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Spring Cleaning
April 30, 2007

I read my horoscope almost every day — more out of curiosity than anything else. I like to read what is in the “forecast” for me and those in my birth sign. Many days, it does not seem to have anything to do with anything in my life; other days, what it says seems possible and gives me something to look forward to or strive for. A recent one, though, was almost dead on. That’s eerie. It read: “If your whole life can't be boxed and organized into a neat plastic cubby, that’s fabulous. You turn out far better work when everything’s mess. With a few balls juggling in the air, life is ecstatically delightful.”

A work in progress. My office today after I have begun the ritual of spring cleaning. There’s more work to do.

If you could see my office, you would know, I do not “do neat” well. I live in organized clutter. With so many samples and press kits coming in on a regular basis, it’s difficult to keep up. I hate to not give everything its proper consideration and am a believer in “You never know when you may need something.”

Nevertheless, there are times when even for me the mess gets to be too much. When I start to lose track of things, it’s time to clean up and throw out. And what could be more appropriate at this time of year? It’s spring and cleaning is a ritual of the season. Even though I have “a few balls juggling in the air” and can’t really afford to take the time away to clean, I also can’t afford not too. In the long run, I will be far more productive with less clutter. And besides, we are about to go into the summer market season and that means a whole new slew of press kits, samples and updated product materials.

But don’t let me do this ritual alone. Take a look around your stores and back offices. I am sure that no matter how comfortable you may be “and work better when everything’s messy,” there comes a point when you, too, cease function well. That means it’s time to clear the clutter. Throw out those old, out-dated catalogs, trash broken merchandise, and clear the shelves of old inventory.

Spring is a time of renewal and new beginnings. So let’s get cleaning!

Posted by Caroline Kennedy on April 30, 2007 | Comments (0)