This time John has a little help from his bear friends, because this de-cluttering is becoming unbearable. We will continue to apply John’s Japanese management techniques and find a simple bear solution. This should be interesting because we will use a quality improvement approach called Bear Kaizen. We have deliberately picked a very small issue to see if John can learn to do it the bear way.
First Step :- the bear essentials
John says there are too many toilet rolls cluttering up bathrooms and toilets. Although we bears think that you can have a lot of fun with excess toilet rolls.
Second Step :- gather the bear facts
- In the main bathroom there is 1 toilet roll on the toilet roll holder, which, in a bear’s simple mind, should be the only place for toilet rolls, but there is also a bag of 7 more, half hidden under towels.
- In the second bathroom there is 1 roll properly on the toilet roll holder, but also 3 on a pole for surplus rolls, 1 on a toilet brush and 3 more in a basket. Even bears can’t use 8 toilet rolls at once, so we should be able to bear de-clutter 7.
- In the downstairs loo — there is 1 on the holder and 3 more on another decorative pole display. Bears are not totally convinced toilet rolls are decorative, maybe we should take up Origami classes and learn to fold toilet paper into flowers.
- Mo buys toilet rolls in bulk “BOGOFF offers” because they are cheaper that way. But they need to be bought 12 at a time, which means there are always a lot more than bears need.
- When John occasionally buys them, he always buys the wrong type so they become surplus, that’s where some of the clutter comes from. So it’s his fault really!
- Bears never want to run out of toilet rolls. Some of us bears remember those ripped up bits of newspaper in the outside loo on ice cold winter days! They were not very comfortable on your bear bum!
- Excess toilet rolls means we end up with extra baskets and decorative displays of surplus toilet rolls bearly leaving enough space in the bathrooms and loo. But at least bears can have fun playing with them.
- On the good side, John gets a blog from the bog.
Third Step. :- Bear Improvement Actions
- There needs to be a bear operating procedure (BOP) to ensure all the toilet rolls are always full in each bathroom and toilet. Excess toilet rolls will no longer be necessary in every location.
- Weekly bog inspections should be carried out by John. Almost finished rolls should be replaced with new rolls. More frequent inspection may be necessary in times of trouble😩
- Almost-finished rolls should be removed to the second bathroom and stored out of sight in the specifically designated basket for emergency toilet rolls, until they can be used in an emergency.
- John will not eat prunes any more !
- In case John forgets, it may be necessary to frame it and put it on the wall in each bathroom and loo. Although we are not sure MO will like this idea!
- Bear suggestion:- wee should put John in charge of bog roll re-supply since he seems to know all about toilet rolls.
- And Little Ted says, “Every week he should clean all the toilets, since he is such a clever ass” 😀
Bear success measures are — “Will it be easier, safer, faster and fun?”.
- Easier — YES Less frequent shopping while excess rolls are used up.
- Safer — YES 17 less clutter rolls for bears to fall over.
- Faster — YES Only if bears don’t get the runs.
- Fun — YES Bears 6 😈 John 0 😩
Patch has a good idea for excess toilet rolls. He says “If I can wrap them all around me, I might be able to get on the tele like the Labrador puppy in the Andrex toilet roll adverts.”
There will be a copy of Walt Hopkins and George Simons’ book — “Seven Ways to Lighten Your Life Before You Kick the Bucket” — for the best ideas on de-cluttering.
