I have two boys, so I understand the challenges kids present to keeping your home organized, your time managed, and your life together. In addition, one of my boys has Autism, so I struggle with the tangible and intangible challenges that come with it (tons of paperwork, keeping track of appointments, grief over lots of personal things, having to think of time management differently, for example). For a long time, I’ve wanted to write a few posts about specifically organizing for families with special needs kids. I wanted to tell you about organizing the piles of paperwork, creating a sensory ..read more

 We all have that one drawer or closet filled with sentimental clutter (at least one, but — let’s be honest — it’s probably more). You know, the old ticket stubs, birthday cards, and random trinkets that we just can't seem to part with. It's like a time capsule of our lives that we hold onto, thinking that we’ll want to look back on these things to relive the memories. But how often do we actually go back and revisit these items? Probably not as often as we think. So, while it's important to cherish our memories, maybe it's time to let go of the clutter and make some new ones. Plus, thin ..read more

I have always said there are three things in life one should never do themselves, and always hire a professional:   1.     Moving 2.     Coloring your hair 3.     Taxes   Whether you do them yourself (wow, I’m impressed) or hire a pro (hands up), there’s no getting around the fact that you still have to organize all the paperwork. And this is the thing that takes the most time. I mean, no one is really handing a shoe box of random paper to their tax accountant, and even if you were, you would still have to decide which pape ..read more

As they say, “Mess creates stress.” And after 2020, the last thing we need is more stress. Take control of what you can in life, starting with your home. Getting your house in order is not only visually appealing, but it will definitely lead to a sense of inner calm in your head. I was recently asked to contribute to this Redfin article full of expert advice on how to get organized — and how that will lead to a less stressful life. Along with other organizing professionals from around the country, I shared one of my favorite organizing hacks for a less cluttered, more ordered home. Read the f ..read more

Raising a child with special needs is overwhelming in many ways, but one of the things I had the hardest time with personally was the amount of paperwork the situation creates. By the time my son was three, I felt as if I was drowning in reports, recommendations, forms, meeting notes, resources, and newspaper articles lovingly cut out and mailed to me by well-meaning friends and family. Add this to the chaos of everyday life with a kid on the autism spectrum, and it was. . . not helping.  In order to get through this chaos with some feeling of control, I had to devise a system to keep tra ..read more

I was recently asked to contribute to this article on the Redfin blog about reviving your home in the new year. January is the perfect time to give your home a fresh update, and this article is full of great advice. Tip #2 (from yours truly) is all about addressing a “disorganization hotspot” in your home. Whether it’s a messy entryway or piles of mail in your kitchen, pick one area that constantly stresses you out and make this the year you address it. Read the full article here https://www.redfin.com/blog/ways-to-revive-your-space ..read more

Go through your mail Look around your house and find all those piles of mail.  Gather it all in one place to sort. Create categories: bills, papers to file, catalogs, etc. And of course, recycling and trash.  Put everything where it goes; trash or recycle the rest.  Create a mail center system Create a system for the categories above. Use file folders and a desktop file box, a wall mounted basket, or a file cabinet. Label each file folder with a category that works for you: bills, school, social, file, kids, receipts, etc. When sorting your mail, just put thing ..read more