Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. William Morris

What you love, you preserve There are so many tools available to support your Clutter Campaign. And what works best for someone you know may not work for you at all. This is the time to discover exactly the right items and equipment to match your style of thinking and operating. Once you have the perfect match of tool for each task you are more likely to continue your Campaign. There is, of course, no magic system or product that is right for every home or office. Devise a system you can love and you'll reduce clutter enormously. This magic comes not because you have increased the efficiency of the system, but because you have decreased your resistance to preserving, protecting, and maintaining it. You have made yourself an offer you don't want to refuse!

Here are six options for you to explore:

? Select what you need every day. Anything you use often should be within an arm's reach of where you need that item. Imagine that there's a video camera in the corner of each of your rooms and review your activities for a day. Identify 2-5 items that need to be moved to make your day flow more smoothly and conveniently. These items could be as small as your stamps, or as large as your desk.

? Contain those items efficiently and aesthetically. What storage item would best suit your way of arranging things? Do you prefer baskets, files, drawers, doors, canisters, open shelves? Look through some magazines or tour an office or organizing store and select the items you like to use. Picture, describe or sketch a few of them on this page.

? Arrange elements in a system that works for you. How do you like to arrange the storage pieces you like to use? What would your ideal garage storage area look like, your ideal closet, your ideal pantry? Pick one area and create your preferred system.

? Support your system with technology. Identify and list below 3-5 sources of Clutter Campaign frustration. Ask people you know if they have discovered any solutions. Take your list to one of the technology stores and see if they can offer solutions. Find your best way to keep an address book, a household inventory, children's school and health records. The best solution for you can range from simple to sophisticated. Just be sure it's right for YOU.

? Find tools you enjoy using. Add sleek styling or playful zest to the tools you select. If they make you smile or glow inside, it is more likely you will use them regularly. List below three of the most helpful tools you are using currently and three you have appreciated for many years. Remember tools can include methods, systems, bribes, motivation and support that help you get started and keep you on track.

? Let go of anything that fails the three-question test. Remember again the three-question test for any item in your life:

? Is it useful?

? Is it beautiful?

? Do you love it? List 2-3 items in your surroundings that meet each of the above tests.

Unless an item meets one of those standards, get rid of it. If it meets two of them, take good care of it. If it meets all three, treasure it, and appreciate it as a gift of good fortune.

? Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.productiveenvironment.com

maide service in Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Get Organized - Organization