Guilt-Ridden Clutter

What is guilt-ridden clutter? Guilt-ridden clutter is clutter you have accumulated because you think you "should" keep it in order to do something with it. 

For example, do you have a collection of gourmet cooking tools or cookbooks because you think you "should" become a better cook?

Or do you have massive quantities of scrapbooking supplies because you think you "should" make scrapbooks for your family?

How about all those skinny clothes because you "should" lose weight?

Have you become the recipient of antiques or collectibles that you "should" keep for sentimental sake? Or sell on ebay?

I'm not saying that these are not noble ideals. But don't keep things just because you "should." If your heart is not in it, why keep the clutter?

Get rid of that load of guilt by getting rid of those things you "should" do something with! Feeling lighter already? Then, go ahead, find another home for them.


More on emotional clutter:

10 Types of Emotional Clutter

Emotional Depreciation - A Long-Term Approach to Clutter

9 Ways to Enhance Your Health by Being Organized

 

When a Bargain is Not a Bargain

  
If you find a fabulous bargain, when is it not a bargain? If you can answer "no" to any of the following questions:

- Do I need it?
- Does it fit me now?
- Do I already have it?
- Do I have room for it?

If you love to shop for terrific bargains, do yourself a favor. Print these questions on a card and stick it in your wallet. Walk on by those great bargains if you can answer "no" to any one of the questions. You'll save yourself money and clutter in the long run! 


More on saving money and clutter:

Swap Parties - Decluttering, Saving Money

Decluttering Your Books with BookMooch

Cash from your Clutter

A Personalized Grocery List - Good Time Management

Earth Day - April 22

      
Earth  Day is coming! It's April 22. Amazon has created an Earth Day Store, where you can find toys, kitchen stuff, and many more items that minimize the footprints they leave on the environment.  

And stop by Amazon Green where you can learn about green solutions you can use year-round. 


More on green:

Some Earth Day Tips to Declutter Your Home

Green Baby Gifts

10 Eco-Friendly and Wallet-Friendly uses for Olive Oil

 

Backlogged?

      
 Are you feeling backlogged? Mark Forster, time management expert and author, gives the following advice:

Put your backlogged work in a separate folder but focus on today's priorities. As new work comes in, measure it against your current priorities and fit it in accordingly. Work on your backlog folder each day until it is empty.


Books by Mark Forster:
Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management 
Help Yourself Get Everything Done : and Still Have Time to Play 
How to Make Your Dreams Come True
 

More Statistics on Clutter

 

The following article by Becoming Minimalist on January 19, 2010 gives us more statistics about clutter in our lives: 
   

"In case you 1) desire to live a happier, healthier life or 2) just like random stats, this post is for you.

• the u.s. department of energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car.
• according to the national soap and detergent association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home.
• the national association of professional organizers says we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items.
• harris interactive reports that 23 percent of adults say they pay bills late (and incur fees) because they lose them.
• if you rent a storage facility to store your excess belongings, you’re contributing to a $154 billion industry – bigger than the hollywood film business!
• 1 in 11 american households rents a self-storage space and they spend over $1000 a year in rent.
• it costs an average of $10/square foot to store items in your home.
• in a 2008 napo survey of 400 consumers nationwide, 27 percent said they feel disorganized at work, and of those, 91 percent said they would be more effective and efficient if their workspace was better organized. 28 percent said they would save over an hour per day and 27 percent said they would save 31 to 60 minutes each day.
• stephanie winston, author of the organized executive, estimates a manager loses 1 hour/day to disorder, costing the business up to $4,000/yr if earning $35,000/yr – or $8,125/yr at $65,000)."

More on clutter stats:

Statistics: The Health and Mental Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning

Interesting Clutter and Organization Statistics

 

April - National Stress Awareness Month

     
In honor of April being National Stress Awareness Month, I'm re-posting a blog from the past:

6 Ways to Reduce Stress by Getting Organized
    

Clutter, both mentally or physically, creates stress. And stress zaps your energy and creativity. By taking some time to organize yourself, you'll be re-energized and clutter-free.

Reduce stress by getting your mind, schedule, priorities, and clutter organized:

- List everything that is flying through your mind - your to do list, places you need to go, people you need to contact, etc. Jotting these items down on paper relieves the stress of having to remember all of them.

- Next, prioritize and assign a day and time to each task. By doing this, your sense of overwhelm will decrease. Breaking down your list into bite-sized pieces gives peace of mind because you're not faced with a never-ending, unprioritized list of things to do. Having a time assigned to each task prevents panic because you know there is time and place for everything on your list .

- If you are still feeling overwhelmed, evaluate whether everything on your list is actually important to you. In addition, ask yourself if you have over-committed yourself. Remove those things that are least important, least urgent, or to which you are no longer committed. If possible, delegate or get some help on the remaining items on your list.

- Practice saying, "NO!" to reduce the possibility of over-commitment.

- If you have tasks you need to do each day, make a daily routine list to follow in order to accomplish those high-priority items.

- Now, take a look around you. If your surroundings are disorganized and cluttered, it's hard to have a focused and productive mind. Take a few minutes and clean off a surface, putting each item away. If an item doesn't have a home, determine where it will be most useful and efficient. If your clutter is sizable, attack it in short bursts rather than a long siege. You can do anything for 15 minutes! Start in the corner and work around the room.

When your mind is clear of clutter and your surroundings are neat and orderly, your stress diminishes. Clutter is no longer stealing away your energy. The result: you are free to be creative and productive!

More on reducing stress:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Taking a Mental Break
Reduce Your Stress - Say No
Foods that Relieve Stress
Three Steps to Decluttering

Emotional Depreciation - A Long-Term Approach to Clutter

   
Hope you had a nice weekend. It was gorgeous here in northeast Ohio. We went out to a park, did some spring cleaning, and saw The Last Song. Who knew a Miley Cyrus movie would be such a tear-jerker! I can't believe I'm even going to a Miley Cyrus movie, but when you have middle school foster daughters, what are you gonna do? Now on to more adult things ...


Are you or someone in your family having trouble letting go of something? Let it depreciate emotionally. In other words, put some time or distance or both between you and that item.

For example, when one of our daughters was in grade school, she couldn't bear to part with many of her stuffed animals. We put some up in our attic and then looked at them 6 to 12 months later. She was much less attached emotionally and was able to let some go.

In fact, this child was emotionally attached to everything! You may find that you have a child like this. Each child is different. With a child like this, the process of decluttering may take longer and may require a few steps. 

Another tactic is to create a picture of someone else enjoying what you are having trouble releasing. One of our foster daughters imagined a younger child appreciating some of her clothing, and it made it easier for her to get rid of some outgrown clothes.

If you must say good-bye to something that has considerable sentiment, give it to someone you know who will love it as much as you do. You'll be happy that your beloved item is in good hands. 

You may want to create a box where you place items that are hard to part with. After a few months, look at the contents of the box to see if you missed them. Based on your reaction, you'll know what to do.

It is not wrong to be sentimental about your belongings. You want to surround yourself with things you love. But if your space is too crowded to enjoy those things you love, what's the point?


When it's hard to declutter:

Is Decluttering/Organizing with Your Spouse Making You Angry?

Don't Sabotage Yourself with the "Evening Drift"

10 Types of Emotional Clutter

Your Priorities, Passions, and Gifts Create Context for Your Clutter

 

Preventing Freezer Burn

Tired of planning dinner only to find the meat you want to use is looking dried out? Here's an article from Men's Health on how to prevent freezer burn. 

"Here's a little science for steak lovers: A water molecule is like a teenage boy - always looking for the coolest place to be. In your freezer, that's down by the cooling coils. So water molecules try to escape from your chicken and steak and drink down to the coils if they can. Once the meat has lost enough of these molecules, you get dried-out steak-the dreaded freezer burn. 

But this doesn't have to happen: Mammoth flesh found preserved in the ice of Siberia has stayed edible for at least 15,000 years. To keep your steaks tasty forever, remove the fresh meat from its package and wrap it snugly in plastic wrap, then slip it into a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible first."

I'm going to try this! I will probably leave part of the package label  in the bag so I know how much the meat weighs, etc.

More on freezing:

Double or triple a recipe

Snow Day

Cook a turkey!

 

 

Color-Coding Your Storage

  
It's been a crazy couple of weeks - helping two girls exit our program, welcoming another (we now have three teenage foster daughters), spring break, taxes, preparing for a speaking engagement. Today - a day to catch my breath! Aaaaaahhhhhhh. On to storage ...


Each season we see seasonally-colored plastic storage containers. If you have seasonal items you need to store, use these colorful containers to remind you of what is stored inside.

A recent organizing client stores her Easter items in a lavender container, baby gifts in a "baby" blue one, Halloween in orange and black, Christmas in red and green, etc. She doesn't even label them because she knows exactly what they contain just by looking at the color.

You could take this a step further by assigning a color to each member of the family, and storing their keepsakes, etc., in color-coded containers. 

Simple, isn't it?


More on storage:

Containerizing Your Kitchen

Don't Make the #1 Organizing Mistake

Organizing Your Shoes

 

Social Media Etiquette for Students: 50 Crucial Rules

  

These suggestions from Online Degree Programs are great whether you're a college student or not! Especially if you want to be taken seriously by potential employers or professional associates.

 

"When you first got to college, social media was probably about sending party invites, posting pictures of your new friends, complaining about tests, meeting dates, and keeping in touch with family back home. Now that you’re getting ready to leave school behind, you will need to reconfigure your social media activity so that future employers and contacts respect you. Here are 50 social media etiquette rules to remember.

General

Keep these general tips in mind whenever you log on.

1. Act like you would in real life: Just because you’re hiding behind a computer as you type doesn’t mean that people aren’t going to connect what you say online with who you are as a real person. How you act on social media sites is often the most direct way that people — including potential employers — will perceive you.
2. Don’t discriminate just because: You can’t be friends with everyone online, but you’ll never broaden your network if you don’t connect with people outside of your circle and comfort zone. Be willing to open yourself up to all types of followers and friends.
3. You have to earn respect: You can earn respect on social media sites by offering quality, accessible information in a friendly way. Share relevant links, commentary and helpful advice.
4. Always introduce yourself: Whenever you friend or follow a new person or jump into an open conversation, take a quick second to introduce yourself. Share your real name, occupation and geographical location. It’s just polite.
5. Avoid burnout: If you’re on social media sites constantly, you’ll burn yourself out and annoy other people. Find a balance so that you’re making quality contributions to the discussion, not dominating it.
6. Tweet and update for your most conservative followers: If you have lots of friends online, it can be hard to remember who’s still listening in to your conversations and updates. Remember who your most conservative followers are, and make sure whatever you put online is appropriate for them.
7. Be curious, but not nosy: Social media communities are all about sharing and learning from each other. You’re encouraged to ask questions, but don’t be too inquisitive about people’s personal lives until you become actual friends.
8. Be extra polite: You wouldn’t make a nasty comment to a person you just met at work or school: you’d probably go above and beyond to seem friendly and helpful. Apply the same attitude to your social media activity.
9. Don’t ask for favors: Once you’ve established a relationship with an online contact, you can ask for advice or help, but don’t log on just to ask people to do your work for you.
10. Follow the golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated, and you’ll develop a reputation for being a worthy friend and follow who other users will want to pass along to their network.
11. Remember that there are boundaries: Not everyone you’re following — or who is following you — is your personal friend, so avoid talking about health problems and mushy stuff.

Facebook

These Facebook-specific rules address photos, tagging, and all those applications.

12. Don’t cyber-stalk: If you’re never getting any responses back to the wall posts and messages you leave on someone’s profile, then you’re cyber-stalking them. Stop.
13. Don’t drunk-Facebook: Sending drunk Facebook messages or making drunk wall posts can be funny with friends, but seriously damaging with professional contacts.
14. Don’t send apps: Make sure that when you try out an application, you’re not sending it to everyone you’re friends with. That’s right: everyone.
15. Don’t write private messages on wall posts: It’s embarrassing, rude, and makes you look immature.
16. Edit your photo choices: Don’t put up photos of yourself or others engaging in illegal, irresponsible activities, including pictures of you chugging pitchers of beer, whether or not you’re 21.
17. Stop playing the farm animal game if you want to be taken seriously: Would you want to hire someone who clearly spends all day swapping cows and feeding goats on Facebook?
18. Be careful who you tag: Just because you don’t have a job doesn’t mean your friends are okay with having ridiculous photos of themselves posted on Facebook so that their moms and bosses can see them.
19. Write clear status updates: People who write vague, depressing song lyrics or status updates come across as self-indulgent.
20. Be respectful of the relationship status: Talk with your partner before changing a relationship status. If it’s good news, do you want an online medium to be the one to share it? If it’s bad, you want to make sure you’re not breaking up with someone via Facebook.
21. Avoid chain status updates: Don’t fall for chain status updates to save a child with cancer or promote world peace. They’re annoying.
22. Ask friends to make introductions: You’ll avoid freaking people out if you ask a friend to make an introduction rather than friending people you’ve randomly spotted online.

Twitter

Twitter is addictive, but it also has lots of traps that can lure you into looking unprofessional and lazy.

23. Don’t use automation tools: You might think it’s nice to send an automatic message every time someone follows you, but it actually makes you look lazy and unengaged. Social media is about the personal effort behind the connection.
24. Keep tabs on your ratio: One of the easiest ways for people to decide whether or not they want to follow you is to check your follow ratio. Try to keep it balanced so that you don’t look desperate or like a snob.
25. Share other people’s work, not just your own: For every tweet you make about yourself, make two or three tweets about someone else’s work or a third party article.
26. Send private messages for private conversations: Twitter has an option to let you send private messages, and it’s important that you remember to use it when appropriate.
27. Always share your best work: You never know who’s watching you on Twitter, so always promote your absolute best work, not your mediocre stuff.
28. Use your real name: Social media is about being honest, not tricking people. Even a clever pseudonym will turn off your more professional contacts.
29. Don’t be a sucker: As with any viral medium, it’s easy to get caught up in scams and just plain incorrect information. Don’t go crazy retweeting sensational stories until you’ve verified they’re true.
30. Use a real picture: Just as you use your real name, use a real photo of yourself to help others understand who they’re connecting with.
31. Don’t ask to be retweeted: If your tweet is good enough to share, your followers will retweet it without a desperate plea.
32. Don’t use Twitter to point fingers: You can send open tweets to ask about a problem, but don’t trash companies or individuals just because you had a bad experience. Contact them in private.

Grammar and Communication

There are appropriate shortcuts for social media, but don’t go overboard. Otherwise, no one will be able to understand you, and they may think you’re lazy and ignorant.

33. Know what @means: @ is a sign that means you’re responding to or directly addressing a particular user or message. On some sites, it even tags that person.
34. Use the word, not the number: Substituting "2" for "to" looks like you’re in junior high.
35. Social media is a step up from texting: Unless you’re updating all your messages on a mobile device, remember that social media is a step up from texting. If you’re typing on a keyboard, you can type out the whole word.
36. Don’t make stupid mistakes: You’re not receiving an official grade from your tweets and updates, but you are being judged on your grammar mistakes.
37. Edit your work: Take a few seconds to review your messages so that you can correct any mistakes.
38. Avoid exclamation points: They’re warranted sometimes, but punctuation marks are annoying to read and make your writing look juvenile.
39. Always be honest and transparent: With so many distractions going on online, keep your messages short, clear and truthful.
40. Know which rules you can break: Regular abbreviations and certain punctuation marks — like ellipses — can be used more freely on social media sites.

Job Search

When it comes time to hunt for new employment or broaden your network, remember these crucial tips for the online job search.

41. It’s okay to be chatty: Penelope Trunk explains that your LinkedIn resume should be a little chatty, but still professional. You want to stand out and come across as easy-going, but know when you’re crossing the line.
42. Don’t follow an employer’s personal account: You’re going to look desperate and creepy if you follow an employer or hiring manager’s personal profiles. Look for official ones instead.
43. Monitor your style: Using all caps and typing in the vernacular are inappropriate when making professional contacts.
44. Follow up: once.: It’s a good idea to follow-up after a meeting, interview or communiqué, but doing so over and over is stalking and spammy.
45. Understand who your target contacts want to deal with: An executive isn’t going to be interested in talking to an intern, so find the middle man who can put you two in touch.
46. Be mindful of the time you contact someone: Don’t send Facebook messages at 11p.m. Friday night. Send them during regular business hours to show that you’re responsible and can work on a normal schedule, too.
47. Mind your ps and qs: Always say thank you and understand that anyone who’s helping you in your online job search is doing you a favor. You aren’t entitled to anything.
48. Keep up with your LinkedIn profile headline: Make sure your headline is updated to accurately communicate your current occupational status.
49. Don’t be bold about looking for a new job if you’re still under contract: Remember this for your future: don’t advertise that you’re looking for a new job if you haven’t told your boss you’re quitting. You could find yourself without any form of employment if your boss — or his or her colleagues — find your updates online.
50. Help others: It’s not just about your job search. Offer to help friends and followers if you have a contact they need."                                                                                                                                                                                        

More Proof That We Should Not Multitask While Driving

Still driving and talking on your cell phone? Here are the results from a new study out of the University of Utah, finding that few can talk on a cell phone and drive safely at the same time. TechNewsDaily published the following article explaining the study:

"A very small percentage of the population can safely drive while talking on their cell phones, but chances are high that you're not one of these "supertaskers." 
 

In a new study, psychologists have identified a group of people who can successfully do two things at once, in this case talking on a cell phone while operating a driving simulator without noticeable impairment.
 

Supertaskers only make up about 2.5 percent of the general population, however, said study team member James Watson of the University of Utah. 
 

"Given the number of individuals who routinely talk on the phone while driving, one would have hoped that there would be a greater percentage of supertaskers," Watson said. 
 

"And while we’d probably all like to think we are the exception to the rule, the odds are overwhelmingly against it. In fact, the odds of being a supertasker are about as good as your chances of flipping a coin and getting five heads in a row." 
 

20 percent longer to hit brakes
In the study, the researchers assessed the performance of 200 participants over a single task (simulated freeway driving), and again with a second demanding activity (a cell phone conversation that involved memorizing words and solving math problems). Performance was then measured in four areas: braking reaction time, following distance, memory, and math execution. 
 

As expected, the driving ability of most of the participants suffered if they simultaneously talked on their cell phones. It took them 20 percent longer to hit the brakes when needed, and following distances increased 30 percent as the drivers failed to keep pace with the simulated traffic. Memory performance declined 11 percent, and the ability to do math problems fell 3 percent. 
 

However, when supertaskers talked while driving, they displayed no change in their normal braking times, following distances or math ability, and their memory abilities actually improved 3 percent. 
 

'Something special'
“There is clearly something special about the supertaskers,” said study co-author David Strayer, also of the University of Utah. 
 

“Why can they do something that most of us cannot? Psychologists may need to rethink what they know about multitasking in light of this new evidence. We may learn from these very rare individuals that the multitasking regions of the brain are different and that there may be a genetic basis for this difference." 
 

Watson and Strayer are now studying expert fighter pilots under the assumption that those who can pilot a jet aircraft are also likely to be natural supertaskers. 
 

The study will be published later this year in the journal Psychonomic Bulletin and Review." 


More on driving and multitasking:

Driving - Not a Time to Multi-Task

Using Your Drive Time Efficiently

Spring Cleaning Walls and Windows

       
I'm running this blog from yesteryear, as spring cleaning is upon us. We cleaned our first floor windows last week while the girls were on spring break. It only took us about 20 minutes! 

We paired up - one inside and one outside, so one could see the other's streaks or missed spots. Even though the windows didn't seem all that dirty, it was amazing how it brightened the rooms!
      
Spring Cleaning the Walls and Windows
 
Not my favorite chore by a long shot!! Each week in the spring and summer that we have girls, we try to think of a cleaning or yard chore we can do for about an hour. It's nice to have help and it teaches them how to manage a home at the same time. So if you have kids, let them enjoy this home management instruction - I'm sure they will be forever grateful! :)

We're going to start a room at a time and clean the windows and walls. I use Mr. Clean Magic Sponges to clean the walls. All you need is a sponge and a container of water. I bought a bunch of dishpans which we use for this chore, spa day pedicures, and other various uses. We do clean them out between activities!

So everyone has their own sponge and dishpan. All you do is wipe down the walls and rinse out the sponge. You don't have to rinse the walls afterwards. I don't know what Mr. Clean did to his sponge, but it IS magic!

While we have the furniture moved out, we may as well wash the windows at the same time. I'm not a big proponent of newspapers and vinegar as so many are - don't like having my hands and other things turn black! Just window cleaner and paper towels.

While the furniture is moved out, my husband usually gets motivated to vacuum those spots we don't often see. Bless him!

As you know, cleaning is one of my least favorite chores, but I sure enjoy the rewards of a clean house! And I can stand anything for an hour - so can our girls. :)

How do you manage spring cleaning?

More on spring cleaning: 

Clutter Statistics - Motivation for Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Vinegar

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Baking Soda

 

Time is Money: The Best Times to Do Everything (100 Tricks & Tips) - from Online Degrees

       
Our friends at Online Degrees published this fabulous list on March 30, 2010, and asked if I could pass in on to you. With pleasure! 

"When it comes to money, timing is everything. If you time it right, you can get massive discounts, save yourself hassle, and make life easier. Check out these tricks and tips to find the best times to do just about anything.

Finance
Here you'll find out the best time to make financial moves.

1. Sell your stocks: Don't sell at the first sign of trouble if you want to get the most out of your stocks.
2. Refinance your mortgage: Consider economic conditions, your credit history, and length of loan when planning your mortgage refinance.
3. Sell a vacation home: Sell your vacation home at a time of year that it looks attractive, and there are lots of travelers visiting.
4. Pay your credit card: Pay on time and in full to avoid finance charges and late fees.

Health
Check out these tips to time your health perfectly.

5. Exercise: Many people find that morning workouts can help keep them consistent.
6. Drink a protein shake: You should drink a protein shake either first thing in the morning, or immediately following your workout-or both.
7. Weigh yourself: Weigh yourself in the mornings, on a consistent basis.
8. Stretch: Stretch whenever you can fit it in, but a good stretch before bed can release the tension from your day.
9. Eating healthy: The best time to start eating healthy is right away.
10. Take your multivitamin: Take your multivitamin at a mealtime to aid absorption and avoid nausea.
11. Get a tan: If you're going to tan outside, the hours of 10:30AM-3PM are the best.
12. Join a gym: Join a gym in June, when the New Year rush is completely over and gyms are willing to make a deal.
13. Check blood glucose: Test one to two hours after you start eating for the peak level of your blood glucose.
14. Buy sporting goods: Bicycles and sporting goods go for the best price in January.
15. Check blood pressure: Blood pressure is best measured in the afternoon in a moderate climate.
16. Sleeping: Heading to bed between 9PM and midnight is ideal for most adults.

Shopping
These tips offer the absolute best times to buy anything.

17. Airline tickets: Buy your airline tickets on a Wednesday, about 21 days before your flight for the best deals.
18. Appliances: Holiday weekends, even small ones, are when retailers bring out the big guns.
19. Baby clothes: Buy baby clothes while you're pregnant at the end of each season to catch clearance bargains.
20. Jewelry: Holiday sales offer the best possibility for discounts.
21. Digital cameras: Save money by buying your digital camera after the holiday rush.
22. Air conditioners: Shop for a new air conditioner in the winter when the demand is low.
23. Bicycles: New models are released in February or March, so look for your new older model at the beginning of the year.
24. Electronics: Buy the old model right after a new model is announced for the best savings.
25. Linens: White sales during January are the best time to buy linens and bedding.
26. Furniture: Furniture prices are generally slashed in January, July, and on holidays.
27. Gift cards: Buy gift cards at a discount a few weeks after Christmas.
28. Books: Most major bookstores release weekly discounts on Thursdays, although some do them on Tuesdays.
29. Cars: A weekday in September, when dealers want to get rid of old models and there's lots of time to negotiate.
30. Clothes: Shop on a weekday at the end of a season to save the most on clothing.
31. Used cars: The best time to buy used cars is in April.
32. Mattresses: Buy your mattress in May when retailers need to make room for new models.
33. Cell phones: Buy a new cell phone when you sign up for new service so that you can get it for free.
34. Toys: Buy toys on holiday sales as early as October.

Entertainment & Travel
Time your entertainment and travel with these tricks.

35. Show tickets: Roll the dice and buy Broadway tickets the day of through ticket lotteries that offer inexpensive prices.
36. Visit Disney World: Balance crowds, weather, park hours, and special events for the best time to visit Disney World.
37. Best time to go: BestTimeToGo.com will offer you advice on the best time to go anywhere.
38. Thanksgiving travel: Leave as early as possible on Wednesday or earlier for the best Thanksgiving travel.
39. Surf in Hawaii: Use this site to find out the best times to surf in Hawaii.
40. Hotel rooms: For a reduced rate, book your hotel stay on a Sunday.
41. Video games: Video games are best purchased in January and February.
42. Star Gazing: Star gazing is best after sunset during a new moon.
43. Pee during a movie: Use RunPee.com to find out the best time to pee during movies.

Business
Perfect your business timings with these tips.

44. Promote a business: Promote your business during bad times for the best attention.
45. Start a business: Many people believe the best time to start a business is in college, or in the 5-10 years immediately following.

Lifestyle
Check out these lifestyle timing tricks.

46. Adopt a pet: Adopt a pet when you have stability, time, and not a whole lot of change in your life.
47. Get married: Get married during the fall or winter for the best availability and prices.
48. Pick up women: 10:48 is reported to be the best time to pick up women.
49. Getting pregnant: Time sexual intercourse just before and during ovulation for the best chance of getting pregnant.

Food
Buy, eat, and drink, at the right time with these tricks.

50. Wine: Get the best selection and price for wine after the fall harvest.
51. Time to eat your main meal: The late afternoon is the best time to eat your main meal.
52. Champagne: Prices on champagne are lower during the holidays than they are all year.
53. Make stock: With all the ingredients on hand, Thanksgiving is the best time for making broth.
54. Cookware: Newlyweds and college students often receive cookware in the early summer, so buy yours before the rush, or catch items on special during the holiday season.
55. Candy: Buy chocolate and candy right after major holidays, where you can find markdowns up to 75% off.
56. Groceries: Groceries often start sales on Wednesdays, so visit on that day for the best deals.
57. Eating out: You'll typically find the freshest food on Tuesdays, but Sundays are the best time to find specials.

Writing & Marketing
These tips offer the best times for writing and marketing.

58. Send an email: Based on past results, look at when people most often open your email and take action.
59. Start a second blog: When you're fully managing a successful blog, you may be ready to start a second one or more.
60. Make your pitch: The best time to pitch your product or service is when you can avoid conferences, send them during the day, and avoid Monday or Friday.
61. Post to your Facebook page: Click through peak on Tuesday, and do well on Mondays and Wednesdays as well.
62. Send a press release: Most marketers send press releases early in the day early in the week, but some argue that Friday and Sunday works well.
63. Tweet someone: If you want to catch the attention of a particular Tweeter, use Tweet O'Clock as a guide for the best time.
64. End an auction: Use this chart for a look into the best times to end eBay auctions.
65. Time to Tweet: Any time between 1 and 2 PM Pacific Time is the hottest for Twitter, although anywhere from 9AM to 3PM will generally give you good exposure.
66. Send out link request emails: Send out link request emails on Tuesday mornings for the best response.
67. Submit a story to Digg: Weekday afternoons in the US are prime time for making it big on Digg.
68. Publish a blog post: If you only post once a week, Thursday at noon is the best time to put it up.
69. Best time to use bandwidth: With a glowing router clock, you can find out the best time to use bandwidth.

Education & Career
Get great timing in education and career with these tricks.

70. Retiring: Most people retire between 62 ad 67 to take advantage of full Social Security benefits while they are still young enough to use them.
71. Interview for a job: Schedule your interview for the middle of the week between 10 and 11 AM or 2 and 4 PM.
72. Studying: Study when you are well rested, or right before you go to sleep for the best information absorption.
73. Time to go to work: Here you'll learn the strategies for working early, late, or on time.
74. Asking for a raise: Ask for a raise after you've completed a big project, and you've been successful at work.
75. Getting hired: The winter holidays just might be your best time to find a job, so don't put your job hunt on hold until New Year's.

Household
Use these tips to run your household on time.

76. Plant grass: For a perfect lawn, plant grass seeds in the fall.
77. Buy gas: Gas prices go up for the weekend as early as Thursday morning, so fill up on Wednesday for the best deal.
78. Plant flowers: Bulbs do best when they are planted between September and December. It's easy to remember to plant your bulbs if you do it each Halloween.
79. Install an Asphalt Driveway: Avoid mixing asphalt during the cold for best results.
80. Plant shade trees: Plant shade trees during the fall so that their dormancy period lines up with the fall and winter months.
81. Cut firewood: Cut firewood during the winter or early spring before the sap runs.
82. Plant shrubs: Fall is the best time to plant most shrubs and trees.
83. Buy patio furniture: Pick up last year's model of patio furniture for a fraction of the price in May.
84. List your house: Thursday morning tends to be the best time to list your house.
85. Divide perennials: With this chart, you'll be able to find the best time to divide perennials.
86. Painting: Avoid painting when it's windy or raining, and avoid extremely high or low temperatures.
87. Buy carpet: January is the best time to buy carpet for your house.
88. Buy a house: Winter: You'll get the most for your money if you buy your house in the wintertime.
89. Water your lawn: Water your lawn in the early morning hours, around 3AM, when the water pressure is highest and the water can soak into the ground before evaporating.
90. Plant roses: Plant roses in early spring or late winter.
91. Mow your lawn: Mow your lawn when no more than 1/3 of the blades will be cut, late in the day or evening when the grass can recover before the sun comes out.
92. Plant vegetable gardens: Watch this video to learn about the best time to plant your vegetable garden.

Kids
Get the timing right for children using these tips.

93. Having children: For most families, the biological and financial age of 23 through 32 is best for starting a family.
94. Tell your boss you're pregnant: Tell your boss you're pregnant at 12 weeks or later, when you are sure the pregnancy is viable. If you're in the middle of a big project or performance review, wait until it is complete.
95. Toilet training: Researchers have noted that the age of 24 to 32 months is prime time for potty training.
96. Weaning a baby: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months, with breastfeeding supplemented by solid foods through the first year to two years.
97. Have more children: Read these opinions to see whether having more kids after your first should be soon, or take a while.
98. Relocate your children: Summer is generally the best time to move with children.
99. Announce your pregnancy: Many people believe that 12 weeks is the best time to announce your pregnancy, while you are out of the most dangerous time for a miscarriage.
100. Visits to the DMV: The DMV reports that Wednesdays, Thursday mornings, and Fridays experience the least wait times."

We may come back and look at some of these in detail in the future!


More best times:

The Best Time of Day to Go to the Post Office

1-2-3...Get Organized: The Best Time of Day to Clean the House 

The Best Time of Day to Take the Dog for a Walk

A Simple Way to Stay Focused on Decluttering/Cleaning

    
Do you find yourself getting distracted when trying to clean or declutter? Do you stop to read through an old journal rather than find a home for it? Instead of cleaning your kitchen, do you find yourself organizing your spices?

There is nothing wrong with doing these activities. If your goal is to clean or declutter, however, they won't help you accomplish your goal.

An idea: use a timer. Carry it with you from room to room. Set it for a little less than what you think you need to complete the task, to discourage dawdling. 

I like knowing how long a task takes. Sometimes I find that a task I put off only takes five minutes - like unloading the dishwasher, or folding a basket of clothes. When I find out how little time it takes, I'm more likely to do it without procrastination.

How do you stay focused on your cleaning or decluttering?


More on cleaning/decluttering:

Clutter Statistics - Motivation for Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning Special - Clever Cleaning and Decluttering

National Clutter Awareness Week - Give it 5 or 10

 

Self-Help Books for Hoarders and Their Families

    
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday we found out that we are getting a new foster daughter. Today she comes for dinner and tomorrow she moves in! Spring break has just taken on a lot more energy! On to our blog for today ...


If you or a loved one struggles with hoarding, the following books might to help you understand and combat this issue. 

 - Murphy, T. W. (2009). Life in rewind: The story of a young courageous man who persevered over OCD and the Harvard doctor who broke all the rules to help him. New York: William Morrow. Memoir of Dr. Michael Jenike and his patient Edward Zine. Excellent descriptions of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) rituals and their manifestation as hoarding.

- Neziroglu, F., Bubrick, J., & Yaryura-Tobias, J. A. (2004). Overcoming compulsive hoarding. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. A book for people who hoard and their families which provides background on the phenomenon of hoarding and gives direction on how to address it, both as self-help and as family intervention. 

- Steketee, G., & Frost, R. O. (2007). Compulsive hoarding and acquiring workbook. New York: Oxford University Press. A self-help workbook for people who hoard. 

 - Tolin, D. F., Frost, R. O., & Steketee, G. (2007). Buried in treasures: Help for compulsive acquiring, saving, and hoarding. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. Introduction to the phenomenon of hoarding for people who hoard and their families.

- Tompkins, M. A., & Hartl, T. (2009). Digging out: Helping your loved one manage clutter, hoarding, and compulsive acquiring. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. Introduction to the concept of harm reduction—the improvement and not necessarily elimination of a problem behavior—as it applies to hoarding. 

More on hoarding:

Hoarding - There Are No Easy Answers!

Get Organized Month 2009 - Some Words from Peter Walsh, Organizing Guru