Be Kind To Each Other

This week’s blog is on being nice to each other. I think this is an exceptionally easy concept, but it is sad how often people over look small things that would show kindness to others.  People get busy.  People think it is weird to be kind to a stranger.  Or, they just don’t realize how much a small gesture could change someone’s day.

Years ago, a friend told me, that she tries to say at least one nice thing a day to a total stranger.  She also told me that once a week, she tries to compliment someone for a job well done.  She said that the positive energy created by this routine was astonishing. I thought I would give it a try and she is right… that positive energy grows daily and soon, you find yourself looking for a stranger to say something nice to or really watching what other people do to help you.

Now, just to say something is not really the point.  It should be something you truly feel and should come from a place of kindness.

For instance:

• If you see someone on the elevator with a great pair of shoes or a nice haircut… tell that person. 
• Hold the door open for others. 
• Make a point of really looking someone in the eye and thanking them if they hold the door for you. 
• Thank the UPS guy for delivering you package to your door.
• Tell the guy at the gas station you really like his car.
• Ask your waitress how she is doing and really give her time to answer and care about the answer.
• If someone at work does something above and beyond for you… send their boss a note telling them you are thankful to work with someone that goes the extra mile (cc the person to ensure that they know you appreciate their efforts).
• Put a recommendation for someone on LinkedIn or on whatever company site your company might use for this (Cheers for Peers is utilized at my company).

Along these lines… Thank you all for following my blog while I discovered the ins and outs of the blog world. Your comments and kind words made this a really great learning experience.

This will be my last blog.  I am going to work on learning new things and possibly find a new outlet for my Sue’s Simple Suggestions! 

The Simple Answer to Closet Chaos

If you are like I was … you probably have said on more than one occasion, “why do I still own that”, or “I can’t remember the last time I wore that”?   We have all been there.

I live in Missouri and we have cold and warm seasons here, so I swap cloths for the summer and winter.  The trick to not letting my wardrobe get out of control is...

Turn the hangers around.   It is that simple.  

When I load in the next season, I put all the hangers in backwards.  When I wear something, I put it back in my closet the normal way.  At the end of that season, when I am moving cloths around for the next season, I only remove the items with the hangers going the normal way.  I then take a very honest look at the items I did not wear all season. Most of the items were not worn because I am tired of them or they don’t fit right anymore. I take a box or a bag and place those items into it and the next time I run stuff to charity, I take that bag or box along.  There are some items that I will give a second chance.  But, if they are not worn after two seasons, they definitely go to charity, no matter how much I love the looks of the item.  Apparently, I love it on the hanger, but not on me … so it should get to be enjoyed by someone else that might actually make good use of it.

If you live in warm weather, pick a month of the year (January or your birthday month) and move the hangers once a year (or even twice a year) to all face backwards.  Then, at the end of the time you decide works best for you, clean out those cloths and make a charity run.

I do this with shoes also.  I turn them around in their little cubbies and any pair that has not been moved around by the end of the season, probably gets to go to charity also.