Honoring Your Loved Ones Memory

This is one of my favorite organizing project stories ever. Love this story, and so appropriate for this time of year. Enjoy.


"Terry" admits she get overwhelmed in attempting to stay organized. Like many of us, the dramas of life can take over and the last thing on your list of things to care for is yourself.

Terry had been hanging on to a gift certificate for my services for 11 months. The certificate made her feel good when she received it and if she used it, Terry felt it would be gone. Finally, she broke down and we met.

We talked a bit about her goals. I gave her some ideas about managing tasks to get and stay organized. Then she told me about a craft box in her attic.

This craft box was her mother's. Terry cherished this box of craft supplies. The thing is, Terry's mother passed away 11 years ago. Yes, 11 years this box sat in her attic collecting dust and funk.

She finally decided that the time had come to part with it. Terry told me she believed,

"If you release what is holding you back, good will come back."

A woman came to Terry's home from Freecycle to pick up her mother's craft box. The next week, there was a knock on Terry's front door.

The woman had returned to give Terry this Christmas display for her home. Made only from the items found in the gifted box. Terry immediately recognized certain parts of the arrangement that her mother decorated with. Needless to say, Terry was beside herself with joy and happiness. I got the chills when she told me the story.

Memories of a past loved one are good. They should be honored since they played a loving role in your life. Though if you have them cramped in a dusty, funky smelling old box in your attic, is that really a positive way to remember them?

If you are not enjoying them, perhaps it is time to part with them.
Another person will find joy in the items you give.
........ And good will come back to you.

What's in your attic?

Let It Go and Enjoy!

Want to truly enjoy your new  Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus gifts  that you will be receiving soon?
... Take this weekend to "Let Go" of items in your home
that no longer make you smile & feel wonderful
(or that you are tired of dusting)
What did you "let go" in your home?

Reward yourself. You deserve it!

Kids get rewarded all the time. Sometimes its a simple star on their paper, and that star means the world to them. Any parent with a fridge full of starred and smiley faced papers will agree. It does not take much to feel special to children because they simply enjoy the act of being honored without value being added to it.

I have found that the last person rewarded in many households is the mom. The one person busting their butt for everyone inside and outside the home. Your mom orchestrates the ballet of soccer, school projects, scouts, meals, laundry, dishes and "Oh mom, I need 12 things that start with the letter 'H' by tomorrow morning." And she does it with a smile (at least it looks like a smile).

Slowly the clutter begins to build up around the house. There are only so many hours in a day and you begin to believe you can't get caught up, so what's the point in trying?
"If you think you can or think you can't, you are right," is the famous saying by Henry Ford.

Challenge yourself to stop the "I can't" thinking and turn yourself around. It took time for the clutter to build. It will take time for it to get under control. Be patient with yourself.

Let me suggest this:1. With notepad in hand, walk through your home and note the areas you want to work on.
2. Choose an area to get organized, schedule it on your calendar.
3. Break the project down into small tasks. Instead of organize kitchen, think organize upper cabinets, lower cabinets, junk drawer, pantry, or counter top.
4. Take on one small task and complete it.
5. Schedule your next project.
6. REWARD YOURSELF!! Take a couple minutes longer in the shower, let the kids eat cookies for breakfast so you can sleep in a bit, go for a walk after dinner by yourself .... geez, sometimes going to the bathroom by yourself is a treat!
Post your list of projects to complete and put stars next to them as you complete them. It may sound elementary, though remember how great you felt in school when your teacher put a star on you paper.

Don't forget: Your home is going to be feeling better and better with each task you complete.

How do you reward yourself?

Getting organized could be better than sex

IKEA did a customer survey and found that 31 percent said:

"They were more satisfied after cleaning out their closets than they were with sex."

Is getting organized better than sex?  Really??

I do NOT know what people are doing.
(maybe they don't know), but this is a fantastic stat.

Think about this next time you are pondering starting your organizing project.
Who knows how great you might feel afterwards.

What are you going to organize today?

What's in your room?

 I hear it all the time.
Nearly with every single client:
"Oh ... I wondered where that went."

Take a moment and think about what thing you are missing.  Then focus on an area in your home.

Perhaps you will find it or even another super awesome thing you've been wondering what happened to that thing I used to have for (whatever).

Enjoy the day!!

What did you find?

Spring Organizing Tips

Guest blogger, Stephanie Hanson is the Community Manager for George's Gorgeous Garages. George's provides custom garage storage and organization solutions for homeowners in the Lansing area. For more tips on organization visit their corporate blog.

The harsh cold and snow of winter is almost over. In just a few short months we will be transitioning to the new warmth and flowers that suggest that spring is in the air.

This time of year, many of us decide to let go of unwanted things and start new by participating in spring cleaning. With so much to do, sometimes spring cleaning takes longer than we would like it to.

Here are a list of tips you can use to make your spring cleaning more efficient:

Make A List: It’s called Spring cleaning for a reason. Realize that Spring cleaning means that you are going to be cleaning all those things that you’ve put off the rest of the year. Make a list or spreadsheet of every room of your house and all the things that need done in that room. Remember to include tasks that you don’t usually do like cleaning the baseboards, window treatments, and cleaning furniture. This list may be long, don’t let that scare you.

Give Yourself A Deadline: With so many things to do it’s easy to never actually get them done. Next to each project on your list write down a realistic deadline. If you’ll easily forget about when you are supposed to get something done, place the list somewhere you’ll see if frequently, like the fridge. If that’s still not enough, use reminders on your phone or through apps.

Get Help: It’s okay to say, “I can’t do this on my own.” Enlist the help of your children, spouse, friends, or professionals. Some of these people may be hesitant to help, especially children, but that’s okay. Realize that a big difference can be made between one person doing something and two people working together on it. 

Keep Track: Make sure that you mark off a project when it is completed. In addition, be sure to judge your progress to see how much more you have to do. Reward yourself when you have completed something.

Sit Back And Relax: When you’re done with your list make sure that you take it all in. Sit down and relax for a while. Realize this is a little victory. Celebrate.

Thanks Stephanie for these great Spring organizing tips.

Our crazy winter is finally coming to an end ... I hope!

What are you looking forward to doing this spring?

Organize Spring Magazine ... Woo Hoo!!

SUPER EXCITED!!!

Not only is the mother of all snow meltdowns about to begin but a national publication is hitting the book stands and yours truly is one of the "leading experts."

Woo hoo!!

You can pick up your copy at your favorite Costco, Target, Barnes & Noble and other major new stands.

I was interviewed for the section on organizing tips and tricks for storing your winter gear for the beautiful warm sunny days of spring and summer.

Also, being a single mom with any second becoming a "mommy meltdown moment" in a flash of a Nerf dart whizzing by head, I was asked about ways to find some time for yourself in a section entitled "Taking a Moment."  I laughed out loud when I read one of my quotes.

If you are looking for some great tips (and laughs) on getting organized this spring, get out and grab your copy today!

What are you looking forward to doing this Spring?

"Someday" will never come

Little known fact: There is no "Someday" or "Later" on any calendar.

If you are going to get a task done,
schedule it
write it down
make it happen.

Then reward yourself with a little treat.  Perhaps calling a friend, taking a bit longer shower or may favorite - cheesecake.

What are you getting done today?