Once, I read a book on personal finance that stressed over and over again the idea of saving money as a “passion.”  As a way of giving extravagantly to your dreams and goals.  The idea stuck with me, because so many books about saving money leave me thinking about all of the really boring people I know who are great at saving–and who make everyone around them listen to the 20 niggling little ways they managed to shave $75 off their monthly bills.  Ugh.  The topic of personal organization can take on this same mind-numbing quality–UNTIL you remember that this is really all about caring for yourself and creating a lifestyle with room for more than mere day-to-day survival.  A lifestyle with space and freedom to do what you love most.

Think of these five organizational tips, then, as “freedom tools.”

Freedom Tool #1:  Pre-prepare dinners on the weekend.

Because every family has different tastes, budgets, and nutritional priorities, I won’t recommend a particular cookbook to you.  What I will suggest is that you Google “OAMC.”  Or “once a month cooking.”  I know, I know–very few people will actually do 30 meals at a time.  (I’ve done it, and I was NOT a pretty site at the end of that day.)  But the OAMC evangelists has just about every approach you can imagine–and you will get some great ideas for pre-assembled, crockpot, and freezer meals.

Freedom Tool #2:  Get an organizing message board.

Think of it as a holding tank for to-do items, phone messages, addresses, lists, and bill reminders–with the goal being to get each thing out of the holding tank and into its proper informational “container.”  Target has some great, inexpensive choices of whiteboard and corkboard.

Freedom Tool #3:  Voice-record thoughts and obligations; listen each night before bed.

There is something empowering about capturing ideas as they happen.  What’s on your mind?  A milestone event approaching?  A creative solution to a problem?  A book that was just recommended to you for the umpteenth time?  Record each one…and then listen before you turn in–perhaps taking notes in a bedside journal.  What will you do about each one?

Freedom Tool #4:  Dedicate one chore to each child. Make sure the chore is age-appropriate and that the child knows how to perform the task.  Be ready to spend some time up-front with patient instruction–but then insist that perks like play dates or video games happen only if the chore has been faithfully performed.

Freedom Tool #5:  Organize your week’s wardrobe at the beginning of the week.

This way you’ll see if all of your needed clothing pieces are clean, wrinkle-free, and ready to go.  And you’ll have time to do any needed laundering/ironing/accessory-gathering–before you’re stressing about Beltway traffic and being late to work.

Perhaps you read through these suggestions and thought how much organizing you’ve got to do before you can begin getting organized.  The fridge is too full, your closet floor has a chest-high pile of unfolded clothes, your bedside table is stacked with old newspapers and unmatched earrings.  If that is the case, then how are you going to clear the way for your freedom tools?

Freedom Tool #6:  Call Presto Pink for skillful, cheerful, efficient help!