Life Organized Podcast

I know, I know…if the kids were just more organized it would save EVERYONE so much hassle. But before I give you a list of things to teach your kids, let’s talk about YOU. The quickest way to organized kids is to pave the way yourself, because “kids will follow your example, not your advice.” This episode is rich with ideas about how YOU can develop a family culture that is organized – and it’s so...

We all love how it feels when life is running on cruise control. We are better able to stay on top of things, we have more time for the things we love to do, and we aren’t fighting curve balls at every turn. But life inevitably transitions into different seasons, and when that happens, we lose our groove. Well, we can’t prevent transition, but we can have a strategy to help us get right back into...

I know, I know…so many things we have to do. Dishes, laundry, run the kids around, stay on top of work and all. the. things. Who has time for exercise? YOU DO, and in this interview with Courtney Wyckoff from Momma Strong we talk about WHY exercise is so important, and HOW you can make time for it. You are going to LOVE the refreshing approach Courtney takes to fitness and exercise. If you are dis...

Well, here we are, heading back into the new school year.   And if you’re anything like me, I bet you’re happy and sad at the same time.   While a schedule and routine is sounding nice right about now, the hustle of a new school year can be a little daunting.   So in this episode I’m giving you lots of tips to help you start your school year out right, including a fantastic metaphor that will give...

When I was a little girl I was terrified of dogs. That never went away as an adult, so imagine my surprise when I suddenly found myself owning a golden doodle puppy in March of 2020 - and loving it! What seemed like the most unlikely situation taught me that we never really know what our potential is. It may feel impossible to ever achieve an organized life, but the good news is if you are here at...

Even though we can laugh about our tendency to procrastination, when we are under a deadline procrastination doesn’t feel like a joke.  Procrastination is one time management challenge that really gets in the way of living an organized life, and in this episode we talk about two ways we can outsmart it. In the “dark playground” of procrastination, our brain tries to convince us that a deep dive th...

Ok, buckle up. This is the most technical episode I have ever recorded - and also the most helpful one if you struggle with your paper. If you have piles and old files and are tired of fighting it all, you’ll be really glad you listened to today’s episode. As we pick up the paper conversation again from episode 44, it’s time to figure out what to do with the paper once we pull any actions that nee...

No matter the class, no matter the client, no matter the conversation, when the organizing conversation turns to paper, I see the same thing. The inevitable eye roll. The overwhelm. The defeat. Organizing paper creates a unique challenge because it requires us to organize both tangible and intangible clutter. Paper isn’t just an object - it is a container for a task. Which means we can’t stash it...

Have you ever wondered why some people can be haunted by a sink full of dirty dishes - and others walk right past it without even noticing it? Is it simply a matter of habits? Or does personal play a bigger part than we give it credit for? In this episode Laurie Palau from SimplyBOrganized.com shares how she uses the Enneagram personality test to help her clients find ways to get organized based o...

Links For This Episode: Tools For When Your Kids Are Bored , free ----more----   We're midway into the summer - the honeymoon is over...   Kids are getting bored, fights are breaking out, and summer is starting to feel LONG. But contrary to what the kids think, the real problem is not the lack of things to do –what we need to solve for is imbalance… …because, just like us, kids feel better when th...

Have you ever come home from vacation and faced such a mountain of catch-up, so much that the trip almost doesn’t seem worth it? I remember hearing once that you should expect catching up from a vacation to take at least as many days as the trip itself. Well, I disagree.  There are two strategic times you can make big strides in vacation recovery, so you can be back up and running as soon as the n...

At the time this episode is posted, we find ourselves in the heart of a family season… which might mean that your reservoir of self-care is running pretty dry. But the Chinese yin/yang symbol is a perfect metaphor for balance, teaching us that in the middle of one extreme we crave its opposite. That means that what might be missing from your summer right now is the kind of self-care that we give o...

Well, as John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” There are plenty of ways we get to experience “life,” and the inspiration for this particular episode came to me as I was sitting on the front porch of our Airbnb home, looking out at the lake instead of boating on it, because our boat broke. It was so tempting to sink into disappointment and negativity,...

Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up every morning in a good mood? Or just have an extra boost of optimism or energy in your day? Subconsciously we are always looking for pick-me-ups that can do just that – and we often turn to spending money or snacking on junk food for that quick boost. But there is something we can do to experience a happier state more regularly – and that is to organize our home.  “...

As we head into summer, kids and screen time might be on your mind. And that’s exactly why I interviewed Andrea Davis from betterscreentime.com. Andrea's mission is to teach parents how to worry less about technology and connect more with their kids. And what better time to focus on this than during the long days of summer that are around the corner? Because kids’ brains are still developing, this...

Well, the last day of school is around the corner, and if you’re anything like my clients, you are feeling a little nervous about how this is all going to work once the kids are home for the summer… …because it’s a big job. Entertaining the little ones, keeping a close eye on the big ones, staying on top of the never-ending stream of dirty dishes, and finding time to work, take care of yourself, o...

Don’t you just hate that feeling that comes right after you say yes…when deep down you know you should have said no? We’ve all been there.  You already have a busy day ahead, and your sister asks you to watch her kids that afternoon. You’ve promised the kids you’ll take them swimming, but you hear yourself telling your boss you’ll have that project completed today. Why do we do this?! It’s not tha...

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it seems fitting that we reflect about motherhood. Lots of emotion around this subject, for sure. Motherhood is equal parts difficult and amazing, and it’s pretty easy to feel like you’re not doing it right. But in this episode I share an experience about how I stepped into my own as a mom. It doesn’t look the way my mom did it. And I realize now that tha...

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the clutter in your life? I know I have. In fact, a couple of weeks ago I found myself in huge amounts of clutter because of a flood in my basement.  It was awful! I was so overwhelmed by the mess - and as the clutter got bigger and bigger, my motivation to clean it up got lower and lower.  Have you felt that way, too?  In today’s episode I will talk about a very si...

Ever feel like you could use a little motivation?  And I mean for anything? To cook dinner? To clean the bathroom? To get the kids to practice or do their homework? To exercise? To get up on time in the morning? We all have a million things to do everyday, and a lot of them are pretty mundane and boring, BUT they need to get done. So…how are you supposed to get everything done on your to-do list w...

Um….couldn’t EVERYONE use a little more control?! With so much happening in our lives, getting more in control can sound like a fairy tale. But it’s not. With a simple routine, we can stop fighting fires and feeling behind the 8 ball. We can stay on top of what needs to be done, and even make space for a few of the things we really WANT to do. What is that routine? Weekly planning.  In this episod...

Recently I found myself working with someone who didn’t stop soon enough to get organized. She didn’t stop the hustle and bustle of life to get her home in order. And we’re not just talking about decluttering the countertop and organizing pantries and closets... she didn’t stop in time to get her time management in order – she just kept pushing, ignoring the signs of burnout...  Today we'll talk a...

It’s that time of year when things get busy – maybe even too busy for family meals. In this episode, Camille Beckstrand from Six Sisters’ Stuff shares her expert tips to help you menu plan on busy nights. Think family mean time has to happen at dinner? Think again! Meal time is about connecting with the family, and that can happen at breakfast, lunch, and even during dessert! In This Episode: What...

Life is full of annoying little pet peeves, isn’t it? And it seems like all there really is to do is grin and bear it, because some things just don’t seem to want to go away. But what if one pet peeve collides with another pet peeve in an inspired way? What if pet peeves can become solutions for each other? What if those pet peeves can actually become a win/win? This is a fun episode where I share...

If you are on Instagram and you like to follow organizers, then you probably know Reset Your Nest.   Jen Martin is a good friend and fellow organizer, and she has a gift that leaves me drooling – and that is how to make your organizing projects BEAUTIFUL.   So today on the podcast she is answering all my toughest questions, such as: Secret “rules of thumb” to organize beautifully How to avoid gett...