Organizing Gift Certificates ... for the person who has everything ... really

Finding a fun, creative and appreciative gift this holiday season can be quite challenging.  With the craziness of life, many times just a little bit of extra help to ease the stress and strain of an overwhelmed world is amazingly refreshing.

An Organized Solutions gift certificate may be that perfect fit for your favorite loved one who has been dreaming of getting organized.  Available directly at our website (upper right corner).

If you are thinking of purchasing a gift certificate, I encourage you to contact me to make sure your gift will be happily received. Nothing worse than getting a gift like that ugly sweater your Aunt Bonnie gave you when you were 16 year old.

After all, we all give with best intentions, though making sure your gift is perfect is priceless.

Major home clearing and organizing project

When a loved one passes away, their lifetime can be left in their home.

This is a case of extreme nature in this project.

Clearing this home took 3.5 days and the following supplies and resources:
- 2 professional organizers
- 400+ black bags
-  (3) 15 cubic yard dumpsters
- 3 pick-ups of donations by Goodwill of Northwest Ohio: 40, 50, 200 bags
- 80 lbs of new toiletries and unopened foil/baggies/plastic wrap donated to Cherry St Mission
- 3 bankers boxes of new office supplies, along with several plastic bins/drawer systems donated to local elementary school

To view all 24 before and after pictures please visit our Facebook page 

If you know of a loved one who needs help, please contact me and I will work to find a local organizer to help.

Time to Organize Your Garage

Getting your cars parked in your garage may be a dream to you, though now is the time to get your garage organized. Seems everyone is out there, cleaning out from the change of seasons. Getting ready storing away the nasty snowthrower and dusting off the lawnmowers. Beginning the project, for many people, is the toughest part.

You see the piles of stuff and the shelves overflowing with items randomly tossed about for storage. Here's how you can go about organizing a garage:

step #1: Notes - Look at every wall or area and right down notes on items seen, comments made by my client or in your case little thoughts that drift into your head. It's OK to write, "absolute disaster" or "hopeless mess." Just get it down on paper. Doesn't have to be a novel, random notes are perfect.

step #2: Ideas - Envison what your garage would look like. Use your walls for storing as much as possible. Think shelves, racks, hooks, bins, bags, etc. All of these ideas can be attached to the wall, getting your stuff off the floor.


step #3: Plan - Maybe take a bit of a break and let your thoughts simmer. Come back into your garage and plan what you are going to do. Take some measurements for shelving. Remember to use the studs as much as possible, this will keep your stuff on the walls. Studs are typically every 16 inches along the wall length.

step#4: Action - Get your garbage bags ready, boxes for donations and rev up those power tools ... the organizing party is about to begin. Hang up your shelves first, if possible. This gives you space to store the items you use. Items you do NOT use do NOT go on a shelf, trash or donate. Work around your garage and find homes for the things you use. You will be left with stuff that is has no use in your home.

step #5: Clean Up - You will be left with stuff that has no use in your home. Donate or trash it. Get it out of your life. It's OK to part with stuff. Sweep up the floor and pull your car into the garage. Reward yourself for a job well done!

What random thought do you have about your garage?

Clutter Road - Hoarder or Not?

Today's post comes from guest blogger, Melanie Dennis, owner of Neat Streak Professional Organizing, who shares some insight on hoarding.

Tell someone you are a Professional Organizer and they will tell you they need you or someone they know does. They will tell you they have seen the shows-Hoarders, Hoarders-Buried Alive, and the Oprah episodes featuring people with mountains of clutter, and living conditions that are not safe or sanitary. They will ask if I heard the story of hoarder who died and were not found for days because of the clutter. What is good about all this awareness is that people who need and want help can more easily find resources to get it.

I get emails and calls from people who are worried that they have clutter and might be a hoarder. They have watched an episode and worry that they might be going down that road. Hoarding is one of those things that runs a spectrum from mild to very severe. In mild cases, the clutter has grown because organizing systems have not been put into place or those in place have not been maintained. They may have been organized, but now the clutter has grown, things have not been put away, and they are simply too overwhelmed to know where to begin. Perhaps they have been ill or taking care of someone who was, or been too busy to take on a project. They know something is wrong and are emotionally ready for change. The prognosis for these people is often good.

More serious situations may result from an accumulation of possessions way beyond what is normal- where rooms cease to function for their intended purpose, other people may be prevented from entering and repairs can't be done. The person may lack the ability to discern categories or even what is trash and what is not, they may have a profound sense responsibility to not be wasteful, or compulsive urges to acquire things. Some other reasons we see for hoarding are OCD, depression, ADHD, perfectionism, grief, compulsive shopping, mental illness, or a cognitive disorders. Researchers believe that there may also be a genetic component. Often the choice to declutter is not the hoarder's idea. They may have run out of options. Collaborative therapy- using professional organizers, community resources, cleaning specialists and mental health professionals working in accord can be helpful in improving the safety and quality of life for these people. The NSGCD has established the Clutter Hoarding Scale to help professionals have a common language with which to describe what is being seen. The primary focus in helping hoarders is to improve the safety of the home.

I am happy to have worked on a team helping a Central Ohio gentleman for an episode of A&E's Hoarders. I saw the whole story unfold. Not all the little successes during the 16 plus hours filming nor the hours of aftercare that the show provides can make it to the one hour finished result. Thanks to those who film and produce the episodes and all the brave people who have put themselves out there. You have helped countless others--hoarders and not.

Melanie Dennis is a Certified Professional Organizer® and the owner of Neat Streak Professional Organizing in Columbus, Ohio.

Thank you Melanie for allowing me to share your article.

How have organizing programs helped you to get organized?

Transforming a Woman One Breath at a Time

"I want you to help me breathe again."

Such a powerful statement from a "Carol" a hoarder who is ready to make some changes in her home.

Carol tells me she always had a lot of items and knick-knacks around her home. Though when her husband past away several years ago, her home spun out of control. She struggled to let anything go. Empty bottles and boxes piled up, papers began to stack on their own and clothing was everywhere. Carol no longer let anyone into her home.

I was the first in over 5 years.

Carol was extremely nervous about having someone, let alone a professional organizer, enter her home, though she was ready to make some changes. She cautiously showed me through each room, her bedroom and bathroom were off-limits for viewing. Beautiful little home, yeah there was a bit much inside, but as we walked through Carol began to relax a little. She was just thankful to have someone that could help her.

See, Carol was completely overwhelmed at what her home had become. She also understood doing this on her own would not work for her, because it hasn't in the past. As we sat and chatted a bit about how to break down this daunting project into small bits and bites, ways Carol could work on getting organized on her own and be successful.

When I returned 2 weeks later, AMAZING! Carol had her organizing homework assignments done, plus more items for me to remove for recycling. She was so excited to see me, proud of all she had accomplished.

You could see the confidence grow in Carol's eyes, she was sitting taller and smiling. Even got a bit of a chuckle out of her which was awesome!

Because you cannot laugh, if you can't breathe.

What area in your home is choking you?

Collections vs. Clutter

Collections are an accumulation of objects gathered for study or comparision for exhibition or hobby.

Clutter is to fill or cover with scattered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness.

Collections are shown with pride and joy for all to view.

Clutter can consume and overwhelm your surroundings causing you to withdrawl.

As a professional organizer I hear many times, "I have a lot of collections." But are they REALLY collections if the items are stored in dust covered boxes unopened for months ... years?

It's OK to love something for awhile and over time your interests change. (though I'm not sure when my boys are going to phase out of bringing a collection of rocks home everywhere they go)
Remember, these are things.

Items that make you cringe, roll your eyes or feel sad -- need to go.
Things that are broken (are you really going to fix it?) or ugly (yeah, we all buy ugly stuff) -- it needs to go.

If you're struggling with an item, pick up your favorite piece from your collection. How do you feel when you look at it? Now, pick up the item in question. Yeah ... you know what to do.

Collections are fantastic. You share them with the world.

Clutter can be suffocating, perhaps causing you to hide.
You are too beautiful and wonderful
to miss out on the happiness of life.
Look at your life and home. My mission is to help you love your space again. If you're not loving your space, your space is not going to change until YOU make some changes.

This transformation is not going to happen overnight. Be patient and reward yourself for the little successes along the way.

Take a hard look at your collections.
Sort out the clutter.
Share your home with the world.
Enjoy the day.

What collection has overgrown your space?

Only Happy Endings

There is a history, story or drama to every item you have in your home.

If the history, story or drama is does not have a happy ending, your item no longer should be in your life.

Let it go.

What are you letting go?

It's the Season For Organizing

Today's post comes from guest blogger, Melanie Dennis who shares some insight in dealing with all our possesions.

It started the day after Christmas. The ads in my paper were pushing shelves, bins, totes, and organizers of every shape and color. The message is clear- You got stuff. You need stuff to store your stuff. The time is now when you are stuck inside with your stuff. There was National Clean off Your Desk Day this week, "GO" (Get Organized) Month from the National Association of Professional Organizers, Oprah has Peter Walsh organizing again, and A&E will spotlight another Hoarder so we see how bad it can get. There is no doubt about it-Organized is better. Organized students get better grades. Organized bill payers have better credit ratings. Organized workers get better jobs. Do we need to be reminded that we have so much that we can't find what we need? Apparently so.

There has never been a time in history when a society has had so many possessions. We could not have learned from the past how to deal with too much. I watch old westerns (my guilty pleasure) and think how hard it would be to narrow down my possessions to fit in a covered wagon or to carry my possessions like a refugee on the news. This is, of course, extreme but many of us have developed unhealthy and fearful relationships with our stuff. I have heard clients say that a teddy bear would feel lonely or rejected if we tossed it. People feel they're stuck for eternity with a cheese plate because "It was a gift". They worry that tossing something owned by one's parents is disrespectful to the past even if it costs them the use of a garage or basement. They hang on to checks written in the last century in fear that the government will come beating on their door requesting proof of a "Save the Children" donation. The good news is that with the help of a professional organizer, asking the right questions, they were able to re-frame their thinking. The gift was not meant to weigh them down, the IRS has rules about what you need to keep and for how long, and their parents would rather they stayed warm in their garage.

We need reminders and support as we learn to deal with the stuff in our life. We need reminders to bless others when we have more than we need. We need guides to help us make rules for ourselves about what to keep, for how long, or what to do when we inherit a household. Remember- no product will completely make you organized. You have to first re-frame your thinking. The goal for each year is just to get better.

Melanie Dennis is a Certified Professional Organizer® and the owner of Neat Streak Professional Organizing in Columbus, Ohio.

Thank you Melanie for allowing me to share your post.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Hoarding 101

Hoarding is the acquisition of, and failure to use or discard, such a large number of seemingly useless possessions that it causes significant clutter and impairment to basic living activities such as mobility, cooking, cleaning, showering or sleeping. A person who engages in compulsive hoarding is commonly said to be a "pack rat", in reference to that animal's apparent fondness for material objects.

As a hoarder, you may mistakenly believe that the hoarded items are very valuable. You may show off a cutlery set claiming it to be made of silver and mother-of-pearl, disregarding the fact that the packaging clearly states the cutlery is made of steel and plastic. You may have a refrigerator filled with food items that expired months ago without ever eating them, but would vehemently resist any attempts from relatives to dispose of the unusable food items.

A&E has a new short series entitles "Hoarders."

The first episode aired last night, next episode Monday, August 24th 10pm. (If you missed it, click here)


This series is a fascinating look inside the lives of two different people each week whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis.

It was interesting to watch and see how this family was helped. My business is helping people in this situation. Not only helping them remove clutter, but also encourage them to make changes to avoid the accumulation of stuff.

"Tell me about this space," is a similar request that I ask all clients before starting a project. Forcing a change on someone is far more effective if you know what their objectives are.

If it has been a few years since you have been invited into a loved one's home, please, PLEASE find a way to weasel your way into their home and check it out. Gather up your family and friends and help those in need.

No one should have negative feelings about their home.

Who have you not visited in 2 years that you should?

Community Hoarding Intervention Coalition (CHIC)

From closets overflowing with unworn clothes to boxes brimming with crafts and knickknacks, experts estimate that nearly 6 million Americans have a hoarding problem that affects their quality of life.


Hoarding means acquiring too much stuff and not wanting to part with it. It can become quite severe and even dangerous, especially for people who live alone and have few visitors.

When a person thinks there is nothing wrong with having a lot of stuff and it’s nobody else’s business anyway, it is very difficult for anyone to help—even family members, who become frustrated and discouraged. However, some people who hoard are able to recognize that they have a problem and need help.

The Southeast Michigan chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers has developed a program to help people who believe their hoarding is out of control but cannot afford to hire an organizer. The Community Hoarding Intervention Coalition (CHIC), organizers donate their time to help the hoarder regain control of the space and the habits that led to the problem.

It is important to note that this program is only for hoarders with “insight" or awareness of the problem. Professional organizers are not licensed mental health professionals, so they are not trained to help people who cannot understand why changes are needed.

Please contact me for more information about this new program.

How are you helping people this year?