NASMM: Moving Matters

NASMM has been kind enough to include me in their latest newletter, Moving Matters.

Sweet!

The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) is a professional association of organizations dedicated to assisting older adults and families with the physical and emotional demands of downsizing, relocating, or modifying their homes. As the only professional association in the country devoted to helping the rapidly increasing 55+ population with middle and later life transition issues, NASMM members are committed to maximizing the dignity and autonomy of all older adults.
Thank you to NASMM for including me in your newsletter.

You ROCK!!

Who has rocked your world recently?

A Taste of My Own Organizing Medicine

When you move into a new home, there is the excitement of the new space and the stress of how to organize your stuff in your new space. You get all your stuff set up and live with it for some time and realize ... uh, this doesn't seem to be working for you.

My garage has been driving me crazy for some time. We've been in our home nearly 4 years and I finally reached the point where I had to do something about our garage.
Yes, professional organizers need to get organized themselves, too.









Gotta admit ... man, trying to decide what to do with my stuff was tough. And I do this for a living, got a taste of my own medicine. I have a new appreciation for the feelings organizing clients have when working on their organizing projects.

After too much thought, decisions were made: My awesome brother built me a workbench (he is available to built more), a cabinet was purchased and assembled, and I built a giant peg board for all my tools.








Now all my tools are in one area, garden stuff is in the cabinet with the recycling items and my boys have some shelving space for their gear.
Aaahhh ... I feel so much better now.

If you have been living in your home for a few years, perhaps it is time to make some adjustments. Especially if you are feeling a frustrated with a particular area. Our lives change and evolve. Your organizing that worked well 2-3 years ago, will likely need to be tweaked for your current activities and interests.

How have you gotten a taste of your own medicine?

Singin' Like A Rockstar

Driving around helping people get organized got me thinking the other day:

Music is awesome.

You can have your very own little concert driving down the road at 70 mph. A certain song comes on and you become Celine Dion, Bono or Pavarotti. It's pretty darn sweet.

Lately I cannot get Rob Thomas's "Her Diamonds" out of my head:

So many great songs out there. This one gets me groovin' right now.

What song gets you singing like a rockstar?

Guilt Jewelry

“Diamonds are a girl's best friend.”
Marilyn Monroe

A little glitz and glimmer, can make you feel so special. It's not needed, but it is very nice to receive a little gift from time to time.

This all changes when the gift is a result from actions taken by the giver that were not ... oh, let's say, on the best terms. Then your wonderful, "thoughtful," gift becomes a guilt token.

Here is my collection of Guilt Jewelry:

Now all of this is not from guilt, though it's all from the same person therefore it's tainted and just feels creepy. It's been sitting in my jewelry box for about 5 years waiting for a plan.

Then I met Jodi Cooke, owner and designer, of The Rock Garden a fine jewelry custom design studio in Sylvania, Ohio. She helped me create this beautiful set of earrings and pendant with extra gemstones for later use in perhaps a ring.

Amazingly Gorgeous!
I'm so excited to be enjoying this jewelry again.
As a friend pointed out, it has a little yin and yang going on which is perfect for my peace-lovin' hippie personality.

Looking forward to sharing The Rock Garden with my organizing clients. So often as we sort through their old jewelry, they just didn't know what to do with their fine jewelry that has lost its meaning and purpose in their lives. Jodi offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy those gems again in new light. She is passionate about creating unique pieces that you will enjoy.

What in your home needs to be recharged?

Organized Solutions Is Giving Away Organizing Help To Celebrate 5 Years!

In your weakest most vulnerable moments, greatness is there if you are strong enough to see it.

Crazy when I think about it.
-Brand, spanking new single divorce mother of two boys, 6 and 4 years old.
-Been a stay at home mom for 5 years, after leaving a senior engineering position at Ford Motor Company.

Everything I had worked so hard for in my world, shattered apart. Gone.
At least it appeared that way ...

For at that time, I felt an opportunity was at hand.
"Well, if I'm going to start completely over in life. Let's make a difference and have some fun with it."

Single mom, 2 boys, unemployed, HUGE mortgage, alone, family living 2 hours away ... Yeah, let's start a business. All I knew was my whole life I loved to help people and I was learning again how much I loved to have fun. Guess the combo worked!

Organized Solutions is 5 years old today!

Hot Damn!!

I am so thankful for all the people I have met, clients who I have helped and companies who have contacted me. Thank you for reading this blog and commenting.

None of this could have been possible without my boys in my life. These dudes rock my world and keep my head on straight. They have been the best business partners anyone could ask for. It is so awesome to see their enthusiasm for our business.

To celebrate, we are giving away 4 hours to someone in need of getting organized. We need to hear your story. This could by yourself or someone you care about. Send me your nomination by the end of September and my boys and I will select our recipient. We need to keep this local to the surrounding Toledo area, though I will work to find help for those out of the area.

My email address: angie@iorganizeyou.com

Thank you for all your help and support.
You all ROCK!!

Who do you need to thank for your success?

Making Packing Lunch Fun (read on for FREE stuff)

"The Holy Grail" day of the year has arrived ... Back to school!!!

Yeah, it signals pretty much the end of the summer fun and frolic. Though, mothers everywhere breathe a sign of relief, and a leap of joy, as the school bus pulls away that first day with their kids inside.

The daily task of packing school lunches is added to your list of things to do, why not make it fun?

Rubbermaid has come out with these super cool (pun totally intended) Blue Ice Fun Shape reusable ice packs for your lunches. You can see the baseball one Jacob tested in his lunch vs. the other options available in our freezer. Other shapes available are a frog, monkey, football and others.

Jacob was pretty excited about having a fun new way of keeping his juice bag and strawberries chilled until it was time to munch. The kids at his lunch table thought it was crazy when he pulled a baseball out of his lunch. "That's so awesome dude!" Not a bad way to start of the 3rd grade. Jacob's verdict, the new Rubbermaid Fun Shape rocks!!

So here's the deal: Are you interested in trying out a Rubbermaid Fun Shape ice pack for FREE?

Well, send me your address and who will be using the fun shape -- need to know if you want boy/girl/neutral. All entries will be tossed into a "hat" and a winner selected randomly. Contest will end Thursday, September 17th 9pm EST. My email is: angie@iorganizeyou.com
Rest assured your name, email and address will not be used for any promotion or advertising. US addresses only.

Hey, We all love free stuff. You don't have to use these fun freezer shapes for your kids. Your lunches can be fun, too.

What was your favorite thing mom packed in your lunch?

If You Can Buy It, You Don't Need It.

It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. It's just stuff.

What are you getting rid of today?