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How to Ask Less of Yourself and Get More in Return

This coming Sunday I will run in my fifth consecutive Army Ten Miler. Between you and me, this year is going to be a toughie. I’ve really slacked off on my training using all sorts of valid-sounding excuses, (“My knees are killing me” or “I’ve got to finish this project today!”) and will pay the price with a much slower pace then was my original goal.

I hate to admit it but I actually considered bowing out of the race altogether. I thought about it seriously for a few days and then it hit …

The #1 Storage Mistake and How to Avoid it

This month has been filled with so many fun organizing projects and amazing transformations! In a matter of minutes one client cleared out three closets full of clothes that no longer fit her and made room not only for more storage but also for greater self-acceptance. She was overjoyed.

Another client tackled a home office that has been weighing her down for years – within hours she had let go of hundreds of pounds in paper and archaic office supplies. You could literally watch the weight fall off of her shoulders too. She was …

Low Maintenance (and fun!) Lists

When I was growing up, every weekend started with ‘Chores Day’ for my brother, sister and I. Dusting, vacuuming, washing sinks – we all had our designated jobs to complete.

While I never completely learn to love this day, I did figure out a way to make it more fun. Without a doubt the best part of this weekly routine was writing up my Saturday Chores List. Oh yes – my chore duties never changed but this list was a must! It’s as if I was born with the love of list- making …

How to Conquer Paper Overload

For many, the idea of sitting down to pay bills and burrow your way through a heap of mail and paper can feel like an exhausting and overwhelming prospect – draining your energy before you even begin.

The process can be filled with organizational reminders of how things aren’t as easy or simple as you’d like them to be. This can feed the procrastination that allows the project to snowball in your mind and hang over your head until you inevitably have to deal with it.

I can’t make the administrative side of life …

How to Upgrade Your Energy

As a holistic organizer, my goal is to help you improve your space and time management systems but also your personal energy management system as well.

I define energy management as:

- Maintaining awareness over your energy reserves

- Recognizing and eliminating sources that drain your energy and

- Routinely engaging in activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit.

This critical element is the glue that holds all of your other systems together. Without regularly nourishing your energy – life and life systems become exponentially harder to maintain.

How full are your energy reserves?

I’ve compiled a few strategies below …

Combat Chronic E-mail Checking

Last night I got the chance to relax on a beautiful backyard porch home to a number of potted tomato plants, herbs and ivy – even the occasional rabbit. Trees and singing birds surround its high walls – it is a little haven of nature in the middle of the city.

Being from the country, I appreciate any chance I get to ‘commune with nature,’ a practice critical to my mental well-being. As I sat there grateful for my good fortune, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow this is beautiful! I wonder if …

Tools to Get Stuff Out of Your Head

Pause for a moment and consider just how many to-dos, ideas, projects, and plans you’ve currently got floating through your brain. They keep flitting around bumping into other thoughts, (“Boy, I wish I was still in bed”), and never stay put on your mental to-do list. It takes constant vigilance to keep everything in line and the one moment you take your guard down, off into the abyss floats your plan to end world hunger, a reminder to buy your nephew’s birthday present, and who knows what else?

Sound kind of stressful? Energy consuming? …

6 Quick Ways to Clear Winter and Welcome Spring

The trees have started to bud, the birds are singing, and the daffodils are popping open everywhere. You can just feel spring on its way!

When it gets like this outside I have the strong urge to shake up the stagnant winter energy inside my home. The air indoors seems in such stark contrast to the fresh, vibrant breeze making its way through the trees.

We have such little time each day to devote to a big spring cleaning job, so I have outlined here some of my favorite quick and easy ways to refresh …

The Virtues of Planning

Planning for life can be challenging. It is constant. We need to do it everyday and something is always popping up to threaten our objectives: meetings, traffic, snowstorms, phone calls, or even just our energy levels and ability to focus. It can feel like we are under siege, constantly fighting against the daily deluge of unanticipated interruptions.

And to what end? Life happens and things don’t turn out the way we expect so what is the point of planning in the first place? Should we even bother? Absolutely! (You had a feeling that was coming didn’t …

5 Ways To Be More Organized Without Organizing Anything

When people learn that I am a professional organizer, they often ask me what my favorite ‘organizing tips’ are that I like to use with my clients. Many are surprised when I tell them that some of my favorite tips – and those I believe can most impact their productivity and organization - don’t involve any organizing!

Get sleep! – Ever notice how the world looks different after a solid 8 hours? Consistent quality sleep is so critical to organization and life management that we make it a priority at Profound Impact to discuss sleep habits with …