What's the Cost?

“Are you ready to buy it?” This seemed like an odd response to my daughter’s question about the cost. After saving for quite some time, she was shopping for a new car. I accompanied her to a dealer.

Following a test drive, we went inside to talk details. Knowing the MSRP is just a starting point, she asked about deals or discounts they might offer. That’s when the “Are you ready to buy it?” mantra began. He was not going to give her a price until she committed to buy. Really? What happened to making an informed decision? 

When we’re spending tens of thousands of dollars it behooves us to be cautious and wise. Even when shopping at the Dollar Store, where we know the price of everything, we can be caught off guard at the register, if not watching how much we’re putting in the basket. 

This is also true of clutter. When we’re not paying attention clutter gets costly. It's important to make informed decisions. Here are five Timely Tips to watch for when it comes to costly clutter. 

Timely Tips to identify costly clutter

FINANCIAL

• Cluttered desks cause things to disappear, like bills that accrue late fees, checks to cash, etc. Over the years I’ve uncovered hundreds of dollars in cash lost in my clients’ clutter.

• Paying to store stuff we can’t fit in our homes. According to SpareFoot.com, self-storage is a 44-billion-dollar industry. Most things devalue once put into storage. Furniture gets ruined, photos decay, pests infiltrate. We think we care about that stuff, but in the end, we’re just paying to postpone getting rid of it. 

SPACE

• Clutter replaces things of value, like cars left outside while carboard boxes of "things we might need someday," fill the garage.

• Kat Brancato says, “Storing unused items in your home costs roughly $10 per square foot… you can calculate your ‘clutter cost’ by dividing your monthly rent or mortgage by the square footage of your home." (Better Homes and Gardens February 2021)

• What do you have that’s not earning its keep?

TIME & MONEY

• Clutter hides stuff. You look for things you know you have but can’t find. 

• The average American spends 2.5 days each year looking for lost items and collectively spends $2.7 billion annually in replacement costs.  (Pixie Lost and Found Survey) 

• Kat Brancato points out the irony of keeping things in order to save money, when the buildup ends up costing you more. 

STRESS

• The most common word I hear in the initial call with clients is “overwhelm.”

• Few find their creative genius stimulated by a messy desk. More often clutter promotes stress and avoidance. If you resonate with the latter, clutter costs you peace and productivity. 

RELATIONSHIPS

• Clutter inhibits inviting family and friends over due to embarrassment and shame.

• People decline social events because they feel constrained to remain home and organize, even though their overwhelm prevents them from doing so. 

• Relationships with spouses and kids are put in jeopardy when tensions rise due to clutter in common areas.

• The blame game ensues when items get lost in the clutter. 

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My daughter and I walked out of that dealership. I encourage you to make an informed decision, take a stand, and choose the benefits of organizing over the cost of clutter. 

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wise words

Being organized is not about being company-ready 24/7. It’s about being able to find what you need and restore order quickly.  – Monika Kristofferson

Vertical Value

We tend to have a complicated relationship with vertical space. Kids beg for bunk beds and then want them un-bunked. We want big houses on small lots but discover stairs aren't the best for young ones and older folks.

Have you looked into a closet, refrigerator, or cabinet and thought—there’s no room? The floor or shelf is covered with stuff so it appears full.

What you might be missing is the space hiding in plain sight. The space between the stuff and the next shelf or the ceiling above it. The space on the wall or behind a door. We undervalue our vertical space.

These Timely Tips highlight the versatile value of vertical space. 

Timely Tips for vertical space

ADJUST YOUR SHELVES 
If you're seeing a large gap between the stuff on your shelf and the shelf above it, adjust it.

• Keep the space you need to comfortably retrieve and put back items and then close the gap by moving the next shelf down.

• More shelves will be within reach as they are adjusted downward.

• If you end up with a large gap at the top, add another shelf. 

Amazon

FREE-STANDING SHELVES 
If your cabinet shelves don’t adjust, close the gap by adding free-standing shelf organizers.

• Some are stackable.

• Some expand for wide cabinets. 

• Great for kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, closets, etc.

• Double the usable space without stacking items on top of each other.

MAXIMIZE STANDARD CLOSETS
If your current bedroom closet has one shelf above one rod, and a professional closet redo isn’t in the budget, maximize the vertical space.

• Add an adjustable closet hanging rod that hooks to the current one to create two levels for hanging clothes. 

• Insert a tall narrow (second-hand) chest of drawers or shelving unit.

• Install a DIY closet organizer system as pictured.

Amazon

SHOE RACK
Use the vertical space between your clothes and the floor.

• Place your shoes, purses, etc. on shoe racks, leaving the floor for its intended purpose--walking and standing. 

Amazon

MAGAZINE HOLDERS
Many items stored horizontally can be transferred to a magazine holder to maximize vertical space.

• Attached one to the inside of a kitchen cabinet or pantry door to store plastic wrap, tin foil, wax paper, etc. 

• Corral small to medium size cutting boards.

• Use them in your pantry for a breathable, space-saving way to store potatoes and onions. 

• Place one under the bathroom sink for curling irons and wands. 

• Choose an acrylic or decorative magazine holder to store extra school supplies like notebooks, and kids' papers and artwork that come home from school. 

Amazon

WALL MOUNT FILE HOLDER

• Clear your horizontal surfaces--kitchen counter, table, and desk.

• Place bills, invitations, menus, calendars, and other mail in folders and place them in wall mounted file holders. 

Amazon

BATHROOM STORAGE

• Tall narrow cabinets or over-the-toilet units for bathroom supplies.

• Wall mount acrylic holders for everyday items normally stored on the countertop. 

• Two-tier under sink drawers for lotions, sprays, etc.

Amazon

WALL MOUNT SPICE RACK
Use the space behind a cabinet door, pantry door, or wall to store spices, sauces, and seasoning packs. 

Amazon

OVER THE DOOR POCKET ORGANIZER
Your imagination is the limit for what you can store behind a door when you hang an over the door pocket organizer. More than just shoes!

Amazon

HOOKS
Where there's a blank wall, there's a place to hang something. 

• Garage--bikes, scooters, chairs, sports equipment, tools, etc.

• Entry--backpacks, purses, umbrellas, leashes, and keys.

• Closets--jackets, hats, belts, and necklaces.

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wise words

The best vertical value is the relationship we have with the One above. 

What's Cookin'?

Shortly before my dear mother-in-law passed, I went for a visit and found her sitting on the couch thumbing through her recipe boxes. She was no longer cooking, but decided it would be a good time to purge unused recipes. 

An idea popped into my head. I told it to her secretly and asked her to pull out her favorites. Just days later, she left for her heavenly home. Gathering up her best-loved recipes I began preparing a gift, from her to the family. 

I discovered HeritageCookbook.com where I uploaded photos of her favorite handwritten recipe cards, some pictures of her cooking, and some handwritten Bible verses that comforted her as she battled cancer. Recipes for life.

By Christmas I had forty wrapped copies of “GG’s Favorite Recipes Cookbook” for the family--young and old. I explained that this was Grandma GG’s gift to them and relished the tender moments watching them look through the pages. 

Cookbooks are treasured for many reasons—some are beautiful works of art, some are passed down through generations, and some are fundraisers for favorite causes. 

A few months ago, I realized my cookbooks and recipes had outgrown their space. When it's more work than it's worth to find a recipe--it's time to organize. Here are five Timely Tips to get you started.

Timely Tips for organizing cookbooks/recipes

1st and 5th birthdays with Mickey & Minnie cakes - 1988

Which cookbooks/recipes do I need? 
I made some great kids’ birthday cakes back in the day, but not anymore. Out with that recipe book! I also don’t need the Daniel Plan cookbook I bought at a yard sale and never used.

• Keep the ones you need for the specific stage of life you’re in

• Keep those that accommodate current dietary restrictions or preferences 

Which do I use? 
I use a couple crockpot cookbooks the most. Occasionally I refer to my good ‘ole Betty Crocker, and I have several recipe cards that I use often.

• Dismiss those that aren't earning their keep.

• For books that have only one or two used recipes, make copies of those pages and let the book go. 

Which do I love? 
I love the cookbooks that represent special people and places—the one my mom made for my sister and me, the church cookbook from my mom's hometown, the Holly Hobbie cookbook my high school friends created, and of course, Grandma GG’s.

• Pair down to the ones you love most

• If everything’s precious, nothing’s precious

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

How shall I store them?
There’s no one right way to store recipes. I have a recipe box, a recipe binder, and free-standing books in the two little cabinets above the stove. After purging and sorting, they're much more comfortable there. 

• Store cookbooks on a pantry shelf, in a caddy atop the fridge, in a nearby hutch, or even in a kitchen drawer. Keep the ones you use often, easily accessible. 

• A binder with pocket dividers works great for recipes you gather from magazines or print from the internet. Label the dividers—desserts, salads, main dishes, etc. Put recipes you want to try in the corresponding pocket. Once it’s been made and approved, slip it into a sleeve protector in the correct category.

Photo by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash

Any digital options? 

• OrganizEat.com and RecipeKeeperOnline.com are just a couple of the many recipe apps available.

• Create a user-friendly digital cookbook by snapping photos of your favorites from cookbooks, recipe cards, and magazines, importing recipes from websites or taking a screenshot of a web page.

• Create a shopping list or meal plan with a tap on the app. 

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comical words

I can cook anything as long as the microwave has a button for it.--Unkown

Out of sorts? Sort it out!

While walking through the Target parking lot, I overheard a young woman say to her friends, “I don’t want to go home—I’m drowning in clean laundry and don’t want to deal with it.” She was feeling out of sorts.

Ever notice that when you’re out of sorts, you need to sort something out? An out of sorts relationship needs time and attention to sort things out. When we’re stressed about finances, we sort them out. 

Dictionary.com defines “sort out” as finding a solution to a problem, to make clear or tidy, and to take or separate, as from a larger group.

We practice sorting as preschoolers. It’s important in our cognitive development and helps us learn math and language. There are benefits however, that go far beyond our early years. 

I’ve made a career out of sorting. Playrooms, pantries, paper stacks, closets, cupboards, and keepsakes. Piles on the counter and piles four feet deep. People feeling out of sorts about their environment come to me to help sort things out. 

Sorting isn’t the only step in organizing, but it is foundational. Without it we fail to solve the problem. Here are four Timely Tips for sorting things out in your home.

Timely Tips for sorting things out

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

PAPER
 We haven’t yet achieved the “paperless society” predicted in the late 70s. Regardless of how much or little you have, you can sort all your paper into these four categories:

• Recycle

• Shred

• Active

• Archive

Additional Resources:

• Organizing Active paperwork: Now you see it, now you don't

• Setting up Archive (long-term) files and a link to a paper retention guide: Piles to Smiles

Sorting typically provides immediate relief from more than half your paper!

PANTRY
Macro Sort--remove items that don’t belong

• stale or expired items

• purchased but no longer desired

• quantities above and beyond what you will use

Micro Sort--place items in categories

• baking

• canned foods

• beverages

• chips & crackers

• sauces

• breakfast foods

• etc.

Once they’re sorted, they’re much easier to find!

PLAYROOM
Macro Sort--remove items that don't belong

• toys that are outgrown

• broken or worn out items

• things that are never played with

• unnecessary multiples

• items that belong somewhere else

Micro sort and create zones for:

• books

• dolls

• cars

• board games

• video games

• Legos

• etc.

If you continue to feel out of sorts, there’s probably still too much stuff. Less is more when it comes to toys. 

CLOSET
Macro sort--remove items that don’t belong (see the pattern?)

Julie Morgenstern says, “Think of your closets as a place to ‘retrieve’ items rather than ‘store’ them.” This means:

• things that belong are the things you use

• things that don’t belong are the things you don’t use

Micro sort the remainder into categories:

• household items

• decorations

• linens

• etc.

Depending on the quantity of items per category, micro sort further. Sort decorations by holiday or season, linens by color, size, location used, etc. 

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I wanted to stop the young lady with the laundry issue and encourage her to “sort it out.” Yes, even clean piles of laundry are easier to deal with when first sorted into smaller sections of underwear, socks, shirts, pants, etc. When things are all mixed together it can seem overwhelming. Whatever has you feeling out of sorts in your home becomes manageable as you sort it out. 

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wise words

Simplicity boils down to two things: identify the essential, and eliminate the rest. --Leo Babauta

You Can't Take it With You

One of my more challenging and sad jobs was working for a client I never met. She moved out of her home suddenly for health reasons and then passed away. Her older brother, who lived out of town, was left to handle her estate. He requested that her home be cleared out, but that the contents not be sold. 

Walking into her home it looked as though she had left for a shopping trip and not returned. After days handling every piece of paper, pair of shoes, pantry item, memorabilia, etc., I felt like I knew her. I arranged for multiple charity donation pick-ups, shredding services, trash haul away, and ended with a “Free Yard Sale.” 

This experience helped me understand the overwhelm that many face when a loved one passes away. “You can’t take it with you” is more than just a saying—it’s true. Sometimes it would be easier if we could. 

The saying is also true when needing to drastically downsize—moving overseas, into a retirement community, or convalescent care. You can’t take it all. 

There's an option that's often overlooked—having an estate sale. Not all estate sale and liquidation companies operate the same. Here are some Timely Tips about what you might expect.

Timely Tips when considering an Estate Sale

Photo by Simone Pellegrini on Unsplash

Initial Contact: 

• Realtors, estate planning attorneys, senior centers, funeral home directors, and professional organizers may have referrals for estate sale companies.

• Schedule two or three companies to assess your project and to get a feel for who you’d prefer working with. 

Questions to ask: 

• How long have you been in business?

• Are you bonded and insured?

• What are your fees?

• What do you do with leftover items?

• What is your marketing plan? Many have a following and send out e-newsletters or post photos and dates of upcoming sales on their websites and social media.

• Ask for references and/or visit one of their upcoming sales.

What it costs: 

• Most estate sale companies charge 30-50% of the gross sales. Setting up and tagging is time intensive, requiring many hours. They also have a team of people working the sale day to ensure security and efficiency for checkout.

• There should be no upfront cost. They collect their payment out of the proceeds of the sale.

Pricing: 

• The estate company staff is knowledgeable about local market conditions and prices items accordingly.

• If it’s a two-day sale they may offer a discount on the second day. 

• Many have expertise in collectibles and antiques.

• You may also bring in a certified personal property appraiser to assess items of significant value. Contact the International Society of Appraisers, Appraisers Association of America, or the American Society of Appraisers for qualified appraisers. 

What to remove: 

• Before the sale remove any medical/financial records (for shredding), photos, and sentimental items that you want to keep.

• In most situations companies will tell you to leave everything else and let them decide what’s sellable. Believe it or not, even half-used cleaners under the sink often sell. 

What happens to the leftovers: 

• Some contract with charities that pick up usable items. 

• Whether it’s included or an extra charge, most offer clean up and haul away services so the house is left empty and ready to sell.

Don’t show up: 

• Part of the reason for hiring a company to do the sale is not having to watch strangers go through the belongings and walk away with them. 

Remember: 

• The items you’re selling completed their mission with you, or your loved one; they can now benefit someone else.

• Getting some money for the items instead of paying someone to take them away is a better deal.

• As an occasional estate sale shopper, I appreciate the opportunity to treasure something that was previously treasured or provide something needed like a dinnerware set for my daughter when she got her first apartment. 

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wise words For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. --Apostle Paul

Organize Your Paper, Space, and Life

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February 8, 15, & 22, 2024
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Getting Things Done

If I waited until I felt like it to clean the toilets, put my business data into QuickBooks, and wash sheets—it wouldn't happen. I need structure. 

I like this definition: construct or arrange according to a plan; give a pattern or organization to. 

Most of us find structure much easier when it’s compulsory. “I get everything done at work, why is it so hard at home?” Sound familiar? When deadlines and schedules are enforced by outward sources, we’re often more responsible with our to-dos. 

One of my self-imposed to-dos is to make a Christmas photo book before the next Christmas arrives. When there's a whole year to get something done, it’s easy to put it off. Last year, I failed to do it until the last minute—making the project more stressful than it needed to be.
 
You might have a half dozen to-dos floating around in your head needing immediate attention, and another half dozen waiting on the back burner. Without structure, things fall through the cracks and become overwhelming.

Grab your 2024 calendar and walk through these TIMELY TIPS for a productive new year. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

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1. Create a pattern for repeated tasks/activities. 
Choose a time of the day, day of the week, or day of the month depending on the task or activity. Record it on your calendar like an appointment. This is important for things like bill-paying, household chores, exercising, and even family times.

2. Create appointments for projects and to-dos. 
Need to follow-up on a disputed bill, return library books, pay 2022’s taxes? Want to organize your closet, close out your storage unit, visit Yosemite? We are much more likely to accomplish these things when we put them on the calendar for a specific date and time.

3. Identify the benefits. 
Closing out your storage unit is money in your pocket. Visiting Yosemite creates a memory to treasure. I love seeing the family enjoy our Christmas photo books. Identifying benefits incentivizes us to push through the temptation to procrastinate.  

4. Identify the consequences.
Consequences increase exponentially. The longer something hangs over your head, the more stress is attached to it. Financial penalties accruewhen bills or taxes are ignored. Our physical fitness quickly works in reverse when we stop being active. The paper pile takes more time to sort the longer it builds. Last year the Yosemite falls were much less spectacular because we failed to schedule a trip for earlier in the season. If the benefits don’t get you going, consider the consequences of not following through.

5. Create a contingency plan. 
This year I’ve schedule some dates to work on my Christmas photo book early in the year. I’ve also written it down to do in July—just in case. Life often doesn’t pan out as planned. If we’re prepared for failure, we’re more likely to have ultimate success. 

6. Use a calendar that works for you.
If digital works for you--use it! I prefer paper and use a Blue Sky 5"x8" week-at-a-glance calendar. Each day has space to write in time sensitive appointments and to-dos I've scheduled for that day. It's small enough to carry with me and includes a pocket page perfect for receipts, coupons, checks, etc. I use a small binder clip to fasten past pages together so it always opens to the current week. Check it out at Blue Sky (also available at office supply stores).

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wise words

Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they've started. ―David Allen

Best-laid Plans

When our kids were in elementary school my husband taught our family to juggle. We didn’t take our act on the road, but we mastered the concept. There’s always at least one more object than you have hands for, and the goal is to keep them in continual motion without dropping any. 

There was other juggling going on then as well—kids’ activities, volunteer work, domestic duties, family engagements, etc. I found it very challenging at times.

For some, the juggling challenge comes through other means—a promotion with new responsibilities, becoming a single parent, health issues or caring for others in need. 

As I near my Medicare birthday, and observe young families with busy schedules, I’m beginning to understand the perspective of my mom who wonders how I juggle my current load. Apparently not as efficiently as I used to. 

I kicked off the first Saturday in December with a holiday volunteer project and an annual Christmas party hosted by a friend. Sandwiched between was the task of making a dessert. At the last minute I changed my plan and found a new dessert recipe. I picked up the ingredients and hurriedly put it together, pulling it out of the oven just as it was time to leave.

It wasn’t until then that I realized it was supposed to cool three to six hours. In my haste I hadn’t read the recipe all the way through. 

“Juggling is an illusion,” says Gary Keller. “In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession...it is actually task switching.”

For many, the holidays are a rapid succession of tasks and events that require precision skill to execute seamlessly. Most of us don’t. Here are three Timely Tips to consider throughout this busy season. 

Timely Tips for juggling the holidays

DON'T COMPARE - Some people can juggle a bowling ball and knives. I don’t feel bad if that’s out of my range. Likewise, we all have a different bandwidth when it comes to holiday tasks and activities. Choose what fits your limits without comparing yourself to the one who seems to do it all.

LET IT GO - I brought my dessert still wrapped in parchment paper instead of beautifully presented on my holiday plate. Did that hamper the fun and laughter of the evening? Not at all. Decide that when a ball drops, and they will at times, you’ll have a sense of humor and be willing to let others know you’re human too. Someone might be very relieved by that. 

SHOW YOURSELF (AND OTHERS) SOME GRACE - Many get stuck in the “before” mode. Before I had kids, before I went back to work, before I had surgery, before my spouse passed away, before I got older. None of us is exactly where we were a few years ago in life. Give yourself grace if you  can’t or simply don’t want to do it all. Choose carefully what fits with your current values and abilities. Show others going through transitions the same grace. 

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The Christmas events I value most are recorded on my December calendar months before they occur. God foretold the event of Jesus’s birth hundreds of years prior to His coming. Unlike many of our best-laid plans, God’s plan never fails. 

“When the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son…” (Galatians 4:4)

Photo by Jonathan Knepper on Unsplash

The Power of Thanks

I believe objects are inanimate. I talk to myself, but not often to my things. The other day as I placed some clothing into my donate bag, I said, “Thanks for your service.” Unsurprisingly the clothing didn’t respond, but I was surprised that I felt better about letting it go. 

Saying “thank you” is something we do at the completion of things—receiving a gift, eating a meal, checking out at the grocery store. In the case of my clothes, saying thank you was for my benefit. It helped finalize my decision to let it go. My clothing had completed its mission. 

Today's TimelyTips address the power of thanks. 

Timely Tips regarding the power of thanks

COMPLETING THEIR MISSION
Through the years our needs, interests, abilities, and preferences change. This requires adding new and subtracting the old items that have completed their mission.

If you find it helpful, finalize your relationship with the old things by thanking them for their service.

If they still have some “mission” left in them, donate them so they can once again find a place of use. 

SUBTRACTING IS ADDING

• By subtracting things that complete their mission, you’re adding space.

• You no longer cringe when opening cabinet doors and drawers.

• It’s easier to find and access what you need.

• You save money not replacing things you can’t find—pantry items, clothes, tools, etc.

• You’re not distracted from things you enjoy by piles of stuff waiting to be dealt with.

• You can be at peace opening your door to guests.

All triggers for giving thanks.

Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

In this season of thanks, I want to share a remarkable true story.

In the early 1940s when Nazi Germany invaded Holland, Corrie ten Boom and her family began the dangerous mission of hiding Jews and helping them escape. Corrie’s family was eventually arrested. When she and her sister, Betsie, arrived at Ravensbruck concentration camp, their “beds” were rancid straw-covered platforms stacked three high and infected with fleas. 

“How can we live in such a place?” cried Corrie. Betsie immediately reached for the small Bible the sisters had smuggled in. Turning to 1 Thessalonians 5:18 she had Corrie read, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Corrie resisted Betsie’s urge to thank God in the midst of fleas, but in time they realized it was the fleas that kept the abusive guards at bay, protecting them and allowing them to share the comforting, hope-giving word of God with the women who shared their desperate situation. 

Corrie was the only one of her family to survive and see freedom again. Her testimony is this, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

This Thanksgiving season you may be in despair or facing big challenges. May Corrie’s testimony draw you to Jesus and His life-giving word. (You can read Corrie ten Boom’s entire story in the book The Hiding Place.)

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Wise words

Every experience God gives us…is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see. –Corrie ten Boom

School Memorabilia--Burden or Blessing?

My first parent volunteer position at Webster was school Historian. I didn’t know many teachers and had yet to meet our new principal. I decided to begin my chronicle with a pictorial directory of the staff.     

One by one I connected with each to get a picture. As I was photographing the principal, I realized my 35 mm camera had no film in it (good ole 90s). Not only was I mortified in the moment, but I also had to go back and admit my incompetence to each of the teachers, asking if I could retake their photos. Chalk one up to most embarrassing moments.

By the end of 1989-90 school year, I had produced a pictorial album which resided in the office—until someone, who was apparently good at purging, let it go. I wouldn’t expect the school to store 30+ years of school memorabilia, but that’s one thing I would love to see again. 
            
Our children’s school years can be overwhelming when it comes to accumulating memorabilia. Today's Timely Tips have three “D’s” for managing keepsakes.

Timely Tips to manage kids’ keepsakes

Used with permission from Melissa Corriveau at Life with Less Mess

1. DECIDE ON CRITERIA

Start with the end in mind. Not many of us would say, “I wish my parents had saved more of my childhood stuff.” What things do you love seeing when you open a box from the past? Include those in your criteria.

• Keep a sampling of things which give insight into your child’s thoughts, personality, development, and skills.

• Include special artwork, story writing, awards, report cards, “About Me” assignments, teacher notes, photos, etc.

• They should all recollect pleasant memories.

• Worksheets, tests, participation ribbons, artwork with macaroni and glitter are good candidates for the can.

• Even if your child wants to save everything now, her future self will thank you for not. One organized bin is a blessing. Multiple bins is a project. 

Memory Box Kits available from Melissa on Etsy.com

2. DESIGNATE A PLACE

• Use a labeled binder with pocket folders (one for each school week) for papers/assignments the teacher requires students to keep.

• Designate a labeled tray, magazine holder, or bin to temporarily capture items that are waiting to be sorted.

• Keep both these items in the hub of your home so you can easily access them. 

• For items that fit your keepsake criteria create a Memory Bin using a file box (18 1/2" L x 14" W x 11" H available at Target/office supply stores).

• Prepare it with hanging folders labeled Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade through high school. You may customize with additional folders depending on your child’s interests and activities. (Kits available on Etsy)

• If it doesn’t fit in a handy place, like the child’s closet, use a 16-quart bin to temporarily store keepsakes. Relocate into the Memory Bin file at the end of the year.

• Use the Memory Bin as the boundary and purge as necessary so that your child will have one bin (blessing) instead of multiple bins (burden) in the end. 

Photo by Jerry Wang on Unsplash

DEVELOP A SYSTEM 

• Daily remove papers from the child’s backpack and do a quick sort into the teacher binder, Memory Bin, or recycling can.

• On crazy days use your temporary holding tray/bin.

• Schedule time at the end of each week to sort your temporary bin. Relocate items to their proper places.

• When age-appropriate, train your child to do this. (Our job is to work ourselves out of a job.) 

EXTRA CREDIT

• Create photo books of your child’s keepsakes.

• Place each item on a white foam board. Snap a photo with your phone.

• Upload to a photo book website and if desired, add text.

• You’ll reduce the amount of storage space by 90% and you and your child will be more likely to peruse the keepsakes you’ve preserved in this format. 

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Comical Words

Respect your parents. They passed school without Google. -Anonymous

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Here are a few things I love seeing from my 2nd grade year: my toothless grin, a report card, a note from the principal, and a program from our neighborhood play called "Keep Out." Less is more!

Sometimes it's the Little Things

Walking around the extended recliner, I jammed my “this little piggy had none” toe on the leg of the coffee table. Normally I don’t pay much attention to my toes. This little piggy changed that.

It also changed things like our next day's hiking plans. Fortunately, we were able to convert to biking in Yosemite instead. Another time it meant being dropped off with the older folks near the entrance at a concert. It still means deciding how badly I need an item from the other room before putting my toe through the pain of getting there.

It's often the little things in our lives and homes that cause angst and frustration. When it’s a toe—you wait it out. Here are seven quick fix Timely Tips for other subtle, or not so subtle stresses we face.

Timely Tips to fix your frustrations

1. Matching—How many containers and lids must you handle before finding a match? Are you ready to throw out the leftovers before you find one?

• Store the lids on the containers. It takes more space, but by the time you eliminate all the containers and lids that have no match, there should be room.

• This goes for sippy cups and water bottles, too.

2. New Stuff—Are you tripping over shopping bags and boxes of items waiting to be homed?

• Before you put anything into your digital or physical cart, decide exactly where it’s going to be stored.

• Unload bags and boxes immediately into their predetermined homes. 

3. User-friendly Storage—Is it hard to find things or put them away in your closet, pantry or drawers?

• One common culprit is bad lighting. Add a stick-on motion sensor rechargeable strip light to any closet, cabinet, or pantry that has no or poor lighting.

• Fix closet doors and drawers that don’t open and close easily.  

• Purge drawers and shelves that are jammed full.

• Use open-topped bins for things you use regularly. 

4. Clothes—Tired of piles of clothes?

• Place a dirty clothes bin in the closet.

• Assign a spot on the bar for empty hangers.

• Assign a bin or hook for frequently worn clothes.

• Change clothes in the closet. Without having to move much, you can put your dirty stuff in the bin and hang up or put on the shelf your cleanish clothes and voilà! No more piles.

5. Bedtime—Is the kids’ bedtime a nightmare?

• Create a bedtime routine chart with a start and end time

• Establish “last call” for snacks so the bathing, brushing teeth, stories, etc. can be done without interruption.

• Consistency is key to everyone getting the rest they need.

6. Location, Location, Location—Do you need to move other things or use a step stool to reach things you use often?

• I relocated a client’s baggies and wraps to a top drawer from a lower drawer in her kitchen. She still talks about what a difference that made—small thing, big pay-off.

• Pay attention to what frustrates you and consider where it might be more convenient.

7. Tasks—Are you frustrated with not getting things done on time? Is it paying bills, checking the kids’ school papers, laundry?

• Schedule a regular time to do it and put it on the calendar with reminders so that, until it becomes routine, you won’t forget.

• Calendar blocks of time for tasks that take several hours. 

You might have noticed three common themes among many of these solutions—creating homes, limits, and routines. These are gold in the organizing world. Whenever you feel stressed, stop and consider—is there a home, limit, or routine solution for this issue? 

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wise words

Frustration is the fuel that can lead to the development of an innovative and useful idea. – Marley Dias

Playing Puzzle

It seems strange to me that I don’t like puzzles. A couple of our kids do, so before our family gathered for a week at Hume Lake, my husband purchased a 1,000-piece puzzle. When they dumped the box of pieces onto the table, it looked overwhelming to me. 

“That must be how some of my clients feel when they view their clutter,” I thought. I’d rather organize the cabin’s kitchen (which I did to a degree), than participate in “playing puzzle” as we called it.

Despite my disdain for puzzles, there are many correlations between puzzling and organizing. Here are six Timely Tips to help with both. 

Timely Tips for puzzling and organizing

1. KEEP THE BOX TOP HANDY
It’s essential to know what your puzzle will look like. Similarly, when organizing you need a vision of your final outcome.

Determine how your area will look, feel, and function. Revisit that vision while organizing to drive your actions and stay focused and motivated. 

2. DESIGNATE A TIME AND PLACE
For our night owl puzzlers, it was 10 pm to midnight. They used a puzzle board and moved it under a bed during the day so little hands couldn’t disturb it.

Schedule your organizing when you have the most energy and least distractions.

If your project is mobile, like a box of paperwork, photos, etc., consider bringing it out to the table or a comfy chair and then return it to a spare room or closet when you’re not working on it. 

3. SORT BY COLOR AND PATTERN
This is tedious, but a necessary step in puzzling. The puzzle board they used had shallow drawers to sort and store the colors. This made it easier to find specific pieces.

Likewise, it’s important to sort while organizing—putting like things together. Use containers to separate categories.

Unlike a puzzle, some of your items may be placed into a donate or trash category. 

4. BORDERS FIRST 
The puzzle pieces with a straight side are low hanging fruit—easier to spot and position.  All other pieces fit inside that border.

Whether you’re organizing a bathroom cabinet or a desk drawer, borders are essential. Some are natural borders, like a bookshelf. If the desired outcome is to have all the books neat and accessible on the shelf, then the shelf size dictates the border and how many books you keep.

A finished puzzle doesn’t have pieces spilling over the border, and neither does an organized area. 

5. PERSEVERE 
One of the puzzle pieces looked like an easy fit on the deer, but it was stubborn when they tried to place it. It took several attempts before it was successfully positioned.

In organizing it’s sometimes the opposite. You think, “that will never fit there.” Don’t give up before you try. After you remove things that don’t belong, it often fits fine. 

6. DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT 
After hours of laborious puzzling, it was finally complete. Well, almost. One piece was missing. We searched high and low, but in the end they had to be content with an almost perfect picture.

Don’t allow perfection to ruin your organizing ventures. Unlike puzzles, there’s not just one right place for everything. If your belongings are now easier to find and use, consider it a win!

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comical words

I just finished a jigsaw puzzle in 6 months and the box said 2-4 years! --Unknown

Closed for Inventory

Taking inventory isn’t much fun. In fact, the process can put shepherds right to sleep. Businesses find it essential to track what they have, but what about our homes? 

Most of us don’t think about a home inventory until it’s requested. Usually that means something stressful has happened—a fire, flood, theft, divorce, etc. During those events, it’s not as easy to think clearly and concisely. 

As with most projects we’d rather not do, we need a little motivation to get us going. Consider the cost verses benefit. The cost doesn’t need to be more than the time it takes to create it. If you choose to use an inventory app, you might have a financial investment as well. 

Benefits include accelerating the claim process after an incident, maximizing your claim payment because you won’t be relying on your memory, ensuring that your insurance coverage is adequate, and general peace of mind. 

If your scale tips on the benefits side, here are some Timely Tips to get it done.

Timely Tips to create a home inventory

Photo by Kampus Production

RESOURCES:

• Go to your homeowner’s insurance website or contact your agent to see what resources they offer.

• For a digital method, check out this list of home inventory apps at www.BobVila.com.

Photo by Engin Akyurt

FOR HIGH TICKET ITEMS INCLUDE:

• A description of the item--make, model, serial number, as applicable

• Value/appraisal

• Purchase place and date

• Receipt

Unless you’re already a meticulous record keeper, you may not have or know all that. At least you’ll have the item listed and can choose to record these things for new, incoming purchases.  

Excel Template

CREATE YOUR LIST

• Google "home inventory spreadsheets" for templates you can use digitally or print out and use on paper. Your Excel program offers templates as well.

• Or, go old school with a yellow pad and clipboard--either works!

• Label each page either by room or category.

• Make columns for Item Name, Location, Description, and Price. Include high ticket information columns, as needed. 

• Include in your inventory the contents of outside sheds, attics, basements, off-site storage units, and safe deposit boxes.

Photo by Rachel Claire 

PHOTOS & RECEIPTS

• Photograph the items and store them in a digital folder labeled with the room or category name.

• If using paper, print the photos and store with the paper inventory list in a sheet protector.

• You may choose to photograph an entire drawer or shelf rather than individual items and, for instance list the total number of pants, shirts, and shoes. List expensive items separately.

• Scan and name coordinating receipts and save in the digital folder or keep hard copies in the sheet protector with the inventory list. A photocopy of the receipt will be less likely to fade over time. 

VIDEOTAPE YOUR INVENTORY

• An alternative method is to videotape your inventory while describing the items and zooming in on details such as serial numbers and accompanying receipts.

Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

STORE A COPY

• Upload your home inventory digital files or video to an email folder or cloud storage.

• Or, transfer them to a flash drive and/or external hard drive. Keep one off-site. 

• Photocopy your paper inventory sheets/photos/receipts and create and label two binders.

• Keep one and place the other in a safe deposit box or at the home of a trusted friend or family member.

UPDATE

• Update when significant changes are made.

Photo by Kampus Production

INSURANCE CHECK:

• Confirm with your agent that your policy is adequate to cover the replacement value rather than cash value of your belongings.

• Inquire about sub-limits as some policies have coverage limits i.e., theft coverage for jewelry and watches. In this case you may need to do an add-on to ensure you’ll receive their full value. 

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wise words

The best way to enjoy your favorite things is to only own your favorite things.

--bemorewithless.com

Cue the Rewards

I didn’t need someone to tell me to bend at the knees when lifting, sit up straight at my desk, and stand every hour. But, when I requested physical therapy for some back and hip issues I got a video appointment, basic instructions like those above, and some exercises imbedded in an online matrix that took me a week to find. 

Fortunately for me, my symptoms greatly diminished during the six-week waitfor my appointment and “treatment.” Unfortunately, so did my motivation to follow through with the exercises. I knew that if I didn’t create a new habit for doing them, they wouldn’t get done.

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear suggests four simple steps for creating a habit: cue, craving, response, and reward.

Timely Tips to create a habit

CUE: Clear says our minds are reward detectors. You might spot desired rewards for your career, family life, spiritual or physical well-being, etc. My cue was hearing from a friend about the pain relief she experienced from physical therapy. 

CRAVING: “Without some level of motivation or desire… we have no reason to act,” says Clear.  “What you crave is not the habit itself but the change in state it delivers.” I was not craving a new exercise routine, but I was craving physical well-being. 

RESPONSE: The third step is doing the action that leads to the reward. "The crucial part to success," says Clear, "lies in the strength of the craving and how much friction is associated with the behavior.”

My craving diminished with my symptoms. I experienced friction trying to keep the online session from expiring before I was able to get from one exercise to the next. 

I knew my symptoms would return so I pressed on with my new routine and found a way to print out the instructions, reducing the friction. 

REWARD: The reward is the end goal--the result of the response. It’s a little early for me to see the reward I crave. As with most habits, it’s a process that requires patience and perseverance. 

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What cues and cravings surfaced in your mind lately?

• Do you crave the way the kitchen feels after the housekeeper does her magic and the counters are clear?

• Do you crave the simplicity of your hotel bathroom that has everything you need in one make-up case?

• Do you crave the peace of mind knowing what you’re going to have for dinner before 5:00 PM?

Your response is the key.

• Believe the reward is attainable.

• Identify and reduce the friction--things making the response difficult.

• Know when help is needed.***

• Commit to and take action.

***One thing I was hoping for in physical therapy was hands-on, eyes-on help. Someone to come alongside and guide my steps and actions. Someone to see how I’m doing things and show me how I can change and improve. 

This is what I do. I provide hands-on, eyes-on organizing help for my clients. No judgement, no guilt, just help. If this is what you need, visit the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO.NET) to find an organizer near you. Or, if you're in the Central Valley of California contact me (OrganizedByChoice.com).

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wise words

Lasting wins require a lifestyle.   —James Clear

How to Handle Sneaky Clutter

I’m at the age when it helps having magnification while applying makeup. The other day I noticed I was squatting ever so slightly to align my face with my pull-out adjustable mirror. See the problem? I was adjusting instead of having my adjustable mirror do the work. 

Sometimes we do that with our clutter. We step over or reach around our clutter instead of adjusting it. We put something down instead of away because there’s no space for it.  

I could have altered my posture instead of my mirror for quite some time before feeling it. Eventually, my back or neck would have told me something was amiss. Clutter and its effects don’t happen overnight. It tends to be sneaky and go unnoticed for a while.   

If you’re feeling stressed, frustrated, anxious, or distracted, there could be a plethora of causes. Don’t discount sneaky clutter, or the fact that de-cluttering will free your mind to focus on other contributing issues. 

Perfection is never the goal. Creating an environment that allows you to move freely, tidy-up easily, and have more peace and productivity is. Here are four TIMELY TIPS to take control of sneaky clutter rather than adjusting to it. Commit four weeks to this process and enjoy the benefits. 

Timely Tips to handle sneaky clutter

FIND THE FLOOR

Every day pick up and put away one thing that landed on the floor but doesn’t belong there. It may be clothing, surplus paper products, a suitcase waiting to be unpacked, a basket of clean laundry, etc. Start with the least cluttered floor area. Stick with that space each day until completed. Seeing the clear floor is motivation for the next area. Take Sundays off. 

COUNT OFF COUNTERS

Identify four cluttered countertops or flat surfaces—kitchen, bathroom(s), guest bed, laundry, desk, entry table, dining table, etc. Choose one to work on each week. Set your timer for ten minutes per weekday or fifty minutes on Saturday and de-clutter away. 

SEIZE MORE SPACE

You may feel like you don't have room to spare, but there's probably a shelf, cabinet, or closet with some low hanging fruit--and by fruit, I mean space.

During your four-week attack on sneaky clutter survey your cabinets and closets looking for hidden space. It might currently be storing empty electronics boxes you saved from five years ago in case you needed to return them. It might have college binders and textbooks or VHS movies. Maybe there are boxes of canning jars or other supplies from a long gone hobby. 

Choose an area and schedule one hour to purge and recover that valuable space. This will provide places for homeless items you discover on your floor and flat surfaces. 

PEDDLE YOUR PAPER

Paper is often the sneakiest and fastest growing form of clutter. Pretend it’s all currency and that the sooner it arrives at its destination, the sooner the pay-off. 

Paper has only four destinations—recycle, shred, file, and a holding place for active paperwork (bills, forms, RSVPs, etc.).

During these four weeks, commit to handling incoming paper daily instead of tossing them on the nearest flat surface. It will pay off. Click here for a Piles to Files tip sheet.

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wise words

Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions. --Barbara Hemphill

Controlling the Past

Sometimes when writing an article, the title comes to me first. Such was the case today. While waiting for the rest to come, I Googled “Controlling the Past,” curious what I’d find. Lo and behold, I came across this quote from Orwell’s book 1984. 

“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” George Orwell (1984) 

I’m sure there are many layers to this quote that have nothing to do with organizing, but it serves as a framework for today’s topic. How we control our stuff in the present affects both our past and our future. 

One might consider this application is for seniors, but everyone should pay attention since we don’t know the number of our days. What you do with your stuff today, controls how your past will be remembered, and what will be required of others in the future.

Timely Tips to control the past, present, and future

Photo by Julius Drost on Unsplash

PAST—If someone were to come into your home today and write your eulogy based solely on what they found, how would that read?

Your stuff tells a story. Is it obvious what you value most? Do you have things that reflect or tell about people, events, and experiences that impacted your life?

Are they easily accessible and displayed in ways that demonstrate their value? Are they stashed away in random boxes, buried under miscellaneous clutter? 

I recall a client who had, among other things, a collection of corks from her father who died from alcoholism. Getting rid of the corks didn’t change the past, but it removed that reminder. When you control the stuff from your past you control the narrative it communicates. 

I’m not suggesting that you keep only things that paint a rosy picture. You have may items that trigger thoughts of battling through cancer or a job loss but remind you of the strength of character you developed or people who supported you through that time.

FUTURE—By controlling our past stuff we impact the future. I’ve worked with clients who were “gifted” houses, garages, shops, and storage units full of stuff when their parents passed. 

Today I received a call from a woman seeking help for her mother. Her grandmother recently passed, and her mom is trying to make space in her house for the grandmother’s things. I sensed the burden this woman felt knowing that in a matter of years, it would all be hers to deal with. 

A greater gift is to leave behind only what you value most. Your family will appreciate the Reader’s Digest version of the story your belongings tell. 

Photo by Nico Smit on Unsplash

PRESENT—It’s never too early to look around your home and begin identifying your treasures while letting go of the superfluous. What’s on your bookshelves, in your curio cabinets, and stuffed into closets? Is there something in the garage or storage that you’d like to pull out and enjoy now, or make sure it’s noticed when you’re gone? No one knows better than you what you value.

Can a photo of you doing your hobby or sport tell the story just as well or better than the items you no longer use? Give yourself permission to let them go, remembering what that does for your loved ones in the future.

In the process, don’t be hurt if people don’t want your stuff. Remember—it’s your stuff. Donating usable items is a great way to get it into the hands of someone who will treasure it.

This isn’t a quick and easy task, but neither is it for loved ones who must take vacation days to go through your stuff if you don’t. If it feels overwhelming, I can help.

Remember: He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past. 

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wise words

If everything's precious, then nothing's precious. -Unknown

Does that mean I'm lazy?

Last week I had the opportunity to do a day of substitute teaching for my daughter who homeschools her girls. Fortunately, for me, their math doesn’t include long division yet. Yep, sadly that’s when math began to get hard for me. This eliminated careers that weigh heavy on math skills. Fine with me.  

It doesn’t however eliminate the need for math in everyday life. Does the fact that I whip out my calculator to determine the tip and the person at the table next to me does it in her head mean I’m lazy? I don’t think so. Learning math basics and having useful tools makes life as an underachiever doable. 

Each of us is created with a unique set of skills and abilities. Not many of us sing on stage, but we can all join in on a chorus of “Happy Birthday” at family parties. What’s natural for some, isn’t for others.

It’s similar with organizing strengths. Some naturally alphabetize their spices, while others feel lucky if they can find their salt and pepper. Does this mean they’re lazy? I don’t think so. Having a natural ability to organize doesn’t make you a better person any more than being strong in math does.

Yet for many, being disorganized is a matter of shame. Here are some Timely Tips to reduce shame and increase productivity.

Timely Tips to reduce shame and increase productivity

Who’s defining “disorganized” for you? Is it based on the most organized person you know? Is it based on the expectations of a parent or an in-law? Is it a TV show or YouTuber? 

Christina Scalise says, “Organization isn’t about perfection it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life.” What that looks like and how it’s achieved can vary a great deal. 

If your quality of life depends on having an art project continually going, your space will look different than the person whose interest is golfing. You may have a plethora of art supplies but know exactly where to find each item. To the average observer it may look messy, but to you it’s functional.

To maintain a busy work and home schedule your laundry organizing may consist of baskets for dirty, and baskets for clean that the family draws from as needed. Your neighbor may use the Kondo folding technique for each pair of underwear and socks. If the baskets are efficient for this phase of life—so be it. 

Your organizational skills may be minimal but adequate to maintain the quality of life you desire. Matching your neighbor’s standard isn’t the goal. 

Art Room Before & After

However, you may be struggling with stress, wasted time looking for things and feeling like your home isn’t supporting the life you want. You’re not a failure. Remember, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. Disorganization is not a respecter of persons and even hits those who are naturally organized. 

Envision your own standard of function for your home and write down what that would look like. Seek the help of a friend, a professional (like me!), a book, or YouTuber that has the expertise you’re lacking. 

Resource books: 

• Organizing for the Creative Person, Dorothy Lehmkuhl & Dolores Cotter Lamping C.S.W.

• It’s All Too Much, Peter Walsh

• Organizing Plain & Simple, Donna Smallin

• ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life, Judith Kohlberg & Kathleen Nadeau

• Organizing from the Inside Out, Julie Morgenstern

wise words

“Organizing is not nearly as important as many other things in life, but what it delivers is often priceless.” -Sandra Felton (messies.com)

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A word to those who are naturally organized. Be gracious with those in your life who aren't. Value their strengths and contributions. If they ask for help, do so with respect for their standards, even if they're different than yours. 

Hide Your Clutter

When multiple stimuli appear simultaneously in the visual field, they are not processed independently, but rather interact in a mutually suppressive way, suggesting that they compete for neural representation in visual cortex. -Diane M. Beck, Department of Psychology and the Center for the Study of Brain, Mind, and Behavior, Princeton University, www.pubmed.gov.

In layman’s terms this means clutter effects more than our environment. It effects our brains and well-being. I don’t need university studies to tell me that, my clients do.

“When I look at my clutter, I feel overwhelmed.”

“It’s hard to relax when I see all the piles I need to deal with.”

“I tell my friends I can’t go out because I need to stay home and organize. Then I end up sitting on the couch avoiding the task.”

“I’m so distracted. I bounce around from one thing to another and never finish anything. It’s so frustrating.”

When you walk into your house, what do you see? If it’s piles, every pile represents a task—papers to process, laundry to fold, books to read, toys to put away, projects to complete, sport gear to relocate. Being reminded of so many tasks at once can be overwhelming.

Everyone has a different level of comfort when it comes to visual clutter. Even if you’re more tolerant than most, you’ve probably experienced the stress of piles melding, making it difficult to find what you need. 

Release the idea that your piles are motivating you to take care of business. They may be reminding you, but in a way that adds to your stress as they “compete for neural representation.”

How does “hiding your clutter” help? I don’t mean stash it all away and forget about it. Remove it from your common areas in a systematic way so you can deal with the tasks within the clutter.

Timely Tips for hiding your clutter (with purpose)

Containerize your clutter by project in clearly labeled boxes, bags, or bins. These will be temporary holding places for your piles.

For paper clutter, keep current bills, forms, etc. in a container separate from old mail and papers to be dealt with later. Label one Current Papers, and one Old Papers. Place the Current Papers container where you normally pay bills and download my Piles to Files tip sheet. 

Designate an area in a spare room or closet for the Old Papers container along with the other labeled containers of special projects, household sort/relocate, etc. Remember, this is a temporary holding place. It’s okay if it adds to the clutter of a closed room or closet temporarily. 

This provides immediate clutter relief for your common areas. Since you’re keeping your clutter containers together in their temporary holding place, you’ll be able to locate anything that was removed. But you’re not finished!

Prioritize the containers on a sheet of paper, computer document, or phone note. Schedule time to deal with each container on your calendar and add a reminder to your phone. Your calendar and reminders will be the trigger to retrieve each project in order, one at a time.

Your clutter-free common areas will allow you to enjoy your space when you’re not working on a project and will help you be more productive and focused when you are. 

wise words

Your home is your haven. Reduce clutter so you feel relaxed the minute you walk in the door. -Yuriko Beamon

Sorry Derrel

Sorry Derrel, it’s nothing personal. Part of my disappointment in seeing your “Here we grow again!” sign in our community was that they aren’t replanting an orchard where the orange trees once grew. You’re “growing” a mini storage facility instead. 

According to Neighbor.com, self storage is a growing industry. The US 2019 annual revenue topped $39 billion with 1.7 billion square feet of rentable space at an average of $88/unit/month (about $1,000/year). 

In my business, when clients are ready to empty their storage, they’ve often spent thousands of dollars storing what ends up being mostly donations and trash. Things they could live without, but didn’t.

Let’s look at some Timely Tips that validate the storage industry, show where the pitfalls lie and how to avoid them. 

Timely Tips for self storage

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

Business Storage

• Self storage is a valid option for businesses with minimal warehousing needs:

  • Products

  • Supplies

  • Archived records 

• Pitfalls: 

  • No one responsible for monitoring contents 

  • The risk of running out or purchasing too much higher since not on site

  • Poorly labeled archives or no “Destroy After” dates, cause a buildup and need for additional storage 

• Solutions:

  • Establish a system and person responsible for monitoring inventory 

  • Check with legal/tax professionals to determine “Destroy After” dates for archived documents

  • Label and date boxes accordingly 

  • As you bring in a new year of archived docs, remove those ready for shredding

Photo by Thom Gonzalez

RV/Boat Storage

• Offsite storage for large RVs and boats is necessary for most city folk

• Some facilities offer:

  • Covered spaces

  • Wash racks

  • Dump stations 

• Alternative: rent space from a neighbor  www.neighbor.com/rv-storage-near-me 

• If you have a single spot that you frequent on RV trips, consider renting a space in that location to save gas money

• Pitfalls:

  • Interests, activities, and abilities change through the seasons of life

  • If using your RV or boat is a seldom if ever occasion, the cost of upkeep and storage may outweigh the benefit  

• Solution: Do the math to decide if you want to continue your investment 

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Personal Storage "I'll just put this here for now"

• Valid needs--I'll just...

  • store a few things while the house is for sale

  • move some things to storage during our remodel

  • put Grandma’s things in storage until we decide who gets what

  • store my stuff until after we combine households and see what we need 

• Pitfalls:

  • No urgency in retrieving the items since they're not things you use every day

  • The kids might want it someday

  • You might have a yard sale

  • What's out of sight is out of mind

  • Short-term turns into long-term storage

  • Easier to write a check than to sort through all those boxes (feels overwhelming)

  • As storage costs increase, the value of your belongings decreases 

• Solutions:

  • Before you choose to store things “for now,” research the cost of storage and ensure the value of your belongings supports the expense--(If they're things you can live without for now, maybe you can just live without them)

  • Ask the kids before your store

  • Have the yard sale before you store

  • Decide up front how much money (months) you want to invest and make plans to empty your unit by the date you determine

  • Create a list of things you'd rather spend your money on than storing stuff

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If you’ve already invested more than enough in storage costs and are looking for help emptying your unit, visit my blog “What’s behind door #1213?” or contact me (559) 871-3314. 

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Whether your life is an organizational nightmare, or you're simply looking for some tips to help you fine-tune things, this course provides practical tools to establish order and regain control of your home, office, and life. Topics include:

• What to do with the endless paper flow

• Organizing your space

• How to manage your time

Instructor, Brenda McElroy, is a Board Certified Professional Organizer with NAPO and owns her own business Organized By Choice. 

You can take the steps necessary to experience the freedom of life beyond clutter and chaos. 

February 2, 9, and 16, 2023

Three-night course 6:30 - 8:30 PM

1452 David E Cook Way Clovis, CA 93611

For more info: call (559) 327-2876 or visit cloviscommunityed.com

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Wise Words

If you can live without it—do! -Brenda McElroy

A Concord Christmas

“Peace on earth.” How’s that going for you this holiday season? According to Webster, peace is a “a state of concord or tranquility.” Concord isn’t a word we use every day. One definition is “a simultaneous occurrence of two or more musical tones that produces an impression of agreeableness.”

It doesn’t take a musician to identify when multiple notes don’t belong together. Instead of harmony there is discord, and it can set you on edge. It does, however, take a musician to figure out which notes belong together. Some people have that natural talent. Others learn to identify it to create musical harmony.

There are many ways to enhance a state of concord during the holiday season. If you’re not one for whom being organized comes naturally, it doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a stressful season. Here are five Timely Tips to blend for a peaceful - concord Christmas.

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Simplify-- You can’t do it all. Don’t try.

• One way we simplified is with a tradition of going to PF Chang’s for our family Christmas dinner. We enjoy the experience and I love spending less time creating a menu, grocery shopping, preparing food, setting tables, and cleaning up.

• Other families simplify by opting for a family trip or combining gift money to donate to a charity in lieu of exchanging gifts. In addition to blessing someone less fortunate, this cuts down on shopping and wrapping and prevents after Christmas clutter and chaos due to more stuff to store.

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Don’t Recreate the Wheel

• Take a photo of each room/area you decorate. Give it a caption on your phone so you can easily find it next year. When you take down your décor at the end of the season, store things in bins according to their location. Use the photo to recreate your décor next year.

• Unless your creative nature doesn’t allow it, repeat successful holiday meal menus and consumable gift ideas. It’s like playing the same carols you’ve already learned on the piano instead of struggling with a new one each year. Concord.

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Set Limits

• Putting limits on the number of activities brings concord to your Christmas. This is different for everyone. Just because your neighbor is off to a cookie exchange Saturday morning, a carriage ride in the afternoon, and neighborhood caroling in the evening doesn’t mean that’s right for you. Respectfully decline gift exchanges or activities that put you over the edge.

• Limit the dollar amount for your gift-giving list. If done correctly, this enables you to know when you’re done shopping and keeps you out of debt. Another concord moment.

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Make a Plan-- For me the biggest stressor is feeling like I’m running behind. Christmas always seems to come so fast.

• The best way to combat that stress is to plan ahead. When you get your 2023 calendar, assign dates for the preparation (decorating, shopping, baking) and activities that are a priority for you. Life may get in the way, but at least you’ll have a list on your calendar of things that you know bring concord to your Christmas.

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Lasting Peace-- I’m sitting in a coffee shop. To my left are two women, heads bowed and hands joined. In this busy holiday season, they are choosing concord. Jesus came into this world to live, die, and resurrect to life so that we can have peace with God, the Father, and with one another. May you know the lasting peace that only comes through Him.

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wise words

"For he himself is our peace..." The Apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:14)