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Getting Organized

by Brian Buethe, President | CEO, www.GrimesIowa.com

June 2023 Newsletter Article

I’ve always been pretty good at accumulating things and I’m confident that I’m not alone in this regard. Last month the citywide garage sales took place, followed by the annual Grimes Cleanup Day; a day that allows some people to depart with thing they’ve come to realize they don’t need and others to gather things that they to will eventually realize that they don’t need either.

 

Whether it is garage sales or cleanup days, there are many observations that can be made about our community and lessons that can be learned. For example, when Grimes has garage sales, people from all over the region come to scout for treasures and bargains. On average, Grimes is an affluent community and so it is more likely that people with more wealth are going to have nicer things and may also be parting with nicer things. This makes for a good hunting ground when it comes to garage sales.

 

These events can also teach us that sometimes it is good to eliminate excess, the unused, or extra stuff that we don’t need or don’t want any longer. If you have too many clothes in your closet, getting rid of some of the stuff that is out of style, doesn’t fit any longer, etc. can make it easier to find the outfits you do like wearing, makes wrinkles a little less prominent, and (for the shoppers), clears up some space to fill with new items.

 

We are fortunate to live in a community, in a region where there is a lot of opportunity to find a job, to build wealth, and to work toward acquiring things we need and/or want. But we should also be wise with these opportunities. Getting organized is much more than decluttering. It often requires setting goals, creating a plan, and doing our best to stick to our plans, knowing that sometimes course corrections are to be expected.

 

As we work to organize our personal lives, we too can strive as businesses, neighborhoods, and as a community to have goals, have plans to achieve those goals, and be ready to pivot when unforeseen opportunities or challenges arise. Like so many of the people in our community, Grimes seems to be positioning itself for a very bright future. We continue to attract new services, new employers, and new investment to the community. We continue to see improvements in our local infrastructure, which will help to sustain the current rate of growth. Furthermore, we continue to see neighborhoods evolve and new relationships being created continuously.

 

Grimes should confidently march forward, setting our priorities, addressing those things we need to “declutter” and keeping things that we value or that serve an important purpose. As a Chamber of Commerce, we encourage the good people of Grimes to engage in the community…patronize local business, participate in community events, and be a good neighbor to those around you. And if you have too much stuff…remember that the Highway 141 Garage Sale is right around the corner (www.141sale.com). #lovegrimes

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