Getting rid of stuff Archives • Page 6 of 7 • Helpful Organizer

Experiment Living with Less

July 15, 2021/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

We are all consumers. We live in a society that values possessions. Our world economy relies on us spending our money on stuff. But does that stuff accumulate too fast and take on a life of its own? Do we end up with too much? Does the volume of things make organizing them stressful and difficult? Are you looking for way to get off the hamster wheel?

Experiment living with less. There are several ways we can accomplish this. Here are a few experiments to try.

Pack up half of your pots and pans. Date the box and put it in the basement for 3 months. Document how many times you retrieve something from it. Consider donating what doesn’t get retrieved. If you like this experiment do it with linens, toiletries, and kitchen gadgets.
Pack up all your CDs and DVDs and seal the box. Only take one out of the box when you really want to listen to it or watch it. After 6 months see how many are still in the box and decide whether you’d like to keep them. If you like this experiment do it with clothes, books, and serving dishes.
Establish a maximum number for certain possessions and reduce down to that number. You can find examples of a few numbers I suggest at Organizing with a Maximum Number. If you like this experiment do it with shoes, food storage containers, and coffee mugs.
Set up a temporary shopping ban for one month, or longer. Only purchase the absolute essentials, food, toilet paper, medications and the like. Keep a list of all the things you wanted to buy and the items that tempted you. At the end of the month share with me your insights.
Play the Minimalist Game. It’s interesting and challenging. When I played with my husband, we learned a lot about our relationship to stuff.

The less we have the less we have to organize and maintain. Try one or more of the experiments listed above and see what results you get. You may be pleasantly surprised and more organized.

Letting Go of Sentimental Items

June 1, 2021/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

We all have sentimental items. Saying goodbye to those items can be difficult. A prolonged goodbye is not a bad thing. It may take more than one pass to be ready to let it go. Start with the least sentimental stuff and work your way towards the things that hold more memories.

A maybe box is a good option especially if you need some time to think about your decision to let go or not. While you’re deciding remove those maybe items from your every day living space.

10 Not Scary Things to Toss

October 29, 2020/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

What can you get rid of?
That is the question I asked myself after reading the article 10Things You Can Toss Without Thinking Twice by Lauren Piro from Good Housekeeping. I realized I thought of a whole list of things to toss without thinking twice. I also realized I wanted to share that list with you.
Does that question scare you?
I’d like to reassure you that the list of things that I came up with isn’t scary. It’s a list of things

Love It or Lose It!

April 1, 2020/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Do you love your stuff? If you don’t love it or use it, LOSE it!

Unfortunately during this pandemic many donation drop off locations are closed. So it is a bit more difficult to get rid of your unwanted things. My most recent blog, How To Get Rid of Stuff will provide you with some options and resources. Please stay healthy.

How to get rid of stuff?

April 1, 2020/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

During this stay-at-home directive many of us are taking time to clean out and organize our homes. That is a great way to create a happy home and an orderly home work environment. However, what do we do with all the stuff we want to clear out and get rid of? During normal circumstances I’d recommend donation-drop-sites, such as Savers, Goodwill (some Goodwill locations are still accepting donations), Salvation Army, and Saint Vincent De Paul. I’d also recommend at-home donation collection options, such as Big Brother/Big Sister Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation (still collecting) and the Vietnam Veterans of America, but many of these places have closed their doors to keep their employees and volunteers safe. So what are our options?

Here are a few suggestions: (Please note that some of these options may not be currently available in your community.)

Contact the organizations in your area that give directly to those in need. They may be searching for what you’re wanting to give away. A few organizations are Cradles to Crayons, and My Brother’s Keeper.
Use the available donation drop boxes in your community for clothing, shoes, and books. Please respect the drop box boundaries and don’t leave items outside of them to become someone else’s clean up problem. Bay State Textiles works with schools in MA on recycling textiles. They set up collection bins in school parking lots. Check their website for locations.
Use recycle drop boxes for small electronics, adapters, cords, batteries, and light bulbs at stores like Best Buy, Lowe’s and Target if available.
Use on-line free-give-away communities like Give Back Box, Free Cycle (not operating at this time), and Buy Nothing.
Post on Facebook Yard Sales, Craigslist and other on-line options.
Reach out to local Senior Centers, Boy Scout Troops, and Mom’s Clubs to see if they’re planning an annual rummage sale. You may have to hold onto the items for a few months, but it’s motivating to know you’ll be helping your local community.
Put items out on the curb with a free sign on them.
Ask friends and family if they want anything you’re ready to let go.
Box things up to donate later, but be sure to clearly label what’s in the box.
To donate specific items contact food pantries, homeless shelters, domestic violence centers, and organizations the distribute hygiene products (Dignity Matters and Hope and Comfort) to see whats in high demand.

If you have other suggestions that will be of help to others please share. Thank you. Be safe and take care of you!

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