The rules about what to throw out and what to recycle get more complicated as time goes on. I’ve written before about what gets recycled here in New York City and what just gets thrown in the trash. My most recent post on this topic was Plastics Recycling Grows Up, but if you search this blog for the word “recycling”, you’ll find many more posts on this subject. Even as of January 1 of this year, we have new rules about…
Read more →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 →We have a new dog. His name is Alfie. We adopted him three months ago, shortly before his 7th birthday. We were told he was a Havanese. If you are not familiar with this breed, just think “cute little white fuzzball”. Of course I had him DNA-tested, because that’s just the kind of person I am. We learned that he is only 50% Havanese, and 25% Maltese. (If you are not familiar with that breed, you can once again think “cute little…
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…
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