Red carpet action with Peter Walsh

Fresh from Los Angeles, here’s Peter Walsh and I on the red carpet at the NAPO LA Organizing Awards.  A couple of good sorts!

Two good sorts

Score $2,000 a year – just by getting organised.

Apparently, Australians have $46 billion, or $2000 a person,  sitting in loose change jars, car consoles, piggy banks, shop tills, office floats and a corner of the purse. That’s a lot of slush fund!

Further, if this figure is accurate, we’re losing $2.5 billion in potential interest…

news.com.au reported: “The average Australian could earn an extra $115 per year from interest if they deposited loose cash into a high-interest savings account,” Ratecity’s Damien Smith said.

This fascinates me!  I rarely have cashola lying about, it’s the downside of being organised.  I have the “pizza stash” and the “parking money stash” and my purse, of course, but when they’re empty, there’s not much else but a wee bit of foreign currency, which isn’t that useful if I’m wanting a litre of milk.

Do you know if you have spare notes/coins lying about?  Have you checked the pockets of your jackets lately… or do you sometimes find a twenty or fifty dollar note when you least expect it?

Or, are you more routine with things: dumping coinage by the bed or top drawer? And if you do, is it a bit of schrapnel or enough for a fancy dinner for two?  I’d love to hear from you, dear reader!

Are you a hoarder?

Do you describe yourself as a hoarder?  “I’m a hoarder” can mean a wide range of things from a harmless bit of collecting to a full-blown compulsive mental health problem that can cause serious health and safety issues.

The problem with self assessment is that we often don’t have the correct tools to make the assessment.  Luckily, there is a great tool I can share with you!

If you feel your belongings are causing you problems, I strongly encourage you to take this test.  It’s from the book:  Buried in Treasures by experts David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee.  Buried in Treasures outlines a scientifically-based and effective self-help program for helping compulsive hoarders dig their way out of the clutter and chaos.  It’s a practical work book offering plenty of guidance and tips on how to create change.  The quiz will help determine your:

• Clutter score
• Difficulty Discarding score
• Acquiring score.

You might also like to check out the warning signs and some possible treatments.

You can find the book at Amazon.com.

Also, check out this fascinating series “Hoarders” from the A&E Network (USA).

Now do this

A simple, effective and clever way to inspire you to get things done.  Try it:

www.nowdothis.com

Let’s talk about your resolve to be organised in 2010

Join me for a chat on ABC Local radio tonight (nationally) from 9pm as I talk organising resolutions with Christopher Lawrence… hope you can listen in!

Find your local station here.

Donate your unwanted gifts

Today is Christmas day.   The Age suggests what to do with your unwanted gifts:

“After Christmas people get a whole lot of new clothing or toys and donate their older things,” he said. ”We’re always interested in people giving us goods that we will be able to sell at a reduced price to people who are in need.” says Marion Frith, from the St Vincent de Paul Society.

I agree!  I suggest you use the one in one out rule – you receive a new item like a t-shirt – simply let one unworn one go.  Better still, let two unworn ones go.

Most charities will accept any saleable item in good repair.

What gift or unwanted item will you donate this year?

Find another hour in your day

I help two working mums find an extra hour in their day.  You can do it too! Read the article here

Quite possibly the cutest containers ever

If you’ve read my book you’ll know what I think of containers.  Often, we feel that by purchasing containers (boxes, plastic tubs etc) we’ll get on top of our possessions.  Wrong!  you have to deal with you ’stuff’ first.  Containerization comes later.  First, you must declutter, refine, audit and reassess the items in your space.

Having said all that (!)  I am so in love with these fruit and vegetable shaped storage containers for the kitchen.  They are a fun way to store cut (often smelly)  items and they do seem to help stop the contents from spoiling so quickly.  Another benefit- thanks to the container reflecting the contents- is that you know exactly what’s in there!  No more opening a crusty old bit of al foil and saying “oh, there’s another cut onion going off…..”

Of course, do clear the fridge out on a regular basis!  Then containerize what matters

I confess, I have the entire set and my friend, Liz, squealed with delight when I bought them for her too.  We love to cook, so they are a very practical item.  Both of us use them daily, so  they’ve been a good investment.

You might find them in your local kitchenware shop, (one manufacturer is Hutzler) but you can definitely find them on line – click on the links below and you’ll be taken to the range at www.amazon.com.

Garlic Saver

Tomato Saver

Onion Saver

Lemon/lime Saver

Check out my latest post for purchase details in Australia.

Lost, broken or unwanted china

Your favourite dinner set is missing three bowls and two teacups.  What a pain!  Luckily, there’s ways you can replace the bits you’re missing.  Perhaps you have collectable pieces tucked away that you’d like to move on (and make a dollar) you can sell your crockery to these companies too.

In Australia: China Matching or  China Finder

In America:  Replacements

In the UK:  China Search

Some companies will allow you to search by plate size, colour or pattern.  You can also source stoneware, cutlery, glassware and silver.

We borrow money we don’t have, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people that we don’t like!

I found these words at another blog and they struck me a great conversation topic.  I don’t think we’re usually tuned in when we’re at the checkout armed with a credit card!  Or are we?

What’s your spending style ? Are you aware of your shopping habits and quite disciplined and on budget, or do you find retail therapy exactly that: a convenient tonic for a busy and stressful life.  (Besides, it’s not the same as smoking crystal meth now is it?)