So here we are – September. We thought all of that social distancing and mask- wearing in the spring and summer were intended for us to be able to send our kids skipping off to school in the fall – as in, TO school – like, an actual building. But, alas, it was not to be. Instead, most of us are still adjusting to everyone at home but now the kids can't just play video games and learn Tik Tok dances all day long. Now, they have to log in to school every day in some shape or fo

Homeschooling – it takes on a totally different meaning this year, doesn’t it? And, although I can’t speak for you, but what we did in the spring just didn’t feel real. For my kids (5th and 8th grades last year), there was very little accountability from the district, all of their classes were pass/fail and my only goal was ‘peace.’ This year, grades count, I'm told the teachers will hold the kids accountable for assignments and my goal is for us as a family is to find a way

Today, I want to talk about one of my very favorite topics (no, not brownies, although if you ever want to talk about brownies, totally call me:). I’m thinking about accountability. You see, in my job, I often feel silly – like, I know that I have a lot to offer in terms of advice, suggestions and a certain level of expertise but oftentimes, it’s just me being in the room that makes all of the difference. Let me explain. Years ago, I started working with a client named Michel

Are you tired of staring at the same organizing systems, feeling guilty for not ever getting the hang of them? Do you feel like you’re just ‘lazy’ or ‘don’t follow through with anything’? Not - True. Hear me out. We are absolutely bombarded with ads for organizing systems and gadgets, are we not? These ads have HUGE appeal and are based on research to make you move (emotionally) to buy. Entire industries, including a chain of stores depend on you finding excitement in the unl

So it looks like this #WFH thing is here to stay, doesn’t it? I mean, even as our offices open back up, we’re being given the option (and some of us are begging) to stay in our PJs with the promise that we’ll be just as productive at home.  The issue, however, is that many of us do not have a dedicated space in our homes to do our jobs and we end up wasting time running back and forth throughout our living spaces getting the little things to make this area that we spend so mu

A few weeks ago, I started working with a client, we’ll call her Rhoda, who had piles of papers on her kitchen table and strewn throughout her home. She had, like many of us, tried various paper management systems in the past but none of them seemed to work. She knew she didn’t need all of it but she didn’t know what to keep, either. She told me very clearly that she wanted the knowledge on how to handle it, along with a system in place that she could manage.  Simple enough,

So I confess: I, like many of you, have been in a Coronavirus/social mayhem rut lately, which has drastically affected my productivity and overall emotional state.  This is insanity what we’re going through, and most of us (thankfully) have never experienced anything like it in our lifetimes. I have found myself in a weird mental state, having conversations in my head regarding any or all of the following at any given moment: How I should be taking advantage of this time in t

All it takes is a change in perspective and a little logistics tweak to feel better. We can all benefit from time management, especially now that we're all isolated and quarantined indoors due to COVID-19. This quarantine has us all feeling "off," no question about it. It's completely changed our sense of schedule, to-do's, energy levels, and overall rhythm. I worked virtually with a client last week who said she wanted to discuss her time-management skills, an issue that's

Should you keep it or just buy new things? At a time when we just keep buying more and more stuff that we don't need, following the right decluttering tips allows us to make room in our lives for the most important things. So, you’ve got this thing in front of you that's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Maybe you have a collection of things too numerous to fit in your two-car garage. Either way, it needs a better home than where it is now. The truth is that you l

Ah – summer is finally upon us, granted a bit weirdly because of the pandemic but the earth still rotates and the sun still shines brighter! So what, you say?  So, it’s time to do the summer clothing switch! If you’ve never done this before and your summer clothes from last year are still in your closet next to your heavy sweaters, then maybe we need to take a step back and have the ‘less is more’ conversation so you can see why this is a must for your pre-season routine. So

I know it’s beautiful in so many parts of the world right now but if you find yourself unable to enjoy the outdoors, then use these tips for a digital tune-up. - Can’t find the files you KNOW you downloaded from an email or the Internet? Whether you’re using your phone, PC or laptop, they likely went to a folder called ‘Downloads.’ Search for this folder and once you find the files, either move them to a subject-specific folder for easy retrieval later or delete them. - Crea

FILE - fīl/   verb to place (a document) in a cabinet, box, or folder in a particular order for preservation and easy reference. Now that 2017 is officially behind us, it is time to purge! Cozy up while the weather's still crummy and go through your files - paper and digital. You can start to purge what you don't need.   If you don't have a paper s hredder, it might be a good idea to invest in one.  If the paper is not color or glossy, you can mulch your garden in the springt

So this coronavirus/shut down thing has been going on for what – about two months now, depending on where you’re living? And, depending on what your job or 9-5’ish gig is, the majority of your day – or at least the part that used to be semi-structured is, well, not anymore. And you know you’re supposed to be doing something productive – you know, ‘carpe diem’ or whatever, but it’s - just. not. happening. So what’s a 2020 quarantini to do? Before I give you pandemic-life-alter

Last weekend, I did something that felt ‘normal’ by pre-COVID standards.  My family and I masked-up and took a drive to an adorable West Vir

Recently, I've been working with two crafty clients. One does it all: painting, crocheting, sewing, beading, you name it. The other does gift baskets and catering for parties. Although these women are different in their crafts, they have one thing in common: they have ALL of the stuff needed to participate in their respective hobbies - and I do mean ALL of it. The thing is, though, that their craft rooms had gotten totally out of control and become dumping grounds.  This resu