Some Silly Things.....Part I

Ok, first of all, let me apologize for being a slacker with the blog this past month. It was a busy month for me and the blog fell victim to my schedule!

In the spirit of spring cleaning, I thought I'd talk about some of the things that I often see people very attached to and that I also have found to have little to no value in holding on too.

Cardboard boxes seem to be high on the list of silly things people save. Shipping boxes, boxes that electronics come in, gift boxes, etc. All these boxes might come in handy someday, right? Or perhaps you are saving the boxes so that if you move years from now, you can put things back in their original packing materials (as if your computer would know the difference!).

A few thoughts here about the plethora of boxes in your garages, attics, basements, and closets. Boxes take up a lot of space. In non-temperature controlled climates, the cardboard gets subjected to extremes in temperature and can become brittle, which makes it weak and unable to hold heavy loads for shipping or moving. Insects and rodents love paper and cardboard. Damp paper can get moldy, which can cause respiratory issues and allergies.

Save boxes for electronics until the return and/or warranty period has expired. After that, there is not a valid reason to save the boxes. If you move, you can always find boxes. Every day, there are loads of them being offered for free on sites like Freecycle and Craig's List. Rather than letting your boxes rot in your attic, recycle them while they are still useful by offering them to someone who needs them now.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Organizing systems, when designed properly, should make things easier for you. If you are having trouble finding papers, putting together an outfit in your closet, or getting your car into your garage, you likely could benefit from an improvement to your current processes.

That being said, an overly complex system can actually be cumbersome and time-consuming, which can easily lead you to abandon the new system and revert back to your old ways. An ideal system is one that allows you to accomplish your goal of finding a paper or assembling an outfit with less problems and in less time that it previously took.

A professional organizer can work with you to find out your specific needs and goals. From there, they can design a system that will be personalized to get you the results YOU need. Ultimately, you will have a smarter way of doing things that makes your life easier on a daily basis.