Favorite Day of the Week

“To gain the treasure, you must leave the trash.”

– Eric Samuel Timm

Wanna Have Some Fun?

When I was growing up, my brothers and I would sometimes whine to my mother that we were bored. She would respond with, “Wanna have some fun?” and we’d say “YES!” and she’d respond with, “Go clean your room” or suggest some other un-fun, necessary chore to do. Guess who stopped whining to mom??

I’m not sure why, but I have always loved trash days and recycling days. I especially love the night before when it can get hauled outside. It’s also not surprising that I compare the feeling I get when I’m driving to the dump to the way some people feel when they go shopping. I do love getting rid of things.

I thought it was a perfect time to invite you to play THE TRASH GAME! Here’s how it works:

1. Get your calendar (if it’s on your phone, even better).
2. Write TRASH NIGHT on your calendar and set an alarm for when you’re taking the trash outside. (If you have dumpsters, then set a time for when you’re doing your dumpster drop).
3. Block out a 15-20 minute session the day of trash night (so if trash night is Thursday night, block out 15-20 minutes on Thursday during the day). Set an alarm so you remember.
4. Take a piece of paper or better yet, type it into your phone or computer and LIST the things that you would like to toss in this week’s trash. Keep adding to your list this week. Here are some ideas:

Do you have old food in the fridge or freezer?
Do you have ratty old backpacks from years ago that need tossing?
Do you have old or broken pots, pans, vases, gardening containers?
Do your kids have old party favor bags, punctured soccer balls, broken toys?
Do you have broken furniture that can be broken up in smaller pieces and thrown into trash bags?
Do you have icky pillows or stuffed animals that are ready to go to stuffed heaven?

5. When the alarm goes off, grab a trash bag and start filling it. If you fill the bag, get another one and keep going!

6. Gather the bags near the door and then on trash night, you can drag them out. If they’re too heavy for you to drag, then make lighter bags or beg a neighbor or family member to help you.

7. Send an email to tell me how happy you are on trash morning when all your stuff is carted away, free of charge.

And as my husband’s grandmother used to say, “Small strokes fell big oaks.” Ya gotta start somewhere!

Happy Story of the Month

I’ve been working with a wonderful family in Catonsville, Maryland. All summer long, the mom has mentioned that her daughter’s room is a mess. Since the daughter is starting high school next week, it was important for her to begin the school year as organized as possible. Since my son’s room is probably the worst room I’ve ever seen, I was surprised to see that her daughter’s room was a close second. The good news is that in 3 hours, we got everything off the floor and organized, the daughter was able to let go of tons of clothing and other assorted ‘stuff’ and her room is ready for school! We were all amazed at how much was accomplished in just 3 hours.

This experience inspired me to go home and tell my son that in just 3 hours, we could get his room in great shape. He said “I’ll think about it.” Where did I go wrong?

“Helping Baby Boomers and their Parents Lighten their Loads.”

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your home, contact me. Together, we can transform your home into a happy, tidy place where you can feel at peace. We can also get you ready for your next move… more enjoyable, faster and easier!