http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogList.asp?sort=organizer&schedule=94 Initially, when asked to write about organizing paper at home, I wasn't sure how to attack it. Yes, I'm an organizer, but (gasp!) filing doesn't float my boat. But then I actually thought beyond filing, about all the ways that paper enters and impacts our homes and our lives, leaving miles of piles in its wake. Every day we are faced with sorting and filing mail, magazines, books, catalogs, student projects, medical records, bills, photographs, invitations, money, recipes, and of course, origami! OK, so maybe I won't cover origami in this blog, but I do promise to keep it light, laughable and true to life. Hope you check me out, and often! Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:45:22 EST en-us http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2743 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2743 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 36 207 Not From a Box, Inc. 1 1 254 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2706 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2706 Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 384 2194 Not From a Box, Inc. 18 4 2694 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2694 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2694 Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 309 1764 Not From a Box, Inc. 14 3 2166 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2689 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2689 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:41:31 EST EXCITING NEWS, FRIENDS! I NEED YOUR VOTE! I recently found out I am a finalist for the PHILANTHROPY AWARD at the 2010 NAPO Los Angeles Organizing Awards in Hollywood, CA, on January 30, 2010. I would really love to walk/rock the red carpet in L.A. so I am asking for your vote. Voting is open to anyone, so one of you would please forward this to your friends and colleagues after you vote (if you are so inclined). I would really appreciate it. Simply create a username and VOTE. ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2682 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2682 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST This past Friday I gave a workshop to a group of women and one of the recurring questions/comments was about how, as moms, they all felt like they were doing an inadequate job with keeping their homes organized. I spoke to the evils of "org porn" (Mentioned in my May 11th post: http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2313&prevthispost=yes ), and then spoke from the heart. I really do believe that as women and mothers, we put so much pressure on ourselves to live in the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2671 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2671 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST Last week I presented at a workshop with two of my colleagues, one of whom, Juli, is a licensed mental health counselor and owner of a business called www.MindBodyLab.com. If I do say so myself, it was a fantastic presentation. The presentation was titled, "It's Never About the Stuff: Managing the Emotions Buried Under Disorganization." The presentation started with Juli talking about how to battle and reverse the negative self talk and "mental clutter" that can stop us from ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2636 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2636 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST I often say that as a professional organizer, I am like a personal trainer for your home. Just like you go to a personal trainer at the gym to make you do your sit ups, you might hire a professional organizer to come to your home and make you clean out your closet. Sure, you probably could clean our your closet on your own and you probably know how (just as you know how to do your own sit ups) but unless someone is there, counting out those sit ups for you, and making you do them they just ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2623 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2623 Mon, 5 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 402 2294 Not From a Box, Inc. 19 4 2817 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2613 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2613 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 299 1706 Not From a Box, Inc. 14 3 2095 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2606 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2606 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST I don't remember who said it first, but it's so true: The more I know, the more I know I don't know. When I was a high school teacher, it always amazed me how much I always learned from my students, when I was the one teaching them . One of the things I love about my Pile High Club http://yourhomeeditor.com/services.php?id=2168 workshops is that I LEARN so much from my attendees! At the end of last month's workshop, I asked them to write ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2590 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2590 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 531 3032 Not From a Box, Inc. 25 6 3723 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2569 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2569 Mon, 7 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST My second Pile High Club organizing workshop starts this Wednesday, September 9 th , and the topic this month is Time Management. So I thought it only appropriate that I mention a little bit about the subject. Also, in addition to being National Preparedness Month, September is ALSO, Self Improvement Month. And who couldn't improve on their time management skills in these busy times? According to Harold Taylor , one of the top time management experts in the world of ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2552 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2552 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST I would be remiss if I didn't mention that tomorrow (Sept. 1) starts National Preparedness Month. This month's designation seems every-more pertinent beginning a week after the 4 th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—a tragedy that could have easily been avoided, had people (the government) been prepared. As organizers, we are often looked upon as closet experts, or filing divas, but it should also be noted that being organized means being prepared ; prepared for anything, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2531 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2531 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST Normal.dotm 0 0 1 312 1783 Not From a Box, Inc. 14 3 2189 12.256 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2527 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2527 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:23:53 EST My kids start school this week (tomorrow, to be exact). In preparation for this, I had to buy school uniforms, which were surprisingly (and alarmingly) expensive! Actually, I only had to buy a few things new. The rest I was able to get used from the school's Used Uniform Sale, which I volunteer to run. Wouldn't you know I'm in charge of getting people to purge the items in their kids' closets that no longer fit them? I spent quite a bit of time setting up and ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2499 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2499 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST Spent all weekend at my booth at the Tampa Convention Center's Back to School Bash. It was my first foray into participating in an Expo like this. Exhuasting, to say the least. But very neat to meet all the people, hear their stories (everyone has an organizing story to tell--of course!), and to make connections and learn some valuable lessons of my own about organizing for an Expo (I did pretty well for my first time!). This post will have to be short. *** Returning a week later, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2476 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2476 Mon, 3 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST The idea for this topic came to me A) Because I love alliteration and B) Because on Saturday night we went out with friends who drove us, and the backseat of their car left quite a bit to be desired. I work out of my car, driving from home to home, carrying with me several possible organizing tools and products the client might need, as well as a bag of real tools I might use in their home. Admittedly, as I transfer items for clients (dropping off purged items to ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2466 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2466 Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST The organizing business—believe it or not—is seasonal. Or at least mine is. I work mainly with moms (working and stay-at-home) helping them get their homes and busy families in order. So I have found, in the past three years, that my "busy season" works with the school year. When kids are in school and activities and obligations are plentiful, life gets cumbersome and I get calls for help. Transversely, during the summer time, when people are away from their homes on vacations, they are not ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2458 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2458 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST First, I have to report that my Closet Swap was a smashing success. Photos and stories will be on my The Big O blog by Wednesday this week, so be sure to check it out. Now onto credentialing for Professional Organizers: I want to encourage people who need organizing help to search for professionals on the NAPO website or on the site for the Board of Certified Professional Organizers . If you (or someone in your home) has ADD or a serious hoarding condition and you think you'll ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2443 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2443 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST I went back through my past two years worth of blogs and discovered (surprisingly) that I have never talked about my Closet Swap . Is this possible? Somehow, yes. But that ends today, as I'm going to share with you an idea so fun and so brilliant that I guarantee you will want to share it with your friends and family members as soon as possible. For the past four summers I have hosted an annual Closet Swap for my girlfriends. I believe the idea came from an InStyle article I read in ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2414 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2414 Mon, 6 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST Who doesn't love a juicy summer read? But what do you do with your book after you've finished it? Do you leave it on your nightstand in a clutter-causing pile? Do you put it on your library bookshelf to collect dust until the end of time? Do you pass it along to a friend? To help you steer clear of summer reading clutter, one of my favorite bloggers, The Unclutterer says to ask yourself these questions when you finish reading a book (so you can more easily decide what to do with ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2388 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2388 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST I'm just back from a weekend getaway in Miami (my old hometown). Whenever my husband and I travel back to Miami, no matter what our plans or how busy our schedule, I always make sure we stop at the Container Store. When we lived in Miami, The Container Store was about 2 miles from my house, and was conveniently on my direct route home from work, so I stopped by frequently. Now that I live 4 hours from The Container Store… it has become a place of worship, a place so sacred it is ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2376 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2376 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST Happy day-after-father's-day, everyone! Hope all the Dads out there had a nice one. In their honor, I thought I'd discuss organizing tools. I have organized more than my share of garages in the past two and a half years, and time and time again, I see men give their women a hard time about the amount of shoes in the closet, while the tool overload in their garage or shed is comparable. "How many pairs of black heels do you need?" he asks. "Each one is different, and goes with a ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2364 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2364 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST My daughter's 4th birthday was this past weekend and I performed several measures to make it a smooth one. These measures seemed obvious to me, but when I was discussing them with some of the other mommies at the party, they were surprised. Most of them consider birthdays a time when clutter comes into the house… I consider it the best time to get clutter out. Here's why: 1. PRE-PARTY. Pre-birthday party is the best time to get rid of kids' toys. The day before her ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2357 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2357 Mon, 8 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST I have been back from my AMAZING 12-day vacation to Trinidad & Tobago for a week now and I wanted to briefly share what I learned on vacation. 1) Vacation homes (and regular homes) require amazingly little accoutrements. The family home we stayed at in Tobago had a BEAUTIFUL kitchen (photos are on my other home organizing blog , The Big O. But of particular interest was the pantry. They had just enough plates, cups, silverware, and serving bowls to have a party for 12. That was ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2335 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2335 Mon, 1 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST I pre-wrote this blog because this morning I am waking up in beautiful Tobago, West Indies, ready to board the plane back home after 2 weeks in the islands (life is good!). Very good friends of ours got married 48 hours ago on May 30th. In their honor, I thought I'd write a little something about how to best merge two households worth of stuff into one when you move in with your partner. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… some serious discussion about whether or not his ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2328 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2328 Mon, 25 May 2009 10:30:00 EST No. Such a short word, such big impact. Think of all the time you could save if you said "no" to people for an entire day. I just received an email from someone who was put into contact with me by a mutual friend. He offers services I don't need right now. I emailed him to say I would keep his contact information on file, but "no thank you". He emailed me back to say, "That's fine. Is it OK if I add you to my email list for regular updates of my services?" My initial reaction ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2325 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2325 Mon, 18 May 2009 10:30:00 EST If you read the Your Home Editor Facebook page then you know that last month my husband won a $5,000 shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue at a fundraiser we attended. Yesterday we spent said $5K and shockingly, it was NOT easy. First, there were rules: 1) We could only buy full-price items (no sale items). This was very hard for us, as we are hard core "Clarence and Sally" people (a.k.a. Clearance and Sale). 2) We had to spend exactly $5,000. We couldn't buy something that went ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2313 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2313 Mon, 11 May 2009 10:30:00 EST IKEA Tampa opened this past week and with all the media coverage you would have thought Barack was there! I didn't get to make it to the opening ~gasp!~ because I was volunteering by reorganizing the Grace House of Clearwater (photos and details on the Your Home Editor Facebook page). I did, however, take a Professional Development Day two days after the opening to head over there and take it all in for myself. Yes, it IS considered professional development for me to go to IKEA. They ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2304 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2304 Mon, 4 May 2009 10:30:00 EST Just back from the 2009 NAPO Convention. Back to reality. As I said last week, I love those conferences for the wealth of information, but the flip side is that it can be an overwhelming amount of ideas (and papers) to process and ultimately to implement. That's something I know our clients can relate to: information overload and what to do with the PAPER. I laugh thinking about all of us organizers coming home with all those session handouts, papers, business cards, new product ...