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Possessions curated over a lifetime are displayed with pride around baby boomers’ homes. With their parents’ Great Depression values instilled in them, boomers are a generation of savers. Things in basements, garages, attics, closets and cabinets overflow into living spaces…
Transitioning from the less structured days of summer to a school routine can be challenging. But there are many ways to ease into the first days of school. Getting off to a positive start can influence confidence, attitude and aptitude. Here…
Do you know the most popular months to take a vacation? July and August, respectively. June and September follow. I was a little surprised that December wasn’t in the top four, at least from what I read online. Vacations are…
Electronics Recycling, Household Hazardous Waste and Shredding Event Schedule Greater Philadelphia Summer Through Fall 2015 Are you looking for places to recycle electronics or hazardous waste – or shred confidential papers? Following are lists of events for disposal of electronics…
Here in the northeast the forecast is for a beautiful few days leading into the Memorial Day weekend. Yay! We earned it after suffering through the polar vortex last winter! Here are 10 top spring organizing tips, some or all…
Free or low-cost paper shredding events in the Greater Philadelphia area are back! Now that the tax season has passed, you've probably discovered papers you no longer need to keep. Go through your files and piles to see what can…
It's the first day of spring! Yet as I type this post on my laptop, in the reflection of the glass-framed picture on the wall in front of me I see a blur of falling, quickly accumulating snow. It doesn't…
As I noticed the many networking events scheduled in my calendar this winter, I started thinking about business cards I receive. As a business owner, there is a trend I’ve been noticing for the last few years that concerns me…
February is American Heart Month. That got me thinking about health in general, then about medical records. How accurate are they? Shockingly, not enough! Years ago I needed the baseline x-ray of my lumbar spine from my hospital’s radiology department…
According to the Wall Street Journal (wsj.com, Jan. 19, 2015), data show that the resolve to exercise starts to waver the third week of January. That’s probably true for any resolution. So how do you keep resolutions on track? In…
2015! A new year. A fresh start. An opportunity to commit to doing something better or begin something you've never done before. Some people like to start their goals at a set time, like the beginning of a new year,…
Last Friday I gave my fourth presentation to the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in suburban Philadelphia on ways to maximize productivity, profit and fulfillment in 2015. My audience was a lively group of successful business women. I…
You're late—again. You should have been at the doctor's office 20 minutes ago but you were delayed by rush-hour traffic picking up your son at school. That means you'll be late getting him to the babysitter's house and meeting your…
Each year some really clever folks where I live create Halloween creatures and line them along both entrances to the community. I thought I'd share some of them with you. I look forward to seeing the new creatures year after…
It's totally doable (family drama aside)! How? Organization and planning! Thanksgiving is five weeks from today. Hanukkah starts two-and-a-half weeks after Thanksgiving. Christmas is four weeks after Thanksgiving. New Years' Eve is one week after Christmas. OK, I get that…
We've all heard important tips about how to protect ourselves in case of emergency or disaster — such as having a first-aid kit, flashlight and enough bottled water and dry food to last a few days. September is National Preparedness…
Lately I've been getting calls asking about free shredding events so it's time to update the information. I'm pleased to announce a new round of free or low-cost shredding events from September through December in Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey (Phillipsburg…
Here in the northeast the summer weather has been glorious! There have been hardly any days above 90 degrees and it rained often enough that I didn't need to water the plants outside, a first for me since moving to…
Did you know that July 25 is Culinarians Day? It’s a day dedicated to chefs – or anyone who cooks. Speaking of food, I’m proud to share with you that a previous blog post (July 18, 2013) on food clutter…
Is the dad in your family tired of losing things buried in clutter? Tools? Sports equipment? The backup fridge? Do you think he'd be happier if he could actually find what he needed when he needed it? This year, forget…
The 44th celebration of Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22. The media report more and more dire warnings about climate change due to global warming and human behavior. Consider that what we do, or don't do, now will determine the…
If you're in the Delaware Valley area of PA, there are quite a lot of free or low-cost shredding events during the spring and summer. Don't you love that they're called events? Makes it sound so festive. This would be…
Paper Sorters In response to last month's post, a reader asked: "Have you seen any monthly sorters for papers?" Of course! Following are some product suggestions. This colorful, expanding desktop file sorter by Pendaflex has a slot for each day…
The 2014 winter Olympics are under way. I am in complete awe of the athletes' skill and total dedication. Ironically, we in the Northeast have more snow and colder weather than in Sochi, Russia! In fact, we're in the middle…
Happy new year! All my best for a happy, healthy and organized 2014! I'm celebrating the new year with a new Web site, logo and tagline. Also, my Timely Tips™ e-newsletter has morphed into a Timely Tips™ blog. I hope…
Best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy and fun holiday season! May peace, success and happiness be with you this holiday season and throughout the new year. Wherever you celebrate, I hope you create lots of special…
Lists! What do you want to serve for dinner? Make a list. What do you need to buy at the grocery store? Make a list. Do you want guests to bring something to share? You guessed it. We can't remember…
Mostly, it's a trick. I've worked with many people who post notices of every kind on all available surfaces. Refrigerators, cabinets, computer monitors, desktops, floors and bulletin boards are overflowing with papers. Why is this a problem? Because it just…
Most people think of natural disasters when discussing national preparedness but I think you’ll agree that losing your device would qualify as a disaster! You may not be able to prevent losing your device but you can protect your data…
The morning of the first day of school can be a frenetic, crazy time! By planning ahead, things can run smoother. Whether your child is starting school for the very first time or a returning student, here are a dozen…
Reader Question It occurred to me that we can have food clutter like any other clutter. How do we manage food in the pantry, fridge and freezer and stay on top of expiration dates? ~Karen Gibson Great question! Food is…
Only in America do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and lock useless things and junk in boxes in the garage. ~ Yakov Smirnoff What does your garage man cave say about you (and your family)?…
Did you buy Mother's Day cards in advance for your mother and maybe your grandmother -- but don't remember where you put them? Do you keep cards on hand for all the…
As a professional organizer, I see too many homes filled with Too Many Things. Why? Because Things are brought in--year after year, decade after decade, and far fewer Things go back out. Over…
Clean Out Your Closet Week is recognized in March. Are you ready to tackle yours? To start the process, label containers Donate, Recycle, Homeless (for anything that doesn't belong in the closet) and Unsure (use this one sparingly). Use a…
Time to get out the proverbial shoebox overflowing with papers. It's tax season again -- a time that can really exacerbate disorganized people's disorganization. There is a better way. You know that. But what you may not know is --…
Happy new year! Have you considered how to make this year better than last? January is GO (Get Organized) Month. Like many others, maybe you made a New Year's resolution to get organized. It is now the second half of…
Did you know that Make Up Your Mind day is on December 31st? Until recently, I didn't either. We all have more to-dos to do than we can do! And guess what happens when someone asks us to do something?…
A man's home is his castle, right? In the Middle Ages, knights protected the castles. Today there are lots of security systems to protect your home, usually for a fee. However, there are many things you can do yourself that…
What is it about magazines that makes it so hard to get rid of them? No matter how many piles they create, people struggle with letting them go. October is National Magazine Month. People love magazines with their glossy, vibrant…
The first full day of Fall is on Saturday. Work and school are back in full swing! That means, among other things, managing to-dos effectively is essential. Recently I gave a presentation, "Stop Mumbling, 'Oops, I Forgot:' How to Manage…
You're busy, constantly on the go. Are you productive or active? Before you can answer that question, though, you need to assess what you do vs. what you need to do. Here are two examples. Example 1 The car must…
Opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics are on Friday, July 27. Can you guess the common bond between the Olympics and organizing? To become an Olympian, athletes must be the best of the best in their sport. To be among…
Were you as shocked as I was to learn last week that hackers stole 6.5 million LinkedIn users' passwords and posted them online? These security breaches should scare you! They certainly scare me. According to Digital Trends, a surprising number…
We have a love-hate relationship with our mail, don't we? Sometimes it brings happy news but mostly it's just bills and junk mail. With the Memorial Day holiday this weekend, store circulars add even more clutter to our mailboxes. My…
The fourth National Prescription Take-Back Day, run by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), is this Saturday, April 28, from 10:00-2:00. This program was created to give people a safe way to dispose of expired or unwanted prescription (Rx) drugs. Review…
Clean Out Your Closet Week is in March. As a professional organizer, I see closets like the one pictured here quite often. Behind the items that can be seen are things that have piled up, many of which cannot be…
There are so many ways to organize paper -- and everything else. Here is one way with simple steps to win the battle with paper! Create a Sorting Station Find a space in your home to sort papers the moment…
How many times have you said, "I could do that if I had spare time?" Too many to count? I hear from people all the time that they would clear clutter or organize paperwork if they had spare time. Well,…