Remember the Seinfeld episode where George’s wallet was so fat he sat at an angle? Well, there’s even a tip for wallet and keychain clutter…

If you’re like most people, you’ve got a whole stack of club cards in there….a bulk warehouse card, a card for every grocery store, a Blockbuster card, etc. Or you may have a keychain that weighs a ton and is so crowded with mini-cards that you can’t get to your keys easily. Wouldn’t it be nice to carry only 1 card instead? Now you can.

Try these 2 sites:
www.justoneclubcard.com
www.keyringthing.com

Just enter the barcode numbers of all your favorite club cards, then print out one single card on your home computer or have them ship you one for every family member. Put that in your wallet and ditch the rest!

Or for those of you who prefer a more “high-tech” approach and have an iPhone or smart phone, try the CardStar app. Just enter the membership numbers and it’ll generate the barcodes on your phone for the cashier to scan. Amazing!

With all the new websites and gadgets out there to help keep people organized, here are a few of my favorites to help you manage your time and combine your calendars:

1. Use a calendar/contact management system like Outlook that has a:
   • Calendar
   • To Do list
   • Contact list
     You can print these and carry them with you if you’re a “paper person” or sync with your PDA or phone if you’re a technorati.
2. Try an Admin Assistant and Family Calendaring site like:
   • www.jott.com : Assistant plan – $3.95/mo to convert voicemail to text; has iPhone & Outlook apps
   • www.rememberthemilk.com – free but more complex to use
   • www.cozi.com – my personal favorite. It has a grocery list feature, printable coupons, syncs with Outlook & iPhone, has reminders; cost is free. Use the color coding it provides to clearly label appointments for work, family, doctor’s visits, vacations & reminders.
   • www.famundo.com
3. Meal planning, Grocery shopping lists, Coupons
   • Lowes Foods to go: www.lowestogo.com – purchase groceries online and someone at the store shops for you and you pick up in designated zone. Can repeat common shopping items.
   • Meal planning sites with grocery lists:
     • The USDA has a wonderful resource with shopping & food safety tips, planned meals, and shopping lists.
     • www.bigoven.com – $29.95/mo for recipe software or searchable database, calculate nutritional values, has calendar for meal planning
     • www.mealsmatter.org – cost is free
     • www.sparkpeople.com – great for dieting & fitness meal planning!
   • Coupon sites
     • www.coupons.com
     • www.couponsuzy.com
     • www.couponcabin.com
     • www.couponmom.com
     • www.retailmenot.com
     • www.smartsource.com
     • www.dealcatcher.com
     • www.redplum.com
     • www.fabuloussavings.com
4. Mail management
   Stop junk mail with one of these free or almost free websites:
   • www.proquo.com
   • www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php
   • www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t
5. Password management
   • Use an electronic password organizer that you can print and carry in your binder, or sync to your PDA or phone. The Little Virgo Electronic Password Organizer is $14.95 and my website gives tips on creating secure passwords: http://www.littlevirgo.com/clutter-control/password-organizers/
   • Internet Password Organizer is a paper notebook and costs $19.95 http://www.internetpasswordorganizer.com/Where%20To%20Buy.html
6. Sending Cards & Packages:
   • www.sendoutcards.com – for the price of a stamp, you can import your contact list from Outlook, schedule cards, pick card templates and write messages (even in your own handwriting!) and they will be mailed for you. Saves money by not having to purchase stationary or cards anymore!
   • If you send a lot of packages, save yourself a trip to the post office by scheduling a free pickup online:
     • www.ups.com
     • www.usps.com – can schedule up to 3 months out
7. Track family medical records
   • www.healthvault.com – cost is free and you can track the whole family in one account
   • www.google.com/health – track one user per email address

In General

• Was it a purchase mistake? (if so, that does not make it better to keep it)
• Does it take more time and effort to manage than it is worth?
• Does it make others unhappy to see it? Am I putting things before people and relationships?
• Do I need it?
• Is it redundant?
• Do I love it? Does it make me happy or unhappy to see it?
• If I were moving, would I pay to have it packed and moved?
• Would I buy it again?
• Is it broken, and if so, am I ever going to fix it?
• Am I ever really going to finish this project (book, quilt, etc.)?
• Can I borrow or purchase another one, if needed, without spending a fortune or having trouble finding it?
• When’s the last time I used it (assuming I knew it was there)?
• If I knew that someone else would really benefit from having this (i.e. if we found a great place to donate it), would that make it easier for me to let it go?
• Is this adding value to my home or business?
• Is this item getting in the way of my ability to find what I need, when I need it?
• Will this help me make or save money?
• Does it take up valuable “real estate” in my home by being here? Is it worth the space I’ve dedicated to it? Is there another place better suited for it?
• If I keep it, will I remember I have it? If I remember I have it, will I be able to find it?
• Does it belong to me? If not, get it to the real owner and out of your space.
• Convince someone else that you need to keep it. If you can’t, then let it go.

Paper

• Am I legally required to keep it (i.e. vital & tax records), and if so, for how long?
• Will I actually use it/refer to it/need it?
• Is the information still current?
• Can it easily be duplicated or created if needed again (i.e. found on the web)?
• What’s the worst that can happen if I toss it?
• Is it a duplicate?

Clothes

• Is the item in good condition? Does it have stains or tears or is it too worn?
• Is the item still in style?
• Does it fit? If not, is it within a reasonable number of size ranges of my current size range to keep it?
• Do I love the item, or even like it? Does it make me feel great to wear it?
• When was the last time I used this item? Would I use it again now that I remember that I have it?
• How many do I currently own of this type of item? Do I have something similar I like better?

Memorabilia

• Do I have anything else that reminds me of this event/person/time?
• If I took a picture of it, would that make it easier for me to let it go?
• Am I keeping it because someone gave it to me and I’ll feel guilty if I get rid of it?
• Does the sentimental value exceed the practical value? If so, by all means, keep it!

Special thanks to the NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) chat group for authoring and compiling these questions!

Don’t let a dirty car interior ruin another Saturday! Keep it clean, keep the kids happy, and get things done while you drive by creating a mobile office or “mommy station” in your vehicle.

Here’s a checklist of things you’ll need:

 Soft-sided nylon organizer, preferably with a handle or adjustable compartments. I like soft-sided because they squish into almost any space no matter what you drive. Most megamarts carry things you can use like:

Car organizers, Soft-sided sewing organizers, Soft-sided tackle box
Trunk, CD & Glove Box Organizers
Soft-sided trash containers & Catch-Alls

 Industrial strength Velcro (to keep everything in place)
 Hand sanitizer
 Trash or grocery bags
 All purpose wipes & glass wipes
 Febreeze
 Pens
 Lip Balm/Gloss
 Hand lotion
 Gum
 Travel tissues
 Notebook
 Mail station (accordian file with stamps, blank cards & envelopes, and a contact list)

For a mobile office, you can also fill your organizer with:
 Business cards
 Bank deposit slips
 Mileage notebook
 Office supplies like paperclips, binder clips, small stapler, business card holders, calculator
 Accordion file with client literature, vendor info, intake forms, bank forms, tax forms, place to collect receipts

For a “Mommy Station”, you can also fill your organizer with:
 Paper towels
 Diapers
 Burp cloth & pacifier
 One change of clothes for each child
 Things to keep kids occupied like coloring books, crayons, toys, DVDs
 Juice boxes, bottled water, granola bars & snacks
 First aid kit
 Behind the seat organizer or bin for kids toys
 School & Sports calendar

Once your Mobile, here are some tips for keeping the car clean:

• Keep a trash bag open at all times to prevent pitching trash to the floor. If you have a minivan or SUV, hang a trash bag in every row. Empty it when you’re pumping gas.
• Ask kids for help to clean up their toys and put them in the back-of-the-seat organizer or toy bin before they get out of the car.
• Wipe down your dash and windshield at long red lights to keep them dirt-free.
• Spray Febreeze before you head into the mall, grocery store, or Megamart. Chances are you’ll be there a while and it’ll give the upholstery a chance to dry before you get back into your fresh smelling vehicle.

If the stacks of business cards you’ve collected are beginning to look like the mountain in Close Encounters, or your wallet rivals George Castanza’s, oh yes, it’s time to do something. But who’s got time to key in all that info to your contact database, or scan & categorize all those receipts? Wish you could just hand the stack to someone and for less than dinner out one night, it’s all taken care of? YOU’RE IN LUCK!

My favorite service for this is Shoeboxed.com and they’ll scan, automatically categorize & send back or recycle your receipts (depending on your tier). It works like Netflix where you get an envelope that you stuff full and mail back (postage is already taken care of) and they send you a new envelope for your next wad.

They recently added business card scanning to their list of services too!

After they scan, everything is downloadable to Quicken, Excel, PDF, or CSV so you can import to your contact database or financial system. The IRS now accepts scanned receipts for tax purposes, and if ever there’s a dispute, you can click on a full size picture of the original receipt.

They’ve also have a great reporting tool so you can see spending charts to get a handle on your budget.

So if you want to clear the stacks of cards and be able to sit without leaning because your wallet’s too fat, click here to learn more or sign up.

I want to know, what do you keep in your wallet? Is it fat or skinny? What are your essentials for leaving the house?