Space Treat: Your Uncompleted Projects

Along the path to getting organized you may discover clutter in the form of projects that have never been completed. These projects often require just a few more action steps to get them off your plate and out of your way.

You'll know these projects when you find them because you'll either feel great joy at rediscovering them, or great dread learning you never completed them. Here are a few examples of uncompleted projects I have unearthed with clients in the past.

· Laura started knitting a sweater for herself back in November 2005 and was only halfway finished when the project got put on permanent hold.

· Amy had wrapped a birthday present for her niece and was supposed to mail it years ago. It's been sitting at the bottom of her utility closet ever since and she's been looking at it for years while berating herself for having never sent it.

· Melissa discovered a winter wool coat that she was intending to return a few years ago. It had the tags and receipts attached to it!

Here's how we proceeded with this clutter:

· The sweater: Although Laura loves knitting, her current life activities do not include making time to knit and she doesn't foresee any knitting time in the next year. So rather than continue to eat up valuable space in her home, she's opting to donate the unused yarn, needles and half knit sweater. She's dropping it off this Saturday at a crafts-collective. This kind of item would also be perfect for Freecycle.com.

· The present: Thinking her niece is now too old for the gift and would find it too boring as it was age specific, Amy is donating it to a local holiday toy-drive.

· The wool coat: Since it's been too many years and is too late to return the coat, even with the receipt, Melissa is donating it to a local winter coat-drive.

You'll notice the 3 solutions involve charitable donations. During challenging economic times, charities are often hit hard so if you can't make your usual financial donations, try donating your things instead. They weren't doing you any good and could definitely be useful for someone else.

Plus, moving these projects from clutter to completion is a part of the organizing process. When you discover these projects, schedule time on your calendar to actually deal with them.

So, although you may have many uncompleted projects, I want you to move just one along its path before Friday. You can do it - go do it!

Space-tacularly,
Erica
The Spacialist
New York Magazine's 2008 choice for BEST SPACE ORGANIZER!
212.924.4383