Pam Lyons in Pontiac, IL, was my first visit. She is a collector of all things sentimental and meaningful, and she loves to buy things as gifts for other people she loves. I adore her generous and loving spirit! But she needs to give herself some limits so that her stuff doesn’t take over her house.

I taught Pam that she could be a collector like someone who hoards, or she can be a Collector with a capital C, like an art collector, who curates her collection carefully. One of the best ways to manage a collection is to give it a “limiting container,” so we repurposed a narrow linen closet in a hallway as her “shoe closet.” She is now limited to having only the number of shoes that will fit into that space, along with one other underbed storage container for off-season shoes.

The number of shoes in the shoe closet is officially more than enough.  I had Pam take a little challenge with me to live by the “one in, one out” rule. When she buys a new pair of shoes, another older pair needs to be donated to Goodwill® to make room.

What collection of yours could you declare to be “more than enough”? Books, videos, jewelry, pants, sweaters, toys, gadgets?  Most of us are fortunate to have an abundance of things in our lives. When you donate them to Goodwill, you not only manage your belongings responsibly, but you help other people to make lifelong connections to work with job training, job placement, and other services to overcome challenges to employment.

This spring, take our More Than Enough Challenge and declare “Enough” with the clutter!  Share your results with us here!  And you can see the results of part one of Project Declutter on the Woman’s Day website.

I often say that if I had the cure for this problem, I would surely be honored with some kind of monument! But if you have a clutter problem with your significant other, the true cure for it is old fashioned communication and compromise.

Discuss the issue with him or her and let your partner know why it causes you distress and how resolving it would impact you positively. Sometimes letting go is the answer, too.  If you can compromise, letting your spouse have certain “nag-free zones” of his or her own where clutter is tolerated, the common areas of the house can be brought to a higher standard with better cooperation.

Trading favors is always a good compromise. If she agrees to keep the bathroom straightened, he can agree to keep his desk cleared of piles. Usually once people start organizing, they usually gain momentum and motivation to carry the results into other areas, and it can become a team effort!

Here are a couple of “typical” husband and wife zones that are excellent projects to start:

HIS:  The “Pocket Dump” Area. Wrinkled receipts, crumpled wrappers, loose change, and random papers and cards are often a frustration in bathrooms, in closets, and on top of dressers. Work with your existing habits by accommodating the frequently appearing items with their own attractive containers to sort them out. A wooden valet set is an attractive option, and so are beautiful bowls and jars. Most of the time these items are strewn about only because they don’t have a definite home. The most important tool in this project? A trash can! So often this missing component is the answer for at least half of the mess.

HERS: Too Many Shoes, Not Enough Space. Shoes are a collection, and collections need to be properly curated. Organize your closet with shelving and shoe racks so that you get the maximum amount of appropriate storage for your collection. The floor is NOT a storage space! Don’t forget the back of the door for a quick solution. Many very effective products exist for doors that require little or no installation. Once you have established the maximum amount of shoe space, declare it “enough.” Pare down your collection to only shoes you love and wear often, and practice the “one in, one out” rule from now on. When you get a new pair of shoes, it’s time to choose an older pair to donate to Goodwill®.

Celebrate your organizing success with a champagne toast, and know that your clutter can become someone else’s treasure — and help someone in your own community find work. You can find your nearest donation center at http://locator.goodwill.org.

Got a new gadget over the holidays? Maybe it’s a beautiful new iPod, phone, or camera… and maybe the boxes, instructions and accessories are all over your desk and counter tops!  The second Monday in January is National Clean Off Your Desk Day, so let’s clear this gadget debris. No more empty boxes, drawers and bins full of old cords and cables, and no more files full of obsolete manuals. Here’s my seven-step checklist for making sure your gadget has the best possible life!

1. Look at the return policy. Make sure you notice on the receipt what the return policy is for that store. Some stores only allow you to return items within 14 days, and some are 30 or even more.

2. Write the last date of return on the box. Take a permanent marker and write on the side of the box the last possible return date. Later you’ll see this box on a shelf and wonder if it’s okay to throw it away… the answer is YES!  Boxes like this are just boxes full of air taking up lots of valuable storage space.

3. Label the cords and cables. Many homes have graveyards of old “black box” adapters, USB cables and other accessories, and typically people have absolutely no idea what they each belong to. If you grab a label maker and quickly type out a few labels that say, for example, “Olympus FE-280 Camera” and stick them on the power adapter, the PC cable and the battery charger, you’ll always know. Bonus tip: Sometimes it’s good to use the “FEED” button to feed out an extra length of label tape before cutting, so you’ll have extra tape to wrap around a cord and still be able to read the label clearly.

4. Take care of rebates immediately. That great deal you got “with rebate” does you no good if you don’t mail in the rebate information. Make sure you follow their instructions to the letter, in a timely manner, with copies of the UPC code, the receipt and everything else they ask you to provide.

5. Read the quick setup guide. Yes, good gadgets should be intuitive. But there are so many times that one important step makes all the difference, such as whether to plug in the USB cable to your device before or after installing the drivers.  Sometimes it’s a very big deal!  Those “quick setup guides” are designed for people like you who want the bottom line.  Take just two minutes and look it over before making a mess of everything.

6. Protect your device from loss or theft. Take a moment to put your name and contact information in the “owner information” section if one is featured in your device. Offering a reward for return is a great strategy. You can also put an address label on the device if it’s large enough, and you can use labels from Stuffbak.com or other asset ID tags for further protection and easy return.

7. After the return period expires, file the software, receipt and documentation (if needed). Check online to see if the documentation exists in PDF form, and if so, save that to your hard drive and toss the paper. If you want to keep the receipt for warranty purposes, file that in your warranty files or your accounting paperwork.

Enjoy your new gadget, and remember to recycle your old gadgets (and computers) with Goodwill’s Reconnect program, in conjunction with Dell. Go to http://dellreconnect.com/ and put in your zip code to find the nearest drop off location. Recycling with Reconnect means you get your desk cleared and also help people in your community with job training, job placement and other services!

When the Peanuts Christmas special aired, I always felt sorry for Charlie Brown and his little tree, but I was struck each time at how beautiful and meaningful it still was. The size of the tree made no difference — it was about how everyone felt being together and celebrating.

As we progress into the final few frenzied days of shopping and preparing for the holidays, let’s keep in mind the lesson of the little tree. Less is more. Fewer toys, more time spent playing together with them. Less stuff, more experiences. Less spending money, more spending time.

Consider spending one hour weeding out your possessions to make room for the new. This is particularly good to do with children and their toys, and your coats and sweaters can be lifesavers for those less fortunate. You can donate them to Goodwill, where the revenue will used to support job training and employment placement services for the unemployed in your community. Less is more.

Ask your family what is important to them about the holidays. You might be surprised to find out you don’t have to be elaborate to get the same magical effect. It may be that drinking cocoa out of grandma’s special Santa mugs is more important to your kids than winding the staircase with lights and garland. Less is more!

Happy Holidays!

You want your gift to make a real difference, right? When you think about giving during this holiday season, take the time to understand how your donation can have the most impact. Here are some tips to help inform your holiday giving decisions, whether your donation is money, time or gently used goods.

• Know How Your Money Will Be Used
• Give the Valuable Gift of Your Time
• Give Your Used Goods Wisely
• Get the Facts about “Think Before You Donate” Email Rumors

Know How Your Money Will Be Used

Research the charities you are considering for an end-of-year financial gift, so you understand how your money will be used effectively. GuideStar, Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau have great resources for this. Your financial gift to Goodwill strengthens communities and helps put people to work. Eighty-two percent of your financial gift supports our mission services and programs.

Give the Valuable Gift of Your Time

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community, and it’s something you can feel good about! Goodwills offer a variety of volunteer positions in your community, such as youth mentors, resume reviewers, practice interviews and more. Check out volunteer opportunities with Goodwill and other organizations through Volunteer Match.

Give Your Used Goods Wisely: All Donation Bins Aren’t Equal

Goodwill sells your donated goods, and uses the revenue to provide job training and support services in your community. Check out the Donation Impact Calculator to get an idea of how your donated items make a difference. Eighty-two percent of the revenue from sales of your donated items supports our mission services and programs.

Many people look first for a nearby donation bin. But did you know that many bins actually benefit for-profit organizations? Some of these for-profit companies maintain the bins then process and resell the goods, often outside of your community, giving only 4 to 6 percent of the profits to nonprofit organizations. Take a little time to donate at bins that are making the most of your donation and helping your local community.

Get the Facts about “Think Before You Donate” Email Rumors

Recently, a 5-year-old email has been recirculating and posted on blogs and social media. One variation of this message says, “Think about this before you donate. As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep these facts in mind…” In the attempt to discredit reputable nonprofits, the message also quotes erroneous information and salary figures for several nonprofit CEOs, including a non-existent GoodwillCEO. Read Goodwill’s corrective statement regarding this email rumor.

Goodwill encourages you to “think before you donate” and learn more about the charities you’d like to support. Be certain the organization you choose uses its revenue for charitable purposes that support a mission you can get behind.

Thanksgiving marks the big official start of the holiday shopping season. As a professional organizer, that always makes me worry a little, because clients have often hired me in the aftermath of the holiday season to help clear out what accumulated. I want people to be intentional and deliberate about what they are buying and giving, making sure they are not filling their own homes and the homes of their loved ones with clutter.

Before the Black Friday frenzy starts, here are some strategies to save you time and money and prevent future clutter:

Grow your “gift antenna.” My family has always joked about that skill of listening carefully for gift ideas for others around you, calling it your “gift antenna.” Throughout the year, track gift ideas for others (and yourself!) by keeping notes. I like to use Evernote software (free), which is synchronized on my smartphone and my computer. You can also write ideas into a notebook or keep a folder where you clip out things from catalogs as you see them. If you’re a visual person, try Pinterest’s secret boards and create a board only you can see where you pin gift ideas for the people in your life. When it’s time to buy gifts, you’ll have a huge head start with very relevant and practical ideas.

Always shop with a list. If you go shopping without a plan, you’ll likely fall prey to the clever buy-one-get-one sales and other ways that often cause you to buy more than you need. Your list will keep you on track, let you know what successful shopping looks like at the end, and help you save money.

Check the newspaper before shopping. Save some miles and dollars by going through the Black Friday sales circulars before heading out. You may find out that camera you wanted is half-price at a different store you weren’t planning to visit, and you can think through the route you’re going to navigate that day.

Did you already give Aunt Thelma a scarf? Track your gift giving from year to year by keeping a simple gift journal in a notebook or spreadsheet list. Nothing fancy, but it’s really nice to remember from year to year what you gave to the mail carrier, the teachers and your relatives, so you don’t accidentally duplicate some of your favorite gifts (causing clutter and awkwardness for them). If you like, you can also track how much you spent, since that can be helpful in your planning.

One In, One Out. Practice the rule that for every new item that comes in, one old item (or two!) goes out. This rule is especially helpful to teach children that storage is not unlimited and their unwanted toys and clothing need to be let go and given to others.

Make some room. Take some time to demonstrate gratitude for your abundance at Thanksgiving by taking some of your excess stuff to donate to your local Goodwill®. (Find your nearest donation center here) You’ll be making room for the new gifts you’ll be receiving, and you may get a tax deduction too!

And finally, don’t forget Goodwill for your holiday shopping! Decorations, clothing and accessories are great finds, and your purchases support your community by helping people find work. Happy Holidays!

Then after the season ends, of course, these items need to be stored…somewhere! Be more conscious of creating holiday clutter with these Halloween tips in my video below.

Each year when you pull out those bulky sweaters and coats or put them away, you have an opportunity to make decisions about what to keep. Your closet is one of the first things you see every morning, and making it easier on yourself to choose clothing quickly and get on your way can make every day start out better. An organized closet can change your morning, your attitude, and your life!

The goal of your closet project is to present yourself each morning with only items that fit and flatter you right now, so that getting dressed is a pleasant experience instead of a confusing jumble of tangled hangers, clothes that need repair, and clothes that don’t fit. Take this seasonal opportunity to organize your closet with the tips I am sharing in this video, called “Five Ways to Organize Your Wardrobe Closet Like a Pro,” including our secret way of knowing when to donate something. Enjoy, and we’d love to hear your comments!
 

Find Information Quickly with a Family Binder

What do you do with all of those papers coming home from school? You probably have the school nurse policies, the student handbook, the bell schedule, the bus schedule, and each teacher’s policies for grades and make-up work. The family binder is the answer!

Get any 3-ring binder you like (you can probably find several choices at a Goodwill® store), and get some extra-wide divider tabs that are available at office supply stores. These extra wide dividers will allow you to still see the tabs sticking out from the rest of the papers even if you use sheet protectors or have larger sheets inserted.

Here are some suggestions for sections you can create with these tabs:

• Activities (sports schedules for practices and games, other kids’ activity information)
• School (all of the reference papers they send home)
• Family (health and safety information for each family member and pets, plus clothing sizes, etc.)
• Home Maintenance (information about your home, filter changes, inspections, vendors)
• Child Care (day care policies and info, babysitter info)
• Travel (checklists for packing and preparation)

You can also print out a current list of frequently called phone numbers to give everyone in the family a place to look when they need this information.

Save Time with Weekly “Sunday Planning”

You can save literally hours of time and lots of stress by taking a few minutes each weekend to plan the week ahead. Here are the things to focus on during your planning time:

• Calendar (what is going on this week for you and your family)
• Carpool (who is taking whom where and when)
• Cooking (what’s for dinner, making a shopping list)
• Chores (who is cooking and doing dishes, etc.)
• Children (who is assisting with homework, bathtime, bedtime, and do you need a sitter?)

Managing this information and doing your planning faithfully will pay off with smoother, calmer school days. As the old proverb says, a stitch in time saves nine!

Soon, back-to-school sales will be promoted everywhere, with great deals on clothing and supplies. Some states even have a sales tax holiday you can enjoy and reap significant savings. But the only way to take full advantage of these savings is to know what you need in the first place!

You can save the most time, money, and hassle if you know what you already have that works, what each child needs for the current season and what each child needs for the next season. So I’m going to help you get a step ahead by getting your kids’ clothing organized for some savvy shopping.

Ten Steps to Back-to-School Clothing Organization

Typically, you want to get as much of this project done as possible without the kids and involve them for a targeted amount of time at the end. If kids are older or if they are interested in the process, they may benefit from being involved so that they can learn from what you’re doing.

You’ll need the following supplies to get started: paper grocery sacks, plastic storage bins, permanent marker, paper and pen (optional: label maker for bins)

1. Get the laundry done as much as possible to give you a full view of what you have. As you fold the laundry, note the sizes of the kids’ underwear, shirts and pants. Also make a note of anything that needs to be replaced.
2. Tell the kids you’re going to ask them later to try on a few clothes to see if they fit. Many children cooperate better if they have been given advance notice to transition into activities.
3. Start with the folded clothing in their dresser drawers, such as socks, underwear, shorts and sweaters. Check each item for size and wear-and-tear, neaten it up and organize it as needed. Make note along the way of anything you need to purchase.
4. If you’re not sure whether something fits, start a try-on pile for each child for later.
5. Anything that has been outgrown can be placed in a paper sack to donate to Goodwill®. Mark the bag with the permanent marker with the word “donate.” You can also label and use the bags to sort other items like toys that need putting away in other rooms.
6. If you have younger family members who may want outgrown items as hand-me-downs, put these items in storage bins and label the full boxes by gender, range of sizes and season.
7. Next, move to the closet and tackle the hanging clothing. Keep noting what needs replacing and areas that are coming up short. Consider everything in terms of “good school clothes” and count how many shirts, pants and dresses will currently work.
8. Once you’ve gone through all of each child’s clothing, take whatever’s left in the try-on pile and grab the kids for a try-on session. Some kids may be more cooperative if you let them try-on while they watch a favorite show as a treat, and some may think it’s a big fun fashion show! Do have fun with it and work with your child’s preferences to make it painless for everyone.
9. Write down everything you notice that is needed and the correct sizes for everyone. Don’t forget underwear, socks, belts, ties, hair accessories, jackets, sweaters, school uniforms, “party clothes,” athletic shoes, casual shoes and dress shoes.
10. Take your bags of donations to your nearest Goodwill donation center. You can find the closest one at http://locator.goodwill.org. You’ll be helping people in your own community get job-related services and training while you help the planet too!  Ask your local Goodwill about items that are torn or stained — they may be able to recycle them and keep them out of the landfill too.

Now you’re ready! Your kids’ clothes are organized, and you have a list of exactly what you need to get from the big sales in a few weeks. And don’t forget the bargains you can get every day shopping at Goodwill, where gently used kids’ clothing can be the perfect way to save even more.

Stay tuned for part two of our back-to-school series, coming next month. Happy summer!

What Do You Want to Store in the Garage?

First, consider the functions of your garage. Typically, people want to park cars inside it. But one of the funny quirks of human behavior I have witnessed in my work as a professional organizer is how many people spend tens of thousands of dollars on a car, yet they park it out in the elements daily while their garages protect heaps of unused, lower value items.

Here are some suggested uses for your valuable garage storage space. Use this list as a guide for the zones you’ll be creating in your garage at the end of your project. You can sort into these categories as you go:

• Space for parking cars
• Bikes and kids’ toys
• Automotive care/car washing
• Tools/workbench/hardware
• Pet care
• Trash and recycling
• Camping gear
• Swimming gear or pool toys
• Lawn furniture/spectator chairs
• Gardening and lawn care equipment and supplies
• Sports equipment/golf/fishing gear
• Seasonal storage (holiday decorations and memorabilia)
• Permanent storage (tax records, spare furniture)

Start Organizing

Check the weather before starting your project, as you may need to sort things on the driveway. You may want to use tarps to cover certain items if you need to take a break. You also should consider working in the early morning hours to avoid the heat.

Gear up with your gloves and work clothes, and make sure you keep yourself hydrated, too! Add some fun to the project with your favorite music to pace you and keep you energized.

One of the big mistakes we see in garages is a lack of any kind of shelving or cabinets. The main purpose of the garage is storage, so make that official by having the right equipment. You can often find shelving and storage items in Goodwill® stores or used office furniture outlets.

A great trick for adding lots of new storage space to your garage is installing overhead racks, which are sold at major home centers. These racks have helped us many times to finally get someone’s car in the garage!

Don’t Let Your Garage Be the Final Frontier

Garages are one of the areas of the home (along with basements and attics) that tend to be the “final frontier” for clutter. Clutter represents delayed actions and decisions, and once you’ve decided something no longer belongs in the main part of the house, you put it in the garage “for now…”

The key to your success in organizing your garage is being DECISIVE. Make those final decisions and take action on them! If something needs repair, get it fixed. If something needs to be returned, take it back. And if something is no longer needed, donate it to Goodwill. You can find your nearest donation center at http://locator.goodwill.org. Donating allows you to help yourself, the planet and your community!

Planning

Along with the usual tasks of arranging for house sitting or child care, make sure you have attended to these often-overlooked items:

• Service your car well in advance in case you need unexpected repairs.
• Inform your credit card company that you are traveling. Sometimes fraud departments freeze activity on your card if they see charges from unexpected locations.
• If you are traveling with small children, make sure your hotel room configuration allows for separate bedtimes for the adults and kids. Even if you have a suite, you should still clarify whether the sleeping areas will be separate.

Packing

Maximize economy and efficiency with these packing strategies:

• A week before you leave, produce a written packing list so you can start gathering items as they occur to you. You can generate lists based on the type of trip you specify, whether it’s camping or a trip to the beach, at www.dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com.
• Along with checking the weather, remember that museums, theaters and restaurants are often quite chilly. Pack a light sweater or sweatshirt for each person so you’ll be comfortable.
• Carrying a permanent marker can be very helpful to label drink bottles and souvenirs.
• Pack some fun activities for the car to alleviate the dreaded backseat boredom. You can print license plate bingo cards and find lots of other ideas at http://www.momsminivan.com/.
• We love audiobooks! The whole family can share the experience of a book together. Find audiobooks on CD at your local Goodwill® stores, or visit your local library.
• Pack a cooler with some favorite sandwiches and drinks to lessen the number of stops and save money. Research the most scenic and fun places to picnic along the way.
• A “power inverter” from your local electronic supply store allows your car lighter outlet to accept regular wall plugs, avoiding the need for special car chargers for all of your devices.

Coming Home

Make a gentler re-entry by considering these points:

• Resist the urge to bring home things you do not need.  Take a few moments when packing for home to ask yourself if items like hotel soaps and shampoos are really necessary, and have a storage place in mind for new items.  Remember, clutter starts by first bringing it into the house!
• Unpack right away so you can feel at home as quickly as possible.  Many of our organizing clients have stashes of unpacked bags they have procrastinated handling.
• Make sure you plan for time to deal with mail, email messages, and other tasks that have accumulated during your absence.
• If you follow the “One In, One Out” rule, make a donation to Goodwill for each new thing you brought home! Find your nearest donation center here.

Taking time to plan means the difference between a stressful ordeal and a relaxing retreat.  Organize yourself and reap the rewards!

But here’s what else you should feel great about: Those jeans, sweaters, shoes, curtains, and video games you donated just helped people change their lives.

Working with Goodwill® for over two years now as a spokesperson has changed my life too. I always knew Goodwill was an impressive and fantastic organization, but until I met more of the people we’ve helped, I had no idea the depth of meaning that Goodwill’s services brings to the world. I’ve been so fortunate to be able to go behind the scenes to hear the stories behind the stores, and I am so passionate about showing people the Goodwill they don’t know!

Our Donation Impact Calculator, located at http://donate.goodwill.org, helps make this connection.  You can plug in your donated items and it will tell you how that donation helped someone. For example:

• One working computer equates to 6.8 hours of on-the-job training for someone like Vincent, a man with mental disabilities whom I met on a tour in New York. He received training and now works in Goodwill’s own contract area for companies who need assembly and packaging work for their products.

• Two bags of clothing provide 2.1 hours of financial planning class for someone like Suarez, whom I met on a tour here in Texas. He recently was released from a long prison stay and did not have any idea how to apply for jobs and do interviews. Goodwill helped him learn interviewing and application skills, and he recently got his first paycheck from the restaurant where he now works. He was so proud he took a picture of it! He now has the advice he needs about how to manage money for the first time in his adult life.

• One box of books provides 42 minutes of career counseling for someone like Shelton, whom I also met here in Texas. Goodwill helped him find his job as a security guard and he is now working towards earning his associates degree in criminal justice. Goodwill helped him see that his learning disability did not have to keep him from his goals.

Every 38 seconds of every business day, a person served by Goodwill earns a good job. Everybody wins! You get a responsible and smart place to easily donate unwanted items (and probably a tax deduction), someone in your community gets a connection to work they never would have previously had, your community benefits from healthier families and a stronger economy, shoppers win with big bargains, and even the planet wins as those items you donated are diverted from ending up in landfills.

The big misconception is that Goodwill is all about the stores. The stores are certainly the most visible part, but they are truly the tip of the iceberg! There is so much more to know about Goodwill’s impact on the community. As we celebrate Goodwill Industries Week, May 6-12, 2012, I hope you’ll remember that it’s about more than just the stuff and the stores… it’s about the STORIES. If you’re grateful for the abundance in your life, activate that gratitude by donating what you no longer need to help people like Vincent, Suarez, Sheldon, and others.

Buddy Up

A ‘motivation partner’ is one of the best ways to jump-start your organizing goals. Just like having a workout partner, having a friend to be accountable to is a great way to make sure your projects get done. Have fun by making a bet with your motivation partner, such as going to a concert or movie together where the first person to finish their project or goal doesn’t have to pay. A wager, after all, is just a twist on having a reward—with a bit of competition and accountability built in.

Trade Favors

If you help a friend on an organizing project, like a garage project, the friend can help you in return with babysitting or yard work, or help you with your own garage! Helping a friend not only makes the work more fun in general, but it also means that person has a set appointment time when the project is going to happen, making it more likely to get done.

Lend Your Perspective

You can provide friends with objectivity they could never have about their own stuff. Your fresh set of eyes allows you to ask the right questions without personal attachment to the meaning of an object. Politely asking “Are you really going to wear this again?” or saying “You already have three of those,” are the kinds of observations you can provide to help make decisions a little easier.

If you do have a spouse or roommate with a clutter problem, it can be very difficult when that person doesn’t want to change. Work toward clutter-free zones in common areas so that the problem remains isolated to only that person’s own individual living and working spaces, and focus on prevention so that the problem doesn’t get worse. Just as with other conflicts, it’s all about negotiation in the relationship, so be ready to compromise and be open to your own changes, too.

You can also help by volunteering to drive donations to your nearest donation center. Make sure your friend is being a Conscious Donor and giving unwanted items to a responsible nonprofit like Goodwill®. Donating household goods is philanthropy, and we should be as careful and thoughtful about where we donate goods as we are when we write a check. Fully 84 percent of the collective revenue from your donated household goods and clothing goes directly to support Goodwill’s mission, which is to provide job-related services and opportunities to people in your community.

Help your favorite clutterer jumpstart their Spring Cleaning.

Send an E-card

When I work with clients, so often we are going through items and they happily exclaim, “Oh, I LOVE this!” They get to say this a few times (and I do say this myself), but if I hear this sentence used too much as a rationalization for keeping things that are not needed, we have to discuss that. The stuff does not love you back! What is at the root of this love for inanimate objects?

Loved items from the PAST

We form attachments to objects because we love the memories that those objects represent. A model car might represent that car you drove in high school, with the attached memories of the fun you had with your friends driving around. Baby clothes represent the sweet memories of your children’s cuteness (before they became teenagers). It’s great to keep some mementos, but only if they are not overpowering your ability to function in your current time and space and blocking what you can do in the present and future.

Loved items for the FUTURE

We also might love objects because of what we hope they represent for ourselves later. You may prize an exquisite tablecloth you never use, because you envision using it at a fancy dinner party for your friends in the future. You may hold on to an antique easel because someday you envision yourself taking up painting. Keeping a few items like these is a great idea for reminding you of your goals. But if those goals have become unrealistic and are now just nagging you and reminding you about stale aspirations, they need to go and make room for other more relevant items.

Loved items that are BEAUTIFUL

We may love objects because they bring beauty and enjoyment into our lives. Art and other creative items like books are very important to inspire us and make us feel good in our spaces. The famous quote by William Morris says, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” So, if it’s beautiful to you, are you displaying it? If not, why? Again, if you have so much that it’s affecting your ability to function, you need to pare it down. Remember, form follows function!

What objects do you love? Are they getting in your way? If you’ve been inspired to pare it down, remember that donating to Goodwill® is the best way to provide a good home to your loved items while helping others in your own community to find a good job. Find your nearest Goodwill donation center at http://locator.goodwill.org.

Your Morning to “DEW” List

We recommend paying attention to the “morning D.E.W.,” which stands for Dishes, Eating, and Wash. “Dishes” refers to putting all of your clean dishes away. “Eating” refers to the classic question, “What’s for dinner?” Make a decision about dinner before it’s a stressful problem at 6:00 p.m. Put out something to thaw, start a slow cooker meal, or chop some onions while you make your scrambled eggs. And “wash” means taking your laundry to the next step, whether it’s folding, washing, or drying.

Do the Triple S Before You Get Your ZZZs

At night we recommend the “Triple S” routine: Start the dishwasher, Straighten up, and Set for tomorrow.  If you are going to put the dishes away in the morning, the dishwasher needs to run when you’re asleep. Straightening up means doing a quick 5-10 minute clutter patrol, focusing on flat surfaces and floors. And setting for tomorrow means getting anything ready ahead of time that you can to help you get out the door faster. Tasks involving your children can often be done ahead of time, like getting their school papers ready, choosing their clothes or packing their lunches.

Create a Destination Station

Establish a place near where you enter and exit the house that can hold your keys, your purse or briefcase, kids’ school and practice items, sunglasses and items that need to be taken out for errands. Having a home for these items will save lots of wasted time looking for lost things, especially when you’re in a hurry!

Communicate More Easily

With a fuller schedule, you may need to start coordinating calendars more frequently with your spouse or caregiver. Using Google Calendar or another online option makes it easy to share your schedule with others, and if needed, you can usually synchronize it with other popular applications like Outlook. Also, if you have a new work environment, make sure you understand the rules about text messages and phone calls from your family during work hours.

Sunday Planning Saves You Time and Stress

Once a week, we recommend doing your “Sunday Planning.” You can do it at any time, but we like Sunday because mostly families have some down time on that day of the week. You can figure out these five things:

• Calendars — What’s going on this week?
• Carpool — Who is taking whom where and when?
• Cooking — What’s for dinner, and what groceries do we need to buy?
• Chores — Who is doing the dishes and other cleaning?
• Children — Who is helping with homework and doing bath and bedtime routines?

If you need help finding work so that you can get back to these kinds of habits and routines, remember that Goodwill’s mission is to provide job-related services and opportunities to anyone facing barriers to employment. You can find your nearest Goodwill job help center at http://locator.goodwill.org/.

Involve your children in the gift-giving process. Show them how to make a gift list for their family, friends and teachers. Children love to spend time with you, so find a craft or kitchen project that will allow you to make these gifts together. There are many easy ideas here for gifts that kids can make.

They will learn the pride of creating something with their own hands to give and the delight of seeing the recipients’ faces light up. Participating in this giving also teaches them planning skills, showing them the momentum that lists create and the joy you feel when crossing things off!

Out with the old, in with the new. Because they’re going to get lots of new toys, explain to them that we have to make room for them by clearing out the old toys we no longer enjoy. We have a chance to teach kids in a way they completely understand that storage is a finite thing, that there is a concept of “enough,” and that clearing out is a natural part of life, just like the seasons in nature.

Our A-B-C-D prioritization tool is easy for kids to understand, and helps with organizing skills as well as deciding what to give away.  Here’s what to teach them, in words they understand:

• You can explain that an “A” toy is a favorite one that you love and play with all the time, as often as we eat or brush our teeth.
• A “B” toy is one you play with a lot, as often as we go to the supermarket.
• A “C” toy is one you don’t play with very much, as often as we have a birthday or holiday.
• A “D” toy is one you really are not playing with at all. And D stands for DONATE to Goodwill!
• We want to store our A and B toys where we can reach them and put them away easily, and our C toys up higher in a box or on a shelf.

We want to explain to kids that donating our “D” toys (and possibly some “C” toys too) helps others and also helps the planet. Did you know that each year Goodwill diverts 2 billion pounds of household goods and clothing from landfills?

Take your child with you to your nearest donation center, and explain to them that their donations help people in your own town to get jobs and services they need. (Don’t forget that you can get a tax receipt, too!)

When you get home, you can plug your donations into the Donation Impact Calculator to find out how many minutes or hours of services your toys and clothing provided. And kids can play this fun matching game to learn which items to donate and which to recycle!

How have you taught your children about giving? Share in the comments!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, because it’s all about gratitude.

While my brother Steve was in Afghanistan in 2005, we had a long Skype conversation, and we were discussing the Afghan children that always happily flock to the soldiers when they arrive in their towns.

My family and friends had shipped over some basic medical supplies, toys, and candy because he wanted some things to give the kids when they came up to see him. He was remarking at how these kids literally have nothing, and they treasure every tiny thing — something as simple as one coloring book or a single piece of candy means everything to them.

As a professional organizer, I was reflecting upon how many children here have too many toys and don’t appreciate any of them, and I remarked to him how fascinating it is that here in the developed world, many of us have SO MUCH STUFF that we feel the need to hire experts like me to sort out the abundance… while these kids cannot even imagine what that is like.

Steve paused and said, “Lorie, I see you on a stage someday talking about that.” And I agreed. I was very moved and inspired to share this perspective and this message.  I had no idea that five years later, I would talk to millions of people about helping others from our abundance as a part of my work with the Donate Movement and the Clutter Diet® program.

That conversation with my brother inspired me to write the tagline I say at the end of every one of our weekly “Clutter Video Tips” on YouTube:  “May you always be happy and grateful for having more than enough.”

The “problem” of managing clutter is really a privilege to be grateful for. I believe that when people are grateful, they feel more abundant. And when they feel abundant, they feel like giving to others. To me, the Donate Movement is about ACTIVATING PEOPLE’S GRATITUDE.

This holiday season and throughout the year, I hope you’ll join with me in promoting this movement, this perspective, and this important message. Please visit http://donate.goodwill.org to learn more, use our Donation Impact Calculator, and find out how to get involved.

And most importantly, gratefully and joyfully DONATE your gently used goods to Goodwill as you manage your own abundance. Happy Thanksgiving!

First, let’s talk prevention. Before you buy any new decorations, ask yourself these questions:

• Where will I store this, and is it durable enough to last for a few years?
• Are the light bulbs easily replaceable, and will this require any special handling like air inflation?
• Will my family outgrow their enjoyment of this decoration quickly?
• Is this decoration versatile enough to stay out for the entire autumn season and not just Halloween?

Next, let’s explore reducing what you have collected. Ask each of your children which decoration is their favorite, and you could be surprised that the big, inflatable, front-yard Frankenstein is not what makes them smile. It might be the small autumn window clings in their bedroom, or the cute pumpkin by the front door.  My kids loved a special pop-up book we kept out on the coffee table. Focus on what they love and pare down some of the rest. 

Do you think you could you decorate 25 or 50 percent less and still feel the same results? Donate your unwanted decorations to Goodwill®, which is a greener option that saves items from landfills and also helps someone in your community find a job. (And don’t forget to find fabulous costumes at Goodwill and donate them when you’re finished!)

Store your decorations strategically. You could limit yourself to only what fits into two containers of decorations, or even just one. Store them ideally in a clear container so you can see what’s inside. (Goodwill is a great place to find containers!) And as you get out your decorations for the next holiday, consider all of these factors again for the next wave of festivities.

For new ideas on how to make Halloween safer and healthier for people and for the planet, visit our friends at http://www.greenhalloween.org/

Do the neighbors on your street “do it up” for Halloween?  How many bins of decorations do you have? And… have you found a wonderful costume at Goodwill?

The Seasonal Switcheroo

Twice a year, many of us need to shift our wardrobes for the seasons. Depending upon where you live, you may have a large amount of seasonal clothing that requires an entire spare closet or other significant storage, or you may only bring a few sweaters down from a top shelf to a lower one. Either way, it’s the perfect time to make decisions about each item of clothing you touch and consider whether it’s worth keeping for next year.

Make sure you clean everything before storing it, and if you decide not to keep it, donate it to Goodwill®. You can find your nearest donation center at http://locator.goodwill.org. You can even establish a “donation station” in your home using a few shopping bags to hold any other clothing or household goods you decide to donate in the future, to sooner get them out of circulation and out doing good for your community.

Regroup in the Garage

Summer sports, swimming and more frequent outdoor activities mean your garage storage areas have been accessed often during the hotter months. Now that the weather is cooling down, these activities will slow down a bit too, and you can organize your garage comfortably without suffering in the searing summer heat.

Organize your garage into zones based on your family’s interests and needs, such as sports equipment, camping gear, auto maintenance, hardware, gardening and recycling. The biggest mistake we see in garage and basement storage? Not having enough infrastructure in place — meaning shelving or cabinets that more fully utilize your vertical wall space and get things off the floor.

Harmonize Your Home Office

You’re halfway to tax time, can you believe it? Before the holidays and the year-end crunch take over, get a grip on your paperwork and get ahead. Go through any unsorted mail and papers and use our A-R-T method to quickly decide whether you have Action papers (items you need to do something with), Reference papers (ones you need to keep just in case), or Trash (shredding or recycling).

Remember that you have only a few months left to get a tax deduction on your donated household goods for this year. So take a load of donations to Goodwill, get a receipt, and put it in a tax file to begin gathering anything you find for your income taxes.