clutter clearing

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Too Cold Outside? Clear Catalog Clutter!

catalog clutter

Clear Catalog Clutter now that it’s so cold outside. Why not stay indoors, and accomplish a bit of clearing and organizing of your stuff. Particularly reviewing the  catalogs you currently receive. Pull together the ones that have been laying around taking up space. Do you truly enjoy all of them? Are they a good use of your time? Or, do you let them pile up thinking you’ll read/review them when you have the time, but never do.

If not, call the catalog subscription office today to cancel any magazines you no longer want.

Or to cancel your catalogs go online to: http://www.catalogchoice.org/

For each current catalog you still want to receive, review it, and be sure to recycle old issues.

I think you’ll feel a bit lighter when you do this. Let me know the progress you’ve made on letting go.

For a FREE 1/2 hour phone consultation
to discuss your clutter issues, contact Judy at:
ClutterClearerCoach@comcast.net or 857-919-4735

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National Buy Nothing Day: The day after Thanksgiving

Holiday shopping bags

Do you really want to get caught up in the massive crowds, wait in long lines, and get stressed buying items on sale for the season’s holidays on Black Friday; the big sales event around the U.S. the day after Thanksgiving?

Just about everyone loves to shop, which is terrific for the nation. But, for folks who collect lots of stuff and are in the process of getting organized, it’s a detrimental day. So, I encourage you to celebrate November’s National Buy Nothing Day – the same day many go out to observe Black Friday.

If you live with a lot of clutter, and perhaps are a compulsive shopper, but are taking steps to decrease your stuff, acquiring more gift items for yourself, for others this year, and to save for future giving, will bring on not only more troubles and perhaps anxiety, but will take away from Thanksgiving’s real purpose of being grateful for what you already have. 

Instead, for one day, lighten your stress levels and enjoy your family and friends, spend some time uncluttering your home, take a walk outdoors, go to a movie, or anything else enjoyable instead of shopping on Black Friday.  There will be other days that things will go on sale.

 

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Seven Days of Organizing TIPS – Day # 3 – ‘Reduce Knick Knack Clutter’

DAY # 3 – TIP # 3

vase memorabilia on shelf

Like me, you most likely have at least one shelf that’s full of knick knacks or memorabilia.

Declare that shelf knick knack free. Remove all collectibles, trinkets, picture frames, etc.  Put these items into storage for a while. (You can revisit them a few months down the road, and if you haven’t missed anything, or you forgot about some items, then you know it’s time to give them away to a good cause like a charitable organization).

Dust or polish the shelf until it shines. Add one small vase of flowers, or a small house plant. Don’t put anything else on this surface for 17 days.

You’ll be amazed at the peace you feel with that nearly empty space.

(And, at the end of 17 days, put a few more items on the shelf, but please don’t clutter it again, so that nice feeling remains)

Let me know when you’ve cleared that shelf full of knick knacks, and how this uncluttered shelf makes you feel when you see it.

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Seven Days of Organizing TIPS – Day # 2 Purge Your Pocketbook Periodically

DAY # 2 – TIP # 2

Cluttered Pocketbook

Purge Your Pocketbook Periodically 

Is your pocket book so full of stuff that it’s hard to locate an item quickly?  When searching through your purse, do you frequently ask yourself; Where are my keys?  I thought I’d put my to-do list in here. Where’s my credit card?

If so, then it’s time to purge the stuff inside your purse! Dump everything out, and recycle expired coupons, old receipts, scraps of paper. Put an envelope in your bag for current coupons and receipts. Throw out used tissues. Then, add a small zippered pouch or zip-top bag to hold personal items like lip balm, lipstick, hand lotion, a comb, clean tissues, and hand sanitizer. But, not duplicates of these things, as they will crowd your purse. (replace any of these items that are out-dated) Keep your keys in one safe location, and your credit cards and money in another.

Or, get yourself a pocketbook that has different sections that zip up. I love my pocket book because it has separate zipped sections for my keys, my ID cards, my cash and change, a slot for my iPhone, and a snapped section for my travel sized hand lotion and tissues, chewing gum, Band-aids, and small comb. And remember, after you use something from your purse, put it back in the section it belongs.

Purging your pocketbook periodically and keeping it organized, eases up on frustration and saves you time.

To schedule a FREE 1/2 hour telephone consultation, contact Judy at
ClutterClearerCoach@comcast.net

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Seven Days of Organizing Tips – DAY # 1 – ‘Shred Sensitive Papers’

IMG_5835

I posted this ‘Seven Day’ blog post just a year ago. However, in case you need a reminder, here it is again for the next seven days!

DAY # 1 – TIP # 1

Shred Sensitive Papers

Papers are constantly coming into your home. You need to make sure they’re leaving your home at the same rate. Invest in a sturdy home shredder, so you can quickly and safely dispose of papers and mail that contains sensitive information, such as credit card offers and bank statements. You’ll feel more at ease when these types of documents are not sitting around for anyone to access. During tax time, it’s important to rid yourself of any personal documents that you no longer need to keep. If you’d like to know how long to keep personal financial documents, you can find out by clicking on either of these links:

http://apps.suzeorman.com/  (record keeping), or – https://publications.usa.gov/epublications/keeprecords/keeprecords.htm

Later this fall, I will be purging the papers/documents in my home office, and taking the personal documents I no longer need to be shredded at Staples.  Staples, at least at Fresh Pond Shopping mall, charges 99 cents per pound to safely shred paper. The Iron Mountain shredding company provides Staples with locked bins. When the bins are full, Iron Mountain picks them up to shred in confidence back at their facilities.

I’d love to know how many bags full of paper you shredded with your own shredder, or took to be shredded safely elsewhere. And, how helpful were the website links?

To schedule a FREE 1/2 hour telephone consultation, contact Judy at

ClutterClearerCoach@comcast.net

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Don’t let the ‘Clutter Creature’ take control!

Are you afraid to look under the bathroom sink because you might be attacked by all the clutter inside? Don’t let the Clutter Creature’ take control!

Disorganized stuff under bathroom sink

It’s time to tame that creature, and put some systems in place under the sink.

1. Ask yourself; what belongs under the sink and what doesn’t? – Do you really want to store your extra toothbrushes and deodorant there? It makes sense to keep cleaning products, air fresheners and toilet paper in that area. So, sort through all these items and delegate other storage areas for items that should be stored elsewhere.

2. Store vertically – To maximize your vertical space, purchase an inexpensive shelving unit for stacking. This will be good for small items.

3. Utilize the doors – If there’s room on the insides of the cabinet doors take advantage of the space. You could install a small rack on one door for holding cleaning rags. On the other door, attach a narrow shelf to hold new sponges and rubber cleaning gloves.

4. Under the drain pipe you can place a shallow metal or plastic tray for keeping more items organized.

Once you’ve followed these four suggestions, try to keep everything stored under the bathroom sink organized. Otherwise, you might have to deal with the ‘Clutter Creature’ once again!

Let me know if you’ve conquered the beast!

If you live in the Boston area, and would like a FREE 1/2 hour telephone consultation to discuss your clutter issues, contact me at clutterclearercoach@comcast.net

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Timesavers to Keep Clutter at Bay

cats on bed

To keep your clutter at bay, and free up some of your time, check out the following five things to do every day.

1. Sort Your Mail
Take a few minutes every day to gather the mail, open, read and sort it. Keep a recycle bin near the mail sorting area for junk mail and opened envelopes. Put the other mail into categories to either take care of the same day or later in the week; bills, personal correspondence, catalogs and filing.

2. Manage Your Clutter
As you leave a room, take a quick look around to see if there are items that don’t belong there. Pick up those items and put them where they belong. Ask all others in the household to do the same.

3. Clean While You Cook
Don’t fill the sink with dishes and pots while you are cooking. Wash them or put them in your dishwasher as you make the meal. You’ll have less cleaning up to do when the meal is over, and more time to do other things.

4. Make Your Bed
The bedroom will look more orderly when you make the bed every day.  It’s also a good Feng Shui practice to make the bed everyday. An unmade bed with bunched up blankets and sheets is actually a form of clutter which can remind you of other difficulties and annoyances in your life.

5. Hang Up Your Clothes 
It’s ok if at night (like myself) that you are too tired to hang up your clothes and/or put them in dresser drawers. But, make it a habit that to put them away every morning before you choose that day’s clothes to wear.

When you try these five time savers each day, (even if you only accomplish a couple of them at first) please let me know how it goes!

If you live in the Boston area, and would like a FREE 1/2 hour telephone consultation to discuss your clutter issues, contact me at clutterclearercoach@comcast.net