This Organized Life: Decluttering Tips for Moms, Entrepreneurs and Professional Organizers

Hi Friends! Today we are joined by Heather Wells.  Heather is a single mother of three children: twin 18 year old sons (both with special needs) and a 12 year old daughter. Heather spent years struggling just to make ends meet. Now she is a successful business owner, host of the ever popular Single Mom Podcast (and blog), and is dedicated to helping other single moms find the tools, resources and mindsets to navigate through the craziness of raising children alone. On this episode, Heather shares her incredible story that you don’t want to miss! Her day to day struggles as a single mom wearing “all the hats” The organizational tools that helped to foster and empower independence for her boys How she found financial freedom by creating a business from home How she is helping create opportunities for other women to do the same! I found our conversation inspiring and full of relevant information-I hope you feel the same! All links mentioned in this episode are included below.  If you enjoyed this episode please share with your friends-you never know who may need to hear the message! XOXO- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! LEAVE A REVIEW.  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show! Struggling with Clutter?  Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz! Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Links Mentioned in this Episode SINGLE MOM BLOG | SINGLE MOM PODCAST  Connect with Heather WEBSITE | FACEBOOK  Connect with Me WEBSITE | FB | IG | PINTEREST

Hi Friends! On today's episode of TOL we are joined by my friend, and SBO partner, Stefanie Wyres. Stefanie is a home organizer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and is the founder of Bring Peace Home.  Stefanie and her team are driven to helping people find balance and peace in their lives.  She tackles everything from garages to craft rooms to doctor’s offices and has fun doing it!   Stefanie is also a mom to 2 daughters, ages 18 and 20. Given that she  has already gone through the whole "college thing" with her 20 year old,  I asked her to share with us some valuable tips and strategies for those who are about to embark on this exciting (yet overwhelming) chapter. I realize that many of you can’t even begin to think about college, because you're surrounded by diapers, sippy cups, and tripping over toys, (and for a hot minute I would like to trade places with you!). For folks like me, who are in the thick of it, trust me when I tell you that the whole college prepared-ness can be a real struggle, and source of stress, both for parents and students. Thankfully Stefanie created a cheat-sheet of sorts to help parents and students navigate these muddy waters.  So whether you are just about to embark on this journey, or maybe you are knee deep in it, there is some valuable information for everyone! She covers things like: What to do before they enter their senior in high school Some go to apps and information on financial aid Emotional preparation (for you and you student) I loved our conversation and I hope you do to!  If you know someone who can benefit from the episode, would you please share it with a friend? If you scroll down to the end of our show notes, we've included a link to her FREE download! XOXO- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! REVIEW .  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show! Struggling with Clutter?  Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz! Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Links Mentioned in this Episode DOWNLOAD STEFANIE'S COLLEGE CHECKLIST Connect with Stefanie WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM Connect with Me WEBSITE | FB | IG | PINTEREST

Hi Friends, Today we are kicking off our parenting series, and trust me when I tell you that this series is for everyone, whether you have kids or not.  We have a line up of great guests this month, so regardless of your season of life, be sure to stick around! I figured, who better to kick off our parenting series, than my very own daughter, Logan-- who at the time of this recording was embarking on her 16th birthday (Jesus take the wheel!) If you've listened to my show at all, you know that I have 2 incredible daughters, each with their own gifts and talents. They also each have areas in which they struggle.  It is with their permission that I am able to share parts of their lives with all of you. Logan has had her fair share of struggles, and has come a long way over the past 16 years. She really opened up on this episode about some vulnerable topics, including her struggles with ADHD, OCD, and Magical Thinking. We also talk about how Josh and I parent differently, what she likes (and dislikes) about being the kid of an organizer, and what tips and strategies she plans to take with her into adulthood. What I loved most about our conversation is that it was honest, unscripted (I literally gave her the talking points 5 minutes before we started recording), and most of all, gives hope to our listeners.  If you are a parent of child who may be struggling with similar issues to Logs, I encourage you to listen to this episode with them. Feel free to use our conversation as a springboard to open a discussion about how they are feeling about school, responsibilities, and everything in between(anxious? overwhelmed? maybe even scared). I've made my fair share of parenting mistakes over the years. I hardly have all the answers, or even close to it,  but I can tell you with 100% certainty a few things that I know to be true. Dialogue with your kids matters. Involving them in the process matters. Leading by example matters. And most of all, remember to tell them that whatever they are going though, they are not alone.   XOXO- Laurie *If this is your first time here, please tap the SUBSCRIBE button to have new episodes downloaded each week! Your Opinion Matters!     I would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW .  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show.     Struggling with Clutter?    Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz!       Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. CONNECT WITH ME WEBSITE | FB | IG | PINTEREST

Hi Friends, Today we are joined by Hunter Clarke-Fields. Hunter s is a mindfulness mentor, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, creator of the Mindful Parenting course, and author of the upcoming book, Raising Good Humans. She helps moms bring calm into their daily lives and cooperation in their families. Hunter has over twenty years of experience in meditation and yoga practices and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide. She is the mother of two active daughters, who challenge her every day to hone her craft :) We talk about how she started her mindfulness journey, what mindfulness looks like to her, and why now, more than ever, we need to hit the pause button and take a breath (literally!) Hunter shares 5 tips for getting started (if you're like me and have no clue!).  If you or someone you know is feeling stressed, overextended or overwhelmed, this episode is a must-listen! I learned so much for our conversation and I hope you do too! XOXO- Laurie *If this is your first time here, please tap the SUBSCRIBE button to have new episodes downloaded each week! LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE INSIGHT TIMER APP | BOOK: RAISING GOOD HUMANS | ONLINE COURSES | MINDFUL MAMA PODCAST CONNECT WITH HUNTER WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | IG CONNECT WITH LAURIE WEBSITE | FB | IG Your Opinion Matters!     I would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW .  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show.     Struggling with Clutter?    Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz!       Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold.

Hey Friends, We are continuing with our series on Clutter & Mindset, and today we are talking about the benefits of a Staycation. With summer here, many of you are planning vacations (or maybe even on one right now!), yet studies show that there are both financial and emotional benefits to taking a staycation. What is a Staycation: A staycation, is a period in which an individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance of their home and does not require overnight accommodations.  Don’t get me wrong, vacations are great, there is something to be said about getting out of dodge, changing your scenery and completely unplugging, but if you have things around the house that are stressing you out, leaving isn’t going to solve them, in fact, coming home to disarray can often add to your stress levels.  Sometimes the best thing you can do is just carve out some dedicated time to get it done. IS A STAYCATION FOR ME? You have an area of your home that has been neglected and it is weighing on you. You want to focus on completing a new project that you’ve wanted to do, but haven’t had the time. You need time to recharge (sleep in, relax, read a book, binge watch Netflix), connect with family. If you answered YES to any of the above, a staycation may be just what the doctor ordered!  HERE ARE 3 TIPS TO GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR STAYCATION: 1. Plan your itinerary, just like you would for a traditional vacation. It doesn’t have to be super detailed, but I do recommend carving the day into blocks so you give yourself time for both R & R and tackling those nagging projects.  By the end of the week, you'll not only feel rested, but accomplished. 2. Differentiate from your daily routine. It could be as simple as sleeping in, letting your kids stay up for an extra hour, or ordering out instead of cooking-but mix it up so it's not the "same-old-same-old." 3. Set an out of office email. Just because you are choosing to stay home, doesn’t mean that your time away is any less valuable than if you were laying on a beach. Set boundaries with your boss, co-workers or clients.  If you want to check in once or twice a day, that’s totally fine, but I encourage you to be mindful of falling into work from home traps.  ***If you are a stay-at-home parent, take a break from your daily household activities (see #2). SAMPLE STAYCATION: Sleep in till 7 or 8, then relax and have coffee, read, maybe catch up with your spouse or partner before the kids wake up (or if you have little kids, allow them to play or watch TV so you can feel as though you’re not on duty!) Have a leisurely breakfast, maybe workout (walk, run, yoga, spin or whatever it is that you enjoy) By late morning you are ready to tackle your project. Give yourself a significant block of time to work on it (your time will vary depending on the project, but somewhere between 2-4 hours-although some people prefer to play through until the project is done) Take a break, have lunch, sit outside, etc. If it’s a smaller project, you may be done; if it’s a larger project, you may want to get back to it, or maybe you want to call it a day and then resume again tomorrow. It’s ok to dedicate the afternoon to FUN! The goal of your staycation is to mix relaxation, recharging and productivity to reduce your stress level AFTER the staycation is over. If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW

Hi Friends! Today I am joined by Jennifer Ford Berry.  Jennifer is an organizational expert, best selling author, the host of The 29 Minute Mom podcast, national speaker and promoter of God’s plan. Here's some additional info on Jennifer: She was previously the regular organizing expert on the TV show: Winging It, Buffalo Style.  Jennifer has been a guest on numerous television and radio shows, featured in many national magazines and newspapers.  She speaks to corporations, churches, national conferences, mom groups, and school districts. Jennifer currently resides in Western New York where she continues to work hands-on with her clients helping them to eliminate clutter and live their dreams. We talk about several things, including Jennifer's journey as a professional organizer, and how now considers her work a ministry.  She talks about her vision for the CREATED ORDER Conference, and her passion for inspiring teens, with her BLURRY conference. I could have chatted with Jennifer all day about Jesus, living a life filled with purpose, parenting teens, and all of the things! I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did! If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! CONNECT WITH JENNIFER WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM  BOOKS| EVENTS Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW

Happy 4th of July! I hope you are all enjoying your summer!  At the top of our episode Erika and I talk about our amazing Partner Program-it's our way of connecting YOU with a trusted resource in your neck of the woods.  Make sure to check out our partner page to find someone near you.   If you don't see your city listed, let us know and we will look to find someone for you!  If you are a professional organizer and looking to learn more about our program, click here for details. On today's show we are discussing the differences between Chronic Clutter vs Situational Clutter. Situational Clutter is typically the result of an external situation: such as kid coming home from college, an illness, death, end of the school year, holiday craziness, or a party.  Most importantly, situational clutter is TEMPORARY. Chronic Clutter is based on behavioral patterns. With chronic clutter, your quality of life is hindered by disorganization. This can manifest in one area or multiple areas.  Some common examples of chronic clutter are an excess of clothes, papers (often times mail, newspapers or magazines).  Chronic Clutter is an ONGOING issue that typically stems from emotional trauma, fear, overwhelm,  procrastination or indecision. How do you deal with situational clutter? Acceptance. Realize it’s only temporary and sometimes  a result of something out of your control (tune into our episode to listen to my story about my mother-in-law and her dropspot in my house!)    Anticipate. If you know that certain times of the year are going to produce added clutter (ie: Christmas, Hanukkah, the end of the school year, kids coming home from college, etc) plan ahead by looking to #3.   Stage. Create a staging area for those additional items so they don't take up valuable real estate in your home and interfere with everyday life. How do you deal with chronic clutter? Will to change. Like eating healthy, exercise or changing any pattern of behavior, the desire for change has to come from within and cannot be forced. Determine the root cause. Where did your behavior patterns stem from?  Was it something in childhood? A change in family circumstances like a birth, death or divorce? If you are still unsure, look back to our series on the 5 clutter pitfalls: Procrastination, Indecision, Guilt, Overwhelm & Time to see if any of those resonate with you.   Start  Small. Select one area and work on mastering it before moving around the house. Focus on yourself first.  The best way to teach is to lead by example. If you are living with family members who are not quite there yet, start with the areas where you have control. Remember point #1. The most important thing to remember is that regardless of how organized you are, situational clutter is bound to happen at some point. The best thing you can do is to EXTEND GRACE to yourself and others and try to stay ahead of it when you can.  Little things like hanging up your coat, putting away your keys, not letting laundry pile up, all make a big difference. If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW

Hi Friends! On today's episode of This ORGANIZED Life we are joined by Lauren White, founder of Intentional Edit, an organizing service and lifestyle company based in Phoenix, AZ.  What I love about Lauren’s website is that it not only is chock full of great information on organizing solutions, but it is aesthetically BEAUTIFUL!  It’s basically Pinterest Porn in the best possible way! What drew me to Lauren was not simply her amazing eye, but her mission: To help inspire people to live their best life.  Lauren is also a member of our SBO Partner Program, which if you’re unfamiliar, is a network of amazingly talented and passionate professional organizers around the globe who are serving others well.  So what that means to you, is that if you live in a particular area and looking for an accountability partner to help you get organized, we’ve got your back!  When you are done listening to this podcast, I invite you to hop on over to our partner page, where you can find links to ALL of our amazing organizers and of course, Lauren! I invited Lauren on the show to talk about her meal planning routine. It totally rocked my world and made me re-think how I approach meal planning (which, if I am being honest, has completely gone out the window in our home).   However, after chatting with Lauren, I am getting back in the saddle and approaching meal prep from a whole new angle! Listen to our conversation below, and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you either in our fb group or on IG!  (just tag us @smplyborganized or at @organizingmaster) If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! CONNECT WITH LAUREN WEBSITE | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE FOR LAUREN'S 2 WEEK MEAL PLANNING  Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!

Hi Friends! On today's episode of This ORGANIZED Life, we are joined by Denise Allan, founder of Simplify Experts and author of the book Declutter & Thrive. When she's not helping people get organized, you can find Denise spending time volunteering or outside with her family. I invited Denise to share with us what she identifies as 6 common disorganization types.   The Power Shopper Paper Magnets The Inspired Hobbiest The Caregiver The Easily Distracted The Disorganized Employee     Listen to our conversation below, and let us know which type you identify with most!  If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! CONNECT WITH DENISE WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE INSTITUTE FOR CHALLENGING DISORGANIZATION | TAKE DENISE'S QUIZ CONNECT WITH US! FACEBOOK| WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!

Hi Friends, Today we are wrapping up our series on the 5 clutter pitfalls with TIME. If you look at the 5-Clutter Pitfall Model, you will see that everything else revolves around TIME because undeniably, it is our most valuable commodity. It's really hard to manage something you can't see, which is one of the reasons why most people's to-do list is longer than hours in a day. “Theres never enough time" "If only I had more time"  "I don’t have the time” I call this CALENDAR CLUTTER. This is a generational & societal issue. In 1950’s America, most households were supported by two married parents with a single family income. Typically the dad worked a  9 to 5 job with a short commute. With limited technology, work was left at the office. Families ate dinner together in their modest home, with less stuff, and the only extracurricular activities were playing outside with the neighborhood kids.  Fast forward to 2019, the percentage of households with a dual family income is 61.9%.  If you factor in single parents, the number of working parents outside the home shoots to over 90%.  Couple that with a societal shift of more stuff, the "need" for bigger homes, our 24/7 connection to news, social media, and email.  Top that off with nightly chauffeuring of over scheduled kids, and it's no wonder that we have no "down time." Question: How can I RECLAIM time? The good news is that it's do-able.  The bad news is that it's a deliberate, counter-intuitive choice, that may prove unpopular, but if you are committed to reclaiming time, here's a few suggestions of where to begin: Accumulate less stuff Start saying no to things that aren't important Delegate/Outsource tasks that aren't a good use of your time, or can be done by others. Create a habit by establishing simple routines for daily tasks TIME BLOCK everything you do in a given day Identify and distinguish between things that are Urgent vs Important Turn off distractions and notifications on your phone and computer  Identify your triggers →Do you bite off more than you can chew? →Do you struggle with saying no? →Do you have difficulty asking for help? →Do you find yourself putting out fires all day leaving you spent by dinnertime? Take Action! →Commit to less.  Start by removing something from your calendar that you don't need to do  →Tell someone. Outer accountability is a great motivator to keep you honest! →Document your progress and share with us on IG or in our facebook group, This ORGANIZED Life If you know someone who would enjoy this episode, will you please share it with a friend?! LET'S CONNECT! FACEBOOK| WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM Your Opinion Matters!   I am so appreciative of anyone who takes a moment to help the growth of our show by SUBSCRIBING and listening each week.  We would be so grateful if you would click the  5-star button & leave a short REVIEW    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess!  HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter, Physical, Emotional, and Calendar, along with how to avoid the 5 Clutter Pitfalls.  Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on amazon, barnes & noble or wherever books are sold. Let’s Connect!  We love hearing from you! Head on over to facebook and join our group, This ORGANIZED Life where you can post topic ideas, guest suggestions, questions, comments and photos. Of course you also connect with us on the IG or follow us on PINTEREST for some added inspiration. One more thing....before you go, click HERE to take our free clutter quiz!