I came across an article I’ve been saving that really has nothing to do with organizing, “I won’t I won’t I won’t – you can’t make me” by Carl Duivenvorden. However, the point he makes about the difference between “can’t” and “won’t” has everything to do with organizing. So many times clients have said to me, … Read more
How can it possibly be difficult to organize a large home? Turns out it’s really quite a challenge. When I first met these clients they lived in a modest home of probably under 2000 square feet with their three children. They now live in a substantially larger home, I’m guessing well over 4000 square feet, yet chaos … Read more
As I spend more of my time talking to clients about letting go of excess and taking control of their life and their stuff, I become more fascinated by what we can do if we have less. I think we can actually do more. Here are a few examples: Healthy Eating I helped a client get rid … Read more
Bal-ance: a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. The key to creating balance in your life is choosing how you spend your time. Many people consider balance to be all about work/life choices. A lot of my clients spend a whole lot of time at work and working when they’re … Read more
I came across a blog post recently that was all about how we sabotage our own happiness. For instance, something that makes me happy right now is that it’s summer. Yippee! I know one thing right off the bat that might sabotage that happiness – a complaint that it’s too hot. I implore you, don’t do it. Enjoy the … Read more
I read the first of two books written by Japanese organizer Marie Kondo. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. A few of my clients have read it, and many of their friends have been talking about it. People everywhere are asking themselves if their clothes “spark joy” as she suggests. I think it must be the … Read more
“Organized people are just too lazy to look for things.” – Bertrand Russell Have you ever set up an organizing system only to abandon it because it doesn’t work well, and then try to set up a different system? And then another system and so on and so on. Many of my clients struggle with finding … Read more
Have you ever had disagreements with your partner about the level of organization (or lack thereof) in your household? I’m guessing you have. We all have different expectations for how tidy our home should be. These expectations can be a result of the environment in which we were raised – was it cluttered or tidy? And a result … Read more
When you put something down as a reminder to do something, do you eventually walk past it and not notice it? Perhaps you have piles of magazines in your office to remind you to read them, but you no longer “see” them. In fact, they seemingly blend right in with the furniture. Maybe you have … Read more
“You can never get enough of what you don’t really need . . .” ~ Eric Hoffer A few years ago, I travelled to California where I spent 3 days in Palm Springs fueling my obsession with mid-century modern design, and the following 3 days attending my first National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) conference … Read more
“Less house, more home.” –Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist In 1950 the average size of a family home was 1,000 square feet. That increased to 1,500 square feet by 1970 and to 2,200 square feet by the year 2000. If I do a calculation based on the average family with 2 adults and 2 children, for some reason we … Read more
“It’s so much more than just a move… Making a move at any age can be difficult and stressful. After 30, 40, or even 50 years in your current home, the process of rightsizing and relocating to a new home is overwhelming.” ~ NASMM I used to assume that people who downsized to a smaller home, condo, … Read more
If you haven’t watched it, I’m sure you’ve heard people talking about it. “Tidying Up” with Marie Kondo is a Netflix series that has been viewed by millions, millions of her books have been sold and she has even introduced her own line of storage boxes. Hmmm….isn’t that adding stuff back into your life? And now there’s … Read more
Do you find that some days your stuff weighs you down? You’re not alone. When I work with a client for a significant amount of time, whether several days in a row or spread out over several months, it seems like we’re shifting the weight and feeling lighter as we declutter and organize. During these … Read more
All the talk about the necessity for creative storage solutions in tiny houses is true. I have had to use some innovative thinking for a challenging storage project I’m working on. A friend has a small home (about 700 square feet) with tiny rooms. The only storage areas are a four-foot-wide closet in her bedroom and a … Read more
I can organize pretty much anything. The exception are cords and cables for electronic and computer devices. It’s as though I have some sort of mental block when it comes to turning that tangled mess into neat and tidy. Usually, when I see a mess, I can’t wait to dig in and sort, purge and set up … Read more
I believe that all of the physical objects in your life have an energy, either positive or negative. Therefore the energy of the objects in your surroundings affects how you feel and how you live your life. As you release objects with negative energy, the energy in your space shifts and you are able to change … Read more
Alright, people, there is not much time left before the magic season is upon us. Gather your holiday mojo, and let’s make it happen. It occurs to me that the holiday season can be one of the most clutter-generating times of the year. I read a blog post from the Minimalists about gift-giving tips, which … Read more
As you gingerly open all your trunks, boxes and storage bins of holiday décor this month, why not look at this yearly task as an opportunity to take stock of your inventory with the aim of minimizing it to a manageable amount. And perhaps a chance to finally get rid of the things that are … Read more
The holiday season is almost upon us. Like any major project, it is a good idea to identify all the tasks that you need to take care of to ensure everything comes together by the deadline. Organizing your holiday greetings and mailing cards is one task you can complete early in the season. An essential … Read more