I recently did a spot on closet organizing on WKYC’s Channel 3 News Today. One of the points I made was that so many people think they need a complete closet overhaul, including an expensive closet organizing system, in order to have an “organized closet.” Before calling the closet organizing company donate what you no longer wear and try new hangers and rearranging the contents of your closet. These two photos show the exact same closet contents. … Read More
Many people will be putting away their holiday decorations this weekend. Before you do though, I would encourage you to go around your house and take photos of any decorative displays you were particularly fond of and might want to recreate next year. Store these photos in a file called holiday decorating and next year’s decorating will be a snap. Happy New Year!
I recently took this picture of the unbelievable stacks of containers at Target. They were located right inside the entrance and people were snapping them up like their lives depended upon them. As a professional organizer I secretly hoped those individuals already knew what they planned to store in them and where the containers themselves were going to be stored. I sort of doubt it though, because so often I go into a client’s home and find stacks … Read More
I took the day off to get my holiday decorating started. First task was to put up the outside lights. I’ve learned over the years to test all the strands of lights inside before I venture into the cold. I’m so glad that I took the time to do this because apparently half of my lights “expired” this year. I didn’t realize there was an expiration date on lights, but I don’t know how else to explain … Read More
Just wanted to share a comment I received from a client recently because it nicely demonstrates the power of coaching: ‘Two days in a row of success! (Getting to work early, at the time I want to be there.) Awesome. This is great. You are supporting me in concrete, real life experimentation. Instead of my preferred abstract method of planning and making lists (spinning my wheels and never going anywhere), you are supporting me in conducting real-life tests. I … Read More
I love this photo of my family at Thanksgiving a number of years ago. The meal was delicious and the atmosphere was relaxed. I wasn’t working at this time though and had plenty of time to plan for and prepare the meal. Not the case anymore. Therefore my mom and I agreed to simplify Thanksgiving this year. We’ll have one kind of cranberry sauce instead of the typical three We’ll only make two different vegetables. Finally, I’ll … Read More
As a professional organizer I help people reduce the clutter in their lives. An acquaintance of mine Narda, recently shared an interesting story with me about why she no longer has room in her life for clutter. Many years ago, when Narda was building a home, she stored boxes of personal belongings and memorabilia in the basement of the still unfinished house. Unfortunately, prior to move-in day, all of those boxes were stolen. Narda was devastated. The stolen … Read More
In 2009, I reviewed a book called, I Shop Therefore I Am, compiled by April Lane Benson, PhD for the Chronical newsletter published by the National Study Group for Chronic Disorganization. Because I greatly appreciated that book, I was anxious to read and review Benson’s latest book, To Buy Or Not To Buy, an “interactive guidebook for that transformation” from over-shopper to shopper. Amy I have been working with an over-shopper, “Amy”, since June 2009. Amy is … Read More
A coaching client of mine recently suffered some major stressful events in her life and shared the following with me in an email: “Through it all I have (mostly) kept my cool and felt pretty good, at least until I got really sleep deprived. I credit this relative stability to working through the magical thinking, as you suggested. I’ve been learning to schedule time with lots of white space, and have not been stressed when I … Read More
As a professional organizer, people will often ask me about my favorite organizing product, assuming it’s some kind of label maker on steroids or some other type of organizing gadget. Imagine their surprise when I tell them it is a chisel tip Sharpie Marker. Yes, the humble Sharpie Marker, albeit on steroids given its chisel tip. The chisel tip is key, because it gives you the option of a thin or fat line in one pen. I … Read More