What A Waste?

I clipped a Starbucks coupon entitling me to a free drink. It expired yesterday. Here I am at Starbucks today, writing this blog and paying big bucks for my coffee. What a waste. Or is it?

One of the reasons I became a professional organizer is that I hate waste. Whether it’s waste a of time, waste of money, waste of resources, waste of energy, waste of food, waste of stress, or waste of a life—waste really gets under my skin. What I’ve discovered in my war on waste is that waste is a very relative thing.

I work with people who struggle with throwing things out. This is what I commonly hear. “That’s still perfectly good.” “That needs to be recycled.” “I need to get that repaired.” “I could probably use that for something.” There may be no personal value in these items for the individual, but because there is a perceived value, there is a concern about waste.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about reduce, reuse, recycle, but there comes a time when you have to step back and look at the larger waste issues. If you have a limit to how much stuff you can fit into your home, then you also probably have a limit to how much time, energy, and money you can devote to controlling it. It’s all too easy to waste the precious resources of time, energy, and money on less vital waste issues, like recycle and repair.

Getting back to coupons. I once had a client tell me he felt like he was throwing money in the garbage. He was actually contemplating using a coupon for a dinner at a local Chinese Restaurant.  The irony was that he does not like Chinese food. He was actually trying to figure out what he could order on the menu to suit his tastebuds so that he could get his FREE meal. Finally, when he listed a dozen “ifs” he realized it was ridiculous. The coupon wasn't money, it was a piece of paper he could never use.

So I realize that I am kind of doing the same thing with the Starbucks coupon. I’m beating myself up because I kept the coupon in a prominent place for several weeks, thinking I had until the end of February to cash it in. Seemed like all the time in the world on January 1st! I figured I would go to Starbucks daily to focus on these blogs, so I really expected that I would use this coupon soon. Other priorities have risen to the top of my to do list since then, so I have been blogging whenever and wherever I could. I realize now it would have been foolish to shift those priorities just so I can get a free coffee. I had been lamenting a wasted opportunity that I never had. In reference to balancing priorities, it’s not a waste at all.

Keeping Your Car Neat and Organized

Keeping your home clutter-free can be challenging enough, but many of us face the additional challenge of keeping our cars neat and organized as well.

Below are a few tips to help you keep your home away from home clutter free and tidy.

1. Empty everything out of your car and clean the inside thoroughly. Make sure to vacuum as well. Then take the items you need to put back in and sort them so you'll know where they are if you need them.
2. Keep a trash bin in your car. Whether a small plastic bag or one designed specifically to hang on the back of a seat.
3. Create a children's activity kit for long road trips filled with items to keep the kids occupied. You can use a small plastic bin or canvas bag filled with items such as: crayons and paper, playing cards, books, small toys or electronic games, and snacks and juice boxes. Having these items in the car can contribute to stress free driving.
4. A CD holder made for visors can be used for far more than just holding CDs. You can keep coffee cards, coupons, gift certificates and important papers stored there as well.
5. Keep a small first aid kit in your glove compartment packed with the basics: band-aids, gauze, tape, insect repellent, and pain relievers.
6. Lastly, make sure to carry emergency items in the trunk such as: booster cables, flashlight, blanket, and a bottle of water.

Always remember, a little extra pre-planning can go a long way!
Happy Travels...

Gently Used Furniture Wanted for New Haven Recovery's Used Furniture Co-op

Upload Photos and Videos
Wanted! Beds-Mattresses-Sofas-Kitchen Tables/Chairs/Dressers & Other Household Goods to help turn an empty house into a home

New Haven Home Recovery, a non profit in New Haven established in 1990 in response to a critical need to shelter women with dependent children is in need of gently used furniture for their Furniture Co-op. The Furniture Co-op helps turn empty houses into homes as women and children transition from homelessness into a home.

Each month almost 150 clients from New Haven Home Recovery and their member agencies come through the Furniture Co-op and are able to receive 4 major pieces of furniture to begin to turn an empty house into their own home.

For the months of February & March The Furniture Co-op will be providing free pick up for any furniture donations in the following towns: Branford, North Branford, East Haven, Ansonia, Derby, Cheshire,Hamden, Milford, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven and Woodbridge.

Don't dump your old furniture donate it! You'll be helping a family furnish a home. To schedule a pick up or if you have more questions please contact Agnes at 203.492.4866.