Category: Things I Wish I’d Known

Life’s Too Short For Crummy Pens (The Question of Duplicates)

If you’re reading this article, you probably have clutter.

Let’s be honest, if you have a pulse, you probably have clutter.  Every person has at least a little clutter. You certainly have stuff, as we all need at least some stuff – food, clothes, furniture, books, etc. – to survive.  And when we have stuff, stuff can build up and become clutter.

 

Clutter is anything we don’t need, use or love. (Barbara Hemphill)

 

A powerful questions, as asked by a FB friend just today, is “Duplicates: how much is enough, and how many is too many? ” This friend was asking about her sons’ clothes, but the question can be asked about pretty much ANYTHING.  TShirts, socks, cars, hammers, coffee mugs, writing implements. 

We need pens.  And we needs pens in many places around our homes and work spaces.  But with just 2 hands, we only need one pen at a time.  And it had better be a good pen. I have come to appreciate a really good pen (my favorite is a blue or black Pilot G2 0.38). Few things frustrate me more than reaching for a pen and coming away with a broken/dried-up/wrong color pen.  Life is just too short for crummy pens.

 
I talk about Duplicates in my Organized Kitchen and Clear the Clutter classes.  I mention Mug Math:
 
  • Ask (# of coffee drinkers  x  # of cups per day) x # of days we take to run the dishwasher.
  • So, in my house, that would be (1 x 2) x 2 = 4.
  • Now, that’s a need.  We NEED 4 coffee mugs.  OF course we have more than 4 coffee mugs. Because sometimes we have company, or more likely, we use the mugs for ice cream or cereal because mugs have handles, or I shake things up and have hot chocolate or tea, too.
  • So, I NEED 4.  But I don’t need 40.  There will never be 40 people drinking coffee in my house at once.  When I have more than 40 people over, we’re usually drinking beer, wine or soda, some of which conveniently come in their own containers.
And the Kid T-shirt question?  My client asked the question, and we used to, too, when the kids were little. Here’s how to think it through:
  • The child wears # of shirts a day x how often you do laundry (2 shirts a day x 7 days)
  • So, for the child, we NEED 14 shirts. And since we like options, we keep more than 14 t-shirts. But not 50 or even 40.  Now may be a good time to re-choose or re-shop the favorite 20 or 25, and let the rest go. But I digress.  I hope you see my point.  We need the find the happy medium for our items – enough mugs or socks or pens that our needs and wants are met, but not so many of something that it falls out of the cabinet or clutters our dresser drawers or drives us crazy.
 
There are some items we need in duplicate: 
  • Every room needs a garbage can, box of tissue and surge protector.
  • Most rooms need a pair of scissors, some band-aids and some pens, too.
  • Charging cords – at least a couple. Definitely one at home and one at work.
  • House keys – We always need extra house keys.
  • A class participant last week pointed out that we should have a hammer on each level of our homes – in the bedrooms, in the kitchen and in the basement, plus one in the garage – so she doesn’t have to run up and down the stairs all the time.  Fair enough.
  • And there are others.  So, some items we need in duplicate, but certainly not everything.
 
 
So, how can you figure out how much is  enough and how much is too much?  Ask yourself some questions:
  • What is the relative cost of the item?  Having duplicates of things like scissors, garbage cans or pens doesn’t cost too much, and definitely saves time and hassle.
  • How often do you need to use that type of item?  Have extras of those things you use ALL THE TIME.
  • Are there convenient alternatives?  For example, scissors have a very specific function that few other items can perform.  Anything can be a book mark, not anything can cut a piece of paper cleanly in half.
  • Perhaps we just need duplicate accessories?   For example, I only need one bullet blender, but I may have multiple cups for multiple smoothies, because I may make a smoothie both today and tomorrow, and not have a chance to run the dishwasher or wash the dishes between. OR… maybe other people in the house want a smoothie, too.
  • When we need an item, how quickly do we need it?  For example, we buy extra socks. Because when we need to leave the house, missing socks really slow us down.  So it is worth it to have extras, just to make our departures easier.  Not everything requires such immediacy, though.
 
So, how much is enough?  How much is too many?  That depends on who is asking, and what you’re asking about.  But these are great questions to ask as we get organized and purge our clutter!
 
 
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Your Car Is Cold! 5 Ways to Clear Garage Clutter!

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What is the purpose of your garage?  

Car storage, first and foremost.  For many, though, the car sits outside all winter while clutter lives safe and warm inside.  Make space by getting of some garage clutter!

What makes garage organizing a challenge? 

Garages become a catch-all, a dumping ground for our clutter.  Everyone uses the garage, so it becomes the holding place for all undecided items.  In addition, most of the stuff in the garage is just big, both the space and the items stored in it.  And when the clutter piles up, the task becomes so overwhelming, we just can’t tackle it.  The garage is the last area we care about, though it may be the first one we see when we come home.

I would suggest that garages are unique and deserve our respect.  They are truly multi-functional space, with stuff for all members of the household.  And whether we respect the garage or not, winter is coming and no one wants to scrape frost or snow off their car every day!  Here are 5 suggestions to help you Clean Out your garage!

Cardboard – toss it, seriously.

We keep boxes for just in case: in case we need it, in case we have to return an item, in case we up and decide to move.  Most of these just-in-cases never come to pass.  Collapse and recycle your cardboard with your weekly pick-up, or drop off at a local collection location. If you must keep your boxes, nest the small ones and break down the big ones to store flat.  You reclaim lots of space, and a roll of packing tape will restore them later.

Purge appliances and E-Waste like computers, televisions, cords, etc. 

If the item works, try Facebook groups, like buy / sell / trade groups or local groups.  Whether the items works or not, you can also find a place to recycle it:

  • SCARCE.org/Recycling-Events for events in the Chicago Suburbs
  • www.EWorksESI.org, for electronic waste locations and events in Dupage County
  • Solid Waste Agency of North Cook County, https://www.swancc.org/
  •  Check your local community for permanent E-Waste drop-off locations
  • Seasonal E-Waste Collections
  • Assistive Technologies: 7550 W. 183rd Street, Tinley 708-444-2836
  • Call the EPA at 217-524-6713, or visit their website  to find E-Waste collection locations near you!  (Thank you, ME!)
  • Com Ed will collect your old but working refrigerator and pay you $50. Click here for more info

Purge Paint / Hazardous Chemicals:

For more information about hazardous waste disposal sites in your area, click here:  https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/waste-management/waste-disposal/household-hazardous-waste/Pages/default.aspx, or google it for your area.  You can also take the quick way, and purchase paint thickener packets from Home Depot (I’m told cat litter works as well) and add it to partial can of unwanted paint.  Once the paint thickens and hardens, it can be disposed of with regular household waste.

Purge Other People’s Stuff:

If you need help organizing your garage, enlist aid.  Call friends and family, especially the people who have been storing things at your house.  Ask for their assistance with clearing out the garage, and using firm but loving language, ask them for help and tell them the time has come for their stuff to go.

Maximize Vertical Storage:

Imagine all the stuff on the floor of your garage stored vertically on the wall.  Great, right?  There are snazzy garage storage systems like Gorilla Racks or Metro Shelving, but you can reap benefits for a lot less money, too.  For less than $100 at Home Depot, you can purchase some free standing shelves for bulky items, and nails or hooks to install on the studs for hanging storage for items.  I spent 10 minutes in a client’s garage recently, pounding nails into studs for vertical storage.  You can also store stuff in the garage rafters, or suspended from the roof beams.  We hang our bikes from rafter hooks over the winter, above my husband’s car, and clear space in the garage for easier movement.

Finally, once you have cleared your garage clutter, determine zones (storing like items together) and homes (permanent spots) for things, or you will end up right back where you started.  In garages, zones are based on categories like: Seasonal (holiday), Yard / Outdoor, Garden, Hardware, etc.

Spend an hour or two in your garage this week, and you will thank yourself all winter long!

Maintenance: Easy, Essential & Perpetual

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Last week, I was asked “What are Your organizing projects?”.  We’re already organized, so I don’t have huge projects on my list.  My answer is “I am forever engaged in maintenance”.

I use the analogy of laundry. Laundry is never completely done, we’re always making dirty laundry.  In life, there are some tasks that we do and they stay done, and there are some tasks that we do and re-do forever, like dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.; or in an office, client care, filing, billing, etc.

My clients and I talk a lot about the value of “Done”.  Sticking with a task until it is finished so we can move on the next project.  The feeling of accomplishment, the chance to take a breath and pat yourself on the back – I love “Done”.  However, most things don’t stay “Done”.

Remember the line from The Incredibles?  Mr. Incredible: “No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit?  I feel like the  maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for… for ten minutes!”

We all, including Mr. Incredible, need to recognize and embrace a vital component of the Organizing Process – Maintenance.   Maintenance is many things, but I will focus on three.  Maintenance is Easy, Essential and Perpetual.


Maintenance is Easy.  Maintenance is the easiest  part of organizing, certainly easier than getting organized.

Getting Organized takes lots of time, energy, money, motivation, decision-making and all sorts of other things we may or may not be willing to spend.  But Maintenance is what makes Getting Organized stick and stay, and takes much less time, money, energy, decision-making, etc.

Imagine your organized life.  Your clutter is gone.  Your stuff has a home, a place to be “put away”, and you have adequate storage for your items.  If this was your house, maintenance would be easy.  New stuff comes in, old stuff leaves, you put stuff away regularly and you make sure your stuff and systems are still working.  You do this a little bit daily and a lot once in a while, like at change of seasons.  This all becomes easy and routine, and you revel in having less clutter and less stress in your life.  Welcome to Maintenance.

And yet, Life Happens.  Good things, bad things, stuff happens.  Big emergencies and little upsets.  And that is why Maintenance is Essential.  I was discussing motivation with one of my tennis friends, and she said she would rather take care of things right away instead of waiting to do them “because more will always come”.  Maintenance is an investment in your future.

Being organized makes life run more smoothly, and occasionally saves us from those big and little emergencies altogether.  Maintaining our health keeps us healthy.  Maintaining our finances keeps our bills paid.  Maintaining our home keeps most major house emergencies at bay. In negative terms, there are many costs of Delayed Maintenance: Preventable but neglected health issues; late bills, collection agencies and poor credit scores; leaky roofs or plumbing problems.  Maintenance is essential, and a lot cheaper than emergencies. 

Maintenance is Perpetual.  I hear from friends and clients that it feels like organizing is never done.  We think we’re close, and then something happens and we have to adjust.

We are all perpetually in transition.  New day, new season, new challenges, new situations, new jobs, new babies, you name it.  So we have to realize that Yes, we have to maintain our systems and adjust to new things.  And that’s Ok.  And inevitable.

Sometimes I want to fight the perpetuity of maintenance.  Going back to Mr. incredible, can’t the world just stay saved for a while?   Any of these sound familiar (and not just in my house?!)?

“Come on!  I just went to the grocery!   Where did all the food go?  That was a week ago?  And we ate it?  Oh. ”

“We have to go pants shopping again because the teenager is suddenly 5 inches taller?  Really?”

“Didn’t I spend yesterday doing laundry?  What do you mean your uniform is dirty?”

“Didn’t I just pay the bills?  Or clean the gutters?  Or mow the grass?  Or get my flu shot?  DO I really have to do it all again now?  Grrrrr…..

So, I get it.  I do.  But then I remind myself that it is silly to fight Maintenance.  Maintenance will still need done even if I don’t feel like doing it.  And I know things will get really ugly if I don’t do it.  We need to eat, we need to wear clothes, I need to clean my house because it will not clean itself.  I don’t always love to clean, but I do love the end product of a clean home.

We can realize the perpetuity of Maintenance, but still cut ourselves some slack, and accept “Done Enough” or “Done For Now”.  There comes a time each night when my people are safely in bed, and I turn off my brain and the light and declare myself done for the day.  “Done Enough”. For now.  Tomorrow is another day.

So embrace Maintenance, in all its forms, and keep up with your Organizing efforts.  Remind yourself of the Easy and Essential parts to help you embrace the perpetual part!  And give yourself a break and allow for “Done Enough” or “Done For Now” sometimes.

Let Your Brain Do Its Job! 5 Ways to Tame the Monkey Mind

(Original post 2011, edited in 2022!)

The tagline for my company is Organizing for Your Peace of Mind.  Early on, I realized that I am not just selling my time and expertise to my clients, I am providing Peace of Mind.  And I know this because I am constantly learning how to find it for myself, too. 

    I learned the term “Monkey Mind” years ago.  The term monkey mind comes from Buddhist monks to describe our racing thoughts, and it aptly describes my thought process some mornings!  (I like this mental image, too with the monkeys swinging from tree to tree.)   

    But our brain helps us survive and solve problems.  So, if given information, time and opportunity, our monkey mind / brain will come up with solutions for us.  Here are 5 Ways to Tame Your Monkey Mind, and Let Your Brain Do Its Job!

1.  Dump the Monkeys.  David Allen in Getting Things Done suggests writing down every idea running around your head on a piece of paper, a new piece for each idea. Then sort the papers (ideas) into categories –Kids, Work, Specific Work Projects, Personal achievements, Tasks, etc.  I like technology and achieve the same results with the Evernote where I keep my Daily Task List and also the specific ones, like Client Care, Classes or Tiger Scouts.  When the monkey mind overwhelms me, I dump all my ideas on one long un-edited list, then cut and paste the items into their various topic areas.  Next time I sit down to work, I open the Note topic I am looking for, and all those ideas are ready and waiting for me to take action.

2.  Take a Break:  If I lack focus and a clear next step to take, it is often because I need to take a break.  If I am with a client, we take a moment to talk and re-establish our goals for our appointment.  If I am at home, my favorite breaks are short and to the point, so I can get back to work in a timely manner.  I may water my plants, grab a cup of tea, eat an apple, get the mail, file or take out the trash.  I DO NOT check my email or Facebook in the middle of a work session, for if I do, I may never make it back to work!  But  5 minutes to walk around, take a breath, and re-direct are what I need to help me leave the frazzled behind and find new insights.

3.   Take A Nap:  My college roomies will attest, I made it through senior year with power naps.  Most of my upper level Management courses were evening classes, and I had a daytime job and responsibilities that kept me from sleeping in.  So 30 minutes at 4 pm helped me to stay alert and focused for those 3 hour classes!  A few weeks ago, I sent myself to my room for a 20 minute time-out, when my kids and my thoughts were all running around too fast to figure out what to do next.  I came back a calm, pleasant and focused person!

4.  Throw the monkeys off track, and do something completely unrelated.  My most relaxed times are while I am hiking, taking a shower, practicing my flute, or reading books with my youngest son.  During these activities the monkey mind moves to the back of my consciousness, and has a chance to solve pressing problems without my direct involvement.  Luckily, I keep a dry erase marker in the bathroom to jot notes on the mirror, or keep my smart phone with me to jot down task items or ideas as they come to me (except during reading time, that’s just for me and my little guy).  

5.  Do One Thing.  One thing, even if it is not the right or perfect thing, is still progress.  “We can’t do everything at once, but we can do something at once.”  – Calvin Coolidge

Please share any other suggestions for Calming the Monkey Mind, I would love to know what works for you!