Return to o-Tips Archives Declare Independence from Clutter Volume 2 Number 7 July 2004   Decision Making Six months have passed and how many new year resolutions have been accomplished? We celebrate our independence this month, but do you feel like you are loosing the war on clutter in your home or office? Clutter results from not making decisions. Holding on to things just because of feelings. This month think about purging five things in your home. They may be large or small, but if you have not used an item, nor plan to soon, let it go. Don't wait, do it today and enjoy freedom from your clutter. Organizing Tips in this issue   Organizing Projects- Your Favorite Things July 17th is "Toss Away Day" The Coffee Center Purge Before You Move July 17th is "Toss Away Day"   The hard part is saying good bye. Whether you are a hoarder or just sentimental, the following tips will help you part with your "stuff". Do not hold an item for more than a few seconds. Do not relive all the stories related to the item. Just decide whether or not you will use it soon. Understand that it is doing you no good in your space, but others could benefit if you make a donation to a charity . Have someone with you (but not another hoarder). Take a picture of "treasured clutter" so you may keep the memories but not waste your space. Many charities have thrift stores where your donations will help others. Items you consider useless have value to someone else. Remember though, if something is broken or ruined it costs the charities money to throw your trash away. For more information please click on the organization or call them for more information. Goodwill Industries 323-223-1211 Does not offer pick up National Council of Jewish Women 800-400-6259 Offers pick up service under certain conditions. Out of the Closet 800-558-8220 Will pick up large/furniture items in good condition. Salvation Army 800-728-7825 Will pick up items under certain conditions. For more organizing information visit GetItTogetherLA.com The Coffee Center Coffee drinkers worldwide, stumble into kitchens half asleep and assemble their favoriate morning wake up drink each day. Do you do the java shuffle in your kitchen? Keep coffee, grinder, filters, and sugar in the cabinet above the coffee maker. Cups should be on the same shelf to make the morning ritual a simple task. Organize Your Kitchen Purge Before You Move Moving companies are busy this summer. If you are relocating do not wait until the last minute to schedule your move; plan ahead to ensure a smooth transition. Have a yard sale before you move. This is the perfect time to clear your home of unneeded items. Do not be too greedy when pricing. Even though your blender was only used once, don't expect retail price. Sort items by price and use a garment rack for clothes. After the sale, immediately take the remaining items and donate to your favorite charity. While sorting through your possessions, do not create a category of "undecided" to take with you and go through later. It is a waste of time and money to pay for clutter to be moved to your new home to just be thrown out later. If packing for you, label boxes with both contents and the location to be unpacked in the new home. Remember, most moving companies are not responsible for breakage of items they have not packed. Have your next move organized by Get It Together LA! Call 323-525-0678 Closets Designed by Get It Together LA! We design closets to meet your needs. We provide all the elements for luxury. We organize your wardrobe and provide all finishing touches. $50 Off Your New Closet installed offer before August 31 Your Get It Together LA! Closet - 323-525-0678 Organizing Projects- Your Favorite Things   All the things you have to do...what about the things you want to do? You have time for your favorite hobby, but it still takes time to get ready to enjoy the project. Whether it is your project room, garage, or hall closet have your area organized in order to enjoy your free time. If you have several hobbies, first consider what you enjoy most. If you really want to get your photos organized and devote time to scrap booking, have pictures and related materials together in an accessible place. If you are storing archive tax information at in a cabinet at waist height, you are wasting "prime real estate". Always have the handiest areas in your home for "active" storage. If sewing is your passion keep patterns, fabric, thread and related material with your sewing machine. Even if scissors are in a near by drawer, keep a pair with your "sewing center". Take fabric out of bags and sort together. Remember, the goal is to perform each task in only one step if possible. Are your containers wasting space and not clearly marked? Take the time to go through your materials and see what you are not using. Use square containers to make the most of your space. Plastic shoe boxes make contents easy to see and can be stacked and labeled. Always take the time to put things away when finished. The extra minute you take will save many more minutes later when you are ready for the next fun project. For information on getting your projects organzied call 323-525-0678. Quick Links... Visit GetItTogetherLA.com Goodwill Industries National Council of Jewish Women Out of the Closet Salvation Army Contact Us   Chris McKenry will create a presentation to get your business or group organized. Join our mailing list! email: chris@getittogetherla.com phone: 323-571-2134 web: http://www.GetItTogetherLA.com