I am an Organizer Coach now!

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I am an organizer coach

A common element I have learned about all of us is that we need support.  That support can look like many things and come from many different elements. Support comes from processing information, using what we know, and incorporating our strengths into a new awareness and perspective. You are using your strengths and knowledge to create a plan and act on it.

There are times we need extra support, especially in times of change and transition.  Those times include when we want to start something new, when we are faced with new opportunities and challenges and when we are taking responsibilities and relationships to the next level. When times are most challenging there is the best opportunity for building new relationships, overcoming challenges, accelerating growth, setting new goals and achieving success.

 

I have always valued education because furthering my skills makes a difference for my clients.  My clients are the reason I continue to learn new ways to help them let go, streamline and keep their intentions daily in their lives. Completing my Coach Approach training is one way for me to empower my clients with their home, work and life goals.  I am an Organizer Coach who works one on one with clients to empower your change and goals.

 

For the past year, and several years before, I have been taking classes via phone, working on skills in small groups, and completing a curriculum to become an Organizer Coach.  My classes and reading have included learning about modalities, using new tools to help my clients such as a values and needs assessment, and learning more about ADHD, depression and anxiety. Throughout the year I have coached or been coached in 3 different small groups to practice my skills and learn what it is like to be coached.

 

How do these new skills help you, my client?

  • Are you stuck and can’t get started? Coaching supports awareness, action and learning.  Your new awareness will lead you into action.  Getting started and finishing up are often holding back my clients until we work together.  Learning comes from perspectives at your success.  Overall, coaching supports maintaining the change you have created.
  • Need a trusted coach to listen to you?  I believe in the strengths of my clients. You bring thoughts and ideas and my listening brings focus to our work. Your values, needs and strengths are all a part of our work together.
  • Do you feel overwhelmed and paralyzed?  Your strengths are the foundation of organizing in your home, work and life. It’s easier to maintain the systems you establish by working from your strengths.
  • Do you struggle with ADHD or anxiety?  Brain based conditions, such as ADHD and anxiety, can impact your executive function and your goals. Our work together will move you forward as you create new awareness and learning.
  • Have you created support for your efforts?  Essential structures, such as self awareness, support and education are the baseline for your life.  Together we investigate how these essential structures support your organizing goals.

 

Ready to take a step forward?  Our sessions are virtual one hour meetings on Join.me, in a sequence of 4 sessions, to help you achieve your goals. Let’s talk today to connect and learn how we ca partner.

 

 

6 Areas to Declutter to Sell Your Home Fast

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sell your home faster

A decluttered home speeds up the sale of your home.  After years of living in your home, you have collected more than 2000 in just three rooms! It’s clear that a new buyer wants to see your home, not all the clutter in it.  Realtors know that home buyers see themselves in something beautiful, organized, and spacious.  According to a 2011 study by HomeGain.com, cleaning and decluttering your home is the top method to get more for your home and a quicker sale.  Here are the top 6 areas to declutter your home for a fast sale.

 

Kitchen

The kitchen is your first stop to declutter.  Most buyers want a big kitchen with lots of storage. Maximize your countertop and cabinet appeal by clearing off the kitchen countertop. Leave as little out as possible to showcase the backsplash and countertop itself.  Go through your kitchen cabinets and let go of odd glasses, mugs, and plates.  Be sure to recycle old broken appliances.  Pack away seasonal items you won’t be using this year. Look under your kitchen sink eliminate old packaging and leave basic cleaning supplies.  Declutter your pantry too especially if there is an abundance of items. Use up your pantry stock to minimize what is in the pantry.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are the next stop to declutter.  Leave just hand soap on the counter. Declutter under the sink area and in the drawers.  Get out the trash that is in this room.  Neatly fold any towels.   Check out your medicine cabinet for expired medications and over-the-counter items. Be sure your laundry is hidden away too!

Closets

A spacious closet and abundant storage is on everyone’s wish list.  Declutter your closet and keep only what you love and can wear.  Do the same for out of season clothes you have not worn last season.  If you are using closets to store decor or linens, take time to decide if these will be used in your next home.

 

Kid rooms

Your kids’ rooms and kids’ toys are especially important to organize.  Too many toys can overwhelm a potential buyer.  Pack up more than half of your kids’ toys to sell your home. While your home is on the market, plan on lots of time at parks to entertain your kids and keep their toys organized.

Office

With more and more people working from home, an organized office is critical to the sale of your home.  Gather up all your paper and go through it to shred or recycle.  Place papers by year in boxes, ready to file at a later date.  Condense all cords and keep out only what you use regularly on your desk. A tool cup with scissors, pens, and markers is all you need to keep out.  A decluttered office brings out the best in your home.

 

What about offsite storage?

While generally not an advocate of offsite storage, it is useful during staging a home for sale. Out-of-season clothes, additional furniture, extra toys, and other items you are not ready to sell or donate can be stored here.

 

Check out more ideas on decluttering your home fast! You have more space at your new home and you have saved money not moving the extra items. If you are unsure, be ruthless and let the items go. The goal of selling fast makes it easier to let go of more!

When Organizing is NOT Enough

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Declutter first, then organize

 

 

Organizing is on every one’s mind these days. If only I had time, or I need to be, or best of all, I SHOULD get organized. The thought is that if I organize what I have, I can find it and use it.  You may have tried organizing, re-organizing and then re-organizing again.  By trying different strategies,  you realize that you are not having the success at finding what you need and having access to what you want.  Being organized with all your stuff is not the solution. It’s not enough to be more organized. It’s time to make a decision about what you have ( or what has you.). That’s when organizing is not enough.

 

Breaking through Just. In. Case

What’s holding you back from letting go? It’s a moment you need to come to terms with. Is it a financial, emotional, sentimental mindset. This is the motivation factor behind Marie Kondo’s Magic of Tidying Up. If you own something, it should bring you joy. Are you ready to accept that an items needs to go if it is not serving you or bringing you joy? Can you see a real spot for this item or imagine a specific way to use it? Dig deep and see what has a hold on you to hold onto your stuff. If you need motivation, it’s time to talk through your reluctance with others and get support. Blogs,books and podcasts give you new ideas and new ways to think about your stuff.  There’s no amount of organizing that can make up for necessary decluttering.

 

Getting stuff out to the universe.

Getting stuff out is a big step in your organizing journey. You have decluttered but your stuff sits in your car or on a step in your home for too long. All of a sudden you find yourself going back into those bags. Here’s where a team approach can really help. Find online resources who come to you or answer the call to leave items on your doorstep. Find a clutter buddy who also needs to drop off donations.  Use an app such as OfferUp, LetGo, or Freecycle.org to let go of your items.

 

Declutter regularly.

We know the culprits – a birthday, holiday, shopping trip or big event coming up. We know more is about to come in. Take this time as prime time to declutter. What we also know that decluttering is ongoing that is needed as routinely as brushing our teeth. Write in time on your calendar to commit to organizing.  Check here for answers to your decluttering questions.

The same applies to our paperwork. I have frequently heard, “I organized that file in 2010 and never looked in there again.” Get information on what to keep and how long to keep it. Then set up a daily triage, weekly admin time and annual file maintenance reminder on your calendar.

 

It’s a whole new way of thinking about organizing. When you know organizing is not enough, it’s a perspective change that changes everything about what you own. Your stuff no longer owns you. So long, saiyonara, and toodles!

 

Want an organizing and productivity boost each month?  Join my newsletter here.

Professional-Organizer.com Ranks in Top 15 Best Organizers in Houston

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I am delighted to be mentioned in the recent Expertise.com survey of top 15 best organizers in Houston.

 

Rated for reputation, credibility, experience and professionalism, Professional-Organizer.com ranked in the top 15 organizers in Houston.

 

I am grateful for the opportunity to assist others in streamlining their lives and prioritizing organization and productivity.

 

Learn more here about Expertise and my review:

www.expertise.com/tx/houston/home-organizers

Quick Fixes to Get Organized

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Quick fixes for getting organized

 

Do you dream of quick fixes to your organizing challenges?  Don’t we all want to wave a magic wand and make all clutter go away?  By nature, a quick fix does not accomplish your real goal of getting organized. However when you have just a few minutes, there are some options that will make a difference for your organizing.

Paper organizing

Paper comes in at an alarming rate.  We have different papers we need.  What do we do with all that paper?   An accordion file is a quick fix for getting organized. This product has either 7 or 13 slots.  Decide on your categories for paper, meaning group them together by what you plan on doing with them.  This can be To do, To pay, To file, or Taxes.  Another option might be Clients, Financial, or Administrative.  Label the tabs and you have a quick fix for organizing these.

accordion file

Quick fix for papers: accordion files.

Closet

Your closet is where you start your day.  Why not make it easy to get ready in the morning with a quick fix of slimline hangers?  These hangers are truly slimmer so more fits in your closet. Everything hangs at the same height.  You will see the clothes rather than the  hangers too!

 

slim line hangers

Quick fix for closets: slim line hangers.

 

Time

There’s nothing like a timer to help us be more aware of time. Setting a timer helps us with judging how long a task takes or keeping to a specific amount of time to accomplish a task.  Either way, your time awareness improves with a timer.

timer

Quick fix for time: timer.

 

Email

Just as overwhelming as paper, email grows to dramatic proportions daily. What’s the quick fix here?  Hit unsubscribe as much as you can!  With every shopping email or blog post,  you have the option to let go.  Take a minute to scroll to the bottom of the email and unsubscribe.  Remember that minute will save you 5, 10 or 30 minutes later.

 

The quick fix for decluttering is spending 15 minutes at a time culling and eliminating. Use an energy spurt to eliminate what you have not used and don’t love in that quick fix.  Get that bag into your car right away and drop it off.

 

Be careful with the idea of buying bins as a quick fix.  It can be deceptive to stack up more bins with more stuff you won’t be able to use.

 

I’d love to learn more about your quick fixes to organizing and productivity challenges.

 

Click here to join my monthly newsletter!

 

 

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Organizing: Streamlining or Unearthing Treasures

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organizing streamlining or unearthing treasures

 

What’s organizing REALLY about?  Working together with my clients I see two different ways we work.  I also see the goals of our work in two different ways as well.  Organizing while both strategies accomplish what my clients want, each process differs slightly.  Here is my concept of organizing as letting go and organizing as unearthing treasures.

 

Organizing is streamlining and letting go.

You are overwhelmed with stuff.   Your goal is to have less, organize it and then keep your space maintained.  The first step  in your organizing project is to review what you have.  Then you assess it’s value. Do you use it or love it?  If neither applies, it’s time to eliminate this item.  As Marie Kondo says, “To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose.” Working on having less is often the most motivating reason to get organized.

 

Organizing is unearthing treasures.

Your stuff is overwhelming you, but just culling out is not enough.  Your goal is to keep what’s most valuable to you.  Organizing can also be about finding and unearthing treasures. You can take the “treasure hunt” perspective where you sift through items to find what is most valuable to keep.  In choosing what’s most valuable, only you can be the judge.  It may be a long lost trinket or a check.  Organizing can be unearthing items that have been buried in what’s not important.

 

 

unearthing treasures

We found this treasure while working together! What treasures have you found while organizing?

 

When you unearth treasures, whether it’s financial or sentimental, you find real value in organizing.

 

Join me for fresh perspectives on organizing and productivity. Sign up for my newsletter here!

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How your Dog helps you be more Organized

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dog helps you be more organized

There’s lots of reasons to have a furry family member.  You want unconditional love all the time.  You think a dog will help your kids be more responsible.  Your family is not complete without a pet.  Did you ever think how having a dog will help you be more organized? It will!

 

Dogs help you have routines

Dog require care on a regular, consistent basis day in and day out.  As a dog owner, you want to care for your dog.  The routine walking and feeding of your dog gives you structure for your day. Typically your dog’s care takes place around the same time each day.  Having a new sense of routine gives more order to your day all together.  You have a sense of time and when tasks should occur.

 

Dogs help you exercise

We have the desire to exercise daily, but we may not be able to initiate this daily.  With a dog, we happily walk or run on a regular basis.  Being more active on a daily basis helps you with clarity and focus. Regular exercise starts your pattern of healthy habits like improved nutrition.  Exercising with your pooch helps make daily exercise a routine too.

 

Dogs remind everyone to pitch in

Dogs keeps us working as a family team.  Everyone takes turns walking, feeding and caring for your dog.  Working as a team means that your family will pitch in on other responsibilities too, such as meals and laundry.  Getting your family rallied with your pooch means that you are teaming up together.

 

There’s much comfort in having a dog.  The bonus of being more organized helps everyone!

 

Join my newsletter here for more delightful organizing and productivity ideas.

 

 

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Minimalism, Essentialism and Simplicity

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minimalism, essentialism and simplicity

 

Have you heard the buzz about minimalism?  The concept started just after World War II and has exploded in the 21st century.  Minimalism is paring down to a minimum and living with less. It’s no surprise that according to a 2011 study, 90% of Americans admit that unorganized clutter at home or at work has a negative impact on their life. There are major benefits to living with less.  However, there is more to this concept.  Maybe you are not about living with the least you can, but about living with what’s essential or living simply.   While you are creating a new awareness of how much you really need, you can align with decluttering and organizing cultural concepts. There are several ways to create a less encumbered lifestyle and these choices might be minimalism, essentialism or simplicity.

 

Minimalism

Do you embrace a life where experiences are key and stuff bogs you down?  Are you a person who owns less for the sake of owning less?  When there is too much around you, do you feel anxious?  You may be a minimalist at heart.

Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus , well known as The Minimalists, are bloggers who focus on the minimalist lifestyle.  Their personal experiences about owning too much shape their writing.  Their writing includes information about stuff, finances, debt and more.

 

Essentialism

Do you embrace a life where your essential needs are met and the stuff you own is only what is essential?  Perhaps you purchase and keep only the essential items required for your daily living. You might keep only your essential items on the kitchen counter to use daily. You may be part of the essentialism movement.

 

Greg Mckeon, author of Essentialism shares his perspective about time and space.  It’s the pursuit of ‘the right thing, in the right way, at the right time’.   In applying criteria and prioritizing, we can choose what we want and what we want to do with regard to our core values.

 

Simplicity

Do you want to make life simpler?  Are you okay with a few basic items out but keep what’s used less frequently in the cabinet? Are you feeling overwhelmed by too many meaningless activities that you used to love? You may just want to simplify your space and time.

 

My core belief and what we share at  Professional-Organizer.com is to “keep it simple sweetie.”  Our lives are enhanced by making decisions with simple choices.  We are often drawn to complexity in our work and home so by stepping back and choosing simplicity, we can find happiness and balance.

 

It’s small distinctions that set apart minimalism, essentialism and simplicity.  This granular evaluation of living the life you want can help you keep away from clutter and over-commitment.   Your commitment to the lifestyle of your choice depends on where you are on the minimalism continuum.

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Insider’s Guide to Selling Clutter Online

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insider guide to selling clutter online

There’s a value for everything.  When we decide that it’s time to eliminate and declutter, we want to find a monetary value as an incentive to let go.  We see that others are selling stuff and want to cash in on our clutter.  However, although it looks like everyone is making bank for their old items, not everything will sell for what we think is its value. There’s lots of sites to use too. Here’s the insider guide to selling clutter.

Do your research

What does your item sell for when it’s purchased new? What have others sold it for?  Do your research online to find out what’s the real value. Researching on Ebay, you can find completed sales to learn the price others have sold the item for or if it has sold.  Once you know the amount, you are ready to set your own price.  Quick sales occur by creating a great deal.  It is recommended to set the price at 25% of the original cost.

Certain sites are best for certain sales. Local sales are best on Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor. Use Poshmark, ThreadUp, RubyLane and Etsy for vintage, crafts or clothing sales.  Decluttr, Swappa or Gazelle are great for selling electronics back. Choose your site for quickest sale and highest price. 

 

Setting up your sale

Make the most of your sale by using many photos and many sites.  Your area has many different sites that sell. Taking multiple photos helps purchasers learn more about your item.  It’s a visual way to enhance your sale.  Write a lengthy description of your item including all the bonus aspects of your item. Include the size of your item as well as many other descriptions about it.  More is better here.

Keywords are important. Uses hashtags, designer names, and lots of details. A well written description with lots of information helps you sell more quickly and answer fewer questions.

Use many sites to sell your item

Take the time to list it on 2 sites to maximize your sales possibilities.  People have their favorite sites they look at regularly.  Take advantage of this option to maximize your efficiency and sales.

 

Check for sales regularly

Being responsive to inquiries is important. Check the sites or enable the email function to have questions sent to you. You may need to answer questions about your item by email and text to hone in on a sale.

 

Safety first

When you are selling online, be aware of the many different possible scams. Do not send any money to a prospective purchaser.  You can create a selling gmail account, such as ellensells@gmail.com, to keep your email clean.  Use your intuition about where to meet, who is with you when the purchaser arrives and take cash only.  Provide your address only once you are ready to make the sale and all your questions have been answered.

 

Good luck with your sales !

 

 

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3 Tips to Organize Your Backyard for Year Round Fun

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3 tips to organize your backyard for year round fun

 

 

We’re enjoying our backyards and home exteriors more and more.  These spaces give us room to spread out and room to connect to others in the sunshine. Summer and hot weather invite us back into our yards to enjoy time together.  Your yard might include gardens, decks, a pool or a solely a green space. No matter the use, you are creating an organized and functional space to enjoy for the season. Spend time enjoying this space more with these simple organizing ideas and additions.

 

Freshen up

Your space needs freshening up. That might be power washing, pruning or general maintenance.  Make a list of what needs to be done. Decide if you are going to do the work or if you are going to delegate it.  Set a date and time on your calendar after excessive pollen has ended or other inclement weather.  Working with a team makes this work move quickly. Freshening up gives your patios and gazebos appeal.

 

Get organized with your tools for freshening up. Set aside a space in  your garage specifically for your outside tools.  It’s easier to work when everything is together and ready to use. Use vertical shelving to keep your garden tools and sprays together.

 

Organize your zones

Just like inside your home, your outside has many different uses.  Organize by zones for entertaining and activity.  If you have seating, be sure you have company comforts like tables to place food or drinks.  If you have sports, be sure you have bins to store rackets, balls or other accessories.  Sit or stand in your spot and think about what you will use there and how to store it.

Large covered chests can help you store items.  Be sure you use one chest to store a single item. Use a chest for pillows, a chest for toys and a chest for sports.  Small items fall to the bottom so add a small shoe box size plastic bin to hold these.  Be sure you have ample garbage cans for trash.

 

 

Amazon deck box storage

 

 

Amazon bench and deck box

Amazon bench and deck box

 

What’s new this year for your family?

  • We’re adding more seating and community spaces to our green areas. Most popular is a fire pit with Adirondack chairs. Add small tables for placing drinks and snacks.
  • Outdoor games like corn hole and bad-mitten are fun family activities. Store these in your garage or a shed for easy access.
  • String lights or bring out candles for an invitation to meet after dark.
  • Inflatable pools or a sprinkler help you celebrate the joy of water.
  • Bring music to the party with blue tooth speakers and Yacht Rock or other summer Pandora station.

 

Maintain your space

Every space needs a little work throughout the season. It may be small repair or damage from storms or wind.  Keep you space maintained with a quick weekly walk through that gets all items back to where they belong and organized. Have a weekly green space routine with mowing and edging your yard.  Use your blower to keep the deck and chairs clean and dusted. These maintenance steps make sure that your yard is company ready.

 

Our back yards are becoming an oasis with freshening up, organizing and maintaining the space.  You can enjoy this all year round!