start something new

While at the Seasonal Acupuncture Treatment at Kenneally Acupuncture, Kathleen explained the importance of Spring. “It’s a great time to start new projects,” she said. “Winter is for planning and Spring is for starting and doing.” So I’m encouraging you to rid yourself of the bad habits and begin a new with good habits to keep you and your family organized.

First step in getting organized is to stop the income of paper, including junk mail and junk email, and anything unwanted or unnecessary. This will take a shift in your mind set and decision making skills. Instead of bringing in the mail and piling it on the kitchen counter for days, weeks, or months, sort it immediately. Keep a shredder and recycling bin near by during this task to dispose of all the unwanted materials. Now put the mail that requires you to act, such as bills to pay, forms to fill out and mail in a specific spot for only these types of actions. Not just a random pile of stuff on your desk. Having a specific spot for bills will ensure that you pay them on time.

Now about all those emails: Remove yourself from all email lists that you don’t read. So many people keep emails that they intend to read but months go by and those messages are forgotten. Don’t keep them any longer and stop them from coming into your inbox. If you aren’t reading them within a couple of days, then they aren’t that important. Delete!

Let’s step into your closet. Wow that’s a lot of clothing stuffed in there. Do you really wear all those clothes? We usually wear 20% of what’s in our closet 80% of the time according to the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). With that in mind rid your closet of all those items that are taking up valuable space and you won’t be so overwhelmed with choices each morning. If you have things in disrepair, either get them mended or toss today. Keep only what you love, what looks great on you and what fits Now. A good idea is to keep a shopping bag in your closet, so when you put something on and take it off, because it doesn’t look good on you, put it in the bag to donate instead of hanging it up to be ignored again for 6 more months. Once the bag is full, take it to a charity or thrift store. You’ll feel good knowing that someone else can benefit from these clothes.

A word about money spent on items that you don’t like any more. Let it go! The money is already spent. Keeping it in your closet or garage is not putting the money back into your bank account. And holding onto that item is only making you feel guilty or frustrated for making a bad purchase. Don’t think of it as getting rid of things but rather opening yourself up to the positive. This is such an important lesson in getting organized.

As Peter Walsh says in his new book, “Lighten Up“, “Love what you have, Have what you need, Be happier with less.”

Kim Rocke
661.714.8356
kim@newleaf4organizing.com