Today I am sharing a few things clients have tried over the years. These are five organizing pitfalls to avoid because they don’t work. I’m telling you now so you can implement better solutions right from the start. If already have these problems, you can fix them right away. This will lead you to have … Read more
Have you ever had that feeling that some rooms you enter just don’t ‘feel right’? That is usually due to energy being out of balance. There should be a perfect balance of light and dark, known as Yin and Yang. Read more about it . . . I would like you to think about the … Read more
In the winter do you normally hunker down and wait for spring before you tackle any major decluttering projects? I wonder if you drag yourself up off the sofa and take a look around the house for some of those ‘clutter hotspots’ and work to banish them once and for all. Before you do that … 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
This blog post was inspired by a conversation I had with a client a few days ago. She and her husband have been working on a DIY reno of their house for months and months and months . . . However, they did hire a cabinet company to design and install their kitchen. Good news. … Read more
In the last newsletter we wrote about getting back into routines. This month, as I think ahead to the Holiday season, I am going to ask you to consider breaking from routines or traditions. Don’t get me wrong, if you have traditions that you truly enjoy, please stick to them. What I want you to ask … Read more
Do you find that some days your stuff weighs you down? When I have the chance to work with clients for a significant amount of time, whether that’s several days in a row or spread out over a number of months, it does feel as though their home gets lighter. During these decluttering projects we may … 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
A few weeks ago, The Minimalists posted an essay on their blog entitled “Prepared to Walk Away”. I have been reading their work for a few years but for some reason this piece really struck a cord and got me thinking and asking myself the same question. Could I walk away from everything in my life? Well, no, … 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
A trip to the world’s largest furniture market sure can change your perspective on things. In April and October every year a hundred thousand buyers make the trek to Highpoint, North Carolina to see the latest trends, meet with suppliers and manufacturers, and if they own a store, order furniture, lighting, fabric and accessories for … Read more
When people find out that I’ve been a practicing Professional Organizer for more than fifteen years, they often ask me, “So, do you work with hoarders?” I believe it’s very important for all of us to understand the true definition of hoarding so we can recognize when it is a serious issue. It seems easier … Read more
Over a few weeks, I worked with a family on a downsizing project. It made me reflect on the importance of focus. In this situation, four siblings cleared out the family home their parents lived in for 50 years. Recently, one parent passed away, and the other can no longer live alone. The family home … Read more
I watched a video of a girl who felt she was too messy to be a minimalist, then she “Tried Minimalism for a Week.” She interviewed Ryan and Josh, The Minimalists, to better understand what a minimalist lifestyle means. Next, she packed up everything she owned except a few essentials and set off on her … Read more
A client I worked with a couple of years ago still inspires me. I want to share with you some of the things we absolutely love and can’t part with, even though we understand that owning less stuff is the foundational principle of getting organized. Sometimes you have items you must keep in larger quantities … Read more
Organizing all the little things in your home is so important yet we don’t do it. Even I feel overwhelmed sometimes when I’m working with someone and we take care of organizing all the big things first and then we look at the little things and we both say to ourselves, “now what?” Of course, … Read more