This past Sunday began with my noticing the herbs I grow in my Aerogarden were looking like more of a miniature jungle than a garden I’d actually want to eat something out of. Out came the scissors and the pruning began. The photo to the left represents the results of those efforts – a pile of compost fodder and some now recognizable basil & parsley plants. This impromptu pruning set the tone for the rest of that cool … Read More
Over the years I’ve helped plenty of people unpack boxes from moves that had occurred many years in the past, sometimes as many as 7-10 years in the past. The boxes had sat unopened for so long because the stuff in them often should never have been moved in the first place. The costs incurred in these situations are significant – the financial costs of packing, hauling and storing these boxes and the emotional costs incurred every … Read More
Yesterday was another snow day here along the North Coast. I say “another” because we’ve had so many in the past two months, I’ve lost count. I love snow, I really do, but when we’ve had as much snow & cold as we have this year, even I find myself saying, “Enough Already!” As frustrated as I get with snow though, I am grateful for snow days, because they often bestow upon me one of my most … Read More
I recently received a call from my aunt. It was a nice surprise, because we don’t speak on the phone very often. She called to tell me about a special gift she had recently received. She had just finished going through all of her Christmas and Holiday cards she’d been saving for the last 8 years and that she was donating the fronts to a local school for use in their art projects. She also shared she … Read More
Are you overwhelmed by your papers? Are they stacked all over your desk, your office, your kitchen, or your home? How well is your “filing” system working for you? How many file drawers do you have stuffed with papers that haven’t seen the light of day since you filed them? Is that bag you’re using to hold all of your important papers no longer cutting it? If you’re cringing as you read this, you’re not alone. … Read More
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” ~ Socrates Amazing to think the warning of an ancient Greek Philosopher, born in 470BC rings so true today. Earlier this year I contributed to a blog posting for my colleague, Linda Samuels. The topic was what I wanted more and less of in the new year. My response: “I’m at a point in my life where I’m actively embracing the idea of less and am pursuing a ‘smaller’, … Read More
There’s a saying that, ” you can’t buy peace of mind.” Probably true, but you can create it. In fact, creating / experiencing peace of mind has been a recurring theme for me over the past week or so. Yesterday was filled with work obligations, but the opportunity presented itself to invite my parents and Aunt Polly, who lives in Michigan and I don’t see very often, to dinner. The “old” Andrea of several years ago would … Read More
Since becoming a professional organizer I’ve really changed my outlook on gift giving. It’s astounding to me how many unused and often unopened gifts fill the closets, basements and even entire rooms of individuals I’ve worked with. The waste can be measured not only in terms of money spent, but also in terms of the effort expended by the gift giver, and mental effort expended by the gift recipient, worrying about not using the gift. You see, … Read More
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. ~ attributed to Thomas Edison with regard to creating the lightbulb This quote makes me think about a situation I experienced while serving as a board member for a non-profit organization. I had worked for weeks to prepare what I thought was an amazing agenda for an important two-day meeting. Unfortunately when meeting time rolled around, a lot of things happened that resulted in … Read More
I’m reading an interesting book called Fast Minds, by Craig Surman, MD & Tim Bilkey, MD. It’s a self-help book for folks with ADHD or who think they may have ADHD. This morning I came across a couple of sentences I want to share with you. “ We want to reiterate here that we feel one of the most important times to protect in life is planning time. Without stepping outside the busyness of the day-to-day activities … Read More