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Judy of the Woods productivity, creativity, sustainability |
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Wild Food Handbook print your own handy pocket foraging companion and hedgerow herbal, or get the FREE plant list with details on edibility of over 350 plants. 
■ Download a copy now In this Section ■ Pictures on Flickr Page created on: 28 March 2006 Critical Mass To develop more projects to share with you and run this website, I need funds. By donating even a small amount, you can get the ball rolling. For more information please visit the ■ Support page You can also support this site when making your amazon purchases through these links at no extra cost to yourself. amazon.co.uk UK amazon.com USA amazon.de Germany |
Getting OrganizedYou can do anything - but not everythingDavid Allen Creating order out of chaosWhether you are setting up a whole self reliant system, are a busy mom, run your own business or want to work on any project, an organising system is invaluable for making the best use of your time and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by long lists of tasks and a full diary. To function well, the system needs to be easy to use, and as compact as possible . Inaccessible and/or crowded files, scattered reference material and loose notes mean extra work in searching for what you need, missed opportunities and appointments, and stress.A basic system would comprise of:
I won't repeat here what can be read on other websites (links on this page), but will write about my way of adapting the system, and the 'hardware' I created, especially the way of reducing resources and cost, and making the best of a small space. Most of the components utilize A6, A7 or A8 paper, which can be cut from standard letter paper - I use the blank back of old correspondence. The system is still in its infancy, and I am tweaking it as I go along, but there are already some tangible benefits, and a few items have made life a lot easier. After feeling overwhelmed with a mass of jobs to do, and not knowing where to start, I have now found the beginning of the tangled thread, and can at last start to unravel it. The Slip MethodThe newest addition to this section is the first instalment of the book I am writing about the Slip Method, which uses slips of paper and symbols for a number of organizational aids, like the todo list, the tickler or problem solving applications. ■ Read more.... BodyBag - aka bibsterInspired by the need to carry a lot of little bits and bobs around with me and wanting to create a nice home for my new hipster or chester (due to where its worn now) I came up with the body bag/bibster MkI , made with linen and cotton fabric. The next one will be a little more sturdy. I found a black leather jacket in a charity shop, and when I get the buckles and studs, I will make - sorry, can't resist another pun - a kinkster. ■ Read more.... Mini FilesI have two main filing systems, one for documents and papers, and the other one projects on the go, reference material and inspiration. The first one is reasonably well organised and sparse, but the second one is a bulging mess. Can't find what I want, and it is taking far too much space for the actual useful material it contains. Articles collected from magazines, snippets of information, and books often duplicate information and are padded with anecdotes and descriptive text. Often I only want to keep the nuts-and-bolts information. Bit by bit I am reducing my A4 files with A6 and A7 files with pared down information, extracting the core information from those articles and books, and writing it on A6 or A7 pieces of paper or maybe file a small, dense article as is ( a job for long winter evenings). Re-writing the information is not such a waste of time, it is like revision and helps to retain a little more of the information, and reminds one of its existence and place. The photograph is of the still virtually empty garden file, though I have decided that the garden file will need an A6 rack. Some racks contain a mixture of material, though some are dedicated entirely to one subject, e.g. gardening or cookery recipes. I love to see the pile of paper for recycling grow, as my filing cabinet becomes smaller, and retrieve what I am looking for. ■ Find out more.... 43+2 files and 2 1/2 dimensional to-do listThe atomic to-do list and tickler file have probably made the greatest difference to my work flow, and have become the backbone of my system. Originally inspired by the Unfolder wallet organizer by Andrew Durham, I created my first atomic to-do list system, writing each action on a separate piece of paper, but soon found that the limited 'park houses' (daily and weekly) and the long term list (which was just a conventional list,often getting ignored, stuck somewhere in my 'organiser'), were just not adequate. When I read about the tickler, I knew that was the answer, and adapted it to my little slip - or 'work docket' system. How the system works in principle can be read on the page about my two original organisers. With the tickler file I can now keep track of the long term projects too. The tickler is an extension of the to-do list, and does not have any papers, documents, bills etc. filed in it, just the slip of paper reminding me of the action. As my paperwork is minimal they are filed directly in their permanent home, a temporary in box if the future action then allows the paper/item to be discarded, or in a context location, e.g. a bill to be paid in town goes into my handbag. If it is not obvious where the material is located, the to-do slip will have a brief note about its location. Each card has three pockets for 'must do' (fixed date appointments etc.), 'daytime/outdoors' and 'evening/indoors' actions. There is also an additional card with pockets for future years for long-term reminders, and one for the current day with more slots, split up into the general list, at computer list and hipster for jobs out and about. When a project requires a lot of individual slips for that day, I arrange them all on one of my lap desks, with tasks grouped together by project. Now if I have a project, and don't know where to start, I think of any action that needs done for that project. If I find that it can not be done, because of xyz.., I write down those other tasks on another slip, and so on, until I get to the point where I can do the task. Having each item on one slip makes rearranging and re-prioritizing the list items easy.If, as is often the case, I am a little unrealistic about what I can do in a day, I can move bundles of slips to the next day's pocket, or further along. With the first pocket separating out the 'must do' tasks, I can see at a glance what needs doing that day and make sure I don't miss any appointments, fixed dates or important jobs.  ■ More images.... HipsterPDAAs I work from home, I have most reference and project material close at hand. The hipster is mostly a jotter for ideas when out and about, and for reminders of e.g. tools to take, or things to retrieve from the shed, and to-do slips. I also carry a separate pad of blank to-do slips, so I can write the action straight onto a slip and place it into the tickler (or act on it) later, without having to re-write it.I don't see any need to print many templates. A note or a list to me is obvious, and each item has to be entered manually anyway. Only for pages where entries are repeated frequently or regularly, is a printer of use (e.g. plant reference cards, with tick boxes for things like soil requirements, planting times and more). Setting the printer preference for fast draft saves ink and time in printing and still produces perfectly adequate copies. The hipster also contains some clear plastic sheets with stickies (they stick best to shiny plastic), so that small sketches can be transferred to project material when I return home.  ■ More images.... Pico HipsterActually, just a pad of blank to-do slips for dressy occasions, which can double up as a mini jotter. Accompanied by a sawn-off Pilot Birdie mechanical pencil in a case made from a scorched elder twig. ■ More images.... Pencils and PensAny hipster carrier will know the search for the pen/pencil Holy Grail. I have found mine. I am in pencil heaven. And it only cost £3.40 at cultpens.com. Its a Pilot Birdie mechanical pencil. I did make some alterations to reduce its length to a size that was still usable but very unobtrusive. The Birdie is also available as a fountain pen and ballpoint pen, though it is unlikely that one can shorten them as easily, if at all, like the mechanical pencil.There were a few experiments along the way. The Birdie is only for out and about, back home I use a thicker pencil.  ■ More images.... Sorter and Expanding FileThe small sorter I made is more of a paper organiser for writing projects. It is a cross between a paper sorter and the Scan/Plan flip system. The flip system is particularly suited to occasions when quick access to information is important, such as when giving a talk or for a first aid manual, or any other reference material, and as a study aid and organising chunks of information, but makes organising any writing job easier. The link above shows the concept (with some good organisation and writing tips). However, instead of spending a lot of money on a concept flip file, why not get a flip photo album from the dollar shop? Whilst working on something, I like to be able to shuffle around papers and not have to pull them out of thin film pockets, so I made this open sorter. It's made from card and old manilla folders. The pages are hinged with fabric binding tape, and the tag pockets are clear acetate binder material folded over the edge and stitched on. With a huge pile of articles and papers yet to file or sort, I will make a bigger one to streamline the job. Definitely worth the effort, and not that difficult to make. I confess, the expanding file was an indulgence after seeing a Moleskine, and gulping at the price. Ever resourceful, and in the swing of creating my new office aids, I experimented and cursed my way to success at last, got out the old parchment document paper flying around for years, some card, scissors and glue, and a bone folder (a spent ballpoint cartridge will also score paper), and now proudly present the Moleskine-type A6 expanding file sweetie. Aaah. But as with so many things that are too precious to use......Did I mention the tale about my grandparent's settee with three layers of protective covers sandwiching a sheet of polythene? The precious settee (and the 'best' cover nearest the settee) probably rotted underneath, never to show its glory to the world. There is a moral in that tale somewhere.  ■ More images.... JotterNo more hunt for paper at the telephone/computer, or when I have an idea, nor piles of paper torn from envelopes in a hurry, and notes to transfer to.... somewhere. The jotter holds A7 papers for filing into the racks, blank to-do slips, and a pencil slips into a tailor-made slot. There is also an A8 jotter for temporary jottings like calculations and other disposable notes. ■ More images.... Lap DeskFor indoor use I have three A3 hardboard lap desks, one with integral pencil holder. Bulldog clips hold paper and notes in place, and strips of acetate clipped to the edges form large retaining clips, allowing the notes to be read, but securely held or rearranged. For outdoor use (I like to do paperwork in the garden if the weather is fine) I have a lap desk with drawers for paper and stationary supplies. ■ More images.... OfficeThe office is furnished with a desk made from an old wardrobe, two nesting tables with added drawers, a few filing racks and carousels, various niches and shelves holding office supplies and files, a chest with hanging files, and a mini settee. It is roughly split up into the computer area, and the cosy manual office with everything at my fingertips. In a small space there is naturally an overlap with parts of the living area. To successfully use a small house, there has to be a sharing of space, and a relaxed view to interlocking components normally segregated, even by walls. Whilst trying to make it function as efficiently as possible and using as much recycled material as possible, the choice of mostly natural materials has given the cabin and its living and work space a unifying mellow ambiance. ■ More images.... 
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Related pages
Pages are still under construction, but have some images
■ Slip Method
The Book - first instalment
■ BodyBag
organiser bag worn like waist coat
■ Filing System
Incl. mini files
■ 43+2
Tickler and 2 1/2 dimensional
to-do list
■ HipsterPDA
A8 hipsters using recycled paper
■ Pico
Tiny jotter for to-do slips
■ Pencils and pens
including mini conversions
■ A6 expansion file
like Moleskine, also A6 sorting strip
■ Jotter
for A7 file and to-do slips
■ Lap desks
for indoors and out
■ Office
An overview of the set-up
■ Original organisers
How it started - archive
click here for UK source
click here for UK source
click here for UK source
click here for UK source
click here for UK source
click here
for UK sourceExternal links
Organising
■ David Allen's website
■ onlineorganizing.com
■ cringe busting
■ turning procrastination into action
■ wikibooks.org
excelent free mini e book on recognising causes of and overcomming procrastination
■ introduction to 43folders.com
■ how to tackle things to do
■ article on getting things done
■ article on getting things done
■ wikipedia.org
article on getting things done
■ link list for getting things done
■ lifehacker.com for news, views and tips on making life easier
■ email overload
■ just say no
■ simple ways to make yourself far cleverer
■ make a decision using a quantitative scoring system
■ time management forum
■ 43folder forum
Environmental Office
■ environmentally friendly office handbook
■ green business info
■ green stationary supply (UK)
■ good old fashioned office supplies, like starch glue, pencil extenders and more
■ dtto. USA
■ hemp paper and all things hemp (USA)
More links to external sites on the individual pages in this section