I wasn’t born a “neatie!” In fact I was the messiest of 3 sisters. My eldest sister was so neat that it was entertaining to sit at her doorway and gaze into her immaculate room (rarely was I allowed in). My middle sister is what I describe as a “Pile Organizer.” She had piles in her room that allowed her to have a lot of stuff, but neat enough to keep our parents off her back. My few attempts at cleaning were to stuff all that would fit under my bed or in the closet and pray my parents wouldn't look there.

When I got married, I was so excited to have my own home and fix it up just like I wanted it. But I had a lot of stuff and it took days to clean up enough to entertain. I even had a 2nd bedroom designated as a "junk" room and kept the door shut. When I started having children...4 babies in 4.5 years (!), the home got overwhelmed with even more stuff that a 3rd bedroom didn't solve...nor a 2-car garage, a bigger house or a SECOND garage!

Unfortunately, my partner was not happy with the mess in the home. Back then, I knew I had to learn different housekeeping skills if I wanted to have a happy husband.

So I started getting books & videos from the library, and I educated myself in a variety of ways and tried them out in my home. I created charts and more charts. (I have a degree in Education so I loved being creative in making pretty charts). I created my own system for what worked reasonably well and got a decent grip on my housekeeping. But it was still a lot of work because I owned so much stuff. I spent most of my time just trying to maintain my home. But I was determined to learn to organize and keep my stuff!

I had the bones of organization, but not all that I needed to live a balanced life with love, joy, and peace. 

The struggling marriage ended when the kids were older and I ended up in a 915 sq. foot apartment...packed with my stuff. What it taught me:

• Just knowledge doesn’t make life orderly and peaceful. 
• Perfectionism doesn’t bring happiness. 
• Possessions can be a ball and chain around my neck. 

And, I can’t do this alone.

My divorce forced me to purge a lot of excessive stuff, but I realized that I was emotionally attached to my stuff. I found a variety of ways that helped me learn what was driving me to hold onto it and how to work through it. It was the beginning of a new chapter of my life. 

Now, I have a reasonably neat home 90% of the time and the remaining 10% doesn't take but an hour or two to tidy up. I can entertain without shame and without stressing out about having a perfect home. 

Perfection is NOT the goal! (Nor is minimalism!)

The value changed to enjoying my friends no matter what my home looked like and finding other ways to spend my time besides shopping.

Now I have a life! I meet friends regularly and have them over and I have routines in place that keep life running smoothy. Plus, I have extra time to take courses and learn new things. That is a value I want to keep and pass on to others.

My journey led me to take organization classes and to become a certified life coach. My intention is to help others overcome the emotional and physical attachment to things in their lives that are keeping them stuck. It starts with a desire to do something different!

If you can relate to any aspect of my story, perhaps you're ready for an adventure of your own. It's so worth it. Check out my site and see what interests you. You can also click the link below and schedule a complimentary Clarity Call where we'll discuss what your needs are and see if my services are a good fit for you. No payment necessary for this first clarity call. 

Let's clear the clutter and start changing your life to be what you want it to be!