Most of us have been taught that books are our friends. We think about all the vicarious adventures we’ve had with Jo March and her sisters or Harry Potter and his wizarding world. But there is a dark side to our book collections that haunts us with fear and guilt.
Tell someone ‘you matter to me…’
“You Matter to Me Day” is celebrated October 7. This has become an annual event of acknowledging the people who matter to each of us, created by Linda Jew in 2010 after having lost a friend and colleague in an accident that also claimed the life of her friend’s son. We often neglect to let […]
How to tell when being ‘organized’ is unproductive
There are times when organizing our office space is actually unproductive and we become so distracted by the need to organize that we lose sight of the ultimate purpose. If you are constantly straightening up your desk and working on filing you may simply be procrastinating. When you frequently purchase organizing tools and equipment without […]
Is clutter hurting your reputation?
Your tendency toward creating piles everywhere may not bother you, but it could be bugging the people around you. But, so what? Does that matter as long as YOU know where everything is? The truth is that, regardless of how competent you are in spite of clutter, others may have a different perception. A client […]
7 ways we sabotage ourselves as we try to get organized
Sometimes other people try to bring us down whenever we try to make some kind of improvement in our lifestyle. However, you may actually sabotage your own success at decluttering and organizing. Here are 7 ways we sabotage ourselves as we try to get organized: 1. Cluttering your life with objects that have little real value […]
Productivity and a fresh start — it’s October 1!
It’s Monday AND it’s the first day of the month! Those of us who tend toward disorganization love when that happens because it feels like we get a fresh start; it’s like having a clean sheet of paper. In our thinking, the possibilities are suddenly endless and THIS TIME we are going to be successful […]
Decluttering as an Olympic Event — my slight wobble could have cost me!
Since the opening ceremonies for the London 2012 Summer Games began on Friday, July 27, 2012, Marla Cilley (aka The Flylady) has been encouraging her followers to participate in a few events of their own. According to her website, she “established the FlyLady De-Clutter Games that will be full of challenge events, supportive words, testimonials, […]
Five fears that keep us trapped under clutter
Some of us, even as we profess a need to “get my act together,” are actually afraid of getting organized. These fears include: 1. Doing it “wrong.” Perhaps we grew up in a home with a perfectionist parent who insisted that there was one right way, right tool, right time for organizing, cleaning, and everything […]
Sometimes it’s not clutter…
Not every thing that looks like clutter is so and I tell this story to potential clients who are afraid that we who are professional organizers will “make” them throw their precious treasures away. The following poem was written by my now-husband Angelo after our first “alone date”. He kept the two (used) paper cups […]
Six tips to jump start your decluttering project
1. Begin with whatever irritates you most. However, DO NOT choose someone else’s space (husband’s office, child’s room). Take care of your own stuff. 2. Use a timer. Set time limits of 10, 15 or 30 minutes. Allow yourself to be done with the task, even if the project is not done. 3. Tackle one […]