|
|
Greetings!
Welcome to the Clean Team
Newsletter. I can't believe it's already March! While much of the country was
buried under snowdrifts just a few days ago, we in
California were feeling pretty cozy with our more balmy temperatures. In either
case, I know all of us are ready for spring, that's for sure!
With the coming of spring,
a lot of home managers start to feel that spring cleaning itch. I've written to
you before about the importance of maintaining weekly, monthly and even
quarterly cleaning chores in order to avoid that frantic push for "spring
cleaning". (For more on that topic, be sure to check out the archives from
past newsletters here and here.)
One of the best ways to
stay on top of those chores is to keep an uncluttered home. How many times have
you gone to clean your living room, for example, only to spend 30 minutes
clearing off the sofa, coffee table and TV armoire. Before you know it, it's
time to start dinner or pick up the kids from school, and you haven't even had
time to dust and vacuum. That's because clearing the clutter took up all your
valuable cleaning time.
If instead we find a way
to tame that clutter, the weekly cleaning can actually happen. Which means that
finding time for monthly and quarterly tasks no longer seems like such a chore.
Clutter really is the fundamental stumbling block to so many well-intentioned home managers. And I know in my home, the #1 source of that clutter is paper! If you're
losing the war against the paper brigades, be sure to check out our feature
article for 10 tips on making your home paper-free. Happy reading! | |
10 Tips for Cutting the Paper Clutter
in Your Home
 Whether you are a mom to school-aged children, swimming in a sea of assignments and art projects, or a retiree, battling unwieldy receipts, newspaper subscriptions, and junk mail, paper clutter is the #1 deterrent to an clean and calm living space.
After all, you can't sit down for a home-cooked meal at dinner because the table is covered in this morning's newspaper. If it's bill-paying time, we might not even be able to cook dinner -- because our countertops are buried under a pile of invoices.
If you want to simplify your life, reduce your stress and measurable cut the time you spent cleaning, it's time to get serious about the paper clutter! Here are 10 tips to help you do just that.
#1. Automate your bills.
While sorting and organizing the paper is important, the best way to cut the paper clutter is to stop it cold in its tracks. Before that billing statement even arrives at your mailbox, redirect it to your email inbox! Sign up with your credit cards, utilities, and banks for e-statements. You can even set up automatic payments so you never have to worry about missing a due date again!
#2. Set up a mail sorting station.
Most organizing gurus will tell you that a great way to reduce paper clutter is to touch your mail only once. Whatever needs doing, do it immediately and then throw/file that paper away. But this advice doesn't work unless you have a system in place to handle that level of efficiency. So set up that system!
Bring your mail into the same place everyday -- whether that's a countertop in your kitchen or a desk in your home office. Immediately shred any pre-approved credit card offers and anything else that might compromise your security. Keep a box for paper recycling near the station as well, so you can quickly toss flyers and advertisements. Then grab an upright filing box and sort the remaining mail into "To Be Paid", "To Do" and "To Read" files. If your filing cabinets aren't near your mail sorting station, you may also need a "To Be Filed" file!
#3. Get off the mailing lists
Even after you have automated your bills, you may still find that get all too much mail coming in day after day. How much of that mail is pre-approved credit card, insurance or home security offers? You can remove your name from many of these mailing lists by going through the 10 opt-out sites listed here. It won't stop all the offers, but it will stop a lot of them.
#4. Reconsider your subscriptions.
How many magazines, newspapers, trade journals and book clubs do you subscribe to? If the answer is one or more, ask yourself honestly: How many of these periodicals do you read on a regular basis? And could you get you news, information and entertainment just as easily -- and much less expensively -- online?
Some people really love the feel of a magazine or a newspaper in their hands and aren't willing to consider going to the web. If that describes you, at least be sure to recycle or donate the magazine as soon as you finish reading. If there is a decorating/parenting/ financial advice, etc. article that you just must keep, rip it out (or scan it) and file it in an "idea file".
#5. Get a library card.
Instead of rushing out to Barnes & Noble to pick up the latest novel by your favorite author, head on over the public library. From beach reads to how-to guides to DVDs of all your favorite TV shows, there's nothing you can't get from your library. If one of those library books turns out to be a "must own", go ahead and buy it -- guilt free. In the meantime, stick to one-time reads that you can check out and return. And by the way, if reading periodicals online isn't for you, have you considered reading your favorite magazines at the library?
#6. Become an efficient curator of your kids' artwork.
Not every piece of art owned by a museum is deemed fitting to grace the walls of the gallery. Some are kept in storage (for your home, scrapbook storage boxes like this one are a great option); some get loaned out to other museums (aka sent off to grandparents, made into holiday cards, or used as gift wrap); and others just don't make the cut at all. Those pieces that do get displayed should be done so proudly. You can frame a few special creations or change them out with this adorable curtain rod idea from Apartment Therapy.
#7 Tackle your photos.
Most of us take pictures with a digital camera these days, but even digital photos can cause clutter if you are printing out your shots. Instead of printing your pictures for storage, organize them chronologically and store them on a designated hard drive (available for less than $75.) You can also back them up with well-labeled CDs or online storage at places like Flickr.com. Only print those pictures that you want to frame or display in your home (or give as gifts).
#8. Centralize your receipts.
If you track every expense through receipts, you will probably need to hang on to every little one until you can get them entered into the computer. Pick a central location (perhaps at your mail sorting station) to keep a small basket or tray in which you toss receipts. Then make sure to set aside an hour once a week to sort through, enter and then toss those receipts. For the rest of you, most receipts can be tossed right away. Only hang on to those needed for tax purposes or if you think you might return the item (and even then, most stores can now look up the transaction using the credit or debit card that you paid with.)
#9. Buy in bulk.
This may seem like a funny suggestion to have on a list of paper reducing tips, but wrappers and packaging are some of the biggest sources of paper clutter. You can cut clutter -- and your food budget -- by eschewing those individual-sized snacks. It only takes a few seconds to divvy up the pretzels or baby carrots into your own Tupperware for lunches and snacks.
#10. Do a focused five.
The more mindful you are of the paper clutter situation, the better your home will look. But even if you faithfully implement tips #1-9, you will still find the occasional paper pile starting to form. When that happens, take a deep breath. Then go set a timer for five minutes and quickly deal with the pile before it turns into a mountain.
Do you have a tried-and-true recipe for uncluttering success? Please share your tips with me at jeff@thecleanteam.com.
|
Reader Mailbag
I always enjoy hearing from our readers and being able to  help you make your house work easier, faster, greener, thriftier, and more enjoyable (wow, tall order!). Here are some of the great letters we received this month.
Cleaning Hardwood Floors the Easy Way
We have very dark hardwood flooring (Brazilian Cherry). It shows every bit of dust, crumb and dog hair. I am set up for mopping but how do I get a quick clean done? The vacuum can scratch the floor and actually blows particals around so I usually just sweep. Is there another way to go that is quick and easy?
~ Laurie of Bonney Lake
Jeff's Advice: The Johnson wax people say there are 3 rules for taking care of floors. The first rule is to vacuum, the 2nd rule is to vacuum and the 3rd rule is to vacuum. If your vacuum scratches the floor and blows dust and hair around, you need a better vacuum. We're very proud of our Big Vac. The only fast way to keep your floor looking good is to vacuum most of the time, wipe up spills or accidents as they occur and mop only occasionally (except for kitchen and bathrooms--which are normally done about weekly.
Streak-Free Windows
My cleaning problem is about window washing. Our dining room French door windows look filmy after two weeks of having been cleaned with Blue juice and wiped with paper towels. What am I doing wrong?
~ Carolyn in California
Jeff's Advice: Here's my 2 thoughts: First, mix a bit more water into your Blue Juice (the more concentrated the Blue Juice, the more likely some can be left as film). Second, make sure you are using enough paper towels. Once a paper towel is moist enough that it isn't completely removing the Blue Juice solution, it isn't completely drying the pane. When it does dry later on by evaporation, film or streaks can be the result.
Please be in touch to share your questions, comments and compliments! Send your emails to jeff@thecleanteam.com.
| |
Save 20% on Premium Furniture Polish!
 One of the most satisfying results of cleaning house is the rich warm glow of polished furniture.
Here's how to get it, now for 20% off the regular retail price: Our Premium Furniture Polish is fortified with carnauba wax to produce a luxurious shine. It's ideal for routine dusting and furniture care. Available in a convenient (12-oz.) non-aerosol spray bottle. (Catalog 28, page 9).
Regular Price $6.95
March Special only $5.56
Item #1175S or 111 PERCS
| |
Thanks for reading us this month! Come visit us on the web at www.thecleanteam.com.
Sincerely,
|
Jeff Campbell
The Clean Team Catalog |
|
|
