Productive Environment Institute with Barbara Hemphill & Andrea Anderson is The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Organizing and Learning How to Organize". You can find complete information on Productive Environment Institute with Barbara Hemphill & Andrea Anderson and her products by visiting Tame Your Paper Tiger in the Digital Age.
Gardening seems to come naturally to some. Unfortunately I’m not one of them and still learning as I go - with helpful advice from my garden-loving mum along the way. Below are some basic tips to organize your garden – Enjoy the fresh air!
Soil Type & Nutrient Levels: Urban soils are often ... Views: 5987
To renew and reinvent our lives, WE NEED A PLAN! Here it is: a seven-day process to work with over and over. This plan incorporates physical, mental and spiritual work. Use the whole seven-day process, or choose any one of the days to work with as you create the life you want.
DAY 1: ... Views: 1267
Sometimes finding space for shoe storage simply means using space you already have, knowing what products are available and being creative... "thinking outside the shoe box" if you will.
How much space do you have?
You need to have good measurements for your closet or entryway. Closet ... Views: 3351
We’re in a mess. Large retailers are going under as fast as mom and pops. Entire malls look like ghost towns, completely vacant of tenants. Consumer spending is limping along. Our relationship to Stuff is changing, out of necessity. Our values around what we buy are shifting as we tighten ... Views: 857
People just have too much paper to deal with – even though computers were to help us in that area – it just has not happened for most of us. I am going to offer you some quick tips to help you in keeping your financial records and receipts organized throughout the year.
1. Monthly Transactions. ... Views: 1063
Organized living perfectionism is starting to become epidemic.
There are stores that sell nothing but organizing products so you can have a lot of containers to sort and store your stuff in.
There are books on how to declutter and achieve clutter control so you can have a better life and ... Views: 1516
People often ask me how they can find more time in their day to do all the things they want or need to do. Do you have time to do fun things with your family and friends? Do you have time to do all the things you have scheduled to do every day? As a professional organizer I suggest it may be as ... Views: 924
Getting your closet organized and clutter free can be a daunting task. Finding the right system to make your closet look nice and neat is one challenge in itself. Creating a scheme that will allow you to maintain order and efficiency is another task altogether. Accomplishing tasks such as ... Views: 1795
Is your home larger than it was 30 years ago and yet you still don’t have a place for everything you own? Do you struggle to find a place for all the things you have to keep? Could it be you have too much stuff? My philosophy is to surround yourself with things you like, you love, you use and ... Views: 773
As a professional organizer, when I speak to women’s group I am often asked, “how can I get my children to pick up after themselves” or “how can I get my husband to put his tools away or pick up his socks and put them in the hamper”? I have suggestions on how to motivate children but when it ... Views: 882
Are you a great procrastinator? Do you say “I’ll just do it tomorrow?” And then tomorrow never comes and before you know it you are in the position that clutter is taking over your space? Well you are not alone! Clearing clutter can become a thing of the past by stopping clutter before it ... Views: 820
How many times have you said to yourself I wish I could stay organized? I am a professional organizer and I tell the women I work with it is possible to keep organized but I don’t think it is possible to stay organized. The word stay gives the impression that once a task is done it is done for ... Views: 837
For many solopreneurs they think that once they’ve set themselves up in business it’s all about marketing, marketing, marketing. But there’s one very important piece of the puzzle you need to have in place before you start your marketing … and that’s your managing.
Building a successful ... Views: 1300
While “green” and organizing may sound unrelated, promoting green consciousness is a natural extension of the organizing process. Professional organizers enter homes and businesses on a regular basis, and armed with proper knowledge, a professional organizer can assist clients in becoming more ... Views: 1398
Why is it that dingy basement laundry room designs are the norm?
Ever since families started doing their own laundry in their own home instead of taking it out to commercial laundries, laundry day chores have been relegated to out of the way places like the basement or the garage.
I think ... Views: 2129
If you are lucky enough to have a closet design that is a "walk in" congratulations! However, sometimes closet organization in a generous space can be as problematic and troublesome as one that is very small. With all that space sometimes "stuff" just starts to pile up and your walk in closet ... Views: 3922
Sometimes the only way to get distracting members of the family out of the way while you try to spring clean is to involve them in the process. Not many people enjoy dealing with spring cleaning, but that does not mean that anybody should have to do it alone. Having the whole family involved ... Views: 2861
1.) The First Step of the Law--an effective 1st step to get organized is to 3-pile everything. The first pile is for those unnecessary old things to discard and dismiss, the second pile is for those things that should be taken care of now; hence they need quick action. And the third pile is for ... Views: 963
MS Outlook Rules – The Inbox GPS
Imagine, you have 10 minutes to respond to a client, and before you can do that you have to find an email from them. you now start combing through your inbox, sent mail, deleted mail, and god knows where else just to find the email. Next you try to determine if ... Views: 985
Okay, empty your wallet. Clear off some space on your desk and take everything out. Spread it around so you can see everything. Now, we’re going to categorize it.
Coupons: Are they still good? Are they worthwhile? If you're not in the habit of using coupons, they can be more trouble than ... Views: 2352
Guess what, I figured out where a lot of clutter comes from. You might not be happy to hear this but, you may be creating it yourself. This is actually good news, because when you know what causes the clutter you can learn how to stop generating it.
I went food shopping this past weekend. ... Views: 865
Like many Americans you probably have to reinvent your self in this current economy. It means learning new coping skills and making business and lifestyle changes. It means maximizing the use of things you already own and sharpening your skill set to get a new job or retain your current job. ... Views: 1340
Three key actions that threaten time bandits and clutter are creating space, managing time, and rejuvenation. When you put the triple threat into action you begin to get organized and energized while enjoying each day. Below are tips on how to do all three daily in small simple steps. If up for ... Views: 978
“Green” Spring Cleaning
Ahh, Spring. Now is the time to throw open the windows, put on some upbeat music and start spring cleaning. Let’s get started, but let’s do it without harsh chemicals that can harm your body. Many people believe, inaccurately, that the only way to effectively clean ... Views: 1435
I’ve had several clients with cluttered and disorganized environments say to me in resignation, “I don’t know what happened. I used to be so organized and then six years ago, I started not being able to keep up.” Upon further conversation, it turns out that six years ago they lost a parent, ... Views: 994
It is TOO easy to plunk files into a filing cabinet just to get them out of sight. Maybe you’ve done this… if you have, then you know what I’m talking about…and you also know what happens when you continually do this for many years. You end up with an overstuffed, under-utilized, scary looking ... Views: 1442
OK, I'll admit it; I love getting rid of things. A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in my office and suddenly had the urge to purge. I filled four bags with papers, notes and other things that weren't serving my needs.
The reason I love getting rid of things is because of the space I ... Views: 1054
Closets may be the most abused parts of any living space. They are rarely seen by guests, and therefore treated as locations that do not need to serve any sort of aesthetic function. While that can be all well and good, a problem may arise when closet space becomes so cluttered that it is no ... Views: 1066
We all spend time cleaning our houses. We wash, we dust, we vacuum - but what about the air we breathe? Unbeknowest to us, it can get pretty filthy as well. Indoor air is often cluttered with harmful airborne chemicals such as:
• formaldehyde (often found in plywood and particle board), ... Views: 1375
Spring cleaning is often thought of as a long, arduous process that forces one to spend days on end with the annoying tedium of organization and cleaning. This stereotype, however, is something of a misconception. While elaborate spring cleaning plans can take weeks, a simple, efficient and ... Views: 1943
Getting the inside of your home organized is one thing, but making the great outdoors a tidy place is an entirely different situation. Yards get messy, and they can get that way fast. A storm can bring down branches, damage patio furniture and send garbage containers all over the place. ... Views: 5605
One day, as I helped a client organize his home office, we came across an envelope with $3500 in cash! He had completely forgotten about this money, which could have been thrown away and lost forever.
You may not have envelopes bulging with cash lying around, but being disorganized does have ... Views: 1918
Photographs are a great way to remember special occasions, but it’s not always easy to keep them sorted. Here are a few tips you can follow when printing or picking up your snapshots that will help you organize and protect your precious moments:
Go through your photos and discard the blurry or ... Views: 914
Although most of us are enjoying a relaxing summer break, the new school year is just around the corner. August is the time to get ready for back to school by preparing ourselves with the proper supplies and organizational techniques. Follow these suggestions to create a less stressful year and ... Views: 895
Many individuals lead busy lives and experience hectic mornings on a consistent basis. Days can start out on a sour note if we cannot find our work clothes or that blouse that perfectly complements the skirt we have chosen to wear in a hurry. With an organized closet, you could avoid this ... Views: 6735
We all have a lot of paper coming into our homes constantly; either from the mail, work paper, children’s paper and other sources. In order to conquer the paper problem that many of us experience in our homes and to reduce clutter we need to have a working filing system where we can find ... Views: 1523
As a professional organizer I work with women and seniors clearing clutter in their kitchens. This is a problem room for many people. Clearing clutter can be done pretty easy if it is done a little at a time and isn’t allowed to get out of control.
One great idea that works well in clearing ... Views: 971
Anytime is a good time to be organized. But now it may be more important than ever. Even if you aren’t facing any greater financial challenges than you did last year here are some reasons being organized can save you money and time.
I am a professional organizer and I had a woman call me and ... Views: 940
Every morning, I am blissfully awakened by the sound of Canada geese, honking their way overhead, flying in the great “V” in the sky – No, wait a minute. That’s just my son waking up and sneezing and honking his way into a new day with several allergies.
So what is the connection between ... Views: 1834
First, let me start by saying that, if it weren’t for my friend, Tracy, I probably would not even be a professional organizer, or at least, it would have taken longer to find the profession that is my true calling. Tracy, demonstrating the intuitiveness that I have come to know is her classic ... Views: 2598
You may have noticed a lot more sniffling and sneezing going on at your house lately. That's because allergy season is in full swing, both inside and outside. You may not be able to do much about all those flowering trees and grasses, but you can make the situation a little better inside. ... Views: 1122
“Clutter: 1: (Verb) To fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness -- often used with up; 2: (Noun) a crowded or confused mass or collection; things that clutter a place”. ~ Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Just as I suspected, Webster’s ... Views: 4620
It is difficult enough for one person to be organized and maintain that state of organization on a daily basis. Now imagine being thrust into a living situation with a person you have never met before, who is not a relative or even a friend. A person with different sleeping, grooming, eating, ... Views: 2157
“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” ~ Psychologist William James
In my years of experience working with clients to improve their organizing systems, I have noticed a trend. Disorganized people and organizations often have difficulty ... Views: 937
Look up, look way up! Organizing solutions can be as simple as looking up and looking under. When you think there’s no where left to go—it’s time to get creative with your storage.
Look Up
-Shelves are a great way to display collectables as well as store items for everyday use. Consider ... Views: 1037
Knick-knacks, magazines, electronics, pictures, keepsakes, rugs, and tables. These common household items seem harmless enough, but the more we have in our homes, the more difficult it can be to move! Sometimes we have so much stuff it can block doorways or paths to exit the house—dangerous in ... Views: 975
Spring is just around the corner, and this is the best time to begin the process of cleaning and organizing your home. The time to embark on the annual adventure of spring-cleaning is here, and this time, come up with a method that makes it easier to keep you home clean. Creating a system of ... Views: 1626
Organizing your home is a tedious process that presents many obstacles. There may be times when the challenges appear to be insurmountable, but with the proper home organization plan, these challenges can be overcome. Several challenges faced while cleaning your house are creating a strategic ... Views: 1472
If you’ve been following the "DeCluttering Blueprint" series, you’ve noticed the process for eliminating clutter is the same regardless of the room or space you’re working on. In short, you always begin by defining the purpose of your room and then follow-up by identifying the major categories ... Views: 1900
“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” ~ Psychologist William James
In my years of experience working with clients to improve their organizing systems, I have noticed a trend. Disorganized people and organizations often have difficulty ... Views: 1010