Welcome New Readers!

Welcome to all of the new readers that have found us through links from elsewhere such as Remodeling This Life and several other sites!  Wow! There are a lot of you that have found us over the past week or so.  Since I haven’t yet put up a FAQ, I thought I should take a minute to let you know what to expect.

If you will take a minute to read In My Face, you will see that writing about organizing has not been easy for me.  I am use to working one on one.  There are a lot of adjustments and hypocrisies that come with writing on the site that are not there when working in person with someone.

I thought I should warn you, that most of the articles I write are pretty long.  Since I can not see your space and work with you, I imagine the article is written for someone just getting started, spaces in fairly bad condition, and at their wits end.  With that imaginary person in mind, I try to cover everything when first writing about a topic.

Check out the Get Started page for more details on the other things we will cover after I have written the basic article.

You Can Help

Maybe you are more organized than that person.  Hopefully you can pick up a few tips from an article even when you have the topic under control.  What I am really hoping you will do is leave a comment offering more tips or what you do if you do it differently.  I do not believe there is a one size fits all way of getting organized.  There are many tweaks and many just as good solutions that can be applied to the same situation.  So when you are reading an article, get the tips that help you, then think of the imaginary person.  Help me to help them in the comments.  That way we can all learn from each other.

Article Schedule

When I started, I also imagined being able to keep up with a daily schedule.  With the articles being so long, and me having my hands full “in real life” that has not been really possible.  Sometimes I can whip out an article in a few minutes, but usually it takes two or three days to write one article. I am not a writer. Sometimes I have to stop writing and go “act out” what I am talking about or just need to take a break to straighten out my thoughts when translating to print.

And I am new to blogging.  Who knew there were so many things that needed to be taken care of on the back end?!?   For the past several months I have been working on average four hours off and on throughout each day on the computer.  So even when you do not see an article, you are on my mind. Please be patient with me.

Looking For Something Particular

So maybe you are new, but did not find me through a link from another site.  You came here looking for something in particular, but can not find it. My e-mail is all over the site.  It is in every Sites To See article and it is on the About page.  Feel free to  contact me or to ask in the comments.  If I have written about it, I will point you in the right direction.  If I haven’t, I will make a point to very soon.  If it is a more specific question, I will try to answer it for you personally or to find you some other helpful resources.

It is highly probable that as time goes on, a person will find another article that tells a completely different way of doing the same thing.  Again, one size usually does not fit all.  Pick one and try it.  If it doesn’t help much, try the other.  Maybe neither one will fit you perfectly, but just by trying, you will learn a lot about what little things do not work for you and about what does.  Sometimes that is all you need to come up with a solution of your own.  If you want more specific guidance or get stuck, ask in the comments or send me an e-mail.

I do not believe there is such a thing as a stupid question. So never be afraid to ask.

The Comments Box

The comments box asks for your name and e-mail.  Answer the e-mail question honestly.  The comment box is part of a huge software program called WordPress that I utilize to manage the site.  It goes out and checks that the address you leave is valid.  I do not know exactly how it does this, but it does.  If you fake an address it marks the comment as spam and I usually do not even have the chance to see the comment to mark it as legitimate. I am not collecting your e-mail address to sell or to overflow your account with junk mail. When you make the comment I have an opportunity to respond, but after that I will have to go back to where you commented and make a point to look for your address.

This is a bit of a tangent from my purpose, but it may help you.  Most internet blogs with comments available are using similar programs.  There will always be the bad apple, but almost everyone I have come into contact with since I started is super nice and helpful.  I am not at all afraid to leave comments on other sites.  If you are still hesitant, I suggest you set up another address from your provider or a free e-mail address (G-mail from Google is popular) and use it for your online comments.   If you also fill out lots of form pages, set up another.  Our personal e-mail has seven to ten accounts available so everyone in the family can have their own address.  I have one I use specifically for coupon searches and freebies, and another I set up to use for all other online purposes (forms).  The one for forms gets quite a bit of spam. The one for coupons gets a little.  So far, I have not gotten any spam from leaving a comment in a comment box.

My Tone is Dry

After writing an article, I go back and edit it. A LOT.  Most of what ends up on the cutting room floor is my personality.  I keep the imaginary person in mind.  I truly want to help her.  So the information stays the cute remark goes.  A writer may be able to give the same information in fewer words with personality.  I am not a writer.  Hopefully, I will get better in time.

I sound very proper.  I had an amazing Grandmother that is a true Southern Belle even if she does not see herself that way. She gave me a three inch deep etiquette book when I was five. She was always correcting my speech.  I may not get the grammar right or use the correct notations where I am suppose to, but I word things the way I do because of her.

Here is a self description of my personality. I admit I can be bossy.  But mostly I am laid back and informal. I am the type of person who gets excited easily over the little things.  The more excited I get, the more exercise I get because I tend to talk with not only my hands, but the whole arm.  I like to be creative and make things.  I enjoy moments instead of waiting for someday.  I laugh out loud without any hesitation.  We do a lot of DIY and take care of a lot of people.  Both the hubby and I are good at a lot of things, even though we may not have mastered anything.  I have never met a stranger and I often make suggestions to random people when they are in the store with that perplexed look on their faces.  I am not at all offended if they do not follow my suggestion. I often find no reason at all to strike up a conversation with a stranger. In spite of all of that, I am actually an introvert and kind of shy.  I often get flubberty in social situations and forget what etiquette I may have known.  I am happiest curled up under a cozy blanket with some hot chocolate by my side and a good book or movie with the little man trashing the den floor below me.

So when you write to me, there is no need to stand on ceremony. I am not anywhere near as scary or formal as I may sound. P.S. Neither is my Grandmother.  Anything else you want to know about me?  Read My Story or feel free to ask.

What to expect over the next few weeks

I am gearing up for Thanksgiving.  I will be spending the next two weeks in my kitchen cleaning and organizing. I planned on bringing you along for the ride.  Get out a notebook and start a planner.  I expect you are a busy person with a busy life.  In the next few weeks there are going to be a lot of things to do.  You may not get to all of it.  Do what you can.  Add everything to your planner so next year it will be easier for you to do. Start by Printing out Fall Maintenance and Winter Preparation and Ready to Get An Early Start for Thanksgiving?. If you want, figure out your own ordinary cleaning routine or copy mine and add it in there. Do not worry so much about making tabs and sections yet.  You are just building a personalized reference for later.  Remember, plan well but don’t set anything in stone.  The lack of flexibility will usually ruin a plan and your mood more than the one thing forgotten.

Usually you will be able to read the article pick up a tip, comment and move on, knowing it is there if you need it or know someone who does.  It is not my intention for this site to be one of those sites that gives you a to do everyday.  I want this to be a reference site built for that imaginary person by a whole community of non imaginary wonderful people.

And if you do like an article, share it with others.  The more people we can get involved, the more we all learn.

If you have read this far, thank you.  Take a minute to try to name my imaginary person in the comments.  Not a real name.  Something cute like Miss whatever.  I won’t promise, but maybe I can find something from one of our sponsors as a reward for the best name.