As a professional organizer, I often see this happening: someone sees clutter in a part of their home and visits the Container Store to purchase containers, carts, and gadgets. They believe this will solve their organizing problem. When clutter returns, they repeat. Another container or two enters the house to ‘fix’ the problem. Pretty soon, … Continue reading 3 Popular Organizing Tools You Should Avoid
Confession: I have a love/hate relationship to gift giving. Personally, there’s nothing I like more than opening a beautifully wrapped present. Or the child-like joy of watching someone open up a gift. But as a professional organizer who often helps clients ‘liberate’ gifts they really don’t like, I have a very difficult time giving someone … Continue reading Tips on Giving the Perfect Gift
This Thanksgiving, I asked my Mother if she had any thick colored paper, a hole punch, and a red Sharpie pen. This is what she said: “The colored heavy stock is in the large closet, right-hand side, 3rd shelf down on the left side. It’s labeled – you’ll see it. And the Sharpie pen is … Continue reading How to Make Labeling Your Things Easy and Doable
I wrote recently about the habits I have that keep me organized, but getting organized in the first place feels impossible if you fall into in any of these common organizing traps. Here are a few blunders and how to avoid them. Organizing before you declutter. Oh no! You just spent time and energy … Continue reading 5 Blunders That Keep You Disorganized
I got a great email from Patricia De Fonte the other day and was thrilled when she said I could share it with you. (Patricia is a Principal and Estate Planning Attorney at De Fonte Law. She handled my estate planning and I can’t recommend her enough!) Her email has nothing to do with law … Continue reading What I Told My Friend About Her Son’s Stuffed Animals
How full is your closet with linens you don’t use? Maybe you have a soft blanket but it’s stained, or a high-quality percale sheet that’s fraying. You think you should keep it, and suddenly your storage is stuffed. Here’s my professional organizer’s tip for what to do with old linens: donate them to Animal Rescue … Continue reading Organizer Tip: Where to Donate Your Old Linens
If you’ve read my bio, you know I learned how to organize from my mother and grandmother. I’m going to give these two, lovely women credit for teaching me the importance of these “secrets.” As a child, I thought everyone did these things. Boy, was I surprised to find out our family habits weren’t … Continue reading How I Keep My House So Organized
Tips & Tricks FILING PAPERWORK IS MY FAVORITE TASK… NOT!!! I had this epiphany. Handling paperwork doesn’t have to be a dreadful task… If I simplify my filing system and throw a lot of it out. Duh!!!! Could it be this simple? Save or not to save, that is the question. Yes? No? Maybe? If you don’t own … Continue reading Organizing Tips & Tricks: Filing Paperwork
Are you drowning in receipts? Doesn’t it drive you crazy when you can’t find the receipt for an item you want to return? How about those crumpled up receipts in your purse/wallet or worse yet, the receipts in that paper bag next to your desk? Before you can set up a filing system for receipts … Continue reading Organizing Tips & Tricks: Filing & Receipts
Weren’t we promised a paperless world? I hate paper as much as the next guy, but I’ve found the secret to dealing with this monster. Clear off a table so you have room to spread out. Turn on high energy music. My favs are 60’s classics & Motown (yup, I just dated myself!) If … Continue reading Organizing Tips & Tricks: Organizing Paper