In the past when you bought groceries, the bagger asked you, “Paper or plastic?” and that’s how you carried them out of the store. Those bags often ended up in landfills, or cluttering up your home. The world has changed…
I’m one of the quoted organizers in last week’s The New York Times Magazine article title “Stuff”, a lengthy piece in which the writer takes very pointed jabs at the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO). I found it discouraging…
Everything in our lives has an energy- also called chi- that affects us. The clothes we wear, the knick-knacks around our house and the objects we use every day all possess it. We need to be mindful of this energy…
The Internet provides instant access to oceans of information on organizing. You can read advice from Real Simple, Martha Stewart, or a Professional Organizer (you’re reading my advice right now). Add the innumerable blogs, articles, and Pinterest boards dedicated to…
Everyone wants more space in the kitchen, but nobody is sure how to find it. Happily, the good news is that there’s a quick way to reclaim a surprising amount of kitchen space: Purge the cabinet that holds your coffee…
One day the manager at my bank approached me for help with a client, a 32 year old man who had lost his wife. He had arrived with a stack of papers, explaining that he did not know how much money…
I have often helped families find the documents needed to settle an estate after the loss of a loved one. It is easiest if there are organized up-to-date files, but honestly that is a rare occurrence. More commonly the important documents are scattered over several rooms…
This is an open letter for my nieces, nephews and friends' children when it’s time to pack for their first year of college. This is not a checklist; rather, it’s some advice from me, a Professional Organizer and Mother-who-has-been-there-done-that on setting…
When packing for a student to live away at college, don’t forget to assemble a comprehensive first aid kit. Think beyond just ibuprofen and Band-Aids when creating this kit for a dorm room. On-campus Health Services are often not available…
Downsizing or moving towards a simplified lifestyle can require that you shed some of your treasured belongings. It can be difficult to decide what to pass on and to whom. Here are my favorite two examples of a letter providing…