Can there actually be a secret to completing our To-Do list every single day? Is there actually a secret that has yet to be addressed by a Time Management or Personal Organizing book…or better yet, Google? Probably not, but my take on it has been repeated many times over in different contexts. The secret to "Getting It All Done"…(imagine drum roll here)…is to take time for yourself. That's right. It is that simple. It goes back to the old adage that it "takes money to make money"; in this case it is it "takes time to make time". Consider your annual allotment of vacation days, are they budgeted in advance or simply meted out as emergencies arise? Take a day off, whether it be from work or managing a home or caring for a loved one, for yourself. Treat yourself to your favorite breakfast then fill the day with things you love to do. Laundry and errands, by the way, seldom fit into this category.
With a New Year come the infamous New Year's Resolutions. We all want to make a change and January first seems to be the most logical time to do so. In the past few months we have most likely overspent, overeaten, under-exercised and under-organized. In my line of business as a Professional Organizer the one thing I hear most often is people know how to be organized, they just don't know how to get started. The truth is, it doesn't matter how you start, it simply matters that you do. So getting started means different things to different folks. Today I am going to give you some inspiration to "pull the trigger" and get organized in 2012! Regardless of how tidy, messy, clean, or domestically lax we may be, trash consumes a great deal of space. Using the term "trash" loosely for items that can be given away, donated, recycled or literally sent to the landfill; these items can consume up to 50% of our living and storage spaces. By simply removing the "trash", you can reduce the volume of stuff that you have to organize. Once the volume is reduce, you will be more likely to have a reasonable amount of things in your space. We can talk about living at capacity another day.
I received an email this week asking me how much is too much stuff. The answer to this question is very simple yet somewhat complicated. In short, "too much" is more than can be reasonably stored in the space available. I teach clients, friends, and family fairly often that if something hasn't been used in the past twelve months that it isn't a necessity. However, if there is ample room to store an unusual number of items, then it is reasonable to keep them if that is the preference. For example, an individual that wears a basic wardrobe on a daily basis and therefore doesn't require a large variety of clothing yet has ten formal gowns/tuxedos, then that isn't exactly too many. On the other hand, if someone owns three dozen weekend t-shirts but has only one dresser drawer allocated to their storage, then that is too many. If one drawer is all the room you have, then keep only what will comfortably fit in it. There are other options for memorabilia type t-shirts, like long-term storage. Realistically, only a handful of such shirts can be worn over the course of a weekend anyway.
Admit it, we all do it sometime, some more than others but we all do it, Re-gifting. It is when we receive a gift that does not suit our taste or needs and we give it to as a gift to someone else. It can be a resourceful way to meet our annual gift requirements and it can also be a source of embarrassment if not managed properly. Here is a perfect example, my sister bought a necklace as a gift for an aunt. A year or so later, my sister receives the exact same necklace as a gift from my grandmother. Imagine her surprise! The gift had been given then re-gifted at least three more times, unfortunately the path of the gift had not been well documented. Documenting where the gift originates is the key to preventing an embarrassing situation. The best way to do that is to keep all "Giftables" in one place along with a small post-it pad and pen so you can document who it came from and when. In the example situation above, if one of the re-gifters had made such a documentation, the necklace could have easily been given to someone on another side of the family or a friend at church. Also, when re-gifting, make sure that what you give is in pristine, like new condition. If it has been stored in a box for several years and was crushed under the weight of other boxes, this is not a good candidate for re-gifting.
Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas and Hanukah are upon us. Whether we want gifts or not we usually get a few. So in preparation for the incoming items now is the time to begin making space for them. The very best way to accomplish this is to give to charity. There are many worthwhile charities in our town that help people genuinely in need. I am going to address a few today and the list is by no means all-inclusive. When we remove items from our space, it is far more comforting when we know they are going to a good cause. I would only recommend consigning high-end items that are in pristine condition – or antiques. As I have said before, the Family Abuse Center is a very worthwhile charity. Although donations are made at their Second Chance Thrift Store, many necessary items go directly to the shelter. As sad as it is, the holidays are the busiest time of the year. Last Christmas they had more people in need than beds to serve them. Sheets, towels and linens in good shape as well as educational toys are always a need. Inflatable mattresses can serve the shelter particularly well.
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