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Will Yet Another Organizing Product Bring You Success?

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This is the time of year where all those back-to-school and office supplies are on sale. Even if you don’t have school age children (mine are grown) it is easy to get caught up in believing that this organizing file solution or that 5 subject notebook will solve all our paper clutter or organizing problems.

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Guess what – it might work and then again it might not. How many different products or solutions have you tried over the years with limited success? I know I’ve tried many.

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What I have learned over the years is it’s not necessarily the product or idea that is bad it’s just that it didn’t work for me.  I’m sure you have had the same result at times.

So besides trial and error plus lots of money spent how can you determine if a product will help you?  That’s a hard question to answer. The best way is to take a look at what is currently working for you in any area of your home.

We all have some areas of our lives where we are relatively organized.

If you are organized when cooking in the kitchen pay attention to what kinds of organizing products and/or habits you are using that makes it work for you. Is your desk at work clean and organized but you desk at home is a disaster? Pay attention to what is working at the office and duplicate it at home if possible.

We are creatures of habit and each of us have different learning/organizing traits.  Some we are born with and some we learned when growing up or as adults. Even if we were born missing the organizing gene we can still find the right kind of products and solutions to help us learn to get more organized.

So when you find yourself tempted to try yet another product in hope that it will solve all your organizing problems stop and think about it first. The questions below will help guide you towards one that might work for you.

Ask yourself:

  1. Does this product work similar to other products I’ve used before?
  2. Have I been successful with using this kind of product?
  3. Do I already have a product or solution for this particular problem but haven’t taken the time to figure out if it will work or not?

As we are bombarded this time of year with all those ads for products to help get our children and ourselves organized we have to remember to stop and think before buying.  Most products can help but one size does not fit all.

Figure out your style (or your child’s) so it will be easier to match the product or solution to it. That will increase your chance of success.

Janice

 

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Back To School Organizing

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It’s already the middle of July. The stores are stocked up with back-to-school supplies. The TV and newspaper ads are bombarding us about all the things our children “need” in order to have a great year.

Before you rush out and buy all those things be sure to check what you already have at home. Last year’s backpack may still work. Their school clothes may still fit , at least the ones to start off the school year with. They may have enough left over supplies that you only need to buy a few new ones.

Now is the time to take inventory so you can figure out what they will need and how much. It will be a lot easier if you first declutter what they don’t need or can’t use anymore.

Below are some steps to help you declutter. Then I have listed some options on how to get rid of the clutter in fun ways for you and your children.

Decluttering Steps:

  1. Go through all their clothes. Pull out any that do not fit or they won’t wear. Last year’s favorite style may make them feel like they will die of embarrassment if they wear it this year.
  2. Any clothes that are wearable but need repair should be put in a separate pile. Mending can be done while watching TV.
  3. Go through school supplies. Take inventory of what you have from last year that is still usable. Make a list of what each child needs (elementary schools usually provide a basic list). Mark off what you already have. What’s left is the shopping list.
  4. Go through their books. Have them pull out all the ones they have outgrown and are willing to part with. See below for a fun way to recycle the books.

Options on How To Clear out the above items:

  1. A garage sale is a good way to get rid of the outgrown clothes, school supplies, and books. The money you make can help buy new clothes and supplies. If you are interested in having a garage sale before school begins check out my eBook, “Decluttering With A Garage Sale”.
  2. A children’s book exchange is another fun way to clear out some clutter. This can be done in your neighborhood, church group, or other group you and your children belong to. School supplies can also be exchanged. A simple method to do this is explained in this article “Declutter Children’s Books With a Book Exchange”.

Although decluttering the previous year’s school papers won’t help with taking inventory it’s still a good idea to do it now if you didn’t at the end of the school year. You’ll make room for all the new papers that will soon be coming in.  Plus, as your children go through the old papers it will refresh their young minds as to what they learned the past year.  This article will give you some tips on it, “Decluttering Children’s School Papers”.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

 

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April Showers Bring May Graduations

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I was talking to my neighbor this morning and he mentioned how he was getting ready for all the parties he expected to have in May. Why the parties? Because his daughter was graduating college and his son was graduating high school. Each has their own friends and then there is all the family and friends of their father and late mother.

This got me thinking about the graduation gifts I need to buy. Oh, and Mother’s Day is May 9th so I also have to think about what to buy my mother and mother-in-law. Usually I get them flowers (cut flower bouquet – no vase) plus take them out to brunch or dinner. Both are non-clutter gifts.

But what do I get a high school boy and a college graduating young lady? Since the boy will be staying at home while going to a local college he won’t need anything for a dorm room. His sister may be moving out of state for a job so I don’t want to give her anything she would have to worry about moving to her new home. So the best solution will be to either give them money or a gift card. This way they can use it for things they need without me adding any clutter to their young lives.

Before you buy any gift for your mother or a new graduate think about how it will affect their life in the long term.

  • Will it be nice in the short run but clutter in the long run? (a cute decorative wall hanging, silly/joke items, plants or flowers in a decorative vase – how many vases does one person need?)
  • Is it something that is practical and they need or will improve their life?
  • Is it something that is fun but won’t add clutter? (Tickets/gift card for a concert, amusement park, theater, or restaurant)

On the Flylady site there are some good ideas for the college bound teenager. The list is about halfway down the page. Check it out.

http://www.flylady.net/pages/ClutterFreeGiftsC.asp

While we are on the subject of school it’s time to honor all the teachers that help our children reach that great day of graduation. Next Tuesday, May 4 is National Teachers Day.

“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.”
~Khalil Gibran

“Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.”
~John F. Kennedy

http://www.nea.org/teacherday/index.html

http://www.teacher-appreciation.info/

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Cinco de Mayo is Wednesday, May 5

http://holidays.kaboose.com/cinco-de-mayo/

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/cinco-de-mayo/

http://www.theholidayzone.com/cinco/

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Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9

http://www.holidays.net/mother/

http://holidays.kaboose.com/mothers-day/

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Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Organizing Children’s School Papers

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My decluttering tip week in my newsletter is about organizing and controlling children’s school papers. I have listed several links with more information for you. Check it out at: http://www.aweber.com/b/1emGI

In my research for the links I have found a website that is very helpful with many areas of decluttering and organization. It is written by Marilyn Bohn, a professional organizer. Check it out at: http://www.marilynbohn.com/

If you have a good way to control and organize the huge load of school papers that come into our homes each year, I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment.

Janice

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School Clothes Shopping

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Back to school sales are in full force now. With such great prices it’s tempting to buy enough clothes for your child to last most of the school year. But beware, if your child is still growing this could be a big problem.

There’s nothing more frustrating for a parent to invest in plenty of clothes for their child only to have that child outgrow the clothes before they even have a chance to wear them. This can happen if you buy too many clothes ahead of time. It’s still warm out but the fall and winter clothes are filling the racks in the stores. Even buying too many warm weather clothes now to get school started could mean completely outgrown clothes by next Spring.

Children’s growth spurts are unpredictable. So even if your child has always been fairly regular with their growth in the past doesn’t mean this year will be the same. I remember one year my son (5th or 6th grade) went through 3 sizes of blue jeans during one school year. Since money was tight back then I was glad I only bought him a few pairs to start the school year off. By Thanksgiving they were looking like high water jeans. He wasn’t growing out as much as he was growing up. By March he needed the the next size and longer length. It wasn’t quite warm enough for shorts yet so we had to buy more jeans.

So if your child is still growing just buy enough clothes for the next few months. Sales are always going on so you will be able to take advantage of them later. It’s better to have to do more laundry now then to have to give away unworn clothes that became too small too soon.

The added benefit to having fewer clothes in the closets is being able to keep it more organized and less cluttered.

Janice

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