Free Shredding at Office Depot

Papers piling up? Filing cabinet full?

Office Depot Provides Free Copies of 2011 Tax Returns and Shredding of Confidential Documents


Through April 16, 2012, customers can take advantage of this popular offer by visiting the Copy & Print Depot at any Office Depot retail store location nationwide.


Read more here:
http://mediarelations.officedepot.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=140162&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1673116&highlight

Give it to Goodwill

We love Goodwill!

Yes, we go to the dump but Gretchen and I love to recycle. Giving to Goodwill  is one of the easiest ways to recycle used clothing and general household items.

Watch this video and learn what Goodwill Does:

Broken, cracked, holey, expired, mildewed, dusty

At the dump

Surprisingly, Gretchen and I haul A LOT of stuff to the dump. We've receive a personal lesson each time we watch clients hold on to trash. Yes, trash. Broken, cracked, holey, expired, mildewed, dusty and sometimes smelly stuff.

Many times clients put off discarding items that are damaged. There are many reasons for this but mainly they are delaying the inevitable.

When Gretchen and I arrive and work, we candidly point out items that need to be discarded. Then we have witnessed clients try to hold on to them. After listening to a laundry list all of the reasons these items have not been discarded, we offer to haul the items away.

Sometimes the process is a little slow, but generally we end up with a truck bed full of trash. Yes, we will haul it off for you too!

~ Amy

What's Coming in Your Door?

If that is coming in, what's going out?

When you bring something in, take something out -  monitor your drawer, in your closets, in your files, your mail, your bookshelf, your child's schoolwork...the list is endless.


If you buy three new pairs of socks, get rid of three or even four old pairs.  Once you develop this habit, you will be amazed at how it cuts the clutter in your life, and not just paper, toys, and clothing.  Use this strategy to break bad habits, improve your nutrition, and even develop healthier relationships.


~ Gretchen

Remove Two Forms of Clutter at Once!

Shopping Bag Clutter

Paper shopping bags are wonderful when reused to purge items to give to charity. 

Larger bags hold games and puzzles, purses, hats or shoes. Toys with accessories can be placed in smaller bags. Small bags are perfect for kitchen gadgets or office supplies. 

Using a shopping bag is more convenient than a box because it has handles. Resist the urge to overfill so the bag won't be too heavy or tear. Several shopping bags fit more easily in a vehicle than several boxes. 

If you have a particular item to give to someone, write their name or the name of the location the item needs to go on the bag. Place the item in the bag and immediately put the bag in the front passenger seat of your vehicle ensuring you will drop it off instead of leaving it in a closet somewhere in your home. Using your accumulated paper shopping bags to give things away removes two forms of clutter from your home at once.

Yard Sale Preparation - Tried and True Method

Price and Place in Box

The hardest part of a yard sale is the preparation. Procrastinating makes it so much worse and ensures you will be exhausted when you raise the garage door bright and early Saturday morning. To avoid "sale set-up" hangover try the following tried and true method.

Well in advance of the sale (maybe 2 months) place a medium size box in a prominent location in every room in your house. Put the box by the door.

Place a couple of sheets of pre-priced yard sale stickers in each box along with a Sharpie or marker. If you are not familiar with yard sale stickers you can find them at any "big box" store. They are a must because they take the thinking out of pricing your items.

As you go about life in your home leading up to the time of your sale, recognize items you are not using or have lost interest in. Each time you see one of these items, go to the box, choose a price sticker, price the item and leave it in the box. Really try to purge, but don't get stressed about it because you will have a chance to take items out of the box before the actual sale. Hopefully by then you will be fine with letting it go.

When a box gets full, close it, label its contents and take it to a designated place in the garage. Be sure to put another empty box in the room! By sale time you will have a trove of already priced items that you can simply spread out on tables. Typically they will be categorized already because each box will represent an area of your home. For example the kitchen box will be kitchen items.

If you don't want the hassle of having a sale, skip the stickers. Instead, use this method and give each of the boxes to charity when you are satisfied that you have removed enough from each room. This strategy is also great for editing your decor or de-cluttering in anticipation of listing your house for sale.