Planning

Earth Day – Going Green

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This week’s newsletter (if you haven’t signed up – please do so on the right sidebar) has lots of links and info to help you go green. Although Earth Day is only one day of the year we need to learn to follow it’s principles year round.

Here is a copy of this week’s newsletter so you can get all the information you need to learn how to go green.

Decluttering Tip Newsletter – Going Green
Volume 2, Issue 16
April 21, 2009

I’m sure you have heard by now that this is Earth Week and Wednesday (April 22) is Earth Day. I remember the first Earth Day in 1970 (I’m showing my age) when you heard about the smog warnings in the big cities and the polluted lakes and rivers. We’ve come a long way with those areas but the toxins in our homes and the waste we send to the landfills needs to get under control.

It is getting much easier to reduce, recycle, and reuse many items to prevent them from filling the landfill. This site has lots of ideas you can use.
http://www.earthday.gov/athome.htm

When you apply a lot of the ideas for reducing and recycling you will find that it is easier to keep your home decluttered. For example: when you use reusable fabric bags for shopping automatically there are less paper and plastic bags filling up the floor of your pantry or between the wall and the refrigerator.

When you buy and use only what you need there will be less clutter around. By using permanent things like dishes, cloth napkins (cheap washcloths work great when you have children), mugs, and durable plastic or glass containers for storage you will get in a habit of washing them so they are ready to use. You’ll save money and the landfills by not using so many disposables.

If you are trying to use healthier cleaning items, etc. in your home, here is a great website with lots of information.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-cleaning/

If you don’t have curbside recycling or don’t know of a recycling center nearby it will take a little more effort on your part to recycle. Here is a site that can help you find places near you for different things, such as papers, plastic, household, etc.
http://earth911.com/blog/2009/04/20/barriers-to-being-green-accessibility/

For electronic recycling check out these sites for a place near you.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/live.htm
http://www.therecyclingcenter.info/recyclingcenters.php5

Remember, if you reduce the amount of products and items you bring into your home you’ll automatically reduce the amount of clutter. When you find places to recycle the old items you will be able to get rid of them and take away your excuse for not getting them out of your home.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone you know who will benefit from this tip.

Be sure to check out my blog this week for more information on Earth Day. http://organizebythemonth.com

Also check me out on Twitter. http://twitter.com/jlscissors I’m starting to get the hang of it.

To a lighter load along the way.
Janice Scissors
https://cutclutterwithscissors.com
http://organizebythemonth.com
http://twitter.com/jlscissors
http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com

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Too Many Choices Cause Clutter

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The other day I was shopping for some new athletic shoes. I walked into a discount warehouse shoe store. Rows and rows of shoes were displayed on waist high shelves with boxes underneath. It was a large square store with a high ceiling. As I looked around I began to feel overwhelmed. With so many shoes where do I start looking?

I found the rows of athletic shoes. There were only two long rows so that wasn’t too bad. After not finding anything I liked in my size I thought I would look for some summer shoes. As I stood there looking at the vast rows in front of me I decided to walk out.

I don’t like shoe shopping because I have hard to fit feet. In my mind that store had way to many choices to even start looking up and down the rows. Of course, many people may love shoes and like having a large selection to choose from.

The question is, will you buy only what you need or will you buy more because you saw several pairs you liked and couldn’t decide which one you liked better? If you aren’t a discipline shopper then these kind of stores could spell trouble for you. Only you can decide that.

Having too many choices with anything we buy could be the main cause of our clutter. Some choice of products is a good thing. Everyone is an individual and has different tastes. But when there are too many choices it makes it a lot harder to make a decision. We’re afraid if we buy one over the other we might be sorry later. Nobody wants to make a wrong decision. So we buy both.

If you have a 100 pairs of shoes (we all know someone like that) how many are worn more than once a year? Of course with that many shoes you need lots of different outfits to wear them with. You can see where this is going.

Since we live in a materialist society we will continue to be bombarded with thousands of choices of products. With the economy the way it is many companies are discounting their products to survive. Great bargains can be found. Just remember, it’s not a bargain if it sits in the closet and is rarely, if ever worn.

I’ll admit, I’m not a shopper. But when I do need to buy clothes or shoes I prefer a smaller selection to choose from because it is easier to make a decision.

If you have a hard time knowing what styles look good on you check out this website: http://www.missussmartypants.com/. I was a member a couple of years ago and it really helped me find the styles that looked best on me. Going to the store with that kind of knowledge helped narrow the choices of clothes that I would even try on. It made shopping easier and more fun. I have joined the site again this spring because I need some new clothes. The old ones are looking a little worn out.

Ok, I know this was a rant and if you’ve read this far, thank you. The only way I know how to control clutter is to prevent it from coming into your home to begin with. I’ve learned to be selective with my shopping and that has helped a lot.

Let me know how you feel about too many choices and clutter build up. Please leave a comment.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Crazy Spring Weather

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“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” ~Mark Twain

Mark Twain was from the Midwest and knew what he was talking about. April brings daffodils and tulips blooming. Baseball is starting. And this morning it was snowing.

It is cold and dreary outside right now and it’s hard to think about spring gardening. However, this past Saturday it was beautiful. Here are some pictures I took at a local park. Despite the weather today I know it is time to get out and start gardening. But I think I will wait a few days for it to warm up again.

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Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Poison Prevention Week

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This week has been designated to raise awareness about the dangers of many products in the home that are poisonous and how to keep your family safe.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/National-Poison-Prevention-Week-2009/

Over 2 million poisonings are reported each year with close to 90% of them happening in the home. It is well worth taking a few minutes to look around your home and do everything you can to prevent a poisoning. Here are some FAQ to help.

http://www.poisonprevention.org/faq.htm

There is now a national phone number you can call if you have questions about a possible poisoning. 1-800-222-1222. This number can help you determine what to do. If someone is showing signs of illness always call 911.

This site has lots of other helpful information.

http://www.aapcc.org/DNN/

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com

www.twitter.com/jlscissors

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St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

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Today I was doing some research for my next tip newsletter. Because it is National Craft Month I was researching ways to use some of those craft supplies that are laying around.

Since St. Patrick’s Day is next Tuesday I didn’t want to wait until then to send you the links to do crafts with your children or for yourself. Find some projects where you can use some of the supplies you already have on hand. That will help declutter them.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/st-patricks-day/

http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/stpatricksdaycrafts.cfm

http://www.familycorner.com/dir/Family/Holidays/St_Patricks_Day/Crafts/

Decluttering things doesn’t always mean you have to get rid of something. Sometimes it’s a matter of using those things in a productive and fun way. That takes them off the clutter list.

Have fun making some of the St. Patrick’s day crafts.

If you aren’t already signed up to receive my free weekly Tip Newsletter then please do so on the right sidebar.

If you have any comments or suggestions for St. Patrick’s Day crafts please leave a comment. Thanks.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://cutoutthebreastcancer.wordpress.com

P.S. Check out my articles on eHow.

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