Tag Archive for: de-clutter

Clutter Excuses

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ClutterAccording to a National Association of Professional Organizers survey, 54% of Americans are overwhelmed by their clutter, and 78% find it too complicated to deal with.  Are you felling overwhelmed by clutter?  I understand that making decisions about what to keep and not keep can be difficult.  I also understand that when we don’t want to make decisions it’s easy to come up with excuses as to why we can’t let go of something.  I call them clutter excuses, and the best way to deal with them is to ask thought provoking questions, and to answer them honestly.  This helps determine if it’s time to stop making clutter excuses and let it go.

One of the most common clutter excuse I here is, “I might need it someday.”  We all have those tools, gadgets, and products that we can’t seem to let go of, even thought we haven’t touched them in years.  Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.

  •  Honestly when can you see yourself using it?
  •  When is someday?  If it’s not in the next 3 years, let it go.
  •  What would the cost be if you did need to replace it?
  •  How much time would it take to replace it?
  •  How much effort would it take to replace it?

Another common clutter excuse I here is, “I paid a lot for it.”  We all have those items that we spent a bunch of money on, but they just didn’t work out, and we can’t seem to let them go.  That stinks, doesn’t it?  Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.

  •  How long do you have to keep it to depreciate the value of it?
  •  If you hang on to it for another year will it have cost any less?
  •  Are you paying for your purchasing mistake with extended regret?
  •  The money is gone, why not let the item go also?
  •  Is there someone you know who will appreciate it?

“It’s valuable,” is another clutter excuse.  An amazing statistic is the average dollar amount of unopened, new merchandise in a typical American household is $7000.00  (Real Simple magazine 11-2012).  Answer these five questions truthfully to determine if it’s time to let it go.

  •  Do you know it’s real value and current worth?
  •  Are you considering the real value or the sentimental value?
  •  How valuable is it to you, personally?
  •  Is it realistically valuable to someone else?
  •  Is there someone you know who will appreciate it’s value?

Clutter happens, but if we don’t allow ourselves to use clutter excuses we can keep it under control.  Use these questions and let me know the outcome.

©March 2015   Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All rights reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

Preventing Paper Clutter

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paper clutterEven the most organized people have some amount of paper clutter. It’s difficult not to, because paper comes into our space on a steady, regular basis. Practically every time we walk into our home, we bring more paper into it, either intentionally or unintentionally. So, how can we prevent that paper from taking over and prevent those piles from happening?

The simplest way to reduce paper clutter is to stop paper from coming into our space in the first place. One way to accomplish this is to go paperless with bank and credit card statements, and don’t print them out. Another suggestion is to not print emails, recipes, or other information from your computer, instead store and organize the information on your computer. A few other suggestions are to remove you name from as many mailing lists as you can, stop mail on all magazines and catalogs you don’t read, read the newspaper on-line, use your phone or another device for coupons and tickets instead of printing them, and have a paper recycle bin in the garage and toss as much paper as you can before entering the house.

Another way to reduce paper clutter is to allow each piece of paper to be in your home for the shortest possible time-frame. One way to accomplish this is to immediately recycle or shred junk mail. Another suggestion is to recycle boxes, wrapping paper, envelopes, and other paper items that we intend to reuse but never do. A few other suggestions are to shred ATM slips after you’ve reconciled your bank account, jot down event details on your calendar and toss the invitation, send the greeting cards that you have on hand, and recycle catalogs and magazines after you receive the next issue.

One more way to reduce paper clutter is to have an exit strategy for paper files and stored information. An exit strategy is a predetermined guideline that you’ve established for particular papers, files or information. One exit strategy may be to recycle or shred your utility bills after you view the confirmed payment on the next bill. Another exit strategy may be to shred pay stubs after you receive your W2. Please keep in mind that the guidelines need to fall within your own personal comfort zone. If you have questions on how long to keep particular papers, files or information, please consult a Certified Public Account or an attorney.

©March 2015 Janine Cavanaugh,CPO® All rights reserved.

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

Time to Organize

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Schedule time on your calendar to organize.  Treat it like an appointment that you can’t reschedule without a large rescheduling fee.  Then pick just one target area to work on, and tackle one flat surface in that area.  For example, if you’re working in the kitchen, start with items on the counter.  If you’re working in your closet, start with items on the floor.  If you’re working in your home-office, start with items on the desk.

Recycling Boxes

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Keep boxes at least until you’ve opened the items, used them, and established that they work to your satisfaction.  Then get rid of the box.  If you’re not ready to do so, break the box down and store it flat for 6 months, then after 6 months get rid of the box.

Organizing Medical Papers

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finished fileIn preparation for visiting a new doctor last week, I realized that my medical papers were not organized in a manner that was suitable to my needs. They were mostly organized in chronological order of doctor visits, and I wanted them organized by subject, and then, in chronological order of doctor visits. So, I gave myself the project of organizing my medical papers.

tools neededThe tools I used were a hanging file, a file folder, 8 sheets of paper, 8 tabs, a highlighter, and a black marker.  I first sorted all my medical papers into subject categories. I choose 8 different categories that made sense to me as I was sorting my papers. The 8 subject categories I used were general information, yearly physicals, mammograms, doctor visits, eyes, and 3 categories for specific ailments I have. Your medical categories may be slightly or completely different. That is understandable.  Personalization is encouraged.

Here is a list of the types of papers I have in each subject category:
General information – primary care doctor contact information, office hours and locations, medical insurance documents
Yearly physicals – medical history records, physical exam results, lab results, appointment reminders
Mammograms – test results, appointment reminders, literature on subject
Doctor visits – test results, appointment receipts, insurance explanation of benefits
Eyes – appointment receipts, exam results, prescriptions, eye glass receipts
Specific ailments – test results, appointment receipts, diagnoses, prescriptions, literature on subject
file names

I used the highlighter to mark the date and subject on specific papers. I used the tabs and paper to create dividers for each of my 8 subjects. I used the marker to write the subjects on the tabs. I placed all the tabs on the upper left hand side of the paper (horizontal) so they would fit into the file folder and be easier to read.  It’s much easier to scan one area for the subject tab, then have to scan staggered tabs, especially since we read from left to right. I reduced as many papers as I could before reassembling my medical file.  I shreded 56 papers that I felt comfortable discarding.

The project took me about an hour to complete. Since all of my papers were in one file folder and in a semi organized state, I was able to complete the project in a relativity short amount of time, but if you’re going to organize your medial papers and they’re in disarray you will need to give yourself more time to complete your project.  You will also realize as you sort your medical papers that your subject categories will be specific to you.  That is ideal.  Each and everyone of us needs to find a way of organizing that is personally suitable to our individual needs.

 

© December 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer  All rights reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO