15 minutes is all it takes...

...to complete a simple task. In order to reduce the overwhelming-ness (is that a word?) of de-cluttering/organizing, why not start with 15 minute segments. Identify a small task to tackle, set the timer and work at it for 15 minutes. For example, I sorted through a glass filled with loose change, picture hooks, paperclips and other random items the other night. It took me about 15 minutes to sort through the glass, put the change in a container and make a home for the paperclips. By accomplishing smaller tasks, you will empower yourself to work your way to tackling larger projects. You can do it!

Book recommendations...

Happy Spring!

I hope you're off to a great start to the season. I recently attended a prospective members meeting for NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). At this meeting, I learned of two books that may interest you:

"It's hard to make a difference when you can't find your keys" by Marilyn Paul

AND

"Organizing from the inside out" by Julie Morgenstern

As I continue to take steps in building my business, I would welcome any books you may know of as well.

Thank you!

Cutting down on junk mail...

As I was reading through Real Simple today, I came across two websites that I thought were great for cutting down on all that unwanted mail:

optoutprescreen.com (credit card offers)
catalogchoice.org (unsolicited catalogs)

I also wanted to recommend a great magazine/website that offers a lot of helpful organizing tips/hints, it's called Real Simple. They offer several "topical" e-newsletters which have different cycle options (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly)for you to choose from.

I subscribe to the "daily thought" and it is packed with lots of helpful info! To check it out, go to http://www.realsimple.com/. Also, in honor of their 10 yr anniversary, they are offering $10 subscriptions (snail mail) until supplies last...

Happy spring!
Jen

Spring cleaning...

Now that we have officially ushered in spring, it's time to set aside some time to do some spring cleaning. If you're cringing at the thought, let me encourage you to take it all in stride. Take a moment to sit down & write down a few projects you would like to do and create a plan to accomplish each. For example, I usually take down all my curtains throughout the house and wash them in the spring. So my action plan would go like this:

-- Take down curtains
-- Wash curtains
-- Hang curtains while they are slightly damp, so that they can air dry (or, if they are a bit too wrinkly, you can iron them accordingly to the manufacturers directions on the label)
-- Enjoy the spring breezes coming through your window. You could even spray some Febreeze on them for an even nicer spring scent!

I hope this quick action plan encouraged you. Happy Spring!

Holding on to heirlooms...

I recently overheard a conversation of a woman having difficulty parting with some boxes/heirlooms in her basement. As she described her predictament of letting go of these prized possessions, I was thinking of asking her the following questions:

Do you know what is in the boxes you're holding on to?
and
Are you ready to sort through the boxes and make some decisions on the contents?

If either answer was "yes", I was going to offer my services to her so that she could get the ball rolling on de-cluttering her home of the boxes she has looked at over the last few months.

If you're experiencing difficulty in tackling a "sort through" project, I would encourage you to break this task down into smaller steps. Make a goal for yourself to go through 1 box at a time. Perhaps it would be helpful to make a list of the items you want to keep and then set another box aside to collect those items you want to get rid out, recycle, sell, etc...

Remember to reward yourself after you complete your goal so that you can stay motivated and energized to complete your project.

You can do it!

Feeling those winter blues...

...if you're like many people, the close of winter can bring on the winter doldrums. In order to move through to more positive thoughts and reduce the "emotional clutter" that has built up, try these calming ideas...

- Book a Spa Day
- Take a trip (day-trips can be fun and good way to change the scenery!)
- Read a good book
- Call up an old friend & reconnect
- Cook up a new recipe
- Take a jog or long walk
- Journal your thoughts

However you decide to "declutter your mind and soul", enjoy yourself. Afterall, we are constantly bombarded with negativity and toxicity wherever we go, be good to yourself and remember...spring is on the way!

Hard pressed for space...

Today, while at work, the task was to make space for our new coffee maker. Well, we have very limited space! So...in order to accommodate our new machine, I had to move some other stuff around. If you're hard pressed for space, keep these things in mind:
(1) Purge/throw away
(2) Consolidate
(3) Rearrange
(4) Reorganize

It takes a bit of creative vision, but you can do it!