Get Organized Pittsburgh

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.

This came from a dear friend and colleague from Houston Texas- Ellen Delap. Ellen has been a great help to me professionally and personally and has many words of wisdom! I thought I would share this with you

Living with purpose includes planning and prioritizing, but it also includes setting the bar. Deciding that you are going to surround yourself with people that help you be the best you can be is extremely powerful. This includes partners, friends and family. Be conscience of who helps you move forward and who holds you back and spend more time with those people. This does not mean you ignore people who may “need” you but decide how to help in ways that make you feel good rather than in ways that drain you. You are worth it!

Thanks Ellen-and congrats on your new grandson:)

We always think of aquiring items as “adding” to our lives, but have you ever considered the cost? Beyond the personal cost of aquistion, what are the other costs? When we “over purchase” there is an obvious strain on our pocketbooks for that temporary “thrill”. Soon if we buy items that we don’t truly need we begin to actually feel bad about that item. the thrill is gone and now we need to take care of the item, we need to store it, we need to make room for it. The party is over! When we are not taking care of it properly the item loses its ability to satisfy us. When we have too much of a certain item and can not use it we also begin to feel bad. It is difficult to feel “fullfilled” by excessive purchases, in fact at a certain point the very activity that brought you joy will make you sad. Choose carefully and thoughtfully about what you surround youself with. The “stuff” won’t bring happiness. Make room for the people and actvities you love.

Today is my 20th Wedding Anniversary! I am thinking about commitment and how easy life can be when you focus on what is important. To me life is about doing, not having. Thinking over the past 20 years, the best memories are about people and place and things that we did and times that we shared. Family and friends. I see clients everyday who let stuff become a barrior to letting people even enter their space and it is an honor to be with someone while they face all of that and begin to see how to open up that space. I acknowledge their journey.

Twenty years is a milestone and I would like to take a minute to thank my husband Sandy for making the journey effortless, for always supporting me, for helping me smell the roses and for being a fantastic role model for my children! Happy Anniversary today and for a life time!

Knowing your “ENOUGH” is a powerful organizing tool. So many people walk through life on a quest to acquire things. It is important to slow down and decide what “enough” looks like. Most people never even consider this concept! If you don’t decide what “enough” is, how will you ever congratulate yourself when you get there! To know that you have what you need is very empowering. You walk through life with you cup full and you are able to feel content. Generosity becomes easy and instead of being in the acquisition stage of life, you spend more time enjoying what is important.

Living with purpose includes planning and prioritzing, but it also includes setting the bar. Deciding that you are going to surround yourself with people that help you be the best you can be is extremely powerful. This includes partners, friends and family. Be conscience of who helps you move forward and who holds you back and spend more time with those people. This does not mean you ignore people who may “need” you but decide how to help in ways that make you feel good rather than in ways that drain you. You are worth it!

So many times people call me for organizing help and they ashamed of their problem with disorganization. Some people really understand how to get organized- but are overwhelmed by everyday life and get behind. Others really do not know where to begin and have struggled with being disorganized their whole life. Still others are embarrassed of their failures and often had been made to be feel bad about themselves for their problem.

I feel that is my primary goal to EMPOWER these people to take the next step. It is an honor to be trusted to an exposed weakness and help. I often tell clients “If this was easy, it would be done”! My intention is to help clients get “unstuck” and to give the the hope, resources and hands on help they need to move ahead. Our greatest successes are helping people begin to help themselves.

As I work with clients I often see that decision making is very hard for some people. I think there is a correlation between some major life event and a lack of decision making ability. For example, when a person has lived through a trauma of sorts, they actually have seen severe consequences occur for whatever reason and it makes them have a hard time making a decision. I have also noticed that when someone has been forced to take action when circumstances were out of there control, they sometime lose their decision making abilities in a long term way. Many hoarders simply don not make a decision about the “stuff” in their life…so it piles up. It is often helpful to make decisions in the presence of someone. It just “sures-up” your judgement and your confidence. Remember, Piles are just unmade decisions.

Life has become very busy. I woke up to a day that was already jam packed before it even started and felt exhausted! I forced myself to exercise and my energy came back little by little. When I got home I had about 15 minutes before I had to race out the door. I stopped 5 minutes and decided to cut some of the fresh flowers in my garden to replace some that were looking pretty bad. I felt so inspired! It was just a little gesture, I was surprised how “together” it made me feel. Just those little pauses to do things that bring joy can make such a difference in your day. Now this evening when I am relaxing I enjoy seeing part of my garden inside.

Stop and enjoy the little things while they are still in bloom! That good feeling is long lasting.