Organizing Boston

Stuff Magazine Article

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Cosmetics Clean-Out: How to Control the Chaos in Your Makeup Bag
by Heather Bouzan December 14, 2009

We’re not always optimistic about New Year’s resolutions, but when the clock strikes 2010, we’d like to think we’ll have control over something in our lives. And that something, we’ve decided, might realistically be our makeup bags.

For some, it’s a simple task: toss this million-times-crimped tube of eye cream or that shadow shade that hasn’t been worn since 1992. But for us, owners of enough travel-sized shampoos to equip a boutique hotel, it’s quite a different story. In search of answers, we headed to an expert: Sarah Buckwalter, owner of Organizing Boston, begins by asking clients to consolidate. “Sometimes [makeup is] in our car. There’s some in our gym bag. There’s some in our purse.... Sort it all out on a table and see what you have,” says Buckwalter.

Once your inventory is accurate, begin the necessary eliminations. The casualties? Eye makeup more than six months old (toss mascara after two or three), impulse buys that were never realistically your color, powder compacts coated with any sort of weird sheen, and anything cream-based that’s beginning to smell funky have all got to go.

For the purge-phobic, Buckwalter suggests donating unopened product to charitable organizations that collect beauty supplies for women in need. If that’s not an option, just start with the obvious discards, working your way toward the more difficult decisions. “Start with something like, okay, this is all the old makeup; this is my 1980s makeup,” Buckwalter counsels with a chuckle. “And, believe me, I find that in people’s houses.”

Rachel Lockhart, makeup artist and owner of Rachel’s Makeup Studio (176 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.424.0153), concurs. Lockhart, who offers makeup lessons with a makeup bag overhaul included, explains, “Women keep their eye makeup for years. I had a client who was in the other day who told me she had the same mascara for like seven years.”

The dirty work done, it’s on to ensuring that your makeup bag is stocked with all the necessities. In search of a little insight, we visited Emma Katrina Katzburg, Whole Body team leader at Whole Foods Market (181 Cambridge Street, Boston, 617.723.0004) — i.e., the go-to girl in the upscale-crunchy grocer’s beauty department (where we’ve found some of the most unexpectedly obsession-worthy product we’ve seen in a long time). Her tip? Make sure you’re equipped with the right tools. “Brushes are going to be the most important thing to any makeup regime; if you’re using the wrong brush, even the best makeup is going to look awful,” says Katzburg. She emphasizes that every woman needs a kabuki brush for foundation and blush, as well as dedicated eyeshadow and concealer brushes.

From there, Katzburg’s essentials include a multipurpose concealer for hiding blemishes, providing a base for longer-lasting lipstick and bolder eyeshadow, and, in dude world, masking ingrown hairs. “Really,” says Katzburg, “if there was one product, stranded on a desert island, that you couldn’t live without, it’s that.” A pressed-base mineral compact eliminates the need for any other foundations, while a great bronzer takes a daytime look into night and adds a little glow to bare legs and arms. In addition to her affinity for multipurpose products, Katzburg is a fan of mineral makeup — its lack of perishable ingredients means it can, in theory, last indefinitely. To round out one’s repertoire, other must-haves include a hydrating mist (her fave is by Ann Webb), cotton swabs (“That way, if you mess up something on the road, you’re not trying to wipe it off with your fingers,” Katzburg says), and a nude lip gloss to add polish to even an otherwise bare face.

When it comes down to it, maintaining a well-edited beauty bag is often about just being practical with both disposals and acquisitions. “The fact is,” Lockhart muses, “if you have something that’s sitting in your makeup bag, just like anything that’s sitting in your closet, if you’re not going to ever wear it or you’re not going to ever use it, what’s the point? It’s just taking up space.” Space that’s just waiting to be filled with our latest makeup-counter have-to-have-it splurges — all in the name of research, of course.

Give the Gift of an Organized Life!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Organizing Gift Certificates are now on Sale!
Please visit http://www.organizingboston.com/gifts.html for more details.

Holiday Organizing Tip of the Day

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:22:00 +0000

If you have to go to the mall, go on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning when stores are the least crowded. It's worth taking the morning off of work for your sanity.

Holiday Organizing Tip of the Day

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Save time and money by doing Secret Santa or a Yankee Swap with your friends or family.

Holiday Organizing Tip of the Day

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:08:00 +0000

Schedule realistically. You don't have to say "yes" to every invitation. Leave time for yourself and stick to the routines that keep you stress-free, like going to the gym and getting a good nights' sleep.

Fun Paper Organizing Stories!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Wondering if you should bother organizing your paperwork? Here are a few true stories…and some tips to keep this from happening to you.
Getting organized could save your house
I was sorting through a (huge) pile of unopened mail on a client’s kitchen counter and found a notice of a lien on their property due to unpaid real estate taxes. The real estate tax bills were also in the unopened pile of mail. Tip: Open your mail.
Found money
I found a check for $13,600 in a box of unopened mail that had been shoved in my client’s basement. I showed it to him and he told me he had been waiting for that check for over a year, had accused the sender of never sending it, and was in the process of taking legal action over it. Tip: Deal with paperwork as it comes in. It can save you time, money, and embarrassment.
1951 was a good year…
So good, that in 2007, I came across a client’s tax returns from that year, and every year in between. You wouldn’t believe how simple the form was back then…and all done in pencil. Tip: You only need to keep personal tax records for seven years.
The desk drawer
In 1994 my uncle took over my grandfather’s company. On his first day there he sat down at my grandfather’s desk and opened the top, right drawer to find invoices dated 1955. Tip: Purge regularly (definitely more often than once every 50 years).

How to Catch up on Paperwork

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:39:00 +0000

We all slack off a little in the summer. I am guilty of it myself. It’s nice outside; we go on vacation and ignore the mail. Yet, it still keeps coming! The most common call I get this time of year is for help in the home office. The papers have piled up all summer and now it’s time to tackle them!
Start with a quick sort
Grab a pile of papers and quickly sort it into four piles: To Do, To Pay, To Read, To File. I know that some organizers urge you to “only handle it once”, but I find this approach to be more effective.
Deal with the paper
First, pay your bills.
Second, do your To Dos. Go through each piece of paper and take action on it. Is there a call to be made? Make it. Is there an address to be entered? Enter it. This is the most time consuming part of the process, so if you are limited on time, you may want to do a quick sort through and pick the most immediate items to do first. However, don’t let the rest of the pile remain for long. Put time in your calendar to tackle it all.
Third, file. This won’t take long if you have a simple and effective filing system (see below).
Finally, prepare your reading. Create a folder for your To Read pile and put it in your bag or car. This way, you can pull them out and read through them whenever you have a few moments to spare.

Recycling Single-Use Batteries

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:15:00 +0000

I was cleaning out my kitchen drawer today when I came across a few single-use batteries. I can't remember the last time I used a device that required a single-use battery. My camera, cell phone, I-pod, etc., all have rechargeable batteries. I didn't know what to do with these, so I went to my favorite recycling site: http://earth911.com/ and searched for battery recycling in my area. Turns out, there are lots of places to recycle batteries. If you have a few you don't know what to do with, please don't throw them away...look up battery recycling in your area.

Email and the Environment

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:14:00 +0000

The dream of a paperless office hasn't turned out quite the way we thought. If anything, technology has created more paperwork. Through technology, we are inundated with information and neat ideas that we want to hold on to. So, we print out a web page or email and put it in our pile, or file. Stop! Think before you print! Do you really need a hard copy of that information, or can it be easily found again online by bookmarking it, or saving into a folder on your computer? If you do have to print it, only print the pages you need. Often when you print an email, you'll get extra pages with one or two words or graphics on them. What a waste! Make sure you select the print mode in your email program, so you are not printing everything, or cut and paste the information you need into a word document and print just that.

Travel Organizing Tips

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:13:00 +0000

Be Prepared
Check the Weather
You may be going to a tropical island, but is it rainy season? Check the weather a day or two in advance and pack accordingly.
Bring Comfortable Shoes
So, you look like a tourist. Well, you are a tourist! And you'll be a much happier tourist if your feet aren't killing you.

Driving?
Upgrade to the AAA Plus Membership, which offers 100 miles of free towing, free fuel delivery, emergency lock service and lots of other handy road-side benefits. You can also get trip planners, maps, and discounts on travel and lodging.

Pack Smart
1. Make a List
Make a list of all items that you need for your trip. Pick a spot to lay things out. Pre-sort by category. Check off items as you pack them. Keep a copy of your list

2. Pack Lightly
Think about the steps you will have to take in order to reach your destination. You may have to carry your luggage up and down stairs, through train stations, airports, etc.

3. Roll instead of Fold
To add extra clothing space, roll your clothes instead of folding. Use tissue paper when rolling clothes to minimize wrinkles.

4. "Containerize" your Clothes
Use packing cubes, packing folders, Ziploc bags, or other simple containers to keep like-items together and in order.

Going Far and Away?
If you don't know the language, use pictures. If you are traveling to a country where you don't know the language, use your camera or camera phone to take photos of basic needs such as bottled water, toilet, taxi, etc. If you don't know the word for it, just show the picture.

Money
Contact your credit card company to let them know you will be traveling, so they do not put a hold on your card. Use ATMs to get cash in the local currency. This will also allow you to get the best exchange rate of the day. Check with your bank to find out if they have international partners to avoid fees.

Traveling by Air?
Use 3-1-1 for carry-on toiletries. 3.4 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin.

Want to Hear More?
Please join us for a free telephone seminar on Tuesday, June 23rd from 4-5pm
We are offering a free telephone seminar on summer travel tips. We will provide tips to help you pack lightly and efficiently. There will also be time to answer any specific questions you may have.
Space is limited, please email us at organizingboston@yahoo.com or call 617-699-1263 to reserve your spot now!

A Simple Way to Stop Junk Mail

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:17:00 +0000

41pounds.org is a non-profit organization designed to help stops your junk mail and catalogs — protecting the environment. Junk mail wastes an incredible amount of natural resources and contributes to global warming. Our nonprofit service covers your entire household for five years, saving...

Time — No credit card offers to shred or unwanted catalogs.
Trees — Keep 100+ million trees in forests, cooling the planet.
Water — Protect 28 billion gallons of clean water.
Climate — Junk mail produces more C02 than 9 million cars.
Planet — We donate to your favorite charity when you sign up.

Go to http://www.41pounds.org/ and stop getting junk mail today!

Upcoming Event!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:33:00 +0000

On Thursday, May 14th, I will be giving a free talk and demonstration on organizing your home office at the Thos. Moser Boston Showroom.
A reception will follow.
The event is from 5pm to 8pm at 19 Arlington St. in Boston.
Please RSVP by contacting the Thos. Moser Boston Showroom
http://www.thosmoser.com/showroom.detail.php?click=677233&showroom_id=25

Container Store Elfa Sale!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:22:00 +0000

Great News! Elfa shelving is on sale at the Container Store. Normally, this discount is only available in January, but here it is again. So, take advantage!

Need help? We can do all the design and installation work for you! Call us today: 617-699-1263.

It's Tax Time - Do you know where your papers are?

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:45:00 +0000

No one looks forward to tax time, but here are a few ways to make it easier to file this year and the years to follow.

If you have used the “everything in a shoebox method” up until now, you are not alone! In order to organize everything for this year gather three plastic bins and label them Income, Expenses and deductions, and Investments. Then you can categorize each tax-related piece of paper you have, from receipts to IRS letters to W2s. By using plastic bins you can easily put a lid on them and clear the table when you need it for something else.

Don’t wait until next year’s tax time rolls around to start thinking about your 2009 taxes. Start keeping all of your tax related receipts together. Maintain an envelope in your purse or a section in your wallet to hold tax-related receipts. Pull these receipts once a week and file them. Have a folder for each tax category. If you are unsure about which categories to use, refer to your last tax return. If you itemize your deductions, you will see which categories to copy. Duplicate these within your filing system. Next year you will simply total each category to determine the sum for each individual deduction.

If you want to go a step further and really simplify your tax process, put your finances into a computer bookkeeping program. Set aside the same time each week to update this program and keep track of your personal finances. This will also help those of you who have trouble keeping up with your bills or who are trying to stay within a budget.
How long do you have to keep your records? Ordinarily that’s three years from the due date for the return, including extensions, to assess any additional tax. But a return can be audited for six years if the IRS suspects the taxpayer has neglected to report substantial income. If fraud is suspected, there is no time limit. Keep a folder labeled for each tax year which includes your returns as well as any supporting documentation.

For a complete checklist of what papers to keep, please visit our Tax Records page on our website.

The Container Store Coupon

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Just in time for spring cleaning, The Container Store is offering 20% off everything online and in there store (and online)! Offer is good till March 1st.

Get Organized and Save $25.00!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:31:00 +0000

This month save $25.00 off any organizing session! Please contact us for more details.

Get Organized for the New Year!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Did you know that getting organized is one of 2009's top three New Year's resolutions?

I appeared live on Fox 25 News this week to provide some great tips to help you get organized in the New Year. Click here to watch the clip

If you'd like some more details, please click here to read some of the organizing solutions that were highlighted.

With over ten years experience and hundreds of happily organized clients, we have the skills and knowledge to help you get organized in 2009!

Get Organized in the New Year!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Did you know that getting organized is one of 2009's top three New Year's resolutions?

I will be appearing on Fox 25 News on Tuesday, January 6th at 8:45am to provide some simple steps to help you get organized in the New Year.

Here are the tips I will be highlighting:

Start with the obvious. The simplest way to begin is to do sweep of your house with a recycling bin and garbage bag and collect the obvious trash, such as expired coupons, holiday catalogs, magazines, old newspapers, and paid bills not needed for tax purposes. This is an easy task that will give you an immediate sense of accomplishment and motivate you to do more.

Identify your clutter hot-spots. You can't hide it all, but you can contain it. Look at where clutter collects and set up attractive ways to organize it. Like placing a decorative bowl on the counter for keys, or a nice basket by the front door for shoes.

Set small goals and stay focused. If you are feeling overwhelmed with a project, break things down into mini de-cluttering sessions. Stay focused on that one project until it is complete. And reward your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. You're moving in the right direction and that's what's important.

Sort items into categories and store like-items together. Again start with the obvious, collect all the pens and put them into a desk drawer, get all the toys into the playroom. Choose broad categories to get started and work your way up to the more complicated ones.

Make a home for everything. Clutter usually accumulates because items have no home. Assign a specific home to frequently used items. For example, scissors go into a certain kitchen drawer. Make sure everyone in your family knows where that home is and you'll never have to search for those scissors again.

Find an excuse to let it go. If you're feeling guilty about getting rid of things, then do something good with them. Make some money by selling your items online or through consignment. Or donate them to your favorite charity and take a tax deduction.

Have a Happy and Organized New Year!

Holiday Organizing Tips

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:22:00 +0000

These tips will help guide you through a simplified, stress-free holiday season. Well, almost stress-free...unfortunately we can't de-clutter your house guests!
Tip #1 - Be Prepared
1. Create a holiday planner. Use a basic multi-subject notebook. Create sections for gift lists, holiday card lists, menu planning, decorating, coupons, etc. Bring it with you everywhere, so you can always reference it or add to it.
2. Schedule realistically. You don't have to say "yes" to every invitation. Leave time for yourself and stick to the routines that keep you stress-free, like going to the gym and getting a good nights' sleep.
3. Do a wardrobe check. Make sure you have the perfect party outfit. Stock up on a few key pieces that can be mixed and matched.
4. Hire a cleaner. Arrange to have a cleaner come a few days before your guests. Then you'll only have to worry about doing some last minute tidying.

Tip #2 - Shop Smart
1. Start shopping early. Many retailers are already offering holiday discounts. Do your homework. Make a list and check it twice. Include a budget. This will cut down on wasted trips to the mall and over-spending.
2. Shop Online. Online retailers allow you to shop around and find the best prices. Many retailers are now providing free shipping. Visit our Holiday Resources page for some coupons and gift suggestions.

For a complete list of holiday tips, please visit our website: www.organizingboston.com/holidaytips.html

Happy Holidays!

Don't Toss, Recycle!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:55:00 +0000

Does your office have a paper recycling program? If not, it's easy to set one up. There are many recycling companies that will pick up barrels of paper for a small fee. In Massachusetts, I am a fan of Earthworm recycling. But, there are companies nationwide. All you need to do is make a phone call, order some plastic recycling bins (or put a sign on regular trash bins to designate them as paper only), and put them under everyone's desk. I first did this at a small company (40 employees) I worked for 10 years ago. A few people teased me, and my boss was reluctant, but I pushed for it and got the program going. The first month the recycling program sent me a report. We had saved 35 trees that month (that's almost one tree per person!). The company still uses the system today. In 10 years – that's over 4,200 trees saved! All I did was take initiative. You can, too!

How to Set up an Effective Paper Filing System

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:42:00 +0000

First…make sure you have a good quality, full suspension file cabinet, with enough space to hold all of your files.

To Begin
Use separate filing drawers for business and personal files.
Use 5-tab, letter size hanging file folders and 3-tab manila file folders to go inside.
Use headers and sub-headers to divide the files into categories.
Name the files the way you think of them.
Label the tabs well.
File alphabetically if that works for you, otherwise file by category.
To save space, open and unfold documents (bank statements, stock reports, etc).
Staple documents, do not paperclip them.

To Maintain
Regularly weed out old files.
Only current files should be in your file cabinet. Keep long term, archival files in a cardboard or plastic box and put away. Date and label the box.

For a complete list on managing your paperwork, please email us at organizingboston@yahoo.com

10 Traits that Make you Filthy Rich

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:09:00 +0000

This article appeared in the Wall Street Journal last week. The #3 trait on the list was "Organization".

The article states:
"Being organized can make you more productive and ensure that all the many issues pertaining to personal finances are addressed.
It means not paying late fees, not buying two of everything, knowing deadlines that can affect your finances and getting more done in less time. All these can greatly benefit your finances."

Think beyond your physical space. Are you paying late fees for overdue bills? Think of how much this is costing you. Getting organized will save you money!

Spring is here!

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:09:00 +0000

With a temperature of 60 degrees here in Boston today, I found myself pulling out my bins of summer clothes and trying things on for fit. (Sadly, not everything fit as we as last year). Now is a great time to asses your wardrobe and purge clothing.

Use these following guidelines:
1. If you haven’t worn it all winter, toss it! There is no sense in letting them waste valuable storage real estate for another year.
2. If it doesn’t fit, toss it! Be realistic about the clothes that you are keeping in hopes of fitting into them again. If you do lose weight, wouldn’t you rather treat yourself to a nice, new outfit?
3. The same rules apply to shoes. Those boots that were oh-so-cute last fall are still sitting in the box, unworn and the shoes that you wore every day are water-stained and completely worn out. Don’t worry, there will be plenty more cute boots next fall.

To help let things go with ease, just think of all the cute spring outfits you can buy to replace them!

As the daily juggle moves into '08, what's hot, what's not

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Boston Globe
December 30, 2007

As the daily juggle moves into '08, what's hot, what's not
By Maggie Jackson

The word of the year is overload. Will 2008 bring a cure?

Work hours for many keep creeping up - and vacations are going the way of the rotary telephone. We live in a time of communications on steroids - and the off-button doesn't limit the onslaught. It's a noisy, hyper, workaholic era, and yet I see a few gratifying signs that we're tiring of overload, speed, and limitless living.

These embryonic changes surfaced in 2007, and I predict they will gain strength in the coming year and hold the potential to remap our careers, home lives, and even our mind-sets. Here's a peek at the trends to watch, beginning with the state of careers after the walls came tumbling down - the walls of work, that is.

Fluidity is in. Piecemeal flexing is out. How can flexible work arrangements be so popular yet so passé? Listen to Cathleen Benko, vice chairman and chief talent officer at Deloitte & Touche, and you'll begin to understand. She helped invent a companywide approach to career management that is creating a stir across corporate America. After noticing that employee satisfaction was declining slightly despite 69 different flexible work programs, Benko and other executives took a radical step.

In brief, they realized that workplaces still operate largely on Industrial Age models of uninterrupted, male careers and mom-based care giving. These days, Generation Y wants time off to volunteer and dual-earner parents struggle to do it all, and yet "flexible work" -now available to 65 percent of employees nationwide - is largely treated as an exception to the norm, granted if you have a willing manager.

Instead, Deloitte's "Mass Career Customization" program, despite its rather clunky name, assumes that flexibility is the new norm. Deloitte now talks of a "career lattice," not a ladder, with many paths leading to different kinds of success. Scale back to care for an elderly parent, for instance, then return to the fast track. By the end of next year, all 40,000 US-based Deloitte employees will be able to customize their careers by periodically adjusting their work pace, job setting and schedule, workload, and company role under the program.

If the program succeeds, workers and employers gain a framework for holistically managing fluid 21st-century careers, plus a new means of tackling overload. "Policies alone are not enough," says Ellen Kossek, a Michigan State University professor who studies alternative work and is the coauthor of a new book, "Ceo of Me," on "flex-styles," from integration to "volleying" back and forth between home and work.

Career fluidity is coming. Parents land good jobs after years out of work, bosses care less about where you toil, and career customization and a new lexicon of flex-styles can inject some needed consistency and individuality into the messy arena of today's work. What we need next, as we chart our course, is to better see the road ahead.

De-cluttering is in. Multitasking is out. Sarah Buckwalter organizes homes and offices for a living. What does her Boston business have to do with our daily juggle? Clearly, finding your birth certificate or car keys quickly is a plus, but more important, she and other professionals see, as I do, a rising desire for simplicity - in possessions and in life.

"I think people are still frenzied," says Buckwalter, owner of Organizing Boston. "But people are aware of the fact that they don't have to be so frenzied, that they can have a choice."

Says Mary Carlomagno, owner of the Hoboken, N.J.-based organizing business, Order: "The organizing trend is all about taking stock. It's taking stock of your life, of your relationships, of your time."

Watch for the word "de-clutter" in 2008. People are increasingly tired of hyper-connectivity, information overload, excessive work hours. As I noted in past columns, companies are trying to boost face time and creative "white space" to offset the diffusion and fragmentation of virtual, hyper-interrupted work days. Workers are rethinking gadget addiction, and asking whether constantly chopping up and switching tasks is all that efficient.

"Americans value efficiency, achievement, success, busy-ness, and it makes our society very rich but deprives us of an internal sense of peace and contentment," says Margaret Hothem, a professor of recreation and leisure at Gordon College in Wenham. She has been trying to slow down by "monotasking" more.

Yet can a society that devalues rest learn to de-clutter? More than half of Americans say they don't use up their vacation time, reports staffing firm Hudson. When we do take brief breaks, we tote work along. We need to see the benefit of sometimes slowing down in daily life, and over our long careers.

At a recent end-of-year staff meeting at the Families and Work Institute in New York, anyone who'd used up their vacation days got to put on a humorous light-up crown. Only two people couldn't be anointed, including president Ellen Galinsky. She had to work through one scheduled break this year to tackle a work crisis, although she usually takes her vacation time. "There's this image of a career as a marathon that you cannot stop running until you keel over," says Galinsky. "But the people who train for marathons do take time to rest and recover."
She spoke the day before leaving for a nearly two-week family vacation to the Caribbean - without her laptop.

Alternative to the yearly clothing purge...

organizingboston@yahoo.com (Sarah Buckwalter) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:24:00 +0000

If you're lucky like I am and have an awesome little sister who buys you cool new clothes for Christmas...well, you might need to purge a bit to make room in your closet.

Or, if you're handy...installing a double hanging rod is a great way to maximize your closet storage space. :-) They are available at Home Depot and very reasonably priced. ($22 for a 5' shelf and rod).

Also, the Container Store is having a 30% off sale on their Elfa closet systems this month. They will help you put together a design based on the dimensions. You can also hire a Professional Organizer to help with the design (we also do the installation).

Good luck!