Things to Declutter Right Now!

Decluttering isn't always about getting rid of "big items". Most of us have a lot of small items, items with missing parts, items without their pair, items that we longer use, items that are expired or past their prime. Item that we haven't used in a long time or that we even knew we had.

Take a look at this list to see if you have any of these items that you can get rid of now. Turn it into a game with your family - "whomever finds the most items that they can get rid of - wins a prize".

Make clutter disappear! It's easy! Do you really want to keep old candy or broken dishes or cat toys when you no longer have a cat???

Join us in this clutter challenge - and make your clutter disappear! 

Things to Declutter Right Now

Appliances that are rarely or never used

Batteries that are deal

Books that you will never read or won't read again

Boxes - stuff in them that you never open

Calendars - Old

Candy that is old

Cards - get rid of them after a few weeks

Cat litter - no cat

Cat toys

Cleaning supplies that you never use

Clothes - from kids

Clothes that are stained or worn out or never worn

Coffee mugs - how many do you really need

Containers that are empty

Cookbooks that you never use

Costumes - halloween

Coupons that are expired

Craft projects that you will never finish

Crayons that are bits and pieces

Dishes - old

Earrings without a partner

Electronics that are broken

Fabric Softener

Flowers - dead

Food containers without lids

Food that is expired

Fruit - moldy

Games or puzzles that are missing pieces

Garden hoses - old

Gifts that you will never use

Glasses - old prescription

Gloves without a partner

Holiday decorations that are in excess

Jewelry that you will never wear

Junk Mail

Legos

Linens that are worn out

Magazines/newspapers - Old

Mail - old

Makeup - Old

Maps - to places you will never go

Medicine that is expxired

Menus - old or takeout

Nail polish - dried out

Notesbooks - college or old

Paint - old or that you will never use

Paperwork that should be recycled

Pencils shorter than 3 inches

Pens that no longer work

Perfume

Plants that are dead

Plastic bags

Receipts that are old for things you don't have

Receipts that are old for things you don't need for taxes

Snacks that are old

Socks with holes or missing a partner

Spices or seasonings you never use

Sunblock that is expired

Tags from clothing that you have cut off

Takeout sauces or packets

Textbooks - old college

Toothbrushes - older than 4 months

Towels that are torn or worn out

Toys that your kids have outgrown

T-shirts - old

TV cabinet - old

Underwear - with holes or stretecher out elastic

Unidentifiable  anything

Vases

Washer / Dryer - old or broken

Wok - electric

 Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
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Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

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Change Your Habits So That Your Life Will Be More Organized and Stress Free

 

For some people living in a disorganized house doesn't faze them. But for others, it causes stress and anxiety. They know they need to change, to fix things, to get a handle on their disorganization, procrastination or lack of productivity. But where do they start? By changing their habits.

Does Replacing Bad Habits with Good Habits Work?

 

Bad habits are a frustrating and persistent part of life. They can hold you back from reaching your goals and lead to negative consequences in your personal and professional life.

 

Many people try to replace bad habits with good habits as a solution, but does this approach actually work? Let’s explore the effectiveness of this question and explain the importance of addressing the root cause of the bad habit.

 

The Importance of Finding the Root Cause

 

One factor in the success of replacing bad habits with good habits is understanding what is driving the bad habit. Whether or not you’re aware of it, bad habits often serve a specific purpose or fulfill a need.

 

The idea is that the bad habit is performed to relieve stress, boredom, or anxiety (or whatever your issue is). But it’s a problem because the bad habit tends to make the original problem worse, so you might focus on the bad habit and just stop it without understanding the root cause. If you do this, it may cause you to implement the wrong good habit to replace the bad habit, making it seem like replacing bad habits does not work.

 

The problem is that if you don't address the underlying issue causing the bad habit, you will continue to have the trigger for the habit. Due to this, you may struggle to maintain the good habit because it’s not fulfilling the original need that the bad habit alleviates.

 

To uncover what is causing your bad habit, ask yourself some questions:

 

·         What need or desire is the bad habit fulfilling?

·         What emotions or feelings do I experience before, during, and after the bad habit?

·         What situations or environments trigger the bad habit?

·         What are the consequences or costs of the bad habit?

 

Answering these questions offers insight into the root cause of your bad habit and helps you identify potential solutions.

 

Strategies to Identify and Resolve the Bad Habit

 

You can use several strategies to figure out the root cause of your bad habit and find a solution.

Let’s look at a few of them.

 

·         Keep a journal: Write down your thoughts, feelings, and actions surrounding the bad habit. This can help you identify patterns and triggers for the habit.

 

·         Seek support: Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist about your bad habit and the challenges you are facing. They may be able to offer insights and suggestions for addressing the root cause of the habit.

 

·         Experiment with different strategies: Try different approaches to addressing the bad habit and see what works best for you. This could be taking up a new hobby to relieve stress instead of smoking, or finding a healthy way to cope with boredom such as taking a walk or reading a book.

 

Replacing bad habits with good ones is challenging. But breaking free from negative patterns and creating lasting change in your life is possible. Having said that, you must understand the root cause of your bad habit and find effective strategies to address it. Doing so will set you up for success in adopting healthy, positive habits to replace bad ones.

 

Remember to be patient with yourself, and don't get discouraged if you encounter setbacks. With persistence and commitment, you can overcome your bad habits and achieve your goals.

 

 Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

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Why Is Decluttering Hard?

Decluttering should be easy. Shouldn't it? But for a lot of people - it's really hard. Hard to get started. Hard to figure out what to get rid of. 

Below is a list of reasons why it's so hard:

1)  You haven't found your "why". Why do you want to declutter?

2)  You haven't established an "end goal". 

• What is your goal and when are you going to put it into action.
• What items are you getting rid of?

3)  You have "no time" to declutter. It takes time!

4)  You don't understand what clutter means to you. How did the clutter happen?

5)  You don't know what to keep.

6)  You feel unsupported in your goal.

7)  You are struggling to let go.

8)  You have a lot of stuff. The more stuff you have - the longer it takes.

9)  The clutter keeps coming back. 

10) You feel guilty and wasteful for getting rid of stuff.

So - we have established that understanding how the clutter got there - is hard. Making decisions - is hard. Letting things go - is hard. Why - because of your attachment to "stuff". 

Once you bought/acquired your "stuff" - the money was spent. You can't get it back by keeping your stuff. If you have outgrown it or it no longer serves a purpose - it's time to let go. 

Give someone else the opportunity to use and enjoy your "stuff". They might need it more than you do.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

Hoarding in the News - Radio, TV and Podcast Interviews

WOW! It's been a busy few weeks with numerous Radio interviews (2), a TV Interview (NBC Montana - KECI) and a Podcast interview with Laura Ingraham!

It's been a whirlwind! Lots of conversations around the complexities of hoarding behavior.

Laura has over 4 1/2 million followers! She was really great and the Podcast was about 40 minutes long.  You do need a subscription to listen to the Podcast - either Quake or Apple Podcast.

The radio interview that I did Sunday morning for a station in Albuquerque, NM(96.3 Newsradio KKOB)  is listed below.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-weekend/hording-workshop

 

Hoarding Workshop - The Weekend with Terry Travis

Karin Fried tells us how to declutter our lives and

demystifies the negative connotations of the

word "Hoarder"

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Organization Expert Karin Fried on Clutter and Being on Hoarders

The Laura Ingraham Show  - "Most of us know someone who lives with clutter. But what drives people to hoard? Why can’t they bring themselves to throw things away? Karin Fried, owner and founder of Organizational Consulting Services, an advanced hoarding specialist who has appeared on the hit A&E TV show “Hoarders” joins Laura to discuss.".

There are 2 ways to listen - they do however require a subscription - but with Quake you can have a one week free trial.

Laura Ingraham             -            http://quakemedia.com/Laura              

Listen on Apple Podcast   -  Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/organization-expert-karin-freed-on-clutter-and-being/id914065708?i=1000594113797

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

 

January is GO Month! It's time to Get Organized in 2023!

 

January is Get Organized & Be Productive (GO) Month and there’s no better time to consult an organizing or productivity professional.

Clutter and disorganization can drain your energy and contribute to unwarranted stress, frustration, and anxiety. Ready to start the new year off right by getting organized and increasing productivity? Here are our top 7 tips:

●        Start with the area that bothers you the most!

○        If a stranger took a tour of your home, what would you be the most embarrassed about? What would you find yourself apologizing for? What irritates you the most? This is the area you should start with first. If all of it bothers you, start with the space you see when you open your eyes in the morning.

 

●        Go for a quick win!

○        Choose a small area or topic that can be easily completed. By tackling a small, easy project first, you set yourself up for success and are further motivated to tackle the areas you struggle with emotionally.

 

●        Gather supplies before diving in!

○        Be sure to have trash bags or boxes on hand to sort items into. Suggested categories: Keep, Sell, Donate, Trash. Use black trash bags for trash and white trash bags for donate. Use trash bags to donate soft items and cardboard boxes for heavy, hard, or fragile items. Check the structural integrity of the boxes prior to filling them and always be sure to tape the bottom of the box first!

 

●        Set retention guidelines for specific categories of items!

○        Similar to keeping tax paperwork for 7 years, set guidelines for other items you own. For example, any magazines over 1 year old can be donated or recycled. Clothing in need of repair has a 1-month expiration date. If they are not repaired in a month, the item can go. If a dish is chipped, it can be donated or tossed. By deciding ahead of time, you relieve yourself of decision fatigue and/or emotional attachments.

 

●        Create a home for temporary items!

○        Create a space to store library books, store returns and items that belong to someone outside of your household. These items tend to live on countertops and tables and hinder you from using your space the way you want to. If you create space for items that will only be in your home for a little while, you cut down on the piles that interfere with your living spaces.

 

●        Create positive habits & routines to maintain organization!

○        Think through the areas you organized and how often you should touch them up. Think about ways you can be proactive in life, like packing lunches and setting out clothes the night before. Every day before you leave the office, clear off your desk and stack notes/papers in an empty drawer. Each time you get paid, go through your papers, pay bills, and file items that need to be retained.

 

●        Get family members involved!

○        Set a timer for 15 minutes before bedtime and play fun music while everyone tidies the house. Make a game of it - the person who finds the most items that are out of place and puts them back into their “homes” wins. You have heard the phrase: “Many hands make light work!” Even children as young as 2-3 years old can begin to learn how to match socks or put dirty clothing into the hamper. When the adults’ model good behavior and positive attitudes around organizing, the kids will pick up on it too.

As a member of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO), we improve our clients’ lives by helping them create environments that support productivity, general health, and well-being. When working with a NAPO member, you can be assured you are working with a dedicated professional who operates at the highest standards and has a passion for organizing and productivity.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

 

Clutter Be Gone - Get in Your Year End Donations

 As we get closer to the end of the year - you should start to think about "clearing your clutter" and "donating" your "stuff"!

We all know that you probably received a lot of presents over the holidays. Where are you going to put all of the "suff"? 

If you have kids - start clearing out their old toys (that they have outgrown). But - let them make the choices. Get the kids involved when they are young. Explain to them that they have outgrown some of their toys and how great it would be if other children could get the same joy out of playing with them. It gives them a sense of purpose. Letting them be in control will make them feel more grown up and you will have accomplished your goal of making room for other things.

Now - do the same thing with your stuff! Go through your closets and be honest with yourself. If you haven't used something in the last year, if you don't like it anymore, if you have lost interest in some of your crafts, if your clothes don't fit or your are tired of them - let them make someone else happy! Let them go to a good home!

And don't forget to get your donation receipt for your taxes!

Go through one room a day or one closet a day. Don't try to do it all at once and stress yourself out. It's still the holiday season and you should also take time for self-care.

You want to start the new year with an uncluttered home - where your new items have a place to belong.

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

 

Happiest of Holidays - to You and Yours

 

I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season. May your day be filled with joy and happiness. 

Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....