Organizing is Eco-Friendly

Everyone is talking about being Green or eco-friendly these days. Here are some thoughts on how organizing your life is earth friendly:

When you organize, you get rid of that which you no longer need. If you sell it or donate it, you are recycling. Get rid of what you don’t use and recycle it to someone who can use it. Some great sites for recycling are Craig’s List/free or www.freecycle.com.

If you know what you already have, you will consume less. People tend to overbuy because they don’t remember already having plenty.

Many garages are breeding grounds for pollutants which are not only earth un-friendly, but also kid and pet un-friendly. By organizing your space, you can make sure you don’t have anything hazardous laying around. Check with your local government agency to find the nearest hazardous waste disposal site.

Save a tree – recycle that paper. Most people save/file/pile up way paper that they absolutely do not need. Having organized paperwork will save you stress and most likely a tree or two.



Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com. Check out her blog at http://cleartheclutterprofessionalorganizing.blogspot.com/

Vacation Planning

Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, yet it can cause quite a bit of stress during the preparation. Here are some quick tips to make the process of preparing for vacation go more smoothly:

Packing List – type up a general packing list for each member of the family. Save it as a document in your computer. When preparing to leave, print them up and hand them out. This way no one will forget toothbrushes or special medicines.
To-Do List – as long as you are typing up that packing list, type up a to-do list for vacation preparation as well. Include things like “put newspaper on hold” or “ask neighbor to feed fish.” Again, every time you are preparing to leave, you print this up and check off the items.
Contact List – Keep a vacation contact list on file as well. Include emergency contact numbers, addresses for postcards, etc.
Big Trip Preparation – if you are going away for an extended vacation or you are traveling internationally, there will be more things to do to prepare. Make a complete list of all that needs to be done (passport update, money exchange, etc). Open your calendar and break down the items so you only have a few things to do each week, leading up to your vacation. For example, passport updates should be handled 6 months out so there is no stress or rush. Money exchange can be done a few weeks out so you aren’t running to the bank the day before you leave. Plan ahead so you aren’t completely frazzled the week of your departure.

Now go ahead and start off your vacation in a more relaxed state of mind. Enjoy!

Meagan Farrell, professional organizer, is the owner of Clear the Clutter organizing services. She can be reached at (360) 631-7268 or at clear_theclutter@yahoo.com.