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Professional-Organizer

Week 49 | Greeting, Birthday and Holiday Cards | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

greeting-cardsNo matter how many times we say we are going to make a cute craft out of all of the sweet Greeting, Birthday and Holiday Cards we get, it never seems to happen. Before we know it, we have a drawer full of cards that are taking up space.

Greeting, Birthday and Holiday Cards

This is a great week to go through the stacks of old cards and downsize. It’s nice to keep a few of the more meaningful ones from loved ones. But if not careful, you will have drawers, boxes, and cabinets filled with them.

Have cards been sitting in a drawer or on the top of a shelf, and you haven’t peeked at them for months? Then you’re not going to miss them now. Go through the cards one last time, take a digital photo if you need to, and then recycle, recycle, recycle.

There are many different craft ideas that you can do with your cards that you can find on Pinterest. With the ones that you keep, think about finding a great way to utilize the remaining cards!

IDEA: Take a digital photo of a picture card and upload it into your phone contacts as the one that pops up for that person when they call.

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Professional-Organizer

Week 44 | Linens | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of linens I see when going into homes to organize them. But how many are actually used on a regular basis?

Minimize the Amount of Linens In Your Home

Whether they are old, stained or torn, there are plenty that we tend to hold on to for much longer than their useful life. Or, maybe they are so old that the original color is barely recognizable. Does this sound like you?

Stop justifying the amount of linens that you are clinging to in your home. Start downsizing this week by getting rid of the ones that are absolutely horrendous or in such bad shape you’d never want to use them yourself, much less keep them for guests.

Idea: Donate towels to your local animal shelter and other linens to Goodwill or Salvation army; organizations that have larger connections to reuse programs that make things such as insultation from these items.

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Professional-Organizer

Week 43 | Coupons | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

In today’s world there are coupons for just about everything. For those of you who use them grocery shopping, congrats! But are all even still relevant, or are half of them expired?

What To Do With Your Coupons

Now is the time to go through and pitch the ones that aren’t going to get you very far. Waiting to use that online one for something that you’ve told yourself you’re going to buy, but you know you never will? Delete the email.

Clipping coupons for stores you generally don’t frequent and haven’t found a reason to stop at yet? Recycle them.

Don’t make finding the special ones that are worthy and relevant for you and your family harder to find. Get rid of all of the extra clutter that is in the way.

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Professional-Organizer

Week 42 | Glassware | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

What type of glassware around your home can you downsize and minimize this week? You’ll be stunned by how much is around your home that no longer fits the mold for your lifestyle.

Glassware to consider Downsizing:

  • The one remaining glass from a set long-broken
  • A souvenir beer mug from the county fair
  • The margarita glasses you bought for the theme party 15 years ago
  • Consecutive years of glasses from food & wine festivals
  • Shot glasses from the airport souvenir shop
  • Glass the kids won in the dime toss at the school fair

Just by going through these few bullet points, you’re going to lighten the load in your kitchen cabinets!

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Professional-Organizer

Week 40 | Receipts | 52 Weeks To Downsize & Minimalize

Are old receipts scattered all over the desk, dresser, or table top? Let them go!

How to Clean Out Old Receipts

This week, focus on recycling receipts that are past the return expiration date. Things for general household goods (food, toiletries, personal products) should be considered old and OK to throw away.

Clear out other things that are not required as business or tax documents, as well. Are they helpful for insurance or other claim purposes? Before you know it, you are going to be able to clear up the paper clutter, which will make room for you to breathe.

It can be overwhelming to be buried in paper in your home. One great way to downsize and mimimalize things around you is to throw away that paper that you feel buried in!