Emotional bank accounts are sort of how you subconsciously keep score in a relationship. In a relationship you are depositing and with drawing from an “account” of good/bad feelings. When someone says or does something that effects you positively they are making deposits. The negatives are withdraws. The interesting thing is that the ratio is not one-to-one. Depending on the scenario a truly hurtful negative can wipe out many positives that have been built up. As relationship age and roles change people need to be mindful of their “withdraws” and how careful to keep the positive coming in strong. Take time to make some deposits everyday to build strong bonds that can withstand inevitable transition and change.

Living in a very cluttered disorganized space often takes a negative toll on all the other good work you are doing. It can lad to depression in your life and the lives of people around you. Turn it around and see how the poeple in your life are empowered and positive as well.

Two words in a text message and I am weeping in a big puddle on the side of the road! Where did that come from? My daughter is off at the University of Vermont as a freshman and I am really doing incredibly well with her departure. She is perfectly happy and I know she is in a great place. So out of the blue when she texts It’s Snowing , I just lost it! How could she be in a “first snow” with out ME? This is a time when we are dancing in the kitchen! I have never missed the “first snow”! Well, I never knew how important it was or what a tradition we had created, but it was there and it was powerful.

As an organizer, I run into moment that are emotionally charged like that with my clients and WE did not see it coming. All of a sudden a pair of Grandmother’s boots has us in tears. It is hard to be ready for that, but it sure is good to be with someone when you go through it! If getting rid of things was easy, people would just do it. Sometimes sessions are just a journey. Sometimes clients need to just tell me something little about the item before they can let it go. If these little ceremonies help you move forward-let it happen. The result will be a more positive feeling about the process.

Lately I have been really listening to why people don’t do the things they really want to be doing. Whether it be organizing, exercise or just having fun we often just don’t do those things that we really know we should be doing. Usually these are things that are easy to do, but also easy NOT to do! We have our minds set on the task, it agrees with our core values, it puts us closer to a goal but at some point we just bail out and don’t do it. It is that moment that I want to learn about! I think that if we add some small accountability right at that moment we will follow through with that action. So insert accountability into your plan for getting things done. Something as simple as exercising with a friend, or emailing your meal plan to someone to make sure you eat more healthy foods. Even writing down what you say you will do is a type of accountability.

So look at the one thing you are not getting to and add some kind of accountability and see what happens!

Sometimes being right does not add up to great results. Sometimes we get stuck doing things a certain way because at some point it seemed like the “right” way. As life changes our systems need to as well. Sometimes we get stuck in our old habits and don’t recognize that they are too complicated for our current life demands. If clipping news articles and sending them to friends seemed like a good idea years ago and now you are overwhelmed with papers and clipping it may be time to look at a new way to achieve that goal of sending info to other people. If someone has been fighting with you to make you try a new system-often that makes you hold onto the old system tighter. Especially if you at some point felt it was the “right” thing to do! When we start fighting for our “right stems” we become entrenched in that thinking and really “dig in”. Even when we see that the system is overloaded and not working well, it has now become a matter of principle above all else. Any rational alternative suggestion (like using the Internet) is shot down while you drown in being “right”.

If you notice that happening in your life. Be brave and take a baby step towards making changes. Those changes don’t mean that you are wrong, they simply mean that you have decided to try a new way. It is scary sometimes so surround yourself with people that are going to support your journey and not make you hold onto that old way of thinking.

OK-I am on a GREEN kick! I just think it is so important and I see it as something that will actually become mandatory in our lifetime! So I often think about what is my “green responsibility” as an organizer. Simplifying what clients bring into their homes and finding great resources for the items they no longer want are really at the core of what we do. Organizing is a very green profession overall! I want to formalize a green component to what i already do by adding a green piece to my initial consultation.

Clients I see are usually overwhelmed. They are either recycling already or so overwhelmed they feel like that can’t add one other thing to their to do list! If they are already doing it, I would like to praise their efforts and make sure they have all the local resources they need. i also want to make sure their system is as simple as possible so that they will be able to keep it up without turning their homes into recycling centers by collecting but not having routines in place to get the items out to the places that process them. If they are not recycling at all I want to address that and try to build that component into any organizational system I suggest or put in place. I want to address he all or nothing thinking and get started in some small way.

So if YOU are reading this and needed a little nudge to get started! It is time to take that little step!

The idea of GREEN SHOPPING is really LESS SHOPPING! After putting your thinking through that “filter” if you still decide that you need to buy something-consider these rules of thumb. First, buy quality, lasting products that are not single use. Invest in a great mop or broom instead of a Swifter. Purchase things that are made to last. Consider how they are made and the materials used. I would much rather purchase salad serving pieces made from bamboo than plastic. Heghten your awareness of what is made from recycled materials and it the item can be recycled in the end as well. Look for items that use less packaging and bring your own bags to the store. Is the item biodregradable. A well made wooden toy always seems to be a better choice to me than a plastic one. It is well crafted, often unique and will biodegrade. Buying locally is also key to lessen the environmental costs of shipping and to infuse your local economy.

Again, awareness is key and all or nothing perfectionistic thinking will hold you back. Keep an open mind to green ideas and don’t become overwhelmed with doing too much. Take one step at a time towards lasting, powerful change!

Awareness is the key here. Just tune into ways to recycle things in a simple way. I am in homes all the time that have phenomenal recycling programs yet they don’t recycle. These people are not lazy, they are stuck. They don’t have the perfect place to store items for the week. They don’t have a system in place so they become paralyzed. Ignorance is not bliss in this instance! It is time to be responsible for the items you bring into your home. This doesn’t mean PERFECT. It just means that you need to start somewhere. In my community it is pretty easy. All cans and bottles and glass go in the same container, so we keep one under the sink and take it outside as needed. Paper is a little harder. I have to admit that it took me awhile to get with the program. When I decided to start I simply put a basket under a table in the hall by my kitchen and we simply started with newspapers. We take the basket to a PAPER RETRIEVER when it gets full. YES, there are days that is looks a little sloppy-but for the most part we just take it on our way to other errands and it really feels good! Our trash is truly less than half of what it used to be.

So educate yourself and just start somewhere! You will be glad you did and you can rest easier know that you are doing your part to help the environment and ultimately our global economy.

I am not talking about washing out baggies here! I am just asking you to think about not just putting things out on the curb with out a thought about how things could be used by someone who needs them. Part of the responsibility of purchasing something is to think long term about where and how it is going to end up. Donation is a huge piece of the puzzle here. Just because you have exhausted the possibilities of a perfectly good sweater that may be out of style, there is someone who may simply be cold that can really benefit from that item. I would love to see connecting with resources to get rid of items responsibly in the end become part of the American shopping mindset! When i buy this new blanket, am i prepared to take the old one to the animal shelter. When i buy this new purse, which one could i give to Dress for Success? When i buy this new laptop i will put an appointment to go to the Goodwill Store Computer Center in my calendar right away.

When faced with this little additional responsibility we will often rethink our actual “need” and be aware of our footprint on this earth!

In these economic times, REDUCING should be easy! It is the first step towards making lasting change. When I speak to clients who reference this step as one of their goals, on know that they are going to make great progress. There are many ways to-REDUCE.

First you need to work on your mind set. It is very easy to stop bringing more into your life if you already feel like you have ENOUGH. You need to try to visualize your life as a “cup that is full”. Some of our “cups” are actually spilling over, or bursting and it is time to recognize the burden that places on our lives, spaces and time. So when you are in the store and see that beuatiful vase that is on sale, STOP and think about the abundance in your life. Realize that you can enjoy that vase’s beauty and even it’s bargain price with out owning it. Think of all the vases you have at home and the stories and memories they hold. Are you willing to get rid of one or maybe two of those vases to bring this one into your life.

Reduce by not bringing more into your life, and then take a close look at what you already have. Keep only what is useful and makes you happy. This makes everyday easier to maintain and navigate. Simple systems work because they are not overloaded. Drawers have a single purpose and are duplicated throughout the house. Closets function for the rooms that they were designed to serve. It is amazing how your home will start to become easy to manage because the tools in place to storage now work!

There hasn’t been a better time to really revisit these principle. You will help yourself, your pocketbook and our earth.