By Naomi Cook

Is your email inbox count currently in the triple digits?  Do you forget to write people back because new emails are constantly piling up on top of the older ones?  Are you forgetting about events or even worse, forgetting to pay your online bills?  If you answered even one of these questions with a resounding YES, then you need an inbox intervention!

Take these simple steps to reduce the amount of emails that you receive and keep a handle on the ones that you do get.  Turn it into a game and try to get your inbox down to 0!

1)      List your emails in order of "From".  That way you'll see everything from A-Z and you can see all of the emails that relate to a person or business in one tidy grouping.

2)     Quickly scan for any emails from businesses that you can unsubscribe to and deposit them into the trash folder.  Do you really need a daily email from J Crew?  Consider instead finding them on Facebook and giving them a "like" to keep up with new products and sales. 

3)     Create new folders as you go through your list.  If you want a certain folder to be visible at the top of the list, and its name does not start with an "A", use an asterisk (*) and that will automatically bring it up to the top.  This is good for bills to be paid and events that are coming up. 

4)     As you move emails to their respective folders, mark the important ones as unread.  In my mail system, those emails stay bold.  Then when they get put in a folder, a number is automatically shown next to the folder name, which corresponds to each email that is unread.  That way you can have a visual of important emails that need to be reviewed. 

5)     Move through your inbox rapidly.  Create lots of folders and move the emails in; you can always delete them later.  The main idea is to have a clean slate for important emails that arrive daily. 

6)     Don't worry about accidentally sending an email to the trash folder.  Set your preferences for your trash to delete items after one month.  That will allow you to find something recent, but also keep your trash folder from "overflowing".

So, did you reach 0, or get down to at least one page?  Congratulations - there's the 1 point in your favor!  Now get started on any other email account(s) you may have.  You'll find it much easier now that you've tackled one successfully!  

Thanks Naomi!  Your tips will most definitely be helpful.  Give her a cheer and check back later for more great ideas for organizing ideas. If you're in the greater Philadelphia area, take advantage of her professional organizing skillshttp://itlooksgoodinside.com/

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."

- Confucius 

By Carmen Coker

As the saying goes, the kitchen is the heart of the home. But your kitchen can also be the heap of the home if you let clutter pile up! If you want to know how to organize your kitchen now, then here are five easy, low-cost ways to do just that:

1) Edit your counter space.

It's so easy to put most of your appliances on the countertop. Doing this is totally understandable - you get quick access whenever you need something.

The problem? Most of us are true conformists to the 80/20 rule; 80% of what we keep, we never use. That includes 80% of the items in your kitchen! So look at what's on top of your counters and ask yourself ... does this really need to be there?

2) Out with the old and unnecessary.

You wouldn't really eat stale crackers, would you? Then why are they in your kitchen? Get them - and all other old or expired foods - out of your cabinets, pantry, fridge, and freezer.

Of course, food isn't the only thing that might have worn out its welcome. Donate any cookbooks or kitchen gadgets that haven't been used in a year or more. Scrutinize any freebies you've nabbed recently, like sports squeeze bottles, beer koozies, and magnets. Truth be told, you likely didn't need them in the first place, and you likely don't need them now.

3) Let the W's guide you.

Think about how you use your kitchen when you're making dinner - more specifically, what do you use, and where or when do you use it during the cooking process. Separate your kitchen into distinct quadrants based on your kitchen habits (i.e. cooking, preparing, cleaning, storing) and then organize utensils and supplies accordingly.

4) Think outside-the-box ... or in this case, outside the kitchen.

The kitchen is a high-traffic area, and often times, stuff from around the house will find its way in and start to pile up. Designate a bag, bin or basket for items that should not be in the kitchen. At the end of each day, have an assigned family member fill the container with non-kitchen items and carry them back to the room where they belong.

In addition, bulk foods purchases and items like fine china - which are used sparingly or only a few times a year - can be stored elsewhere in your home to free up more space in the kitchen.

5) Deal with paper before it becomes a problem.

Mail, bills, and other papers can easily clutter your countertop or table. One solution: hang large envelopes and label one per family member. Use these containers to distribute papers, mail, messages, etc. Another idea? Store take-out menus in a file folder and tuck the folder away in a drawer near the phone or inside the phone book.

Thanks for the great advice Carmen! 

Carmen Coker is a former US Air Force officer turned professional organizer. If you want to get organized and calm the chaos in your life, go to CarmenCoker.com for her free video how-to called the Secrets of the Super Organized^TM.

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."

- Ella Fitzgerald