Just Say NO

Answer this question honestly; is it difficult for you to say “no”?

If your answer is yes, don’t feel bad because you’re not alone.

There are many people who find themselves saying "yes" to things they don't really want to agree to but are afraid that they will appear selfish, mean or rude if they don’t say yes, or in an effort to avoid conflict or hurting another person’s feelings, they will say yes in order to defer conflict.

Saying “no” isn’t always easy, but it IS vital in business and personal life to be able to say no when the time comes.

Healthy people have healthy boundaries, and part of having healthy boundaries is to be able to say no to requests, situations or people that you can’t or don’t want to accommodate. Think of “no” as the hinge on the gate that controls who you allow in your boundary lines.

I was raised in an abusive environment where I spent many months at my grandmother’s house where I slept on a couch in the living room and my “dresser” was an old banana box next to my grandmother’s bed. If I ever had money, my grandmother, my uncle, my mother would all take it if they felt they needed it and never even asked, so I grew up with a low sense of self and had no concept of personal space or boundaries.

Though it has taken me many years to learn the art of saying no in order to stay sane, I still have issues with it at times, so don’t beat yourself up if you continue to have issues with it, just keep working on it and know that you will be a better person for it. Others will have more respect for you, you will have more respect for yourself and you won’t find yourself in as many negative situations.

Here are a few techniques/phrases that I have found work for me and hopefully they work for you as well.

#1: Unfortunately, I have a full plate right now…

If you find yourself way too busy to accommodate the person’s request, let them know you’re slammed and that you simply have no time to fit what they’re asking you to do into your schedule.

Many people have issue with this because they have a tendency to justify their time. Just because you have the time doesn’t mean that you have the time to dedicate your full attention. It is better to decline and give more attention to the items already on your plate rather than take on another workload and not be able to give any of them the attention required.

#2: I’ll have to think-about-it

If you’re not sure if you can fit the person’s request in, or if you’re dealing with someone who is super pushy, consider buying yourself a little time to think about what they’re asking of you and to get back to them at a later date on your own terms and not get bullied into something.

 #3: The ol’ boomerang no

Are you in the middle of something else? You can always ask the person to come back later when you have more time to consider their request.

 #4: Give a counter offer

If you can’t or don’t want to agree to the person’s request for whatever reason, but you’d still really like to help them out, consider making a counter offer for a lesser commitment that will work better for you.

One of my soft spots where the homeless that would beg for money. Though there are some out there that are honestly in need of assistance, there are others looking for tax-free cash to supplement their income or fund their addictions.

For those who give a line about needing money for food, I let them know that I don’t have any cash, but would not mind swinging by McDonalds and picking up something for them. If they are truly in need of food, they generally take me up on the offer, but if they immediately shoot me down, it is pretty obvious, the money isn’t going for food.

 #5: Just say No

Sometimes you must be direct and let the person know that what they’re asking of you just doesn’t work for you, and you’ll be surprised how often people will respect a firm, honest and direct no.

And remember that they are coming to you and imposing their wants on you. If you are not wanting to help them out, it is courtesy to give them a reason, but not mandatory. They do not own your time, so a simple no is fine if you do not want to give them a reason.

As you practice declining requests that don’t align with your schedule, values or needs, you’ll find that saying no becomes easier and you’ll have more time for yourself, the commitments you already have and the things that are most important to you.

A Final Tip for Organizing: Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Have you walked in the house after a long day at work and simply sighed at your cluttered home? Have you planned to organize one morning but don't know where to begin or are you simply not in the mood? Are you caught in a vicious circle: as soon as you organize one room a different one has turned to chaos? Perhaps you simply need to prioritize, find motivation, and invite help. Easier said than done, right? I hope that this series of blogs on organization has helped you to see the importance of organization and taught you ways to save time, money and peace of mind. As with most goals in life, you need to strive for progress and betterment, not perfection. Most of us don't have the time to accomplish perfection in everything we do and still live a happy, fulfilling life. When you set goals, make them accomplishable, attainable. When you make that progress, produce a visual way to track it or remind yourself of all you've achieved (i.e. stickers on a chart, a check list, a flower/penny/or other item to represent each task you've finished). Do you begin the day with the best of intentions to de-clutter the “bath” only to loose your drive because it's “simply not worth it”? What is worth it to you? What do you value? Why? These questions might not seem to have much to do with organizing, but they may be the key to your motivation. How much time do you spend on actions that relate to your values (i.e. spending time with loved ones, exercising, eating healthy, and so forth.)? Most of us would likely answer “not enough”. Then why would you ever spend time on an action not related to you values, like organizing? The answer: organizing helps you to focus more on your values. Organizing means less time searching for things, fewer arguments over who last used the scissors and didn't put them back, less time cleaning around the clutter . . . With less time wasted, you have more time to be with loved ones, exercise, eat healthy, and pursue those life goals that truly matter to you. Even if most of your tasks and daily routines are “value added”, they're not always fun and often too much for one person. Resolution: spread the responsibility among the whole house. What is boring to one person might be fun for another member. One individuals weak spot might be someone else’s strength. When you do invite help, simply remember to be specific or be prepared for “not precisely what you expected”. Letting other people pick what they want and find their own way, reasonably, might even make them more willing and productive. With younger children, having them help you may initially take longer, but in the long run, it teaches them the value of organization and as they get older and begin doing the routines themselves, it takes more work off of you later. The office is another place where sharing the load of organizing will help the entire company be more productive. This is the final installment of my short series on organization. I know it was short and not very in depth, but blog posts that are too long get tedious for me to write and for you to read. I would, however like to take this opportunity to let you know about this great book that has helped me get organized. If you liked the information and tips that I have laid out in this series on organization and you want more, this book will definitely be a great guide to help you become more in control of your time, your health, your relationships, and your peace of mind. Just click here to read more about this book or to pick up a copy.

Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

There is also a great product that goes beyond reading and actually gives you a complete tool box on organizing every aspect of your life then Click Here!

Power Question: What is your next step? To start making your life more successful, what is your next step starting right now?

Organize Your Computer

One way that you can get organized is to make your computer an organizing assistant. You can print up schedules and also keep a calendar with a list of what you have to do each day. You can get email updates as to your daily activities and appointments. Once you get used to using the computer to be organized, you will wonder how you ever got along without it. You can also use your computer for your banking. You can arrange to have all of your bills paid online, which saves you time and makes sure that you are not missing any payments. It is safe to bank online as banks use a special security and encoding system to prevent hacking. Another way that you can use the computer to get and stay organized online is that you can keep track of your bank balances. Make sure that you have the money that you think you have in your bank account. When you get automatic payments to your bank account, the money is available right away. You do not have to worry about cashing checks, waiting for checks to clear or possibly using them. The computer organizer isn’t just for the office, you can print up schedules to hang on the refrigerator, menus for the week, chore assignments and even plan a party using these tools. You must make use of this technology in order to stay organized because it alleviates so much time and stress. Organizing your life is more than just being able to keep a clean house and keep things in order. It also involves planning. For example, you can print up a grocery list and check the items that you need when you go shopping. If you go grocery shopping without a list, you not only end up spending more money than you would usually spend, but you also spend more time rummaging around the store. Let’s not even mention the times that you get all of the way home and realize that you forgot something that invariably leads to another trip to the store. The computer is a wonderful tool for staying organized and planning out various aspects of your life. You can even go online and get quick and easy recipes, for free. If you have a business, you can do your payroll and organize your finances on programs that will help you figure your income taxes and business taxes due. You can also go online and find forms that you can use to apply for certain benefits. If you are on social security, you can use the website to find out where your checks are and other benefits. You can use a pin number and discover information that you would otherwise have to wait for by mail. Paying your taxes? It is easy to do right online. Not only will you be able to get your taxes sooner, but you will also get your return much quicker. And you can have the refund directly deposited into your bank account. This saves you time and helps you stay organized, especially if you have been using computer programs to help you keep track of your expenses and income throughout the year. You can use programs like Excel when you are trying to create spreadsheets. This is not a difficult program to learn and you can use it in business to create graphs and also keep track of payments due. Most offices require that their employees use this program. Take advantage of computer technology to remember birthdays and special occasions so that you can send cards. There are even websites that will send cards to those on your list automatically, mailing them for you and thus saving you even more time. By using the computer, you are taking advantage of the latest tools to stay organized. You can plan, print and do both home and business work right on the computer as well as keep track of your finances. This is one tool that you cannot do without when it comes to being organized. You will find that there are so many uses for the computer that can simplify your life and make it easier.

Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

Power Question: What is one change that you could make to your lifestyle that would give you more peace?

Papers And Pictures

Papers and pictures need special care and once lost, are difficult if not impossible to replace. For this reason, I feel compelled to devote an entire post to cover this subject. 

I have lost many important papers over my lifetime due to not being organized. Many of these documents could be replaced, such as birth certificates, social security cards and marriage certificates. However, this caused me a great deal of stress and I had to pay for them to be replaced. Some papers are lost for good because they were not recorded instruments and merely letters of agreement. Some things I wanted to keep and are gone because I errantly threw them away or lost them somehow. I can give you a list of the many papers that I lost due to disorganization, but I think you get the idea. 

Pictures are usually irreplaceable. At least the older ones anyway. You know, those, which were not downloaded to a computer and are not on some flash drive somewhere. Pictures are often all we have of a memory, except what is in our minds. Who doesn’t like looking through old photographs and reminiscing? 

The secret to making sure that you do not lose pictures and papers is to keep them in a place where you know where they are and, if possible in the case of pictures, in some sort of album. If you have always wanted to make a scrapbook and have a bunch of loose pictures laying around all over the place, gather them up and put them in boxes that are labeled and store them for future use. You can purchase boxes that are made for this purpose or just use some re-purposed shoeboxes. Make sure that the boxes are clearly labeled and that the pictures are all stored in a dry, dark place. 

One item that may help you organize both pictures and papers is a portable filing cabinet. You can purchase these at any office supply store and get folders as well as file separators to help you organize everything. This way, at least you know where everything is and you can get to it when you need it. 

Many of my pictures are in photo albums, but I still have many loose pictures that I mean to put in photo albums. But although I keep putting this project off, I still have the photos organized by the approximate years, vacation settings or holiday settings in a file box. I have another file box for pictures that were handed down to me from others. They are easy to get to because they are all stored in one place and organized. 

If you have a digital camera and take pictures to download to your computer, it is a good idea to get a flash drive that you can label for the pictures. You can also have these printed at your local do it yourself print facility. Walmart, Staples, Kinkos, the list is huge of how many places you can go to have this done. You should organize your pictures so that you have them as a keepsake of a moment in time that you cannot recreate. 

If you take videos of your children or family, you also want to make sure that they are clearly labeled so that they are not accidentally tossed out. 

A note to those who may not know; VHS, undeveloped film and audio tapes, even if properly stored and not bothered will still degrade over time, so print the camera film and copy everything to digital media formats.

Be sure to properly care for and store photos, videos and important papers in a safe place where you can have easy access to them and be able to retrieve them when you want them. At the time you get back a bunch of pictures, you will most likely look at them and put them on a counter where they will eventually move to a drawer and then possibly lost. You may not think of them at the time, but someday, you will want to see those photos to remember that event. 

There are numerous ways to get organized when it comes to documents and photos. The best way is to use a waterproof file case where you can have everything at your fingertips whenever you need it. It can take you a while to sort through your papers and pictures to organize them, but it will be time well spent.

If you would like further help with getting organized, check out this:
Organization: The Top 100 Best Ways To Organize Your Life

Power Question:

Is now the right time for you to make a commitment to achieve the goals that you want to achieve?

The Importance Of Routines

 

Organization is like any other positive habit, it involves developing routines when it comes to cleaning out clutter, closets, and drawers as well as cleaning your home in general. You are better off to have a schedule or some sort of date in mind when it comes to cleaning or your work will never be done. If you get into a habit of cleaning and organizing on a regular basis, your home will not only look cleaner, but also you will feel much more relaxed. This is also true for the office, or at least your section of the office should you be in a cubical type setting.

 

Whether you are cleaning by yourself or with a partner (or partners), you should develop a routine as to when you do your cleaning. You can take one job a day to make it easier, or you can clean your entire house from top to bottom in one day.

 

I have found that the average house can get cleaned to the point where it looks pretty presentable within two to three hours. Start with the basics by dusting and sweeping. My room of choice to start in is always the kitchen, emptying things out of the refrigerator before they become science experiments, cleaning the counters, sink and wiping down the cabinets. Then I take the mop out and clean the floor last. The entire room can be done in a half an hour, usually.

 

After that, I go to the living room, straighten the couches, dust and vacuum. This is another project that only takes about a half hour. I , then, move to the bedrooms and then head off for the bathrooms last. The reason for this is that the bathrooms have to be scrubbed down and disinfected. With the use of proper cleaning supplies and doing this on a regular basis, the cleanliness will easily last a week.

 

I am often sorely tempted to clean my daughter’s room as she often leaves her room like a tornado whipped through it, but as this would not be teaching her anything, I bite my lip and my wife or I will go in and ‘help’ her do it. Never do it for them if you can help it. No matter how old they are, it they are at least helping in the efforts to clean their room, it develops independence as well as a sense of accomplishment.

 

The main thing is to have a routine. I know just how to get started and when it is over. By developing this routine and doing it in a repetitive way that I come to expect, it gives me a great satisfaction when it is all over, the house is clean for a while and I know that next time, I will do it again.

 

If I just cleaned whenever I felt that the house needed it, I could be cleaning all of the time and my work would never be done. I would find myself cleaning certain areas more than once while not touching other areas but every two to three months. The routine gives me a sense of accomplishment and also allows me to relax and not worry about cleaning again until the next week, unless something happens to interrupt the routine - like someone spilling something on the floor.

Routines are not just about cleaning your house, they are a way for you to maintain order and organization in your own life. In addition to cleaning, I also have a cooking routine. I plan out my meals when I go to the grocery store. By organizing your menu for the week and having an idea of what to cook, you not only save time, but save money. Eating out all of the time can be expensive and who wants to fret over what they are going to eat for dinner every night?

 

In addition to helping you with the house, routines will also help you when it comes to raising your children. Little kids thrive on routine. You know how important it is for babies to be fed regularly and changed. Babies thrive on routine as it gives them a sense of security. The same goes for children. I wouldn’t ever be too strict when it came to mapping out each second of their lives and never would them to live in an environment where they had no time to just play or be kids, but a healthy routine teaches them that there is a time and place for everything.

 

Set a bedtime early on for you and your kids. Before bed, have a routine for settling down. This was something that your children will look forward to every night. When they are younger, this is a good time to read to them and get them to enjoy reading. As they get older, begin to have them help read the books. This inspires a love of reading and allows a steady transition into them reading to you which then moves into them reading on their own. You are probably wondering how and why I moved on to this rabbit trail, but setting up routines that lead to your children being self efficient, will lead to you having more time to yourself later which leads to you having more time to organize your own thoughts and prepare for the next day.

 

People with dogs also know the value of routine. If you have a dog, the secret to getting it housebroken and becoming a well-behaved dog is routine. Dogs, like children, thrive on routine. Cats don’t care as they are in a world of their own, although it does matter to them that you regularly feed them, change their water and clean their litter box.

 

Kids and dogs, however, are not the only things that thrive on routine. Adults also feel a sense of comfort at enjoying routines. It does make them have a more organized life as well as a healthier life. If you go to bed the same time each night and wake in the morning at the same time, it is better for your body. If you watch a certain program on TV before you go to bed or read a certain amount of time, you will feel as though you have something to look forward to each night. Most of us all have an innate desire for some sort of structure in our lives.

Routines, however, are not etched in stone.

 

There are times when routines are broken. This happens now and then and you should not get anxious about it. Simply fall back into the routine when whatever situation drove you out of the routine has calmed down. For example, bedtime routine are going to get broken on many occasions such as holidays, parties, overnight trips and vacations. While you want to establish a routine that will make everyone feel more secure and yourself more organized, you also do not want to feel like you are running a boot camp. Becoming so rigid in your routine that you cannot alter it now and then will not make anyone feel more relaxed as you will be so worried about the routine that you skip things that break into your schedule.

 

So, while the secret of good organization is routine, it should not be one that is so rigid that it defeats the purpose and actually causes anxiety. Learn to try to stick with a routine as much as possible, but do not pop a vessel if something happens to upset the schedule. Just go with the flow and get back into the groove when you can. The routine should be a tool you use to stay organized, not a prison that confines you to a rigid schedule.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:.

What’s one thing that you would love to do before you die?

Cleaning Out Your Closets

 

OK, we’ve already talked in the last chapter a bit about cleaning out our closets. The two-boxes in the garage method is a good way to get rid of things that can be donated and those things that need to be tossed out. I have found that the same rules apply when you are getting rid of things in other closets, like utility closets or coat closets, etc.

 

The best way to clean out your closets for organization is to make sure that you are maximizing all of the space in your closet. If you have a basement, you can put up shelves and use containers for storage. If you have a small home, however, you may not have a lot of closet space and have to trim down what you decide to keep even further.

 

There are closet organizers that can help you keep your closets, not only more organized, but also give you more use of the space. When you look at the inside of an empty closet, you see that there is a lot more space than a traditional closet allots for. The shelves at the top, for example, are often used to toss up different items like sweaters and shirts. The poles hang clothes. Closet organizers can make more use of this space by installing shelves and even baskets in your closets so that they look neater. However you still have to clean out these spaces on a periodic basis otherwise you will find that the closet is filled with clutter, no matter how you hide it in drawers and baskets.

 

Cleaning out a traditional closet should take you about two hours. I have found that the easiest way to do this is to toss everything out of the closet and put it on the bed or the middle of the floor. Make sure that the closet is completely empty. Then start going through the items that you want and those that you no longer use. If you have clothes that you have not worn for two years or more, guess what? You’re probably not going to wear them again. The exception would be evening clothes that are still in style; these still fit you and you might be able to wear them again if you are invited to a wedding or a fancy occasion. Sentimental items should also be kept as well, but preserve it somehow. Don’t have it intermingled with the everyday items, making it so that you have to move it around to get what you want to wear.

 

Get rid of shoes that you no longer wear, have holes in them or are missing a mate. Once you are finished with your clothes and have sorted out what you want and what you want to get rid of, use the two boxes method to separate the good from the trash and then dispose of them accordingly.

 

You can do the same thing with any closet in your home. Once you have cleared out the items that you are keeping and place those back in the closet, you are then left with only the items that you are getting rid of. So you can then easily put those items that you are not keeping out without having to dig through it multiple times. I would try to do this twice a year, usually when the weather changes. The proverbial ‘Spring Cleaning’ and a Fall cleaning schedule is always good to have and get the entire family in on the act if possible. Even small children can help organize their toy chest and closet.

 

The same goes for the utility closet. Go through it once in a while and get rid of things that you no longer need. Think of your garage as a large utility closet. Again, I have found that the easiest way to get rid of clutter and junk in the closets is to empty them and then put everything back in, discarding things that you no longer want or will use. It makes it easier to find things that you really do need when you need them.

 

With your garage, pull the cars out to the curb or low enough in the driveway that you have space to pull things out. Don’t be surprised if you get total strangers walking up and rummaging because they think that you are having a garage sale though.

 

In addition to cleaning out closets, also go through your drawers. We all have at least one drawer in our house that holds a variety of all sorts of items. From batteries to coupons to instruction guides, we have everything stuffed in these drawers. Holding on to coupons that expired three years ago is a waste of space.

In the kitchen, think of the pantry as another closet you want to organize. Try to do this once a month or every time that you purchase new food items and make sure that everything is neat and all the empty boxes get tossed into the recycling bin.

 

Organizing your house is much more than just getting rid of the things that can be seen by visitors, it’s also the things that are hidden away in closets that are jammed with items that you haven’t worn in years or things you no longer need or can use. The hidden parts of the home, like under the bed, under the sinks and anywhere else things have an ability to accumulate if left unchecked must also be organized in order for you to have a truly organized home.

 

By doing this, you make more room for when you acquire new things and you also feel better when you need to open your closets or drawers as everything is much more neatly displayed. It gives you a more relaxed feeling, not to mention much more space and a greater ability to find items that you may want to wear or use with much greater ease. Some may refer to this as home making zen.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:

Ok, I have asked you what your really loved, now I ask; what do you hate? What thing out there is it that makes your blood boil just thinking about it (or him/her)? How can you change that emotion? Ok, so that was two questions in this one, but they go together and I know you can handle it.

How To De-clutter

Let me start by saying that there are good ways to get rid of clutter and there are bad ways to get rid of clutter. The bad way is the route we usually take when we get disgusted with the fact that we have too many things all over the place, usually after we have stubbed our toe in the middle of the night on something that the kids or the dog left out, and then decide to get rid of everything. I know this because we have all been there more than once.

 

What happens is that we end up getting rid of things that cannot be replaced and are gone forever. Like everything else, clutter has to be evaluated before you get rid of it. And you should also make sure to keep good stewardship in mind, and not discarding things that other people can use, even if you no longer want them.

 

The good way to get rid of clutter is the way that I now use. I keep give away boxes in my garage and then I go through my home periodically and get rid of clutter in the places that is most likely collects such as closets, storage rooms and that all of the other cubby holes things end up getting tucked if not being used for awhile. Once the giveaway boxes are full, I donate them to one of the many charity organizations in our area.

 

There are some things, however, that are not meant for charity as they are too worn , stained or have something broken, like a zipper. If it is too bad off to donate, and if I can’t salvage it for another purpose (old shirts into garage rags, etc.) then off to the landfill they go.

 

Clutter can consist of many different things in your home that you have no use for and you have been accumulating for long time. A reality television show that has grown in popularity is called “Hoarders” and deals with people who have an addiction to collecting clutter. I’ve seen people who have had houses filled with old magazines and newspapers, dolls, empty food containers. Homes where you had to walk a narrow path to get through the house in order to get from one room to the next. This is the result of clutter piling up to the point where it got overwhelming for the person.

 

There are two reasons why people tend to collect a lot of clutter. One reason is that they feel that they have something of value and continue to hang onto items that, in reality, usually have very little or no value. These types of people are those who are afraid to throw anything out because they will find that they need it later. There is also an obsessive/compulsive disorder that compels people to keep everything that they receive.  Including junk mail, newspapers and other items that people normally throw out, just in case they may want to look at them later. Some people just like to hold onto junk. These are disorders that need to be professionally treated and that is not what I am talking about here.

 

The other reason people keep clutter is because they are too overwhelmed to know where to begin when it comes to getting rid of the clutter and this is the reason that I want to address in this post. Cleaning out an overstuffed closet seems to be a monumental task that one cannot bear to undertake. So the clutter builds and builds. Until they get to the point where they decide to chuck it all and end up getting rid of their yearbooks, wedding dress, old baby pictures that there are no copies of, etc. Most people fall into this second category.

 

The easiest way to get rid of clutter in your home is to decide what you want to keep and why. Obviously, things that have sentimental value or those that are collectible are kept. Clothes that you wear are kept. Other things, however, such as the kids toys that they no longer play with because they’re now teenagers, clothes that you haven’t worn in years and cannot wear even if you wanted to as well as knick knacks, old videos, music and books can be given to many different charities.

 

Electronic equipment also falls into this category. Do you really need that analog TV sitting on the floor of your bedroom when you just bought yourself a flat screen? Many charities will not take electronics, so it is best to advertise them for free on a site like Craig’s List or just to give them to a neighbor or friend who can use it. If you know someone who collects all types of junk, you can make their day by giving them stuff you no longer want and save yourself the trouble of having to advertise to get rid of it. A word of caution here though, if the person cannot get any value out of it or if they are suffering from a hoarding disorder, then you are perpetuating there problem and adding to their situation by pawning off your clutter situation to them.

 

Take your time when you are getting rid of clutter. If it seems daunting, give yourself an hour to work on the project and then stop until the next day. Even if you spend a half an hour a day working on what to keep and what to give away or toss, you will start making headway. You do not have to feel as though you need to get rid of clutter all in one day.

 

Once every month, I go through the books that are keepers and those that I will never read again and send them to the Goodwill. Subscriptions to magazines, you can take to the doctor’s office after removing the address and name label. Newspapers get bundled up and recycled. If you want to really get industrious and you have the time, EPA now requires newspapers to use soy based inks that are biodegradable so you can shred them and use them in a compost bin for your next gardening project.

 

People with little children have to be especially vigilant when it comes to toys, stuffed animals and clothes as children outgrow these quickly. Instead of letting all of these items pile up and clutter up closets and playrooms, it is much better to give those that are in good shape to organizations that can sell them for a low price to people who will be grateful to have them. This is a good way for you to teach your children a little bit about good stewardship and how to not want to hoard everything that they receive. Of course, there are some things that are sentimental to your children that they will not want to get rid of and those should be kept.

 

If you are uncertain about getting rid of stuff, such as old files, clothes that you want to try to get back into, etc. Then put them in a box, seal it up, properly mark what is in it and keep that in the closet, nook, or where ever. Make sure to write the date that you packed the box. If, after a year, the box is still there un-opened, move it to the garage. If you find after another year has passed, that you still haven’t opened it up to retrieve anything out of it, then get rid of it. At that point, the chances of you actually needing something out of it are very slim.

 

In a nutshell, clutter is anything that makes your house look like a mess and consists of items that you do not need and may have accumulated over the years. When you are ready to let go, make sure that you give them to someone who may be able to use them. The items that you keep should be stored in a place where they are unobtrusive and do not make the house look cluttered.

 

You can look for traditional storage for these items or get creative. Once you get rid of the clutter and have, as they used to say “a place for everything and everything in its place,” you will not only find it easier to clean your home and office, but you will feel more organized. You will know where to find things when you need them and not have to worry about inadvertently throwing something out by mistake, like your high school yearbook.

 

The purpose of these blog posts is to help you strive to be more successful and to create a life worth living, so I never want to end a post without giving your some sort of “power question” to ponder over. Answering these questions will help you to take action.

 

Power Question for the day:

What do you love? Not flippant, but actually have a deep heart-felt endearing love for?