In the ever-evolving journey of life, certain life phases have always been present—marriage, divorce, moves, parenthood, and caring for aging parents. The Sandwich Generation, individuals caught between the responsibilities of living their own life, and caring for their children as well as their parents, is not a new phenomenon. However, it has become more complicated in our modern world. In this blog post, we'll delve into the challenges faced by the Sandwich Generation, focusing on how it relates to the physical stuff they manage and the importance of mindful decluttering when navigating this intricate balance.
The Traditional Responsibilities of the Sandwich Generation
Historically, the Sandwich Generation has existed, with individuals finding themselves “sandwiched” between caring for their aging parents and raising their own children or other loved ones. In earlier times, the challenges were there, but the complexities we face today, especially concerning physical possessions, have added a new layer to this age-old responsibility.
I should note here that the Sandwich Generation terms (because there are a few terms that branch off the main term) were introduced in the social term in 1981 and were added to the Webster's Dictionary in 2006. This blog post does not focus on the history of this generation but I thought it was important to note.
It's more than just “stuff”: The complexities the Sandwich Generation faces today
As we navigate the 21st century, the concept of the Sandwich Generation has evolved. Now, more than ever, it's about managing not just the emotional and financial aspects but also the sheer volume of physical possessions. With an abundance of “stuff” to handle—from family heirlooms to children's toys and everything in between—organizing has become an integral part of successfully navigating this challenging phase. There is:
Multiplication of Possessions: In our modern world, possessions seem to multiply. Aging parents may have accumulated a lifetime of belongings, and raising children in a consumer-driven society means a constant influx of toys, gadgets, and clothing. Managing this accumulation is a significant challenge for the Sandwich Generation.
Emotional Attachments: Possessions are not just objects; they carry emotional weight. Family heirlooms, childhood mementos, and sentimental items can clutter spaces, yes, but they are part of who we are. Deciding what to keep, what to pass on, and what to let go becomes a delicate task, requiring emotional discussions and thoughtful decisions.
Time Constraints: Juggling caregiving responsibilities with careers and personal lives leaves the Sandwich Generation with limited time. The need for efficient organization becomes paramount to avoid chaos in the face of already overwhelming responsibilities.
How to make it less overwhelming
Having been in this profession for more than two decades, I can confidently say that the top emotions that contribute to the overwhelm of the Sandwich Generation and anyone having to deal with stuff that wasn't theirs are guilt and exhaustion (there are other emotions tied to the overwhelm but these are the roadblocks before taking any meaningful action).
Here are a few tips I have for you to reduce the overwhelm, guilt, and exhaustion and instead find peace and relief.
Create a plan. Please don't miss this step. Assess how you are feeling and talk about your end goals. We have a full episode on our Organized & Productive Podcast exactly about how to create a plan and assess your organizing journey and projects. Episode 001: 7 Steps to Organizing *Almost* Anything gives you an overview and Episode 008: Step 1: Assess. The Power of Planning Ahead provides more detail on how to assess a project before you start.
Boundaries. It can be really easy to want to keep everything in your space, but that just adds to the clutter. Without boundaries, you will get stuck in the clutter. Give yourself clear boundaries of how much stuff you can keep and how much attention you are willing to give to these items. Think about the storage fees, the cleaning efforts, and anything else that comes with keeping things (especially vintage and antique items). Boundaries are what will give you peace in the long run.
Decide what is worth DIYing or Outsourcing. We have a great episode on this titled Episode 006: Should You Outsource or Do It Yourself? which gives you some questions to ask yourself when trying to decide if it's worth outsourcing or doing it yourself. If anything, at least think about this question and make sure that you are thinking about how much it will cost, do you want to do it or it best someone else takes care of it, how much you want to get involved, and how much time it will take.
Bonus: if you have not processed the heavy emotions that come with acquiring clutter and physical stuff that wasn't yours, I would encourage you to see a mental health professional who specializes in these fields. Many pro organizers have the skills and training to coach you but make sure you tell them the emotional attachment is something you need help with.
The Sandwich Generation has always existed, but in the complexity of the modern world, the challenges have intensified. Navigating this phase requires a thoughtful approach to managing not only emotional and financial aspects but also the accumulated physical possessions. At The Organized Flamingo, as well as other pro organizers around the world, guide individuals in decluttering with purpose and heart. We create organized living spaces amidst the overwhelm. If you find yourself in this position, I see you and hope you have found a space within The Organized Flamingo where you feel seen and heard. What question can we answer that will help you through this process? Send us a note or comment here and let's work through this together.
This week, we are diving into the world of entryways and how keeping them tidy and organized can make a big impact on your daily life. We share 7 tips on maintaining clutter-free entryways, from understanding how you use the space to personalizing it to fit your needs. These tips will help you transform your entryway into a tranquil and organized space. Stay tuned and get ready to make your entryway a welcoming and clutter-free space.
In this episode we talk about:
The significance of maintaining a tidy entryway
How to identify your pain points
Storage solutions for entryways
Mentioned in this Episode:
Cherish & Declutter 2024 Workshops, Tackling Family Heirloom Clutter
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:00:00]: Welcome, friends, to The Organized and Productive podcast. And in fitting nature with the welcoming, We are talking all about entryways today and or the entry to any space, any room, and or a house, and how to keep it tidy, some tips on that space, and why it's so important to keep it organized. So let's get to it. Welcome to the Organized and productive podcast with the organized flamingo. I'm your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert. Ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you? Yeah? Well, then let's go. Well, I'm So glad that you're here. I will try to keep the punny entryway jokes to a minimum.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:00:48]: Okay? I promise. I might have 1 or 2 more up my sleeve, but it's just so fitting to be saying welcoming and as we're talking about this topic. And it's also very fitting that this podcast, this episode, is airing at the beginning of January, which is also, you know, it and of is like the entryway of the year. January is the beginning of new things. So I think it all just relates. So if you're listening to it live, It's probably the beginning of the year, or when it aired. And if you're not, that is okay. Just know that we are talking about entryways, And this is a very fitting conversation and tips that can be related to your entryway.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:30]: Yes. But also kind of like the the entry to any space. So it could be your home. It could be the room. It could be any of those types of spaces where you naturally come in and out of. So that's what we're talking about today. Okay. So in typical fashion, I give you a little bit of a table of contents feel so that you know what's coming in the episode.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:49]: Today, I'm gonna give you some tips on how to sustain that area so that it's clutter free, so that it doesn't become so overwhelming. Because here's the thing, the entryway and or the exit way. Usually, it's the same, may not always be, but we are treating it as one of the same for this conversation because those are the areas that are not changing. Therefore, you have to work around it. Like, this is not like a desk The you can move around. This is, For the most part, a permanent area that you're coming in and out of for the space. So unless you're redesigning that space, which is an entirely different conversation, that entryway area is there to stay, and you have to work around it. So when it comes to areas that are very permanent like that, you have limited, you you're a little bit more limited with what you can do with it.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:02:42]: Right? I mean, the possibilities are not as endless as the creativeness that you can get to in other parts of your room or space. And so when you're working with spaces like that, you really need to think about how do you naturally what do you naturally do when you come in and out of the room, and how do you utilize that entryway that is so permanent. So we'll talk I'm gonna give you some tips on that. There's about 7 tips that I'm gonna give you and just how to just how to maintain that area, how to avoid it getting cluttered so fast, and making sure that that is a space that gives you tranquility because that is the 1st place that you're entering in, and that is also the last place when you leave. Okay. So first things first is understanding how you utilize the entryway and what that means. And if you're following our 7 steps of organizing almost anything, this is this aligns with step 1, which is assessing the space you are about to organize. And if, we have the show notes to our 7 steps of organizing almost anything, which is our general framework here at The Organize Flamingo.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:03:51]: And so if you're assessing that area, it means asking yourself questions like, how often do I go on here? What do I normally drop off? How do I utilize it in my natural behavior? Not the way that you intend to or want to. This is truly an area because these are the areas where you're usually maybe in a rush or you're you have a lot of things on you. You know, you're carrying a lot of things to take into your car, to leave your apartment. And so This is one of those spaces where creativity goes a long way. But the natural way that you use The space should take precedence over how you would ideally want it to look like. And sometimes they will be the same, and, hopefully, they both will merge. Your inspiration and your creativity will align with how you naturally use The space. But, sometimes, those are 2 very different things.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:04:45]: If you have a family that you're you know, other people need to utilize that space and you need a lot of room to come in and out and you live in a smaller entryway space, you will have limited things that you can do in that area. So this is where be honest with yourself and assess how do I use this entryway. How do I am I normally is this the way that I normally go out to go to the garage, into my car? Or is this the way that goes out immediately to the street or to the front door or to the sidewalk? So think about your natural tendencies. And within this tip, what I'm gonna have you do is is write it down. Some people will, what we'll do with them is we'll do, like, sticky notes. Like, this is the area where I naturally will put my keys down, where I would put my gym bag on, where, when I'm leaving, this is the area that gets the most frustrated because there's always something here. And so we usually will do, like, a little sticky note situation to note how it is that I'm using or how you, in this case, you're using The space. So that's my number and tip.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:05:52]: How do you use this area and then sticky note it or label it and so that you know where things are supposed to be as we segue into tip number 2. My tip number 2 on The process would be, okay, now ask yourself, what are your pain points? So you have assessed how you utilize that space. You know, how you normally come in, where you come in, where you put your stuff down, how you naturally navigate through the area. And so for the 2nd tip is figure out what your pain points are. What really annoys you? What gets in the way? What are the things that you really want to fix and categorize them or prioritize The? Because the space will probably only tackle 1 or 1, 2, maybe 3 of your pain points. Hopefully, we can get through all of your pain points. But because of The, again, the nature of this very permanent space, you will have less options on getting creative. Like, you can't really move the entire entryway very easily unless you redesign.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:59]: So you're starting to get limited on this permanent space. So this is where I want you to just at least categorize them of priority. What would make you feel the best if this was if this problem was solved? This next tip is all about, figuring out what your end goal is. So it's not just the pain points now. Now it's following our steps, you know, through 2 through 5 of our 5 or 7 steps of organizing almost anything, meaning, is your priority to downsize? Like, you're just trying to get rid of stuff, declutter? Are you trying to find a new design and inspiration because you just feel very stagnant in the place? Is maybe your family changing, the dynamic of your living situation changing. And, therefore, what you had before is no longer working. So This tip is all about find out the end goal of this. So this will guide you to picking out some of the the items, how you will be redesigning this space, how will you be organizing it going forward.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:08:02]: Okay. This next step is probably the most Fun for many of you, especially you DIYers, those of you who are very visual, creative. This is super fun, and this is personalizing personalizing the entryway in the area to how you want it to be according to what we just talked about in the first three tips that I gave you. This section is full of many options. Right? You can go all over the place. So I'm gonna give you a couple just to narrow down. If you have a small entryway or narrow and or narrow type of entryway, the kind that immediately goes to the street, maybe, or immediately, when you open it up, you're there, like, in your living room. Right? Like, it's there's not a big gap between, like, a hallway or a big entryway area or staging area to get to the next room.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:08:49]: So if you have a narrow and or small space, think about going vertical. I always talk about The, especially in very awkward spaces. Think about, is there something like a hanging basket that you can like, you know, the plug type of the plant type of hanging baskets that you can incorporate so that you can put maybe your mittens in there if you live in the cold weather or your scarf or whatever it is that you immediately drop off. So think vertically. Then the next thing I'm going to tell you if you have a very small entryway is think about what can you hang from a wall or can you bring in a rack, like a a rolling type of wall, like a movable rack wall. Sometimes they're 1 piece and sometimes they're they have more like a rack type of rod system. Can that be the place that is immediately in that area so you can quickly hang the items and then roll it out of the way as soon as you come in. Basically, it's your way of when you come in, just making sure you have a place to put all this stuff and then moving it so that it's out of the way for your everyday living.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:59]: So that's just a couple of bonus tips I'm giving you here for small, and or awkward type of spaces. If you do have more room in the entryway or staging areas. This is where picking your favorite type of table or baskets in the front is going to be very helpful. This, is especially true for shoes or anything that you take off, that needs to be kind of in the bottom of something. So it's your table. Everybody thinks about, oh, okay. Well, you can put, like, a bowl where your mail goes or a bowl for where your keys goes. Okay.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:10:33]: That's wonderful on a counter space. But don't forget about the bottom part, where where where are you taking off your shoes? Are people just throwing them everywhere? Okay, so that staging area, you can also incorporate the table with the bottom or maybe a cabinet or maybe some kind of shelving area where people will put their shoes in there. So that way, it's you know, there's a home for everything, basically. This is the part, like, entryway in general. This is the type of area where if you have a lot of guests that are coming in and out, Let's say you have different roommates, and they have their own visitors. Maybe you have a large, you know, family or the dynamic of where you live it means that you have a lot of people coming in and out. Maybe you have a lot of parties or entertaining or whatever it may be. If you are one of those people in households, then don't forget that that The entryway is a perfect place to label instructions, label your Wi Fi password.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:11:33]: Whatever it is that you want to tell your guest The entryway is a great place to do it so that they know where things go. Also, if for small, small children or really big children too, but and children, so they know where their specific area is, where they hang their coats maybe, where they put their shoes, their backpacks, etcetera, etcetera. So think about labeling the entryway so that people outside of who of you know where to put things away as well and where things go. And for this last tip, it's all about maintaining and making sure that you're constantly evaluating that place. Don't overthink it. The overthink it. This this is not a report card type of situation. In our 7 steps of organizing almost anything.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:12:22]: I talk about some easy ways for you to create a system for when you're maintaining this area. The thing about entryways entry and exit ways is that if they are not kept up with, maintained, The it starts to creep out, so so, like, outside of that area. Meaning, like, it just starts to spill over to the rest of the room. I'm sure many of you can relate to this. I mean, if you're visualizing, if you're a visual person, think of it as an overflow of, like, a water or a cup that you just keep putting stuff there and you're not maintaining it and cleaning it out. It's just overflowing to other parts of the room. And that's when clutter really starts to become a problem. It's hard to maintain, and it just spills over to other places of the house.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:07]: And so the entryway is a very easy place that that gets It's a problem area that gets to that place because that is one of the most frequented places. You you need to come in and out. So that is one of those places that you can't really ignore. And so if you're not keeping up with it, it can become a problem for the other parts of your house. So a very important place to organize and keep up with. Okay. So there we have it. Thank you for walking in to this conversation.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:38]: Okay. I Productive. That's done. That's my last entryway joke or pun. Thanks for joining the conversation today. If you need a little bit of assistance with figuring out what to keep, what to toss. We have a keep it or toss it decision guide in the show notes, which you can download for free, and that might help a little bit with figuring out, okay, you know, the problem spots of things that you're having a hard time letting go of in spaces like The entryway. Also, if you are brand new to the this podcast, we have our new 2024 workshops that have been introduced.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:14:13]: Every month, we have a different workshop. Some of them are online. Some of them are in person here in Colorado. Take a look. The website is in our show notes if that is something of interest. If you want to take your organizing to another level. If you need a little bit more assistance, but yet you wanna do it yourself, the workshops are perfect for that. So take a look at The, and, also, don't forget to tag us.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:14:36]: If you decide to declutter your entryway, organize it, redo it a little bit, let us know, tag us. I would love to cheer you on. Have a wonderful day, and happy organizing. Thank you for listening to the Organized and Productive podcast with The Organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here. For full show notes and resources, head on over to the Organized flamingo.com/podcast. Happy organizing.
This week we are sharing expert tips on how to maximize your donation experience and save time in the long run. With the holiday season approaching, nonprofits are in need of donations, making it a perfect time to declutter and give back. Stephanie will guide you through the process, ensuring that you have a positive and efficient organizing journey. If you're ready to make a meaningful impact with your donations, then this episode is for you. Let's dive in and learn how to prepare your donations for drop off.
In this episode we talk about:
Preparing donations for drop off
Tips for an efficient and positive donation process.
Matching the nonprofit or cause to the items being donated
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 004: A Different Way To Declutter: Seasonal Decluttering
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Hey, Organized and Productive community and listeners, welcome to our next episode here at Organized and Productive. I'm Stephanie, your host, and this week we are talking about preparing your donations for drop off, something that many of you probably don't really think about. But if you can prepare just a little bit before you head on over to the donation center, it will save you so much time in the long run and you will be able to maximize the donation, the actual drop off, the donations, and the gesture. So let's get to it. And let me give you my tips as a pro organizer. Welcome to the organized and productive podcast with the Organized Flamingo. I am your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert, ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you. Yeah.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:00:48]:
Well then let's go. Okay, so if you are looking at the calendar and you're listening to us live, you probably are noticing that I'm airing this episode in November, which is around the holiday time frame here, especially here in the US. Right? End of the year. It's both the holiday season and end of the year, which is a time when nonprofits really do a big push to get more donations. Monetary, yes, and kind as well. But also they give you really specific lists on what they need for the holidays, lists on what they need for the end of the year, what they're in most need of. So it's a great time to be donating and dropping off your stuff that you've been lugging around in the back of your truck or has been hanging out in your garage or in all these boxes that say donate but you never take. So this is going to be a great season for that and that's why I'm airing this episode in November.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:50]:
But all of these tips and this whole episode can be applicable all year round, okay? So don't think that it's just for the holiday. It just seems to be a little bit more timely at the end of the year during the holidays when it's just naturally a time when we are in gift giving donation mode. So this probably comes as no surprise to you, but I have been to a lot of donation drop offs. I spend a lot of time dropping off, driving around, collecting things for clients, decluttering their bags and all of their stuff and then driving them to their preferred donation centers or donation centers that we work with, especially here in Colorado. I also used to do this in California, so I'm also familiar with that location. And also, in more of the most recent years, we have also shipped stuff to donation centers because, luckily, with technology, a lot of the donation centers and nonprofits allow you to bag up some of your stuff. Like your fabrics or your old whatever may be shoes and whatnot. And you can just bag them up or box it up and then send it off to a donation center.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:03:01]:
So I am familiar with the art of gift giving to donation centers and I've got a couple of tips for you. So I say this not as a brag but more as a reminder that I have some experience in this field and that my biggest priority here with this podcast and with these episodes is to maximize your time so that you're more efficient and that you have a positive experience when you're in your organizing and decluttering journey. As we know to create some habits, you do have to have a positive experience with it. It doesn't have to be good, it just has to be positive. Meaning you learned something quickly, you were consistent with it. There's got to be some kind of positive reinforcement in order for you to associate this and want to do this again in a positive way. Okay, so the first couple of tips are more like reminders because I'm assuming that you have your between you and maybe your accountant and your family and your financial goals and your personal goals. You probably have picked causes and nonprofits that are near and dear to your heart already or they're very special to you or that align with your goals as a family, as a business, or whatever it may be.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:04:15]:
So the first couple of tips are not so much about giving you tips on how to pick a nonprofit, but more so just how to align it with your organizing journey. So for instance, for the first tip that I've got for you is pick a nonprofit that is important to you and donate there because when you are going through your stuff then you will be able to associate like you will know who you're donating to. And that's really the tip here that I've got for you. It's really important for you to match your giving, your donation, your decluttering to something because it'll connect the two. There won't be such a disconnect where you're left wondering well, where is this going to go? Is this going to be thrown away? It's going to be part of the landfill. And now you're just in this circle of thought and overthinking. And so when we have a direct place of where the thing is going or what is near and dear to your heart, you will have an easier time letting go with more intention. And that is why, to get us started and actually in the seven steps of organizing almost anything episodes and podcasts and exercises that I have for you, that is one of our very first things that we talk about.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:05:28]:
Like figuring out your why and figuring out what is important to you as far as a nonprofit and causes so that you have a place that you're thinking of when you are going through all of your stuff. So first things first is let's pick a nonprofit that is important to you donate there. If you don't have a particular nonprofit per se, but you have a cause, the pick the cause that is important to you and do some searches around your community and see if there are nonprofits that align with that. So in other words, be specific. So if you don't have the name of a nonprofit or a donation center that is particular and special to you, then maybe it's more of the cause. So women or children, or children under 18 or girls in college, whatever it may be, or boys, it could be animals, it could be whatever it be. Be specific. Pick a couple.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:27]:
Pick like two or three I would recommend so that you have your eyesight on that. And once you have your nonprofit of choice, then you will then match the nonprofit to what you have available. So when you're going through all of your stuff and you're decluttering, then of course you will be able to match the nonprofit to that. So let's say you have some linens to give away and you have picked three different types of nonprofits. Maybe one is children, maybe the second is animals. And then the third is going to be schools. Not necessarily for children, but just schools in general. So when you're decluttering and you're going through all of one of your closets and you come across linens and paper that you know, hey, oh my gosh, it's really special for me to donate to schools.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:07:12]:
They may be able to use your unused paper and you can donate directly to them and you have them in mind. And instead of just a bin that says donations overall, you have a very specific place you're taking it to. And it will be much easier for you to let it go because you know where it's going. It's going to some a place and to people that are looking for those things and that are in need of those things. Same things with linens and towels and things like that with animals, the shelters are always looking for those so you will know exactly where they're going to go. Okay, so as part of picking the cause that is special to you and you would like to donate your stuff to head on over to their website and or call the and ask them what are their rules and what do they need and where is there? If there's a guide to donating, that is just whatever they say is going to probably be your guide to how you donate and what kind of things you are going to donate. So if you have that already, then take their guide and run with that. And then the rest of my tips, apply them, but make sure that you apply theirs first because obviously the stuff is going to go with the my tips that are coming up in just a second here.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:08:26]:
The rest of them are if they don't have a guide if they don't have a guide. The these are some of my tips that I would recommend and honestly, some of these are very universal anyway that most nonprofits would appreciate. So I think that they can be applied even if they do have their own guide. But like I mentioned, it's take their guide and make that a priority. A very important insert I'm going to add in here before I keep going is don't overthink this, okay? I'm trying to make this episode as quick as possible and give you some good tips, but I don't want you to overthink it. If you don't have a particular cause that is near and dear to your heart or you just don't know yet, that's okay. As you know, there are general types of donation centers. Some are the big names and then some are local.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:14]:
Of course, we always try to go local. Don't overthink it. If this is your first time doing a big decluttering project or like big decluttering exercise, just go ahead and head on over to your local donation center and let it go. Don't overthink it. This is just one of those exercises that it's like the little cherry on top. Or you can go above and beyond so that you can be a little bit more thoughtful and can maximize your time. But by no means am I saying go through these exercises before you donate. I mean, don't do that.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:50]:
Don't keep the stuff around your garage or your car just because you haven't fulfilled any of these tips or any of these exercises that I just mentioned, okay? So I'd rather you let it go even if it's a general donation center, because a lot of the big box donation centers do have relationships with local places and so they'll sometimes hand off items to them. Like I do say though, and I'm not even mentioning the big names for a reason because I'm of the mind that local is always best. So try to go to a nonprofit that is local to you, like a local shelter, local places of need instead of going to the big boxes first. But again, if that is going to be an obstacle for you or in a hurdle, please don't let that stop you. Just head on over, donate it, let it go, and we will work on being more intentional the next round. Okay? So I've got about six tips for you. And here we go. So the first is wash it if you can.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:10:54]:
Wash the stuff that if you can, like the towels and whatever, the linens and stuff and air in your clothing if you can. But again, ask them first because a lot of the donation centers will do their own cleaning anyway. So yes, wash it or clean it if it's dirty, if it's gross, especially if it's gross. If it's gross, it might just need to go into the trash. By the way, don't donate trash that's not fair. This is more if it just needs like a quick wash, definitely do that and then donate it. Especially if it's been sitting maybe in a box for a really long time. It could be beneficial just to do like a little quick wash.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:11:36]:
But a lot of them will have their own cleaning process. So I just kind of want to give you that heads up that you may not have considered that they probably do their own cleaning and washing anyway, so ask them, but give it to them in good enough shape that it won't be considered trash. For the next tip on preparing your donations for drop off is seasonal items should take priority. So take that into consideration. Especially when it comes to clothing and holiday items like holiday decor because that's what they will be able to give away. The quickest give away or sell, this can be easily done if you do seasonal decluttering too, which is something we talk about and have a podcast on and I will put it in the show notes. So we talk all about decluttering in a seasonal manner where you reserve time and energy every season to declutter as you're putting away the stuff from the last season and you're taking the stuff out for the new season. So really just being intentional every couple of months instead of doing it, like one big project every couple of years, this is just more of being intentional and also efficient with your time.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:12:43]:
Because, hey, since I have the bins open, let me see what I haven't used in the last year, or let me see what I don't need anymore for this season, or what my kids outgrew, or what I no longer like, or whatever, maybe it doesn't fit or whatever it is. So seasonal items should take priority when you are giving it to the charities. And so this is going to marry very well if you are a seasonal declutterer or seasonal organized. So this is like the perfect thing to do. At the same time. Also the donation centers will be very grateful because you're kind of helping them not store things that they can't sell right now. So right now, since this is airing around the holidays, they probably are going to have a harder time selling summer clothing, especially if you're in a cold climate place, then they probably won't be able to sell that as easily so they have to store that. So if you can give them the seasonal items as you're seasonally decluttering.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:46]:
This next tip is all about doing a little bit of pre work before you go and drop off the stuff. But remember, don't let this stop you. Just like head on over and drop off your stuff, okay? Don't overthink it. But if you have a minute, I would have you call them beforehand and or go to their website and ask if there's a limit to what you can bring. I'll be honest, I have better luck just calling them or going there in person, especially the local charities and nonprofits and donation centers because nonprofits don't always have the time or energy or resources to be updating their website. 24/7 so I have found that the stuff that's online, the information that is online is not always super accurate. It's not always the case. There are some nonprofits that are on top of it, but check their social media, go and give them a call, go on their website.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:14:41]:
But if you can't just get like I said, give them a call or head on over to their offices and ask the if there's a limit to what you can bring. Some nonprofits and drop offs will limit it to a box or a truckload or they'll have a limit of some sort. So ask them ahead of time before you accumulate all that stuff and take the effort and think you're going to be dropping it off at their place and then they don't allow it. So do a little research ahead of time. Also while you're at it, ask for their drop off hours. Not all of them are open all the time or every day, regular hours. Sometimes you might have to take a lunch to go drop it off. The other day I did a drop off on this Monday and it took me seven minutes between getting off of the freeway, dropping it off and the just getting back on the freeway.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:15:29]:
So it could be really quick, but it was in the middle of the day. Like they only do drop off or they only accept your drop offs between nine and twelve, but it took me seven minutes. So it's not a big deal. But you just have to kind of know obviously their hours of operations and when they will accept your drop off. Something else to take note of is ask if you will be able to get a tax write off or some kind of slip if that is important to you ahead of time. Think about that. Is that important to you? If it is, then obviously ask for it when you're there. If it is, or maybe if it's not, or you're not sure, I would still write it down in some kind of log.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:16:08]:
Especially if you're a business and you're donating for a business. So let's say you're donating some business tools or business equipment. Definitely write it down when you did the donation what it is. There is a donation valuation guide, at least here in the US. Most of the big nonprofits have it. It is part of the tax guide. I'm not sure if that's the official name of it, but it's called the Donation Valuation Guide and they give you a guide as to how much things are worth and that is how you can guesstimate what and how much you donated worth of stuff. So some of them will give you a slip and the you can write it down there.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:16:50]:
But if they don't give you a slip, then go ahead and write it down in your own log. So don't forget about that. My last tip here before you go and drop off your stuff is to make a map of where all these drop offs are going to go and be and ask what entrance you should be going into, especially if you've never been to the drop off or to the donation drop off. That is one of the biggest frustrations that I see people have is, oh, I took it. I got their address from their website and I took it and I got there and I was so lost. There were so many entrances, so I just left. Some of these donation places are in warehouse type of places. They're not necessarily super perfectly well labeled.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:17:32]:
I mean, after all, they're a nonprofit. They're making do with what they have. So some of them are they've been doing this for a really long time. So they're well labeled. You know exactly where the entrance is, where there's a drive in, there's a drive through. They're built for this. But especially the local ones may not. So do have a little map.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:17:52]:
See where ask them where is the entrance? Especially like church drop offs and stuff like that. Those may not have a very easily like an easy warehouse type of entrance that you can back up to. So ask them because if you are going to have to park your car and then carry all that stuff, that's very heavy. So you might have to get a dolly to carry your stuff from your car to the donation door. So ask those questions. Just kind of map it out. Well, that's it for our episode today. I hope that these tips have helped you and are setting you up for success and get you all excited about gift giving and donating and get you all prepared for your donation drop off.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:18:32]:
Until next time, happy organizing. Thank you for listening to the organized and productive podcast with the Organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast here. It helps with letting people know that we're here. For full show notes and resources, head on over to theOrganizedFlamingo.com/podcast. Happy organizing.
Today we focus on how to organize gift cards. These small, thin, and often overlooked items tend to disappear in the clutter or hide between furniture pieces. In this episode, we're going to tackle the issue head-on and give you some practical tips to prevent your gift cards from going to waste. We'll also discuss how to give gift cards in a way that ensures their recipient will actually use them. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let's get organized and productive with gift cards!
In this episode we talk about:
Reasons why gift cards get lost easily
How to organize your gift cards
Tips on avoiding gift cards going to waste
Tips on gifting gift cards so they are used
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 029: School Papers: The Sneaky Uninvited Guests in Your Home
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Hey, friends. Welcome to our next episode of Organized and Productive, the podcast. I'm Stephanie, your host. And today, we are talking about an item that tends to get lost but is very valuable, and it gets lost in the clutter or in the in your stuff because it's small enough to get lost and it's thin enough to be hiding between, furniture pieces or your car seat. It's just one of those items that is very it's it's very susceptible to being lost and overlooked because it's not consistently the same for all of the items. And that item, if you've already looked at the title of today's episode, is a gift card. There are many reasons as to why gift cards get lost, but the main one that I have seen from the clients and the people that I work with is because 1, and that this is something that doesn't get talked a lot about, is that they look different depending on the vendor. So, you know, if you go to this 1 store, it might be red.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:00]:
If you go to the other one, there might be some graphic on it. In another store, it just looks a little different and has a different shape. They used to all be more of the rectangle style if you had a physical card, and now they just come in all shapes and sizes and they're so cute. But also they're not consistent the same way that maybe cash is. You know, cash is usually at least here in the US. Most of our cash is is green. If you're whatever country you're listening from, your you know what your cash looks like. Right? So you easily will gravitate towards what it looks like and find it when you're looking for it.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:01:36]:
And with gift cards, they're just so different all the time that they can easily be mis, looked when you're looking for them because they're just they they can all look very different. Unless you're looking for a very specific card that is green, that looks like a circle, and then you might be you have better chances of finding it. But outside of that, that's one of the reasons they get overlooked. Another reason why they get lost so easily is because they do fit in between, cracks and behind furniture and in between paper. They're just so thin. They're not just awkward shapes, and they're easily missed that way, but also they can easily flip into something else, and then they just become lost. They be you know, they they get lost in the abyss. And if you're not looking for it, specifically, if you're not on a mission to use that card and then you, you know, it's been gone for a couple of weeks and then months, then it's pretty much lost, you know, and and it just goes into the abyss.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:02:34]:
So that's another reason why it tends to get lost, and it gets refound when you're moving around your furniture, when you're doing a deep clean, when you're decluttering, when you're about to move because you're moving around, all those furniture pieces or your bag, and that's when they get refound again, and then, you know, you you give the expression of, oh my gosh. I forgot that I have this. And, you know, now, yes, you found it, but it may not be worth the same or maybe just so much time has passed that, the value may have gone down. So because of all these reasons I just mentioned, it really kills me. It hurts my heart when we find these valuable I mean, truly valuable gift cards, and they were not used. I mean, it's essentially money. It's it's not essentially, it is money. When somebody gives you a gift card or you purchased a gift card, that is the exchange of money, and it just hurts my heart when we find them and they have not been used or that the, you know, the client or somebody has said, I know that I had a whole lot of them and I never got to use them.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:03:43]:
And then I'm just like, oh my gosh. I I get it. You know, it's you just lost money, and it's hurtful. So that is what this episode is all about, avoiding that hurt and avoiding that pain of losing money in the shape of a gift card. We will touch a little bit about on ecards, but I'm not gonna go too too deep into ecards because it's a little bit different in the way that we organize those, but I will touch upon it so that, at least, you can have some tips on how to organize those if you do receive ecards, instead of gift card, like, the physical gift card kind. Alright. So what I'm gonna do is, in typical fashion of our podcast, I I'd like to give you, like, a table of contents almost because I think it's just easier to navigate some of the episodes. I don't always do this, but I try.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:04:31]:
And this one is no exception, so I'll do a 5 tips of how how to avoid your gift cards going to waste. So I'm gonna give you 5 tips, and then I'm gonna give you about 3 tips on how to gift give these gift cards so that the person that's receiving them will avoid them going into the abyss. So how can you, as a gift giver, avoid that for the person you will be giving it to because I think that is part of the gift giving, trying to get the person to actually use it, use a card. Right? I mean, that's why you're giving it to them. So I'm gonna break it down in that way, and let's go. Welcome to the Organized and Productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. I am your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert. Ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:05:21]:
Yeah? Well, then let's go. So for our 1st tip on avoiding your gift cards going into way into the waste and the abyss is treat it like money. I mentioned in the introduction, gift cards are money. They are the equivalent of cash because you exchanged cash for this gift card. And the reason that you did not get the cash. Could be many reasons. If you got it as a gift, it could have been, you know, for whatever reason. Maybe your company, you know, that's what they just stuck to 1 vendor and they gave everybody the same gift card or if you got it for a birthday or something and somebody just thought, hey.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:02]:
Every time I go to the store, I think of you and, you know, they gave you a gift card because of that. It could have been because they got a discount. Maybe the person giving it to you had this gift card, and they're not using it. And they thought, you know what? This person may like it or they were lazy. Okay. Let's be honest. That is a lot of the the reasons as to why you get gift cards is because gift giver may have found that getting a gift card is just more time efficient. Some people will call it lazy.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:06:29]:
In my experience, I don't I don't see it that way. I just see it as you know what? That is a very efficient way of gift giving, and I understand that it's not always very personal. We won't get into that part of gift giving and gift cards, but I get it. For whatever reason, you got this gift card, but the person, giving it to you or if you bought it yourself, exchange to money, like, real money for this gift card. So treat it that way. Don't forget that this is actual money. So the next couple of tips are going to be centered around that. This is a gift a a a type of gift, like an item that is that is cash.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:07:06]:
That is money. So treat it like money and think of it as, oh my gosh. I just lot I just lost $20. What would you do if you if you knew somebody gave you a $20 bill, US dollar bill, and you couldn't find it. You would go and look for it. You would go and, you know, move all the furniture and try to go look for it. So when you know you got a gift card, make sure that it's in a place that you keep your money, whether it's your day to day wallet, maybe it's a box that you go to whenever you need money, you know, a safe. Wherever you keep your money, that's where I would keep your gift cards because that's what it is.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:07:47]:
It's money. So that's straight off the bat, I just wanna remind you of that, because sometimes you just need that little reminder that this is not just a gift. This is not just like the the gift that somebody's regifting you. This is essentially money that you could be using. So that's tip number 1. Let's head on over to tip number 2. For tip number 2, this is all about getting some kind of way to organize the actual gift cards. Now the difference, like I mentioned earlier, between cash and gift cards is that they come in different shapes and sizes, and they're for different vendors.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:08:18]:
And they're for very specific vendors sometimes. You know, whether it's a store, a very specific store, versus, like, a a regular Mastercard Visa gift card. You know, it could be for a specific merchant, and this is where an organizer comes in. These were really popular more, you know, in the last not, you know, 5, 10 years in the couponing big days even the, like, the last 20 years. Think of those organizers. A lot of people will keep them like a little of a binder, especially if you get a lot of them. Especially true for all of you educators, teachers, people that tend to get gift cards from your communities. So that's if you're wondering, listening to this, like, who who gets gift cards anymore? Or wondering why would you get a binder for a gift card.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:03]:
Who is getting so many gift cards? Well, a lot of people do. And a lot of people also have families where they will exchange, gifts, like in gift card ways instead of going out and buying the gifts. So there's a lot of you out there that probably still are receiving receiving gift cards or have them from the the history of gift giving that you've had. So get yourself, like, an organizer, like a credit card organizer, a little mini binder, a little mini wallet that you can keep all of your gift cards nicely organized. I mentioned, egift cards. Egift cards are are tricky because they come in into your inbox, into your email inbox. So your organizer for email or, excuse me, egift cards will look a little different. Most of the time, you will get them via email.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:09:52]:
So put get yourself a folder that's specific in your inbox that says gift cards, egift cards. So every time you get one, immediately put it into that folder. You can also create a rule in most of the email servers, definitely Google, definitely Microsoft Office. Most of the the big email server types, will allow you to do a rule, what's called a rule. So every time there are certain keywords in the title or in the message, they will go into this inbox. And so you can either create a rule that's consistent with what however you you you receive egift cards. Maybe there's a couple keywords. Yeah.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:10:32]:
I would do, like, a egift card. I would do, certain quotes from vendors. Like, they'll say, you just received this. Now, you know, if you're listening, you probably are aware of this already that, there's a lot of scammers out there that send you pretend gift cards so that you will click on a link and then, you know, kinda get you to, like, a bait and switch type of thing. So very be very careful with that. That is why egift cards can be well, all kinds of gift cards can be a little little funny sometimes, but just be careful with that. But you can definitely create a rule so that they go into that. Again, this is especially true if you receive monetary gift cards from your communities.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:11:13]:
Like, if you're an educator, if you are, maybe you're you're somebody that just works with a lot of different people that will give you these tokens of appreciation in the form of egift art. So definitely create a folder for that. Okay. So that get yourself an organizer. That seems to work for a lot of people and this will get you this will lead us into the next tip. So what if you do get yourself an organizer, then you will find this next tip very handy. For our next tip, it's all about keeping track of what how much is the balance of each of the gift cards. And what I've seen work very well is putting either a little sticky note in the front of the gift card or like, tape, like, some like a, removable tape, painters tape or something like that in front of the card and then writing down the balance.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:12:04]:
And then, of course, every time you use it, you write down the balance little by little, and then that way, you know very visually what is left as opposed to having to call or log in to the app every single time if there's a website in the back or calling it in. Now pros and cons to this is, you know, pro easy easy to see. You can quickly look at what you know, how much your balance is, and it's just it's just much easier to keep track of. But, of course, the con is going to be it's a manual. I mean, you have to write it down, bring your pen and paper. And if you're not a pen and paper, oh my gosh, this sounds like a whole lot of work, then you're definitely going to push this habit away. You won't be doing this. Right? And then, of course, it's the if people can see that, you know, susceptible to theft, all that all that that comes with when you're physically putting together monetary items in one place.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:12:59]:
I mean, you have your organizer, and it all says how much is in each card. I mean, that is, like, a red flag for, for, you know, stealing if somebody sees it. But if you're not you if you're you can keep it at home in a safe place, and that way it's more for your internal purposes, that I think it will work. You know? I would not be parading it around, flashing it around. It's the equivalent of carrying, you know, hundreds of hundreds of bill $100 bills in your wallet, and all of a sudden you just get the roll of cash and you just expose it to everybody. I mean, it's probably not the safest thing to do. Same thing here. So I wouldn't be doing that, but I would find a way for you to visually keep track of the balances in what you have that is easily accessible and you can easily see and, you know, just see visually see so that you don't have to create an extra step to find out what you have left, and then that way you know, how much you have left.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:13:55]:
As as part of this org, getting an organizer and clearly writing what is left in each of these gift cards tip. I nowadays, I would suggest, that you also add your gift card to the website if you're like a webs. You're not afraid of, like like, the technology piece, in a lot of the merchants' website, you can just add the gift card to the cart, even even if you're not buying anything, basically, to your account. I'll just name some of the bigger ones like Walmart and Amazon and Target, Starbucks. They all will allow you to add a gift card that somebody gave you and added to your account so that next time you go, next time you check out, next time you order something online, you get it delivered. You can select if you want to add your funds on your account. So that is another way of having an organizer. Some people will do it if they have a especially if you had, like, a a wedding or a baby shower where you got and received a lot of gift cards, then they will have, like, a little folder.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:15:02]:
They'll have their the printouts of the gift cards, and then they will also add it to their account. So it's almost like a double check because, you know, because they they wanna make sure they use it, especially if you wanna accumulate as many of the gift cards as possible for 1 big purchase 1 big purchase. That's where this comes in very handy. Maybe, you know, for graduation. This is very predominant for graduations. Right? You send your graduation invite to all your relatives and your friends, and the gift cards kind of trickle in, not all at once, but maybe in a couple of months. So as you get these gift cards, put them into that account for that merchant and until you reach the goal that you're looking for. So that is another way of adding them to an organizer.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:15:48]:
So it doesn't always have to be old fashioned, like a binder. It can also be a digital version of it if the merchant makes it easy for you to do that, which most of the big retailers do. Okay. So for our next tip, we are talking all about combining your gift cards and selling them. There are apps out there or platforms, I should say, that will buy your gift cards. If you are somebody that has many, multiple gift cards. For whatever reason, gift you know, great again, graduation, celebratory events where you seed in abundance of them or you work in an industry where you receive a lot a lot of them from different merchants that all don't necessarily align with where you go and buy, places that you don't really like or whatever it may be. You do have options to sell them, not sell them back to the merch original merchant, but sell them to a third party merchant.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:16:42]:
I because of when I'm recording this, I I still have not found 1 particular merchant that I absolutely love, but I know many of my clients have used different types of merchants, and I'm happy to discuss those. So if you wanna reach out on Instagram and and, ask for my recommendations, then I will give them to you. And that way, I can give them to you in a little bit more of a up to date basis. So I won't name any right now on the on this podcast, but, basically, your search is going to be centered around online gift card marketplaces. So search for online gift card marketplace or gift card marketplaces or resell gift cards, and then you will come you know, make sure you shop around. Make sure that you, you get maybe some reviews. Test it out with 1 card. Don't just put up all of your cards immediately.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:17:34]:
Make sure that they're reputable because once you put in the number of your card and the PIN number. Then, you know, they they need to check that it's valid, that you're a real person that is giving them a real card with a real value in it as well. So they need to do their verification. But in the meantime, if there is a card if there's a website out there that is impersonating a legitimate online, gift card marketplace and, you know, they try to get your information and you had no idea, then that that would not be good. So I don't wanna this isn't like a scare tactic. This is more of a just be careful and maybe test it out with 1 of your gift cards and then see if it's a reputable company or ask your, your neighbors or your, you know, communities and ask them, hey. Have you ever sold your gift cards. Where where have you sold them to? But those are available to you, and you can just sell them, or exchange them for a merchant that you would use.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:18:28]:
Now this is where I think it's a really good idea to resell them if you have a lot of gift cards, because if you have 1 big purchase that you wanna make at a specific merchant, at a specific, store, then, like, let's say, you know, furniture store, even Amazon or the Targets or the Walmart or the Starbucks or whatever, and it's a big enough item, then reselling all the other $5, $25 gift cards you have received over the last couple of years could potentially be a benefit, in the long run because now you can buy that 1 big piece of item. And, you know, here at The Organized Flamingo, we are all about intentional buying and intentionally intentionally using your stuff with with a purpose, not just keeping it for the sake of it. So purchasing things that you actually will use will become more beneficial then having all these little things that you only use once in a while and are collecting dust. And for our last tip, it actually goes in theme with the last tip, and that is using it to purchase something else, like maybe a favor from a friend. And, actually, it's a favor because you would be exchanging it in a bartering system. So if you have the type of community or friends and family or, you know, Facebook or the neighborhood type of groups where you can put that out there and say, hey. I have this, and I need this. Can we exchange or message somebody or tell them what you're looking for and say, hey.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:19:54]:
I have a gift card, an abundance of gift cards to this one place that I, you know, I received. I no longer need. I don't use it. By any chance, would you want them in exchange for this? So don't be afraid to ask. You never know. I do think that it's all in the way that you ask. You know, don't come in all weird and and spammy. Like, if you've never met this person and you're just cold emailing them or messaging them on Facebook or Instagram and all of a sudden saying this.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:20:22]:
It just might seem a little weird and fishy. So, you know, maybe this is more of a tip for in person relationships or people that you, you know, you you know each other and you trust each other more than just randomly messaging somebody. But then again, you never know. You never know until you ask. So, but I would like to add this as a tip so that if you are coming across many, many of those gift cards that you don't use, then this could be a good way to exchange them for something else. Okay. So I'm gonna leave you off with about 3 tips on how and they're very quick, the way, and 3 tips on if you're the gift giver. So how to gift gift gift cards, well, say that 10 times, in a more thoughtful way so that they're actually being used.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:21:09]:
Right? So the person who you're giving it to doesn't lose them as easily. Maybe, know and actually put something to you. So that's what these tips are coming in for, but also a reminder that depending on your on your country and state in states, there are rules and laws that, have been put in place for gift cards. So please make sure to do a search, read through the fine print, and may and see what, you know, what kind of gift card you're getting, what are the fees, and when they expire. Here in the US, you have 5 years to use them, and then, I believe you know, actually, I don't even wanna go into detail with it because it depends on when you're listening to this pod to this episode. But, basically, we all have states and country laws that are very specific to gift cards, so look those up as well. Okay. So the 3 quick tips are ask the person, the gift the person you're buying this gift card for, where do they shop? You know? That I I feel like sometimes that's obvious, but maybe not.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:22:12]:
And if you're in a rush or it was a last minute decision to gift gift this person a gift card, that's okay. You know? I would rather somebody ask me what where I shop or what I like versus just giving me a gift card that they found, you know, in the bottom of their drawer. Not that there's anything wrong with that, honestly. I'm very appreciative of any gift that people that anybody gives me because I know that that is their hard earned money or they thought about thought about it, and even if they didn't think about it, they obviously gave it to me, you know. And, anyway, whatever. That's that's a different discussion. But the point here is is that, if you're trying to be more intentional, ask the person. You know, go ahead and ask them.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:22:53]:
Where do you shop? What do you like? Tip number 2. Write a note that is with the gift card. It either a note or maybe print out a picture of what you think that they would like or what the gift card is intended for. So let's say that somebody is a painter and you wanted to buy them paints, but you had no idea what kind of paints they liked. So instead you went to the local art shop and get and you're giving them a a gift card. So in the note, say that. Hey. I didn't know what to get you quite frankly, and I think it's better that you pick your own gift.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:23:26]:
Like, what kind of paint? Because everybody, you know, has specific taste. So please accept this as, you know, a token of my appreciation, gratitude, celebratory moment, and go ahead and pick something that you like. Or hey. I didn't know what size you were, but this is the shirt I wanna get you. If you wanna go ahead and buy it, you know, just here's a gift card, but this is the this is the shirt I wanna get you. So something more personable. And then the last is write the instructions on how to do or how to how to access the gift card or how to exchange the gift card or how to redeem the gift card because not all merchants are the same, not all vendors are the same. So especially if this is for somebody who is not tech savvy.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:24:10]:
Write them the instructions. Say, hey. This is what this the gift card is for this or for this place. Go to this website. You'll do this, this, and this. Even if you think it's obvious, even if you think that the back of the card should be enough or that they should do it themselves, I I am of the mindset that if you can help somebody use their gift in and optimize what you're giving them, that is just so much better. So, right directions and make it easy for them to redeem and use. And then if you can, make sure that you read the instruct you know, well, the instructions first, but also anything about the fees.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:24:49]:
Like, anything that might be important to note and to tell the person about. So, hey. You have 5 years to use this. This expires in 2020, you know, 50. So that way they know and it's apparent and it's not just another little gift card that they're going to put, you know, in their drawer, and it's gonna get lost. At least they know that where they can redeem it and how long they have. So write those things down and make it easy for them. Okay, so that is it for our episode this week.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:25:16]:
Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Right? We're gonna go in and get all of our gift cards that you know are in your drawers. Go dig them up, put them in a binder, put them in an organizer, load them up and use them, and make sure you get the most value out of them because it's cash that's just laying around. So head on over, start decluttering those. And if you are so inclined, share your experience with us. Let me know if you found some new gift cards you didn't know you had and you're putting them to use. Share it with us over on social media. We'd love to cheer you on.
Stephanie Y. Deininger [00:25:48]:
Until next time, happy organizing. If you enjoy today's episode, I would love it if you leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here. For full show notes and resources, head on over to the organized flamingo.com/podcast. Happy organizing.
This week, we're diving into the eerie realm of keeping pests out of our storage areas, pantries, and closets. We are sharing top tips for avoiding these little creepy crawlers and what to do if you do find them in your storage areas while organizing. Grab your brooms and get ready for some storage magic as we keep our spaces less eek! and more chic.
In this episode, we talk about:
Keeping your storage spaces organized, safe, and critter-free!
Tips for Preventing Water Damage
Preventing Pest Infestations
Mentioned in this Episode:
Keep or Toss Decision Tree
www.organizedandproductive.com/keeportoss
Garage & Basement Organizing Products on Amazon I recommend: Amazon Storefront Here (*earns commissions)
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The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or are constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
This week, we get into three categories that we see most organizing projects falling into. These categories, the Simple, Functional and Personalized type of projects, will help you estimate how long a project will take. Whether it's a simple, functional, or personalized project, we'll explore the mistakes people often make in each category and provide tips on how to be successful in each type of project. This way, you can avoid the frustration that comes with starting a project and never finishing it.
In this episode we talk about:
Tips to avoid leaving your clutter half-done
How to plan out your organizing project
mistakes people make with their organizing projects
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 006: Should You Do It Yourself or Outsource It?
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
This week, we dive into the topic of clutter. What exactly is clutter and why is it such a big deal? We take you on a journey to define clutter and how it can vary from person to person. We explore the impact clutter can have on our mental and physical health, and even discover how clutter and creativity can intertwine. So sit back, relax, and let's unpack this concept of clutter together. This episode will challenge your perception of clutter and help you understand its significance in our lives.
In this episode we talk about:
What is clutter?Why is clutter a big deal?The relationship between clutter and creativity
Mentioned in this Episode:
Ep. 17 Living With An Unorganized Partner: How to Avoid Frustration
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
This week we explore the challenge that many of you have shared with us—finding a home for everything in your kitchen and containing your items. This episode is dedicated to helping you navigate this crucial step in the organizing process.
In this episode we talk about:
The importance of finding a home for everything and containing items Thinking differently about space and utilizing vertical, horizontal, and diagonal areasPractical tips on how to organize your kitchen
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
This week, we have a fan-favorite topic to discuss – book organizing! Unlike other organizing tasks that might not be as enjoyable, many of you have expressed your love for organizing books. Whether you dream of having your own mini library or want to categorize your books like a professional librarian, we've got you covered.
We'll share expert tips and considerations to make your book-organizing journey even better. So, if you have a ton of books begging for organization or simply want to discover new ways to enhance your bookshelf, then you're in the right place.
Get ready to dive into the wonderful world of book organizing.
In this episode we talk about:
Different organizing methods like the Universal Classification System, Dewey Decimal, Color Coded, Alphabetical, and many other
Who benefits from these systems and why
What to consider when you are organizing books
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 009: Organization with Flair: How to Have a Stylish and Tidy Home
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
As the year comes to a close, many of us find ourselves going through our closets, basements, and attics, getting out holiday decorations, and doing some much-needed decluttering. This episode marks the beginning of a series of conversations about getting organized during this busy time of year.
Today, our focus is on mindful shopping and how to create a shopping plan to avoid overspending. We'll discuss the importance of decluttering and the feeling of overwhelm that often comes with impulse buying. Our goal is to provide you with helpful strategies to avoid accumulating excess stuff and to be more intentional with your purchases.
In this episode, we talk about:
How to avoid overspending during the holiday show Impulse buying leads to accumulating duplicates how to navigate holiday sales when you are trying to declutter
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The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger! For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or are constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
Organizing is difficult and can be a stressful, time-consuming project. It’s also an essential skill that can increase your physical and emotional health. Chances are, though, that during an organizing project, you made a few mistakes. While it's natural to feel disappointed or frustrated when mistakes occur, it's important to recognize them as valuable learning opportunities rather than failures. So, whether you live in a house in Brentwood, CA, or a Greenville, SC, apartment, these expert-backed tips are sure to make your life easier. Read on for 27 organizing mistakes to avoid during your next decluttering project. Read the full article here: Organizing Mistakes: 27 Slip-Ups to Avoid During Your Next Project | Redfin
This post comes to you as a series. There is no order the series, but each covers a different part on ways to organize for the Holiday Season.
If you live or work out of a small space and looking for ways to maximize that space during the Holiday Season, here a few ideas that I think will help.
Hit up thrift stores, FB Marketplace, Craigslist (to keep things off of landfills and support people that are looking to sell their items). After you are done for the Holiday, donate them back.
Purchase some cute items that would adorn items you already have such as Santa hats, ornaments, cut up some luminarias – then add those accent items to the doors, tie up your books with holiday ribbon, pictures frames, etc. I would focus on buying the accent pieces so there is less to store and find ways to updo what you have.
For a tree, the thinner ones work great for small spaces, a wall tree is super cute and a modern take, or you can get a plant (fake or real) and decorate that and have it up all year. Storing it will take up less space.
Lastly, limit yourself ahead of time to a drawer, box, a bag, or whatever your limited space is, and only get holiday decor that will fit in that area
Kindly, Stephanie
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