CTR Organizing Team

The holiday is nearly here and you’ve decided to host the gathering at your place this year. If you’re new at this, you’ll find out that if you don’t plan ahead, you’ll end up like many have, scrambling just hours before the meal, frazzled. And your kitchen will look like it too. That’s when you might also find yourself wondering just how your grandmother or aunt was able to do it and make it look simple. Don’t worry, you can do it too with a few simple planning tips no host or hostess could do without.

To begin with, the way to best survive your first big dinner is to plan the day ahead of time. It’s not just about the cooking, but about the arrangements. For instance, where will your guests eat? How is your supply of dinnerware, glassware, flatware, and serveware? A good place to start is by making a list of the items you’ll need, and get them in advance of the big day. You’ll want to consider who your guest will be – is it your friends who will be quite content with a casual event, or is it your in-laws who you need to impress?

Next it’s time to start thinking about the menu options. Many people have sentimental attachments to their favorite family dishes. Some might be hoping you’ll make their favorite cornbread stuffing, others are expecting a delicious sweet potato pie. Hopefully you’ve kept the guest list somewhat small for your first holiday meal, so you shouldn’t be expecting to cook everything for a crowd normally associate with the big holiday dinner.

If you’re hosting for the first time, it’s very wise to not try to handle too many dishes at once. Review your list to see if there isn’t a dish you can do without, that or perhaps have someone else bring it. And while it’s a nice idea to make a few sentimental dishes for your guests, focus on keeping it simple. Think quality rather than quantity, you’re guests will enjoy themselves quite nicely and you’ll certainly breathe easier. Review your supplies one last time and make sure all of your kitchen tools are on-hand.

Now that your kitchen is in order, let’s move onto the food list. Make a list of the items you’ll need for all of the dishes and double-check it so you can avoid running out to the store on the holiday for last minute items. If the meal is based on a ham, turkey, or roast as a main dish, be sure that you’ve got it or ordered it a couple of days ahead of time. You can then move forward to buying the rest of your needs for your drinks and sides, holding off until the day or two before for the most perishable foods.

A week ahead of time, you’ll want to prepare your home and especially the kitchen. Do a thorough cleaning including a good scrubbing on countertops and sinks for a sparkling clean kitchen. Try to avoid buying too many foods not related to the holiday so that you’ll have the room you need in the fridge and the cabinets. Place the things you’ll need the most in easy reach of your cooking area the day before the holiday.

Now the best way to ensure a stress free day is to get out your recipes the night before and review them so you can schedule the prep and cook times. Try and prepare any dishes you can the night before if possible. These simple steps in advance will really pay off and make your whole day go much smoother. Put your list in a convenient spot and check of the tasks as you go. Take a deep breath, and try to remember to enjoy the day!

How is it that most employees cannot even spare 10 minutes of their time to clean up their desks? That is a question that baffles managers and CEOs. Such a seemingly simple task, which consumes less time than sending e-mails to relatives and friends, now becomes a Herculean effort for some. As such, it is now up to the bosses to find ways that will channel each employees’ organizing skills – and keep the workplace neat and presentable as a result. Here are some pointers.

1. Appearances matter. For offices clients frequently visit, it is important to make a good impression – something a clean and neat work station is sure to accomplish. That does not excuse an office, which does not get many visitors, to let its employees create a mess in their workstations. Obviously, an organized workstation bodes well for the employees as it makes them feel good about their surroundings and, to some extent, helps them become organized as well.

2. Organize closets. Office supplies and extra equipment should be placed in closets. People will tend to be more disorganized and would just throw things into cabinets unless the contents are arranged properly. Each item should be properly labeled to ensure that everything is in place.

3. Keep excess items in a box. Place unnecessary things in a box, and label them accordingly. Don’t forget to inform staff of the contents of the box, which should be placed at the bottom of the closet. This box should be regularly cleaned. Eventually, someone needs to decide what to do with the contents.

4. Use handy desk accessories. Office desks with accessories that have the same type and color would look good so it is advisable to come up with the items that would work for the office. Order office equipment by the bulk so the purchase would be cheaper.

5. Organize your bills. If you have an accountant use an envelope for current bills and file older ones according to the date. Review telephone bills to see if different services are needed based on current calling patterns. For this factor, the voice T1 is often cheaper than standard line service.

6. Choose furniture carefully. It has been said that not everything is created equal, making it imperative for the people in charge of purchasing desks and cubicles to choose wisely and carefully. Finding pieces which have huge storage space is important, as well as giving employees access to file cabinet drawers. Notebooks or books may be placed in overhead cabinets.

7. Businesses that have tons of files have to set aside a storage room, instead of just buying file cabinets. This will give you ample space to store your current, as well as future files. To organize the files, consider hiring in a temp who can place all your important things and documents in their proper places. A file basket for papers that are not needed, but have to be kept, should be provided to the temp.

8. Having a pantry, or eating/break rooms is advisable because it keeps the workstations spotlessly clean. An important thing to remember though is that cleanliness should be maintained at all times. Employees should be informed of their duty to tidy up after eating or taking a break. Things should be kept in cabinets. There should be dish soap, sponges and paper towels for employees to wash their dishes and clean up their mess with.

9. Hire a good cleaning service. It’s not enough that you and your employees keep your areas clean and organized. You need to hire a cleaning service that can report to your office regularly and take care of the garbage, recycle some items, clean the break room, vacuum and clean floors. You can also ask them to clean the windows once in a while.

10. Maintain cleanliness. Keeping the workplace neat and organized is everyone’s responsibility. As a head or owner of a company, ask your workers to do their share, such as cleaning one’s desk, cubicle or office. Tell them that they can get boxes to aid them in cleaning up their files. A temp, however, would be highly appreciated especially by employees who are always busy.

How is it that most employees cannot even spare 10 minutes of their time to clean up their desks? That is a question that baffles managers and CEOs. Such a seemingly simple task, which consumes less time than sending e-mails to relatives and friends, now becomes a Herculean effort for some. As such, it is now up to the bosses to find ways that will channel each employees’ organizing skills – and keep the workplace neat and presentable as a result. Here are some pointers.

1. Keeping things out of sight. The client’s perception of how the office is kept is extremely important. This tip is equally important for offices that clients rarely visit because office clutter can make employees feel down and even get them disorganized as well.

2. Place supplies in closets. Office supplies and extra equipment should be placed in closets because people have a tendency to throw things into cabinets unless the contents are arranged properly. Each item should be properly labeled to ensure that everything is in place.

3. Place unnecessary items in a box. Keep the things nobody seems to find useful in a box, rather than stuff them all in a room cluttered and unorganized. Label the boxes and place these at bottom of the closet. From time to time, clean up the boxes and ask the appropriate people for suggestions on what to do with these things.

4. Find the right accessories. Accessories does wonders in beautifying an otherwise dull office. To make the working environment look better, choose desk accessories which are similar in style or color. Buy office equipment in huge quantities to save money.

5. Arrange bills accordingly. For people who have accountants, arrange older bills based on their dates, while current bills should be placed in an envelope. Go over the telephone bills and check if you are going to need other kinds of services. Use the voice T1 service to accomplish this task as it is more affordable than the typical line service.

6. Choose furniture carefully. It has been said that not everything is created equal, making it imperative for the people in charge of purchasing desks and cubicles to choose wisely and carefully. Finding pieces which have huge storage space is important, as well as giving employees access to file cabinet drawers. Notebooks or books may be placed in overhead cabinets.

7. Businesses that have tons of files have to set aside a storage room, instead of just buying file cabinets. This will give you ample space to store your current, as well as future files. To organize the files, consider hiring in a temp who can place all your important things and documents in their proper places. A file basket for papers that are not needed, but have to be kept, should be provided to the temp.

8. Coffee or break rooms are important because these keep the clutter of wrappers and cups from the workplace. However, these rooms should be well-kept at all times. Encourage your people to clean up after themselves. Make sure that cabinets are installed to keep things in order and out of sight. Dishwashing soap, sponges and paper towels should be provided so that people will find it easier to keep the place clean.

9. Find an excellent cleaning service. Tasks that are beyond the employees can be handled by a cleaning service. Working as needed, this able crew will throw garbage, scrub or vacuum the floors, clean other areas of the offices.

10. Share the responsibility for cleanliness and organization. Each employee should clean his or her own desk, cubicle area or office. Also inform them that they can request for items such as cabinets or boxes that would help them be organized. Sometimes getting a temp on a monthly basis could help some employees concentrate on their day to day work.