Pick Your Battles

The feeling of being organized has to come from ourselves.  We decide when a job has been accomplished.  But life throws things at us indiscriminately.  Today's top priority could be at the bottom of the list tomorrow. So, we all need to pick our battles!  I didn't truly understand what this meant until a friend said it in reference to an issue I was having in my former marriage.  I was picking every battle.  I was so unhappy that I could make everything an issue.  It made life miserable for both him and me. He could never get his head above my constant disappointment of his actions.  I had so much anxiety over the lack of control I felt I had in my life.   Obviously the relationship imploded and I sought some much needed therapy.  During this period of self discovery I realized that nit picking was something that I was REALLY good at.  It was because it gave me some false sense of control.  But that's just what it was...FALSE.  What happened in my marriage is what happens in our heads when we can't see the forest for the trees.  Be easier on yourself and consider taking some things off of that daily battle to-do list.  Ease the overwhelming "NEED - to - get - done battles" to "WANT - to - get - done battles".  Lower the priority of the "Wants" and consider taking them off the list.  Focus on the "Needs".  You might find that you may only have a few actual "Needs" on the list.  

Try this whenever you hear yourself say "I need..."  replace it with "I want..." and see if it changes the intention for you.

"I NEED to buy a present for my friend's birthday."                                                    

                     Or                                                                                                                                                     

 "I WANT to buy a present for my friend's birthday."

Just replacing this word lightens up the self-imposed pressure of any daily battle that we choose.  You may even realize that your friend is probably just going to be happy with a phone call. So cross that one off the list. ; )     

Clarifying "Does it spark joy?"

As of late, many of my clients have been reading (or have read) Marie Kondo's  "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up".  "How can I explain that keeping a gray t-shirt doesn't give me joy but I want to keep it?" "Does it give you joy?" is the modus operandi of this philosophy of purging.  Let's break it down...

1.  Does this item (let's talk clothes) have a valuable use? This means,

IT'S INCREDIBLY COMFORTABLE

I LOVE HOW IT FITS, IT MAKES MY (insert body part here) LOOK GREAT.

I NEED IT FOR WORK.  AND, ALL OF THE ABOVE

If YES to any of these, KEEP.

2.  Does this item (let's talk Tchotchkes!) bring me joy?

MY MOM/DAD/RELATIVE/FRIEND/BOSS GAVE IT TO ME  Even if your mother (et.al.) is deceased, if that item doesn't remind you of them and illicit thoughts of lovely memories, it becomes a random object.  Mom wouldn't mind.  KEEP what reminds you of the good things. Donate the rest.  Someone needs or wants it more than you.

3.  THIS WAS EXPENSIVE.

It doesn't have the same monetary value that it used to.  The only way to deal with these items/clothes is to sell!  I have some great designer "stuff" in my house.  But if I Google the value, I find often that it may only be worth a fraction of its price.  DISCLAIMER! If your item is worth selling, it will become part of a "to-do" list (ie. adding the item to a SELL pile in a corner of a room and will have to actually be listed and sold.) Then research what people will offer to buy it for.  If it's not worth the time to list it, LET IT GO! Housing these item wastes mental energy and valuable real estate in your home.

Let me know your thoughts!!!!

GET RID OF THE PLASTIC!

These plastic dry-cleaning bags are only a courtesy that dry-cleaners use to keep your clothes safe during transit.  They can actually trap moisture, which can lead to mold and bacteria growth. Also, the chemical used to treat the clothes, usually perchloroethylene (PERC), has been linked to cancer and other health problems.  Leaving the bags on can bring this chemical into your home. Also, natural fibers like cotton, silk, and linen need to breathe.

Here are some options to keep you happy and healthy.

-Try to dry-clean less.  Cashmere loves water!  Just don't put it in the dryer!!  Lay it flat to dry.

-Remove the plastic bag and hang any dry-cleaned clothes outside or in a garage to air out before  wearing or hanging in your closet.

-Recycle the bags and return the hangers to the dry cleaner.

-Check out eco dry-cleaners.

-Try to get your dry-cleaner to reuse a cloth bag that you provide if they don't already. 

Can I Sell My Shit?!

GIFT CARDS?!?! Apparently you can sell your unwanted gift cards!  You can try to recoup at least some of its value in cash by listing it for sale on Gift Card Granny. The site says that sellers can get up to 92% cash back for unwanted gift cards. Not too shabby for something you didn’t buy in the first place.

Stole this info from www.dotcomplicated.co

ELECTRONICS *Stole this info from www.dotcomplicated.co

Gazelle: Easy functionality and free shipping make this site a go-to resource for selling back electronics. Answer some questions about your device online and then print out your packing slip. Once they receive the device, you’ll get paid via check, Amazon credit or PayPal. Our only caveat: they focus primarily on Apple products, although they accept many types of cell phones.

USell: USell.com takes the guesswork out of selling your electronics to a vendor. The site shows you the best offer and makes it easy to ship the product for free. USell accepts a wide range of electronics, including cameras and MP3 players.

BuyMyTronics: Similar to the two previous sites, BuyMyTronics lets you ship your item for free and reimburses you through PayPal or check. BuyMyTronics gave the highest quote for my iPhone 4, and promises to erase all your data from any device you send in. The site buys more obscure electronics like GPS, camera lenses and accessories.

Amazon: 15% Sales fee and a $1.35 closing cost fee. But no $40 subscription fee if you plan to sell less than 40 items a month. (Less than 40 makes you an Individual seller instead of a Professional seller) I only recommend this option if you have some REALLY desirable goods that you just don't want. 

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

If you have clothing that is still stylin and worth a few pennies or that classic piece you'd just rather have the $$ from there are a plethora of places to hawk your duds.

OFFLINE check out your local resale shops and find out what their buying policy is.  They tend to buy seasonally and can be very picky about what they take. So do them and yourself  a favor and call first.  Don't bring in 4+ bags of clothes unless you know they're even remotely interested.

ONLINE

Tradesy: Takes a 9% Commission.  Easy interface.  Photo cleanup to make yourthe photos of your items all nice and shiny. They have an iphone app which makes selling quicker and easier.  The shipping cost is automatically added to the list price, and Tradesy will send you a complete shipping kit with prepaid postage as soon as your item sells.  All you have to do is pack it up and put it in the mailbox. 

Poshmark: Takes 20% Commission.  The fab gimmick here is the "shop your closet" mentality.  Poshmark sends the seller a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping label. The seller packages the item and uses the label to send to the buyer’s address. The shipping rate is $7 for anywhere in the U.S., and the buyer pays for shipping. Buyers pay for items (and shipping) with a credit card, and the transaction goes through Poshmark.

RARE or SOUGHT AFTER ITEMS...Ebay. Period.   If it's extremely rare, find an auction house like Bonham's or Sotheby's.

LARGE ITEMS AND FURNITURE..Craigslist. Also, I have yet to use them, but check out Mooveloot.com

Make it easy on yourself guys! Decide first if it's worth your time and the money you may make to sell your stuff.