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How to Organize Holiday Decorations

It happens every year, yet the holiday season still seems to sneak up on us! Unfortunately, they’re over as quickly as they come and after the excitement and cheer are past, there’s always a big task looming — organizing holiday decorations.


This year, follow this 4-step guide to organize your holiday decorations and make next year so much easier! With a bit of planning, you can set yourself up for success.

Gather Your Supplies

When you’re armed and ready to organize, you’re more likely to finish with a job well done! Grab your supplies before you begin taking down your holiday decorations.

  • Boxes
  • Sticky Notes/Notepad & Pen
  • Permanent Marker
  • Containers (Don’t buy anything new yet!)
  • Label Maker (If you have one)

Now, let’s dive in!

Declutter Holiday Decor as You Go

A common misunderstanding is that professional organizers make you get rid of everything. In reality, we just ask you to consider how much you have and whether you truly want to keep things. It’s always up to you!

Declutter Holiday Decorations Now

With everything fresh in your mind, think seriously about how much holiday decor you want to keep for next year.

As you’re following our suggestions to get your holiday decorations organized, remember to ask yourself if you truly love an item. Was it a physical challenge to bring it out of storage and display the item? Be honest and realistic with yourself. Does it bring enough cheer to justify storing it for a year? Or is it functional? And again — functional enough to store for 365 days?

If so, great! We’ll be sorting the things you’re keeping in the next stage. If not, grab one of your empty boxes and write DONATE in a big permanent marker across the side. Collect donation items as you go.

Sorting Holiday Decor

When you’re sorting your holiday decorations, use boxes to group them into categories like DONATE, TRASH (anything broken), and KEEP.

Here are a couple of options for organizing the KEEP category.

Organizing Based on Location

Now that you’ve decluttered your holiday decorations, it’s time to sort them into categories based on where you use them around your home. This makes things so much easier for next year because you’ll have everything grouped together based on where they belong.

Organizing Based on Category

You may prefer to organize your holiday decorations based on category instead. This means all lights together, all greenery together, etc. If this feels right to you, then go for it! Just remember to label things based on location as you put them away so you’ll know where they go when you pull them out next year.

Storing Holiday Decor

“Fit your container to your items, rather than your items to the container!”

What do we mean? The most common mistake professional organizers see people make is when they buy all their storage containers before they assess how much they have.

After you’ve sorted your holiday decorations into categories, it’s time to see what types of containers you need. That’s why we say to fit your container to your items — otherwise, you may be trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. And we all know how that ends!

We love to help you reuse containers you already have, so we suggest you shop your home first. Collect the containers you have available and then see which ones work for your different categories.

Clear containers are our favorite because you can see what’s inside. But cardboard boxes work as a budget-friendly option — just be sure to clearly label the box on the top and at least one side.

Once you’ve contained your holiday decorations, be sure to label the containers so you can easily find things next year! Choose a location in your home to keep all containers together and store them with the labels facing out for quick reference.

Final Thoughts

Remember, organizing after the holidays is not only about putting things away but it’s also an opportunity to start the new year with a tidy and organized space. Take your time, involve family members if possible, and turn the process into a positive and productive experience so you can feel great in your home.

If you’re overwhelmed just reading this post, remember that we have holiday decluttering and organizing services. We can even do it all for you! Contact us to learn how it works.

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Stress-Free Holiday Prep: How to Organize Gifts, Decor, and More

It’s the same story every year…as the holiday season approaches, we dream of cozy evenings by the fireplace, quality time with family, and flawless festive events. But then, November and December arrive, and suddenly, we’re thrown into a tailspin of planning, prep, and stress! This year, since Thanksgiving is so late in November, there seems to be added pressure around the December holidays. There has to be a better way, right? Try a few of the following simple ways to get organized for the holidays.

Quick Pre-Holiday Decluttering

It’s hard to organize anything without decluttering first, but who has that kind of time during the holidays? That’s why a quick declutter is essential!

Here’s what I recommend:

  • Grab a trash bag for garbage and a box for donations.
  • Go from room to room and grab anything you know can go.
  • Get the family involved if possible!
  • Remind your family that to make space for new items, it’s time to let go of some old ones.

It’s also important to remember to declutter as you begin getting out your holiday decorations. When you can see everything in one place, it’s easier to realize that you may have more than you need. You may also notice a few items you no longer love, and this is a perfect time to donate them or let them go. This time of year, in my area, I think about the many “One Warm Coat” drives happening. You can donate new or gently used coats to local charities. It’s the perfect way to rehome your coats!

Organizing Holiday Decor

After you’ve done a quick declutter, it’s time to get out the holiday decorations! If you’re like most of my clients, each year, you haul out the boxes and grumble about the tangled jumble of items. You probably swear to yourself that this is the year you’ll get them organized. Then, January rolls around, and you’re in a rush, so everything gets dumped back in the boxes.

When it comes to organizing holiday decor, start by categorizing items into groups like lights, ornaments, wreaths, and garlands. Store each category in clear, labeled bins for easy identification, and consider using divided containers or padding for fragile items.

Take an extra few minutes to untangle and neatly wrap lights and garlands before storing them, which will save time and reduce frustration next year. For a more detailed approach to organizing your decorations, come back the first week of December -when I’ll drop my post Organize Your Holiday Decor in 4 Easy Steps.

Create a Holiday Command Center

Our brains are overloaded when the holidays arrive because we have a variety of schedules to juggle, tasks to complete, errands to run, and so. many. lists to keep track of. No wonder we begin missing details, and our stress level goes up.

Creating one space where you keep all the information improves your chances of maintaining everything. Choose something that works for your family, whether it’s a digital hub, a three-ring binder, or a small corner of your kitchen. 

After choosing a space for your holiday command center, use it to keep important lists, reminders, and schedules so everything you need is in one central location. Keeping track of holiday tasks, such as shopping lists, baking schedules, and party plans, becomes much easier when they’re all visible in one place.

Organized Gift Giving

A major contributor to holiday stress is trying to keep everything in your head. When you’re setting up your holiday command center, be sure to include a place for tracking gifts. Create a spreadsheet to note who’s receiving what, costs, and if the gift needs to be purchased, wrapped, or mailed. This helps you avoid forgetting anyone or accidentally double-gifting.

It’s also helpful to set up a dedicated gift-wrapping area. Stock it with essentials like wrapping paper, tape, scissors, gift tags, and ribbon. Keeping everything together saves time and prevents the dreaded search for missing tape or scissors right when needed.

Make a Holiday Bucket List with the Family

It’s always disappointing when the holidays are over, and you suddenly remember a favorite movie you forgot to watch or a community event you missed. Spend ten minutes during dinner asking the whole family for input on a family holiday bucket list and write it all down.

Remember to divide roles and responsibilities so they don’t all fall on your shoulders. Asking kids to look up events and adding them to the calendar helps them begin learning these skills while taking some of the pressure off you!

This ensures making the most of the holiday season, but it also helps organize plans so everyone knows what to expect.

Don’t Forget Your Holiday Self-Care

Psychologists recommend making time for relaxation and self-care to manage stress levels and maintain mental well-being during the holidays. Remember to schedule small moments for yourself, such as coffee breaks, short walks, or quiet reading time. Taking a few minutes each day to recharge can help prevent burnout during this busy season.

Wrapping Up

With thoughtful planning and organized systems, the holidays are joyful and less stressful. From setting up a command center to tracking gifts and creating a self-care routine, these organizational strategies can help you tackle the holiday season with ease. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection — it’s to create a holiday season that feels meaningful and joyful to EVERYONE, including you!

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Happy Holidays!!

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ADHD and Organizing: Tips For Tackling Clutter

If you or someone you love has ADHD, you know that trying to get organized may require a different approach. Tasks others may find routine — like keeping a tidy home, managing a schedule, or staying focused on a task — feel overwhelming. 

October is ADHD Awareness Month, and I wanted to provide a few actionable tips to make getting organized more manageable for people with ADHD.


If you are looking for a professional organizer specializing in ADHD, you can find one through the ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization) website or the NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) website.

  1. Start Small

People with ADHD often feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks ahead of them, which can lead to procrastination. Start by breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, if organizing the entire house feels like too much, focus on just one room, one corner, or one drawer at a time.

Chunking tasks into 10-15 minute increments can help avoid burnout and build momentum. This can be applied to other areas of life, such as organizing paperwork or tackling a cluttered desk. By reducing a big task into bite-sized portions, you’re more likely to get started — and finish.

2. Use Timers

Setting a timer signals that there’s an end in sight when a project looks like it will loom on forever. By setting clear boundaries, timers also help reduce distractions and encourage a better understanding of how long tasks actually take.​ I do this many times during my day, in 30 minute chunks of time. That gives me time to focus and then get something done. When the timer goes off, if I feel like I’m in a rhythm, I go for another half hour. Before I know it, I’ve focused for 3 hours and gotten TONS done!

3. Create Designated Spaces for Essential Items

If you’re constantly frustrated by losing track of everyday items like keys, phones, and wallets, create a designated spot for these items. A hook by the front door for your keys and a small tray or bowl for your phone and wallet can help you create a habit of always returning items to the same place.

This simple strategy removes the need for your brain to remember where you put things, reducing stress and making it easier to leave the house on time.

4. Declutter and Simplify Your Space

Clutter is a major source of distraction for anyone, but it can be even more distracting for people with ADHD. Decluttering your home will remove excess distractions, but remember to start with small areas.


Using clear bins and labeling storage containers can make it easier to see what you have and where it belongs. This eliminates the “out of sight, out of mind” issue that many with ADHD face when things are tucked away in hidden places.

5. Be Compassionate with Yourself

It’s easy to fall into the trap of negative self-talk when things don’t go as planned or you feel frustrated. Remember, organizing is a skill that can be developed over time, and it’s okay if things don’t always go perfectly.

Allow yourself some flexibility and acknowledge the progress you’re making, no matter how small​.

6. Consider Professional Assistance

If organizing feels too overwhelming to manage alone, it might be worth considering help from a professional organizer specializing in ADHD.

These professionals can assist in decluttering, setting up systems, and creating organizational structures that work for you rather than against you. There are even virtual consultations available, allowing for help and advice from the comfort of your own home.​

It’s easy to feel discouraged if you’re trying to get organized with ADHD, but remember, it is possible! With the right information and support, you can manage the organizational challenges and make space in your brilliant mind for the things you truly love to do.

Resources for further support:

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Happy Organizing!

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How to Create a Household Emergency Plan & Kit

Here in California, we’ve once again had many fires and the fire season isn’t over yet. Several of my family members had to prepare for evacuation when the Park Fire was burning in Butte county. It burned nearly 430,000 acres and many homes – truly tragic. And as I’m writing this in October, the Southeast has been devastated by Hurricane Helene.

As a professional organizer, it probably doesn’t surprise you that I like to be prepared! I like knowing what to expect and planning ahead. But what about the unexpected? How can you prepare for the unknown? That’s what emergency preparedness is all about. 

September was National Preparedness Month, and while we all know it’s a good idea to prepare for potential disaster, it’s a pretty overwhelming concept. 

It may feel daunting, but like so much else, getting started is often the hardest part. So, let’s begin!

Understand Your Risks

Before you can make a plan or create an emergency kit, it’s important to identify the threats in your region so you can prepare accordingly. Natural disasters that come readily to mind are hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and wildfires, but there are other potential risks to consider. Awareness is the first step!

Make A Plan

After you’ve assessed what kind of emergencies you should prepare for, it’s time to make an emergency plan. Your plan should include:

  • Meeting Places: Designate two meeting places where your family can regroup if separated. First, choose a location outside your home for a sudden emergency, such as a fire. Then, identify a place outside your neighborhood, like a school or church, in case you cannot return home or need to evacuate.
  • Emergency Contacts: Make a list of phone numbers for family members, friends, and emergency services. Save each number on cell phones, but don’t forget to make paper copies of the list and place them in children’s backpacks, family members’ purses or briefcases, your car, etc.
  • Evacuation Plan:  Identify where you would go if asked to evacuate. A hotel? A relative or family friend’s home? Nearby shelters and safe zones? It depends on the emergency, so having a few options is a good idea.

Quick Tip: Talk About Your Plan

Creating a plan is great, but discussing it with your family is often overlooked. Remember to sit down and get everyone on the same page. If you have young children, adjust your discussion accordingly, but share details as your kids get older. If you’re concerned it may worry your children, remember that they’ve probably thought about emergencies, and knowing you have a plan can ease their minds.

Create an Emergency Kit

A huge part of emergency preparedness is having the right supplies gathered for your emergency kit. It’s important to distinguish between supplies you may need for sheltering in place at home versus a smaller kit (aka “Go Bag”) to grab if you need to evacuate.

Essentials for a Basic Kit at Home

  • Water (one gallon per person per day for several days)
  • Non-perishable food for several days
  • Extra cell phone battery or charger
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio that can receive NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts and extra batteries
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air) – 1 for each family member
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • At least two weeks of prescription medicines for each family member, including  a list with medicine name, dose, pharmacy name and number, and doctor’s name and number
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Can opener (if kit contains canned food)
  • Local maps

Additional Items to Consider

  • Eyeglasses or extra contact lenses
  • Infant formula and diapers
  • Pet food, water, and supplies for your pet
  • Important family documents such as identification for each person (like social security cards, passports, driver licenses), copies of insurance policies, and bank account records in a portable waterproof container – *these are a MUST in a Go Bag*
  • Cash and change-small bills are best
  • Emergency reference material such as a first aid book
  • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
  • Complete change of clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Fire Blanket – in case your caught in a fire
  • Matches in a waterproof container
  • Feminine supplies, personal hygiene items, and hand sanitizer
  • Non-prescription medication like pain relievers, antacids, laxatives, etc.
  • Mess kits, Paper cups, plates and disposable utensils, paper towels
  • Books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children
  • Paper and pencil

Creating a Go Bag

If you have to leave your home quickly, it’s important to have a smaller version of your emergency kit to grab and go.

You’ll include most things on the essentials list, just on a smaller scale. You won’t have room for fifteen gallons of water, but having a few bottles or water purification tablets is a must. Comb through the lists and decide what to keep in your Go Bag.

Once you make a disaster plan and create your emergency kit, it’s important to check it every 6-12 months. You may need to rotate food, update contact information, or replace spare clothing for growing children. That’s why every September is a perfect time to revisit your emergency plan. After you’ve created the plan, simple maintenance will help you stay prepared.

Hopefully, you’ll never have to put all this planning and organizing into action, but if you do — won’t it feel great to be prepared? Being organized for emergencies involves more than just packing a kit; it’s about understanding risks, having a plan, and ensuring you’re ready to handle the unexpected. 

By understanding your risks, creating a family emergency plan, and preparing a disaster kit, you’ll be in a much better place to ensure that you and your loved ones are always ready.

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How Downsizing Can Help You Simplify Your Life

Downsizing Can Help Simplify Your Life

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the work you do around your home, you are not alone. Between maintenance, cleaning, landscaping, and the stuff inside your closets, cupboards, and cabinets, it’s easy for your home to feel more like a curse than a blessing. That’s why many seniors downsize their homes as they age. But downsizing isn’t just for seniors anymore!

Last month, I explained the steps for an organized move in the Poppy Jasper Organizing blog. But when you’re moving to downsize, there’s much more to consider.

Before making big changes, it’s important to consider a few things first. Below, we’ll discuss the benefits of downsizing, the emotional toll it can have, and a few tips for caring for older relatives during the downsizing process.

Why Downsize?

Simplified Lifestyle

Downsizing has many benefits, but the common thread is a simplified lifestyle. And as a professional organizer, you know I’m a big fan of that! When we simplify our homes and lives, we make space for what matters most.

Financial Savings

One of the most significant benefits of downsizing is cutting costs. A smaller home typically means lower mortgage payments, reduced property taxes, and decreased utility bills. For retirees living on a fixed income, these savings can provide much-needed financial relief, which leads to less stress.

Less Maintenance & Upkeep

The American dream of a large home, sprawling lawn, and white picket fence sounds nice, but in reality, it’s a lot of work!

A smaller home means less surface area to clean, repair, and organize. For seniors, community living is a great option. Many senior living communities offer maintenance services, which means tasks like lawn care and home repairs are taken care of for you.

Safety & Accessibility

A big benefit for downsizing seniors is increased safety and accessibility with single-story layouts, wider doorways, and other modifications. Reducing the risk of falling and other accidents gives seniors and their families peace of mind.

The Emotional Side of Downsizing

It’s especially overwhelming for seniors to downsize because they often face a lifetime’s accumulation of belongings and memories under one roof.

Most people need support sorting and decluttering their belongings, and a compassionate partner makes all the difference.

I understand the sensitive nature of downsizing and work well with seniors to manage the emotionally exhausting side.

A few things that help are taking frequent breaks, reminders to drink water and eat, and pausing when emotions run high.

It’s important to honor the memories and nostalgia that arise when sorting through the past. For more information about coping with the emotions of downsizing, read this article by the Elder Care Alliance.

Caring for Older Relatives During Downsizing

Adult children often help their aging parents downsize, which is bound to stir up emotions for everyone. Supporting someone from a long distance can create added stress. This checklist for caregivers from the Family Caregiver Alliance is a good starting point for getting your to-do’s in order.

Here are a few things I would recommend.

  • Finding in-person professional support. Long distance or not, you can reduce stress for everyone if you work with a senior move management professional. Contact me to learn more about my downsizing services.
  • Begin as soon as possible. If you aren’t rushed, start sorting and decluttering as early as possible. It takes longer than you think and requires compassion.
  • Get organized! No surprise here, but I definitely know you’ll save time and energy if you get organized in the beginning. Create a notebook or folder to keep all your checklists, contacts, and other important information. Gather supplies like boxes and packing materials. Keep an inventory of belongings as you sort through and pack them. You’ll thank your future self if you do these things beforehand!

Here’s an article from the National Institute on Aging for more tips and support in long-distance caregiving.

After reading this, your head may be swimming. Though downsizing is sometimes forced upon seniors for safety reasons, it’s also a lifestyle that more and more people are choosing. Can you imagine a life less encumbered by your belongings? What would you do with that freedom and renewed energy?

In the end, downsizing isn’t just about moving to a smaller space; it’s about creating a lifestyle that supports seniors’ changing needs and aspirations, allowing them to enjoy their golden years with peace of mind and dignity.

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5 Steps for Moving Like a Professional Organizer

5 Steps for Moving Like a Professional Organizer

Whenever moving comes up in conversation, it usually includes heavy sighs and overdone eye rolls. No one likes moving!

It’s often listed as one of the most stressful life events and it’s no wonder — we have a lot of stuff in our homes! Getting organized before your move can make things run more smoothly and eliminate a ton of stress. And because summer is peak moving season, I thought I’d share a few steps to make your next move easier.

Plan Ahead

As with anything, a little planning goes a long way. Imagine what can happen if you do a lot of planning!

A plan reduces moving stress because you know what to expect when things get busy.

  • Keep Your Information in One Place — Create a binder or folder to keep all information in one place. You’ll want a packing checklist, schedule (I recommend a block calendar – it’s easy to view your schedule at-a-glance), utility information, contact information, and more inside your binder.
  • Plan Your Time — Well before your moving date, use your calendar to work backward from your move day and create a general schedule. You’ll want to save packing things you use often for the days right before the move, but you can begin packing infrequently used items early. Decluttering before you start packing is essential. You’ll also want to call the utility companies before your move. Mark these timeframes on your calendar to stay on track.
  • Gather Supplies — Create a tote with labels, Sharpies, scissors, packing tape, and other supplies so you can find them easily. You’ll use these supplies when decluttering and moving. Begin collecting boxes so you aren’t scrambling at the end. Here are a few ideas for creating a moving kit.

Declutter Before the Move

No one wants to move extra stuff they no longer use, but when you’re feeling overwhelmed, the move date can come quickly, and you end up throwing everything in a box whether you need it anymore or not. That’s why the planning step helps so much.

Go room by room and declutter as quickly as you can. Open closets, look under beds — get as detailed as time allows, and be ruthless if you can! Moving is stressful because we realize how much we actually have when we begin pulling it all out. Use this time as motivation to let go of unused items by donating or selling them.

Packing

It’s time to grab your packing kit! Pack your home room by room, starting with the spaces you use least often. It’s ok to move to the next room once you’ve packed a room and only items you’re still using remain, but don’t mix items from different rooms in boxes. Keep rooms separate so the unpacking process can go much more smoothly.

  • Label everything! It may feel like overkill, but you’ll be thankful when you’re unpacking. List the room the box belongs in and a few notes on what’s inside. Label boxes on the top and side so you can see what they contain when they’re stacked.
  • Expert Tip! Use luggage to pack essential items you’ll need right away, like toiletries and clothes.

Moving Day

The day is finally here—try to enjoy the momentous occasion if you can!

  • Ask your movers to place boxes in their corresponding rooms to make unpacking easier.
  • Keep your moving binder accessible for any phone numbers or details you might need.
  • Celebrate! After everything is unloaded, take a moment to celebrate the move. A lot of hard work has led to this moment!

Unpacking

After the big day, it’s time to begin setting up your new home. The task can feel overwhelming but think of it as a way to arrange everything as you’ve always wanted.

  • Reverse Order. You’ll unpack everything in the reverse order in which you packed it. Begin by unpacking your essentials, and then move on to the next most frequently used items. When I unpack for clients, I start in the kitchen.
  • Organize as You Go. Group like things together, create zones, and label!

Describing how to organize each portion of your home requires multiple blog posts but use this as a reminder to organize as you settle into your new space. You’ll thank your future self later!

Remember, moving doesn’t have to be as stressful as everyone thinks. You can do this!

Ready for some hands-on support? If all this sounds like more work than you’re willing to take on, contact us to learn about our downsizing and unpacking services. We can take all of this off your plate!

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Reduce Stress with These 5 Organizing Steps

Have you ever looked around your home and felt frustrated by the clutter around you? Stacks of paper on the counter, never-ending piles of laundry, and stuff covering every surface — it can feel so overwhelming!

You’re not alone. Clutter has become a major problem in our culture, and it’s even taking a toll on our emotional and mental health. You’ve felt it before, right? The impact clutter around you can have on your mind and well-being?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month so I thought this would be the perfect time to discuss clutter’s impact on our mental health — and how organization can help!

The Impact of Clutter

It’s not just your friendly neighborhood organizer (Hi!🙋‍♀️) who says clutter has an impact on your mental health — research shows it, too. Studies have found that when someone perceives their home as cluttered, their cortisol levels increase. What’s cortisol? The stress hormone.

The key word, however, is ‘perceive’. Clutter weighs on people differently. To some, a stack of paper on the kitchen counter is organized. To others, it’s a taunting pile of agitation.

Understanding how you relate to clutter is the first step in identifying its impact on your mental health.

5-Step Solution to Clutter

Once you better understand your clutter’s impact on your well-being, it’s time to decide what to do about it. This varies for everyone, but there are a few universal steps I’d suggest you take.

1. Find Your Biggest Stressor

As we’re talking about mental health, I suggest pinpointing the space in your home that stresses you the most. Find the low-hanging fruit that will impact your daily life, like the entryway you go in and out of each day or the dining room table that’s always covered. If you’ve worked with me, you know that our first session is ALWAYS about focusing on that space.

2. Start Small

Though you might find your overflowing garage or basement is your most stressful space, those are huge projects to start with. Instead, choose a smaller space that will allow you to see results right away. A few examples would be a kitchen drawer, your bedroom nightstand, or a single shelf in your pantry.

3. Set a Timer

You’d be amazed by how much better you can feel after 15 minutes of decluttering. If you find you have more stamina, feel free to keep going. And remember that something is better than nothing! I use this all the time for keeping me focused on any project.

4. Sort Your Items

Starting in your small space, go through the items and decide what can be kept, tossed, donated, or recycled. Even in a small space, you’ll be amazed by how much can go, and you’ll quickly begin to feel a little lighter.

5. System Set-up

Systems sound like something big and complicated, but they can be simple, too! Hanging your keys on the same hook every single day is a system. Putting your shoes in the same spot when you get home is a system. Once you’ve sorted through the items in your small space, put them back in a way that works for your habits. Think about how you use the space and decide whether items belong there. If they do, contain them in a way that can help you find them when you need them next.

Support and Resources

As with anything that feels overwhelming, it can help tremendously to have someone at your side along the way. I would love to support you through your organizing journey, but I also understand that there’s a time and place for everything. I’m here when you’re ready to declutter and organize.

Some professional organizers specialize in chronic disorganization, which is frequently related to neurodivergence. If you struggle with ADHD, hoarding, or other challenges, you may find the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) a helpful resource.

If you or a loved one needs additional mental health support or services, please visit National Institute of Mental Health website for the resources listed.

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Each of these steps could be a blog post on its own, so remember that we’re just skimming the surface now. But remember, when it comes to feeling overwhelmed, it’s best to start small because some progress is better than none.

You wouldn’t expect mental health challenges to disappear overnight or within one week of treatment, so remember that it takes time to declutter and organize your home. Take everything one step at a time, because honestly, it’s the only way to do anything.

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Easy Ways to Organize Your Garden Tools

Woman Organizing Garden Tools

If you love gardening, you’re probably imagining all the amazing things you’ll grow throughout summer and harvest in the fall: salads full of leafy greens, fresh tomatoes, and cucumbers, stir-fries with fresh zucchini, summer squash, and carrots — all grown in your backyard.

Before you can reap the benefits of your green thumbs, you must plan, prepare, and plant. But when you step into your garden shed or the corner of your garage where you keep all your gardening tools and supplies, suddenly you’re overwhelmed by the tangle of tools.

What’s a gardener to do?

Organizing Your Gardening Tools

When you’re faced with a pressing need to organize a space, it’s tempting to hop on Pinterest or Google and explore fun storage ideas. As cute as some of those pallet hacks can be, you’ll usually find yourself with an even bigger jumble if you try to fit your tools to a design idea rather than your design idea to your tools.


The number one mistake people make when organizing anything is starting with containers or storage solutions before they’ve assessed what they have to get organized.

Assess Your Garden Tools

With a project like this, it’s easy to get distracted—especially if your garden tools are in the garage. Remember to stay focused on the category you’re working within, and you can always come back later to tackle other sections.

Depending on the space you’re working within, pull everything out so you can assess all your supplies. Then, begin sorting materials into categories that make the most sense to you. When sorting, it’s important to group things together in ways that you know you’ll look for them when you need them.

Example categories:

  • Hand tools (trowels, weeding tool, garden fork, hand rake)
  • Long-handled tools (shovels, rakes, hoes)
  • A grab-and-go bag or bucket (trowel, gloves, knee pad, clippers)
  • Supplies: watering can, buckets, pots, fertilizers, soil, seeds

As you sort through your supplies, remember to discard anything that you no longer use. (And if you donate it, be sure to get it as clean as you’d want it if YOU got it for free. Free doesn’t mean someone should have to scrape the dirt off.)

That broken tool you keep meaning to fix but never get around to? Toss it.

If you have four rakes but only use the bow rake and leaf rake, then donate the other two!

Discarding excess will help you keep your garden tools tidy.

Get Creative With Garden Storage Solutions

Now you can begin implementing some of the fun ideas you see on Pinterest! It can be fun to repurpose old pallets to create a handy wall-mounted tool rack or hang a pegboard for easy access to your most-used tools. But remember to choose practical ideas that are functional, not just cute.

A few suggestions:

  • A rack that separates your long-handled garden tools so they don’t become mixed up again.
  • Hooks to hang things on the wall — always use the vertical space!
  • Label everything! Your future self will thank you next year when you can easily locate that elusive pair of pruning shears.

One More Note:

If you share your tools and garden space with anyone, be sure to make this a team effort! No one likes surprises like this. And your partner will thank you.

Ready for some hands-on support? Contact me to learn how we can work together.

Need more Inspiration or Ideas? This is a fun read about Garden Tool Organization

Ready, Set, Garden!

With your garden tools neatly organized, now is the time to take a moment to celebrate! Getting things in order will save you tons of time (and frustration!) this gardening season.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some weeds to pull and flowers to tend to. Until next time, happy gardening!

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The Missing Step in Spring Cleaning

You know the feeling you get as spring approaches? The giddiness you feel as the sun comes out a little more, the buds on the trees begin growing, and little bits of color start popping up as flowers begin to bloom. California poppies are on full display. And birds are chirping – like they’re saying, “it’s time to get going!”

It comes every year, yet spring always feels fresh and new when it rolls around. Everywhere you look online, in magazines, or newspapers, everyone’s talking about spring cleaning.

But one major part that’s often overlooked is decluttering. Before you can dive into the deep cleaning, you need to make space first!

Decluttering isn’t just about organizing physical spaces — it’s about creating mental clarity and emotional well-being. Here are a few reasons why decluttering should be the first step when you begin spring cleaning.

Easier to Clean
Simply put? When there’s less stuff in the way, it’s easier to clean.

Increased Clarity and Focus

Our physical space impacts our mental clarity and ability to focus. Clutter has been proven to lead to overwhelm, stress, and anxiety. A tidy environment promotes a sense of peace and clarity, allowing us to approach tasks with a renewed sense of purpose. And spring is all about renewal!

Letting Go

That feeling of renewal makes spring the perfect time to let go of the things that no longer serve us. 

Whether it’s clothing we haven’t worn in years, knick-knacks collecting dust on shelves, or kitchen utensils shoved in the back of drawers, letting go of belongings fits right in with the spring feeling of out with the old, in with the new! The difference? Let’s pause when buying things and make conscious decisions about the new things we bring into our homes. That way, there’s less clutter to clean around!

Increased Productivity

Clutter slows us down. It physically gets in the way of spring cleaning, but it also makes it easy to get distracted and lose focus. By decluttering, we eliminate distractions and create an environment that fosters productivity and creativity.

The Missing Step to Spring Cleaning

While all that information is important, sometimes you just need to get things done! When it comes to spring cleaning, you just need to get some of the obvious clutter out of the way so you can scrub the floors, dust the shelves, and get to all the spaces the sun is now shining on.


That’s why I recommend a quick session of speed decluttering. So, how does it work?

Speed Decluttering

A full declutter is essential when it comes to getting your entire home organized and we’ll go deeper into that process another time. 

For the sake of making space for spring cleaning, I suggest starting with a quick declutter because it will help you build momentum. Speed decluttering is like speed dating — you’re just getting a sample of it first to see how it goes! Then you’ll do a deeper dive later.

Here’s how it works:

  • Grab a garbage bag and a box.
  • Walk around every room in your house and look for garbage or items you can donate. You’re looking for items that are a quick decision right now.
    • Trash the kids left out? Toss it. Old headphones no one uses? Gone. Dog toy that’s ripped to shreds? Garbage. (But don’t let Scruffy see you!)
    • Want to get the kids involved and make it a little more fun? Set a timer for 10 minutes and a goal of 25 items. See what they come up with!

Come Back Later

After your speed decluttering, it’s easier to get your spring cleaning done. And after that, set aside some time to come back and do more detailed decluttering and organizing. I’ll be here, ready for you!

If you enjoyed this blog post, sign up for my newsletter to keep the motivation going!

~Tami

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Portable Linen Bankers Box – Good for Evacuation

Since we never know when we’ll need to evacuate from our homes due to floods, fires, earthquakes, etc., it’s a good idea to have all our important documents and a stash of cash ready to go in minutes.

Here’s what we recommend – a portable file box. It’s foldable and has a linen-look. It also folds flat and can live next to where all your official documents are stored (if you have a metal file cabinet or safe you store them in at home). This way, when you need to evacuate, it takes less than a minute to assemble, has built-in handles, and a sturdy lid. Boom!

These are not expensive. You can order these online, purchase them from office supply stores, or big box stores. They come in a variety of colors, so can easily match your décor.