GON Reader Letter #1
The Countertop Rule
Dear Maria,
I always thought I was the kind of person who functioned fine in a little mess...until our kitchen counter started swallowing our life. Backpacks, mail, keys, receipts, lunchboxes—everything landed there. I’d clean it off in the morning, and by evening, it was back.
What
finally worked? We made a new family rule: nothing lives on the counter overnight. I added a wooden tray by the garage door, and that’s where everything gets
tossed when we come in.
I can finally cook without moving piles of
stuff around.
Thanks for the encouragement to just pick one spot and begin.
Warmly,
-- Anna E., Cary, NC
GON Reader Letter #2
Tool Chaos to Pegboard Peace
Hi there,
I’m the kind of guy who loves fixing things—except I couldn’t find my tools half the time. I had two hammers, four tape measures, and a dozen screwdrivers, but no clue where any of them were when I needed them. One Saturday I spent more time searching than building, and I’d had enough.
My fix? I
hung up a pegboard, outlined where each tool belongs with a marker, and got a cheap rolling cart to bring my gear to wherever I’m working. Now, even my teenage
son puts tools back because there’s a clear “home” for everything. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. Thanks for keeping it real in your newsletter.
-- Mike N. – Jersey
City, NJ
GON Reader Letter #3
Closet Clarity, One Category at a
Time
Dear Maria,
I used to open my closet and sigh. I had clothes crammed in, still with
tags, and I wore the same handful of outfits every week. I knew it was a problem, but I didn’t know where to start.
One Sunday afternoon I decided to sort just my tops. That led to sorting pants. Then shoes. By evening I had three big bags ready to donate. I created a mini wardrobe of mix-and-match items I actually like, and now I get
dressed in minutes. I feel more polished and less frazzled, even on busy mornings.
Thanks for the gentle push to begin with what feels doable.
With
gratitude,
-- Jenny Renee, Frisco, TX
GON Reader Letter #4
My Morning Coffee and One File Folder
Hi Maria,
After I retired, I promised myself I’d finally deal with my old paperwork. It was bad. I’m talking tax returns from the Reagan era and appliance manuals for things I don’t even own anymore.
I started going through one
folder a day with a fresh cup of coffee and some old music playing in the background.
It actually turned into a peaceful little morning ritual. I shredded, recycled, and scanned until I was down to one small drawer of essentials. I didn’t realize how much mental clutter came with all that paper. I just wanted to thank you for the motivation to dig in.
Sincerely,
Gia L., Beloit, WI
GON Reader Letter #5
Taming the Art Explosion
Maria,
I was drowning in glitter and googly eyes. With three kids under 10, art projects were everywhere. I felt so
guilty throwing anything out, so I saved everything—and it started to take over.
Your idea about taking photos of kids’ artwork really stuck with me. Now we take a picture of each project, and the kids pick their top two or three to keep in their memory box. We even made a little photo book online of their art highlights from the
year.
It’s made such a difference. Less mess, more memories.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart,
-- Tara P. – Tempe, AZ
On another note...
