LiveWorld Transcripts

Houston Chronicle presents

LaNita Filer-Jones
"Get Organized!"

August 14, 2000

The Houston Chronicle presents "Get Organized", with LaNita Filer Jones, who discusses issues concerning organizing your home, for school, time management, and space management.

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TheChronicle: Welcome to Houston Chronicle Live! Today's special guest is organizing guru LaNita Filer-Jones! Please note that the information discussed today is provided for information purposes only. If professional services or other expert assistance is required, the services of a professional organizer should be sought. Welcome to "Get Organized!" HoustonChronicle.com is proud to present a discussion with Professional Personal Organizer LaNita Filer-Jones. It's almost back-to-school time, so ask LaNita how to get ready for the return to the halls of learning! Whether it's just organizing your home office, or getting the mess out of that desk or locker, LaNita can help! Welcome, LaNita!

LaNita Filer-Jones: Thank you for having me!

TheChronicle: How did you get started organizing?

LaNita Filer-Jones: I used to work for a time management firm and was laid off. I decided that I could actually do this for myself since I was always organizing, anyway, on all of the jobs I ever had. So I took a leap of faith, and it's been very fulfilling ever since.

Dovela: The toughest thing I have problems organizing is my time - between my children's schedule, my husband's, and my own. How do I make time for us as a family?

LaNita Filer-Jones: Set an agenda to have a family meeting. Use a calendar in one location. Actually plan that time once a week to meet as a family to discuss your goals and decide on things that you like to do together as a family. A good place to start is to have the mealtime set, and make sure it is uninterrupted. That may mean turning the ringer off on the phone.

Lisa: Do you have any good suggestions for what to do with all those precious works of art and school papers that come home everyday? My fridge runneth over!

LaNita Filer-Jones: Keep a container of some sort (like one of the plastic tubs), or you can use just large envelopes that you buy at an art supply store, and collect them all for that year. Date it so that you know how old your child was at that time. At the end of the school year, go through and keep a few for a memento or keepsake from that period of your child's life, and toss the rest. But don't let them know! ;-)

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