Do you have an electronics cemetery in your house or garage? You know, the place where old electronics lay in rest while you ponder what to do with them? If this sounds familiar, Costco has a solution. Costco has a trade in program for electronics, gaming systems, cell phones, etc. In some cases, you can even get money for your trade ins!
Go to www.costco.com and click on electronics. Then go to “Trade in program” listed on the left menu column. It is very simple. Now you can clear that old electronic clutter, help the environment by practicing proper disposal AND possibly help your pocketbook. Win.win.win!
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/
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Setting realistic goals
Getting organized can feel overwhelming. Clients always tell me that they feel exhausted just thinking about the process. Quite frankly, any major project or life change will feel overwhelming if it is not broken down into realistic, attainable goals. So in order to get organized, break it down and get realistic.
For example, your organizational goal is to clear off your kitchen counter and keep it that way. Break it down and spend 15 minutes a day tackling one pile at a time. When your 15 minutes is up and one pile has been managed, congratulate yourself on a job well done and feel satisfied that you accomplished the goal for the day. Keep chipping away until the entire counter is cleared.
Next, set realistic goals. In some cases, it is highly improbable that your kitchen counter will stay cleared for long. Unless you live alone, your counter may have the tendency to be a catch-all location for all other residents. So set a goal that is realistic for everyone involved. Maybe put an inbox tray or basket on your counter and let everyone know that if papers must come in, they are to be put into the basket. This way, most of your counter gets to stay clean and you are not feeling like an organizational failure every time Junior plops his school papers back on your clean counter.
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/
For example, your organizational goal is to clear off your kitchen counter and keep it that way. Break it down and spend 15 minutes a day tackling one pile at a time. When your 15 minutes is up and one pile has been managed, congratulate yourself on a job well done and feel satisfied that you accomplished the goal for the day. Keep chipping away until the entire counter is cleared.
Next, set realistic goals. In some cases, it is highly improbable that your kitchen counter will stay cleared for long. Unless you live alone, your counter may have the tendency to be a catch-all location for all other residents. So set a goal that is realistic for everyone involved. Maybe put an inbox tray or basket on your counter and let everyone know that if papers must come in, they are to be put into the basket. This way, most of your counter gets to stay clean and you are not feeling like an organizational failure every time Junior plops his school papers back on your clean counter.
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/
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
How to make your frantic times more manageable
Have you ever read any of Stephen Covey’s books? If so, you are familiar with his quadrants. Covey explains that there are 4 quadrants of operation:
1. Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects)
2. Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)
3. Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters)
4. Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)
Even the most organized person can be thrown for a loop in life and be forced to operate in the 1st quadrant. Things just explode and you are basically just surviving. But if your life is generally organized, than not only will you weather the storm with less fall out, but you will also recover more quickly.
Why not schedule a little time out of a 2nd quadrant day to do some organizing? Take a day that is less hectic then the rest and take a half hour to get some things in your life in order. If you do this on a regular basis, then 1st quadrant fall outs won’t be so stressful.
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/
1. Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects)
2. Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)
3. Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters)
4. Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)
Even the most organized person can be thrown for a loop in life and be forced to operate in the 1st quadrant. Things just explode and you are basically just surviving. But if your life is generally organized, than not only will you weather the storm with less fall out, but you will also recover more quickly.
Why not schedule a little time out of a 2nd quadrant day to do some organizing? Take a day that is less hectic then the rest and take a half hour to get some things in your life in order. If you do this on a regular basis, then 1st quadrant fall outs won’t be so stressful.
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/
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Organize that Garage!
It is spring and as it warms up, it is a great time to get that garage cleaned out! Always begin any organizing project with the process of elimination. The best way to eliminate clutter in your garage is to do small sections at a time. Pick either a corner or a shelf and work on that area only. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Do not put things away as you sort or you are likely to get sidetracked from your main focus. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Stay focused until the space is entirely done.
Next, consider your storage space. Shelving is always a great option. Using clear plastic storage bins to hold categorized items, such as holiday decorations or camping equipment, is the way to go. With clear bins you can see what you have inside without having to pull the bin down and rummage through it. Make sure to label all bins with the general content of the category. Another option is ceiling space. There are ceiling hanging shelves for items infrequently used or there are hooks that hang from the ceiling and hold bikes or sporting equipment.
Finally, install your storage items and put everything away in a neat and categorized way. Now that everything has a home, keep it there. Enjoy your clean and usable space!
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/
Next, consider your storage space. Shelving is always a great option. Using clear plastic storage bins to hold categorized items, such as holiday decorations or camping equipment, is the way to go. With clear bins you can see what you have inside without having to pull the bin down and rummage through it. Make sure to label all bins with the general content of the category. Another option is ceiling space. There are ceiling hanging shelves for items infrequently used or there are hooks that hang from the ceiling and hold bikes or sporting equipment.
Finally, install your storage items and put everything away in a neat and categorized way. Now that everything has a home, keep it there. Enjoy your clean and usable space!
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/
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Spring Cleaning Success
Spring is here which may put you in the mood for some spring cleaning and organizing. In order to keep the enthusiasm up and not overwhelm yourself, remember this: you don’t have to completely organize your life or even your garage in one day.
Think about it this way – on those organizing shows where they completely overhaul someone’s home, they take a full weekend with a full crew of professionals doing all the heavy lifting. Most of us don’t have a full crew to do that for us. And organizing gets tiring if you try to do it for hours on end. So make it easy on yourself by breaking it down and making your goal achievable. After all, what is more inspiring then achieving your goals?
Set aside a small amount of time that is realistic to dedicate to organizing (this means don’t answer the phone, don’t get sidetracked by children, don’t answer email). Whether it is 15 minutes or two hours, make sure that it is dedicated time where you won’t be distracted. Start with a small section at a time. Pick a closet, a cupboard, a drawer or a corner of the garage. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming and more realistic. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Don’t be tempted to put things away in the middle of this process. That can be done later, after your time is done.
Chip away at the big project. Make your goals small and realistic goals so when you achieve them, you are inspired and motivated to continue on. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Lastly, make another appointment with yourself to do more organizing. Give yourself the gift of that dedicated time to make your life run more smoothly and be less overwhelming. Being organized is a huge stress reliever and will save you time in the long run. Go for it!
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/
Think about it this way – on those organizing shows where they completely overhaul someone’s home, they take a full weekend with a full crew of professionals doing all the heavy lifting. Most of us don’t have a full crew to do that for us. And organizing gets tiring if you try to do it for hours on end. So make it easy on yourself by breaking it down and making your goal achievable. After all, what is more inspiring then achieving your goals?
Set aside a small amount of time that is realistic to dedicate to organizing (this means don’t answer the phone, don’t get sidetracked by children, don’t answer email). Whether it is 15 minutes or two hours, make sure that it is dedicated time where you won’t be distracted. Start with a small section at a time. Pick a closet, a cupboard, a drawer or a corner of the garage. Focusing on a smaller area is less overwhelming and more realistic. Take everything out of that space and divide it into three piles: keep, throw away, or donate/sell. After everything is sorted, put the “keep” pile away in an organized manner. Immediately discard the “throw away” pile, and then either drop off donations or start the selling process of the remaining items. Don’t be tempted to put things away in the middle of this process. That can be done later, after your time is done.
Chip away at the big project. Make your goals small and realistic goals so when you achieve them, you are inspired and motivated to continue on. Congratulate yourself on a job well done! Lastly, make another appointment with yourself to do more organizing. Give yourself the gift of that dedicated time to make your life run more smoothly and be less overwhelming. Being organized is a huge stress reliever and will save you time in the long run. Go for it!
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/
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Managing Greeting Cards
Something that seems to haunt many clients is greeting cards. We usually find them in all kinds of places, well after the date that they were supposed to be sent. The solution? I have two options:
1 – buy a greeting card organizer and keep it in plain sight. Keep it stocked with cards and close to a calendar. When you notice that a birthday is coming up, take out a card and get it in the mail.
2 – join Send Out Cards - http://www.sendoutcards.com/celticblessings. With send out cards, you can plug in birthdays and special occasions well in advance. You can even do your Christmas cards in March and they will go out on the date in December that you choose.
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/
1 – buy a greeting card organizer and keep it in plain sight. Keep it stocked with cards and close to a calendar. When you notice that a birthday is coming up, take out a card and get it in the mail.
2 – join Send Out Cards - http://www.sendoutcards.com/celticblessings. With send out cards, you can plug in birthdays and special occasions well in advance. You can even do your Christmas cards in March and they will go out on the date in December that you choose.
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/
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Just do it
How do you stay organized? Handle things right away. It is as simple as that and you will make others very happy in the process. Got a party invite? Sit down and RSVP right away and put the date on your calendar. Not only is it off your plate, but your host/hostess will truly appreciate your prompt response. Borrowed a book from a friend? As soon as you finish it, give them a call and arrange a time to get it back to them. You will have one less thing sitting around your house and your friend will be more apt to loan you stuff in the future. Have a bag of stuff that needs to get donated? Put it in your car right away and the next time you are driving by Goodwill, you can quickly drop it off. Goodwill can use the help and you will have less stuff in your house.
You set things aside thinking that you don’t have time to deal with it, but then it weighs on your or you forget it completely. Stop the cycle. Deal with things immediately. Not only will you be happier and less stressed, but those around you will deeply appreciate it too.
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/
You set things aside thinking that you don’t have time to deal with it, but then it weighs on your or you forget it completely. Stop the cycle. Deal with things immediately. Not only will you be happier and less stressed, but those around you will deeply appreciate it too.
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/
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