Spring in the northern hemisphere is here, bringing warmer days, longer hours of sunshine, and a sense of fresh possibilities. Let’s take advantage of an early-spring day to “spring forward” on a few household organizing tasks. In episode #162 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, shines daylight into neglected corners of our homes and offers a list of simple tasks to kick off your spring cleaning regimen.

Co-host Ed Gumnick was out sick, so Karen Baker of Soho Productivity Solutions graciously agreed to help moderate this episode.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw162

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

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This week Gayle attended the annual summit of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals in Las Vegas. She’ll share a report on the latest news, ideas, trends, and products in the organizing industry.

Do your closets or storage spaces resemble a game of Tetris, with every item, box, or bin carefully shoehorned into its designated slot? We’ll discuss the pitfalls of “Tetris organizing” and suggest alternative approaches that are easier to use and maintain.

In episode #161 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses these topics and answers questions from our viewers and listeners.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Federation Clutter Image Rating Scale
• Institute for Challenging Disorganization Clutter-Hoarding Scale® Quick Reference Guide
• Institute for Challenging Disorganization Collecting, Compulsive Acquiring or Hoarding Behavior Fact Sheet
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) web site

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw161

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Most of us have a “command center”—a favorite spot where we sit to read, watch TV, and manage our busy lives. We’ll discuss the stuff that tends to collect in these hot zones and offer a simple plan for decluttering your command center.

Even the most perfectly organized space can’t be maintained if the inflow of new possessions outpaces our efforts to declutter. We’ll talk about how to organize now for future stuff by designing systems that accommodate both present collections and new acquisitions.

In episode #160 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses these topics and answers questions from our viewers and listeners.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw160
Results of this week’s survey: http://cfhou.com/results160
Take the survey: http://cfhou.com/survey160

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Big organizing projects can disrupt your routines and leave you feeling swamped and overwhelmed. We’ll suggest tips to help you break down and keep control of big projects.

Almost everyone who struggles with clutter can point to paper as one of their challenges. We’ll offer a short primer on managing the paper you decide to keep.

How do you deal with things that have been in your life for as long as you care to remember? We’ll talk about dealing with stuff that’s become part of the landscape.

In episode #159 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses these topics and answers questions from our viewers and listeners.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw159
Results of our last survey: http://cfhou.com/results159
Take the survey: http://cfhou.com/survey159

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Gayle was out sick, but Ed decided that the show must go on! In this special episode of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, co-host Ed Gumnick answers audience questions about his decluttering journey, sentimental items, minimalism, and a lot more.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw159s

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Living on a fixed income or struggling to make ends meet puts professional organizing help, custom storage solutions, and expensive products out of reach for many of us. But a tight budget doesn’t have to be an obstacle to the organized life you want to live! In episode #158 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers suggestions for lower-cost (or free!) strategies and solutions for the do-it-yourself organizer on a modest budget.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw158
Results of last week’s survey: http://cfhou.com/results158
Take the survey: http://cfhou.com/survey158

Link mentioned in this episode: The Buy Nothing Project

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Crocuses and daffodils tell us that spring in the Northern Hemisphere is only weeks away. Now is a great time to start decluttering and organizing for lawn and garden season.

Moving to a smaller living space is a complex process that requires careful planning and tough decisions. We’ll help you get a solid start by discussing the emotional and logistical challenges of downsizing.

In episode #157 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses these topics and answers questions from our viewers and listeners.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw157
Results of last week’s survey: http://cfhou.com/results157
Take the survey: http://cfhou.com/survey157

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

This “Ask Us Anything” show answers your questions and discusses topics suggested by our viewers and listeners.

In this episode:

• You’ve made up your mind to get rid of something, but your heart hasn’t caught up with your head. We’ll talk about what to do about stuff when breaking up is hard to do.
• Learn to apply Clutter Fairy principles to planning the contents of a room on the smallest possible scale: organizing a tiny bathroom.
• We’re not lazy, and we don’t lack self-control, so why do we procrastinate? We’ll explore causes of procrastination and suggest strategies for breaking the cycle.

Articles mentioned in this episode:

• 4 Main Types of Procrastinators, and How to Avoid Being One
• Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw156

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Has a flurry of holiday cooking and entertaining, an influx of new toys and treats, and daily duty as one of the busiest parts of your home left your kitchen in desperate need of attention? Our next show will help you get the “heart of the house” under control! In episode #155 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores the sources of kitchen clutter and offers strategies to optimize your kitchen to fit your food habits, tastes, and lifestyle.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw155

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show

Big changes in your life—moving in with a new partner or spouse, a breakup or divorce, or a family member moving in with you unexpectedly—can disrupt or derail your organizing habits and routines. In episode #154 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, talks about keeping your organizing mojo and momentum even when life changes make you feel as if the ground is moving beneath your feet.

Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw154

The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips.

To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube.

Support the show