For me, family and friends rank right up on the top. I schedule times to visit my children and my siblings. I schedule time to visit with friends. Probably not enough but I do make a regular effort. This past weekend we really got it together and had an 80th birthday party for my husband, Rob. His family pulled out the stops and came from as far away as Texas. Both of his sons and his step-daughter plus many grandchildren attended. A lot of Rob’s friends also attended includi

Summer is a wonderful time to work on a few hot spots instead of big projects. Walk through your home and note a few things that could use some work. Maybe the towels in the linen closet are all askew. That cutlery drawer in the kitchen is a mess. You know some of your cosmetics need to be tossed. You’re pretty much keeping up with bills, but filling has fallen behind. Make a list of some of these small projects that could be either knocked off or improved in an hour or less.

You come in from a meeting and you are tired. You bring in the mail but don’t have time to mess with it right now. You are afraid if you file the paper away you will forget it. So, everything gets dumped on the desk or countertop. Meanwhile, your desk or countertop becomes one big inbox with piles everywhere. Some paper has been there so long that it has actually stuck to the surface or has fallen behind the desk or is so buried that unless there is some trigger to dig for it

Laundry zones can be large (a big area in the basement) or small (fold-out doors covering a washer/dryer combo in a closet size area) or somewhere in-between. Depending on the size of the laundry zone this area may have other functions besides doing the wash. If there is room, it makes sense to store ironing supplies in this location. My area is large enough to store pet supplies, recycling bins, cleaning supplies, and some over sized or underused party supplies. All that wor

As a professional organizer I often help people sort paper and old mail. Here are some of the things I have come across. Old checks made out to the recipient – sometimes 10 years old A final notice that since the speeding ticket had not been paid (notices in other envelopes not yet opened) the drivers license was being revoked – right before a big road trip for this lady Gift cards Thanks for donations form letters – that should have gone into the tax folder The car title of

Anytime I start working on a zone in my home, I begin with a vision. And since I share this room with my husband, it needs to be a shared vision. We want this room to have a calming, relaxed feel and be a place that sparks joy and happiness. We like soft light but still desire enough light for reading. My husband meditates here so the room should have an uncluttered, peaceful feel. Then, I make a brainstorm list of all that we need to do to make this room align with our visio

What is bothering me in this zone? Clutter Too much on the desk top Files too full Too much paper lying around screaming “do me” 2. How do I want my office to look and feel? Uncluttered Clean Welcoming I want to feel productive and happy I want empty space to allow for growth 3. What do I need to do to meet this vision? Clear our all desk drawers and the desk top Purge files and remove what is now archival to another place Clean out bins of completed projects and ready the

However, sometimes I forget. I try to complete that one more thing. I try to wiggle in one more client. I try to polish that presentation just a little bit more. And on the weekends, I try to complete that one more project at home. When I allow this to happen, I get tired and grumpy. I also get careless and make mistakes. I’m more likely to get sick. Awareness that this is happening is key. Scheduling at least 2 days a month with my husband where we sleep late and do fun thin

August is the perfect time to tackle your laundry room zone because: You are coming out of vacation mode and are now washing and putting away those clothes You are going into a new school year and have school clothes and sports clothing that need washing You want your laundry zone to be organized and efficient for the upcoming season Laundry zones can be large or small and located in many places. Some older homes have the laundry zone in the basement. Some are in a hallway or

Every year I make a plan for touching everything in my home. This helps me remember what I have and helps me to purge items I no longer need or love. I always start the year in my office. After a year, my office begins to feel overfull and not well organized. Files are stuffed and new things have come into the office by way of gifts or books. My vision for my office is to have an area where I work that is attractive and welcoming. I want to feel in control and happy when in

I have a client who last week lamented to me, “I never reach done!” I heard what she was saying. She usually has multiple projects going – some of them ongoing – and she really hasn’t benchmarked a place where she can say, “done!” I show up at her home and we talk about what she wants to accomplish on that session. I get a grocery list of maybe 6 – 8 items (and often items are added as we go). Some items are small and can be knocked out easily. Some items are very important l

Laundry zones can be large or small and can be located in many places. Some older homes have a laundry zone in the basement. Some are located off the kitchen. I have seen them in closets in the hall or at the top of the stairs. I have even seen them right off master bedrooms. What you don’t want to see are piles of clothes migrating into surrounding areas. Mounds of clothes are not enjoyed by anyone but the family cat. Keeping up with the laundry becomes less a chore with a w

Summer is often a time when our schedules shift. Our expectations change. I tend to slow down in the heat. I like to lay claim to some personal freedom. I love to be able to enjoy some spontaneity but I also need to have routines to ground me. I use routines to block out my schedule so that I can see when I can have the luxury of doing fun activities. Leaving some empty blocks on my calendar can be very exciting. I keep in mind my personal energy levels and try to schedule di

I love to throw a party every July for my friends. Summer is a more laid back time of year and a great time to come together and socialize. The very idea of giving a party can be overwhelming to people. Like any project that seems overwhelming, it’s not so daunting if you break it down into smaller, manageable tasks and you don’t strive for perfection. I start with my vision in mind. How do I want this party to look and feel? I usually have a theme but the theme could be as s