No-fail mail reduction tips
04/08/2010
Our recycling bin is small.
I can’t stand stacks of mail hanging around on flat surfaces.
I like to shred, but have managed to break two shredders in as many years. I’d prefer not to buy another.
For these reasons, I’ve taken steps to reduce the amount of mail – legitimate and junk – that enters our home. A few phone calls and voila! I’m on my way to a partially paperless life. Want to lighten Mr. Postman’s load?
Follow these steps for some almost-instant gratification.
- Call the 800 number on every catalog you receive. Ask to be removed from the mailing list, recite the number in the blue or yellow box next to your name. Done! Want to get stealthy? Ask to get off all mailings associated with the company. (Knock off Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, PB Teen, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm in one easy move.) You can handle a lot of it online, but it feels great to hear a human confirm you’re off the list. This is one of those rare times when I like to handle business the old-fashioned way.
- Do the same with companies that send you flyers. You got added to these mailing lists. You can get subtracted.
- Practically every bill bears an invitation to “go paperless” with steps to make it so. Take them up on it. Your mailbox will be so empty that every day will feel like a federal holiday.
My own mailbox has a lot more breathing room after just a few weeks of quickie phone calls on my part. It may seem insignificant, but mail adds up and contributes to physical and mental clutter. To simplify, stop it at its source.
Jack Rabbit: The only way to mow
04/01/2010
In honor of my late grandfather, who had an April birthday, and the official kickoff of lawn-mowing season, I share this post.
At the ripe old age of 12, before I could legally make DQ Blizzards or work a “real job” at the mall, I launched my first entrepreneurial venture – lawn mowing. I had my Dad’s self-propelled John Deere mower, an impressive client list (my grandparents and their neighbors), an associate (my sister), and a climate (Erie, PA) that delivered ample rain to keep the grass growing and revenue flowing.
I was a badass Bluegrass blade snipping Fescue fanatic.
I’m not sure where I adopted the “time is money” mantra along the way, but dilly-dallying definitely wasn’t part of my business model. After a few weeks of mowing in the traditional go down-turn around-go back pattern, I deemed it a huge time waster. Why not mow in circles for maximum efficiency? In fact, why not change the self-propelled speed from the turtle picture to the jack rabbit picture to really get the party started? I could ace the job in half the time, entertain myself a bit and leave a crop circle in my path.
And so it was. I’d cut the corners first, then position myself at the lawn’s perimeter, angle in a bit and never stop moving until I was at dead center with my trusty John Deere. I often had to jog to keep up with the jack rabbit speed selection. To make jogging behind a lawn mower safe, I wore soccer cleats. I covered more grass than any of the professional landscapers with their fancy ride-behind contraptions.
That was more than 20 years ago. I can still picture my grandpa watching me through the kitchen window, amused by my speed mowing.
I’m sure he’d be happy to know that I’ve since slowed down to smell the grass.
(Disclaimer: My parents didn’t approve of my jogging behind a lawn mower. I didn’t have access to other machinery at age 12.)
How to channel your inner turtle
03/22/2010
Last week when I walked into the gym the towel boy said, “I love how you power walk through the door!”
As I laughed and hurried to my favorite elliptical (the one that goes FAST), I thought back to comments I’ve received from the…
Bank teller: “Whoa! I thought you were running in to stick us up!”
Starbucks barista: “There she is, woman on a mission.”
Grocery store guy: “Go ahead of me. You’re in a hurry.”
Ummmm…okay, so I need to slow down. Funny thing is, I’m rarely in a rush, I just happen to walk fast. Everywhere! I’ve done it my entire life. I remember charging through the mall as a teenager with my sister screaming miles behind, “S L O W W W W D O W W W W N.”
My pace is typically in lock step with my mind. Why is my mind racing? Why do I wear out my soles? Well c’mon! There are blog posts to draft, mental inventories of pantries and closets to recall, lists of upcoming birthdays to review and on and on. But what if my mind were clear of clutter? Could I slow down and smell the roses – or gym socks?
I’ve been making an effort to channel my inner turtle. It’s working. I’m rushing less and focusing on all that is fabulous in my path. If you need to slow it down too, give this a try and let me know how it goes.
- Spot someone and keep pace with the person. I guarantee she’s walking slower than you ever did.
- Make eye contact with people in your path. Heck, smile even! It will help you get present and slow down.
- Seriously, imagine you’re walking a turtle on a leash. You’ll crack yourself up and slow way down to boot.
