My Organizing Articles for Evolved World

I'm very excited about the opportunity to write about organizing for EvolvedWorld's Lifestyle section.  Here are my first two articles:

Clean Out Your Closet!
Sample Quote: "We can get attached to the idea of an object and the commitment of keeping an item rather than assessing if we really need or want it."

You vs. The Paper Pile (& How to Win the War!)
Sample Quote: "Your desk is not a storage unit; it’s a workspace. When you’re not working at it, it should be clear of clutter."

Overwhelmed with mail? Sign up for the National Do Not Mail List

I spend a lot of time helping clients sort through piles of junk mail: magazines, catalogs, coupons, flyers, brochures, postcards.  It's endless. Junk mail can eat up the flat surfaces of your space (kitchen and dining room tables, desk, coffee and side tables) and drain your sense of peace and calm.  Many people feel they need to hang on to junk mail as a reminder to get more information or complete a chore.  "I really do need to get the windows cleaned.  I'll hang on to this flyer about this window cleaning promotion."  "Oh, 20% at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  I'll hold on to this in case I need to go there."  "I know Nick and Jessica broke up but I really need to catch up on their wedding. I'm hanging on this People magazine from 2002."  

I would recommend if you receive an advertisement or coupon about a service that you're interested in, write down the important information on a To Do list and throw the flyer into your recycle bin!  Having information related to chores and tasks on one To Do list prevents the build up of multiple pieces of papers.  Also, you increase the likelihood of following through on completing a task when you have one place to easily refer back to for information.  

For coupons, I have a folder in my filing cabinet labeled "Shopping, Gift Cards and Coupons."  If I get a coupon or promotion in the mail that I'd like to use,   I write it down on my To Do list (Buy new shower liner at Bed, Bath and Beyond, use 20% coupon, expires 7/6).  I store current coupons in the folder and when I'm ready for a shopping trip, I go through that folder to collect any coupons and toss any coupons that might have expired. 

Information, including coupons, promotions and discounts, has a way of coming back into our lives when we're ready for it. I promise you'll live to see another jeans promotion from the Gap or another dry cleaning coupon.  

If you're overwhelmed by mail, you can sign up for the National Do Not Mail List.  DirectMail.com offers this service and provides great information in its Frequently Asked Questions section of its site. 

For some inspiration, check out the Do Not Mail Campaign  to learn more about the toll junk mail has on our environment and energy resources.  Here are two facts that Do Not Mail lists on its site:

• Approximately 44% of junk mail goes to landfills unopened¹³
• By the year 2010, almost 50% of the solid mass that makes up our landfills is expected to be paper and paperboard waste¹⁴

• ¹³41pounds.org: http://41pounds.org/impact/
  ¹⁴Native Forest Network, http://www.nativeforest.org/stop_junk_mail/nfn_junk_mail_guide.htm.

Yikes! 

"Purge" Tip: CD and DVD Recycling

I recently mailed a bunch of my old CDs, DVDs and cases to a company, Back Thru The Future Technology Disposal that recycles them for free!  Well, you do have to pay for postage to mail.  This batch above fit in a medium USPS flat rate box and cost about $10 in postage.  If you're currently doing a little Spring Cleaning and feel inclined to toss old discs and cases in the garbage, here's some CD/DVD Recycling Facts you can find on Back Thru The Future's site that might just change your mind:

• A CD/DVD is considered a Class 7 recyclable plastic
• To manufacture a pound of plastic (30 CDs per pound), it requires 300 cubic feet of natural gas, 2 cups of crude oil and 24 gallons of water
• It is estimated that AOL alone has distributed more than 2 billion CDs. That is the natural gas equivalent of heating 200,000 homes for 1 year.
• It is estimated that it will take over 1 million years for a CD to completely decompose in a landfill.

"Bins" Tips: Is that a whole lotta rod in your small closet, or are you just happy to see me?

The two clothes closets in my home are pretty narrow and have limited rod space.  I called Handyman, Stephen Boykin to save the day!  He raised the existing rod and shelf and added a lower rod. We used a coat and shirt to measure the distance between the two rods and make sure clothes on the lower rod won't hit the floor.  We increased rod space without increasing the closets!  If you'd like to hire Stephen for your projects, email him at steve@thehoney-dohandyman.com. 

Organizing Inspiration: Before and After Pictures Tranformations!

 Before

 After

The Bins and Purge blog has a new section: Before and After Pictures!  Click on the "Before and After Pictures" tab above and check out my clients' progress!  Pictures include home office, kitchen, electronic cord and memorabilia storage.

"Purge" Tip: Re-Book and Re-Do Your Bookshelves

We love our books and no matter how crammed our shelves are, we find some sort of space to squeeze just one more book in.  I recently trimmed down my book collection and donated about 40 books to Books For People.  Books For People is a great charity that picks up books anywhere in Los Angeles County and sells them to raise money for the S.A.Y Yes! Center for Youth Development, a charity benefiting homeless children living around the Skid Row area of Downtown LA.  The books they are unable to sell are donated to local libraries.  Books for People also accepts CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes and LP records.  Click here to schedule a free, super fast pick up.  Support children, local libraries and your buckling bookshelves!