Blog Feed: Professionalorganizer4u

Summertime, kids out of school, vacations are all fast approaching. You might think it’s far away, but your kids, believe me, they are thinking about summer vacations already. If you are able to go away on vacation get your kids involved in planning it. Let them come up with some ideas on things to do. If they are old enough, put them in charge of planning the activities. This teaches them how much work is involved and also empowers them to make their vacation their own. Let them come up wit [..] > read more

What People See.....

Published on 2012-05-08 07:00:00

Everyone has a different idea of > read more

Clean Does Not Mean Organized

Published on 2012-05-01 07:00:00

I have heard a lot of people confuse the words "clean" and "organized" lately so I thought it was time to set the record straight....again.... A lot of people have this misconception that being organized and being clean is the same thing. It's not. You can have a clean house that is a cluttered mess. Or you can have an organized house that is filthy and dusty. One does not necessarily have to do with the other.Organization is a state of mind. It's subjective. What's organized by some people [..] > read more

IT's TIME TO CLEAN - INSIDE AND OUT

Published on 2012-04-23 07:00:00

The warm weather is here and people are starting to spend more time outside. But is your garage and house ready for the change of seasons? Can you easily get to your rake and gardening tools?While the weather is warm take a few minutes to drag everything out of your garage and give it a good cleaning. Sweep out the leaves and dust. Re-arrange your tools and equipments so that the things that you need for the warm weather are more accessible. Move your snowblower and shovels to the back and bring [..] > read more

Excuses for Not Staying Organized

Published on 2012-04-11 07:00:00

I hear a lot of excuses from people, especially parents telling me that they can't "stay organized" for very long or that their kids won't stay organized for more than a couple of days.It's an excuse. Very simple. It's sort of like saying " I don't really see the benefit of school so why bother doing homework". Would you let your child get away with that? "No" is the answer.NO EXCUSES ! Yes, all new "habits" take time. And that's exactly what "organizing" is. A new "learned habit".Kids love orga [..] > read more

Are You Really Ready To Get Organized ?

Published on 2012-04-02 07:00:00

Getting organized is a great idea. For some people the road to even thinking about getting organized is a long one. And even when someone thinks they are finally ready to "get organized" and take control of their life... panic sets in and they take a step back.A lot of people don't understand the trauma that "organizing" brings to some people. They think "what's the big deal....just clean up already". But that's not how it works.For a lot of people the thought of "organizing" is traumatic. It b [..] > read more

Teaching Your Kids Organizational Skills

Published on 2012-03-27 07:00:00

People always ask me "at what age" they should start teaching their kids some organizational skills...and the answer is "before they are even out of diapers".It's never too early to start teaching kids how to be organized and how to pick up after themselves. Even a two year old can be taught how to pick up a toy and put it into a basket. To them it's a game. So let it be fun and make it a part of their everyday routine. Play time followed by "putting your toys away time".But if you didn't star [..] > read more

Too Much Stuff !!!

Published on 2012-03-19 07:00:00

How much "stuff" does one person really need? Do you really need 25 pairs of jeans? Or 50 pairs of shoes? Maybe the celebrities do but "everyday, ordinary people" who aren't millionaires really don't. Let's be honest!"Stuff" overwhelms people. "Stuff" controls people. "Stuff" smothers people.Don't get me wrong. I like to have nice things. I have things that I collect. But there is a difference between a collection and going overboard and having too much "stuff" clutter up your home and you [..] > read more

Organizing Your Files

Published on 2012-03-12 07:00:00

Organizing is an on going process. It's not a "one-time deal". And it's not something that you have to set aside an entire day for.Organizing your files and your paperwork is extremely time consuming because you have to look at each piece of paper and make a decision. It's emotionally exhausting. So why wait until year end to go through that process?For best results and the least amount of trauma make it a habit to go through your filing cabinet, files or desk drawer and clean out your paperwor [..] > read more

Organizing For Seniors - Moving Your Parents

Published on 2012-03-05 07:00:00

I've had a lot of people call to tell me that they need help in clearing out and organizing their parents home due to a move to an assisted living or nursing home. It's a sad and stressful time for them.Clearing out your own home is much easier because everything is yours and you can make the decisions. Helping your parents or other relatives clear out their home is much harder because you are making decisions for someone else and there are a lot of emotions involved. If you make the wrong deci [..] > read more

Spring Is Around The Corner - Is Your Closet Ready ?

Published on 2012-02-27 07:00:00

I know that it's still February... but if you've been to the mall lately you will see a lot of spring and summer clothes out already. There are sales everywhere and I'm sure that some of you just can't resist. It's O.K. .... really.But when you bring home new clothes you have to have somewhere to put them. Do you? Is there room in your closet?Since the winter weather is winding down it might be time to take a look at your closet to see what you can put in the "donate or get rid of" pile. You mi [..] > read more

Moving - Avoid the Nightmare - Document Your Belongings

Published on 2012-02-20 07:00:00

Spring is fast approaching. The time of year that sees an increase in house sales and people moving.You aren't in the market to move? But you might be....in five or ten years from now when you have outgrown your home or are downsizing. So now is the time to start planning and getting yourself organized. It's always easier if you do things at a slower, more relaxed pace and you aren't staring at a deadline.Moving involves many things including picking a reputable moving company. When I moved acro [..] > read more

Revising our Resolutions

Published on 2012-02-06 07:00:00

We are now entering our second month of the new year. Most people have made some type of "New Years Resolution".So.... how is that working out for you? Have you been keeping up with them?My guess would be "no". But don't worry, you are probably not alone. So now is the time to "get real" and take a look at what you really wanted to accomplish and change your expectations.If you haven't accomplished everything that you wanted to in this new year or you aren't as far as you planned....then maybe [..] > read more

Taxes and Paper Piles

Published on 2012-01-31 07:00:00

It's the end of January and everyone has been swamped with paperwork. All relating to taxes. I know that it's overwhelming. Papers everywhere. Piles everywhere. Come on. I know about the piles. But for tax purposes i'll let it slide.You can start out with one big "tax" pile or you can separate your piles into piles such as personal, medical, business related, house expenses.... Anything that makes sense to you, depending on how you do your taxes.By grouping your papers into more manageable pile [..] > read more

Just Do It !

Published on 2012-01-23 07:00:00

Even the most organized person doesn't always feel like organizing and putting things away in their place on some days. Believe it or not!Some days you just want to do ..... nothing!So go ahead....do nothing....for an hour or two. But don't let things get away from you. Because if you let things go, it's sometimes hard to get motivated again. And then you'll end up with a big mess and you really won't want to get started on putting things back together.It's easy to let things pile up. It's hard [..] > read more

Where to Start ?

Published on 2012-01-16 07:00:00

You have decided that you want to get organized. You have taken that first step. Now what ?Everyone has good intentions at the beginning of each year. They promise to do a variety of things. Then they immediately come to a standstill. Now what ? Where do you start ? Most people make things too complicated. There is no right or wrong answer. You start anywhere that you want. You start at the place that bothers you the most. The kitchen. Your bedroom closet. The family room. The basement. The [..] > read more

JANUARY is GO MONTH - GET ORGANIZED !

Published on 2012-01-09 07:00:00

January is GO MONTH. NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) has made this month the month for Professional Organizers to turn up the volume and get noticed. It's the month where we give back to the community and teach everyone that being organized can make a huge difference in our lives.Being organized allows us to function better and more effectively. It helps us save time and money. It decreases stress.And let's face it..... It makes our homes and offices look better!For busin [..] > read more

New Year - New Goals

Published on 2012-01-02 07:00:00

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year !As in every new year everyone seems to make a lot of "promises" on how they are going to change their behavior. And as most of you know....it never works. Not for more than a few weeks at least.In the upcoming new year what you can do is reflect on what you didn't like about your life last year and come up with a list of reasons why you want to make this a better year. Without reasons to change you won't actually make the changes. Be honest with yourself [..] > read more

After Christmas Sales - Shop with Caution

Published on 2011-12-26 07:00:00

It's the day after Christmas and all through the land people are scurrying to get what they can.It's bargains galore and Buy One, Get One Free.Where will I put it? says the inner me.....__________________________________________________________________Yes, the bargains are many and this is a great time to stock up.....BUT, if you have no room and have no plan for what you are going to do with all of the "bargains" that you buy....and probably won't even use some of the things .....is it really [..] > read more

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Published on 2011-12-25 04:00:00

I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. May your day be filled with joy and happiness. > read more

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE

Published on 2011-12-24 04:00:00

Wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!As in our German tradition we will eat a very special meal of German white sausage. Topped off with some desserts and then the best part.... opening our Christmas presents!Then off to midnight mass with Christmas songs to fill the air. > read more

Time Management During the Holidays

Published on 2011-12-20 07:00:00

It's getting close to Christmas and a lot of people still haven't even put up a tree or sent out cards.The holidays are not a time to be stressed so don't beat yourself up over not getting everything done. It you are running out of time you have to decide what you can live without so that you don't drive yourself crazy.Being organized is about "time management". If you haven't finished everything on your list give yourself the gift of "not finishing". Let it go. Most people that I know haven' [..] > read more

Organizing to Leave for a Vacation

Published on 2011-07-04 06:00:00

It's almost time for your vacation and you are already thinking about what to pack and what you are going to do when you get there. But have you thought about what you are going to come home to?The reality is that coming home from a vacation is almos > read more

Fourth of July

Published on 2011-07-04 04:00:00

Wishing you all a safe and Happy 4 th of July ! > read more

Summer Parties - More Organized & Less Stress

Published on 2011-06-26 12:36:00

It's summer. Time for parties and picnics. So make your life easier by keeping things simple and keeping things organized.Spending time with family and friends should be easy. But a lot of people get stressed out when they think about entertaining. T > read more

The Cost of Disorganization

Published on 2011-06-20 04:00:00

A lot of people don't realize that being "disorganized" costs them money. A lot of money.Being organized is not only about everything "having a place" and "being in its' place", it's also a way of life.When you are organized things run smoother. You > read more

Father's Day

Published on 2011-06-19 04:00:00

Wishing all of the Fathers' a very Happy Father's Day ! > read more

De-Cluttering for a Move

Published on 2011-06-13 05:00:00

Moving is not fun. Planning for a move is not fun. De-cluttering for a move is not fun.But... sometimes it has to be done. Even a Professional Organizer will want to pull their hair out during a move. Especially when it's not done their way.If you kn > read more

Chronic Disorganization in Families

Published on 2011-06-06 05:00:00

I have been getting a lot of calls from people lately telling me that they have a family member that is disorganized and that it is affecting the entire family.They are frustrated and feel helpless. They don't know what to do or where to start. They > read more

World Environment Day

Published on 2011-06-05 05:00:00

Clutter, stuff, garbage.... all of it ends up taking up space in our world. Please try and remember the environment on World Environment Day and pledge to make the world a better place by Reducing, Reusing and Recycling.Educate yourself on green and/ > read more

Business - Organizing Your Schedule and Paperwork

Published on 2011-05-30 05:15:00

Small businesses are crucial to the economy and we like to use and support small businesses and neighborhood businesses as much as we can. And for the most part we always get better and more personalized service when working with a local business.But > read more

Ready For Change

Published on 2011-05-23 05:00:00

Change is hard. Believe me, I know. I don’t like change. I like things the way I like things. And even though I know that some changes are good for me it sometimes takes me a while to warm up to the idea and make that commitment to the change. So > read more

Summer Schedules

Published on 2011-05-22 05:00:00

Summer can be a fun time or a stressful time. For kids it's fun. For parents, especially parents that work and have kids it's not so much fun. With younger kids it's easy. There are a lot of different activities that the kids can go to and keep them > read more

Mother's Day

Published on 2011-05-18 04:00:00

Wishing all of the Mothers the very Happiest Mother's Day ! > read more

The End of the School Year

Published on 2011-05-15 05:00:00

It's that time of year again. The end of the school year. An exciting time for kids but maybe not as much for parents. Along with having to re-arrange your schedule and come up with summer activities you also have to deal with all of the "stuff" that > read more

Protecting Your Privacy - Identity Theft

Published on 2011-05-09 05:00:00

Life is very complicated these days. We are inundated with so much mail....most of it unwanted. Credit card offers arrive on a daily basis for most of us. And most people just toss them right into the garbage. A very dangerous mistake.As organizers w > read more

Organized and Clean - What's the Difference

Published on 2011-05-02 05:00:00

A lot of people have this misconception that being organized and being clean is the same thing. It's not. You can have a clean house that is a cluttered mess. Or you can have an organized house that is filthy and dusty. One does not necessarily have > read more

Easter

Published on 2011-04-24 04:00:00

Wishing you and your family a very happy Easter ! > read more

The Difference Between Chronic Disorganization and Hoarding

Published on 2011-04-18 05:00:00

Hoarding is a hot topic. But a lot of people confuse clutter and disorganization with hoarding. I‘ve had some clients think they were hoarders when in reality they just had a cluttered and disorganized house. So what is the difference? Accor > read more

DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE

Published on 2011-04-11 05:00:00

When you walk into a business that is organized and clutter free you have confidence that the person that runs the business knows what they are doing and are successful. When you walk into a home that is organized and clutter free you feel a sense > read more

SPRING CLEANING

Published on 2011-04-04 05:00:00

Cleaning your home is not everyone’s idea of fun. But it is something that all of us have to do. In the spring we have a yearly ritual called “spring cleaning” that I am sure everyone is really looking forward to. We drive ourselves crazy an > read more

Why People Say They Won’t Hire a Professional Organizer

Published on 2011-03-28 05:00:00

I get a lot of calls and emails from people that tell me that they need to get more organized…but then they never make that commitment to actually do it. Some of the reasons that I’ve encountered over the years are listed below: 1) You’ll > read more

SPRING AND YOUR GARDEN

Published on 2011-03-21 05:00:00

Spring is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about your garden. At this point I can hear people asking “what does a garden have to do with organization?”. The answer, “everything!”. As a huge gardener I am always excite > read more

St. Patrick's Day

Published on 2011-03-17 04:00:00

Wishing all of you a safe and Happy St. Patrick's Day ! > read more

WHY BEING A PERFECTIONIST HURTS YOU

Published on 2011-03-14 05:00:00

A very interesting phenomenon that a lot of people don’t know about is that some disorganized people consider themselves “perfectionists”. And I admit that at first I was surprised by this also. Clutter, mess and perfectionism? But what happen > read more

Fat Tuesday

Published on 2011-03-08 05:00:00

As in the tradition of FAT TUESDAY it's a day to eat donuts(or Paczki) and not feel guilty !Enjoy... and get ready for the start of the Lenten season. > read more

ORGANIZING – A TEAM EFFORT

Published on 2011-03-07 05:00:00

I get a lot of calls from potential clients who say that their spouse is tired of the disorganization and they just want to throw everything in the trash. Or they are neat but their spouse isn’t and how do they get them to be more organized? Or > read more

KIDS AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES

Published on 2011-02-28 05:00:00

Organizing is not an “adults only” activity. Yet many parents today have not made their kids take responsibility for keeping their own spaces clean and organized. Unless you live by yourself each member of the household needs to share the respon > read more

SOUP FOR ONE

Published on 2011-02-21 05:00:00

Have you ever tried to make soup for one? Or even two? Well, let me tell you ….it can’t be done !Well, at least not by me. But then again…. I’ve never been able to cook for just one or two people.So the other day I wanted to make a white bean > read more

ORGANIZING YOUR OFFICE MOVE

Published on 2011-02-14 05:00:00

Congratulations, your company is growing and you are moving into a bigger office space. It’s an exciting time. Business has not been good and you need to downsize to a smaller space. It’s happening everywhere. Your lease is up and your land > read more

Happy Valentines Day !

Published on 2011-02-14 04:00:00

Wishing You A Happy Valentines Day ! > read more

Time – What’s Yours Worth

Published on 2011-02-07 05:00:00

Time….something that most people don’t have enough of. Something that most people waste. How do you waste your time you might ask? By doing things such as surfing the net for useless information instead of writing the report that is due for wor > read more

ORGANIZE YOUR FINANCES

Published on 2011-01-31 05:00:00

Organizing your financial information is a crucial part of every household. Unfortunately it’s one thing that most people just don’t do.It’s time consuming. It takes a lot of thought. It’s very personal and emotional. It’s a reality check t > read more

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

Published on 2011-01-24 05:00:00

Being organized is not only about having an uncluttered and orderly space. It’s about having an organized life and about having less stress in your life.By having “a place for everything and everything in its place” you are saving time and mone > read more

YOUR BUSINESS + A CRISIS: ARE YOU PREPARED ?

Published on 2011-01-17 05:00:00

People don’t like to think about emergencies. Not in their personal lives and certainly not in business. But as a small business owner you can’t just stick your head in the sand.If you own a small business (in terms of people, not sales) it is im > read more

WHAT DOES HOARDING LOOK LIKE ?

Published on 2011-01-14 12:35:41

With the surge of Hoarding shows on T.V. people ask me all the time if I work with hoarders and when I tell them that I do their next comment is usually something like “That’s disgusting. I would just throw everything in the garbage” or “I wo > read more

JANUARY = GET ORGANIZED MONTH

Published on 2011-01-12 05:00:00

As a Professional Organizer and a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) January has been designated as " GET ORGANIZED " month.So take this time to sit down and come up with a list of things that you would like to get organ > read more

ORGANIZING YOUR PAPERWORK and YOUR LIFE

Published on 2011-01-10 05:00:00

It’s the start of a new year so why don’t you start the year off right by making a commitment to be more organized with what counts most, your important papers.Most people have a lot of important paperwork. Scattered all over the house.Do you hav > read more

New Year - Fresh Start

Published on 2011-01-03 05:00:00

It's January. A New Year. A new start. January is “get organized” month. Decide now that you don’t want to feel stressed and disorganized this year….by making a resolution to become more organized.And then….. do it !Make a plan. One project > read more

After the Holidays - Shopping to Save

Published on 2010-12-27 05:00:00

Well... the holidays are over... the gift giving ones at least. So believe it or not I am going to tell you to shop ! Now, I am not a shopper myself. I hate the crowds and the pushing and grabbing and all the chaos that goes on with "after the ho > read more

What is Clutter and Your Greatest Organizing Challenge

Published on 2010-12-20 05:00:00

In one of the seminars that I gave on "Clutter & Chronic Disorganization" I asked the following questions: "What does Clutter mean to you?" and "What is your greatest Organizing challenge?".Everyone answered these questions differently. The fol > read more

It's Almost Christmas

Published on 2010-12-13 05:00:00

It’s almost Christmas. A time for family and friends. A time to celebrate what you have not what you don’t. It’s time to remember what’s important. Opening presents is fun and exciting. Not only for kids. Adults love getting presents also > read more

ORGANIZING YOUR REFRIGERATOR

Published on 2010-12-06 06:00:00

The refrigerator is not a place that people normally think about organizing. But it’s one place where things accumulate and are forgotten about. In back of the refrigerator. Way in the back. Or in the door.Food expires. Condiments. Sauces. Things t > read more

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