 “If a gift has come to you wrapped in obligations and tied tightly with a ribbon of guilt, then it's not really a gift at all.” --Peter Walsh
Why is giving so tied up with guilt? Guilt about overspending, guilt about underspending, guilt about having to give equal gifts to various people, guilt about giving in proportion to what you’re getting, guilt about not liking a gift you received…the guilt list is as long as Santa’s list! Of all of the gift guilts, the one that causes the most consternation is the problem of receiving a gift you don’t love. For our first Christmas as a married couple, my husband really wanted to delight me. I gave him several not-so-subtle hints that I had my eye on a chocolate brown Persian lamb coat in a local vintage shop. I couldn’t hide my excitement on Christmas morning when he handed me a box stamped with the shop’s logo. Lifting the lid, my face fell when I pulled out a mangy-looking, poison-yellow rabbit fur jacket. Seriously, what was he thinking?!
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 Hanging in my closet is an authentic antique 1960’s Jackie Kennedy-style yellow bridesmaid dress. I’m never going to wear it, so it’s just taking up space. I should sell it for big bucks, right?
Not so fast. In my last blog, Amy Mayberry of Viva Vintage Clothing schooled us on the best way to store clothes. In this blog, her advice will demystify the process of selling clothing—vintage, designer, and just regular stuff. What sells? Comparing my dress with a 1970’s purple suede outfit that a client of mine wanted to sell, Amy pointed out all the pros and cons of each piece.  Check out the recent Redfin article I was featured in: 25 Living Room Organization Ideas
for Every Home. If your living room is cluttered and chaotic, it can be tough to relax and spend time with your family or entertain guests. Your living room can become even more challenging to use if you have a large family or an abundance of belongings. But by taking a few simple steps to organize your space, you can turn your living room into a haven of peace and relaxation. Read the article here: 25 Living Room Organization Ideas for Every Home | Redfin  “Old Apartment” read the words on the cardboard box. Looking mystified, my client said, “It could be anything!”
It turned out to contain a random assortment of mugs, books, and one groovy, custom-made 1970’s purple suede bell bottom and vest outfit worthy of Cher in her heyday! While helping my client try to sell this unique treasure, I was lucky enough to come across Amy Mayberry of Viva Vintage Clothing. She asked some very specific questions about the condition of the outfit that made me realize she’s a true specialist. With nearly 30 years in the vintage clothing industry, Amy generously let me pick her brain for tidbits of wisdom to pass along to you. My next blog will be all about how to sell clothing (vintage and current), but first up I’m going to share what Amy taught me about clothing storage. Aim to prevent the problem so you don't have to try to fix it later. Stains, moth holes, fading and more are all hazards of improper clothing storage. Whether it’s clothes that you’re storing away or ones that are currently hanging in your closet, you want them to last. Amy shared five major things to avoid so you can keep your clothes in top condition.  I was recently asked to contribute an essay about decluttering a yard for the Inspection Support Network's article, Home Organizing Before Selling: Tips from the Experts. Whether you're getting ready to put your house on the market or just wanting to improve your home's curb appeal for your own pleasure, I hope you'll find some helpful hints here. How Do I Declutter My Yard?Are you getting ready to put your house on the market? Your yard is one of the first things potential buyers will see. Get it organized so they can easily imagine themselves relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty surrounding the home.
Gather everything together: Go around your yard, grabbing every object that’s lying around. Put it all into a big pile. Sort into categories: Next, figure out what category each item belongs to and group each category. Pare down the excess: Yard and garden items are large, so they weigh a lot and take up room on the moving truck, making your move more expensive. Streamline by letting go of anything you don’t need to maintain your yard and that you won’t need in your new home. Create storage zones: Figure out where to stash everything. When organizing for selling your home, the plan will be to create an uncluttered look that helps buyers see how easy it is to live in your home. If you have a shed or garage, store most outdoor equipment there. If not, use the back or side wall of the house (somewhere less visible) to establish a streamlined storage area. Create storage zones based on categories that’ll help you find what you need when needed, but they also create a tidy look that will appeal to home buyers.
Now that you’ve organized your yard, you’ll have an easier move. And now that your yard is tidy, buyers will be able to focus on the beauty of your home. Click the button below for more great ideas on how to organizing your home before selling.  I recently had the honor to do two interviews and I want to share them here with you so that you can learn more about who I am as a Professional Organizer. The video is my interview with Laurie Palau on her always-fascinating This Organized Life podcast. The written blog is a phone interview I did with Nat Miller of Sunbound relocation services. Both Laurie and Nat are seasoned interviewers and their questions elicited answers that give a clear overview of my organizing style. You'll learn how I connect with my clients and find creative solutions that help them develop competence and confidence in the way they organize so they can find contentment in their homes. This Organized Life Episode 298: Partner Spotlight with Kate BoschSunbound Asks: Professional Organizer Kate BoschHow long have you been a professional organizer?
Over 6 years, almost 6.5 years in business. How’d you get into professional organizing? It’s something that was on my radar and something that I wanted to do for a long time. I probably started thinking about it when I would watch Clean Sweep with Peter Walsh on HGTV almost 20 years ago. There was also another professional organizer in my area, Lisa Griffith, who spoke at the Mothers of Preschoolers group that I belonged to and then mentored me as I got my own professional organizing business started. What’s your favorite type of project to work on? My favorite type of project is working with people to help them sort through a backlog of stuff, and really get a handle on their home. I love to help them streamline the systems of their home and make it the type of place that reflects their values. It’s really exciting when I can help a client get unstuck from a place where they thought they couldn’t dig out of. In this interview, you'll learn all the tips, tricks, and hacks for using Leslie Josel's patented Order Out of Chaos Academic Planner. Learn why:
 For more school-related tips and encouragement, check out these blog posts:
NOTE: L:inks provided to Order Out of Chaos are affiliate links, so I receive a small commission when you make a purchase.
 Sadly, airline delays seem to be an expected part of travel these days. A friend of mine and her son set off on a 3-week trip that required them to pack for two different seasons. The bad news? Their plane was delayed by 12 hours and all the passengers had to wait in the airport with no access to their checked luggage. The good news? My friend and her son had packed for this big trip in carry-on bags, so they sailed off the plane knowing they had everything they needed with them!
Yes, it’s possible to pack only in carry-on bags, even for long trips. My family and I always travel only with carry-on bags. I once packed our family of four in two carry-on bags for a 2-month stay in Italy. With just a carry-on bag:
“But how can I possibly pack everything in a carry-on bag when I need wardrobe options and my 5-part skincare regimen?” you ask. Answer: you can’t. 
How much of a child’s artwork, school papers, and mementos does a “good” parent save?
I once read about a mom who saved each year of her children’s school memories, pre-K through 12, in a separate (clean, new) pizza box. Her plan was to deliver the 15 “pizzas” to her kids once they moved into their first apartments. Gee, thanks, mom. Another mom I know had bookcases overflowing with album after album containing every page her child ever scribbled on. Luckily, she couldn’t keep up with this for long, so the albums only went up to about first grade for her first child. I shudder to think how many albums she’d have filled if she’d kept going! Let’s get real. Your kids don’t remember much about kindergarten and they don’t care about their brilliant 4th grade report on butterflies. They might like to reminisce with you over an album or a few mementos, but don't make the mistake of overwhelming them by saving everything.  “Another flashlight!” I announced to my client as I struck a Statue of Liberty pose holding the torch high. She laughed—at my pose and at herself. You see, during the course of our organizing adventure, we were well into double digits on flashlights. They were stashed in every closet, drawer, and shelf, often in multiples.
Sure, flashlights are a good thing to have in case of emergency. I can get on board with having one for every floor or area of the house. Maybe one for every family member. Thing is, this client lived alone in a two-bedroom apartment. She had enough flashlights for the whole building! I know how it happens. You come across a flashlight and think, “This is useful. I’m always hunting for a flashlight when I need one. I’ll put it somewhere handy.” Then you forget where you’ve put it. At the store, you think, “I wonder if I have enough flashlights,” so you buy another. Before you know it, you are a flashlight pack rat. Just like a squirrel stashing nuts, you have caches of flashlights in every crevice of your home. Maybe flashlights aren’t your thing. My clients find all kinds of stuff to stash: emery boards, scissors, paperclips, batteries, plastic bags…I could go on. A place for everything and everything in its place... |
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