Organize by the Month Blog

Have you ever noticed that when someone has just moved out of their house the trash waiting for pick-up is a mile high?  Have you ever wondered where they were keeping all that trash?  Why did they keep it?

My theory is that things get stored out of sight and are forgotten.  Even if they are in plain sight they can be forgotten amongst all the other things that are just sitting there. We may be saving it for “someday” when we have time to fix it or clean it up so it can be used again.  But when we move we decide it isn’t worth bothering with and throw it away.

The more items we keep because of this thinking the more difficult our move will be.  So if you are planning a move soon you may want to start cleaning out all those “someday” things.  You old home will be easier to pack up when the time comes.  You new home will be easier to unpack if you don’t have to mess with the clutter.

If you are not planning a move then you can still pretend like you are.  Go through each room and ask yourself the following questions about all your things.

• Is this item worth paying good money for to move to a new home?
• What wouldn’t you take because you don’t like it or use it?
• Why are you keeping it in your current home? 
• If it isn’t worthy enough to be in a new home what makes it worthy enough for you current home?

You deserve to live in a clean “new” home even if you are not planning on a move.  Clear out the clutter and you will feel like you are in a “new” home. Add some new paint or other decorative touches and you’ll have a fresh start in your home.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Decluttering, Home, Organizing, Simplicity // Add Comment »

Many states are having the “School Tax Holiday” this weekend.  If your state participates then you will want to take advantage of it especially if you are in need of a big ticket item like a computer.

This week’s Decluttering Tips Newsletter has suggestions on how to take advantage of these tax savings.  You don’t want to buy more than you need because the extras can easily end up as clutter.  If you haven’t signed up to receive this newsletter then please do so on the right sidebar. I will be sure to send out a copy to anyone who signs up in the next couple of days.

If you are already signed up to receive the newsletter then please check your inbox. 

Back to school shopping can be exciting or stressful.  Planning ahead and writing down what you need to buy will help reduce the stress.  It’s important to keep children enthusiastic about going to school.  Their whole future depends it.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Calendar, Organizing, Planning, school // Add Comment »

If you read my last post you know that I am going through a health crisis.  Since I have spent the last six years as a Flybaby, (Flylady.net) I have been decluttering my home.  I now realize how grateful I am to have reached the point of being organized with minimum clutter around. 

The past six weeks have played havoc with my mental and physical health leaving routines by the wayside. Since I have reduced my incoming paper clutter what does come in is manageable.  The majority of my bills are paid electronically so the few paper bills have been easy to handle on time.  With facing a lot of future medical bills my finances are now under control and that will make it easier later.

The biggest advantage I have seen has been in my home.  Although I haven’t kept up regular routines of cleaning, the house has still not gotten out of control.  Yes, the dust gets thick enough to write your name in it and the beige carpet sometimes is sprouting a layer of black hair (black dog). But I get to them when I can. Without the clutter the dirt isn’t as noticeable.  When the toilet bowl starts showing that distinct water line I take a couple of minutes and clean it. 

It’s the organization of my home that has kept the clutter build-up at bay. The books, magazines, papers, trash, etc. have been manageable because I have limited the incoming traffic of them.  The groceries have a place to go and are put away immediately. Since I don’t have a lot of clothes (only what I will wear and fits) I am forced to keep the laundry up.  Either I wear dirty clothes (not good for the mental or physical health) or wash them and put them away. Smaller loads are easier to take care of without getting overwhelmed.

So whenever there is a disruption in your routines due to vacation, back to school, holiday season, home remodeling, health crisis (yours or a loved one), etc. if you have less clutter around it will make your life so much easier to manage.  Just think if it is easier during a routine disruption how easy it will be during the regular times. 

Time to evict the clutter and take back your home.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Decluttering, Home, Organizing, health // Add Comment »

You may have noticed that I haven’t blogged or sent out a tip newsletter for the past several weeks.  It’s not because I have given up on building this blog or my website.  I haven’t.  Sometimes life takes an unexpected detour and it takes time to adjust.

I have been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing surgery tomorrow.  After that I will have a round of chemotherapy followed by radiation.  I’m telling you this because the next 9-10 months of my life will be in upheaval.  The doctor calls it a temporary inconvenience.  The last time I had a 9 month temporary inconvenience was when I was pregnant with my youngest son. He turns 23 in August. That “inconvenience” had a good end result.  With some luck, at the end of this one I will have a clean bill of health and a rebirth of my spirit.

I plan on continuing this blog and my newsletters during this time.  I cannot promise that the “Decluttering Tip Newsletter” will come out weekly or the “Organize By The Month News” will be out by the first of the month, but I will do my best. I also plan on writing articles for my website plus e-books on different areas of decluttering and organization.

I have spent the last 25 years reading, researching, and practicing many ideas and systems to keep control of the clutter.  It doesn’t come natural for me so it is an ongoing process.  It started when I found a book in the store called; “Sidetracked Home Executives” by Pam Young and Peggy Jones.  I was a new mother and full time employee back in the early eighties and chaos was beginning to take over my home.  Their system helped me keep some control over the growing clutter that came with a growing family.  The one downside to their system is that I didn’t have a built in buddy like they did. My sisters, mother, mother-in-law, and most friends were either born organized or didn’t want to admit they had a problem.  I had to go it alone.

Six years ago I found Flylady and a whole world of SHE’s.  I wasn’t alone anymore!  With lots of new friends (flybabies), both locally and online, I found the support needed to motivate me to dig even deeper to release the “hard to let go of” clutter.  With most of the clutter gone I have been able to pursue my passion of writing and share my knowledge and experience with others. 

Since my home is in good shape (not perfect) it has been a lot easier to keep it under control as I deal with the emotional part of my health crisis.  However, with this new detour in my life I am finding a new perspective on what is clutter. Many things I thought were important to keep don’t seem so important right now. At the end of my newsletters I sign off with the statement; “To a lighter load along the way.”  That has taken on a even deeper meaning.  Life is precious, very few “things” are. 

If you have read this far, I thank you.  This blog will continue to focus on decluttering and organizing.  So will my newsletters, articles, and e-books.  I will be creating a new blog that will be a diary of my journey through breast cancer treatment.  I will let you know when that is started for anyone who might be interested. 

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice Scissors

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Decluttering, Home, Organizing, Planning, Simplicity, health // 2 Comments »

July 4th is this weekend and there are many fun and safe ways to celebrate.  If you didn’t receive my July newsletter then you can check it out on this blog. It’s located on the sidebar under Newsletters.  I have included lots of links to sites that can give you ideas of how to celebrate this holiday with your children. 

If you are having a barbeque with the traditional hot dog and baked beans then there are lots of recipes for you to try.  Ice cream and/or watermelon for dessert are also summer time favorites.

If you are getting ready to send your children off to overnight camp then check out the best way to pack them up. 

Planning a vacation this month?  Then make sure you pack everything you need and not one thing more.  Many airlines are charging for each piece of luggage now so you don’t want to take any extra suitcases if you don’t have to.  Check out the July newsletter for ideas of what and how to pack light.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

P.S. Be sure to sign up for the for the weekly Decluttering Tips Newsletter and the monthly Organize Newsletter.  One sign up for both newsletters.  Sign up now so you don’t miss out on all the great tips and information!

Tags: Calendar, Family Fun, Holidays, Organizing, Planning, Vacation // Add Comment »

Summer is a good time to slow down and really think about how you can simplify your life.  I took out a book by Elaine St. James, “Inner Simplicity” to read about ways to regain peace in my life.  Her books are easy to read and get me thinking about how complicated our world has become and what we can do in our individual lives to slow it down.

“Doing too much and having too much get in the way of being able to enjoy the things we do want in our lives, and to simply be who we are.”    By Elaine St. James

Check out her books or any book by your favorite author and take some time to slow down and read.  Be inspired to declutter both the physical and mental things in your life that are “too much”. 

“I am often reminded of the early mountain man who roamed freely throughout
the Rockies far before that area was settled.  He was able to move unencumbered
along beautiful mountain trails where very few people had ever been able to go.
Years later in his life, he had obtained more possessions and wealth.  While traveling
through the area in a wagon, he was forced to take a desert road instead of his
beloved mountain trail.  As he gazed at the beautiful mountain peaks in the distance,
he realized that his quest for a few material things had changed the course
of his travels and the course of his life.”          by Jim Stovall

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Decluttering, Organizing, Planning, Simplicity, health // Add Comment »

Last week was one of those weeks where my plans were thrown out the window and I had to deal with some minor and not so minor emergencies.

First my dishwasher went out on Tuesday morning.  The water inlet valve broke so there was water in the bottom of the dishwasher.  I shut off the water from under the sink and scooped out the water from inside the dishwasher.  I checked it later in the day and the water had filled in again.  The shut-off valve under the sink had corroded and continued to let a little water through.  The plumber couldn’t come out till the next day so I scooped water out of the dishwasher twice a day so it wouldn’t overflow onto the floor.  Minor problem.

Wednesday morning the air conditioner went out.  Being that St. Louis can get very hot and humid this time of year, this was a little bit more than a minor inconvenience.  So I waited for the plumber to show up to stop the leak and started calling to set up some bids for the A/C replacement.  Because the A/C was 20 years old and the furnace was 16 years old I was prepared for this to happen.  I just didn’t plan for it the same week the dishwasher broke and my husband was out of town.

Then I had a health issue come up on Thursday evening that I have to deal with. As they say, when it rains, it pours. 

Well I now have air conditioning.  The plumber had a problem with installing the new dishwasher and will have to return with a part next week.  Oh well, my hands work well as a dishwasher.  At least it is comfortable in the house now.

As you can see I have been a little too busy to write any posts this week.  We all have crazy things happen to us and have to prioritize what we do with our time.  It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when so many things go haywire at one time.  But we have to stop, take a deep breath, and realize it will all work out. 

As Annie sings in the play “Annie”; “The sun’ll some out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that the tomorrow there’ll be sun!”  I always think of this song when things get me down.  Here is a recording of the song.

I plan on getting my “Decluttering Tip Newsletter” out tonight and the July issue of “Organize By The Month News” by this coming Sunday.  If you haven’t signed up for these newsletters then please do so now. (On the right sidebar)  There are lots of links in the Organize newsletter for fun things to do on the Fourth of July.  You won’t want to miss this issue.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Calendar, Home, Organizing, Planning // Add Comment »

I was thinking about mindfulness and how it can apply to home organization.  So I decided to look up the meaning to see if was a good word choice.  There are several definitions depending on if it is used in reference to Buddhism or psychology.

The more general meaning of mindfulness is paying attention to what is going on at the current moment of our life.  In other words, paying attention on purpose in the present moment without being judgmental.  Hard to say, even harder to apply.

Mindfulness is usually referring to our thoughts and learning to control them.  When chaos is all around us in the form of clutter then our thoughts are not usually nonjudgmental.  They are more about; who made the mess, how did it get this bad, why am I the one who always has to clean it up, how did so many things accumulate so fast, why can’t anyone let go of these things including me, etc.  On and on the negative thoughts swirl around in your head.

Learning to pay attention on purpose to these thoughts can help us learn not to be so negative or judgmental.  When we are aware that our surroundings are causing these negative thoughts then we have greater freedom to respond instead of react.

Many times we are on auto-pilot as we go through the day.  If we do this while cleaning a bathroom or washing the dishes then it is okay because we have created good habits to take care of these necessary jobs.  But if we put the mail on the counter to “deal with later”, or leave the snack dishes and games, etc. out in the family room to “deal with in the morning” then we are on auto-pilot in a bad way.

These are the times we need to practice mindfulness.  We need to learn to pay attention on purpose in the present moment so we can take care of our environment.

So next time you start building or adding to a hot spot, stop and take a deep breath.  Get off auto-pilot for a moment and become aware of your current thoughts.  Do you dread dealing with the mail?  Are you too tired to clean up the family room before bed?  When you become aware of the thoughts that are causing the bad habit then you can take the steps needed to change it.

Janice

P.S.  Be sure to check my website often.  I will be adding articles on different topics periodically.  If you have a suggestion or topic you would like to find out more about then either leave me a comment or email me at janice@cutclutterwithscissors.com.

Tags: Decluttering, Home, Organizing, Planning // Add Comment »

About a month ago I suggested making a Gardening Master List of all the things you would like to do to improve you yard.  I took a paper and pen and walked around my whole house.  I separated the areas into seven different zones. I can then look at each zone to see what can be done now and what needs to be planned for the future.

I have only done a couple of things on my list so far.  Now that the constant rain pattern has broken I can start working on some of the things that can be done in the summer heat.  The shrubs I wanted to buy and plant this past spring may wait till fall.  With short term, long term, big jobs, and small jobs listed there is still plenty that can be worked on.  That is the beauty of writing out a master list with flexibility built in especially for gardening where you are at the mercy of the weather.

Did any of you write out a Gardening Master List this year?  If so, how are you doing on it?  I would love to know how others are handling their yards and gardens with the extreme weather that different parts of the country have had.

I hope everyone had a nice Father’s Day.  The rest of June is quiet as far as holiday’s are concerned.  The next big holiday is Forth of July.  I will be researching ways to celebrate that day with fun and inexpensive ideas. Be sure to check back often.  If you have any suggestions to share with fellow readers please leave a comment.

Please share this blog and my newsletters with your friends and family you feel will benefit from this decluttering and organizing information.

Thanks,

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Calendar, Gardening, Holidays, Organizing, Planning // Add Comment »

Sometimes there are so many things going on at one time you feel like you’re in the middle of a three ring circus.  You go from focusing on one thing to another and then back again so you don’t miss out on anything.  After awhile it all becomes a blur.

That is how I have felt the last three weeks.  First I went on vacation the end of May.  Then my contractor scheduled to fix my back porch (leaky roof) and stain the deck.  This happened at the same time the construction workers tore up the street in front of our house.  With all the noise from out in front and the repairs going on in back, I felt I was in the middle of that three ring circus. 

Because of the street being out and rain delaying the pouring of the concrete I have had to park my car a half a block away.  This meant carrying groceries and cans of paint that distance.  I think I built up a few muscles this week.  I know my contractor wasn’t happy either but with an empty garage he was able to store his stuff here instead of carrying it back to the truck. 

This morning the garage was cleaned out, the cars returned to their “home”, and it is now quiet around here.  And guess what, it is raining again.  At least now I can start getting back in my daily routine. 

Having routines can make life so much more organized.  There will always be things in our lives that disrupt our routines.  The key is to get back to the routines as soon as  those disruptions are past.  If things change to the point that the old routines don’t work then come up with new routines.

We are creatures of habit but we also have the power to choose what those habits are.  Create good routines that become habit and ours lives will be more organized.  That helps us handle the three ring circuses when they come to town.

Have a Happy Father’s Day this weekend.  If you still haven’t planned out the day then check out the June 1 “Organize By The Month News” under newsletters on the sidebar. There are links there that will give you some good ideas.

Janice

http://cutclutterwithscissors.com

Tags: Calendar, Family Fun, Holidays, Home, Organizing, Planning // Add Comment »