“I want to be organized, but…”. Have you thought or said this before? I’ve heard this so many times from my clients and I’ve responded to messages and emails that start off the same way. Getting organized sounds so far-fetched because they’ve seen the “after” photos and they can’t imagine their own home being that Pinterest-perfect. I get it! Seeing a beautiful space and perfectly placed bins and color-coded closets can feel a little intimidating, but that doesn’t mean that it’s realistic for all. The good news? That’s not what organization is all about! I believe that there is potential in every home and for every person to have the organized lifestyle that they crave, regardless of circumstance.

ou may have seen over on Instagram, but during a family vacation this summer our entire basement flooded. We came home to soaked floors, damp walls, and an expensive realization that everything (furniture, dry wall, carpeting, etc.) would need to be replaced. Looking back, I still wonder if there are things that could have been done to stop the water damage from happening. You may have been in this position too—wondering about the “what ifs” although at the end of the day I would have never predicted that the rain (regardless of how substantial it was this summer) could have wreaked so much havoc on our home.

Whether I’m packing for a weekend or a one-week trip, I’m a carry-on girl through and through when it comes to plane travel. I like the convenience of avoiding baggage claim and always having my luggage with me so that I can easily grab from the overhead bin and take to my destination. And as an added bonus, when may bag is smaller I am forced to bring fewer items and focus just on what I actually need. For years I was using large rolling suitcases for every flight, but I found myself packing extra items just to fill up the space (why bring 3 shirts when I could fit 12?).

Earlier this summer I went on a trip to the west coast where I knew that I would be needing multiple outfits per day (leisure, business, and evening), and I’ve learned over the years some tips that keep my carry-on policy in tacts, despite a packed schedule and varying plans/dress codes. I am headed on multiple trips this over the next couple of months by land and air, and for each one I am only taking a carry-on.

There are a couple of topics that win the title for “most requested” when it comes to creating content. It’s probably no surprise since you’ve likely seen the commercials and been inundated with ads and store sales pushing products and reminders, but back to school season is a big one over at Rachel and Company. I definitely see a rise in requests for clients asking for help around the home to get organized for the upcoming school year. As a parent, I totally get it! There are lists of products to buy, clothing and supplies to get prepared, and maybe even a rogue backpack or two left to unpack from the last school year (hey, no judgement!).

“If I had more free time then I could finally get organized.” I’ve heard it once, twice, thousands of times (literally). And I get it! Life is chaotic and there never seems to be enough time to get it all done. But, there are ways that we can manage our daily routines and free up time to chip away at the overall goal of becoming more organized. With this approach, you’re making organization more a part of our daily routine rather than one-time event, which has proven to stick and is easier to keep up with.

As a professional organizer, I’m often asked what season is our busiest. While every season has a reason to be busy (i.e. back to school, holiday prep, spring cleaning, etc.), we always see an influx of questions and requests related to upcoming moving and house renovation projects. Last week we kicked off the official first days of summer with a two-week packing/unpacking/organizing project, and we’re looking forward to helping other busy families with moves, renovations, and overall home organization projects over the next several months.

Have you ever felt that your home’s square footage–or lack thereof–was keeping you from getting organized? While I can’t help to change the footprint of your home, there are many ways that design and organization can help to maximize the usable (and visual) space in your home. Take a peek at the tips below and let me know which design and organizing hacks you are going to use to transform your small space. I promise you that even the smallest hacks can be life changing and change the way that you live and operate in your small space.

As cheesy as it may sound, labels are the glue that hold your systems together. They are the structure to support the system that you’ve worked hard to put into place (like organizing your pantry) and keep categories together. Labels can help you save time (especially with kids), cut down on waste, save money and make daily tasks easier. I highly recommend the company Mabel’s Labels, their products are durable, aesthetically pleasing and can be applied to multiple items.

I’m excited to announce that we have launched a new series on our YouTube channel dedicated to organizing with kids with my daughters fielding the questions! Our first video discusses How To Pack Your School Lunch.We hope that these quick, fun videos are helpful for you (and your children!) and we would love to know what other topics you would like to see covered.

On Monday I found myself cleaning out my inbox, setting goals and prioritizing my to-do lists so that I would feel ready to tackle not only the week ahead, but 2017 as a whole. But I of all people know that it can be overwhelming to begin the process. Ready or some guidance? Here are a few questions to ask yourself and some to-dos that will make your newyear goals achievable.