Your Life. Organized.

The Globe Atlanta Delivers Big Time

Remember last fall when I told you about the other Monica Ricci? You know, the one who just won’t part with her domain name? She lives in another part of the country and when she travels to Atlanta on business, we get together for dinner and it’s been really fun.

A few months ago when she was here, we did it again and this time was the Best. Dinner. Yet! We were going to try a place we'd both heard of, but too many of the online reviews were bad. Then I remembered I'd been wanting to try The Globe, named Atlanta Magazine's 2006 Restaurant of the Year, sits at the corner of...

The 4-Hour Master Bedroom Makeover

Poor Natasha Bigl wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into, winning this Vicky and Jen contest to have me come organize her master bedroom. She may not have anticipated how much work it would be, but it was worth it! We jumped right into it this morning at 9:00 and between the four of us, by 1:30 in the afternoon, we had totally transformed Natasha and John's master bedroom from a chaotic, cluttered, and crowded space to a beautiful, serene and organized sanctuary with a place for everything and a whole new energy! Ouch, I think I may have strained my arm patting myself on the back. Stay tuned here and on Vicky and Jen's web site for the before, during and after photos and the full story in a bit.

I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane...

Well, it's here. Tomorrow morning I'm getting on the MARTA train (at o'dark thirty) to head to the airport so I can wing my way to Cincinnati Ohio to finally meet my BFFs Vicky and Jen! Yahoo! We'll be doing an in-studio podcast AND meeting our Vicky and Jen contest winner.

So when you're all cozy and snuggling in your bed at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, I'll be on the MARTA train listening to a little of the new Bon Jovi album and getting psyched for my trip. Watch for photos of our half-day organizing session with our contest winner, Natasha Bigl!

See you in Cincy!

Radio This Week:Organizing Your Kids for Academic Success

Join me for this week's Organization Nation when I interview two of my organizing colleagues, Michelle Cooper and Michelle Grey of Organized Students of Atlanta. We'll be talking about why your kids hate doing homework in their bedrooms, how to handle the 3-ton backpack, how to get your child to use his planner and more! If you have kids in school, don't miss this show! Tune in and listen live Tuesday at noon Eastern Time, 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time and call in with your questions toll-free at 1-866-356-0789.

Edited to add a faaaaabulous photo of Michelle Grey, me and Michelle Cooper. Are we hot or what?? Oh, and do ya dig my new glasses? These are mostly reserved for days when I can't wear or am not in the mood to mess with my contact lenses. (Or if I just feel like looking like an artsier version of myself.)

 

My Tiny Ears Have Found Relief!

Christmas Boy bought me an 30gig video iPod for Christmas in 2005, and I really love it. A while back, I posted about how I had ditched the earbuds because I only listened to my iPod in the car anyway, and I use the radio transmitter (which is SO cool by the way). The other reason I ditched the earbuds is that like many people, I have very small...

Found a Rat in the Closet

Timing is everything. I'm posting this on the heels of an email discussion among several NAPO colleagues about how to deal with a client situation that makes you uncomfortable or could be a health hazard. For example, there are times when organizers will encounter homes with mold, extreme dirt and dust, insects, animal feces and the like. Understand, this is not a typical client situation, but there are times when it happens.

These situations can be a difficult because although our professional ethics call for us to be  non-judgmental, at the same time, it's important that we don't expose ourselves or our team members to health or safety hazards. In keeping with this discussion, I thought I'd share a story about my own rodent experience today...

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

 Don't you just love Simon and Garfunkel? Ok, maybe you don't love 'em, but I do. As I was driving to the gym today, I chose to drive in total silence. I did it because, in my quest to become self-actualized, I realized that the first thing I do when I get into the car is turn on music.

I put on either the radio or I hook up my iPod and the whole time I'm driving, I'm just a loud, happy, singin' fool! Not that there's anything wrong with that -- although, if you've heard me sing, you might disagree -- but I think that's pretty typical behavior for most people. So I got to thinking about how...

I've Added a New Category

 You'll see a new category for blog posts to fall under as of today. Along with Your Home, Your Business, Your Life and Your Time, now you'll see a category called Your Head.

You see, I believe so much of organizing your life involves your thoughts, your attitude, and your habits and that's all a function of what goes on in your head. Since it's so important, I thought it warranted its own category. What do you think?

 

Two Contests Ending Soon!

Just a reminder that two contests are ending soon...

Vicky and Jen are holding a contest that ends this Friday July 20th. The winner will get a half-day closet organizing session with me. Click here to enter and I'll see you in Cincinnati in a week!

My "name my new blog feature" contest ends Tuesday July 31st. The winner will get a brand new Dymo Letratag Labeler. All you have to do to enter is submit a name for my new blog feature that I'll be starting in August. I'll be reviewing various organizing products, letting you know my honest opinions, and how to purchase them if you're so inclined. I just can't come up with a catchy name for the feature on my own, so I'm hoping my readers can help me. I've already gotten a bunch of good entries (check the comments section of this post) but am definitely open to more!

The Container Store is SOLD!

 Well, it happened. I guess the rumors were true. The Container Store, many an organizer's favorite retailer, has been sold to Leonard Green & Partners, LP.  The Los Angeles based private equity firm, which also holds 35 other companies, has promised to "preserve [The Container Store's] unique culture" which I suppose remains to be seen. Cynical, aren't I? Sadly, and too often...

Pay No Attention to the Organizer Behind the Curtain

Look out Cincinnati! I'm coming for some of that Skyline Chili woohoo! At the end of July, Christmas Boy and I are going to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to help celebrate his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Yay for them!  Well, I figured since I'm heading to Ohio anyway, I'll just swing by Cincinnati to meet my BFFs, Vicky and Jen and do some in-person podcasts. Then we got to thinking that while I'm there, we ought to try to do something fun and different. So we did what anyone would do for a little change of pace... we decided to hold a CONTEST of course!

So, if you live in the Cincinnati area, don't miss the chance to have yours truly come to your house and organize your closet! Click here to enter--  but hurry, the contest closes THIS FRIDAY July 20th. Eek! (And for Pete's sake, don't be cleaning up before I get there!)

See ya'll up north!

What You Don't Know About Goodwill Industries

We all know Goodwill as THE place to drop unwanted household goods and clothing. But there is a lot you don't know about Goodwill that you really should. Tune in to Organization Nation today at noon Eastern time to find out a whole lot of stuff you don't know about Goodwill Industries and to find out what's a myth and what's the real skinny.

Edited to add: Here's a pic of us after the interview.

Left to right: Elaine, Christine, Carla, Kim and me. We had a great time and I learned a lot about all the cool stuff Goodwill does for the community. You'll just have to wait until the show is posted on my radio show home page so you can learn all the stuff I learned.

 

What's Your Consumable Shopping Percentage?

As I was checking out at my Publix today, (I LOVE Publix!) I was thinking about how often I shop for groceries in comparison to other things. Shopping is what I consider a necessary evil because on the one hand, you do need food, drinks and toiletries but on the other hand, shopping is also a supreme opportunity to add clutter to your life if you're not reeeeally careful.

Buying consumables -- the necessities -- is the lesser of the two shopping evils because at least those things disappear. Food gets eaten, drinks get drunk, and paper products get used up. However, the hard goods you buy -- clothing, household items, furniture, and tschotchkes -- they hang around. Forever, in some cases.

I began thinking about the number of shopping trips I make for...

Did You Have Your Moment of Zen Today?

Organization isn't just about being organized. Oh mercy, it's soooo much more than that. Saying organization is just about having your spaces organized is like saying Ben Franklin was just about lightning. Oh sure, he discovered electricity and all, but the man was so much more than just that guy who flew a kite. He was an inventor, a fireman, a printer, a writer, a scientist, a statesman and yes, even an environmentalist. Ohhhh Al Gore's got nothin' on old Ben. In fact, I think Ben may have invented the Internet. But I digress. Organization has so many facets and one of the important ones is...

Veggie Tales Teaches A Lesson About Clutter

 Since my niece and nephew were born, I've had the opportunity to babysit and I've fallen in love with Veggie Tales! Yesterday, Christmas Boy and I were staying with the kids and before bed, we watched a half-hour Veggie Tales video about Madame Blueberry who was apparently, a very blue berry.

She was sad because the things in her home weren't as nice as the things her neighbors had and she was convinced that having more and better things would make her happy. As she was lamenting her sad state, three representatives from the new retailer (Stuff Mart) down the street showed up at her house to entice her to buy more stuff. Being a very blue berry in search of happiness, off she went!

On the walk to Stuff Mart, she passed a little girl whose...

Less Is More -- Do You Agree?

Christmas Boy loves new books and he just picked up The Four Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. Ferriss is a 29-year old wonder boy who's managed to create a deafening buzz in the marketplace with his new book and his unconventional, rule-breaking philosophies. He's also apparently Champion of the Universe at everything he attempts, not unlike 70's series super-couple Jonathon and Jennifer Hart (come on, you remember Hart to Hart, don'tcha??)

Television acting? He can do it. Tango? He can do it. Chinese kick-boxing? He can do it. Do you speak four languages? He speaks SIX! Oh ye mere mortals, I warn you...

What Do You See?

 What do you see when you look at Old Glory? Do you just see a piece of fabric fluttering in the wind? Or do you see a little more? When I go to a sporting event, I look forward to and love hearing our national anthem and gazing upon that beautiful flag. It reminds me that we have something special here in the United States. We are a young nation and as many youngsters do...

Retailers Take a Lesson

If you've heard me speak, you've heard me say "keep items together that you use together". It's not a new concept and it's one I'm a big fan of because let's face it -- it just makes things easier. And whaddya know, Seth Godin agrees with me! He's got a great post on how retailers can make it easier for their customers , as opposed to making life easier  for the people who work at the store.  What a concept.

Not because I want retail staffers to work harder -- I've been in public service pretty much my whole life, so I sympathize with those folks -- it's just smart because the odds of upselling are much higher if everything that customer needs for his project is right there in one easy group. Read Seth's post and see if you don't agree then let me know what you think! What would YOU like to see grouped together at your favorite retailer?

Secret Storage Right Under Your Nose

If you ever catch yourself saying, "I just need more closet space!" or "My place is just too small", listen up. I want to share with you my own personal secret to creating more storage space in your home that's easy, practical and it's right under your nose...