Five Fantastic Reasons to Clear the Clutter!!

You've probably seen some of these facts and reasons before, but it never hurts to see them again! This info was gathered from an article in Getting Organized Magazine way back in 2014 but still applies today.

  You can sell your house for more money

According to a survey in 2012, real estate agents ranked cleaning and de-cluttering your home as the top low-cost, do-it-yourself improvement project for a home seller.

 

    

You can decrease stress

A Huffington Post survey found that 84% of recently stressed out Americans said they worried that their homes weren't clean or organized enough. A survey by Rubbermaid found that 42% of homeowners experienced more anxiety when their houses were unorganized or cluttered.

  

 You can clear your mind 

According to unclutterer.com, "The chaos restricts your ability to focus. The clutter also limits your brain's ability to process information.

 

You can turn the clock back

The average American spends one year of his or her life looking for lost or misplaced items, according to NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals)

 

You can breathe easier

Junk tends to gather dust, and dust isn't healthy, especially if you have asthma or other breathing problems. Regular house dust can contain any of the following; arsenic, decomposing insects, pollen, human skin, fecal matter from dust mites and even the insecticide DDT.

Next post: Five more reasons to clear the clutter!

Why Do People Hoard?

I've had the opportunity to work with several clients who exhibited hoarding behavior. When I first met these clients, I was aware that they had great shame and were fearful that I was going to judge them. However, knowing what I know about hoarding behavior, I was able to put them at ease and assure them that I was not judging them and that I was there to help them in any way I could. 

One of the questions I get the most from people is if I've ever worked with someone that hoards and then there is the usual, "How can they live like that?"

There are many reasons why some people can't let go of their items, and why they become trapped in this type of environment. Here are 5 reasons that I've discovered from working with clients that have hoarding behavior.

 The photos below are posted with permission from an actual client.

Memories - Many people that hoard feel that they have to keep an item in order to keep the memory of either the person, or an event. They think that if the item is not there, the memory will be gone as well.

Loneliness - Some people use their things to surround themselves because they are very lonely. If you've ever been in an empty room versus a room that has a lot of stuff in it, you can understand how they might feel. However, because hoarding tends to isolate a person even more because they are embarrassed to have anyone over, this is a cycle that just keeps repeating itself.

History of Poverty - We tend to think of elderly people, those that lived through the Great Depression, as the most likely to be hoarders. However, that is not necessarily true. If someone grew up without having a lot of personal possessions, or was not sure where their next meal was coming from, we often see that as a reason for hoarding behavior as they become adults.

Grief/Loss - In my experience, most of my clients that have had hoarding behavior show up in their life is because of grief or a loss of some kind. It doesn't necessarily have to be a death of a loved one, it could be the loss of a pet, loss of a home, loss of a job, etc. The grief process sometimes gets stuck for them and they begin to feel the need to hold onto things that remind them of the person, pet, home, job or whatever they lost. People will oftentimes try to fill a void that they feel in their life by getting more stuff.

Abuse/Neglect - Often, if people have been abused and or neglected some time in their life, they will want to "save" things in order for them to not be tossed aside or sent away as they may have been. They will usually want to save things that they think they will be able to use "some day".

In an ideal world, the client should be seeing a therapist that can help them process their emotions as we are going through the clean up process. Professional Organizers are not mental health professionals, but if we are aware of some of the reasons for the clients hoarding behavior, we can encourage them to seek help while we work together.

Everyone is an individual, and the process of clearing their home may not work the same for all of them. That is why it is important to have a broad assortment of "tools" in your toolbox to work with all different types of people. I listen to my clients and we will move at whatever pace suits them and gives us all the best chance for success.

Does clutter have a sound?

        Have you ever thought about what clutter might sound like? I imagine it to be a loud hum, kind of like a machine that won’t turn off. Always there, in the background, irritating you to the point where you just want to scream. Or run out of the house. You can think of clutter as visual noise; as distracting as having a vacuum cleaner running for hours on end. You can’t think when you hear that noise, just as you can’t think when you’re looking at all of that visual noise; clutter. It’s exhausting listening to noise all the time. As humans, we crave silence, if for no other reason than to give ourselves time to think and enjoy the peace. I’ve had clients tell me that after we’ve cleared a space, they just feel so much more at peace, calm, relaxed. It’s as if the noise was turned off in that space.

It's Called "Nesting" for a Reason

When I was asked to write an article about "How to Get Organized Before Baby Comes", little did I know that my husband and I were about to become grandparents again by our son and DIL. We are excited to welcome Audrey Isabel Huseman into our lives sometime in Oct/Nov of this year! 

I thought that this post might help my daughter in law to start thinking of some things she may not have thought about, and hopefully either you, or someone you know can benefit from these little tidbits I've culled from fellow organizers, websites I've researched, and my own advice.

1. First things first - Make an appointment with your Newborn Photographer of choice. This specialty area books up quickly and you don't want to miss this small window of opportunity. My favorite photographer is Shawna Clark. She's in Fairfield and does amazing work. Also, this is a good time to think about how you're going to announce the birth of your little bundle of joy. Even in this day of everything electronic, it's nice to mail something to someone via the good old Postal Service. At Pingg.com you can create your own stylish birth announcement and either send them via email, or you can have them printed and sent to you so you can send some out to family or friends that want to have one to put on the refrigerator for awhile. There's also this site, Tiny Prints as another option. You can pre-address the envelopes and then finish off the announcements when you get all the final details; date of birth, weight, length, etc.

2. Now for the nitty gritty of getting organized before baby comes. One of the things I wished I had done was to prep meals before hand. With my first, I had no idea how exhausted I would be, and most of all, I didn't realize I would not have time to shop, prep and cook meals for my husband and I after the onslaught of casseroles and chili was gone from well meaning family and friends. So if you're worried about that step, do some extra meals to freeze as you're prepping for your meals right now. Also automate your grocery list as best you can. If you're tech savvy, there's lots of apps to use for grocery lists that you can share with others. Grocery iQ is one that is free and can be shared by others. If you're not tech savvy, just make sure you have a magnetic note pad on the frig that you can write your list on, then someone can just take it to the store. My friend and fellow organizer Maureen, also said to keep local restaurant delivery menus nearby as well.

4.  Another of my organizing friends, Margaret, said her best advice to new mother's is this: Don't get too much. Having a bunch of onesies doesn't mean you'll never have to do laundry. It just means that you have a lot more onesies to store. You will most likely be doing laundry at least once a week, so don't worry about having a month's worth of onesies. Besides, we all know baby will grow out of most of them pretty quickly.

Speaking of growing, here's a good tip. Have a box either in the baby's closet, or somewhere convenient so as baby grows out of outfits and you've washed them, you have a convenient place to store them until it's time to put away for a sibling or to a friend or charity. Label the box by size and season; 3-6 months, Summer, 9-12 months, Winter.

5. Keep supplies where you are most likely going to need them. Do you have a two story home? You'll want to have a supply of diaper changing materials upstairs and downstairs. Are you going to be breastfeeding? Then you want to make sure you have breast pads, burp cloths etc., near a comfy chair with gentle lighting for those 2 a.m. feedings. You don't want to have too harsh of lighting as it may wake baby and you up too much and make it hard to get back to sleep! Keep your diaper bag stocked and ready to go at a moments notice. This will make getting out of the house (when you can), much less time consuming.

Here's a link My SweetNest to a super cute blog that talks about nesting and getting organized. She has really good ideas on getting that baby closet and changing table organized.

 

6. Another helpful tip would be to help others to help you! What????? If it's hard for you to ask for help, or you don't know what to say when someone asks what you need help with, (and you will need help), plan ahead and make a list of things you might need help with or chores you can delegate to others. My friend Connie said, "Believe that people want to be helpful - they really do!" I think that is true as well. Even if it's just a small thing, watching the baby while they nap so you can take a shower, shave your legs, or take a short walk to get some fresh air. When you're in the thick of things with a newborn at home, those small things really become big things and you'll be grateful for any stolen moments you can find.

7. Connie also suggested that you give your baby the tools they need to sleep away from home. I found this to be true for me as well when my children were little. If your child is used to going to sleep to a sound machine, or a certain blanket/stuffed animal, have those items with you when you are away from home visiting friends or family. It will make it much easier on you and them.

8.  Think ahead of how you're going to maintain your current household systems; bill paying, laundry, shopping. You can pay bills in small increments of time (unless you have everything set up for auto pay, which I strongly suggest), keep a running shopping list on the frig of what you are running low on. Someone can just grab the list and do some shopping for you. Also check out Amazon's Pantry grocery delivery system. You can order and have things delivered directly to your door. This will save you many hours that you can spend with baby.

9. Be thoughtful in the things you ask for from friends and family for gifts. It's very enticing to have all of the latest, greatest gadgets and gizmos, but in the end, really think whether those gadgets will help or hinder you. Do you have room to store all of that? Do you REALLY need a wipe warmer? If you're limited on storage space, I beg you to not get anymore than you really have room for.

10. And last, but certainly not least, this time in your life is an absolutely great time to make sure that you have all of your "affairs" in order. This means a living trust, custody arrangements for your child(ren) should anything happen to you and/or your spouse. Make sure your Advanced Care Directive is filed with your personal physician, and that other family members know where your important documents are located. Not a very warm and fuzzy tip, but a step every new parent should think of. Bad things happen to good people, and I'm sure you don't want to burden your family with having to make these decisions for you.

Enjoy that new bundle of joy! If you do everything you can to be organized before baby comes, you can spend more time, talking, singing, and reading to them than worrying about whether you need to buy more diapers.  Remember, 80% of your child's brain growth happens by age 3! First 5 California

Do you have a special tip that you used when you were getting ready for your baby? I'd love to hear it! Leave a comment below please!

Here's Another 10 Things to Toss Today!!

If you missed my last post, I gave you a list of 10 things you could toss today to help you begin your journey to a less cluttered life. As promised, here's another 10 items you can look for in your home to toss or donate to continue on your journey.

Today's list is more focused on paper items. We all still have too much paper coming at us even in this "paper-less" society. If you can get rid of some of it a little at a time, you'll be less "paper-full" than you were before.

1.  Tourist Brochures - This includes that map you picked up in Disneyland, (you know how it's been folded and unfolded so many times it's lost its print in places!), the brochure your sibling gave you about the fabulous cruise they took that they didn't ask you to go on and any other brochure of someplace that you're dreaming of going. GOOGLE those places and get the information delivered to your inbox. If you think you might forget about that wonderful little villa in Italy, make a folder on your computer labeled "Places we want to go" and file all information electronically.

2.  Difficult, time consuming or expensive recipes - Unless you're an expert chef and you really, really enjoy cooking your family dinner from scratch every single night, chances are you're not ever going to make Beef Bourginon and by letting that recipe go, you're releasing that expectation. Remember, you can always google recipes, check on FB for some of those TASTY! videos we all drool over.

 

3.  Invitations from past events - The wedding's over (you attended and had a blast), the baby's been born (super cute and cuddly), and it's now summertime so you can let the Memorial Day picnic invite be recycled. This is such an easy fix, and you can now make room on your frig for the 4th of July BBQ invite your neighbor sent.

4.  Expired coupons - Pizza coupons, drugstore discounts, grocery store clipped coupons, all of them. Check their expiration dates and if they're old, let them go. Oh except for the Bed, Bath & Beyond 20% off coupons. Those suckers never really expire and you can sometimes double them up!!


5.  Store receipts - Unless you need a receipt for a return, tax purposes or for a business deduction or if it's a big ticket item you want to recall, it's okay to throw them away. Check your credit card statement or keep it until you reconcile your bank statement, then let it go. It's just that easy!


6.  Expired warranties and contracts - We've all found them. The warranty for our digital camera, now long gone. The contract for the pest control professional that we don't use anymore, etc. Why are you keeping these? Recycle them and move on........

7.  Business cards that don't matter anymore - Are you really ever going to call that plumber you met at Home Depot in the bath fixture department? Probably not. Cull through all your business cards and either toss the ones that don't matter anymore or add the ones you do care about to your contact list on your phone. Here's the app I use to track my business cards that I want to retain. ABBYY Business Card Reader

8.  Unsolicited charity solicitations - If you already give to selected charities, then you're well aware that some charities sell their mailing lists to the highest bidder and unbeknownst to you, you are about to start receiving a lot of unsolicited charity solicitations. Now, some people I know try to be proactive by tearing off the return to them section and sending it back in their pre-paid envelope stating to please remove me from your mailing list. That might work, sometimes. You can also simply shred the envelope without opening it. You can also try to be removed from mailing lists by utilizing this option that I posted about awhile ago. 

No More Junk Mail

9.  Bad photos - This is something I will be addressing in a future post as Photo Organizing is going to be a service I will be adding in the near future....stay tuned!  If you're into photos, either prints or digital, this is an area that is groan worthy for many of my clients. Fear not!!!!  It can be conquered with a little persistence and patience.

And now for the only non paper related list item:

10.  Cans of dried up paint - If you've ever painted or have had someone else paint any walls in your home, apartment, whatever, you've got at least one can of paint in your garage or storage area. I'm not saying that you have to get rid of the extra paint that you just used in your guest bath remodel, I'm talking about 10+ year old paint that's NEVER going to be used again. If it's truly old and dried up, you can dispose of it in your normal trash receptacle. If it's in any sort of liquid form, you need to dispose of it responsibly. Most counties or waste management company have information available for paint disposal in your area. Here's some info on disposing of old paint.    Old Paint Disposal

I'd love to hear from you about something you decided to let go of and how it felt to do so. You can comment below. Plus, I'd like to know if anyone's reading this thing!! Give me some love!!

TEN things to TOSS Today!

When people find out what I do for a living, I often get questions like, "What's the weirdest thing you've found in someone's house?" Or comments such as, "You must see a lot of different things that people save." And the answer to the latter is yes, I do see a lot of different things that people keep. But actually, I often see the same types of items in people's homes.

Having my business for a few years now, I've noticed some fairly universal items when I help clients go through the process of decluttering their spaces. Some of these items hide in the backs of closets, cupboards and boxes in garages. Others are right there in your line of sight, but have become such a part of the environment that you don't even notice them. When they are brought out of the closets, cupboards and garage boxes, clients will often say, "I forgot I even had those in here."

When the eyes of a stranger notice that collection of dusty trophies on a spare bedroom shelf, the client may look at them as if they're seeing them for the first time. That's part of my job. . . to make you look at your space with a fresh set of eyes and come up with a vision for your space.

 

That being said, here's a list of TEN things you can TOSS today to get you started on your de-cluttering journey.

 

1. WIRE HANGERS from the dry cleaners! I know, you're thinking, "Why do I have to go through the hassle of transferring the shirts from wire hangers to my other hangers?" The reason is that wire hangers are ugly, and frankly, potentially harmful (remember the movie, "Mommy Dearest?") When I work on a client's closet, that's the first thing I do. Decent hangers these days are fairly inexpensive and uniformity in hangers make your closet pleasing to the eye which may encourage you to maintain your newly organized closet.

2. SHOES that hurt your feet! You know the ones I'm talking about. Why? Why would you assign valuable real estate in your closet to shoes that give you blisters or pinch your toes? Why?

                   

3. PLASTIC CUPS with old company logos, sports team logos, fast food logos, etc. If you need plastic cups for outside by the pool, pick up a pack of inexpensive cups from the grocery store.   

 

4. OLD TROPHIES from your childhood, or your kids. We all know you're a winner, so why are you keeping that dusty old baseball trophy from the 70's? These can often be donated to a local charity that specializes in refurbishing them for events such as the Special Olympics.

 

 

 

5. PAPERBACK BOOKS that you will never reread. Check with your local library to see if they accept gently used paperback books for their "Friends of the Library" book sale. Let someone else delve into the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts!

 

6. GREETING CARDS - - I know, I know! Being a paper craft enthusiast, I've created and given many, many handmade greeting cards and this is a sticky subject for me also. I've given myself permission to keep a few really, really special cards such as the ones from my children with their beginning handwriting skills, and a few special wedding anniversary cards. The memory of the day, or holiday does not live in the card, it lives in your own memory of that day. Getting rid of the card is not getting rid of the memory. Keeping it in a drawer is not honoring that memory.

 

7. JUNK MAIL!!! Seriously, do I even need to say anything about this? Throw. It. Away. If possible, don't even let it make it into your house to sit on your counter or table. I've seen way too many paper grocery bags full of insurance offers, credit card offers, seed catalogs, Valpak coupons, and drug store advertisements. THROW IT IN THE RECYCLING BIN IMMEDIATELY!!! Here's a link to my post about getting off some of the mailing lists.

No More Junk Mail

 

                                      

 

8. MANUALS to items you don't own anymore. And while you're at it, toss the cords to electrical items you don't own anymore also. I can't tell you how many cords I've sent off to E-Waste heaven!

 

9. FLORIST VASES - Really!! Unless you buy yourself fresh flowers on a weekly basis, what are the odds that you need to keep 7-10 plain, ugly glass vases. Free that space above your refrigerator, (cause that's where I usually find them!) Where do you keep yours?

 

10. COOKBOOKS you never use. In today's era of Pinterest, YUMMY! posts on Facebook, and all the other apps and places you can find amazing recipes, why are you assigning valuable space to those big, heavy cookbooks?

 

There's my top 10 items I recommend you start with. If you can pick just a few of these in the beginning of your journey, I think you'll find that it won't be as hard as you think. In my next post, I'll give you another 10 items that you can let go of as well.

 

What items are the hardest for you to let go of, and why? Leave a comment below and let's see if we have more in common than we thought. Who knows, your item(s) might show up in my next post as well!! Good luck and Happy Purging!

 



Confidence Crisis I know it's been a long time since my last entry, but life has been so full lately, and I'll share some of that fullness with you at another time. I saw this article written by a fellow NAPO-SFBA member and I wanted to share it with my readers because I think it is such a good reminder of how we sometimes let ourselves get in our own way and prevent ourselves from achieving what we most want in life and our business. Please leave a comment if this resonates with you, I'd love to have an open discussion about why we do this to ourselves.  Thanks Lisa Montanaro for putting the words together!   Having a Confidence Crisis? The 3 Blocks to Success If you ask most people want they want for their career, business or life, often the word Success comes up at some point. Indeed, many of us want to be successful. So what stops some people from being successful but not others? A whole host of things. It is often said that success leaves footprints. I do believe that there are certain patterns that successful people follow -- taking action, being focused, making bold but calculated risks, finding a support system, and staying positive to name a few. But there are also some serious saboteurs that often get in the way of success. They cause (and are often caused by) doubt, fear, lack of confidence, and negativity. They come disguised as 3 blocks that try to stop you from moving forward and being successful. 1. The Perfection Trap The Perfection Trap is what causes you to second guess yourself at every turn. It is often disguised as a strength ("I have such high standards."), but in reality can be a manifestation of procrastination, lack of confidence, or fear of failure or success. The Perfection Trap is in some ways the Great Western disease: "I'll be happy when I …" (fill in the blank!). Many people wait until everything is "perfect" to move forward with their ideas, insights, strategies, interests and passions. Unfortunately, the waiting game goes on and on because the stars are never perfectly aligned. In the meantime, what happens? Life (and often success and happiness!) pass you by. Win Borden said, "If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." Stop waiting until everything is perfect! Live your life now. Pursue your dreams, follow your passions, launch your business, apply for that promotion, ask that special someone out on date… whatever it is. You probably have "enough" already under your belt to take a step in that direction. Remember, done is better than perfect. (For more on this topic, check out my article Done is Better Than Perfect. 2. The Comparison Trap The Comparison Trap is often right there waiting to attack. It is the voice in your head that says, "I could never do that" as you look at others' accomplishments, successes and happiness. It forces you to look outward for your definition of success. You look at others, measure yourself against them, and then think you are less than. When I work with a client, I implement a rule that he or she must follow: No negative self talk! You'd be surprised how difficult it is for many people to adhere to it. Words are powerful, and negative self talk always puts you in a losing position. The world is filled with a sense of competition. Women tend to compare themselves to other women in so many areas: physical appearance, parenting, relationships, and business. Men tend to compare themselves based on material possessions, status, and money. It's exhausting trying to keep up with everyone else! Use what others' do as a model, sample or template, but, make it your own. Otherwise, you will just spin your wheels trying a little bit of everything, but mastering and enjoying nothing. The problem with the Comparison Trap is that it is completely false. No one stands in your shoes. You are the only you. And the trouble with someone thinking they can get ahead of you is that you're assuming that they can walk in your shoes. And this reminds me of something that the actress Judy Garland once said: "Be a first rate version of yourself, rather than be a second rate version of someone else." An original is better than a copy every time. 3. The Impostor Syndrome The toughest critic will often be you. There's a theory called the Impostor Syndrome that many successful people suffer from. It's where you feel like a fake even if you have the education, training and experience to be successful at what you do. Jodie Foster has talked about it freely in some of her interviews. She said that every time she would go on a movie set, whether as an actress or a director as her career progressed, she felt like an impostor and was worried that she'd be "found out." And this is coming from an accomplished performer since she was a child, and a celebrity by most people's standards. But it doesn't matter. When she looked in the mirror, she didn't see that celebrity. She didn't value herself the way others valued her. We so often judge ourselves harshly because in our own minds, we aren't quite there yet. We tend to focus on what we have not accomplished yet, what remains to be done, what goals we have not yet reached. Try to remind yourself of what you have already accomplished, how much you have already grown and changed, and the goals you have met. It is often on the journey to becoming who we are that the true growth takes place. The term authenticity is often used these days (some may say over-used). I think being authentic means taking ownership of your true value, including all that you bring to the table, while humbling yourself enough to admit that you still have some steps to take on your journey. That doesn't make you an impostor. It makes you human.

Copyright 2015 © Lisa Montanaro  Lisa Montanaro is a Productivity Consultant, Success Coach, Business Strategist, Speaker and Author who helps people live successful and passionate lives, and enjoy productive and profitable businesses. To receive her free Toolkit, Achieve Powerhouse Success with Purpose, Passion & Productivity, visit www.LisaMontanaro.com/toolkit. Lisa is the author of several books, including DECIDE to be Organized: An Empowering Process for Change. Through her work, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. To explore how Lisa can help you be purposeful, passionate and productive, contact Lisa at (530) 564-4181 or by e-mail at Lisa@LisaMontanaro.com.

How to make a warranty and manual binder

Today I finally did something that has been on my task list for a loooong time. I put together our household warranty and manual binders. I've had some of these warranties and manuals sitting in different areas for almost as long as we've owned our house, eleven years!! Yes, eleven years!!!

I'm very happy with them so far, but I will be adding a few more pocket folders to further separate the categories. Enjoy, and I hope this motivates you to make your own warranty and manual binders.

First I gathered all my warranties and manuals in one place. There were more than I realized, and I found some for products we didn't even own anymore!

Next I gathered the supplies I had purchased and got out my trusty Brother P-touch labeler with clear 1/2" tape with black ink.

I ordered these from Amazon.com. The important thing about these is that they are gusseted and fit in the binders quite well. The Velcro closure assures the contents will stay in.

 

These are my favorite binders because they are sturdy, have a great ring closure system and come in a wide variety of colors! I got two of them because I wanted to separate my contents (see why at the end)

These repositionable flat filing tabs are great to use in this application because they can be moved around and stick up straight for easy content identification.



Next I sorted all of the manuals and warranties and put them into the categories that worked the best. One binder holds all of the warranties and manuals that belong to items that will stay with the house if and when we ever move; stove, microwave, dishwasher, etc. The other binder holds warranties and manuals for items that we have purchased and will most likely take with us; vacuum, small kitchen appliances, electronics, gadgets, etc.

 

After they were all sorted, I placed them into the gusseted binder pockets and placed them in the appropriate binder.

 

 

These are the categories for the "things that stay with the house" binder. Yours may be different.

I think some of these categories may change as I further separate some of the contents, but it's a good start.



And here are the final products!

 

Like I said, I'm very happy with the end result. It's much better than it was and even though I don't reference the contents very often, it will be much more convenient when I do need to find out why my oven is flashing an error code, or I don't remember what filter size the refrigerator needs. In the future I will put my receipts in here as well when we purchase a big ticket item, just in case.

 

It really didn't take very long, just a couple of hours and it wasn't very expensive to put together, less than $50. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out. If you come up with a better idea or a different way of doing things, let me know!!



Tips for T-Shirts

 

How to fold a T-shirt:

Super simple way to help get your drawers organized:

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I know it must sound silly, writing a blog post about folding a t-shirt. But believe me, you'd be surprised how many people will appreciate this little tip. Once you've experienced the joy of looking into a drawer of neatly folded, color coded t-shirts, well, your life will never be the same! The video below shows you how to get that perfect fold. Go ahead, give it a try and see how life changing this little blog post will be. You'll tell all your friends about it, (really, please tell your friends about it!) and they'll thank you profusely!

 



How to fold a t-shirt

 

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This was the result of just a few minutes of refolding. My husband often just kept wearing the same t-shirts over and over and had forgotten about some of his old favorites at the bottom of the drawer. (Sound familiar?) He now has access to his entire collection and is so happy with the new look of his drawer! Don't tell him I said so, but now he even has room for a few more.

I know this isn't rocket science, but for some people, being able to see what they have is a positive change in their lives.

I hope this tidbit helps you in even just a small way. Leave a comment if you like these types of tips, and I'll give you some more!


  





 

 

Love it, Use it or Lose it

 

How to decide if something needs to go. . .Purging 101

I often get asked by clients how do they decide what to let go of as we are sorting through their stuff. I personally live by a couple of easy rules to follow.

The questions I ask myself are:

1. Is this something I love having and love looking at?

2. Is this something I use? (or have plans to use in the very near future)

If the answer isn't yes to one or both of those questions, then you can rest assured that item's shelf life is about to come to an end.

There may need to be a little more thought put into a particular item, and if so, I might delve a little further into my attachment:

1. I try to come up with another way I could use an item. I will search online boards like Pinterest to see if I can find some way to repurpose the item. However, I won't keep something for that undefined "someday I'll use it" scenario.

 

2. I think about how easy it would be to replace. If it’s relatively inexpensive and readily available, my decision will be a bit easier than if it’s a pricey heirloom or irreplaceable antique. However, I’m still completely fine with purging those “irreplaceable” items if I honestly don’t need, want, use, or love them.

 

3. I realistically evaluate how much space the item consumes. Large bulky items have less chance to survive around the house because I’m not willing to “waste” so much storage space. However, I’ll sometimes hold onto smaller items if I have a convenient storage space for them AND if I can honestly see myself using the items.

 

4. I ask my spouse's opinion. Usually he’s also in favor of purging, but there have been times when he wants to hold onto an item for a specific purpose I didn’t realize. So before I make any major purges, I usually let him peruse through my piles. This system has worked well for us, however if your spouse or other family members tend to keep everything, I might not be as eager to let them look through my piles

That’s it — pretty simple, but unfortunately not very “black and white”.
Yes, there’s a small chance I might regret purging a specific item, and I might have a twinge of guilt as I sell or give the items away… but I always try to remind myself that someone else will be thrilled to find my cast-offs and I will enjoy all my extra space. Win-Win!

In my opinion (take it for what it’s worth) If you don’t LOVE it, and you don’t USE it, you should LOSE it! 

Is it Fact or is it Fiction?

Today I want to share with you some of the statements I hear from clients and from people that I talk to when I'm trying to educate them on what Professional Organizers do and how we can help them. 

See if you've had any of these same thoughts and if you have, whether or not the answers are indeed FACT or FICTION !

• “Organizing is a mysterious talent”

Fact: Organizing is a skill anyone can learn

 

• “Organizing is an overwhelming, hopeless chore”

Fact: No matter what you’re organizing, how huge the backlog, organizing boils down to the same very simple process. Organizing can be fun by producing a gratifying sense of clarity, focus, and accomplishment.

 

• “I have to spend a small fortune on bins, baskets and special gizmos to get organized”

 



Fiction: A lot of people already have items in their house that can be used to get you started. If looks aren’t important to you, you can recycle many items you may have around the house.

 

 

• “It’s impossible to stay organized”

Fact: Organizing is sustainable, if your system is built around the way you think and designed to grow and adapt with you as your life and work change. It requires monitoring and ongoing efforts until it becomes ingrained.

• 

  “Organizing is a non-productive use of time”

Fact: Today’s lifestyles move much more rapidly than it did 50 years ago, which provides us with more opportunities and demands on our time. In this environment, people who are organized will thrive. Those who are disorganized will have difficulty making decisions, unsure of which way to turn. Organizing has become a survival skill for the twenty first century.

 

• “I'd be embarrassed to have you see my messy house"   

Fiction: Well, that may be a fact, you might be embarrassed, but I always tell people, "Are you embarrassed to tell your doctor that you're sick?" "Are you embarrassed to tell your mechanic that your car's not driving right?"  A good organizer understands there are different issues that may have caused you to lose control of your space. They are trained to listen and to help you find effective solutions that will bring your space back into balance with your life. Professional Organizers can approach your issues with “the eyes of a stranger” and provide non-judgmental feedback that can help you.

 

No matter whether you were right or wrong in your answers, there's no better way to see how an organizer can help you create the vision you have for your space than to make an appointment with one and talk to them about your concerns. Chances are, you may be surprised how easy it can be to achieve your goals.

 

Opt Out Info

Here is some great information for you to use to help reduce some of the junk mail you receive on a weekly basis.

To get off pre-screened credit card and insurance mailing lists, go to:

 

Credit card and Insurance mail

 

To get off junk mail and unwanted catalog mailing lists, go to:

 

Junk Mail and Catalogs

What is a Hoarder?

Ever worried if you’re a hoarder?

According to the Mayo Clinic staff, hoarding is defined as – “The excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them. Hoarding often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Some people also collect animals, keeping dozens or hundreds of pets often in unsanitary conditions.”

Have you ever watched the TV show, “Hoarders” or “Hoarders, Buried Alive,” and thought to yourself, “That could be me”? Maybe you’re overwhelmed looking at your own piles of stuff, wanting to keep everything just the way it is, yet knowing deep down that you can’t continue living your life this way. The term “hoarder” has such a negative connotation, that people are often paralyzed at the thought of letting anyone in to see the state of their home.

 

However, there is another classification for people who like to hold onto their stuff, it’s called chronically disorganized.  You’ve tried to get organized before, and it worked for a little while, but slowly things just went back to the way they were. And then there are my favorites,  “pack rat”, or “collector”.

 

If one of the labels above rings true for you, what can you do to make a change? Whatever you call it, compulsive hoarding, chronic disorganization or collecting, they all have the same effect on you and your life. Organizing your hoarded home and improving your hoarding lifestyle are big steps and when you’re really ready, you’ll need to ask for help.  When you reach out and surround yourself with a caring and compassionate support system, you’re headed toward the change you desire.

There may have been a significant event in your life that started you down the road to hoarding, or it could have been that you recognized early on that organizing was a challenge for you. It may have started with one messy room, and before you knew it, your home was completely full of stuff and out of control. A kind friend or even a hoarding TV show may have helped you realize the truth of how you’re living.  Now you want to change your life.

Some people don’t believe that it’s possible to go into a cluttered room, and with the help of a Professional Organizer, have it completely organized in a couple of hours. Or even the ability to have an organizer get an entire house done in a matter of days. Yet it is true. When a person is truly ready to commit to a new start, and is ready to make some tough decisions, huge strides can be made each day. You can go from a home that is overwhelmingly cluttered, to one that is organized and comfortable. It can happen, and when it does, you feel so empowered to have gained control over your stuff instead of your stuff having control over you.

Just close your eyes and picture a different environment for yourself and your family – from a hoarded/cluttered home to a more livable, more organized home. Envision the improved quality time you will have to spend with your family or friends. Allow yourself to conceive of no more anxiety about inviting friends over. If all of this sounds like something you’re ready to experience, you can change your environment and your habits, and live a changed life! But just imagining a different future is only one step toward organization.

The next step is to enlist help. A Professional Organizer can help you see what needs to be done and help you develop a reasonable organizing plan. Working beside you, a trained organizer can ease your anxiety and help you take action as you dig out from the clutter.

You may be surprised that just asking for help, even if it’s just from family and friends, begins an amazing process of change!