Every magazine, newspaper and talk show will be telling us now to get organized for the new year. Then all the stores will join in with sales on calendars, office supplies, plastic totes, shelves and more. All this will either energize you or depress you!!

Some years I go out and buy some supplies and really get to work. It’s really nice to be able to lay your hands on that paid bill, instruction booklet, or even the information for your income taxes. Sometimes you even find a few dollars in a coat pocket or stuck in the drawer. Even a box with 6 months of receipts, mail that you wanted to think about and all kinds of papers can be sorted or thrown away with an afternoon’s work. Just have plenty of coffee or Coke to keep you going.

Everyone notices when you deep clean a room but no one notices when you clean out drawers, shelves, files or closets. Sometimes we are forced into cleaning them when we can’t close them anymore! My spirit is willing but my body is weak - come to think of it, I haven’t been able to do that since my 30s!!!!

Some time ago, a friend shared her secret with me. Her method was to clean one drawer, shelf, etc. a day. She tackled a room in four days - one day to each wall section. The entire house was done in 60 days and then she started over again. It works. My best tactic is to stop all that clutter from getting into the house. My trash can is my best friend and I open all mail standing next to the trash. If it isn’t a bill, note from a friend, or important information on insurance or taxes - it goes in the garbage. I started saving money when I started asking catalogue companies to remove my name from their list and trashing the catalogues before looking at them.

I’ve been looking at some lists of New Year’s Resolutions and I’ve settled on three to strive for this year. TALK LESS, LISTEN MORE AND OWE LESS.