How to Support Declutter for a Cause Month

According to Psychology Today, clutter plays a significant role in how we feel about our homes, workplaces and ourselves. Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli and causes our senses to work overtime. This is distracting and makes it hard to focus on what needs to be done.

Craft LifeStyle Management is frequently called upon to assist in clearing or organizing homes with excessive treasures (hoarding).

Therefore, we support “Declutter for a Cause” during the month of February.

This 28-day motivational initiative urges people to declutter their homes and offices and donate gently used and new belongings to a nonprofit in need.

Getting Started

Sometimes the hardest part of decluttering is getting started.

Begin with the right attitude. Make it fun. Crank up the tunes. Take before and after photos. Document your progress.

We recommend going room by room. If it’s too overwhelming, narrow it down. Begin with a closet or corner.

Perhaps, designate one room per week during the month.

Sort your items by “Trash,” “Recycle,” “Donate,” “Storage,” and “Put Away.”

“Storage” here means items you don’t need on a day-to-day basis like seasonal decorations. “Put away” means items to keep. However, these items aren’t where they need to be. For instance, cups and plates in a bedroom that need to be returned to a kitchen cabinet. Each item needs a ‘home.’

Bonus: When you’re done at the end of February, you will be amazed at how great you feel with less “stuff” in your life.

One Room Per Week

BEDROOM: First, make the bed and tidy the room. Pick up any clothes on the floor. Now, go through the dresser drawers, nightstand and closet. Get rid of items that no longer fit and you no longer like to wear. Don’t forget the bathroom. Check beauty products and the medicine cabinet. What’s expired? Toss old beauty products. Return unused medications to the pharmacy rather than dump them in the trash or toilet. Take the time to wipe down shelves and surfaces that rarely get cleaned.

Tricks: Attach a magnet strip to the inside of a cabinet door and stick bobby pins to it. Label pint jars and place makeup brushes, cotton balls and swabs in them. Clear the clutter and keep organized.

KITCHEN: Sort small kitchen gadgets and appliances. What is no longer used or needed? Same for coffee mugs, utensils, cookware and flatware. While in the kitchen, clean the pantry and refrigerator. What’s expired? Discard.

CHILD’S ROOM & PET SUPPLIES & TOYS: Declutter Month is a perfect time to teach children about being generous and donating gently used toys and clothing to those who have less. Involve them in sorting pet supplies and toys too.

GARAGE & BASEMENT: Go through shelves, drawers and cabinets. What can be thrown out? Set aside what you will donate and recycle. Note: Ask your accountant how long you need to hold on to certain financial records (hard copy & digital). Be careful to dispose of chemicals, solvents, paints, etc. correctly. Read and understand local regulations.

Benefits & Perks

Sorting, throwing and cleaning can be hard work. Focus on the benefits of getting rid of clutter.

  • Save money with less purchases
  • Free up some time with less shopping, dusting and cleaning
  • Have a more peaceful, calm home

Trick: Challenge yourself and your family to a no-spend month. No one buys anything except essentials. This stops the inflow of “stuff,” which often leads to clutter.

Contact your favorite charity to see what needs they may have.

Craft LifeStyle Management works with all nonprofits. Our goal is to donate as much as possible to organizations or souls in need. We work to preserve the earth and use landfills as little as possible.

For instance, we donate

  • Towels to animal shelters
  • Figurines to artists who repurpose them
  • Books to libraries and schools
  • Clothing, household goods and toys to women’s and homeless shelters and rehabilitation organizations
  • Furniture, housewares and yard equipment to programs with graduating levels of care (homeless to getting a home), including refugee organizations like Refugee Empowerment Center

Contact – Craft Lifestyle Management (craftlifestylemgt.com) if we can help declutter your home, or the home of a loved one.

SHARE this post with your family members & friends who will be supporting “Declutter for a Cause” month this February.

©February 2022. Craft LifeStyle Management

All Rights Reserved.

Written for Craft LifeStyle Management by Linda Leier Thomason

6 Lessons Learned by Living in 8 States

KAagard_MovingDay_MovingVan[1]

Gypsy Woman

I’m often called a gypsy-a person who wanders or roams from place to place.

I’m okay with that, even if the term is somewhat dated.

My genes seem marked by curiosity, wonderment and adventure.

Travel and exploration are my greatest desires.

Assimilating into and understanding new environments and cultures bring me a complete sense of fulfillment.

Omaha, Nebraska is “home” today.

Home has also been

  • South Dakota
  • South Carolina
  • Georgia
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota, and
  • North Dakota

Where Is Home?

I stumped when asked, “Where is home for you?”

I’m not a smart aleck but rather than list an address, I sometimes respond, “Wherever I feel welcomed and accepted and where my husband and son and his family are. Today, it’s (insert current city/state.).”

Home has never been about a house/address for me.

It’s about a feeling.

I adapt and adjust to whatever space and place I’ve landed in.

Unusual, perhaps, but comfortable and familiar for me.

Lessons Learned

Today I can look back at the eight moves I’ve made to date for education and career and easily identify lessons learned.

1. Fear is a Barrier

FEAR is the # 1 reason I hear most from those who’ve never relocated to another community.

Starting over new in an unfamiliar place leaves many with a Fear of

• Change
• Failure
• Loneliness and/or being alone
• The physical part of moving and relocating
• Unknown
• Rejection

I’m still searching for the reason I don’t own these fears.

All I can say is that success of one move makes the next and the next and the next easier.

Like anything, giving oneself permission to fail and growing one’s confidence by doing lessen these fears.

Most decisions are not lifetime sentences.

Give yourself permission to change your life, even if that means moving.

2. Adults Have Dormant Friendship Skills

On my 7th move-to Sioux Falls, SD- a woman I did volunteer work with whom I call “friend” today pointed this lesson out to me.

She admitted I was her first new friend since college.

This confession, in our shared late 40’s, stuck with me.

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA
Learning to Catch SD Snowflakes

She’s right. Most of us easily make friends in school and college, some at work.

But how many new friends have enriched your life since these bygone days?

What a loss, if none.

Jobs, children, caretaking, etc. seem to take over a certain part of lives, leaving little time and/or energy for new friendships.

How about this?
Find a “new” person and/or family who’s recently moved into your neighborhood, town or community. Reach out.

Including someone is often the best gift you can give, especially someone new to your area/church/workplace, etc.

Ask the “new person” to coffee, for a walk, to dinner, to connect on social media, to book club, etc.

You may find your life deeply enriched by dusting off your friendship skills and making a new friend, especially in your mid to late adult years.

And, if you’re the one who moved, keep in mind, adults aren’t like kids in the neighborhood.

They don’t randomly come ring your doorbell and ask if you want to play.
You need to take some initiative and reach out. Get involved.

Entrench yourself into the community. Meet “new” friends.

3. Zip Codes Aren’t Walls

It’s said that most people never travel farther than two zip codes away from their house.

https://nypost.com/2018/01/11/a-shocking-number-of-americans-never-leave-home/

Why? Sometimes it’s lack of funds or physical limitations. Often, it’s just lack of interest/curiosity and ambition.

I’m forever stunned hearing that residents of (insert state) have not visited popular tourist destinations or geographic or natural sites unique to that location.

I have. I’ve a real need to know about the place(s) I live.

I want to see the landscape, meet the people and eat the cuisine.

Integrating into the community/state makes me feel “at home.”

4. Good People Exist & Stereotypes Aren’t Truths

Stereotypes beware. I don’t believe you!

Yes, crime rates tend to be higher in metropolitan areas and meth is readily accessible in rural areas.

Southerners have drawls and Midwesterners sound like southern Canadians or characters from Fargo.

Here’s what’s also true. Good people exist everywhere.

From the Southern neighbors who helped remove hurricane debris from my home to the gentleman who changed my flat tire on a Midwestern interstate, these kind folks exist.

One doesn’t even need to “look for them.” They simply exist.

I believe in the goodness of people, everywhere.

5. Mother Nature Reigns

Hurricanes in the south. Tornados and blizzards in the Midwest. Earthquakes in South Carolina, yes, earthquakes.

Every region has its weather challenges.

The lesson: We are not in charge. She is.

Complaining doesn’t help. Preparedness does.

6. Less is More

It’s not the possessions but the experiences that grow oneself and enrich one’s life.

For obvious reasons, I’m not a collector.

Nor does my identity come from the structure I live under.

I used to have the rule-what doesn’t fit in my trunk, isn’t needed.

Then I married and had a child.

My approach had to become more flexible and expansive. The last move, we rented a 22-foot truck.

I still don’t collect.

I’m still not rooted.

Even if I was, possessions are material items.

I value relationship over possessions.

Your Thoughts & Questions 

How about you?

Are you a Frequent Mover?

What do you value? Is it stability or curiosity or a combination of the two?

SHARE below.

Have an urge to Move? What location piques your interest?
Have some questions?
Ask here.

©March 2020. Linda Leier Thomason All Rights Reserved. This means seek permission before using copy or images from this site. Images are available for purchase.

Linda Leier Thomason writes freelance business and travel stories along with feature articles. Her work experience includes a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Read more about her background and qualifications by clicking on the “Meet Linda” tab above.

Do you have a story idea or interesting person who’d be a great feature? SHARE details on the form.

15 Safety Tips for Buyers & Sellers

Ready to Sell Your Home? Keep Safety in Mind

What other time in your life do you invite random strangers into your home? Probably never. However, when your home is listed for sale, strangers indeed view your home online and in person. At the first listing appointment with your real estate agent, go over this list of security items to keep your home burglar proof and to keep your items safe while your home is on the market.

Buyer Screening Process

Understand your listing agent’s buyer screening process. At a minimum, it should include a phone screening prior to showing the home. Discuss whether or not you want buyers to be pre-qualified before a showing and understand what safety precautions will be in effect at open houses and showings. Will an electronic lock box be used to track all home entries? Are photo IDs required for entrance? Is video surveillance being used? If so, ask your listing agent to include these in all advertisements.

15 Security Items to Pay Attention to When Selling

  1. Prescription Drugs

Remove them or lock them up prior to open houses and showings. Also, remove expired drugs from your cabinets and night stands.

  1. Valuables

A real estate agent is not responsible for your valuables. A selling agent cannot be present at all showings. Therefore, it’s important that you canvas your house prior to any video or photographs being taken to post online. Remember, thieves can look at your home from the comfort of their home. If your images include valuables, it may make your home a target. Consider removing artwork, gaming systems, jewelry, cellphones, guns, etc. Secure all credit cards and always keep mail locked and away so no one can get access to your personal information.

  1. Personal Identifiers + Family Portraits

A listing agent suggests removal of family pictures not just for staging but also for safety. You don’t know who will be coming through your home. What if a pedophile or predator attends an open house and photographs of your children are on the wall? Take down all family pictures. Be safe and protect your privacy. Hide all family calendars and anything with your children’s names or schools, including school banners and photographs.

  1. Electronics

Stow away your laptops and conceal all easy-to-steal electronics like iPad’s and cellular phones. Keep all video games hidden away.

  1. Windows + Lights

Keep windows locked and open the blinds or draperies, especially during open houses. Check all of them after showings and open houses. Are they still locked? Make sure your home has adequate indoor and outdoor lighting before listing it for sale. Leave all of the lights on during a showing for everyone’s safety: the agents and potential buyers.

  1. Spare Keys

Keep them out of sight. This goes for house, car, safety box, etc. All keys. Keep them hidden.

  1. Kids

Try to find out if kids are attending a showing. If so, pay extra attention to your home’s safety. Is the entryway clean and clear? Any tripping hazards? Make sure a responsible adult will be watching them throughout the showing so they do not get into personal items. Speak to your real estate agent and ensure she will be vocal about kids not straying during a showing or at an open house.

  1. Knives + Guns

Always remove kitchen knives from countertops and drawers. If there are any guns in the home, remove them prior to listing the home for sale.

  1. Pets

Always remove pets prior to a showing or open house. You will be liable if someone is injured by your pet while viewing your property. If someone has a pet allergy, it makes your home less desirable to them.

  1. Extra Security

Once the home is listed for sale, it’s available to the public. Consider adding motion-sensor detectors to the home. Make sure doors have deadbolts. Sliding glass doors should have bars and extra locks. And, for added peace of mind, consult your real estate agent about a wireless security system.

  1. Unaccompanied Buyers

Never allow someone into your home without a licensed real estate agent who has set an appointment with your listing agent. If they come to your door, refer them to your agent. Never let them inside the home. Also, be aware of online real estate scams where, unfortunately, someone can list your home for rent. If this happens, immediately call your local police department.

  1. Roamers

Never allow a potential buyer to roam unaccompanied through your home. You want to be trusting and hospitable, but you cannot be foolish. Do not let your guard down and never be alone when showing your home. Watch their behavior. Are they lingering too long? Be aware.

Most people coming through your home will be legitimate buyers. Still, take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety and your home’s safety during the sales process. Always enlist the services of a licensed real estate agent who knows how to protect you, your home and your possessions.

You’re Buying

As a buyer, your safety is also foremost on a real estate agent’s mind when looking for your new home. It’s important to:

 

  1. Know the neighborhood you are considering purchasing in.

You will be advised to drive through the neighborhood at different times of the day to see if what it looks like and what is happening there meets with your standards and expectations. Check crime reports and sexual offender registries.

  1. Vacant and/or Distressed Homes

Prior to stepping inside, look around. Are there broken windows? Do outside walls or the roof have holes? What does the yard look like? Is it littered? Are there signs of squatters? Once inside, be on the lookout for loose floorboards, rotting decks, loose railings, stray animals, rodents or other hazards.

  1. Contamination

Be aware of the home’s history. Were there drugs like methamphetamines manufactured in the home? These drugs can seep into the surfaces without being visible and cause health related issues later. If you get a burning sensation in your eyes or throat when entering a home, that is not a good sign. Mold can result from moisture in homes where marijuana was grown. Look around carefully for signs of contamination.

Linda Leier Thomason is a former CEO who writes freelance business and travel stories, along with feature articles. Her work experiences include a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Find out more about Linda by clicking the “Meet Linda” tab above. Interested in working together? Complete this form below.

©Copyright. April 2017. Linda Leier Thomason
All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

5 Ways to Test if a Neighborhood is Right for You

Quality of Neighborhood as Important as the House

You can remodel a kitchen or replace the family room flooring. Fixing a neighborhood is much more challenging. When searching for your ideal new home, pay close attention to neighborhood features that matter to you and your family.

Your real estate agent will ask you to be clear about what makes a difference in your daily life. For example, do you want a short commute to work? Do you need to be on a public transportation route? Does the grocery store or child care center need to be close? Do you want mature trees lining the street?

Answers to these questions are important. They direct where you search for your ideal home.  After narrowing down the list of ideal homes, drive through the neighborhoods. What’s happening there during the day and at night? Does the tone of the neighborhood change after dark or in the summer?

Do you sense that you’d enjoy the neighborhood as much as you love the home?

5 Ways to Test if a Neighborhood is Right Fit:

1. Convenience

Is convenience important in your daily life? If so, look around the neighborhood you’re thinking of moving to.

  • How far is the home from your place of work?
  • What are peak commute times like? Are the roads congested and noisy?
  • Would you be able to come home for lunch, or to let the dog out?
  • Is the grocery store fairly close? How about other retail shopping centers?
  • Where is the library, gas station and convenience store?
  • Are there restaurants you like nearby?
  • Is there a Farmer’s Market within a comfortable distance?
  • Where’s the Post Office?
  • Can you get to a dentist or doctor appointment quickly?
  • Where is the nearest Interstate?

 2. Social

Does it matter to you that you’re near family and friends? If you’re new to the community, do you rely on neighbors for socialization? When you drive through, are they outdoors interacting? Are children playing together? Also, consider:

  • Is the Home Owner’s Association (HOA) active? Do they plan social outings so you can meet other families and neighbors?
  • Depending on your age, are there activities for retirees within a comfortable driving distance?
  • Where is the nearest fitness center or swimming pool?
  • Is there anywhere close for art classes?

 3. Community Services

What community services do you rely on most? Research the availability and locations of:

  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Entertainment venues
  • Places of worship
  • Parks
  • Bike and walking trails
  • Police stations
  • Fire stations
  • Ambulance services
  • Child care
  • Cable television
  • Trash and recycling pick up

 4. Safety

It can be sort of deflating to discuss safety and crime rates while searching for a dream home. But, it’s a reality that needs to be examined. Consider these items:

  • Street lighting
  • Posted speed limit signs
  • Availability of sidewalks so people and vehicles don’t share the roadway
  • Neighbors home during the day
  • The Sex Offender Registry
  • Crime Reports Check for what crimes have been reported in your area
  • Posted Neighborhood Watch signs
  • Are local businesses boarded up or do they have bars on windows?
  • Air and water quality
  • Flooding potential
  • Steep hills-icy roads

 5. Appearance

Do you prefer living in a neighborhood where all the homes are constructed by the same builder and/or all painted natural muted colors? Or, do you like variety? Do you prefer new construction or a neighborhood with older homes? Do cars parked on the street bother you? Do you mind seeing a school playground or neighborhood park from your kitchen window? Also, think about:

  • How well homes and lawns are kept up?
  • Are HOA covenants enforced consistently?
  • Are the streets well maintained, or are there potholes?
  • What type and quality of trees are in the neighborhood?
  • Where are vehicles parked?
  • Is the neighborhood park clean or is it covered with pet waste and litter?

Linda Leier Thomason is a former CEO who writes freelance business and travel stories, along with feature articles. Her work experiences include a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Find out more about Linda by clicking the “Meet Linda” tab above. Interested in working together? Complete this form below.

 

Are you ready to find your dream home in a fantastic neighborhood? Contact Megan.

Megan Owens, Realtor

“Delivering extraordinary care for extraordinary clients.”

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate

Phone | 402-689-4984     Email | Megan.Owens@bhhsamb.com

©Copyright. March 2017. Linda Leier Thomason. All Rights Reserved.

 

Become a Consignment Shopping Beast

8 Tips: Furniture Consignment Shopping + 1 Superstar Shopper

 Here’s a true story. One of a “senior citizen” with more courage, determination and smarts than most decades younger than her.

20160709_150125In September 2016 Brenda relocated from upstate Maine to Des Moines, Iowa. That in itself deserves applause, regardless of age. Similar climates. Similar people. Yet, major geographical change.

All last summer, together with her retired sister and brother-in-law, they sorted, donated and sold not only her accumulated items but also those of her parents whose house she was living in after her father’s recent death. [Years before, when Brenda’s husband died, she sold their Louisville, Kentucky home. Then, she moved herself to Maine to care for her aging parents. Care-taking became her life. So had becoming self-sufficient.]

After sorting and selling the Maine house, the trio loaded a moving trailer. They hitched it to a pick-up truck and caravanned three vehicles half-way across the country. All were relieved when they arrived.

Brenda purchased a condo prior to the move. Therefore, she had a sense of what would travel to Iowa with her. Yet, letting go of decades-old heirlooms is not easy. Some were taken by a brother remaining in Maine, making the letting go less painful. Others she photographed as a way to remember.

Mom’s Got Decorating Style + Smarts

What she did when she got to Iowa surprised all, mostly her children and grandson. She expertly and smartly furnished her “new pad,” combining items that made the trip with pieces purchased at a high-end consignment store. The first time her daughter saw her mom’s newly furnished home she exclaimed, “Mom, I just never expected you to furnish and decorate your place like this.” Well, she did. She used the opportunity to smart-size (a trendy word for downsize) and to create a space that fit who she saw herself as today.

For the first time in decades, she had no one to care for but herself. It was time to start over. She deserved a place she was proud to call “home.”

Tips for Furniture Consignment Shopping

  • Keep photos of room layouts and measurements on your phone. They’ll be handy for quick purchases. Most consignment stores have a no-return policy.
  • Find a consignment store that chooses well-cared-for pieces, timeless or trendy. Buying secondhand and re-purposing are now trendy. However, you’re not looking for torn or smelly upholstery or rotted wood. There are some outstanding furniture consignment stores. Find them and patronize them.
  • Get to know the consignment store staff. Make sure they have your contact information and know your style and vision. Have them contact you when a piece comes in they think is an ideal fit for your space.
  • Visit your favorite consignment store often. Inventory turns quickly. Know if the store accepts cash only,or if you can use a debit or credit card.
  • Do your own price research. Comparison shop online to guarantee you’re getting a great price at the consignment store.
  • Understand that some pieces require a bit of work. Did you find a well constructed, designer brand dresser or sofa? Be willing to upholster or refinish the piece. Make sure neither costs more than purchasing new.
  • Have any of the pieces been recalled? Do they have lead paint? Ask. Work with a reputable consignment store that doesn’t sell dangerous items.
  • Visit the store with a vehicle large enough to haul away your purchases. Some stores charge a holding fee.

Brenda purchased a new sofa and two side chairs, but nearly everything else, including wall hangings, came from consignment stores.

Take a look.  Would you know the difference?

She did an outstanding job!

Leave your comments and questions below.

All but glasses from consignment shop
All but glasses from consignment store

Table, chairs and centerpiece from consignment shop
Table, chairs and centerpiece from consignment store

Vase adorns fireplace ledge. It from consignment shop.
Vase adorns fireplace ledge. It’s from consignment store.

Wall hanging, lamp and chest, which doubles as file cabinet..from consignment shop
Wall hanging, lamp and chest, which doubles as file cabinet..from consignment store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consignment shop chairs
Consignment store chairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flower vase from consignment shop
Flower vase from consignment store.

Plant from consignment shop
Plant from consignment store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dresser being primed for painting.
Dresser being primed for painting.

Painted dresser
Painted dresser

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it time for you to down or smart-size? Check out tips for doing this successfully on the “Real Estate” tab above. And, good luck with the move.

Share this post.

© Copyright. August 2016. Linda Leier Thomason

All Rights Reserved.