The Feelings You're Feeling - part 2 to Sandy Survivors and all survivors of tragedy

The feelings you’re feeling

As people outside of the affected areas of Sandy move further and further away from the event, you are still reeling with emotion. I thought it was the beginning of the end of the world when Katrina hit. I had evacuated to my sister’s home. She lives in the country and has a lot of land. Most people would think I would have felt safe and peaceful. I felt alone and desperate. I remember a couple of days after the storm, a man came to my sister’s home and was talking about how the state of Alabama was going to experience a black out because something important that we needed to power the state had been damaged by the storm. I remember my sister kept looking at me. I know now that she was more worried about the fact that I was hearing this than if it might really happen. It was the first time in my life that I felt like I was going to pass out. I had to keep telling myself not to lose consciousness. My sister did the best thing she could do which was to take me upstairs and call someone she knew who was involved with the power company. He reassured me that this was just a rumor. My world and everything in it was crashing down on me.

Please know that whatever you are feeling is normal. No matter how you feel, its ok and after a while you will start to feel better but there is a grieving process. Each person who went through this horrific storm experienced something different. Each person was in a different place in their life and has a different way of dealing with emotions and what’s happening to them.

I was in a very fragile state. I was fragile right when it happened and for a very long time to come. I had just given birth 8 weeks prior and my precious little girl had pretty severe reflux. Her reflux had already caused a good deal of concern and stress. I probably had some level of post partum and didn’t even realize it. In addition, I had just found out that my 2 year old had been involved in an incident at daycare where one of the teachers and the school cook had locked her in a closet. When the storm hit we were in the middle of an investigation into what happened. I have never discussed that incident with anyone. I share it with you now because I know some of you aren’t just going through the storm. For some of you, there is a storm within a storm. I fought my way out and so can you. We all have a choice and the choice is right now. You can sit there and feel sorry for yourself or you can pull your sad self up and fight.

In the days and weeks after the storm, I felt more and more sad. I had a hard time connecting with my baby. I had no patience. I remember my 2 year old needing to take a nap and I couldn’t get her to fall asleep. I was so tired and she was crying. I yelled at her to go to sleep as loud as I could. Her eyes flew open wide. She had never heard me yell. I fell to my knees next her bed and laid my head next to her and cried. I remember her putting her tiny hand on my head and patting me. I wanted to have a nervous breakdown, I thought anything would be better than feeling all of the feelings I was having.

I knew right then that my kids needed me to be strong. I knew that I had to make this better for them not for me. I prayed for strength and answers. I preach to my employees now that you have to fake it till you make it. I don’t mean be fake; I mean fake the feelings you want to have. Force yourself to fake feeling strong and happy and the more you fake it, the more you believe it and the more it becomes reality.

I did just what I’m telling you and it worked. It worked when I fought with an unprepared and untrained insurance adjuster at my lost home, it worked when I fought to get my mortgage company to write a letter stating I was legally required to pay off my mortgage with insurance funds so that we didn’t lose eligibility for an SBA loan, and it worked when I fought to put my life back together over the next year.

Later this week I will post about my experience with insurance companies and what you need to know to protect yourself. My prayers are with you as you recover and rebuild. 

Surviving the Storm: The first of many letters to those who braved Hurricane Sandy

 As many of you know I lived in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. I lived near the 17th Street canal breech and lost my home and everything I owned during this devastating storm. We had over 10ft of water in our home for close to 20 days. My oldest daughter was 2 and I had just given birth to our second daughter 8 weeks prior to us evacuating. This blog post is NOT about me but about how what I experienced may be able to help YOU. I do feel however that you need a little of my back story. My husband and I are from New Orleans and the home we were living in during the storm was built in 1942. The home was 2000sqft plus a small guest house and had never flooded. My husband is a Veterinarian and I had owned my Professional Organizing business for 2 years. We were young professionals with not a lot of extra money because we were just starting our family. I watched the news as Sandy approached the Northeast in disbelief and sadness. Mother Nature is powerful and her path can leave unparalleled destruction. It brought me back to where I was 7 years ago. I can tell you that the memories of Katrina are still hard. I can tell you that you have a long road to travel and that some days you are going to feel like giving up. I can also tell you that with the right help and surrounded by support, it will get better.

 Right now you are in survival mode. You are focused on your most basic needs and that’s fine. During this time one of my clients gave me the best piece of advice; take any and all help that is offered to you. In the months to come you will be fighting very hard to be paid by the insurance company for your damages. You may have lost income due to time off work or damages to your own business. Whether money seems like a big deal right now or not, in time it could be a different story if you aren’t careful. Help and resources from the government are hard to get but I will have a blog devoted especially to that in the days to come. Right now, don’t turn away ANY help.

I felt like I was an educated working woman and I didn’t need a handout, but I was wrong. My client informed me that even I was eligible for a one time food stamp card and that I should also look to food banks to help stock my pantry. This battle can be long and whatever money you do have could dwindle as the process to rebuild your life goes on, so save what you can by taking advantage of help that is offered. I received food stamps as well as help from a church for food. It was also nice to make the connection at the church because they were also a good resource for other items we needed. I received a check from the Red Cross and a small check for help with expenses from our insurance company. You are now your own boss, the new company; your life!You are responsible for researching, making calls, and being an advocate for rebuilding your life! Make sure you have a binder for your new company and that you keep EVERYTHING you receive and send out , basically anything pertaining to the storm in this one binder. You will need to refer to the information in this binder for a long time to come.

 For now, don’t forget to call everyone you owe money to. Let them know that you have been through a devastating storm and need to see what assistance they can provide. They may allow you to skip several car payments, reduce your monthly note for a period of time, etc. Call all of the utility and service companies for your home and cancel service if your home is destroyed. I remember calling the water company to cancel service and the lady on the phone said they couldn’t cancel my service! WHAT?? She told me that since my home was currently under 10ft of water, they couldn’t turn off the meter so I would be responsible for minimal charges that would still accrue. I am not kidding you! I told her that she was going to note the account that I called to cancel and that I suggested they get on some scuba gear and swim down to my meter and turn the damn thing off because after the hell I had been through and since I was struggling just to breathe she better not send me a bill for water! I was on fire. I collected all of the information and her name. And guess what!? The water company sent bills to my old home, but they were returned by the post office because no home stood where they were sending the bills and then 2 years later they tried to make a claim on our credit. I went to my binder, pulled my information to send to the credit bureau and the claim was removed. I was so glad to have collected the right information and to have kept it organized.

Another tip is to get a copy of your mortgage papers and your insurance papers and read them well. You will now learn the difference between flood and homeowners and the process will be painful for some of you. As for your mortgage papers, if you receive a check from your insurance company make sure know your rights before you pay off anything including your mortgage. I almost lost eligibility for help through SBA because I paid insurance money to my mortgage company!! I’ll post on that topic as well. I think what I have realized is that I could write for weeks even months on the things you need to know about surviving the storm.

You are not a victim of Hurricane Sandy, you are a survivor.

A Milestone for Mommy

Earlier this week my 2nd grader asked if she could have a friend spend the night. I was so excited for her as this would be her first sleepover! I talked with the parents of the other little girl and made the arrangements to pick them up from school on Friday. Then my baby girl, who is five, came into my room with her beautiful eyes all sad and puffy and asked if she could have a sleepover too. Now I would have no problem with her having a sleepover too but at 5 I really didn't think there were many kids who would successfully sleep out. I told my baby that she could have a friend come home with us and be picked up at 9. So essentially she would have a half sleepover. She thought this was great.
Fast forward to Friday. I somehow had 10 kids and 8 parents at my home for dinner and to get to know each other. All of the kids minus one was to leave with their parents. At some point my baby had her little friend ask if Ava(my baby) could spend the night. I laughed and said, "Oh sure, she can go home with you". A moment that now I will never forget. My baby, who I know can't live a moment without her mommy, looked at me and said, "YES!". She ran to get pajamas and started asking the mom of her friend if they could leave. I'm steadily laughing and assuring the mom that they won't make it out of the driveway.
30 minutes later, my older child Marcelle, is crying because Ava is leaving, how could she leave us, I can't be without her, mommy don't let her go, basically acting the way I thought my baby would be.
Marcelle proceeds to the mother of the child Ava is leaving with and with big crocodile tears tells her, "Please don't take my Ava, what if your house isn't safe?". At this point the family is leaving and Ava starts to cry. I knew it! I was right and she wouldn't make it out of the driveway. But through her tears Ava tells me, "I'm going to miss you but I really want to go." I comforted her and told her that I could not go and she would have to sleep there all night without mommy. Ava cried harder and I thought she wasn't even getting in their car. And then Ava hugged me and said, "I'll miss you." and then she got in the car! And then they pulled out of the driveway! And then they left my street! And they didn't turn around!!
I felt my heart sink. I felt like I was going to faint. Was she really sleeping out?? She's just a baby!! What the hell was I thinking????
My husband began to laugh looking at me. He said not to worry. He was sure as soon as they get in bed we would get a call. All through my sleepless night I waited for that call. I prayed for that call. But the call never came. I cried several times through the night. And this morning she is still there!!
I just can't believe it. How did this happen? She is my baby. She is A baby. How can she be doing big girl things?
All I could think during the night was how fast this day came. I thought about all the times I have had to travel out of town for work and she has had to say goodbye to ME. I love my children. But like most people I let life get in the way of enjoying them as much as I would like to. And father time, well he doesn't stop to wait for anyone. But I'm grateful he paused time last night and gave me the chance to see that this ride is going fast and that nothing is as important as these babies. He also gave me a glimpse into what my sister is feeling now that her oldest has just left for college.
As for me,I will never underestimate little Ava again. I should have known better as she has been shocking and surprising us since conception. "Hey Ava, mommy's coming to get you!!"
Even if I have to wake that family up since it's only 6am!

Cookies, candy, and pie! Oh my!

I have been told that weight loss and getting organized can go hand in hand. Well I am already organized but I need to drop a stubborn 10 pounds. I am a petite 5'4" and 128 lbs. I am happiest at 120 lbs. Now I realize I am in no way fat but I need to drop the extra pounds and get fit. I have noticed that over the past few years as I have approached my mid 30's, things are changing. I don't want to hear all of that BS about "oh wait till you're my age". It's starting now and just like everyone else, it has snuck up like a snake in the grass.
I just want to be fit and feel good. Not to mention that my friends; chocolate ice cream, oreo cakester, and cheese puffs, are very bad influences!
So about 5 weeks ago I started working out. I dusted off my treadmill and placed it at the foot of my bed. For days I would stare at it while sharing a late night rendezvous with my food friends. I would think about getting on it and laugh. Then I learned of an upcoming event where I would want to look my best and that meant getting on the treadmill. The first time on it, I barely made my 20 minute goal at 3mph. I started out every other day and would dread the day that I had to get on it.
I told my food friends (ice cream, cookie, and cheese puff) that we had to part ways, and I met with a trainer. And then I made the ultimate commitment to get healthy and shed a few pounds; I told my boyfriend, Starbucks, that we had to stop seeing each other. It was a tough break up but it was necessary.
I upped my treadmill time to everyday and increased my speed to 3.5 and 2 weeks later, you know what? I didn't lose a freakin pound!
WHAT??!!!
2 years ago I could think about losing weight and drop 5 lbs!
So I spent a few days feeling sorry for myself and then I got up and got on the treadmill for 35min. and 3.7mph! I will not give up! This will not defeat me.
So to you out there who are trying to get organized on your own; don't let the disorganization get you down.
You may work hard for awhile trying to get rid of the clutter without too many results, but just keep trying and you will lose the clutter and gain control of your life!
As for me; my next weigh in is Tuesday. Wish me luck:)

I have mentioned before that my life is crazy. I don't mean crazy bad. I mean crazy busy, crazy fun, crazy funny too. There is never a dull moment and just when I think things are getting settled, more crazy comes a knockin'. Lately I have been tested. There are a couple of things I really want and like having in my life and I am in jeopardy of losing them. It has been a rough few months and through it all I have tried to keep my head up and push through. Yesterday before church I broke down and cried, feeling overwhelmed and ready to throw in the towel. I pulled myself together, left my husband and sick baby at home and my older daughter and I went to church. While there I got some strength and remembered the saying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going". So I'm picking myself up and moving forward. And it's hard. Sometimes when we feel beat up and pushed down, getting up is the last thing we want to do. What I really want is to crawl in bed, pull the covers up, and veg out. But as I told my sister last night, I have to get up and get out of the way or continue to get kicked.
So many of you are reaching out to me in the same way for help with organizing. You are busy men and women with your own crazy life and the disorganization is kicking you when you are down. I can help you get up and get out of the way. One of the things that I hear all the time is, "I should be able to do this on my own". That is like nails down a chalkboard to me. Your life is busy and you have tons to do. When exactly is your life going to stop moving forward in order for you to clear up your back log? Answer: it won't. You are going to do it on your own, you just need help clearing the back log. I come in while you keep up with your normal routine and get rid of the excess, create easy to use and maintain systems, and then it's all up to you.
Another thing people want to know is, "if I'm not working side by side with you then how can I learn to be organized"? Well, I'm like Mr Miogi (who knows how he spells it) from the Karate Kid. You know; wax on wax off. This is of course for those of you with normal disorganization and problems that relate. Now for those with Chronic disorganization or hoarding we offer a different approach. You will learn through the simple techniques, through the repeat questions, and other techniques I have created over the years that have worked so well for so many. I have clients that I worked with over 5 years ago tell me how much their life has changed so I know the process works.
But first, get up off the floor for Christ's sake and ask for help!
I did:)
LOVE YA!

Organizing the Organized

When someone decides to become an organizer, it's usually because they have been gifted with the talent of being super organized all of their life or they have learned the skill after battling disorganization and want to teach others. Either way, for those of us in this profession, it's definately a passion. This is no different with me. I am one of those people who has been organized since birth and I have the gift of being able to walk into a space and see the finished product. I see life as it could be. I am crazy about what I do and if I couldn't do this everyday I would go crazy!
There is a downside to being an organizer and especially one that is borderline OCD. I tend to overorganize myself. This is a terrible habit. I see and hear about all of the latest and greatest organizing trends and products and I get soo excited. I go into a client's home and do somehting new and great and suddenly I want to redo my pantry! This can be very time consuming and a little pointless. Organizing is an on-going process and you need to stay on top of your systems with purging and making sure that new items have a good system. I am all about that process, but I can really take that to the next level.
I asked my project manager and good friend Patty to come over and help me tweak my kitchen and pantry. (I may post pics so you can see how it looked when she got there). These 2 spaces are more organized than even other professional in my field would ever think of doing. But the tweak took 4 hours! Patty and I laughed through most of the process. We call this kind of project a "next level project". It's not necessary but oh my gosh is it awesome.
Recently we found out about the possibility of several people who would be looking through my house at all of my systems. I began to break my house into 21 projects and start attacking each room. Why?? Like I said I'm a a little crazy!! I love to organize and I want them to see the next level project. I want to lead by example.
I was reminded by my sister this morning that if they wanted to look through my house at this very moment, it would look more organized than probably anything they had ever seen. Isn't she so sweet!! I know she thought that would make me get rid of my list but umm. . . no.
I don't advocate this for my clients, but I do have some clients who come to me strictly for the next level type project. So. . . I help all kinds:)
Well, I must go. Time to close the store and get home to work on the project #4, the playroom!
Wish me luck.

Opportunity Cost

Today is Valentine's Day. As a gift to me I am giving myself some downtime. In that downtime I have decided to write.

This week I have 2 organizing projects going on. Actually most weeks we have 2 projects going on at the same time. This takes some planning, dedication, and organization from my organizers. I have a Project Manager that has been with me for over 3 years. Her name is Patty and she is amazing. What I love most about Patty is her ability to see through all of the chaos and come up with a plan for the client and for her team that is both efficient and easy to implement. I never have to worry when I have Patty running a project. My clients are truly lucky when she steps into their house.

When anyone is doing a project or running a business they have to have things or people in place that give them that sense of peace. Patty lessens my stress at work. The systems I have in place at home lessen my stress there. I have very little down time. I have 2 small children with a full plate of activities, a husband with his own very full career, and a business with many employees to keep organized. Can you imagine on how many levels my organization exists?

I am never perfect. I am always striving to be my best. I know that without being organized I cannot be my best and I cannot give my family what they deserve either. So I have color coded calendars and a pantry that looks better than grocery store shopping, and closets that allow me to dress in style every morning. It's also why it's important to surround myself with positive and capable people.

For a business owner, the right staff, can make or break you. I am looking to hire a new organizer right now. I have a stack of resumes and a very clear opinion of what I am looking for. Anyone who becomes and Amanda becomes family. That is scary and such an important decision.

All of these decisions are mine. I choose to be organized, to hire the right people, and to do what's right. I could at any point, give up, admit defeat, or not do what I need to do.
My clients and each of you have the same choices. Sometimes making those choices means bringing in capable people to help. I can't do it all. If I didn't have Patty, I couldn't grow and develop my business to the same level that she provides me. The same goes for all of the other people who help me. I made the decision a long time ago to hire someone to come in on a weekly basis and clean my house. I made that decision by using opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the only thing I really took away from my economics class in college!! But it was enough to impact my life.

Opportunity cost is the cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action. We use opportunity cost on an almost constant basis without even realizing it. For me the opportunity cost of paying someone to come into my home and clean it far outweighed the cost of having to do it on top of my already crazy schedule. It's important for us to stop sometimes and think about what the opportunity cost is for the decision you are making at that moment. Every decision comes with one.

Oh and by the way I can't stand the show Clean House. I don't agree with their methods and the way they make fun of their clients for ratings. It's not the way I would hope that real organizers go about helping people get organized. It's certainly not how we do it! Can't change the channel fast enough when it comes on! OK. Thanks!

See you later!!

How it's been and how it will be!

I have been bombarded with questions on why I quit blogging. The answer: I haven't had time and like I always say, "sometimes you have to choose and prioritize".

The good news is that we opened our new store: Clutter Prescription by The Amandas.

I completely underestimated how long this project would take and how much money too!! As most of you know we have had a retail store for the past three years. Not that any of us took it too seriously. As we made the decision, my rationale was that it would be an easymove since we had the fixtures and the product and knowledge of how it would all work. Boy was I mistaken!! My office manager of three years moved on to another career and a new office manager came in. As good as Lauren(the new right hand) was, she was still new and needed time to learn and get up and moving. So I did as I always do with new people, I threw her into the deep end, without a lifesaver, and shouted at her to "swim or die!!". Luckily for me Lauren speaks crazy and so she is swimming. Not only is she swimming, she sometimes swims enough for multiple people.

The store is doing GREAT! We love it and the people of Birmingham do as well. We have created new and unique services, support groups, and community programs that are all beginning to bloom. The organizing and in-home services couldn't be better. I dropped to my knees on Monday to thank God for all of the blessings in my life. I am lucky and just saying thanks didn't seem like enough. We have a new project on the horizon and I have promised God as a way to say thank you that I would give 10% of the gross to the church. Now I just hope it all goes through!!

As we moved into the new building, I was dealt a gut wrenching blow. Both of my organizers in New Orleans were leaving. Not only were they leaving but New Orleans had been so neglected from some bad apple employees (not necessarily the ones leaving) that it was in deplorable shape. How could I have looked the other way as people destroyed what took me so long to build? Why did I make the mistake of letting unqualified people in the door in the first place? As my sister always says, "It's never good to make decisions when you are desperate". I look back and see how desperate I was to hold on to New Orleans. It's my home and my heart. The clients I have in New Orleans are family. I sat in my new store surrounded by the best employees you could have and I was filled with sadness over the mistakes that had led me to watching the New Orleans territory fall apart.

I wish I could sit here, even now, and tell you how I had a miraculous moment and figured out how to save it all. I haven't. I do still have great clients there. The ones who's trust I lost with bad apples, I am gaining back. The competition who pounced on my weakness, well there day will come. As for New Orleans; I may not live there but my heart is still there and I will rebuild what others took for granted and let fall apart.

I do not place all of the blame on them. How could I? It's my business. I chose to leave them in charge, I chose to hire them. They did what they could and more often, what they wanted.
Along the way I had some incredible employees there who just got caught in the middle of bad management. I hate that happened.

I have taken the bull by the horns and decided what the people of New Orleans need from my company is ME! That's who they feel comfortable with and it's what is best for growth. So, I am back to one week a month in New Orleans. As it grows back I have knowledge of how to better set it up for success and I will.

And . . . now that things have calmed down I will blog again. We will discuss organizing as it pertains to real life and not some fairytale rambling about how easy it is to get organized! It's not easy but it's doable and it's worth it!!

Have a little Faith

I surrender all! Now what? Isn't that what really bothers us? The unknown. I know as a faithful Christian I am suppose to take all of my problems, all my fears, all the stress and turn it over to God. It's after that. What do we do after that?
Obviously the answer is to wait and listen to the answers. My friends often laugh at me because I ask God for billboards. The way I see it, I'm not very good with the subtle and soft spoken hints from God. I need Him to shout it from the mountain top!

I am waiting for a billboard as we speak. During that time I struggle with my own fears and insecurities that can keep me almost paralyzed.

Although I don't suffer from the disorganization that so many of my clients suffer from, I can understand how they feel.

They feel overwhelmed, confused on what to do, lost in their own home. I feel the same way sometimes.

I started out as a Professional Organizer because I wanted to be my own boss and do something I enjoyed. Well, when you own your own business, everyone is your boss!! I do enjoy what I do, I love it actually. Being in the home of a client and seeing the difference we can make in someones life is very rewarding. I am thankful each day that I have the opportunity to share this gift with someone else.

I don't want anyone to feel helpless about their disorganization. Most people I work with can and do go on to be better organized. The problem people face, the biggest challenge, is backlog. How can you put your life on hold to catch up with all the things you didn't (or maybe don't) have time to take care of? That's the major challenge I see people face.

One of the obstacles that individuals with a back log face is understanding that they can't and shouldn't focus on the big end goal. What??? Are you shocked?? Clearly I must be crazy! Well, that's another story!

Let me put it another way. Don't look at a messy closet and think about it as one big task with one end result. Focus on the smaller details that will get you there. What about having all of your clothes off the floor? What about having all of the clothes you no longer need or wear out and sent to donation?

Each one of those steps will help get you where you want to be. Each step is a step to celebrate.

Don't get overwhelmed. Don't get paralyzed. Turn it over to God and then move forward and take the first step in FAITH.

A friend once told me that she raises her foot in faith that God will place a step under it when He is ready for her to take the next step. I love this! The point is; you have to raise your foot.

Get going. Get up and get organized.

Taming Time

I had no idea that when I made that post yesterday on our facebook page that so many of you would respond. It seems that time and kids keepsakes are hot topics with people.

You 're all correct to be concerned about how to manage your time. Without proper time management nothing else will be easy to accomplish. What's important for you to know is that there is no blanket solution that will cure your time management problems. If so I would be filthy rich!! There are things we can discuss that will help you understand more about your needs and how to address the problem.

The first step in taming time is to make the decision that you are going to do it! You will not succeed if you cannot commit to the process. For some, this means getting family involved. Tell your spouse or a friend that you are going to tackle this project and would like their help. I have always felt that motivation and accountability add tremendously to success.

There is so much to say on this topic it overwhelms me!!

I highly recommend that you invest in a planner. Take the time to sit down and figure out what works for you. Why do you show up to certain things on time? How do you find the time to get on facebook? If we are honest with ourselves we always find the time to do what we really want to do. How bad do you want to get all of the things on your to-do list done? For me it's not nearly enough!!

I read a time management book by David Allen called Getting Things Done. He wrote about something in this book that has changed my to-do list forever. He said to have a notebook or place for a master list of to-dos. From that master list you should only add things to your daily calendar that you are completing. At first I though this was ridiculous. Add another step?? Was he crazy? I am reading this book because I have too much to do!!

But I thought, "Heck I'll try. What's the worst thing that could happen?".

Well, I tried it and it was amazing. I realized why this was so important. He was building my decision making ability. I had a list, and I had time. Now I had to learn what to choose from the list and place it in my planner as I was getting it done. This added to my self-confidence when at the end of the day I would look at the page in my planner and rejoice in what I HAD accomplished, instead of looking at a page full of things I didn't get to.

Do you see? This practice has made even me a better manager of my time. I use the same principal with my clients when we purge. I make them decide on each thing we are going through and after so many hours they begin to break down and realize that they can get rid of excess and that they don't want to be in this situation again.

Another tip is to be very careful what you have on your list. I have talked about learning to say no. It is so hard for some people to say no. I spoke with a dear friend today who told me she was back on anti-depressants because she was so worried about other people and their problems that she was anxiety ridden. Can you believe this? I bet you can. I bet you may even do the same thing. So many women take on more than is necessary. I know that as a working mother I want to show the world that I can do it all!. I don't want anyone to think that my children may suffer because I choose to work or that I can't get it all done because I have too much on my plate.

Why do we care? Do you know what the sad truth is? We are all having the same feelings and so worried about what others think. So if we are all doing that, then how could any of us have time to judge us the way we fear? The answer is, they can't, they are too busy worrying about who is judging them!

Be realistic about how much you can get done. Too many times we overestimate or underestimate the time it will take to do something depending on if we want to get it done. Break projects down in to smaller more realistic portions and you can control the time you spend on them better.

Decide what time of day and how you work best and play on those strengths. I am a morning person. I do most of my daily planning before the kids get up and when I am at my sharpest. I also know that I am motivated by the buzzer. On the days I do a thorough house cleaning I use the kitchen timer. I set it for 30 minutes and suddenly I am energized and in a race to see if I can finish before the buzzer goes off. It must be the competitor in me. You have to start figuring out who you are and what motivates you.

Be honest with yourself. I always know as soon as I say, "I'm going to take care of that after the kids go to bed" that means I'm not going to do it. Once I wind down and tuck the kids in, I am pretty much good for nothing. Don't commit yourself to things you know you can't or won't do. All that you accomplish is creating negative feeling about yourself and your lack of follow through.

I could go on and on but this blog would turn into a book. I promise that if you send me a question I will answer it. You can manage your time and I will assist in making that a reality any way I can. I do coaching over the phone through The Clutter Prescription if any of you feel like that would be a good option for you. You can talk to me once a week for a check-up for only $29/mo. Go to www.theclutterprescription.com for more details.

What you should also know about me is that I am diagnosed ADD and manage without medication. I have also been organizing for over 10 years for people and during my 6 years of owning a Professional Organizing Firm I have been asked to speak on this topic more than any other! That means you are not alone!

May you believe in all your potential and keep it organized!

If you like my blof please click to follow and be alerted when I make a new post!

Amanda M. LeBlanc, CPO
The Amandas of Organized Affairs, LLC
www.theamandas.com
www.theclutterprescription.com

Organize to make room for what's important

Things are busy and I am grateful! I battle maintaining my personal organizing daily. The house runs well, but the "to do" list is forever growing. This week my computer crashed! I went from a working computer to a black screen with a blinking cursor. I am a PC but I don't know how much longer I will be able to say that. I have resisted the change to MAC but this week Dell has really encouraged me to make the change.
On Monday morning I called Dell for the 300th time in a month and again I spoke with someone who I could barely understand. He spoke to me as if I was the idiot and 5 hours later I had nothing!! There seems to be no recourse either. I called Dell and tried to find a complaint department. I don't believe one exists. They said they were sending a box and that it would be here on Tuesday. Still no box and it is Saturday!! I am running a business people!!!! I can't even explain the issues this has caused. They have made me so mad. After I get this BOX, I will send off my computer and have it back in 7-10 business days??!!! Right. And who can go without a computer for that long? So you see the struggle this week has been great!
Dell could send me a new computer faster than this! I don't like companies who aren't "man enough" to have a complaint department and take care of their clients.
On Thursday I had a much needed break and went out to dinner with one of my clients and several of my employees. I can't tell you how much we love our clients. Once we enter someones house to help them get organized they become family. I can't explain it. I guess because what we do is so intimate or maybe because we're just so damn adorable!
Dinner was so much fun. Roxanne (my client and friend) has been such a great friend and is a lot of fun to be around. Patty, Cassie and Anne went too. We sat around the table telling stories and laughing hysterically. Everyone needs that kind of night. We are so busy running in the rat race that until something like this comes along and you are forced to stop for a second, you don't even realize what you are missing.

News Flash!!! You are missing the best part!

I was reminded this week by my sister and a friend, who both have children that will soon leave the nest, how quickly time goes by. Both of these women have spent a great deal of time with their children. But is there ever enough time?
I admit my business takes more time from my family than I would like. I am a perfectionist and I want everything I do to be the best. There is nothing like trying to be a mom and a business owner at the same time to bring you to your knees with the realization that YOU CANNOT be perfect. I cannot give my business and my kids all of what I would like to. I often feel that to please one is to make the other sacrifice. So the daily battle continues.
What I do know is that if I were not organized I would miss out on even more. many of my clients tell stories of how much they have missed out on due to their disorganization. It can be such a prison. Gosh!! Don't you see why I love my job. I'm not just out there clearing clutter; I am helping people change their lives!!
I must admit that my passion turned business was in the beginning just that, but now it's my life's mission to help people. I have sat across the table from moms who cry telling us how we have helped them to mend relationships, given them more time with their kids and changed their life. How could you ever walk away from that?? I am so honored to have been given this opportunity. My life is enriched in ways that words cannot express. So you see these families become my family. They are my friends and I love them. And my children . . . they are the reason I breathe.
If you are missing out on life due to disorganization, stop the cycle today. Make a commitment to change. We are here to answer any of your questions. Ask away!

Organizing, work and tithing - a great weekend!

This weekend I "tweaked" my house or at least some of it. I needed to and it's very therapeutic for me. I recommend this to all of my clients. You have to stay on top of your organizing systems for them to work as best as possible. It was fun for me! Yes I know this makes me a little crazy!!

I am still on my journey and I want to keep you in the loop of course. I have stopped my acid reflux medication! I'm feeling o.k. Actually I am feeling better than I did on the medication. Which is just messed up! I still have some symptoms. I can't help but wonder if the medication has been suppressing my bodies natural production of stomach acid and now my stomach is just trying to figure out what to do. Tomorrow I go to the hospital for a barium swallow. Mmm... that's gonna be tasty! I just hope after all of this, I get some long overdue answers.

I can't tell you how great it was to hear from so many of you about your medical mysteries. I can't make any of you post comment on my blog but your stories could help so many and I encourage you to do so. Until then please keep emailing me! I love to hear from you. Really, it's the best part of this blog. Listening to people share their stories is amazing!

O.K. so I've covered the latest in my crazy medical story now we can talk business. Wow, did I get some great responses to the vendor who is rude! We are pursuing other options for this product and so far it's looking promising. I will let you know how it works!

We are making some big decisions on the business this week. I had an interesting meeting this past Friday with a very talented lady. She is working on a BIG project and wants to use The Amandas as experts. It is for a national company and we wish her the best of luck! Obviously!!

Also tomorrow we are going to see a man about a horse!! Not really.

I have a new employee that started today in New Orleans. Her name is Bridgette & we are thrilled to have her with us! She said during the interview process that if money were no object she would organize homes and lives for FREE! That's definitely my kinda girl! Some of the exciting things going on with The Amandas are happening in New Orleans.I get a little nervous about saying too much in the blog. You just never know who's reading this thing. Geez, I didn't know anyone read it!!

On the home front the kids and hubby are fine. Dan, my husband has taken a more active role in my company and I am so excited. O.K. I'm a little nervous. He says I'm the creative and he is the level headed voice of reason. What the heck? Was that suppose to be a compliment?

Speaking of creative me; the family went to church yesterday in a torrential down pour. Just when we got inside and settled, my voice reason, Dan, says that he left the tithe check in the car! What???

You don't understand how I feel about tithing. It is a necessity. It is the one thing in the Bible God says you can test Him on. In my life it is spot on. When I tithe and give freely, I get back. I feel deep in my heart I am blessed in some part because I tithe. You should tithe!!

Anyway, I told Dan he had to go back and get the check and to be quick, before collection. Just as he walked out of church the sky opened and it rained harder than I imagined it could. Dan ran through the parking lot to the truck and got the check. By the time he made it back into the church he was soaked to the bone and the collection basket had passed. As he sat down looking wet and defeated, I told him to get up and find an usher and see who he could give his donation to. The look on his face said it all. He went to communion and then began the search for someone to give the check to. He found the basket and saved the day!! See I'm OCD about everything not just organizing! Dan did wonder after church how God felt about him worrying so much about giving his tithe that he missed the entire sermon! Oh well, I heard it! It was about believing and I believe Dan did what I told him to!

The girls are doing well. My oldest is in dance camp this week while the younger stays home with our nanny. The baby, who really isn't a baby anymore, is being treated for kidney reflux. She's on an antibiotic for a year and we are going to see a Pediatric Urologist for testing next week. She has no idea of course. Not going to be a great day for her.

All in all it was a great weekend and today has turned out to be pretty interesting.

Talk to you soon!!

Saturday I wrote and told you that I had begun my own organizing journey and I would keep you in the loop. I am trying hard to keep my promise. Of course now that I look back on Saturday's post I can see where I thought the next day was Monday! That should be an indicator of my stress. Everyday is like a Monday right now.

I said I had 2 important meetings on Monday and I did. The first was for me. I have been suffering with severe acid reflux for 3 years now and no one seems to know why. I am 5'4" and 120lbs so the weight is not a factor. I don't drink or smoke so those were ruled out as well. On Monday I had an ultrasound on my gallbladder performed. Not the first time but a necessary repeat. I didn't write the blog that day because the technician performing the test let me know through her actions that she found something. Of course she gave me some song and dance about how she couldn't give out results but I wanted to tell her "oh, but you can do everything else to let me know you found something." Needless to say I didn't feel much like writing that night.

Yesterday the Dr's nurse called to say that they found fatty deposits on my liver. Another indication that I am an overweight alcoholic! I am neither one of those things!! The nurse was surprised when she found out that I was not overweight and couldn't drink due to GI issues. We are now awaiting a series of other tests to be performed. I will keep you updated. For now I am praying for God to send some Dr an answer or diagnosis or something. Three years is a long time to be sick. OOH but I am still organized!!! That's right. Do you know why? The same reason I have told you over and over. . . simple systems integrated with my habits and lifestyle. That means you can be too!

On to the next meeting.

Strategy meeting with "the powers that be". You don't know them and they will just remain "the powers that be" until later. Basically they are helping me with my goals and plans for my company. They are very good and we meet often. This meeting was to talk about the things we accomplished over the last month and look at the upcoming opportunities for The Amandas and The Clutter Prescription. It was a very exciting meeting. There are some great things coming along. We are revamping our segment on Fox 8 in New Orleans and there may be another TV opportunity in Alabama. During the meeting I was told that there are businesses buying time on news programs. I was asked if I wanted to do this. Ummm. . .no! I have not done that and I hope we don't have to (knock on wood). I left the meeting feeling good about where we are and where we are headed. I also left feeling very grateful for the opportunities that have been given to me.

So the day was mixed. A little good and a little bad. Then I was faced with a challenge. I have been ordering product from my vendors for a while now. I have a great relationship with most. I have been loyal to those that have been good to me and then replaced others that have not really cared if we gave them business or not. But there are a few that have a product I cannot get elsewhere and I am forced to stick with them. This bothers me. One of the foundations of my business is customer service above and beyond what the client expects. Customer Service is dying these days and I know how much I miss it. I also know how much it means when I receive it. I appreciate it and want to give my support to whoever is providing it. It's one of the reasons I love American Express. They have unbelievable customer service!! There is one vendor that I am really having trouble with. They have never shown ANY appreciation for our business and have been on occasion rude and abrasive. This day was one of those occasions. Now I have to decide if this product is worth the trouble. Isn't that sad? All because of a little customer service. Don't they know the importance? It just doesn't make sense. I am even nice to customers who aren't so nice. Why? Because they are customers! Without them I would not have the business I have today. Who doesn't get that?? Well I can think of one. Whether I make a penny from the client or $10, 000, I treat them all the same. That's a good lesson for everyone.

So you see it's been a very busy couple of days. Today I got a call about the possibility of a national opportunity for me and then a nurse called to schedule a PH study. Look that up if you don't know what it is, then write and tell me how sorry you feel for me!

Until tomorrow. . .keep it organized!

An organizing journey that begins today

First let me apologize for being so absent. I have been busy with work and a family wedding. I had to prioritize and not everything could fit on my plate. One of those things happened to be this blog! It's not always fun to make those choices but they are necessary. Why would you seek me for advice if I can't do the same things in my own life?

The past 2 weeks have been very busy but they have also been very thought provoking. During this time I have been presented with some interesting business opportunities and decisions to make. I have to say I am under some pressure and stress trying to figure things out. Organizing doesn't always come in the form of household to dos. I am faced with some life organizing right now. My kids, my business, my goals, and well basically my life, all need a little re-organizing.

I wish I could tell you here's how I figured it all out but right now that's just not the case. I can tell you that this will be a journey that I will document and share with you. Maybe we can both learn something. By the end I can tell you for sure you will learn something; either how to do this or how to NOT do what I did!!

I rely heavily on prayer. Those who know me best know that during difficult times I ask God for billboards. I find that when I am stressed out I stop hearing the subtle hints from God. I lose ability to think as clearly as I should and I try to take over. That's when I ask God to shout it out and place it on a billboard so that I don't miss it. I know that my life runs a lot smoother with Him at the wheel instead of me. I guess that's my first step.

Last night before bed I prayed for God to speak to me through my dreams. This morning I couldn't remember what I dreamed! What's that suppose to mean!?

I have taken some time to get out a notebook and pen and write down the different areas I am trying to make decisions on. I then tackled the first one by writing and brainstorming different ideas on how to handle this situation. It seemed to work.

Anything is easier to handle if you break it down into smaller parts. For example, the first thing I need to deal with was my children. We have a nanny who helps out with the children. I call her a nanny because she is 25 and she does more than just babysit. She helps make my life easier by taking care of things so that I can spend more time with my girls. She gives me a great gift. The problem is I need her to be better with her time management and think of things that need to be taken care of without me always telling her. I need her to read my mind and act accordingly!! O.K. I am clear that is not a possibility but I can't think of another way to express what I want. Thoughts run through my mind all day at the pace of about 100 miles an hour. I forget one thought almost as soon as the next enters. It is difficult for me to tell someone everything I need them to do. Now I need to figure out what is reasonable for me to expect of someone and how to relay that to them. I sat down and wrote her a letter telling her what my goals were and how I thought she could help out. I made sure to tell her all of the things I appreciated that she did, namely giving me more time with my kids which is the biggest gift anyone could give me. Then I went on to explain some things that I had observed and how we could accomplish more. I also went on to explain how these things could enhance her skills and her resume, helping to prepare her for any future jobs she may hold. I will give this to her and see how things unfold. Ultimately since she can't read my mind and since my perfectionism makes it hard to please me (I'm working on that), it will be interesting to see how this works out.

I started with my highest priority: my kids. Now I can give this letter to her, discuss it, and hope that we can accomplish even more.

I also try during difficult times to remember what to be grateful for; my Faith, husband, kids, family, clients, and employees. All of whom make my life what it is and who without I just wouldn't be me.

Please remember what is good in your life. We all have difficult times and problems in our lives. But I have yet to meet a person who didn't have at least a little to be thankful for. It is a shame that we get bogged down with the bad and forget the good.

Stay tuned. I have so much to tell you. Tomorrow I have 2 very important meetings. One personal and one for business. Both should be good for a lesson or two.

Until then . . . keep it organized!!

Amanda

Organizing the laundry

Before I start, I have a favor to ask. If you like my blog please become a follower. Also, if you want great tips and advice on organizing please become a fan on our facebook page: The Clutter Prescription. Thanks!

Laundry! I can't stand to do laundry. I use to let it pile up until I was forced to wear dirty clothes or wash something. That all changed years ago. Not because I wanted to, but because I had a husband and kids to keep up with and they needed clean clothes.

I really tried hard to convince my husband that we needed to hire someone to handle all of the laundry and ironing. That did not work out so well. He laughed.

As an organizer, I am always trying to figure out ways to make keeping your house organized; easy. I had to work extra hard on this one. One day I stumbled upon something that changed the way I did laundry. When I tell you my solution you are going to think I am crazy. I am not saying this will cure your laundry problem. It is merely to re-enforce what I teach my clients; it's about finding out who you are and what works for you. What I am about to tell you has worked for me and for one of my clients who laughed at me, then tried it!

I have a double hamper in my closet that separates my whites and colors. One day I bought a white plastic hip hugger hamper. I thought I would use this as a transport basket. At the time, I had a load of clothes in the wash and the dryer was empty. I went to my closet looked at my hamper and saw that my whites were full. I placed a load in my transport basket. After the clothes in the wash were done I threw them in the dryer and placed the new load in the wash. My transport basket went back to the closet. This time I filled the transport basket with colors.

There was something about just seeing that one load in a basket that made me feel like I could get it done. I keep the transport basket in my closet where I can see it and for some reason I feel like that is all I have to deal with; that one basket, or one load. See? I told you it was simple. I worked to get through all of the dirty clothes and by the end of the third day the only dirty clothes were in the transport basket, washer, or dryer. That's the truth!

Laundry has never been a problem since. That basket was the perfect size load; not too big, not too small. Every time I see that it is full I know to throw it in the wash. So you see it wasn't something crazy that I had to do just something small that changed the way I view doing laundry. Simple solutions can make big differences.

I also know that to stay on top of laundry I have to have a schedule. I usually fold a load in the morning and put them away. I also take the load I put to wash at bedtime and move it to the dryer so that I can fold and put it away at night. If there is more laundry than normal, or items that have to be special washed, I may do another load as soon as I get home and another at bedtime.

My next step towards conquering laundry will be to convince my husband that we need 2dryers. I think everyone should have 2 dryers. This would really cut down the time we spend doing laundry! Until then I have my basket.

Another tip: a small amount of soap goes a long way. A full scoop that they provide in the box is way too much. Also, most clothes can and should be washed in cold water. Both of these tips will save you money!

Have a good laundry solution you want to share?? Let us hear from you!

The Clutter Prescription: A Great Mother's Day

I have enjoyed doing not much of anything today. This morning started out with my husband waking the kids(is he crazy?)to have them make me breakfast in bed. I overheard the girls arguing in the kitchen and my 3 year old crying. I was so happy it was Mother's Day and he was going to handle this all on his own. After all he is the one who woke them!

After they got everything together, the whole clan came in with breakfast on a Diego tray, which from what I could make out was part of the argument. Apparently the baby wanted me to eat on the Disney Princess tray. She will learn, the same as I am still learning, that some things just don't matter. That is a hard lesson when you are a planner and organizer!!

The kids gave me a swimsuit that they picked out. I have to assume that their father knew what they were buying since he took them and they are only 3 and 6 years old! The girls had the idea that we would have a beach party today (don't know where that came from). That's how they got the idea for the bathing suit. Now, about that suit. This swim suit is black with gold beading. It is extremely low cut and it is an extra small. Obviously I told them I loved it!! Then after they left the room I looked at my husband and asked him what in the heck he was thinking!! I am a pretty conservative and plain girl. I am small but not extra small and there was no way I could be seen in this bathing suit! My husband laughed and walked away laughing and said "well I love it". I have no idea how I will decide to handle this but for now it is raining and thank God there is no beach party.

Today the organizer did not organize anything. I didn't plan anything to do or worry about how the day would play out. I just sat back and enjoyed myself. I haven't picked up a thing. The house looks a mess, but I have refrained from doing anything about it. There are times to organize and then there are times to just enjoy life. The mess will be there later. I will get to it then.

The Clutter Prescription; your prescription for curing clutter!

Here it is; the day I have been dreaming of. I have worked so hard to make this dream a reality and after what seems like forever, we have finally launched The Clutter Prescription; you prescription for curing clutter!

So what is it?

The Clutter Prescription is us(The Amandas), organizing you, via the Internet.

As a Professional Organizer I spend my time in clients' homes helping them get organized and I absolutely love it!

I wanted a way to share our company’s expertise with others so… I developed a new online program which is designed to help people get organized
for as little as $12.99/mo

Members are given the opportunity to choose a space they would like to organize. After signing up, they receive a weekly prescription, which is a step-by-step guide on how to accomplish their goals for that space. In addition to these instructions members have 24/7 direct access to our Organizers through the message board. They also receive the email reminder system, quarterly newsletter, daily clutter vitamin, and 10% off any purchase from The Amandas online store. All this for only $12.99/mo!

Two additional levels of membership give you the option to speak directly with one of our organizers on a weekly or monthly basis. These coaching sessions provide you with the support and guidance you need to get and stay organized!

This project has been a huge undertaking by me and my staff and we have all poured our hearts into the program. With a lot of hard work and dedication we are so proud to launch our new program, The Clutter Prescription, today!

To celebrate the launch we are offering a special price for members. By signing up for a 12 month, level 1 membership new members will receive the full year for $99!! That is less than $10 a month!

What a great gift for anyone! This custom designed program was created to fit any level of clutter and our prescriptions simplify the process making organization enjoyable and rewarding. I hope that all of you take a look at the new website www.theclutterprescription.com.

Join today to start enjoying the benefits of home organization. We can't wait to hear from you!!

Is your home healthy?

For someone like me (and yes there are others!) organizing is fun, exciting and often; therapeutic. I love to spend the day reorganizing a room or a closet. It clears my brain of the day to day fog and makes me feel alive! Scared?

I know that for others, organizing can be a challenge. People tell me how overwhelmed their disorganization makes them feel, how they don't know where to start, and that they would rather be doing anything else.

That's why I do what I do. I don't just come to your home and do the organizing for you; I teach you. I want to be your friend and your ally; your coach in becoming organized. I know the struggles of disorganization and I also know it doesn't have to be that way.

Many people are worried about the flu right now. They are washing their hands, covering their mouths when they sneeze, doing a little extra sanitizing, etc. They want to be healthy. When you are healthy, you can do more, you feel good, and you have energy. There is a feeling of freedom that we take for granted when we are well.

Have you thought about the health of your home? Your home is a living, breathing, thing, and it takes care of you and your family. Clutter can clog the arteries of your home slowing down its' efficiency and causing problems.

The small steps people are taking right now to stay well are not life changing. They are small things that add up to big results.

That is what organizing is. Somehow the message got out that to get organized you had to go through some massive overhaul and completely change who you are. That is simply not the case.

The first step in getting organized is to stop thinking it's going to be this big horrible task. Stop and think about small things you can do each day to make your home a little more organized. Those small steps will add up to big results.

So what can you do? Stayed tuned for tomorrow's big announcement. Help is on the way!

I have to be organized!

So I write about getting organized all the time but have you ever wondered how organized I am? I am organized. In fact, I'm a little OCD about it. I struggle with perfection and accepting that sometimes good is good enough. Today I can tell you that I have another struggle. For the first time in a while I am really struggling with too much to do and not enough time. In the past I have been pretty good about prioritizing and knowing that it can't all be done today. That doesn't mean I didn't take on more than should be done in a day but I did sleep!! Right now, this very moment, I have more to do than can be done and I can't decide what to let go.

What about you? Is this your struggle too?

I have time mapped and prioritized till I am blue in the face. The reality is it can't be done.

Wow! Have you ever had this moment?

In reality there are things that can wait. It may mean a change in plans but it can wait. Do you know what can't wait? Life. Life will never stop and wait for you to catch up.

Your kids will not repeat being 5 years old because you were too busy to stop and enjoy them. And your friends will learn to stop asking you to lunch if the answer is always no.

But the other things; handling a last minute client request, making sure every e-mail is handled today or working through the night to meet an already unrealistic deadline, those CAN all wait.

Ask yourself what is the worst that will happen if I don't get this done? Now,relax because it's never as bad as you think it is.

My point is LIVE. Live like there's no tomorrow. Eat lunch in the park, build a fort in the den with your kids and sleep in there tonight (yes even on a school night), and don't let the pressures steal the pleasures from your life.

Finally I can let a little secret out! But just a little.

AHH! I can hardly contain myself. I'm so excited about a new project we are working on. I want to scream it from the rooftops! In the words of Miley Cyrus (that's right I said it- Miley Cyrus!) "It's all right here!" That's the new theme song we adopted to launch our new project! I know, I know, you want to know what it is. Well I can't tell you everything but I can tell you this has been in the works since 2005.
Just like all of you I had to prioritize. Other projects and more pressing matters took up all of my time and this special project got pushed to the back. After a while I would see it on a list of long term goals and think, "oh well, it's just not going to happen". But like I tell you, if you create a plan and continually refer to it, you can achieve anything. I may be several years behind where I wanted to be but in true form God has shown me that wasn't the time; this is!
This project will help me see my dream of helping people all over the country get organized come true.
We have set a launch date of May 1st. We are all working hard and dying to get started. I will keep you posted. Daily tips on organizing and updates on our new project can be found on twitter - username TheAmandas.
I am telling you now; write down your goals and visions for what you want and never let go. You never know when you will have the opportunity to realize one of them. When the time arrives be ready!