For some reason on certain holidays I get a lot of motivation. That could be because I am often at home and antsy, looking for a project. More likely, I’ve got the advantage of a coffee pot available and very nearby! New Year’s Day is really no exception. As a party planner, I usually work on New Year’s Eve (I did last night) and sometimes on New Year’s Day (I’m not today.) But after a really productive week in the office cleaning and clearing to end the year with organized countertops, I was motivated to do the same at home. Since it seems the rest of my friends/associates are not sharing my enthusiasm at the moment for brainstorming, I decided to type a few helpful organizing tips to share with my bloggers.
I am really interested in feng shui. Whether you are or not, there are some practical principles that just make common sense. One of them is that chaos and disorganization do not create harmony. As a result of getting more and more fascinated by feng shui, I also got more interested in cleaning and clearing. It seemed the more that I cleaned and cleared, the more I found to clean and clear. More on that subject on another day though!
This week, I gathered the last of my items to be donated before the end of the year cutoff on December 31. I went through my closets for about the millionth time, pulled out shoes that just wouldn’t make it on another trip to the shoe repair, I tried on clothes that I was suspicious of (do they actually fit, look flattering AND are they something I love?), and I pulled out ANYTHIING that was in remote need of repair, cleaning or all around attention.
I did the same thing with my son’s closet and in a few cabinets around the house. I then grouped all of my giveaway items by type (skirts with skirts, pants with pants, etc). In order to maximize the donation amount and to make sure that I am getting proper documention for tax purposes, I utilize a really fabulous resource called: It’s Deductible! It’s Deductible! is a book and also a computer program that gives you specific dollar amounts allowed by the IRS for donations, based on the type of item (a skirt, but is it a designer skirt or just a cotton tennis skirt?) and its condition. After tallying all of my items by type, and recording them in my It’s Deductible! log, I then photograph the items prior to donating them. Once I donate them (which I did this week), I get a written receipt of all of the items I just gave away. This gets attached to the It’s Deductible! log for 2004, along with a photo(s) of the items. Now I’m all ready for tax time.
There is something very liberating about getting rid of things that you no longer need, while at the same time giving someone much less fortunate an item that they can really use. The added benefit is that your space feels freed up, AND you have improved your ch’i tremendously.
So what’s the bottom line? To start your year off right, do some good for yourself and others and clear out anything that no longer works for you. Oh, and about those items that were in need of repair? I either “dry cleaned” them at home with my favorite product, Dryel (which we use at The Party Goddess for all of our delicate linens and high pile fur tablecloths) to spruce them up, or I dropped them off at the dry cleaners to be hemmed, mended or altered. Ah, I feel better already!
Please don’t just take my word for it, I am not an accountant, nor a feng shui expert. You should consult the experts to figure out how to best serve your needs. You can find It’s Deductible! by going to www.itsdeductible.com . To learn more about feng shui, my absolute favorite book is: Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness by Karen Rauch Carter. Both of these books are available right now on www.amazon.com (I just checked!) To find out more about my favorite dry cleaning product, Dryel, go to: www.dryel.com for a store near you. I usually get mine at Target.
Happy organizing!
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