This Organized Life: Decluttering Tips for Moms, Entrepreneurs and Professional Organizers

Hi Friends,

Today we’re talking about 5 ways to make your home less stressful, from intentional purchase to creating margin, so you can have a restful and relaxing space.

Asking for help is a powerful way to reduce clutter and change your space. Start small - little changes lead to big results.

1. Avoid Impulse Buys
2. Give other people jobs (ask for help)
3. Build in Margin
4. Put stuff back where it belongs
5. Edit anything you haven’t touched in a year

Links mentioned in this episode

• Email opt-in https://simplyborganized.activehosted.com/f/110
• Applying the Enneagram with Clients Workshop! https://simplyborganized.com/webinar
• Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/thisorganizedlifepodcast

Happy New Year Friends!

Joining me today to kick off 2024 is award winning journalist, Paula Faris. You might know her as host of Good Morning America or the View, but what you might not know is that she is founder of CARRY Media™, an organization that advocates for moms in the workforce.

She is also a best-selling author of the book "You Don’t Have To CARRY It All: Ditch The Mom Guilt and Find a Better Way Forward” -and host of the podcast The Paula Faris Show. I invited her on the show to talk about life transition, something we all face at one time or another.

During our conversation we talked about:

• Cultural differences when it comes to Mom Guilt
• Redefining Working Moms
• Creating Community

My biggest take away from this episode is to give yourself permission to lean in or lean out depending on your season of life.

I’d love to know your thoughts, feel free to shoot us an email or leave us a comment!
XOXO-
Laurie


Links Mentioned in This Episode
Website: https://carrymedia.com/
You Don’t Have to Carry it All Book https://amzn.to/3v7lWBp
Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up https://amzn.to/3RIY5RI
Book Recommendation: 5 Love Languages https://amzn.to/3RIIXDV

We’re kicking off 2024 talking about one of my favorite topics: Habit Stacking.

James Clear talks about Habit Stacking in his best selling book, Atomic Habits.

Essentially you take something you are already doing, and add the new desired habit on top of the existing habit. The correlation between time and/or location alerts your brain to trigger the new habit. For example: “Each time I go upstairs, I bring up whatever is in the basket” or “every night after dinner I run the dishwasher.”By building on an existing habit or routine, allows your brain to adopt the new habit easier than if you were to try to create the habit from scratch.

If you’re looking to create some healthy habits in 2024 ,I’ve outlined 5 different places for you to use as a jumping off point:
Remember to start small and be specific. The key to successful habit stacking is incremental change.
2024 we’re here for ya!
XOXO-
Laurie
Links Mentioned in this Episode
Atomic HabitsJoin our Community

Hey Friends!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas-and if you don’t celebrate, I hope you had a nice and relaxing day!

This is our last episode of 2023 and for this episode, I looked to you, our loyal listeners, to tell us which episodes were your favorite!

Back again for round 2 is my friend and podcast producer, Kimberly Hermann in the co-host seat. If you’re new to our show, this is a great place to start!

This list was based on which episodes had the most downloads so for everyone who shared our show-a tremendous thank you!

1. Ep 319: Kitchen Organizing with Lisa Eckerle
2. Ep 330: Am I a Hoarder with Matt Paxton
3. Ep 317: 2023 Goals with Jen Hatmaker
4. Ep 329 Digital Hygiene with Kate Hufnagel
5. Ep 349: Slowing Down with Stephanie O’Dea
6. Tip of the Week: Clutter vs. Disorganization
7. Tip of the Week: Two Minute Rule
8. Tip of the Week: Prioritizing your Health
9. Tip of the Week: Selective Minimalism
10. Tip of the Week: Eating an Elephant

I loved that this list was made up of both our long episodes and our quick tips-showing that there is something for everyone! We’re excited to continue bringing you great guests, topic and conversations to help keep you motivated.
On behalf of myself, and the entire team at This ORGANIZED Life, we wish you a Happy New Year, and we can’t wait to see you in 2024!

xoxo-
Laurie
P.S. We are able to continue to grow because of each and everyone of you coming back week after week and telling your friends and family about our show. If you would like to listen ad free, here’s a link to get started: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-organized-life/id1193014252

Links Mentioned in this episode:
Find your best colors with Color Guru! ​​https://yourcolorguru.com/affiliate/10/

Hi Friends,

Today's episode drops on Christmas Morning-so a very Merry Christmas to all of those who celebrate! And for those who do not, I hope you’re able to spend time with your loved ones.

I’ve been fortunate that I’ve always been able to take the week between Christmas and New Years as a time to relax, reset, and recharge.

It’s a time for me to loosen the reins of routines, and for me that looks like chilling in my pjs, drinking the extra cup of coffee, going for a long meandering walk, or watching a movie during the day.

I have a tendency to move into goal setting and planning so it requires a level of intentionality and giving myself permission to take my foot off the gas. and simply be present.

My tip for you today is to join me in being present this week. There’s plenty of time to think about what lies ahead for 2024, but for today and the remaining week of 2023, let’s focus on remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

Xoxo-
Laurie

P.S. we want to hear from you! Visit https://simplyborganized.com/contact-us/ to ask us a question, leave a comment, or inquire about working with us!

Hey Friends!

We’re in the home stretch of 2023 and for our remaining 2 weeks, we’re sharing OUR fav episodes, and YOUR favorite episodes.

Joining me is my friend and podcast producer, Kimberly Hermann (since she knows our show better than anyone-even me!)

During today’s episode we take turns sharing our favorite episodes from the past year.From relatable topics and down-to-earth guests to specific series that provided helpful strategies to navigate some of life's challenges.

If you’re new to our show, we encourage you to check out these episodes if you missed them the first time around.

Next week we’ll be back with our listener top 10-don’t miss it!
xoxo-
Laurie

Find your best colors with Color Guru! ​​
https://yourcolorguru.com/affiliate/10/



Kimberly’s Fav Episodes

1. Episode 336 Why I Take On So Much with Rebekah Anne discussed the tendency to take on too many responsibilities and the importance of knowing when to say no. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/05/18/ep-336-why-i-take-on-so-much-with-rebekah-anne/
2. Episode 322 Baby Prep & Nursery Organization with Mary Beth Barlette and Megan McDowell offered tips for new moms trying to get organized before and after having a baby.
3. Episode 333 Core Values with Kate Bosch shared strategies for decluttering based on your personal values. ​​https://simplyborganized.com/2023/04/27/ep-333-core-values-with-kate-bosch/
4. Episode 359 Secrets of a Supermom with Lori Oberbroeckling encouraged women to define success in motherhood on their own terms. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/10/26/ep-359-secrets-of-a-supermom-with-lori-oberbroeckling/
5. Episode 364 Honest Parenting with Meredith Masony promoted a real, humorous approach to motherhood without pressure to be perfect. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/11/30/ep-364-honest-parenting-with-meredith-masony/

Laurie’s Fav Episodes

1. Episode 357 Clutter & Anxiety with Dr. John Delony highlighted the connection between clutter and anxiety. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/10/12/ep-357-declutter-and-anxiety-with-dr-john-delony/
2. Episode 348 Organizing Tips Learned From Mom with Janet Taylor examined the helpful and unhelpful organizing habits we learn from our mothers. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/08/10/ep-348-organizing-tips-you-learned-from-your-mother-with-janet-taylor/
3. Episode 340 Adult ADHD Diagnosis & Insights with Christy Lingo discussed her experience getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. https://simplyborganized.com/2023/06/15/ep-340-adult-diagnosis-adhd-insights-and-strategies-with-christy-lingo/
4. Episode 330 Am I a Hoarder? with Matt Paxton distinguished between disorganization and clinical hoarding disorder.
5. Ep 356-Enneagram & Clutter Series with Christa Hardin where we talked about how different personality types value time based on their unique Enneagram type

When it comes to wrapping gifts, I find there are 2 types of people: The ones who totally get into it, and the ones who can’t be bothered.

I fall into the first category.

I am all about gift presentation, but I also like to keep things simple and uncomplicated. With lots of gifts to wrap I needed to develop a system to help me stay organized. Over the years, I’ve tweaked and refined my process, and today I’m sharing some of my best tips with you.

Listen today to grab all the tips!

XOXO-
Laurie
P.s. It’s not too late to download our holiday gift tracker! Click here to grab yours!

Hi Friends!

Today we’re joined by Chef Marcela Valladolid, host of popular Food Network shows like The Kitchen and Mexican Made Easy, and the author of several successful cookbooks. With her expertise in the kitchen, Chef Marcela has become an expert in cleaning and organizing as well!
I invited her on the show to talk about staying organized during the holidays.

During our conversation we talked about

• Why cleaning was a part of her Mexican upbringing
• How having a clean home gives her peace of mind
• Tips on keeping the kitchen organized
• Holiday cooking tips to simplify your life

Marcela also tells the story behind her new cookbook, Familia, which was inspired by the online cooking classes she hosted during the pandemic. If you want to host stress-free this holiday season, this is one episode you don't want to miss!

xoxo-
Laurie

• Get Early access to our podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode

• Connect with Marcela

Marcela’s Book Recommendation

• The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

Hi Friends,

Today’s tip is how to simplify hostess gifts. The month of December is often filled with holiday gatherings and parties. Whether you are going to a Sunday afternoon cookie exchange, or holiday drinks at your neighbors, it’s always a good idea to have quick gifts on hand-especially for impromptu get-togethers!

Below are 3 things that I keep on hand during the holiday season that make for easy hostess gifts:

• Bottles of Wine-let’s be honest, I usually have these on hand anyway, but especially during the holidays I like to have extra bottles of wine or prosecco on hand so that I am not walking into someone’s home empty handed.

• Candles-If your host/hostess is not a drinker, Candles make for an easy and inexpensive gift. I usually make a homegoods run and stock up on some festive scented candles in fun jars and they are always a huge hit!

• Desserts-I love bringing a tray of chocolate covered pretzels or truffles from our local chocolatier. Not only am I supporting a local business, but they are delicious! *to add an extra touch, grab an inexpensive festive plate/platter to display the chocolates. Once the treats are finished, the hostess is left with a lovely holiday plate to use.

Happy Holidays!
Laurie

P.S. Don’t forget to grab your free holiday gift tracker!

Hi Friends,

Today we are talking about the importance of sleep.
I’m joined by Kali Patrick, an adult sleep coach and the bestselling author of the book Mastering Your Sleep Puzzle: Your 12-Week Guide to Sleeping Better. She helps stressed-out tired people reclaim their sleep, energy, & enthusiasm for life.

It should come as no surprise that good night sleep is tied to our physical & mental health which includes being able to keep up with the daily demands within our home.

During our conversation we talked about:

• Some of the leading causes of sleep disruption
• The cycles of sleep and stress
• How technology impacts our brain's ability to relax
• Different strategies to create healthy sleep habits

There was so much great information during this interview, I had to go back and re-listen!
Make sure to check out the links below for everything we mentioned in the episode.

XOXO-
Laurie

P.S. Did you know that you can now listen to our show dynamic ad free? With a subscription to This ORGANIZED Life+ you’ll get early access to new episodes without interruption!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Connect with Kali Patrick
Kali’s Book Recommendations:
Loving What Is
Positivity