The Savin' O' the Green

Thank goodness spring is almost here. I don't know about you, but I'm just about ready to end this recession all by myself, with a new spring wardrobe. It's reached the point of the season where one more snowflake might just send me straight to the mall.

But shopping isn't the solution -- this I know. You cannot, no matter what motivates you to believe otherwise, buy your way out of disorganization and chaos. Adding more to the pile of everything you own will only make it more difficult to dig out. And all the organizing tools and gadgets in the world will only become extra clutter if you don't have a plan. You have to get motivated and get creative.

Now that spring is but a few steps away, it's time to unearth the home you want, the space you know is under there somewhere -- but it takes more than luck. Try this system: Identify the tasks that routinely become roadblocks, time suckers and just general pains in the patootie. These are the jobs that dismantle progress. Sometimes it's not your environment that's the problem; sometimes the problem is maintaining what's been accomplished. Recurring jobs take a lot of time, like constantly shoveling laundry and toys and groceries, and it's easy to get discouraged. Once you have pinpointed the problem areas, it's just a matter of scheduling, taking it one step at a time, and crossing off the list.

A St. Patrick's Day challenge: Email me your list of roadblocks and you will get solutions in your in-box. How's that for a free pot o' gold? linearthoughts@comcast.net