As a professional organizer, I can’t describe a typical day or week because each of my client’s needs are so different. You could say that keeps my job more “random.” For instance, this week I visited the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) twice for a client, communicated the pros and cons of making a yard sale, and learned a new household hack from a client. The high of my week, both personally and professionally, was beginning to use an amazing daily planner that could be just the right thing for you too.
On Monday, I attempted to return four old license plates to the DMV for a client. These plates had been sitting by her garage door for several weeks. My client was not planning to use them in the future, yet she feared it would be against the law to throw them out. Ignoring their existence seemed to be the safest course of action. When faced with tricky questions, people may not know who will have the answer, other than Alexa.
As an experiment, I chose three different ways to ask Alexa what to do with old license plates. I received various responses including “Hmm, I don’t know that answer,” and “Some people send it back to the DMV.” Since I like to provide my clients with detailed instructions, this was not acceptable. The New Jersey DMV website was most helpful. “License plates can be returned in person at any NJMVC agency or mailed to the central office. When mailing, include the owner’s name, address and vehicle registration details. Using a traceable mailing method is recommended to prevent issues with lost plates.” These days mailing packages can get pricey, so I volunteered to return them.
The last time I returned plates for a client, I brought them to the Edison DMV and simply placed them in the drop box outside the front door. This time, even though I would be arriving after 5 p.m., I was confident it would be just as easy. But NO! As if taunting me, the license plate depository was now securely fitted with a metal bar across the front and a heavy lock prevented it from opening. Wordy instructions were posted on the front, including, “No drop-offs after 3 p.m.” Yes, I felt frustrated but I realized I had to return to this area tomorrow anyway to do an errand.
The next morning, I expected the bar would have been removed, but instead, I observed a frustrated woman trying vainly to push her plate through the still blocked opening. I walked into the foyer where a friendly guard directed me to a nearby window. An even friendlier clerk happily accepted the plates. Happy ending! The takeaway is: you can save postage if you bring your plates inside the DMV building before 3 p.m. Also, the old myth that only sour pusses work at the DMV is just that … a myth.
This time of year, some of my clients consider holding a yard sale. From the time I was a teenager, I organized yard sales for my family and a couple of my synagogues. Holding a successful yard sale takes several concentrated days or several less concentrated weeks to plan. I learned that the better measure of success of a yard sale is not how much money has been earned; rather, how much space has been freed up inside your home. From a business standpoint, I found that I could not be adequately compensated for my work and time without seriously cutting into my client’s earnings. As a result, iDeclutter stopped planning and executing yard sales years ago, as did many of my fellow professional organizers. Now, if I coordinate a yard sale, it will be in my yard with my family and friends. I treat it as a labor of love as I get lost in the preparation and execution.
This week a friend requested that I plan her yard sale. I was, of course, flattered, but I explained fully why I had to turn her offer down. The takeaway is: You can’t hire someone to organize your yard sale for you and make a profit. If you are trying to figure out how to get rid of your “stuff,” ask yourself if you will get enjoyment from making your front yard into a store. Perhaps it would suit you better to pay a junk hauler or schedule a charity pickup.
I am sending a shout-out to my client M. to thank her for teaching me a household hack for how to clean off wax from Shabbat candlesticks. Using a hair dryer in a back-and-forth motion, direct the hot air against the built-up wax for about a minute. Wipe the melted wax away with a paper towel. The takeaway is that an organizer is always learning from her clients.
This week I am obsessed with the early Mother’s Day gift my daughter gave me. It is a yearly planner called the “Daily Rhythm,” and it is “designed with the everyday frum woman in mind.” Over the years, I have worked with countless planners offering various sizes, constructions and content, but never have I owned one that was designed exclusively for me and my tribe. The Daily Rhythm “recognizes the unique challenges of a Jewish woman to manage her busy life while keeping faith and family at the forefront.” I used to wish for a workbook that would help me plan for Shabbos and Pesach, but I did not imagine it could be wrapped up within my daily planner.
Why am I so high on this particular planner? This one is chock-full of amazing features such as a place to arrange the priorities of each day, to list dinners, to journal your gratitude daily, to list the Tehillim you wish to recite, and to keep monthly and weekly notes. Further, at a time when my phone’s calendar no longer provides the dates of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Daily Rhythm notes the date of every Jewish holiday and each Rosh Chodesh. A section at the end of the book offers an opportunity to relax with beautiful designs to color. That does not even scratch the surface of all it contains! As their website says, “It’s all about creating a space for organization, reflection and calm amidst the chaos!” It also has a wonderfully soft cover that exudes elegance. Something to please our guff as well as our neshama.
While it is not the type of daily planner you can pop in your purse and take everywhere, it will look lovely on your nightstand or in your office and it will be there for you to constantly refer to. The Daily Rhythm “Empowers Jewish women to take charge of their schedule, makes room for success, and builds a profitable, purpose-driven future.”
The takeaway is: For more information or to order your own Daily Rhythm planner, head to their website, mydailyrhythm.com.
Ellen Smith of iDeclutter, LLC of Central Jersey is a residential organizer and a member of NAPO, the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. For over 16 years, Ellen has helped people restore order and create calm in their homes and souls. See Ellen’s work on Instagram @ideclutterbyEllen. Contact Ellen for a complimentary phone consultation at ideclutter407@gmail.com.
