This Organized Life

Hi Friends!We are continuing with our Room-By-Room series with a little twist today…What happens when best friends, moms, neighbors and former healthcare workers, decide to start a business together during the pandemic?Our guests today did just that. Mary Beth Bartlett and Megan McDowell took their love of organizing and passion for helping others to start Rooms to Breathe, an Alabama based organizing business.They are particularly passionate about supporting women as they make the life changing transition into motherhood, so I asked them if they would come on our show to talk about an area that we have never discussed on This ORGANIZED Life…Baby Prep and Nursery Organization.During our conversation we talked about:Specific practical ways to help new mothers with touches like stocking the fridge with grab-and-go items like granola bars, cheese sticks, and fresh fruitIncorporating turntables in the fridge and pantry to make accessing items a breeze.Having hydration stations available to keep mom going througho

Joining me today is Leigh Achenbach, founder of Suddenly Simple Organizing in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I invited Leigh on TOL to talk about storage spaces-specifically Garages, Attics and/or Basements. For folks living in a house, you probably have at least one of these areas that requires ongoing maintenance to keep from becoming a cluttered mess. If you live in an apartment you may have a storage space somewhere in your building where you keep seasonal or large items. During our conversation Leigh shares some practical and SIMPLE strategies to keep these spaces functional and organized. Some things we talked about:The many uses for garages, attics, and/or basementsHow many people are unable to park cars inside their garageWhy these larger spaces are so overwhelming to declutter and get organizedCommon pain points on why folks struggle to keep organized long termWhy she likes to work in “macro-categories”So many people fall into the trap of forgetting where they put something, or if they even have it. Leigh

Hi Friends,Today we are continuing with our Room-By-Room series, and talking about one of the biggest pain points for many of you-CLOSETS.From linen closets to primary closets, we tend to never have enough space, or if we do have ample space, utilizing it in a way that serves our needs is often a struggle.Joining me today is Heather Bifulco, founder of Tidy Style. Heather is based in Boise, Idaho and along with her team of professionals, helps her clients live a more organized life.During our conversation we talked about:The biggest issue she sees with her clients (hint: it has to do with volume, not space)How to identify and maximize Prime Real EstateHanging vs Folding (is there a right way?)She is also a mom of littles, so we talk about what to do with “hand-me-downs" and “grow clothes.” Whether you live in an apartment, an estate or somewhere in between, there’s something in this episode for everyone.Make sure to check out the links below to our closet checklist and all things mentioned in this episode.XOX

Hi Friends!Today we are kicking off a new series here at This ORGANIZED Life, called Organizing Room by Room. With January leading the charge for decluttering and getting organized, we thought it would be helpful to bring on a bunch of experts who specialize in certain spaces to talk about some of the struggles they see people facing, and share some solutions to help you in your organizing/decluttering journey.To start us off, I invited one of my friends, and one of your favorites, Organizational Designer Lisa Eckerle, to join me in talking about one of my favorite rooms in the house-The Kitchen.You might remember Lisa from Episode 268, where she shared her story of starting her Professional Organizing business on the weekends while working a full-time job and mothering 2 littles. Once folks got wind of her incredible eye for design and her on-point organizing skills, her business took off and she was able to leave her full time job and run Sort Support, full time. She specializes in ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN, an

Hi Friends,Today we are talking about one of the core parts to living an organized life…Calendars.Joining me today is the creator and founder of Artful Agenda, Katy Allen. Katy is wife to American Idol champion Kris Allen and a mom of 3 kiddos. After a life-long love affair with paper planners, Katy was looking for a solution to blend the convenience of a digital planner with the customization and style of a paper planner. I invited Katy on the show to share what makes Artful Agenda different from other traditional calendars like Google Cal or iCal.During our conversation we talked about:Her inspiration for Artful AgendaTime Blocking & PrioritiesBeing diagnosed with ADHD as an adultHow she designed the app to help her (and others) be more productiveSince recording our interview, I personally downloaded Artful Agenda on my laptop and iphone and have been using it everyday. I absolutely love how it seamlessly integrates with my existing calendars, and has the added functionality of allowing me to create my

Hi Friends,To start off 2023 I am joined by none other than NY Times Best Selling Author Jen Hatmaker. If you don’t know Jen, she’s written about a bajillion books including For the Love, Of Mess and Moxie, and Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire. Her latest book Feed These People is her debut cookbook that is filled with simple recipes for the whole family. She hosts the popular For the Love Podcast and Jen Hatmaker Book Club. Her online community has millions of women who relate to her witty, honest, and vulnerable approach to life. I invited Jen on the show to kick off 2023 to talk about mindset, goal planning and of course, the Enneagram!During our conversation we talked about:The importance of mindset when it comes to setting goalsNavigating the messy seasons of lifeWhat she’s learned about herself as an Enneagram 3 (aka the Achiever)We talked about the 3 types of clutter: Physical, Emotional and Calendar; Jen shares her dominant type of clutter-can you guess what it is? The start of a new year is almost alw

Hi Friends,Each year we release our “Best Of”, and if you are new to our show, it’s a great way to binge the highlight episodes from other listeners. We include links to each episode we talked about, making it super simple to listen and share. Last week Kimberly and I shared some of our favorite episodes, and today we are sharing the top 10 listener episodes. It’s always fun for me to sit down and look at the topics and guests that resonated with you most. If you listened to last week, you will hear some overlap with our favorites and yours, but there were definitely some differences that surprised us!As 2022 comes to a close, I want to thank you for being part of my community. As we wrap up our 6th year, I am so grateful for the opportunity to sit down and have meaningful conversations with people who provide perspective and solutions for simplifying your life. On behalf of myself and our team at SBO/TOL-we wish you and your family a safe and happy New Year.Cheers to 2023!XOXO-LaurieTOP 10 Episodes of 2022Ep

Hi Friends,We’re in the homestretch of 2022…what a year it’s been! Every year we take the last 2 weeks of December to look back on the 50 episodes we released this year.This week, my producer Kimberly and I shared some of our favorite episodes, and next week we’ll look at the most popular episodes from all of you! (make sure you tune in to that!)It goes without saying that we love, admire and appreciate all of our guests, these just happen to be a few of our stand-out episodes.We included links to each episode, making it super simple to listen and share. Enjoy!Kimberly’s Faves:Ep 269: Creating a Legacy List with Matt PaxtonEp 284:Raising Simple with Zoe KimEp 275: Small Business Financial Organization with Melissa LeonEp 265: Health and Habits with Mel RobbinsLaurie’s Faves:Ep 306: Becoming Minimalist with Joshua BeckerEp 289: Summer of Enneagram with Enneagram 4 Leann DearingEp 300: Fair Play with Eve RodskyEp 309: Chasing the Brightside with Jess EkstromEp 305: Ask Me Anything with Josh & Laurie Palau

Hi Friends,Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa it’s crunch time! With only days to go for each of these major holidays, navigating clutter pitfalls is no easy task.The physical clutter of presents and wrapping supplies that are overtaking your closet, Christmas cookies and assorted treats that are covering your counters…To the calendar clutter of finding time to shop, wrap, bake, and attend holiday parties in addition to your “normal” schedule…Let’s not forget the emotional clutter of trying to keep everyone’s gift count “balanced”, and trying to create the “perfect” holiday for your family…It’s no wonder that we stress eat, get rundown, and dream of spending countless uninterrupted hours of laying on the couch binge watching Dead To Me.So as someone guilty of all of the above, I’m taking a page out of my personal playbook to share how I keep it all together during the most stressful time of the year.From Holiday Gift Trackers, to enlisting elves to help with some of the simpler, yet time c

Hi Friends,Joining me today is Amber Brandt. Amber is passionate about helping clients and families create spaces that not only reflect their values, but help them live smarter, cozier, and more intentional lives. She believes authenticity, connection, and true hospitality can change the world.Can I get an Amen!When we apply values-based thinking to our homes, it has the power to change everything -- how we decorate, what we buy, what we say yes/no to, and how we connect with others.As we are currently in the midst of the holiday season, our homes often become one big drop-spot. Between shopping, entertaining, and endless to-do lists, it’s understandable why it looks as though the eye of a tornado just ran through our living room.When we finally do come up for air, we’re often left feeling overwhelmed and depleted, rather than peaceful and rested.For many folks, the feeling of “house shame” isn’t limited to the holidays, but this time of year it’s often magnified when family and friends are likely to gather t

Hi Friends!Today I am joined by my good friend, Martha-Carol Stewart, founder of Chaos Organizing in Baton Rouge and together we are bringing you our long awaited Holiday Gift Guide episode.Every year we look forward to sharing our ideas with you, while shining a spotlight on smaller brands who are doing great things.This year we have broken down our gift guide into the following categories:Food & Beverage-Fire Department Coffee: https://www.firedeptcoffee.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwteOaBhDuARIsADBqRejqbGZA_iSczoz3pHBUwlAKmosHvi8z_nPvUYzVXF7NXAc1RzRQFR4aAkhCEALw_wcB CODE: FIRSTTIME 20% off first order-Sahill Coffee: https://www.sahilcoffee.com/collections/tos CODE:TOL15 for 15% off entire purchase-PLUS!!! special selection just for TOL listeners-V Smiley Preserves: https://www.vsmileypreserves.com/?utm_source=simply_b_organized&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=special_offer CODE: SIMPLYBORGANIZED 15% $35 or more-Naked Chocolate: https://www.nkdchocolate.com/-Dot Winery: https://www.dotwinery.com/Home &

Hi Friends,Happy Thanksgiving! For this special episode we are focusing on gratitude, giving back, and using your superpowers to make a difference.Joining me is my friend, Tim Kenny, founder of The St. Baldrick’s Foundation-an organization that is near and dear to my heart.If you have been around our show for more than a hot minute, you have probably heard me talk about the work we do to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer research. My IRL community has been impacted by the loss of several kids to various types of cancers-and having a front row seat to how it impacts a family alters the way in which you see the world.At the time of this recording, The St. Baldrick’s Foundation has donated over 465 million dollars to pediatric cancer research, making them the leading non-profit organization dedicated to pediatric cancer research. They are “the behind the scenes” heroes responsible for funding grants to researchers in institutions including St. Jude’s, Dana Farber, and Children’s Hospital of Phi

Hi Friends,Before we get into today’s episode, my good friend Gail stopped by the show to recap our SBO Partner Retreat in Scottsdale. Huge shoutout to our incredible organizers who joined us from all across the country, our roster of speakers, and to our sponsors who gifted each attendee with some cool swag! (If you have FOMO, we’ve included links below for all the goodies!)Today we are back with another partner spotlight episode, talking with Leigh Genkinger, founder of Orderleigh Home in Little Silver, NJ. Like many of us, she is a busy working mom with 3 kiddos at home and juggled a corporate career with motherhood. She shares her story of how she turned her passion for organizing into a flourishing career that also affords her the opportunity to be present for gymnastic meets, school events, and soccer games.During our conversation Leigh talks about:Her “must-haves” products to keep her and her family organizedWhy she focuses on pre-planning before starting any projectThe importance of leaning on others

Joining me today is Bestselling author of Chasing the Bright Side, Jess Ekstrom. Jess has been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The View, Vanity Fair, People Magazine, Business Insider, Huffington Post and Forbes.After starting and growing her multi-million-dollar company, Headbands of Hope, in her dorm room, her speaking and writing career took off. But Jess realized that her success wasn’t about how far she can reach—but how far she can help other women reach.She helps women uncover the value in their story through her popular Mic Drop Workshop®, so they can make a living and a difference at the same time. She, her husband and her 70lb fur baby reside in Raleigh, NC.During our conversation you’ll learn:Jess’ origin story-what prompted her to start a business while being a full time college student.Life living in an Airstream-how she paired down her things and how they stayed organized on the road.Entrepreneurship-how she manages her time while running multiple businesses.CONNECT WITH JESS:T

Hi Friends,Before we get started into today’s episode, we would like to thank our sponsor, Denise Albright for sponsoring this episode. Check out her entire catalog of products, including her gratitude journal and take advantage of a special offer exclusive for TOL listeners. Use code SBGIFTS and receive 25% off your order.We’d also love for you to check out the new look of our website. There you will find links to past episodes, tons of free resources and downloadable checklists, plus you can easily connect with our trusted SBO Professional Organizers in a variety of cities across the US and Mexico. Now more than ever we are here to help you in your decluttering journey!Now for today’s episode, I know that the time between Halloween and New Years can be stressful and overwhelming. Those 60 days seem to happen overnight, leaving you feeling like there is never enough time to get it all done.Today we are talking about all of it:The feeling of drinking from firehoseIncreased mental loadMaxed out BudgetsThe

Hi Friends,Joining me today is Angela O’Brien, founder of Your Space Reclaimed in Dallas, TX. Angela is one of our incredible SBO Partners and I invited her on the show to talk about motherhood, organizing and all things Enneagram!I specifically asked Angela to visit our show in October as we recognize Down Syndrome Awareness Month. As a mom of 2 grown-ish kids, Angela shares her story of finding out her daughter was born with Down Syndrome and what she wants people to know about the Down Syndrome community.During our conversation we talked about:Life transitions, knowing when to pull back and when to lean in.Her personal discovery into the Enneagram and how it led her to becoming a certified Enneagram coach and finding her passion as a professional organizer at the age of 51.The importance of teaching independence, providing support and building confidence for all kids, especially those with Intellectual Disabilities.How she gives back and supports the Down Syndrome community in Dallas We also talked about

Hi Friends,Today I am joined by Joshua Becker, founder and editor of Becoming Minimalist, a website dedicated to intentional living. He is also a best-selling author of five books, including The Minimalist Home, The More of Less, Clutterfree with Kids, and his most recent book: Things That Matter.Joshua is also the Creator of Simplify Magazine and Simple Money Magazine.It comes as no surprise that he is one of the leading voices in the modern simplicity movement based on his thoughtful and intentional approach to minimalism.Currently, he lives in Peoria, AZ with his wife and two teenage kids.I invited Joshua on the show to share his story of how he was introduced to minimalism 14 years ago, and what has transpired since then.During our conversation we talked about:How a conversation with one of his neighbors changed his lifeThe power of leading by exampleChoosing Time over StuffSetting BoundariesThe one question that you should ask yourself while you are decluttering We also talked about The Hope Effect, a no

Hi guys,Thanks to everyone who sent in questions for our Ask Me Anything episode. We tried to answer as many questions as possible, and encourage you to continue submitting questions to info@simplyborganized.com for future episodes.Below are a few of the questions that you asked:What is the best bin or basket to use?What are simple ways to declutter everyday so the mess doesn't pile up?How do you start your day?What is your top organizing tip?What books have inspired or had an impact on your life?What organizing product are you loving these days?Where do you feel the most organized?Where do you feel like a bit of a hot mess?  XOXO-LaurieP.S. ***If you are a fan of our show, would you take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating & review so others know how awesome we are?

Hi Friends,To kick off October, I had the opportunity to sit down with a very special guest. Joining me today is Shannan Martin, author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places and Falling Free. I have been a long time fan of her work and had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of her new book, Start with Hello, which is due out on Oct 11th (but available for pre-order today!)Shannan writes and speaks about the simple things we can do to build community. For many people, clutter is a roadblock to welcoming people into their homes, and we are here to help remove the shame and embarrassment you may be feeling by sharing some simple ways to start the conversation.During our conversation we talked about:The power of communityLiving with intentionPushing past fear of awkwardness to build something newPrioritizing what matters   I loved this conversation and hope you discover some nuggets of wisdom from my chat with Shannan!Make sure to check out the links below for things we talked about in this episode.XOXO-Laurie

Hi Friends!Today we are back with another one of our incredibly talented SBO Partners. Joining me today is Courtney Wilson, founder of Simpli Sort in San Diego. Courtney started her career as a graphic designer turned stay-at-home mom to her 3 kids who are now “bigs”.Like many, when Courtney’s kids started getting older, she began to look for an outlet that afforded her the flexibility to be able to juggle a household, motherhood and a career. Courtney found her passion in professional organizing and officially launched her business in 2019.Her mission is simple: “helping clients turn stress into calm one project at a time.”Courtney is in the process of downsizing, and is faced with making the decisions of what to keep, something she is used to doing alongside her clients. During our conversation we talked about:Asking yourself tough questions, like “what is my life like now?”“Am I holding onto this because it reminds me of my old life?”The importance of establishing and maintaining systems in your home