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!