It's deductible

It's almost time to think about taxes....

Remember that your donated household and clothing deductions need to be accounted for correctly on your taxes. We use It's Deductible by the Intuit people. Best of all, it's free. Just click on the post title to visit the site.

Make a pot of tea

Today I met with a new business associate over a pot of tea and a few fortune cookies. One of the best afternoons I've had in a while. Connecting with someone new, talking about how we can grow our businesses, be of better service to our clients - all over a hot pot of tea was a real treat. Such a simple thing, yet so powerful. I highly recommend it to you all.

Oh, my fortune cookies read "Accept what comes to you each day." and "Act boldly and unseen forces will come to your aid."

The best advice I've gotten in quite a while...

A positive shift

A very happy new year to you all! I am glad you have found me. I changed my blog address, so I know those of you who had bookmarked me have had to do some searching to find me again and I thank you for your persistence.

It's a new year and a new world, and like millions of others I am taking a good look at my life from every angle. Evaluating what to keep and what to let go of. This year I want to put into practice some of the things I have been talking about, but not necessarily doing all that much of. I want to keep this list short so that I can't ignore the few items I have placed on it...

1. Act as if... I've decided that I live in an abundant and friendly universe. The glass is half full and positive energy is the only energy worth having.

2. Choosing carefully what to watch on TV. At the speed of light and sound bad news travels into our homes and permeates our very being to the point that we are frozen in fear. And there is so much useless programing on these days, disguised as entertainment or reality (not my reality - I assure you). I just don't want that energy in my life anymore.

3. Making better choices about what I buy. I am not a compulsive shopper anyway, but I do think that I need to have everything Pottery Barn comes out with. Yes, PB and chocolate are my drugs of choice. More on PB later...

Throughout the year I will keep you posted on my progress... please let me know what shifts you are making and whatever else is on your mind in the world of organizing.

Time to Elfa-tize

If you're thinking about closet make overs, now's the time. The Container Store's annual Elfa shelving sale is on and you can get a good deal on a great product. I find Elfa far superior to any other "do it yourself" shelving units.

When my client moved into her new house her bedroom closet was a large empty space with a very long pole running through it. We designed this Elfa system to hold all her clothes, knitting supplies and the TV.

Happy holidays

I'm going to take a vacation from blogging for the next week or two. We wish all of you the very best for the holidays and a very happy new year!

Holiday cards

My holiday cards are sitting in their box on the floor, waiting for me to sit down and work on them.

I will, and I am looking forward to it. Several years ago I made the decision to only send cards to those people who really mattered in my life and only to those who do not live close enough for me to see over the holidays. So with a short list of VIP's, it's not a chore to write them a short note thanking them for being in my life.

For those of you who feel that writing holiday cards is a chore, ask yourself why... if it's because you are sending cards to people who really don't matter to you, then you might try dropping them off your list. Concentrate on those who really do matter and then see if it feels good to get those cards in the mail.

Surviving the holidays

Q: Here we go again, another holiday season how do we ever stay organized at this time of year?

A: The holidays are suppose to be a joyful time, but often we feel stressed and anxious over trying to keep up with it all. Give up "perfect" and accept that there is a certain amount of chaos that comes with the holiday season. Look for small areas to declare victory:

Immediately toss catalogs in the recycling bin that you've placed close to the mail box or front door. Like wise with solicitations that you do not recognize or participate in.

Use up the wrapping supplies you already have before buying more. Don't buy rolls of paper that are too big to fit in the drawer or container where you store them. The bag of 1000 bows is not a bargain if most of them end of crushed and scrunched on the floor of the closet.

Check your pantry and make a list before shopping for party snacks. Keep party supplies separate from your everyday foods - label a cardboard box "Party Foods" and store those items you want on hand for the open house you are planning. Toss in the crackers, cookies,nuts and bottles of cider.

You don't have to accept every invitation - learn to say "let me check my calendar and get back to you" rather than the automatic "yes" that you regret the minute you say it.