Like you, I struggle with paper. I no sooner get my desk cleared off than it gets covered up again with the next day’s mail. I’ve written about my struggle and my strategies for mastering paper in some of my previous organizing tips, most notably Divide and Conquer the Pile and What Color is Your Desk? Attacking a pile of paper is very intimidating. It can be time-consuming to figure out what needs to be done with each piece of paper. If you’re like…
Read more →I’ve written quite a bit over the years about clutter-free gifts. This time, I’m going to look at the other side of the gift-giving equation — the receiving end. When I work with clients, I often come across items that they never use, but feel guilty disposing of because they were gifts. What is your responsibility to hold on to something you don’t like? What would the gift-giver think if he or she knew that you held on to it…
Read more →As a Professional Organizer, I find the holiday season agonizing. So much emphasis on shopping — buying things that will be given to people who probably don’t even want them. I love getting my weekly e-mails from the Container Store, but when they sent me one about this year’s collection of “Stocking Stuffers”, I got nervous. Stocking stuffers are the ultimate junky gift — emphasizing quantity and low price over quality. The Container Store offers free shipping if you order $100 worth…
Read more →Is it possible to fall in love with a trash can? When the brand is Simple Human, I believe the answer is yes. I grew up with a metal step-on can in the kitchen. When I became an adult, that’s always what I got for my kitchen. But after I moved to my current apartment a number of years ago, I noticed that when I stepped on the pedal, the top clanged against the wall when it opened. It was noisy, and over time it left…
Read more →I recently wrote about how the internet has been a game-changer for consignment. (See “A New Spin on Consignment“). Now a website called Fashion Project is combining the new consignment model with charitable donation. Fashion Project — whose motto is “Fashion as a Force for Good” — enables you to donate your no-longer-loved stuff for the benefit of one of many charities with which they have partnered. The process is simple. Select a charity from their long list, enter your contact information, and then pick…
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