Reduce Housework by 40%

Cleaning professionals say that getting rid of excess clutter reduces housework by 40%. - from www.NAPO.net.

It's that time of year – time to do a thorough cleaning of your home, open up the windows, let the fresh air in, and get rid of the dust. This is also a great time to evaluate your belongings and get rid of any clutter that is weighing you down.

1. Consider the chotskies in your home. They tend to collect dust and add time to housecleaning. Select a few that you absolutely love and get rid of the rest. If there are several you can't bear to part with, store some and rotate them.
   
2. Examine your clothing. The majority of the clothes in our closets are rarely worn. Pick out the clothes that feel comfortable, are flattering, and you love to wear. Donate what remains.
   
3. Dig to the back of the linen closet. Have you used those items in the past year? Get rid of the worn towels, the scratchy or mismatched sheets, and any other unused items.
   
4. Open those kitchen cabinets. Pull out the unused small appliances, excess serving utensils, containers with missing lids, worn dish towels, etc and get rid of them.

Items you aren't using get in the way and take up space. Making space for the items you use and enjoy will cut household chores and make access to those items easier, gaining more time for other activities. And who couldn't use more time!

4 Ways to Use Time Efficiently

Believe that time is going to help you do what you want.
- William Morris Hunt

February is Time Management Month. Here are some ways to make good use of your time.

1. Say no to a task that is not necessary or fulfilling. You have a limited amount of time, so prioritize.


2. Delegate one of your responsibilities. What is one small (or larger) but necessary task that you can hand off to a family member or colleague?
   
3. Set a timer when starting a task that you tend to get very involved in and stop when the timer goes off. This prevents you from getting so wrapped up in a project that time gets away from you.
   
4. Make a list of 5 things you'd like to accomplish this week. Schedule a time for each project. There may be interruptions and you may not complete all. You'll have made progress!

We've got 24 hours each day. Use that time in a way that "helps you do what you want"!

Hoarders Show

I had the incredible opportunity to help on a project for the Hoarders show on A&E. http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/video/ Doug is a single father who adopted two special needs children. He's been overwhelmed with their needs and the home has suffered. He risks losing his children.

You won't see much of me in the show. What you will see is an amazing transformation in the home. Professional organizers from NAPO-WI provided over 100 hours of service. 1800 Got Junk hauled away approximately 10,000 pounds of items removed from the home. A cleaning company made the home shine.

I worked on the little girl's room. When she came home from school after the first day of work, she immediately saw a photo of her birth mom we'd uncovered in her room. I was privileged to witness her jubilation. It was an amazing moment for everyone in the room.

Brenden McDaniel, professional organizer and owner of Action Organizing, lead this project. He continues to work with Doug. Brenden has reported that Doug has done a phenomenal job maintaining the home.

I'm grateful that I could be a part of such a life changing event. Working with the team of professionals was inspiring. I love what I do!