Seal of Approval

This week in New York I was invited to tour the Good Housekeeping Institute, where they award the famous Good Housekeeping Seal. What a thrill! I saw all of the testing labs there, including the textiles lab, the food kitchens, and the climate room where they can seal things up and test weather conditions on them. There is a lot of history in those hallways-- they have several museum-like displays with old product packages and other fun things to look at.

I also did some TV and radio work this week which will air later, and the common theme I kept talking about this trip was Prevention. We talk about getting organized as a process that includes Prevention, Reduction, and Maintenance, just like losing weight. Many people tend to focus on the Reduction part, wanting to attack their closet or garage and "clean it up." But they forget about the Prevention and Maintenance parts of the process which are essential to long-term success.

Good Housekeeping puts products through rigorous testing before awarding its seal of approval. What kind of process are you going through to give items your own seal of approval before allowing them into your home? Dieters often say, "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips." In that same way, "stuff" tends to accumulate in your home. What if you were very choosy about what you let into the door in the first place?

We offer a free printable download that might help you, found at www.clutterdiet.com/wallet when you sign up for our weekly newsletter. It's our Clutter Prevention Wallet Reminder Sleeves, which have on them the five important questions you should ask before purchasing anything. You print them, cut them out, and tape them together, and slide in your favorite debit or credit card. Now you'll have a physical reminder every time you go to make a purchase.

If you just remember one thing about this post, remember these two words: Be choosy! Whether it's your schedule, your filing cabinet, or your closet, think twice before giving your seal of approval to adding more clutter. Do you have items you regret bringing into the house? Tell us in the comments!

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Comments

[Cherie]

This blog was very timely for me. Tonight I was planning to print out the wallet reminders to remind me to at least "sleep on it" before I bring home the next thing "I just can't live without."

[Alex Fayle]

Woo-hoo! If more people stopped and thought about things before they bought them we'd have so much less crap in our landfills.

I liken it to "your eyes are bigger than your stomach." We see things that look tasty but we don't stop to consider if we're actually hungry. Of course this applies to everything we bring into the home and not just food.

[Heather]

A few years ago I purchased a mass-produced patchwork quilt at a Linens & Things and it started to fall apart in the first season. I've regretted that purchase a long time now, but am determined to get some use out of it before replacing it. This year I am sewing a new quilt to ensure it is made properly.