20 Affirmations for when you are shopping compulsively

Clutter affects our mental, physical and emotional health. Often clutter is created by compulsive shopping or mindless spending. Many of us use shopping as a coping mechanism to combat stress, trauma or abuse. 56% of Americans do not have enough money in the bank to pay for a $1000 emergency. Most wouldn’t be able to pay for something as simple as needing new tires, a root canal, or a speeding ticket. Debt and physical clutter have a direct link. Income is an important aspect of financial freedom, but so are spending habits. Impulsive spending, especially if it exceeds income levels and creates debt, often leads to feelings of guilt, insecurity and becomes a financial strain. Affirmations are a powerful tool to change negative thinking patterns. Here are 20 Affirmations that will help you challenge compulsive spending:

1. I have everything I need

2. Things don’t define me

3. Less stuff means less cleaning and maintaining

4. There will always be another sale

5. Paying off credit will give me more financial freedom

6. My time and money are valuable

7. Relationships and experiences bring me more joy than material things

8. Stuff does not love me back

9. I am creating a life of abundance without excess ”stuff”

10. I can achieve financial independence

11. I can pay off my credit cards

12. I am getting better at saying “no” to mindless shopping

13. I am learning to let go of toxic habits

14. I am happy with the life I have built

15. My home feels peaceful when it is simply tidy

16. I have the choice to choose peace over clutter

17. I will go for a walk when I feel stressed instead of going shopping

18. My bank account will thank me for not spending money on stuff today

19. I am smart, healthy and financially savvy.

20. I will use coping strategies that don’t require spending money

Copyright © 2022 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas.

Fifty Tidying Affirmations

Lately, there has been an increased awareness of the power of affirmations. We hear them in songs, podcasts and see them on Billboards and Social Media. Therapists and researchers have long known that practicing affirmations on a regular basis can help reduce depression and increase self-esteem. But what are Affirmations? Affirmations are positive statements you tell yourself by either reading, saying them out loud, or by writing them down. Affirmations are a powerful tool to challenge negative or sabotaging thoughts. If you have been struggling with clutter in your home and creating lasting organizing habits, consider practicing positive affirmations for productivity. Here are 50 examples of what a Tidy Affirmation might look like, feel free to change or personalize them to your own liking:

1. I can learn the skills to be tidy

2. I believe in myself and trust in my abilities

3. Being productive brings me joy

4. Action is the foundation of success

5. An organized space makes me feel calm

6. I will not allow impulse spending to ruin my finances

7. I am good at setting and accomplishing my goals

8. I can solve any challenge this day brings on

9. I will finish what I started

10. I am productive, motivated, and highly driven

11. I am goal-oriented

12. I am becoming the person I want to be

13. Being productive comes effortlessly to me

14. My mind is focused and free from distraction

15. I make great decisions

16. I am focusing on my ideal lifestyle

17. I put my energy into things that spark joy

18. Good energy is flowing through me

19. I am an achiever

20. An organized space is cleaned easier and faster

21. Being organized saves me time

22. Less debt equals less stress

23. I can achieve financial independence

24. Instead of spending money on x, I will put it in my savings/investment account

25. Mastering organization makes me feel like I can do anything

26. Tidying is a way of showing affection to my belongings

27. Time management comes easy to me

28. I keep my workspace tidy

29. I always show up on time

30. I am learning to become more organized each day

31. I organize my life so I can relax, knowing everything is in order

32. Consistent planning and organizing helps me to succeed

33. I envision a clutter-free life

34. Staying organized and on top of things makes my life run smoother

35. Having the space in my home, office, and car in order helps me think clearly

36. I have the discipline and stamina to declutter my home, one step at the time

37. I choose gratitude for the things in my home and say goodbye to the things that no longer serve me

38. I can appreciate things without possessing them

39. I have everything I need

40. Being organized allows me to do more in life

41. I attract abundance in life by being organized

42. I am in control of my life and belongings

43. Only good emotions are allowed to stay in my home

44. Owning too many things weighs me down

45. I welcome abundance rather than fear scarcity in my life

46. Being organized makes me feel empowered

47. Tidying is a form of self-care for me

48. I make progress every day by choosing to practice tidying for 30 minutes

49. I never have to look for things because all my belongings have a home

50. I feel peaceful and happy because I only own things that I cherish or that are useful

Do you have a favorite affirmation that is not listed here? Feel free to share in the comments :)

Copyright © 2021 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas

Simplify and Streamline: Tips for Downsizing Your Home

Downsizing your home can help homeowners in many ways. Whether you’re selling your home or not, downsizing offers many benefits. It’s a great way to simplify your life by unloading the burden of accumulated possessions and creating a new living space. And if you have decided the time is right to start looking for a smaller home, or if you intend to begin researching senior care facilities in the area, shedding unneeded items will make it easier to attract a buyer and allow you to make a fresh start in your new home. If you're planning to sell your home as a means of downsizing, check these items off your list to get the most out of selling your home.

Start purging

Prospective buyers want to see a home with good flow and plenty of space, an environment they can envision making their own. Going room by room, make a list of things you’ll throw away, donate, or give away to others, and arrange everything based on that criteria. Make a point to get rid of anything you don’t need anymore, especially any duplicate items. Don’t forget to move out any excess furniture or decorative items that make it difficult to move around easily or make your home’s interior too busy. Remember, you want buyers to see your space through their eyes, not yours, so do as much as you can to create space. If you keep your interior as simple as possible, you should be in good shape. You can always put things into storage while you’re showing your house.

Ridding yourself of things you no longer use or need shouldn’t limit you to the kitchen, your basement, or attic. Take a broader view and get rid of old clothes and shoes, as well as any worn furniture that doesn’t fit in anymore. Old dresses and suits take up a lot of space and can make your closets look overwhelmed and disordered. Consider giving them to Goodwill or placing them in consignment. And remember, you can do the same thing with the furniture you no longer need or want. A good rule of thumb is to unload anything you can do without or that doesn’t have considerable emotional significance for you and your family.

Related: Living little: Tips for downsizing

Start early and plan ahead

Sorting through your belongings can be a difficult and emotional task. It’s not something you want to be doing at the last minute or if you’re up against a looming deadline. Take your time and do it right by planning ahead and starting as soon as possible. It’s also a good way to avoid making a mistake and purging or losing something you want to keep.

Timing

Connect with your agent to check the market conditions before committing to selling. The last thing you want to do is head down that path if it means your chances of getting top value are less than ideal. You may find that you’re unlikely to even cover your current mortgage. Check out recent sales to see if similarly sized and priced homes have sold in your area. That will help you make a final decision and establish a selling price.

Related: How to organize your finances

The condition of your home

Another key criterion is the state of your home. If your roof needs to be repaired or replaced, or if there’s a problem with your foundation, you may need to shift priorities and invest in some needed renovations before you can place your home on the market. It’s a considerable investment, but a new roof will make your home much more attractive to potential buyers who are apt to look elsewhere if they’ll have to pay for repairs later.

Opportunity for a fresh start

Downsizing is an important task if you’re moving to a smaller home or care facility, simplifying your life, or just trying to be environmentally responsible. Do it in your own time and at your own pace, bearing in mind what you want your home to look like once you’ve finished. Whatever your motivation, see it as an opportunity to make a fresh start.

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Are you in need of a professional organizer to help tidy up your place? Tidy Closet provides home organization, workshops, retreats and other resources to help declutter and clarify your living spaces. Contact us today

Time Management Tips from Organizing Professionals

Time-Management is one of the most rewarding skills you can invest in, both in your personal and professional life, but what exactly is time management? Time management is the coordination of tasks and activities to maximize the effectiveness of an individual’s efforts. Essentially, time management is enabling people to get more work done in less time. Here are some useful Time-Management tips from organizing and management professionals.

Sandy Park

Tidy with Spark

Write it down.

Ever since a young age I wrote a to-do list. The act of extracting lists from my head onto a structured list on paper made perfect sense and seemed essential to getting things done. But inevitably as the lists grew more complete, my system of list making needed modification. This is when I started to group like tasks and items together. Batch processing is not a new concept, but for my note taking and list making process, it was a game changer. 

Instead of shifting from unlike tasks to another losing focus and all the economies of scale of starting over with a new task, I grouped like items together, batching them up so that I would benefit from being in the frame of mind of completing a similar task.

For example, any emails that need to be sent or read were grouped together. I would answer emails one right after the other and then move on to the next subcategory on my list of making phone calls. Grouping all calls together allowed me to knock out all the calls in one sitting. All return calls or appointments are handled together, whereas longer length calls to a friend or a family member are reserved for a later time when I could devote more time to the task at hand.

Batching up tasks on my to-do list saved a great deal of time for me and organized my day in a way that was manageable and productive.

Annmarie Gustafson

Annmarie Gustafson

Prioritize with Time Blocking.

Have you ever noticed how much harder you’ll work to fit something into your schedule if it’s something you really want to do? Chances are if you’re starting up your own business, the things you’ll tend to work on first are the fun, exciting tasks that you want to do. When it comes to the repetitive administrative tasks or projects you find boring, you’ll procrastinate doing them for as long as possible. Somehow though, it all still gets done.

The only chance we have at any semblance of work-life balance, is to decide how much time we are willing to devote to each of those things, in an ideal world, each week. Time Blocking is one of the best ways to put into perspective how much time you actually have each day to get things done. Initially, you may be surprised at how much or how little “free” time you have. You’ll begin to more closely analyze how you’re spending (or wasting) your days and figure out what should stay and what can go.

My favorite benefit of Time Blocking is that it eliminates any guilty feelings. If you tend to think, “I really should reply to that email,” or “I probably need to take a break and go play with the kids,” you’ll be freed of those pesky, interrupting thoughts. You’ll know that there is a time set aside for doing all those things, but right now, you’re working on whatever is in your current time block.

Of course there are hundreds of ways you can get started with Time Blocking. You can use an app, your digital calendar, a pencil and paper, or a simple spreadsheet.

Flavia Roman

Alter Decorum

Don’t leave  what you can do today for tomorrow.

Once I’m done utilizing an item, I put it back where it belongs. I maintain a certain organized household balance by returning all objects where they belong, and by making sure everything already has a designated place. 

I keep my bathroom vanity neat by depositing some of my skin care and dental products in the order of which will be used.  This way not only the vanity will always look organized, but also my next skin or dental routine will save me time by not having to search around for the products that I’m supposed to be using.

I prioritize based on what needs immediate attention by assessing the benefits that I might be getting from accomplishing a certain task.  Each benefit always improves a different aspect of my life.

Alexandra Kozak

Living Simply PGH

Rest.

I let myself rest. Or at least do something I want to do. Whether that’s a calling a friend or working out, it’s important to build time into your day to decompress. Most of us feel compelled to make sure our day is as productive as possible, which can lead to feelings of guilt over taking a break. But these short rest periods can help reset your focus and recharge your energy to continue to tackle your list.

Set a timer if you need to. I schedule my workouts as if they were meetings. This holds me accountable but also ensures this break is built into my day. I also use my Apple watch to remind me to stand at least once every hour. That gets me away from the computer and walking around. It helps so much to just get up and stretch.

Annie Allen

Annie The Organizer

Set a specific time for responding to emails.

 Email management. We often get side-tracked while reading and responding to emails, wasting valuable time and getting off-task.  An interesting article catches our attention, a seemingly quick response becomes a research project and before you know it, an hour or two has been lost on emails. It’s important to schedule email time each day; put it in your planner.  

When viewing email, determine what is urgent vs. important - urgent emails require immediate action whereas important emails can wait 24-48 hours or a stated deadline. If emails generate a new task or action, consult your planner and determine if/when you can complete that task; put the new task in your planner rather than dropping everything and completing it right away.  

Set an alarm five minutes before your allotted time is up, so you can begin closing down your email session and not lose track of time.  The same idea applies to managing social media accounts; schedule a specific time to connect, post, respond to all social media.

Copyright © 2020 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas.

How to organize your Stamp Collection Step by Step

One box might not seem like a lot to organize, but when it comes to stamps it can be overwhelming, especially if you have a lot. It does not have to be. There are many ways you can organize your stamp collection and here is some guidance for a step by step tutorial:

1. What is the goal?
Make sure you have a vision for what you have in mind for your stamps. Do you want to display them in a special way? Do you want to have them in order so you can navigate and have easy access to them when you need to or are you planning on selling/auctioning them off?
Once you have decided what type of “life” you want to have for your stamps you can move on to the next step.

2. Preparation
To be able to effectively organize and store your stamps you do need a few things. First you need to make some time to organize and just that. No doing two or three things at the same time, you will get distracted from your goal and it will feel like you will never get done. The best time to organize is when you are by yourself and have no distractions (turn your phone on silent). Second, find a clear space that you can use for sorting. Once you gather all your belongings it can feel overwhelming to see how much you have and how much work you have to get done. Remember it will always seem worse before it gets better. It’s part of the process. If you don’t have a proper storage system for your assortment yet, I suggest to get a pocketbook and stamp storage sheets.

3. Gather all your stamps in one place
Make sure to get your entire stamp collection from all the corners of your home, if they are scattered. Collect them on a flat, hard surface such as the dining table. You might have to do this in sections if you have a large amount of stamps. I suggest to work in blocks of 2-3 hours per session to not get too overwhelmed. Also keep an open mind about hiring help if you feel like it is too much work or have a hard time doing this without guidance. A professional organizer can counsel you through the process and show you how to efficiently organize your belongings.

4. Sort
Start anywhere you would like and sort into categories; keep, duplicate, discard. For the keepers, you can sub categorize these as well by collection, date or value. The duplicates can be stored in a separate pocketbook or stamp sheet protector. The ones that you don’t want to keep anymore you can either sell, trade or discard.

5. Storing your Stamps
Once you have finished sorting and kept the ones that spark joy, it is time for proper storage. Like I mentioned in the introduction, Pocketbooks or stamp protector sheets are best for Stamp storage. They come in different sizes and colors, so make sure you pick something that reflects your style. Put the pocket book somewhere where you have easy access to it. Collections are often sentimental items and should be displayed so they can give you joy every time you see them.

6. Discarding the rest
If you are planning on selling all or some of you stamps check out your local stamp collector shop or auction them off online

Now that you know the basics you can go to your favorite philatelic store and get some quality supplies and stock them with your beautiful collection. When you treat your items with respect you will get great pride and joy out of them and it makes collecting so much more fun when everything has a place.

Copyright © 2020 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas.

Organizing a schedule while being confined at home

With many San Diego schools, businesses and events being cancelled, we are now getting the gift of time. Time at home with our kids, time to finish the one or two projects we have started or maybe even to organize and deep clean our homes.

Here are some tips from a local San Diego professional organizer and KonMari Consultant on how to handle scheduling and hire help during the social distancing period.

1. Set yourself (and your kids) some goals for the day:

   Clean out the fridge or getting your daily steps in by taking a walk, make sure you give yourself a goal to accomplish to feel productive. Your kids should have their goals too; finishing homework, doing their chores and maybe work on a project together (maybe learning how to prepare a meal?)

2. Make sure to get some sun:

   One hour per day should be set aside for outside time. Play some soccer with the kids or take your bike out for a ride. Research shows that going outside is good for your health, lowers depression and it gives us a break from these overwhelmingly negative news on TV.

3. Time out for screens:

   Make sure to turn off the screens and read a book that you have been wanting to read or play a board game with your family. Puzzles can be a great alternative for activating your memory and increasing focus.

4. Support small business:

   Especially in times like these it is more important than ever to keep supporting small business. Even though we can’t physically go into crowded places and attend events, we can still order a to go meal from a local restaurant, buy a gift card from a local store online or take advantage of online classes/ virtual sessions offered.

Copyright © 2020 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas.