Organize in Harmony

Listen to KSRO Saturday, 2-3 pm!

2012-01-25T19:02:00.000-08:00

I'll be on the radio this Saturday!

Listen in live (or later on the archive) on KSRO 1350 AM this Saturday between 2-3 pm (Pacific Time) when I will be interviewed on "Call Kira About Aging."

The subject this month is organizing and our topic on Saturday will be hoarding. Specialist Dr. Michael Tompkins (who co-wrote "Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding and Compulsive Acquiring") is the other guest and I am there as the professional organizer.

2012 SF Hoarding and Cluttering Conference

2011-11-29T07:11:00.001-08:00

The San Francisco Mental Health Association has announced the dates for its 2012 Hoarding and Cluttering Conference.

What's New

SAVE THE DATE

The 14th Conference on Compulsive Hoarding and Cluttering
(now a 2-day International event!) will be held on

April 26-27, 2012

at the Westin SF Airport in Millbrae, CA

You can follow them on Facebook.

Coming in 2012...

2011-11-10T12:16:00.001-08:00

My business model and fee structure will be changing beginning January 2012.
Please contact me to find out more
(or check back on my Packages/PayPal tab).

(All hours left on current packages bought before the end of 2011 will be honored,
but those packages will not be available for purchase to new or returning clients in 2012.)

*Current 2011 rates: $70/hour.
Pre-paid packages are $700 for a 10+1 hour package (11 hours) and
$1400 for a 20 + 3 hour package (23 hours)

I will be working exclusively with only 1-2 regular weekly clients
and 2-3 phone-coaching or maintenance clients at a time.

This will enable me to work with clients who wish to work intensively and quickly on projects involving large areas of clutter or chronic disorganization,
reaching goals within the week or month.

Four-hour sessions are available Monday thru Friday from
(approximately) 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Three-hour sessions will be available only if the client
is unable (physically) to work for four hours.

The first Assessment Session (3-4 hours) is paid hourly and at the time of service,
and includes a full assessment and hands-on organizing if there is time.

Further working sessions are part of
pre-paid larger packages that offer a savings.

Call or e-mail me now if you are ready to get going!
(A 20-minute phone consultation is always available at no charge.)

707-823-3479

margaret@organizeinharmony.com

PayPal Accepted Now!

Since clients have been asking if they can pay by credit card, I have now set up a PayPal account! This is a safe and secure way to use your credit card and make payments using your credit card via the PayPal website.

NBOC and Soles4Souls Shoe Drive

2011-09-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

My local group of organizers (North Bay Organizers and Coaches-NBOC) is collecting shoes in connection with the non-profit Soles4Souls (they take shoes to people around the world who need them). We already have well over 500 pairs, and our goal is 5,000! Luckily, one of our members (the drive coordinator, Teri Mendelson) has a barn to hold all these gently used shoes. (That's Jillian Stocks there helping her and Teri at the controls.)

Soles4Souls threw down the gauntlet at our NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) 2011 conference earlier this year. They want us (as a national group) to collect over a million pairs of shoes!

The kicker here (pun intended) is that while collecting shoes is relatively easy, shipping them is not. Our clients are happy to give them up when we are helping to purge closets, and many folks have donated at the bins we have placed at Sole Desire and Fleet Feet locations. (See the list of drop off sites on the NBOC web page.)

Sole Desire is offering a $10 off coupon for every
pair donated through October 31 at one of their stores.

The NBOC will keep up the shoe drive through the end of the year. You can donate directly to any of us in the NBOC or at bins we will keep up through Sonoma County until December 31, 2011.

We are asking our clients/friends/family and anyone with a charitable bent to help us with the cost of shipping these shoes to the Las Vegas warehouse (about $1/pair). You can do this safely and securely online at the NBOC Soles4Soles donation page. The nice thing about this is that you can also make your donation in the memory of someone who has passed away or in honor of someone in your life.

I donated in memory of my dad, Hal Pearson, who passed away in 2003. He grew up in the Depression a poor Kansas farm boy, orphaned at a young age. I'm betting he went barefoot a good portion of his life. He made sure I never did. He also dedicated his life to teaching, and his last 20 years were spent at schools in the "rougher" parts of town with kids at a distinct disadvantage in life.

Who would you like to honor?

Click here to help us ship shoes.

The OCD Chef Cutting Board

2011-07-13T10:09:00.000-07:00

This was just too funny to not pass along...

This "OCD Chef" cutting board is available at ThinkGeek for $24.99.
I had a good chuckle when this came across in an e-mail today. I first thought it was a paper cutting board, but then realized it's for cutting your veggies (and whatever else) to very exacting measurements. Oh how Mr. Monk would love this! Saves you the time of getting your ruler out.

Please rest assured, I am not making fun of anyone--I think this is a grand product. While I am not OCD myself around cutting veggies, I do have my teeny tiny OCD-like issues. I won't use a salad fork, I only drink out of glass (or Tervis Tumblers now), my glasses need to be in height order in the cabinet and what is it with money coming out ATM's now not all facing the same direction?

Need time for fun stuff?

2011-07-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

This could be you! Well, you know what I mean....

This could be you out having fun at the beach, surfing or pretending to be a Chihuahua that likes to surf!

But, instead, are you sitting at home, looking at all your stuff around you?

Letting it talk to you, giving you grief?

Yes? Then it's time to do something about all that stuff, huh?

make some decisions
clear the clutter
find the sunscreen in the pile in the bathroom

...and oh yeah...
GET OUT AND LIVE LIFE!

Need some help to do that?

I work with people who are:

Ready to dig into the piles.
Work hard.
Let go of old ways.
Start living.

Call me.

(707) 823-3479

margaret@organizeinharmony.com

Closet Clock

2011-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am often humbled by my clients because they come up with the greatest ideas (and jealous because I didn't think of them first!).

While talking with a client today (I had suggested she put up more clocks in her home office) in our phone coaching session she mentioned that she had also put a clock in her bedroom closet.

What a fabulous, simple solution! She has a walk-in closet and she says sometimes she loses track of time in there because she gets busy organizing it. This helps her keep track of the time (just like in her office) and keep her more aware of how much time is passing.

When I googled "closet clock" I got a number of interesting items. While you certainly can use any kind of clock in your closet, I was curious to see if there were any clocks expressly made for closets. (Oh, maybe one that lights up would be nice!)

I thought the one pictured above would be funny whether you are a man or a woman. (You probably need a really healthy sense of humor if you are a man!) It's called "The Closet Closet Clock."

The other great idea I saw was using a weather clock in your closet. Now, these are a little cluttered-looking to me. I like a simple large clock with a big numbers and a easily seen hands. But a weather clock serves a great function–letting you know how to dress for the day! I often turn on the news in the morning to see what the day's weather is going to be or check my iPhone (but it's rarely in my bedroom since I sync or charge it with my computer in my home office) for the local weather forecast. (Click on images to be taken to the website where you can buy this clock. I'm not affiliated with any of these sites.)

Or you can just go with cute!
(This came from a great blog article on closet organizing at Fabulous After Forty.)

Or why not hang one of your many watches (I know you have them) up on a nail? I don't really have much wall space in my closet and the little strip of space I have would be perfect for a watch. (I found actual clocks that look like giant watches online. This one is a plan/components to make one yourself. I think you can find vintage ones on e-bay and Etsy.) Dad's or Grampa's giant old watch you inherited might be perfect for this.

Tom Hatton saves you the time (ha ha!) by making and selling these giant watches on Etsy:

What a wonderful design element for a man's closet!

Hoarding on House

2011-04-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

The latest episode of "House" entitled "The Dig" featured a storyline of a patient living in a hoarding situation. They treated the topic fairly respectfully with some characters disgusted and others fascinated and empathetic. The most empathetic character, of course, was the one to find the most important clue to the patient's illness.

Other recent fictional shows I have seen that have featured a hoarding theme:

Raising Hope
"Dream Hoarders." Cute, funny, sensitive.
CSI
"CSI: Hoarding Can Kill." Dramatic, fairly sensitive
Bones
"The Beginning in the End." Dramatic. Dr. Sweets uses the phrase "Level V Hoarder" which is a reference to the Clutter Hoarding Scale, created by the ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization, formerly the NSGCD, National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization).

Have you found a wonderful ADHD therapist?

2011-04-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

The ADDitude magazine website has a great article titled

"The 10 Worst Therapists for ADHD Adults."

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/7287.html

No, this article doesn't name names! It's a quick and easy to read "slide show" describing the kinds of therapists you DON'T want to have if you are an adult living with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

The Disciplinarian
The Drug Pusher
The Researcher
The Nervous Nellie
The Comedian
The Blame Gamer
The Quick Fixer
The Distant Judge
The Fuzzy Comforter
The Dream Dissector

They do give a list of traits you DO want in your therapist at the end of the article.

Have you had a good experience with your therapist or counselor around ADHD (or clutter or hoarding) in the Sonoma or Marin County area? I'm always looking for good professionals to refer my clients to. A great support team for many of my clients often includes a therapist or counselor.

NAPO National Conference, San Diego

2011-03-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to be attending this year's NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) Annual Conference in San Diego next week. This conference comes to the west coast every three years, and I attended it in Reno 3 years ago, Boston 5 years ago and my very first conference was in 2005 in back in San Diego.

I'm proud to be flying down there with two of my organizing buddies from the North Bay Organizers and Coaches group, one of whom I drove down with in 2005, Gina Burdette (Get it Organized). I look forward to getting to know Amy Brueske (Always Organizing) better on the flight there and back. Boy, three organizers in one row of seats!

The North Bay Organizers and Coaches group will be well represented this year at National. One of our members, Angela Wallace (Wallace and Associates) will be installed as the new President of NAPO. Whoo-hoo! I'm also expecting to see Susanne Otteman (Organize This!), Jillian Stocks (Jillian Stocks Organizing), Judy Stern (Organize Now), and Grace Brooke (The Efficiency Specialist).

Now, will I come back with a tan or still be pale from being in conference sessions all day?

CHADD Support Group in Santa Rosa

2011-03-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

I am passing on this information about the Santa Rosa, CA CHADD
(“Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder”) support group.

You are cordially welcomed to a newly revived Santa Rosa CHADD* Support Group meeting this Tuesday!

When: 7pm to 9pm, Tuesday, March 29th

Where: The Glaser Center (Unitarian Universalist Congregation), the Green Room
547 Mendocino Ave., downtown Santa Rosa

What: A NEW location in a comfortable room with new facilitators
Agenda:
1. Welcome & Introductions & Getting Started
2. (Voluntary) check-in by participants; visitors
3. Relevant current events and topics of group interest
4. Suggestions for the next meeting and Wrap-Up
5. Invitation to continue the conversation at a near-by restaurant/coffee shop

For past CHADD support group participants:
·         This new group replaces the monthly Wednesday night CHADD meetings that met at the Quaker Meetinghouse on Guerneville Rd.
·         Please come at 7 pm and see old friends, make new ones and help us create a great group!

For those who've never before attended a CHADD support group:
·         Do you or someone you know have ADD/ADHD?
·         Do you wonder if you have it, or have you recently been diagnosed with it?
·         Are you dealing with the emotional impact of ADD/ADHD?
·         Are you wondering what to do next or where to go for help?

Our goals are to provide all participants with
·         Information and resources leading to improved lives
·         A community based on mutual support, understanding, fellowship and camaraderie
·         An enjoyable evening of stimulating discussion, humor, encouragement, and hope

Thank you for forwarding this email to anyone who might benefit from attending.

Parking:
Downtown street parking is free after 6 pm and parking is also available at the city parking garage directly behind the Glaser Center ($.75 per hour).

For more information, please email Barry at thruthedoorway@yahoo.com or call (707) 888-8223.

Upcoming Presentations

2011-03-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

Scheduled Workshops and Talks

Thursday March 31, 2011
"Is this hoarding and what can I do about it?" Presentation for the public through the Russian River Empowerment Center in Guerneville, CA.

Tuesday May 15, 2011
"Motivational Interviewing for the Professional Organizer" Presentation to members of the NBOC at the Spring Educational Seminar, Sonoma County, CA.

Date TBA, 2011

"Recognizing Hoarding Disorder"for West County Services

Magnetic Door Stop

2011-02-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

Just a quick tool tip today. I discovered this gadget when our family rented a house in Hawaii several years ago. This little door stop kept all the doors from slamming shut all the time when a breeze came through. Also handy for keeping the door open when you are bringing in armloads of groceries. It's like having your own doorman. That you don't have to tip! I love the one I installed at home.

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/57046-magnetic-door-stop.html

Tips Sheets for Downloading

2011-01-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

This is a new service I'm trying out. Please bear with me if it's not working right away.

You should be able to click on the link and download one of my free Tip Sheets.

Resources about Severe Clutter and Compulsive Hoarding (Local to Sonoma County)
(Organizations, Websites, Support Groups, Books, Professional Organizers)

Margaret in the Media

2011-01-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Read this great blog post about Green Spring Cleaning at GreenLiving Arizona that quotes Margaret: http://www.greenlivingaz.com/?p=453

Margaret was quoted in an article on unique organizing ideas for small spaces at Moving.com:
http://www.moving.com/blogs/2011/01/26/making-the-most-out-of-your-space/

Margaret can be heard in a radio interview with Kira Reginato of the Eldercare Show on KSRO 1350 AM talking about Chronic Disorganization and Compulsive Hoarding (1/14/2011:
http://media.ksro.com/Podcasts/1280/AsktheExpertFri011411.mp3

Margaret, along with organizers Diane Judd and Susanne Ottemen can be heard in a radio interview and panel discussion hosted by Kira Reginato of the Eldercare Show on KSRO 1350 AM organizing and resources (1/28/2011): (available 2/2/2011)

NSGCD is now ICD

2011-01-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization has formally changed its name to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and you can see the website here:

http://www.challengingdisorganization.org/

Radio Interviews Fridays in January 2011

2010-12-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

January is "GO Month" (Get Organized) and I'll be on the radio!!

Be sure to tune in to KSRO (1350 AM) on Fridays in the month of January. Local Sonoma County organizers Diane Judd, Susanne Otteman and yours truly (Margaret Pearson Pinkham) will be interviewed each Friday at 12:30-1:00 pm by the host of the Elder Care Show, Kira Reginato. She's devoting the whole month to Organizing for Elders. In case you miss the shows, podcasts will be available at www.ksro.com/podcasts.aspx.

Friday January 7
Susanne Otteman, owner of Organize This! in Sonoma, will talk with Kira about the ABC's of organizing, simple tools and techniques for getting started and staying organized and the benefits of working with a professional organizer.

Friday, January 14
Margaret Pearson Pinkham, owner of Organize in Harmony in Sebastopol, will discuss various aspects of chronic disorganziation, hoarding, compulsive acquiring and working with mental health professionals.

Friday, January 21
Diane Judd, an estate organizing specialist based in Petaluma, will review the importance of ready access to vital medical and legal documents, the value of home inventories and the responsibilities of benig an executor.

Friday January 28
The three organizing experts will return to the studio for an "Ask the Organizers Panel" to answer questions submitted by The Elder Care Show listeners. Submit your questions in advance to eldercareshow@gmail.com or phone 707-762-5433.

And remember, if you miss a show, you can listen online or download it later at: http://www.ksro.com/podcasts.aspx

Be sure to check out her other shows! They are really informative and fascinating. Thank you Kira for giving us the opportunity!

Hoarding and Cluttering Conference 3/10/11

2010-12-08T10:45:00.000-08:00

Registration Open

Mental Health Assocation-San Francisco

13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON HOARDING AND CLUTTERING
Pathways Through the Maze: Practical Approaches

Featuring Dr. Christiana Bratiotis, Ph.D., LCSW
THURSDAY, MARCH 10th, 2011
ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL, 1111 GOUGH STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
9:00AM TO 4:30PM

Over 400 service providers, consumers, friends and family members, therapist, property managers, therapist, researchers, landlords and others who are affected by hoarding and cluttering come together at St. Mary's cathedral in San Francisco, California. The event provides you the opportunity to hear about latest research and treatments to practical tools and topics that you can use in your experiences with compulsive hoarding and cluttering.

Registration is now open.
http://mha-sf.org/programs/hcconfdetails.cfm

Comfort zones and growth

2010-11-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

You've heard it before, right? "Get outside of your comfort zone!"

But it's an uncomfortable place!

I don't recommend getting uncomfortable for the sake of discomfort. That's just crazy and well, uncomfortable.

But rather, I think of it in terms of "no pain, no gain."

What do you GAIN by going outside of the zone?

Last month I helped a client clear some stuff blocking her piano. I asked her how long it had been since she'd played it ... and she said ... years.

When I asked her if she'd play for me, she said, oh no, she couldn't do that. I then suggested that at some point, maybe she could just sit on the bench and see what it felt like. Then maybe even just put her hands on the keys. No pressure to play, just little steps outside the comfort zone to become familiar with her piano once again.

Well, before I left for the day, she did sit down on the bench. She put her hands on the keys.

And then she played.

Music streamed out of her heart, down her arms, through her fingers onto that piano. There was no sheet music anywhere. The most wonderful sounds filled the room as she played a classical piece. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. More than just clutter had been blocking that piano. She found the courage to experience a little discomfort and bring an entire world of music back into her life.

A friend visited me recently who hadn't been in the area in over a decade (although she only lives a couple hours away and even has family here). I don't know all the dynamics of why she had stayed away, but I had offered some entertainment, a chance to reconnect (we had been out of touch for years, ourselves) and some food and some fun. I hadn't realized what a discomfort zone I invited her into until later, but I was happy that she had stretched herself to make this visit and really respected her for how much discomfort she was willing to experience in order to have a new experience. I was honored and touched and I can only hope it was just the start of more visits here (and not such a shock that it was a setback!).

So, think about your "zones" and what getting outside of them will do for you. Will the discomfort last for long? Will it even be not as bad as you thought? Will it help you reach just a little bit farther in order to attain a goal? Sometimes small steps help us in distance, but sometimes those small steps help us in acclimatizing to the situation, too.

I am touched and honored when I have been a part of someone's growth through getting outside a comfort zone, and even more honored when I get to witness an act of courage. I see it whenever a client lets go of an item that is no longer useful to give them more space in their house, when they change a habit or routine they've had for decades in order to improve their enjoyment of the day. Change is not usually comfortable. But that's OK ... it gets easier. Pat yourself on the back when you make changes, honor your discomfort and notice and value what you have gained.

How will YOU get out of the "zone" today?

New Hoarding Support Group In San Mateo County

2010-08-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

A colleague, Caroline Totah, RN, CPO-CD®, CPO®, who works on the peninsula south of San Francisco recently forwarded information about a new support group forming there for people with hoarding issues.

Those interested in attending the group can find out more at Peninsula Community Service's hoarding website: www.hoarders.org.

You will be directed to take a survey. For those who do not have access to the internet, you can call directly.

Joanne Chan, PsyD at 415-816-8611
Linda Merrifield at 650-343-4380.

I looked at the survey and it doesn't ask any personal questions about hoarding issues, but instead asks the reader about his/her preferences for where and how often meetings should be held, how long they should be, how far you would be willing to drive and what benefit you would like to derive from attending meetings.

I recommend visiting the PCS website whether or not you can attend this support group. It is really comprehensive with many resources and information for those living in the San Mateo County area as well as for anyone, anywhere.

And by the way, if you are in need of a professional organizer in the Pacifica area, please consider contacting Caroline Totah. I know her through my membership in the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) and she has a really wonderful list of qualifications and the personality to work with the "organizationally challenged." She has a great "About Me" page you shouldn't miss!

http://ctorganizingsolutions.com

Master Trainer!

2010-08-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

I have wonderful news! I have attained my Level V "Master Trainer" designation from the NSGCD! I had earned my Level IV "Coach" status last year after coaching a new student through her CPO-CD training, and my Level V status after having presented a training to colleagues, creating and presenting a new teleclass for the NSGCD and taking 10 hours of coaching training (I actually have far more than that...).

I immediately had my darling husband bow down to me and say "Yes, Master!" Well, we know how long that will last! :)

The certification director notified me over the weekend, so it may take a little while before it shows up on the NSGCD website.

Have a great week!

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
Level IV Coach
Level V Master Trainer

Ultralight Towel Field Testing

2010-06-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

The Ultralight Towel Field Test has begun! After over a week of daily use (and sometimes two showers a day since we are at the beach), my towel has begun to show signs of wear. But please keep in mind, this is after several days of use! They are soft and absorbent, and the "beach towel" covers the body when coming in from the outdoor shower! I'll write more later.

Teleclass Tidbit-Working with Students with ADHD

2010-05-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Teleclass Tidbit

One bit of advice from last night's NSGCD class "Working with Students with ADHD" presented by Sacramento organizer Holly Graff, CPO®, was one I use myself.

The "Time-Timer" clock is a cool little (or big) gadget that lets you visually see how much time you have left for a project. Also available for your computer and now an iPhone app. http://www.timetimer.com/

Lightload towels--Earthquake kits?

2010-05-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of "field-testing" these ultra-light towels and will report on them in the coming weeks. So far, I like them. I think they will be a really great addition to earthquake preparedness kits. They come rolled into tiny "coins" (they have to be hydrated), are soft and best yet...inexpensive! My toughest critic (my 8 year-old daughter) is helping me in the testing!
See them here at Lightload Towels.

http://www.ultralighttowels.com
(I did receive some free review samples.)

Just for fun...more Organizing Acronyms...

2010-05-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Silly stuff I found on a sticky note that I had written last year.

These are possible acronyms for organizing businesses:

CONCH

(Creative Organizing in Coastal Homes)

OUT!

(Organizing Umpires Tirelessly!)

Sit. STAY.

(Situational Strategies for Terriers and Apsos in Yurts)

(OK I know that one is a real stretch!)

POOCH

(Preferred Occupational Organizers for Cockers and Hounds)

Can you think of some more?

Genius little grippers for hangers

2010-04-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

I love these little sticky gel pads you put on hangers to keep things from slipping off. Genius! I got them for a client and I am using them too.

Slip Grip...only about $3.00 for 20 grips which will be good for 10 hangers. I bought mine at Organize.com. http://www.organize.com/clear-slip-grip-self-adhesive-shoulder-holders.html

But don't expect procrastination to pay!

2010-04-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

After my last post, I attended the NSGCD teleclass "Why don't we just do it? - Managing Procrastination" presented by Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D.

It was a wonderful class and I highly recommend reading his blog.

But he DID talk about that whole thing about sometimes procrastination paying....yes, once in awhile it can pay, but 99% of the time is doesn't, and it usually causes us pain, guilt, anxiety and sometimes even money!

So, yes, the fact that I did procrastinate in signing up for the class (actually it was more like I got distracted every time I went to the site to sign up...someone in my house suddenly needed my attention it seemed!) and I posted that fact on Facebook...and got quoted for it...it truly was one of the few times that it paid off. Being open and honest about it is what really paid off, since I think it came to the attention of the NSGCD that there was a problem in the registration process for that class. I wonder how many other organizers were just too embarrassed to say something when they thought the class was full and that's why they couldn't get in? I, however, just loved the irony of it too much not to mention it!

When procrastination pays...!

2010-04-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Whoo-hoo, I got quoted in a colleague's blog post (from my FaceBook post on procrastination–I had waited too long to sign up for a teleclass on procrastination!). Another organizer named Margaret...Margaret Lukens of New Leaf Organizing.

Margaret wrote a nice essay about how organizers might be perceived as being "perfectly organized" yet we, are indeed, human!

What have I finished?

2010-04-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

There's nothing wrong with not having finished, with being "mid-process" on your way to completing something. There's even nothing wrong with not knowing what you are going to end up with in the end. of letting the process guide you to what you'll end up with. Trusting in the process and trusting in yourself are the key.

Here are a couple of examples around this idea.

Often, when I first visit a client, I have no idea how I will help them! But I have learned to trust in the process of the questions I ask and trust in myself that I do have the skills necessary to help. Things start unfolding as I get to know the client and how he or she thinks and her likes and dislikes. Ideas start to come, and not usually just from me. The best ideas often come from the client--I am often just a catalyst to help them see how they would like to proceed. We have a vague idea of what the end result is--a more organized home, better time management, etc. But it is through trial and error (and close examination of those success and challenges) that we arrive on what works. Each step is a completion of sorts, along the "mid-process" route.

In another metaphor, think about the college student. Many young adults start college without being sure of what kind of a degree they want. They just start by attending required courses, then trying on some they think they like and making decisions from there. No one thinks less of them because they don't have a degree yet--they are "mid-process." The degree comes at the end. The experience comes the whole time! And how many people do we know who actually completed college in only four years, without taking longer or changing their major? I know a few exist, but I don't think they are the majority. What students have "finished" all along the way are hundreds of assignments, and dozens of papers, books and classes. Let's not forget to enjoy that "completion chemistry" with all the "little" completions along the way. (Good to remember whether you are a college student or not!)

And even when we've "finished" getting a degree, we are never finished learning or deciding we can take a few more courses, whether a new "course" at a college or a new "course" in life.

Package Deals

2010-03-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Instead of seasonal offers, I have decided to offer two special packages all the time. These seem to be the most popular and offer substantial savings. Their elegance is in their simplicity.

Purchase a 10 hour package and receive 1 extra hour free.
(11 total hours)

Purchase a 20 hour package and receive 3 extra hours free.
(23 hours total)

My rates vary per type of job, but are in the $70 - $100 range.

These packages are available to new and returning clients.

I am anything but a "hard-sell." If you are a new client, you can pay by the hour for the first session and if you decide to purchase a package, you can apply that to the balance at the end of the second session.

No refunds on unused hours. Hours must be used within one year of purchase.
Minimum 3-hour sessions hands-on and 1-hour sessions phone coaching.

The Sour Notes of Perfectionism

2010-03-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

I had a great chat today with a client and my thoughts around one of my latest personal adventures and organizing finally coalesced.

I am taking a beginning voice class at my local junior college. "Beginning Voice" is a fancy way of saying "Singing lessons." It's a group class, but not a choir. We are each working on individual songs and each of us will sing solo in front of the class at least 5 times over the semester. Marvel Gardner (the most wonderful, charismatic, talented, and funny voice teacher in the world) then evaluates our performance on many (oh so many) different levels.

It is, at the same time, the most exciting and terrifying thing I have ever done. Maybe this is the kind of rush people get who like to bungee jump or skydive. (I'm NOT one of those.) I took a few singing lessons when I was in high school and sang in the chorus of our production of Oklahoma! But I have never sung solo. ("Singing" campfire songs in front of 300 people in Yosemite as a park ranger doesn't really qualify.)

But in these past few weeks, I have learned a lot about myself and even more about letting go of perfectionism, which I am forever pushing on my clients.(The letting go, that is, not perfectionism!)

Just before the night I thought I might have to sing solo for the first time, my little brain was having a huge conversation with itself. Mostly about rationalizing dropping out of the class. "The song she is having us sing is too hard." "It's not my style." "I can't remember the words." "I don't sing it very well." On and on.

The other part of me took over and argued "But you've been wanting to do this for years." "You've already spent the $199 on the course, and you won't get it back." "Just do it and see if you really DO suck at singing, because your shower head is NEVER going to give you an evaluation of your abilities or help you be a better singer."

Yes, I went to class. I got there too late to sign up for singing that night and instead I just listened to my fellow newbies sing "Long Time Ago" (you can hear a bit of this on iTunes if you search Long Time Ago sung by Yvonne Kenny), over and over. Some were good. Some not so good. Some were good in parts, and not so good in others. Nobody was perfect. The song sounded different on everyone since each student has a different voice.

What did I learn? I learned (and remembered) that good enough is good enough. And practicing the song really helps. And even if I sucked at the song, I was still doing it. Even if it wasn't my best effort (sometimes I don't know when to stop practicing and just start doing), I was still going to sing it, get evaluated and learn what to try to make it better. I learned by watching all the others go before me and listened carefully to Marvel's instructions. I put those into practice when I rehearsed, and yes, when I did perform finally, it wasn't perfect, but it didn't suck. She gave me pointers and I worked on them. And when I performed again, I did better. Still not perfect, and that's OK.

I experimented. I let myself feel the fear and still performed. This wasn't Carnegie Hall, it was voice class, and I owed it to all the other students who had also faced their fears and performed in front of me. Backing out would be letting them down. Backing out would be not holding up my part of the deal. Sing for me and I'll sing for you.

This little essay only scratches the surface of what I am learning in this 13-week commitment to this class. But it has given me even more respect for others who face their fears, commit to change, and let go of trying to be perfect for fear of being seen as less than perfect. My clients do that every day. Each time I walk into a new client's home, I am often the first they have let in in months, years or decades. I don't take that responsibility lightly and I am honored they have chosen me.

My class is called "The Joy of Singing" and I can only hope I bring the "Joy of Organizing" to my clients (or just inspire readers) in their quests for a more comfortable home and life...even though the path to that life might be scary, challenging, change-making and hopefully, thrilling at the same time.

Sometimes we hit the right note. Sometimes we don't. But it's awfully quiet if we don't sing at all.

The Top Three Reasons to Hoard

2010-02-18T13:49:00.000-08:00

I attended a talk the other day and the speaker mentioned that there ARE some good reasons to hoard. It made me think a bit, even though it made me cringe. When I hear the word "hoard" I think of my clients who have so much stuff in their homes that they can no longer function. They can't sleep in their beds. They can't cook in their kitchens and they can't sit on their couch. Or take a shower or bath.

The meaning of the word might have changed, but I do tend to think we the word has always meant, "keeping too much."

But here are my top three times when it's OK to "hoard."

1. You are a squirrel (scrub jay, marmot, pika, rat, etc.) and you need to store food for the winter in order to survive. Even if there is "extra" when spring comes, at least it has padded your lair and insulated it.

2. You live in California (earthquakes), the midwest (tornadoes), a river delta (flooding) or the East (hurricanes and snow storms) and you have created an emergency preparedness kit so you have a better chance of surviving one of these disasters.

The next group I do tend to think of as a little "crazy" but I do harbor a little envy at the same time...

3. You are a "Dooms-dayer" that believes something is coming (an apocalypse, Commies, hippies or Democrats/Republicans) that will change the face of the earth forever and you will need supplies for 6 months or longer and the ability to be self-sufficient after that.

Group 1 is acting on instinct. Something tells them to gather food in order to live.

Groups 2 and 3 might be acting on either real or imagined future scenarios, but both are acting in an organized fashion and are doing what they can get to make sure they can get to their supplies and make use of them when they will need them.

Someone who is keeping things "for the future" or "when I might need them" and is not organized about it, is fooling him/herself into thinking they are just being prepared or frugal.

If you have so much stuff in your home that you can no longer do some basic things (mentioned above--sleep in your bed, sit on your couch, cook in your kitchen, use your bath or shower) because of the things that are piled on your bed, laying on your couch, "stored" in your kitchen or in your stove or piled in your tub or shower, then you have a problem called hoarding.

It may also be preventing you from seeing your family, or your own family from having friends over. It may have ruined a relationship. And it can kill you. (It can prevent emergency personnel from reaching you and even kill you directly if a pile falls on you or trips you up.)

If you are living like this, or know someone who is, please, please, let someone else know. Start seeing a therapist or counselor. Reach out to a friend.

There might be a "Hoarding Task Force" or alliance of some kind in your county or city.

Here are a few resources to start with.

A local mental health agency.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, try:
San Francisco Mental Health Association Institute on Hoarding and Cluttering, http://mha-sf.org/programs/ichc.cfm

National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, www.nsgcd.org
They provide free Fact Sheets as well as a referral service to help you find a professional organizer trained in helping clients with hoarding issues.

National Association of Professional Organizers, www.napo.net
You can find an organizer in your area. Just be sure s/he lists severe clutter or hoarding as a specialty.

I Care Village, www.icarevillage.com
A new comprehensive online resource for caregivers of the elderly. A section on hoarding is included.

Children of Hoarders website
Comprehensive website with links to local resources, legal advice, therapists in your part of the country. Personal stories, pictures, videos. Not for the faint of heart–but you will realize you are not alone! http://www.childrenofhoarders.com

OCD Foundation (Hoarding Center)
This site is co-edited by Drs. Randy Frost and Gail Skeketee, authors (with David Tolin) of Buried in Treasures (see below). They are on the front line of research into hoarding behaviors. http://www.ocfoundation.info/hoarding/

Books

Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding, by David Tolin, Randy Frost and Gail Steketee.

Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring, by Michael Tompkins and Tamara Hartl.

25 Creative Uses for Coffee Filters

2010-01-22T22:46:00.000-08:00

I pilfered this from the Stacks and Stacks Facebook update, but it was so great I had to pass it on. I already tried two of them today! And I added one--used one for the veggie cuttings that I put in the compost bin. (I use un-bleached filters.)

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome… Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."
15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.
16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors..
17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.
18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.
19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.
20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.
21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.
22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.
23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.
24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..
25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

My Clean Fridge Blog

2010-01-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

I'd like to announce the birth of a new blog...My Clean Fridge!

http://mycleanfridge.blogspot.com

I've decided that this whole "take a picture of your clean fridge" idea is pretty fun and would like to invite my readers over to this blog dedicated to clean fridges, clean pantries, clean whatever!

You are welcome to e-mail me pictures of your fridge (or whatever area you'd like to keep clean) on a monthly basis, as incentive for YOU to keep YOUR area clean! Feel free to send me the "Before" and "Afters" or just the "Afters" if you like. I will post your story and your photos on the blog as I get them.

My next project (bigger than my fridge) is my pantry....I might be brave enough to even post a "Before" shot and let you see the results as I go. I'm afraid it will take a whole day or several shorter sessions.

See you in the crisper!

Margaret Pearson Pinkham

Fridge 1/1/10

2010-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Here it is as promised. The interior of my fridge on January 1!

Knowing I would be taking this pic really kept me pretty honest about throwing things out (or using them) on an ongoing basis. I really only threw out a couple things right before I took the photo.

Welcome to my blog!

2010-01-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Until my full-service website is up, this blog will be serving as the best source of information about me and my services. Please check back frequently, leave comments or questions and let me know what you think.

Let me introduce myself
I am a professional organizing consultant and coach based in Sonoma County, California (about an hour north of San Francisco). I specialize in helping clients who tend to have more serious or long-standing issues with organizing, which can manifest as a lot of clutter, time-management problems or even compulsive hoarding.

My clients also often face "brain-based challenges" which run the gamut from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), depression, bipolar issues or other health issues. We work together to design systems that will function with each client's unique brain.

My extensive training through the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD) has helped me to understand these and many other issues that clients might face. I am not a therapist, nor do I attempt to help clients with these issues directly, but I do help design organizing strategies that can take into account these and other issues that often contribute to the clutter or organizing problems.

I earned my "CPO-CD®" (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) in 2007 through an 18-month mentored and peer-reviewed study offered by the NSGCD. It's a new and exciting field of study and we are quite the elite bunch right now! I am the only organizer in the North Bay to have this designation, and one of only 60 or so in the nation. Click here to see a list of other organizers near you who specialize in chronic disorganization and are graduates of this program or have earned lower level certificates.

I've also recently (2009 and 2010) earned my Level V (Program Coach) and Level V (Master Trainer) desiginations through the NSGCD.

I look forward to hearing from my readers and am happy to answer questions about my services or about organizing in general.

Sincerely,

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
(707) 823-3479
margaret@organizeinharmony.com

The New Fridge and the New Habit

2009-12-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

I am the proud new mama of a 4 door 21 cubic foot refrigerator! I fell in love with the idea of two freezer drawers on the bottom. I don't have to bend down far for most of my frozen stuff and I put the ice cream in the bottom drawer so I HAVE to work harder to get it!

I also fell in love with the idea of a counter-depth fridge since it is not as deep as most fridges. Yes, I lose some cubic feet, but in the end, I am only keeping cold (and can see and reach better) the items that are still fresh.

It took me a few days to slowly clean out my old fridge--and boy were there a lot of old science experiments hiding in the back!

My intention with this new fridge is to keep it clean, and filled with only EDIBLE items. What a concept!

I took a photo on its first day filled with fresh food and oh-so-clean.

I promise to post a photo of it (on or about) the first day of every month. You, my fans (fan?) can help me stay accountable to keeping this intention and the new habit of maintaining a clean fridge.

It's also my very first fridge that I have ever owned or lived with that has an ice maker (period) in the door and water in the door. Such a luxury this is!

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
Organize in Harmony

The Senior Organizer Book (Sale!!)

2009-12-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

The nice folks at Delphi Health Products Inc. just informed me that they are having a 40% off sale (until December 31, 2009) on their products if purchased from their website. Visit their site here:
http://www.biobinders.com/#

In their own words...

"Delphi Health Products, Inc. products are aimed at the large, "graying" baby boomer market. Our initial line of BioBinder products provides groundbreaking simplicity in "organizing" and "immediate" access to life's vital information"

I am most familiar with their book The Senior Organizer. This is a workbook of sorts to fill out with all your (or the senior in your life) important information–like medications, legal info, financial information and locations of accounts, etc.

It's a well-organized book and can be filled out by the senior or with the help of an adult child if needed. It's all valuable information to have at your fingertips even just on a trip to the doctor's and especially in the event of an emergency. Just remember, you (or a loved one) might not be conscious during a health emergency or accident, and this will help everyone involved know critical information and understand what your wishes are.

Think about it...I know I have several credit cards, while I use only a few of them. I'm the bill-payer in my family and keep track of all that stuff myself. If I suddenly wound up incapacitated for a time, my husband would be thrilled to just take a look at this one book and know all of our accounts. And visa-versa–he keeps track of all our retirement information, and if it was all listed here, I wouldn't have to search through his desk and closet and wonder if I'd found all the paperwork.

This would make a nice present to give to a mom or dad–along with the promise to spend time with them to help them fill it out. (Word of advice–if your parents are anything like mine, make sure you do fill it out with them to make sure it gets done. My own dad had a little "My Memories" book I asked him to fill out years before he passed away. I found it afterward, and he had only filled out a few pages.)

In fact, one of the authors, professional organizer Dorothy Breininger, remarks that she wishes she had had this before her own dad passed away in order to make the ensuing time easier for everyone.

Once the book is purchased, they advise you to fill it out in pencil since information changes, copy the pages and put them in a binder or download the forms available on their website–all great bits that increase the usefulness of this book.

Product/Service Disclosure
(Delphi Health Products provided me with a free review copy of The Senior Organizer. I receive no compensation from Delphi or the authors for my reviews or recommendations.)

I Care Village

2009-11-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting more information in the next few days, but I am very excited to announce my affiliation and the launch of this new site dedicated to helping those who are caring for the elderly.

Visit now for a site preview! The site is up and running, and some links will become active later this week.

www.icarevillage.com

I am listed under the "Ask the Experts" tab under "Personal Organizing." I have written a number of articles for the site and will continue with fresh content, articles, reviews, videos and more. Launching soon is a new feature where you can set up an appointment with me (or one of the other experts) for a real-time consultation.

Let me know what you think!

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
Organize in Harmony

I love my touchless soap dispenser!

2009-11-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

I managed to find this dispenser at my local Ross for about $20. I just bought one to see how it would work. I love it! With cold season coming on and Swine Flu (H1N1) on everyone's lips (and hands), this is a nice little answer to having to touch something several times a day that everyone else in your family also touches. (Especially if one of your family members is an 8 year old.) And since I filled it with watered down dish soap, I can also quite easily get some soap into a dirty pan while holding the pan in one hand and the scrubber in the other.

This one from Simple Human retails for $40, but if you can find these puppies for less, I say they are a deal and an asset to your kitchen. I'll get a couple more--one for our guest bath and one for our own.

Product/Service Disclosure
(I paid for this item myself and receive no compensation from the maker.)

Come to the SFBA Regional Confernce on Saturday November 7!

2009-11-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

If you are a professional organizer, you should be in San Rafael this weekend! You can still register for the NAPO-San Francisco Bay Area Regional Conference. Tell them Margaret sent you!

http://www.napo-sfba.org/seminar_.cfm

Organizing is like a bowl of oatmeal

2009-10-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

This post is something akin to
"Life is like a box of chocolates."

Let me explain...

My husband eats a bowl of oatmeal almost every day. However, he rarely finishes it before he leaves for work and he finishes it on the way. That means the bowl sits in his car all day before he gets home and sets it in the sink.

You know what that bowl is like 10 hours later, right? The difference between dried oatmeal and superglue is minuscule at this point. That bowl has got to soak for hours in water before it can be cleaned (by hand). There's no point in putting it in the dishwasher, which seems to only multiply the superglue effect of dried oatmeal.

My point here around organizing is this: it's often much easier to get to (and complete) a project or task right away, rather than letting it "ripen."

Those bowls or any other dishes, when newly dirty, are often extremely easy to clean. A moment of swishing a bowl with water and a scrubber will clean them well enough to set in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning and sterilizing.

However, if you let dishes sit to dry and harden, it not only takes time to let them soak, but then more water (a precious resource in in drought-prone California), more effort (elbow grease) and more time (scrubbing, soaking) to get an item clean. What might have taken seconds and very little water, is taking minutes and gallons of water and energy just because you didn't rinse an item right away.

Now, is this an essay about the rewards of doing your dishes right away? (Yes and no.) For some of my clients, creating a habit of cleaning the kitchen is something we work on together. But really, I'm looking at the bigger picture here.

What other tasks are you putting off that cost you more in time, effort, energy and possibly money (since time is money)?

I know I've got a couple of overdue library books racking up some fines. (Actual dollars there.)

If I let the laundry go too long, then I suddenly have several loads to wash, dry, fold and put away. (And in the same vein, if I let the laundry sit in the dryer too long, I then have a load of wrinkled clothes that will now cost me time (and electricity...$) to iron.

If I don't open my mail and put all the bills in the "bills to pay" folder, I might miss a bill, have to pay a late fee ($) and possibly harm my credit.

If you can nip anything in the bud, then you will keep it from overtaking you and putting you in "overwhelm." Often, "overwhelm" isn't because we have so many things coming at us (well, for some people it is), but it's because we've let so many things get away from us and they become wild and unruly like spoiled children. Kids don't come out of the birth canal spoiled. Parents that have neglected to set rules and boundaries create spoiled children. Omissions rather than an actual act of trying to spoil kids. A lot like our omissions of not getting to tasks.

(In truth, a child does come out of the womb spoiled. They have had everything they have ever needed fed to them through a tube or encased around them. Heck, they haven't even had to chew and swallow. And I do believe we should "spoil" them for quite awhile after they enter the world with all that they need: food, sleep, clean clothes and diapers and love and attention. At some point, though, gentle boundaries are taught and they begin to assimilate into a world with other beings. But I think I have digressed a tad...)

All I am saying is this...the next time you are about to procrastinate on a task, think down the line a little. How long will it take right now versus how long it will take tomorrow or next week? Is there a price to pay? The price you pay may be in dollars, time, effort, another person's hurt feelings, your reputation or your credit score!

What's it worth?

Oh, and those oatmeal bowls? I think I'll encourage DH to eat toast...

NSGCD Conference

2009-10-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great time I am having at the annual conference of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization!

Some highlights

My Level III student, Janine Adams, received her CPO-CD® pin! Whoo-hoo! If you need a PO (professional organizer) in the St. Louis area, give her a call!
And since she earned her Level III, I earned my Level IV! (Thank you Janine for making it SO easy!) You can guess what Level is next, huh?
The NSGCD will be changing its name! The committee has been formed, but no new name yet. We've outgrown the name--we are international now (we just signed an agreement with both the Australasian Association Professional Organizers) and Nederlandse Beroepsvereniging van Professional Organizers (The Netherlands). And we are no longer just a study group--we are doing some research...and we also have subscribers (fancy way of saying members) who are in related fields like psychology.
Dr. Daniel Amen spoke--always such great info on the brain. I've read a couple of his books as well as watched his PBS specials. Very entertaining and charming in person, too. He previewed for us his script of his next PBS special based on his next book Change Your Brain, Change Your Body, in which he related his research on the brain to different types of brains and what each person needs to do to help them lose (or gain if they need) weight. He's also doing a study on retired NFL players and dementia...hmmm...can't wait to see that one!
Getting to see all the friends I've made all around the country has been very exciting...and making new ones each day. That's called networking, right? But it feels really fun and this is a welcoming, warm, fun (and very smart) group of organizers.
Getting to spend time with a very good friend, Kim Anker-Paddon, who abandoned me in Sonoma County to come and live and work in LA, where she is closer to her daughters. She's an extraordinary organizer who specializes in clients with issues like ADD (ADHD), chronic disorganization, and compulsive hoarding. Please call her if you need any help in the LA area!
My hotel vegan dinner turned out to be a really lovely polenta (with about 10 cloves of garlic in it) on a bed of mushrooms and al dente veggies. I was able to request a dessert of berries--raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and a blackberry (there's my brain food, Dr. Amen!) They didn't score so highly with me at lunch. Once again, they just took the chicken off the bed of pasta and gave it to me. At least there were veggies on the side!

Oh...there's so much more, but I've got to go get ready for an early 8 am breakfast. (They had soy milk at the buffet yesterday for the cereal...more vegan brownie points for the Omni Hotel!)

And please forgive my liberal use of exclamation points today...but I am having fun! (oops...)

Margaret

It pays to purge your clothing closet! (Literally)

2009-09-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

The closet was getting a little unmanageable. We'd been painting in the bathroom and "things" were piling up in the closet. I knew it was time for a purge...

Purging my closet is a never-ending activity. Well, I shouldn't say that...it's more like an evolving activity. Every six months or so I tell myself I am going to reduce my clothing by half. That's a little extreme, but it's what I go in with. And if I wasn't ready to let go of something six months before, I usually am ready now. Saying good-bye sometimes takes time.

And every six months or so I manage to purge just enough to get all my clothes on hangers and back up IN the closet or folded into a drawer.

I did it again over the weekend. I did use up every last one of my hangers, but I did empty my "seasonal" box and have nothing in it now! (We hardly have seasons here, anyway. It's cold enough most summer afternoons here that I need a jacket, and never so cold in the winter that I can't wear my tank tops under a shirt or jacket. There's very little in my closet that can't be worn all year.

Why do I own three pairs of brown cords? (Because I forgot I already owned two and bought one more.) When they are hanging up next to each other, then I can see how many I own of each type or color. That helps me to remember what I've got when I am out shopping.

Do I really need four pairs of jeans? Well, I decided I needed three. One pair of "grubbies" one pair of "OK to run to the store in" and one pair of "dress" jeans that I need to hem because they must assume all women wear 5-inch heels when they wear dress jeans. (I'm not even short! I'm quite average at 5'5"!) Now it's a little dangerous for me to keep clothing I think I need to alter, since I rarely do it. But these jeans are nice, and I'll give myself a time boundary around how long I keep them if I haven't hemmed them. (By the way, duct tape works in a pinch!)

My happiest moment in the closet this weekend? When I found a $20 bill in a pocket of a pair of pants. Whoo-hoo! Now, I'm thrilled with a $1 bill, ecstatic with a $5 or $10, and "through the roof silly" with a $20. DH was out of town, so Mom and I went to a movie (Julie and Julia) and I happily paid $5 for a bag of popcorn!

Now, aren't you ready to go see how much money is lurking in your closet?

(By the way, I bundled up four bags of clothing and two bags of shoes. I jotted down each item and its condition on a piece of paper that I will staple to the receipt I get at the thrift store. I'll be able to get the most value from my donation at tax time with an itemization like this. "It's Deductible" will help you keep track of it all year and can be imported right into TurboTax.)

A&E Hoarders Episode IV

2009-09-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

A quick synopsis...

Jake is a young man (21) who is living with his alcoholic (and verbally abusive) father in an apartment. The father seems seriously depressed and a serious alcoholic who hasn't thrown away a wine bottle in 6 months. His space is almost literally covered in bottles. Jake is suicidal. He seems to have diagnosed OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and cannot throw out anything that ever comes, in, including trash. He fears he will shorten his dog's life if he throws out the fur she sheds. He is an emotional wreck, but has a supportive boyfriend. Therapist Tara Fields is working with him.

Shirley, 71, lives with her husband in squalor in their home. She thinks she has 21-25 cats. She had a stroke and is blind in one eye. Animal control is in on this one and has cited Shirley for having too many animals. There are dogs on the property, too, but it is hard to tell how many. In the end, they pull out over 70 animals, 43 of them live cats. Several must be put down right away due to their ill health and serious disease. A "hoarding specialist" comes in. This person seems to be a junk hauler rather than a trained organizer.

Just a quick comment on this right now.

First of all, these are both very serious situations that are beyond the training of even professional organizers like myself who have been trained by the NSGCD to help clients with hoarding issues.

Jake is a wonderful, intelligent young man with some very serious mental health issues. The fact that he speaks of killing himself numerous times is a giant red flag for me that this man needs a (very well qualified) therapist. He seems to have gotten that in the show. Dr. Fields was gentle and gave him control with gentle nudging and self-awareness of his anxiety levels. He is also living in a situation with his father that is very unhealthy not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. Jake made wonderful strides for letting go of the trash, and he will need long-term support from a professional for him to continue growing. Hopefully his relationships with his mom and boyfriend are healthy and supportive ones which will help him continue his growth and independence (from his stuff, his obsessions and his father).

Shirley's is a case of animal hoarding, which is a completely different level of hoarding than "stuff" hoarding and I don't know if even the "experts" know how to deal with this yet. We saw a lot of denial from Shirley about the problems with the cats--she herself didn't realize how many she had and that so many had died or were sick. That is part of the illness of animal hoarding, is very poor insight into reality. I'm glad to see she wasn't charged or sent to jail. Yes, she neglected animals and kept them in poor conditions. But she wasn't intending to do that and I don't see how jail time would have actually helped her. People who hoard generally have poor insight into their situations, and even when they do realize a change must occur, often cannot make the change on their own--even with the threat of jail or children or spouses leaving or being taken away. It is bigger than they are. It doesn't excuse the situation. It just explains it.

I hope that more people will realize how complicated hoarding is. There are no easy answers. No one-size-fits-all solutions. When I was a park ranger in Yosemite, visitors would often say "Just don't let cars in the Valley, that will solve the over-crowding." Another no-easy-answers problem that (literally) fills volumes with idea for potential solutions.

Watch for more from me in the next few days about the larger problems around finding solutions around hoarding.

And, yes, if you have any ideas, send them my way!

What do YOU think?

Is A&E setting up hoarders for failure?

2009-09-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that A&E isn't trying to set up its featured subjects in the Hoarders series for failure.

But they are doing their darndest to make that happen.

Here's what's wrong. (See what's right in my next post.)

1. The subjects don't seem to be getting therapy while they are getting organizing help.
This is necessary for any real change in a person's saving or acquiring habits. Not to mention emotional help with the trauma of loss and the difficulty of change, or any other mental health (or even physical health)conditions they might have.

2. They seem to be only getting help over the course of two days.
This is not how long it takes for real clearing to happen, even with a team. Maybe a bunch of guys with shovels could do it, but that would just be junk-hauling, not helping human beings.

3. They have a "team" of people there ready to help.
The "team" is a bunch of hired hands ready to do manual labor. The team is going to be of no use unless the organizer or therapist has arranged pre-sorted piles for the client to look through and make decisions about. A real team would be a team of professional organizers led by one leader organizer and the client.

4. Family members do not seem to have been briefed on how the process is going to go or what to expect.
The family members just seem to be set up for high expectations and the frustration that ensues is just good camera fodder.

Granted, I have no behind-the-scenes knowledge, so I don't know what is edited out or edited for effect. I can only hope some of these other things are happening, but what I do know is that the whole picture of hoarding is not getting out to the public, nor some of the resources, like the NSGCD, where some of the organizers got their training.

A&E Hoarders Episode III

2009-09-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

The third installment in the A&E series Hoarders was a doozey. But oh, so real.

One story featured Betty, a woman whose elderly mentally ill husband cannot return to the home (social services has intervened) until she cleans up the house and yard. Her mentally ill adult daughter also lives with them. They are staying in a motel and money is running out. Professional organizer Dorothy Breininger is there to help.

The other story is about Tara, a 50ish woman who lives alone in a rental and is about to be evicted because of the clutter. The professional organizer helping her is Brendan McDaniel.

This was a study in contrasts, for sure. Each woman came to the "cleaning weekend" with a different attitude.

Betty was defiant. Not at all ready to "let go" of anything, and very upset that this was being "forced" on her. She still enjoyed shopping and collecting, and said it was her only joy and she wasn't going to stop.

Tara, on the other hand, was speaking hopefully about clearing up her situation and having a nice home again.

Both women had well-trained, experienced (with hoarding) professional organizers there to help them. Both Dorothy and Brendan are members of the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) which provides organizers with classes and certification programs for dealing with special issues like hoarding. This is where I attained my "CPO-CD®" (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) in a mentored and peer-reviewed 18-month program.

As I watched this episode, I could see where this was going. I could be pretty sure that Betty wasn't going to make much progress, and anything that might be accomplished would not be "lasting." She just wasn't ready or willing. Tara, on the other hand, was "ready" in her heart and mind, but I know from experience that that often is not enough for the actual purging to happen.

In fact, Betty fought her organizer and her family the whole way. Dorothy did a wonderful job of letting her know that decisions were "in her hands" and that she wasn't there to fight with her. But poor Betty dug her heels in. Betty's case is a prime example of someone who needs not just an expert-with-hoarding organizer, but an expert therapist to be helping her along the way. Betty's problems run deep, and frankly, if I were her, I could see putting up a wall of junk to keep from having to deal with my reality–a schizophrenic aged husband that had been drunk for most of the marriage, a schizophrenic adult daughter who still lives me and sets fire to the house from her cigarettes (that's how social services got involved), one daughter fighting leukemia, and another daughter about to wash her hands of the whole situation. At present, her only "joy" is acquiring. I can see that only time with a skilled therapist could turn her life around a little to figure out how else to find "joy" and to possibly get relief from living in the same household with two schizophrenic adults. And that's just the surface.

Tara jumped into the process with great hope and a great attitude. The reality, however, seemed to set in quite quickly. She got a migraine. She couldn't focus. She had forgotten to take her medicine and hadn't eaten. She was getting dizzy. She started doing what is called "churning." Looking through one pile of stuff and just setting all the things in a different pile or piles. Very little was "let go." Much was presents for other people. (I find this a common theme.) Often those who hoard have these wonderful big hearts and are always thinking of other people and buying or saving things to give to them. But rarely does the stuff get into the hands of the intended. It is usually piled up and lost, uncovered years later, too ruined to be given or no longer appropriate for the person.

Even Tara had melt-downs when she believed her friend and the organizer had thrown out some comics that she wanted to save. This one action caused her to temporarily lose faith and trust in the organizer. This is why you never throw out anything unless the client has told you to do so! (In this case, I think the organizer and friend thought they DID have permission to throw these out.) Once a client is suspicious of your actions, it's very difficult to regain trust.

Brendan did regain her trust and they did manage to clear an area in her living room.

Betty, under duress the entire time, did get one room cleaned and the yard mostly cleared. I believe a lot of it was thrown out without her specific permission, since her daughter was shown throwing things out in a fit. This won't be a lasting victory.

I hold out hope for Tara. She had genuine hope for herself to change, and wanted to change. The actual change will be harder. She, too will need therapeutic help in order to understand her behaviors and be able to change them, not just in clearing clutter, but in stopping the acquiring.

Betty is in a much worse "place." She has a more difficult family situation and absolutely no desire to change.

Hoarding is a sad and debilitating illness. There can be hopeful outcomes, and with shows like these, even if flawed, more people will have more knowledge about and possibly some people will be helped.

In my next posts, I will explore my thoughts around how A&E has set up these scenarios and what helps and what doesn't.

If you need help with a hoarding situation, or would just like to learn more about the topic, please visit the NSGCD website. www.nsgcd.org

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization
Organize in Harmony
(707) 823-3479

Who wants to be called a "hoarder?"

2009-08-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hoarder.

It's just not a nice word. Even one of the clients in the new A&E Hoarders series mentioned how she didn't like the word.

It sounds awful. And it sounds a lot like another word that is spelled differently but sounds the same. I have learned to enunciate clearly and make sure the person I'm speaking to is paying attention otherwise they think I've just called someone a very bad name.

In fact, I try not to use the word "hoarder" anymore at all. Instead of "I work with hoarders" I'll say "I work with clients who have compulsive hoarding issues." Instead of "She's becoming a hoarder" I'll say, "She has some compulsive hoarding tendencies." You get the idea.

It's like in the health profession or mental health profession. Calling someone by the name of their illness degrades a person, make them the illness, no longer a person with an illness. "She's a person with bipolar disorder" rather than "She's a bipolar." I don't work in hospitals (but I've watched hospital shows), and we've heard doctors refer to "the brain cancer in Room 5" when they should have said "the patient in Room 5 with brain cancer."

Hoarding is an illness. A compulsion. A sad and uncomfortable place to be.

It's unfortunate that A&E names their series "Hoarders," but I suppose that's a whole lot catchier than "People with Compulsive Hoarding Issues."

My clients are people. Most often, they are fun, creative, interesting, intelligent, talkative, warm and caring people.

And some of them have compulsive hoarding issues.

A&E Hoarders Episode II

2009-08-24T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have a few thoughts about the second episode of A&E's new series called "Hoarders."

This episode featured two stories–Linda who needed to sell her house after her divorce, but needed to clear it and repair it before it could be put up for sale. She worked with a therapist who stood with her during the purging.

The second story featured Steven, who had filled his very small studio apartment with garbage. He worked with (the infamous in organizing circles) professional organizer, Dorothy Breininger.

Linda was shown shopping at a thrift store before her clearing began. I heard her delight in finding interesting things (a purse in the shape of an armadillo, for example), the pride in finding something that was a "bargain" and when at the grocery store, the excitement in finding a new type of energy bar. They said she shops at the thrift store several times a week and can spend $100-$200 at a time there. Now, since I am quite familiar with thrift stores, I know that that much money buys quite a lot. And that much stuff will take up a lot of space in the home!

I don't know the therapist who worked with Linda, and I don't know how much work they did together in the office before they got to the house. It seems like that for the sake of the filming, a crew was provided, but there wasn't much the crew could do since the therapist didn't set up the day in a way that a crew could really do anything. She did put Linda "in charge" of decisions about what was to be let go of (the only way to do it), but had she used an organizer too, they might have been able to get more done by doing some agreed upon pre-organizing into piles for her to look at. Instead, they worked as I do when I am one-on-one with a client--slowly, one box or pile at a time. They worked 10 hours on one day (usually far too much for one person to handle) and then again probably several hours the next day. It seemed to end with Linda overwhelmed and her son very frustrated with the lack of "progress." The end-titles told us that Linda gave up on cleaning the house, wasn't able to secure a loan for repairs and moved out. It wasn't clear what work she and the therapist had done or were continuing to do in reducing the acquiring Linda does.

In Steven's case, Dorothy Breininger (an NSGCD member, I might add) made good use of the crew by setting up numerous categories, and had the crew stack things in those areas for Steven to look through. Now, this was a very small apartment, but they were able to clear it out in the two days and set it up very simply for Steven to live in again. Dorothy talked about how they had already had some conversations around what his goals were, and asking himself "Does keeping this get me closer to this goal or farther?" I liked Dorothy's attitude toward Steven, reminding him often (and reinforcing the idea numerous times) that he was in charge of what stayed and what left, and reminding him of his end goals of writing a book and having a more spiritual life.

If anything in these shows seems too familiar to you, and you are currently experiencing distress about your the condition of your home, please give me a call or send me an e-mail. I'm happy to talk to you about the issue of compulsive hoarding and where you might find some help.

You are worth it. You deserve it. And you can do it. The first step is asking for help.

Margaret Pearson Pinkham, CPO-CD®
margaret@organizeinharmony.com
(707) 823-3479

If you are not in my area (Sonoma County in Northern CA), please visit the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) website to find a professional organizer trained in these special issues.

A great little book to read is Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving and Hoarding by David Tolin, Randy Frost and Gail Skeketee. It speaks to both the person with the hoarding issues and has sidebars written to family members or loved ones who are trying to help or understand. Great primer for "do's and don'ts" when helping a person to clean their home.

When will I take on a client with Compulsive Hoarding issues?

2009-08-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

I work with clients who have compulsive hoarding issues.

The clients with the highest probability of changing their situation will be doing these things...

1. It will be their idea to ask for help.
When they are ready, they will call me. It doesn't work well if they are forced to call me by a well-meaning family member. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't him drink."

2. They are in some sort of therapy or counseling.
It's best if they are in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) at the same time I am working with them. With their permission, I can work in a collaborative arrangement with the therapist to help move things along in the home while the client and therapist work on issues in the office. I am not a therapist, and I am well-aware of my boundaries when it comes to this issue.

3. The client has family or friends in the area who are supportive and encourage their efforts to clean up.
This isn't an "absolute" of mine, but again, the chances for change are much, much better if the client has a support team. A therapist or other professional can also be a part of that supportive group.

If you are looking for an organizer in your area, please contact the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) and look at their website for a qualified professional with training around compulsive hoarding.

Watch this blog for more posts about compulsive hoarding and what to expect from a trained professional organizer if you are a person with compulsive hoarding issues.

There's help...there really is. It's not easy and it's not cheap. But it's life changing and it's worth it.

Are you ready for a different life?

A&E Compulsive Hoarding Series

2009-08-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

A&E is running a new series about compulsive hoarding, which premiered Monday, August 17.

You can read more about it and find the schedule here. It will be shown on Monday nights, and according to my Comcast schedule, each episode will be shown a number of times each week.

I just watched the first show and am left with mixed impressions of their portrayal of the topic and their subjects.

I know a couple of the Professional Organizers who worked with the people, and have heard Dr. David Tolin (the psychologist featured in one segment) speak at an NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) conference.

The reactions of the people that were being helped were typical of those with compulsive hoarding issues. Aware of their situation, yet seemingly blind to the piles around them. Intelligent, creative and caring people. People concerned with not wasting things, yet in that very concern gone haywire, they have wasted and ruined almost everything they have "saved" for use in the future. It all seems logical to them.

Even the threat of eviction or losing a spouse or custody of their children often does not prompt them to change their ways. They seem to be at the mercy of this cruel condition.

So very complicated.

And heartbreaking for their families.

For the most part, the organizers and Dr. Tolin treated these clients with respect and patience. There might have been a few times where I might have said something differently or tried a different tactic. But I know these people to be trained and educated around the issue of compulsive hoarding. Dr. Tolin is one of three researchers conducting research into this condition, and has co-written a book intended for those with the problem of hoarding and their families--Buried in Treasures. (See this book on my Amazon carousel at the bottom of this page.)

Keep in mind that this was a one-hour television show that condensed many, many hours of actual work. We don't know what went on at other times, or what was cut here and there.

I did read some comments on the A&E website about how so much was just "thrown out." Please keep in mind that when most professional organizers work with clients (myself included) we try to donate, recycle or repurpose whatever we can. We don't want to waste anything, either.

But the big issue with things that come from a house filled with hoarded items....they are probably toxic with mold or are impregnated with the smell from the home--again, mold, mildew and dust. Most items really cannot be saved, and should not be dumped on some unsuspecting thrift store and possibly contaminate someone else's home.

In the next few days, I'll write more posts about compulsive hoarding.

In the meantime, check out my links listed on this blog and check out my credentials for working with people who have severe clutter or compulsive hoarding issues.

Please contact me by phone or e-mail if you have any questions or concerns about your own issues or a loved-ones.

Margaret Pearson Pinkham
margaret@organizeinharmony.com
707-823-3479

A walk in the woods can help you focus

2009-08-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Never underestimate the power of nature!

That can be true for hurricanes as well as a simple walk in the woods.

My advice today is simple--take a walk. Even if you can't get out to a park and go on a hike, just take a walk down your street--hopefully it has some green trees and fresh air.

Walking in the natural world uses a different part of our brain than the part we use at work or in school. It lets those parts rest, and when you need to get back to work or school or simply to that cluttered closet, you will truly be "of a different mind" when when you get back.

Have a nice walk!

2009 NSGCD Annual Conference

2009-08-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be attending this wonderful conference put on by the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization for Professional Organizers and related professionals (therapists, coaches, etc.).

Learn more about the conference at the NSGCD website.

2009 Annual Conference on Hoarding and Cluttering

2009-07-28T08:14:00.001-07:00

This is a wonderful conference open to everyone: those who have hoarding issues, people who work with them (organizers, therapists, social workers, government officials, etc.) and even friends and family members.

Please think about attending this conference in San Francisco if there is anyone in your life living with this problem. Sometimes there aren't answers, but there is understanding.

Mental Health Association of San Francisco
2009 Annual Conference on Hoarding and Cluttering
Save the Date! November 5, 2009.
This year's conference features Tamara Hartl, Ph.D. as keynote speaker.
Online registration opens August 1st, 2009.
Compulsive hoarding and cluttering refers to the acquisition of and failure to discard a large number of possessions, which appear to be useless or of limited value, in an attempt to decrease stress and anxiety. This serious and prevalent problem can lead to eviction and homelessness. It is often a feature of several psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder and major depression, and can be caused or aggravated by problems associated with increasing age or physical disabilities.
MHA-SF holds an annual conference for more than 400 social service providers, medical professionals, landlords and property managers, researchers, family and friends, and people who hoard and clutter.

Putting Your Affairs in Order

2009-07-14T10:07:00.001-07:00

There was a column in today's paper about being "ready" when you go, especially if you go suddenly and unexpectedly, as Michael Jackson did.

An organizer/author friend of mine, Maggie Watson, has written a book that helps you do just that--be ready, that is!

A Graceful Farewell:Putting Your Affairs in Order is a wonderful workbook that you can help someone (a parent?) fill out so that everyone knows where everything is.

It even contains a CD in the back of all the forms so you can fill this out on your computer or print extra pages if you have more information.

I'll write a fuller review of it in the coming weeks...but hey, why not go out and get it right now and start filling it out? Your kids will thank you...and if you are helping your parents do it, you will thank yourself for saving yourself energy and grief at a time when you will need all your energy to help you get through the period of grief!

Product Disclosure
I received a free copy of this book from the author who is also a friend and colleague. I receive no compensation for this or any other review.

Summer Special on Phone Coaching

2009-07-10T07:31:00.001-07:00

Summer Special through the end of August!

Sign up for two hours of phone coaching and get one hour free.

(Mention this blog. Offer good for sessions scheduled
through the end of August)

PayPal Accepted Now!

2009-07-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

Completion is in the eye of the beholder.

2009-06-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

While I might have several "to do's" on my list each day, I try to remind myself that I accomplish much more than those items on a daily basis.

If you've been feeling like you never seem to finish anything, I suggest you redefine "finished."

My dishwasher is a perfect example.

I could look at cleaning my kitchen as one big "To Do." But if I am telling myself that it's not "finished" until it's perfectly clean and all the dishes are put away and the floors are mopped...then I know I will never truly be finished. (Chances are good someone will dirty a dish while I am mopping the floor, and there you have it, the cycle starts all over!)

But what if I break it down into much smaller steps, and pat myself on the back as I complete each one? Won't I get more of that "Completion Chemistry" going, feel encouraged and not overwhelmed?

So here are some examples of big "to do's" and smaller alternatives.

Instead of "I'm going to clean the whole kitchen" how about "I'll just empty the dishwasher." (Or even--"I'll just empty the top rack." On a tough day I'll break that down to "I'll use a clean glass out of the dishwasher instead of one in the cabinet and I'll call it starting to empty the dishwasher."

Instead of "I'm going to do the laundry," how about "I'll fold the tea towels and put them away."

Instead of "I need to mow the lawn," how about "I'm going to see if the lawn mower has gas in it."

Instead of "I'm going to sort and purge my whole wardrobe," how about "I'm going to sort and purge my sock drawer."

Instead of "I'm going to run in a marathon,"" how about "I think I'll see if I can walk to the end of the block."

I think you get the idea.

Granted, it will take you many of these little steps to get the larger task done, but it is those little steps that get you started. And for many of us, it is just starting those little steps that seem to get in our way.

All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From Star Trek

2009-05-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

As promised....(no it doesn't have much to do with organizing, but I love it!)

Seek out new life and new civilizations.
Non-interference is the Prime Directive.
Keep your phaser set on stun.
Humans are highly illogical.
There's no such thing as a Vulcan death grip.
Live long and prosper.
Having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting; it is not logical but it is often true.
Infinite diversity in infinite combinations (IDIC).
Tribbles hate Klingons (and Klingons hate Tribbles).
Enemies are often invisible - like Klingons, they can be cloaked.
Don't put all your ranking officers in one shuttle craft.
When your logic fails, trust a hunch.
Insufficient data does not compute.
If it can't be fixed, just ask Scotty.
Even in our own world, sometimes we are aliens.
When going out into the Universe, remember: "Boldly go where no man has gone before!"

UPDATE: I should have mentioned that I am not the original creator of this list. I haven't been able to find the origins--I had a poster of this for years, and I found it again on another person's website, un-credited.

Beware of cloaking devices!

2009-05-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

In honor of the new Star Trek Movie that opened last week, I thought I'd use a Trek theme for my posts this week! Yes, I was a Trekkie (fan of the original series) and a Trekker (fan of the Next Generation series). For a special treat on Friday, I'll post the "All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned on Star Trek" wisdom!

Today however, I'd like to talk about plastic bags. Those nasty white things they foist upon you at the grocery store (or department store) when you have forgotten your eco-canvas bags.

Beware of them...for more than ecological reasons!!!!! They all contain the Klingon Cloaking Device and anything you put in them (or decide to leave in them) will be invisible to you forever. The bags themselves will become invisible to you.

To update your Trek knowledge for a moment here, let me explain the Klingon Cloaking Device. We first came upon it in the original series. The Klingons were a race of people who were, shall we say, just plain nasty. Like they all were having a bad-hair-day every day. Warrior types that went out looking for a fight. Somehow, even though they had not evolved like the logical and peaceable Vulcans, they had not only developed the technology for space flight, but were the only ones in the universe to have developed a way to make their ships invisible. The "cloaking device" (Such an archaic term for such a futuristic technology, huh?) used a lot of energy, and they couldn't fire their weapons with it on, so they had to use it judiciously. But it meant they could sit in the middle of space and wait for another ship to come by to pounce on when there was no planet to crouch behind.

Anyway, back to present time. I was reminded last night just how plastic bags can render anything invisible when I went looking for some soda that I thought my DH had put away. I checked the counters, I checked the fridge...no soda and I was hot and needed a caffeine fix.

When I asked him, he simply said, "It's in the fridge."

"I looked in the fridge. I didn't see it."

"Oh, I just put them in there in the plastic bag."

"Oh...that's why I didn't see them...."

Sure enough, I went back and found them. Now, I don't normally put ANYTHING in the fridge IN a bag, so the bag itself should have stood out to me. But no. These bags have special powers.

Why oh why am I going on and on about these bags?

Because I see them all the time in my clients' homes. (OK, so I must have special powers only when I wear my "CPO-CD" pin, I guess–it renders their powers useless!)

Time after time, while sorting and purging, we will come across many, many of these bags, open them and my client will exclaim "Wow, so that's where that is! I remember buying that (last week, last month, last year, when my married daughter was in diapers...) and I haven't seen it since!"

These bags can pile up so easily, hide food, crafts, clothing, gifts meant for loved ones...their power to conceal is endless.

My only advice is this: when you bring something home in a plastic bag, take it out of the bag, and set the item(s) on the counter (or wherever they need to go) and put that bag in another bag to recycle it at the grocery store when you have a collection of them!

This simple act will defeat the Klingon Cloaking Device without a single shot fired!

Organizing acronym fun! (OAF!)

2009-05-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here are a few acronyms that popped into my head for possible presentations to special interest groups:

OY! (Organize Yourself!)
Jewish Community Center

OM.... (Organize Mindfully)
World Meditation Society

OB-GYN! (Oh Boy-Get Yourself Neat!)
County Obstetricians

CONCH! (Create Organized, Neat Coastal Homes)
Bay Area Homeowners

I'll add to this list as I think of them...and I invite you to tell me yours!

The S-P-O-R-T of downsizing

2009-05-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

Whatever your reason for downsizing right now (the economy, a senior moving to a smaller home, or just too much clutter, etc.), the benefits may surprise you–saved money in storage fees, more room in your house due to less "stuff," or even more room in your life due to the extra space you have created! Whether you believe in Feng Shui or not, I do believe that when you create open areas in your living space, you invite a new energy and vitality to come and reside with you, too!

Here's a positive spin I call the "S-P-O-R-T" technique! (Think about if you want this to be an individual or "team" sport. Having a friend to be accountable to while doing this makes it easier and can make the time fly!)

S–Sort
P–Purge
O–Organize
R–Relax and Reward
T–Treasure

S–Sort
Sort your stuff so you know what you have! You can approach this in a number of ways, whether you are looking at a storage unit or an entire house. Start slow, one step at a time, so it doesn't overwhelm you.

Sorting can mean putting like things with like. For example, gather all your bathroom items in one pile, pull all your towels out of the linen closet, or look at all your mixing bowls and baking items at once. Often, my clients will see just how many items they have of one thing, and the next step (purging) becomes so much easier. "Wow, I didn't realize I owned 15 flashlights!" (Or 42 bath towels or 21 bottles of shampoo–you get the idea!)

Another way to sort is room by room, cabinet by cabinet or even drawer by drawer, making an assumption that you have already "sorted" the things in your house to a degree. This is a good technique if you are easily overwhelmed by the idea of sorting everything you own. Just think of it in 15-30 minute segments–one drawer, one cabinet. See what's in there and "define the space." "This is my baking cabinet." "This drawer is for large utensils." Again, you'll see the wisdom here in the next step.

P–Purge
It isn't the prettiest word in our language, but at least it rhymes with "urge." I like to repeat to myself in an upbeat manner "I've got the urge to purge, I've got the urge to purge." Remember Flip Wilson's "Here come da judge, here come da judge"? Kind of like that! In fact, you are the judge! (See a Laugh-in clip with Sammy Davis, Jr. as the judge here.) So repeat after me, "Here come da judge and I got the urge to purge! Here come da judge and I got the urge to purge!"

So now the pile of bath towels is in front of you. How many do you really need? Too many means more work and less space–more laundry, more folding, more putting away, less room in the linen closet to store other things. How many people live with you? Figure on at least 2 towels per person, then just keep a few extra for guests. Purge out the old, ratty stained and torn ones. The same rule of thumb can be applied to sheets (and nearly everything else) as well. Two sets for each bed in your house. (Maybe a few extra if you have a child in the midst of potty training!)

Do you really need 21 bottles of shampoo? Throw out the old stuff, keep a few good ones and remember not to buy shampoo for awhile. Staring at your makeup drawer? Good chance you can just throw it all out. Most makeup should be replaced every few months to reduce the chance of it spoiling and causing you eye or skin problems. Another great reason to only buy the bare minimum, date it when you open it and throw it out when time is up.

Eighteen mixing bowls you say? Hmmm–reconsider how much baking you really do. Again, bring it down to your minimums. Keep 2-3 bowls of different sizes, especially ones that do double duty. A nice mixing bowl can also be a salad bowl. A mixing bowl with a lid can be a storage container.

If you are using the "cabinet by cabinet" technique and you have defined the cabinet ("Baking items"), and you come across odd things that don't belong (a tennis ball, a toy, etc.)–just pull them out and put them in a box marked "Belongs elsewhere." If you can't make a purge right then, leave it in the box for when you do come across where it really belongs and then make the decision once you see its "cabinet-mates."

And of course, keep a few bins or bags handy for trash, recycling and give-away.

O–Organize
This is the fun part! You've already done the hard stuff. And if you've done it well, you have less stuff to organize. That's the real trick here. For most of my clients who think they have trouble organizing, it's really that they just had too much stuff. Of course it was impossible to organize! But once they see what's left–the good stuff they really love–it's no longer overwhelming, and they seem to click right into organizing mode!

You have already sorted, so like is with like. (Yes, that is actually organizing right there!)

Now think about how and when you are going to use it. Box it and store it? (Yes? Then think again about keeping it unless you know you will be using it in the future.) Keep it handy in a "prime real estate" spot? Use it once or twice a month and shove it back into a corner? Something to look at and admire daily in a special place of honor?

R–Relax and Reward
Take a break and do something nice for yourself. Every time you complete the "completion chemistry" cycle, bask in the accomplishment, even if you've just done a little drawer or one square foot of space. You signal your brain that this is a good thing. And your brain will get used to it, like it and want to do it again!

Thinking ahead about your reward is also wonderful motivation. Hmmm, a long soak in the tub? A cup of coffee? A walk around the block? Watching one favorite TV show? A piece of chocolate? Ten minutes reading that new novel? A phone call to a friend? Internet surfing? You get the idea.

Set yourself up. Reward yourself. Reap what you sow.

T–Treasure
Treasure yourself. Treasure the moment, treasure your accomplishment, treasure your treasures that you've chosen to keep.

Treasure the fact that this process helps you realize what is truly important to you and what is just stuff.

The $40 Shopping Trip

2009-04-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

I began a personal experiment several weeks ago--attempting to do my grocery shopping on $80 a week. (We are a family of two adults and one 7 year-old.)

I learned a number of things, some of which surprised me and led me to realize it was a grand experiment, even on the "organizing level" which I had not intended.

It began as a way to curb our budget–we're all trying to tighten the purse strings these days and I know that while we do not go overboard in the food department, I knew we could reign things in a little. Sometimes produce goes to waste in our fridge or leftovers don't get eaten in time.

My original thought was to try to spend only $100 a week at the grocery store, but I wanted that amount to include the lunches my DH buys during the workweek. So I have him $20 of that (telling him I would make his lunch twice a week.)

That left me with $80. I was afraid that if I spent that all at once, I would have forgotten something important, and then blow my budget. So, I cut it down to $40, knowing that, even though I abhor grocery shopping more than once a week (once a month would be super if the produce would only stay fresh!), I would go twice.

Of course the first and best tool in this project is a planned week of menus (I had already been doing that–mostly) and a grocery list. I didn't think $40 was going to leave me any room for impulse purchases, and I was right. I also planned to take $40 in cash with me, not write a check as I usually do. This meant even more organization on my part, having to go the the bank and withdraw cash for the week.

Here's what I thought would happen and did:
1. The very first time I tried this (taking a calculator with me and adding as I shopped), I spent $40 exactly. Exactly! Forty dollars and no cents. $40.00 Even including the tax on one or two items, and having produce which of course could vary a lot. I saw it as a sign from the gods that I was meant to continue doing this. (Even the cashier was pretty astounded, even more so when I told him I had intended to spend only that amount.)

2. I made no frivolous purchases. I picked up two chocolate bars at the end (I consider those staples) and even put back another snack food to afford the second bar.

3. I only bought what I thought we would need in the next few days, not the whole week or for the next week.

If we had one block of tofu already in the fridge, I didn't buy another, knowing that was enough protein for a couple days. I bought just a few yogurts for DD and just one or two for me, since I only use a half of one each morning.

It made me more aware of what I had in the pantry or fridge already, and not overbuy. Which in turn kept some of that fresh produce from spoiling because I knew I needed to use it up. I stopped preparing only our favorite foods and used up the other stuff (perfectly fine and tasty) we already had. I even discovered that my DD will eat what we call "Beanie Weanies" and loves them. (Baked beans with cut up Smart Dogs.) And I can make cornbread in a flash if I have at least 20 minutes.

4. By limiting myself to the cash in my wallet, and to the $40 limit, I really did stick close to $40. When I know I have that "open checkbook" I tend to spend three times that amount.

What I hadn't expected:
1. Shopping was a whole lot quicker! You have your list, you fill it (and you know that $40 goes fast!) and you get out! Time and aggravation saved!

2. Healthier foods. Again, since $40 isn't much, there's no room for a lot of processed or prepared foods. You've got to buy the "cheap" stuff that you are going to process yourself at home. Of course this translates into a healthier diet. I found my cart loaded with fresh fruits and veggies, a couple veggie proteins, a few cans of beans or tomato sauce, soy milk, yogurt and a loaf of bread. I also found that I saved time since I wasn't stopping to inspect labels of any new items. The few processed things I did get were familiar and I'd inspected them in the past.

3. Easier. Forty dollars generally only gets you two bags of groceries. (At Whole Foods, anyway.) Two bags of groceries means: Only one trip up the stairs in the garage into the kitchen instead of three or four. Only a couple minutes putting groceries away in the kitchen instead of 15 or 20. (Or letting them sit on the floor for days because I was too tired after trudging up the stairs three times.)

4. Less wasted. We often don't even eat all the food I planned for the 3 days, and it is still in the fridge. I had learned this a few years ago when I started doing weekly menu planning. I would rarely use up all the groceries I had bought for the week and much was there (and some of it going bad) the next week. But this held true for menu planning/shopping for just a few days at a time. (I do plan the whole week's menus, but just shop for a few days.) So, we eat even less than I thought we did.

What didn't quite work on $40 a trip:
Once you start running out of non-food items, your bill goes up dramatically. I needed to readjust the budget to include the reality of the expenses of toilet paper, tissues (we have hay fever), paper towels (even though we use these sparingly), shampoo/conditioner (long hair takes a lot of shampoo), deodorant, razor blades, dishwasher detergent, dishwashing liquid, clothes washing detergent, feminine hygiene products, etc. We did our best to root out these things that might be hiding somewhere in the house–using up all those tiny little hair products from previous hotel stays, for instance. That would stretch the budget a week or so.

My take-aways:
1. Coaching metaphor. A very surprising take-away came in the form of a coaching metaphor, which I will explain in a future blog post. But it has to do with the idea of having only $40 worth of time vs. that open checkbook.

2. Food waste. I am much more careful about using up leftovers and not letting food rot in the fridge. I'm not perfect and it still happens, but I feel I am much more aware of what I am putting in my cart and the likelihood of it getting eaten.

3. I tend to "hoard" less. Similar to #2 above. I let go of the feeling that I need to buy several of each item (maybe it's on sale), when in reality, it's like borrowing money from myself. Why let my money sit on my shelf as a tenth can of beans when it could have gone to pay down a real debt? (I'll be blogging this summer about a project my local organizers' group is doing around disaster preparedness. That may also alleviate my hoarding tendency by knowing I have my "disaster hoard" already completed.)

4. High cost of non-food items. I'm more careful about non-food products since I now realize just how expensive they are--or rather, what a large percentage of our "grocery" budget they are. I've switched to a cheaper shampoo/conditioner that still meets my "natural" requirements. I've toyed with the idea of cutting my hair short again, but since short cuts need to be kept up more often I think the savings is in having fewer hair cuts. (And, no I won't switch to a $15 cut!) I have begun to just not wash my hair now and then, if I can get away with it. That's probably even better for my hair and certainly saves me time. And, no, I'm not ready to give up deodorant!

5. Shopping at two stores. Since I like two stores in town, and each carries a few things the other doesn't, I know I'll be getting to each of them in the week.

Conclusion
I'm still trying to shop with only $40 at a time. I've fallen off the wagon a few times, hard. Trader Joe's is a third store I like to shop at, but ours are in the next town, about 30-45 minutes away. The hoarding tendency takes over knowing I might not get back there for awhile and I'll easily spend $150. My stomach turns when I do that. So, I'm still working that out.

Costco is another issue. I don't really buy much food there, although on the last few trips I have found some good deals on fruit, which my daughter loves, and I try to eat more of. Other than fruit and juice boxes, I find myself buying non-food items like TP, tissues, batteries, printer paper and printing ink.

I think this experiment is a lot like diets I've been on. Over the last 20 years, I've tried different "diets" and come away with a new knowledge base, and I think I'm healthier for it. On McDougall I learned where the fats are in my food, on the Atkin's diet I learned where all the carbs were and where the protein was, on the Fiber diet, I learned, you guessed it, where all the fiber is. And lately, with the "UltraMind Diet" I am much more aware of wheat and sugar in my diet and how it affects me.

In other words, I have become more aware. I don't try to stick with just one of those diets--but it was like a decades long nutrition course that has helped me form choices about what I put into my mouth, and be very aware of when I stray from my good choices.

This budget experiment has made me very aware of the foods (and non-foods) I put in my cart, and how much they cost me financially as well as in time, potential aggravation and waste.

I think I'll keep to the $40/trip, knowing that there may be one or two extra trips each month when I have to stock up on items that last more than a few days but are essential to our lives.

When I see a $5 magazine at the check out (or any other frivolous item), I tend to think of it now in terms of how many cartons of blueberries it would buy. (When I was a kid, and bubble gum was a penny, I often looked at things as "How many pieces of bubble gum would that buy?)

Blueberries are expensive, but nutritionally very valuable and my DD loves them. That helps me make the choice.

AlphaSmart Neo

2009-03-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

Recently, a client of mine proudly showed off a new device she had purchased that is helping her with her writing tasks. It's called the AlphaSmart Neo keyboard. It's basically a portable digital typewriter. When you are ready to download your text into a word processing program, you just plug it into your computer where you can do your formal editing and formatting. Or you can print directly from the Neo to your printer.

Apparently it is quite popular in the schools for teaching kids keyboarding and writing, and has a "cult" following among journalists and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) novelists. (The AlphaSmart makers have donated loaner Neos to NaNoWriMo organization.)

At first thought, one would think, "Well, why not just buy a laptop?"

Well, on second thought, there a number of reasons why this little device is so much better than a laptop...

1. It's a whole lot cheaper than a laptop. Around or under $200. Way less on e-bay. Drop it and break it and you are not out next month's rent or mortgage payment. (And many users remark at how durable it is.)

2. It's distraction-free. I think this is one of its biggest plusses. No internet connection. No other programs. No checking e-mail. No games. If you have writing to do, that's all you can do. Many of my clients have ADHD and anything can distract them from a task at hand. If you've taken your little AlphaSmart Neo onto the back deck to get the next chapter of your book written, chances are good you'll do that. (Unless there happen to be a lot of pretty butterflies flitting around!)

3. It will last for 700 hours on 3 AA batteries! Whoo-doggies that's exciting to me! I'm lucky to get 4 hours on my brand-new rechargeable laptop battery before having to plug in again. I can't go cross-country on one charge. But with a little Neo in your bag, no excuses for not writing the whole way OVER to the other coast AND back! (Even if you're on a car-trip!)

4. Gets your thoughts down easily and quickly without having to retype in your handwritten notes. Plug in, hit a key and your text is in the mothership.

5. It's quite light at just two pounds. Even a Macbook Air is three pounds. So think two cans of beans. Or peas. Or pineapple slices--whatever your favorite canned food is!

One word of warning, though. AlphaSmart also sells the "Dana" model which has Palm OS app capability and internet. As one blog commenter said "any on-ramp to the web is a gateway to sloth."

Current Monthly Offer

2009-03-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

___________________________________________

If you are Irish or know

someone who is...

You qualify for the March Special!

Purchase 5 hours & get the 6th for free!
(for new and returning clients)

Good for in-home or in-office sessions as well
as phone coaching or "Virtual Organizing"

_____________________________________________

Workshops and talks

2009-03-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

Workshops and talks available to
clients, organizers, clubs or organizations

"Adult ADD: How a Walk in the Woods Can Help You Focus"
"Nature AND Nurture: It all A.D.D.'s Up" (co-presented with Kim Anker-Paddon, CPO-CD)
"Present Yourself Professionally: Transforming Your Image without Spending a Fortune"
"The Head, Heart and Soul of Organizing"
"Oh Look, a Butterfly! Staying on Top of Work When Working From Home Isn't Working"
"How to Keep All the Pots on the Stove from Boiling Over without Losing Your Cool"
"Recognizing the Hoarding Client"
"Using the NSGCD Clutter-Hoarding Scale"

Scheduled Workshops and Talks

Thursday March 31, 2011
"Is this hoarding and what can I do about it?" Presentation for the public through the Russian River Empowerment Center in Guerneville, CA.

Tuesday May 15, 2011
"Motivational Interviewing for the Professional Organizer" Presentation to members of the NBOC a the Spring Educational Seminar, Sonoma County, CA.

Date TBA, 2011

"Recognizing Hoarding Disorder"for West County Services

Some of my previous presentation experience:

Teleclasses for the NSGCD (2009, 2010)
Retreat/conference sessions for the NBOC (2006, 2008)
Conference sessions at NAPO-SFBA annual conference (2006, 2007)
Talks for local organizations and clubs
National Park Service (Numerous walks, talks, campfire programs in Yosemite and Point Reyes on natural and cultural history topics. Those were my park ranger days!)

Certification, Education and Experience

2009-03-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

Professional Memberships

National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO)

Golden Circle Member

National Association of Professional Organizers-San Francisco Bay Area (NAPO-SFBA)
National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD)
North Bay Organizers and Coaches (NBOC)

Membership Coordinator

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)

Certification, Education and Experience

Level V Master Trainer in CD and Organization (NSGCD, 8/10)

"The purpose of the Master Trainer certificate is to acknowledge leadership, publication, training, coaching service and commitment to the field of study and exploration of Chronic Disorganization and organization. This is the NSGCD certificate and certification program highest level of achievement."

Level IV Training Program Coach (NSGCD, 10/09)

"The objective and purpose of the NSGCD Training Program Coach, level IV, is to develop an organizer's skills and knowledge in the area of training, coaching, motivating, and communications."

CPO-CD® (NSGCD, 9/07)
- I am the only Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization in California north of San Francisco.
- 18-month mentored and peer reviewed certification program
Specialist Certificates (NSGCD)
- Chronic Disorganization
  - 25 hours of study and General Exam
- Attention Deficit Disorder
  - 65 hours of study ADD Exam
Certificates of Study (NSGCD)
- Chronic Disorganization
- Basic ADD Issues with the CD Client
- CD Client Administration
- Understanding the Needs of the Elderly CD Client
- Basic Physical Conditions Affecting the CD Client
- Learning Styles and Modalities
- Basic Hoarding Issues with the CD Client
- Understanding the Needs of the Student CD Client
- Basic Mental Health Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client
- Life Transitions
Coach Approach for Organizers Graduate (2006)
Completed one-year Organizer Coach program (2009)
Environmental Education, 12 years (Naturalist and National Park Ranger at Point Reyes National Seashore and Yosemite. Field Seminars Director, Point Reyes National Seashore Association)
Free-lance photojournalist
B.S. Journalism, University of Kansas (1983)

Contact me

2009-02-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

E-mail: Margaret@OrganizeInHarmony.com
Office Phone: 707-823-3479
LinkedIn Page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretpearsonpinkham
Facebook Business page (stop by and "like" me!): http://www.facebook.com/OrganizeInHarmony

ADHD and Me, by Blake Taylor

2009-02-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

Today at the Jackson Theater at Sonoma Country Day School

Blake Taylor "Growing up with ADHD"

Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

In his book, ADHD and Me, Blake Taylor gives us an inside look at what it's like to grow up with the condition known as ADHD. Blake is currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley but wrote ADHD and Me during his last two years of high school. Parents, faculty and counselors know how tough it is to deal with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they don't know what it's like to grow up with it. "I have something to say that no adult can say," comments the nineteen year old author, Blake Taylor.

This complimentary event is geared to counselors, educators and parents and is a offered by Sonoma Country Day School in partnership with Sonoma County School Counseling Association.

Visit Blake Taylor online at www.youngwithadhd.com

Click here for directions to the school, or cut and paste: http://www.scds.org/inside/contact/

Thrift Store Shopping

2008-12-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

As the economy takes a spin around the drain, the idea of shopping at a thrift store might seem more appealing. I love the bargain hunting aspect of it and I rarely spend more than $20 when I visit one. (Unless I'm in there for furniture.) Thrift-store shopping is GREEN, too. Always has been!

As far as organizing goes--they are hit and miss for organizing items. They usually have a great selection of baskets and I always peruse that section for just the "right size" I need to contain something or use as a waste basket. And of course, these baskets are going to be between 50 cents and a couple dollars, so you will save scads of money as opposed to buying them new at an import or craft store. Vases are also wonderful organizing tools (and in plentiful supply). I use a little one with a wide mouth to hold my hair clips on my bathroom counter. Old plastic pitchers make great cat/dog food containers/pourers. Black plastic office stacking trays can usually be found for 25 cents or so.

A few caveats:

All will take cash, of course. Some take checks, others do not. Some take credit cards, others do not. Some are closed on Sundays. Many close early in the day or by 5 pm. (Since they are often staffed by volunteers, these folks are pretty good at shooing you out at closing time and locking those doors!) Worth it to call ahead if you plan to do any shopping on Sunday. Some might have "Half off days" each month or "Senior Discount Day" of the week.

They all tend to specialize in some areas. Some have a ton of furniture, others none. Some are well kept and well-lighted with clean items, others are quite dark and dirty. (Still might be some great bargains if you don't mind cleaning things.)

And of course their selections change daily.

And try this rule on for size...only shop in one if you are also bringing in at least one bag of stuff from your own house!

Resist buying stuff just because it is a great bargain. Know how you will use it and where it will go before you buy it. Clutter is still clutter whether you paid an arm and a leg or just a pinky!

Here is an annotated list of the stores I am familiar with. These are my own opinions and I'm sorry if I offend anybody! There are many more stores in the Sonoma County area, I just haven't been to all of them! (No, really, I haven't!)

Rohnert Park

The first two are on the frontage just west of the freeway.

Salvation Army-5701 Redwood Dr, (800) 728-7825
Update 5/09--Alas, this wonderful store is no more! One of my favorites–I can't imagine why they closed it.

St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store
5671 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 (707) 584-1579
This one is not as nicely kept as the Salvation Army store. Darker, more "dank." They are just a couple of blocks from each other. Usually has some furniture. Worth a look, but Salvation Army is way better.

Goodwill Industries
4 Padre Pkwy, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Map
This is over off Commerce by Rohnert Park Expressway. (East of the freeway)
Another big store. Usually some big furniture. Their little stuff is usually overpriced, but I've never really paid attention to the prices on the furniture. The store is not as "nice" but not dark and dreary either.

Hospice Foundation & VNA Thrift Store
6350 Commerce Blvd, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Map * (707) 588-8015
Tiny little store next to Safeway. Not usually big furniture. Maybe one piece at a time. Some books.

_________________

Santa Rosa

Goodwill Industries of The Redwood Empire, Outlet store
651 Yolanda Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
This was a really yucky place the last time I was there. Major donation site. Very dirty and the "dregs" of stuff, I thought.

Goodwill Stores, http://www.gire.org/services/stores
680 Sebastopol Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95407
This is way south in the "Roseland Area." In a distressed neighborhood, but this store is new, big, well-organized and well-kept. Great selection of clothes and household items. Furniture was so-so when I was there. But that might change day to day.

Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County
1701 Piner Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403* (707) 570-2590
Nice medium sized store. Not usually much furniture (sometimes now and then). Great glassware and household. OK for clothes. Lots of books.

The Salvation Army
1050 3rd St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 * (707) 544-6766 (near Brookwood and Third)
Medium to large size store. The parking lot is a nightmare to get in and out of. Lots of clothes, lots of glassware. Usually some furniture. A few books, but not well organized. Fairly clean and well-kept.

______________________
Sebastopol
V NA & Hospice Foundation Thrift Store
748 Gravenstein Ave, Sebastopol, CA 95472 * (707) 824-4712
"My" thrift store! Some furniture. Well kept, well organized. Nice glassware (they clean it), clothes. Lots of books. They take checks and charge cards. Open on Sunday.

Take my own advice

2008-12-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

I guess I should take my own advice and "Calendar in" my writing on this blog! I can't believe two months have gone by since my last post. No excuses. Although I'm sure I could come up with many!

Read the next post for some ideas on thrift store shopping in the Santa Rosa/Rohnert Park area.

Calendar in your self-care

2008-10-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a part of a small coaching group--we are all in a class together and we practice on one another. Sometimes, even though it's your business to help people find solutions, the same solutions can work for you, too.

I was having trouble finding time to relax and just let my mind be creative. From past experience, I know that my "bath time" is my special time to do just that. Just a long hot soak, some candles and maybe some chocolate.

My coaching buddy made a simple remark--"Can you put that in your calendar?"

Uh, yes. I can. And I did.

As part of my meal-planning/grocery shopping system, I write down on the calendar what we are having for dinner each night--based in part on how busy the day is and how late the DH works.

Well, there it was yesterday! A very, very busy day ending with my own DD's bath and hairwashing and I'd almost forgotten that it was my "bath night." (Rest assured, I do take showers on the other days!)

As I checked to see what I had planned for dinner (actually dinner out at Taco Bell since the day was a late one), I saw "BATH."

Thank goodness! I remembered why it was so important to get the DD to bed on time that night.

If I hadn't written it down, I may have forgotten my original intention and "wasted" all that time watching TV or laboring on the computer.

Instead, I got my special self-care time. And some cookies and hot chocolate, too.

Hoarding and Cluttering Conference October 29 in SF

2008-10-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE!

Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Time: 9am-4pm
Location: The Westin San Francisco Market Street Hotel, 50 Third Street @ Market
Keynote Speaker: David Tolin, Ph.D.

Click here to see more information or copy and paste this address: http://www.mha-sf.org/programs/hcconf.cfm.

Compulsive hoarding and cluttering refers to the acquisition of and failure to discard a large number of possessions, which appear to be useless or of limited value, in an attempt to decrease stress and anxiety. This serious and prevalent problem can lead to eviction and homelessness. It is often a feature of several psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder and major depression, and can be caused or aggravated by problems associated with increasing age or physical disabilities.

NOTE: I have attended this incredible conference in the past. It is open to anyone who is affected by these issues: persons with compulsive hoarding issues, friends and family members, professional organizers, therapists, social workers, health professionals, state and county service providers, etc.

Dr. David Tolin is one of the three co-authors of "Buried in Treasures-Help for Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring" (See my 'Carousel of Books' below to order them from Amazon) and was the psychologist seen on the two-part Oprah Winfrey show helping the woman whose large house was full of stuff.

ADHD Awareness Week

2008-09-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

So, I've just become aware that this is ADHD Awareness Week!

You can attend a "virtual" conference, set for September 22-24 (next week). You still pay a conference fee, but you can attend via phone or listen to MP3 recordings of it! Since it's right before the NSGCD conference, I'm thinking about "attending" by downloading the recordings and listening to them later while I exercise. One of the many wonders I've discovered since joining the 21st Century and using an iPod. (Really, if I can do it, anyone can! I'm 47 and certainly not a techno geek. I typed--yes I said typed my college papers on a typewriter.)

Anyway, it's only $247 to attend (and there are a number of sessions, so by listening to the recordings, you can hear all of them.) If you want a CD as well as written and printed transcripts (they are covering all the modality bases), it's $100 more.

http://www.adhdconference.com/

I encourage you all to learn about ADHD if you haven't already. And even if you don't attend this conference, try picking up a copy of "ADDitude" magazine--I saw it at Barnes and Noble yesterday, or looking at their website. There are usually some free downloadable tip sheets. ADHD is not just about kids--kids grow up to be adults with ADHD, and those are our co-workers/spouses/siblings/parents!

http://www.additudemag.com/

Another great resource is the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, the ADDA.
http://www.add.org/

Wow! Just as I was typing this, I got an e-mail from the ADDA about two teleclasses this week--one tonight and one tomorrow. This week, they are free to members and non-members. What a great resource! (Yes, it's probably a symptom of ADHD that I would go and look at my incoming mail in the middle of writing this!)

Wednesday, September 17
Speaker: Nancy Ratey
Title: "The Disorganized Mind: Coaching Your ADHD Brain to Take Control of Your Time, Tasks, and Talents"
Time: 9:00 pm EST (That's 6 pm Pacific)

Thursday, September 18
Speaker: Dr. Stephen Hinshaw
Title: "Q and A - Everything You Wanted to Know about AD/HD - But Didn't Know to Ask!"
Time: 9:00 pm EST (That's 6 pm Pacific)

Go to http://www.add.org/awareness/ to get the log-in info for these classes.

And, no, this was not a paid announcement for the ADDA or ADDitude Magazine. Just great resources!

Margaret

The AD/HD Breakfast Plan: Feeding the Brain

2008-08-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

This post has been a Tip Sheet in my brain for a long time now.

While I am not a nutritionist, I certainly have done my reading and study about AD/HD and diet. And I think most doctors who are up on this will back me up. I'm open to your opinions and suggestions.

After suggesting to a client that getting protein with breakfast is really important for the AD/HD brain (and for that matter, all brains), and helping with focus, she commented "But I don't really know what other protein other than egg I could eat?"

The tips I'm about to give are geared toward people who don't have much time or have a hard time organizing their time, and therefore, often skip breakfast altogether or usually eat whatever sugary carbohydratey (is that really a word? I think not) item they can lay their hands on.

Since I'm a vegan, my first tips will all be vegan in nature. This is what I know best because I live it and try it out all the time. I will offer some non-vegan (I know I will rot in vegan hell for this) suggestions at the end. Keep in mind that not all veg'n (I"ll use veg'n to mean both vegetarian and vegan) items, like veg'n sausage are equivalent to the meat version since the meat version will have other health consequences like cholesterol and more fat.

OK, here are some protein sources. I'll give some ideas on how to use them after the list. Don't forget to think outside the "BOX" of American-type breakfast items. There's no law that says you can't eat a peanut butter sandwich at 6 am.

And don't forget to drink lots of water! The brain needs to be kept moist. A dry brain is not a happy brain. And a dry AD/HD brain is just trouble waiting to happen!

The Vegan List

Tofu (You knew that was coming, right?) See my recipe on my Vegan blog for tofu omelettes--not exactly a quick meal, but scrambling it would be easier.
Tempeh (I linked it so you could figure out what it was)
Nuts or nut butter (Please don't eat anything you are allergic to!)

walnuts

peanuts

cashews

almonds

Sausage alternative (My fav is Turtle Island's Tofurky Beer Brats)
Hot Dog alternative (My fav's are Light Life's Smart Dogs or Tofu Pups which are gluten-free)
Oatmeal
High protein cereals
Soy milk
Soy/rice/coconut yogurt
Yes, there is a really wonderful new coconut-based yogurt by Turtle Mountain on the market called So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt). A little higher in fat than soy and actually low in protein, but boy is it tasty--if you like coconut, that is. I'm trying to reduce my overall soy intake.
Energy Bar
Protein Shake/Smoothie (powdered or home-made)
Frozen waffle
Cheese alternative (Follow Your Heart Cheese, Daiya Cheese)
Cream Cheese alternative (Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese and Follow Your Heart Cream Cheese)
Beans

The Non-Vegan List

Meat

Chicken
Turkey
Sausage
Red meat
Etc.

Eggs (scrambled, fried or hard-boiled)
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt

So here are some ideas on how to put these items together:

Breakfast Burrito-Throw some beans, scrambled tofu (or egg) and some taco sauce and you have a meal to run out the door with. If you can't sit and eat like a human, that is. Thought: make a big batch of scrambled tofu (tofu, onion, herbs, curry or turmeric) mix with a can of flavored beans and/or some taco sauce and freeze small bags of it. Get this out and microwave inside a tortilla, (or spread on toast). Or just buy healthy frozen ones and keep them in the fridge.

Smoothie: Any combination you like of milk or milk alternative, fresh or frozen fruits, nuts or nut butter, yogurt or protein powder. A little vanilla maybe, a little agave nectar and whir that all up in a blender. Leave the raw egg to Rocky, though, OK?

The mega bowl of cereal: Involves no cooking whatsoever. Buy some nice healthy tasty cereal (low or no sugar of course), throw in a couple tablespoons of nuts, cut up a piece of fruit add your milk or milk alternative or yogurt/alternative and you have quite a hearty meal. I know–I do it every morning. My favorite right now is Kashi's Autumn Wheats with some almond milk or 1/2 container plain or vanilla coconut yogurt mixed with a little water, 2 tablespoons walnuts and whatever fruit is ripe in my yard or I have gotten from the store. This month it's peaches and blackberries.

Peanut butter on toast: a classic. If you are too rushed, just grab a spoonful of peanut butter. For fruit add some sliced bananas.

Waffle treats: Frozen waffles are not half bad! Try a topping to bump up the protein: cream cheese, peanut butter or some fruit or yogurt.

Outside the "breakfast box" ideas: a hot dog, whole wheat pasta with a little olive oil/butter/butter alternative and cheese/alternative. It's so easy to cook up a whole bag or box of pasta and then keep in the fridge all week to heat up for quick snacks. If you can't do wheat, then Trader Joe's carries a nice brown rice pasta that's pretty good. Whole grain pastas will have some protein in them.

OK, enough for now....

If you'd like a tip sheet of this information (which will probably be in a more legible format) just e-mail me and ask for it. margaret@organizeinharmony.com

Liability notice: Readers should see their doctors before making any major dietary changes in their lives. I am not a nutritionist.

All posts on this blog are Copyright of Margaret Pearson Pinkham and Organize in Harmony. Text may be used without permission only with attribution to Margaret Pearson Pinkham and Organize in Harmony and for informational purposes only, not monetary gain. Of course I'd like to know how and when you are using my work. If there is going to be monetary gain, I'd like to be in on it. I believe in Karma. If you misuse my stuff, it will come back to haunt you.

Chronic Disorganization, Weight Loss and Fitness Gaining

2008-08-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

I've started a new exercise habit lately (playing tennis against a backboard--I always win), and it's been giving me time to think about new blog topics. They just seem to come to me while I'm chasing balls and fetching them out of the weeds on the other side of the fence! Must be the extra blood flow to the brain, I guess.

Anyway, today's special thought that arrived was about how trying to lose weight and trying to get organized are very similar endeavors.

I know I'm not the first person to think of this. (Peter Walsh, from TLC's "Clean Sweep" wrote a book called Does this Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat), but I think I have a different angle.

Living with clutter (or being a messie) and living with extra weight...

I should know, I have both these issues. I consider myself a "recovering messie." That's how I got into this business in the first place. I organized myself first, then realized I could help others. But I say "recovering" because it's a daily struggle still. Yes, I've made leaps and bounds in the past several years, but things start to creep up here and there....the laundry piles up, my child's artwork doesn't get dealt with, the cat thinks the dust bunnies are wonderful to play with--you know the stuff.

And while I haven't dealt with a weight issue my whole life, I do come from a family of hearty northern European stock who can get through harsh winters on bread and gruel. (This has not actually been tested in many a decade, but we all have a nice layer of fat that would most likely help us survive a plane crash in the Andes without resorting to consuming fellow passengers.) As a woman in her late forties, I am experiencing weight gain simply by existing, apparently. Either some really harsh winters are on the horizon or....

The connection between the two issues (and I know you've been patiently waiting) is this...to make a difference or any kind of change, I have had to change my way of thinking, stop habits that did not serve me well, and add in new habits that do.

When I realized I no longer wanted to be a "messie," I had to re-examine my relationship to my stuff and how I thought about it. I started in my clothes closet. One tape that kept playing (probably even from Peter Walsh) was "Why are you holding on to things that no longer fit, will not be in style even if they do fit in the future and are taking up valuable space now? If it's wonderful memories you have--those are in your heart, they don't need to be hanging in your closet." My thinking changed, and I suddenly saw my stuff in a new light. (I say suddenly, but really it was a process over a year that I sorted and purged. I worked my way up to letting go of things I wasn't ready to let go of the first time I purged.)

Then came letting go of old habits that didn't serve me well: buying things without trying them on; tossing clothes onto a chair; keeping things without thinking about why.

And new habits that did serve me well: trying on clothes to make sure they fit well; hanging up all my clothes if still clean (which could only be accomplished after I had purged my closet and made room); presorting my laundry in the bedroom as they came off; reducing my overall "shopping" for stuff.

With the weight--well, I'm still a work in progress on that issue. This past month though, a few things have shifted mentally. Facing the fact that I am no longer 19, and that I seem to gain weight if I don't exercise each and every day, I have got to be more vigilant about the subject of my health as a matter of course, not just to diet to "lose 1o pounds."

I've also come to realize, that while my eating could always be "better" that it's not food that is my issue, it's exercise. (Or lack thereof.) I'm a vegan (am I the only overweight vegan on the planet?) for goodness sake and my diet is pretty darn good compared to the rest of the country. However, I do have a special fondness for Ruffles potato chips dipped in my Tofutti sour cream and onion dip.

So, my thinking had to change first. I have kept to a "clean eating" diet, not something that is a fad, but just a way of eating for life. For me, this is eating vegan (which means no meat or dairy), reducing the oils I cook with, drinking lots of water, and really really minimizing the sweets and fats I consume each day. I still have them, but keep them to once or twice in small amounts. (We're talking chocolate here.)

Then stop the habits that don't serve me: eating too much chocolate, snacking a bit much between meals...

Adding habits that do serve me: getting up early to go play tennis; having the right food in the house so each meal is easy and healthy; eating less at restaurants--planning to take half home or just order soup. I'm usually out with family or friends, so it's the company, the not the food that is primary.

So, actually, being organized has helped me with this latest endeavor. The more organized I am about shopping and meal planning, the better and easier it is for me to "eat clean." And I even plan for being a little unorganized by having easy but healthy frozen meals (thank you Amy's) ready for me and my family when creating a meal just seems too daunting.)

So it's a constant for me--both the staying free of chronic disorganization and keeping the extra weight at bay. I know I'm genetically predisposed to being both overweight and messy, but it's up to me now, not my genes, to keep my head above water. A change in habits, and a change it maintenance routines for both are keeping my house livable and helping me get my body fit to enter my fifties (still a couple years away.)

Now, excuse me I have some balls to chase....

How a massage can help you get organized

2008-08-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I really do intend to prove to you that getting a massage can help you get and stay organized!

It's a simple premise, really. One that I often suggest to my clients: Schedule something in your home on a regular basis--like a party or tea with a friend--and you will find yourself "cleaning up" more on a regular basis, too! The threat, uh, I mean pleasure, of having someone over and in the house, is always wonderful motivation to clean.

This was proven to me once again, and with my own home. I've sort of relaxed my "maintenance," this summer shall I say, and had let my bedroom go a bit. Last year, after a minor neck injury, I had semi-regular massages by a wonderful massage therapist who came to my home. Now, professional organizers have a reputation to uphold, and I certainly wanted to continue the illusion that I keep my home perfectly neat at all times. She would set up her table in our bedroom, and yes, I found myself tidying up that room and our master bath before her visits. I really enjoyed having these rooms so nice and neat during this period.

However, since my neck has been feeling better, I hadn't had Kelly in for months! And it showed! Tasks in the bedroom were a tad behind--laundry, vacuuming, dusting, etc. All the things that my mind's eye had been blocking, came into focus as I looked at it with a fresh "eye" knowing someone was coming over and would be seeing it.

I tidied up and enjoyed the fruits of my labor--and a wonderful 1.5 hour massage.

That's how a massage can help you get organized!

I'm also sure there are other factors working here--namely, that when you indulge in self-care, you are a happier and healthier person who is better able to focus. And when better able to focus, organizing and tidying up are also much easier.

So, yes, while massage can be seen as an "expensive treat" (although well worth it), the idea that scheduling something once a month or maybe once a week that might motivate you to tidy up is a solid one and can be less expensive or even free.

Here are some other ideas and their approximate costs. They are sort of in descending order. You may want to try the last ones first and work your way up.

1. Hire a housekeeper once or twice a month to do just the floors and counters in the kitchen and bathrooms. Cost: $25-$100. (More if you have a really big kitchen or lots of bathrooms. Most housekeepers in this area charge about $25/hour.) The idea here is that you will motivate yourself to get all your stuff up off the floors and counters so the housekeeper doesn't waste her precious time (and your money) moving things off them or putting things away. You want her to do the stuff you don't want to. (Ok, this is the stuff I don't like to do--sweeping and mopping.) You get a nice clean "base" and if she's coming on a regular basis, you are motivated to do your part before she comes.

2. Plan a party once a month. Cost: $0-$??? Obviously, if you make this a potluck, you reduce your own costs, and if you serve Russian caviar and imported champagne, it will be pricier. But you'll get two things out of it: motivation to clean your house before guests arrive and a nice time with friends or family. (Even nicer if you have friends and family who will help you clean up after the party before they go home!)

3. Have just one or two friends over for something very simple like coffee or tea, a game night, or watching a movie. Cost: $0-$10. Simple things like this keep the kitchen from exploding into a mess. Serve a simple cake or cookies or make microwave popcorn. DVR a movie, watch a DVD you own or rent one. Close the doors on the rooms you haven't quite gotten to. If you have nosy friends, maybe post a sign on the door that says something like "Sammy the Snake's Room. Just ignore him, he likes to crawl on people but he doesn't usually bite.")

4. Invite one friend over to go for a walk. $0 (Unless you need to buy new walking shoes.) This one sounds like it wouldn't help, but really, it's a nice way to break yourself in if you haven't had friends over in the house in a while. You may only have to meet them at the front door (you only need to clean up what they can see from the front steps), or depending on your level of progress in the house, let them in a little farther each time. So, maybe just the front room has to be tidy, or if they might need to "use the facilities," tidy up only the rooms enroute to the facilities!

And if all of these seem out of your reach right now, then please, at least go out and get a massage at a spa. The whole part about being good to yourself, self-care and massage helping with focus still stands.

And in case you are ready right now for an in-home massage, and you live in the Sonoma County area, my massage therapist has recently "left her day job" as they say and is taking on new clients. Give her a call and you will thank yourself. (And maybe me!) I've always felt so wonderful after her work on me and she helped me keep working after a neck injury.

Kelly Nelson (based in Petaluma, CA)
Holistic Massage Therapist
707-235-7911
707-773-0127

Rebel Without a Clock

2008-06-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it was just so fortunate to find an image of a James Dean clock! Talk about synchronicity!

I'd like to take some time to talk about time...

For years, I was a rebel without a "Clock" or watch. Or really, without a routine. Clocks, watches, routines, all that stuff was just 'the 'man' keepin' me down." I'll show them. (I'm not sure who "them" is. Uh, who them are? Wow, that's a tricky one.)

I did feel that I was "rebelling" against something by not having routines. That I somehow was exerting my independence and freedom by doing this. Right...

Exerting my freedom to be always late for things...

Exerting my independence to make others wait for me...

Exerting my freedom and independence never to have enough time to do what I really wanted to do. Gee that's ironic. My rebellion against constructed time was keeping me from doing things?

Now, please remember, I am not perfect now. But I have changed some of my ways, my attitudes and my way of seeing things. My perceptions of time and routine. It's unfortunate that the word routine sounds so, well, routine. Like mundane.

A routine life does not sound like an exciting one.

But that's the thing. Life does not have to be routine or mundane. There are mundane things in life that need to be taken care of. And once they are....then let the excitement commence!

(And you can always interject some excitement even into the mundane, right? Try grocery shopping in a prom dress or watering the lawn in a ballet tutu. And of course you can always vacuum au natural--just keep the curtains closed or you might find getting thrown in the pokey part of your new routine!)

So, what are the mundane things in life?

Well, the usual suspects that keep us going: food and shelter. Grocery shopping, food preparation and keeping the housework up. (Keeping the housework up is not quite as important as feeding yourself, let's just get that straight. Food is first.)

Yes, you need to support your fun stuff by building a firm foundation. If you are fed, you have energy to do laundry. If you have clean clothes, you can get dressed and go to work to earn money to feed yourself. If you can earn money you can afford that roof over your head and the food in your tummy. Yes, it's quite the connected circle.

Now while I try, I know I can't solve all organizing issues in one blog. I just want to get you moving in a direction. Even if it's just to change your perception of something.

Let's take meal planning.

I have found that if some external structure is imposed on me, I do very well at meal planning and grocery shopping. If some scheduled activity lands me near the grocery store, then that's my day to do grocery shopping. When my DD was a just a toddler, the library held story-time on Wednesdays. Lovely, since the grocery store was just down the block. Wednesday became my grocery day. I cursed the library when they stopped story-time for the summer. (Damn those under-funded public institutions!) Yes, we did still manage to eat in the summer, but I had to look for another time structure.

Fast forward to when DD is in ballet class, held even closer to the grocery store, and she is now old enough to be left at class. Woo-hoo, a whole 45 minutes to run and do the grocery shopping! (Or nap in the car if really needed...)

What this structure does is remind me that, yes, I should do the meal planning the day or evening before, or at least while I am eating breakfast that morning. I sit with my giant family calendar and check our activities for each day that week and gauge my potential for crankiness each evening. (Should I have a frozen Amy's pizza at the ready or will I have the strength for a full-on stir-fry?) At my fingertips I have my grocery list ready as I mentally (or physically) check my pantry for the needed items. I use the "All Out Of" notepad from Knock Knock, which includes a section for vegetarian items. This is a great magnetic notepad I stick on the fridge. DH can check off things as he runs out (Yeah, it happens once in awhile. The theory is nice.) and I can too.

The wonderful thing about shopping once a week is that I am not tempted to shop more often and therefore waste more time and spend more money. If I know that I am shopping on Monday and we run out of peanut butter on Friday, then, heck, we just try and make it through the weekend without peanut butter, use up something else that is probably about to go bad in the fridge and spend that time doing something more fun. Like napping.

Summer always presents a problem since the lovely structure and routine of the school year is delightfully out of whack. I'm realizing (I am determined to not let summers get the best of me) that I need to re-evaluate the routine every week or every-other week.

Just a little forethought.

A little.

If I don't do a little forethought a week or two at a time, I have to think all the more each and every day and every hour of that silly day. But if the important stuff is planned and on the calendar, then I don't have too think so often. And that's the whole point. Not having to think so much about the mundane things. And having time (and brain power) to think about the fun or creative stuff.

Or take a nap.

That'll show them.

Watch for future blogs about the importance of getting enough sleep. :)

Just say "No!"

2008-06-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

Well, actually, don't just say "No!" Say it with style...

Many of my clients have time management issues. Sometimes it's from difficulty with managing the concept of time, but often it's because they have filled their schedules by saying "yes" too many times to too many people.

ADDitude Magazine (a magazine devoted to adults and families living with AD/HD) recently ran a sidebar called "12 Clever Ways to Decline," written by Ramona Creel of Onlineorganizing.com. I'll add my cleverness at the bottom.

12 Clever Ways to Decline

1. I'm in the middle of several projects.
2. I'm not comfortable with that.
3. I'm not taking on any new responsibilities.
4. I'm not the most qualified person for the job.
5. I do not enjoy that kind of work.
6. I do not have any more room in my calendar.
7. I hate to split my attention among projects.
8. I know you will do a wonderful job yourself.
9. I need to leave some free time for myself.
10. I would rather help out with another task.
11. I have no experience with that.
12. I have another commitment.

Personally, I'm a little leery of #10 and #11. Only use #10 if you really want another task, and you're not trying to get out of doing something. And with #11, the other person can too easily come back with "So this is how you would get some experience." That's been used on me! For me, #11 is only good for things like flying an airplane, surgery of any kind, higher math and giving hair cuts.

Here are my additions:

13. Let me check my calendar and get back with you.
This gives you time to decide which "no" you are going to use. You also get to confirm for yourself that your calendar is full. Make sure you have filled your calendar. You know you can fill your calendar with things like "Bubble bath: 6 pm," "Nap: 2-4 pm," "Wash the dog: 11-12 pm," "Play computer solitaire: 7 am -3 pm." I'm serious, be sure to schedule all the fun things you like to do. (Well maybe computer solitaire for 8 hours is a bit extreme.) But it helps you avoid the next excuse...

14. Oh, the last time I did that they had to call the fire department.
Now this is a very specific excuse. Feel free to substitute a more appropriate agency–paramedics, police, park rangers, health inspector, social services, the IRS, Coast Guard, National Guard, Marines etc. Yes, this one does border on the "little white lie." (I hope.) But it gets the other party to say no, not you!

So, if you think you would have trouble using any of these, I suggest practicing. Take the ones you like, put them in your own words, stand in front of a mirror and repeat them until they roll off your tongue. Call it a fire drill if you like. When the time comes to use one, it will be right there for you, sound natural (do give a short pause first and look like you are mentally checking your calendar) and get the job done. The job is to avoid a job you don't have time for or just don't want to do.

It's been nice "No-ing you!"

Values Clarification

2008-05-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

My local organizers group recently held a "mini-conference" and one of the session leaders was Life Coach Pam Austin.

She led us in an exercise that helped us realize our "Core Values" and how once these are clear to us, our priorities are more clear and all decisions we make or actions we take will be based on these, helping us to reach our goals in life. (Quite a condensation of a 2 1/2 hour-long session!)

I found this exercise useful for my very next client, and really, I can see its value for almost every client I come in contact with. It's really where it all starts with organizing or changing habits in order to change the mess or clutter that infiltrates your home or even your social or work calendar. (Remember, people can be clutter, too!) It's a nice reminder for us about what really important, and for some a real clarification we didn't even know we needed. But when you start living your values more intentionally, you start reaching your goals and feeling satisfied on a daily basis, instead of always "waiting" for things to happen or your goals to be met. (Yes, values, like goals can change over time.)

While doing some research on this topic, I found a website/blog that helps you do this on your own. (Of course, I'd recommend going to Pam if you are in the Sonoma County area. 707-544-2348)

But Steve Pavlina has a similar approach in an easy-to-follow method. Click here to begin "Living Your Values, Part I."

And yes, he has a Part II.

If you try it out, let me know how it worked for you and what you think of it.

Happy clarifying!

Wrestling the paper tiger

2008-05-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

It's everywhere. And they promised us a few years ago we would be a "paperless" society! Yeah right!

Here are a few quick tips about paper...

Don't let it in the house.

If you see a flyer for something while you are out, ask yourself if you really need the information or if you can look at it online later.
If you pick up your mail at the post office, take one minute to sort, purge and recycle it right there. Even all the envelopes. They usually have a recycle bin. Ask them to get one if they don't.

Recycle right away at home.

Have your recycle bin convenient to where you walk into the house with the mail. Stand (or sit) there and go through it right away, getting rid of all the junk and envelopes.
Have a bin or basket to then put all your mail in if you are not able to sort right away. Let everyone in the house know this is where to put the mail. (Fewer lost bills this way.)

More later on how to sort all the stuff and then take action on what needs action. (At the very least, have one folder that says "bills" and throw them in there.)

Days of Weeds and Roses

2008-05-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Roses of Success (from Chitty Chitty Bang! Bang!)

Every bursted bubble has a glory!
Each abysmal failure makes a point!

Every glowing path that goes astray,
Shows you how to find a better way.

So every time you stumble never grumble.
Next time you'll bumble even less!

For up from the ashes,
up from the ashes, grow the roses of success!
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses!
From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success!

Spring has come and gone in my neck of the woods. The plum trees are sprouting green plums and the weeds are cropping up in the decomposed granite pathway we put in last summer. (The one I was guaranteed could not be penetrated if weedcloth was underlain—it was—and could not germinate a newly fallen seed.)

As I weeded this path and the beds around it, I began to think of the similarities between gardening and organizing. (And by the way, gardening is a wonderful activity to help you restore focus and increase the capacity of your pre-frontal cortex to make decisions.)

I thought about last spring when I was hand-pulling weeds from a dense patch in our backyard.. California poppies and Miner’s Lettuce (aka Indian Lettuce) were sprouting up between the weeds. Miner’s Lettuce is a lovely native spring salad green that pops up for free in my yard. I wished to save both these species and rid myself of all the other nasty things.

I kept thinking about how this was so much like helping a client wade through mountains of “stuff,” carefully separating treasures from the junk—the weeds from the wildflowers. And how even the wildflowers were creating shelter from the sun (giving comfort to the enemy in my view) for the evil weeds. I had to be extra-careful in my weeding.

This is often true in a client’s home. All the “good stuff” is just creating more hiding spaces for junk, as well as created more surfaces for dust, and creates shelter for spiders and other crawlies as well. Just as my lovely poppies and lettuce were growing tall, the untended growth beneath of burr clover and other nasties were taking hold, shielded from the hot sun and given a few extra drops of water from their taller, unwitting benefactors. And now and then, I have to sacrifice a "treasure" (a poppy or Miner's Lettuce) in order to get to the "trash" and keep the work going.

We call this section of our yard “The back 40,” not because it is 40 acres, it’s just the last bit we’re trying to landscape ourselves and it seems like 40 acres. It feels overwhelming at times, and the weeds grow back every year. True, fewer and fewer each year since we get a little bit more covered by weedcloth and bark or pathway. But there’s always more. Yet, I know that if I take it on a little at a time—even just get to a few feet of path, I will make headway. And when the weather turns too warm, I will adjust my weeding to the morning hours before the sun beats upon me and wilts me more quickly then the lettuce.

This is the same advice I give clients—if it all seems overwhelming, just take your time, do a little bit every day, even if just a square foot. Work when you are at your best—be it in the morning or midnight. Know yourself and your own peak times. Before you wilt, too.

Garden of Intention
Right now, I am still reacting to what my garden brings me—namely, weeds in new places. I haven’t planted much, i.e. not much has been intentional. Well, OK, we have had some work done, and accomplished some things last summer, but we are still “reacting” to the weeds, and having to re-work areas that if we had finished sooner, we wouldn’t have to deal with weeds (or as many) this year. But again, bit by bit. Little by little. Patience and and more “intention” to what we do in the garden. “Own” more if it rather than it owning us. Still allowing for nature’s surprises here and there.

Now go grow your roses!

When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

2008-04-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) 2008 conference...
Outstanding!

Veggie Food at/during conference...
Mediocre

Veggie Food at hotel...
Very bad

Veggie Food at The Pneumatic Diner in Reno...
Outstanding!

Having a conference in a casino...
Worst idea since ... gee, I can't think of what was worse!

Hundred acre wood a-ha moment!

2008-04-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

I proved one of my own points last week.

While in the midst of a full-on Disneyland-induced ADD moment, I was surprised by a moment of peace, sanity and clarity.

We had taken our young daughter for a two-day visit to the realm of Mickey, princesses, and churro-laced mania. (By the way, the churros are really good.)

It was the morning of day two, and we had already decided that the line for the Nemo submarine ride was too long and we would head straight over to "Critter Country" to see the Winnie the Pooh area and ride. (Good idea–it was the only ride we were able to hop right on.)

Thank goodness we did.

As soon as we got there, I felt a wonderful sensation come over me. I felt calmer, more focused and less frenzied. I took a look around and figured out why.

Critter Country was filled with large green trees (most of them real), lots of wooden structures (most of them not real), and lovely wooden benches to sit on. It was the closest thing to real nature I was going to get in this land of fakery.

The point I proved is this: the natural world can help you focus and calm your mind. It's the basis for my Organize in Harmony offspring: Organized by Nature.

I'll be bringing this aspect to my regular practice more and more in the coming months: using Mother Nature to help us calm our minds and bring focus to what we are doing with our organizing projects. Something about green trees that lets our pre-frontal cortex do a RAM-dump and start with a clean disk.

It can be as easy as sitting in your backyard for 5 minutes or taking a walk in your neighborhood and observing the trees and flowers. Or maybe getting in the car and visiting a city, county or state park and immersing yourself for an hour or two. Or a national park and immersing yourself for a day or two (a week or two?). Or even just a little meditation at your cubicle while listening to a nature sounds CD.

Just don't think you have to go to Critter Country.

(But the churros are really good....)

Persimmon Tree, Very Pretty

2008-03-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

The garden metaphors for organizing just keep coming at me. Not that I'm really doing much gardening, although I'm thinking about it. Besides, it's raining now, so I CAN'T go out and garden...

As it is softly misting in my back yard, I can see that our little persimmon tree is beginning to leaf out. (Yes, this is California and we've been having a beautiful–and early–Spring.)

This tree is a survivor like no other. When we bought this house about 3 years ago, it was quite tall and even had some persimmons on it. But it was misshapen and a very sad thing to look at. It is near our back fence, which had a huge growth of blackberries on the other side. These things are prehistoric remnants that I know will cover the earth someday if we ever do have a cataclysmic event. They and the cockroaches will rule. But I digress....

Not only had the blackberry vines entwined themselves into this tree, but a climbing rose had also declared the persimmon its habitat. It was a tall tree, but it really only had about a fourth of its crown that it should have had. The blackberries and roses had overtaken the tree on the back side and it was only a persimmon tree in the front.

I made the heart-wrenching decision to let the gardener cut it down, thinking I would soon plant one or two redwoods in its place, to complete a row (and privacy to our yard) of three others.

Well, procrastination does have its place now and then, (don't tell anyone I said this), and the next summer, a beautiful, healthy straight shoot came out of the little stump. Since the blackberries and rose had been cut back, it now had all the light and room it needed.

It did branch and leaf out last summer, although it did not bear fruit. It is now entering its second season of its second life, and it is a (shorter) but very beautiful and symmetric tree.

My connection with this tree to organizing? Yes, I'm getting to that.

Think about the clutter you may have in your home or life. Is it choking out the life in you, creating a lopsided version of you because it overshadows who you really are? If you cut it all out, would you then be able to grow straight and tall (so to speak), basking (basquing if you are Portuguese) in the sunlight now available to you? Able to bloom and fruit to your full extent instead of just a small percentage?

Yes, keeping the "blackberries" at bay will be a constant chore, but I can keep up with it a little at a time, especially since I can see how "happy" my persimmon tree is now. And now that I can see its full beauty.

How is your persimmon tree?

Are you ready for a new season with a new life?

2008-03-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

Compulsive Hoarding, Part I

I just attended a day-long seminar put on by the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, called Clutter Addiction and Hoarding. This was a completely separate event from the Mental Health Association's annual Conference on Hoarding and Cluttering.

There were at least 200-300 people in attendance. That was the part that astounded me.

I'll be writing more in the next few weeks about the complex issue of Compulsive Hoarding and all the attention it's gotten in the last several months–special episodes on Oprah, Dr. Phil and all those organizing shows, some of which touch on the most severe cases only occasionally.

This issue has finally come "out of the closet" so to speak. Well it had to because the closet was full.

I had never known about hoarding personally while growing up, although my parents did help "clean" a friend's house after she had broken her wrist and ankle. They had described to me what they found. (Absolutely all the earmarks of a hoarder, as I now know.) Little trails through the house–the only place you could walk. Piles of papers and stuff. Present after present that had never been given away. Just another crazy social worker, I thought.

I've been studying the issue of hoarding ever since I joined the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) in 2005. It was fascinating. I wanted to know more and certainly be "prepared" for when I might have a client in this situation. What have I learned? Oh, so much. And that it's hard to be truly prepared.

What I have learned is this: compulsive hoarding is as much a disease as alcoholism is. It's hard to understand, difficult to live with (or impossible) and there's no easy cure. That's what researchers are looking at now--how can people who have this issue be helped? What really is the problem? Is it in the brain? In the mind? In the heart? A combination of all these? I think yes.

What has become clear to me is not the answers, but the questions that now must be asked.

How do we help?

How do we fund this help?

How can we remain compassionate while looking for the answers and trying to help?

How do we get communities involved?

Since this is such a closeted illness, researchers are hard-pressed to give accurate numbers as to how many among us might have hoarding issues. One or two percent? Possibly 5%. That means in every large church group of 500 or more, there are 5 to 25 people who are living with this illness and maybe many more who are affected–children, relatives, friends, even pets.

In the next few installments, I will define Compulsive Hoarding, talk about the "what-not-to-dos" that well-meaning friends or loved ones might think is right. As well as give some resources for help. And probably come up with a few more questions. Maybe someone out there has some answers.

If you want more information right away, read "Buried in Treasures" (in the book list at the bottom) or visit the following websites. They have a tremendous amount of information about what this condition is, information to help you help yourself or a loved one, and links to more resources.

This is one iceberg that is just beginning to melt and we are feeling the affects of the flood.

Children of Hoarders
Squalor Survivors
Obsessive Compulsive Foundation Hoarding Website
National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization

2008-03-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

Kilroy was here.

I think I have discovered something in Chronic Disorganization I will call the
“Kilroy Was Here Syndrome.”

Discovered in myself first, quite by chance, I think it can only happen if you live in a house with other people, but I might be mistaken, since I’ve never lived in a house without other people.

Let me tell you my story.

I came out one morning to our nice clean kitchen. (I’d like you to believe it is that way every morning, but alas, the kitchen is one of my own personal issues.) I was happy that the Messy Fairies had left it alone overnight. I was the first one up, and I had used a water glass. As I was about to go through my self-questioning (Do I leave it out? Do I put it in the dishwasher right now?), I was thinking that if I put it in the dishwasher (as my Organizer Fairy was urging me to do), wouldn’t my spouse be proud of how conscientious I had been by putting it away right then?

And then another, more sinister thought (must have been from the Messy Fairy) entered my head. “If I put this glass away, he will not notice that I have put it away. He will not realize that I was even in the room. He will only notice that I have been in the room if I leave the glass out!

For a moment, I almost decided to leave the glass out! (I didn’t—I put it in the dishwasher.)

But it made me wonder about myself and my clients. Are we sometimes messy because we subconsciously (or unconsciously—I’m never sure which) want someone, anyone, to know that we have been there? Our own little “Kilroy Was Here” graffiti that confirms our existence to others.

It was a surprising thought, true at least for me.

When I see a mess my precious daughter has left behind, I try not to get angry, but remember that it is because we have a child (something we had really, really wanted), that we now have a mess in the house, or a toy tossed here or there. Shall I choose to look at it as another mess to clean up left by my ungrateful daughter? A task to remind my child about when she gets home? Or simply a token of her existence for which I am grateful every day, and I can easily and quickly swoop it up and put it where it needs to go? (With a smile on my face thinking about the day she was born, or the wonderful drawings she’s always making for us.)

The same can be said for things a spouse leaves behind—socks here and there, a towel on the floor, a dish out of place. I am often reminded of letters to Dear Abby and Ann Landers from widows who would give anything to have these messes back in the house if only their husbands were still there, too.

Now, that's not to say that I'm not teaching my daughter to clean up after herself (she's only in first grade, we have years left to work on it!) or that I'll excuse my spouse's messiness every time. But it does mean I'll try to lighten up on myself and the tapes I play in my head when I confront a mess--mine or theirs. I can also choose to still be conscientious about cleaning up after myself and still find ways to leave my mark. Cutesy things are fun and easy--a note in the lunch box, or the bathroom mirror. Or just a hug when they get home and an easy, "I love you, and I'm so glad to see you."

I can remember which "mark" I want them to see and how they might be thinking of me when they see it. Just as easily as I can choose which thoughts I will think when I see their "marks."

Have a great week!

Margaret was here.

(Clink the links on either today's title or the graphic to learn more about the original "Kilroy Was Here" drawing. He was quite popular during WWII and there are a number of legends, myths and information about how he came to be.)

2008-02-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

Prozac Nation?

When helping to organize a client's house, we often come across old medicines. What to do with them? The old answer used to be to flush them down the toilet or simply put them in the trash.

Please don't do either of these things!

These chemicals are finding their way into our water sources and then of course into our bodies. Municipal filtration systems do not keep them out. The result, of course is that we all have traces of drugs (ones not prescribed for us) in our systems. This means that even nursing mothers are passing this stuff onto their precious babies. It certainly gives a new meaning to the phrase "Prozac Nation!" Let's keep our children and ourselves safe and dispose of old medications properly.

In my neck of the woods, local pharmacies are participating in a pilot program collecting old pills. I've listed these in this blog, but if you don't live in Sonoma County, California, please contact your local Waste Management agency or your local pharmacy and ask about what's available for you. If there is nothing---please start bugging your local government to start doing something!

(Be sure to remove labels before you recycle the bottles. This will help protect your identity and medical information.)

Santa Rosa:
Creekside Rx
Dollar Drug
Longs-4th St., Mendocino and Stony Point
The Medicine Shoppe
Rite-Aid-Farmers Lane
Tuttle's Hoen and Doyle Park Rx's
Walgreen's --All Santa Rosa Stores

Sebastopol:
Safeway
Longs

Rohnert Park:
Longs on Commerce
Costco

Cotati:
Walgreens-Old Redwood Highway

Program guidelines:

No lotions or creams.
Some pharmacies recycle the bottles with labels removed. Others ask you to take them home and recycle them.
This is a pilot program running from February thru July.

You can also take meds to the Sonoma County Waste Management Facility. The Household Toxics Facility is open every week for free drop-off of toxics from Sonoma County residents.

Call 543-4200 or visit www.srcity.org/safemed for more info.

2008-02-23T09:41:00.000-08:00

Margaret's 4 Basic Organizing Tips

If you do nothing else in your life, do these 4 things to get organized.

1. Hang your purse and keys on a hook by the door.

2. Purge your clothing. Then again. Then 6 months later, again.

3. Use a day planner--and keep it with you. At the most, use only 1 more calendar in the house at your desk or on a wall for the family to see. Keep them both updated.

4. Practice this phrase "Let me check my calendar and get back to you." Then be sure to use it before you say yes to anything or anyone!

Do these 4 things, and I promise that you will see a change in your life!

Margaret

2008-02-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

'Ware oh 'wear has all my clutter gone? Oh 'Ware, oh 'wear can it be?
(Two easy steps to reducing dirty piles.)

No, those are not typos. (Or "typoes" if you are Dan Quayle.)

In one of my tip sheets entitled "Riding the Laundry Cycle," I make mention of purging your clothing in order to simply have less of it around to wash. It's a simple idea, really and I'm going to take it a step further to help you build the habit of doing the laundry on a routine schedule.

Certainly, if you have less laundry, you will have fewer clothes that must be washed--you will be forced to do laundry much sooner if you don't have 365 outfits and try to do 52 loads of laundry on New Year's Eve. But I can help you get to the washer much sooner.

What usually makes you start a load?

Underwear? Yep, that's most people's answer. And how many pairs (lets just count the "shorts" for men and "panties" for the ladies) do you own? If it's more than 8, you could be in trouble.

In college, I had the unfortunate luck to overhear another student say she owned 30 pairs, and therefore only had to to laundry once a month. I thought that was a grand idea. (Kind of OK for a college student, but it wasn't working for me 15 years later.)

Why not limit yourself to 7 or 8 pairs? Having eight lets you do laundry once a week while still wearing one pair. (Nice, especially if you use a laundromat.) A client kindly pointed out that you would need to have an equal number of light/white and dark pairs for this to work should you decide to do laundry more than once a week and presort (as I suggest) the lights from the darks. Or have 8 that are all light or all dark.

Yes, (talking mostly to the ladies here) you can still have some of those "special" (read "pretty but not so comfortable") sets, but you must promise not to wear them once your "everyday" stuff is dirty or you'll be back to where you started. With too many loads to wash in your one or two precious days off.

So, that's the "Wear." Now what about the "Ware" you ask?
Tell me now about another area of the house where stuff stacks up to be washed....

Yep, the kitchen. We're talking about dinnerWARE and silverWARE now. The same rule applies here.

Limit how many of these things you have in your kitchen and can use before you are forced to load up (or eek, wash by hand) the dishwasher and run it. One summer I worked in Yosemite and had a tiny little space to myself and no dishwasher. I took with me only 2 plates, 2 glasses and 2 sets of silverware. If company was coming, heck, they were told to bring their own. (Having more than 2 people in this "space" was hard enough anyway!) It was so easy to just get in the habit of cleaning my ware right after using it. And of course, putting it all away was a breeze, too!

Now, I'm not saying you must limit yourself to 2 items, but do think about limiting what you keep on hand what you might use at one meal, or maybe in one day if there are only one or two people in your household. You don't have to toss your other dishes or silverware, but put them away in an inconvenient place so you will only get them out when company is coming. But if you have 89 spoons and tend to use them all before you do the dishes, then you are surely in need of a sort and purge day.

So, just limit your Wares/Wears and you will be on the road to starting new habits that reduce the messy-dirty-giant-pile/stack-needs-to-be-washed clutter in your home.

2007-10-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

Chronic Disorganization, ADD and Hoarding, Oh My!

October was the month of conferences and I'm glad we'll be heading into the quiet weeks of just major family holidays!

It was actually the end of September when I attended the NSGCD (National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization) Annual Conference in Mt. Laurel, NJ. We had two main wonderful speakers whose expertise was in ADD and people who hoard. Both areas are such huge issues right now in the field and it was great to hear the most up-to-date information. Among the attendees, we realized that collaborative therapy (client, therapist and organizer) is the way to go with our clients in great need. We'll be bringing this message to the world of therapists and coaches in the next few years! On a personal (and professional) note, I sat for my Level III peer review and received my official CPO-CD (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) title and lapel pin. Sixteen months of study and mentoring have come to a close! And yet the work continues....

Conference #2 was the ADDA Regional Conference in San Francisco. (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) Again, more wonderful information about adult ADD.

Conference #3 just wrapped up this last weekend in San Ramon. The NAPO-SFBA (National Association of Professional Organizers-San Francisco Bay Area) held their regional conference. I co-presented a session with colleague Kim Anker-Paddon (soon to be of the LA area) on ADD with a twist. We called it "Nature and Nurture: It all A.D.D.s up!" Kim spoke on the "traditional" organizer ways to help our clients with ADD (or AD/HD--same thing) and I spoke about some new ideas I am using about how nature and other natural methods can help people focus. (Some great studies have been done by Stephen Kaplan and Andrea Faber Taylor and Frandces Kuo.) I'll write more about these ideas and studies soon.

I actually passed on another great conference in SF--the Mental Health Association's Hoarding and Cluttering Conference. There just wasn't enough time for me to attend this one, but Kim did and she said it was wonderful. I attended last year and heard Randy Frost speak. He is one of the authors of the new book "Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring and Hoarding." Also a must-read for anyone who has this issue or has a loved one with hoarding problems. The problem is more widespread than anyone can imagine--and such a heartache for all involved. Marin County is starting a task force on the situation.

Well, there is certainly enough fodder in my last month of conferences to blog daily for quite awhile. Please tune in soon for more detailed information about all the topics mentioned today.

Have a Happy (and safe) Halloween!
Margaret,

2006-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

This Fall and Spring Workshops by Margaret of Organize in Harmony

Workshop Announcements:

September 30, 2006 and March 10 2007 1-5 pm Cotati, CA
"Organized by Nature: How a Walk in the Woods Can Help You Focus"
Learn how adults with ADD or ADD-like symptoms can use Mother Nature to help them focus, be distracted less and refresh and relax a busy mind. Classroom work and a real walk in the woods! Register through the Cotati Recreation Department, www.ci.cotati.ca.us

October 28, 2006 Newark, CA
"Present Yourself Professionally:
How to transform your image without spending a fortune"
This class is geared towards new professional organizers and will be one of the breakout sessions at the NAPO-SFBA regional conference. See www.napo-sfba.org to register for the conference.

2006-06-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

And only the blind shall see....

Good Sunday morning to all! Today is bright and sunny in my neck of the woods, and I managed to get a bit of gardening done before the sun hit me and got a little too warm.

I tried a listening exercise yesterday that I used to do on my nature walks in Yosemite. If you are a clutterer or just have too much stuff in your house, you may want to try this to gain a new perspective.

I sat quietly at a public park and closed my eyes, listening carefully for sounds around me. I had a paper and pen, and I drew a "sound map" of every little thing I heard. The only human sounds I heard were cars and a few people talking. Other things were dogs barking, an airplane overhead, many birds chirping or singing all over the place, the wind in the trees and I felt the wind on my face.

When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see a number of things I hadn't heard. There was a guy riding his bike by the park, a man walking his dog, and another man sitting quietly on a bench.

I realized that this exercise of listening had also enhanced my ability to see. I was suddenly more aware, and even more curious to see what was around me. So many things had become "invisible" to me and it took me closing my eyes, to enable me to see them once again.

Have piles of "stuff" in your house or office become invisible? They haven't disappeared, they are still there--your eyes just don't see them anymore.

Maybe this means we need to take a moment and close our eyes in our homes. Listen for sounds, then open our eyes anew to what surrounds us.

Do we truly want those piles? Wouldn't we rather they disappear (by us de-cluttering) than have them become invisible?

Margaret
Organize in Harmony

2006-06-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

Happy June everyone! A wonderful idea came over me the other day about how to help people unclutter their lives. Years ago, when I first tried backpacking, I remember feeling the incredible elation that came from being able to survive for a few days with just this stuff on my back.

I swore I didn't need anything more than I could carry myself, and vowed to not collect so much "stuff" in my life. Now of course, I didn't pare down quite like that, and over the years, yes, I did manage to collect "stuff." But I sure do remember that feeling I had and the sense of freedom and empowerment.

I later became a park ranger, and met lots of people who lived without so much stuff. The land around them, the people they loved, the travelling they could do--these were the important things in their lives and their priorities kept them living light. (That, and the National Park Service salary!)

Getting back to that ethic seems even more important to me now--and I'm wondering how to help my clients get that same feeling--without having to actually go backpacking.

How about just walks in the woods? You're supposed to look at something green every now and then to clear your brain. Feeling nature under our feet, smelling it in our noses and hearing the natural sounds of life--all these things have always helped me clear my cluttered head--maybe it can help others clear their cluttered homes and offices?

Organize with Mother Nature? I think it could work.

Margaret
The Mother Nature Organizer
Organize in Harmony

2006-05-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, I've entered the world of blogging...

Watch for more to come as I create weekly blogs on all things to do with organizing, decluttering, creating harmony at home and at work and learning about special issues that can affect one's ability or ease with organizing...like ADD or ADHD, Brain Injury, depression and more.

This is a non-judgemental place...we might be messy, unorganized, super neat or somewhere in between.....but we are all just folks trying to get by. Come on back and prepare to learn!

Margaret
The Mother Nature Organizer
Organize in Harmony

Organize in Harmony

Listen to KSRO Saturday, 2-3 pm!

I'll be on the radio this Saturday!

Listen in live (or later on the archive) on KSRO 1350 AM this Saturday between 2-3 pm (Pacific Time) when I will be interviewed on "Call Kira About Aging."

The subject this month is organizing and our topic on Saturday will be hoarding. Specialist Dr. Michael Tompkins (who co-wrote "Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding and Compulsive Acquiring") is the other guest and I am there as the professional organizer.

2012 SF Hoarding and Cluttering Conference

What's New

SAVE THE DATE

Coming in 2012...

My business model and fee structure will be changing beginning January 2012. Please contact me to find out more (or check back on my Packages/PayPal tab).

(All hours left on current packages bought before the end of 2011 will be honored, but those packages will not be available for purchase to new or returning clients in 2012.)

*Current 2011 rates: $70/hour. Pre-paid packages are $700 for a 10+1 hour package (11 hours) and $1400 for a 20 + 3 hour package (23 hours)

I will be working exclusively with only 1-2 regular weekly clients and 2-3 phone-coaching or maintenance clients at a time.

This will enable me to work with clients who wish to work intensively and quickly on projects involving large areas of clutter or chronic disorganization, reaching goals within the week or month.

Four-hour sessions are available Monday thru Friday from (approximately) 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Three-hour sessions will be available only if the client is unable (physically) to work for four hours.

The first Assessment Session (3-4 hours) is paid hourly and at the time of service, and includes a full assessment and hands-on organizing if there is time.

Further working sessions are part ofpre-paid larger packages that offer a savings.

Call or e-mail me now if you are ready to get going! (A 20-minute phone consultation is always available at no charge.)

707-823-3479

margaret@organizeinharmony.com

NBOC and Soles4Souls Shoe Drive

The OCD Chef Cutting Board

Need time for fun stuff?

Closet Clock

Hoarding on House

Have you found a wonderful ADHD therapist?

NAPO National Conference, San Diego

CHADD Support Group in Santa Rosa

Upcoming Presentations

Magnetic Door Stop

Tips Sheets for Downloading

Margaret in the Media

NSGCD is now ICD

Radio Interviews Fridays in January 2011

Hoarding and Cluttering Conference 3/10/11

Comfort zones and growth

New Hoarding Support Group In San Mateo County

Master Trainer!

Ultralight Towel Field Testing

Teleclass Tidbit-Working with Students with ADHD

Lightload towels--Earthquake kits?

Just for fun...more Organizing Acronyms...

Genius little grippers for hangers

But don't expect procrastination to pay!

When procrastination pays...!

What have I finished?

Package Deals

The Sour Notes of Perfectionism

The Top Three Reasons to Hoard

Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring, by Michael Tompkins and Tamara Hartl.

25 Creative Uses for Coffee Filters

My Clean Fridge Blog

Fridge 1/1/10

Welcome to my blog!

The New Fridge and the New Habit

The Senior Organizer Book (Sale!!)

I Care Village

I love my touchless soap dispenser!

Come to the SFBA Regional Confernce on Saturday November 7!

Organizing is like a bowl of oatmeal

NSGCD Conference

It pays to purge your clothing closet! (Literally)

A&E Hoarders Episode IV

Is A&E setting up hoarders for failure?

A&E Hoarders Episode III

Who wants to be called a "hoarder?"

A&E Hoarders Episode II

When will I take on a client with Compulsive Hoarding issues?

A&E Compulsive Hoarding Series

A walk in the woods can help you focus

2009 NSGCD Annual Conference

2009 Annual Conference on Hoarding and Cluttering

Putting Your Affairs in Order

Summer Special on Phone Coaching

PayPal Accepted Now!

Completion is in the eye of the beholder.

All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From Star Trek

Beware of cloaking devices!

Organizing acronym fun! (OAF!)

The S-P-O-R-T of downsizing

My business model and fee structure will be changing beginning January 2012.
Please contact me to find out more
(or check back on my Packages/PayPal tab).

(All hours left on current packages bought before the end of 2011 will be honored,
but those packages will not be available for purchase to new or returning clients in 2012.)

*Current 2011 rates: $70/hour.
Pre-paid packages are $700 for a 10+1 hour package (11 hours) and
$1400 for a 20 + 3 hour package (23 hours)

I will be working exclusively with only 1-2 regular weekly clients
and 2-3 phone-coaching or maintenance clients at a time.

This will enable me to work with clients who wish to work intensively and quickly on projects involving large areas of clutter or chronic disorganization,
reaching goals within the week or month.

Four-hour sessions are available Monday thru Friday from
(approximately) 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Three-hour sessions will be available only if the client
is unable (physically) to work for four hours.

The first Assessment Session (3-4 hours) is paid hourly and at the time of service,
and includes a full assessment and hands-on organizing if there is time.

Further working sessions are part of
pre-paid larger packages that offer a savings.

Call or e-mail me now if you are ready to get going!
(A 20-minute phone consultation is always available at no charge.)