Did You Know That There Are Different Types of Clutter? Let’s Talk About Paper Clutter

YUP. There are. In fact, clutter falls into 4 Separate Categories.

 1.  Physical Clutter is the collection of things you don’t use and don’t care for. This type of clutter is often scattered around your home and office and results in an untidy mess. More often than not, lost and misplaced items are caused from physical clutter.

 2.  Paper Clutter is one of the most frustrating challenges people encounter. When you have piles of paper, it becomes extremely difficult to locate important documents like bills, medical documents, tax papers, passports, etc. Not to mention the fact that piles of unread papers, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and other random paper make a home look and feel messy.

 3.  Digital Clutter is found on computers, cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices. It often consists of voicemail, email, user names, passwords, social media etc.

 4.  Emotional Clutter is the clutter we hold within our mind and heart. It’s feelings and emotions people deal with each day, like: negativity, anxiety, worry, stress, frustration, and fear.

I’ve already posted about two of the four categories so, let’s get into the Paper Clutter Category.

Paper clutter is any paper-based material that is not organized or stored properly. This can include mail, magazines, newspapers, receipts, bills, notes or other documents that are lying around cluttering up physical spaces such as desks and countertops and yes, sometimes the dining room table. 

Paper clutter can quickly accumulate and become overwhelming, making it difficult to find important documents when needed. It can and often does increase stress levels, and create a sense of disorganization and chaos.

 Paper clutter can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

  • A lack of organization
  • Not having a designated place to store important documents
  • Not having a system for filing papers
  • Not having a regular schedule for purging old documents and,
  • Not having a plan for dealing with incoming mail.

Dealing with paper clutter can be overwhelming, but there are several steps you can take to get it under control. Here are a few tips:

  1. Create a filing system: Create a filing system that works for you. This could include a filing cabinet to store important documents. Of course, you should also consider using file folders and label them appropriately so that you can find what you need when you need it.
  2. Digitize: Scan important documents and store them electronically to reduce the physical amount of paper. Remember when you’re storing documents electronically to name them so that they can be easily retrieved.
  3. Purge regularly: Regularly go through your paper clutter and get rid of anything that is no longer needed. Make sure to shred anything with an account number on it and, also, any solicitations with a QR code or RSVP invitation #.
  4. Set up a mail station: Set up a mail station in your home where you can sort through mail and discard junk. I highly recommend that this station is vertical so that you can see the mail without having to sift through piles of paper.
  5. Sort through your paper: Start by gathering all the paper clutter in one place and sort them into piles based on their purpose or category. For instance, you could have piles for bills to be paid, tax documents, things that need to get done, etc. 
  6. Reduce incoming paper: Sign up for electronic billing and statements to reduce the amount of paper that comes into your home. You can also request to be removed from junk mail lists. 
  7. Set up a daily routine: Establish a daily routine for dealing with incoming mail and papers. Set aside time each day to sort through your mail, pay bills and to file documents. 

Remember that getting paper clutter under control takes time and effort. Be patient and persistent and you will soon have a more organized and stress-free home or office. The trick is to maintain that space once it’s organized. If you make time each day, just a few minutes, staying organized will be easier.

If you or anyone you know needs help with Organizing, Downsizing, Relocations, Estate Sales or Clearing a Property, let them know that we’d love to be of service!

Did You Know That There Are Different Types of Clutter? Part II-Emotional Clutter

YUP. There are. In fact, clutter falls into 4 Separate Categories:

 

1.    Physical Clutter is the collection of things you don’t use and don’t care for. This type of clutter is often scattered around your home and office and results in an untidy mess. More often than not, lost and misplaced items are caused from physical clutter.

 

2.    Paper Clutter is one of the most frustrating challenges people encounter. When you have piles of paper, it becomes extremely difficult to locate important documents like bills, medical documents, tax papers, passports, etc. Not to mention the fact that piles of unread papers, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and other random paper make a home look and feel messy.

 

3.    Digital Clutter is found on computers, cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices. It often consists of voicemail, email, user names, passwords, social media etc.

 

4.    Emotional Clutter is the clutter we hold within our mind and heart. It’s feelings and emotions people deal with each day, like: negativity, anxiety, worry, stress, frustration, and fear.

 

Last month I wrote about Digital Clutter. This month, it’s all about Emotional Clutter. 

 

Emotional clutter is defined as unresolved emotional issues and/or negative thoughts or feelings that can accumulate over time. Unlike physical clutter, emotional clutter is often intangible and difficult to identify.

 

Emotional Clutter can and often does make it difficult to feel clear and focused. It can be caused by a variety of factors such as personal and/or professional stress, trauma, anxiety or relationship problems all of which have an impact on an individual’s well-being.

 

Emotional clutter can manifest in many ways, such as feeling overwhelmed or anxious, experiencing frequent mood swings and difficulty concentrating. It can result in feeling stuck in unproductive thought patterns which, in turn, can also affect one’s ability to make decisions and move forward in life.

 

Emotional clutter can also have a significant impact on an individual’s physical health causing or exacerbating medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and weakened immune system.

 

Furthermore, emotional clutter can impact one’s ability to form or maintain meaningful relationships, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness.  

 

Strategies for Managing Emotional Clutter:

 

·     Identify the sources of emotional clutter: It is important to identify the sources of negative emotions and thoughts to better understand and manage them. This can be achieved through self-reflection, therapy or journaling.

 

·     Find healthy ways to express and process your feelings and emotions: It can involve taking steps to address underlying issues or triggers, such as setting boundaries in relationships or addressing sources of stress.

 

·     Practice mindfulness and self-care: Regular self-care practices, such as meditation, exercise and healthy habits, can help to reduce stress and promote emotional well-being.

 

·     Seek professional help: If emotional clutter is causing significant distress, it is recommended to seek professional help, such as therapy or counseling.

 

·     Surround yourself with positive people and experiences: Surrounding oneself with positive experiences and relationships can help to counteract the negative impact of emotional clutter.

 

·     Let go of negative experiences: Holding onto past negative experiences and emotions can contribute to emotional clutter. It is important to practice forgiveness and letting go of past hurt and grudges.

 

It can be a challenging process and may take some time, but taking steps to declutter our emotional lives can ultimately lead to a greater sense of peace, clarity, happiness and well-being.

 

If you or anyone you know needs help with Organizing, Downsizing, Relocations, Estate Sales or Clearing a Property, let them know that we’d love to be of service!

 

Did You Know That There Are Different Types Clutter ?

Pile of used, obsolete electronics. E-waste is becoming a major problem worldwide.

YUP. There are. In fact, clutter falls into 4 Separate Categories:

1. Physical Clutter is the collection of things you don’t use and don’t care for. This type of clutter is often scattered around your home and office and results in an untidy mess. More often than not, lost and misplaced items are caused from physical clutter.

2. Paper Clutter is one of the most frustrating challenges people encounter. When you have piles of paper, it becomes extremely difficult to locate important documents like bills, medical documents, tax papers, passports, etc. Not to mention the fact that piles of unread papers, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and other random paper make a home look and feel messy.

3. Digital Clutter is found on computers, cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices. It often consists of voicemail, email, user names, passwords, social media etc.

4. Emotional Clutter is the clutter we hold within our mind and heart. It’s feelings and emotions people deal with each day, like: negativity, anxiety, worry, stress, frustration, and fear.

For the purposes of this Newsletter, I’d like to address Digital Clutter.

The better organized your digital content is, the better off you’ll be. It will definitely increase your productivity and efficiency and decrease the overwhelming feelings associated with this type of clutter.

Here’s a few suggestions to get your digital clutter under control:

· Unsubscribe from emails you no longer want to receive
· Delete unknown contacts
· Update contacts
· Delete all emails from your devices that are junk, spam, solicitations
· Set up rules so that junk or spam email automatically go into a junk or spam folder
· Go through and either send or delete any unposted drafts from your email account(s)
· Empty recycle bin on your desktop
· Clean up your desktop
· Make sure that your devices are synched so that all of the same information is on all of your devices to avoid having to duplicate your work
· Create files so that emails to and from a client, friend or family member can ultimately get moved to that file. It will be easier to find if/when you ever need them
· Have a personal email and a business email to differentiate between the two
· Check your voicemail and delete any saved messages that have been dealt with
· Consider keeping all of your passwords in one, password protected file
· Remove apps that you never use or are obsolete
· Update the apps you do use
· Delete all photographs that are no longer wanted or needed
· Create files/albums for photographs so that you can retrieve the ones you want when you want without having to scroll through hundreds or thousands of photos
· Make sure to back-up your devices at least once a month
· Take your old devices (hard-drives/towers) to Best Buy and have them destroyed (after you’ve retrieved the information on them of course)

If you or anyone you know needs help with Organizing, Downsizing, Relocations, Estate Sales or Clearing a Property, let them know that we’d love to be of service!

Please Consider These Amazing Gift Ideas For The Holidays

It’s the end of another year. Damn…that went fast! Is it just me or does each year go by faster and faster?

I digress…it’s time to talk about holiday gift giving. While I think it’s wonderful to give and to receive, as a Professional Organizer, I see WAAAAAAAY to much “stuff” this time of year. It’s just all too much!

This holiday season, why not consider giving someone the gift of an experience rather than giving them something they might not want, might not like and/or might not have room for. Give a gift that will create a wonderful memory, “a gift that keeps on giving” so to speak.

The following are some options/suggestions, many of which will help you and your loved ones create memories that will last forever:

1. Experiences
a. Get tickets to a movie, show or sporting event
b. Share a meal at a new/different restaurant you’ve been wanting to try
c. Start a new family tradition. This is especially great for newly married couples, new parents and blended families.

2. Memberships
a. Theme Park
b. Season Tickets to the Movies/Theatre
c. Health Club/Gym

3. Subscriptions
a. Magazines
b. Amazon Prime
c. Spotify (or other music app)

4. Classes
a. Cooking
b. Dancing
c. Music

5. Consumables
a. Fruit Basket
b. Restaurant Gift Card
c. Homemade Cookies

6. Memories
a. Transfer old VHS tapes on to a hard-drive or disc
b. T-shirt/sweatshirt quilt
c. Photo calendar

7. Health & Wellness:
a. Spa treatment
b. Mani/pedi
c. Go on a retreat

8. Reprieve
a. Baby-sitter
b. House-cleaner
c. Professional Organizer (I know, I know…shameless plug)

9. Adventure
a. Take a road trip
b. Do something out of your comfort zone (zip lining, race car driving)
c. Go on a hike

10. Travel
a. Plan a one night or weekend get-away
b. Round trip tickets to get out-of-town
c. Day trip locally

Be more mindful of the gifts that you’re giving so they don’t wind up as clutter but, rather, as something that the recipient will truly treasure.

Of course, there’s always a Gift Certificate available for someone you know who wants some help with organizing (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season!

Don’t Stress Over The Holidays- Do This Instead

Happy Thanksgiving day greeting card calligraphy text with pumpkins, squash and leaves over dark wood table background

As we approach the holidays, there’s a lot of things going on that add stress to our already stressful lives. In addition to work, taking care of our kids or, in some cases, our parents, there are now holiday parties, shopping for gifts and pressures of visiting family.

However, its’ also a time to celebrate. Spend time with family and friends. Take a vacation or staycation. I know we all have to work BUT, we also have to take time to enjoy ourselves. Otherwise, what’s all the hard work for?

I hope that the following tips can help alleviate some of the stress that you may experience in the next couple of months and give you some ideas on how to wind down and take some badly needed and well-deserved time.

1. Say no.
a. You do NOT have to attend every party or event that you’re invited to:
i. Pick wisely. You can always explain that there is a conflict in your schedule or, if you’re like me you can just “tell it like it is”. Say thank you for the invitation and graciously decline.

2. Plan ahead.
a. Make a list of all gifts that you need to buy for others:
b. If you’re ordering on-line, take care of it sooner than later to make sure it gets there on time
c. If you’re out there shopping, map out the stores you want to go to, to save time
d. Go on off hours to avoid the holiday rush

3. Ask for help.
a. If you’re planning on having company over the holidays, make it easier:
i. Hire someone, if you’re having a lot of people over for dinner, to help serve and clean
ii. Order groceries on-line and have them delivered
iii. Have friends and family pitch in
iv. Cook in advance and freeze in portions

4. Budget. The holidays can get expensive. However, there are many ways to cut corners:
a. Use coupons
b. Shop on Black Friday when deals are plentiful
c. Use points to pay (check your credit cards to see which ones offer this option)
d. If you’re creative, make your own gifts
e. Agree with some friends and family to NOT exchange gifts.
i. Perhaps you can suggest time together to celebrate the holidays making memories

5. Take Care of Yourself.
a. Get enough sleep
b. Enjoy some downtime
i. Get up early when everyone is still sleeping
c. Meditate
d. Exercise
e. Eat properly

6. Celebrate.
a. Do something special for yourself:
b. Get a massage, facial, mani/pedi
c. Make a date with a friend or your significant other for a nice night out
d. Do something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had the time (or money)
i. If not now, when? Tomorrow is promised to no-one!

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season.

This Is Important Information So I Urge You To Pay Attention

As many of you know, before I started my career as a Professional Organizer, I was a Paralegal/Legal Assistant for 30 years. After all those years in the legal industry, I just want to let y’all know that dealing with paper is something I know about. It’s boring, it’s voluminous, it’s lots of paper cuts but it is IMPORTANT!

It is important to:
1. Know what documents to keep and for how long
2. Know what documents to shred
3. Understand the “important documents” that you need for your protection: Insurance Policies, Wills, Trusts, Marital Agreements, Deeds, etc.
4. Make sure that these documents are up-to-date
5. Ensure that your “important documents” are properly executed.

I can’t tell you how often I see documents that haven’t been signed but should have been. Haven’t been updated, but should have been. Haven’t been notarized but should have been. Haven’t been renewed, but should have been.

The crazy thing is that the people that “should” have made sure that their important documents were current or properly executed are bright, professional, responsible people. Unfortunately, sometimes things slip through the cracks. The problem is that it can and does cause problems and those problems can cost a lot of heartache and a lot of money to rectify.

Examples: Both true stories

Story #1: My friend had an auto insurance policy that was on auto-pay. He liked that he never had to worry because his auto insurance was paid automatically every month. Until it wasn’t. There had been fraud on his credit card and the account had to be closed. The credit card associated with his auto-pay information wasn’t updated. The insurance company didn’t have the updated information and was unable to deduct the payment as the account was closed. Unknowingly, my client didn’t have insurance for 4 months. Unfortunately, the only reason he found out was because he got into a fender bender and called his agent to make a claim. He not only was unable to make a claim but he now needed to find other insurance as it was too late to renew the expired policy. The insurance company claimed that they had sent an email and left messages but my client claims he never received any communications from the insurance company. The end result was that my friend was out-of-pocket for the damage to his car. This could have been catastrophic had the accident been his fault and, worse, if anyone had gotten injured.

Story #2: Many years ago, I had made changes to my Trust and Will. My then husband and I went to the attorney to have the revised documents signed and notarized. He said he would send me the original in the mail as he wanted to make copies for his files. When I received the “original” in the mail I immediately filed it. I didn’t look at it again as I didn’t think there was a need to as we had just been to see the attorney and just signed and notarized the documents. A few months later a family member asked to see the Trust and noticed a HUGE issue. Apparently, the attorney sent me an incorrect copy. I immediately called the attorney but the damage was done. The family member who asked to see the document decided that I, having legal knowledge and experience, knew about the incorrect language and decided to hide it. She questioned my integrity which was hurtful but, more importantly, that relationship was never the same and caused a lot of problems. We ultimately received the correct copy Trust but the damage was already done. Had the family member not looked at the Trust, it could have caused even more damage as our estate would have been distributed incorrectly.

My points are many and are a result of lessons learned. Here are some things you can and should do ASAP to avoid problems:

1. If someone, anyone, even a trusted advisor, gives you a document to sign, READ IT FIRST.
a. It’s your responsibility to understand anything that you are signing.
2. If anyone sends you a copy of an executed document, make sure that the copy is the correct one and reflects the latest updates.
a. Do a comparison to make sure that you have the latest copy with the latest revisions.
3. If you receive a renewal on your insurance policy, compare it to your previous policy to make sure the coverage is correct.
a. Mistakes happen all of the time and situations change. That’s why its important to review your insurance policies every time they renew.
4. If you haven’t seen a bill on auto-pay deducted from your bank, call and find out why.
a. The missed payments will catch up and create a problem so don’t wait thinking they forgot to bill you.
5. If you’ve gotten divorced, had a child or your spouse has passed, update your Trust, Will, Health Care Directives and Power of Attorney.
a. This can avoid legal conflicts down the road.
b. Note: These documents should be updated every 5 years or so as the laws change.
6. Make sure that your beneficiaries on your Insurance Policies, Investment Accounts, etc. are up to date.
a. People come and go in our lives all too often. You don’t want someone you no longer speak to, get money because you forgot to make the necessary changes.
b. Note: These should be reviewed when you get married, divorced or have a child.
7. Think about naming your spouse, significant other or trusted family member on your contact information with insurance companies so that they can be notified if you can’t be reached.
a. This is a great precaution to avoid insurance policies from getting cancelled.
8. If there has been fraud on your accounts/credit cards, make sure that you notify any other institutions that they are connected to and update all of those accounts.
a. Make sure to also notify the three credit bureau’s: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.
9. Make sure any important documents (see the ones listed above) are signed, dated and, if/when necessary, that they are notarized.

YOU MUST BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE so “Dot your “I’s” and cross your “T’s”.