Simply Positive Change.

Are you really wearing all your clothes?

2011-12-06T18:35:00.023-05:00

Come on now, be honest. Do you really wear all the clothes that you have? Most people wear a small fraction of the clothes that they own. They have items that are too big, too small, worn out and ripped and just plain out of style. Yeah we all want to think that we will get back to the size we were in high school and fit back into our cute jeans but will it ever really happen and when it does

Create an office command center

2011-11-29T17:45:00.000-05:00

Business and life are chaotic enough without clutter and disorder in your office. Turn your office into an efficient command center so that your office does not distract from your work and enables you to get things back in order quickly. Keep only the supplies that you need often at hand. Too many supplies at your desk will create clutter. Store the rest of the bulk supplies in another place.

To label or Not to Label...

2011-11-22T16:04:00.061-05:00

Hi, My name is Andrea and I am addicted to removing labels. I admit it I can't wait to remove labels when I buy something new or find one that has never been removed. There is something satisfying about being able to get the label off cleanly without a bunch of goop hanging around to attract dirt. I never used many labels because the ones I made on the computer never lasted or wouldn't come

Beloved collection or dust collector?

2011-11-15T17:45:00.069-05:00

My grandmother had a huge tea cup collection. It filled the hutch, 2 corner cupboards and over flowed on to the shelves in the living room. She enjoyed the cups and everyone bought her more for birthdays and Christmas. They were wonderful cups but at some point they began to over run the cabinets so that it was difficult to see any one cup. Collections can be a great source of enjoyment.

Shop till you drop?

2011-11-08T18:35:00.055-05:00

Don't you just love to shop? Most of us do. But what happens when the glow of retail therapy has worn off? The newness of something wears off and then it is time to go shopping again. As the cycle continues things begin to bulge out of closets and pile up in corners. Before you know it there is so much stuff lying everywhere that it is sensory overload every time you walk in the room or open

Recycle your clutter in Licking County

2011-11-01T19:55:00.002-04:00

A big part of the de-cluttering process is getting rid of things that you either don't want, like, need or use. Many of these items still have some value in them and aren't quite ready for the landfill. Licking County Recycling has a terrific resource on their website at http://lcounty.com/rlc/default.aspx They have also published a handy brochure that can be found here in .pdf listing many of

Tips for a little extra time

2011-10-04T18:35:00.053-04:00

We could all use a bit more time. So here are a few of my favorite time savers. Feel free to post your time savers in the comments. Do tiny tasks while you wait. I never really like to empty the dishwasher but I have just enough time to unload it while I am waiting for my tea or food to heat in the microwave. You can also carry reading or note pad to capture thoughts with you for those time

Clean up with organization in the laundry room

2011-09-06T18:35:00.072-04:00

Laundry is one of those chores that seems to materialize out of thin air. No matter how often you wash clothes there always seems to be more dirty clothes. A well stocked and organized laundry room can make wash day a whole lot smoother. Keep detergent, softener and dryer sheets as close to the washer and dryer as possible. A shelf or cupboard above them at a arms reach. Place a trash can

Maintenance Organizing

2011-08-30T18:35:00.027-04:00

Just like losing weight or getting fit, once you get where you want to be, you can't quit or all your hard work will be lost. Being organized is much the same process where there are huge improvements early on but maintenance is needed to keep things the way you want them. Create spaces that you will like to look at. When you like the way something looks you are more likely to keep it looking

Quit procrastinating!

2011-08-23T18:35:00.053-04:00

Procrastination is one of the all time big time wasters. We all do it and we know it, but there are times that it just seems impossible to get ourselves motivated to start or finish a particular task. Here are a few I do when I can't seem to get myself motivated. What is keeping me from starting the task? Sometimes it is a simple as I am exhausted or the task is very low priority. I am OK

Find an organizing system that WORKS for YOU.

2011-08-16T18:35:00.001-04:00

There is no one single way to organize anything. Of course there are proven systems that work for many people but none of them work for everyone. Organizing systems need to be specific to the person and situation. A system is working when it is easy enough for you to do without having to think about it too much or force yourself to use it and it is producing the results that you want. When

Back-up those files

2011-07-26T18:35:00.042-04:00

Nothing is worse than having a computer or phone die, well, maybe losing the data that it contained. Data back-up is easy so save early and often. Here are a few options for saving your data. Use a USB drive. For small amounts of data or data shared between computers a small USB drive can be just the thing. The files can be copied to the drive and kept safe. Save it online. There are many

Mulit-task with your Smartphone

2011-07-19T18:35:00.002-04:00

We all have cellphones these days and many of us have smartphones that are multitasking mega machines. With all this technology in your pocket you can use it to the fullest and replace many devices with one. Here are a few of the ways I like to use mine. Sync and save contacts. Most phones have some ability to sync its contacts. I have an android phone that automatically updates my Gmail

File it, Don't lose it in a pile.

2011-07-12T18:35:00.000-04:00

As the mail and bills come in, piles of paper have a tendency to pile up when they aren't filed or thrown out quickly. A filing system that works for you is an important part of keeping the piles at bay. Try a few of these tips. File by month rather than account or topic. Statements that come monthly generally can be filed by the month and then tossed after two years. Most statements, such

Your email, only simpler.

2011-07-07T19:14:00.000-04:00

Email is both a necessary and, at times, overwhelming. Here are a few easy tips can make it more manageable. Set time aside for reading email rather than checking it all the time or not at all. Checking it regularly and clearing out the junk will make it much easier to read without wasting time. Delete ads and spam as soon as you get them. You can greatly reduce the amount of email you have

In to the clouds, for your files

2011-06-27T10:47:00.065-04:00

Are you using the cloud? These days using internet storage for files is called cloud computing. Basically, you use free or paid space on someone else's server to store files, photos, music or documents. There are many reasons this type of storage may or may not be good for you. Access from anywhere. Files based on another server usually are accessible from any internet connection. The most

Simplify bill pay for less stress

2011-06-21T08:46:00.096-04:00

Nobody likes to pay bills but the process of actually paying them doesn't have to be stressful. Bill payment is probably one of the most procrastinated tasks that anyone has. No one wants to send their hard earned money off any earlier than they have to. Me neither! Here are a few simply ways to keep track of the bills that you pay regularly and make sure that they are paid on time. Keep the

Ah, vacation...are you packed and ready to go?

2011-06-15T09:45:00.063-04:00

Summer if finally here. The garden is planted, lawn care is well underway and it is time for some much deserved time off. Are you ready or will you have to put in overtime just to get out the door? Sometimes it feels easier to just stay home than go through all the prep and packing for a trip not to mention the worry that you will forget something. Reduce anxiety by keeping a list of the

Get ready, Organize!

2011-06-07T11:05:00.000-04:00

Do you have an area in your house or office that "talks" to you every time you look at it? Is it telling you that it needs cleaned or that there are things that need to be done there? If you do, and we all have these pockets of clutter, it is most likely a great source of anxiety and stress. The effect is subtle but overtime the stress and anxiety will build until you may be avoiding the area

Keep the memories, not the stuff.

2011-05-30T09:37:00.059-04:00

When I moved back to Ohio after 18 years, I was confronted with a huge pile of junk that had been collected up throughout my childhood. It seemed as if we had saved everything. Indeed, we had. Before I moved home from Iowa, I de-cluttered there. At the time, I realized that I had every bill and bank statement that I had ever received in my entire life and at 30 that was a ton of paperwork to

Organizing anytime, anywhere

2011-05-24T09:36:00.052-04:00

Organizing can happen anywhere, anytime. While you won't be able to organize your underwear drawer while you are sitting at a red light you certainly can take a few seconds to pick up the lunch wrappers sitting in the passenger's seat and put them in a bag to toss at your destination. If you begin to think about organizing as a process that is always happening, you will see how it can fit in to

Do you ever feel like you live in your car?

2011-05-17T09:35:00.069-04:00

I sure do. I have days when I travel between clients and appointments all day long. I'm in and out of the car multiple times. I never know just what I will need for a particular stop so I tend to stock common items just in case. I have also never been much of a purse person, probably because I pack it too full to carry, so my car becomes a pocket book on wheels. With all this stuff, it takes

Are you ready to go play?

2011-05-09T09:34:00.042-04:00

If you are like me, you are probably keeping a close eye on the weather this time of year looking for opportunities to sneak outside for some much needed fresh air and sunshine. My favorite activity for a nice afternoon is a ride on my bike, nothing makes me feel more like a kid. I consider my garage the grown-up version of a toy box. The toys are just bigger and a bit more expensive these

Get ready to garden!

2011-05-04T15:11:00.000-04:00

Spring is definitely here and we have all had more than enough of the rain. Our lawns are crying out for attention in between the rain drops as the weeds threaten to take over. I don't know about you but I usually avoid tasks that take too much time to get ready to do or find the tools. Getting all your yard work gear together helps you spend more time on the tasks that need to be done and

Is your task list working for you?

2011-04-26T13:49:00.001-04:00

We all have a list of things that need to be done but we don't have to use the same method to keep track of them. What's your favorite way to capture and complete tasks? Here are a few you may want try. Pencil and paper - Most of us are familiar with this variety of list making. It's low tech and easy. It never crashes or needs to be backed up but for many of us it just doesn't work. As