Peace of Mind Organizing

No Excuses series (part 2): "But I paid a lot for it"

7 April 2022

This is the second in a three-part series of posts debunking the three excuses I hear most frequently from clients for wanting to keep items they no longer use or love. The series originally ran in January and February 2017 and I decided it was worth running again. Click here to see the other articles in the series. Stay tuned for part 3 next week.

The second most common excuse I hear from clients who want to keep something they don’t use of love is that they paid a lot for that item. I get it. It feels terrible to let go of an expensive item that turned out to be a foolhardy purchase. But you know what? Keeping it doesn’t make you feel any better. In fact, when you see the item, it just makes you feel worse.

There are two important things to remember when you’re tempted to keep an item you don’t use or love just because you paid a lot for it:

1. The money is spent. Keeping it won’t bring it back. Selling it will get you some of the money. And donating might get you a tax deduction. Keeping it doesn’t help.
2. There’s a cost associated with keeping items that you don’t use or love, especially if clutter is an issue in your life. There’s an emotional cost (that reminder of your bad purchasing decision); there can be a physical cost if the item contributes to clutter that poses a tripping hazard or you’re unable to clean because there’s so much clutter; and there can be a financial cost if there’s so much clutter that you have to rent a storage unit or you can’t make repairs or do maintenance in your home.

For those expensive items you don’t use or love, I suggest pulling off the Band-aid. Take a deep breath and decide to let it go. If it’s easy to sell it, do so. Otherwise, donate it or make yourself feel better by giving it to someone you love. I’m pretty sure it will be a relief to get that thing out of your home!

No Excuses series (part 1): "But I might need it some day"

5 April 2022

This is the first in a three-part series of posts debunking the three excuses I hear most frequently from clients for wanting to keep items they no longer use or love. The series originally ran in January and February 2017 and I decided it was worth running again. Stay tuned for parts 2 & 3 in the coming days.

When I work with clients on decluttering, we discuss their goals and motivations for letting go of excess. They understand that it makes most sense to hang on to meaningful items, not those that are sitting idle. Yet it’s not unusual for a client to want to keep an unused item that’s perfectly good because “I might need it some day.”

I usually push back, particularly if we’re dealing with severe space constraints and the need to let go of a lot of stuff.

Here’s what I say to those clients when I hear, “But I might need it some day.”:

• How likely is it that you’ll need it?
• If you decide to let it go and you do find you need it, are you able to get another one?
• If you keep it, will you be able to find it when you need it?

That last question is important, because if a client is keeping a lot of those “some day” items it may be difficult to organize the stuff they keep in a way that will allow them to find everything.

Here’s the thing about perfectly good items that aren’t being used. If they’re perfectly good, somebody else can use them. Rather than having them sit idle, taking up space, it’s better to contribute to the greater good by donating them and letting them be used. If you hang on to them until a future decluttering session and then decide to let them go, they may be less valuable or useful to others.

Basically it comes down to a couple of things:

1. Your goals for decluttering and getting organized. If you’re trying to create space in your home and life so that you can find what you want when you want it and live with ease (my definition of organized), then storing a lot of unused stuff might well get in the way of that.
2. A fear of regret. I think a lot of us live in fear of regretting our decisions. If you do find that you let go of an item that at a future date you could have used, you may feel a twinge of regret. But you’ll get past it. Crowding your space with unneeded items is a pretty high price to pay to ward off future regret, in my opinion.

I have seen over and over how living with less makes one’s life easier. A great first step toward living with less is letting go of the perfectly good stuff you don’t use.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of the No Excuses series: “I paid a lot for it” and “It was a gift.”

St. Louisans: Find out how to dispose of stuff with RecycleWizard.com

21 March 2022

Last week our NAPO chapter heard a program from the St. Louis County Department of Public Health about how to safely get rid of unwanted items. They introduced us to a new online tool called the Recycle Wizard. You just type in the name of a waste item and the wizard will tell you how to recycle or dispose of it.

Here’s an example for the results when I searched on Battery (Disposable):

While this is specific to the St. Louis area, I think the Recycle Wizard might be useful to people in other parts of the country who can use it to see what our community recommends in terms of whether something is safe to put in the trash or can be recycled. It’s a welcome resource!

During the program, we also learned about the Household Hazard Waste (HHW) collection sites in St. Louis County, which can be used by residents of the St. Louis County, St. Louis City and Jefferson County. Residents can drop off their HHW in the drive-thru sites during open hours (reservations are encouraged) and are limited to one drop off per day. (But there’s no limit to the number of times per year they can use the facility.) The first $50 of the disposal charge is free each trip; after that it’s $1.70 per pound. The exception is latex paint, for which there is a charge of 50 cents per pound, with no subsidy. (It’s shipped to a facility that recycles it into paint!)

The presenter on HHW, Sarah Staebell, encouraged us to try to avoid having to dispose of household hazard waste. Her suggestion was to buy only what you need, share leftovers with others and only then take the waste to a disposal site.

Worth repeating: The kudos file, a great self-care tool

14 March 2022

I originally wrote this post several years ago and when I came across it today, I smiled at the advice. Do yourself a favor and create a kudos file you can look at it when you need a pick me up!

What do you do with nice little notes you receive from people? You know, the ones that make you feel good or help you know you’re on the right track. I’m not much a keeper of cards and the like. I discard holiday cards when the holidays are over, though I have kept the lovely notes sent me after my mother’s passing in 2015.

But every now and then I get a card or an email that compliments me or lets me know I’m making an impact. Those notes make heart happy. And I don’t want to toss them. Years ago, I created a kudos file and that’s where I put those cards. (I’ve even been known to print out a particularly wonderful email and file it.)

I received a lovely card (pictured here) recently from my colleague Lynne Poulton of Wholly Organized complimenting the podcast I host with Shannon Wilkinson, Getting to Good Enough. It’s so rare nowadays for people to take the time to put pen to paper, especially when it’s so easy to email or text. I was so touched by her words and her effort and, of course, I filed it in my kudos file. While I had the file open, I was surprised to see how thick it was. I’d been filing into it but not really looking in it.

So today, I pulled out the kudos file and read through all the cards and notes in it. Most of them I don’t remember ever receiving. And I had a very enjoyable 15 minutes or so feeling the love. To me, that’s real self care.

Do you have a kudos file? If not, I encourage you to create one. (Pro tip: Jot a date on a card before you file it; I wish I had.) If you do have a kudos file, when was the last time you looked in it? It might be nice to pour yourself a beverage and curl up with it for some good reading. It’s bound to make you feel good.

Check out my interview on DocWorking podcast!

7 March 2022

I was interviewed recently by Jill Farmer for DocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast. Jill, who is a life coach with many physician clients, and I talked about impact of clutter, the difficulty of decluttering and how perfectionism can get in the way, particularly as it applies to physicians (but really to everyone).

Jill and I go way back—we gave presentations together ten or more year ago. She’s so smart and is such a terrific interviewer.

You can listen to the episode (#148) at the link above or wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you like to read rather than listen the transcript is also available at the link above.

The interview was conducted on Zoom and recorded, so if you prefer to watch it here you go! (That’s my friend Mandy’s adorable dog in the picture.)

Worth repeating: Styling your Zoom backdrop

28 February 2022

I wrote this blog post only a year ago, but I think it’s such valuable information I wanted to share it again. I am so grateful for my easy Zoom backdrop that looks good and requires no effort!

Before 2020 I very rarely talked with anyone via video. But then the pandemic hit and just like that Zoom became a way of life. I started out mostly chatting with friends, but gradually I started doing consultations with clients via Zoom (or occasionally FaceTime). I used my laptop’s webcam, which is at about 90 degree angle from the big external monitor I ordinarily face. When I’m using my computer, facing that monitor, I have a bulletin board on my left.

The result was that when I turned to face my laptop’s webcam, my bulletin board was my Zoom backdrop. I love my bulletin board and it contained things that make me happy (like my Hamilton Playbills). But as a Zoom backdrop it was quite cluttered and distracting. That view also showed the top of my desk, which meant I usually had to tidy up before going on Zoom.

See what I mean?

Once I started doing presentations via Zoom, I realized it was time to up my game. I purchased a Logitech webcam that I attached to my external monitor in front of me. So the backdrop completely changed, as you can see in this picture.

Then I did something really smart: I asked my friend, Geralin Thomas of Metropolitan Organizing to advise me over Zoom how to style my backdrop. We styled it in real time, with her sending me around my house looking for items that might work. At the end of the session, I had a short shopping list of things to purchase to fill things out.

Geralin has helped me with my wardrobe for years and she’s been a guest in my home. She knows that I have a minimalist approach to home decor. We spent some time on the lighting and adding a few touches of decor to the top of the radiator and the wall. (I have to share that the painting above the radiator was created by my dog, Bix.) We cleared off the bulletin board, except a small area not visible in the webcam shot.

Here’s how it looks now. So much more peaceful. And there’s even a little business branding!

Here are some of the things I learned in that session, supplemented by information from an email exchange I had with Geralin while I was writing this.

Considerations when creating a Zoom backdrop:

• Try to make it reflect your personal style and values.
• Keep your backdrop uncluttered but not too spare.
• Keep it simple enough that you don’t have “set dress” before every Zoom call.
• Pay close attention to your lighting and make sure you have lighting both in front of you and behind you (see below).

The right lighting can make all the difference. Geralin had me put a table lamp on the floor behind me. She also had me put a goose neck craft light next to my monitor at a level that doesn’t cause too much reflection in my glasses. (I set it on a thick book to raise it to the appropriate level.)

Lighting can be particularly challenging to those who wear glasses. Here’s what Geralin told me about that: “Lighting from above and below will illuminate you but not reflect in your glasses. If you’re wearing glasses you’ll need to make sure that the lighting directly in front of you is blocked to avoid glare.” It took quite a bit of trial and error to get my lamp position right to avoid glasses glare. (I also tried to let go of trying to make it perfect. Sometimes there’s a little glare and I live with it.) Geralin also cautions glasses wearers to be aware of the light of your computer screen reflecting in your glasses at night. “You fix this this by raising the light source a little above your head and leaving a little bit of light below your eyes so your chin and neck have light.”

I’m easily overwhelmed by all of this stuff, so having a trusted expert to help me was so helpful. And I am delighted with the results.

If you’d like Geralin’s help with styling your Zoom backdrop, just schedule an Ask Me Anything call.

Keeping you organized at Disney World

25 February 2022

With travel starting back up again in earnest, I invited my friend Julie Hough to write a guest post to help you make the most of your Disney vacations. Julie is a former professional organizer (and POMO team member) who is now a successful Disney Travel Planner and she’s all kinds of wonderful. I will echo Julie’s eighth point: If you are thinking about a trip to Disney, let Julie make it easy! She can plan your entire trip and make all your arrangements at no cost to you. (Be sure and check out her client testimonials!)

Eight Organizing Ideas for Your Next Disney Vacation
by Julie Hough

If you’ve ever planned a trip to Disney World, you know there are a lot of moving pieces. Narrowing down the resort choices, choosing the best ticket type that meets your needs, keeping track of Dining Reservations, figuring out the new Genie + and Individual Lightning Lane systems, planning your days to keep your time waiting in lines to a minimum (and more) can make a person feel overwhelmed. This is supposed to be The Happiest Place on Earth! My role as a Disney Travel Planner is to take the bulk of the stress off your shoulders and organize the details (big and small) so that you can have FUN.

The next time you create your packing list for Disney, consider including the below organizing ideas. These small, practical ideas won’t break the bank but they will take some of the chaos out of the trip and usher in a little more calm and freedom to enjoy the Magical Moments of Disney. (All of the product links are for example purposes only.)

1. Pack a letter-size envelope or zippered pouch to keep your Disney receipts organized. From meals and snacks to merchandise purchases, you’ll end up with a ton of receipts at the end of the week. You don’t need to keep them forever – but it’s a good idea to hang onto them to reconcile your bill after you come home. Shout out to my colleague, Lisa Gallegos, for this easy yet extremely helpful idea.

2. A cross-body water bottle holder is helpful at keeping your water bottle handy without having to take off your backpack each time you want a drink. And walking around the parks all day, you want to stay hydrated! This one also has a pocket for your phone to give you easy access to the Disney World App, which you’ll use all day long.

3. Pack disposable ponchos for rainy days and wearing on rides that get you wet. They are a lot less expensive at Walmart than inside the parks.

4. Who doesn’t love wearing a pair a sparkly Minnie ears around the park? But after a few hours, your head might need a break. These Ear Holders are handy and helpful!

5. After a full day of being in the park, you will be ready for a good night’s sleep. When you draw your curtains in your room, sometimes there can be a gap that can let in the moonlight. If you need total darkness to sleep well, pack a couple of large binder clips or sturdy chip clips to close the curtain gap.

6. Packing Cubes can keep your clothing organized not only in your suitcase, but in your resort room as well. They come in multiple sizes. I recommend labeling them by category: “Socks, Underwear, PJ’s”, “Outfits”, “Swim Suit and Coverups”, “Shoes”, etc..

7. With the Disney App and/or the use of Disney’s Magic Bands, there is no need to carry around your normal sized wallet in the parks. However, it is wise to carry your ID, your insurance card, and one credit card – just in case. A mini-wallet, with RFID, does the job.

8. Book your trip through me. It doesn’t cost you a thing, and I’ll organize your entire trip for you. It really is my joy to help my clients get the most out of their Disney trips.

You can contact Julie at Julie@enjoymousetravel.com or via her website, JulieHough.com. You’ll be glad you did!