It’s time for me to blog about my favorite relaxation “productivity” tool. I am a huge fan of Tivo. This may seem like a commercial, but I believe that if you watch any television at all, the DVR is the way to go. As an organizational/time management expert, I find that people can waste so…
Last week was spring break for my children, and unfortunately my oldest son Eric had to have his tonsils removed, so it was not the most exciting week for anyone in the Friel household. However, staying home actually had some great benefits in the spring cleaning department. We went through each of the kid’s closets…
One of my favorite home organizing products is Dream Drawer Organizers. They are spring loaded drawer dividers that expand 12″-18″. You can place them anywhere inside the drawer and they stand upright and secure. They are perfect for socks, underwear and lingerie. There is a new variety that are shallow and can be used in…
One of the most important parts of having organized paperwork is the willingness to file. Most people have an aversion to filing because they fear they will never see their papers again. At Chaos To Order we have had great success teaching our clients to at least get the ball rolling by creating temporary files….
On Saturday we sprung the clocks forward in observance of Daylight Savings Time. My question to you this week is: What are you going to do with that extra hour? It’s going to be light later and the weather is going to be getting warmer (hopefully). It’s time to take the monkey off your back…
I have always found an important key to being organized and efficient starts with how well you utilize storage areas. Maximizing the space in your closets can have a huge effect on how much you can store, how well you can find what you need, and how quickly you can get things picked up and…
Back in 1990, the economy was in a recession, I worked for a company that was declaring Chapter 11 and was in need of a job. Somewhere I read that if you can’t find your dream job, create it. When I started considering this option, everyone told me I was crazy. I was 24, supported…
Every year around this time we receive desperate calls from clients asking us to come and help them sort through papers and get tax documents in order. There are a few simple steps you can take to make it a little easier. First, have a single spot where you deal with paper, mail and receipts….
I’ve spent my career helping people learn to pare down what they have and find a simpler and less stressed life by weeding out and purging the excess. Last week my husband had the privilege of traveling on a mission trip to Juarez Mexico to help build a home for some very needy people. He…
My mudroom has been heavily used and abused during this arctic Chicago winter. With 3 children and all of the garb they bring in and out, along with backpacks and boots, not to mention all of their friend’s stuff that comes and goes, it really turns into quite the mess! I’m grateful to have built…