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The Infamous Mystery Means
Dear Mary: My husband has two jobs — he is an artist and a salesman. He earns commissions from both jobs, so we never know what our income will be. I work part-time and am paid hourly. How do we go about setting up a budget? — Carol, …Read more.
Handy Tools Ease the Pain
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Let the Decluttering Begin
I know it's time. It's been time for at least five years, possibly longer. I need to clean my kitchen. Now, before you send the Health Department to my address, let me explain. What I mean by "clean" is that I need to clean out and …Read more.
A Glimmer of Hope to Cling To
Think back to a low point in your life. Don't struggle with this, just try to recall when you were going through a difficult season and life seemed bleak. Now recall that first glimmer of hope you clung to as you could see that things were beginning …Read more.
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Clean out Clutter to Improve Your LifeWhat would you do if you actually had to use everything you own, including all that stuff in the drawers, cupboards, closets, shelves and boxes in your kitchen, bedrooms, living room, basement, attic, garage, rafters, driveway, patio, side yard and cars? Most of us will never accomplish such an overwhelming task. Instead, we pack it, stack it and pile it away — even pay rent to store it — and keep accumulating even more. More stuff only dilutes the quality of our lives. Every possession carries two price tags: the original purchase price and the continuing toll. That second amount is paid in upkeep, time, maintenance and storage. It can charge its toll in anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, financial distress and even impaired function. MOVING AND STORING CLUTTER. I've done it. Perhaps you have, too; I've packed it all up and paid someone to move it to a new place. "I'll sort it there," I told myself. Years later, I'm still hounded by unpacked boxes that I've moved from one house, one floor, one room or just one side of the closet to another. WASTED TIME. Who could calculate the number of hours we've tossed down the drain because of clutter. Simple tasks turn into search-and-rescue missions. There are some people in my neighborhood who empty the entire contents of the garage onto the front lawn to retrieve holiday decorations. Then, they take the rest of the day cramming it all back before dark. JUDGING JUNK. Ask yourself these questions to decide if it's clutter or not: Does it work? So much of the clutter in our homes is made up of broken things we plan to fix and clothes that might someday fit. Do I really need it? Determine the impact of this item disappearing from your life. Do I enjoy it? If this item brings beauty and joy to your life, it is not clutter.
Am I using it now? If it doesn't fall into the 20 percent of things you use on a regular basis, it is suspect. Will I use it in the next year? If you are not certain you will use it soon, it's clutter! MOVE IT OUT. Sell it, give it away, or throw it out. One of the best solutions for "good stuff" is to give it to someone who wants or needs it. The more seriously you take this matter of de-junking, the greater the positive impact it will have on your life. Important stuff will be easier to find when you don't have to rifle through piles of worthless clutter. Getting rid of the physical clutter in your home is going to do more than free up some much needed space. De-cluttering will calm your spirit, clear your mind and increase your ability to enjoy your current situation, your relationships and your life! Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 20 books, including her brand new release, "7 Money Rules for Life." You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM
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