The holiday season seems to bring an influx of everything. From the decor that gets pulled down from storage around Halloween, the food and extra hosting commitments that start around Thanksgiving, and the holiday parties and work events that spike around this time of year, it can be a lot to handle! When you really break it down, organization plays a huge role in each aspect of the holiday season. Whether it’s how to get ready for overnight guests, how to prep your pantry and fridge for upcoming events, or how to declutter your kids’ toys before a fresh round of items start arriving this holiday season, organizing is a critical piece to getting each of these tasks accomplished.

With the holiday season among us (Thanksgiving is only one week away!), this means that our schedules are about to become a bit busier and our fridges and pantries may become a bit more crowded. Between hosting obligations and the anticipated turkey and side dish leftovers, finding space in an already crammed refrigerator may seem nearly impossible.

So, what can be done?

Before you bring another Tupperware container or bulk-size box into the fridge, let’s use today—National Clean Out Your Fridge Day!—to make some necessary improvements to this space.

True story: last week I had to take a power nap after dropping my kids off at school. The 5-minute walk home from school expended the remaining little energy that I had and I needed to fall asleep. Never in my decade of being a parent had I taken a nap “on the job”, but I could not respond to an email, get out my girls’ snacks, or deal with the mail and incoming packages at my doorstep until my body had a break. Kind of sounds pathetic, right? That kind of exhaustion is a tiny peek into what my life with Hashimoto’s disease is like.

“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.

Professionals are the least likely to judge us when we need help, and yet, often, they are the ones we fear the most. Life happens, and we provide a nonjudgmental approach. We are professionals. We see clutter and disorganization on a daily basis. We also experience it ourselves. Believe me, we’ve seen it all. You are not the worst, and even if you were, we do not judge. We’re not shocked. We understand, and we want to hear from you.

It was time for a change and something major: a rebranding of Rachel and Company. I had an idea of what I liked and what I wanted, and realized it wasn’t as easy as going blonde! That’s when I met Marcela, a branding expert and designer for one of my favorite brands (Framebridge), and she offered to redesign my logo and create a new look and feel for Rachel and Company. Take a look.

Consigning is a great idea for clothing, shoes, purses, and even jewelry that you’ve kept in great condition, but no longer use. But you want to know the dirty truth about consigning? It takes work. A lot of work. In contrast, holding onto things because you paid X amount for them, or don’t make the time to consign, can be stifling. Once you do it, though, it’s like ripping off a BAND-AID, and you might never go back when you realize the benefits and get a good system in place.