Once the weather turns nice, it is time to turn our attention to organizing the areas we tend to the least. The outside areas of our home are not the most popular to organize. It’s time to give them a little love and attention. Let’s look at ways we can better get these areas in order. 

(This blog post contains affiliate links. There is not extra charge to you if you purchase any of these items using the link. It does provide a little extra money to help support the cost of our blog)

The deck/patio

These outside spaces can really enhance our home and add to our living space. So what can be done to better organize them?

We like the 121 gallon outdoor storage, waterproof deck box. It is perfect for storing patio/deck furniture cushions. Great for pool storage-toys, life jackets, sunscreen and anything else you can think of. The garden hose will also fit in here for winter storage. Choose the size based on your needs.  

To further enhance your organizing needs, we like the Mesh ...

The goal of this blog is to help you get organized. Instead of future thinking, we are focusing on the present, now. Now, is not a wishful fantasy. It is what we have at this very moment. Now is also a clear and realistic measure to create accountability. I can’t be held accountable for something I might never do in the future. I have three reasons you need to get organized now. 

The first reason is that later may never come. There are a plethora of reasons for this and some may say those are excuses. This is a reality check for those living in the land of later. Time has not been helpful to you thus far and there’s little reason to suspect it will be in the future. This has become evident in working with older clients in my professional organizing business. Many of these wonderful people were going to get organized when they retired twenty years ago. Now, they are facing the fact that the stuff they have may be left behind for others to deal with. This is a harsh reality because no o...

 I have had this experience with two people close to me (not organizing clients) in the last week that led me to write this blog. I think that most of use from time to time have not finished something. It could be as big as a degree from College to the laundry. Whatever it is, we didn’t finish it. But what about the person who on a daily basis fifty percent of the time or more does not finish what they start? Is that you or someone you know? In this blog, I will cover the reasons and give some actionable steps to get across the finish line.

Why is finishing tasks a struggle?

1. It becomes boring. Dopamine, the chemical in the brain known to be important for motivation drops off at some point during the task.
   • EX: You have started to fold the laundry and end up on the phone watching videos on social media of people, places and things way more fun that what you are having.
   • (Put on music or a podcast when you are doing a mundane task, it helps to move it along.)
2. It’s not that imp
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Paper is one of the most challenging struggles in working with organizing clients. It is mentally and physically daunting for my clients. Maybe you feel the same, if so this blog is for you. In this blog, I want to help to simplify the process. This doesn’t mean it won’t take hours to do. The amount of paper and the amount time you devote  plus the willingness to work through this process are what will determine how long this will take.

Step 1

Know your “why”. This is the reason for your need to declutter.

• Are you looking for something in particular?
• Is it because you can no longer stand to have all of this paper around, it’s embarrassing and stressful?
• Did you inherit it from someone else?
• Maybe you have decided you don’t want to leave it for someone else to deal with after you are gone?
• You have come to the realization, “it’s just time to let go.”

Establishing your reason makes this entire process easier! The reason becomes the goal. The goal can be set up to provide meas...

Clutter comes in many forms. It is more than just a closet full of stuff. Relationships can bring some clutter and we can add some clutter to them. Relationships have an impact on all areas of our lives. Much of what is going on inside projects externally. It is time to get some order and have less chaos in our relationships.

Recognize what clutter looks like.

Clutter is anything you feel negatively about. It can be feelings, thoughts or words. These could be inside you or have come from other people.

Focus on high priority relationships.

To truly get a handle on the relationships we have, we have to determine the most important ones. It is necessary to give them an order of priority. You only have so much time and not everyone is going to be at the top of the priority scale. Friendships are great but depending on where you are in life they may be down in the priority scale. That is not to say you can’t have them, it is to say that this is a place you will devote less time and ener...

What’s for dinner? This age old question can be one of the most annoying ones. Mostly because there is no answer this question. If we could find a way to answer the question, it would feel good. Not only would it feel good, it would be good to make this an opportunity to live organized.

Let’s talk about creating a meal plan for the week’s meals. In this method, you will have everything you need to solve the meal time mystery.

(This blog contains affiliate links which I make a small amount of money from if you use the link to purchase. This helps to keep the blog coming to you.) The good news is that there is not extra charge to you when you purchase.

1. Match up meal with what is going on that evening. If there is an activity planned, pick something quick and easy. If there is no activity on the calendar, prepare something that takes a little more time. 
2. Have a rotation of at least 8-10 recipes that can also have meat substitutions such as beef for chicken. I know that sounds like
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A list can really be helpful in keeping one focused. To-do lists are my lifeline because it is easy to get distracted when you run a business, work a part time job and have a family. I want to recognize that not everyone likes a to-do list. In addition, many of us are burnt out by our to-do list. How can we use a to-do list without it causing fatigue, anxiousness, disinterest or burn out?

Let’s think about where these emotions came from:

1. From childhood, the list was left out by your parents to remind you of the chores they expected to be done. 
2. From someone else creating a list for you based on what they want you to do. This could be a spouse or boss.
3. From yourself in an effort to be more productive 

These seem to be pretty common areas so let’s take a deeper look. 

1. Bad feelings from childhood
   • The task list is associated with your parents keeping you from doing something you want to do.
   • Ex: before you go anywhere, you need to do x, y and z.
2. The acquired list
   • Hav
   ...

All tasks have three stages to them. Understanding this can keep you from getting stuck. The goal is always completion. An organized life requires completed tasks. As you work through the three phases it becomes its own checklist for you. 

Let’s use this example to demonstrate the three stages-

I need to make a doctor’s appointment but I have put if off for months. I figured out that there was more to it than I realized for me to complete this task. 

1. Preparation: This is the “getting ready” phase. In our example above, here’s what preparation looked like. I needed to have the phone number for the doctor’s office, a pen and my calendar. I also needed to plan for at least fifteen minutes to go from start to finish. (Sometimes you get put on hold when you call the office)
2. Implementation: This second phase is the act of doing the task. Back to the example, I pick up the phone and schedule the appointment AND I write it on the calendar. 
3. Completion: This is the last phase. It involve
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Clutter has an impact on a space. It has an impact on everything. So let’s ask ourselves a couple of questions to determine the impact it is having on your home.

Do you have rooms where every corner is filled with something?

Does an open space bother you? In what way?

Am I just keeping stuff to fill a space?

The answer to these questions helps explain the need to hang on to stuff. There are some beliefs people have that equate stuff with success. I’ve also heard it said, there’s stuff here worth a lot of money so I don’t want to get rid of it. I also hear people tell me they are holding onto things of their adult child’s youth for their children. I inherited these items is also a common reason why people are hanging onto stuff.

Addressing the Beliefs

Equating the accumulation of stuff with success likely goes much deeper for you. This may require working with a trained Professional to have their help in getting through this. You are so much more than your stuff.

The belief that ...

In an effort to educate, this blog comes from experiences I’ve had in working with others. This is for you if you are someone who has clutter. It is really meant for those who live with or know someone who is living with clutter. There is always a right way and a wrong way to approach people. What is meant to help often adds to emotional clutter. I have compiled a list of very common statements that have been said to the people I’ve worked with as Organizing clients. Is is my hope that these words will not be used as methods of helping people declutter. If you have used any of these statements, there is no judgement. However, when you know better you can do better to help others. 

1. “If it was me, I’d throw it all away.”
2. “How many do you need?”
3. “You are a hoarder!”
4. “How can you live like this?”
5. “You don’t need that, it’s junk.”
6. “How do you find anything in here?”
7. “You haven’t done that yet?"
8. “You are a slob!”

As you read through this list it is easy to see that  these statem...