Donna Smallin Kuper's Blog: The One-Minute Organizer Blog, page 12

7 Office Solutions to Declutter Your Kitchen

photo credit: IMGP3494 via photopin (license)

If your home is anything like the average home, your kitchen is a paper magnet, attracting everything from mail, magazines, and newspapers to grocery lists, recipes, school papers, event flyers, coupons, manuals, and receipts. Without a system for managing it, all that paper can clutter up your kitchen in a hurry.

You may not be able to stop the flow of paper into your home, but you can put it in its place. Following are seven simple office organizing solutions that work equally well to declutter your kitchen.

1. Designate an inbox for frequent incoming paper. What are the 3-5 main categories of incoming papers that end up in your kitchen? Look for a set of stackable trays that you can label for each category. As paper comes in, “deliver” it to the appropriate box. At the very least, corral unopened mail in one basket and papers that require action in another. That way, if you need to find something fast, you know it’s in one of the two baskets.

2. If counter space is limited, decorative hanging wall bins may be a better alternative to baskets or trays.  Hang on a wall or on the back of a pantry door.

3. I use Post-It Self-Stick Wall Pockets on the inside of cabinet doors to stash things like meal plans or dinner recipes for the week, notes to self, and coupons. They’re also perfect for stashing a few envelopes, stamps, and return address labels.

4. A magazine rack can be used with colorful file folders to sort and store recipes you want to try. If you like the recipe, store it in a more permanent place for future use; if not, toss it in the recycling bin!

5. I love a hanging clipboard for keeping reference papers handy – a great solution for school event flyers, takeout menus, or bills to pay. Just tap a screw or nail on the back of a pantry door or other inconspicuous place to hang.

6. Magnetic clips are another way to keep like papers sorted. Hang on the side on your fridge where papers are not visible to anyone entering the kitchen, but still easily accessible.

7. Binders are one of my favorite ways to organize paper. A popular use for binders is to create your own recipe books using recipes torn from magazines. Another idea is to create what I call “The Finder Binder.” This is a place to keep favorite takeout restaurant menus, info about garbage and recycling pickup, important community phone numbers, plus instructions for babysitters, pet sitters, and guests about how to lock up the house, turn on the TV, and other things they might need to know. You can also include pages for each child with school event calendars, teacher names, and other important information.

 

 

 

The post 7 Office Solutions to Declutter Your Kitchen appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Organizing Tips Newsletter – October 2015

ORGANIZING PLAIN & SIMPLE MONTHLY

Tips & Inspiration for Organizing a Simpler Life

October 2015 – Vol. 14 No. 6


There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. ~C.S. Lewis


What’s on your fall chore checklist?

Last week, I was asked to do what’s called a satellite media tour (SMT) – a live broadcast from a studio in New York that goes out to television and radio news programs across the county via satellite feed. The theme of the segment was “Fall Chore Checklist.” I had three sponsors on this tour – 303 Products, STA-BIL, and Seventh Generation – all brands that I was honored to represent.  Following is a recap of the broadcast which included some good information about prepping your home for the coming season that I wanted to share with you.

Fall isn’t just back-to-school time…it’s also time to get your home prepared for winter before the cold and snow arrive. And the best place to start? Start outdoors while you still have the weather on your side. Think about the things you won’t be using during the winter months like lawn and gardening equipment and pool or patio furniture. Now’s the time get these things ready to put away. And hey, maybe clean and organize that storage shed while you’re at it!

About that outdoor furniture, do yourself and your furniture a favor…do not put it away dirty.  That just gives stains a chance to set, maybe permanently. 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner is the perfect cleaner for the job. It will remove even the toughest of summer stains and it rinses clean. When cleaning fabric, let the fabric fully dry, then treat with 303 Fabric Guard. This restores lost water repellency and protects against future soiling and stains. Working in a well-ventilated area, make sure to treat all of the fabric, and let dry for 6-12 hours before storing. To further protect furniture while in storage, spray hard surfaces with 303 Aerospace Protectant – it actually repels dust! (When you take the furniture out of storage in the spring, spray it again to protect it from damaging UV rays.)

Okay, so now that your lawn furniture is all clean and stored, let’s talk about prepping anything with a gasoline engine that you plan to store for the winter – from your lawn mower and weed wacker to motorcycles and classic cars. My husband is a car guy and he swears by STA-BIL® Storage. STA-BIL is a non-alcohol-based fuel stabilizer that protects from corrosion and ethanol issues and helps your engines start right up come spring. Just add a small amount to a fresh tank of gas to keep it fresh for up to two years. Be sure to run the engine for a few minutes to distribute the fuel stabilizer throughout the fuel system before storing.

Other fall chores that you may want/need to add to your list include raking leaves, clearing out gutters, sealing windows, getting your chimney(s) cleaned. And don’t forget to test your smoke detector batteries! You might also want to sweep your front porch, clear away cobwebs around your door and under eaves, and clean outdoor light fixtures.

There are two big fall chores indoors. First off, before storing summer bedding and clothes, be sure they are clean. Yes, that might mean doing a few extra loads of laundry. So choose to use a cost-effective laundry detergent. Seventh Generation Energy Smart Natural Laundry Detergent has been designed to save you energy and money, while also helping to protect and care for the environment.  It does not include any dyes, synthetic fragrances or artificial brighteners. What makes it different is advanced enzyme technology that gives the same performance in both cold and warm water. So you can do all of your laundry using cold-water settings and save $17 a year on average. The cold winter months can make energy bills skyrocket, but smart savings like this can make a difference. (This is a new detergent was just launched exclusively at Target.)

Finally, plan a purge. You’re going to be cooped up inside for the next 4-5 months. A little decluttering will go a long way toward making your home feel bigger. Remember that someone, somewhere could really use what’s just taking up valuable space in your home. Donate that stuff to charity and take the write-off on your 2015 taxes if qualified.

Or, if you prefer to turn that clutter into cash, check out the completely revised and updated version of my book How to Declutter and Make Money Now – available as in paperback and for Kindle.

Happy Kitchen & Bath Month!

October is officially National Kitchen & Bath Month. What if you use this “holiday” as the impetus to declutter and organize these two high-traffic areas in your home?

In the October issue of Dr. Oz The Good Life magazine in an article on “The Good Life Guide to Decluttering” on page 104, I recommend moving medicines to somewhere dark and dry, like a hallway closet. That’s because medicines should be stored away from moisture. I also recommend organizing medicines by type or member of household – whichever you prefer.

I share more kitchen and bath decluttering tips in two separate articles that were recently published on Bed, Bath & Beyond’s blog:

Your shopping guide for (finally) getting organized

Organize like a pro – 5 tricks for tackling clutter-prone spots

Watch for a blog post next week on how to use office organizing products to organize your kitchen.

Favorite organizing products and resources

As a professional organizer for the last 14 years, I’ve used and recommended a lot of organizing products, services and resources. Every month in this column, I share my favorites.

In the last issue, I introduced you to Shelf Scouter, a grocery organization app that was created by a mom to organize and track the products you use and make shopping lists that you can print or email or access through the app. Your lists can include groceries, household goods, baby needs, and pet supplies. What I love is that as you create your lists, you’ll see products available for ordering online from major retailers such as Walmart or Amazon so you can have them delivered to your door if you wish. It’s the perfect app for busy professionals, active families, and persons with limited mobility. It’s available for Apple, Android, and the Web. And it’s free!

This month, I invite you to look at SendOutCards, a program I use to send real paper greeting cards right from my laptop. I’m not talking about ecards. You just choose a card you want from their online catalog – or create one using your own photos. You write a personal message, sign it, and then hit send. SendOutCards prints, stuffs, seals, stamps and mails your card for 93 cents plus the cost of a stamp. You can even send gifts with your cards!

SendOutCards also makes it easy to design and send invitations and holiday cards to everyone on your list, saving you all that licking and stamping. Just hit send. I’ve been using SendOutCards now for nine years and I love that I always have the right card for at any occasion at my fingertips. If you want to check it out, you’re welcome to send a few cards on me with no obligation. Let me know what you think!

Shameless promotion: Living large in a small space

I’m writing today from Albuquerque. My husband and I volunteered to be on the chase crew for the Hearts A’ Fire balloon – one of 550 hot air balloons flying at the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (That’s the envelope of our team balloon in the lower half of the photo at left.)

I wasn’t sure if I could get up at 4:30am every day for 9 days straight, but like “they” say…you can sleep when you’re dead! This is a truly joyful event that you might want to put on your bucket list if it’s not already on there. This is the song that runs through my head every morning as hundreds of balloons ascend into the sky.

Reminder: On Wednesday, October 7, I have a book signing for Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness at Bookworks, an independent book store near Old Town in Albuquerque. I’ll be talking about living large in a small space.

That’s all for this month. Until next month, keep it simple.

************************************************

FULL DISCLOSURE: Some links in this organizing tips newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission. These earnings go toward the continuation of this complimentary newsletter which is free to you, but does cost to distribute. Please note that I only recommend products that I would recommend whether I got paid or not.

The post Organizing Tips Newsletter – October 2015 appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Thank You Gift

As I glanced at my calendar today, I noticed that Monday, September 21 is World Gratitude Day. What better day to let you know how much I appreciate you following me and supporting my work! Your questions, comments, and successes inspire me to keep on keeping on, knowing that what I do is making a difference is so many lives.

As a token of my gratitude, I have a thank you gift for you. But you have to act quickly to get it!

GRAB YOUR COPY for FREE through September 22!

Your gift is a FREE copy of one of my books, Secrets of Professional Organizers Volume 1: Leading Experts Talk About Chronic Disorganization & Hoarding. Just click on the link above to go to my book page on Amazon and then click to “buy” your copy for $0.00. I have arranged for the book price to remain free through September 22 only. So please grab your copy today!

If you or someone you know struggles with clearing clutter, this thank you gift will not only help you understand why, but also provides specific strategies for overcoming disorganization and overwhelm.

Here’s what a few Amazon reviewers wrote after reading Secrets of Professional Organizers Volume 1: Leading Experts Talk About Chronic Disorganization & Hoarding:

 

I am glad I read this book. It gets into more detail what is going on when you can not clear up your clutter problems. I dislike the tv show that does not go into enough detail for me. Unlike that ,this book explains better the many issues that may be causing to much clutter and disorganization. It tells how very hard it is to solve the problem and I have found it a problem I can not solve easily myself. I wish every person in the country understood this much information on this subject. It would be very useful. The book is well written and easy to follow also. It will give me strength to give up something right now and know I will manage fine afterwards! (San – 2/8/14)

I liked the book because it provided insight into the different ways I can go about organizing, right-sizing, and uncluttering my life. I’ve already begun making changes that relieve frustration and truly work. Also, it opened the window on the different learning styles and emotional barriers that impact each of us. It helped me better understand–and be less judgmental of–family members who face organizational challenges. Secrets of Professional Organizers Volume 3 should be made a companion, since they go hand-in-hand. (Jan – 1/11/14)

NOTE: This book is currently available in Kindle format only. If you don’t have a Kindle, you can download a free Kindle reading app for your Android phone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

The post Thank You Gift appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Your Clutter or Your Life

photo credit: Love via photopin (license)

As a kid, I never had much in the way of material possessions. So I treasured each new acquisition, whether it was something I bought or something that was given to me. And I saved everything because it was MY stuff.

Try as I might, I just couldn’t bring myself to throw away anything, especially something that was still perfectly good, like the beautiful white linen material I once bought to make a dress. I got as far as cutting out the pattern but then set it aside when I messed up by accidentally cutting a notch. I had every intention of figuring out how to correct my mistake and finishing that project someday. Finally, ten years and three moves later, I scrapped it. And you know what? It was a relief to be rid of it.

What I have discovered is that it takes a certain amount of courage to let go of the bits and pieces of our lives that no longer serve us. Every time I looked at that unfinished dress, it was a reminder of one more thing I needed to do. Even after I put it away in my closet, the feeling of unfinished business would wash over me whenever I happened to catch a glimpse of the bag it was stored in.

You might get that same feeling when you look at the piles of stuff on your dining room table, the mounds of clothing on your bedroom floor, or the helter-skelter state of your basement or garage. It’s a feeling that leaves you physically tired, emotionally drained, and in a never-ending state of stress.

Imagine for a moment what it would be like to have no clutter in your home. Nothing to step over or push aside. No mess. No chaos. Just beautiful, peaceful, serene order all around you. How would you feel then?

The difference between clutter and order, chaos and peace is a choice. A 19th-century philosopher by the name of Jeremy Bentham suggested that the way to make either/or decisions is to weigh the pain against the pleasure. When you weigh the pain of letting go of something against the pleasure of being free of the negativity around it, the choice becomes clear.

I’m not suggesting that you get rid of everything you own – just start by removing the stuff that is keeping you from having the life you want to live. Things you regret paying too much for. Things you never wanted but were gifted or inherited. Things that define who you once were, not who you are today.

Next time you decide to take a run at decluttering your home, make a choice to free yourself from the things that are holding you hostage. Ask yourself: Which do I value more – my clutter or my life? If you can bring yourself to let go of the things you no longer love or use, you will gain more time and energy for living, loving, and celebrating life.

 

The post Your Clutter or Your Life appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Organizing Tips Newsletter – September 2015

ORGANIZING PLAIN & SIMPLE MONTHLY

Tips & Inspiration for Organizing a Simpler Life

September 2015 – Vol. 14 No. 5


You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. ~John C. Maxwell


Is poor health keeping you from getting organized?

photo credit: Sorrow via photopin (license)

I know you want to declutter your home. I also know that just the thought of decluttering can be exhausting. And if you’re also battling a debilitating pain, chronic illness, or other medical condition, you may be wondering, “Is it even possible?”

The answer is yes – and here’s how. (Even if you’re healthy, I think you’ll find many of these tips helpful, especially if you’re having trouble getting started or sticking to your goal.)

Know your limits. How much physical work can you do BEFORE you can’t move the next day? It’s okay to do less. If you overdo, take the time you need to recover.

Focus. Start with one small area or project and don’t move on to another until you are done with the first. This is especially important if you are easily distracted or have difficulty remembering what it was you wanted to do as a result of chronic fatigue or aging. If you want to declutter your closet, for example, start with decluttering one foot of your clothes rod at a time. Then declutter and organize your shoes. Then you can move on to accessories.

Pace yourself. Plan to take breaks. Set a timer for no more than 30 minutes. Then take at least a five-minute break to walk away. Don’t forget to set timer to come back!

Declutter daily. The key to success at anything is to do it consistently which means creating new habits. Think about something you do every day and then squeeze in a few minutes right after to do some cleaning up. For example: After you brush your teeth, take a few minutes to make your bed and pick up stray clothing and towels from the floor.

Question everything. The easiest way to decide whether you should keep or toss an item (especially clothing) is to ask yourself: Would I buy this today? If that doesn’t work for you, try this: If you can replace it for less than $20 and in under 20 minutes, let it go.

Make it easy. Once you decide what you can live without, the easiest way to rid of your home of unwanted items is to donate it all to one place. Even easier – go to Donationtown.org to find a charitable organization that will come and pick it up.

Be accountable. It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something. It’s another thing to have someone who will hold you accountable to doing it. Find an organizing buddy and check in with each other every day or once a week.

Get support. If you haven’t already, you might want to consider joining my free organizing support group on Facebook. Many of the members struggle with conditions ranging from general fatigue to arthritis to spinal injuries. It’s a closed group so only other members can see what you post. You’ll find lots of support and encouragement there as well as some good ideas.

Reward yourself often. On a break, pour your favorite beverage, put your feet up and read a chapter in a book or a couple of articles in a magazine. After decluttering an entire room, go out with a friend to see a movie. Or buy yourself some flowers. You deserve them.

So those are my suggestions. Anything you’d like to add? What have you found that works for you?

Why you haven’t heard from me in 3 months

One of the things that inspired the article above was my own personal experience with a minor traumatic brain injury back in mid-March.

I was riding my bicycle in a bike lane when suddenly, my hands were jolted off the handlebars. I tried to re-grab them, but missed and crashed, hitting my head so hard that my helmet broke in five places. Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet, or I might not be writing to you today!

The first person on the scene asked if I was okay to ride home. I looked at my bike on the ground and the scrapes on my knees and elbows and said, “Yes, I think so.” But when he asked where I needed to go, I could not remember where I lived! So he offered to drive me to the fire station down the road to have the paramedics take a look at me. They asked what year it was, and I couldn’t answer that question either. So they took me to the hospital for an MRI of my head. On the way there, I yelled out, “2015!” I knew then that I would be okay.

Other than being sore, I felt fine. But about a month later, during a very busy time with some big deadlines, I noticed that I was having trouble finding the right words (aphasia). My primary physician sent me back to the hospital for an emergency MRI; she was afraid that I might have a slow bleed in my brain. I did not, thankfully! But I was diagnosed with post-concussive syndrome and told to rest my brain, which meant limiting time on my computer.

I never intended to take off the entire summer, but I guess I needed the break. The good news is that my brain and I are back to normal and you can expect to hear from me more often. (Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I DID get back on my “horse” once I got a new helmet!)

Favorite organizing products and resources

As a professional organizer for the last 14 years, I’ve used and recommended a lot of organizing products, services and resources. Every month in this column, I share my favorites.

In the last issue, I introduced you to a way to clean out your closet and help out your kid’s school at the same time! Schoola was created to raise money for schools. Register at Schoola so you can donate clothing to be sold on behalf of your school. You’ll receive a bag that you can fill with your children’s gently used clothing and send back, free of charge. Schoola resells donated clothing on their web site for 70% of the original cost and donates $2 of every $5 to the school of your choice.

At the annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers back in April, I discovered Shelf Scouter. Shelf Scouter is a grocery organization app that was created by a mom to organize and track the products you use and make shopping lists that you can print or email or access through the app. You can even share recipes (see below for a link to a few of my favorite easy and healthy dinners) and add the ingredients you need to your shopping list. Your lists can include groceries, household goods, baby needs, and pet supplies.

What I love is that as you create your lists, you’ll see products available for ordering online from major retailers such as Walmart or Amazon so you can have them delivered to your door if you wish. It’s the perfect app for busy professionals, active families, and persons with limited mobility. It’s available for Apple, Android, and the Web. And it’s free! (Check out some of my favorite recipes on Shelf Scouter here.)

Shameless promotion: What I did on my summer vacation

On July 23, we celebrated our two-year anniversary of living and traveling in our motor home after selling our sticks-and-bricks home and everything in it when my husband retired. Two years later, I haven’t missed a thing. As Zac Brown sings in Homegrown, “I have everything I need, and nothing I don’t.”

We spent the summer traveling across country to see friends and family in the Northeast.  Along the way, we adopted a stray kitten in Branson, MO (or rather, she adopted us). We named her Ozark and she’s adjusted quite nicely to life on the road. My husband wrote this blog post about her just last week.

I did do some work along the way (if you can call it that!). In Des Moines, IA, I spent a day with the Better Homes & Gardens staff filming a few new cleaning videos. They’re probably nearing final production by now and as soon as I get them, I’ll share them with you.

We also made pit stops in Minneapolis, MN and Albany, NY where I had book signings scheduled for my latest book entitled Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness. I have another signing scheduled for October 7 in Albuquerque. Let me know if you’d like to attend and I’ll get all the details to you.

That’s all for this month. Until next month, keep it simple.

************************************************

FULL DISCLOSURE: Some links in this organizing tips newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission. These earnings go toward the continuation of this complimentary newsletter which is free to you, but does cost to distribute. Please note that I only recommend products that I would recommend whether I got paid or not.

 

 

 

The post Organizing Tips Newsletter – September 2015 appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Presidential Advice

Donna here, speaking to you today from the oval office of George Bush.

My husband and I arrived in College Station, Texas yesterday. We decided to visit the Bush Presidential Library today at the suggestion of some friends and also on the recommendation of TripAdvisor and Yelp reviewers. I didn’t know what to expect. A really swanky library filled with lots of books? Why would so many people rave about that?

Now I know. The Bush Library is actually a museum that chronicles the life of President George Bush. Regardless of your political leanings, I highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area.

Did you know that in 1943, at 18 years of age, George Bush became the youngest Navy pilot? He served in World War II – and survived his plane being shot down over the Pacific. (Read more about his military service in this World War II magazine interview.)

Anyway, within minutes of entering the Bush Library, I was thoroughly engrossed in learning more about the man who was our 41st president. More than once, I was brought to tears as I read letters he’d written in his younger years to his parents and to his bride-to-be. I was struck by how open he was about sharing his feelings (and a little sad for posterity’s sake about how few letters we write today). It was obvious that he held family, friends, and freedom dear to his heart even as he went on to become an oil entrepreneur, U.S. congressman, director of the C.I.A., vice president, and president. By the time we left the museum, I wished that I could shake his hand.

So what’s the Bush Library got to do with cleaning house?

As I sat down to watch a short video of George Bush’s inaugural address from January 20, 1989, I thought of you as I heard these words:

My friends, we are not the sum of our possessions. They are not the measure of our lives. In our hearts we know what matters. We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it. What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us? Or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment there to trade a word of friendship?

Heck with shaking his hand. I’d like to give George Bush a big hug.

 

The post Presidential Advice appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Spring Cleaning Your Garage

Did you know that 57% of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park cars inside them — or have room for only one vehicle? I think you know why. Because instead of getting rid of stuff, we throw it out in the garage!

If you’re ready to take on the challenge of cleaning your garage, spring is a good time to do it, before it gets too hot to even think about it. With a few simple organization ideas, tidying up your garage and keeping it neat and clean is not only possible, it’s very doable. Here’s the plan…

Declutter first

Depending on the size of your garage and the amount of clutter, choose a full day or a full weekend to dedicate to decluttering and organizing your garage.
Make spring cleaning the garage a family project. Include family members, relatives or a few close friends. This will help speed up the process.
Go through every single item and sort into four piles – Keep, Donate, Sell, Toss.
 A good tip for judging which items to let go of is to ask yourself one and only one question: Have I used this in the past year? If your answer is no, then it’s time to get rid of it.
Do not keep items that you think you may use someday. Wouldn’t you rather have the space those items are taking up…right now?
Having a hard time letting go of things you spent a lot of money on? The money has already been spent, so whether you keep the item (and never use it) or let it go, the money spent on it is not coming back.  It’s best to just let go and make better spending decisions in the future.
Trash or recycle items you’ve decided to toss.
Pack up items to be donated in your car and drop them off at the nearest donation center.
Set aside items you plan to sell at an upcoming yard sale, online, or local consignment stores. If you are planning to have a yard sale, schedule it now.

Organize what’s left

Once that’s done and all of the clutter is out, it’s time to start organizing. First, figure out how much space your car(s) will take and then work with what’s left by placing items in spaces based on their types and uses:

Frequently Used: Keep items that you use frequently, such as shopping bags and pet leashes within easy reach – perhaps on hooks by the door.

Items Used Together: Create zones for groups of things such as auto care, gardening, and sports equipment so that like items are stored together.

Bulkier Items: Use the two back corners of the garage to store bulkier items such as a lawn mowers or snowthrower.

Rarely Used: Place rarely used items, such as holiday decorations or snow tires, on higher shelves of sturdy shelving units or consider installing a ceiling storage system. Just make sure your garage door doesn’t interfere with the ceiling storage.

Tools and Bicycles: Tools such as shovels and rakes and bicycles are best stored by hanging on the wall.

Note: If you’re using cardboard boxes as storage containers, you might want to seriously consider investing in some plastic bins that will keep insects and rodents from taking up residence in your house.

Keep it tidy

Once you’re done with all of that, you’ll have a cleaner garage that is organized nicely. The next step is to make efforts year round to keep it that way.

Keep floor space as free as possible.
Spray for pests from time to time to keep insects at bay.
Sweep and hose down the floors regularly to get out dirt.

And the most important step of all: Repeat at least once a year to purge what’s no longer wanted or needed.

This article was submitted by Garaga, Canada’s leading garage door manufacturer.

The post Spring Cleaning Your Garage appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Organizing Tips Newsletter – April 2015

ORGANIZING PLAIN & SIMPLE MONTHLY

Tips & Inspiration for Organizing a Simpler Life

April 2015 – Vol. 14 No. 4
Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. ~ St. Francis of Assisi
Are you chained to the American dream?

photo credit: CHAINED!!! via photopin (license)

I like to publish a blog post every week or at least three times a month. But this month, I only managed two blog posts – Time to Do the Spring Fling and this one, my regular monthly newsletter which, by the way, is now in its 14th year of publication. I guess that goes to prove that I never get tired of writing about cleaning house!

But my, oh my, sometimes the weeks just fly by! I’m sure you can relate. We have things we really want to do like write a blog post or clean out that closet, but other more urgent things vie for our time and attention. That’s how it was for me this month. I spent the first two weeks of April getting ready for the annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) — and the past week recovering from it!

Our keynote presenters were Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, also known as The Minimalists. Before they had even turned 30, these guys (who happen to be long-time friends), were making six-figure incomes and living what many people would describe as the American dream. But they weren’t happy. In fact, they were depressed. And alone.

You see, while they had all the trappings of success and appeared to be successful, they were failing miserably at life. Josh talked about working 80 hours a week, which was great for his bank account, but didn’t leave much time or energy for his relationships, particularly the relationship with his wife which ended in divorce. Ryan talked about having nice cars and clothes, going out to expensive dinners, taking the kinds of vacations that “successful” people take — and incurring a mountain of debt.

Josh got a wake-up call when his mother died and he had to deal with all of her stuff. According to him, she had managed to cram the entire family home into her tiny retirement apartment. As he sifted through everything his mother had left behind, he came to realize a few things that really resonated with me:

Letting go of things (selling or donating) adds value to other people’s lives — and to the things themselves.

By having fewer items of sentimental value, we are able to enjoy them more (versus having boxes of things we keep and never look at such as photographs).

We need to let go to move on. (Deep breath.)

As Josh came to these and other realizations about stuff, he found himself embracing the minimalist lifestyle. And then Ryan, seeing how this path had transformed his friend, quickly followed suit. They gave up their high-paying corporate jobs and now write about living a meaningful life with less stuff.

The Minimalists asked us: How might your life be better if you owned less stuff? What if you removed just one item each day for 30 days?

I like that strategy because it’s SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Plus, I always say that the hardest part of decluttering and getting organized is getting started. Chances are, if you make a commitment to remove just one item each day, you may end up removing two or three or a maybe even a dozen.

If you don’t know where to start, how about starting with your closet? Make a decision to donate anything you didn’t wear last fall and winter. I just did that over the weekend and pulled enough items from my closet to fill two bags. And I thought I was a minimalist before!

Of course, minimalism isn’t just about the stuff. It’s a way of life that hinges on being more deliberate with our decisions about how we spend our time, energy and money. It’s about figuring out what’s really important, choosing to retain only what adds value to our lives and getting rid of the rest. Ultimately, minimalism as a way of life is a way to unchain ourselves from the ideas, expectations, and things that prevent us from being free to live a happier, more meaningful life.

Inspired reads about cleaning out your closet

I read an article on Sunday that sent me running to my closet, determined to pare it down to just 37 items, including shoes! I didn’t quite succeed, but my goal is to create what is known as a capsule wardrobe. I highly recommend reading Why I Got Rid of My Wardrobe.

This morning, I read a blog post written by my friend, Joshua Becker (another minimalist), on 8 Reasons Why Successful People Are Choosing to Wear the Same Thing Every Day. It reminded me of my old school uniform. I hated it back then, but it really did make it easy to get dressed!

In that article was a link to a Forbes article entitled The Real Cost of Your Shopping Habits. Another must read for the stats alone — or if you secretly know that the reason you have too much stuff is because you spend so much time at the mall.

Favorite organizing products and resources

As a professional organizer for the last 14 years, I’ve used and recommended a lot of organizing products, services and resources. Every month in this column, I share my favorites.

Purse Perfector

Last month, I shared one of my all-time favorite organizing products. If you’ve ever wished for an easier way to change purses, check out the Purse Perfector. It’s an insert with pockets and compartments to help you organize everything from business cards to lipsticks that fits neatly into any purse and can be transferred to another purse in a snap. But don’t take my word for it — check out the testimonials at Purse Perfector.

This month, I want to introduce you to a way to clean out your closet and help out your kid’s school at the same time! Schoola was created to raise money for schools. Register at Schoola so you can donate clothing to be sold on behalf of your school. You’ll receive a bag that you can fill with your children’s gently used clothing and send back, free of charge. Schoola resells donated clothing on their web site for 70% of the original cost and donates $2 of every $5 to the school of your choice. And right now, for a limited time, Schoola is offering free shipping on purchases with no minimum! Plus, if you “like” Schoola on Facebook, you’ll get a $5 coupon (through 4/30/15). But any time is a good time to purchase children’s clothing from Schoola, save money, and help your school.

Shameless promotion: People are saying the nicest things!

Grab your copy HERE!

This may come as a surprise to you, but when I write a book, I have no way of knowing how well it is selling until I get my royalty check. Meanwhile, I am loving the many nice reviews of my latest book Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness!

Check out this review just posted by Lapdog Creations – she’s raffling off a copy of my book here. (If you like dogs, you may also want to check out her Etsy store.)

Roz Warren aka The Funniest Librarian wrote this amusing review entitled Housecleaning Mantras and Random Acts of Organizing. (I am just starting to read her newest book Our Bodies, Our Shelves: A Collection of Library Humor.)

And here’s a quick review from the San Francisco Book Review that really made my day.

Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats and in bookstores everywhere. If you read it, I hope you will do me the favor of writing a review to tell me what you liked about it. Thank you so much!

That’s all for this month. Until next month, keep it simple.

************************************************

FULL DISCLOSURE: Some links in this organizing tips newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission. These earnings go toward the continuation of this complimentary newsletter which is free to you, but does cost to distribute. Please note that I only recommend products that I would recommend whether I got paid or not.

 

 

 

 

The post Organizing Tips Newsletter – April 2015 appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Time to Do the Spring Fling

Cartoon courtesy of OrganizedGreetings.com

Got the urge to do some spring cleaning?

It’s a lot easier to clean house when floors, counters, tables and all horizontal surfaces are clear.

If you look around and see piles everywhere, don’t despair. Here’s a simple system for clearing the clutter from your home, room by room.

Get four boxes or bins and label them: Keep, Move, Donate, Toss.

Pick a room – any room – and choose a small space like a dresser drawer, shelf, or the floor of your closet. Set a timer for 15-30 minutes.

Remove everything from that space and sort into four categories:

KEEP – things you love and use regularly in your present life

MOVE– things that belong elsewhere in your home

DONATE – things that are just taking up space, but might be useful to others

TOSS – things with little or no value that can be recycled or trashed

Make decisions as quickly as you can. My mantra: If you don’t love it or use it, lose it. If you have to think about it for more than a few seconds, that’s a clue that the item is probably not all that important to keep. Afraid you might need it someday? Ask yourself: Could I get it again pretty easily and inexpensively if I need it again? If the answer is yes, let it go.

When your time is up, put away the keepers, move the stuff that belongs elsewhere, bag up the donations and put them in your car (or find a local charitable organization that will pick up at www.donationtown.org), and toss the contents of that last box into your recycling or trash bin.

Repeat this process daily. When you finish decluttering one space, move on to the next. When that room is decluttered, tackle the next room until you’ve cleared the clutter from every room.

Using this system, you’ll be on your way to a cleaner, happier home in no time!

_______________

This article originally appeared in the April 2015 issue of Clean Green Living.

The post Time to Do the Spring Fling appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.

Organizing Tips Newsletter – March 2015

ORGANIZING PLAIN & SIMPLE MONTHLY

Tips & Inspiration for Organizing a Simpler Life

March 2015 – Vol. 14 No. 3
Doing your best means to take action. You can have many great ideas in your head, but without action upon an idea, there will be no manifestation, no results and no reward. ~ Don Miguel Ruiz
Get your spring clean on for a healthier home!

A clean home is a healthy home– unless you’re cleaning it incorrectly, in which case, you might actually be making your home dirtier! In this article, originally published on The Reliable Blog and reprinted with permission, I offer the following tips to help freshen your home this spring season– and keep it that way.

1. Water cleans as well, if not better, than other “chemical” cleaners. In a University of California-Davis study, it was proven that cleaning with a microfiber cloth and water alone was 99% effective at removing not only soil and grime, but also germs. What most people forget is that water is a chemical. It’s made up of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen (H2O). De-ionized water or distilled water has a pH of 7, which is neutral, making it the safest choice for cleaning tough dirt from the most delicate of surfaces such as marble.

2. Mop buckets spread dirt and germs. The second you put a dirty mop back into the bucket, you contaminate the water – and you can’t clean with dirty water! Invest in a steam floor cleaner such as the Reliable Steamboy Pro 3-in-1 steam and scrub floor mop. Not only does the Steamboy Pro clean sealed floors and sanitize carpets (perfect tool for freshening your pet’s favorite spot as well as removing fleas), it also simultaneously steams and scrubs tile and grout– without the use of harsh chemicals!

3. Vacuuming more often results in cleaner air. Carpet manufacturers recommend vacuuming once a week for each person living in your home. That means vacuuming four times a week if you’ve got a family of four! At the very least, vacuum high-traffic areas daily and have your carpets deep cleaned every 12 to 18 months to diminish trapped soils. This eliminates not only dust but also allergens from the environment.

4. Steam is your best friend for cleaning. After removing visible soil by brushing, sweeping, dusting, or vacuuming, you still need to get rid of contaminants that are bound to the surface. Steam cleaning combines chemical action from H2O with high-heat reducing the amount of agitation (effort) and time needed to clean any area. The Reliable Pronto 100CH steam cleaner and fabric steamer disinfects surfaces and refreshes fabrics, reducing germs to a safe level and creates a healthier, more hygienic household.

5. Be like a machine with your routine. Professional home cleaners have a system of cleaning that helps them remember what they need to get done by doing it in the same order each time. When entering a room, most cleaners will start top to bottom, left to right, back to front, and center last (or first). Always begin and end your home cleaning with the same rooms. For example, you might clean “dry” rooms such as the living rooms and bedrooms first before moving into “wet” rooms (like the bathroom and kitchen) to help prevent the spread of germs from the latter to the former.

More spring cleaning help

Speaking of spring cleaning, I did a 25-minute video interview with Smead Corporation on How to Spring Clean Like a Pro that was just released last week. You might also like this recent Chicago Tribune article in which I give tips about how to win the war on clutter in your home without starting World War III with your spouse.

And did you know that you can get help at with your cleaning and decluttering challenges at my web site? Go to Unclutter.com. Look for the search icon (the magnifying glass) at the top right of the home page. Then type in a keyword or phrase such as “organizing paper” or “spring cleaning” to find previous blog posts and newsletters where that topic was covered.

Finally, if you’re on Facebook or Twitter, I encourage you to follow me there. In addition to sharing practical tips, articles, and other helpful resources, I enjoy connecting with my readers and welcome your questions!

Favorite organizing products and resources

As a professional organizer for the last 14 years, I’ve used and recommended a lot of organizing products, services and resources. Every month in this column, I share my favorites.

Last month, I introduced you to affordable backup solution for ALL of your devices – and access your data from anywhere via any browser, computer or mobile device. IDrive is a top player in the online backup space with more than 3 million customers worldwide. Not only can you back up all of your devices, it costs less than similar services. I made contact with the company and they have agreed to offer my readers a 75% discount off the regular annual price for 1TB of space for one year, or just $14.88 a year. If you decide to try it out, click here to access this special offer.

This month, I want to give a shout-out to a new favorite and an old favorite. If you have wire shelving in your home, now there’s an easy, affordable way to change over to regular shelving. It’s called Help My Shelf and it’s a complete wire shelf makeover kit that covers existing wire shelves with a smooth liner. It’s a simple way to get a custom shelving look without the custom price. To learn more, check out their web site where you can enter to win the Ugly Kitchen Pantry Contest. I just noticed that they are offering free shipping through 3/31/15.

Purse Perfector

And if you’ve ever wished for an easier way to change purses, check out the Purse Perfector. It’s an insert with pockets and compartments to help you organize everything from business cards to lipsticks that fits neatly into any purse and can be transferred to another purse in a snap. I’ve been using and recommending this simple solution for years. The company recently announced that it’s got a new logo, new web site, and new manufacturer (still made in the USA) and to celebrate, they are offering 15% off everything but sale items. Choose the Purse Perfector that’s right for you and then enter the discount code NEWLOOK at checkout.

Shameless promotion: Cleaning for a Reason

Have you heard about Cleaning for a Reason? This non-profit organization has recruited more than 1,100 maid services to donate free housecleaning to women who are undergoing treatment for cancer. Since 2006, their partner maid services have volunteered their time to clean for over 17,000 women.

Though I don’t clean houses for a living, I recently signed up as a corporate partner to help spread the word about this wonderful service. Do you have a female friend or family member going through cancer treatment? You can apply on her behalf at  Cleaning for a Reason.  If you have a house cleaning service, ask if they know about Cleaning for a Reason and encourage them to volunteer their services for the cause. Or maybe you’d like to honor someone by making a donation? Go to Cleaning for a Reason.

That’s all for this month. Until next month, keep it simple.

************************************************

FULL DISCLOSURE: Some links in this organizing tips newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission. These earnings go toward the continuation of this complimentary newsletter which is free to you, but does cost to distribute. Please note that I only recommend products that I would recommend whether I got paid or not.

 

 

 

The post Organizing Tips Newsletter – March 2015 appeared first on Declutter Your Life with Donna Smallin Kuper.