Background Some people’s holidays are brimming with merriment. Others’ holidays are not. Personally, I know that not everyone is happy at this time of year, but my actions don’t always reflect this knowledge. I tend to punctuate my year-end conversations or emails with “happy holidays” or “happy new year.” But Read more…
Background Terry Matlen, writer, blogger, and ADHD consultant, recently wrote a blog post re-imagining the distinctions between a luxury vs. an accommodation. I liked this idea so much that I decided to play around with it a bit. Accommodations for ADHD Having been a teacher before I became a professional organizer, I Read more…
Background Getting started on an organizing project is half the challenge. What’s the other half, you wonder? It’s putting away the leftovers. In organizing, starting can be incredibly hard, sorting can be okay, making decisions and finding homes can be empowering (although yes, challenging, too), but dealing with the leftovers – the stuff Read more…
Background Happy fall! I love this time of year. Besides the rust-red leaves, the thick-necked sweaters, and the pumpkin-spiced everything, autumn also means the annual Institute for Challenging Disorganization Conference, where we wacky organizer types learn a lot and laugh a lot and connect with organizer friends, new and old. This Read more…
Background Another school year often means another frenzied rush to buy school supplies. But which ones to choose? For your supply decisions, I have constructed a chart that lists the pros and cons of three-ring binders, zippered three-ring binders, and accordion folders. You can use this chart beforehand to help your child think Read more…
Background Have you ever just wanted to pick up the bedroom, and five hours later it’s worse than when you started? Here are some thoughts about that common frustration. Getting sucked into a bigger project Let’s say that one task is to put your shoes away. You go to start and Read more…
Background This past week, organizer Nia Spongberg and I gave a talk to a Small/Tiny Homes meet up group here in Ann Arbor. The topic was downsizing. Here’s how we tackled it. Think Big First It’s important first to do some philosophical thinking about downsizing. As with any organizing project, you must Read more…
Background Three weekends ago, I had the joy of attending the Better Together Festival, a celebration of women with ADHD. (And despite the cold, rainy, windy weather, it remained a celebration!) I got to lead a hangout session, which sparked a lively discussion around how to pack for a trip in a Read more…
Background Ah, spring! The longer days, the bright flashes of leaf buds and flowers, the scents of warm soil and rain, the long-awaited sunshine. It’s a good time of year, is it not? It’s also a great opportunity to admire some spring images in the context of organizing. 🙂 Organizing Read more…
Background There are many tasks in a household. For example, there are maintenance tasks (tasks that happen regularly), such as… taking out the trash loading and emptying the dishwasher vacuuming cleaning the bathroom There are also project tasks (tasks with a beginning, middle and end), such as… making travel plans fixing a loose board Read more…