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.

“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.

Years ago when my identical twins were in preschool I remember them coming home from school with a gift for me around Thanksgiving. Their teachers had helped the students turn their handprints into little turkeys, which they dried out and then framed for each of the parents. To me, it was the most thoughtful gift that I could have received (#proudparent). The art of their tiny hands immediately made me feel proud to be their mom and brought me joy, which is something that I try to keep in mind while choosing holiday gifts for everyone on my list.

How was your week? I’m looking forward to a few quieter days this weekend to catch up. Between Halloween on Tuesday and an epic Boss-Lady event on Wednesday, I’m looking forward to a few days where I can get myself organized.

This has been a big year for me. I got married, made it through another back-to-school season, and even started the process of celebrating ten years in business (lots of changes coming soon).  Feeling run-down is the name of the game when you’re juggling a busy home and professional life, right? Pretty soon, though, I realized that I was dealing with more than just fatigue and a whole lot of stress.  After countless doctor’s appointments, I learned that I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks your thyroid, a key gland responsible for regulating many of your body’s essential functions.  On the one hand, I was grateful to finally attach a name to what I have; however, I wasn’t (and maybe am still not) prepared for all that it would take to manage this condition. Let me tell you, life with Hashimoto’s is not easy. The status quo was not going to fly if I wanted to keep my symptoms in check.  It was time to mobilize and organize!

Raise your hand if you find yourself wearing the same items over and over again, even though you have a closet and dresser full (or maybe even overflowing?) with options. Guess what? You aren’t alone! The way that you store your clothing may actually be the reason why you reach for the same pieces over and over again. More likely than not, your time is limited and you want to grab what is easy and visible.

As I’m standing at the event looking at the photographer take photos it dawned on me that my summer vacation pictures were still sitting on my phone. The photos were now so far deep in the album that I would have to scroll pretty far to find them. I had really great intentions of getting them printed as soon as I got home from my last trip, but then I got sick…and work was busy…and life was back to normal…so, it was easy to be dropped on the priority list. That’s when I decided to try a new-to-me app to preserve my photos. The best part? It takes under 5 minutes to do!

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that people have said to me “you’re home must be so perfect and organized!” or I’ve received questions on how I balance being a full-time business owner and mom to identical twins. I am always flattered to hear that it looks like I’ve got it together and all figured out, but I would be lying if I said that it was easy and that I truly don’t work hard every day to keep my business, home, and family running smoothly. I was recently asked by Ringlet Studio to share my organizing tips for business owners, and I wanted to share a couple of the tips on the blog because I know that they can be used in your life regardless of what your work or home life looks like.

During the transition between seasons I find myself reaching for the “in between” items. The light jackets and sweaters are the items that I rarely shop for but honestly they probably get the most wear!I know I’m not alone, as we have several clients requesting closet organization and refreshes. The turn of the season brings the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality, but in my line of work I have seen time and time again that it is more difficult for people to practice what they preach. I get it! So, here are the tips that I tell all of my clients. There are no strict rules that you have to follow, and honestly very little time that goes into it if you keep up with the process seasonally.