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.

 

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday (With Holiday Self Care)

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have a holly jolly holiday with self care

 

The holiday season is filled to the brim with activities and time together.  There’s lots of excitement, not to mention lots of organizing and things to do. Your planning often is about taking care of others and insuring everyone’s happiness. This year we need to practice packing some extra self care with our holiday bags. Check out these ideas to add self care to your holiday planning.

 

Schedule time for self care

It is easy to think, with so much extra to do, when do I have time for self care? Self care is more important during busy times because it is the fuel that keeps you going.  Create self care routines at the same time daily. These priorities can be at the beginning of the day to give you a strong start to each day or at the end of the day to ensure your rest.

 

Keep your gratitude practice going strong

Appreciating the blessings in your life remind us of all that is good and positive.  Whether it is writing a text to a friend, writing in your journal or a note to yourself, keep your practice intact during the holiday season.

 

Acknowledge emotions

During the holidays we experience a range of emotions.  Whether happy, sad, overwhelmed or frenzied, it is good to  name emotions. We can acknowledge what we are experiencing and process this. Give yourself time to pause. Check in with your feelings, acknowledge and sort through the reasons behind these. Manage your expectations and keep these in line with what you can physically and emotionally manage.

 

Keep a list of self care options

When we start down a negative path, we want to have options to make a change. Make your own list of relaxation activities. This can include taking a walk to see holiday lights, sitting down with a hot cup of cocoa, putting on fuzzy slippers for the rest of the day, or any number of soothing activities.

 

Well being first

We all know that our physical wellbeing is critical.  Be sure you keep your health routines like sleep and diet as much as you can. While there are times for a late night and special treats, keeping to your regular bedtime and meals with protein give you the energy and emotional stability you need.

 

It will be a holly jolly holiday in all ways when you take time for your self care.

 

 

 

Give Joy That Doesn’t Become Junk Holiday Gifts (2025 Edition)

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holiday gifts of experience 2025

As a certified professional organizer, I often share with clients that the best gifts are those that add connection without adding clutter. This holiday season, curate your generosity with the gift of experience rather than stuff.  That’s why I’m a strong advocate for gifts that are enjoyed, remembered, and then do not need to be stored. Here are some of my favorite fresh, thoughtful ideas for 2025.

Gourmet “Moment” Kits

Enjoy the moment together with these “experiences in a box.” Here are some of my favorite foodie treats.

  • Hot chocolate or cocoa bomb kits — beautifully packaged single-serve hot chocolate spheres, flavored with exotic spices or inclusions like caramel or lavender.

  • “Build-your-own” spice or seasoning kits — exotic salts, rubs, or finishing salts in sample vials, arranged with recipe cards for making meals.

  • Gourmet popcorn  — a movie-night treat, but nicer than just bagged corn, can be paired with a list of favorite streaming holiday movies.

These kits give the joy of making and sharing a treat with nothing left behind.

Artisan Consumables & Indulgences

Give a gift that perhaps someone will not purchase for themself.

  • Micro-batch chocolates, truffles, or bonbons — small, beautifully packaged.

  • Specialty teas, craft coffee samplers, or rare single-origin bags — beverages are classic “disposable” gifts.

  • Luxury bath bombs or artisanal soaps — the recipient uses them, scent fills the room, then they’re gone.

  • Edible florals, infused honeys, jam/jelly sets — pretty and tasty.

Consumables delight the senses, and those who receive your gift will feel pampered.

Experiences & Subscriptions (Short-Term)

Learning is a joy to be shared all year long with these experiences.

  • A cooking class, mixology workshop, painting class or pottery drop-in session — a live or virtual event to share time together.

  • A month-long subscription box (e.g. tea-of-the-month, snack boxes, or wellness samples) —  spread the joy over a longer period of time.

  • Gift certificates to local experiences — a spa day, wine tasting, escape room, or local theater.

  • Digital gifts or downloadable experiences — online art classes, guided meditation series, or virtual concert passes.

These are treasured experiences far more than another “thing” to store.

 Charitable or Giving Gifts

Give a gift that impacts more than the person who receives it.

  • Donate in someone’s name and present a certificate or digital card.

  • Sponsor a local cause or buy community meals in their name.

  • Give microfinance or scholarship gifts that generate impact for years to come.

Tips from the Organizer’s Toolbox

  • Keep the packaging simple with recyclable papers and boxes.

  • Your gift will feel special when it ties to the person’s tastes, hobbies, or a shared memory.

  • Set aside time on your calendar to give the gift and receive the joy of the person opening it.

 

This holiday season, skip the clutter trap. Choose gifts that get enjoyed together, not stored or kept hidden away for years.

Grateful for You this Thanksgiving

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grateful for you

When Thanksgiving Comes Late: ADHD-Friendly Strategies to Get Ahead for the Holidays

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If you live with ADHD, the holiday season can feel like a juggling act of deadlines, decisions, and details that all seem to happen all at once and all of the same importance.

This year Thanksgiving lands late in November, adding in extra details and decisions and taking away time. Now there are fewer weeks and less time. It is easy to feel behind before the season even begins.

The good news is that with a few ADHD-friendly strategies, you can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and enjoy the holidays even with fewer weeks on the calendar.

Create a visual tool to help you track tasks and time.

When Thanksgiving is later in the month, time feels like a blur between the holidays. Urgency can turn to paralysis.

  • Use a visual calendar to map out the next six weeks. Color-code tasks like shopping, decorating, travel, and rest.

  • Work backwards and write in time blocks for key events and deadlines. These are the critical priorities for the season such as purchasing, mailing, wrapping and delivery.

  • Set reminders with transition times built into the process. Multiple alarms beat one last-minute reminders.

Break projects into actionable micro tasks.

Big projects like getting ready for the holidays are overwhelming. Instead, write out clear, specific micro tasks that can be completed with as little decision making as possible.

  • Instead of “decorate,” try “find the box of ornaments.”

  • Instead of “shop for everyone,” try “order one gift online.

Create a flexible plan and expect changes. 

Managing expectations means creating a plan but keeping it flexible. Having a plan gives you scaffolding, managing it with flexibility keeps it on track.

Think of your plan as a flexible framework:

  • Keep a master to-do list and highlight only three priorities per day.

  • Use sticky notes or a digital board so you can easily move tasks around.

  • Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Work with your energy.

Extra activity can be energizing and draining. Work with your energy to preserve your self-care. Both introverts and extroverts benefit from using their energy wisely during the holidays.

  • Set up boundaries for task completion and make it known that done is perfect.

  • Schedule “no-peopling” days before and after major events.

  • Say “no” (kindly!) to commitments that don’t light you up.

  • Build in recovery time after social or family gatherings.

  • Set up bedtime routines as sacred.

Keep it simple especially at Thanksgiving.

A late Thanksgiving might mean skipping or reimagining some Thanksgiving and holiday traditions. Find ways to get help with a team of elves, semi-homemade foods, or enlisting your family. Get creative about what each holiday preparations are and imagine how to accomplish these easily. Be sure you have moments during the holidays season that bring you personal joy.

A late Thanksgiving can be a reminder about what is most important about this season of gratitude. Pause, plan, and create systems that support you and how your brain works best. Start small, start today, and make space for what really matters this season.

The One Gift I’m Giving This Year: A Password Keeper

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Each year, I like giving or making gifts that simplify life and bring joy. As a Certified Professional Organizer®, I’m always looking for practical tools that calm daily chaos. This year, my go-to gift for friends, family, and clients is one simple thing: a password book or online password keeper.

Why a password manager?

Managing passwords has become one of the biggest sources of frustration, emotion, and stress in modern life.  Everything requires an online account and authentication. Between banking, shopping, streaming, and every new app or service, everyone is managing hundreds of passwords. No one knows how to keep these easily accessible. Too often, that leads to sticky notes on the desk, scribbles on paper folders, forgotten login screens, or endless password reset emails. A password keeper can change that. It’s a small system that saves time, frustration, and brain space.

Here’s why I love giving this gift!

It brings instant clarity, agency, accessibility, and calm. There’s nothing quite like flipping to the alphabetical section of your book or opening a secure dashboard and finding exactly what you need. The biggest threats to our security are online now. It’s a simple way to create order in the scary digital world. Easy access to better security habits ensures you follow through with your intentions. When passwords are stored easily and safely, you make them stronger and unique for each account. No more using the same password everywhere or defaulting to “1234.” Life is full enough of daily friction and frustration.

 

A bonus for both paper and digital access is that you can share these passwords as needed with loved ones. Having help to access financial information through password keepers makes life less stressful for your family, too. From college students managing their first bank accounts to older adults navigating online medical portals, everyone can benefit from an easier way to keep track of passwords.

Do I choose paper or digital?

Whether you prefer a cute little notebook or a digital option like 1Password, Dashlane, or Bitwarden, the idea is the same. Having a simple tool that helps you stay organized and stress-free in an increasingly digital life will be life-changing!

This year, I’m giving the gift of simplicity and security. You know that the most meaningful gifts aren’t about more stuff. Especially at times like these, the best gifts are about less worry and less clutter.

A Fuss-Free Thanksgiving: Simple Ways to Stay Organized and Enjoy the Day

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Thanksgiving can be less stressful and less messy.  You can enjoy your time with your friends and family by keeping it simple. It’s all in how you organize your preparation and meals.  Here are a few tips on making your day fun, festive, and fuss-free Thanksgiving.

 

Beverage station

Make it easy for you and your company to help themselves.  Set up a beverage station with ice, your choice of adult and kid beverages, and glasses.  If it’s a cool day, you may decide on a hot cider with a ladle and mugs, too.  Place your station in an area that will bring traffic away from the kitchen and into a gathering spot.

 

Nibbles

Take a tip from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, and Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade, and have a few nibbles out before the main meal. It will keep kids and adults from being underfoot in the kitchen.  A Thanksgiving charcuterie and a bowl or two of nuts is a great starter for the holiday meal.  If anyone wanders into the kitchen, put them to work chopping!

 

Disposable plates

There’s already a lot to wash and dry, so why not go with biodegradable dishware for the day?  Available from LeafNFiber, these lovely plates will add to the natural decor of the day and make clean up easy.

 

It’s all about timing

Make a list of what’s for dinner. After this, create a timeline for what goes into the oven at what time.  If your list is the same each year, consider creating this in digital form in Notes, Notion, or Evernote or a notebook to keep and save. Lower your cognitive load by referring to the list throughout the day.

 

Add entertainment

Everyone’s stress level goes down with a soundtrack.   Have a guest create a playlist as a backdrop for the day. A family game or a walk after dinner brings out the conversationalist in everyone. Our family’s favorite game is Do You Really Know Your Family.

 

Leftovers

Plan ahead to keep and share leftovers.  Purchase inexpensive plastic ware to give away as leftovers leave.  Everyone loves this gift!

 

Go team!

Take a trick from football and other team sports that are on television on Thanksgiving.  Get your team in gear.  That means everyone has a part to play or a job for dinner, clean up and other activities.  There are many small jobs that can be done throughout the day, including ones specifically for your kiddos.  Help everyone pitch in by giving everyone something small to do to be a part of the festivities. The best Thanksgivings are when everyone brings a favorite dish. You divide up your list and share it with those who are joining the feast.

 

 

What ways do you make it a fuss-free Thanksgiving at your home?

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What People Say When They are Working with a Certified Professional Organizer

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CPO

Many people start with good intentions but quickly feel overwhelmed when it comes to getting organized. That’s where a Certified Professional Organizer® (CPO®) makes all the difference. Working alongside a trained and credentialed professional can give you the structure, accountability, and expertise needed to create lasting change. Here’s what clients often share with me about the value of working with a CPO.

“Writing out a less complicated plan helped me get started.”

When plans are overcomplicated, it is hard to get started or continue the project. You have a vision, but it lacks clarity. With a CPO, you can write out the organizing process to make sure it is accomplished in the most efficient way.

“Writing down my baby steps.”

The struggle happens when you have to remember all the details. Together, writing down the details makes your plan manageable. That might be a color-coded chart created together or a list your CPO writes and texts to you. Along the way, you are devising a manageable plan with real baby steps.

“Keeping me on track.”

You set a deadline, but it can be a long way off. Accountability is one of the most frequently requested parts of the organizing process. Staying focused on a project is often the hardest part. A CPO brings “loving” accountability and helps you maintain momentum, even when the process feels daunting. With someone encouraging you and being alongside you step by step, you’re less likely to get stuck or lose sight of your goals.

“Helping execute my plan.”

Many people know what they want their home, office, or schedule to look like, but don’t know how to get there. Getting started on your plan may be the hardest part. A CPO helps translate your vision into an actionable plan and works beside you to carry it out. Instead of facing endless tasks alone, you have a partner who helps break those tasks into small, manageable steps. Planning is a great asset, and so is execution.

“Giving me permission to declutter my stuff.”

Sorting through belongings can feel emotional and overwhelming. Those items may really be a burden while also feeling like a responsibility.  A CPO brings a fresh perspective, guiding you through decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard. With CPO support, you’ll create space and clarity in your environment.

“Changing my environment to be more productive.”

Your surroundings have a huge impact on your focus and energy. A streamlined environment is where productivity starts. A CPO helps you design systems and spaces that support productivity, whether that’s setting up a streamlined home office, reorganizing your kitchen, or creating routines for daily life. The result? A space that works for you to enhance and empower your productivity.

“I could not do this without you.”

If you could, you would! There are so many ways a CPO makes a difference. You have the plan, and a CPO arriving makes stuff happen. Your trust in your CPO creates a powerful partnership. A CPO can also act as a body double, giving you the energy and focus to complete your goals. I love making a difference in time and space in my clients’ homes and lives.

Working with a Certified Professional Organizer® is more than just tidying up.  It’s about building systems, habits, and environments that support the life you want. With expertise built on a strong foundation of education, you’ll feel empowered, supported, and set up for success.

Organizing Your Garage with ADHD: Simple Steps to Clear the Clutter

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organizing your garage

For many people with ADHD, the garage is the ultimate catch-all space. It’s where holiday decorations, sports equipment, unfinished projects, and “I’ll deal with this later” boxes all land. At times, it is also the oops spot, as in “I wondered where my dry cleaning went.” Before long, the garage becomes overwhelming, and just opening the door can feel stressful.  With the right approach, you can create a functional, organized garage that works for you. Let’s break it down into manageable steps that keep ADHD brains in mind.

Build a team

Garage organizing is a team sport. Gather your team of helpers, whether paid teenagers or paid by pizza family members. Set a series of calendar dates for you to work together on this project.

👉 Tip: Have plenty of water and protein bars ready to go.

Start Small (Really Small)

Instead of tackling the whole garage at once, choose one small area, such as a section of the floor, a single shelf, a corner, or even a cardboard box. Success in small chunks builds momentum and prevents burnout. No matter what small spot you start at, that is the gateway to motivation and completion.

👉 Tip: Use a timer and work for 30 – 60 minutes at a time. Then take a break.

Sort with Simple Categories

ADHD brains can get lost in making decisions, so keep categories simple, broad, and easy. Most garages have these categories, such as landscaping, tools, and sports. Take an inventory of what you think belongs in your garage and set up a box for each category. Gathering the categories together makes it easier to discard later. Also, set up a box or laundry basket for relocation. Those are the items that go back into the house.

👉 Tip: Label all your boxes and bins before you start so you can easily locate your categories.

Create “Homes” for Your Things

Think about how you use the garage and arrange your storage. No decisions, just drop it where it goes! Once you have all the items sorted, you can assess what to edit.

  • Sports gear near the door for quick grab-and-go.
  • Tools hung on a pegboard so you can see them all at once.
  • Seasonal items are stored higher up, since you won’t need them every day.
  • Kids’ toys are stored near the garage door that opens to the driveway.
  • Use vertical storage wisely with 5 – 6 shelf rolling racks.
  • Use clear storage bins with labels to know what you have.

👉 Tip: The goal is to make it easier to put things away than to drop them on the floor.

Keep garbage and recycling in mind

Clutter builds up when recycling routines are inadequate. Keep your recycling easy to accomplish and set a reminder for weekly recycling. If you have too much to recycle at that time, ask a neighbor if you can put out extra at their house. Or drop off recycling in community bins.

For the garbage left from your garage cleanout, plan on hiring a junk hauler who can bring these items to the appropriate donation locations. That way, there are no lingering parts to this project.

👉 Tip: Make recycling easy with an inside and outside station.

Built-in Maintenance

Garages get messy fast, especially with ADHD. Set a reminder once a month for a 10-minute reset. Pull your car in every night to be sure this space is kept orderly. Just put things back in their homes and toss out trash. It doesn’t have to be perfect—just enough to keep chaos from piling up.