The Joy of Purchasing Less

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joy of purchasing less

As a Certified Professional Organizer, I help people create homes that bring feelings of joy, calm, and purpose. One of the most frequent conversations I have had recently is that the less they buy, the better they feel. In a culture that constantly encourages more options, more upgrades, just more in general, choosing to purchase less can feel countercultural. Yet it is one of the most joyful and empowering organizing decisions you can make.

Less in is less to manage

People are feeling overwhelmed by their stuff. Every item that enters your home requires time, space, and mental energy. There are decisions to make about what specific item will do the best job , be most affordable, and be easiest to use. Every item must be stored, cleaned, and maintained. Slowing down your purchasing reduces the volume of decisions and chores competing for your time and attention. Fewer items mean fewer piles, fewer systems, and fewer moments of frustration.

Choosing experiences over stuff

For families, birthdays and holidays bring in an overwhelming amount of toys and stuff. It is difficult to have conversations with family about what comes into your home from well-meaning relatives. Having a conversation is the first step in creating less stuff in your home.

Making items more accessible

When your home is not filled to the brim, you can easily find what you need. It prevents anxiety and frustration in searching for an item you know you have. Rooms feel lighter and more intentional.  There is access to items that help you manage daily life more easily. 

 

Choosing financial freedom

Buying less means spending less. This reduces financial stress and increases confidence in decision-making. When you are aligning your spending with goals, you are setting up your success and confidence. In any economy, you will feel empowered by your wise use of your resources. Making the decision to purchase less helps you feel in control.

Choosing sustainability

Fewer purchases mean less waste, less packaging, and less demand for constant production.

Gaining back your most precious asset, time

Purchasing less gives you back time to do what you love. Fewer returns of extra items and less time trying to find items you have gives you more time overall.

 

Examining connection and emotion

Give yourself the opportunity for reflection. Is purchasing an item a way to feel more confident? Is a purchase a substitute for a real connection? Are your purchases coming from a not-so-happy place? Take time this year for reflection about the meaning behind your purchases.

 

Choosing Joy Through Intention

You are not alone in the no-buy journey.  Many people are making this choice this year. The joy of purchasing less is about intention and saying yes to clarity, ease, and peace of mind. As a certified professional organizer, I can confidently say that one of the most effective organizing tools isn’t a bin or a label. It is the decision to bring less home in the first place.

Sentimental Clutter: Decluttering What Matters Without Losing the Meaning

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Sentimental clutter is often the hardest type of clutter to address. It is not that it takes up so much space or but because it is the most emotional of all clutter. Whether it is cards, letters, children’s artwork, inherited items, souvenirs, or keepsakes, they all represent memories, relationships, and seasons of our lives. Organizing sentimental items is not about letting go of what matters. It’s about seeing and honoring both the sentiments and the items.

Why Sentimental Items Feel Different

Sentimental belongings transport people to that time of their life and uphold stories they know. They remind us of people we love, milestones we’ve reached, and times we don’t want to forget. The challenge comes when the volume and storage of these items blur their meaning. When everything is saved, nothing stands out. It becomes a mess, and the items we cherish most can become buried. Clutter doesn’t mean you value something too much. Often, it means you haven’t had the space or support to decide how to value it.

Why Decluttering Sentimental Items is Especially Difficult for Those with ADHD

For people with ADHD, sentimental clutter isn’t about being messy or disorganized. It’s about the extra attachment due to emotional regulation. Instead of seeing one item, the ADHD brain may experience all at the same time: the memory, the person connected to it, and the story behind it. As well, working memory might be challenged enough that the physical objects serve as a reminder. With all of nothing thinking, it may be difficult to release a part of a collection. Too much decision-making can derail progress with decluttering items.

Decluttering Isn’t Erasing Memories

A common myth is that decluttering sentimental items means discarding memories. In reality, memories live in us and not in boxes, bins, or closets. Organizing sentimental clutter is about making intentional choices. Asking yourself some questions can help.

  • Which items best represent this memory or relationship? (You don’t need every item to remind you about this memory.)

  • What do I want future me (or my family) to hold dear and important? (Is the item the only way to remember this?)

  • How can I store this so it feels meaningful instead of overwhelming? (Honoring an item shows its true value.)

You don’t need ten reminders of a moment to remember it well. One thoughtfully chosen item can hold just as much emotional weight.

The Real Value of Organizing Sentimental Items

The true value of organizing sentimental belongings is in seeing the item with clarity and connection. When sentimental items are organized, you can find them and share the stories associated with them. These become a resource to help you live the life you wish to create. Organizing allows your keepsakes to become part of your story again, instead of something you avoid.

A Gentle Approach That Works

When working with sentimental clutter, it is best to slow down and pace yourself to give time for reflection.

  • Group like items together (photos with photos, letters with letters). It is easiest to review items in this arrangement.

  • Choose your favorites first, rather than deciding what to discard. Think of this as a treasure hunt. You may know what is most important first, then choose what to edit.

  • Set physical boundaries, such as one box or album per category. Having a specific spot for keepsakes makes them a part of your everyday life.

  • Preserve meaning creatively, through photo books, memory boxes, or curated displays. Trophies and artwork are easily photographed for books. Digitized photos can be shared with other family members.

There is no timeline for sentimental organizing. This work deserves patience and compassion. Set a pace that you feel comfortable with and can be without regret.

At its heart, organizing sentimental clutter is an act of respect and gratitude for your past, your present, and your future. It’s a way to say, “This mattered, and I choose how it continues to matter.” Remember that what you keep is to help you in your everyday life, be a reminder of what is good and valuable to you. What is discarded may be less meaningful and less of a reminder. Release without guilt, knowing that all sentimental items have built who you are now. Organizing these items is a meaningful way to gain peace of mind.

5 Items You will Love from Your Grandparents House

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Many older adults are decluttering or downsizing as life changes occur. About 51 % of retirees aged 50 and over have moved into smaller homes after retiring. Decluttering is often part of the downsizing process. However, be cautious about throwing it all out. There are many items available in your grandparents’ house that bring energy to your life!

Handwritten Recipe Book

Most families have a recipe book or box that has treats passed down from generations. These treats connect you to family memories and stories. Many treats are specialty foods made only during the holiday season.  The handwriting is also a reminder of the family member who made the treats. Our family has a tradition of making cream puffs each Christmas because of family traditions.

Vintage Dresses

Vintage dresses are classic, sentimental items.  A dress worn by a mother, grandmother, or aunt at a wedding or prom carries special emotional appeal because of family stories. Usually, these stories are reminders of special meetings and events. These dresses often feature hand-sewn details, embroidery, or fabrics that are unique to that time. They can be passed down through generations as a meaningful keepsake, sometimes even inspiring future family traditions.

Dishes and Pots

Even though new homes may have limited storage, Granny’s vintage dishware and pots could come to life to your home. Many people are entertaining post-COVID and enjoy setting the table for dinner. A random piece of china can be identified with Google Lens to help you know the value. You can also mix them up for sentimental value and interest at a dinner party. Cast iron is wonderful for cooking traditional family foods. It is often a sentimental kitchen item passed down through generations. In our family, my mom’s own Le Creuset pots were coveted items.

 

Furniture and pillows

Well-made wood furniture, especially bedroom sets and chairs, complements children’s rooms. These study pieces can be updated with reupholstering. Because of their durability, family furniture can be passed along to many generations. The current economy and the high cost of new items make this especially helpful in furnishing a home. A client recently shared her family coffee table by sending it to the new home of one of her daughters.

 

Tools

Most garages are filled with the tools of grandparents. These might be stored in a Craftsman brand tool case or in tote bags. A hammer, wrench, or hand plane used by a grandfather or father carries the memory of time spent together. Older tools were often made to last, with high-quality materials and construction, which is not the case for modern tools. Also, tools can be passed down through generations, symbolizing the continuation of practical knowledge or a hands-on mindset. In our home we have multiple tools used by my father-in-law, my husband, and son.

 

What I find most important for our family and my clients is that the items are shared before downsizing. Ask your family if there are items that are especially dear or important to them, and have them take them home with them. Sharing them ensures memories are passed on before feeling the emotional overwhelm of downsizing. There will be less regret that your family has not been consulted in whatever is edited. Giving a family member a keepsake acknowledges your relationship and shows respect for shared history and traditions.

2026 Word of the Year: Unhurried

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word of the year 2026 unhurried

 

For many years now, I have chosen a word of the year as a guide for my intentions and purpose. A word of the year keeps me grounded and committed to a big thought for the year. It’s a tool that many people are adopting instead of new year resolutions. I love sharing this word annually here.

 

My Word of the Year: Unhurried

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” 

Anne Lamont

 

The pace of life is one that requires you to do your best on a moment’s notice. This year, I want to take time to notice the small and big things, do my best work, and have time for the most precious people all around me. My word of the year is unhurried.  

These synonyms capture the essence of my word of the year.

  • Leisurely: Done without haste.
  • Deliberate: Slow and careful.
  • Measured: Thoughtful and steady.
  • Easygoing: Relaxed in manner or pace.
  • Methodical: Orderly and systematic. 

When you are working at what you consider full capacity and velocity, there are times you are moving too quickly. You might have missed a moment of conversation at the store that could have meant so much to you or the person in your conversation because of the need to get on to the next thing. You might not savored a beautiful sunrise or sunset to get started on the next task. This year, I want to be able to spend time deliberately and leisurely on priorities.

How to choose a Word of the Year

Picking a word of the year can bring clarity and focus to who we want to become and what we want to accomplish in life. A carefully chosen word is a type of guidepost to help us stay motivated as we move toward our goals throughout the year. Take time to reflect on what you want more of or less of in your life this year. It can be about professional or personal growth, global or specific.  I typically begin thinking in December of my word and wrap up in early January. Give yourself time to choose your word.

  • Pay attention to what you are paying attention to, says Adam Grant and John Green. What have you been saying to yourself that you need to do more or less of? Where have you been spending time, or need to spend time?
  • According to Inc writer Minda Zetlin, ask yourself these questions: What do I need? What’s in my way? What has to go? What needs to be done in me and through me
  • Try on several words of the year for a month. See how these fit with what you are prioritizing. Narrow your list of possibilities that have meaning to you. I usually narrow down to 2 or 3 words, then to my one word.

Once chosen, place your word where you can see it regularly to reflect on it and use it. That might be in your planner, on your bathroom mirror, or your computer desktop. Use it in your weekly planning as you review your tasks and the week ahead.

 

Check out all my Word of the Year posts here!

Surprise! Organizing on a Snow or Ice Day

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snow day organizing

Snow days aren’t just for kids. Many love the idea of having an unexpected day with no plans and with everything cancelled. You have the joy of an unexpected gift of time. A surprise day off can be the perfect opportunity to rest and reset your home. As a Certified Professional Organizer, bite-sized, baby steps are the best way to organize. One focused day can make a meaningful difference. Here’s how to make the most of a snow or ice day intentionally.

Start with rest

The velocity of life is draining. You likely need time to rest. First off, permit yourself to do nothing. The most productive people make time for rest and reset. That is always a great first choice for surprise time off. Snow days can be a time of low energy, cozy vibes, and sometimes cabin fever. Use your energy wisely, and you will be happy with your plans.

 

Prioritize your options

While you cannot do it all, you can focus on what is most important and meaningful to you. Start by making a list of all the possibilities for organizing. You can find the pain points as a direction for your work. Review your list and add time allocations for each project. Now you are ready to determine what is the best use of your time and energy for that day. Options for the day are to choose one primary project and one small bonus task or three small organizing projects. Remember to put your perfectionism aside in order to accomplish more.

 

Set the stage

Before diving in, set yourself up for success. Put on comfy clothes and play your favorite music or podcast. Gather your supplies like bags or bags, post-it notes, paper, and markers. Be ready to work and dive in.

Project possibilities

  • Entryway or Landing Strip: Declutter shoes, outerwear, and bags. Toss trash and distribute items to their original homes. Assign homes for new items.
  • Paper piles, home office or command center: Sort mail and paper into recycle, shred, action, or file. Refresh your command center. Add tasks to your task list.
  • Digital or photo editing:  Edit documents on your computer or organize documents into files. Or edit photos on your phone and create albums to organize them.
  • Pantry or fridge reset: Toss expired items, group items together, and create zones for breakfast, baking, snacks, or lunch.

 

ADHD-Friendly Tips (Especially on Snow Days)

When you have an unstructured day, it is easy to get distracted. Use these tips to help you accomplish more.

  • Use a timer (25–45 minutes on, short break)

  • FaceTime or phone a friend or ask a family member to be a clutter buddy or body double.

  • Make note of where you stop to restart again. Write in your calendar the next date you can work on that area.

 

Celebrate the day

Wrap up your organizing work before dinner time. Review your successes and share with your family or friends. Get your boxes and bins to the car or curb.  Organizing on a snow or ice day is an intentional time to create peace of mind and calm in your life.

So the next time the forecast brings snow or ice, think of it as a pause button—and a chance to create a little more ease at home. ❄️

Get Organized Month: Smart Ways to Use ChatGPT to Organize Your Home

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how to use chatgpt to organize your home

January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

Every day, we hear about how artificial intelligence (AI) can make our lives easier and better. You can use ChatGPT to help you with the overwhelming task of organizing, too! Whether the organizing task is as small as a junk drawer or as big as a garage, ChatGPT can help inform you, motivate you, and provide structure for your efforts. Here’s how you can use AI to help you.

Create a plan

The hardest part of organizing is getting started. Make it easier by asking ChatGPT to help you create a plan. You can request a customized cleaning schedule based on your organizing needs and lifestyle, the size of your home, and the available time. You can ask, “ChatGPT, help me create a weekly cleaning schedule for a two-bedroom apartment.” ChatGPT can then generate a step-by-step breakdown, ensuring no area is overlooked, and help you estimate the amount of time needed for the area. Remember to keep your plan simple to help you get started.

 

Declutter first

A clutter-free space is your goal. ChatGPT can suggest decluttering strategies such as the KonMari method or the 20/20 rule (if it takes less than 20 minutes to replace and costs less than $20, consider letting it go). You can also request a checklist of items commonly found in different rooms to help make the process more systematic. You can ask for a list of places to donate your items to make it easier to drop off stuff. Making decluttering easier is always the first step.

 

Organize by category or by space

Using context to organize makes this task easier. Working with one category makes it easy to see what you have and decide what to edit. You can ask, “How many (items) of one category do I need at home?” Tackling one room at a time prevents overwhelm. ChatGPT can provide detailed checklists for organizing each space, from the kitchen to the garage. For example, you can ask, “Give me a step-by-step guide to organizing my pantry,” and ChatGPT will outline steps like categorizing food items, using clear containers, and labeling everything properly. If paperwork is a challenge, ask ChatGPT, “How long do I need to keep my insurance papers?” ChatGPT can create a record retention schedule to help you know when to shred documents.

Establish a maintenance routine

Once your home is organized and clean, maintaining it is key. ChatGPT can help you set up a recurring checklist, such as daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. You can even ask for reminders or motivational tips to help you stay on track without feeling overwhelmed.

Get motivated with challenges and rewards

Sometimes, staying motivated is the hardest part. It is also important to add a smidge of fun to the process of organizing. Ask ChatGPT for organization challenges, like a “10-minute tidy-up” or a “one-bag declutter challenge.” You can also set up a reward system where you treat yourself after completing certain tasks.

 

ChatGPT is a powerful tool to help you stay on top of your home organization goals. By using it to create plans, get expert cleaning tips, and stay motivated, you can transform your home into a tidy, stress-free environment. Start today by asking ChatGPT for a personalized cleaning schedule and take the first step toward a more organized home!

 

Just for fun, this is what ChatGPT said about my work with clients. 

You shaped chaos to calm, clear, and kind.

With each list, a new rhythm aligned.

From landing strips neat,

To routines on repeat,

You brought order with heart and with mind.

Smarter Routines: How to Simplify Your Day and Get More Done

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get organized month smarter routines

January is National Get Organized Month. For that reason, throughout the month, posts are about smarter ways to organize. 

The best organizing includes ways to routinely make life happen around you. Truly, routines aren’t about rigidity. Routines create a structure that supports your life instead of complicating it. As a Certified Professional Organizer, I’ve seen firsthand how smarter routines can transform busy households, improve productivity, and reduce stress. The key is to focus on systems that are simple, repeatable, and adaptable. Creating smart routines supports you best.

Start with the high-impact routines

Not all tasks carry the same weight. Identify the tasks that have the biggest impact on your day. These become your anchors throughout the day at home and at work.

For example:

  • Preparing breakfast and packing lunches the night before

  • Reviewing your daily schedule or priorities

  • Setting aside time for exercise or self-care

When you build routines around these high-impact tasks, the rest of your day falls into place more easily. You can start with just one of these and build on as you see your success.

Build micro-routines for consistency

Smarter routines don’t need to be complicated. Small, repeatable habits are considered micro-routines. A five-minute morning tidy-up, a nightly “landing strip” check for keys and devices, or a weekly planning session can create big results with minimal effort. These small tasks make it easier throughout the day.

Use time blocks

Instead of jumping between tasks, group similar activities together. Time blocking reduces decision fatigue and helps you focus. Batching makes it easier for you to focus. For example:

  • Morning block: emails and work priorities
  • Afternoon block: errands or household chores
  • Evening block: family time and prep for the next day
  • Batch mail processing once a week
  • Batch meal planning and prep on Sundays

This method makes your routine more predictable and sustainable. It creates calm and order by using the same time of day for the same tasks.

Automate and delegate when possible

Smarter routines lean on tools and people to lighten the load. You do not have to do it all. Automate bill payments, reminders, and recurring tasks. Delegate chores to family members according to their strengths. The goal is completion and sustainability.

Build flexibility into your routine

Life is unpredictable. The smartest routines allow for wiggle room and have white space on your calendar. Rarely does a plan go perfectly. If an unexpected appointment arises, your system can bend without breaking. Think of routines as guidelines with extra oomph. Allow for tweaking your routines at an interval that works for you.

The Get Organized Month Takeaway

Smarter routines aren’t about squeezing every minute or being “perfect.” They’re about building intentional, repeatable systems that simplify your day and reduce stress. Start small, focus on high-impact areas, and refine as you go. Over time, these routines create a foundation for a more organized, calm, and productive life.

Get Organized Month: Smarter Ways to Organize Your Home (Without the Overwhelm)

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January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

Get Organized Month is the perfect time to reset your home. It is the natural time you feel the energy to put into this work. But “getting organized” doesn’t mean buying bins or tackling everything at once. In fact, the smartest organizing strategies focus more on creating systems that actually work for your real life. Here are smarter, sustainable ways to organize your home that reduce stress and save time all year long.

Organize for function, not looks

A beautifully organized space that’s hard to maintain won’t last. Smart organization starts by asking yourself, how do you really use this space? Store items close to where they’re used and keep daily essentials within easy reach. You will get ready for your day quicker and reserve real energy for what matters. When your environment supports you and your routines, staying organized becomes effortless and makes life easier.

Edit before you organize

One of the most overlooked organizing steps is editing. Too much stuff makes even the best systems fail. Don’t slack on the editing because it is difficult. Gather and consolidate a single category to edit. Rather than adding containers or labels, take time to remove duplicates, expired items, and things that no longer fit your life. Less inventory means less to manage. Smart use of your energy makes a difference.

Create simple zones and systems

Smart homes are organized by zones. A drop zone by the door for keys and bags, a paper zone for mail and school forms, or a cleaning zone with supplies stored together helps everyone in the household know where things belong. Clear zones reduce decision fatigue and prevent clutter from spreading. Everyone in your home and at work can benefit from using zone organizing.

Use visual appeal to your advantage

Out of sight is out of mind. If you can’t see it, you’re less likely to use it. Clear bins, open shelving, and labels make it easier to find what you need and put things away quickly. This is especially helpful for busy families and people with ADHD, where visual cues support follow-through with maintenance.

Right-size your stuff and your systems

One of the smartest organizing principles is letting the container be the limit. Assign a specific amount of space for categories like toys, shoes, or pantry snacks. When the container is full, it’s time to edit. This keeps clutter from quietly returning and simplifies your maintenance.

Build maintenance into your routine

Organization isn’t a one-and-done project. Smart homes include simple maintenance routines like a five-minute daily reset or a weekly review of high-traffic areas. Small, consistent efforts prevent the need for major overhauls later. Start your weekly maintenance with a Sunday reset.

A Get Organized Month Takeaway

Smarter home organization is about doing what matters most. When you organize with intention, simplicity, and real-life habits in mind, your home becomes easier to manage and more enjoyable to live in. Choose smart systems over quick fixes to create a home that supports you every day.

Get Organized Month: A Smarter Way to Prioritize What Really Matters

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January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

You are bombarded with decisions daily. Some tasks have deadlines, some do not. There is a barrage of decisions, and the velocity of life keeps you moving forward every minute of the day. Get Organized Month is the perfect opportunity to reassess how you prioritize tasks. Many people I work with feel overwhelmed because everything seems urgent. When all tasks are treated equally, prioritizing becomes exhausting and ineffective.

One of the simplest and most powerful organizing tools I have recently learned has helped me rethink prioritizing. Rather than defaulting to what seems urgent, these two questions to ask yourself.

How high are the stakes? And how reversible are the consequences? (By the way, Jeff Bezos uses these questions to prioritize.)

How High Are the Stakes?

Ask yourself, “What is the true cost if this does or doesn’t happen on time?”

High-stakes tasks often involve:

  • Health and safety

  • Finances and legal responsibilities

  • Work performance or reputation

  • Connections to people who matter at home and work

Examples of high-stakes tasks:

  • Paying taxes or bills by a deadline

  • Submitting a proposal tied to income, promotion, or expenses

  • Addressing a medical issue

  • Responding to a school issue affecting your child

Low-stakes tasks may feel pressing, but don’t have lasting consequences:

  • Decluttering a single drawer

  • Trying a new digital tool

  • Perfecting an organizing system

When the stakes are high, consider a pause before acting.

2. How Reversible Are the Consequences?

Next, consider whether the outcome can be undone or corrected. You may have your own set of rules you live by that feel highly consequential.

Low reversibility (hard to undo):

  • Signing a lease or contract

  • Sending a sensitive email or message

  • Making a major financial decision

  • Committing to a long-term obligation

High reversibility (easy to undo):

  • Rearranging your schedule

  • Testing a new routine

  • Moving items in your home

  • Drafting an email without sending it

When reversibility is low, it’s worth slowing down and planning carefully.

Putting It All Together: Real-Life Examples

Example 1: Work Priorities
You’re deciding between cleaning up your inbox or preparing for an important client meeting.

  • Client meeting: High stakes, low reversibility → Top priority

  • Inbox cleanup: Low stakes, high reversibility → Schedule later

Example 2: Home Organization
You want to reorganize your pantry, but you also haven’t set up automatic bill payments.

  • Bills: High stakes, low reversibility → Do first

  • Pantry project: Low stakes, high reversibility → Weekend project

Example 3: Family and Parenting Decisions
Your child needs a school form signed, and you’re debating whether to research new storage bins.

  • School paperwork: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Storage research: Low stakes, high reversibility

Example 4: Health and Self-Care
You’re choosing between scheduling a doctor’s appointment and rearranging your planner.

  • Medical appointment: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Planner setup: Low stakes, high reversibility

Apply these questions as you plan your day. If you are prioritizing but not acting on your plan, you may be productively procrastinating. Often this occurs because of an emotion is holding you back. If you find you need the energy to start a project, take a walk or get a sip of water rather than doom scroll on socials.

Where This Framework Applies

This prioritizing method works beautifully across many areas of life.  In every sector of your life, whether it is work or home, you can apply these new questions to help you know what to do first. Put this into place in your Weekly Planning Meeting agenda. After you consider your lists and your calendar, start asking yourself these questions for clarity. Tasks with high stakes and low reversibility deserve your best energy. Everything else can wait, shift, or be tested without pressure. Organize your priorities first and let the rest fall into place with greater ease and confidence.

My Top 3 Favorite Blog Posts of 2025 and Why They Matter

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year end wrap up of organizing and productivity topics

As we move through 2025, I find myself looking back at the content and insights I’ve shared this year on the journey of decluttering, simplifying, and living intentionally. You, my friends, found these valuable, and these became the top-ranked blogs because of their practicality and ability to spark real change at home.

⭐ 25 Small but Mighty Strategies to Organize Your Paperwork (August 7, 2025)

If there’s one thing almost every household underestimates, it’s paper clutter. Bills, receipts, kids’ school forms, mail, and warranties overflow from our mail to our countertops. This post offers 25 easy-to-use strategies to be proactive about conquering this clutter.

  • I break paperwork into three simple categories (Active, To File, and Archive) so the system works, even when life is chaotic.

  • The post outlines small habits (like a “Sunday Reset” or a family command center) to keep things manageable.

Why this tops the list: for so many families with busy schedules, paperwork isn’t just a nuisance.  It’s a stressor. This post helps give you back control, so paper stops ruling your life and your space.

🏡  25 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Organized Every Day (February 6, 2025)

This post says what I believe are the most important routines for everyone. Staying organized shouldn’t be a one-and-done project. It should be woven into the rhythm of everyday life.

  • The tips are simple, doable, and baby-step friendly. Begin with one drawer, one shelf, or a small corner. That momentum helps build toward bigger organizing wins.

  • Practical advice like using clear bins, labeling, designating a “home” for everything, and tackling paper clutter slowly makes organizing feel accessible.

Why this is a top post: because for families trying to stay afloat, this post offers a practical, doable structure rather than a massive overhaul.

🧠 Let Them: The Organizing Mindset Shift That Changes Everything (June 12, 2025)

Organizing is never just about stuff. Organizing is about people, relationships, and energy. This post explores a mindset shift that’s critical, especially in family homes or shared spaces where not everyone shares the same vision of order.

  • The main idea is that sometimes change sticks only when you stop trying to control others and instead focus on what you can control: your space, your habits, your boundaries.

  • Embracing boundaries is important; however, it is important to give family members or housemates space to find their own rhythm, while protecting your own peace and order.

Why this matters deeply: for many people, organizing is more than logical; it is emotional. This post invites grace, patience, and self-care.

What These Posts Reveal About Approaching Organizing in Your Home, Work, and Life

Looking at these three blog posts together, you’ll see a pattern. I believe that you can make a difference every day with your organizing and productivity. These three concepts are what make your organizing practical and easy to accomplish.

  • Create systems that align with how you think.

  • Follow habits and routines as the structure of your everyday life.

  • You need a mix of tools and strategies that make your organizing and productivity easy.

Give these blog posts another read this year and see how you can start 2026 with a fresh perspective.