Category: Motivation

What Would Make This A Great Week?

Last Monday, my friend Karl posted on Facebook:  “I am going to do everything possible to make this a great week.”  He doesn’t know how much his statement resonated with me.  Reading the post as a week began really got me thinking.  Hmmmm…., what would a great week look like?  I will:

1.  Give the “best of me” to my family.

  • There is a line from a favorite song:  “Those closest to your heart / so rarely get the best of you.”  We put on our public face for work and friends, and then give our crabbiest selves to our loved ones, because we feel comfortable with them, and secure in the fact that they will love us anyway. But don’t they deserve better? Of course. This week:
  • There is more tickling, hugging, music and gratitude.
  • I have been editing myself a lot, taking a breath before acting.  I composed a note to my older (12 and 14) sons the other day, outlining house tasks to complete.  Because I was very frustrated with the recent lack of cooperation, the dictation in my head was littered with cranky language.  Luckily, I edit.  A lot.  I switched to writing the note on the computer to save my hand, and left them a polite and concise list of expectations for their day (and I even told them why things needed done, so they could see how “putting away laundry” should come before “pack for the weekend” because then they can find their favorites easier).  It took longer, but it was better.
  • I am communicating more with the teenager, as to why we make the decisions we make.

2.  Take good care of me.

  • I take care of others, but I don’t always take care of Me.  This week, I made a greater effort to take my vitamins and get enough sleep.
  • I made appointments with the allergist, the acupuncturist, and for a massage.
  • I’m still working on the daily exercise, but managed at least basic push-ups and sit-ups most mornings.

3.  Take Care of Business, personal and professional.

  • I completed some unfinished business, and permanently eliminated some items on the to-do list, either by completing them or eliminating the expectation.
  • I practiced some tough love in my business, and had a couple of difficult client conversations.  I’ve been dreading these conversations, and the worry was really draining on my mental energy.  The conversations went fine, of course, I should have acted weeks ago.

4.  and Be On Time.

  • As summer began, it felt like we were late to everything.  Just a few minutes, and no one noticed       (much), but it made me cranky.  Transitions are always tough and we had our new summer       schedule.  And I am balancing my sons’ desire to stay up later and sleep in (a joy of summer for my boys) with my need to get things done and get to work.  So we got back on track:
  • I synchronized all the clocks (and shhh….. set them 2 minutes ahead, just 2 minutes), then asked the boys to set their watches.
  • I enlisted and embraced aid – Sports Camp Car Pool, you say?  I’m in!  Thanks, ladies!
  • The older boys are using more pedal power.  We tuned up the bikes, discussed the best and safest way to their various destinations, and they like the feeling of independence so they have been leaving earlier to get to their activities.  Win-win!!

So my challenge to you this week is to determine for you and your family what would make this a “great week”, and make a couple of small changes to make life better.  And please, share with me what would make a “Great Week” for you!

Legos and Books and Star Wars, oh my! Organizing with Kids

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I organize with my kids regularly, probably more often than they would like.  I remind them that most people have to pay for my services and that they’re lucky I nag / torture / organize them for free, but I doubt they consider themselves lucky.

Image     I do enjoy brief shining moments after organizing when they say “wow, mom, it is more fun to play with my xxx when all the pieces are together”.  I worked with a young client (he is 9) last week, and was reminded of 8 tips for organizing with children (and adults, too!!):

  1. Let them use THEIR words.  Ask your kids to verbalize the benefits of organizing.  If they can’t come up with any, brainstorm together about why they need to organize: it’s more fun to play with toys when all the parts are together, make room for something new, sell stuff to buy more, make room for a sleepover with friends, etc.  Also, use THEIR words for making container labels (and label makers are really cool).
  2. Make it fun:  Play music, use a timer, make organizing a race or game.  Try “Let’s see if we can get through this pile before the timer goes off”, or “Let’s pretend we’re packing for a trip and find the 10 things you want to take” or “imagine your friend is coming over and wants to play Transformers, let’s collect all your Transformers”.
  3. Break big work into smaller pieces: Large projects may need to be broken into smaller chunks, depending on your child’s age and attention.  I can give my 14 year-old a task and a time frame, and leave him to do it.  The 7 year-old requires shorter projects and more assistance.  Let’s say the project is Organize Your Bedroom.  The smaller pieces may be an hour a day: Monday – organize book shelves, Tuesday – dresser drawers, Wednesday – closet, Thursday and Friday – toys and toy box.  By the end of the week, you’ve maintained focus, you and your child are still speaking to each other and the bedroom is organized.
  4. Take Breaks and Schedule your Stop-Time:  When organizing, we all need short breaks (but not too many) to grab a beverage, stretch and regain focus.  And scheduling an Stop-Time gives us all a light at the end of the organizing tunnel, and keeps the kids from losing focus or feeling resentful.       Stick to the Stop-Time even if the project is not done, and come back to it tomorrow.
  5. Law of Diminishing Returns: Decision-making starts slowly, builds in speed, then slows again.  When we start organizing, we move slowly as we define our categories and their containers (like legos, pokemon cards, hex bugs, or books in different piles).  Once we establish categories and containers, we gather speed and make progress.  Then, after the important and easy sorting is done, we are left with a pile of less important, less defined items, and decision-making slows down again.  Don’t get hung up on the un-important stuff.   When you get to that final scruffy pile, put it in a paper bag with today’s date on it, and set it in the closet.  Agree that if your child doesn’t go into the bag looking for something specific within a week or two, you’ll toss it.
  6. Recognize the different ways to sort:  When we started to lose focus the other day, we switched from “pulling out one item at a time and deciding where it belongs” to “look at the pile, and pull out all the books or legos or light bright pegs”.  Both ways are correct, and shifting gears helped us re-focus.
  7. Embrace AWAY:  Make sure the last 10 minutes of your organizing session are spent putting things AWAY.  That is one of the most important parts of organizing with kids, and one that we often do for thm, gloss over, or don’t complete.  AWAY is a wonderful word, an important idea, and kids need to know that AWAY is the end goal.
  8. Make it worth their while.  I don’t pay my kids to organize or complete everyday tasks like cleaning their room or cleaning up after meals.  However… I mentioned to a client that my boys were working on organizing projects while I was working with her, and she asked “What’s the pay-off?”  And      apparently Mom’s Happiness was not what she was suggesting.  So, call it positive reinforcement, and if there happens to be a bowl of ice cream or trip to the local park as a reward for an organizing project done well, maybe the kids will even suggest the next organizing project (a mom can dream, right?!).

Pick a project or two to tackle with your kids, and keep these 8 tips in mind!

“Because I Said So!”

     We’re all great parents before having children.  At the grocery store or passing a park, we know just what every other parent should do with every other child.  Then life changes.  I vowed to never mix up my children’s names.  Anyone who knows me, whatever your name is, knows I mix them up all the time.  I also swore that phrases like “Because I said so!”, “Get off your brother”, “Put that down!”, or “Oh my god, who brought THAT into my kitchen?!” would never cross my lips, and that I would never yell.  Then God laughed, and gave me three sons.  And now I laugh, all the time.  And cry, often but quietly.  And sometimes I do both at the same time.  Because I’m a Mom, and that’s what we do.

     My gift to you and to myself for Mother’s Day is an article that has little to do with organizing.  Keep these thoughts in your heart for when you need some “Peace of Mind”, (just like my business name).  Why?  Because I said so.

  1. A grateful heart is the surest way to happiness.  A friend reminded me recently that people who have a truly grateful heart are less prone to anxiety and depression.  Be grateful in your heart, and let others know how thankful you are to and for them.  “And yes, to my youngest son, this means you have to finish your thank-you notes before you can spend the money you received.  And I don’t care if other people don’t have to send them, I’m not their mom.”
  2. A secret.  I am conflicted as a parent.  Having been a crabby teenager once upon a time does not prepare me to parent one today.  I want from my children, simultaneously, understanding when I don’t know everything and their faith and confidence in me to know everything.  I do know a secret, though, that contributes to my Peace Of Mind.  And my secret may be different from your secret.  My secret is to say a short prayer for patience and guidance, and then remind myself what my job is as a parent:  I am growing future adults, and helping my children get to heaven.  Those ideas help me form all the other decisions I make in a day.  So what is your secret?  Write it down, and remember it as needed! 
  3. Parenting involves our hands, our heads and our hearts.  The combination of the three varies with our children’s ages, stages and from moment to moment in our day, though the older my children get, the more I use heart and head to guide us all.  Children don’t come to us fully formed, which is a very good thing, since we aren’t fully formed, either.  We get to evolve and figure things out together.  On Mother’s Day, I thanked my teenager for making me a mom 14 years ago.  He is a teenage boy, so when I start emoting like that, he gets a funny look on his face and I know he would rather be anywhere else but listening to me.  But he’s a good sport, and said, “um – you’re welcome?”  Then he gave me a hug, so I knew it was OK.  Guess I got to use my hands, head and hearts all at once on that one!
  4. You are more capable than you know.  And so are your children.
  5. No regrets.  Recently, I sang at the funeral of a friend’s mother.  The friend stated she had no regrets when it came to her relationship with her mom and her mom’s passing.  What a gift.  I’ve been looking at my relationships with new eyes, trying to do the right thing always, and working towards “No Regrets” some day, too.
  6. My Mother’s Day was lovely and relaxing, spent with family. My sister-in-law made a fabulous brunch and my husband made a delicious dinner.  In years past, I wanted to celebrate Mother’s Day by taking a break from Mom activities like cooking and cleaning.  But I realized that being a Mom is who I am and who I want to be, so taking a day off is sort of silly.  Did I receive gifts?  Yes, thank you.  Did I do laundry?  No.  Did I declare the remote control and the couch as MINE for about 3 hours?  Yes!  Do I want to spend the day of celebration of Motherhood escaping from being a Mom?  No, I really don’t.  But if somoene could still fold the laundry, that would be great.
  7. My Mother’s Day gifts come every day, in little packages.  My oldest son leaving my side at Mass to volunteer to serve without being asked.  Because he likes be a server, and he recognized the need without being asked.  My middle son and I sharing a look and cracking each other up without saying a word. Such an old soul in a young body.  My youngest son bent over a mud puddle –  I thought he was making a mess and started to fume, but then I looked closer and saw he was saving ants one at a time by giving them little sticks to walk on out of the mud.  These gifts might not come gift-wrapped, but they are the best a mother can ask for.

Thanks for coming along with me, and for letting me ramble a bit.  I hope the next time you are searching for some Peace of Mind, one of these ideas comes back to you in time.  Happy Mother’s Day.

Organizing Secrets I’ve learned as a Mom

     To celebrate Mother’s Day, I’m sharing organizing secrets that I have learned since becoming a mom. I dedicate this article, with deep affection and appreciation, to all of the incredible women who have taught me so much.

     As a professional organizer, I have found the three most problematic areas of organizing for many women are time, clothes and stuff. For moms, those areas are more specifially time, laundry and toys. When it comes to household tasks, moms set the rules and the organizational tone. Here are some quick tips to help you in this endeavor.

Time

  • Spend 10 minutes focusing on your organization issues now; these 10 minutes will save you hours later.
  • Always have a back up for everything: work clothes, babysitter, travel plans, carpool, snacks, etc.
  • Prioritize. While recuperating after the birth of my youngest son, my husband reminded me that my  obligation is to feed, clothe, protect and educate my children. Everything else is extra.
  • Dream big, but cherish small.
  • When seeking balance, look at time in spans of weeks, not days.
  • “Take time for your self. No one is going to give it to you, and if you don’t recharge, you’ll have nothing left for anyone else.” An 80-year old great-grandmother gave me this advice. 

Clothes, Closets and Laundry

  • Keep only current size and seasonal clothes in the closet. Purge you and your children’s wardrobe of clothes that no longer fit, and store everything else, somewhere else, labeled and “containerized,” of course.
  • Invest in fewer but higher quality pieces instead of cluttering your closet with heaps of cheap and poorly made outfits. Remember, quality is more important than quantity.  Dress well, and people will notice You.  Dress poorly, and people will notice your clothes. 
  • Designate a bag for every activity—sports, crafts, work, etc. For example, pack your daughter’s soccer uniform and shin guards in a duffel bag, and place it in a location where she can quickly grab it and run to practice. Replace the bag’ s contents immediately after cleaning the items, and return it to its appropriate location in time for the next game or practice. Do this for your briefcase and handbag, as well.

Stuff and Toys

  • Pick a permanent spot for your really important items, like car keys, diaper bags, cell phones, purses, etc.
  • Store like items, e.g., Legos with Legos, American Girl clothes with American Girl dolls. Design a system that is simple. Label storage containers clearly for easy identification of the contents.
  • Rotate toys every month, with or without your children’s assistance. You may want to sort and purge toys with your children, so that they can learn the process (and you learn what items they truly value). Then take another sweep through the toys without their assistance; be a bit more ruthless this time, but make sure you retain their true treasures. If your kids are young, and you sort and purge without them, arrange their remaining toys in an appealing way, so that they don’t focus on what’s gone.

     So, Moms (and Dads, too!):  Take a deep breath.  And another one.  Resolve to spend a few minutes now on organizing, to save lots of time later. Spend the time, and get it done.  Then go do something fun with your family!

Great Party Part 2: Food Planning and Prep

     I heard from many of you last week when I blogged last week about an upcoming event – thank you! One of you asked what I meant by Food Prep: “How can you possibly have a party without either cooking all day or catering the whole thing?”  Today I’ll shed some light on party planning and food prep.

     Not everyone wants to cook for big events.  It seems like a lot of work, and early food prep seems like extra work and mess, to dirty the kitchen twice.  Also, I have a client that insists on everything being “fresh”, so she has not embraced my make-ahead suggestions, though she struggles to host big events.  Indeed, some foods are best fresh.  But many foods can be assembled a day ahead of an event to make the event go smoother, and still be fresh.  Prep as much as possible a day or two ahead of your event, and leave the final assembly to right before serving. 

I like to cook for parties and events because:

  1. Making some items is cheaper than catering the whole event.  I would rather spend my money on other things.
  2. Home cooking usually tastes better than catered foods.
  3. My family has favorite foods, and I like making those favorites for special events.
  4. Prepping and cooking food a day ahead of an event frees up my time for the event itself, and after years of practice, it’s not really a hassle anymore. 
  5. I like to cook, and it’s enjoyable for me to put a big event together.

Here is next Saturday’s menu:

Appetizers:  These will be completely assembled, so the first person home from church (probably not me) can place them out for guests.

  • Vegetable and dip platter
  • Fruit and dip platter
  • Chip tray with tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole (from Costco, I like theirs better than my homemade ones)
  • A heated chili-cheese dip (3 minutes in the microwave)
  • Deviled eggs (a family favorite)
  • Relish tray
  • Pita chips and hummus (also Costco, I like theirs better)

Beverages:  These, too, will be ready for the first guests, except for the coffee, which will be ready to brew.

  • Iced Tea
  • Beer / Wine / Soda
  • Coffee

Main Course:

  • Fried chicken (catered)
  • Make-ahead mashed potatoes (warmed in the crock pot, click here for recipe)
  • Homemade Macaroni and Cheese (vegetarian, sauce made ahead, macaroni made the morning of the party, warmed in the crock pot)
  • Quinoa and Black Beans (vegetarian, made ahead, served warm or cold, here for the recipe,)
  • Cole slaw (slaw from a bag, assembled with dressing the morning of the event)
  • Bakery bread and butter

Dessert: Strawberry pretzel salad (my mother-in-law is bringing this), cookies (mine) and Ice Cream Cake (catered)

Start with clean counters for good work space, and a clean refrigerator to store your assembled trays and platters.  Also, use cookie sheets to keep each recipe’s ingredients organized (photo).

 Image

Thursday night, when making dinner:

  1. Assemble serving dishes:  egg tray, platters, lidded baking dish for chili-cheese dip
  2. Hard boil eggs, cool and peel
  3. Clean, peel (sons will help with this) and chop veggies
  4. Shred 2 pounds of cheddar cheese (sons and Cuisinart will help)

After Dinner (an hour):  Assemble and refrigerate

  1. Chili Cheese dip
  2. Deviled eggs (son #2 will pipe the filling)
  3. Dill veggie dip (son #2 will help).  The dip tastes better after a day of chilling

Friday night, when making dinner

  1. Brew iced tea
  2. Make cheese sauce for Macaroni, refrigerate
  3. Peel and boil potatoes, make mashed potatoes (special recipe made with sour cream and cream cheese, is really delicious a day or two later!)
  4. Chop Fruit
  5. Assemble Fruit, Vegetable and Relish trays, cover in plastic wrap, place in refrigerator.
  6. Puree Strawberries for fruit dip and refrigerate (Lauren’s Fruit Dip:  8 oz each of Fruit on the bottom strawberry yogurt, cool whip and pureed strawberries.  Mix all together, serve with cut fruit)
  7. Load big white cooler with beer and soda

     So, next time you have a big event coming up, or even a big meal for your family, look at your menu and determine what you can make a day or two before, to free up your time and attention for other things.

Monetary Motivation: The Price of Procrastination

Do you like money?  I do, I will admit.  I don’t love it, but it certainly makes life easier.  What I don’t like is wasting money.  And I bet you don’t either.  And yet we regularly and purposefully defeat our own plans and end up wasting money.  How? Procrastination.

A few weeks ago, I gave you the definition of Procrastination: “To indefinitely postpone or avoid performing a task out of anxiety, rather than time constraints or logic.  Unfocused wandering, killing time.”(Julie Morgenstern, Never Check Your Email in the Morning).

     Motivation for procrastination and also for action differ from person to person.  Just look at your family or co-workers.  Regardless of your motivation for procrastinating, recognize and use monetary motivation this week for action, if that helps, to break through procrastination and save or make some money!

Actual Costs of Procrastination:

  • Penalties charged for late filing or payment of your taxes this week
  • ATM fees when you have to use the closest ATM instead of planning ahead and using your bank ATM
  • Late fees from the library (my 7 year old’s contribution) or the RedBox (!)
  • Credit card interest fees for incomplete or late payment
  • Late fees when you don’t pay your bills on time.  A client said our time working together paid for itself the first month she paid all her bills on time!
  • Paying higher rates for airline tickets, and expedited passport fees
  • Paying for costly repairs instead of maintaining what you own, like your car, or paying for car rental during repair time
  • Expedited shipping, postage or delivery fees when we procrastinate in shopping
  • Paying for overnight shipping or delivery when we are sending items and are now too close to the deadline to use regular shipping methods. 
  • Are you seeing dollar signs in your head yet?  Are you motivated to act?  What about the….

Indirect Costs of Procrastination, or losing out on money-saving opportunities: 

  • Not receiving interest on your money, if you don’t file taxes early
  • Not receiving reimbursement payments until long after your money is spent, or not at all
  • Not cashing or requesting checks:  A client needed to request a duplicate check for an insurance payment (the first one was damaged), and waited too long, the insurance company said No. 
  • Not taking advantage of sales and discounts, or savings like early bird registrations
  • Voiding warranties on big-ticket items like your car by delaying maintenance
  • I own my own business, so if I procrastinate, I can lose clients or money from lost sales.
  • And don’t forget about the….

Intangible Costs of Procrastination:

  • Increased stress
  • Loss of credibility or sympathy:  a friend is a college professor.  Imagine two students come to her in one week asking for an extension on a project.  One always misses classes, turns in late assignments or misses them all together, and one shows up to class and usually turns stuff in on time.  Who is more likely to get the extension?
  • If you have certification or professional papers to submit, what about being lumped all together with the others, or even tagged as a procrastinator?  Ouch.

My goal in blogging is to educate and motivate.  My challenge to you this week is to re-read the above list, and determine if there is a task or two you are avoiding for no good reason – and “I don’t want to” or “I don’t feel like it” are NOT good reasons.  Once you identify the task, be the adult and get the task done. Or at least started, if it is a multi-step task.  A great weight will lift from your shoulders, trust me, and maybe next time you start to procrastinate, the dollar signs will flash in your head and you’ll get the job done instead!

Spring Sports Survival Secrets

     A week ago, I posted this to Facebook from the baseball field: “It has begun. Spring sports season. Three sons, 1 time, 1 soccer game, 2 baseball practices, three locations. Bring it on!”

     I am not whining (much). I asked for this. I signed the boys up, wrote the checks. I love that my boys are involved in activities. I could limit the activities, I’m the mom and that’s within my rights and power.

     But I like the busy schedule. April is especially tough, though, schedule-wise. School activities are wrapping up, with honor band and choir, and lots of concerts and events. Then we add sports to the mix, with practices and games. So while I am not whining (at least not at the moment), I must plan and strategize to maintain a normal household and business during the busy times.

     I am calling this the Spring Sports Survival Secrets, but it can be used any time you need to get back to basics or live portable-y!!

1.  Clean out your Car for spring.

  • Grab a sheet, lay it on the ground. Take everything that is not nailed down out of your car and lay it on the sheet, then use Julie Morgenstern’s SPACE method.
  • SORT what you have. Categories could include necessary electronics (GPS, phone charger); car maintenance; emergency items like jumper cables; first aid kit, etc., you name it.
  • PURGE what can go (old mail, food wrappers, homework, single gloves, old receipts, etc.)
  • TAKE A BREAK, and Wash your car, either at a car wash or by hand, and vacuum it.
  • ASSIGN a home to the items that will go back in your car, and CONTAINERIZE them.
  • Do you know what a projectile is? In an accident, it is anything not strapped down in your car.  Bundle all the car maintenance or emergency items into a clear tote, and secure it safely.  I use Ziploc zippered totes.
  • EQUALIZE means maintenance. Clean out your car every day or at least once a week. Maintenance is quicker and easier than doing major cleanings

2. Review the basics: Clothing / Shelter / Food

  • Laundry basics:  laundry goes in the hamper immediately, or the uniform will not be clean for tomorrow.
  • Buy extras of always-used things, for example we have lots of baseball pants and socks from past seasons, so our new uniforms can be saved for games.
  • Start a load every morning or every night to stay on top of things.
  • Re-pack the sports bags as soon as you get home from games or practice. Very often we go to practice right after school, so having the bag packed and back in the car is invaluable to getting to practice on time!
  • Shelter: Home Management:  Invest time in maintenance every day. The last thing you and your kids may feel like doing at 9 pm after 2 baseball games is tidying up or putting stuff away, but you will thank yourselves the next morning.

3. Food: Menu Planning is so important it deserves it’s own space. I no longer remember how to NOT menu plan, because we’ve been doing it so long, and I find it so valuable.

  • Click here for a past blog on the topic, http://colleencpo.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/how-can-you-not-menu-plan/
  • Write the next 7 days on a piece of paper, look at what is in the cabinets and freezer, and write down your dinner plan for each day.  Suggestions include:
  • Cook twice as much food on some days, to have planned leftovers the next day (for example, extra grilled chicken can go in a soup or salad the next day) 
  • This also works with meatloaf, casseroles, chilis or soups, cook two and freeze one for next week
  • Make dinner at 7 am, or 2 pm, or whatever time you have. I have been known to make rice or mashed potatoes while getting ready in the morning, to warm up at dinner time.
  • I assemble two or three dinners on an easy scheduled day or Sunday night, and tuck them back in the fridge for later in the week (lasagna, enchilada or taco casserole, etc.)
  • Make your own convenience food. We make ahead bags of salad, hardboiled eggs, diced carrots and celery and other veggies for quick meals.

4. Stock the Mom Bag to keep in the car. My Mom Bag includes: clipboard and homework essentials (for long rides to soccer games), long sleeve shirts and hoodies for me and the boys, baseball cap for me, folding chairs, a blanket or 2, first aid kit, tissues and antibacterial wipes (porta johns, anyone?), water bottles (though we try to bring re-usable ones as much as possible), granola bars, nuts / trail mix, a magazine or book for me, and a soccer ball for the 7-year-old for waiting time.

5. Go to bed. Seriously. You and the kids. Everyone lives better with good sleep.

     So try a tip or even two this week, and enjoy the sport season!  See you at the baseball game!

Time Clutter Has Got To Go!

Week Six in the Lenten Organizing Challenge.  This week we look at the Spirituality of Time Clutter.  Remember, Clutter Is anything we don’t need, use or love.  And that means time clutter, too.  How we use our time can be a very spiritual choice.  Our time is the only thing we truly own, and it is important that we use it well and wisely. 

I read a book a few years ago called “There Must Be More Than This” by Judith Wright.  In this book, Wright talks about how small, minor habits that we have every day can actually cause us a lot of harm.  She defines these habits as “Soft Addictions”, “habitual activities or moods that numb our feelings, sap our life force, and lock us into a limbo of muted experience”.  These addictions keep us from feeling deeply and experiencing fulfillment.  We “guide our lives by old, unconscious, unexamined, limiting beliefs”.  These addictions are broken down into 4 sub-headings: 

  1. Activities –  media – TV and movies, email / social media, buying / shopping , personal maintenance, physical mannerisms, sexual, risk taking, social diversions
  2. Moods / Ways of Being:  being sarcastic, being cranky or irritable, always on, jokester, perfectionist, fanaticism, moping, acting cool, blaming others
  3. Avoidances:  procrastinating, playing dumb, playing the victim, acting helpless, being too busy, over-sleeping or napping, being late
  4. Things – edible and consumable, overeating or excessive drinking, having too much or too many of any thing

There are more specific lists of these 4 types in her book and on her website, http://judithwright.com/ .  I would recommend reading this book, check it out at your local library, or you can borrow my copy!

Whenever I review this book, I challenge myself to look at how I spend my time.  I have good habits most days, but like many of us, my good habits and intentions slip, so I need reminders and re-commitment regularly.  To improve my life, there are things I can pare down, eliminate or replace with good habits:  watching TV, obsessively checking my email or Facebbok, late night snacking and thinking crabby thoughts are the first things that come to mind, and that was in 10 seconds, I’m sure I could think of more!

My major weaknesses are in Moods / Ways of Being.  I need to break free of perfectionism some days, and my inner voice needs to be less cranky and judgmental.  Spending more time being positive and loving would certainly help me live better (and those around me!!).  The Moods / Ways of Being category is tough, though, since negative moods can slide into our behaviors without notice.  So this week, I am noticing!!   

I also need to cut back on my TV consumption.  I have quite a backlog of recorded shows on my DVR from our week on vacation, and looking at the list, I realized there were shows I really don’t need to watch at all.  I have a very busy week this week, and I am choosing to not spend my hours sitting on my couch watching TV.  The shows don’t seem worth the hour I would need to spend to watch them.  So I deleted them, and will choose more meaningful endeavors like time with my family, reading, or prayer and ministry for Holy Week. 

My challenge to you is to take a long look at how you spend your time.  If you kept a diary for a week, what would it look like?  Ask yourself what behaviors or habits that you have that hold you back from leading a better life.  What are some soft addictions you could pare down or part with, now and forever?  Purge Time Clutter this week and live better. 

Four Reasons to Conquer Closet Clutter

Fifth in the Lenten Clutter Challenge.  This time of March brings us Clutter Awareness Week and Clean Out Your Closet Week, so today we look at the spirituality of clothing clutter in our closets. 

     I was packing  for vacation last week.  Packing for travel is a great opportunity to realize which items are my favorites, and conversely, which items I can probably let go of.    

     Why are there things in our closet that we will never wear? Clutter is anything you Don’t Need, Use or Love.   Here are some reasons Why We Keep clutter, and What To Do About It.

We keep our clothing clutter because of a skewed sense of frugality:  “I spent money on that item!”  or “That item is worth money!”

  1. Yes, that item is worth money, perhaps a lot!  But is it worth enough to keep it around even when it is no longer useful, becomes a nuisance, wastes our mental energy, or causes negative feelings or disruption?
  2. The biggest waste of your money is the storage, upkeep and maintenance of Clutter.
  3. Do not move clutter around your closet perpetually, just because you spent money on it once.
  4. Sometimes clothes are Just Wrong.  Wrong fit, feel, smell or color.  These characteristic will not change, Let the clutter GO!
  5. What is Peace of Mind worth?  Put a value, a dollar amount on being organized.  Eliminate clutter and stress, increase the appeal and enjoyment of your home.   

We keep clutter because we are Sentimental, or would feel guilty getting rid of something. 

  1. Perhaps our stuff represents a loved one or a certain time in our life.  But what if our closet is full of such items?
  2. What if we get frustrated because there are too many sentimental items, and our attachment to them decreases because of sheer numbers?
  3. I have things that I treasure, but I have lots of people in my life that I treasure even more.  We can let go of an item that has become Clutter without letting the loved one or their memories go.  Honest.  It’s okay.
  4. Treat your treasure as treasure.  If you are keeping clothing items from your old life, with no intention of wearing them again, they are now keepsakes, not clothing.  And they do not belong in your closet.  Box up a few to keep, or frame them on the wall, then let the rest go and get on with living your life. 

We Should-a, We Could-a, We Would-a….  Our clutter represents opportunities, taken or missed.  So we don’t want to let go of the opportunity, the possibility the item represents. 

  1. Someday:  My hubby bought a t-shirt on vacation.  It reads “Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.  See?  There is no SomeDay”.
  2. Wouldn’t you rather live better today, this day, than save things for SomeDay that ruin today and get in the way?
  3. Did you stumble over things that you keep for SomeDay as you tried to get ready for work/class today?  Let the clutter GO!

We keep things for Just In Case, but there are Opportunity Costs from Just in case.  Any time we choose to buy or keep something, it eliminates the opportunity for something else.

  1. Space dedicated to clutter can not be dedicated to something else. 
  2. Someone else is not benefiting from the stuff that is weighing us down.
  3. Be honest.  Often a client will cling to old or grungy clothing items by calling them workout clothes or cleaning clothes, saving them for just-in-case.  When there are 20 grungy t-shirts in a drawer for “working out”, you are deluding your self.  Keep 5, toss the rest.  Then use your now cleaned-out drawer for something else that you use every day. 
  4. Don’t let Just In Case get in the way of Today.

So, as you read these 4 reasons, which one strikes a chord in you?  Which description do you read with a wince, because you know there are things in your closet that fall into that category, and that you just need to let go of?  Here is the permission you’ve waited for, I give you permission to get rid of that closet clutter.  Feel Better?  Great!  Now go clean that closet!!

Here are some other blogs I have written about Closet Organizing:

It Really Is Easy Being Green

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This article first ran in the Lenten Organizing Challenge and The Spirituality of Clutter.

The idea is to elevate little eco-friendly changes you can make in your day – to – day life, to make a big and positive impact on our world.

Let me start with the Bottom Line On Top:  Make good choices, even if you just take little steps.  Many little steps in the right direction will still get you where you need to go.

So here is the rest of the article….

We are a (pretty) Green family.  We reduce, we reuse, we recycle, we re-purpose.  We have been Green for a long time, so that the kids know what to do to be Green, and why it is important.

I have four trash receptacles in my kitchen.  Under the sink, we have a garbage can on one side, and glass and plastic recycling on the other.  Under the desk there is a paper bag for paper recycling.  Then there is the Magic Little Basket on the top of my refrigerator.

Ok, so the basket doesn’t actually have magical properties.  It’s rather boring, 10 inches square, lined with a jaunty fabric and it matches the one next to it that holds reusable lunch bags.  But it does make Being Green really easy.

The Magic Little Basket holds 2 recycled plastic canisters, and some freezer bags.  One canister holds used household batteries, and the other holds used prescription medication bottles. One bag holds burnt-out light bulbs, another has small, used (and broken or obsolete) electronics like old cell phones and static-y earphones.   The third baggy has old eyeglasses in it. What do all of these items have in common, other than living together in a basket in my kitchen?   A couple of things, actually.

These are sort of things my clients and I come across in kitchen junk drawers, bathroom medicine cabinets, desk cubbies and workrooms.  One client calls them Detritus.  I call them dregs, or minutiae.  None of these words are very positive.  They all mean approximately “the unwanted particulates that settle to the bottom”.

Why do these things accumulate?  First, they are small and inconsequential.  Second, they had value once, so it is difficult to just toss them away.  Finally, my clients realize they probably shouldn’t just toss them into the trash.  Maybe they have heard that the CFL light bulbs contain mercury, or about the new law making it illegal to through electronic waste in the regular garbage.

The other thing they have in common?  They are all recyclable.

So, make your own Magic Basket (or bag or box or whatever), and make a regular habit of taking care of recycling.

For example, I dropped off the household batteries at the Walgreen’s camera counter.  There is also a drop box at our local library.  The medications go to my local police department, many now have permanent collection sites, to keep prescription pain medication off the streets.  The light bulbs go to Home Depot, or other home goods stores.  The broken electronics can go to my kid’s school, we make money from regular recycling drives.  What can’t go to the school drive can go to our local E-Waste recycling site.  Many towns now have these E-Waste sites available to their residents.   The eyeglasses go to my dad, who works with his local Lion’s Club, and if you don’t happen to know my Dad, the Lion’s Club is a national organization with drop boxes in public places like libraries and pharmacies.

The important thing to realize is that all of these errand stops are right in your neighborhood, and dropping things off regularly won’t take a lot of time. But these little stops can make a really big difference.  These little changes keep mercury, acids and other toxins out of the ground and water table.  Recycling gives money to schools, and sight to people who need glasses. It is the right thing to do, which is what makes my Little Basket so Magic, and it really is Easy Being Green.

Make good choices, even if you just take little steps.  Many little steps in the right direction will still get you where you need to go.