When I think of my 82 year old grandma I think of her tiny yet beautiful garden with its straight rows of veggies. My cousins and I used to "sneak" (Now that I am older I suspect she was watching us from her kitchen window) into the lettuce patch and pick the luscious greens. We would take them into the house and after washing the leaves would smother them in mayonnaise and eat them with relish and delight. My grandma would fake scold us forgetting in her garden and we would laugh and giggle.
Another thing I remember her doing was twiddling her thumbs.I was reminded of this mannerism the other day when I was visiting with a friend and she was doing the same thing. It caught me off guard that someone who is not old was twiddling her thumbs.
Do you ever say to yourself "I sat around all day twiddling my thumbs"? It might be nice if we had that luxury but I know we are all busy and our time is at a premium with everything we have to do. One of the things I see a lot of in magazines at the newsstands are articles on getting rid of clutter and clutter clearing.
Just like thumb twiddling doesn't get us anywhere just being busy doesn't mean we are accomplishing getting rid of clutter. There are many easy things we can do every day that will help us to clutter clear in our homes and space.
1. Make lists
· Write your lists in a place where you can find them again. I don't recommend using sticky notes as they can pile up, get lost and buried. Write them in your daily planner. (If you don't have a planner get one and use it-either an electronic one or a paper one). I use a paper one because I like the tactile feeling of writing things in it and checking them off.
· Create a master list where you write everything that comes into your head that you want to do. Things as simple as sewing on a button, calling someone, exercising, working on a craft, or getting rid of clutter in a specific area in your home.
· Create a daily to do list. Prioritize this list by putting a number by each item in the order of the most important things to get done first down to things you want to get done but can be moved to another day if they aren't done that day. Caution: Don't always move 'get rid of clutter' to the next day.
2. Plan for tomorrow today
Years ago I was trained in the one minute manager system.The only thing I remember from that training which I have used for years and has proved to be very valuable is this: prepare for tomorrow the night before. When I worked in an office I would use the last 10 minutes of the day to straighten my desk and check my planner to see what was planned for the next day.
At home I do the same thing, at the end of every day I tidy up which is a way to get rid of clutter that has maybe accumulated during the day. Doing it daily prevents clutter from piling up. Piles always take a lot longer to get rid of.
Mornings are much easier and simpler when the cell phone has been recharged the night before and anything leaving the house has been placed by the door. (Things such as back packs, brief cases etc.) Also checking purses for lunch money or check to see if things needed to make lunches are on hand to make mornings run smoother.
These two simple tips: to make lists and plan ahead make getting rid of clutter easier as not always being in a big hurry and "scattered"help keep us focused and accomplishing our goals.
Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.
Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.
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