This Organized Life

Hi Friends! Today I am joined by SBO Partner, Martha-Carol Stewart, founder of Chaos Organizing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  You might remember Martha Carol from episode 91, where she talked all about Back to School Organizing Strategies (it’s a great episode if you want to go back and check it out!) Today we are talking about holiday decorating and storage ideas. Martha shares her simple strategies of what she calls “ZONE DECORATING,” and answers questions like: When do you recommend people start decorating? How long do you keep decorations up? What is your process for purging holiday décor? How do you store outdoor & oversized decorations? How do you store lights to keep them from getting tangled? How do you organize wrapping supplies? If you love the finished look of beautifully decorated Christmas house, but dread the process of getting it all together–this is the episode for you! xo- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! REVIEW.  Social infl

Hi Friends! Today you are in for a treat, it our annual Thanksgiving Episode, where Erika and I share who and what we are grateful for. This year I decided to put a spin on things by asking our podcast community what they are grateful for this holiday season.  In the second half of the episode I interviewed 100 5th graders and their answers were introspective & thoughtful with a touch of humor. You’re going to have to listen to the entire episode to hear the responses (no spoiler alerts here!)  One thing I will share is that I was pleasantly surprised that only a few answers had to do with material items, which not only warmed my heart, but reinforced our true priorities. Before I leave you to listen, eat turkey, or hide from your family, I want to let you know how thankful I am for YOU. Thank you for listening each week, for being part of my This ORGANIZED Life community, and for joining me on my journey of living simply. From my family to yours,  Happy Thanksgiving! xo- Laurie Please support

Hi Friends! Each year around the holidays, Erika and I highlight companies who have a product or service that give back. As much as we preach about experiences over gifts, there is something to be said about unwrapping a surprise treat, or better yet, giving one! We have compiled a list of 10 different companies with one thing in common: SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED. Our diverse list include companies who help bring people out of poverty through job creation and rehabilitation, to companies donating products or profits to help fund environmental issue- one thing is certain: these companies are worth supporting this holiday season. I encourage you to listen to HOW and WHY we chose each one, LEARN about each of their stories, and SUPPORT them during this holiday season. Whether your budget is $5 or $500 there is there is something on our list for everyone! If we are going to shop, the least we can do is shop with a cause! ***Please note that this is purely our editorial opinions and we have not been compensated in

Hi Friends! On today’s episode we are joined by SBO Partner, Kim Diamond. Kim is a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®). She has her Trained Professional Organizer certificate, and her Level 2 certificate of study in Chronic Disorganization, and Hoarding- so she definitely knows a thing or two about people who struggle with Chronic Disorganization! We talk about the differences between a “hoarder” from someone who struggles with chronic disorganization, how she tailors her approach to each, and how she found herself working in this niche. It’s a truly fascinating conversation, and one that we have never done before on TOL. I encourage you to listen to the episode and let us know what you think! If you, or someone you know suffers from either Chronic Disorganization or Hoarding Disorder, feel free to contact Kim and she would be happy to connect you with someone who can help.   xo- Laurie   Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded

Hi Friends! Joining me today is Carina Romano, contributing photographer for Apartment Therapy and co-owner of Love Me Do Photography in Philadelphia. Carina has not only photographed countless Apartments, but has resided in quite a few of her own!  Her most recent venture was rehabbing a home in the Catskill Mountains called Black Bear Ridge. I invited Carina to come on the show today to talk about apartment living, how to make the most of small spaces,  and what trends she sees through her work at Apartment Therapy. After you are done listening to the episode, I encourage you to check out the photos of Black Bear Ridge, it looks like an amazing weekend retreat! xo- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! REVIEW.  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show! Struggling with Clutter?  Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz! Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my wit

Hi Friends! Joining us today is Cailen Ascher. She is a mom of 2, a Business Coach with a 3-day workweek, and the creator of Six-Figures Made Simple™, a revolutionary framework that transforms under-earning entrepreneurs into abundant business owners with flexible, feel-good hours. After having her first daughter, Cailen developed her 3-day workweek framework, and hasn’t looked back! She has been featured in Business Insider and Huffington Post, and has been interviewed for Entrepreneur on Fire and ‘She Means Business” Podcast among many others. Her coaching and teachings have helped 1000s of women upgrade their lives and businesses with her Success Made Simple™ strategies for working less, making more and living better. I invited Cailen to come on TOL to talk about how she defines work/life integration, how her priorities changed after becoming a mom, and what practical advice she can share with all of you. I hope you find value in our conversation! We’d love for you to hop on over to our facebook group and

Hi Friends! With me today is SBO Partner, Anne Ahmann, a Des Moines-based personal organization consultant and Pinterest craft guru.  The married mother of two teenage girls came later to the personal organization business – for profit at least. Her company, happy.healthy.home., is a passion project, built on 30 years of organizing for fun and catharsis. Anne worked in healthcare for 20 years before starting her business, but she says it was actually a natural transition – helping and healing people is second nature to her and happy.healthy.home. is her way of combining organization and aid. While labeled boxes and bins can be a solution, they are just the start. Anne’s organization philosophy is all about long-term, personalized problem solving. If out-of-the-box organizing solutions are your jam, you’re going to LOVE Anne! From DIY wood slat walls to a rehabbed pink vanity, she has never met a Pinterest challenge she didn’t like! I loved our conversation and I think you will too! xo-  Laurie

Hi Friends! During the first half of today’s episode, Erika and I give you the 4-1-1 on our AMAZING Partner Retreat that we held earlier this month in beautiful Nashville, TN. We talk about how the retreat came to be, who was there, what we did, and what we have planned for the future.  Check out our IG page at @simplyborganized for highlights of our trip. Then, we dive into my real life saga of Logan’s misplaced envelope of all her important papers, including her birth certificate, passport and social security card! So I pose the question, “where do you store your important documents?”  Join our facebook group, leave us a review, share our show with your friends-We’d love to hear from you!  xo- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! REVIEW.  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show! Struggling with Clutter?  Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz! Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! HOT MESS: A Practical Guide t

Hi Friends! Today we are joined by Morgan Tyree, founder of Morganize with Me and author of the new book Take Back Your Time (available at Amazon, Target, or where ever you buy books!) I invited Morgan to join me today to talk about her seasonal organizing challenges that she offers on her website, that help to give you that extra jump-start with the areas that you might feel overwhelmed. Our conversation also crosses over into things like parenting, entrepreneurship and a joint mission to helping empower others live simply and work smarter. If you like this episode please share it with your friends!  xo- Laurie Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! REVIEW.  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show! Struggling with Clutter?  Click HERE to take our FREE clutter quiz! Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your

Hi Friends! People are always asking us to feature our favorite products, so today we are doing an episode on products we love! However, instead of focusing on big brands, I wanted to focus in on smaller companies who are making a big impact. Although you may not know our guests by name, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their items in The Container Store, on PopSugar, Buzzfeed, or this little list called “Oprah’s Favorite Things.” My guests today are the founders of Three By Three Seattle, Anita Nadelson and Gwen Weinberg. Anita and Gwen are no strangers to the organizing product world. They started Three by Three Seattle 25 years ago-and like any partnership, their business and lives have evolved together over the years. As women and moms, I love how they reference their personal lives when designing new products. With a simple, yet powerful mission of making busy lives beautifully efficient, they repeatedly deliver on that promise with well crafted, functional, and stylish products designed to solving orga

Hi Friends! Today I am joined by fellow mom and entrepreneur, Viktoria Harrison.  Vik was 25 when she started building the charity: water brand alongside her husband Scott. Twelve years later, the organization has raised $300 million, helped 8 million people get clean drinking water, while inspiring non-profits and businesses around the world through creative storytelling and design. (You may have heard me talk about charity: water in past episodes about clutter free gift ideas) Now, Vik is helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs find their unique stories and build soulful, authentic and successful brands that deeply reflect who they are, through her  company, The Branded Startup. Vik is also the mom to two adorable kids, and is in the weeds of pre-school, kindergarten and small space living in NYC. Our conversation dives into her experience of birthing one of the most influential and social conscious non-profits, to making the decision to stay at home with her little ones, to now integrating life as a wife, mom

Hi Friends! My guest on today’s episode of TOL is Cameron Cegala.  Cameron is the co-founder of AdKaddy, a mobile app created to help users keep their personal inboxes simple and free of brand clutter. (can I get an amen?!)  Prior to developing AdKaddy, Cameron spent several years in the CPG industry, working in sales and marketing which gave her a unique insight into the brand-customer relationship.  Seeking a better way for brands to interact with customers without feeling “interrupted” is what fueled Cameron’s passion to develop AdKaddy. We talk a lot about digital clutter, especially when it comes to email. In the past we have discussed an “all or nothing” approach: either unsubscribe or have a cluttered inbox.   But AdKaddy is different. The reality is that sometimes you want or need to keep emails, but don’t necessarily want 1000 of them in your inbox. AdKaddy is a simple and streamlined email platform that is designed to categorize all of your online shopping in one place. Easy Sorting + Easy Retr

Hi Friends! My guest on today’s episode of TOL is Cameron Cegala.  Cameron is the co-founder of AdKaddy, a mobile app created to help users keep their personal inboxes simple and free of brand clutter. (can I get an amen?!)  Prior to developing AdKaddy, Cameron spent several years in the CPG industry, working in sales and marketing which gave her a unique insight into the brand-customer relationship.  Seeking a better way for brands to interact with customers without feeling “interrupted” is what fueled Cameron’s passion to develop AdKaddy. We talk a lot about digital clutter, especially when it comes to email. In the past we have discussed an “all or nothing” approach: either unsubscribe or have a cluttered inbox.   But AdKaddy is different. The reality is that sometimes you want or need to keep emails, but don’t necessarily want 1000 of them in your inbox. AdKaddy is a simple and streamlined email platform that is designed to categorize all of your online shopping in one place. Easy Sorting + Easy Retrieval

Hi Friends! Today we are kicking off September with the help of my IRL friend and interior designer, Danielle Datz. I figured what better way to mourn the end of summer, than with one of my girlfriends by my side! Fun Fact: Danielle was a guest back on episode 111 which happens to be one of our most downloaded episodes, so be sure to check it out! With summer now in our rearview mirror, it’s time to re-activate our routines that may have fallen by the wayside.   Did you know that September/Back to school is the 2nd most popular RESET time (next to New Years)  Where some people make resolutions, start new habits, or re-establish old ones. Danielle and I unpack some of the most popular re-set areas, and provide strategies to help you navigate the muddy waters that accompany each of the following:  o   Meal Planning/Eating right o   Bedtime and Homework o   Exercise o   Cutting back on Alcohol (seriously?! is this a typo?) o   New job/School If you need some gentle nudging to help get you back in the game,

Hi Friends! Today we are wrapping up our parenting series, with my laundry loving, notecard taking, hubby-Josh!  Josh is no stranger to the guest mic at TOL. He made his debut appearance back in episode 86 and 87, so if you haven’t already listened, you’ll definitely want to go back and check those out! Josh shares his perspective on how our parenting roles and priorities have changed over the years.  We talk about the importance of communication, not sweating the small stuff, and knowing when to back away and let him re-load the dishwasher :). We talk about how we parent differently, as well as where we are on the same page. After being married for over 20 years, with 2 almost grown kids, we reflect on what we did that (hopefully) has prepared them to become functioning members of society. It’s an honest and unscripted conversation, that basically gives you a glimpse of what life is like at our house, so if you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors-here you go! xo- Laurie  Please

Hi Friends! Today we are joined by host of The Minimalist Moms Podcast, Diane Boden. Diane, is the wife to Marty, mom to Miss Charlotte Rose, Martin, and a September babe on the way! She is a lover of books, travel, cool autumn days and coffee. Diane describes herself as a reformed ‘shop-aholic’ who now readily embraces a ‘less is more’ lifestyle. Her goal is to inspire you to think more and do with less. We talk candidly about her own minimalism journey the spectrum of minimalism  how things like screen time, extra circular activities and family factor into her minimalist philosophy I love chatting with moms of younger kids who can bring a fresh perspective to raising kids in a "digital first" era.  I invite you to listen to our entire conversation and share the episode with your tribe! XOXO- Laurie CONNECT WITH DIANE WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM Please support us! SUBSCRIBE to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week! LEAVE A REVIEW .  Social influence is the most impactful way to help others

Hi Friends! Today we are joined by Heather Wells.  Heather is a single mother of three children: twin 18 year old sons (both with special needs) and a 12 year old daughter. Heather spent years struggling just to make ends meet. Now she is a successful business owner, host of the ever popular Single Mom Podcast (and blog), and is dedicated to helping other single moms find the tools, resources and mindsets to navigate through the craziness of raising children alone. On this episode, Heather shares her incredible story that you don’t want to miss! Her day to day struggles as a single mom wearing “all the hats” The organizational tools that helped to foster and empower independence for her boys How she found financial freedom by creating a business from home How she is helping create opportunities for other women to do the same! I found our conversation inspiring and full of relevant information-I hope you feel the same! All links mentioned in this episode are included below.  If you enjoyed this episode pleas

Hi Friends! On today's episode of TOL we are joined by my friend, and SBO partner, Stefanie Wyres. Stefanie is a home organizer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and is the founder of Bring Peace Home.  Stefanie and her team are driven to helping people find balance and peace in their lives.  She tackles everything from garages to craft rooms to doctor’s offices and has fun doing it!   Stefanie is also a mom to 2 daughters, ages 18 and 20. Given that she  has already gone through the whole "college thing" with her 20 year old,  I asked her to share with us some valuable tips and strategies for those who are about to embark on this exciting (yet overwhelming) chapter. I realize that many of you can’t even begin to think about college, because you're surrounded by diapers, sippy cups, and tripping over toys, (and for a hot minute I would like to trade places with you!). For folks like me, who are in the thick of it, trust me when I tell you that the whole college prepared-ness can be a real struggle, and source of

  Hi Friends, Today we are kicking off our parenting series, and trust me when I tell you that this series is for everyone, whether you have kids or not.  We have a line up of great guests this month, so regardless of your season of life, be sure to stick around! I figured, who better to kick off our parenting series, than my very own daughter, Logan-- who at the time of this recording was embarking on her 16th birthday (Jesus take the wheel!) If you've listened to my show at all, you know that I have 2 incredible daughters, each with their own gifts and talents. They also each have areas in which they struggle.  It is with their permission that I am able to share parts of their lives with all of you. Logan has had her fair share of struggles, and has come a long way over the past 16 years. She really opened up on this episode about some vulnerable topics, including her struggles with ADHD, OCD, and Magical Thinking. We also talk about how Josh and I parent differently, what she likes (and dislikes) about bei

Hi Friends, Today we are joined by Hunter Clarke-Fields. Hunter s is a mindfulness mentor, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, creator of the Mindful Parenting course, and author of the upcoming book, Raising Good Humans. She helps moms bring calm into their daily lives and cooperation in their families. Hunter has over twenty years of experience in meditation and yoga practices and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide. She is the mother of two active daughters, who challenge her every day to hone her craft :) We talk about how she started her mindfulness journey, what mindfulness looks like to her, and why now, more than ever, we need to hit the pause button and take a breath (literally!) Hunter shares 5 tips for getting started (if you're like me and have no clue!).  If you or someone you know is feeling stressed, overextended or overwhelmed, this episode is a must-listen! I learned so much for our conversation and I hope you do too! XOXO- Laurie *If this is your first time here, please tap the SUB