• It all falls apart when you won’t decide

    It seems everyone is trying to simplify some aspect of their lives. Their calendar, commitments, finances… Their commute, To Do list, expectations… Their morning routine, relationships, living space… The desire to simplify is strong. On the other side of simplified is more time and freedom. Less stress and anxiety. More of what matters and less […]

  • Organizing and managing are not the answer

    Organizing and managing are not the answer

    We have too many things and situations in our lives we’re trying to organize and manage. Our closets overflow with clutter and we think, If only I could get organized. Our calendars spill over with commitments and we think, If only I could manage my time more effectively. Our lives are filled with tension and worry […]

  • Are you willing to be friction-free?

    Are you willing to be friction-free?

    It’s amazing the amount of energy we’re willing to expend day after day to maintain what isn’t working, to avoid fixing what’s broken, and to keep doing what we know we should stop. Friction comes in many forms. It comes… Wrapped in the putting off and postponing of procrastination. In the slow death of good […]

  • Are you addressing symptoms or root causes?

    A number of my clients stress over feeling disorganized. They talk about finding the right time management system, decluttering once and for all, or finding a new and improved way to tackle their To Do list. Unfortunately, none of those strategies address the root cause of the problem. Which means the symptoms associated with feeling […]

  • Why are you trying to be a master juggler?

    Client: Last week was really crazy. I just need to get better at juggling. Me: What’s the appeal of keeping all those balls in the air? It sounds exhausting. Client: No, it’s just a figure of speech. You know what I mean. I need to be better at handling stuff, multitasking, managing my time. Hmmm….that […]

  • Mini Mission—Give the gift of reading

    About a year ago, I had hundreds of physical books lining my many bookshelves. In fact, I had so many books I’d put some in totes to store in my office closet. Still the bookshelves overflowed. I love books. There’s just nothing quite like the promise of an unread book. But the thing was: I’d […]

  • Will you take the challenge?

    Will you take the one-a-day challenge?

    We are a culture of stuff. Consumerism is a pastime. One of the most difficult questions to answer—and live—is: What is enough? Hans and I recently—and very intentionally—downsized to a 733 square foot apartment from a 1400 square foot house. While even our former home was perceived small by today’s standards, the thought of our new […]

  • On the one hand, I’m all for less is more

    Many women are trying to subtract things from their lives. …eat less …spend less …get rid of clutter …be less stressed Less is more There’s a movement underway to get back to the basics. To move away from possession-cluttered, debt-overloaded, work-burdened, and time-starved lives. To make lifestyle choices that minimize the “more is better” mindset—and […]

  • Are you missing an opportunity to be restored?

    A friend called in a state of overwhelm. She’d finally decided to tackle the clutter that filled her home, but was struggling to find a strategy that felt doable. Organized clutter is still clutter. Her first inclination was to organize. Most of us have been down that road where we organize our clutter instead of […]

  • Decluttering to make room for my future

    Decluttering to make room for the future

    I’ve been consumed the last few weeks with the need to declutter. In fact, “need” may not be the right word; compulsion might be more accurate. And declutter may not be strong enough to accurately describe what’s been taking place either. It’s more like a purging. Whatever it is, it’s cathartic and centered around possessions […]