Blog
In addition to actually doing the organizing, another of Angie’s passions is writing about organizing.
She has been writing a monthly blog on organizing since 2016. Most of the blog posts were also published as monthly newspaper articles in the Kingsport Times-News and Johnson City Press.
To access the blog, you can either:
Click on a category below to see all the blog entries from that category; OR
Scroll the feed of blog entries below
- Apps
- Bathroom
- Business
- Children
- Christmas
- Computer
- Decluttering
- Digital organizing
- Estate planning
- General Organization
- Getting Records Together
- Goals
- Health
- Home Organization
- Kitchen
- Media
- Medical
- Mental clutter
- Minimalism
- Moving
- New Year
- Office
- Organizing Principles
- Paper organizing
- Phone
- Photo Organizing
- Photo organizing
- Preparing for Death
- Purse
- Residential organizing
- Resolutions
- School
- Technology
- Television
- Time Management and Productivity
- Travel
- Working from Home
Simplify Christmas: Your Guide to a Stress-Free Holiday
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Depending on whether you relate more to Buddy the Elf or to Ebeneezer Scrooge, you’re either thrilled about the hustle and bustle of the season or dreading the flurry of activity. The holiday season promises joy, peace, and togetherness, but sometimes what it actually delivers is increased stress and exhaustion.
If you’re one of the many who long for a more peaceful holiday season, Uncluttering Christmas: 25 Ways to a More Organized Holiday Season is exactly what you need. This new book by my friend Liana George shares practical advice to help you declutter your holiday and rediscover the true meaning of the season.
Empower Your Kids: Teach Them to Be Organized
Do your child's belongings seem to multiply overnight? Are you constantly tripping over toys or searching for lost items? If so, it’s time to introduce them to decluttering and organizing. These important skills can help children develop a sense of order, responsibility, and self-sufficiency, all of which will serve them well throughout their lives.
While it might be tempting to assume they’ll learn to declutter and organize at school, these disciplines are best learned at home. As a parent, you’re in the perfect position to teach them how to be responsible for their belongings and their spaces. In this article, you’ll learn key concepts and specific techniques for teaching your children how to declutter and organize.
What to Do with Dead People's Stuff (Part 2)
Imagine this: a family gathers to divide their grandmother's estate. A beloved heirloom, a dining room table and chairs, becomes the center of a heated dispute. Such conflicts are not uncommon when dealing with the possessions of a loved one. This article offers practical advice on how to navigate these sensitive situations and ensure a fair distribution of belongings. In addition, you’ll find my recommendations for maximizing the value of a deceased person's belongings.
What to Do with Dead People's Stuff
In a world where possessions often define us, what happens to the things that belonged to someone who is no longer here? Are we obligated to keep them, or is there a more meaningful way to honor their memory? The question of what to do with a loved one's belongings can be a complex one, filled with both sentimentality and practicality.
In this final article in my series, Categories of Clutter, I’m focusing on items left behind by a loved one who has died. Deciding what to do with someone’s belongings after they die can be extremely difficult and emotionally charged. Since most of us will find ourselves in this situation at some point, my goal in this article is to equip you with the tools you’ll need.
Clutter Crossroads: Inspiration or Regret?
In my latest article in the Categories of Clutter series, I discuss inspirational clutter and painful clutter. An inspirational item is anything that is intended to help us improve and to live according to our values. Painful clutter describes things that bring up bad memories because they’re associated with people who hurt us or with difficult times. Any item becomes clutter when it ceases to add value to our lives. Find out how to deal with these challenging clutter categories by reading the article.
Letting Go of the Past and the Maybe: Conquering Identity and Aspirational Clutter
This article addresses two related categories of clutter—identity clutter and aspirational clutter. Both types are associated with how we think of ourselves, either in the past or in the future. Whether it’s old trophies stored in a box in the attic, a treadmill serving as a clothes rack, or camping gear for someone who’s never actually gone camping, these items are a source of clutter. Read on to find out how to conquer these common clutter categories.
New Book Finds Order in Faith and Simplicity
Do you yearn for a life less chaotic? In my new book, Uncluttered: Shaping Your Heart & Home for What Matters Most, co-author Liana George and I offer a roadmap to achieve just that. This unique devotional goes beyond organizing tips. It delves into the connection between faith and simplicity, guiding readers on a four-week journey of self-discovery. Weaving together personal stories, biblical wisdom, and practical strategies, readers are guided through decluttering their physical spaces, their schedules, and their minds so they can create room for what truly matters.
Practical Clutter: How Much is Too Much?
I define practical clutter as objects that are useful in and of themselves, but we simply have more than we need. There is a huge variety of items that could be considered practical clutter: t-shirts, cooking utensils, toiletries, tools, shoes, and more. It’s not that we don’t need items like these. The problem is that we have an overabundance or that we have items that don’t suit us anymore. If we keep holding onto items that don’t bring value to our lives, we end up with clutter. In this article you’ll find some of my favorite organizing principles to help determine whether a particular item is clutter and to determine how much is enough.
Categories of Physical Clutter
When we think about clutter, we often think of it in terms of one giant, oppressive mass. Seen in this light, it’s no wonder we often feel overwhelmed by it! But have you ever stopped to think about clutter in terms of different categories? Ever wondered which types are most problematic for you? This first article in a series will begin a discussion of the many categories of physical clutter.
Taming the Medicine Cabinet: Organizing Your Medical Supplies
When it comes to medication and medical supplies, the potential consequences of disorganization can be problematic at best and critical at worst. By following the recommendations in this article for organizing your medical supplies, hopefully you can difficult medical situations in the future.
Break Up with Clutter and Regain Your Freedom
Whether or not we realize it, all of us have a relationship with our belongings. If your home is filled with clutter, that relationship is likely not a healthy one. Perhaps you’ve made attempts to change, but you’ve not had the success you desire. Writing a breakup letter to clutter might be exactly what you need! This blog post contains a Taylor Swift inspired breakup letter to clutter. Use it as an example to write one of your own, and tell clutter goodbye once and for all.
Win the War on Clutter with These Audiobooks
The New Year brings a familiar feeling: the urge to revamp our lives, break old habits, and forge shiny, new ones. Like many, decluttering and organizing may be high on your list of New Year goals.
I salute you for that intention! And I’d like to equip you with a few new tools. I love using my time for learning. I often listen to podcasts or audiobooks as I drive, work on home projects, or exercise. Here are a few of my top audiobook choices on decluttering.
Procrastination: The Productivity Killer
Procrastination really does kill productivity. Some may think of it as a synonym for laziness, but the truth is much deeper than that. Read on for the real reasons we procrastinate and for suggestions of what to do about it.
My Reflections on “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” Show
There’s a new organizing show on TV! As a professional organizer, I felt it was my duty to binge watch Peacock’s original show “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” Here’s my take on this show so you can make an educated decision about whether to watch it.
How To Be The Less-Organized Spouse
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be married to a professional organizer? Or how to successfully cohabitate when your spouse’s level of organization feels like overkill? My husband Eric has graciously offered to reveal all by guest writing this article. You’ll find practical tips for negotiating a level of order that suits both spouses and allows them to flourish without driving each other crazy.
Organizing: Nature or Nurture?
Nature or nurture—it’s a question as old as time. At its most basic, the question centers on whether we are the way we are because of the genetic material handed down from our parents or because of the environments to which we’re exposed.
Many people are gifted with some inherent organizing ability, while others find the task of putting items in order not only distasteful, but also overwhelming.
The answer is complicated. And it’s best answered with a story or two. Read on to find out the real answer to this age old question.
Lose the Photo Clutter, Save the Memories
Organizing printed photos is a task that often gets procrastinated. In this article, Angie shares her experience in helping her father organize his unholy mess of family photos. She shares resources to help readers make and execute a plan to get their own photos in order. Those who are willing to invest the time will find priceless rewards!
Organizing that Could Save Your Life
Having quick access to vital information can make all the difference in an emergency. In fact, it could save your life! The good news is that setting up our cell phone to make this information available is simple.
100 Things You Can Declutter Now
I’ve long been a believer in the principle that you can live a more meaningful life with less. Years of working in this industry have only solidified that truth in my mind. Our clutter is detrimental to living a happy, healthy, and productive life. The more we can let go of unnecessary stuff, the more we can focus on what really matters.
Now, in honor of my 100th article and my focus on decluttering, here are 100 things you can declutter now!
Give Sentimental Items a New Life
When decluttering, sentimental items present the biggest challenge. Letting go of an item with associated memories can be especially difficult.
My friend Brenda Tringali, a fellow Certified Professional Organizer® and owner of At Your Fingertips Organizing, tells a powerful story of working through her emotions to give her mother’s purse a second life. You’ll find inspiration as you make tough decisions about special belongings!