Too many books. It's touchy to address the fact that books CAN be clutter.
According to Wikipedia: A Bibliophile is an avid lover or collector of books. But Bibliomania, an obsessive-compulsive disorder involving the collecting of books to the point where social relations or health are damaged, and in which the mere fact that an object IS A BOOK is sufficient for it to be collected or loved is another matter. You don't have to have this disorder to consider the fact that books can overwhelm your space. Look around. Are they gathering dust, are the shelves stuffed, are books on the floor, in drawers.. is there a place for one more book if you bought it?
First ask yourself a few questions to see where you are .... Can you consider throwing books away? How do you currently decide/select which ones to keep, and how do you incorporate them into your home?
Books are wonderful addition to the home when they are being read, referenced, adding value and are properly displayed and cared for. But they all don't have to be kept FOREVER!. Ask yourself why you are holding on to your books? Is it because you once had the interest or needed the information. If so, is it STILL relevant? If not, then it is time to let it go. Or is it because owning and keeping it gives you a sense of security, accomplishment or intellectual status because you own the book and the knowlege within it - whether you have actually read it or not, or if it even still interests you?
Peter Walsh in "It's All Too Much!" explains "When you buy a book, you do not suddenly own the wisdom it contains - all you have bought is words on paper. It's up to you to internalize whatever enlightenment the book has to offer. Without full grasping this concept, it can be close to impossible to separate oneself from one's books".
If you are ready to part with some of your books, next ask- What is the worst thing that would happen if you no longer OWNED the book?
-Can they be replaced if you needed another? (library, amazon, e-bay, used bookstore).
-Is the information available elsewhere? (Internet).
-Is the information up to date or even relevant anymore?
-Donate or sell books that are no longer relevant so they may be enjoyed by another.
-Set a limit on the area(s) in your home you will allocate for books.
-Purge your books until they fit into that space with some room to SPARE.
-Moving forward, use the in-out rule to keep under control. For every new book you bring home, an old one must be donated.
Mamasource
Friday, September 19, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
School Paper Madness
Welcome Back to school… and 180 days (or so) of endless paper!
Are you ready for the invasion of class work, tests, projects, artwork, schedules, flyers, and newsletters? If not, it's not too late to develop a plan of action to deal with the onslaught of paper.
To start: designate a place for ALL incoming school papers for the KIDS to place the papers. (And not on the counter, entry way, or dinning table!). This can either be a single in-box for all papers, or designate one per child. If they want the paper signed… Put it HERE. Remind kids to not place incomplete/ungraded schoolwork here, unless it needs your signature.
Next, sort and handle the papers as follows:
A) Papers requiring your attention (signatures, approvals, completion, mark the date events) After paperwork is completed, either place in an “out-box” for the children to check if they are older to teach responsibility for school papers returning back to school; or if younger, return to their backpacks. Next, put any important dates (holidays, due dates, testing dates, practices, meets, open houses, conferences etc) immediately onto the calendar! By creating and In/Out system for children to deliver and retrieve paperwork for you, you will create a system that creates accountability and is habit building for your children and you!
B) Papers frequently referenced throughout the year (calendars, band/sport schedules, menus, bus schedules, contact info, etc.) I recommend a school “command center” binder. Use tabs marked either by child, subject (band, menu, bus etc). In this binder place bus schedules, lunch menus, school calendars, band or sports calendars, etc. Anything you need to reference frequently throughout the year. Purge at the end of the school year or at report card time, or as extracurricular activities end during the year.
C) Keepsakes (art, great grades, creative work, certificates etc) Rule of thumb: Give each “masterpiece” or “90-100%” 1 week on the fridge or other prominent showcase. Then toss. Aim to keep 2 pieces of artistic and scholastic per quarter- focusing on superior efforts, creativity, and personality. Use a large manila envelope/bankers box or try the School folio http://www.schoolfolio.com/ for each child for all the keepsake papers, drawings and small items they bring home from school. Be sure to include: Name, Age, Grade and School Year. Review and "edit" further if needed/desired at the end of each school year .
D) Other. (School Handbooks, testing info, progress and report cards, class rules, photo/yearbook info, and other misc.,) Create a file with the child’s name and school. This is for less frequently referenced material. This should be purged at the end of the school year. Most will be tossed. Final report cards can be incorporated into “keepsake” storage. Some may roll over to the next year or be forward looking.
By designating and setting up these 4 areas to handle all school related papers, you can quickly decide how to handle, what to keep, where to store, and can quickly retrieve information as needed. Now go forth and conquer!
Are you ready for the invasion of class work, tests, projects, artwork, schedules, flyers, and newsletters? If not, it's not too late to develop a plan of action to deal with the onslaught of paper.
To start: designate a place for ALL incoming school papers for the KIDS to place the papers. (And not on the counter, entry way, or dinning table!). This can either be a single in-box for all papers, or designate one per child. If they want the paper signed… Put it HERE. Remind kids to not place incomplete/ungraded schoolwork here, unless it needs your signature.
Next, sort and handle the papers as follows:
A) Papers requiring your attention (signatures, approvals, completion, mark the date events) After paperwork is completed, either place in an “out-box” for the children to check if they are older to teach responsibility for school papers returning back to school; or if younger, return to their backpacks. Next, put any important dates (holidays, due dates, testing dates, practices, meets, open houses, conferences etc) immediately onto the calendar! By creating and In/Out system for children to deliver and retrieve paperwork for you, you will create a system that creates accountability and is habit building for your children and you!
B) Papers frequently referenced throughout the year (calendars, band/sport schedules, menus, bus schedules, contact info, etc.) I recommend a school “command center” binder. Use tabs marked either by child, subject (band, menu, bus etc). In this binder place bus schedules, lunch menus, school calendars, band or sports calendars, etc. Anything you need to reference frequently throughout the year. Purge at the end of the school year or at report card time, or as extracurricular activities end during the year.
C) Keepsakes (art, great grades, creative work, certificates etc) Rule of thumb: Give each “masterpiece” or “90-100%” 1 week on the fridge or other prominent showcase. Then toss. Aim to keep 2 pieces of artistic and scholastic per quarter- focusing on superior efforts, creativity, and personality. Use a large manila envelope/bankers box or try the School folio http://www.schoolfolio.com/ for each child for all the keepsake papers, drawings and small items they bring home from school. Be sure to include: Name, Age, Grade and School Year. Review and "edit" further if needed/desired at the end of each school year .
D) Other. (School Handbooks, testing info, progress and report cards, class rules, photo/yearbook info, and other misc.,) Create a file with the child’s name and school. This is for less frequently referenced material. This should be purged at the end of the school year. Most will be tossed. Final report cards can be incorporated into “keepsake” storage. Some may roll over to the next year or be forward looking.
By designating and setting up these 4 areas to handle all school related papers, you can quickly decide how to handle, what to keep, where to store, and can quickly retrieve information as needed. Now go forth and conquer!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
