Declutter Before You Shop

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We’ve all heard the saying “Shop till you drop”  But I think a better one is “Declutter before you shop”.  Okay, I know it doesn’t rhyme but it will help keep the clutter under control. If you get rid of the old before bringing in anything new you’ll stay one step ahead of clutter build-up.

Containers014Also if you “declutter before you shop” you’ll know before you go to the store what is needed to fill in your wardrobe or finish your decorating. At the grocery store you’ll already know what ingredients you have on the shelf and what you need. You won’t buy a duplicate of something that can go bad or expire before it is used.

 

So before you start your autumn clothes shopping go through last year’s wardrobe.  Get rid of the clothes you didn’t wear because:

  1. They no longer fit.
  2. You don’t like them.
  3. They are worn out.

Create a list of what you need or want before you go shopping.  This will help reduce the impulse buying (future clutter?).

Before heading to the grocery store get rid of the expired ingredients and put them on your shopping list. Check your recipes and weekly menu and put what you need on the list also.  Then you won’t need to make that extra last minute trip to the store.

So save time, money, and clutter by following the saying, “Declutter before you shop” instead of “Shop till you drop”.  You’ll be glad you did.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Organizing Children’s School Papers

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Now that the new school year has begun it’s time to get organized. There are lots of papers that will be entering our homes by way of our children’s backpacks.

There are the notices of events going on, the permission slips, homework, worksheets, and of course all the art work the younger children do.  With so many papers coming in so fast it is easy to put them in a pile to go through later.

But will you and/or your child go through them before the homework is due or the permission slip is too late?

Start out the school year with a plan to handle the incoming papers so you and your child will be more organized. Here are a some suggestions.  If you have a different way to handle the incoming papers, please let me know by leaving a comment below.

  1. For notices, permission slips, etc. you should use a different color pocket folder for each child.  When your child brings home the papers be sure to mark the date on your calendar before you file the paper into the folder. You could also use a 3 ring binder with pocket folders in it.
  2. For current homework each child should have their own notebook or folders they keep in their backpack.  Usually the teachers will recommend what they want for their class.  Check it daily.  Pull out any old homework (see number 3) on a regular basis so the current homework doesn’t get lost in it.
  3. Old homework can really pile up if it isn’t decluttered on a regular basis.  Depending on the grade level there can be a lot of papers that your child will never need to look at again.  If there is a chance they will need it to study for a test then help them set up a folder for each subject. Then when it’s time to study all the papers on that subject will be in one place. Most of the time in the younger grades the practice papers can be recycled.  At the end of the school year almost all the homework papers can be recycled or thrown away.
  4. Art work and stories/essays are papers you’ll probably want to keep for at least a short time.  You can hang up the art work, give it to grandparents, or store it.  Under-bed storage containers are great for these since many pieces of art are larger than the standard piece of paper. Short stories or essays can be put in a binder or in the container with the art work.

If you haven’t decluttered last years papers now is a good time to do it before school gets under way.  Check out this article on how to declutter the papers.

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com/decluttering-childrens-school-papers/

 

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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School Buses Are On The Move!

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The school year has already started for some.  For many others it”s just around the corner.  Whether you have school age children or not the start of the school year brings changes in almost everyone’s routines.  If you are aware of these changes you can plan ahead to avoid any frustration they may cause you.

Hundreds of thousands of school children will be walking their neighborhood streets to catch the yellow school bus at the corners.  Please be aware of them as you leave your home to drive to work or drive carpool.  We want all these children to make it to school safely. We also want them to make it home safely after school.

If you pay attention to pick-up and drop-off times, even if you don’t have children, you can plan accordingly. Allow extra time to get to your destination so you aren’t frustrated when you are slowed down while children are crossing streets or loading on or off the buses. If you are running late you know that will be the day you are stuck behind the school bus with no way to get around it!

Drive safely, teach your children about traffic safety, and hopefully we won’t hear of any tragic accident involving those innocent school children.

Janice

Facebook Page: Cut Clutter With Scissors

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Will Yet Another Organizing Product Bring You Success?

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This is the time of year where all those back-to-school and office supplies are on sale. Even if you don’t have school age children (mine are grown) it is easy to get caught up in believing that this organizing file solution or that 5 subject notebook will solve all our paper clutter or organizing problems.

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Guess what – it might work and then again it might not. How many different products or solutions have you tried over the years with limited success? I know I’ve tried many.

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What I have learned over the years is it’s not necessarily the product or idea that is bad it’s just that it didn’t work for me.  I’m sure you have had the same result at times.

So besides trial and error plus lots of money spent how can you determine if a product will help you?  That’s a hard question to answer. The best way is to take a look at what is currently working for you in any area of your home.

We all have some areas of our lives where we are relatively organized.

If you are organized when cooking in the kitchen pay attention to what kinds of organizing products and/or habits you are using that makes it work for you. Is your desk at work clean and organized but you desk at home is a disaster? Pay attention to what is working at the office and duplicate it at home if possible.

We are creatures of habit and each of us have different learning/organizing traits.  Some we are born with and some we learned when growing up or as adults. Even if we were born missing the organizing gene we can still find the right kind of products and solutions to help us learn to get more organized.

So when you find yourself tempted to try yet another product in hope that it will solve all your organizing problems stop and think about it first. The questions below will help guide you towards one that might work for you.

Ask yourself:

  1. Does this product work similar to other products I’ve used before?
  2. Have I been successful with using this kind of product?
  3. Do I already have a product or solution for this particular problem but haven’t taken the time to figure out if it will work or not?

As we are bombarded this time of year with all those ads for products to help get our children and ourselves organized we have to remember to stop and think before buying.  Most products can help but one size does not fit all.

Figure out your style (or your child’s) so it will be easier to match the product or solution to it. That will increase your chance of success.

Janice

 

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Back To School Organizing

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It’s already the middle of July. The stores are stocked up with back-to-school supplies. The TV and newspaper ads are bombarding us about all the things our children “need” in order to have a great year.

Before you rush out and buy all those things be sure to check what you already have at home. Last year’s backpack may still work. Their school clothes may still fit , at least the ones to start off the school year with. They may have enough left over supplies that you only need to buy a few new ones.

Now is the time to take inventory so you can figure out what they will need and how much. It will be a lot easier if you first declutter what they don’t need or can’t use anymore.

Below are some steps to help you declutter. Then I have listed some options on how to get rid of the clutter in fun ways for you and your children.

Decluttering Steps:

  1. Go through all their clothes. Pull out any that do not fit or they won’t wear. Last year’s favorite style may make them feel like they will die of embarrassment if they wear it this year.
  2. Any clothes that are wearable but need repair should be put in a separate pile. Mending can be done while watching TV.
  3. Go through school supplies. Take inventory of what you have from last year that is still usable. Make a list of what each child needs (elementary schools usually provide a basic list). Mark off what you already have. What’s left is the shopping list.
  4. Go through their books. Have them pull out all the ones they have outgrown and are willing to part with. See below for a fun way to recycle the books.

Options on How To Clear out the above items:

  1. A garage sale is a good way to get rid of the outgrown clothes, school supplies, and books. The money you make can help buy new clothes and supplies. If you are interested in having a garage sale before school begins check out my eBook, “Decluttering With A Garage Sale”.
  2. A children’s book exchange is another fun way to clear out some clutter. This can be done in your neighborhood, church group, or other group you and your children belong to. School supplies can also be exchanged. A simple method to do this is explained in this article “Declutter Children’s Books With a Book Exchange”.

Although decluttering the previous year’s school papers won’t help with taking inventory it’s still a good idea to do it now if you didn’t at the end of the school year. You’ll make room for all the new papers that will soon be coming in.  Plus, as your children go through the old papers it will refresh their young minds as to what they learned the past year.  This article will give you some tips on it, “Decluttering Children’s School Papers”.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

 

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