Yes! It's OK to Pitch Christmas Gifts!

Christmas has come and gone. So have gifts. You are now the proud owner of some new things, some that you love, hopefully, and some that you probably wish you didn’t have to deal with. Such is the reality of the gift giving holiday! My question to you is, what are you going to do with the gifts that you don’t love and will never use? Read more.

You Have Just Downsized Your Loved One – Now What?
Your loved one has downsized and moved out of his/her home. Or, you have recently lost your loved one. You are left behind with a house full of memories and sentimental items. On the other hand, you are left behind with clothes, tools, papers, endless amounts of dishes and potentially a garage, shed, basement and attic full of stuff. You are responsible for making decisions about what to do with everything - what do keep, donate or sell. An overwhelming feeling begins to set in.  Read more..

In the Springtime...

I volunteer on Saturdays working in the Meditation Gardens at my church. One day I arrived at the gardens expecting to see lots of people to help, and was greeted only by Ayer, the Garden Team Leader. Ayer was happy to see me, but overwhelmed and frustrated with all the wonderful projects she had planned. We tried to start the tiller, but without success. Read more..

The Joy of Stress-Free Tax Preparation

It’s that time of year again when dinning room tables are taken out of commission by piles of paid bills, receipts, canceled checks, and unidentified cash register receipts for tax records.  The clutter is more that a mealtime nuisance, it could be costing you money at tax time.

Create an Organized Kitchen… One Approach You Might Consider

Take a look at your kitchen for a moment, that’s right, go into your kitchen. How does it make you feel when you are there? Does it make you happy, enthusiastic, and warm your heart? Does it make you shake your head and mumble “look at this mess”, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated? Or are you somewhere in between feeling “good” and “yuk”. It all depends on You. It all depends on knowing yourself, your needs, your lifestyle, and knowing how to live in balance. You created your kitchen, be it cluttered or organized, one choice at a time. The most important question here is “Does your experience in this kitchen give you thoughts and feelings of love and peace?."  Read more..

How "Get Organized Month" Changed My Business

Now for the 5th year NAPO and NAPO-Richmond prepare for Get Organized Month. Each January is “dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of getting organized and of hiring a NAPO professional organizer” states NAPO’s official site dedicated to promoting this years event, www.napo.net/get_organized/go_month.asp. 

 NAPO-Richmond professional organizers have participated in this event since before it was a month, and before we were a chapter. I’ll explain. Get Organized Month was at one time Get Organized Week. The week was in October. Though we were not yet a chapter, several local organizers lunched on a monthly basis. Read more..

Does Your Paper Manage You Or Do You Manage It?

Do you have piles of paper on a desk, table or elsewhere, adding to the visual clutter in your home?  Do you ever file something somewhere and then can’t remember where you filed it?  Do you waste time looking for things? Does the paper in your home manage you rather than you manage it?   Whether you operate a business out of your home or whether your home is your business, you must manage it.  Just as it took days, weeks, months or years for the piles to form, it takes time to make them disappear. Read more...

How to Put Joy Back in the Holidays

Is the holiday season more of a drag for you than it is relaxed, fun, and memorable? I’m not talking about memorable because the turkey burned and started a kitchen fire, either! Every year we tell ourselves, “Next year will be different.” Well, this year is your chance to make that happen! Follow these tips and ideas, and make this holiday season one you’ll remember for great reasons.Read more...

BOO! Are you TOO SCARED TO GET ORGANIZED?

For me Halloween has always marked the beginning of the "big" holiday season. Once October hits I know I had better start organizing for the numerous celebrations that are to follow or I will be in big trouble. After all, each holiday is no more than 30 days apart from Oct through January. Let's see there is...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, and New Years Day. And for me I get to throw in my birthday (Nov), my wedding anniversary (Dec) and my husband's birthday (Jan). So I decided this month to share with you some tips on how to get organized for All Hallows Eve and perhaps it will serve as good practice for organizing the rest of the holidays to come. Read more...

Cash In The Attic

During this time of growing economic stresses, the modern American family faces the most severe financial belt-tightening in decades.  Along with many of my colleagues, I’ve been fielding a lot of questions lately from curious friends about expenses and costs related to organizing services.  Has the economy impacted your bottom line?  Are people still willing to pay for your services?   They are a bit surprised when I tell them that our existing clients remain loyal to the organizing process and we continue to hear from new and prospective clients every day.  Read more...

Breaking the Cycle of Clutter and Depression

When you’re depressed, you feel like there’s a darkness in your mind that you can’t get rid of. It affects everything you do, and every relationship you have. You may feel hopeless, have very little energy, and feel fatigued. You may even feel as though you wake up in the morning more tired than you were when you went to bed. Depression can take over your life, if you let it.  Read more...

My Mother's Garden

Recently I joined a small group of Professional Organizers to attend a screening of a documentary called “My Mother’s Garden.” It’s an amazing story about a woman with a hoarding disorder and how her family comes to terms with her mental illness.  Read more...

Garage Cleaning & Organizing Tips

The purpose of a garage is to store your vehicle, seasonal storage, or create a work space, not for items that do not fit in your house. Organization is the key to a functional garage. However, before you begin organizing, you must clean and sort through everything. Read more...

Hold a Successful Yard Sale

Spring is a great time to freshen up your space while making extra money. Keep in mind that getting rid of the old makes room for the new. With proper planning, yard sales can be easy, fun, and profitable. Remember-- an Organizer can help you identify items to sell and reduce stress and overwhelm while you prepare for the big day!  Here are some tips from the experts at Space Matters. Read more...

Feng Shui and Health
Have you noticed that it seems that more and more people are struggling with health issues? At this time of material abundance and sophisticated technologies it seems we should be able to live in perfect health. And, have you also noticed that you and others are struggling to get and keep your houses clear of clutter and well maintained? Our lives are so full that home decorating and home maintenance often take a back seat to work demands, the needs of children, aging parents and a myriad of demands on our time. Read more...