April 2012 - Issue 93 - www.clareevans.co.uk

Hello ,

I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Easter weekend and got a chance to enjoy the sunshine while it lasted. April looks as if it's going to be a mix of sunshine and showers which will be great for helping the garden grow.

Spring is a time of growth and renewal and we can all benefit from having a good clearout at this time of year, so I thought I'd get you inspired for a good declutter and Spring clean.

I'm giving another BrightTalk webcast this Thursday April 12th Proven Tips To Tame Your Email Inbox. You can listen live online or listen to the recording later.

http://www.brighttalk.com/r/c9D

Keep in touch and get extra tips from my blog - or Follow Me on Twitter - or contact me on Linked In or Facebook.

Clare

P.S. Feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and colleagues.  Thank you.

This time of year is a great time to have a clearout and I've started on mine.

Whether you want to make better use of the space you have, enjoy a fresh new look or get more organised.

Ready ...

- decide on what you want to achieve. Perhaps just clearing space, feeling less overwhelmed or even selling a few unwanted items for some extra cash.

- Set a timeframe in which to get this done. It might take a few weeks, or even a few months but little and often will get you there.

- Plan a reward for when you complete your decluttering project. Whether it's small rewards as you go along or a larger reward for when it's completed. It will help keep you motivated.

- Get hold of boxes and rubbish bags, so you can clear as you go. Colour code them or label them up as Throw, Recycle, Donate or Sell.

Steady ... 

Don't worry - you don't have to tackle everything all in one go but you will need to make a commitment if you want to get back in control of your space.

Decide to tackle one area at a time - either one room a day, a week or maybe even one a month if it's really bad and aim to spend just 15 minutes at a time on decluttering. 

Go ... 

What's sitting in your wardrobe or cluttering up your drawers that you haven't worn for ages? As you switch from Winter to Summer - don't put away things you haven't really worn or maybe didn't even make it out of storage.  Bag them up and give them away to charity or to someone who will appreciate them.

If you've been saving things up for that car-boot or garage sale - either make a commitment to have it in the next few weeks or take it down to the charity shop.

Clear out your bookcase - what books have you read that you're unlikely to ever read again? Do you have books you've bought but you're never going to read - do the same with these - take them to your charity shop or donate them to your local book fair.

Some decluttering tasks can seem overwhelming - the spare room that has become storage space, the attic that becomes a black hole - things go in but never come out, the office with piles of papers everywhere that never quite get filed.

Try a five minute blast in each room - set your timer and just go through putting things away in one room, before moving on to the next.

Clear out your email. All that email sitting in a 'Reading' folder that you haven't touched for months. Email clogging up your Inbox that you haven't got round to. The chances are - if you haven't dealt with them yet, you're not going to, or they're no longer relevant. Delete them.

What gadgets or equipment do you have lying around that you never or rarely use? Seemed like a good idea at the time - donate or sell them on to someone that might appreciate and use them.

Tackle your paperwork one pile at a time. Either sort through a whole pile - quickly eliminating what's junk, action, filing or start at the top and do a little at a time.

Piles of magazines that you've either read but not thrown out or maybe not even read. If they're really old, throw them out - like email, you're unlikely to get round to reading them now. Recycle them - either at your local dump or perhaps at your local school. If there are articles you'd like to keep - put them in an 'ideas folder'.

When you've cleared the space - only bring things in that you absolutely need, want or love.

A great way to declutter your space in a short period of time is to book a Focus Day. This way you can make a great start and blast through your office or home. It's also a great way to get the motivation going and keep the momentum going for the next few weeks.

If you're struggling with your lists give me a call and I'll help you make sense of them or book a free Strategy Session.

Until next month.