Follow a Simple Schedule of Things to Do

Nearly everyone, it seems, has a schedule that is too crammed and hectic to leave enough extra time to finish those undone tasks and tackle those still-to-do projects. Consequently, most people walk around with a vague sense that they haven’t quite got it all “together.”

To conquer this unfinished feeling, you can start to get all of the bits and pieces of your life together by setting aside 10 weekends to start, finish, and/or complete the following projects:

Closet commando--Clean out and organize all of the closets in your house. Get rid of clothes that are too small or outdated. If you haven’t worn it in more than a year, you probably never will, so those items can go as well. If it needs to be mended, send it out, or give it to charity. Get rid of shoes that hurt your feet or are outdated. Clean out and organize bathroom, linen, and kitchen cabinets as well. Give away or toss duplicates (you don’t need three whisks), or things you never liked and never use (those purple sheets that you got as a gift, but hate). Tackle one closet or cabinet at a time, and work your way systematically through the house.

Go for the garage--The garage is often the last outpost for clutter and items that you never use. Start early in the morning and pull everything (yes, everything) out of the garage. Then only put back what you need to save or use. Throw everything else away or give it to charity. If other people are using your garage for storage, call and tell them to pick up their things before you start. Make sure you dispose of any toxics responsibly, and if you must store mementos in the garage, repack them in clean boxes with clearly written labels on all sides and store them on a shelf.

Garage sale--Now that you’ve cleaned out your closets, cabinets and the garage, have a garage sale to get rid of your cast-offs. Price everything to sell-- cheap ! Remember this is stuff you want to get rid of. At the end of the day, pack up everything that is left over, and take it directly to a charity. Do not take it back into the house or garage.

Car care--If your car needs attention, now is the time to clean out the trunk and glove compartment, and get the car washed, waxed, and detailed. Take the car in for servicing and if you need new tires, get them. After that, regular attention and maintenance in small doses should keep your car and you, going for quite some time.

Fix it--Get everything fixed. Gather up everything in the house that needs to be repaired and take it out to the appropriate repair facility or call a repair person to come in. Clothes should go to a tailor or seamstress, small appliances need to go to appliance repair shops, jewelry goes to the jeweler, and the clock to the clock repair shop. Don’t waste your time or money repairing things you won’t wear or use, and don’t try to fix everything yourself. You probably don’t have enough time or talent to fix it all, and the time you save will be well worth the money spent for the repairs.

Sports hero--You can be a hero to your sports equipment by taking the time out to clean, repair, and/or service all of your equipment. Get your bike repaired, wax your skis, and get the basketball and volleyball out so you can pump some much needed air into them. Check your fishing gear and organize the tackle, and take the tennis rackets out to be re-strung. Buy any new or extra equipment that you need to update and add to what you already have. The next time a sports opportunity arises, you’ll be ready to jump in and take part.

Paper patrol--Don’t wait until tax time to organize your paper work. Get all of your receipts for the year in order now, and when filing time rolls around, you’ll be well ahead of the game. While you’re at it, throw out all of the accumulated junk mail and catalogues that have been piling up. Go through any boxes of papers or files that you have, and purge unnecessary papers there as well. Put what is left in neatly labeled file folders or boxes so that the next time you need a particular piece of paper, you won’t have to spend 20 minutes searching for it.

Read--Get rid of all of those backed-up magazines, newspapers, catalogues and journals that are outdated or that you simply don’t have time for, because they’ve been accumulating for such a long time. If there is an article you must read, clip it, and throw the rest of the periodical away. Then spend the rest of the weekend catching up on the reading that is really important. Make sure you spend time reading that self-help or business book that you’ve been meaning to get to, and polish the weekend off by escaping into that romance or spy novel that you’ve been wanting to read for months.

Drop a line--Catch up on all of your back correspondence. Write letters, notes or cards to all of your friends and relatives who are always complaining that you never write. Stock up on stationery, cards, post cards and postage, and put it all in a portable basket. Once you’ve caught up with the correspondence, you can spend a few minutes each day at breakfast--or while you’re watching TV--to dash off a note or card so you don’t get behind again.

Holiday plan--The holidays are coming, so now is the time to get a good head start on the activities and obligations that accompany the season. Buy your cards, postage, and gift wrapping. Make a list of gifts to buy, and begin buying some gifts now. If you’ll be entertaining, plan your menus or check with caterers now. If you’ll be traveling, firm up your travel plans. The holidays and the attendant activities will be upon you before you know it, and your advance planning can mean the difference between a happy and a harried holiday season.