Organizing Humor

No wonder so many people have trouble getting and staying organized!  Can you relate to this?

Letting Go

Letting go can mean parting with possessions. Many of us are emotionally attached to our possessions, and parting with things that have had a place in our lives can be difficult. In fact, for some people, this can be a very traumatic process.

Often, people feel as though they need permission to get rid of items. In other instances, it’s simply a matter of knowing what to keep and what to toss. If you are someone who falls into the first camp, I’d like to give you permission — permission to get rid of those possessions you don’t like, those that have lost their usefulness, or things that are broken and cannot be repaired. I’m often asked questions like “What about this hideous vase that was a gift from my Aunt Harriet?”  My philosophy is to keep the thought behind the gift, but not necessarily the gift itself. For example, if you’ve been married for ten years, and you still have boxed wedding gifts that you don’t care for, it’s time to let them go.

If you’re unsure about what you should keep, what you must keep and what you can safely discard, here are some general guidelines an suggestions:

Things You Should Definitely Save:

*Old Tax returns and financial records (for seven years)

* Receipts for capital improvements to your home

*Records of key life events such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decree, baptism records.

*Deeds, car titles (assuming you still own the vehicle) and similar documents

Things You Should Consider Keeping:

*Collectibles, or items you are fairly confident have, or will have, resale market value. Be careful, though; items that may once have been in vogue may no longer have a market. Check with a reputable appraiser or dealer.

*Sentimental letters from family members and close friends, particularly if they are no longer living.

* Family heirlooms, providing that you like them or they have sentimental value. If not, see if another family member might like to have them.

*Photographs. (But, if you’re going to keep them, be sure to store them in acid-free, lignin-free albums or photo-boxes to ensure that they stay safely preserved.)

*Sentimental clothing such as a wedding dress or christening gown. Again, be sure to store it properly to prevent yellowing, fading or insect damage. Also, be selective. I recently was helping a client organize her attic and she had 14 boxes of baby clothes for her now-adult children! (We weeded it down to one box for each son of the truly precious outfits).

Things It’s Fairly Safe to Toss:

*High-school notebooks, papers, etc.  I promise you, you’ll never, ever look at them again!  Same goes for college text books!

* Floppy disks that no longer fit in your computer.

* Out-of-focus photographs

* Electronics that you no longer use (i.e., your 8-track player or reel-to-reel movie projector).

* Appliances that you never, ever use (think ice cream maker, crock pot, etc.)

* Out-of-style clothing, or clothing in a size you will never see again.

* Old periodicals and magazines, especially ones that cover time-sensitive topics (i.e., technology, news, fashion), repeat subjects on an annual basis (i.e., every parenting magazine has a Back-to-School issue in September), or focus on subjects that you’ve lost interest in. Keep in mind that many publications are available on-line.

*Keys to homes or cars you no longer own, or keys to unknown locks.

If you are hesitant to get rid of something because you are concerned about needing it after it has been discarded, ask yourself the following question: “What  is the worst thing that would happen if I didn’t have it?” If you can live with the consequence, you can live without the item. However, if the consequence seems too great, by all means, hold on to the item in question.

Once you’ve sorted through and gotten rid of things, you will feel so much lighter, and your house will, too!

Now That the Garage is Cleared Out, What To Do With All That Stuff?

My last blog post talked about clearing out the garage.  Now that you’ve identified those items you no longer want, what do you do with all of your castoffs? One option is to hold a garage sale.  Here is a list of tips to hold an organized and successful garage sale.

Designate one room or area as your assembly/holding area.  You may want to have several large boxes or bins in this area for sorting.  Prior to the sale, conduct a thorough room-by-room search of your home, including attic, basement and garage areas, collecting items to sell. As you find items you want to include in your sale, put them in this room. It’s an awful feeling to come inside after completing a garage sale and discover items you meant to sell that never made it out to the sale.

If an item hasn’t been used in two years, it’s potential garage sale fodder.  It is amazing what will sell at a garage sale! Don’t overlook things like leftover fabric, half filled containers of paint, broken appliances and carpet remnants. (I’ve successfully sold all of the above items at garage sales).

Leading Up to the Sale:  A month prior to the sale, check with your town to determine if you need a permit. Also find out if your town has regulations about posting fliers on trees or telephone poles. A week or so prior to your sale, call your local newspaper with ad copy.  Include some “best sellers” in your ad (i.e., furniture, toys, sports equipment, camera equipment). General statements about merchandise can also be effective (i.e., Moving Sale; Everything Priced to Sell; 20 Years of Accumulation).  Be sure to include directions to your home in the ad. If you have a rain date, be sure to include that as well.

Consider pricing items by using color-coded stickers (i.e., a red dot for $1, a blue dot for 50-cents, a green dot for 25-cents). You can also price by category (i.e., all paperback books $1, all hardcover books $2) rather than pricing each individual item.  Post a chart explaining the color-coding system at the check-out point.

In the weeks prior to the sale, save your newspapers so that fragile items can be wrapped. Save empty grocery store bags to use for customers’ purchases.

Cleaning up merchandise prior to sale increases the amount you will get for an item. But use your judgment – it’s not worth spending $8 to dry-clean a dress that will fetch less than that. However, an investment of a little elbow grease is always beneficial. Items that are dirt and dust-free or polished are more attractive to a potential customer.

If an item has multiple parts, make sure they are all put together for display. You can use zip-lock bags, tape items together, etc.  If you have an instruction manual, include that with the item. The key is to ensure that a potential buyer knows he is getting all the pieces.

Two days before the sale, get lots of change — singles, 5′s, 10′s and quarters.  Pricing things no lower than 25-cents minimizes how much other change you need on hand. You should have a minimum of $100 in change.

If permitted by your town, the morning of the sale, or late the night before, post signs/directional arrows at major intersections within a six-block radius of the sale to help people find your home. You might also put a large sign with an arrow on your car and park a block away from the sale.

If you have school-age children, a garage sale is a great location for a lemonade stand. Let them earn a few dollars, too.

Plan to wear a waist wallet – the safest and most efficient means to keep your change and proceeds. Other items to have on hand include a calculator, pens, receipt pad (optional), an electrical outlet (or extension cord leading to one) to demonstrate that electric items function, and a measuring tape for customers to use.

Arrange to have a charitable organization such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, the Boys & Girls Clubs or the Vietnam Veterans come the day after the sale to take donations of any items that did not sell.  Once you’ve made the decision to part with things, do not bring any remaining items back into your home.

What’s Behind Door #1?

All winter long, my neighbor parked $50,000 worth of car stock in his driveway while his garage remained tightly closed.  With each of the many snow storms we had this past winter, I watched them dig out their car and sweep the snow from the roof.  And with each storm I thought, “Gee, I wonder what’s in their garage that’s so valuable that they keep their car in the driveway?”

Well, Spring has arrived, and I found out.  Walking past their house the other day, I noted the garage door was opened.  What did I see inside?  Several garbage cans and tons of junk.  Yup!  They keep their car in the driveway because the garage is too full of clutter to park inside!

If you have a similar challenge with your garage, take advantage of one of these nice Spring days and get the garage organized.

If you don’t currently have shelving in the garage, consider either purchasing some heavy duty utility shelves that can line one wall in the garage, or have a carpenter build some sturdy shelves for you.  Purchase some large plastic containers with lids and group like-items together.  For example, you can have a container for car accessories with things like windshield washer fluid, jumper cables and snow scrapers. Another bin can house barbeque supplies such as long-handled grill utensils, mitts, grate scraper while a third could house electrical supplies (i.e. extension cords, three-way adapters, etc.)  Label the outside of each container clearly so that all family members will know what is stored inside and, equally important, where to return things after use.

The walls and ceilings in most garages have tremendous storage capabilities. Hanging not only expands your storage, but things become easier to find because they are not clustered together on the floor.

Designate a section of wall space to hang big things like shovels, rakes and ladders. You can also purchase specially-designed hooks so that bicycles and strollers can be supported on the wall.  If your garage has open rafters, you can line large items (ie., skis, pieces of wood, etc.) across the ceiling beams.

Sports equipment can be accommodated in several ways: Sports equipment racks can be purchased at hardware or organizing stores. Clean empty garbage cans can store long-handled items like lacrosse sticks and baseball bats. You can also purchase  an inexpensive 5-shelf metal utility unit and assemble it with the shelves installed upside down.  What this does is create a lip to keep things like balls, roller blades and so on from rolling of the shelf.  You can use a few nuts and bolts to attach a length of pegboard on each side of the utility shelf. This will provide you with a place to hang odd-sized and oversized sports equipment such as racquets, cleats, swim fins and fishing poles.

The other thing to keep in mind is that garages, like attics and basements, can become permanent resting grounds for unwanted things that find their way into your home. Carefully evaluate whether all the items that are currently in your garage are things that you really use and want. If not, pack up those things you no longer need in your life and either donate them, Freecycle them, or pass them along to someone who would appreciate them.

Roll up your sleeves, start organizing and discarding and you’ll be parking in your garage in no time!

It’s (almost) Time to Set the Clocks Back!

Daylight Savings time ends on November 7th this year.  Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed on Saturday night.

So, what can you do with that extra hour?  You could just sleep in; however, here are some suggestions to get a little more organized in not a lot of time.

–Switch your clothing seasonally

–File that stack of papers

–Organize your junk drawer

–Recycle those old magazines that have been accumulating dust

–Call a friend to catch up

–Take your dog for a long walk, and enjoy the cool, crisp weather

Wishing you an organized, productive Fall!

Don’t Call Me; I’ll Call You!

If you’re like me, you are probably just getting dinner prepared, or sitting down with your family and the phone rings, perhaps even more than once.  It’s a pesky telemarketer.

You can block your phone number(s) — your home phone as well as your cell phone — to prevent telemarketing calls by calling 1-888-382-1222 or going on-line to www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx .

Even if you’ve done this in the past, it only lasts for 5 years, so be sure to repeat periodically.

Wishing you a quiet dinner hour!

How Walking My Dog Helps Me Organize My Week

I have the most wonderful dog in the world! (And the other members of my household would agree).  Every day, he gets walked at least three, if not four times.  That’s somewhere between 21 and 28 walks each week!  Of all of those twenty-something walks each week, the early morning walk on Sunday mornings is my very favorite.

Now, you are probably wondering what walking the dog has to do with getting organized…..let me explain.

Early Sunday mornings in my neighborhood, there are few (if any) people out and practically no cars.  The half hour that I am out walking the dog is my time to plan out the coming week.  The solitude gives me an opportunity to think about my goals and what I want to accomplish in the coming week. It gives me a chance to think about the appointments I have scheduled and plan time for the other things I want to get done.

Regardless of whether or not you have a dog, I encourage you to set aside a half hour at the start of each week to plan your week.  Determine what tasks and goals you want or need to complete that week, and actually schedule time for them.  It’s easy to say “I have to do X”; however, you are much more likely to actually accomplish “X” if you enter time for that task in your calendar.  Most of us spend more time thinking about our “to do’s” than actually doing them.  Planning and scheduling enables you to cross that item off your “to do” list.

Have a productive week!

Traveling with Children

Whether you’re planning a day trip or a longer summer vacation, if you’re the parent of a young child, you already know that traveling with children can often be challenging. The two most important pieces of advice are to be prepared, and to be flexible.

If you’re traveling by plane with a child three years old or younger, bring along her car seat. It’s familiar since she’s used to riding in it, and you won’t have to worry about her squirming out of a conventional seat belt.

If you’re traveling with an infant, carry a fully stocked diaper bag with 50% more diapers than you think you need, extra formula, baby food and snacks and at least one (but ideally two) full changes of clothing. If your child uses a pacifier, be sure to travel with at least one extra one, in case one gets lost or rolls under the seat.

Let older children each pack a backpack or tote bag full of toys, books and crafts to play with en route.

Additionally, you should pack a bag with small treats and surprises to use when the going gets rough. Some ideas: removable stickers are great on the windows (it’s like a giant Colorforms board); new boxes of crayons are always a hit; books on tape, available at your local library, are a good source of entertainment. When my kids were little, we had “purple car totes”, plastic boxes with handles that we stocked with pads, crayons, markers, plastic figures, and a small snack. Because they were used only for long rides, their novelty did not wear off, and the kids were always excited to see what new surprises had been added to the box.

Other must-haves for traveling: plenty of wet wipes, lots of tissues, Purell, and a stash of juice boxes and portable snacks for when the “I’m hungry’s” hit.

To keep items your child’s things organized in the car, consider either an over the seat storage bag or use a seat belt to secure an open plastic bin next to the child to keep books and toys close at hand. Extra supplies can be kept in a plastic tote in the trunk.

One family I know uses car time to assemble their family albums. The kids take turns selecting photos and attaching them.

Increase your repertoire of car games. While classics like “I pack my trunk” are always fun, consider various storytelling games that get the whole family involved. One such game is to take turns coming up with two characters that the next person has to use in a story. Another story game is to have one person begin telling a story and after a few sentences the next person continues the narrative, and so on. The stories are usually pretty funny and can go on for quite a while. There are many books on travel games available at your local bookstore or library.

Before you leave, buy a lined notebook for each child and let him make a travel journal. Pre-writers can dictate their entries to you. Let your child buy a postcard at each site or city and paste it into his journal. This is a wonderful way to keep your trip alive long after you’ve returned.

Remember, when the children are happy, everyone is happy! Have a wonderful trip!

A Recession is the Ideal Time to Get Organized

Regardless of whether or not you believe we are truly in a full-blown recession, a soft economic climate is the ideal time to get organized.  The cost of disorganization can be quite high, sometimes even astronomical. 

For example, you may have the same experience many of my clients complain about — going shopping and purchasing something only to find you already had two or three of the same item at home.  Knowing what you have, and being able to find it when you need it, will save you money.

Designating a holding spot for bills until it’s check-writing time can also save you money.  A misplaced or lost bill can incur late fees, which can often be quite significant.  In addition, paying bills late will negatively impact your credit rating, which can result in higher rates for mortgages, utility costs, etc.

Procrastinating can result in paying higher postage fees for overnight delivery, rather than standard mailing costs if the item were completed and mailed a few days earlier.

While storage units can be helpful, short-term solutions, they are expensive and those monthly fees can add up quickly. Use this as an opportunity to sort, purge and determine what you really need.  Getting rid of extraneous items (perhaps even selling them for some extra cash) will free up space in your home, perhaps allowing items in storage to return home, and permitting you to give up your storage unit.

As you are going through drawers and closets, be sure to check pockets of clothing items before adding them to a donation pile; often there is money lurking in those pockets!

A little organization can go a long way to reducing stress, and helping your pocketbook!

We put your life…in order!

Overwhelmed by clutter? Buried in paper? Can’t find your keys? You’re not alone!

As a Certified Professional Organizer in business for over 15 years, I have lots of tips, ideas and suggestions to help you get better organized.  I will be posting them here, on my new blog, over the coming weeks and months. Please check back often and see what you can take and apply to your own life.