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Cubby Clean-Up!

by on Posted in: Uncategorized

Screen Shot 2013-02-27 at 10.38.09 PMAbout a year and a half ago I invested the time and effort into setting up my “Mind Organization for Moms” system.

I love it.  It’s a part of me now.  It’s how I function and how I think.

Do you ever find yourself using phrases with friends like “I’ll put it on my Next Action List”.  Or, “It’s not a big deal, just throw it in your Read and Review and let me know what you think when you get to it.”

The language we use in M.O.M. is how my life flows and how my brain processes information now.

It’s been a while since I started though, and I’m realizing that my system needs a periodic spring cleaning.

Recently I decided to clean out my current project cubbies and it has breathed new life and excitement into many of the current projects that were beginning to see cobwebs.  I’ve decided to add a bi-annual “Cubby Clean Up” to my Responsibilities and Routines chart.

If your cubbies could use a little spruce up, follow me for a few tips and a little motivation.  Of course we’ll be doing this M.O.M. style!

1_My M.O.M. Set Up

Here’s my set up.  My current project cubbies hide nicely behind our open computer desk door (which is rarely closed).  It’s easy to forget how messy they are . . . but up close you can see they need a little attention!

2_Before Cubby Clean Up

  1. Add “Cubby Clean Up” to your Current Project for You list.
  2. Identify what steps you need to do on your Immediate Next Action list.  I wanted to get mine done in one week so I added several items to my digital list “@Around the house”.

3_Next Actions List

3.      Gather Supplies (this may involve an errand if you’re running low on file folders or want to spruce up your labels, so add that to your Next Actions Errands list if necessary)

4_Supplies 1

-Empty file folders

-Scissors (for cutting the tabs off the folders)

-Marker

-Trash

-Pencil and paper with a sketch of the cubbies so I could make notes as I figured out which categories needed to stay, go or combine.

-Labels (optional): I just discovered a “Post-It” brand label that works perfectly for file folders that change periodically.  They have the regular post-it note stickiness all over the back of the label so they stick on well, but they can easily be peeled off when you are done with that particular project.  Perfect!  (I found mine at a local office supply store)

5_Supplies 2_Labels

4.      Sort contents.  Make more sub-folders.

I took everything out of each cubby (one at a time).  I threw away and filed stacks of papers that were no longer “current” projects.  As I worked through the various categories, I started to see that if I used sub-folders more efficiently I could condense my cubby set up (and keep them orderly for longer!).

6_Family Systems Cubby_Before

Here’s the “Before” picture.

7_Family Systems_After

Here’s the “After” picture. (Isn’t this fun?)

I also organized my coupons.

Before:

8_Coupon catalog before

And after:

9_Coupon catalog after

5.      Evaluate Cubby Categories

When you first set up your system it takes a little bit of guess-work to figure out which categories you will use for your cubbies.  I had done the guess work, but never went back to finalize what I was really using.  Over time, I had also added a huge tower of additional cubbies as I discovered more categories.  Now that I was using sub categories in each cubby I didn’t need as many cubbies.  I was ready to knock down that stack and streamline my categories!

I just sketched my old cubbies on a piece of paper.  As I sorted things I was able to figure out which cubbies I really needed.  I sketched that out on the paper then followed it to put things back in the right place.

10_Category Sketch

6.      Keep your Current Project lists and Immediate Next Action list handy.  As you sort you may find things that need to be added.

7.      Re-Label Your Cubbies.  

I’m a big believer in labels around the house.  They help me and my family stay organized.  Things just end up in the right place more often when there’s a label.  (This is the fun part of the job for me!)  After I finished shuffling things around and making sure everything had a folder I finalized the list of new cubbies.  I typed up some simple labels in a Word document.  I decided to print on colored paper that corresponded to the ME, FAMILY, and BEYOND categories but scribbling on any paper would get the job done!

11_Labels Printed

12_New Labels 1

13_New Labels 2

FINISHED!

When the components of my M.O.M. system are in order my brain is at peace.

14_After Cubby Clean Up 1

QUESTION: Do you have any tips you’d like to share about how you create, organize, or use your cubby system?

CHALLENGE:  Find a time in your Routines and Responsibilities schedule to clean out your cubbies and make sure this part of your system is as efficient as possible.  Enjoy how much more powerful you feel in your own life!

Comments

  2. Very beautiful! I too want to know your app… it looks like Things.. but my version doesn’t have tomorrow and next 7 days….

    • I use “ToDo” by Appigo. It handles projects and categories. I love the convenience of having all my lists in my pocket all the time. I combine my immediate next actions and important next actions list by selecting deadlines that prioritize each task. That way the immediate stuff falls at the top of my list and the important things are farther down.

      Sarah Chapman has a video review of this app here: http://powerofmoms.com/2012/02/streamlined-digital-lists/

  3. Very helpful to see how you go from project list to next action list! Love those post it labels and the ones you made! You are one busy mamma!!

  4. Thanks so much for sharing. I’m still setting up my system, so it was fun to see how this has become part of your life.

    I want to know about the list app, too 🙂

  5. I love peeking into the lives of other moms and seeing how they do it! Thanks for taking the time to document this and share with all of us. I have our papers in a plastic filing box in file folders that I can move from place to place and that works for now. I like your cubbies though and it’s fun to see your different labels.

    Haven’t converted to digital lists yet. I still like the markerboard or pen and paper, but I’ll have to check this app out!

  7. Thanks so much for sharing. Motivates me to spend some time on my M.O.M. system too. It’s due for a clean-out.

  8. What a blessing! On Sunday during my weekly review, I seriously created a new current project: “Clean out Cubbies>” I had trouble detailing out the individual steps of this process, though, until I saw this post! Perfect timing! Now I am energized to go create some order! 😉 I like the colored labels on the side of your cubbies. I think I will use that. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

  9. I loved this post! It was incredibly helpful, and reminded me that I have access to this program that probably would work wonderfully for me. Now if only I would actually get everything in order… I think I will look into the MOM in 2 weeks. I need someone to walk me through this step by step!!!

    • I think you’ll love the 2 week program. I wish it had been around when I set things up…I was on a 2 month program! It is definitely helpful to set it up with bite-size steps, since life doesn’t pause while we try to get organized! Good luck…it’s worth it!

  10. Thanks so much for the post and all of the pictures. It’s great to see how others set up their systems.

  11. Thank you for posting this and all your pictures! It helps me to see different ways of making the system work for individuals. I’ve been thinking maybe I don’t need the cubbies but the more I work through my projects, the more I’m realizing I really do. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!

  12. JaNae, thanks so much for this post. I was especially inspired because we have the exact same corner computer hutch and I love the idea of being able to use it for my MOM system instead of having a completely different unit or area. What do you have under the bottom cupboards? Is it just your tower? Do you think I could fit my cubbies under there? I’m working with very limited space!

  13. Hello! I’m new to all of this and am currently working on step 6 which is a tad overwhelming! I’m really a visual learner so it’s helped a ton seeing what your “project cubbies” include. I’m hesitant to really move forward with them because I didn’t want to put it together only to realize it didn’t work. I love the cubbies you’re using. I had some of the 12 x 12 white ones that people have recommended but I like how versatile yours are (more slots with movable heights) can you tell me what brand they are or where you found them?