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Spring Break: 3 Things I Hated, Loved, & Learned Visiting Japan Last Week
Have you ever herded 82 cats through five airports, three subways, two ferries, one tram, a 200-mph bullet train, and daily buses in a foreign country? I never had either. Aside from three lost passports, two sore throats, one missed plane, and one lost expensive ring, all went well. Almost everything was recovered, though not the hours spent at the U.S. Consulate. My high school teacher husband leads these annual overseas trips, so I get to go as a chaperone every year. I never had a strong desire to visit Japan, but when you’re offered a free trip, it’s kinda hard to turn down. Hanging orchids at TeamLabs. Highly recommended…
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Big Picture, Small Steps: Decluttering the Elephant One Pile at a Time
“Decluttering is too overwhelming.” “I see the problem, but I literally don’t know where to start.” “I don’t want you to see my closet; you’re going to think I’m a hoarder.” In all the years I’ve been decluttering and organizing homes and businesses, I don’t think there’s anything more discouraging than to hear someone admit they have a clutter issue and then choose not to do anything about it. I see them over the side of the ship, flailing, yelling excuses as to why they need to keep that box of whatever. And I’m watching them start to sink, ignoring the life ring I hit them in the head with.…
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Valentine Items That Aren’t Cheesy: From Baby to Grandma, Gifts to Give & Keep
If all you can think of when you hear “Valentine’s Day” is chocolate and flowers, it’s time for a shake-up. Here are a few gift ideas for everyone on your list. Don’t be shy though—if you love something, you can get it for yourself ya know. Why? Because loving yourself is the first step to loving others. Plus, your bank called and said you still have checks, sooo… you’re good to go. Click on the titles below to follow the links: Babies: Little One, God Loves You Book Amazon’s description: “Contains sweet, rhymed text, perfect for reading aloud and savoring at home, and has a simple, heartwarming message ideal for…
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From Oops to Awesome: Your Organizing Comeback Tour Starts This Weekend
I opened the cupboards above our oven and was gently accosted by glass jars. Tall ones, fat ones, smooth ones, decorative ones, clear ones, brown ones, and sadly, ignored-since-2017 ones. They all seemed like such a good idea when I made the original decision to keep them. I quickly closed the doors and felt defeat settle in my soul. It’s okay if you think that sounds a tad dramatic. Shame and guilt appear quickly some days. Visions of the wide-mouth beauties holding snacks at a charcuterie party sucked me in. Thoughts of the spice jars furthering my succulent propagation habit held me hostage. I had the perfect amount of jars…
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Helpful Thanksgiving Goodies: Reducing Family Stress & Increasing Peace with New Games, Decor & Gifts
Happy Turkey Month! I love Thanksgiving. Also, I know it can feel a tad stressful when you’re in charge of too many spinning plates. For some people, spending a little more money on premade items reduces the stress of having to make everything. If that’s you, go for it. For others, being on a tight budget might mean that making things from scratch is the least stressful way to approach Thanksgiving. Whichever camp you fall into, I think we can all agree on one thing: soggy overcooked green beans are gross. Here’s my curated list of Amazon goodies to make your Thanksgiving more fun and less stressful. Hostess Gifts If…
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Funny National October Days: Fun Facts to Help You & Your Friends at Your Next Fall Party
Yes, there are other National October Days that might be more common or meaningful, but these are more on the quirky and fun side. Shall we? Pumpkin Seed Day – 1st Wednesday in October Besides being a natural source of magnesium, which can support heart health and help lower blood pressure, the health benefits of pumpkin seeds are vast. Bone health, iron, anti-inflammatory, better sleep, zinc, blood sugar, potassium, fiber, and immunity are all attributed to these autumn beauties. Bonus Tip: bake them at 300° for 30–40 minutes to increase their fiber content! Propane Day – Oct. 7 Sometimes propane gets a bad rap, but it costs less than electricity,…
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No Longer a Reflection: How My Adult Children Helped Me Ditch Legalism & Embrace Freedom
When our son was getting ready to graduate from high school, I asked him which senior photos he wanted on his announcement and party invite. In an effort to let this occasion be more about him instead of me, I intentionally set myself up for not caring what he chose. With exactly 199 photos to pick from, it shocked me how fast he chose his top three. And the one that went on the front of the announcement? Him in a bland, thrifted Nike sweatshirt with a ripped collar and stain on the front, a plain white T-shirt underneath, a backward hat, and none of his perfectly straight, expensive white…
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Mental Fitness: Decluttering Your Mind Today so You Can Organize Your Thoughts Tomorrow
Emotional well-being. Psychological resilience. Mental health. Call it what you want—the point is we all have a brain and therefore we all deal with mental fitness in one way or another. Unfortunately, some of us come from generations where counseling or therapy wasn’t just uncommon… it was looked down upon. As a result, we grew up with preconceived notions about the whole concept, some of which included shame, guilt, and fear. So what’s a human with pain points to do? Here are four things I’m working on that you can too. I’m far from mastering them, but I’m seeing progress. Hallelujah, amen, pass the guac. 1. Pray Seem too obvious…
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4 New Tips & Tricks I Learned from My First Out-of-State Decluttering & Organizing Job in Seattle This Week
If a client reached out and asked for decluttering and organizing help from two states away, you’d assume it would be virtual, right? Nope. Cue the airplane… she wanted my hands-on help, so I booked my first out-of-state job! With only a few weeks to spare, we discussed details and decided on a three-day window. I had a graduation up there anyway, so we split a flight and I bounced from a fun vacation to a fun job. Win squared! I had never decluttered and organized so intensely for three days in a row before, especially clocking 11 hours a day. It worked out great, but was eye-opening for sure. …
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The Coolest Amazon Graduation Gifts Your Friends & Family Will Love This Year
No matter who you’re celebrating this season, this list checks all the boxes. Every graduation event is called something different, but they’re basically all doing the same thing: letting half-developed brains throw pointy objects in the air and hoping they don’t take out grandma in the back. Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash Do you know someone going through one of these? Congratulate them in style by giving them one of these cool gifts: Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Hammock I think my husband and I bought six of these as gifts last year. Whether your graduate is working at a camp in the trees this summer, going on a camping trip, or hanging…
