where Suzanne talks about organising in relationships.

Do you and your spouse have different organising styles? How do you deal with it?