So here it is the beginning of the year and I am ready to trade out my odd year (2011) Freedom Filer files for my even year files. Many of my clients use Freedom Filer and I typically receive questions at this time of year about how to actually go about this process, so I thought I’d walk you through the process with me. First, I gathered the 12 months of even year monthly files from my … Read More
I won’t see my family on Christmas day, so we celebrated with them last weekend. Today, I have to share the gift that my very clever sister came up with for me, this gift card wreath! Gift cards, though very practical and it this case very appreciated because I love to read, aren’t necessarily a fun gift to give or get. In this case though, Amy had a lot of fun implementing this idea, though she said … Read More
When I was growing up I loved decorating the Christmas tree. Dad’s job was dragging the tree in, setting it up and putting on the lights. My little sister Amy and I helped him with the lights, but then he typically disappeared while Mom, Amy and I decorated the tree. It was so much fun unwrapping the ornaments and recalling the stories behind each of them. My mom will probably tell you I lost interest in decorating … Read More
Reader Lisa asked: I struggled with getting all my liquids (shampoo, face cleanser, sunscreen, etc. in 3 oz travel containers) into 1 quart sized ziploc bag. Any tips for what to bring and what to leave home? Lisa, my solution to that struggle is to “travel size” everything you can. This is a photo of my “quart sized bag.” In it I have travel-sized basics, like shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, deodorant, contact lens solution and toothpaste. Many of these … Read More
The Tips: First, I want to thank Valentina Sgro, Helen Montfort, and Janet Greene for supporting me with my perspective shift by relaying personal experiences and providing me with some of the following tips for surviving with less while on the road: • When selecting bottoms (pants or skirts), choose something neutral or jeans as they go with everything and are basic enough that they can be recycled during a trip without feeling like you are wearing … Read More
I love to travel, but I hate to pack. I don’t hate trying to organize the items that I’m taking into my suitcase, that part is actually fun, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, given that I’m a professional organizer. What I hate is trying to decide what to take. As a result I historically hauled around way too much on my vacations. When presented with an opportunity recently to spend a week in Paris, I realized this … Read More
For the past couple of days I neglected to sort through my mail. Instead of opening it and immediately recycling the junk and processing the rest, like I usually do, I let it sit in a pile on the corner of my desk. It was amazing how big the pile was after just a few days. The pile reminded me of just how quickly my clients must find themselves overwhelmed when they neglect their mail. Processing my … Read More
I’ve been doing quite a bit of virtual organizing these days. My best friend called recently and asked me for some advice on organizing her pantry. Instead of advice, I convinced her to join me on skype and we worked through the project together. We developed the plan for the space together and broke it into steps, which she implemented. The entire project took less than three hours, including her shopping time. Her only purchases: the awesome … Read More
Today is cancelled. Because of snow and ice here along the north coast, schools are cancelled. My appointment with today’s client is cancelled because of bad roads. Even my client for tomorrow is cancelled because she is stuck on the west coast because of a cancelled flight. The truth is I’ve always secretly liked cancelled days. For someone like me who truly values time, cancelled days like these are like a gift and few and far between. … Read More
It’s mid January and 1098s and 1099s are starting to arrive. If you’re expecting a refund, you’ll want to get those taxes filed as soon as you’ve collected all of your tax related documents, but do you know where everything is? Filing your taxes can be a snap if you have all of the necessary paperwork organized, and believe it or not, keeping your tax files under control is easy with just a few tools: an Iris … Read More