I often joke that decluttering is a little like dieting. If it was easy, we'd all do it and be successful with it! And like dieting, it's a series of small steps and decisions that eventually lead to success.

How Clutter Happens

As the lyrics in "Freewill" by the band, Rush state, "If you choose not to decide, you've still made a choice."

Picture this, you've just come home from a busy day of work and there's a fresh stack of mail glaring at you from the kitchen counter. "I'll deal with that later," you think as you kick off your shoes and go about relaxing into your evening.

The next day, the same thing happens, same with the day after that, and... before you know it, your mail has gone from a few envelopes to a BIG stack of mail you know how to deal with.

This is how it works with clutter too.

There are a lot of reasons we postpone decisions around dealing with clutter.

Sometimes, we look at the clutter around us when we're already in deep with...

Have you hopped on the bandwagon of the tiny house trend yet?

If not, don't worry, I haven't either, and I'm not here to tell you that you need to downsize your living space to <400 square feet. I am, however, going to challenge you to think outside the box when it comes to how much space you use.

We often think we need more space than we really do. The reality is, that the more space we have, the more we tend to fill it with stuff.

You can use the principles of a tiny house in considering your own lifestyle and need for space. It's about exploring ways to use the space you have, without needing to go bigger.

How Much Space is Too Much?

I grew up in a small Cape Cod-style home in Massachusetts. My parents could've afforded a larger home, but they never upgraded. There was simply no need for more space.

So many of us have in our minds that the natural progression of homeownership is a starter home, and then upgrading to something larger down the road....

Want me to let you in on a little secret?

When I take a fresh load of laundry out of the dryer, I lug the laundry basket upstairs, fold the tops and bottoms and put them in their appropriate drawers, hang the items that require hangers, and then...

I match up the socks by just rolling the pair into a ball and tossing them into my sock drawer.

"She shoots, she scores!"

Well, OK, most of the time I miss. But it's the effort that counts, right?  

You might think that a Professional Organizer would have color-coded, Pinterest perfect EVERYTHING in her home, but I'll be the first to tell you that not only is that not the case, it's also not necessary for you either.

In my 15+ years of being a Professional Organizer, I've learned that people love the beautiful before and after photos where piles of books miraculously become a rainbow on a bookshelf. 

Perhaps you see your friend post on Instagram her stunning pantry, labels on every bin, and the row of...

Especially after 2020, you can type "tips for working from home" and find an endless slough of articles, advice, and resources that will help you maximize your productivity and feel better in your workspace.

One person's work-from-home tip is another person's work-from-home nightmare. 

It's important to remember that we all have our own organizational styles, optimal work environments, and different lifestyles that impact the way we work each day.

The key is finding what works for YOU.

Where to Begin When Designing Your Work From Home Setup

If you have the luxury of working from home, you know that while it can be a huge perk and give you ample flexibility, it can also come with some added challenges and distractions!

When thinking about your own work-from-home setup, you want to eliminate as many of these as possible so that working from home is as amazing as it has the potential to be.

To start, look around your home.

Is your home on the whole messy and...

In my last blog, I shared how disorganization costs you money - both personally and professionally. You can read that blog HERE.

Today, I want to talk about how disorganization costs you time. Time perhaps is even more of a valuable resource than money, as we can't earn it back after spending it.

It's Sometimes as Simple as Car Keys

One thing I struggled with for years was misplacing my car keys. 

I'd come home, sometimes walking through the front door, sometimes entering through the garage, and sometimes through the side door. There was no rhyme or reason to where I'd toss my keys when I arrived.

It seems small and innocuous enough, but when you're trying to get OUT the door, (and isn’t always when you’re already in a hurry!?)  it can cause a lot of stress not to be able to locate those dang car keys!

I will confess to you that it took about 20 years of last-minute anxiety and panic because I couldn't find them when I needed to be somewhere to...

Have you ever been in the spice aisle of the grocery store and thought you need Paprika but aren’t quite sure? You know you need it for dinner with your in-laws tomorrow night so you grab a jar, and toss it into the cart, only to find while unloading the groceries and putting them away, you actually have TWO already unopened in the spice cabinet.

You're not alone.

Purchasing duplicates of items (everything from food to tools) is one of the many ways that your disorganization costs you money.

I'm going to show you why being organized doesn't only save you time and stress, it also saves you money both personally, and in your business if you're a business owner.

Your Disorganization Costs When You Purchase Duplicate Items

Since we're already walking the aisles at the grocery store, let's continue there, shall we?  

We own a vacation home in Maine and recently, we had a situation where five bags of flour were staring back at us from the pantry. Usually,...

Back-to-school season has me reminiscing about shopping for my own kids when they were young. I remember there being a dizzying number of options for notebooks, lunchboxes, folders, and binders.

Standing in the school supplies aisle trying to choose between the llama or the unicorn-covered notebook took me way longer than it should!

When it comes to tech and the tools to use for keeping your business organized, it can feel the same way.

There are tools for just about everything we need, and far too many options out there for you to go through each and every one!

So what do you REALLY need as far as tools to stay organized?

I'm going to break it down for you in this blog, so you can keep it easy and focus on the things that matter most when it comes to tech. Here are my three top tech tools for organization! In places where I offer specific suggestions or give examples, keep in mind I'm not an affiliate for any of these companies, I simply love sharing about what works well...

One question I get asked a lot is, "Which project management software do you recommend?"

My short answer is always, "It's the one you'll use."

In this blog, I'll break down what you need to consider when choosing a project management software that works and is right for YOU.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Have you ever seen an item in a store with the bold proclamation, "One size fits all!" Then, you try it on and it appears they didn't mean YOUR size...

Been there. Done that.

I often see the same sort of language when it comes to the marketing of project management tools. There are TONS of options out there and they all say something along the lines of, "Perfect for any team or individual!" "Flexible enough for anyone!" "It does it all!"  

Asana, Trello, Monday, SamePage, ClickUp, AirTable, Hive, Basecamp, Teamwork, and the list goes on.

Project management software is not one size fits all. When you choose the right fit for YOU, you'll know what I mean!...

Virtual Organizing can refer to organizing your digital life, organizing a virtual event, or working with a Professional Organizer virtually through programs, coaching, and virtual sessions.

I've been a Professional Organizer since 2006 for the past 8 years I've been solely working as a Virtual Organizer. I absolutely love the process and being able to help even more people.

How Does it Work?

Professional Organizers that work virtually have their unique models. We each have our approach, personalities, and expertise. This is why it is very important to find one that fits your needs and that you feel comfortable with.

My model has evolved over the past few years because, through trial and error, I have learned what formats work best. Much like when we are trying new systems to get organized it is important to evaluate what works and what doesn't.

Working with Me

Self-Directed Programs:

Sensibly Organized is a collection of all my...

The joy in that video, yes that is the former President of Kajabi dancing to Usher at Impact Summit, is how I feel about Kajabi! 

About 8 years ago I started transitioning my Professional Organizing business to all online. This meant leaving behind my in-person services and working towards selling programs and virtual coaching services.

The tools I started with were WordPress, Mailchimp, and Leadpages. At this point, I was just building my list and brand. 

I learned how to integrate it all and knew that when I was ready to create my programs I would use Kajabi. I had taken a class that someone had hosted on Kajabi back in 2011 and loved the layout of the class and the forum feature.

When the day came that I was ready to create my first program I Googled Kajabi only to find they weren’t open because they were releasing New Kajabi in the coming months. I instantly applied to be a founder and I was so happy when I was approved. 

Once I was in I was thrilled...