rebecca:vavic

The Truth: Cyber Overwhelm...

Seriously am I the ONLY one on this planet who gets overwhelmed with all our technology?

Way back in 2006 when I started my blog - that was pretty much all there was {that I knew about, or that my friends actively dabbled in}... then came along FaceBook and Twitter - and the big kahoona, as far as us creative types go: Pinterest (which I love LOVE). Then there's Instagram, which is fabulous!

PLUS, I used to only take photos with my digi camera, occasionally with my phone, but "back then" those photos were rubbish. Now the iPhone images are quite good, and they are convenient, quick.. easy. 

I like quick and easy, I like simplicity!

Today I have my iMac, my iPhone, my iPad... and yes, of course there is the Cloud, but I have notes and blog links all over the place. It does not feel at all simple!

So I think really, this is where I hit a snag in my cyber communication. Blogging became hard and I felt overwhelmed. 

Plus I found that many blogs I really enjoyed over the years had become predictable and robotic, sponsor give-away on this day, product review (ehem hard sell) on this day, and a tiny bit of personal information in some cryptic kinda way... maybe they too feel the overwhelm?!

Here are a few methods I have adapted to our family life to minimise overwhelm:

• My main computer got serviced, it was given an entire overhaul and I am now confident it is without any nasty virus or bugs, and it is running at its optimum.
• Unsubscribing to emails as they arrive in my inbox - this is helping a great deal. It seems every thing you sign up to these days also includes lots of "junk" mail to your inbox. Enough already!
• Keeping my inbox empty, or as close to empty as I can.
• Declutter and purging my directory - this is gonna take some time and I'll share with you my workings and methods once I am near done.
• Having a server to do regular back ups, this minimises my fear of losing all our photos.
• NO TV time, we have a few rules about TV in our home, none before school and often none after school until after dinner.
• I use timers with the kids and their iPads.
• My 13 year old has to give me her technology before going to bed.
• I limit my "checking" of email or any other technology. I try to do it during a set time of day each day.
• I make use of my hands free in my car and make important phone calls when out and about {not always the best tactic if the kids are being noisy!!}

So far, so good.

To get back into my blogging I've decided to just keep it simple! Basically I have been working on simplifying my life for some time... and most of the time I succeed quite well.

Its about being mindful and having realistic expectations and knowing that slow and simple is best for my little family and growing children.

Peace

Bx

Get rid of those cords - hiding cable clutter ...

Yes, it is possible {without making holes in your walls} to hide ALL of those nasty cords associated with your office.

You know the ones, the cords that are attached to the: power, computer, printer, modeum, server, backup brick (not sure of the technical term for that... but I back all my photos onto it kinda regularly)... you know ALL those cords. DRIVE>ME>BONKERS !!!

Now get yourself prepared... I am about to ROCK your world. Well only if you are like me and these cords and cables drive you insane and keep you awake at night trying to work out how to hide them and give your space that super clean line appeal that you so desire. I know, issues right!

This was a simple DIY project, I did it ... and you can too!

As you can see before my office makeover (which involved new desktop and cabinetry) I tried to hide my computer related "stuff" and cables in a pretty basket.. makes it look better right? no, I hated that thing! 

So with a gorgeous new, sleek WHITE office space:

And look, you can't see any cables, right?!

I knew I HAD to get rid of the cable clutter! And here's what I did:

All you need is a pegboard, some hardware, cable ties... and if you are like me, a label machine to lable both ends of each cord, and the devices.

NOW I am really happy with my cable system. I got idea, and the tutorial from Van @ Decluttered.

This could work behind an entertainment unit too... and once my hubs upgrades our telly {again}... we'll tackle that job.

This project was really easy and only took a few hours. The only change I've made since these photos were taken, is that I have added some more fixtures, so there is no board sag... and hubs made me a little shelf for the server:

Now I love the clean look of my office/crafty space... and I especially LOVE not seeing cables and cords anymore!!!

Gorgeous!

Love out.
Bxo 

Operation Home & Family Organisation...

I read a quote recently which really resonated with me (by Anthony Robbins):

"Anytime you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is raise your standards. When people ask me what really changed my life... I tell them that absolutely the most important thing was changing what I demanded of myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer accept in my life, all the things I would no longer tolerate, and all the things I aspired to becoming."

For me lately, I've been struggling a bit to juggle it all... wife, sisterhood, motherhood, marathon training, friendships, just daily life stuff. One thing I really felt (and have felt for some time) is that I need to get more organised!

I've had this folder forever, well it feels like forever, I think since Christmas sales?

Thanks to the inspiration of my dear friend, I am getting started. I say started, because it could take a while before I feel my "Family Organsiation Folder" is complete... or perhaps that will never be :) like an evolving project always on the go, like life?

This is my progress so far:

I've put a family photograph into the window {yes Joshua has been cropped out, I'll have to replace it later}, and found a home in our kitchen where it can be easily assessed:

These are the forms I have completed so far:

• Family Information 
• Babysitter Information
• Emergency Treatment Consent
• Medical History

I've also got the Daily 15 minute clean up happening around here again:

Essentially the gist of the Daily 15 minute clean up is that we put some loud music on and a timer.... and GO FOR IT for 15 minutes each evening. Reality these days is that every evening we have activities... and I usually do it a few times throughout the day. Still it's really good when it does work.

Lots of forms I am continuing to work on:

• Account Tracker
• Address book (just created a PDF from my imac address file)
• Birthday & Anniversaries
• Birthday Organiser
• Birthday Party Planner
• Car Maintenance
• Master to do list
• Home Maintenance Log
• Children information
• School information
• Daycare information
• Preschool information
• Sports information
• online passwords
• pet information
• wallet content
• utilities tracker
• Travel packing checklist
• Travel pre-checklist
• First Aid kit checklist

Lots of these {and more} I have created over the past few years, but I've not had them in the one format or "home", aside from on my computer.

I like having them printed and easily assessable to everyone in the family.

Some of these forms, such as the account tracker and online passwords go into a folder where we keep our personal & legal documents, such as: our wills, deeds, originals of birth certificates, marriage certificate etc. This folder is stored in our safe (which is not in our home).

When I started on this project I found these tools to be very useful:

• These free printouts from Organized Home were a great start.
• I then found these at Life...your way. I paid the $7 to download ALL the forms. You can download them individually for FREE too, or buy various categories individually for less. 
• I really like this 52 weeks of organising idea from Organizing junkie too. Her download form is here.
• For my ipad, I've found these applications LifeTopix and Evernote. 

In the process of all this organisation, I realised that I need quite a few folders, not just a "Family Organsiation Folder". I am also going to create separate folders for these subjects:

• Christmas Planning 
• Blogging
• Recipes and menu planner, shopping etc I am making into another folder too, I have this one from Kikki K I have been working on. Thankfully two rounds of 12WBT makes this monumental (and healthy lifestyle imperative) much easier.

Cleaning, I could possibly make into it's own separate folder? I'll just have to see. I'm not sure that cleaning really goes with the information that is contained in the "Family Organsiation Folder" and with recipes of cleaning solutions, and tips etc... it very well may take up a whole other folder quite easily.

Again, these folders will incorporate lots of forms and notes I have already created over the years, and I'll share those along the way also.

I've also found that Typo has some great products, I like the weekly agenda notebook and find it very useful (especially incorporating my varied weekly marathon training schedule):

For my daily "to do lists" and general notes, ideas and inspiration, I like to use a simple note book. Once full I go through it to make sure I have used all of the content, or made a note in a file on my computer. Then I get another one and start the process again.

So there we are.

That's where I am at with my family orgainsation as at today.

I'll update again when I've made some more progress.

Hugs

Bx