This Organized Life: Decluttering Tips for Moms, Entrepreneurs and Professional Organizers

This week’s tip is all about creating a monthly budget. Being intentional about our finances can help us gain control and make better decisions.  Just like organizing our physical spaces, budgeting can help us avoid unnecessary stress and regain financial control.  You'll Learn: 1:02 The Importance of a Monthly Budget 4:01 The Connection Between Money and Clutter 6:52 Utilizing Apps to Help You Bu...

If you struggle with getting organized or find it hard to motivate yourself to tackle the clutter in your home, this is the episode for you. Today we are talking about 5 roadblocks that often hold us back from dealing with the disorganized parts of our lives. I refer to them as The 5 Clutter Pitfalls (you can read all about them in Chapter 8 of my book Hot Mess: A Practical Guide to Getting Organi...

With Summer in full swing, it’s time to make sure your passport is up to date! Think of your passport as a safety net. No travel plans right now? Doesn't matter. Life loves to throw curveballs and that passport might come in handy.  0:00 Introduction 2:23 Passport Renewal Reminder 5:45 Importance of Passport Accessibility 7:36 Checking Passport Expiration Date Links Mentioned in this Episode: Subs...

Today we’re talking about a topic that impacts thousands of folks-what to do if you inherit your parents’ stuff. Most of us are busy trying to reduce our own clutter, let alone make decisions and navigate the burden of guilt that often comes with inherited items. Joining me today is Melinda Rizzo, journalist, author, and someone who has been on the receiving end of generations of "gifted" items. ...

Summer Fun often means road trips and outings that have us spending extended time in the car.  Today’s tip is to create a Summer Car Kit. This kit should include all the essentials you might need for summer activities and emergencies.  You’ll learn: 0:00 Introduction 2:35 Creating a Summer Car Kit 3:30 Choosing the Right Organizing Solutions 4:24 Selecting Categories for the Car Kit 8:44 Maintaini...

Have you ever wondered how to get your kids involved in sorting and decluttering their stuff? We’re diving into how we as parents can teach our kids some basic organizing skills as we shift into summer.  You’ll Learn: (2:16) Importance of Teaching Organizational Skills to Kids (6:09) Decluttering Kids’ Clothes (7:42) Involving Kids in Decluttering Toys (8:57) Decluttering Kids’ Papers and Art Supp...

Hi Friends, I hope you’re downshifting into summer mode (I know I am!) and if you’re kiddos are still in school, I’m sure the finish line is within sight! One of the things that I frequently talk about is consistently going through school papers, but as with most good intentioned plans, LIFE HAPPENS. Often, the path of least resistance is to procrastinate on sorting through paperwork until you hav...

Hi Friends, We’re kicking off our Ask An Expert monthly series with a question from our TOL community! Joining me is Dani Cooper, a mom of 3, from Kansas City, who is also an Enneagram Coach and Enneagram 1 (also known as the Perfectionist).   Dani’s question is something that I hear often: “How do I stop telling myself that I’m messy and that my house isn’t as organized as it could be?” Some key...

Happy June! As we gradually move into summer mode, different parts of our schedules and routines are bound to shift. I know that when my kids were younger transitioning from full-day school with a solid routine, to a more relaxed but busy schedule of camps, day trips, and family vacations  required another level of logistical planning. For today’s tip of the week episode I am encouraging you to si...

Hi Friends,  I talk a lot about the benefits of creating and maintaining simple organizing systems in both your home and routines, but what I don’t always shine a light on is what that looks like when you have someone in your home with physical disabilities. Not only does that often come with added “stuff” like wheelchairs and medical supplies, but it also has an impact on your time.   From spendi...

Happy Memorial Day Friends! As we officially kick off summer, I thought it would be fun to share one of my favorite organizing/entertaining tips-creating a signature drink.   This is fun for adults and kids (yes, you can have a non-alcoholic option!)  My personal signature drink for Summer 2024 is Watermelon Cucumber Margaritas Ingredients: Fresh watermelon Cucumber  Fresh lime Ice Tequila  Salt (...

Hi Friends, Spring weather in PA is finally here! And with that, comes a whole other category of organizing-outdoor stuff!  Today we’re talking about: How to keep your gardening tools and supplies organized and easily accessible.  Using labels to group supplies and make it easy to store and find what you need Containing Chemicals like ant and wasp spray, weed killers, so they are accessible, but o...

Hey Friends, Today’s tip came to me after Logan was rummaging through the medicine cabinet looking for allergy meds (geez, the pollen is bad this year!) May is a great time to go through your supplies to refresh and replenish things like: Allergy meds Bug spray Antihistamines Ibuprofen Sunscreen First Aid Supplies It’s always better to be proactive and have your staple supplies on hand rather than...

Hey Friends, Today we’re talking about 5 Tips for an Organized Party.   Monday’s tip of the week was all about my favorite party planning tool- Pinterest!  If you haven’t already listened, here’s a link to the episode. https://simplyborganized.com/2024/05/13/tip-of-the-week-organize-your-party-planning-with-this-simple-tool/ Whether you’re having a backyard bbq, or a full on bash-the strategy surr...

Hey there, party planners! Whether you're prepping for a cozy gathering or a grand celebration, one thing's for sure: organizing a party can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. But fear not, because I've got a secret weapon up my sleeve to share with you today: Pinterest! If you haven't jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon yet, now's the perfect time. This visual discovery platform isn't just for...

Hi Friends, If you’ve ever planned a vacation you know how much work goes into making it memorable. From picking the destination, to figuring out where to stay, where to eat, what sights to see and excursions to do-the options can easily become overwhelming. Joining me today is Angela Gillmeister-a custom vacation designer and the founder of Wild Hair Travels,  and host of the podcast, Happy Women...

I love going away, but packing…not so much.  I am always on the hunt for a way to simplify and streamline the process to make it less overwhelming. If I am being honest, making sure that my bag or suitcase has room to spare is always in the back of my mind since there’s a strong likelihood that I’m picking up some sort of souvenir or gift during my travels. Below are 3 of my favorite packing tips:...

Hi Friends,  First of all I’d like to personally invite you to be part of This ORGANIZED Life with our new segment ASK AN EXPERT! During our 20-minute interview you can get your questions answered about clutter, organizing, or the Enneagram! Hop on my calendar here. https://simplyborganized.as.me/askanexpert Now onto today’s episode, if you’re anything like me, this time of year is hectic to say t...

Hey Friends, As we wrap up April, I wanted to talk about decluttering cosmetics. This includes make-up, hair care, and skincare. During this quick tip episode I’m sharing: When to get rid of old cosmetics How often to assess your inventory The “right” amount of products for each category If your guilty pleasure is make-up, face products, hand and body lotions, shampoos, conditions, styling product...

Hi Friends, Digital Clutter, or as I like to call it, “invisible clutter” is one of the leading culprits of time management and  productivity struggles. Today we’re looking at 4 pain points caused by digital clutter and how to combat each: 1. Distraction 2. Overwhelm 3. Decreased Efficiency 4. Increased Stress  Try Clean Email for FREE using our promo code: https://cleanemail.com/organized   (feel...

Hey Friends, Today’s challenge if you choose to accept it, is to go through old sheets and towels.  During this quick tip episode I’m sharing My rule of thumb of how to determine the number of sheets and towels per person Where to store seasonal linens What to do with the items you no longer want  Spring is a great time to hit the linen closet and I hope this episode gives you the boost you need t...

Hi Friends, You are in for a treat today!  In honor of Spring Organizing, I invited my friend Jeannie Stith to join me to talk about simplifying the clothes in your closet so you love and wear what you have. Jeannie is the founder and CEO of Color Guru where her team analyzes your hair, skin, and eye color to match you with your ideal color palette for clothes. Color Guru has been featured in VOGU...

For today’s tip of the week I’m sharing 5 simple hacks to instantly help your closet be more organized.  The best part is that most of these are all free and don’t cost a dime!   Remove Dry Cleaning Bags-Not only do those plastic bags carry harsh chemicals, but they clutter up your closet!  By removing them your space your closet will immediately look more organized. Create a Hanger Hangout- (than...

On today’s show we are talking about how to find the right Professional Organizer for you.  One  that fits your project scope, personality and budget. There are lots of people who have the technical and tactical knowledge to do the job, but hiring an expert who is the right fit requires an entirely different skillset. Whether you are  a professional organizer, or someone looking to hire a professi...

Happy April everyone!   Technically, Spring is here (although in the North East it doesn’t quite feel like it) and you know what that means….time for some Spring Organizing Tips. Some of these you may want to outsource to a professional, others you can tackle alone or with the help of your family.  Do a little at a time or block a whole weekend.  The purpose of this is to help give you a roadmap t...