I spent Thanksgiving weekend with my family at a state park in South Carolina. We rented a cabin (it was more like a duplex), went skeet shooting, and learned a bit of archery (I hit the target once – yay me!). At one point, my sister’s boyfriend and I were sitting in the living room […]
Organization
Organizing papers and piles (Day 5 of 31 Days of Organizing)
I was helping a first-time client with organizing papers, piles, and cleaning out his office. On day one, I always want a tour of what’s in the office, on the shelves, in the desk, and in any closets. A tour lets me know what I’m getting into and gives me clues about a client’s state of mind. As […]
Getting organized is work (Day 4 of 31 Days of Organizing)
A reader asked, “How do I handle mail and all the resulting clutter? I mean, I open it, but it still needs to be handled and I can’t do it right then. What do I do with it until I can get to it?” This is such a great question because so many people struggle […]
Your brain is not for remembering (Day 1 of 31 Days of Organizing)
Welcome to Day 1 of 31 Days of Organizing. A little housekeeping: you will be hearing from me every single day (including weekends) between now and December 31st. If you don’t want to play along, feel free to unsubscribe at the bottom of this page! I’m not here to harass you or fill up your […]
Soothing your “Inner Lizard” (hat tip to Martha Beck)
I was driving in to the city recently and listening to Steering By Starlight a book on tape when the narrator (author Martha Beck) said something so meaningful to me that I had to pull over and write it down. She was talking about her “Inner Lizard” – also known as our reptile or fear […]
Your obsession
Quite a few clients I’ve worked with in the past year have an obsession. This obsession shows up in offices, vehicles, bags, and on kitchen counters. Partially used. Nearly forgotten. Scrawled on with notes, names, and phone numbers. Very Important. Mostly buried in piles or stuck in drawers. Lost but not completely forgotten. Valuable but […]