Your collections ARE likely to be a hoarding or collecting disorder if any of the following are true.
1. You aren’t able to use some of the spaces or furniture in your home for their intended purposes. For example: if your floors have become storage, and you can’t easily walk on them or you can’t use your kitchen to cook because all the “collections” are in the way.
2. You aren’t able to keep your collections clean and in good condition.
3. You aren’t able to store and/or display your collections in such a way that no harm comes to them.
4. The “collections” are often in your way and keep you from doing things you really want to do.
5. You can’t stop collecting, and feel like you “have” to – even if the collecting is putting you in debt, or keeping you from having other things in life that you want – like being able to have friends visit your home.
6. You want to let go of stuff, but can’t. When you try, you get overwhelmed and go distract or soothe yourself in some other way.
7. You are embarrassed to call in repair or other service people into your home.
8. The collections are starting to control your life and your life is revolving around them.
9. You find yourself feeling overwhelmed instead of overjoyed when you really look at your collections.
10. You aren’t proud to show your collections to others.
Your collections are likely NOT a problem if:
• Your life is functioning well and you are paying your bills and taxes on time.
• You could get an appraiser to verify that your collections are worth something.
• You keep your collections well organized and in good condition.
• You know what you have and how much of it you have
• Your collections give you real “joy” and don’t distress you.
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I’ve always done a lot of my shopping online. I can take my time to browse and comparison shop, but only recently did I begin to appreciate the value of looking for online promotion codes. Over the past 6 weeks, I have saved over $70.00 with online coupons on items we were prepared to pay full price for.
So, on top of finding exactly what I wanted at the cheapest price, here is what I saved:
- Fabric to cover a chair – $19.50
- Winter coats for the kids – $10.00
- Pictures to share with friends – $20.00
- Water filters – $12.00
- Baby shower gift – $10.00
The next time you shop online, look out for a promotion code field. That’s your clue to do a search for the store name with the word coupon (for example “Fabric.com coupon”). Some promotions also include free shipping or free gift wrapping!
Photo Credit: Bing Images
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You know those old T-shirts you’re so reluctant to part with? You know, the ones you have in the back of the closet (on the floor) or stuffed in a drawer you can’t open – the ones you don’t wear anymore but keep anyway. I’ve got a way for you to breathe new life into them. I can’t take all the credit, though. All props goes to my fellow pro organizer, Maria White, for sharing this fab info.
So what’s this unique way to manage T-shirts? Recycle them! ReTeez will take your old shirts and make them into just about anything, like baby bibs, tote bags, belts (yep, belts), and much more. Now, don’t get carried away. Be sure to make something that you will actually use!
When was the last time you used that little packet of thread — the one that you get when you buy a new sweater or suit? It usually comes with a matching button. Do you ever use them or do you just keep them for when your button falls off in dramatic fashion or when a hole appears in your favorite sweater?
I find them often in my work with clients. Sometimes collected together, but most times not. My client on Saturday found one and she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. I’m sure if I look in my sewing kit, I’ll find a few, too. I probably don’t need a sewing kit because I don’t sew. My mum does, though, and she’s great at helping me in that department when she visits.
So, I could offer advice on how to contain all those packets of thread and buttons. I could tell you what types of containers to use and where to buy them (a simple Ziploc or Rubbermaid container will do). The problem is that I don’t think you need them. Nobody does. Nobody ever uses them, at least no one that I’ve come in contact with. They pile up in spots that you didn’t know existed in your home…in your purse, your car, your office, the diaper bag…colorful clutter everywhere.
Seriously, have you ever used them to patch up that hole in your sweater? It’s more likely that your sweater will end up in the back of a closet or in a bag that will get to the tailor – some day.
Won’t you consider setting them free?
Image Credit: Google Images
“I joke with my students that I’m hoping to win a Nobel Prize because I’m going to show conclusively that, after several years of NIH-funded research, we’ve discovered the treatment for malnutrition, and it’s called food.” ~Paul Farmer, medical anthropologist and physician at Harvard Medical School, at a “Social Entrepreneurship In the 21st Century” event [NYU Alumni Magazine, Fall 2009]
Organize Your Kitchen » Reclaim Your Pantry »» Do Something
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There’s a new sheriff in town… Actually, the sheriff is not so new and it happens to be the Federal Trade Commission, otherwise known as the FTC. They have new guidelines that require bloggers (including yours truly) to be transparent about their product endorsements and testimonials. You can find the full statement made by the FTC here and the OTR policy here (or by clicking on the menu link above, “Disclosure Policy”).
- New FTC guidelines for bloggers are a bigger challenge for marketers (funanymore.com)
- FTC Guidelines for Bloggers who Endorse (currentbuzz.org)
- New FTC Guidelines For Bloggers… (hilarytopper.com)
- FTC: Bloggers, celebrities beware! (money.cnn.com)
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Last week, guest author, Nicole Nolte, shared four free resources on how to get your small business on the right public relations track. This week, she shares 7 tips that will kick your PR program into high gear.
PR Plan a Complete Cluster? It’s Time to Organize Small Biz Owners!
Here is a stat that might help when considering creating or revamping your PR program. PRWeek.com reported that “startup companies that engage in PR campaigns are 30% more successful in getting funding within one to three months than those that don’t, according to results from a survey conducted by BIGfrontier Communications Group.”
So it’s time to turn that cluster upside down, organize and kick your PR program into gear! Below are seven simple steps to help organize your PR efforts.
1. Write down your target audience and keep it in front of you at all times – This serves as a constant reminder and will help you stay focused on making sure you are building relationships with media that reach your audience.
2. Build a PR plan – It doesn’t have to be in depth, could consist of a few bulleted items, but it helps to lay out your goals and the ways to accomplish them.
3. Create standard process documents – These are one page documents that identify the steps for issuing a press release, tracking results, items that require CEO approval, etc. This will help for any changes in staff within the company that touch the PR program.
4. Create a spreadsheet that tracks all of your weekly items – This could include a variety of items such as upcoming priorities, events, awards, speaking, as well as a list of coverage to date, interviews, etc.
5. Detailed press lists – Make note of all conversations, information sent and anything else you deem relevant to track. This allows you to not only plan and make sure you have the correct targets, but also helps you look back at what you have done to identify the parts that work as well as ways you can improve.
6. Keep an admin folder – This should have items such as executive headshots, bios, company contact lists, product/service images, company logo, etc. You will use these items frequently and having those organized makes it easy!
7. A safe place – Keep a copy of all PR docs (press releases, event lists, speaker submissions, coverage, etc) in one place! This helps you easily grab anything you need for a boss, investor, reporter, new hire, etc.
Hopefully, this doesn’t seem overwhelming. It takes a little extra time and dedication in the beginning, but as the PR program progresses, it will help to make things more efficient and effective.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
About the Author
Nicole Nolte is an Account Director with Welz & Weisel Communications where she serves as an account lead working to support companies within the security, government and telecommunications industries. In addition to managing accounts, Nicole provides strategic guidance across the agency as how to best implement today’s social media tools for building communities, increasing brand awareness and creating relationships that matter. With a solid background in technology, Nicole started her career at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, where she primarily supported the Microsoft Mobile and Embedded Devices Group. If you’d like to join her on Twitter, you can find her tweeting here: @NicolePRexec.
Have you heard about Peek? It’s a gadget that let’s you send/receive e-mails and text messages. There’s also a version called TwitterPeek that’s dedicated to getting/sending tweets.
Sounds like a smartphone (a.k.a., an all-in-one gadget with several functions and a fantastic number of apps to help you manage your time and stay on top of things – i.e, stay organized) can handle all that and more, doesn’t it? So, I asked the nice folks at Peek to tell me why someone would choose Peek over an iPhone, Blackberry, or other smart device. They told me to request an interview (I did) and now I’m waiting to hear back from them.
They also told me to try it out and sent me a TwitterPeek to test. It’s cute and pretty light weight, but I have to be honest, I am a bit skeptical. I’ll have a go at it and let you know if it’s a keeper.
If you’ve used any of the Peek devices, please drop me a line telling me what you think. Would you take a Peek over an iPhone?
- Dedicated tweeting gadget TwitterPeek launches (news.cnet.com)
- The TwitterPeek Is So Dumb It Makes My Brain Hurt [Rant] (gizmodo.com)
- A Recession-Friendly Email Device (online.wsj.com)
- What’s the point of Twitter Peek? (telegraph.co.uk)
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Are your children’s rooms overrun with books, ones that they no longer enjoy? Clear up the clutter and donate gently used books to ProjectNightNight.org. You’ll be doing a good thing, too. The books are given to homeless children along with a new blanket and a stuffed animal in a canvas tote bag.
“By providing objects of reliable comfort, Project Night Night reduces trauma and advances the emotional and cognitive well-being of the children we serve.” ~ProjectNightNight.org
On a recent trip to a local supermarket, I took a stroll through the magazine aisle. Have a look at what I found…
Do you see what I see?
…how about now?
Did you notice the 31 magazines on hunting, crafts, woodworking, painting, knitting, & quilting? Lots of magazines encouraging the purchase of more stuff to keep up with your hobby, but few on how to get organized. Is it any wonder why many of us struggle with the over accumulation of stuff?
I know what you’re going to say. It’s not the magazines’ fault that people over shop. They’re not putting a gun to anyone’s head. That’s true. Besides, people may not buy organizing magazines as much so it may not profitable to publish them. True again…but, that’s like a supermarket that offers mostly ice cream and sweets (more popular) and smaller amounts of healthy foods (more expensive). Sounds crazy when we talk about it in terms of food, doesn’t it?
So, let’s “give the people what they want” and not offer any solutions or alternate options. That’s the clear answer. I recently heard someone on Twitter say that there needs to be a font for sarcasm. I could have used it now.
Alright, I’m getting off my soap box to show you a little light at the end of the tunnel…
“The Family Handyman” with 22 tips on how to organize your kitchen & 10-Minute Storage Solutions…
…Better Homes & Gardens special “Storage” edition…
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