Halloween: Good for the Economy—Not So Good for the Environment

It never ceases to amaze me how many people decorate for Halloween!  Used to be (showing my age here) jack-o-lanterns on every porch….and that was about it.  Now there are lights, front lawns turned into graveyards, and all kinds of ghouls hanging from every tree branch.  Seems like I now see more homes decorated at Halloween than at Christmas.  But after all, it is a holiday that is celebrated by most people, regardless of religion.

An article in this morning’s Cleveland Plain Dealer titled Retailers expect Halloween to be frightfully successful states that 69% of us will celebrate Halloween;  an increase from the 64% last year.  Consumers will spend “$6.86 billion on candy, decorations, pumpkins, outfits and parties…..That’s 18 percent higher than last year’s $5.8 billion and more than double..(what) we spent in 2003.”

Personally, I stopped dressing up…well, I can’t remember when.  But I did get to live vicariously through my daughters as they were growing up, and spent many hours making costumes, just as my mother did.  There were lady bugs and butterflies made from felt, and princesses with shiny fabric, jewels and glitter.  It was such a treat for them (and depressing for me) the year we purchased a ‘store bought’ costume.  In the end, it was not that memorable, and it was passed on to others.  A couple of the felt capes are what the girls remember the most and will not part with many years later.

The latest issue of Real Simple magazine reveals a startling statistic:  6,250 tons of landfill waste “could be avoided if half the kids in America traded Halloween costumes instead of buying new ones.”  WOW!  Is it really possible that that many costumes go into a landfill instead of being donated to charity?

As an alternative this year I invite you to National Costume Swap Day on October 8th.  Check out their website and find an in-person or online event near you….and there are a lot of them!  They state that the 6,250 tons of costume waste in the landfills is equivalent to the the weight of 2,500 midsize cars!!!!

The economy could certainly use a boost, and planet Earth could use some help.  I encourage you to go through your stash of old costumes, and either donate or trade them in for another one.  After all, the ‘new’ costume was probably worn only once.

Thanks,  JoEllen

The Final Plan

Before you read any further, this may seem like an advertisement for the book that Muffy and I published…I want to say that right up front.  However, we do feel that it is an important book for recording important information that individuals and their loved ones can use either on a daily basis, or during times of an emergency.  If you don’t use our book to record important information, then use a notebook and keep it in a safe place.  Be sure to tell a trusted family member, friend or legal adviser where the information is kept.

A recent article by Sheryl Harris in the Cleveland Plain Dealer “The ultimate exit strategy: A when-I-die checklist” identifies several areas that need consideration before we die.  She states “Planning for death will  not cause you to die….It may, however, save those you leave behind from having to make decisions when they’re really not at their best.”   So take a few minutes to read this article, and take a few more minutes to write down some important information.

Here are some highlights, and examples of information that is important:

• Don’t leave your affairs in chaos.  Have a will, a trust, and/or a plan for minor children
• Play to your heirs’ strengths.  Decide who will be in charge.  Also decide who will know where you keep all of the information that you will be recording.
• Plan your own sendoff.  Leave instructions on specifics you would like to have included for your funeral.  Also let others know if you prefer burial or cremation.
• Sort out your stuff.  Have an inventory of your possessions so family members will understand what is valuable and what is not.
• Earmark prize possessions.  If you want certain items to go to certain people someday, either give it to them now or make clear instructions of who receives what.
• Plan for your pets.  This is an area that many people fail to consider.
• Keep track of your financial accounts.  Have a list of your important accounts and investments, and keep it updated.
• Create an illness/death folder.  Have a set of information and instructions that family members should know in case you become ill and cannot take care of day-to-day activities.
• Talk about your plans.  And share the information you have recorded with a trusted family member or friend.

During our eight plus years as Professional Organizers we have encountered many situations where recording the above information would have been beneficial, and saved loved ones time, stress and money.  Most of  the information can be entered into Where Can I Find It?.  It is available for less than $20, and could be downloaded as a PDF for less than $5.  We feel this is a small price to pay for some peace of mind.  If you don’t purchase our book, or a similar one on the market, be sure and write down or express your wishes to someone.  It may take some time, but this is something you will only need to do once.

Thanks for reading,

JoEllen

November is Clean Out Your Refrigerator Month!

I suppose November is a good time for this activity since it is at the beginning of the season when a lot of people have company for the holidays and need more space in the refrigerator to store food.

But on a recent July day when the temperature was in the mid nineties (again) and I had just found my third bottle of taco sauce in the fridge, I decided the time was now to clean out the fridge. I will admit that every month or so, I do rearrange things in there.  In spite of the fact that each shelf and door pocket is supposed to contain similar items…it does not always look like this is the case.  Top shelf for beverages, next shelf for jelly, pickles and salsa, the next for dairy products, etc.  OK, so it might be a little rigid for some of you, but I practice what I preach because it works.  Like things together, and put them back in that area when done.  Simple!  If you don’t adhere to this then you are likely to purchase items that you already own because you cannot find them.

Before going on, I must say how thankful I am that members of my family actually do put things away in the fridge—-I know that not everyone else is that lucky.  And I really have stopped complaining about it…..but here is what I find when I don’t reach into the back as often as I should:

• a bottle of something red that was congealed and unrecognizable
• a tube of wasabi that we used once for a recipe, then never again
• a bottle of hot mustard that was leaking and creating a mess
• two containers of opened salsa, that were tried, but not enjoyed
• an expired bottle of salad dressing
• items that fell behind the shelf, when other items were shoved around to make room:  small yogurt, hoisin sauce and tofu
• a container of blue cheese that was now blue and green cheese
• a tub of strawberry cream cheese  that was two-thirds empty, had not been touched in a while and the expiration was approaching
• three taco sauce bottles in various states of fullness that were consolidated to two

According to the guidelines of Throw Out Fifty Things, all of these items actually count as one, so my grand total is now 36.  Almost to the goal, but before I blog any more, I need to find some creative ways to use the taco sauce.  Please let me know if you have any ideas,

JoEllen

Hoarders or Slobs?

Are they hoarders or slobs….or neither……?  They could be chronically disorganized; compulsive shoppers; they could be overwhelmed with other things going on in their lives and everything got out of control; they could be depressed and lack the energy for getting much of anything done.  This list could go on and on.

Television shows like Hoarders on A & E, and Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC have given many of us a glimpse into a condition that affects as many as four to six million people. While those cases are extreme, they do exist.

Here in the Cleveland area, we are members of a local task force on hoarding.  The Hoarding Connection of Cuyahoga County has a mission “to provide support and advice, educate, develop best practices, and assist in identifying needed resources for individuals who hoard and those that work with individuals who hoard.”   This group is actively reaching out to community agencies to educate those who may encounter a hoarding situation.  We want to educate others that hoarders are not slobs, and they are not lazy, and cleaning out the home does not happen in a weekend.  Individuals who are hoarders find value in items that most of us do not. Any changes in behavior and the living conditions  involves a variety of resources, and will take time.

For more information on hoarding, there are many books on the subject.  A couple of recommendations are Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding,  and Digging Out: Helping your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding & Compulsive Acquiring.

If you, or someone you know, wants some assistance contact The National Association of Professional Organizers, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization, or The National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists.  These are all good places to start and will direct you to more local resources.

JoEllen

“Pick Up Your Toys”

I love today’s Family Circus comic.  It is such a literal interpretation of “Pick up your toys”.

Do you ever think about what exactly you say versus what you really mean?  When a child is told to pick up his or her toys it means clear all surfaces of items which do not belong there, sort them, and place them in their proper homes  (or something close to that).  Even into the teenage years, the young person will need some more guidance on how to put things away and get organized.

We work with many parents who are frustrated about the amount of toys, school papers and shoes that now clutter up their homes.  We remind them that it will not last forever, and they may actually miss it some day.  As for the teenager’s room, we suggest certain standards to be met and then close the door.  Shared spaces in the home can certainly have different standards, and everyone can participate.

The important thing to remember when asking a young person to organize their stuff is to consider the age and personality of the individual.  How much guidance will they really need?  How long could they stay focused on a task?  Is it better to work with a timer or a particular area?  Should a reward be given for a task well done?

Many of our customers never learned the organizing skills when they were younger.  They lived in a cluttered home or they had someone pick up their things, make their bed, and/or put their stuff away.  Now they do not know how.  This Family Circus from last fall is an example of that.

Not many of us would want all of our things put away by someone else, and not knowing if it was thrown away or just in a location where we could not find it.  Think about how frustrating that would be!

It may take some extra time now, and the completed task may not be exactly as you would have done it, but you will be teaching skills that will last a lifetime.

Thanks for reading,

JoEllen

Thanks for the Socks, Mom!

I had an enjoyable Mother’s Day with my family yesterday.  Perfume, flowers, cake…..  Mother Nature cooperated for us, and I was also able to spend some time digging in the dirt in my backyard.  That part of the yard is sooooo wet due to all of the rain we have had of late, but that just makes it easier for me to dig up the weeds, and divide and move around various perennials, which is my usual spring activity. Lucky for me, I have a great pair of boots to keep me dry.

Because I have small feet, I need to wear a second pair of socks to help the fit.  For years now, I have worn these purple socks that my mom made for me.  I can’t even remember when they were knitted, or for what occasion, but I do know that they were made by her.  She died almost 20 years ago, and I cannot remember her doing much knitting during the last ten-plus years of her life.  This is a clue to how old the socks must be.  They are starting to wear, but they still provide me great comfort and I will use them as long as I can.

Someone once remarked to me that “Everyone’s mom made them a pair of those socks!”  Judging by what I see as I go through my customer’s things, this is certainly true.  We find similar socks in sock drawers, in memorabilia boxes, and on shelves.  They are all in perfect condition and often never worn.  If this is the case, then we gently suggest that they be used.  After all, when they were made, they were probably made to wear and not be shut up in a drawer or box.

My socks will be used a little while longer, and then sadly thrown away.  Every time I put them on, I think of my mom and how she lovingly made these socks in my favorite color.  Mom enters my thoughts at other times too; not just when I put on the socks.  But yesterday, on Mother’s Day, it meant an awful lot to have her there in the garden with me.

Thanks for the socks, mom,

JoEllen

How to Lose 41 Pounds….of Paper!

Everyone seems to be overwhelmed with paper!   So many of our recent jobs are helping people dig out from under the piles that have accumulated in different areas of the home.

The junk mail alone accounts for about 41 pounds of unwanted paper per person per year.  Combine that with papers from school and/or work, the inserts in the morning paper and various magazines we subscribe to, and the information we print from our computers, it’s no wonder that it is difficult to keep on top of the piles!  But with a few simple tips, you can make this more manageable.

Try to go through the mail as soon as it comes in to your home or office, and immediately recycle and shred what is not needed.  Put any items you wish to read in one area, preferably next to a place where usually do your reading.  All items requiring further action should go to another area.  These would be events to which you must RSVP, telephone calls you need to make, or items you need to enter on your calendar.  All bills need to go to a ‘bill paying center’.  This center should be near the area in which you pay your bills, and should contain envelopes, labels and postage for those accounts that you do not pay on line.

Finally, you should establish a filing system for all items you wish to file because the information may need to be accessed in the future.  Keep the categories to a minimum, and use words that make the most sense to you.  Examples include 2011 Taxes, Paid Bills, Checking, Investments, Medical, Insurance, Hobbies, Important Documents, etc.  From the general categories that you have established, some sub categories may emerge and you will be on your way to creating your unique filing system.

If you have been printing emails and other information from your computer, try to create a habit of using the various filing systems on your computer instead.  The categories could all be the same, and you will save a lot of space in your filing cabinet.

There are some free sites available that will actually stop much of the junk mail that you receive.  Here are three that will tackle the bulk of it:

www.directmail.com to curtail unwanted advertisements

www.optoutprescreen.com to stop credit card and insurance solicitations

www.catalogchoice.org to stop newsletters and catalogs

By putting a stop to the amount that actually arrives in your mailbox, you will have completed half the battle.

Good luck on your organizing project!

JoEllen

Facing My Fears

So every now and then, when we start work with a new customer, they tell us how they have been thinking and thinking about our arrival for the past week, or how they didn’t sleep the night before our work was to begin.  This is perfectly understandable.  These individuals have reached out to us for help with what is an overwhelming, personal and often embarrassing situation.  We provide reassurance, begin the process, and the anxious feelings subside.  We also thank them for reminding us just how dreadful this process can be when it is not something that they find as enjoyable as we do.

As much as that brings us down to earth, I have to admit that I could not really relate to those feelings until recently agreeing to do a three minute spot on a local TV station.  Talk about stepping outside my comfort zone!!  This is one thing that I just do not enjoy.  And all the while I tell myself how totally illogical that thinking is.  I was asked to speak about paper clutter….something which I deal with almost every day.  In fact, Muffy and I have an entire talk devoted to just this subject.  All I had to do was think of a couple of bullet points and sound bites and all would be fine.  Then I started to think about all of those TV cameras, some of which move about by remote control, and the crew walking around giving hand signals and coordinating all the time to the second.  Big deal, I can speak in front of a large audience without too many butterflies, and give the same information to customers on a regular basis, so what is the problem with speaking to the interviewer one-on-one?  At least that is what I tried to tell myself in the days leading up to the actual spot.  Finally, there was the fact that I had agreed to do the interview in the 5:15 hour—–in the morning!!!!  Admittedly, I woke up about every hour to check the clock to be sure that I would not oversleep the 3:30 AM alarm.  Not a restful night…..

With everything behind me, I have to admit that, with exception of the early hour, it was not so bad.   Muffy and I have done a number of television appearances, and afterward, I always say “I don’t want to go on TV any more!”  And each time, I walk away thinking that my worries were unfounded.   Holly Strano was easy to talk to, she quickly put me at ease and I did not even notice the cameras.  I was actually disappointed that the segment went so quickly.  Oh well, maybe there will be other opportunities.

I certainly hope that I am able to put others at ease when they face their anxiety about organizing, and at the same time provide them with inspiration and a new mantra: “I can do this!”

JoEllen

Working In A Glass Office?

It certainly takes a certain kind of person to live in architect Philip Johnson’s glass house.  I am the first to admit that even though I am a Professional Organizer, my home is not perfect.  And I think I would be under constant (albeit self induced) pressure to keep things looking neat and tidy all the time.

One evening this week, while driving through the neighborhood, I observed one of my neighbor’s well lit rooms.  In the front of the house, behind a large window with the blinds open, was his office.  There he was at his desk, which was actually a table, working on his computer.  The desk was totally neat and tidy, and the room did not appear cluttered with other items.  Presumably there is a filing cabinet in a corner that is not visible from the street.    I don’t think I could ever work so publicly!  It reminds me of offices in buildings with lots of glass, and the workers are totally exposed.

A lot of my work related activities occur in a home office that my husband and I share, and that is well hidden from the rest of the home.  This is also the space where bills are paid, paperwork for both of our businesses is stored, and office supplies for all family members are available.  We have done a good job at keeping the work related paperwork separate from the running of the household information, and we can find most things at a moment’s notice.  There are a total of eight vertical file drawers, that are well labeled and organized.  Of course, that does not mean that everything gets into its home immediately…..but papers do get filed away.  But, as I ask my customers: “How much of those papers are really referred to again?”  or “Do you realize that only 20% of what is filed away is ever looked at again?”

We have decided to paint the office a new color.  That sounds easy enough, but as you probably know, all the prep work is the hardest.  In addition to removing items from the walls, I saw this as an opportunity to finally go through all the stuff that had accumulated over the past seven years inside the cabinet drawers and supply closet.

I do admit that one filing drawer in particular was getting too crowded to easily file additional papers, and the others were not far behind. Overall, I discarded 75 files that I had not recently used!  Additionally, I was able to thin many other files in this and other drawers, and we reached our goal of eliminating one of the two drawer filing cabinets.  What was thrown away can fall into two categories.  First, there were files that were used, but are no longer relevant like developmental milestones, craft projects for preschoolers, and gardening information that is easily available on the internet.  Then there were items that had been filed away, but never even referred to again—most of this was work related, and the more timely information is now stored in files on the computer.

The storage closet presented even more surprises!  I did not realize that there were so many items that we actually thought we would use again some day.  Overall, here is my tally, bringing the total of Throw Out Fifty Things up to 35:

• 75 files + other paper stored in cabinet drawers
• 8 three-ring binders that had been used, and saved to use again
• a variety of office supplies like pocket folders, dividers , etc
• 3  computers that were inherited, and waiting to be recycled
• 1 printer
• 13 cables that had been associated with various electronics
• 3 posters that I no longer wish to frame
• 2 mouse pads

I am completely shocked by the amount I just let go!  My filing system is set up so that anything can be found easily.  I have tabs with easy to read labels, all of the tabs were moved to the front of the hanging file so they would not be hidden, and they are lined up on one side of the cabinet so my eyes will not have to jump around to find the things that have been filed away.  But upon discovering all the various papers that were entered into this wonderful system, I will definitely think again about what I will save.

My philosophy of organizing is that you should be able to keep things that you plan to use, and they should be stored in a manner for easy retrieval.  And I agree with Julie Morgenstern that being organized isn’t about the space being neat, but “…how it functions.” The functional system was in place, but it held just too much stuff!  Now I don’t have to look at a lot of things that will never be used by me.  Although I still don’t want to work in a glass office, I now vow to be more realistic about what I think will be used again.

JoEllen

Let It Snow!

Here is Northeast Ohio, many of us like to have snow on the ground for Christmas, and this year it looks like that will be the case.   We have received a lot of snow in my neighborhood this week, most of it due the the ‘lake effect’.  The snow clouds come from the northwest over Lake Erie, where they pick up moisture from the unfrozen lake, and dump an increased amount of snow in some areas called ‘the snow belt’.  We had a few more inches of snow one day, but the ‘official snow fall’ measurement at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on the west side of the county, was zero.

I love the beauty the snow brings, but do not engage in a lot of snow related sports.   Primarily, just the snow shoveling, which I consider to be another form of good exercise.  However, when we moved to the ‘snow belt’ area of the county a few years ago, the snow just never seemed to stop and we had trouble keeping our driveway cleared.  We are ‘do-it-your-selfers’ and within a year teamed up with our neighbor and purchased a snow blower.

This is a great tool, but it is just one more thing in a garage that is already housing two cars, a canoe, a riding lawn mower, gardening supplies, as well as various tools and equipment.  The amount of items stored in the garage increases in the winter as we bring in planters that would crack and break in the cold, and lawn furniture that will last longer if it does not get unnecessary exposure to the elements of the harsh cold.

So before the weather turned, the husband and I decided to re-organize.  We picked a nice day, removed the cars, and everything that was on the floor out into the driveway.  It is always an eye opening moment when you see your stuff like this.  Want to know why I always recommend to ‘start small’ with any organizing project?  Because this looks totally overwhelming!  But we had the morning dedicated to the task, and began the sorting process.

A lot of what we parted with were toys and sports equipment that belonged to our daughters.  They have outgrown the items, both physically and mentally, and with their permission these items were donated or tossed.  Although, it tugged at the heart strings to part with bubbles, chalk, bikes, roller blades and scooters, I knew it was time to let go of these things.

Although it could really boost my count, I will not be adding these to my list of Throw Out Fifty Things.  Here is what I do claim:

• 4 Planters                       These were old plastic ones that I had saved after using for a year, but never got around to re-using.
• 12 Plant Labels             The kind that come with plants in the Spring, but just never made it to the trash.
• 1 Plant Tool Case          This held many tools in a nice organized manner, with the exception of one tool that always fell out when the case was opened, and annoyed me that it could not stay in its section properly.  This combined with the fact that the tools are easier to see if they are not closed up in the case, helped with the decision.
• 4 Plant Oasis Bricks      These are for making planters with fresh picked flowers.  I use them, and kept two, but decided I would never use six at the same time.
• 1 Lawn Ornament          This was a gift from my sister.  It was a glow ornament that soaked up the sunlight, and glowed at night.  The sensor had broken, and I had no success in replacing it.  I loved to see that ornament glowing in my herb garden in the evening…..still have the memory.
• 1 Pair of Gardening Shoes    They are a favorite pair, but they leak, and have been well loved and used for many years.

There are items that I did not throw away including my baton that was with the girls’ toys.  I had this from the time I took lessons in grade school, and will now put it on the wall as decor; six sets of chop sticks that I receive with take out—I use these for plant stakes; and rakes, because as much as I hate raking, I know that is a chore I will still do year after year.

At 27 things, and am now over half way to my 50.  And at this point I will admit that it was easier than I thought it would be to let go of those items that belonged to the girls.  Gail Blanke says that the process gets easier, and she is right…..  I miss times with my daughters when we played with those toys.  But I could think of no reason for them to be hidden away and taking up space.  Now someone else will be learning to roller blade and play softball….in the Spring…..

JoEllen