QUARTERMANIA!

I have been invited to participate in something completely new to me -- a Quartermania.  I've been to one, so now I'm an old pro, but the concept is very new to me.  Basically 10 vendors get together (the home party gals, mostly), wrap up lovely lavish prizes consisting of their products, then raffle them off for anywhere from one to four quarters each.

The main money comes from the customers who pay a flat fee to get in.  Then they start bidding their quarters for the prizes.  Since I declutter, my "prizes" are basically certificates for an hour or two of my time.  I've been thinking of ways to make it more fun: one prize could be for cleaning out the medicine cabinet (1 hour) + a basket consisting of fuzzy slippers, tea, and magazines for the winner. She'll be able to kick back and put her feet up while I do the work!

Other prizes I've thought of are an hour of pantry cleaning + a lazy Susan and shelf extenders, an hour of closet purging + a sweater bag for under the bed, and another closet hour + a pack of nice wooden hangers.

The other gals have tee-shirts and aprons that advertise their companies.  I don't, so I went out and found a very cool/hip full apron in a tan and aqua leaf pattern.  I'm going to wear my distance glasses so I can see the nice people in the audience and I'll probably look like everyone's mom, LOL!

I'm excited!  If you're reading this, and you're local in Southern CA, find me on Facebook and request the flyer. Tickets ahead of time are $12 and they're $15 at the door.

Making Moolah From Decluttering

One of the biggest excuses reasons I hear from folks about why they live amidst clutter is that they are waiting for the right time to have a huge garage sale where they can sell all their treasures.

If you're living in clutter...

• You're not boxing/sorting the mess in order to sell it
• You have ceased to see the clutter around you and perceive it as "normal"
• You are creating excuses for your clutter (like waiting for a garage sale) and not acting

The last reason is the most common. I hear time and again from people who say, "Well, this stuff isn't mine; it belongs to my son" (who moved out 22 years ago).  You can't throw out someone else's stuff, but you CAN make them take it with them when they leave (or give them a time limit to come and pick it up).  Stick to your guns and get it gone!

You MUST stop making excuses.  You are too valuable to live in a mess!  It's better to clean it all out and donate everything than to wait for some day in the distant future when everything will suddenly be "better".  I have news for you -- it won't be.  The time is NOW!