Friday, September 2, 2011

The paper trail

Paper trails make me nuts. We get so much mail every day. We get newspapers weekly for coupons...yet SOMEHOW there is always papers EVERYWHERE!

Try this....


Get the Sunday paper for the coupons. Throw everything else AWAY...RIGHT THEN. Or better yet, recycle. That's better.

Your mailbox is outside. Check the mail outside. Throw it away outside. Use your big ol' garbage can to throw everything that you do NOT want away.

Have One place inside that you keep all of your paper mail that you MUST keep.

Use online for EVERYTHING that you possibly can. Obviously you will STILL get junk mail, but get the bulk of it online. Pay your bills online. Get your statements online. SO much easier!

GET rid of the paper trail!!!

What to do if your life is chaotic?

One of the reasons for living a minimalistic lifestyle is to avoid chaos. Obviously getting rid of things won't take out the day to day chaos of running kids here and there, buying groceries, cooking supper, cleaning house, organizing parties, attending events, working 9-5.... but it CAN help.

If you are finding yourself in a complete world of chaos I suggest doing the following:

1. Look around your house. What makes you nuts? Is it the mail on the counter and it ALWAYS there? Is it stakes of paper that pile up for weeks on end? Is it toys everywhere? Evaluate what makes you feel nuts.

2. Is it your calendar? The fact that you ALWAYS have somewhere to be? Look at what you can eliminate. Take time for yourself. Not just for your family, spouse, and friends...but for YOU!

3. Is it the constant runs to the grocery store? Look at going only ONCE a month. Purchase a deep freeze and stock up so that you only have to dread the trip ONCE a month instead of 14 times.

4. Maybe its people in your life that make you crazy. (this does not apply to family. Nothing you can do about that.) Maybe there are friends in your life that hurt you, stop over un-announced, always have drama...maybe its time to take a time out from those people.

5. Is it your job? Maybe its time to look for less stress.

What is making you chaotic? FIX IT!