I believe in matter and energy. I believe that everything, all of us and everything around us, is some form of matter and energy, spinning together, evolving and all connected. Human beings are a lot of energy and only bits of matter (ask a shark!). A tree, on the other hand, is more matter than energy. Let's take it smaller now, down to those shoes in your closet. They, too, are bits of matter and energy, made from the energy of a tree for its wood, perhaps a cow for its leather and of course, the human hands that designed and crafted them. Parts of our spinning earth came together to create a pair of shoes whose purpose is to protect your feet, support you as you walk and make you look fabulous. Those simple shoes are supporting you with joy, because you have given purpose for all the matter and energy that went into their creation. 

So how is clutter supporting you in your life? How is matter and energy working in that case?  What purpose do those other pairs of shoes have that you have not worn in months or perhaps years? Indeed, nothing. Nobody wins in that case. The clutter stuff has no purpose. The planet gave up natural resources for nothing. And you, you are at minimum wasting time digging around the clutter to find the things that do serve you, and at worst (and more typically) are punishing yourself for the clutter in your life.
When you consider your own clutter challenges, consider this: That pile of paper wants a purpose. Those piles and boxes full of who knows what are not serving anyone. Those shoes need your feet, or someone’s! So get busy making decisions on your stuff. Ask: Is this active and serving me in my life?  If not, get it out of your space and back into this spinning planet to serve someone else. Or recycle it. It's good for you. It's good for the planet. It's good for your shoes! EVERYONE WINS! Especially fabulous YOU.

Turn matter - your clutter and disorder - into energy - where everything is in its place waiting to serve you.

Welcome to BALANCE - A place to help support your ongoing quest to live a more organized and balanced life. 

Most, if not all, organizing projects do not start with shopping for containers. Indeed, that is almost the last step. The process actually begins with sorting and purging, then you choose where to put things based on usage, accessibility, proximity, etc. Only then, once you know what you have for a space, is it time to "containerize". 

Having said that, any organizing endeavor needs a reward to motivate you, though getting organized is its own reward. This time of year, I like to remind my clients that Container Store is having their annual Elfa System sale, but don't start by going to the Container Store and buying a new closet system. The sale is now through February 13th, so there is still time to organize the closet first. If you do so, the system in which you invest will serve you much better.

Here are the basic steps for closet organizing:

1. Make space. Clear off the bed or the hall way or make some room around the space where the closet is.

2. Get some supplies, including trash bags, a marker, sticky notes, and a few baskets or bins.  Designate the containers as follows:

• Elsewhere: This container is for items that belong elsewhere in your home.  Don’t waste your time going to put them away.  Put them in this bin to put away later or it may distract you and disrupt your organizing effort.
• Donate: This container is for items you will donate to your favorite charity. 
• Give Away (or name of person, people) – This container(s) is for items you want to give to someone else, perhaps to someone at work or a family member.
• Optional:  Sell – should you choose to have a garage/yard sale or sell on eBay or Craigslist. 
• Recycle – This one is obvious!  For our planet, recycle much as possible!
• Shred – This one is necessary if you will be going through paper.  Shred anything with an account number on it!!

3.  Now Organize, which means pull each item out of the closet and decide if that item is active and serving you. Ask yourself these questions:
          Is it Useful?
          Is it Beautiful?
          Do I love it!?
          Have I used it in the last year or so?
If there are no Yes answers to the above questions, put it in the appropriate bin to eliminate it. 
As I tell my clients, be brutal about your stuff to be kind to yourself. Make the hard choices. The less stuff you have, the easier your life will be; more ordered and productive.

4. Sort the Keep items by type. Also decide whether items are best kept in this closet or perhaps belong elsewhere.

5. Measure and purchase a system. Once you have a completed sort of all the items that will go into the closet, it's now time to take measurements of the closet. You actually may determine that you don't need a new system for the space; all the better as you are now closer to finishing. If you do need a system, measure the closet depth, height, width and be sure to measure the door height and width as well. You can now go online to containerstore.com where a design system will walk you through creating a closet and the parts you need to buy. Or just head out to the Container Store where the rep will help you with the design and what closet accessories you will need, be it drawers, shelves, hanging rods, divider racks, hooks, etc. As you design, consider the categories of items that will go into the closet and general volume, to insure you have the right space for everything. For example, if hanging clothing, how many inches of hanging clothing? If books, how many feet of books?

6. Now install the closet and put everything into it. The installation can be a laborious step, unless you have a willing handyman in the house who will have fun with it. If there is no such resource, hire someone. It serves you to get it done and it serves the local community to employ someone else to get it done. There will be payoff every time you look into your well ordered closet and every time you find something quickly when you need it!

Reward yourself with a well ordered closet now, while the price is right!

And as ever, call us if you need help!

I was taking care of some business at City Hall and was asked what do we do at BALANCE. When I explained my occupation as an Organizer, helping people to get rid of clutter and find order in their home or business, the agent said "oh, so you are like a Qi Master". A Qi Master, yes, that is just what I do!

In traditional Chinese culture, qì (also chi or ch'i, pronounced "key") is frequently translated as life energy, life force, or energy flow. In Chinese Medicine, balanced and free-flowing qi results in health; while stagnant or imbalanced qi leads to disease. In the same way that an acupuncturist diagnoses physical imbalances, and works to re-establish free-flowing qi in the human body, and the practitioner of Feng Shui perceives energetic imbalances in natural or man-made landscapes, and applies various techniques to remedy those imbalances, so do I, as an Organizer, work with my clients and their clutter imbalances. We work together to establish a more open flow of energy. If your space, home or office, has clutter blocking the flow of positive productive energy, perhaps you need a Qi Master to help you get to balance.  

I'm a Qi Master, indeed!

If you are procrastinating on getting organized, read this. Here is what my client said to me Friday before beginning our session to continue organizing her home (something she has been wanting to do for years!) This client is a busy, single, working professional. So far, we had organized all of her clothing, accessories and jewelry and began to organize paper.

I am not publishing this to toot my own horn but rather to encourage you, if you keep putting off the project of getting rid of your clutter. I expect that deep down, you know this could be the result. Well, here is proof.

Her words, exactly:
"Working with you on this organizing project has been a healing and nurturing experience for me. It has been transformational! It has given me a sense of inner peace and self-confidence. Coming home and seeing the order of things now helps me to be more clear about who I am in the world and what's important. AND IT'S NOT THE STUFF! Now I have more inner capacity to hold conflicting ideas and emotions. I feel more at peace and less hurried.  And, anytime I want to get a contact "BALANCE" high I look in my jewelry drawer!"

You can hire someone like me or you can do it on your own and just read this blog once in a while for tips and support. Give yourself a gift this holiday. Get organized and transform your life too!

About a year ago, someone gave me the gift of a lovely little memo book encased in silver. It has a red leather front and silver pen that clasps the notebook shut. Yes, I'm organized, so I put it in a small drawer in my office that holds my reasonable collection of note pads. (I regularly have one that is active to hold all my notes and action items.) This one for me was unique, so I wanted to wait until I had the perfect purpose for it.

Until then, I kept it in the drawer.

The other evening I was pleased when a purpose arose and I remembered the little red notepad. I'd been inspired by a client, who always keeps a pad and pen by his bedside to record thoughts and action items while decompressing from the day. As per David Allen, the productivity genius behind Getting Things Done, it is best to get those thoughts out of your head to free your mind to be more productive, or in this case, to have a restful sleep.

The notebook looked nice on my bedside table and I felt happy I had waited until I found the perfect use for it! But, alas, I had waited too long. After using it to write down a few items, the tiny silver pen was out of ink and was useless! I broke one of the many lessons I share with my clients: Use your stuff! If you keep it, make it active to serve you now because: everything has a shelf life.
The little pen,
Those shoes,
That electronic device,
You, me,
The planet...
Everything.

So use it. enjoy it. Especially if it's beautiful and makes you happy. When you find yourself putting something aside to "save beautiful things for just the right moment," ask yourself, "why isn't just the right moment right now, today?"

If you being amazing is not a good enough reason (which of course it is), as ever let me remind you of the planet. Some natural resources went into the making of that little silver pen.. only to dry up and be wasted. You see, no one was served. Not the planet, not me, not good karma energy to the people who worked hard on the factory line (probably in China) to produce that pen. No one. sigh.

So, go on now, go... take a bath and use those bubble bath salts you have been saving. Use that good china tonight! Don't wait for the holidays. Make sure your beautiful stuff is active. Serving you. Now.

Or pass it on to someone who will. For the planet's sake.

A.K.A at BALANCE: turning matter into energy.

Some Comic Relief!

Rest in Peace Kenya, my sweet Boxer.

June 26, 2000 - July 28, 2011

I was listening to talk show a while back on NPR where the respected commentator asked a panel repeatedly: “What are you doing to affect sustainability in your everyday life.” For a long time, the educated and interesting members of the speaker panel could NOT answer this simple question. It was evaded, ..ignored. Finally a young gentleman said something close to: "I took a water bottle [given at this conference] the first day and have been refilling it with the tap water in my hotel room".

Simple,  beautiful,   green.

So, what are you doing to affect sustainability in your everyday life? What if I told you it’s so easy to have least one answer, if not 10!

And if one person at a time changes a habit, that's MILLIONS, TRILLIONS in the reduction of use of water bottles, for example, which otherwise are a daily blow to our planet’s health.

My gift to you - to follow are some easy planet-friendly habits to add to your life. Reduce, reuse and recycle; in that order; for the love of Our Planet:

• Water bottles, as mentioned above (only reuse once or twice.) And/or, buy an aluminum water bottle or two and use them daily.
• Recycle books. Everyone can use them. They were made from trees. They educate us. Most donation centers and libraries will take them.
• Visit your local community recycle/trash service. Ask questions.
• Pick up your doggies poop. No really - your doggies cute, but the poop is toxic and of no value to any surface. In particular, the bottom of my hiking boot. Aarrgh!
• Designate a (sealed, hard plastic) bin somewhere to collect expired (toxic!) batteries. Put it in a shared hallway if you live in a multi-unit space. Hardware stores will take your batteries.
• Stop shopping for a while
• Most Packaging stores will take your styrofoam peanuts.
• Get a programmable thermostat.
• And more... wire hangers, ... tech gadgets, ...shopping bags, ... magazines, ... fabric, ... office supplies. People could really use this stuff, like drycleaners, non-profit organizations and schools. For more info, read my book for the top ten ways... Pg. 188!

And here's your inspiration:

Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" ...make that change!

Sad Video

Michael Jackson Tribute, also sad

Or just listen, and make a change.

Laurie Jo Miller Farr, a journalist on the Yahoo! Network, was curious about how a professional organizer can to break bad habits around clutter. I spent a little time telling her more about the value of getting organized and my work as a Professional Organizer.  Her refreshing prose will open a window for you on the general art of getting organized and the process of working with someone like me!

Learn how to find balance from your clutter

Pop Quiz: Is your clutter killing you?

I'm was browsing through an interesting book called "The Owner's Manual" (Harper Collins), written by two M.D.'s. It's "An Insider's Guide to the Body that will Make You Healthier and Younger". Who doesn't want to be healthier and live longer? Early in the book, they ask you to test how "body smart" you are with a quiz. The very first question was the closest I have seen to an ROI (Return on Investment) study on the benefits of getting organized. ROI, in this case, measured in years of life.
Here it is:
Which of the following ages you the least?
a.   Smoking one pack of cigarettes a day
b.   An HDL cholesterol level of 29 mg/dl  (for those of you who don't know, that's sorely inadequate)
c.   Consistently avoiding a nagging task on your to-do list  (...in other words, clutter!)
d.   Eating steak twice a week

The answer.. eating steak twice a week ages you the least. A lousy cholesterol level will age you about 4 years. And, drum roll please, avoiding a nagging activity - such as those clutter piles or an action item you hate - will age you just as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes a week! The doctors say it will age you eight (8) (yes, eight) years! Yikes! Eating steak ages you less than a year.

So, the return you get from investing in getting organized is to live a longer, less stressful life! Does your clutter stress you out? Time to get organized. Eliminating those nagging to-do items. The time is now. Because, it's aging you my friend.

Stay tuned to www.balancesf.com in 2011 to help you stay young! Our mission, after all is "to inspire your quest to live a more organized and balanced life."

I was raised in a large family; fifth of seven children. As you might expect, every once in a while my mother would get to her wits end. She must have read somewhere, in her own quest towards self-actualization, that when you really hit your limit, count to 10, out loud and deliberately. It was a trick that seemed to work for her and soon enough, it worked on us too. When we heard my mother say 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10, often through clenched teeth, we knew it was time to simmer down fast, or ELSE!

Though it's a survival bonus tip for just about anyone, especially parents, that little story doesn't have a whole lot to do with the topic at hand. Yet I am reminded of it with this get organized tip: Using the count of 10 is a neat way to clear some clutter fast, to help you dig out from under the holidays for example, or any time when you have been very busy and clutter has ensued.

In any cluttered space - a particular room, the surface of your desk, wherever - just start with 10 and count down. The key - with each count, pick something up and put it away. It's simple but it works. I often do this in the bedroom before I retire Or the surface of my desk at the end of a work session.

So I guess counting down from 10 to 1 is not just for New Years anymore!  I hope this helps you jumpstart your "Get Organized" New Years resolution.

And, since we are on the topic, I hope you have a productive and clutter-free 2011.

Best wishes for BALANCE, from me and Kenya!

I am finishing up a job with a client who called me knowing she had a move planned. The move was a downsize to a smaller home after living decades in the current space. It was at last time to go through her life possessions and get organized.

First, we discussed her vision, focusing on the future. How do you want your life to be? What will you be doing? What are your priorities? Once clear, we kept that in mind over these last few months as we went through each room. For each and every item, we asked:
"does this item serve you? 
      Is it useful?
            Does it bring you joy?
                  Is it beautiful to you? 
                        Do you LOVE LOVE LOVE it? 
A half-hearted "well, I like it" just isn't good enough. After a while it became very easy for my client to make the choices and let go when the anwer was NO. And, she kept on letting go on the unpack, when she was in her new beautiful smaller space.

You see, organizing is about you, about being good to yourself. Let me reiterate. Please, get arrogant about YOU when you organize.  You are a unique, special individual unlike no one else walking on this planet today, so you simply don't have the time or the space to have things around you that aren't perfect LOVE LOVE LOVE items that serve you.

When you pack to move, it costs you money to buy the boxes, move the stuff, pay the movers. Even if you are doing it yourself, it cost you time and energy not to mention the cost to the planet to transport things that don't serve you.

No worries, however, because if you do not have the luxury of time to go through things slowly before packing, there is another opportunity to do so on the unpack. I tell my clients: when you unpack, think of each box as a new present to open. Are you happy to "get" that "gift" you just unwrapped? Again, will you use it and/or enjoy it? DOES IT SERVE YOU? If no, "return it". That is, put it back in another box, take it to a donation center or give it away to friends or family. Get it back out into the planet to serve someone else.

Stuff that serves you is either useful, joyful, or beautiful to you. Anything less, and it's a waste of your precious time.

Call me if you have trouble. Your worth it.

Get Organized TODAY is a key tool in building a successful life; to bring ease and flow to your day-to-day living when clutter has got you down. More professional and personal organization and preparedness expertise is yours with these insights from Nancy and her organizing peers. With Get Organized Today, you will better manage your life and be ready to handle any situation with ease. To support you on your mission to live an organized and balanced life.

Free Teleseminar Series to learn more!

This book includes expert strategies to:

• Capture the Vision to Create a Space You'll Love
• Create a Productive Environment in Five Steps
• Overcome Chronic Disorganization
• Build the Perfect Closet
• Create a Home Office that Works for You
• Conquer Paper Piles
• Organize for Disaster and Be Prepared!
• and more...

Including Nancy's Chapter ->  Get Organized for the Planet, that outlines 10 incredibly easy ways to turn your matter (clutter) into energy (where everything is in its place waiting to serve you) in an Eco-Friendly way!

Cost:  $24.00

"Qi" is a central concept of Feng Shui (also written Chi or Ch'i, pronounced "key). It is best defined as "life energy," "life breath," or "active energy that flows through all things".

Everything is constantly in motion, everything has its own energy field and is connected in some way. All energy fields directly influence each other. Whether strengthening or weakening, everything flows. It is easier to follow the stream of Qi and to know what it favours, than to swim against the current. Clutter swims against the current; that is, it impedes the natural flow of positive Qi. It weakens...

In other words, according to Feng Shui teachings, a messy home or office indicates a disjointed life. If a stack of old newspapers or a pile of paperwork hinders the flow of Qi over a long period of time, Sha Qi will impose its negative influence on other areas, making you tired and even depressed.

• A congested entrance indicates a lack of openness toward new things.
• A mess under the bed may well keep you from getting a good night's sleep.
• Such "blockages" also occur when you postpone paying invoices or making an unpleasant phone call.
• Check your pockets or wallet: If you find ticket stubs, sweet wrappers or old receipts, throw them away, to ensure the free flow of money!

For harmony and free flowing positive energy in your space, start with eliminating your clutter! Like I always say, when you get organized you are turning matter into energy.

And, as ever, if you need help, call me!

It's madness, what comes into your space every day; mail, paper, reciepts, business cards, flyers, schoolwork, magazines and more. Yet, it's really very simple. Look at it this way: every piece of email and incoming paper fits into one of a short list of categories, indentified by a simple acronym. To manage incoming paper, you just setup a system to sort based on these categories as, soon as new paper enters your space. For personal, it’s RAFT.  For a household or business, it’s RAFT'eD, as follows:

R = Read

A = Action.  Where the next step is to take some action, such as pay a bill, make a phone call, consider invitation/RSVP, send an email, etc.

F = File.   A business or home file system should be accessible, so easy to do that you file most things immediately or almost immediately.

T = Toss, as in recycle or shred. When it comes to paper, virtually all of it will either get shredded (anything with an account number) or recycled. Note that windowed envelopes, sticky notes and even some staples are ok in San Francisco and in most cities that recycle. 

and, for a business or household,

D = Delegate - Distribute to appropriate household or staff member.  Note, just as you have mail boxes in an office for each employee, have an in basket or incoming mail file folder at home for each adult family member.

As you proceed, here are a few key points:

->  A Green Tip: Paper that is not confidential and unprinted on one side can be reused in your printer for scrap printing. 

->  Remember that 80% or more of your incoming mail typically will go to “T”

->  Open mail every day. Sometimes you will skip a day, but if you do it every day it will soon become a habit, it will get easier and faster and it won't pile up.

->  Get angry and arrogant about paper. Stand by the recycle bin and toss freely. Most of what comes in is someone trying to sell you something anyway! Don't take the business card or flyer if it doesn't serve you. Don't keep paper that isn't about YOUR goals and desires TODAY. Let it go.. you are too important in your busy life to waste time sorting and acting on things that don't serve you.

Ok... Manage well. Toss Freely.

And, as ever, call me if you need some help!

From the dictionary:
clutter  -  1556, var. of clotern "to form clots, to heap on".  From the Middle English word “clotter” which means to coagulate.

Whether it's the toxic stuff cluttering your space or the toxic stuff you put in your body, clutter, inside and out, may be "coagulating" both you and your space. Time for fresh new habits around what you keep in your space and how you nourish your body. 

Winter is ending.

Spring is coming. 

Time for a cleanse with Teresa and Nancy to get some great ideas and a foundation to begin to get rid of all the excess clutter in your life!

BALANCE Tuesday workshop events are relatively intimate – from 10 to 25 attendees – so you will have the opportunity to get direct feedback on your specific issues and goals. The workshop locations are chosen with an emphasis on comfort and style.  No cold, dark, echo’ing rooms!  Each attendee will receive a gift bag. Snacks and H20 served.

More about the event!

Most of us are familiar with the concept of donating our possessions to a donation center. Often, however, I still see bags of clothing and such that end up sitting stagnant in a corner as clutter. Make it easy to get these items out of your space and into a new space by findng a donation source that is meaningful to you and easy to get to in your "life route". 

Add these three simple steps to your life:

1.  Keep a donation box or bag in every bedroom of the house and in utility spaces, so adults and children in the household get into the habit of filling it up when clothing or possessions are ready for a new home. (That’s a great way to start good habits if you have children!)

2. Choose a donation source whose mission you value, so that it motivates you and your loved ones to donate often. If you are a pet lover, find a pet organization that takes donations.

3. Finally, if possible, find a source that is in the neighborhood, maintains hours that work with your busy schedule and is in an easy-to-get-to location. Ideally, a place somewhere on your normal work or errand route or near a place you go often. That way, it’s easy to get these items out of your space and into the hands of someone else who can appreciate them.

The Salvation Army (http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/) and Goodwill (http://www.goodwill.org/) are great national sources, but don’t forget to explore local organizations as well.

My favorite source in San Francisco is Community Thrift, where you can choose the charity (from a long list of local and national charities) who gets a percentage of the proceeds of your donation items once they are sold at the store. I call it the double give!
The Community Thrift Store
623 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
Community Thrift is a non-profit thrift store in San Francisco that relies entirely upon donations to stock it's shelves, and they even have a super easy drop-off window though check out their site for directions to it and to learn more:  www.communitythriftsf.org

It's nice to have a printed list of the upcoming holidays but even better to have them all posted in your calendar with reminders. So you won't forget to pick up those roses for Valentine's Day or to phone home for Mother's Day. Not to mention knowing when it's a full moon so you have an excuse for eratic behavior!

If you are an Outlook user, here's a solution.  I've been using this service for years to refresh my calendar at the beginning of the year. It's so easy and it's relatively inexpensive. And if you do have issues with the service, their support is very helpful:  http://www.calendar-updates.com/  

Happy Holidays!

In the world of getting organized, "containers" are anything from a hook on the back of a door to a bin or box or even an entire shelf system or custom closet installation.

As ever, The Container Store is having their annual elfa sale. elfa is a modular shelving and drawer system that can be customized to your needs and your space to help you get organized. You can use the systems in just about any room, including the closet, office, garage or pantry. It's a relatively low cost and attractive "do it yourself" way to create a custom built-in closet and or a shelving system. Until Monday, 15 February, you can get 30% off a closet or built-in system!

But WAIT!

It's unlikely that you will get organized if you start by going to Target or The Container Store or to IKEA; a mistake many people make when they set the goal to get organized. While these are all great sources for "containers", the FIRST step is to sort your stuff and purge, or edit. Editing as in letting go of what no longer serves you. Yes, it's true, organizing usually involves making some choices to let go. These decisions can be difficult, but they are always ultimately LIBERATING and REWARDING.

So, step 1 and 2 - Sort your stuff and edti.  Let go of what doesn't serve you now in your life. Then, step 3, decide where the rest of the stuff goes. Then, and only then, if you need a shelf or a bin, it's not until step 4 that you head to the store, because that is when you know what you have!

(And don't forget, it's good for the planet if you repurpose those bins and boxes you bought the last time you tried to get organized!)

Make sense? Contact me if not.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture*, if the typical "stay-at-home" mother in the United States were paid for her work as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist among other roles, she would earn $138,095 a year. OK, so first may I say what's with the "stay at home" mom descriptor? As if, tra la la, I'm just staying at home, bon bons, etc. Jeez oh Pete... not the Mom's I work with. So, please, "full time mom" ...it's an occupation and in my mind, the most important one any man or woman can take on.

So, is it hard to stay organized if your job is "Mom"? Yep, because, to meet that $140K salary, you would have to hire: a cook, a child care provider, a laundry service, a driver, a facilities manager, a janitor, a computer operator, a chief executive officer (oh yea, you are so good at that) and a psychologist. So you, master multi-tasker, are doing the job of many people. How do you keep it all sorted out?

First, simply accept the challenge you have taken on and know that at times it will be difficult to keep everything organized. Forgive yourself and have fun. Second, when you have a chance to breath, (sigh), review in your head what your top priorities are at this given moment. Not each individual action, just the top level goals and priorities you have as the family CEO. E.g. Jenny's Birthday, travel trip coming up, working with Tommy's learning issue, my husband/partner's xyz problem, the broken jfk, ... etc. Don't worry about the action times, those will likely just happen naturally by doing this.

Finally, about that breathing thing, no really, try to breath. Deep belly breath, eyes closed. And Thanks for what you do.

* SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture; "Baby Bargains", Denise Fields, 7th Edition.; Salary.com