Clearing Clutter Creates Clarity...

Clutter.  Who doesn't have it, hate it, and wish they had less of it?  Me, for one.  My battle with clutter has lasted a lifetime - sometimes I'm on top of the heap, and other times, I'm buried hopelessly beneath it. 

This time of year makes me want to get rid of clutter in the worst way.  So, I've made a new resolution.  Every time I trek (well, technically, each time I drive) into town, I'll be bringing a bag of clutter with me.  Once I donate it to a thrift store, it is magically transformed into somebody else's clutter.  I don't have to look at it, think about it, or wonder where it came from and why it is looking at me.

How did I end up in this mess?  I kept on acquiring more and more things, until they took over my space and my life.  Who needs two coffeepots?  Not me!  For some reason though, I bought a boring white Mr. Coffee at a garage sale.  It was sorta new, and was still in the original box.  I thought, "Hey, I could use a spare coffeepot! What if my brand new Krups kicks the bucket one day?"  Now the spare coffeepot is buried deep within the garage, waiting to be sold at the garage sale I'll have once the snow melts.  The Krups, meanwhile, is happily gurgling on the countertop.



Do you need more space to think?  Yes!  Yes, you do!  Listen - here's why you need to get rid of all the junk you have accumulated over the years.  When you have stuff piled everywhere, it makes you think about things other than what you need to be focusing on.  Instead of coming up with something witty for an ad campaign, you're thinking, "gosh, my house is a wreck!"  I could go on, ad nauseum - but I've got to get a bag of clothes together for the thrift store, and, oh yeah - I need to do some work instead of thinking about clutter.  Til' next time....

Staying Focused While Freelancing

If you are working toward becoming  a freelancer of any kind - whether a writer, a photographer, web designer, or any of another zillion freelance-ey types of things, you've got to stay focused.  Whether you've got a full time job and you are freelancing part time, or if you have nothing but time on your hands - focus is the key to success.

So:  Here's how to make it work: 

First, remember freelancing is a job - you've got to show up to work on time, you have to complete assignments you are given, and you have to keep track of what you have done, so you can (cha-ching!) get paid for the hours you have put in.

Second, you have to make sure that other people in your family, or friends who might be puzzled by the fact that you used to be completely available whenever you were home, understand that you are now working from home, and your work time and space are sacred.  No interruptions, unless it's an emergency.  That means your kids, your husband, or whomever happen to be around need to know that you're working.

Now that we have covered those two key essentials, let's take a quick look at some specifics.

• Plan to "show up at work" on a schedule.  Write it down if you have to.  
• When it's time to work, be professional.  Brush your hair, brush your teeth, and for goodness sake, get dressed and (gasp!) put on a little lipstick if you're the make-up wearing sort.  You'll be a lot more successful if you feel like a professional writer. 
• Set up time each week to run your errands and visit with your friends and family.  The more successful you become, the more difficult it might be to fit things in.  Don't let freelancing consume you completely - or it will feel like just another job. 
• Take breaks frequently throughout the day, and don't forget to exercise.  Exercising keeps your mind sharp and prevents you from getting what I fondly refer to as "desk-butt."
• Keep good records of everything.  Just because you are a freelancer, doesn't mean you don't need to keep records and pay taxes.  

These are just a few tips to start with, and I'm sure we'll have more to look at later.  Meanwhile, have fun, start out slowly, and keep on building your own dream job! 

Fancy This!

I found a new, super cool site that I can't get enough of.  It's called Fancy, and it's a new way to share things you like with friends and family.

You can use your smartphone or your computer to save photos of the things you have, that you love, or you can save pictures of things you want or like online.  When you're out and about, you can snap photos and upload them directly to Fancy - especially if you have an iPhone!   There's an app for that..... Droid users can rejoice about the fact a Fancy app is headed their way soon.  For now, snap away, and enjoy Fancy.  It's a lot of fun. 

Loving The Simple Life

Have you ever stopped to consider how living simply might allow you to enjoy life more?  Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was quite successful at what she did.  There were many things about her life, though, that she wished could be change.  To begin with, she really dreaded commuting back and forth to work.  Secondly, there were some days that she longed to live a free life - but she was addicted to the things that she could buy with all the money she earned at her job.

Finally, things got to be overwhelming.  She saved money, quit her job, and moved to a small town where she didn't know a soul...there, she began working toward a freer, more simple life.  Today, she enjoys her small house, her little garden, her backyard chickens, and her freelance lifestyle.  While her bank account is nothing like it once was, her "life" account is full. 

I hope you enjoy the upcoming posts about the simple pleasures the freelance life affords.