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When traveling over the holidays, there are many things that must be taken into account...home security, home office paperwork, transporting presents, packing clothes, house winterizing, boarding pets, and the list goes on.
With many years of being on the go over the Christmas holidays under ... Views: 2259
Let’s Clean This Place Up!
“The world is not to be put in order; the world is order incarnate. It is for us to put ourselves in unison with this order.”
—Henry Miller
A few years ago, I was the publisher of a magazine called Creating Excellence. We were nearing an important advertising ... Views: 908
When you are busy getting tasks done but you don’t get it all done are you hard on yourself, thinking you are a failure? Stop being so hard on yourself and start using a planner to help you accomplish more that you want to do guilt free.
I lift weights at the gym 5 days a week. My gym ... Views: 1532
Green Living is on everyone’s mind these days. It’s the “hot issue” of our day, and responsible citizens are starting to look at more ways to reduce pollution and unnecessary waste. Many of my Professional Organizing clients ask me what they can do to stop this unwanted ... Views: 1622
Sheets and blankets and cases, oh no; as we approach the haunted holiday now is the time to take a gander in your linen closet/drawers; is it enough to scare the pants off Martha Stewart? How are your layers upon layers of folded bed sheets looking? Are they concealed from everyone’s view for ... Views: 1086
Imagine this: You're digging through your outcall massage bag for your oil holster and, with a sinking feeling, you realize that you left it at home. Your only options are to set the oil on the floor or on a side table across the room, both of which force you to break the flow of the massage to ... Views: 10892
As a child I loved dolls. I had endless tea parties with them sitting with me around the kitchen table. I dressed and re-dressed them in the clothes my mother made for them. She was an expert seamstress and I had wonderful outfits for each doll. I never remember my mother staying up until 2:00 ... Views: 1216
The best thing to do if you are serious about organizing your garage before the spring months is to set aside at least two or three days. Having set days makes the task less daunting and allows time to purchase needed supplies. It also offers the chance to decide what should be retained without ... Views: 1376
Busy schedules can make it difficult to plan weekly menus that are quick, easy, nutritious and economical. If you are trying to cook every evening for your family to save money and eat better, a little planning can go a long way towards keeping things simple.
Sale Items
One of the best ways to ... Views: 2745
I've worked with many couples as a professional organizer over the last 7 years. Many of them are married, some are domestic partners, others just roommates, etc. My background as a trained mediator often comes in handy during these client sessions. Often, during an organizing assessment, a ... Views: 1661
How do you eliminate your guilt, stress and fear about getting rid of clutter? Get rid of the mental clutter first, then tackle the physical clutter.
From a very young age, many children are taught that they should not waste, that they should use and keep everything. This really instills a ... Views: 1102
Having multiple online accounts to keep track of is becoming increasingly the norm for most people. Most of us not only have more than one e-mail account, but also multiple accounts on blogs, forums, healthcare sites, eBay and a myriad of other online features and sites that we visit on a ... Views: 3743
Between the bills, bank statements, magazines, and how can we forget the infamous junk mail, it seems like we are constantly shifting documents and pieces of correspondence from the mailbox to the kitchen counter to perhaps your desk and then before you know it the pile up resembles the Leaning ... Views: 955
Who wouldn’t like to spend more time on their hobby? Whether it is fantasy sports, golf, hiking, scrapbooking, or underwater basket weaving, finding that extra hour or two to devote to your favorite pastime is a challenge.
I’ve met with many executives who report a constant tug of war between ... Views: 967
Are you thinking about downsizing to move to a smaller home? You can downsize even if you don’t plan on moving. Reducing the amount of possessions on a regular basis will help avoid the physical exertion and emotional trauma of doing it all at once.
Are you living in a home that has become ... Views: 2069
Once again you are digging through recipes trying to come up with a plan for the week so you can put together a grocery list. Everyone liked those enchiladas, where did that recipe go? Thirty minutes later you are staring at a pile of index cards and photocopied papers. You have uncovered four ... Views: 1043
Simplifying does not mean going without. It means consciously choosing what things, people and events you surround yourself with. I spent 10 years in Marketing learning what colors, words, shapes and offers would make YOU stop in the store, pick up my product and put it in your shopping basket. ... Views: 1285
The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. So too does your spring-cleaning. It may seem like a big chore and a burden, but I have some tips to help you tackle this task so that you can clear the clutter from your home, your mind, and your life. Clearing out the clutter in your home ... Views: 1510
If your home or office has become disorganized, you might be too overwhelmed by the situation and not even know where to begin. Often the main obstacle to getting organized is just mustering up the enthusiasm for getting started. If things have really fallen into disarray, it can be difficult to ... Views: 991
We’ve all seen it. The array of brightly colored squares decorating the sides of someone’s computer monitor or desk or cork-board or chair or car dashboard. It’s the sticky note graveyard.
In the beginning, people start out with good intentions. They make themselves a temporary note to call ... Views: 959
Seasonal Order; like it or not our summer months are beginning to wind down and the appearance of the fall festivities are beginning to line the shelves of the grocery stores; they are starting to show up on the local calendar of events and before we know it once again the cooler temperatures ... Views: 979
Every day our society becomes more and more virtual, more digital. We have less in-person conversations and more meetings over the phone and through web conferencing. As transportation costs continue to raise, this shift toward long-distance communication is becoming ... Views: 1096
When life gets busy (and when doesn’t it?) we often feel that we have to put our head down and plow full steam ahead to get as much done as possible. While it may seem counterintuitive, taking a break can actually help you accomplish more, and make life more enjoyable at the same time. Giving ... Views: 1953
When it comes to organizing, routine does matter!
Organizing is about so much more than developing the right systems to meet your needs or buying the latest organizing gizmo. While those things are undoubtedly important, the most critical factor of whether your organizing projects will be ... Views: 923
At this point of time, more and more businesses are going towards giving work to freelancers. This trend has only been strengthened and spread because of the advancement in the field of internet technology. You will come across hundreds of freelancer programmers and coders’ websites, where all ... Views: 825
If you are lucky enough to have an extra room in your home that is supposed to be for family and friends when they come to visit, more often than not it tends to become a fine home for items that just don’t seem to have a place to go or the guest room seems to turn into a convenient place to ... Views: 1059
Are you one of those individuals who work from home, or have a home-based work or business? Well, aside from the fact that it’s sometimes tough to detach your professional life from your home life in the office space, when it comes to organizing your home office, keeping it in order may pose ... Views: 722
No one can miss the fact that the holiday season is upon us.
We all know that this time of year is filled with shopping, parties, decorating, stress for some, and peace for others. Lurking in the back of many people’s minds are thoughts related to Things.
All of us interact with ... Views: 1218
As our economy continues to do the best it can to get back on it’s feet, heading to the grocery store can be a fright in itself. Especially at the checkout when all is said and done and you discover your grand total. Being careful to purchase exactly what you are in need of when your trip is ... Views: 1151
It's been a challenging year. How are you heading into 2010? Are You Ready For Your Life Now?
Many of us are overwhelmed by our stuff, schedules & having to deal with change.
I help clients set decision making criteria in 3 areas:
What to let in?
Where will it go (space & schedule)?
How do ... Views: 1353
Closet organizers provide some helpful ways in organizing your possessions. When each and every item has a “home”, it becomes much easier to keep your closet clean and neat. Whether it is spring cleaning or one of your New Year’s Resolutions, no cleaning session will be complete sans cleaning ... Views: 794
Towels are the most common cause of clutter in your bathroom. Ideas to get rid of clutter include improving the space utilization so that you have more places for the towels to go as well as addressing the personal organization skills of everybody who uses the bathroom so they become more self ... Views: 2119
As you are fully aware being attentive and conscious of what you are digesting, how much you are digesting and your energy output are an imperative keys toward your success when traveling down your road of weight loss and weight maintenance. At any given point in your future your stellar ... Views: 1777
Be Prepared
- Check the Weather
You may be going to a tropical island, but is it rainy season? Check the weather a day or two in advance and pack accordingly.
- Bring Comfortable Shoes
So, you look like a tourist. Well, you are a tourist! And you'll be a much happier tourist if your feet ... Views: 899
As the arrival date of holiday guests quickly approaches, there are a number of little things that can be done to ensure a very warm welcome.
Surprising your guests with little goodie baskets and an inviting bedroom that makes them feel at home is key.
Some of these items might even be ... Views: 1653
Imagine you are on a roll, engrossed in a project, in the "flow." All of a sudden, the phone rings, an e-mail alarm goes off, a colleague is standing in your doorway, a fax is coming over the machine, etc. Ah, interruptions. If you didn't define all of those as an interruption, think ... Views: 2397
I am a big fan of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. I have read all seven of them, and each time a new movie version premieres, I make it a point to re-read that book before seeing the accompanying movie. I recently re-read the sixth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. ... Views: 1385
We sometimes forget our reasons to get organized once we realize it is a long-haul investment. Our reasons like “to make the house look better” quickly dissipate when all our efforts have brought us full circle back to the place we started three weeks ago. If we don’t understand the lasting ... Views: 2027
Have you ever noticed time seems to speed up this time of year? And our calendars get squeezed every which way with commitments to attend parties, dinners, and social obligations. AND not only do we have social obligations, but we have to find time to shop for gifts, time to get our nails done, ... Views: 1605
I have friends with loads and heaps of stuff. However, when they need that paper they wrote or that blue scarf that appears to be missing they know exactly where to find it. Hard for me to imagine loads of buckets in a room or a closet filled with purses, shoes, hats, accessories, etc, bathrooms ... Views: 680
Atul Gawande is an accomplished scholar (Mac Arthur Fellow), a staff writer for The New Yorker, and a Harvard professor, in addition to being a well-respected surgeon. He is also an astute observer with a curious mind. In the world of surgery, infection kills more people than the operations. ... Views: 1472
Are you sick of searching for your slippers? Tired of tripping over piles of sandals on the floor of your closet? With a compact, convenient shoe organizer, you can keep all of your favorite shoes right at your fingertips and prevent delicate leather and fabrics from getting scuffed up and ... Views: 1408
Do you have a process you follow that keeps your home office organized? Do you document your expenses monthly or throw your receipts into a shoebox? When tax time comes, will your records be in order? Do you manage your emails daily or is your inbox out of control? It is much easier to ... Views: 1491
My $35,000 turkey started out as a bargain. My daughter was shopping and she called to tell me the store had turkeys for 40 cents a pound. Wow! What a savings. Last year I paid 89 cents a pound so this sale would save me big bucks. Now, we only have a fridge with a freezer on top and I thought ... Views: 1180
One of my goals in life was never to quilt. All of that changed one beautiful rainy day at Cape Mears Lighthouse in Oregon. I bought a package with 12 lighthouse quilt blocks in their lovely tincy- tiny gift shop. I love lighthouses so these called out to me. I planned on asking my friend who ... Views: 1785
Are you already dealing with an overly hectic daily schedule or the added time crush of holiday commitments? Can you keep up with life's challenges on a macro level and find balance between your home life, work life, kids' lives and still find time for you without added stress and ... Views: 985
Did you ever notice that your child's backpack is a dumping ground for everything- even things that don't have anything to do with school? Looking into this thing (the backpack) can be a total nightmare! It is no wonder there isn't any room left for books and homework!
I often hear parents ... Views: 1615
Children are a lot of work! For the last week I have been taking care of my grandchildren who are visiting from out of state. What a delight they have been and what a challenge it is to keep up with them. My 3 ½ year old grandson said to me “grandma, I love you”. I told him I loved him too and ... Views: 841
This week on Intent, we want to hear your best tips, tricks, and advice on organizing your life. What big and small things can we do in our everyday lives to feel less stressed, more clear-headed and stride more confidently in the direction of our dreams?
Organization, of course, can apply ... Views: 612