Pulled in too many directions.

What do you do when everyone wants your attention, and you have too many places to go at the same time?  How do you decide who or what to spend your time with? Often I have two or more meetings that are being held on the same date.  I can't do it all... no matter how much I want to!

Enter priorities.  You have to make a decision based on your priorities, and/or your goals.

Can't decide which coat to wear?  Prioritize.  What is the image you are trying to project?
Can't decide which meeting to attend?  Prioritize.

Action:

Try listing out all of the things you  have to do.  Decide which ones are the right ones to do this week.  Put them  in order on your list, and get started.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Before you walk out of your office for the evening, turn around and look at it.  Really look at it.  Not like you’ll see it in the morning, but like other people will see it.

There are people who will not open their door when company comes.  Why?  It is because the knock on the door forces them to see what the person at the door will see when they open it.  Don’t they see it all the time?  No.  They sort of see it.  They see it sometimes.  But for the most part, they overlook it.  They are busy dealing with the everyday activities of life — and after awhile don’t really “see” it.

The solution is to work on your clutter in small chunks, and not allow it to “grow”  back (because it will).

On day one, start with a manageable amount of straightening up.  On day two, work at your organizing  during your allotted time period,  minus 5 minutes.  Take that 5 minutes to be sure that what you did yesterday is still done.  On day 3, same thing.  Work on your organizing until the last 5 minutes.  Use the last 5 minutes to make sure that your previous days work hasn't come undone. Repeat.

Continue in this pattern until all the work is done.  But never stop taking the last 5 minutes to notice.  If you continue in this way it may take awhile to correct it, but once corrected, the problem will go away... 5 minutes a day.

Action:

Use the last 5 minutes of your workday to straighten up.  This will allow it to look nice when you walk back in the next day.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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When a lot is going on and everything seems chaotic, maybe the problem is that you are trying to focus on everything at once.  This almost never achieves the desired result!

In order to begin to make sense of everything, you have to create a starting point.  What would you like to fix first?  Think of it like this:  What bothers you the most, or what would make you feel the best if it were done?

Once you decide what you want to accomplish first, you can begin to create a plan and a strategy to start, and then keep going.

First things first.  If something is working for you, don't fix it.  We only want to fix the problem areas.  Later, if you want, you can upgrade the things that are working.  Example: you may want to go from a paper calendar to an electronic calendar.

There are some things that can't be fixed (for example, if you have four children in a 2 bedroom house, you just have to work around it.) Just acknowledge those,and focus on the things you can do something about.

Action:

Write three lists:

1. Already working (anything that's working - you want to start with the positive)

2. Things that can't be fixed (you don't want to waste time on things that can't be fixed right now)

3. The things you'd like to work on.

This helps you establish the scope of the problem, and gives you perspective.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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If you are keeping more than you need or want, you have to ask yourself, why?  What is that I'm doing (or not doing) that keeps clutter in my world?  Maybe it's not what you are doing, per se.  Maybe it's the questions you are not asking to challenge yourself as to why you are keeping things?

Action:

When you find yourself keeping things "just for now," or you have boxes stacked up with things to go through later...

Ask yourself the following questions.

Why am I keeping this?

Do I have a place to keep it?

Is this something I really want?

Do I actually use it?

Does it still look attractive?
Is it still functional?

Is it now obsolete?
Is it damaged?  If so, am I really going to fix it? How? When?

Is it worth paying to store it?

If I was looking for this and I couldn’t find it, what would I do?
Does it have significant sentimental value?
How will I feel if it  isn’t in my world any longer?
Who would care if I got rid of it? Does that really matter?
What’s the worst thing that could happen if I let it go?

(excerpt from 5 Days to a Clutter-Free House, Chapter 5, “What do I do now with the stuff in the boxes, pp. 118—119, by Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims)

Rules of Storage

1. Containerize it.

 Put things in an appropriate container

 and be sure to label it

2. Store it.

Store things at or near the place where

they will be used.

3. Where to  put it?

Put things used more frequently at a reachable

height. 

Store things used less frequently up high or down

low

Put things that are rarely or never used in an outer 

or distant storage place

(excerpt from 5 Days to a Clutter-Free House, Chapter 5, “What do I do now with the stuff in the boxes, pp. 118—119, by Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims)

Action:

Using the above guide, find a place for everything, and put everything in it's place.

*

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Today I worked in my closet.  A friend sat with me and helped me let go of my old possessions... clothes that have been with me through tough times, and fun times.  Clothes that brought back memories of days gone by.  Clothes that were there for me when no one else was.  You understand what I mean.  YOU get the picture!

Some clothes I had to let go of sadly, and I said a silent good-bye.  Some I let go of gladly, and had no problems whisking them onward to (hopefully) a new owner who will appreciate them.  Some still had tags.

It was a long and tiring day, but I feel cleansed.  I feel like I have a new lease on my wardrobe life... because now I can make room for new friends and new memories... New experiences, new laughter, a new journey.

It's hard to let go.  I know... I'm with you!  But when we do, we feel the openness and freedom that comes with the space we long for.

Action:

Go into your closet and pull out 7 articles of clothing that you no longer wear, and give them to charity.  Do this every day for a week.  You will feel so much better at the end of the week!  (7 X 7 = 49 items to give away!)

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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I'm frustrated as I feel that I don't get much credit for how hard I am trying to do all of this organizing in my home.  I feel like I am doing more and better that I EVER have, and yet my husband doesn't appreciate it.
 'Seems like I never do enough, am enough, accomplish enough, blah, blah, blah.  I'm so tired of it.   He's frustrated with me about that.

This reminds me of a woman I knew who weighed 280 lbs.  She started trying to lose weight and her husband got worse by the pound.  He would criticize her, bring home ice cream and cookies and offer them to her, and was never ever ever supportive!  The more weight she lost, the meaner and more insensitive he got.  He never appreciated it, even when she explained that she was doing it for her health.

Often I have people to call or write to me with this type of complaint.  The husband is insensitive, the kid's don't care, other family member not only don't appreciate it but sometimes sabotage it and make things worse.  What should they do?  How should they handle it?

You have to organize because it's something YOU want.  The kids won't care until you care.  Hubby (or wife, or mom & dad) may or may  not care. YOU have to want it for you.  If you are expecting someone else besides yourself to appreciate it, you will be disappointed.  So... get selfish, and do this for YOU.  Then YOU will live in a beautiful, organized home, so YOU will be happy!

I wish you all the best!

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Do you think you have a problem letting go of things?


It's true that some people have more difficulty letting go than others, and holding on to everything can become a real problem.  

Remember that clutter simply represents postponed decisions.  Here are some suggestions to help you let go of things:

1) Think of a population you would like to help, for example - veterans and their families, women in distress, people in your faith, etc... then when you are having trouble letting something go, think about how much your item(s) will help them.  

2) If you are saving things because you paid for them in the past, or got them at a bargain, or got them as a gift, remember that you are paying for storage for things you don't use, because you pay per square foot for your home.  How many square feet are you paying for to store things?   

3) If you are saving things because of memories, take a picture of the memory and let the item go.  

4) If you are saving things because you can't let them go in the moment, box them away and select a date to go through them in the future when you may be less attached to them.  

5) Volunteer to help someone who hoards.  Our brand new book, "5 Days to a Clutter-Free House"  describes ways to do this.  Helping someone else is a great way to snap you into reality, and help you look at your things more objectively.  

6) Volunteer to help someone clean out after a loved one has died.  Watching someone painfully trash years of someone else's "treasures" will also give you a different perspective.

Action:

Evaluate why you think you are holding on to things.  Make a plan to do one of the above, and take action. I hope you will allow your possessions to help someone in need.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Stop procrastinating.

I'm so excited... my new book, "101 Ways to Stop Procrastinating," is launched!

I'm excited because procrastination seems to be the the key to all of our woes.  Or, at least many of them.  If we would stop procrastinating, we could conquer the world... or at least accomplish what we want to accomplish every day.

Can you imagine what your life would be like, and what you could accomplish, if you could only get out of your own way?  Amazing, isn't it!

So... why do we procrastinate?

Here are the five main reasons:

1. We have a large task and we don't want to start for fear we can't get through it
2. We have a boring, mundane task that we don't want to do
3. We have do do something that we don't understand or that we find difficult or complex
4. We have an unpleasant task to do
5. We get in the middle of a task and we get stuck and don't know how to proceed

The bottom line... we don't really want to do it, or we would buckle down and get it done.  The reason I'm sure this is true is... at the last minute, we generally get it done.

Here's another reason we procrastinate.  We thrive on the adrenaline rush.  I know, it's a terrible thing and it makes us feel awful, causes stress, and makes us really difficult to be with during what I call the "procrastination struggle," but when we finally get it done we feel so proud of ourselves!  We feel smart, accomplished, and superior.

"It took them three weeks to write that report, and I did it at 3am!"

"I never get around to planning out my speeches; I do mine at the spur of the moment."

"The assignment was give out last week; I stayed up all night and pulled it off!"

Are we really smart and superior?  Or are we stressed out, tired, and harried?  All because we procrastinated?

Dr. Robert Schuller said, "What great thing would you accomplish if you knew you could not fail?"  I say, "What great thing could you accomplish if you simply stopped procrastinating and just did it?"

If you just did it as if your life depended on it you would get it done.  Because the quality of your life does depend on it.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims 

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My hectic schedule got the best of me.  This proves I'm human!


And we are all human, aren't we?  And we let the things that may or may not be priorities get in front of other things that may or may not be priorities.

And yes... it's possible to have two urgent meetings at the same time.  Or two urgent priorities that run concurrently.  For some, it happens daily.  So what do we do?

We schedule as best we can.  We prioritize as best we can.  We try, and then we make the best of what happens.  What is NOT acceptable is not trying... not scheduling... and not making a plan.

How do you begin to try?  By making a list, daily, of the most important things you want to accomplish tomorrow.  That is how you start establishing priorities.  During the day, when things happen that are not on your list of priorities, you weigh the activity or request against your priorities for the day.  Here's a quote I try to live by, "If you don't have a plan, you are part of someone else's plan."

How do you begin to create a schedule?  By using something with the times listed on it (computer calendar, cell phone calendar, manual planner, a piece of paper), and make a list of what you would like to have happen during the time blocks that you set aside.  Will it always happen like that?  No.  But the more you create a schedule and attempt to stick with it, the more realistic your scheduling will become.

How do you make a plan?  I like to list the top 10 things I want to do, and see where I can fit them in.  Sometimes I make it (like writing this blog daily), and sometimes I don't make it (like writing this blog the last two days).  But I keep trying.  I keep scheduling.  and I keep making a plan.

Am I always successful?  No.  But I am always trying.  And you should too.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Question - I have too many shoes, but I love them all and I don't want to get rid of any.  What should I do?

Answer - If you love all of your shoes, why do you need to get rid of any?  If you don't have enough space for your shoes, but you truly love them all, then you need to  create space.  Your shoes are somewhere now; they might just be in the wrong place.  All you have to do is gather them all together and create an organized place for them.

Organizing is about making decisions, establishing priorities, and then living within your priorities.  If keeping all of your shoes is a priority, then keep them.

If it's really not a priority, then take the time to go through your shoes and make some decisions about which ones you want to keep.  Make an arbitrary decision about how many shoes you should keep.  Then look for shoes you can donate that exceed that number.

Here are some criteria to weed out your shoes (or anything that you feel you have in excess):

Do I wear them?
Will I ever wear them again?
Are  they comfortable?
Do I like them?
Do they look good on me?
Are they in good repair?
Do they look good, period?
How many of these (same color or style) do I have already?
If I didn't have this what would I do?  Go buy more?  Or wear something else that may be just as good?

Action:

Make an arbitrary decision about how many pairs of shoes you want to keep.
Put that number in the correct place for your shoes.
Evaluate the excess (if any) using the above criteria.

There is no law or rule that says how many pairs of shoes you should have. That amount is up to you.  In my mind the problem is not the amount of shoes, the problem is that we have not made a decision about how many pairs of shoes you should keep.  Once you make the decision, the rest becomes a matter of doing what's necessary.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

Question - What is the difference between "organizing" and "cleaning up?"

Answer - In a nutshell, organizing involves sorting, arranging, and making decisions about what to keep and what to give / throw away, and cleaning up involves water, and possibly dusting.

When you start your organizing project, the first step is to sort things into categories.  In you home, the most obvious category would be, "in what room or area will I use this?"

Action:

First, put things into the correct areas, then arrange each area.

Don't try to arrange and sort at the same time.

Marsha Sims

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Question - I have papers and books all over my desk, papers and what-nots on my bookshelf, what-nots and stuff on the credenza, books and more papers on the floors and chairs. How do I clear off all of these surfaces that seem to attract clutter?

* 

Answer - Clutter magnets are the places that tend to attract clutter.  Empty surfaces (tabletops, cleaned off desks, bookshelves, counter tops) tend to become clutter magnets, because we think “I’ll just put this item there for right now.”   The problem is, right now can turn into forever if you don’t pay careful attention:

a) make the time to pick up behind yourself, and

b) consistently put things in the correct place.

But what if there’s no place for these “temporary” items?

Establish a place for everything.  How?  By simply making a decision as to what belongs where.  Ask yourself the question, “If everything were in the right place, where would these things go?” Then begin the process of putting everything in the place you decided.  How do you do that?  One step at a time.  One item at a time.  This is the process you need to do to un-clutter the clutter magnets.

The first step is to take the wrong things away.  Take the papers off the bookshelf, and put them in a “papers to sort” area.  Take the what-nots off of the credenza.  Take everything away that doesn't belong, and leave only the correct things in place.  Organize each place individually so that everything is in its place.

Action:

The best solution is to put things in the correct place right away.  Then you don’t have to worry about picking up behind yourself.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

P. S. If you have a question that you would like for me to answer in this blog, you can send me an email, or post in the comments section below.  Thanks!

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We just ended the class series, "Organizing Your Day," titled after my Time Management book.  Starting on Tuesday, February 6th we will begin the series called "Opening the Boxes."

Here are some answers to your most asked questions about Time Management.

What is the difference between being "busy" and being "productive?"

• When you are busy you are engaged in an activity. When you are productive, you are doing things that move you towards a goal.  You can be really busy playing an online game, but does that move you towards a worthwhile goal?  Probably  not.

How can I apply the Pareto principle (80/20 rule) to my time management issues?

• Project Managers know that 20 percent of the work (the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent) consume 80 percent of your time and resources. You can apply the 80/20 Rule to almost anything, from the science of management to the physical world.

How do I say "no" to time wasters?

• Just say, "No," "No thanks," and "I can't this time, but I'd love to in the future when I have an opening."  Remember, saying "no" is in reality saying "YES" to you.

How can I handle all of the interruptions so I can get some things done?

• Make a list of the types of interruptions you get, and create a strategy to handle each one.  Excessive phone calls need a different strategy than coworkers dropping in unannounced.  Chances are you get the same type of interruptions regularly.  Don't allow them to surprise you every time they happen. Plan for them, and they will stop derailing you. 

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Do you ever have those times when you've been busy all day but you feel that you have not achieved what you need to?

We all have.

Here are some ideas to help you have a productive day, every day.

1. Make a plan for your day the night before.  Prioritize it, or divide it into quadrants so you see what you have to do.  I divide my day into four quadrants.  I label the quadrants as follows: GO / CALL / DO / BUY.

2. During the day, check off things as you accomplish them.

3. Don't let the urgent unimportant things derail you.  Call people back at your convenience, don't just answer the phone because it's ringing.  Respond to email at designated times.

4. At the end of the day, make a list of what you've accomplished. Keep this list and refer back to it, either as a "feel good" log, or a record of what you've done when it's time to ask for a raise.

5. Keep a sheet of paper near you for ideas that would normally distract you.  Make a list of these as you think of them.  This will help you stay on track.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Establish a place for everything, and put everything in its place.

I always smile when people say that “it’s out because I have nowhere to put it.”  How can that be?  It has to belong somewhere.  It is somewhere now!

Seriously, this happens because of either a lack of space, or a lack of thinking about how to use your space.  Before you put away something that has no place, consider whether or not this is something you need, or something that has real value to you. 

If you need it, where do you use it?  That’s where it should go.  If it has value to you, where is the first place you would look for it if you needed it?  That’s where it should go.

If you don’t need something, and have no idea where it should go, consider that this is something you should give away.  At the very least, store it away in a “maybe I’ll give this away someday” box, and put it away for now.

Nothing should just be “out.”  Either it belongs somewhere, or it will just stay where it is... in the wrong place.

Think about where things belong, and put things in the correct place.  Think through this process.  It becomes important at the time of finding things. 

The same principle holds true for papers you are planning to file.  Don’t think about “filing” your papers, think about “finding” them when you need them.  Just putting papers away won’t help you when you need them, just a just “putting things away” won’t help you when you need them.

Think, then act.  Decide where you would look for something if you needed it, and then put it in that place.

Everything left out represents a decision not made, about where it belongs.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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How long should you keep financial documents?

I get asked this question a lot.  Here is the answer that works for me.  If you have any specific questions, or need details about an item, you can comment below or send me an email, and I will give you more details  about that item.  For today, here is the list:

Keep for 1 year or less:

• Bank statements
• Retirement / 401K Plan Statements
• Monthly Bills
• Credit Card Bills
• Paycheck Stub
• Insurance Policies

Keep for 7 years

• Copies of tax returns

Keep forever

• IRA Contributions
• Brokerage Statements
• Loan Documents
• Home improvement records
• Receipts for major purchases
• Savings Bonds

(source - www.bargaineering.com)

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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Do you ever say, “Where is the _________?”  If you are like most of us, you've said it at least once in your life. 

If this happens to you more frequently than you’d like, consider that you are not storing things in places that are logical to you.  You are not storing things at or near the point where they are going to be used.

When trying to decide where to store an item, think about where you plan to use the item.  For example, a stapler is usually used on a desk, with papers.  The stapler should be stored near the desk, or near the papers. 

A stapler is perhaps an obvious item.  Lets take, for example, an address list of members of an organization you belong to.  Consider how frequently you need to access this list.  If you need to access it frequently, it should be stored next to you, perhaps in your desk file drawer.  If you need it infrequently, consider storing it in your filing system under “people.”

Books should be stored on a bookshelf.  Sounds obvious?  You’d be surprised how many people have books stored off of a bookshelf (look around your own office).  Papers should be stored in a file cabinet or file crate.  Office supplies should be stored in or near your desk. 

Things that cannot be stored near where they are used, should be stored together.  For example, extra reams of paper do not have to be stored next to the copier, but if not, all “not immediately needed” paper supplies should be stored together in another location.

Action:

1. Think first about where you want to be able to find an item... then put it in that place.

2. Store things at or near the point where they are going to be used.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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