When a loved one dies, it's easy to put things off that will bring up feelings of grief, sadness, and/or anger. There are generally things a person has to deal with, such as emptying out a home or living space, and in the throes of emotion many people delay making decisions and move everything to their home to be dealt with later.

Ideally, there would be months of decluttering and systematic packing of only those items you are actively choosing to take with you. Without this kind of advanced preparation, the outcome is frequently a bunch of boxes with random items that no one is sure will ever be needed or wanted in the future. “I’ll deal with this when I unpack” is a common refrain.

When you have a time crunch and need to tidy a space or make a change quickly, do you stuff everything into a bag to deal with at some undefined ‘later’ time?  Or, do you switch to new bags occasionally and leave a bunch of debris in the old ones?  When you clean out your car to make space for people to sit, do you shove everything into a tote and stash it in a closet or the garage?  If you have a stash of bags containing random items, it’s time to face them!

Delaying and putting off dealing with decisions can have a crippling effect.  As unmade decisions pile up, they start to take over your mind and your space.  In this article series, I'll review the most commonly avoided items and ways to get started when you've been paralyzed by the thought of tackling the project. Let’s tackle email.

Delaying and putting off dealing with decisions can have a crippling effect.  As unmade decisions pile up, they start to take over your mind and your space.  In this article series, I'll review the most commonly avoided items and ways to get started when you've been paralyzed by the thought of tackling the project.

She's not happy with her life, but Anne is sure that if she becomes a runner, a crafty person, a reader, and healthy she will finally be happy.  It sure looks like the people who post online about these things are happy, so she’s adopted these aspirational goals for herself.

To do all this, she's going to need stuff. Time to go shopping!

Each decision you make adds up and can eventually lead to decision fatigue.  Just like exercising at the gym, there comes a point where you are too exhausted to continue.  There are strategies to reduce fatigue and recharge when you hit your limit. You’ll be a decision-making athlete in no time!

There are specific criteria that can identify a person as a hoarder. Despite there being diagnostic and evaluative information available to be able to label people with a diagnosis or problem, I actually don’t think it’s helpful at all.  Creating a label doesn’t change a situation, action does.

Money is a tool that aids in living life.  And just like tools you use for home repairs, money should be stored in an organized way until you need it. 

You look around your home and find there are piles of laundry that will take at least a dozen loads of washing to clean.  Or maybe there are mounds of dirty dishes that have been left to molder since you ran out of clean dishes 8 months ago!  You want to make a radical change in how you manage your stuff. The most radical strategy I employ with clients in these situations is going to shock you.

When wanting to create organization, it’s easy to see well-purposed containers in pictures online (or in our friends’ pantries) and assume that the organization is caused by the containers.  This is false.  “Organizing paraphernalia” are accessories.  Organization CAN include bins, but they are far along in the process for most projects, not the beginning.  They certainly will not solve the main issue of most chronic disorganization: too much stuff!

Lots of people have trouble keeping up with the daily influx of mail that comes into their homes. Try some or all of these tips to reduce the burden of mail in your day-to-day life.

Technology has become an integral part of our lives, for better or worse. Join me for a December Digital Declutter to cut back on the technology that has become a burden.

Unfortunately, your desire to be kind and not hurt others’ feelings can come at your own expense if you don’t learn the skill of saying “no, thank you” when you are offered free things.

Most people celebrate a holiday in December that involves gift-giving. Some people shop a little each year and others (like me) wait until the last minute. No matter which type of gift-buyer you are, there are strategies to help you be more organized, and as a bonus, save money during the holiday gift-giving season.

It's Halloween time! Let's check this scary list of things we’ve found hiding underneath and behind items that have been left collecting dust for too long!

A common sticking point for people who want to declutter is their desire to do the ‘right’ thing with the items they discard. Often, this comes in the form of wanting to recycle everything.

I bet you have a cluttered virtual desktop screen. It happens often and easily, and if you don’t pay close attention, you might look up one day and find that you can’t even see your desktop image anymore because of all the icons.

There are advertisements all around us touting the benefits of using this or that credit card or bank account to earn points, get rewards, earn airline miles, get a sign-up bonus, etc. But have you ever wondered if you are really getting something for nothing? I have adjusted my use of these cards and gained some surprising insights to share with you.

Many parents want their adult children to cherish the same family belongings and heirlooms that they do. If you have expressly asked your children if they want something, and they do not, there are several reasons to accept their responses and let the item go.