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 |  The world from a short person's POV - not Australia or New Zealand. |
Random thoughts, pointed comments, and whatever else crosses my mind 
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| "My style is unique and random. But I think it's important that it still makes sense. Jess Glynne Remember that all of that stuff scattered around the house needs to be corraled or removed. Ask yourself: do you really need it, will you use it frequently or just once in a while, are you holding on to it for someone else, can you give it to them or do they even want it? All questions you should be asking yourself now that your house is organized; well mostly organized. Organizing is not a once and done process; it is a way of life and it takes commitment to periodically re-evaluating your life and your home. You can be critical about what works and doesn't work for you. Don't get caught up in trends that don't fit your way of life. Be careful with collections. Your taste and style will probably change over time. Then what do you do with the stuff you collected that no longer fits your style or interest you? If you are collecting items, keepsakes just to pass down to other family members, I would caution you to consider how they feel now about your collection. Are they interested; do they also see the value in the items you are collecting? I have known too many parents/grandparents who have spent a lot of money on collections that their children/grandchildren didn't want. Just because you always wanted porcelain dolls or match-box cars or quilts doesn't mean others in your family will want the same. Only collect items that mean something to you, that give you pleasure now and remember you may be selling or donating them in a few years. Talking about collecting, what do you do with all the magazines and books you collect? There are binders that will hold a year or two collection of magazines. You could use them if you use the magazines for reference often, but if you just want a recipe, how-to article or web site info, remove that info and place it in your recipe box or "command" binder (more on that later). When thinking about books, consider if they are a reference or if you will read them more than once or if they are part of a collection you can give to a school or library. Of course, you also need to consider space available for displaying or storing them. Remember, books can deteriorate over time, so they have to be stored properly. Any time you dust the shelves is a good time to consider if it is time to give any of them away. If you are having trouble with all the mail, notices, school materials coming into the house of a daily basis, consider placing small baskets or sorting trays where these items enter the house. Either have evereyone take their items out of the trays on a regular basis or set up incoming trays for each individual. You could use one of those teired systems used in offices for incoming and outgoing mail. Be creative and encourage family members to help. Keep a wastebasket handy to really keep down the clutter. About the Command Central Binder (not my original idea, comes from "Better Homes and Gardens"), here is how it works: Step One - You need a 3-ring binder, binder tabs, binder pockets, magazine holder for the binder, page protectors, label maker or fine-tip marker, adhesive tabs or notes, divided page protectors sized to hold business cards. You may have most of these items around the house, but if not, they are easily resourced at a office supply store. Step Two - use a box to gather they types of documents listed below and any other type of dicument that's currently on your desk or plastered to your frig. These are the types of items you should collect: business cards, carry-out menues, emergency info and phone numbers, phone directory, pet-care or pet-sitting infe, health ins. info., insurance contacts for house, car, family members, reference papers from school including important phone numbers., personal financial advisor info. Your command central binder is designed to house those papers you access on a regular basis. ( I keep a copy of my mother's birth certificate, social security number,other pension info and funeral/burial plan documentation here so that I can access all the appropriate documentation when necessary. She is 95 and lives with us for now.) Actually, it is probably a good place to write down the social security numbers for everyone in the house. You might also want to keep passports here. Step Three - sort like papers together. Group the papers into categories that make sense to you. Cull out papersw that are dated or irrelevant to your current life. Remember to pitch any piece of paper you no longer need. Don't include papers you need to act on now such as bills to pay and daily "to-do" lists. Step Four - now create categories using your binder tabs and a permanent marker or label maker. Just create categories that make sense to you and how you want to access the information; everyone is different in how they will use this binder. Step Five- once you have set up your binder, you've completed the prokect phase. Next is the habits phase where ou use and maintain your binder. It is suggested that you maintain this binder as you go looking for out-of-date items, and pull out anthing you don't need anymore. Then schedule routine maintenance just like you do for your car. At least quarterly, review your binder and add to or subtract from it any thing needed to keep it working for you. The idea is to keep everything you need in one place so you'll have no trouble finding exactly what you need when you need it. Next entry will continue with more random thoughts so keep reading, please. |
| " The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand and the determination...that we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand." Vince Lombardi Well, here we are with all the "stuff" we haven't found a home for yet! It may have taken days or weeks or months to get to this point. Hopefully, you have celebrated your successes (not by buying more stuff) and are ready for this last major task. Dealing with all the things that didn't find a home in your decluttering, re-organizing project may seem even more daunting than the original project, but don't give up now. Remember all that you have learned along the way and use your new skills to tackle the boxes, bins and miscellaneous bits and pieces that still remain. Did you find that you had things left over after you designed your linen closet(s)? Or are there odds and ends left from your kitchen organizing project? Did you just put them all in the "junk" drawer? Is your laundry room now filled with miscellaneous bits and pieces that you couldn't find a home for? Oh, and what about seasonal decorations; where did they go? All good questions, right? Here are some pointers that may help you find success with this project: First, I suggest that you take a walk through the rooms you have been working on and gather any items that don't belong. This includes taking a look at the drawers and closets you organized. Gather the items that are basically homeless in one area so that you can see all the things you will need to work with to make sure you and your house function the way you want. Second, sort them in categories of sell, donate, discard. At this point, you need to use "critical thinking". That is, be ruthless in your deliberation and do it quickly. If you didn't find a home for the item first time through, you probably won't this time either - DONATE OR TRASH! If you have to keep the item because it is just too sentimental, then find a place for it. Be creative; look at different storage solutions. Consider: Can the item be stored in the attack, storage shed, a garage, a toy chest or trunk? Maybe even a shadow box? Third, gather all your seasonal decorations. Most of us have items we only use at special times of the year, like birthday's, anniversaries, holidays. The question is: Where to store them? You might want to pull all these items together in one place to see what you have to store. If you are at all like me, you have decorative items that you use/display seasonally. This is how I chose to decorate my home; how about you? When I change items out seasonally I consider their condition and whether they still fit in with the major decor of the room. ( We have moved 5 times in the almost 7 years that we have been married so this is a major issue for me.) It is alright if over the years your style has changed and the items you thought were so great in the '80s or '90s no longer fit your style. Now is a good time to sell or give them away and move on. I pack decorative items by season in clear plastic bins that fit on storage shelving in the small mudroom next to our sunroom. With such a small space, I have had to downsize these decorations. It was much more fun when I had access to a full basement to play with, but oh well, it is much better for the budget now. And I have learned to be conscientious of what works and makes me happy decorating the house. Tip: if you feel the need to buy decorative items, buy them when the seasons' change and stores put this type of merchandise on sale. In my next blog, I review some miscellaneous ideas for keeping clutter away or at least under control so keep coming back. And as always, I appreciate your questions and comments. |
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Fire dancers!!! Wow! What fun! You really are in Paradise! So happy you for you! 
But I wish I loved it. That would be SO HANDY! So, I've been working on positive self-talk regarding cleaning. I smile when I say these things and I say them out loud if I'm alone or in my head if I'm not. I say things like, "I love to clean. Cleaning is fun. Cleaning makes me happy. I enjoy a tidy space." Blah, blah, blah...
Sure, it's dumb, but if it works, it doesn't matter. 
). 
I'm the prime example of someone who needed her own advice over 40 years ago.