Leap Year: Give Me One More Night
This year, February gives us an extra 24 hours. How will you use it?
By Geralin Thomas
Remember when Phil Collins sang, "Give me one more night . . . just one more night"?
One of the best things about being organized is having a few extra minutes to yourself every single day (or night!). While we may never know for sure whether Phil needed that extra time to catch up on sleep, cross something off his to-do list or enjoy a slow-cooked meal, it doesn’t matter. What matters most is, did he learn to use his time wisely?
What are you willing to do for a few extra minutes? How about an extra 24 hours? This year, February gives us the gift of time. It’s Leap Year (which occurs only once every 1,460 days), but don’t wait until February 29th to start enjoying every minute. Here are three ideas to implement immediately.
1. Press Record
Did you know that the average 30-minute TV show contains only about 19 minutes of content? Digital video recorders allow us to skip the commercials, which means that the time you’d normally spend watching commercials can be spent doing something else. Depending on how much TV you watch, the savings could be substantial.
2. Just Chill
If you scramble around, wasting time looking for your reading glasses, mobile phone, remote control or car keys on a regular basis, it’s probably because you don’t have a designated place for things. While this idea sounds crazy, it works! Get a cafeteria-style tray – the kind with separated compartments – and a label maker. Label the sections: Keys, Glasses, Wallet, etc. Before going to bed, put these items in their appropriate place and set the entire tray, contents and all, in the fridge.
3. Got Laundry? Bag It
Get two mesh bags with zippers, one for whites and one for colors. Sort dirty clothes directly into their designated "colors" or "white" bags. Throw the entire bag into the washer and dryer. When the clothes are dry, don’t waste time folding socks and underwear—dump them right into their drawers. You might also consider buying several identical pairs of socks in basic colors, such as black and white pairs. No matching necessary!
On the evening of February 28th, before going to bed, set the coffee maker to start brewing your cup-a-Joe five minutes before your scheduled wake-up time. On the 29th, you’ll wake to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and actually have time to enjoy it. In fact, you’ll have an extra 24 hours to enjoy everything!
Learn more about Geralin Thomas at www.metropolitanorganizing.com.
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