RedGage Money Maker Memo 6
RedGage Money-Maker Memo 6:
Removing Clutter
In the last Money-Maker Memo , I wrote about having creative blocks. This time, I am going to touch on just the opposite. What about having way too much content and not even knowing where to start? I am sure that most of you have content everywhere and might not even realize it. Or maybe you do realize how many things there are to organize/archive and it overwhelms you!
Let us look at some ideas on how to manage the content madness. Hopefully we can all figure out how to make time for the photos, pieces of writing, bookmarked links, videos and artwork in our lives! As I always say, SANITY FIRST....
Content is everywhere...
These days, I can't even remember where most of my content is. Did I post the family photos to Facebook or Flickr? Is that blog on Squidoo, eHow, or Wordpress? Which browser was I on when I bookmarked that website? My life online is about as unorganized as my closet. Sometimes we can't keep track of what we have on paper, what we have saved on our computers/memory cards, or what we have archived on the Internet.
The idea of checking comments, messages, and content on 10 different sites every day can be exhausting and time consuming. Start to condense. Think about which sites you are the least active on and keep the ones that are the most convenient for your needs. It might take a bit of effort to make the switch but it will help in the long run.
Archive your life...
Clean out your home and get your 'things' online. Getting rid of clutter can feel so productive. Not only that, but all it takes is one leaky basement experience to wish that you had archived your old photos or documents! There are two benefits: physical space (my drawers could use some) and archiving memories or information.
Photo by Kim Ripley
http://www.themishmash.com/2008/02/and-you-thought.html
I would rather have 'virtual clutter' any day! Browse RedGage to see the various types of content that surround us...
Artwork
*Try scanning your kids school art projects! Maybe even share the earnings from their work and start to teach them about money management.
Journal Entries
*Do you have poetry, diaries, short stories, blogs, notes from travels, old letters, or pieces of writing that you would want to share? If you have boxes of books and binders- take a rainy day to scan or type your old work so that you can pitch the random pieces of paper! Put your files on RedGage so that you can clean off that hard-drive.
Family Photos and Home Videos
*Scan the old ones, organize the new ones. Some photos are made with acidic papers and incs and will not last (even with the best of care). Remove ANY photos from old albums that have sticky clear pages. If they are turning yellow or the photos are curling up, get them out of there. Check out free online software to restore the quality of older photographs.
Favorite Links
*Post a link to any website you like to visit or think other people should check out. There has been a common misunderstanding that you have to own the URL if you are uploading a link to RedGage. Link uploads are the only type of content that does not have to be your own content. Since you are linking to the actual page, you are not necessarily taking ownership.
Articles and Documents
*I love looking at my grandparent's wedding certificate and my Dad's report cards. Either take a photo or scan any articles about your friends and family. Archiving documents will save them from any possible damage. I save everything for sentimental value and if it is online I can share it with my family and friends.
Set Realistic Goals...
Break it down into smaller steps so that taking care of content doesn't seem so daunting. I am going to try and get all of my recipes posted on RedGage by the end of the summer. One box at a time. I am more likely to throw in the towel if I set unrealistic goals that I can't meet. Share your goals with a RedGage user and help each other with encouragement or reminders!
