If you asked me the one person I’d most like to meet, you might expect me to say something like Oprah or President Obama. And, surely, meeting either of those people would be life-changingly awesome.

But, for my little Penelope self, my answer would be organizing guru and bestselling author Julie Morgenstern. I love her style and every one of her books. She inspires me to be my most effective both at work and at home. In fact, I’ve written about my favorite of her books here. It’s literally one of my “Books to Live By”.

So imagine my excitement when Julie said she’d be willing to answer some questions for us. She was so forthcoming that I decided to split her answers into 2 posts. We’ll be in Julie Heaven this week, Penelopes.

In today’s post, we got to know her a little more personally, which is a huge treat for a fan like me. The next post will give us some insight into how she keeps herself organized, including the tools she uses on a daily basis. Oh, and we’ll also be doing a GIVEAWAY of her new book. Look for that post next Monday.

Here’s what she shared:

Julie Morgenstern

Penelope Loves Lists: Were you neat and tidy as a kid or teenager? What did your room look like at 16?

Julie Morgenstern: I grew up as an exceedingly disorganized kid.  My room was so messy, one friend recently told me she used to be afraid to visit me, because every time she did, she’d end up losing something in the chaos.

As a theater person and dancer, I collected everything, from costumes, props and vintage cooking utensils to old class notes, souvenir restaurant menus, and playbills. These were my treasures. But I could never find anything.

There wasn’t a day that you could see even a square inch of the floor. It was a nice floor, too — Congoleum, a jazzy turquoise and blue design I had begged my parents for and which they bought me in the hope that it would inspire me to keep my room neat and navigable. No such luck. Within a day of being installed, the Congoleum was covered in rubble, rarely to be seen again.

Every six months or so, my parents would “hit the roof,” and banish me to my fourth floor “jungle” for the weekend with a direct order not to come out until it was cleaned up.

Truth is, I wanted to be organized because it was almost as frustrating to me to have my room in such turmoil as it was for them to see it that way. I’d begin by dumping out all the drawers and emptying all the closets in an effort to decide what “junk” I could get rid of. In the course of sorting through this stuff, I would rediscover lost treasures I hadn’t set eyes on since the last time I’d attempted to get my room in shape. “Wow, this reminds me of that trip I took” or “Gee, I could really use this someday,” became constant refrains, slowing the clean-up process to a crawl.

The clock was ticking. Sunday night was fast approaching. Soon there would be a knock on the door. My parents ready for the grand unveiling! I would look around my room and realize that it actually looked WORSE than when I started. In a panic, I’d quickly gather stuff from every direction and shove it into drawers, closets, and under the bed with no rhyme or reason.

The knock arrived; my parents came in, saw the Congoleum, and applauded me for my efforts. The room was perfect. But I knew better. Sure enough, by the next day, the Congoleum would start to disappear again as the piles returned. I’d have spent sixteen hours of determined activity with no visible payoff for my efforts whatsoever; another marathon organizing session down the tubes! In six months I would be at it again.

PLL: How do your naturally organized or “Penelope” tendencies inform your role as “Mom”?

JM: Being a mom and an organizational expert, I have always known that it is important to avoid insulting and judging your child when it comes to organization. I feel great that I never told my daughter Jessi that she was disorganized…no matter how messy her room got (and it got messy!).  I always focused on where she was organized.   Within the piles, there were systems…her dance things, friends phone numbers and stuffed animals were always well organized.  And I just told her that when the other things started to be as important to her, she would organize those as well.  And she did!  Starting in junior high school, she began to organize her homework and school papers, then it was her clothes, and today she has a system for just about everything.

Every teenager and child is organized someplace, somewhere, in some way. I feel that one of the most important motherly jobs is to help them change their “hopelessly disorganized” self-image.  Eliminate phrases like “You’re such a slob” and “Your room is a pigsty!” Instead, concentrate on the positive — maybe your kid’s room is mess, but they always turn in their homework on time.  Maybe they have papers piled everywhere, but their photo albums and scrapbooks are in enviable order.  Recognize the ways in which your child is organized, and let them know you are confident in their ability to apply those skills to other areas of their life as well.

Julie working with one of her clients

PLL: What’s your best advice for maintaining work/life balance?

JM: People often make the mistake of dividing their lives into just two parts—work and home. That’s misleading—there are multiple elements to your life outside work, and it’s important to balance your time between all of them.

“Balancing your balance” is the real secret to being in control. You need to balance three categories of your personal life to give yourself true energy:

Physical Activity

Taking care of our bodies through sleep, exercise, a healthy diet, and regular medical check-ups provides the physical well of energy we draw upon to accomplish everything we need to do. Yet, this is often the first thing to go, when we are stressed.

Escapes

Hobbies and activities that instantly transport us to a place of joy provide one of the most efficient ways to recharge our batteries.  Reading, dancing, gardening, golf, playing Frisbee with your dog, or sauntering through a museum can get you quickly out of your head and into another world— renewing your spirit, and giving you the opportunity to come back to work with a new perspective.

People

When overwhelmed with work and stress, it’s very easy to take our relationships for granted or get disconnected. Keeping our relationships strong feeds our spirits, grounds us, enforces our identities and brings out our best selves, which is all very important in a time of transition, in which we can feel lost.  Spending time with the people who know and love you can remind you who you are, and give you renewed confidence for tackling your greatest challenges.

Together, these three categories form the acronym PEP, which is exactly what they will give you.

PLL: What’s the best book you’ve read lately? Or, your favorite book of all time?

JM: When I was trying to write my first book, I had the worst writer’s block.  Here I had a book contract and a deadline, and spent three months writing and rewriting the first three chapters. At this pace I would not have finished the book in time. A dear friend recommended Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott, which is the most influential book I’ve read for my business.  Her wisdom cut right through my paralysis, and unleashed my voice.  I got the next 12 chapters done in the following three months, and my book went on to become a New York Times bestseller.  Five books later, I still draw upon the lessons I learned in Bird by Bird.

Again, The next post will give us some insight into how Julie keeps herself organized, including the tools she uses on a daily basis. We’ll also be doing a GIVEAWAY of her new book. Look for that post next Monday.

Related posts:

1. Interview with a blogger: meet Jessica from Lavender & Lilies
2. When Eight is not Enough…
3. How This Blogger Stays Organized: Meet Benita from Chez Larsson

I went into a McDonald’s the other day (for the sole purpose of going to the bathroom on a road trip) and was annoyed to find that there was no place whatsoever to put my purse while I was in the stall. What do they think we’re going to do with our bags? Put them on the floor? Of a McDonald’s restroom? One shudders.

I ended up managing to do what I needed to do with my bag never touching that floor, but I was so irritated when I left that I forewent a cheeseburger. That’s me taking an intense stand because I love me some McDonald’s cheeseburger. I railed on to my husband for 5 minutes about this afterwards and today, he brought home this handy little item for me:

Over The Door Hooks from The Container Store

So smart! It’s the Over the Door Hook from the Container Store. They come in packs of two so I was able to slip one into my purse and give one to a Penelope friend. Somehow I feel empowered knowing I’m no longer beholden to the designers of bathrooms in restaurants and movie theaters.

This made me remember that my sister-in-law carries The Handbag Hook with her so that she doesn’t have to put her purse on the floor when she’s in a restaurant. Clever.

The Handbag Hook from the Container Store

I’m not usually germ-phobic, but I do care about where I put my purse.

And I’m also weird about shoes. I obsess about what I’ve stepped in while I’m out and about and don’t want to track that into my house. Ick. I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.

Tell me you feel the same way.

Related posts:

1. Assignment: purse de-clutter, or do this now, you’ll be glad you did later
2. Assignment: purse de-clutter, or do this now, you’ll be glad you did later
3. A Tool for the Penelope on the Go: Cascading File Tote

I got an email the other day from a delightful Penelope named Karen. She’s got a situation brewing and needs some feedback from the Penelope Community.

Here’s what Karen says:

“I have a family member whom I love dearly and with whom I’m very close, but who is also a little bit on the sensitive side.  He often visits my home and always insists on helping around the house… sounds nice, right?  Except, he doesn’t do things the way I would and it drives me batty.  If I make dinner, no amount of “oh, no, don’t worry about the dishes I’ll get them later” will stop him.  He insists on doing them… badly.

I know I’m a total nut about how dishes are done, which is why I never ask anyone else to do them. Also, I’m very very, very specific about where and how things are put away.  Again, I know that this is all just a quirk of mine and that other people aren’t wrong to put a wire whisk away still damp (mine is silicone, it’s not going to rust, but I Just Do Not Like It.).

After this family member has been to my house, I spend the next week searching for things that are in the wrong place and re-washing fry pans that haven’t had the toothpick treatment (you know, where you dig into the rivets with a toothpick to get the gunk out?).

And to be totally honest, even if he did all these tasks up to my totally wacky standards, I still wouldn’t want the help.  I like cleaning my kitchen.  It’s my time to relax and gather my thoughts at the end of the day.  I like to putter and straighten.  Trying to explain that to non-Penelopes is almost impossible. He thinks I’m just being “nice” or being a “good hostess”, but the truth is, if he doesn’t get the heck out of my kitchen I may have to move out of state!

So, how does a Penelope politely get a beloved, helpful, not-quite-Penelope (or should that be Percival??) out of my kitchen without hurting his feelings??”

Here’s my answer:

Hi Karen,

I think there are two possible approaches to this: you could opt to go the easier route and just give your family member different things to do while you clean up the kitchen. He could sweep or dry dishes. Easy stuff.

But, I don’t think that truly gets to the heart of your situation. I think you’re dealing with a deeper, more emotional issue. You’re telling him how you feel and he’s not listening. He’s certainly well-intentioned, but he’s not respecting you. He’s putting his need to help ahead of your happiness.

You have every right to say, nicely but oh-so-clearly, that this will not continue. That you fully understand the sweet, helpful place from which he’s coming, but you like doing things your way and you actually like cleaning and you’re going to do this yourself.

If he loves you like he says he does, he’ll respect this quirk of yours. You could even tell him you’re a Penelope and that you can’t help it – it’s your nature. Hey, refer him to our website, so he can see what he’s dealing with!

The point is, this is your kitchen and your domain. You make the rules. But, communicated lovingly, I think this can be handled with minimal emotional distress.

Don’t worry, Karen. You’ve got thousands of Penelopes standing in support.

Penelopes: weigh in with your thoughts in the comments. Karen and I really want to know what you think!

Related posts:

1. Tip for small space living: the Quarterly Cleanout
2. Terrible Inconvenience = Fantastic Opportunity: My new bed means a reorganized linen closet
3. On my mind: being able to plan can be a pain in the butt

I’m super jazzed to once again welcome Guest Poster and SAHM Penelope Melinda to the blog. Last time, she gave us some tips to help preserve our sanity during the kids’ summer vacation. This time, she’s helping us refine our kids’s daily tasks as we get into the school year.

The Back-To-School extravaganza is upon us and we are ready. School supplies purchased, check. New clothes washed and folded, check. Backpacks filled, check.

Lunches made…wait, not sure. Alarm clock set, oops, I forgot.

This is how it usually goes in the home of this Penelope. All of the big, exciting preparations are made but it’s those little yet crucial tasks that are quickly put on the back burner by our darling scholars.

Let’s face it: we can be as organized as possible and yet we still find ourselves bellowing up the stairs, “Don’t forget to brush your teeth!!”

It was actually my husband who provided me with this “aha” moment. One morning, he had the privilege of listening to my litany of reminder to my kids. And then he said, “They would forget it all if it weren’t for you.” And he was right…but it left me discouraged. My job as a parent it is to equip them to live without me! I needed a new plan, one that would encourage independence and self-sufficiency.

Enter The Sticks.

The System:

I grabbed a pile of popscicle sticks. On each stick, I wrote a morning job that needed to be completed (make bed, brush teeth, grab your lunch, take your vitamin). Same thing for the evening tasks. On the back of each was a consequence, some natural (be hungry because you forgot your lunch) others punitive (lose 30 minutes of computer time). If the child doesn’t complete that task, she knows exactly what the consequence will be. It’s consistent and there are never any surprises.

Then I made a set of “point sticks”. One stick = one point. If they successfully complete all of their tasks from the morning, they get one point, same thing for their evening tasks. For the school week, there are 10 possible points to be earned.

Next, I created a “sticks” pouch for the bedroom. Using old placemats and a sewing machine (or hot glue if you prefer), I fashioned these little creations, one for each of my school age children.

Idea: This entire system could also be done in a “no sew” way by using 2 sets of 3 labeled glass jars, and moving the sticks from the left jar to the middle and point sticks going in jar on the far right. Your kids could get into the game by labeling and decorating the jars themselves. Or not. Up to you. I know how we Penelopes love to label.

The top section is for the Morning Tasks, the bottom for the Nighttime Tasks (responsibilities such as taking out the trash or packing up homework).

The sticks all start the day on the left. (My kids actually have a stick to remind them to move their sticks over…ha!) When they complete a task, they move its stick to the middle. If they earn a point, the number stick goes in the last little pocket.

One of the things that I love about the sticks is that I can add or subtract jobs as needed. If they have short days and don’t need a lunch, I remove the stick. If they have laundry to put away, I add the laundry stick. “Point” sticks and “odd-job” sticks are kept in a mug on the dresser.

The Reward for the Kids:

My kids earn a point for each morning and evening set that they complete fully each day. If, at the end of the week, they have earned 8 of the 10 possible points, they are rewarded with a slightly later bedtime the following week. If they earn all 10 points, they get a later bedtime AND a movie night on Friday (big news in our house as we aren’t big TV people). Obviously, you know which rewards will give your kids the best buy-in…use it to your advantage.

Note that you can transition your kids as they get older from the “Sticks” Method into a “To Do List” method using a lot of these same concepts. You can create a daily list using the customizable FeelGood Lists we learned about a while ago. This would give your older kids a strong foundation for using list-making to keep themselves focused and on task.

The Payoff for Me:

This system may sound a bit complicated, but it has saved me a litany of reminders and has taught my children to be more self-sufficient. And, the fact the I’m not constantly nagging at them has made for a more peaceful household.

For this Penelope Mom of four in the throes of a new school year, a little peace and quiet is my new best friend.

Related posts:

1. Why do I own 1,000 pencils? A solution for vanishing school supplies
2. How Penelope keeps herself sane when the kids are out of school
3. More summer sanity solutions: three ways to get kids reading over summer vacation

All through my 20’s, I searched for a hobby that fit me. I’m not super creative or artsy or terribly good with my hands, so many hobbies were out of reach to me. For others, there was too much “gear” needed. I don’t have a sewing room, or a scrapbooking corner. And I didn’t want to hassle with all the stuff.

Then, all of a sudden, knitting became all the rage and I decided to take a Learn to Knit class at my local yarn store. That was that. I was hooked.

I’ve been knitting now for 5 years now and I’ve become more and more convinced that it’s the perfect hobby for the Penelope Personality.

Here are several reasons why I think so:

1. It teaches you to be OK with really sucking at something when you’re first learning. And that’s a lesson I’ll bet you can use.
2. It’s easy to stop and start. You don’t need to get out a million things to work on it and then put them all away again.
3. It’s totally portable. No more wasting time doing nothing while you wait for your doctor’s appointment.
4. Knitting doesn’t take much physical space. It’s easy to “contain”.
5. I’ve met more Penelopes in the knitter community than in any other sub-group of society.
6. It means you can constantly multi-task. Feel lazy watching TV? How ’bout knitting a scarf for your best friend while you watch Law & Order? Now you’re not lazy, you’re a caring, productive friend.
7. You can be as creative, or not, as you want. You can follow a pattern exactly and choose the exact same yarn the designer did or you can make the project your own. Love that sweater, but hate the stripes? No problem. You can knit it in a gorgeous, champagne-colored yarn. Or vice versa. It’s a great way to be creative when you’re not naturally artsy.
8. There are so many beautiful, non-Granny things you can knit. Seriously. Here are just a few:

Cabled Scarf called "Dryad" from Brooklyn Tweed

The Austin Hoodie, knit by SixOneSeven

The Summer Icicle Tank by Monday Morning Knits

Heck, it even looks great while it’s in process:

Knitting in progress by SixOneSeven

If you think you can’t knit, you’re wrong. It’s that simple. I’m SO not crafty and yet I can knit and purl with the best of them.

Have I interested you? I hope so.

If you want to learn to knit, the very easiest way is to register for a class at your local yarn store. Just google “yarn store + your city (or metro area)” and you’ll find one.

The second best way to knit (and one that so many people have used) is to learn to knit virtually. From the comfort of your own computer screen. A great place to start is Monday Morning Knits. Knitting Guru and designer Melissa Monday has gifted us with the attached Learn to Knit PDF and you can visit her site for some great video tutorials that walk you through each step. Having trouble? Email her. Melissa is passionate about helping new Penelopes become knitters.

Click here to download the Learn to Knit PDF.

Ok. Off the soap box. Whew!

Now, tell me, what’s your hobby of choice?

Related posts:

1. How Penelope Got Her Groove Back: Become an Expert
2. When Penelope Gets Sick: there must be a lesson here
3. How Penelope Finds a BFF

I happened upon the Post-It Flag Pen/Highlighters during one of my “shopping for the kids’ school supplies” trips to Office Depot.  (Any excuse to fawn over office supplies, right?)

I love these little guys! As the name so aptly suggests, they are a pen, that’s also a highlighter that also includes Post-It flags on the cap.

And the cheerful, slightly 80’s design makes me giggle.

Post-It Flag Pen/Highlighters

My favorite uses for these All-in-One Wonders:

1) My day job is in publishing, so when we’re in “proofing mode” these pens are life-savers. Being able to quickly jot a note, highlight a line of text and flag that page for our editor is such an efficient, time-saving way to work.

2) For Penelope Loves Lists, I’m often reading books that I want to review later for the blog. I can make sure not to miss any unmissable nuggets with this tool.

No question that we ALL can find uses for this kind of pen, right?

Three cheers for the 3M company! They’ve brought us so many useful things – Post-Its, Scotch Tape, I could go on. Don’t you just bet 90% of their workforce is full-fledged Penelope?

Related posts:

1. A Tool for the Penelope on the Go: Cascading File Tote
2. Penelope Product Review: two simply smart office products
3. Who is Penelope and Why Does She Love Lists?

Given that my family and I live in only 1,100 square feet of teeny tiny house, we have to consistently work to keep our home uncluttered. In order to do that, once a quarter, we dedicate a Saturday morning to the “Quarterly Cleanout”.

What is the Quarterly Cleanout?
It’s about one hour, once every 3 months, where every member of the family (our kids are 11 and 15) participates in thinning out and re-organizing his or her space.

How does it work?

1. First and foremost, I actually put the dates for these Cleanout Sessions on my calendar.
2. A week beforehand, I let my family know that the date is approaching so they can not make plans elsewhere during that time. They must be at home. If it weren’t for these first two steps, this whole process wouldn’t happen. Truth.
3. On the day, each of us makes 2 piles in the hall: one for donation, one for trash. We each spend 30 minutes in our rooms grabbing anything we’re not wearing, using or loving anymore. It’s always surprising to me how things pile up in just 3 months. {By the way, notice I said to take just 30 minutes. The time element is key here. Loyal readers, you’ll note this is almost always part of my strategy. You set a timer and move fast. If things take a hugely long time, you’re apt not to do them. So, set the clock and boogie. Don’t get distracted. Don’t answer the phone, don’t talk with each other. Just do it.}
4. At the end of the 30 minutes, we gather all items for donation, bag them up and put them immediately into the back of the car. All trash items go immediately outside to the big trash or recycling cans, awaiting collection.
5. After we’ve finished, we head out to the nearest Goodwill, donate our items and only then reward ourselves with a lunch at our favorite Greek place.

Why does this work?

• It happens regularly. The calendar tells us when to do it. We do it. Period.
• Every member of the family helps and is responsible for his or her own area.
• Everyone sees the benefits of living in less clutter. (Or, maybe it just jazzes the heck out of me and they do it to put me in a good mood and keep me from being Stabby Mommy. Either way is ok with me.)
• We do the whole thing in one fell swoop. We don’t leave bags of stuff hanging out to be dealt with later. This would prolong the task and make it feel much more arduous and annoying.

What’s the point?

Not only does this keep our house uncluttered, but it creates a habit of “thin living” for our children that we hope they’ll carry into their adult lives. (Fingers crossed!) And, I gotta say, it’s kinda fun, working together as a team.

Related posts:

1. Reader Quandry: Need Your Opinions, Penelopes!
2. Assignment: Computer Desktop de-clutter, or, do this now, you’ll be glad later
3. Tips for “Power” Grocery Shopping

Did anyone see this little goodie in the August issue of O Magazine?

Turns out, simply switching your default font will save you money in printer ink.

Using Century Gothic instead of Arial, for example, will save you up to 30% in ink cartridges over time. This makes good sense if you notice the thickness of the letters in Arial vs Century Gothic.

Given that I think that printer cartridges are one of the most annoying necessities of the modern world, I love this money-saving tip.

I was further heartened by the news that my signature font, Calibri, is also a money saver. Score!

By the way, it’s normal to have a signature font, right?

Related posts:

1. I Heart TextExpander: or, tools that allow me to hide my laziness
2. I love a tool that does it all
3. Interview with a blogger: meet Jessica from Lavender & Lilies

I’m continually inspired by both Darren Rowse of ProBlogger and Susannah Conway of Unravelling fame. Today, I’m literally inspired by them as I’ve decided to take up the 7 Link Challenge laid down by Darren and then further interpreted by Susannah.

The idea is to dig into your blog’s content a bit and expose some of your newer readers to posts they may have missed earlier on. I haven’t been blogging for very long compared to these two giants (and many, many of you) but I am grateful to have a lot of new readers, so I thought this might be useful.

Also, reviewing my content in the way gives me a more overall perspective of it. Some of what I’ve written I like, some I’d do a bit differently if I did it again. I found it useful to think through my posts like this.

Here I go:

• Your first post: Who is Penelope and Why Does She Love Lists? 11/13/2009. – Everything about Penelope began from this place. Between this and the more fleshed out version in my About page, it sums up everything this site is meant to be. I wrote this in 5 minutes, it absolutely flowed out of me, which made (and makes) me feel like I was on the right track.
• A post you enjoyed writing the most: A Wicked Confession or: A Reminder I’m Far From Perfect – This was the first post I wrote that got more “personal”. It’s “blogging as therapy”, really. It started my love of writing the “Random Ruminations” posts. These are the posts that, for me, get to the real crux of what being a Penelope is.
• A post which had a great discussion: Why It Sometimes Sucks to be a Penelope – A perfect example of the above. The comments here are so honest.
• Your most helpful post: The Biggest Time Suck of My Day or: Why Email Haunts Me – I love the tips here and was incredibly jazzed that so many people found them useful, too.
• A post with a title that you are proud of: The Genius of Aqua Notes or: Why I Think Best When I’m Wet – Enough said.
• A post that you wish more people had read: When Eight is not Enough – This post was really early on, so my traffic was super low. I do love Julie Morgenstern and her book I mention here. In fact, we’ll be hearing from Julie on Penelope Loves Lists very soon. Stay tuned!
• A post on someone else’s blog that you wish you’d written: The Manifesto of Encouragement by Danielle LaPorte of White Hot Truth – To say I have a girl crush on Danielle is a vast understatement. She absolutely inspires me to be my best self. Love her and love love love this post. Gives me chills every single time.

Related posts:

1. Challenge: do one thing you don’t feel like doing
2. Who is Penelope and Why Does She Love Lists?
3. Interview with a blogger: meet Jessica from Lavender & Lilies

This a re-post from an item originally published in January. Several people (like, a lot of people) emailed me at the time asking that I post this assignment a couple times a year as they found it useful. So, here goes…

Today’s assignment is super quick but makes a huge difference as you go through your week.

Take just 5 minutes right now and go through your purse or bag.

1. throw away trash and old receipts, etc. that have accumulated
2. make a pile of things that need to go elsewhere and put them in their places
3. make sure that every single item you carry around with you is something you really need. Ask yourself, have I needed this in the last year? If not, put it elsewhere.

See? Don’t you feel better? Lighter, more organized? Yes, you do.

Penelope Tip: get a brightly colored wallet. I know we’ve heard this before, but it really does help. Mine’s red and I can always find it in the dark center pocket of my purse.

I think the secret to this is really keeping your purse filled with just what you need, which really isn’t a lot. But, if you find you just can’t be minimal, consider using a Purseket, which can keep your purse’s contents more organized.

Now, for some fun. If you love purses and bags, and need some help keeping the ones you’re not using in check, Jeri over at Jeri’s Organizing & De-cluttering News has written a great post. She includes several products that will help keep your bags organized in your home.

Related posts:

1. Assignment: purse de-clutter, or do this now, you’ll be glad you did later
2. Assignment: Computer Desktop de-clutter, or, do this now, you’ll be glad later
3. Assignment: Pre-Christmas de-cluttering, or: do this now, you’ll be glad you did later