How many times have you not been able to find a pen anywhere in your own home? Last time you checked there were five in your desktop pencil cup, two by the phone, one in your desk drawer and another on the piano. Now they’re all nowhere to be found.

You’ve heard the expression: luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Add a little luck to your day by slowing down enough in the morning to think about everything you hope to accomplish during the day before you dive into it.

In 1906, a very smart Italian economist named Pareto came up with the Pareto Principle, also known as the ‘80/20 Rule’. Quite simply put, the 80/20 rule states that in any pursuit a few things (20%) really matter while everything else (80%) is trivial, so the most efficient way forward is to focus on the 20% that is absolutely critical to success and spend less or no time on the rest. Businesses all over the world use the 80/20 rule to gain incredible efficiency. Certainly, this rule applies to organizing, and we encourage you to apply it.

Some kids hate bath time, others can’t get enough of it

Two universal truths:
1) Life is filled with waiting
2) Kids aren’t good at waiting

An organized entryway is important year-round, but especially during the winter months when you’ve got bulky coats, scarves and other winter garb. Make sure you have a designated place for everything so when your kids get home from school their soggy boots don’t end up on their library books.

There are three things I never leave home without, and two of them are technically just paper: my day planner and a simpler notepad. I have a pretty good memory, but let’s be honest, a busy mom can’t be expected to keep track of everything in her mind. At any given time your simple pad of paper and a pen can be a scheduler, a to-do list, a shopping list, a makeshift piece of stationery, or even a scrap of paper to let your kids spit their gum into (don’t deny it).

January is National Organizing Month, coinciding with the season of New Year's resolutions. It’s the time of year when people reflect on their lives and set comprehensive goals for every aspect – from the ever-popular fitness resolution, to career resolutions, and the all-important “more time with family” resolution. But trying to fulfill all these goals at the same time can lead to burnout before February.

There’s a reason National Organizing Month is in January. After a hectic December (and November, and October, and…), it’s not just natural to need to get things back in order, it’s necessary. Start your 2012 off on the right foot by making a few New Year’s organizing resolutions. But don’t feel like you have to get everything done right now. If you try too much upfront, you’ll quickly tire and throw in the towel all together. Instead, set some realistic benchmarks and goals for the first three months, and then keep a steady pace, doing what you can. Don't forget to write them down in a notebook, planner or calendar!

A friend of mine doesn’t like to set New Year’s Resolutions that she knows aren’t going to happen, so instead she does what I jokingly call ‘hindsight resolutions.” She takes some time at the turn of the year to look back on the previous 12 months and think about all that she’s accomplished. I tried it last year, and it’s a real pick-me-up. After thinking about