"Every year, my goal would be to remember birthdays and special occasions," says Kathie Ambrose, a middle-school reading and writing teacher from Baldwinsville, N.Y. and winner of our Best Organizing Tips contest. “However, instead of being prepared for graduations or newborn babies, I found myself making frantic, last-minute runs to the mall for a card or gift.”

To stay organized, the mom of two grown daughters devised a brilliant system. “I keep a large basket stocked with gift wrap, small gifts and all-purpose cards,” explains Kathie. “Then I attach a set of ring-bound tags to the handle of the basket — one for every month,” she says. On each tag, Kathie writes down that month’s important gift- and card-worthy events. “At the beginning of each month, all I need to do is check my info tag and put together my gifts,” she notes. “Since everything is kept in one place, it saves me time, money and a lot of stress!