Music That Can Reveal Your Story…

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Do you think music tells a story of your life?  I think we all relate to music in some form or fashion, and particular songs can reveal many things about a person…and if you listen, really listen, you can hear what someone is trying to say, or better yet, what you may be trying to tell yourself.   

I have found through music, my clients have been able to move forward and work through their challenges that may have been holding them back from obtaining an organized life.  It can be very cathartic to say the least.

To give you some insight into what my story is, I have listed below a sample of my favorites that I would like to share with you.  Would you like to share some of your songs?  I am listening and look forward to your story.

– Patricia

  • Jack Johnson “Better Together”
  • U2 – “Moment of Surrender”
  • Pete Yorn – “Don’t Wanna Cry”
  • Dave Mathews Band – “You and Me”
  • Chris Issak – “King Without a Castle”
  • Charlie Mars – “Meet Me By the Backdoor”
  • Sia – “Breathe Me”
  • Ryan Adams – “Wonderwall”
  • Pearl Jam – “Better Man”
  • Fleet Foxes – “Mykonos”
  • Butch Walker – “The Weight of Her”
  • Counting Crows – “When I Dream Of Michelangelo”
  • Patty Griffin – “One Big Love”
  • 10,000 Maniacs – “Candy Everybody Wants”
  • Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
  • The Marshall Tucker Band – “Can’t You See”
  • Duffy – “Stepping Stone”
  • Sugarland – “Keep You”
  • Hayley Westenra – “Never Say Goodbye”
  • Andrea Bocelli – “The Prayer”
  • Paula Cole – “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone”
  • One Eskimo – “Kandi”
  • Diane Birch – “Nothing But A Miracle”

Are You Willing To Let Go?

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“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the uncessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hofmann
 My Dear Friends…What do you need to eliminate…let go of…purge…in order to hear?

I Am Off To De-Stress…

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What about you? 

What are you doing to decompress and rejuvenate yourself?  Sometimes, it may not be that we have too much work – it could simply be, we are just plain tired and we need to recharge ourselves. 

Me, personally, I am going to finally take my own advice and enjoy the benefits of being pampered with my honey. 

Here is a tip:  Plan your get-away for off peak times for extra peace and quiet – don’t be afraid to ask their booking schedules ahead of time, it’s rest you are seeking, not socialization. 

The jury is out, I suppose…I will give you my feedback in an article…in the meantime, do what you can to relax and find peace of mind.

Hot Off The Press…

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Park Place Magazine just posted the article they interviewed me for on their website. Here is a copy of the article:

Park Place Magazine Cover

Living Simply

De-clutter your life—and your head.

written by Susan Brierly

Are there days when you can’t find your keys? Do you own a closetful of clothes but never seem to have anything to wear? Do you spend sleepless nights wondering how you will ever plan the kids’ birthday parties, organize the basement, or balance your checkbook (since you haven’t reconciled it in six months)? If you constantly seem to be playing catch-up, you’re not alone.

“The first step is to establish a more organized lifestyle that suits your personality—it’s not about living in a sterile environment. It’s a conscious choice that’s conducive to how you interact with your family, and how you want to be perceived,” says Patricia Diesel, principal owner and president of Keep It Simple Now, a New Jersey-based professional organizing company. Diesel, a Basking Ridge resident, is a certified empowerment coach and national speaker who assists individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporations that need help with chronic disorganization and life balance.

“Functioning in an organized manner actually frees you to enjoy a simpler and more carefree life,” she says. Some of Diesel’s clients just need a little help managing the disparate elements of their lives. Others are chronically disorganized, and need to establish smart habits and structure to keep them on track. Still others are hardcore hoarders who need to take a serious look at their habits to understand the emotions (such as anger and fear) that often drive their behavior.

How do you know when you’ve crossed the line?

Here is Diesel’s reality check list:
✻ Is your personal or business life in jeopardy because of your disorganization?
✻ Are piles and piles of papers or magazines becoming part of your décor?
✻ Do you continually lose items such as car keys and important documents?
✻ Is it difficult to let go of things that you no longer need?
✻ Is procrastination becoming part of your routine?
✻ Is your chronic disorganization causing you or your business to lose time and money?

“Becoming organized is a gradual process. It can be intimidating, so I don’t pressure my clients,” Diesel says. “It’s okay to take baby steps by spending as little as fifteen minutes a day to begin to de-clutter one’s life.”

Diesel’s basic tips for a more organized life include:
✻ Purge first, then sort.
✻ Assign everything a  home.
✻ Organize similar items together.
✻ Dedicate 15-20 minutes each day to creating order.
✻ Break projects into manageable baby steps.
✻ Celebrate your victories to keep motivated.

To view this article on Park Place Magazine’s website, click here.

Calling All Men…

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What are your struggles with organization?

How does it impact your life? 

Single Dads, what are your struggles with domestication? 

What are your struggles in the workplace?

I’m curious. Let’s get some discussions going on the blog. Comment below and let me know your thoughts. I want to develop solutions targeting these struggles and I need your input. If you prefer to be confidential, email me directly at [email protected].

The Cluttered Heart…

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“Each moment of a happy lover’s hour is worth an age of dull and common”

 – Aphra Behn

For my special client who is seeking peace…this is for you! The sweet surrender of an organized life will bring you comfort and ease your cluttered heart and soul.

The Beauty of The Soul…

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“Since love grows within you, so  beauty grows.  For love is the beauty of the soul.”

– St. Augustine

I love this quote – it makes me think in terms of  the lifestyle we are all trying to achieve.  When we love our “things” and select the true treasures that we would like to be part of our lives, our environment, our space, then we are able to display our inner beauty by manifesting outwardly in a loving, healthy way. 

What do you think?  Please comment…it helps me with material for my book…thank you so much!

A New Year – A New You!

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New Ways To Make Organization Work For You
Staying organized can be difficult for many.  After cleaning out our spaces and making clean sweeps, the clutter seems to creep back into our homes and offices.

At the end of the day, we may feel overwhelmed because we realize we have not caught up with all the things that sill need to completed, much less begin the projects we have planned to accomplish. It’s also not uncommon that we sometimes may compare ourselves to others, who we may think are “more organized,” which leads us to feel even more discouraged.

Good News
There is good news.  Getting organized is a learned activity.  We can get organized and stay that way with the proper guidance and support.  The key component here is to understand that we are all individuals with different needs, so our approach to getting organized may be different as well.

Finding What Works
It’s about finding what works for you.  Begin with thinking about what you need to organize so you can come up with a system that works for you, not a system that is pre-designed for someone else.

What Needs Organizing?
  • Paperwork
  • Bills and personal finances
  • Mail and junk mail
  • Newspapers, catalogs and magazines
  • Children’s schoolwork
  • Medical bills
  • Appointments, telephone calls
Household
  • Closets and pantries
  • Home Office
  • Kitchen
  • Living area or bedrooms
  • Garage, attic , basement
Organizing Tools
Now that you have established what needs to be organized, choose a task and figure out what organizing tools you will need to help you.
  • Colored file folders
  • Colored pens and markers
  • File rack or cabinet
  • Paper shredder
  • Calendar, cork board, dry erase board
  • Clear storage bins, containers or baskets
  • Label maker
  • Appointment book 

The 3 Golden Rules
The key to successful follow through in your organizing is to commit to the following rules, one at a time.

1. Everything Needs A Home

Temporary Home – A holding place for your things before an action occurs
Action Home – A safe place for your work, so if you get interrupted you can find it again
A Permanent Home – A place for your things after the action is complete

2. Keep Like With Like
When sorting out your things, put like items together, i.e., bills stay with bills, magazines with magazines, etc.
 
3. Dedicate 15-20 Minutes To A Task
Choose something that you can do each and every day and stick to it.  For example, maybe one day it is returning phone calls, another day you can sort the laundry, and so forth. 

Organizing Rewards
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, (NAPO) some of the benefits to an organized life are less stress, increased productivity and managing your time better.  
 
Celebrate Your Victories
In order to get to that final reward, some motivation is needed during the process.  While undertaking your organizational tasks, build in some extra incentives for yourself.  Treat yourself to something special such as a favorite meal or a movie with a friend after completing a step or two. Most of all, pat yourself on the back for all your efforts, you deserve it!