I am not a fan of junk mail or telemarketing calls. I’m not sure anyone is, except possibly the companies that produce them. Any time you give your name, email and address, you are opening yourself up to junk mail. Yes, I put “No mailing lists” next to my name, but the junk mail still comes. I am aware of the “Do Not Call” list. Is it working for you? I’ve had my eardrum blasted with the sound of a ship’s horn too many times. So how do you stop this invasion of your time, space, and life?
I have caller ID, but sometimes I answer the phone, thus eardrum blast, just to wait on the line to tell the telemarketer not to call anymore. That has had limited success, but has had some. Be aware the folks that answer the telephone will most likely not be friendly, often belligerent. They will probably tell you it will take 60 to 90 days for the request to go into effect. They are required to comply. Make a note of your request. If you get additional calls, call the attorney general of your state.
For a month I kept track of all mail that came to my house, just to see how much junk mail I received. It was a daunting task. I registered with DMA Mail Preference Service. The junk mail did not decrease. For some charities I had donated to in the past, I received repeated requests, at least once a week, sometimes two or three. I wrote them letters telling them I would no longer donate to them if mailing lists were not consolidated, and I received more than one request a year. That didn’t work. What has seemed to have an effect is calling that 1-800 number, not just for charities, but for all junk mail. Like with the telemarketers, I was told that it might take 60 to 90 days, but the individuals taking my calls were much nicer, usually apologizing for the inconvenience. Yesterday all I received was my Netflix. We shall see what today brings, hopefully no bills.
Closet maintenance! You’ve got to be kidding. I’ve got enough stuff to worry about!
Yep, closet maintenance. It’s not hard and can be done in a short period of time. I do this seasonally when I move clothes from hot to cold or back.
In clothes and shoes, I look at each item for:
- Worn
- Stained
- Faded
- Needs repair
- Dated
- Doesn’t fit
- If I haven’t worn something, do I expect to
- Etc.
Okay, I look at these things when I put up my clothes, but sometimes things slip by…
It seems I always have something to take to charity.
This is a good time to look at my closet floor. Pet hair, dust bunnies and dirt love to hide in there.
Closet maintenance takes time, but will save you time, energy and frustration in the long run.
Tags: closet maintenance, clothing
When I first heard this, I thought the idea was TOO MUCH, although I had been doing this with men’s shirts for years. When I color arranged my closet, my perception changed immediately. I could see that I owned too many black t-shirts and blouses and I lean toward a certain shade of blue. When I get dressed, picking the right shirt is so much easier and faster because all that color is togetter. Re-hanging is also a snap.
My closet is more visually pleasing.
Try it. It will only take a few minutes. If you don’t like it, don’t continue. There are no “closet police.” Organization is not a cookie cutter exercise. One size does not fit all. It is important to find what works for you.
Tags: closet space, color coding
Your closet is too full. How do you pare down? How do you get started?
Re-hang all your hangers backwards. When you wear something, re-hang it “right.” Soon you will see what you frequently wear and what is taking up space.
Of those “taking up space,” are they:
- Seasonal
- Out of Style
- Don’t like it
- Doesn’t fit
- Needs repair
- Sentimental
- Other
For seasonal, do you have another closet where you store seasonal clothing, if so, you are lucky to have that much room! If not, you can pack it into a container, or move it to a less accessible part of your closet until needed.
If clothes are out of style, or you don’t like them, the items need to go. Have a donation pile. Someone else might be able to get use out of this. Let it go.
It doesn’t fit. If it is too large, get rid of it! You NEVER want to be that size again. Don’t sabotage your weigh loss by keeping too large clothes, “just in case.” If it is too small, get rid of it. That way you can celebrate with a whole new fashionable, correctly fitting wardrobe. If you can’t part with all of the non-fitting clothes, keep one size up and one size down.
Needs repair. If you can’t do it yourself, dry cleaners usually have a repair service.
Sentimental clothing. Pare down as much as you can, then store it. Remember even when an item has been cleaned before storing, stains will reappear. Make sure the container is air tight so bugs and vermin don’t destroy your sentimental treasures.
Other. Do you really need it? Will keeping it add to the quality of your life? Will parting with it permanently damage you? Only you can answer these questions.
Tags: closet space, hangers, seasonal clothing
Not just a line from the movie Mommie Dearest. Joan Crawford might have been on a rant, but the idea of getting rid of wire hangers is a good one.
Wire hangers in a closet have a life of their own, getting tangled at night seems to be a favorite occupation of theirs, and multiplying. Then, there is the tendency to stretch clothes, not where needed, either! and if you are in a damp climate, RUST.
There are many “clothes systems” available. I use plastic hangers. They are easy to find, relatively inexpensive and come in different colors.
An advantage of using plastic hanger is, even when your closet is a mess, having the uniformity of plastic hangers gives it visual order.
I like all one color, but you could color code for each room or individual. One client loved the idea so much she put ribbons on hers, color coded to each room. She discovered her hangers were leaving with her house guests. The ribbons made it easier for her to tell when, inadvertently, her hangers were leaving & retrieve them.
There are “heavy duty” plastic hangers. These are especially good for coats or other weightier objects you might want to hang up.
Even if you think it is compulsive, try it in one closet. The visual difference of uniformity will make you a convert!
On, and those unused wire hangers, take them back to the dry cleaners to recycle. : )
Tags: plastic hangers, wire hangers