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

 

 

A Clutter-Free Christmas

A Clutter-Free Christmas

Of all the characters in all the Christmas specials I watched every year as a child, I feel a certain kinship to the Grinch. Both of us desperately want to stop Christmas from coming. After celebrating Thanksgiving, I find myself wanting to second the Grinch’s lament, “I must stop Christmas from coming! But how?”

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Just Say No! You Won't Die, and the Earth Will Continue to Spin.

Just Say No! You Won't Die, and the Earth Will Continue to Spin.

Anyone who knows me very well might be laughing about the fact that I am writing a blog about saying “No“. In my last blog entry, “The Paralysis of Being Overwhelmed”, I discussed the reasons we can get overwhelmed, how to break out of that state, and how to prevent it in the future. But honestly, the reality is that I may talk a good game, but I get in over my head on a far too regular basis. The main reason I get overwhelmed is that I am terrible at saying “No”. My family knows this all too well, which is the reason a magnet with the words “Stop me before I volunteer again” is on my refrigerator. Eric bought it for me years ago hoping it would make a difference. I see it every day. I quote it. But too often I don’t heed it.

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The Paralysis of Being Overwhelmed

The Paralysis of Being Overwhelmed

Does this blog title and picture seem all too familiar? “I’m so overwhelmed!” is a phrase I use more often than I’d like to admit. And when I’m in that state of being overwhelmed, I have a long list of things to get accomplished, but nothing is getting done. I am paralyzed into inactivity, which only makes things worse. The list gets longer, I get more frustrated and hopeless, and my mood deteriorates quickly. If you can relate, read on. I am hoping I can share something that can help both of us!

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Location, Location, Location

Location, Location, Location

Believe it or not, this post isn’t about buying or selling a house. Or about how professional organizers can help you when you are preparing for a move or if you have just recently moved (although we really can!) But it is about real estate. Sort of. And the first phrase that comes to my mind when I think about real estate is, “Location, location, location.” When realtors use that phrase, they mean that the most important factor in determining the value of a house is its location. A beautiful house that meets all of your specifications but is located in a bad part of town is not nearly as valuable as a nice house that meets most of them but is located in the perfect neighborhood. So how does this apply to organizing? When you are organizing, you need to keep in mind that even with objects in your home or office, there is expensive real estate and cheap real estate.

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"So, What Do You Think of that Japanese Organizer?"

"So, What Do You Think of that Japanese Organizer?"

Sooner or later, every professional organizer is going to be asked their opinion about Marie Kondo. On the off chance you’ve never heard of her, Marie Kondo is a very well-known organizing consultant and author from Japan whose debut book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing became a bestseller and took the organizing world by storm. Kondo’s book was published in Japan in 2011 and has since been published in over 30 countries. Kondo was even named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2015.

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10 Habits of Highly Organized People

10 Habits of Highly Organized People

So, I cheated a bit on this week’s blog. But it’s ok, because I am giving full credit to the writer (Stephanie Sisco) of this great article (“10 Habits of Highly Organized People”) in my favorite magazine (Real Simple). I really like these practical suggestions. Though I am far from perfectly organized, I wouldn’t be running a professional organizing company if I didn’t feel confident that I was a pretty good example! I want to highlight a few of the habits mentioned in this article because they have been particularly helpful to me.

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Shipshape Solutions Officially Launched
General Organization, Business Angie Hyche General Organization, Business Angie Hyche

Shipshape Solutions Officially Launched

I’m a sucker for a great quote. But for several years, when I would read inspirational quotes like the ones above, I would cringe just a little because I knew that I had a dream I wanted to pursue, but I was too afraid to take that first step. Today is especially significant for me, because it officially marks the public declaration of finally taking that step.

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