tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21240840444079101932009-12-19T07:43:19.558-05:00Strategies to bring CALM and ORGANIZATION to your chaos and clutter.Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-4708770624429312672009-10-19T09:16:00.002-04:002009-10-19T09:21:40.033-04:00

If you have school age children you are very familiar with agendas, projects, dictation, reading lists and the myriad of tasks that come home for the children to accomplish. You probably even monitor that your children sit down and do homework each evening in order to get through the list. Maybe you go as far as to check that they have the due dates in their agendas.Have you ever taught them

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-76532503350983239112009-09-16T06:29:00.003-04:002009-09-16T06:47:38.505-04:00

How was your summer? Was it cold and wet like here in Toronto (Canada)? Did you run away from your clutter and chaos and get some vacation time in beautifully organized hotels? Maybe a trip to the cottage where organizing takes on a very relaxed form of archival collecting? I'd love to hear your stories.And what did Wellrich Organizers do that left the blog pages silent for so long?I took on

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-40757757084264006152009-06-01T11:04:00.004-04:002009-06-01T11:23:34.104-04:00

When it comes to the really big downsizing projects - from the family home to a 900 sq.ft. condo, sometimes there just aren't enough family members or grandchildren to absorb all the pieces of furniture - loved though they may be - that have accumulated over the years. Furniture consignment stores are popping up all over cities these days in an attempt to keep some of the items in circulation,

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-58365025749760790002009-05-27T10:29:00.003-04:002009-05-27T10:50:09.892-04:00

It's happening everywhere - garage sales abound as the spring cleaning bug hits neighbourhoods everywhere. A Saturday morning, coffee in hand, perusing the garage sales and flea markets can be a fun start to a spring weekend. Perhaps you pick up another book on old boats which you love so much, or an addition to your 1950's Irish stoneware.Reality hits when you return home to find the bookshelf

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-69033004720150487802009-05-14T09:50:00.004-04:002009-05-14T10:07:56.048-04:00

For Canadians, this weekend brings the long awaited Victoria Day Weekend - the first of our almost monthly summer long weekends and traditionally the weekend for cottage openings and annual plantings.If you are heading for garden, this will be a great weekend to organize that shed. Here are some things to keep in mind:Start by emptying the entire shed if feasible. Once it is empty, you will be

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-65820758650170256922009-05-13T09:50:00.004-04:002009-05-13T09:57:18.024-04:00

.. And we are not talking Orange County here folks.This is "end of year" season. The concerts, open houses, school events, choir performances, track meets are coming at me at such a fast pace my online calendar and handheld device can barely keep up.Oh, that's right. It's May again. I should have known. It happens every May and September.Sound familiar? When events collide all at once to

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-34486453918667606962009-05-11T13:30:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:31:49.826-04:00

The ten minute challenge is one of my favourite organizing techniques. It's great for getting kids involved in a daily clean up and when used regularly, is highly effective at keeping one's home organized.Give each person in your home a bag - the new recycled shopping bags are great for this. Let everyone know they have 10 minutes to fill their bag with items that are not in their homes and need

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-33968269199003248102009-04-20T09:55:00.004-04:002009-04-20T10:13:31.140-04:00

I'm back folks - took a little break there. Back to those downsizing issues...With almost every client I work, we end up purging out a significant amount of material that can not be re-purposed, is not suitable for sale or donation and therefore ends up in either the garbage or recycling. When clearing out a space, even just to reorganize to make the space function better, clients are often

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-16143371099193942752008-09-17T11:54:00.004-04:002009-04-06T09:31:09.727-04:00

We all have dishes, pots and perhaps many other items in our homes that we used seldom if ever. In this case, the client rarely if ever served fondu and now that her children were away at university, it seemed even less likely she would ever use it. The client was not interested in a garage sale and the pot contained enough sentimental value, that she wanted to find a new home where it would be

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-80381996657895208672008-10-17T11:04:00.007-04:002009-04-06T09:31:09.726-04:00

A client recently expressed the following frustration:"I have too many casual-use dishes, and they are taking up a lot of space in my cupboards. But I can't bear to part with any of them. One set (of about eight) was given to me by my late mother and includes a set of casserole dishes, mugs, coffee pot, salt and pepper shakers, butter dish with cover, and so on. These are my favourite, but

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-81181994124047215642009-03-25T09:24:00.002-04:002009-04-06T09:31:09.725-04:00

If you are struggling to manage photos and mementos, I suggest you hop over to Org Junkie. This month Laura is dedicating to organizing photographs and keepsakes. These items are always a challenge for clients - they are even a challenge for me. She has recently collected a series of helpful links and resources.

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-38100626252596808562009-04-06T09:16:00.003-04:002009-04-06T09:30:11.448-04:00

If you or someone you know is involved in downsizing their home, or even a spring clear-out project, then you or they are familiar with the problems of finding homes for the things you once loved or used and which you are now ready to pass on. Some of these items truly belong in the garbage. As one client once said to me "Even good treasures left long enough become garbage." This next series

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-35484830693043576042009-04-01T09:43:00.002-04:002009-04-01T09:55:09.672-04:00

It's officially spring. If you live in the northern hemisphere, like me, your days are getting longer and warmer. If you live in the southern hemisphere (a big shout out to our African readers) your days are getting shorter and cooler. Whichever the case, the seasons are changing and so are our kids' clothing needs.Have you noticed how children grow? We feed them, hydrate them, make sure they

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-50768391952999812042009-03-23T09:08:00.003-04:002009-03-23T09:20:42.658-04:00

You are looking at the title of this post and thinking to yourself "OK, Carolyn has lost it. Why would I go to all this work if I don't enjoy being organized?"Because people organize themselves for all kinds of reasons. Some of us like to be more in control of those parts of our lives that our within our control. Some of us are responding to the pressure from our spouses, our kids or - yup,

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-71138669304067654272009-03-16T13:48:00.004-04:002009-03-20T12:45:56.280-04:00

I am committed to education. Yes, the formal kind our kids attend; for my clients I am committed to educating them with new behaviours and habits to adopt to keep their lives organized. I have heard it said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If my clients continue to do what they have always done - their lives will once again be full of

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-16766006230787248992009-03-17T10:32:00.002-04:002009-03-20T12:45:56.278-04:00

Have you ever noticed the tendency to walk into a house, room or office and immediately put down on the first horizontal surface whatever is in your hands? It is such a common habit that we professional organizers find amongst our clients that if you are missing something, I would suggest you check the first flat surface you find in each of the rooms you have just visited.To maintain your

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-36323702933964918802009-03-19T11:12:00.003-04:002009-03-20T12:45:56.277-04:00

"If I had time", you say, "I would be more organized!" I know, me too. Unfortunately since none of us have figured out how to put an extra couple of hours into each day, we will just have to work with the 24 hours that we have.Let's start with your calendar. Do you have one? Do you carry it with you all the time? If it is a paper calendar, can you put it into your purse, briefcase, computer

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-72555171059392996492009-03-20T12:38:00.003-04:002009-03-20T12:45:09.691-04:00

To keep the organizing going, and the clutter at bay, every item needs to go back to its home. for a residential organizing project, next to purging and/or downsizing, much of the work is in establishing a home for everything in your home. Once an item has a home, it needs to return there when you finish using/playing with it.Again, just a few minutes a day to scan through your home and put

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-17572050121587368532009-03-12T08:16:00.004-04:002009-03-12T08:31:28.611-04:00

If you or someone you know/love struggles to organize under with ADD then this is the book for you. ADD-Friendly ways to Organize your Life by Judith Kolberg and Kathleen Nadeau, is even written to hold the attention - but not the hyper focus - of individuals with ADD.It's seven chapters, including one with further Resources, are chock full of information, strategies, suggestions and ways to

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-726117238848068212009-03-11T10:06:00.004-04:002009-03-11T10:41:20.484-04:00

Today's book is a little lighter read. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston is a handy feng shui and space clearing primer. It is an easy read with practical tips in language that is understandable even to those of us who usually get hung up on the direction finding side of feng shui. In addition Karen addresses the background of clutter and helps identify what it is and how it

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-23662372759213415962009-03-10T09:44:00.002-04:002009-03-10T09:58:00.305-04:00

For this week, I am focussing on organizing resources and for now, sticking with books.I recommend Buried in Treasures by David Tolin, Randy Frost and Gail Steketee, for packrats and their friends or family. In the past month alone, I have received three phone calls from family members who are distressed by the hoarding or packrat behaviour of siblings. This is the book for you. The authors

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-43047544880270560332009-03-09T09:37:00.002-04:002009-03-09T09:43:53.104-04:00

Peter Walsh's most recent book Enough Already is now available on Amazon. I highly recommend this to those of you who are overwhelmed not only by your clutter, but by your life in general. True to his character, Peter handles not just the stuff in our lives but the issues of emotional and mental clutter.Whether you are tackling little clutter, big clutter at home or at work, I recommend this

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-38838080189583906752009-03-05T11:26:00.002-05:002009-03-05T11:36:27.827-05:00

Starting to get organized is sometimes the biggest challenge of any organizing project. Where to start? Which pile of clutter will be demolished first?There are two places in any home that typically have a big impact on one's outlook on life - picking up one's spirits and positive outlook. They are the front entrance home and the bedroom.The front entrance is a place one's immediately upon

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-21117658489586562492009-03-04T09:44:00.002-05:002009-03-04T10:00:46.706-05:00

With spring just around the corner, I felt compelled to use the old cliche "springing into action". Hopefully the weather is at least sunny where you are reading this - as it is while I write, although still very cold - in order to set you in a spring organizing mindset.One of the most important elements of organizing is to be confident about your ability to make a change in your life and/or

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2124084044407910193.post-91437946080658229712009-02-26T09:56:00.003-05:002009-02-26T10:05:19.346-05:00

In visiting other exhibitors at the National Home Show, I have been very impressed with the quality of storage solutions available to home owners. In my mind I have chosen new clothes storage several times over in each of the styles available from each of the closet manufacturers.It brings to mind, however, the difference in organizing styles the all of us have. Some of us are folders; others

Carolyn Caldwell, CHEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00740610449436292368noreply@blogger.com0