10 Things You Can Let Go Today

Photo by Mister GC

People often are afraid that they’ll miss things when they let them go. 

When I ask clients how they feel after they’ve cleared out their clutter, they rarely say they’re sorry about not having something anymore.

 

Before you let go of something, ask yourself if you use it regularly, if you could borrow from someone if you needed it, or if you could replace it quickly and inexpensively. Skis? Maybe not. Fondue pot? Maybe so. You make the decision, based on your criteria.

 

In the meantime, here are 10 things you can toss right now and never miss:

1.  Old newspapers – they’re not news anymore

2.  Old magazines – the content in most magazines is repeated regularly

3.  Expired medicines – prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can become hazardous when they’re old; dispose of them properly in the trash, don’t flush them!

4.  Old spices – they lose their pungency after a year or so

5.  Pencil stubs – even more so if the eraser is gone

6.  Twist ties – sure, keep a few, but do you need 60?

7.  Rubber bands – see twist ties, above

8.  Unidentified electric cords or cables – if you don’t own the product they went to, they have no value (Note: when you get a new piece of electronic equipment, take a minute to label the cords)

9.  Product information and warranties for things you no longer own

10. Receipts for food, gasoline, or anything else that you’ve already consumed

 

Are there other things that would be easy for you to let go?

Organized by Marcie^TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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10 Things You Can Let Go Today

Photo by Mister GC

People often are afraid that they’ll miss things when they let them go. 

When I ask clients how they feel after they’ve cleared out their clutter, they rarely say they’re sorry about not having something anymore.

 

Before you let go of something, ask yourself if you use it regularly, if you could borrow from someone if you needed it, or if you could replace it quickly and inexpensively. Skis? Maybe not. Fondue pot? Maybe so. You make the decision, based on your criteria.

 

In the meantime, here are 10 things you can toss right now and never miss:

1.  Old newspapers – they’re not news anymore

2.  Old magazines – the content in most magazines is repeated regularly

3.  Expired medicines – prescriptions and over-the-counter medications can become hazardous when they’re old; dispose of them properly in the trash, don’t flush them!

4.  Old spices – they lose their pungency after a year or so

5.  Pencil stubs – even more so if the eraser is gone

6.  Twist ties – sure, keep a few, but do you need 60?

7.  Rubber bands – see twist ties, above

8.  Unidentified electric cords or cables – if you don’t own the product they went to, they have no value (Note: when you get a new piece of electronic equipment, take a minute to label the cords)

9.  Product information and warranties for things you no longer own

10. Receipts for food, gasoline, or anything else that you’ve already consumed

 

Are there other things that would be easy for you to let go?

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

Quote: Don’t Overthink It

Photo by anankkml

Last weekI had a speaking engagement and people asked variants of the same questions I hear regularly: Where do I start? Where can I take my stuff? How much should I keep? Where’s the best place to put it?

I assured them that it doesn’t matter where they start or who ends up with the things they don’t want anymore. Those aren’t the big issues.

Asking yourself how you want to live is the big issue.

 

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing. - Eva Young

 

Too often, people get tangled up in all the planning they think they need to do before they can start an organizing project. The planning then becomesthe project and nothing changes because all the energy was spent on creating an elaborate plan instead of digging in to the clutter.

Don’t think too hard about every little detail and all the possible downsides of every decision. If you aren’t comfortable living the way you do, you know you need to make some changes. Start small. Make a decision. Live with it. Make another. Make an adjustment. Keep at it.

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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.com and pinterest
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Quote: Don’t Overthink It

Photo by anankkml

Last week I had a speaking engagement and people asked variants of the same questions I hear regularly: Where do I start? Where can I take my stuff? How much should I keep? Where’s the best place to put it?

I assured them that it doesn’t matter where they start or who ends up with the things they don’t want anymore. Those aren’t the big issues.

Asking yourself how you want to live is the big issue.

 

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing. - Eva Young

 

Too often, people get tangled up in all the planning they think they need to do before they can start an organizing project. The planning then becomes the project and nothing changes because all the energy was spent on creating an elaborate plan instead of digging in to the clutter.

Don’t think too hard about every little detail and all the possible downsides of every decision. If you aren’t comfortable living the way you do, you know you need to make some changes. Start small. Make a decision. Live with it. Make another. Make an adjustment. Keep at it.

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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.com and pinterest
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Reader question –Making Better Use of Time

 

I regularly hear people say that they “don’t have time” to organize or they “don’t have time” to exercise or they “don’t have time” to read or do something else they enjoy.

 

The truth is that they do have time, but they have to make a choice between doing one thing or another.

 

It’s National Time Management Month, and I thought about choices this past weekend. If you’ve read my blog, you know that I don’t like to clean. Over the weekend, however, I had a rush of energy and the desire to clean. I took advantage of it and scrubbed the kitchen, far more than my normal surface cleaning.

 

Did I have time to clean? I suppose so, since I did it.

 

More importantly, I made the choice to take on that task instead of doing something else that was more enjoyable. To my surprise, it felt good to get it done. (Not so good, though, that I’m going to start scouring my house weekly from now on!)

 

Unless you have the ability to pay people to do everything you don’t want to do, you need to figure out a way to fit those chores into your schedule so you can do the all things you like, too.

 

Don’t use time as your excuse for not tackling projects. Make choices that allow you to accomplish goals that are important to you.

 

Do you use a technique to motivate yourself to start something you’ve been putting off? Do you reward yourself when you’re finished?

 

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

Reader question –Making Better Use of Time

 

I regularly hear people say that they “don’t have time” to organize or they “don’t have time” to exercise or they “don’t have time” to read or do something else they enjoy.

 

The truth is that they do have time, but they have to make a choice between doing one thing or another.

 

It’s National Time Management Month, and I thought about choices this past weekend. If you’ve read my blog, you know that I don’t like to clean. Over the weekend, however, I had a rush of energy and the desire to clean. I took advantage of it and scrubbed the kitchen, far more than my normal surface cleaning.

 

Did I have time to clean? I suppose so, since I did it.

 

More importantly, I made the choice to take on that task instead of doing something else that was more enjoyable. To my surprise, it felt good to get it done. (Not so good, though, that I’m going to start scouring my house weekly from now on!)

 

Unless you have the ability to pay people to do everything you don’t want to do, you need to figure out a way to fit those chores into your schedule so you can do the all things you like, too.

 

Don’t use time as your excuse for not tackling projects. Make choices that allow you to accomplish goals that are important to you.

 

Do you use a technique to motivate yourself to start something you’ve been putting off? Do you reward yourself when you’re finished?

 

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

Do You Have Time?

Of course you do. You just think you don’t.

Everyone struggles with fitting into their days all they have to do. The key is to make sure that you actually are doing the things you need to do and leaving some time for the things you want to do.

Realize that every choice you make affects your use of time. Productivity is not about getting more done, it’s about getting the right things done.

Do you need to watch television? Only you can decide that. But while you’re watching TV, can you fold laundry? Or, while you listen to a podcast, can you clean the kitchen? While you’re on hold with the doctor’s office, can you file loose paper?

Maybe the most difficult part is being realistic. You only get 24 hours each day and some of it you already commit to sleeping, eating, bathing and commuting. Be honest when you set your expectations for how much you can achieve in any given day.

Without cramming in more activities, figure out how you can best use the time you have. Need help? I’m a Skype session away!

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

Do You Have Time?

Of course you do. You just think you don’t.

Everyone struggles with fitting into their days all they have to do. The key is to make sure that you actually are doing the things you need to do and leaving some time for the things you want to do.

Realize that every choice you make affects your use of time. Productivity is not about getting more done, it’s about getting the right things done.

Do you need to watch television? Only you can decide that. But while you’re watching TV, can you fold laundry? Or, while you listen to a podcast, can you clean the kitchen? While you’re on hold with the doctor’s office, can you file loose paper?

Maybe the most difficult part is being realistic. You only get 24 hours each day and some of it you already commit to sleeping, eating, bathing and commuting. Be honest when you set your expectations for how much you can achieve in any given day.

Without cramming in more activities, figure out how you can best use the time you have. Need help? I’m a Skype session away!

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

Gone Fishing

Not really. But I am going to take a break from writing for a few weeks. See you back in September.

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!

Gone Fishing

Not really. But I am going to take a break from writing for a few weeks. See you back in September.

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!

The Beginners’ Guide to Letting Go

As I talk to people about letting go of clutter, many of them express the same concern: they don’t know how to start.

There are three simple steps to starting a decluttering project, as outlined in  The Clutter Book:

1. Empty the area – take everything out
2. Sort the contents into three categories – keep, discard or donate
3. Place – put things that you value in a logical location

The challenge, for most people, is deciding what to keep. My advice is to keep the best and let go of the rest.

How many pairs of socks do you need? How many pens? How many coffee mugs? Each person’s definition of “enough” is going to be different. Choose a quantity that will make you feel you have plenty, without being overwhelming.

Start small with these three steps – choose a category of items to pare back, keep the ones that appeal to you most and put them in a place that makes sense to you.

The process works when you don’t complicate it. You can do it! 

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!

The Beginners’ Guide to Letting Go

As I talk to people about letting go of clutter, many of them express the same concern: they don’t know how to start.

There are three simple steps to starting a decluttering project, as outlined in  The Clutter Book:

1. Empty the area – take everything out
2. Sort the contents into three categories – keep, discard or donate
3. Place – put things that you value in a logical location

The challenge, for most people, is deciding what to keep. My advice is to keep the best and let go of the rest.

How many pairs of socks do you need? How many pens? How many coffee mugs? Each person’s definition of “enough” is going to be different. Choose a quantity that will make you feel you have plenty, without being overwhelming.

Start small with these three steps – choose a category of items to pare back, keep the ones that appeal to you most and put them in a place that makes sense to you.

The process works when you don’t complicate it. You can do it! 

Organized by Marcie^TM: 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!