I Lost 20 Pounds in 1 Weekend!

Sounds like an ad for one of those dubious weight-loss products.  I didn’t lose that kind of weight, though.

Saturday I went through the guest-room closet and replaced a rolling cart with a larger one from the basement.  I keep gifts in the closet, along with some childhood keepsakes.  Occasionally, I re-evaluate how much things mean to me and whether someone else could use them.  I wasn’t able to let go of the box of kids’ books yet, but I did say goodbye to some old things I was hanging on to.

On Sunday I went to the basement to look for a set of casters I had taken off the rolling cart several years ago.  I thought they were in the big popcorn tin where I’ve kept spare hardware parts for 20 years.  They weren’t in there, but I did find lots of things that I will probably never use again.  I pulled out the few things I might actually use and designated the rest for donation, along with the tin.  Some handyperson is going to be very happy to get it.

The popcorn tin was a holdover from my apartment days and it worked well.  Now, though, I have a tool chest with drawers, where I keep supplies for fixing things along with tools.  Getting rid of the excess stuff allows me to keep everything in the tool chest, instead of having two places to look for things.

Could you lose a few pounds?  What would you like to let go of over the next week?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

I Lost 20 Pounds in 1 Weekend!

Sounds like an ad for one of those dubious weight-loss products.  I didn’t lose that kind of weight, though.

Saturday I went through the guest-room closet and replaced a rolling cart with a larger one from the basement.  I keep gifts in the closet, along with some childhood keepsakes.  Occasionally, I re-evaluate how much things mean to me and whether someone else could use them.  I wasn’t able to let go of the box of kids’ books yet, but I did say goodbye to some old things I was hanging on to.

On Sunday I went to the basement to look for a set of casters I had taken off the rolling cart several years ago.  I thought they were in the big popcorn tin where I’ve kept spare hardware parts for 20 years.  They weren’t in there, but I did find lots of things that I will probably never use again.  I pulled out the few things I might actually use and designated the rest for donation, along with the tin.  Some handyperson is going to be very happy to get it.

The popcorn tin was a holdover from my apartment days and it worked well.  Now, though, I have a tool chest with drawers, where I keep supplies for fixing things along with tools.  Getting rid of the excess stuff allows me to keep everything in the tool chest, instead of having two places to look for things.

Could you lose a few pounds?  What would you like to let go of over the next week?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Perfectionism

Last week I was talking to someone who said that striving for perfection is not about excellence, but about seeking approval.  She made a good case for the theory, using examples of children who seek approval from parents and teachers.

I have a different take.  I say the quest for perfection isn’t about excellence, it’s about control.  When you inspect and study and review and revise a task over and over, you feel like you’re in control of a situation.  By examining every particle and speculating about every conceivable outcome, you’re not leaving anything up to chance.  While this level of attention to detail is important to a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, it’s not reasonable for most tasks.

If you struggle with perfection, ask yourself if good enough is good enough the next time you’re working on a project.  Work toward excellence when a job merits the extra effort.

What are your thoughts on perfectionism?  Do you have ideas for people who want to limit their perfection seeking?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Perfectionism

Last week I was talking to someone who said that striving for perfection is not about excellence, but about seeking approval.  She made a good case for the theory, using examples of children who seek approval from parents and teachers.

I have a different take.  I say the quest for perfection isn’t about excellence, it’s about control.  When you inspect and study and review and revise a task over and over, you feel like you’re in control of a situation.  By examining every particle and speculating about every conceivable outcome, you’re not leaving anything up to chance.  While this level of attention to detail is important to a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, it’s not reasonable for most tasks.

If you struggle with perfection, ask yourself if good enough is good enough the next time you’re working on a project.  Work toward excellence when a job merits the extra effort.

What are your thoughts on perfectionism?  Do you have ideas for people who want to limit their perfection seeking?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Resuming Routines

Recently I spent three weeks out of the office, traveling for business.  Although I enjoyed the work, being away from home was stressful. 

I have created routines that keep my home and business running smoothly.  When I had to revise the routines to make them work while I was on the road, there were some breakdowns.

I thought that when I returned to the office, I would fall right back into my old routine.  Unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way.

Before I could start anything new, I had to deal with the clutter that accumulated:  unopened mail, items I brought back from the trip, laundry, etc.  I had to take action on email I left in the inbox and update my calendar.

All of these tasks had to be completed rather quickly so I could prepare for upcoming presentations and client meetings.

Now that I’m confident I’ve caught up with the backlog, I have to retrain myself to use the systems I created.  The habits I’ve established help me maintain focus and productivity. 

Routines aren’t rigid; instead, they allow you to make choices.  For example, I usually spend time looking at the gowns worn to awards shows (honest truth!).  This week I made a decision that viewing the Golden Globes dresses wasn’t as important to me as other things I needed to do. 

Because I know what I have to do and what I want to do, I have the ability to choose my tasks instead of feeling pressured by time limits.   Which tasks can you create routines for so you can spend less time thinking about what you should be doing?

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook 

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Resuming Routines

Recently I spent three weeks out of the office, traveling for business.  Although I enjoyed the work, being away from home was stressful. 

I have created routines that keep my home and business running smoothly.  When I had to revise the routines to make them work while I was on the road, there were some breakdowns.

I thought that when I returned to the office, I would fall right back into my old routine.  Unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way.

Before I could start anything new, I had to deal with the clutter that accumulated:  unopened mail, items I brought back from the trip, laundry, etc.  I had to take action on email I left in the inbox and update my calendar.

All of these tasks had to be completed rather quickly so I could prepare for upcoming presentations and client meetings.

Now that I’m confident I’ve caught up with the backlog, I have to retrain myself to use the systems I created.  The habits I’ve established help me maintain focus and productivity. 

Routines aren’t rigid; instead, they allow you to make choices.  For example, I usually spend time looking at the gowns worn to awards shows (honest truth!).  This week I made a decision that viewing the Golden Globes dresses wasn’t as important to me as other things I needed to do. 

Because I know what I have to do and what I want to do, I have the ability to choose my tasks instead of feeling pressured by time limits.   Which tasks can you create routines for so you can spend less time thinking about what you should be doing?

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook 

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

GO Month

January is Get Organized (GO) Month^SM, sponsored by the National Association of Professional Organizers. Many people make New Year’s resolutions hoping they’ll make better use of their time and money.   

I’ve written before about resolutions and how most people don’t keep them.  Instead, start out this year with a new way of thinking – use January as your planning month and set organizing goals for each month of 2012. 

Practice the monthly goal all month and it will become a habit, then you can add to your new habits each month. 

If you need help determining your goals or making them a reality, call a Professional Organizer for direction.  You also can find guidance in The Clutter Book:  When You Can’t Let Go.

When you know what you have and where it is, you don’t spend time searching for things and you don’t spend money on stuff you don’t need.  Here’s to a productive 2012!

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on www.twitter.organizedmarcie.com and http://www.facebook.com/OrganizedByMarcie
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

GO Month

January is Get Organized (GO) Month^SM, sponsored by the National Association of Professional Organizers. Many people make New Year’s resolutions hoping they’ll make better use of their time and money.   

I’ve written before about resolutions and how most people don’t keep them.  Instead, start out this year with a new way of thinking – use January as your planning month and set organizing goals for each month of 2012. 

Practice the monthly goal all month and it will become a habit, then you can add to your new habits each month. 

If you need help determining your goals or making them a reality, call a Professional Organizer for direction.  You also can find guidance in The Clutter Book:  When You Can’t Let Go.

When you know what you have and where it is, you don’t spend time searching for things and you don’t spend money on stuff you don’t need.  Here’s to a productive 2012!

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on www.twitter.organizedmarcie.com and http://www.facebook.com/OrganizedByMarcie
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!