Have you ever felt that some rooms you enter just don’t feel ‘right’? It could be because the energy of stuff is out of balance. Ideally, there should be an equilibrium of light and dark, known as yin and yang. Read more about the philosophy of feng shui. Imagine that the physical objects in your … Read more
At some point in my 20 years of working as a Professional Organizer I began to notice just how much your childhood experiences with ‘stuff’ can affect your success or lack thereof with managing stuff in adulthood. It’s not an unusual phenomenon but it may be difficult to change your behavior and relationship with stuff … Read more
I absolutely love the thought of home ownership, even though I no longer have a house. Not to say that I won’t again one day but likely only if I can design and build it myself to my exact needs. I just need a piece of land to put it on – no small feat … Read more
It’s done. The move is behind us. Moving is one of the top three most stressful events in your life. I don’t know how some people move over and over and over. We are absolutely exhausted and don’t want to do it again any time soon, that’s for sure. There are so many moves in … Read more
You would think that someone such as myself who is considered by all accounts to live a fairly minimal existence would very easily be able to pick up and move. Well… much to my dismay that doesn’t appear to be the case. Yes indeed, I am moving after just over three years of living in … Read more
What a year it has been. I don’t know about you, but never in my lifetime did I think I would see anything like a worldwide pandemic. It has turned all of our lives upside down in one way or another. We have had to adapt and change everything from the way we do business … Read more
As you begin your decluttering and downsizing journey, setting yourself up for success is very important. Positive thinking can help. Downsizing can be a challenging process at times because there is a lot of mental and physical work. You’ll also deal with various emotions – yours and those of your family members. Focus on making … Read more
I have just returned from a week of much-needed vacation. It seemed slightly indulgent to take a vacation when I have only been working at about half capacity since the pandemic hit. It has been absolutely exhausting for so many of us that a break from all of the everyday challenges associated with it seemed … Read more
Even if you embrace a minimalist lifestyle, you still need to buy essentials like groceries or a new toilet seat to replace the one that broke. Shopping has certainly changed over the last few years. You should wear your mask, follow directional arrows, and keep your distance from other shoppers. Then, you should disinfect your … Read more
Getting up earlier to try to get things done may not be the best idea. I’m willing to bet that all you night owls (yes, I am one) are absolutely thrilled to hear that. I don’t know about you but working from home (or at least trying to) during the pandemic has been an eye-opening experience … Read more
As I have studied and tried to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle, my mind has often turned to our need for possessions and how they are related to what we buy, where we buy and how much we buy. How often do we stop and think about why we are buying something? Do we think … Read more
In 2013, author Mikael Cho summarized some research about clutter and your brain. It is quite fascinating. He discovered that decreasing the amount you consume and reducing the amount of stuff you own can help you focus and be more creative. You will also have more time and money for the important things in life. … Read more
I don’t know about you, but the more I learn about technology and tools for organizing and productivity, the more confused I become. Sometimes, I feel like I’m wasting time on the latest tool. Do you have a tendency to download the newest one, try it for a few days, and then give up? I’m … Read more
I know the expression “time flies” is such a cliché, but sometimes it seems like it really does fly. Now, here we are in October, which means it’s time for simplifying Thanksgiving. Holidays can be overwhelming for some of us, especially when we’re already so busy with a busy job, tasks at home, and everyday … Read more
You may have heard of Universal Design. This method employs barrier-free design principles for the intergenerational use of any space. Universal Design evolved from Accessible Design, a process that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. However, Universal Design addresses the needs of all people. There are some great ideas for employing Universal Design when organizing your … Read more
Let’s say you spend your entire day running from one meeting to the next, switching from one task to another. You’re constantly checking your phone, and on top of it all, you don’t get enough sleep. Isn’t that a typical day for most of us? And what’s wrong with that, apart from the fact that … Read more
Some online articles suggest that busy professionals have an average of 200 hours of uncompleted work at any one time. Wow! Adding to that are the commitments we make in our personal lives (including managing a busy household), so it’s no wonder we can’t prioritize and focus. “If you think unruly and unfocused committees in … Read more
Have you ever wished for a more Zen brain? Is your brain constantly thinking about what you should be doing next or what you haven’t done? Do you find yourself making a mental list only to forget it later in the day? The good news is that there are strategies for quieting your mind, which I learned … Read more
Have you ever set up an organizing system only to abandon it because it doesn’t work well? And then tried to set up a different one, and then yet another one, and so on? Perhaps the reason the organizing systems failed is because you didn’t take your organizing style into consideration. We all know that … Read more
A few years ago, I travelled to California, where I spent three days in Palm Springs, fueling my obsession with mid-century modern design. The following three days, I attended the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) conference. It was overwhelming – in a good way! Imagine, if you will, several hundred organizers who … Read more