Two of our grand daughters have started selling magazines as a school fundraiser. They both want to be TOP sellers. At the beginning of the school year we get a phone call asking us to buy, buy, buy.

We could easily get caught up in the excitement and the very reasonable price of all the magazines. The TOP sellers for the school get a prize. You know my background is in direct selling so I am all for being the TOP seller.

The key is “how many magazines can one person read per month?” I buy what magazines I want and then give them sales ideas. I think it is a win-win situation.

Check out this short video on things to do with your old magazines.

Does it bug you that your Doctor’s office has magazines from ten years ago? After reading these tips I’ll bet it won’t for long.

How many unread magazines do you have sitting on your coffee table?

Would you like to have more time to read all those magazines?

I just got off the phone with a client (let’s call her Mary) who has EVERY issue of Oprah magazine. I know other people who have the same collection. Are you one of them? This is what I suggested to her.

Tip#1: Donate. The thing is you are not going to go back and reread ALL those issues of Oprah. We are talking at least 100 issues. “Mary” thought she was going to. She even had the best of intentions to cut out the very best articles and file them. Let’s get real. Who has that kind of spare time? If you do have that kind of spare time chances are you are going to be doing something else with it. I challenged “Mary” to take an arms load to her doctor’s appointment that day. She can see a seniors centre from her apartment window. She agreed to take an arm load there this afternoon. “Mary” also has every issue of Chatelaine that her mother has given her. Her intention was to keep them for the recipes.

Guess what? Every time “Mary” needs a recipe she goes to the internet! She must have read my newsletter on “organizing your recipes”!

Tip#2: Re-Gift. If you buy one issue of a magazine and a girlfriend buys a different issue of a magazine you can swap or re-gift once you have both finished reading your magazine. This will also cut your cost in half.

Tip#3: Repurpose. “Mary” has a daughter. I’ll bet most of you have kids as well. Let your kids use the pictures in the magazines for their school projects. Do you do a goal/dream poster each year? Magazines have the best sayings and photos for that poster.

The phone call with “Mary” ended with her feeling very excited about moving forward with her magazines. You might think it is a small step, however it is a step in the right direction to clearing the unwanted clutter. Think before you bring in more magazines. Will you have time to read it? Is it a magazine you still enjoy reading? Can you get it online?

Put down the magazine and contact me for a FREE 30 minute phone consultation. We will discuss your “hotspots” and any magazine challenges you might be having.