FILING!

- and here's the good news: you are NOT the only person on the planet who hasn't got a proper filing system in place. EVERYBODY has paper stuff literally all over the place!! (It seems to weirdly 'breed' all by itself somehow?!...) - So don't worry, don't waste any more time being embarrassed about it - get sorting! (Alternatively, give me a ring and I help you out.) (Yes, I am probably the only person on the planet who actually enjoys filing.... :-) - Anyway, here are some basic tips: always work from the inside out - which means, first go through all your existing folders / filing cabinets / shoe boxes and weed out the unneccessary paper bits - you will be pleasantly surprised how much that is - tons!!! Only then can you proceed to step two, and start dealing with the intray / desk / kitchen table / wherever your filing happens to live at this point in time. While you are filing, create a system that works for you: you can tell if a file doesn't work if it is either too fat (needs breaking down) - or too thin (can go in with something else). Popular categories are: bank, tax, car, utilities, contacts, health, kids, phone/s, insurance, mortgage/house/flat - have fun customising, it's your filing after all. Set up one called inspiration and stick all the pictures, recipes and photographs in it that you really love. Or even better: don't stick them in a file, but let them have a life outside, stuck on as a decorative bit on an otherwise lethally boring lever arch file for example.

Clearing tip of the day: if anything takes less than 2 minutes, DO IT NOW.
(eg. reply to an email, light a candle...)

Best wishes
- and don't hesitate to post a comment with your own filing / clutter clearing tips and tricks!
Talk soon
Birgit

SHOES!

Hello and a very good morning/afternoon/evening/whatever to you,
my fellow clutter clearing enthusiast!
The one thing everybody always wonders about, is where (on earth)
to put their shoes?? - and then ends up piling them into a heap somewhere... - but alas - here is a much funkier way to do it!
The best solution I've found by miles is at: http://www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk/ (generally a good address for storage) Look out for '5x stacking shoe drawers' (posting the direct link doesn't seem to work at the moment, sorry) - 'shoebby' are clear (self assembly) boxes with yes, drawers! so no need to pull out every single box until you get to the one you want - you just open the drawer - et voila!
I also love it how you can enjoy the sight of your wonderful shoes even if you're not wearing them... (unfortunately we can only wear one pair at a time... :-)
So, a colourful pyramid sculpture in your wardrobe - how's that!
Let me know what you think.
All the best
Birgit