Have you heard of the Touch-it-Once rule? Have you tried it and it simply didn't stick? The idea is to handle items only once and not shuffle them from place to place. It is great in theory but not always practical or easy. I tried years ago to implement the rule with my paperwork and even used the suggestion to mark each piece of paper with a red dot every time I touched it. Needless to say, my papers looked like they had measles! 

I knew I needed to find another way. 

While it would be great to train ourselves to do this with everything our natural way of working and life can get in the way. For example, it is highly unlikely that most people will open a bill, pay it right away, and then file it. Are there people that do this? Of course, but that doesn't mean it is efficient or attainable for everyone.

I personally don't like filing! Yes, the Professional Organizer and former Accountant who specializes in paper and digital information management finds no joy in filing pap...

Does it Spark Joy?

The new Netflix show Tidying Up featuring Marie Kondo with her method of tidying she has named KonMari has the world buzzing again just like when her first books came out. In the show, she is working with people looking to declutter and get organized.

First, let me say that I love that there is a new show bringing awareness to decluttering and getting organized! If the show has inspired you, awesome! If you have gone through the full process, and it worked and you never have clutter again, awesome!

But... If you have tried it and it didn't work, you are not alone and are by no means a failure!

It doesn't work for everyone just like any other system out there. How do I know this? Years of working with people who have tried. Even some who had me there to guide them through.

I have had clients insist on trying a process they have read about. Think Peter Walsh, Julie Morgenstern, David Allen, Fly Lady, and Marie Kondo. All people are great at what they ...

Do you end up spending way too much money at this time of year? Racking up a bunch of debt? Stressing out about what to buy for gifts? You are not alone!

I'm sure you are already being bombarded by email deals for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Some of these deals are fantastic, but it helps to have a plan before you shop. If you know what you specifically need it will help much like when you spend less at the grocery store when you have a list.

General tips when shopping for gifts for any occasion

Pause before each purchase and think what would JoAnn do? I am partially kidding there, but many of my clients and other people in my community say I am often in their heads.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Will the person love this?
2. Or is this something they need?

These happen to be the first two questions I recommend you ask yourself when decluttering. If you answer no to you both then it is just clutter. It really is that simple.

The earlier we start preparing for the holidays the better. I know that isn’t something most want to hear. Especially me! I am the ultimate procrastinator. Before you read on don't worry if you can't implement everything this year. Do what you can and you will be ready next year!

3 Essential Steps to Get Organized for the Holidays 

1. Inventory and Purge

Schedule time about a month and a half before the holiday and pull out all your holiday-related items including decorations, baking/cooking specialty items, and wrapping supplies. This gives you time to inventory what you have, which will help you cut down on unnecessary purchases and also gives you time to donate, consign, or sell items. Let go of items that you no longer love or need. If you do this early enough you could consider having a holiday-specific yard sale. This can also be a good time to consign, but be sure to check with your local consignment shops as to when they accept holiday items. If you miss the dead...

Whether you prefer sticky notes, pads of paper, notebooks, or digital products I encourage you to make lists for everything. The more you can free your mind the better. Even if you don't utilize all the lists the act of writing things down usually sets things in motion.

I keep a small notebook beside my bed so I can write things down before I go to bed. This frees up my mind for better sleep.

Here are my ongoing lists, how I record them, and where I keep them

Master To-Do:

This is where I pull my Daily To-Do list from. In the past, I would use a Word document to store this list but today I use project management software (ClickUp). This way I can assign due dates to ensure things get done. My list always starts with a brain dump on paper.

Daily To-Do:

Even though my to-do list resides in ClickUp I still use a sheet of scrap paper and pen to note what I need to do that day. I am a visual person and having that list right on my desk and being able to physically cross out t...

As a Professional Organizer, I am always maintaining order in my home and office, however, there are times when clutter gets out of control. I have a system that I follow, but life happens sometimes. When I need to tackle my own space or a client space this is my process:

• First I take a deep breath.
• I start in one corner of a room, closet, desk, another surface, or container, then work my way around clockwise.
• I work with small sections at a time to avoid a big mess at the end of my session. This way I can stop at any time if necessary. Nothing is worse than creating a big mess and not being able to get back to it right away creating an even bigger mess.
• I always start with purging and don't even think about where the items I am keeping will go.
• My piles (either containers or sections of the room) include Trash, Recycle, Shred, and Donate. I typically don't sell much because I rarely follow through.
• I use black trash bags for donations and white ones for trash to avoid confu
...

Clutter is simply anything you don't love or need.

You may find that answer too vague so when determining what items (and this includes digital items or tasks on your to-do list) ask yourself the following questions:

Do I love it?
Do I need it?

If the answer to both is no, let it go.

But what if you say "I may need it one day"? Then ask yourself these questions:

Would it be difficult to find it again?
Would it be expensive to repurchase?

If the answer is yes to either of those questions and letting go of the item will cause you to stress, keep it. Just be sure to find an out-of-the-way, proper storage area and revisit the item at a later date.

What about all those gifts that you hold onto out of guilt?

I'm giving you permission to let them go! Your loved ones whether they are alive or have passed on wouldn't want you to be stressed. Well at least most of them. 

If someone gives you a gift that isn't your style or you don't need it, accept it with grace and let it go. Of c...