Your Life. Organized.

Addicted to Potential

Are you addicted to potential? Potential is defined as "existing in possibility". The important word in the definition is POSSIBILITY. Possibility lives in the future. It's intangible. Yet, so many people are hooked on it, as evidenced by the amount of stuff they keep because of some imagined future use or value.

Sometimes it makes sense to save something for a future use or value if that use or value is VERY LIKELY to be realized. For example, saving baby clothing is smart if you're planning to have another baby. But saving all your child's baby clothes long after they've moved out isn't the same thing because the clothing isn't likely to give you any future value, especially given that they're probably sitting in boxes in the basement.

When you save things for an imagined future value, you're actually sacrificing its PRESENT value that someone else could be getting benefit from. What can you release today that someone else can use?

 

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Quote of the Week: Indecision Is Fatal

“Indecision is fatal. It is better to make a wrong decision than build up a habit of indecision.”

Marie Beynon Ray

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When Looking Back Feels Better Than Looking Forward

The Good Ol' Days? When were yours? Five years ago? Ten? Twenty? Are they now? Or are they yet to come? When I work with a client, one of the goals of our organizing is to get that person to a place where they feel powerful, in control and caught up. Present. Current. In the NOW.

Bigger Isn't Better

She is the mother of young children, wife to her husband, sometimes volunteer, and the CEO of a house that's running her rather than the other way around. She spoke to me on the phone in hushed tones ashamed that she needed help running her life, but desperate for it nonetheless. She said many things in our time together, but the thing that stuck in my mind was this...

Quote of the Week: Today Is Wonderful

"If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year. Today should always be our most wonderful day."

Thomas Dreier
Author

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A Date Which Will Live In Infamy

Today is December 7th. On this date 68 years ago, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii, and the United States officially entered into World War II, ultimately resulting in the defeat of the Axis in 1945. Today is the day we remember those who perished and also those who survived.

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Simplify Holiday Entertaining!

Woohoo! A new episode of "The Big O" show is up and ready to listen! I was in-studio with Vicky and Jen and we tackled the topic of entertaining -- whether you're having overnight guests, a big party or a small gathering, this show will set you on the right path and make you feel confident about entertaining not only during holiday season but all year long. As usual, we covered a lot of information and we had WAY too much fun in the process, so tune in and git yo party on, people!

Happy Entertaining!

 

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Quote of the Week: Blessings

"Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward with the life that God intended for you."

Og Mandino
1923-1996, Author and Speaker

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Clutterfree Gift Ideas for 2009

Last Friday kicked off the official holiday shopping season, and to celebrate, I'm sharing with you my favorite ideas for clutter-free gift ideas! If you have your own ideas to add(or something you've been wishing for yourself) , I'd love to hear them, so please leave a comment! Here's the complete list...

What Are You Thankful For?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving -- my favorite holiday! I love it so much because it's all about my two favorite things... being with people you love and delicious food! I'll be making my famous baked corn pudding, as I always do and I can't wait to be with my friends, who are my chosen family. However, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without giving thanks, would it? So here's my short list of the things in my life I'm thankful for...

Quote of the Week: Gratitude

On the eve of American Thanksgiving, (my favorite holiday) this week's quote is about gratitude.

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."

Brian Tracy
American Success Guru

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Consumed With Consumption?

When people travel, they shop. It's weird -- even a non-shopper like me can get sucked into it. On the road, an item you might never look at twice when you're at home living your regular life, suddenly seems Extra Neato! Plus, not only are you willing to buy it, you're often willing to pay too much for it! It's a hilarious and nutty thing, this "travel shopping".

I was recently in Vermont with some friends, then in Hilton Head with a different group of friends, and then I went to Nashville. On each of these trips even *I* did some travel shopping.

In one of the stores in Vermont, I got to thinking about how sometimes we get into clutter and debt because we don't see a clear difference or boundary between admiring something and having to own it...

Technology, Simplicity & Danica Theodorakos

I flew to Cincinnati to be in-studio with my BFFs Vicky and Jen and Vicky and Jen contest winner Danica Theodorakos was the guest host for our new episode of "The Big O"!  This episode, we're talkin' technology and how it can make your life easier! Learn all our favorite websites, techno-gadgets, and services that simplify life, and be sure to email your own ideas and technology loves to Vicky and Jen at comments@vickyandjen.com.

Quote of the Week: Power Within

"Refuse to let your present results influence your thinking. Keep reminding yourself that you have a power within you that is superior to any condition or circumstance you may encounter enroute to your goal."

Bob Proctor

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But It's Valuable

Republished with permission from Unclutterer. Read the original post here.

As a Professional Organizer, one of the things I've noticed over the years is that very often, people who struggle with clutter and disorganization, as well as hoarders, explain or justify their accumulation of clutter by telling themselves...

Organize Kids' Art With a Gallery

If you're like most parents, you love the artwork your kids bring home from school, but it can pile up and become clutter. One of the solutions I've used with my clients is a homemade a gallery. The kids love it because their art takes center stage and moms love it because it puts a simple system in place for handling the ever-present influx of handmade art.

To create a gallery, all you need is a section of empty wall, some common tools and a little time. The photo here is of a client's kitchen where I installed three lengths of cable about an inch from the wall using threaded screw-in hooks at each end, similar to the one shown, only heavier.

I just screwed the hooks into the wall about six feet apart, twisted one end of the cable around one of the hooks, slid a handful of small binder clips onto the cable and attached the cable to the other hook. You can see how the art gets clipped up using the binder clips, and the nice thing is that you don't have to track where the clips are because they hang permanently on the cable. I chose to put three cables up on the wall, one above the other so there is plenty of room for art. As more art comes in, my client just pulls down the old art and replace it with new. 

Another fun way to create a gallery is to position a few magnet strips in rows on a section of wall and hang your kids' artwork that way. Just be very careful to store unused magnets stored on the highest strip and out of reach of children. One other way to show off your art is to simply collect a bunch of picture frames in varying sizes from garage sales, paint them all the same color and hang them in an interesting pattern on the wall. When a new piece of art comes in, just tape it inside the appropriately sized frame.

No matter how you slice it, if you have even a few feet of blank wall space, you can create a gallery to proudly display the precious creations your babies make. 

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Quote of the Week: Thank You To All U.S. Veterans!

It's Veteran's Day here in the United States so I'm skipping the customary Wednesday Quote of the Week in favor of a quote from me...

From the bottom of my heart, I want to publicly thank all the veterans of the United States Armed Forces, living or dead, for the sacrifices they've made and continue to make, on behalf of this great nation. Please know that my gratitude for your service simply cannot be measured.

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The Queen of Packing Light Strikes Again!

I'm leavin' on a jet plane this morning, heading to Cincinnati to record some "Big O" podcasts with my BFFs, Vicky and Jen! The first show we're taping will feature the winner of our recent "Be A Guest Host The Big O" contest. I can't tell you what the other shows will be about, or I'd have to kill ya. (And I know you don't want that...) Anyway, I'm writing you this morning to pat myself on the back because once again I'm the Queen of Packing Light! This morning I head to Cincinnati and before I get back to Atlanta, I'll hit Philly and Harrisburg, returning home Sunday night. I'll be gone for 7 full days and I refuse to check luggage. This is a picture of what I'm carrying on the plane with me...

Fall Into Abundance!

My friend and colleague Sara Fisher makes a guest appearance here to share some organizing wisdom with my awesome readers.

In Atlanta, we've had an OVER abundance of rain lately! Trees down, flooded basements, leaky roofs. All of this abundant rain causes me to think about paper boxes. Paper boxes and rain…seems like a strange pair, but over the last several weeks as I have been creating abundance for my clients, more than one of them has lost a paper box to the rain.

If you're storing things in cardboard, NOW is the time to make the change to plastic containers. Especially, if shelving is not available to you. Storage containers on the floor should be made of plastic to prevent damage in case of flooding. In addition, bugs LOVE cardboard boxes, which is another reason to make plastic the container to use for storage! And of course don't forget labels!

So now as the leaves begin to change, it's a great time to clear out for a change too. A change to tame stacks of papers, finish summer projects that didn't get done, or liberate closets bulging with clothes. Wishing you the richness of the FALL season, hoping you can FALL into abundance and simple spaces!

~Sara

Quote of the Week: Wealth and Order

"Wealthy people tend to be orderly, while those who struggle have lots of messes. Each mess is a lock on the gate that keeps abundance out."

Raymond Aaron
From Double Your Income Doing What You Love

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